In the time before legend, a mighty dracomage wielded forbidden magic, carving deep into the stone and caverns beneath the Worldroot Mountains, searching for even more forbidden magic… the forbiddenest of magics. No one knows what became of the dracomage, for he was never seen again by the mortals of the upper world.
In time, the boldest adventurers gathered their courage and descended into the darkness below in search of power and glory. They found other things waiting there for them as well. Few are those who enter the Delve and return. Fewer still are those who return with anything worth showing for their troubles.
Nevertheless, an entire industry has sprung up around sending hapless fools down into the Delve, filled with dreams of gold and loot. Getting into the Delve is simply a matter of completing a few safety courses and passing a verbal exam (the written exam was discontinued after overwhelming complaints from the ‘Fiters’ guild).
In short, entering the Delve is relatively easy. Getting out again is the real test of an adventurer’s skill.