A rugged Dwarf with dark brown hair and a twinbraided beard, Cori had ruddy skin and thick-calloused hands. His appearance betrayed a life devoted to scratching precious metals out of the uncaring earth. Cori was, after all, an expert at building tunnels and finding his way through natural cave systems.
Cori has also made a thorough study of the maps of Khazad-dum. Although his maps were far from complete, he could fill in most gaps using educated guesses. Once he descended into the Seventh Deep, for instance, he would be able to locate the entrance to the chasm out of which the Balrog arose.
Although not an expert on Dwarven legends, Cori knew Moria's rich history, especially tales about adventurers claiming to have made their way in and out of Khazad-dum. He theorized that Durin VI's embattled people managed to get the Stone of Sealing down to at least the Fifth Deep before they were finally stopped. Records from Balin's rule led him to surmise that the Stone was somewhere in the Sixth or Seventh Deep. Cori had no clue regarding the Stone's present whereabouts. Since the Stone was by all accounts indestructible, even by the Balrog, it was undoubtedly still somewhere in Moria. Cori suspected that the Balrog might have arranged to keep it in a secure refuge, a hiding place near his own home. If so, it was probably somewhere within the Demon's lair. This meant that Cori had to lead his adventurers down into the Sixth Deep, where the Balrog made his home. It was a daunting task, for though Umagaur had all but abandoned his master's lair, other guardians block the way. Cori never wanted to be an adventurer. He would have been happy digging mines for all of his days, but he could not find it within himself to pass up the opportunity to win Khazad-dum back for the Khazad. Hardly excited about the prospect of placing his life in such jeopardy, he remained a reluctant and dour explorer. While he managed to occasionally affect a pleasant demeanor, the extreme stress constantly cracked his facade of amused confidence.