After defeating the guards outside of the mine, the party calls one of the workers over to discuss the situation. The man’s name is Vareth and after thanking everyone, he explains that there are still some mine bosses inside, but the main muscle is already defeated. Also, Corwin Flase, the previous captain of the guard in Arness, has been sent to work the mine in a recently reopened mine shaft. Vareth tells the party that the people assigned to work in that shaft have vanished, and only the biggest troublemakers get sent to work there.

As Vareth describes it, Smoth realizes this is the same shaft he had to clear the kobolds out of when he was first starting to adventure. This is the place where they found the evil artifact known as the Desecrorb. Who knew what else lay down there? The adventurers get Vareth to lead them into the mine, and on the way they meet one of the mine bosses. He begins to yell at Vareth, but eventually realizes he is outnumbered, and outmatched. Vareth cries for blood, and while the party itself does not kill him, they leave all the mine bosses at the mercy of the workers.

The group reaches the entrance to the once closed off shaft, and Vareth wishes them luck, then runs as quickly as he can out of the mine. The party heads down the shaft. Soon it opens into a room, there in the middle is a kobold in full plate surrounded by four etins. When we first enter the room, the kobold barely glances up, and tells the etins to take the new slaves to the master. Quickly he realizes his mistake, and battle begins. Findail quickly casts a flamestrike in the midst of the enemies before they scatter apart, and Smoth draws his bow, which as he fires makes the arrows sprout magical spikes especially harmful to giants. Shun charges in, and together the party focuses down the Kobold cleric. With the kobold dead, Findail takes one of the etins out, while Smoth finishes a second. Shun surrounded by two etins seems to draw on immense strength and skill. Out of the corner of their eyes Findail and Smoth see their companion slice one of the Etins in half, it’s body crumples to the floor in two seperate pieces. With a cry of victory, Shun turns his attention to the other etin, and again with just a single blow, he crushes one of the etin’s heads with his halberd. Shun looks into the eyes of the etin’s other head as it realizes what has happened, and the life drains out of it.

With the foes dispatched, Smoth decides to scout ahead while the party loots the corpses, stealthing his way down the mine shaft, he comes into another big cavern. Smoth quickly gathers the important details and returns to the group. The news is grim. Inside the cavern is a large young red dragon upon a pile of copper coins, a Kobold cleric beside him talking in hushed tones. The cavern is being enlarged by an umberhulk tearing away at the rock underground. An etin holds the chain keeping the umberhulk working. The human slaves who were missing are using a contraption to lift the rock to the surface via a hole in the cavern. The party takes this news, and formulates a plan. Buff up and charge in. Fully buffed the party charges into the room, Smoth acts first, he charges toward the kobold, the javelin he holds in his hands drips poison, ready to be launched. However, before he can get within range to throw, the floor gives way under his feet. Nimbly Smoth recovers his balance and escapes the pit trap, but before he finishes getting out Findail casts one of his most powerful spells upon the dragon. It was a risky gamble, he knew that the dragon would likely resist the magic, but the gamble pays off. Before the party’s eyes, the dragon shrinks and changes into a toad. The kobold cleric cries out in anger, and he immediately begins to cast a spell. It washes over the transformed dragon, and the party sees the toad turn red and begin to grow. The party feels the short thrill of fear surge up their spine, but Findail’s magic holds strong and the dragon snaps back into the form of a toad. Shun runs across the room hoping to engage the cleric, but the rubble upon the ground prevents him from getting there quickly. Keldon calls upon his deity and a magical rapier made of force appears next to the Kobold and begins to attack. Smoth fully recovered by now attacks the Kobold with his javelin, just barely missing as it glances off the kobold’s armor. Magically, the javelin turns in the air and returns to Smoth’s hand. Again Findail calls upon the forces of nature, and the party watches as the kobold also shrinks down. This time Findail chose to put his enemy into the form of a tiny turtle. The umberhulk and etin make their way across the room and begin to engage in combat, but there is fear in their eyes. Their masters were defeated so quickly, what chance could they have? The answer is none. The adventurers unleash their fury upon the two remaining combatants, and they are quickly vanquished.

The party releases the slaves, and they are pleased to see that Corwin Flase is still alive and among them. Perhaps now there is a chance to rid Arness of the infestation of werewolves. A plan is quickly formulated to disguise Corwin and get him back into the town to contact some of his previous guards who may remain loyal. The party, after taking the considerable amount of loot from the dragon kill, leave the mine, Corwin Flase along side them. Outside the mine just before they begin the journey back to Arness, the party looks over and sees the mine bosses hanging from a tree, with the mine workers cheering. The party quietly moves on, each dealing in their own way with the knowledge they could have stopped the death of those mine bosses who abused their power.

Experience

Defeated kobold and ettins – CR 8

9	1800
10	1500
11	1100

Defeated dragon and kobold – CR 10.5

9	4725
10	3750
11	2750

Totals:

9	6525
10	5250
11	3850

xp/person:

9	1631
10	1312
11	962