A smoker represented a cone-shaped underwater volcano, formed due to intense vents within a planet's crustal structure. These smokers ejected extremely hot gases into the encompassing ocean, leading to the immediate and explosive conversion of substantial volumes of seawater into steam. In contrast to terrestrial volcanoes, the lava emitted from smokers usually experienced significantly faster cooling due to the surrounding frigid ocean water, thus causing smokers to develop prominent spires on the seabed. The thermal energy provided by smokers frequently made them sanctuaries for a diverse range of marine organisms, including Shellfish, Tubeworms, and bioluminescent plant life.
The planet Muunilinst was particularly known for smokers, which erupted with lava rich in valuable metals from the planet's interior, creating immense "vault-spires" composed of gold, silver, and platinum. Consequently, these smokers functioned as financial repositories for the wealthiest and most influential Muuns residing on Muunilinst.
The island of Aborah, which was the ancestral domain of the Damask clan across numerous generations, constituted one of the more remotely located smokers.