Rusty

Reaping 22, 594 CY
Exag Mines

We stayed at an Inn with a rather disturbing sign above the front door. We discussed our plans for the next day, and decided to help out with a mining issue just outside the town, since we felt ourselves to be mine experts (and thought there was a chance that the runestone from the last mine was somehow involved). The accommodations were pleasant enough, if you don’t mind sharing a room with three other people. Still, I was somewhat surprised we were all alive and well in the morning— but apparently, that wasn’t part of the trap.

The girl who waited on us for breakfast was surprised though— she said people often go missing in the night, and, with none of us being human, we seemed like ideal targets. She also told me she thought Commander Bragus was “hot.” I wasn’t sure what she meant, but after breakfast, we passed him as we were leaving the city, and I passed her sentiment on to him.

Well, I guess I really don’t understand humans as well as I thought I did! It took me a good long time to extricate myself from his presence after that comment, and I was only able to get away at all by promising to “meet” him when we returned from the mines. Janet thinks it’s all very funny. I’m not sure what to think, but I am curious.

It took two hours to get to the mines, much of which involved half-running to catch up with my friends who had stranded me with the commander of the town watch. Thankfully the watch at the mines, which were surrounded by a wall, was staffed with a small boy, Trey, who let us in without requiring any promises.

We were told that the miners had been dealing with creatures that were attacking their metal equipment, turning tools into piles of worthless rust. Nothing made of metal was surviving for long down there, and they had taken to providing a guard armed with a wooden club for each two miners that went in. Fash and I needed to take off our mithril chain armor before going in (stored easily enough in our haversacks) and, least expensive weapons in hand, we entered the mines.

We were directed down to the lowest level, about 80’ down, were the “rust monsters” had been seen. We found some creatures that didn’t belong down there alright, but now I was wishing I still had my armor on. Hobgoblins! We dispatched the first few easily, but before we could get armor back on, chaos erupted. I was stuck using my crossbow, as I hadn’t wanted my very nice sword destroyed by what we thought we’d be fighting. But, something else was going on. Elizair and Fash were caught up in a fight with more hobgoblins, and a group of miners arrived, but rather than helping us fight the hobgoblins, they started to attack us. It took me a while to get through that lot, by which point Janet was standing with my friends. Something was obviously wrong though— Janet wasn’t moving and Fash was trying to kill Elizair! Suddenly, I saw the reason for their bizarre actions— a squid-faced creature was orchestrating the entire combat. Worse, Elizair had been hit hard enough to go down, and the tentacled creature was leaning in towards his head, when I realized that it was one of the fabled “mind flayers” I’d heard stories about. I leaped onto its back and tried to sever a tentacle— I managed to injure it, but I’m sure it could have destroyed me. Instead, it disappeared, leaving the cavern scattered with the bodies of the miners and hobgoblins. I don’t know what to do about Fash, but I dumped a healing potion down Elizair’s throat and he’s helping me cart the still-unmoving Janet out of here as fast as possible….

Cave of fools…

We stayed the night at a disturbing Inn, in fact this town is a bit odd now that I think about it. They definitely do not take a kind eye to travelers to say the least. I can hardly blame them, after all they live in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hostile creatures and they get little if any support from their fellow countrymen. They have learned to not trust, maybe fear, all travelers as bringers of bad new or times. Guess the big walls around the town would be the first sign of that, but yet the people seem to have walls also.

Looking for work we tried to find some on the town post, yet this was not how this town worked. Seems you have to have done good work and made a name for yourself before any here will acknowledge to having some work to be done. So, we decided to forge out on the only lead we had, “trouble at the mine.” With the recent success in such manners, we felt comfortable that we would be able to handle the new dilemma.

So we met with the Captain of the Watch and then headed off to the mine. At least most of us did …… it seems that Fortuna has taken an eye for the young Captain. Strange, I never imagined her going for that type. It is sad that it will not work; the handsome Captain is too tied down for her interest. She will grow tired of him quickly. Still, it is good to see her so exited, it makes me feel proud. I wonder if this is what parents are supposed to feel, hmm. Either way, Janet is having a great time at her expense right now.

Moving on, Fortuna did join up with us and we did find the mine. I would rather call it a fortress for it was a hole in the mountain surrounded by a wall. I must say they truly value their iron! Upon reaching the wall though we were greeted by a young human boy, not the sentry I expected for such a fortification. He did let us in and explained that the men are all in the mine working. After some chatter with the women who were available to talk, we found that some form of rust monsters were the cause of the mines shortages. The workers had to work with clubs, to chase off the creatures when they came near.

Into the mine, we were directed to a man who would show us were the last attacks were. With most of our metal gear packed away, we felt ready to deal with these creatures. We went down a passage to a split in the path, feeling a bit insecure with how we were pointed down a passage without mention of a split, I left Babble at the intersection to keep an eye out for what may come from the other direction. We took the left passage and soon found the source of the mining shortages: Hobgoblins. Not quite the large vermin the party was prepared for.

Luckily I was able to take out the first batch; unluckily the brightness of my spells brought more. It was then that Babble told be that there were humans with clubs coming our way; at least we will have back up, I thought. I was able to see two groups of Hobgoblins coming after us from two new passages in the back of the cavern were we stood. The passage to my left brought me the most fear, for behind the approaching fighters stood a thin creature with a face full of tentacles. A Mind Flayer, I had only seen one once, it that one was dead. This one would soon prove itself quite alive.

I quickly cast a spell to blind that hallway and tried to deal with the other attackers until the humans came to help. I tried to tell my friends what was happening, but the heat of the ensuing battle did not help. The humans finally arrived and began attacking us. I admit, we were not organized for this. I knew the frozen winds I put in the one corridor would not hold the others back much longer I had to act quickly to help my friends who were not armed for this fight. At one point I let out an apology before casting in the direction of Janet and Fash.

The battle was fierce and I have to admit that I was impressed with Fash and his bow. Fortuna was taking on multiple foes as usual, and Janet was making do with a weapon she did not prefer. At one point the Mind Flayer was behind me and in control of Fash. The archer, Fash, launched a volley of arrows at me that should have killed me outright, but providence saved me once again and I was only wounded. Gritting in pain and needing to act before Fash could train his bow on me again, I made one last ditch effort in an all-or-nothing to kill the Mind Flayer ….. and I failed.

Soon I was awakened by Fortuna and the grips of the Mind Flayer still stung at my face. My little friend has saved me again. It is times like this when I wonder if I found her, or she found me. Either way, our lives have become dependent on each other, literally.