Editing The Machine (section)

===Deep Madness===
Deep Madness
A psychological phenomenon that seems to affect delvers who have spent an extended amount of time inside the Machine. The non-stop clanking, hissing, buzzing, grinding and pounding of the Machine seems to have a peculiar effect on the human psyche. Not only does it make sleep difficult, but it also reminds delvers that death can be just around the corner.

The official explanation is very simple. Delvers experience immense stress while inside the Machine, both from the danger they're exposing themselves to and from the lack of sleep. This coupled with the isolation of being days away from the nearest help and only having sporadic contact with people outside of the expedition serves to enhance the stress to levels that causes a mental breakdown in certain individuals.

The unofficial explanation is far more sinister. Deep mad delvers claim that the Machine is trying to communicate with them. It speaks to the delvers and tries to tell them what it is and why it is there. Why they are there. This is of course not taken seriously by most people, but nevertheless there are delvers who could swear that the rhythmic pounding of a piston almost started to sound like some kind of code after a while.