In the life of an adventurer Tomorrow was never guaranteed. Itylus had always known this. And yet he had never expected this. What once had seemed a powerful and invincible party had been completely shattered and spread to the winds in the course of weeks. It had taken him months to recover from the wounds he had received the night they were ambushed by the Orkoi, and once he recovered, it was to find out that there was not a single trace of his former companions.

He had travelled alone for months after that. Incessantly hunting beasts from town to town, struggling to regain his former strength, and almost dying a couple of times in the process. One fateful night, after helping a group of Thenian travelers, he heard rumours of an exiled Thenian nobleman turned sell-sword returning to his home town and of a mischievous-looking priest of Hermes helping travelers on the roads of Thena. Not daring to believe, Itylus nonetheless traveled immediately to Thena, and some weeks later, against all hope, he met Lysandros and Eurenomes on the city of Thena.

Their lives had not been any easier than his and they were all in need of silver. So, when they were approached by the nobleman, they did not think twice before deciding to meet him and hear him out. Trusting Lysandros to be more capable to conduct the negotiations with the nobleman, Itylus focused on examining the map, trying to recall whether he had traveled recently through the region and knew anything useful about it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:20, Fri 05 July 2019.

The nobleman extended a small leather pouch filled with coins to Lysandros. He spoke almost as if he were bored, most likely he had gone through this same discussion with the other traveling parties he had mentioned. "Generous funds are contained therein for a short excursion. There should be enough to buy simple traveling rations for each person for two nights out and two nights back, and coin for an inn for a night or other out of pocket expenses, should they be needed." he continues, addressing Lysandros' other question. "You will have to provide your own mounts."

Gesturing to the pouch he had just handed Lysandros "You will be suitably rewarded when you return successful in this task. A generous sum of 100 silvers per person, the rights to any other treasure or artifacts you may find alongside the cap, and the goodwill and favor of my house. If you are successful then I can guarantee you that more work will be available."

OOC: He hands Lysandros a pouch filled with 25 silver

Meanwhile, Itylus had studied the map that had been provided to them. He was not familiar with the mines or their history apart from just simply knowing that the City of Thena had made use of a small network of mines north of the city for a variety of resources whether it be for silver, or copper, tin, and the like. As the nobleman had indicated, it was only a few days march away from the city and the journey to the mines would be on well maintained roads that should be safe. The risk would come once they went off the roads and into the hills.

Lysandros accepted the small pouch and tied it to his belt. "Unlike these others you have sent, this group has counted among its number, a noble of Thena. We shall prevail where others have not."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:34, Fri 05 July 2019.

Itylus nodded silently, showing agreement with Lysandros' words. Then, suddenly a thought ocurred to him, and he spoke up:

"If you do not mind me asking... Why is this item so important to you, sir?" he asked looking the nobleman in the eye. "You seem to be expending a considerable amount of resources to obtain it..."

Itylus knew they were not really in position to refuse an offer of this kind, nevertheless he could not bring such a powerful artifact to someone without at least having an idea of his motivations.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Tue 18 June 2019.

"Good. I believe you shall." the nobleman says with a curt nod of his head.



"Do you know of the artifact's history?" the nobleman inquires, giving a friendly smile to the hunter. "There is some disagreement amongst scholars as to the actual powers, but most hold to the classic understanding that historically it had allowed Hades to become invisible to even other supernatural beings, such as other Gods and Goddesses.

He continues "The artifact is actually not important to me personally, I am but a junior member of the House of Dimas but we are known in Thena for preserving artifacts such as this. Something as rare and powerful as this cap should not fall into the hands of those who would use it against our people."

The nobleman casts his glance towards the other two. "The hour grows late. You have accepted the coin and thus the contract which is observed by the great Hermes. I hope to hear of your success upon your next return to Thena. You know where to find me."

OOC: If you have anything else to post while in this meeting go ahead, or intentions/actions to take during or afterwards please do so. Otherwise the next game post will be going ahead towards the mines.

Lysandros would take counsel with his fellow fortune seekers,and inquire as to what they thought might be needed for the expedition.

OOC: I think we need

 Rations( food and drink)
 Torches
 2x ropes
 Grapple hook if available

Feel free to add to the list folks
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:21, Fri 05 July 2019.

"Indeed an artifact as powerfull as this should never fall on the wrong hands." agrees Itylus.

The hunter then turns to his companions and they briefly discuss what they need for the journey. Once they agreed on that he adds. "Well, I think we are done here, what do you say my friends?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:02, Thu 20 June 2019.

After concluding their meeting with the Nobleman from Dimas, the four went to the marketplace and purchased some supplies. On the outskirts of the city they spoke and took account their respective inventories, and then set forth north into the wilderness. Fortunately, the first day's travel was easy. They traveled upon roads maintained by the city and guarded by the King's Men, and they made steady progress on their way. When the sun began to set, Itylus and Lysandros found well sheltered and secluded grove about 500 feet off the road and set up camp for the evening.

That night, while Lysandros and Arthanos stood guard and tended the fire, Itylus and Dysis set out to search for game that they could split. Unfortunately they were unsuccessful due in large part to a rainstorm coming in off the sea coast and had to return early to camp.

---

The next day the four broke camp early and from here their march started to become physically a little more difficult as they strode further up in into the hills. It was slow going in the morning though as the ground was wet and muddy, and this made looking for tracks of others difficult for Itylus.

That evening as the sun began to set the three searched for a suitable place to set up camp. Lysandros spotted an abandoned cave. It was cramped quarters but sufficient enough for the three and would be very defensible if they were under attack. Again, Lysandros and Arthanos stood guard while the other two ventured out. This time with clear weather they were far more successful, with Dysis returning with filled waterskins for their drink, while Itylus returned carrying four hares, which he skinned, cleaned and roasted over the campfire. While their first night's sleep on the road had been damp, this second night passed far more comfortably in the dry cave with a warm fire.

---

Now it was the third morning of their journey. Consulting the copy of the map that the Dimas Nobleman had provided them, Itylus led the group up a narrow passageway that bore mark of prior heavy use. As they traveled Dysis nearly tripped over an old and rusted pickaxe which seemed to confirm that they were on the right track. It was just about noon now, and the three paused. Their climb upwards had stopped and they had been traveling north on steady ground. In front of them lay three old abandoned buildings - shacks being a better description - which at one time could have been miners' quarters or perhaps offices for an ongoing operation. Further past those buildings was what looked to be the entrance to the mine itself. Several abandoned mining tools were scattered amongst the grounds here, such as additional pickaxes, helmets, old frayed rope, rusted chains, and wheelbarrows - some serviceable but some which clearly were rotted away with age.

The entrance of the mine appeared to be well supported, though it looked to be narrow and would likely force them to travel single file when entering. Perhaps it would open up the further they traveled in.

What do they do now?

---

Reference: quick idea of what you are looking at here


p = party location
1 = building 1
2 = building 2
3 = building 3
m = mine entrance


OOC: Hunting Target was 10:

18:10, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Itylus, rolled 6 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 1.  Hunting (Day 1).
18:11, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Itylus, rolled 20 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 15.  Hunting (Day 2).
18:26, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Eurenomes, rolled 5 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 4.  Hunting (Herbs).
18:34, Today: Maze Master, on behalf of Eurenomes, rolled 20 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 19.  Hunting (Herbs).

(Rations are deducted by 3 since Itylus was not able to catch anything the first day of the travel - leaving the party with 13 rations left to split. Please note that I had moved personal rations to the party inventory thread. I also decided that Eurenomes may want to search for herbs that could be used for healing or other purposes and thus made those rolls on his behalf.) 07/05/19 edit - no longer relevant due to other players returning.

All party members gain 50 experience/wisdom/glory points for setting out on their next adventure. I have added this already to your character sheets.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Fri 05 July 2019.

"Well, it seems like we have arrived to our destination." said Itylus. He had stopped for a moment, taking in the scene, then he turned around to face his companions and continued: "I propose we start by inspecting those shacks and see if we find anything useful. We should also look for signs of the previous parties sent here by the House of Dimas. The more we know of what happened to them, the better prepared we will be for whatever awaits us in there..." Itylus threw a dark glance to the entrance to the mine.

Lysandros listened to the proposal of Itylus. "Your proposal is logical. I agree that the buildings should be inspected first. I also submit we use the one in best condition as a base of sorts."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Fri 05 July 2019.

Which building do you plan to investigate first?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:25, Fri 05 July 2019.

"Yes, using one of these shacks as a base could be a good idea. Hopefully one of them also has a map of the mine." Itylus looked around to see if any of the buildings seemed to be in better conditions.


OOC: If none of the buildings is in better conditions than the rest, Itylus will propose to approach the lone shack first (building number 3).
This message was last edited by the player at 14:52, Mon 24 June 2019.

None of the three buildings seems to be in worse or better shape than the others. The three move towards the building that is standing separate from the other two. As they circle around it initially they see on the ground broken glass, and it is plain to see that all the windows have been boarded up, with the glass formerly there likely having been knocked out by whomever was boarding up the windows. There are two steps up leading to the front door, which appears to be a solid, sturdy wood. Arthanos volunteers to open the door and suggests that the others be ready in case something nasty should be inside, as he goes to turn the handle he finds that the door is locked. Careful examination of the door knob itself reveals that it appears to require a key.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:26, Fri 05 July 2019.

"Hmmm, locked. We should go check the other two shacks, see if any of them is open." suggested the hunter

They walk over to the other two buildings. Unlike the one they were just at, these buildings have windows that are not boarded up and they are able to peer in to both, seeing nobody present in either building. The building closest to the mine's entrance appears to have been the quarters for the miners, as they can see a number of bunk beds stacked up against the walls as they look in as well as chests that would have contained their personal effects. The second building appears to have once been a mess hall and appears to contain tables, chairs, and a kitchen of some sort.

Arthanos tries the doors and they both open.

Do they investigate either of the buildings?

OOC: just pushing things slightly so you have an idea of what is in each building.  Will wait for consensus between you both as to what you'd like to do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:26, Fri 05 July 2019.

Lysandros drew his xiphos from the scabbard,and with his shield and blade at the ready, slowly entered the barracks. "Let us look this building over first, comrades."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Fri 05 July 2019.

Itylus readied his spear and dagger (his bow would not be efficient in such close quarters) and followed Lysandros in to the building.

Upon entering the barracks for the miners, they see that there is no danger. Both sides of the walls with windows have wooden bunks that would sleep three and after doing a quick count they see that there are five such bunks on each side of the building, meaning at most thirty people would sleep in this room.

Privacy likely would have been minimal but no doubt the miners would have worked in shifts so to keep a near continuous operation whenever possible. The bunks themselves are barren with prior any mattress or bedding on top of the wooden panels having long since removed. Itylus examines the bunks, finding that with the assistance of another person they could be moved if desired. At the end of the room are a number of two large chests. Lysandros approaches them and observes that they contain no locks and easily open. Upon opening them, he finds mostly old clothing but a couple of other items of interest...


e = entrance/exit
b = bunks
c = chest

treasures found upon opening the chests
- miners clothing (about 4 sets in good condition - this includes helmets, heavy leather boots, and what looks to be cloth masks that they would have tied around their faces while working)
- x4 serviceable oil lamps (all without oil)
- x2 journals from the miners
- tucked away in the corner of one of the chests are 2 loose silver pieces.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Fri 05 July 2019.

Itylus approached Lysandros to see what the nobleman had found on the chests. After taking a glance, the hunter picked one of the miner's journals. "Miner's records! This could have useful information, maybe even a map". He opened the journal and started to read its contents.

Examining the two journals Itylus discovers they had belonged to the same author, a miner by the name of "Darius". They are scrawled in handwriting that can be difficult to decipher at times but it looked like most entries were uninteresting, recounting the amount of silver ore mined, things he had for supper, or other conversations with his fellow workers about a variety of topics: such as the weather, Thenaian politics, the Gods, and women. (this apparently being an all-male mining crew)

Most often he talks about their overseer, a wise taskmaster by name of Gregorius, as well as his best friend amongst the mining crew, Paulus. Overall it appeared that Darius had been a miner with the consortium that operated the mine for just about two years when the entries end. Just as Itylus is about to give up on the journal as containing no useful information, he find the later entries as becoming more interesting.

Journal of Darius, Volume II

Day 657

- Worked on the new passageway we discovered after Paulus fell down a shaft and broke his leg; Gregorius thinks this may lead to a new deposit of silver. Will be spending the next month on this now. Need lots of rope so we can descend safely, jumping or falling down like Paulus did is dangerous.

Day 693

- Finally some progress. We dug and it opened up into natural passageways into the mountain. Gregorius and Paulus are doing a survey and setting up lamps on the next shift.

Day 700

- Caverns are lit. Still no veins of silver but Gregorius wants us to map the passages anyway and bring our notes to the administration building. He thinks the consortium in Thena may have interest in this discovery.

Day 705

Gregorius is complaining that it is too bright outside. Even at twilight. He has been sleeping in the administration building now.

Day 715

- Found a passageway that led to a room that the light of my lamp could not penetrate. Heard a hissing noise and got out of there as soon as I could. I've laid in bed for the past three hours. Can't sleep. Feels like something is watching me from outside.

Day 720

- Gregorius won't come out of the administration building. Won't let anybody in. Gives his orders through the doors. He sounds strange now. Maybe sick. The others seem on edge. My nightmares are getting worse. I think I will try to sacrifice to Soteria for protection tomorrow.

Day 725

- Paulus was found dead in the caverns. His eyes were missing but there was no blood. It doesn't make sense. Everybody is scared. Gregorius isn't talking to us anymore. Last thing he told me was to board up the administration building and lock the door. I locked the door and hid the key in the kitchen under my table.

Day 729

- We received an envoy from Thena demanding we turn over our silver ore for the past month. They were furious at the amount. They demanded to talk to Gregorius so I let him in the building but he hasn't come back out. The rest went in later and haven't come out either. It has been eight hours now. Guess they left. No response to my knock so I locked the door and I am joining the rest of the men on a crew to work on one of the new passages. We have to find new silver if we are going to satisfy the consortium.

Itylus frowned as he read the ominous last entries of the journal. "There is definitively something wrong with this place...." he showed the journal entries to Lysandros and Eurenomes. "I wonder what happened to Darius and the rest of the miners... Did they really just close the mine because it run dry?"

The hunter glanced at the boarded up building through the window and added in a dark tone. "I do not believe that Thenian envoys ever made it out of that building... Nonetheless, if the journal is right, there are invaluable notes about the layout of the mines in there."

Lysandros read the journal's contents,then addressed the others. "The author bespoke of a key hidden in the kitchen, it might still be there. I say we go and find that key,then dare whatever danger lies within the Admin building."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:34, Fri 05 July 2019.

Dysis' face was impassive as Itylus read the growingly macabre entries.

"Well, apparently the goddess of safety and salvation didn't deign to intervene," she commented at last, meaning Soteria, whom had been mentioned.

"They set free something they should not have.  If I may state the obvious. Men becoming sensitive to light, tormented by nightmares.  And the missing...no, I say stolen eyes."  Itylus then commented about the envoy not getting out.

"And I'm tempted to leave, to avoid the same fate.  But, of course, the rest of you are staying, and I'm not going to desert.  The key would be useful," she nodded at Lysandros' words.

The party exits the barracks and heads to the next building which had once been the mess hall. This hall is in a state of disarray with tables and chairs knocked all over the place. The party spreads out to search the building for the key, as well as another else worth of value. Heading through a set double doors that lead to a small kitchen in the back, Dysis finds in a small cabinet some preserved rations that had been apparently overlooked when the place had been ransacked. Back in the mess hall it takes several minutes but eventually Lysandros finds a small brass key that in a corner of the room collecting dust. Finding nothing else of value or note in the room, the four exit the mess hall and walk back over to what they know now to be the administration building.

---

Tentatively, Lysandros tries the key, finding that it does indeed open the door which with a small push opens inward. After doing so he retreats a few steps just in case. Apart from the door opening and letting in a small sliver of light at the entrance, the rest of the inside is in shuttered in complete darkness such that their vision cannot penetrate. This is something that Dysis comments on as being unnatural given just how bright it is outside. The four wait for a few minutes listening but they hear no noise and nothing seems to happen.

Actions?





OOC: Added x50 experience to Dysis for joining the adventure. Party inventory is updated with items I have moved from Dysis' character sheet to party inventory, as well as the two days worth of rations found in the kitchen.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:28, Fri 05 July 2019.

The noble peered into the darkness of what once had been the admin building. The feeling at seeing the total darkness of the interior made the hairs on the back of Lysandros stand on end. But he gired his mental lions,and took a firmer grip upon his sword. "Gregorius." He said in a loud voice, just to see if it caused a reaction from within.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:28, Fri 05 July 2019.