Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Sept 30, 2022 23:16:38 GMT -5
Zarius was starting to feel like maybe he was unusually short for a tiefling of his age. He hadn't thought about it before but standing next to Javal reminded him so much of when he first met Cantio. Both of them younger and taller than himself. He sighs, can't help it, let these youngsters tower of him like trees. It wouldn't help much with this mission.
Word in town was that there was a pretty bad earthquake a few days ago and a group of miners had yet to return from the Dragon Spine mountains. Their families had scrounged together what they could to reward any adventurers who could bring them back. Zarius wasn't too interested in the coin, rather he was interested in one the missing miners.
The miner used to be pretty well known smuggler in Darkveil, but after a deal of his went south with one of the crime lords he had fled northward. After following various leads, Zarius had managed to track him down to this area and learned that he had changed his appearance and name to try and hide from the syndicates.
The main reason this ex-con was of any interest to him was because he had made off with a ledger full of his contacts, contracts, and some pretty personal information on the crime lord he was doing business with. This information could prove to be very valuable for Zarius' own plans. You can never have too much leverage on the competition.
The mayor of the town explains to the pair that there are many mine entrances because dwarves know the importance of digging networks with many exits and entrances in case of cave ins. So it stands to reason that if they have yet to return, they must have gotten terribly stuck. The land was treacherous and they had few people to spare for such an expedition.
He provides them with a map but it was pretty clear that while dwarves are good at digging, they were lacking in cartography skills. The map only gives a vague idea of where the mine entrances are and there is the chance that those entrances are no longer viable due to landslides.
Zarius isn't familiar with the area either, so the best he can hope is that Javal knows his way around. After agreeing to the contract, the pair set out into the wilderness to search for the mine entrance.
After a few hours of walking, Zarius breaks the silence. "So, should we take bets on if these folks are alive or not?"
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Oct 1, 2022 0:56:40 GMT -5
Javal Zarrias is currently in a town with his new friend Zarius he ended up in skypeak village after he and Nadia had heard that some miners went missing they headed straight to skypeak on Aslepmir the flaming horse as soon as they heard. They headed to the town tavern to hear some info there they meet there new friend Zarius. Javal went up to them and said, "Hello there I am Javal Zarrias a tiefling from thorock so here at skypeak is basically my home i know dragon's cradle like the back of my hand. Don't be mistaken I am no ordinary blue strong muscular tiefling. I was once apart of the black dragon pirate crew a couple years back, Do you know where I can find the missing miners and would you like to be my friend". His moon elf companion quickly apologizes, "I'm so sorry for my boss's rude behavior but would you have any info either way". The trio alongside aslepmir traveled to the mayor's office and were filled on some of the details. The miners are in dragonspine it should be quite hard especially since most entrances are closed but Javal knows dragon's cradle well he's sure they can find a way so he says, "Thank you Mayor we will get them back come on new friend lets head to dragonspine and get to walking the mountain". Zarius then says on their walk, "So, should we take bets on if these folks are alive or not?". Javal answers, "No because I am poor but I truly believe will find and save them with a wide grin on his face"
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 1, 2022 1:55:34 GMT -5
Zarius couldn't help but smile at Javal whenever he talked. He was like an open book just begging for someone to read. Oversharing and eagerness aside, he looked capable enough. His companion also seemed to keep a close eye on him and be a little more in tune with normal social graces.
"The Black Dragon Pirates you say? That is quite the notorious group. Is it true they once clashed with a kraken while out on the open sea?" He asks.
He nods at the moon elf. "It is quite alright, I am always happy to make new friends."
He lets Javal take the lead both in town with speaking to the locals and in the wilds. Zarius was grateful for Javal's familiarity with the area. It instilled confidence that they would be successful in at least finding the mines in the first place.
Zarius laughs at Javal's honest answer to his question. "I understand, friend. Being an adventurer may bring riches but traveling is expensive. Do let me know if you need a loan, I would be happy to help." Normally, he wouldn't offer such a thing as his earnings were often for bribery and loosening lips, but Javal was entertaining to travel with. His unapologetic earnestly was refreshing, so sparing some coin to help him survive was an easy expense to write off.
They continued towards the mountain valley in the direction of the mines. There was a road to follow but it was in poor condition and even washed out in places where the slope of the mountainside had given away. Evidence of the recent earthquakes was scattered all around them in the form of jagged skree and loose boulders jammed against the spindly trees that grow in the region.
There were moments during their travel where Zarius swore he could hear a deep rumbling in the distance. The earth was uneven and shifted beneath their feet ever so slightly, subtly threatening to burst or fall away at any given moment.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Oct 1, 2022 16:19:48 GMT -5
Javal and his friends are at the bottom of Dragons spine standing looking and feeling the diasterius area around them. Javal says,”this is so much fun I love earthquakes it’s like surfing but your standing but fun aside those miners are in trouble”. He yells out Aslepmir and a black horse with a flaming mane appears coming running in, “Zarius and Nadia, you guys get on aslepmir I will sprint alongside you trust me. Me and Aslepmir have raced many times I almost won once”. The nightmare steer scoffs and neighs at this remwrk. the party begin to trek up dragon spine all the usual and entrances javal knows are all boarded up and blocked off until about half way up Javal stops and yells ahead to the group hey I found something. He points to a cave entrance at the side of the mountain. The group stands before it before Javal says Aslepmir you can go rest now. Alrighty guys let’s explore this mountain and find these missing miners.
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 1, 2022 19:32:28 GMT -5
Zarius rides behind Nadia on the back of Aslepmir while Javal jogs along beside the flaming horse. Javal certainly knew his way around and easily navigated them to the mines. But nothing in this world could just be simple.
The ground rumbles and a few stones clatter down the slope above them. Things were very unstable here so they hop off Aslepmir to proceed on foot.
"We should proceed with caution, the ground could give way at any moment."
As they climb the mountain side for the opening Javal points out, the ground shifts and shakes more violently. Zarius takes a knee to steady himself and keep from being knocked over. The tremor would stop if they were patient.
The tremor did not stop. In fact, it was getting worse.
Zarius looks up in the direction they are headed and sees a cloud of dust and debris racing down the mountainside uphill of them. The earthquake had broken off chunks of the mountain side and now gravity was carrying them all the way down over the mine entrance and onwards at a staggering pace.
Zarius looks around for cover and spots a boulder to the side of their current position. It would be close, but they could make it if they made a mad dash for it. "Take cover behind that boulder! Quick!" He directs Javal and Nadia to the boulder and runs over to it.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Oct 15, 2022 20:25:30 GMT -5
As Javal realizes what is going on he sees Nadia in the corner of his eye sprinting ahead behind Zarius who is running towards a big rock ahead of them. He looks behind himself to see Aslepmir vanishing he leaves a sulfur smell, Javal is not worried he knows he'll return when the current danger's not present. Javal sprints behind Nadia and Zarius barely missing getting hit my a boulder and dragged down. They all hide against cover at a boulder to ride out the rockslide, eventually the rocky rain stops, The group stops hiding and stand back up to see the effects of the disaster behind them, the entire path they were just on is covered with boulders it seems like coming this way back isn't an option anymore. The cave entrance is almost completely blocked. Javal stretches a bit and says, "Nothing but almost dying to wake you up in the morning it seems our first attempt is stopped i guess will have to keep trekking up the mountain and keep looking for another entrance". He then smells sulfur and suddenly Aslepmir appears behind them neighing. The group gets into the formation they were in previously, Nadia and Zarius on Aslepmir and Javal sprinting alongside them.
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 17, 2022 13:19:18 GMT -5
Zarius coughs from the dust cloud that the rockslide kicked up. Javal was right. They had gotten lucky finding an entrance so soon, but it seemed the mountain didn't want to make things easy for them.
"Alright." He dusts himself off and hops back up on the horse again.
It takes a few hours of scouring the mountainside before they do find some vents. Following the vents they eventually come across a secondary entrance to the mine that still seemed to be standing. There were a few mine carts, spare pick axes, and rope all left scattered around the entrance. They must have gotten bounced around by that last quake.
Hoping off the horse, Zarius grabs a few coils of rope in case they needed them. He picks up a pickaxe. "You know how to use one of these?" He asks holding it out to him.
He hoped that they wouldn't have to actually dig, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared. There was a chance that the miners were long since head, buried alive or suffocated from being trapped without any access to fresh air. It was also possible that the miners were injured, which made the tiefling glad that Javal basically had a portable pack mule.
Looking into the mine, it descends into pick black darkness. "Are you able to see in the dark perchance?"
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Oct 18, 2022 21:17:49 GMT -5
After a couple of hours of looking around Javal is a bit tired especially since him and aslepmir have been racing a lot but eventually the group finds some vents. After following they find a second entrance probably the only one that the group can use now. Javal sees mine carts, spare pick axes, and rope all left scattered around the entrance. They must have gotten bounced around by that last quake. He quickly 3 pickaxes and tucks 2 of them into his robe pockets and wields one of them in his hands, he chuckles awesome new weapons are always pretty cool. Nadia grabs a few coils of rope being the rational one of the two. Zarius hands him another one which he wields in his other hand, "As a weapon yes, the pickaxe is a great weapon, as a pickaxe no i have not. Nadia sighs I've used a pickaxe before i can teach you guys if needed. The group look into the mine, it descends into pick black darkness. "Are you able to see in the dark perchance?" ask his friend Zarius. Javal smiles, "No, I cannot see whatsoever in the dark but I have a friend who does, Myrra I beckon thee". All of a sudden a ghostly black lantern glowing bright blue comes from behind them and appears by the group. "Hello there everyone, I'm ready to help as much as a i can which is not a lot". Javal smiles and says, "Zarius this is Myrra Calcifer the Ghastly Lantern she can light our way the whole time, don't worry Myrra you are very useful". The group then starts their way further into the mine.
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Ash Rose Jackals
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Oct 18, 2022 22:17:09 GMT -5
Zarius looks at the ghostly lantern. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Calcifer." He heads down into the mine with Javal and his party.
The corridor they have entered through is about ten feet wide by ten feet high with wooden supports every fifteen to twenty feet or so. The rails for the mine carts follow this path with a few places where it branches off to a dead end off to either side of the corridor. They slowly descend down with the railway until come to the top of a mine shaft.
Zarius goes over to the mine shaft and investigates the structure. The lift for the mine shaft does not appear to be at the top, suggesting that no one has left the mine recently. He peers over the guard rail down into the inky darkness of the pit below them. There are ropes coming up out of the darkness up to some pulleys secured at the top of the shaft which then goes to a winch built into the side of the corridor.
Grabbing a hold of the winch handle, Zarius starts to turn the gears and bring the lift up to their level so they can ride it down deeper into the mine. After everyone is aboard the lift, he sets off the counterweight and hops aboard as it descends down...down...down...before coming to a lurching stop at the bottom of the shaft.
Looking ahead, though, there is no where to go as the path in front of them has caved in from the tremors.
"Just our luck. Guess we will have to try another entra-"
"Help!" A muffled cry comes from beyond the pile of rocks blocking their way forward. "We're trapped!"
"Ah. There they are. Guess it is time to get digging."
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