While the party of adventurers are still drinking the profits of their previous venture, they hear of a haunted mine in the lands of Korgar. It seems a minor noble, Lord Narlan, is offering a bounty deal with the haunting so that the mine can be re-opened. Silden and Yspadadden reckon that a haunted mine is right in their wheelhouse. Trevillion, Banthil and Rowan are keen to come too. The village of Henikar where the mine is situated is north of the lands of Korgar. They travel there in search of glory and gold (not necessarily in that order).
The group arrive, introduce themselves to the headman of the village, who tells them tales of the the dead that walk and shows them the entrance to the mine workings. They penetrate deep into the mine and encounter the miners, who are now counted amongst the walking dead. There is a stiff fight against rather a lot of undead miners. They are slow moving and armed with makeshift weapons – picks and shovels etc. Nevertheless, the rogues find that they have to do quite a lot of dodging to keep them at bay until the axes of the dwarves get to work at the other end of the line and roll up the flank. After the fight they explore further into the mine tunnels and finding a breakthrough into more ancient delvings. Plainly the miners had delved too deep.
Following the older workings, the party pass down into the bowels of the earth. There they encounter a demonic serpent guarding an ancient fane. They overcome this avatar of Set after much strife and discover amongst other treasures a great carved gemstone upon the altar. This artefact radiates evil and all who touch it become cursed. As it happens, both the dwarves have the power to remove a curse, but whenever anyone touches the gem they become cursed anew. This makes it very difficult to transport it back to the surface and there are many mishaps along the way as the curse blights every endeavour. Eventually Yspadadden obtains some lead and forges a casket for the gem, that mitigates its aura somewhat and they carry it all the way back to the surface.
Several adventurers have to be treated in Henikar for their wounds, sustained both in the fight with the serpent and in accidents moving the accursed gem. Deeming it beyond their powers to deal with effectively, Yspadadden summons the Night-Wind and rides it back to Chittagong. There he visits the Temple of Mitra – whom he judges to be the most useful for this sort of challenge and asks for their aid. The Mitrans agree to take possession of the evil fane and put it beyond use. They dispatch a senior Priest with one of their holy warriors and an entourage of acolytes to recover the fane. Lord Narlan is rapidly persuaded by the Mitran enforcer to be grateful his mine has been cleared, pay the bounty as promised and ask no more of the party. Back in Chittagong the serpent’s hide, ichor, venom and fangs prove valuable arcane ingredients. The party are paid ten talents in gold by the Mitrans for coming directly to them and not messing with the great carved gem. This gold is divided along with all the other treasures recovered from the ancient lair beneath the mine, including a magic dagger and a magic war-axe.
F-33
OE Date: September 694
Characters: Yspadadden, Silden, Trevillion, Banthil, Rowan
Real World: 2004 (though not finally resolved until 2011); Where: Surbiton