After several failed attempts, Aegon has finally led a group of people to the Iron Throne’s Mine deep within the Cloakwood. They have fought their way through the guards and now stand at the elevator that will take them to the mine. What dangers lurk within, and will they find Tazok at long last?
30 Eleasias 1368
We step onto the wooden platform and it groans under the weight of us all. Aura steps up to the lever and pulls on it. She struggles a little, but with a little effort the lever clicks into place. The contraption is clearly not meant for gnomes.
The platform starts to shake as metal groans and creaks. Cogs start turning and the platform beneath us suddenly drops. I panic for a moment, but a clicking sound starts and the platform slows down. We descend slowly past cut stone walls.
After a few minutes we see a wooden beam ascend with an opening below it. The lanterns from the elevator light up the carved corridors beyond. With a sharp thud the platform settles into place, throwing dust into the air.
A chill breeze blows from the mines. The air is musty and full of dust. We hear water dripping as we step off the platform and into the mine. Another lantern lights the way ahead, but this one is moving…? I realise that someone is holding and reach for Bashrik’s Hammer as he calls out to us.
Guard: You’re those bastards who’ve been taking down our mining ops. Well, you’ve come to the wrong place, kiddos. I’m one mean son of a bitch, and I’m gonna give you a world o’ hurt.
An arrow sticks into his neck, and the lantern clatters to the ground alongside his sword. Kivan lowers his bow. Another guard down. I wonder how many more will lose their lives this day.
Rails on the ground lead us deeper into the mine, and lanterns hung from the walls guide the way. It isn’t long before we are spotted again, and the man runs toward us shouting.
Faber: Guards! Guards! Andarsson’s speaking ill of Davaeorn— Wait, you’re no guards… Aaah— Guards! Guards!
The old man runs away from us as quickly as he ran toward us. Davaeorn. I know that name. That’s who Tazok came to the Cloakwood to see. If the half-ogre isn’t still here, then at the least Davaeorn could lead us to him.
We follow the mine shaft until we come to an opening where the rails split into separate tunnels. Here, there is another miner. He is bald, with an extremely overgrown white beard. Despite his age, he is still showing powerful muscles under his rags.
Andarsson: There are two reasons I pound this pick against these rocks. Do you wish to hear them?
Aegon: Yes, I would.
Andarsson: First, because I imagine this rock to be my captor’s skull. Second, because the meager spark that leaps from my attempt is all the light I’ll ever know again. If you be a new slave like I once was, you shall learn these simple truths soon enough.
I laugh at the absurdity of his statement. Slaves? Does he not see how well armed we are? Still, knowing these humans aren’t here of their own free will could prove to our advantage.
We follow one of the shafts leading away from this focal chamber. We meet more slaves, many who beg us to help them find freedom.
Miner: Help us please. Free us!
Could we provoke an uprising? Though slaves, these miners are strong, and the guards here don’t seem too tough. We run into another one, and this one mistakes us for buyers.
Guard: So, who are you guys? Ye here to buy some iron or somethin’? Ya know, while ye’re here, maybe ya should give me some advice. Me wife’s been complaining lately, mostly about our late-night life. Ya see, with all the stress and trouble lately, it’s taken a little starch out of my maypole, if ye get me meaning.
Aegon: Well, you could get some more fresh air, it might be the fumes down here in the mines.
Guard: Hey, wait a second, I recognize the bunch of you now. You’re the guys who’ve been causing all the trouble lately. Surrender right now!
We don’t surrender and a short fight ensues. As with the other guards, he is untrained and outnumbered, so his death is swift.
We come to large round metal door, bolted into place. On seeing us and the blood on our weapons, one of the miners steps up with a proposition.
Miner: If you set me free, sir, I can tell you how to bring this mine crashing down around the heads of these fat-headed slavers.
Aegon: We’ll set you free. Now tell us what you know.
Miner: Well, see, here’s how it is: The way to bamboozle these ninnies is real easy. Right here beside me is a steel plug that stoppers up the river on the surface. If you were to release that, then the whole mine would be drowned. Only the master of the mine has the key to open the plug, and he’s a real mean cuss. If you were to bring the key to me, I could use it to flood the mine.
I look at the large metal door. So that’s holding back an entire river. This could be the key to stopping the Iron Throne’s plan. Killing Davaeorn and Tazok won’t destroy the mine, but this will destroy the mine. It’s the only way to heal the wound they have given the Cloakwood.
Aegon: All right, if we find this “master of the mine” and his key, we’ll bring it back to you and see what you can do.
Miner: Good! If you haven’t already been down to the lower levels, try to find a man named Rill. He’s a good friend of mine, and should be able to come up with a plan on how to get all of the slaves to safety. I’ll see you later then, and try not to get killed.
Now we have a plan, and some miners are already on our side. This is the end of this shaft, so we turn back. As we do we hear some of the miner’s whispers about us.
Miner: Those aren’t Blacktalons.
They know what we are, and that we intend to help them.
In the next mineshaft we meet an older miner. His face is heavily scarred and his voice is faint and gravelly.
Canticle: I was a bard once. I knew every song that ever was, and I could sing them all so beautifully. But now my throat’s been choked by dust and my lungs have withered in this chilly air. A thousand curses on Davaeorn and whatever man it was that hired him!
We let him know we intend to free him and the other slaves. Our conversation is interrupted by a guard, so I introduce him to Bashrik’s Hammer.
As we move through the mineshafts, we meet more slaves begging for freedom. There are guards watching over them, but they are few in number and easily killed. It feels almost too easy. Which is strange given what we know about the Iron Throne.
The slaves don’t actively help, but I feel like I can see a sliver of hope in their eyes each time a guard falls to our weapons.
But then we hear someone coughing up their death. We follow the sound and find the man shivering on some steps. He reaches an arm out and grabs onto my leg.
Miner: He-he-hello. I’m s-s-so cold, I th-think I have some s-sort of disease. My legs h-hurt so much, a-and my chest feels like it’s going to explode. I-I’m useless. Please put me out of my misery, p-please.
I tighten my grip on Bashrik’s Hammer. I can’t bring myself to do it. If I’ll have my vengeance, it won’t be at the expense of those the Iron Throne have already hurt.
Aegon: We’re not killers, sorry.
I turn away and the others follow me. He screams for mercy as I walk away. I close my eyes. Someone puts their hand on my shoulder and I open them again. It’s Kivan. He doesn’t need to say anything. I already know. Tazok will pay for this, and for all the others he has taken from this world.
We make it back to the central chamber, listening to the cries of the miners for help. I pause for a breath, then lead us down the next mineshaft. One of the miners is particularly surprised to see us.
Tipian: What’s going on? You’re not our captors…
Aegon: No, we’re not. Make your way to the surface and flee while there’s still time. We’ll take care of the remaining guards down here.
Tipian: I thank you, stranger, with every ounce of strength that is left in me. I haven’t seen the light of day for well nigh a year.
He dashes toward the elevator, laughing as he does so. He almost trips over himself before he disappears from our sight.
Most miners here have little to say other than asking for help. Though one of them knows about the water plug.
Phaersis: Psst—there be a plug somewhere that seals this mine from the river’s torrent. Find it and maybe you can render this hell no more than a watery memory of its former self.
Aegon: Where is this plug you speak of?
Phaersis: I know not, only that Davaeorn is said to have the key upon his person at all times.
Well, it’s confirmation of what we already know. We have a way to destroy the mines if we can find Davaeorn.
Another miner mistakes us for guards, but he gives us hope that we may get some help from them in destroying the mine.
Miner: So it’s another bunch of loser mercenaries. Well, I’m not impressed! I’ve had it with working for you and your Iron Throne overlords! Come on, take your best shot! I don’t care about my life anymore!
Aegon: I think you’ve mistaken our identities. We don’t serve the Iron Throne, we plan to take it down. Maybe you can help us?
Miner: Do you think I’m stupid?! Why don’t ya go shag some sheep? I don’t need to hear any more of your wild stories.
Well if nothing else, he has spirit. We leave him be and he returns to his labour. We haven’t seen any guards in a while. Have we managed to kill all of them?
As if in answer to my thoughts, we are spotted once again.
Guard: You there! You’re not supposed to be in this area! Surrender yourselves now.
Aegon: We don’t think so.
An arrow and a crossbow bolt strike him square in the chest as I say this. Dust sprays as he is knocked to the ground.
I turn around and suddenly feel a sharp pain in my gut. A guard was hiding around a corner and managed to take me by surprise.
He slowly pulls the blade out and I pray to Corellon for healing. I still have a blessing left on this day.
The guard is struck by bullets and bolts, but it is Kivan’s arrow that gets the kill.
We’ve been getting too confident. Anyone with a blade could surprise us in this dark mine. I touch my stomach where the wound once was. If he had struck me in the neck I would be dead by now.
Miner: You don’t look like any mine guard I’ve ever seen; you new bigwig mercenaries for Davaeorn?
Aegon: Actually, we’re adventurers. We’re here to free all of you from your servitude to the lron Throne. Tell us where we can find the master of the mine.
Miner: Hey, that’s good news. If you wanna find Davaeorn, you’re best to look on the fourth level. It’s a secret level I think, so it won’t be easy to find.
Now we know where Davaeorn is. Four levels down. We ask the miner to point us in the right direction and he shows us the mineshaft we need to follow.
Now we know where to find him. Where to find the key. Then we can help the miners break free. If nothing else works, that should give them hope.
But there’s something troubling me. We met very little resistance getting this deep. It’s been easy. Too easy.
Do we really know what we are walking into?
