The Sulphuric Marshes

The Deadly Hole

What is that awful smell? It smells like dead things and farts. This is one of the biggest, most disgusting craters I have ever seen!
  Many suns ago, something big slammed into the surface of Domus and left a giant scar. It's estimated to be from a much more chaotic time when the Alpha Centauri A system was very young, and the planets still fought each other for the chance to survive.
The area is now unwelcoming and hostile after the space rock revealed a nasty pocket of seismic activity. Now, sulphuric gasses pour out of the ground and pollute the surrounding area with toxic gasses. It isn't as dangerous as it might look - and sound like - but it certainly isn't healthy to stay in there longer than a few minutes. The few expeditions to the crater have been with protective gear.   The crater itself is massive and takes up a big portion of the surface in the southern hemisphere. At ninety-seven kilometres across, and at least a kilometre deep - at the deepest point - it is the largest crater recorded on Domus.   It doesn't seem like anything could thrive here, but we aren't able to confirm this theory. We have been surprised before.  

Geography

The surfaces inside the crater is far from flat. Since the crater was formed, many newer and smaller craters have formed on its surface. It almost looks like the terrain we have seen on the moon.   Out of some of the smaller craters, toxic yellow clouds fumes out in big volumes and makes the air in the crater look almost dusty.   Both big and small stones fill up the crater, but they all have a yellow tint. Some very faint, others are completely toxic yellow-green. This tint comes from the high sulphur concentration in the stones.   Some lucky explorers have even found massive sulphur crystals at the edge of the crater.     The biggest one yet was recorded to be 2,7 meters tall, and proudly stands fairly close to the edge of the crater (as seen in the picture on the right).
 
by CatRobi

Sulphur mining

Just outside the crater, on the edge of the death hole, mining stations have been built. The mining is done with machine power and specialized tools.
by CatRobi
Only a couple of people needs to keep an eye on the process, to make sure everything is going according to plan.
 

Medical use

Sulphur is used for many smaller conditions, such as shortness of breath, allergies, high cholesterol and the common cold. For these conditions, you take it by mouth. The crystals are crushed into dust and are then made into small pills.  
by CatRobi
  Sulphur is also commonly used in creams as well, to treat different skin conditions such as; redness and itchy skin infections caused by lice, poison oak and ivy.

by CatRobi
An illustration of The Sulphuric Marshes

Origin

  The crater was formed by a giant meteor/asteroid that hit the surface many years before we set foot on this planet.    

Size

  The diameter of this massive hole is 97 kilometres across and is visible from space. Even before you see the edge of the crater, you will be able to smell the foul air.    

Sulphur crystals

 
by CatRobi
  The crystals form shapes that resemble hexagonal cubes, and they can stack on top of each other in various directions and angles.     Their distinct yellow colour makes them easy to see in the landscape, though some crystals are a brighter yellow than others.   That has to do with the concentration of sulfur in the crystal and the contamination of other materials.


Cover image: by CatRobi

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