KNOCKERS IN THE OLD MINE

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Rebuilding the town of Bramblewood Point has drained the resources of Qwyneth the Trueheart, garnered during her adventuring days, to the point that the completion of her church building is now in question. The solution to this financial dilemma seems clear, the old copper mine south of the new town, abandoned since the War of Ages, is surely Qwyneth's new source of financial support. Qwyneth petitions one of her young acolytes, Mac Massacre, to gather and lead an expedition to explore and reclaim the abandoned mine.

Mac approaches the young barbarian who is recovering from his arduous journey south from the Wild Lands. The strapping young man was found in the Bramblewood Forest by lumberjacks who encountered him half-starved and sick from exposure. The workmen took the youth to Qwyneth's church for nursing back to health. Jadrek, his strength returned, agrees to go with Mac as he feels a need to repay his benefactors, as well as to build up his strength before seeking out and confronting the Slavers.

At Qwyneth's direction, Mac also approaches another stranger new to the hamlet, a dark-clad young man of ... uncertain talents. Dusk agrees to accompany the expedition, mostly from boredom. It seems that Bramblewood Point is just a bit too far from the Guild's influence for Dusk's city-dwelling comfort.

Lastly, looking over the collection of young adventurers, Qwyneth asks Grumbum to go with the team, to protect them.

Into the Darkness

After arriving at the site of the former mine, a quick recon of the area revealed the mine's facilities include the collapsing ruins of a smelting house. Approaching the mine itself, the team has a brief encounter with a nest of giant rats. Wisely the party selects Dusk to lead the way into the mine, long rumored to be a stronghold of monsters. Unwisely Dusk lights no torch and at the bottom of the ramp leading into the mine proper falls prey to a snare, injuring his foot and immobilizing him. Once the other members of the team dig Dusk out, the exploration of the mine proper begins.

Evidence of continued mining activity, the discovery of the elevator down to the mine's lower levels accompanied by mysterious voices from below causes some excitement. The party decides to secure the complicated rope and pulley rig until they finish exploring the mine's first level, so Grumbum jams a big rock into the gears. Then a nearly disasterous encounter with dog-sized spiders cause real excitement and serious injuries. With Dusk badly wounded and Mac busy saving his life, Grumbum cuts through the encroaching cobwebs with Jadrek, the two shoulder-to-shoulder until the over-sized arachnids are defeated. Exhausted, the team decides to retreat out of the mine and sleep in the ruins of the smelter.

Meanwhile, back in Bramblewood Point a darkly robed figure, his face obscured within the darkness of his robe's voluminous hood enters the town and seeks shelter at the church for the night, coming to the attention of Gwyneth the Trueheart. Gwyneth speaks with the young wizard and strikes a deal with the adept of the arcane. Qwyneth will provide the herbs sought by the young apprentice's master, from her stores at the church, provided that the wizard lend his mystical prowess to her expedition. Dark Beaux, so-called, seeing an easy way out of the tedious task of seeking out his master's herbs quickly agrees. He spends the night at the church and leaves at dawn the following morning for the mine.

Back at the mine, the party rises, eats breakfast and enters the mine intent on clearing the next level. Before they get too far, Dark Beaux announces himself and joins their ranks. Thus empowered the party moves on to the elevator, only to find that, despite the removal of Grumbum's obstacle to proper operation the elevator still won't work. The chatter of mysterious voices from below suggests sabotage by the mine's inhabitants. Grumbum demolishes the wooden platform controlled by the winch and pulley system allowing access to the level beneath. Dusk is the first one lowered down and as the rope is hauled back up to lower the next person an attention capturing cough sounds from behind him.

KOBOLDS!

Dusk spins to confront a wized, little, white-haired monkey-rat standing behind him, pick in hand, it's head adorned with a flickering candle (those of you who play World of Warcraft know what I mean!). The critter squeaks out something to the effect of "My momma told me never to hit anyone from behind!" and clobbers Dusk with it's pick, burying the mining tool deep into the thief's leg. Dusk, however, stays cool and stabs the nasty little beast directly through the chest with his short sword, dropping the little bugger where it stands. Dusk is then joined in turns by Jadrek, the new wizard, Mac Slaughter and finally Grumbum.

The kobolds arrange themselves three abreast in the numerous tunnels running off from the elevator room, well out of melee range, and start hurling broken tools, rocks and garbage at the assembled party. The team returns fire and Grumbum wades into the nearest groups and just before he starts loping diminutive bodies into bits, triggers a rock fall trap hidden in the tunnel ceiling. Grumbum shrugs off the injury from the falling rocks and quickly dices through the somewhat surprised kobolds. When Grumbum breaches their defensive perimeter, the kobolds scatter, withdrawing behind further prepared defenses. The group, beaten and slightly miffed probes the interconnecting tunnels briefly and then withdraws for the day to tend to the wounded.