Our weeks-long journey to the Northern frontier has come to an end, and by grace of the Healing Flame, we were not troubled in transit. Liadan’s pleasure at being freed of the enclave’s confinement shows in her bearing. My own breathing is easier away from the claustrophobic bustle of New Albion to which I have never fully grown acclimated. I now hold it no great wonder that when Liadan was tasked with this mission, I was quick to offer assistance.
We were near penniless on our arrival in the small hamlet of Amber, now booming with the madness of the gold rush. What small silver remained gave us provision at a sensible if crowded inn where we made the acquaintance of two adventurers seeking their own fortunes: Rem’e – a halfling gunslinger of notable proficiency – and Ariza Vowloh, a roguish gnome of good character. They have been excellent company, and their stature belies their handiness in a fight.
And it did not take us long to put those skills to use. We learned from denizens of the inn’s common room that the mayor’s office sought adventurers capable of reclaiming a rediscovered mine in the Iron Hills. A visit to the assistant mayor, Tuxel Wu, granted us our first quest: we were to follow the footsteps of two dwarven miners, Grold and Durn, who departed for the mine a week prior. As they had not been heard from, we were to ascertain their status and either assist them or complete their mission of securing the mine. One hundred gold pieces were offered for this service with which I was keen to remedy our paucity of coin. The secretary to the mayor’s assistant was clearly accustomed to the bustle of the many new visitors in town, with business booming, and Wu’s office was well appointed, if not lavish. Times bode well for Amber, at least for those in authority.
Our trip North to the mine was calm, as we worked our way towards the mountains over open grassland plains past the few brave farmsteads north of the Ohr. Though we kept a wary eye for anhkegs and other malevolent creatures or, may the Dawnflower protect us, the hobgoblins of Turtsaz, we were unmolested and found the mine with little trouble.
Signs of our predecessors were quickly found at the mine’s entrance, though the dwarves had made no camp on the grounds surrounding the site. Without stopping to rest, we made our way into the old shaft and found a series of tunnels leading into the earth in three directions. While Liadan and I examined the veins of gold along a nearby wall, Rem’e and Ariza discovered the remains of many large spiders, crisped in the flames of alchemist’s fire.
Warily we headed east and stumbled upon Grold – unconscious and badly beaten. We revived him quickly, and pulled Grold to safety where he worried for the life of his brother: having fled the spiders to the North, the brothers were attacked by a “rock monster” in the Eastern shaft. He feared his brother Durn was dead. Concerned for the miner, we sent him to the relative safety of the exterior and sought the condition of Durn. No sooner had we pulled his body, still alive but gravely hurt, from a pile of rock than we were set upon by a fearsome creature of gold and stone – an elemental force of the earth. Ariza was nearly felled by the monster’s mighty blows, and we quickly withdrew, pulling the unconscious Durn and Ariza along with us, where we were able to revive them both.
The much relieved dwarves rested that night with us outside the mine and departed for Amber this morning. The four of us set out to dispatch the creature of stone, which waited for us at the end of its tunnel unmoving. Through great feats of arms, Ariza and Rem’e fought the creature valiantly, while Liadan practiced her spellcasting – doing damage where I could not. Even my favorite mace of these past two years shattered against that stone turned living flesh – as did Ariza’s sword, to the dismay of all. Rem’e finally laid it low with a with a well-placed shot. (I must ask him about the workings of that device – until yesterday, I’d never seen a gun used, let alone heard one – my ears ring still.)
Among the debris that remained, we discovered five large gold nuggets (50 gp each) and ten turquoise gems (10 gp each) – a welcome indication alongside the veins in the walls that the mine may be well-worthy of recovering.
In the western tunnel we deliberated for some time how best to cross a pit that barred our way. Then, thinking it better to first explore the North, we proceeded into a dark tunnel of webs where a giant, eight-legged horror leapt forth to attack us. We dispatched the beast quickly, though I snapped my crossbow string in the melee. Among the webs were the remains of an unfortunate adventurer who left behind 15 gold, 55 silver, and an orange potion of cure wounds, unspoiled.
This evening we rest and prepare for a deeper delve into this promising mine, and I reflect on the prowess of our new companions. May the light of Sarenrae guide my hands, and may these journeys lead to tales page-worthy of my beloved Light and Truth.
Rhun ab Elad, Emissary of the Dawnflower