Doctor Aleksei nods to Grin, and in the same low tone he says "Aye. Our human adversaries are bound by the same things we are. These hags have no such boundary. They know things, and see things no mortal being has any business knowing. They are truly what I fear most. If this is not their design, it is a remarkable coincidence."
As you all discuss this, just past the line the Royal sailors have made the human woman dressed in miner's gear notices you and comes over. "By the designs of the Engineer, Ah see what Graddor has said about ye and yer mates. Ah dinnae ken what's so complicated about don't let any buggers through. Oi! You lot! Back behind the line."
You get a better glimpse of her now that she is closer. She is short and squat, only barely taller than a dwarf, and she is just as powerfully built as one. Even though she is technically a priest in the Church of the Engineers, she looks as though she had seen (and sought out) her fair share of trouble. She is wearing the simple uniform of a miner, with only the gold armband wrapped around her upper right arm indicating that she had any authority. Her honeyed blond hair as well as her face are streaked with dirt and ash.
"Ah! Ye don't look like the regular lookie-loos here in town. Are ye adventurers, by any chance? Hell, I dinnae care if you're the Granholm army at this point. I jes' want me mine back in working order."
Thalion briskly strides forward, chest out, and nods to the sturdy woman.
"Aye, we're adventurers. I am Thalion Strongbow and if there's some kind of monster in this mine I and my companions are more than capable of dealing with it! Right, friends?" He looks back over his shoulder at the rest of the party meaningfully, brows raised.
Nevlav looks startled and turns a slight shade of red as the Forewoman speaks her mind to the group. For anyone paying close attention to the interaction Nevlav has a wistful almost smitten look to him as he addresses, "Pa, Pardon us ma'am, we are indeed adventurers. We were just discussing that we should in fact delve into the mine and see what we can do to help. Am I correct in assuming we should speak to the Lady Raskiel for permission to enter?"
Nevlave has no inkling that slowly and surely his group is going down in numbers as they sneak off.
Engineer McCalister doesn't seem to notice Thalion or Alden sneakily moving into the entryway of the mine. She looks over Nevlav appraisingly, and after a second, nods in approval. "Well, ye look like you've done yer fair share of scrappin'. We have a dire need for that, ye ken? The only thing Graddor's licked in the past few years is his dinner plate. If ye and yer mates want ta get down there, Ah can let ye all...." She looks and does a sort-of double take. "Weren't they more of ye before?" She then lets loose a string of curses in Gnomish and Dwarven that lasts a good minute.
She sighs and, after Grin creates the monster sounds, she pitches the bridge of her nose and waves her hand. Jes'....make sure ye get whatever is down there. Lady Raskiel is gonna have me guts fer garters already. Ah just walked the entire system meself down there yesterday. Ah haven't a bloody clue where they came from."
She steps aside, leaving the front of the mine entrance open. "G'wan with ye. And if ye find Graddor, tell him that he was about as much use in this disaster as a second arsehole."
Engineer McCalister looks back at the mine. "Ah'll be frank with ye, lad. Ah haven't a bloody clue. Ah walked every inch o' those tunnels meself yesterday and there was nothing dere. Yesterday night, a couple of the lads said they heard some scratching or digging. I sent Cedric and Horst, some big beefy boys, up to end of the cart tracks and they both came back with acid burns and screaming about some bloody nightmare." She shivers at the memory.
"Needless ta say, Ah closed the mines, but the Lady an' her jester Captain Graddor came down here screaming this morning when it didn't open. Ah told the old drunk if he wanted the mine to reopen, he'd needed to clear it out hisself. Went down with a couple of his lads about an hour ago."
She reaches into her thick sheepskin coat and pulls out a rolled piece of parchment. "This is for ye. A map of the mines. Might help ye a bit since Ah don't recognize ye and Ah'm pretty sure ye and yer friends ain't locals. Just be careful. It's colder than a spinster's heart down there." She chuckles a bit and adds, "An' Ah should know."
Alden and Thalion, as the two of you enter into the mine (you are probably right where the mine cart is in the mape above), you don't really see anything, but you hear an extremely loud scratching sound coming from deeper in the mine, but its not clear from which direction it is coming...
Nevlav reaches out and accepts the map, summarily holding out towards Yoric, "Could you see what you can make of this?" Turning back to the forewoman, "The name is Nevlav Inimeg, Order of the Oiled Cog and don't worry, we may not be from around here but we can certainly handle the troubles your having. Excuse me."
With that he looks to the other two left with him and nods to the mine mouth, "Follow me, we will catch up to the two skulkers and Susan this all out." He swings his door of a shield off his back and secures it tightly to his arm, leaving his pick at his waist for now.
The woman cocks an eyebrow at Nevlav's introduction. "Is yer man always like this?" She asks Grin and Yoric. Shrugging she says"Ah dinnae care if ye says ye are Kellen Nackle. If ye can clear the mine and get her Fancypants-ship off me back, Ah'll be grateful."
Aleksei stands back a bit, watching you all readying to enter the mine. "I think I would be more use taking care of those...two beefy boys, you said, Engineer? Are they at the barracks?"
Seeing the woman nods, Aleksei will whisper to Grin "Keep this lot out of trouble, will you? And find me at the barracks after you're done. I've got a bad feeling this means our quarry knows we're coming."
(It is dark in the mine, so anyone without darkvision -- Grin and Yoric-- will need to light a torch or use a spell).
Thalion waits with his arms crossed, tapping a foot impatiently, though he smiles as the rest of the group approaches. He hears them first, then the bright flare of a lit torch makes him wince slightly. He exchanges a look and a sigh with Alden.
"There goes the element of stealth. I suppose we could always scout ahead of the torchlight, however. What was this about a dig site?"
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Doctor Aleksei nods to Grin, and in the same low tone he says "Aye. Our human adversaries are bound by the same things we are. These hags have no such boundary. They know things, and see things no mortal being has any business knowing. They are truly what I fear most. If this is not their design, it is a remarkable coincidence."
As you all discuss this, just past the line the Royal sailors have made the human woman dressed in miner's gear notices you and comes over. "By the designs of the Engineer, Ah see what Graddor has said about ye and yer mates. Ah dinnae ken what's so complicated about don't let any buggers through. Oi! You lot! Back behind the line."
You get a better glimpse of her now that she is closer. She is short and squat, only barely taller than a dwarf, and she is just as powerfully built as one. Even though she is technically a priest in the Church of the Engineers, she looks as though she had seen (and sought out) her fair share of trouble. She is wearing the simple uniform of a miner, with only the gold armband wrapped around her upper right arm indicating that she had any authority. Her honeyed blond hair as well as her face are streaked with dirt and ash.
"Ah! Ye don't look like the regular lookie-loos here in town. Are ye adventurers, by any chance? Hell, I dinnae care if you're the Granholm army at this point. I jes' want me mine back in working order."
Thalion briskly strides forward, chest out, and nods to the sturdy woman.
"Aye, we're adventurers. I am Thalion Strongbow and if there's some kind of monster in this mine I and my companions are more than capable of dealing with it! Right, friends?" He looks back over his shoulder at the rest of the party meaningfully, brows raised.
Grin tries not to make eye contact.
Alden
As the head of the mine is chastising the party for not taking any chances Alden smiles to himself. "She's either part of this or wants results now."
Either way, while she is talking, Alden will walk away and into the mine, drawing his sword.
Once inside Alden will go stealth.
Stealth check: 18
Thalion follows Alden closely behind, bow drawn as he too attempts to move in the shadows.
Stealth: 20
Nevlav looks startled and turns a slight shade of red as the Forewoman speaks her mind to the group. For anyone paying close attention to the interaction Nevlav has a wistful almost smitten look to him as he addresses, "Pa, Pardon us ma'am, we are indeed adventurers. We were just discussing that we should in fact delve into the mine and see what we can do to help. Am I correct in assuming we should speak to the Lady Raskiel for permission to enter?"
Nevlave has no inkling that slowly and surely his group is going down in numbers as they sneak off.
Grin tries to inconspicuously cast minor illusion to make some kind of monster noise from the mine. "No time, get down de hole."
Engineer McCalister doesn't seem to notice Thalion or Alden sneakily moving into the entryway of the mine. She looks over Nevlav appraisingly, and after a second, nods in approval. "Well, ye look like you've done yer fair share of scrappin'. We have a dire need for that, ye ken? The only thing Graddor's licked in the past few years is his dinner plate. If ye and yer mates want ta get down there, Ah can let ye all...." She looks and does a sort-of double take. "Weren't they more of ye before?" She then lets loose a string of curses in Gnomish and Dwarven that lasts a good minute.
She sighs and, after Grin creates the monster sounds, she pitches the bridge of her nose and waves her hand. Jes'....make sure ye get whatever is down there. Lady Raskiel is gonna have me guts fer garters already. Ah just walked the entire system meself down there yesterday. Ah haven't a bloody clue where they came from."
She steps aside, leaving the front of the mine entrance open. "G'wan with ye. And if ye find Graddor, tell him that he was about as much use in this disaster as a second arsehole."
“What exactly is down there?” Yoric pipes up, trying to keep his hand on his sword to make the woman believe he’s a seasoned fighter of some sort.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Alden
As Alden moves deeper into the mine he will strain the look/listen/sniff to see if anything peaks his senses.
Perception: 14
Thalion stays abreast with Alden, peering with his keen elven eyes into the darkness.
"We should move slowly; who knows what's down here and the rest of the group seems to be busy with bureaucrats."
Perception: 18
Engineer McCalister looks back at the mine. "Ah'll be frank with ye, lad. Ah haven't a bloody clue. Ah walked every inch o' those tunnels meself yesterday and there was nothing dere. Yesterday night, a couple of the lads said they heard some scratching or digging. I sent Cedric and Horst, some big beefy boys, up to end of the cart tracks and they both came back with acid burns and screaming about some bloody nightmare." She shivers at the memory.
"Needless ta say, Ah closed the mines, but the Lady an' her jester Captain Graddor came down here screaming this morning when it didn't open. Ah told the old drunk if he wanted the mine to reopen, he'd needed to clear it out hisself. Went down with a couple of his lads about an hour ago."
She reaches into her thick sheepskin coat and pulls out a rolled piece of parchment. "This is for ye. A map of the mines. Might help ye a bit since Ah don't recognize ye and Ah'm pretty sure ye and yer friends ain't locals. Just be careful. It's colder than a spinster's heart down there." She chuckles a bit and adds, "An' Ah should know."
Map Below
Key:
1- Main Chamber
2 - Supply Closet
3 - Miners' Lockers and Break Area
4- Tunnel to Ore Chamber 1
5 - Newest Dig Site -
6 - Ore Chamber 1
7 - Ore Chamber 2 & end of cart tracks
8 - "Secret" Shrine to Nuitari
Alden and Thalion, as the two of you enter into the mine (you are probably right where the mine cart is in the mape above), you don't really see anything, but you hear an extremely loud scratching sound coming from deeper in the mine, but its not clear from which direction it is coming...
Alden
Alden, upon hearing Thalion's suggestion he will say: "Agreed"
Alden will sheath his sword and draw short bow and notch an arrow. he will stand just inside the mine waiting for the rest of the party to show up.
Nevlav reaches out and accepts the map, summarily holding out towards Yoric, "Could you see what you can make of this?" Turning back to the forewoman, "The name is Nevlav Inimeg, Order of the Oiled Cog and don't worry, we may not be from around here but we can certainly handle the troubles your having. Excuse me."
With that he looks to the other two left with him and nods to the mine mouth, "Follow me, we will catch up to the two skulkers and Susan this all out." He swings his door of a shield off his back and secures it tightly to his arm, leaving his pick at his waist for now.
Yoric gives an overdone bow, and follows Nevlav.
”Sir, I know it’s tempting to head right for the hidden shrine, but I’ve got a hunch about the new dig site.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
The woman cocks an eyebrow at Nevlav's introduction. "Is yer man always like this?" She asks Grin and Yoric. Shrugging she says "Ah dinnae care if ye says ye are Kellen Nackle. If ye can clear the mine and get her Fancypants-ship off me back, Ah'll be grateful."
Aleksei stands back a bit, watching you all readying to enter the mine. "I think I would be more use taking care of those...two beefy boys, you said, Engineer? Are they at the barracks?"
Seeing the woman nods, Aleksei will whisper to Grin "Keep this lot out of trouble, will you? And find me at the barracks after you're done. I've got a bad feeling this means our quarry knows we're coming."
(It is dark in the mine, so anyone without darkvision -- Grin and Yoric-- will need to light a torch or use a spell).
Yoric will light a torch. No sense advertising magic unnecessarily
Paladin - warforged - orange
Thalion waits with his arms crossed, tapping a foot impatiently, though he smiles as the rest of the group approaches. He hears them first, then the bright flare of a lit torch makes him wince slightly. He exchanges a look and a sigh with Alden.
"There goes the element of stealth. I suppose we could always scout ahead of the torchlight, however. What was this about a dig site?"