The Haldestod Caves

Most of the cave system is large and spacious for the dragons that often dwell there. However, there are spaces that can only be accessed by people, and these are some of the most popular for those who come to visit, as they are meant to be safer. The rocks making up the floor, walls, and ceiling are mostly a light brown with a coarse texture, which is helpful to prevent slipping. There are certain formations, though, which feature stones of different colors, such as red and purple. There are many large ponds, including one being fed by a waterfall.

Due to the presence of dragons, the animals that live in the caves can't afford to be very large, although even that might not save them due to the baby dragons that come to hibernate. In the waterfall lake, there are small fish that live largely off the moss and plants that grow underwater. There are also rats that feed off the abundance of insects such as beetles and millipedes. Other than that, the caves are largely devoid of life. Temporary residents include bats.

During the winter, since dragons hibernate in the caves, the lack of activity means that the number of animals increases significantly. Larger rats can grow since they no longer have the dragons to take interest in their size for meal purposes.

When visited after thunderstorms, a subtle screeching sound has been reported. It hasn't been pinpointed to an exact location, only just coming from the surrounding rocks as a whole. This has been hypothesized as a result of electricity from the mountains being struck. Moreover, certain red crystal formations have been known to glow during nighttime, but only in the summer.

The inside of the cave tends to be humid during the warm months. Those with glasses have reported that they fog up and stay that way to matter how often they are wiped clean. During the colder months, while the humidity drops, the caves as a whole remain warm.

It's not known exactly when the cave was first discovered by men, but a manuscript from 611 detailing concerns about a man who went missing while exploring the cave shows that, by that point, concerns about safety were already known. When DMMO was founded in 1327, it was made official that members of the public were barred from entering.

Many of those who come to visit are science lovers wanting to examine the natural beauty that lays within. Others are dragon enthusiasts who feel it's worth it to risk their life just so they can see one in the wild.