Glowing pit

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This page is about the mountain feature. You may be looking for the pit/pond designation for activity zones.

A glowing pit is a small impassable chasm, usually found near or within adamantine deposits deep in the earth. There is one glowing pit per mountain region, so finding it is a crapshoot without cheating. They are sometimes surrounded by mysterious rooms. These are very dangerous regions that can cause the destruction of even a well prepared fortress.

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If you dig deep enough in the right place, perhaps following that vein of glorious adamantine, you might break into a peculiar chamber with strange glowing pits at the bottom.

Because pre-existing architecture shows up as an asset of your outpost, you can check the z status screen as soon as you strike the earth; demon pits will typically show up as 4000☼ of total wealth.

Usually, there will be chained and caged humanoids, body parts, upright spears and pikes, ash and charcoal, and horrifying engravings in this room. These are a warning. If you do not take drastic measures such as rewalling the chamber to seal it, the glowing pits will unleash a horde of demons upon your fortress.

The pits contain a very small amount of magma, usually only enough for a handful of smelters or forges, but sometimes enough small deposits for a good-sized industry.

Of course, you'll have to deal with the demons first...

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