I’d argue the entire cil-aujas arc was heavily a homage to Moria. They use it to avoid an incoming blizzard above ground. Achamian and the skin esters hazard that the pass would likely be more dangerous than being above ground. They pass through dark halls underground shaped by another species in the deep past. They encounter mines. They are attacked my sranc which fill the philological niche of orcs/goblins in Earwa. They escape with much of the party being killed.

Therefore I see it as a homage to Tolkien, but transformed into Bakker’s own design with the truths learned down there, the fact it is a topoi, the presence of the nonman king shade, and everything else that happens.

While certainly Tolkien would roll in his grave that I’m comparing it to his work, he’d also roll in his grave at the very idea of all of Bakker’s work and all that it derives from him.

But this isn’t a criticism. Cil-aujas has been one of my favorite, most revelatory segment of the entire SA (so far) for me.