Editing Cavern

[[File:Cavern v50.jpg|thumb|351px|A cavern found underground.]][[File:v50_cavern2.png|thumb|351px|A deeper, more colorful layer of a cavern.]]

:''Not to be confused with [[Cave]].''

Each cavern layer spans multiple z-levels. Beneath the third layer lies the [[magma sea]].

 

If you hit caverns too often, then you can create a custom world with a higher number for 'Z Levels Above Layer 1' - Levels of stone above the first cavern layer. Making this higher will guarantee at least this many levels to build your fortress, but will have no impact on how many z-levels thick the surface layer is. Also, the top of a cavern may be higher than the rest of a cavern, so in practice there will be more levels than this.

 

 

 

Usually, most cavern layers are filled with [[water]] to a certain degree. This can range from a few pools (similar to, but distinct from [[murky pool]]s) at the bottom level to the whole layer being submerged, forming a gigantic underground sea, including [[fish]] and possibly camps of [[olm man|olm men]] and other [[fun]] aquatic creatures. If a body of water in a cavern connects to the map edge, creatures native to [[Creature#Subterranean|subterranean]]/[[Creature#Underground_Tribes|underground]] biomes, that can [[Swimmer|swim]], are able to [[Creature#Spawning|spawn]] there, which maybe be considered a [[Cavern#Dangers|danger]] or a [[Cavern#Benefits|benefit]].

[[File:cavern_announcement_v50.png|right]]Exploring the underground world, you may find a variety of special geographical features. When your dwarves discover a feature, an announcement window will let you know of it.

'''[[Deep pit]]s:''' Deep pits are... deep pits that connect one cavern level to the next. They have a fixed shape: The top z-level, where the pit meets the next cavern level, is un-muddied rough rock floor where the normal open space of the deep pit, and the random rock spires of the cavern collide.

| [[File:Amethyst man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|5:1}} [[Amethyst man]]

| [[File:Amphibian man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|a|6:0}} [[Amphibian man]]¹

| [[File:Antman sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|a|0:1}} [[Antman]]¹

| [[File:Bat man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|b|0:1}} [[Bat man]]¹

| [[File:Blind cave bear sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|B|7:1}} [[Blind cave bear]]

| [[File:Blind cave ogre sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|O|7:1}} [[Blind cave ogre]]

| [[File:Blood man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|4:0}} [[Blood man]]

| [[File:Bugbat sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|b|5:0}} [[Bugbat]]

| [[File:Cave blob sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|o|6:1}} [[Cave blob]]

| [[File:Cave crocodile sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|C|7:0}} [[Cave crocodile]]

| [[File:Cave dragon sprite anim.gif|20px]] / {{Tile|D|7:1}} [[Cave dragon]]

| [[File:Cave fish man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|f|7:1}} [[Cave fish man]]¹

| [[File:Cave floater sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|f|6:1}} [[Cave floater]]

| [[File:Cave swallow man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|s|0:1}} [[Cave swallow man]]¹

| [[File:Creeping eye sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|e|7:1}} [[Creeping eye]]

| [[File:Crundle sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|c|4:0}} [[Crundle]]

| [[File:Draltha sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|D|6:1}} [[Draltha]]

| [[File:Drunian sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|d|7:0}} [[Drunian]]

| [[File:Elk bird sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|E|6:0}} [[Elk bird]]

| [[File:Fire imp sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|i|6:1}} [[Fire imp]]

| [[File:Fire man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|4:1}} [[Fire man]]

| [[File:Flesh ball sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|o|6:0}} [[Flesh ball]]

| [[File:Floating guts sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|%|7:0}} [[Floating guts]]

| [[File:Beast sprites preview anim.gif|20px]] / {{Tile|?|7:1}} [[Forgotten beast]]²

| [[File:Gabbro man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|0:1}} [[Gabbro man]]

| [[File:Giant bat sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|B|0:1}} [[Giant bat]]

| [[File:Giant cave spider sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|S|7:0}} [[Giant cave spider]]

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| [[File:Giant cave swallow sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|C|0:1}} [[Giant cave swallow]]

| [[File:Giant cave toad sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|T|7:0}} [[Giant cave toad]]

| [[File:Giant earthworm sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|W|6:0}} [[Giant earthworm]]

| [[File:Giant mole sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|m|6:0}} [[Giant mole]]

| [[File:Giant olm sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|O|7:1}} [[Giant olm]]

| [[File:Giant rat sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|R|6:0}} [[Giant rat]]

| [[File:Gorlak sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|g|6:1}} [[Gorlak]]

| [[File:Green devourer sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|G|2:1}} [[Green devourer]]

| [[File:Gremlin sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|g|2:1}} [[Gremlin]]

| [[File:Helmet snake sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|s|7:1}} [[Helmet snake]]

| [[File:Hungry head sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|h|0:1}} [[Hungry head]]

| [[File:Iron man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|0:1}} [[Iron man]]

| [[File:Jabberer sprite anim.gif|20px]] / {{Tile|J|5:1}} [[Jabberer]]

| [[File:Large rat sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|r|6:0}} [[Large rat]]

| [[File:Magma crab sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|C|0:1}} [[Magma crab]]

| [[File:Magma man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|4:1}} [[Magma man]]

| [[File:Manera sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|m|6:0}} [[Manera]]

| [[File:Molemarian sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|4:1}} [[Molemarian]]

| [[File:Mud man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|M|6:0}} [[Mud man]]

| [[File:Naked mole dog sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|n|4:1}} [[Naked mole dog]]

| [[File:Olm man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|o|7:1}} [[Olm man]]¹

| [[File:Plump helmet man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|m|5:0}} [[Plump helmet man]]

| [[File:Pond grabber sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|p|1:1}} [[Pond grabber]]

| [[File:Reacher sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|R|7:0}} [[Reacher]]

| [[File:Reptile man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|r|2:0}} [[Reptile man]]¹

| [[File:Rodent man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|r|0:1}} [[Rodent man]]¹

| [[File:Rutherer sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|R|7:0}} [[Rutherer]]

| [[File:Serpent man sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|s|7:1}} [[Serpent man]]¹

| [[File:Troglodyte sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|t|6:0}} [[Troglodyte]]

| [[File:Troll sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|T|0:1}} [[Troll]]

| [[File:Voracious cave crawler sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|C|1:0}} [[Voracious cave crawler]]

:¹ [[Animal person#Subterranean animal people|Subterranean animal people]] may occasionally launch [[ambush]]es into a fortress from any of the cavern levels.

:² [[Forgotten beast]]s are a special type of [[invader]] who serve as subterranean [[megabeast]]s.

| [[File:Bat sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|0:1}} [[Bat]]

| [[File:Cap hopper sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|2:0}} [[Cap hopper]]

| [[File:Cave fish sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|α|7:1}} [[Cave fish]]

| [[File:Cave lobster sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|¥|7:1}} [[Cave lobster]]

| [[File:Cave spider sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|7:0}} [[Cave spider]]

| [[File:Cave swallow sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|0:1}} [[Cave swallow]]

| [[File:Creepy crawler sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|*|6:0}} [[Creepy crawler]]

| [[File:Fire snake sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|6:1}} [[Fire snake]]

| [[File:Olm sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|∙|7:1}} [[Olm]]

| [[File:Purring maggot sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|{|7:1}} [[Purring maggot]]

| [[File:Cave wheat shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|7:1}} [[Cave wheat]]

| [[File:Dimple cup shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|1:1}} [[Dimple cup]]

| [[File:Pig tail shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|7:0}} [[Pig tail]]

| [[File:Plump helmet shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|5:0}} [[Plump helmet]]

| [[File:Quarry bush shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|7:0}} [[Quarry bush]]

| [[File:Sweet pod shrub sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|:|4:1}} [[Sweet pod]]

| [[File:Black-cap trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♠|0:1}} [[Black-cap]]

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| [[File:Fungiwood trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♣|6:1}} [[Fungiwood]]

| [[File:Goblin-cap trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♠|4:1}} [[Goblin-cap]]

| [[File:Nether-cap trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♠|1:0}} [[Nether-cap]]

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| [[File:Spore tree trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♣|3:0}} [[Spore tree]]

| [[File:Tower-cap trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|♠|7:1}} [[Tower-cap]]

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| [[File:Tunnel tube trunk sprite.png|20px]] / {{Tile|│|5:1}} [[Tunnel tube]]

|  || {{check}} || {{check}}

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| {{Tile|.|5:1}} [[Underlichen]]

| || || {{check}}

'''Monster slayers''': Once you've discovered a cavern, if your  [[world]]'s population and history is large enough, a steady stream of wandering [[monster slayer]]s will come to your fort, [[petition]]ing you for the right to live there and kill the awful horrors that live beneath your feet. While it's best not to rely on them to actually keep your fort safe from deep trouble, they actually do a pretty solid job of mapping out your caverns for you. Just be sure to keep [[cage trap]]s and sane armed guards at whatever access route you choose to leave open so your slayers can reach their tasty slayables.

==Adventure mode==

The dangers are obvious; Nasty creatures, pitfalls, etc. You also have to watch out because you can't fast-travel underground, unless you are in a generated [[tunnel]], and you can only start fast travel on those if you are not in a mountain tile or hostile site. That means no easy healing, so you have to be very careful. Make sure you stock up on food, water and (if you use it) ammunition before you head in, though, as caverns are quite massive and it can be difficult to find your way back. Worse, there are tribes of animal men underground, and unlike in the good old days they'll attack on sight. If you're lucky, you'll find a [[gremlin]] or other non-hostile intelligent wildlife, and those can potentially be recruited. Since you can't fast-travel, you have to rely on sleeping to heal, which can be dangerous due to the [[Giant cave spider|nature]] of caverns. You're on your own against [[Forgotten beast|whatever]] [[Troll|shows]] [[Blind cave ogre|up]], unless you brought or find allies. Escaping from the caverns by the same route used as an entrance can be very difficult, though if you manage to reach a cavern area immediately underneath a town you will be able to fast-travel to the surface.

If you discover the underground caves in Adventure mode, then retire and start a fortress, the fortress will grow subterranean plants as if a passage to the underground had already been opened on that map.

[[Embark]]ation and dwarven [[caravan]]s will only provide resources available in the first cavern level. Since [[purring maggot]]s don't appear in the first cavern level, unlike in 40d, you can't buy dwarven [[cheese]] or dwarven [[milk]] {{Bug|1449}}. A workaround is to edit the global [[raw file]]s to make purring maggots appear on level one or be ALWAYS_PRESENT as pets of dwarven civilization, [[world generation|generate a new world]], then edit the raws of the new world to change the maggots back to normal before embark.