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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 1222356" data-attributes="member: 1210">Into the Old Mines“There, look!” Dogfish grunts.  Our heroes have just ascended a rough but climbable ledge, and now they can see decrepit mining equipment, destroyed by free townsfolk or weather.  It’s further along the skirt of the mountain, but lower; there’s even a path that leads away from it, though so overgrown that it’s only noticeable from a distance.  Had they been on it, the choking weeds and stubby shrubs would have left them unaware of it.  From here, though, the party can tell, by the surrounding vegetation, that a trail big enough for a cart leads off towards town.Now the climbing is easier as they descend; and before another hour is passed, they’ve reached the entrance, sealed by a set of beaten copper plates that have been bent apart enough for someone to move through and enter the old mines.  “Look at this!” Sandy exclaims.  “It was bent twice- and they even left us a rope!”Indeed, a knotted rope is tied to a nearby boulder and snakes into the hole.“Well, isn’t that lucky,” comments Ed.“Maybe it was the other adventurers,” suggests the kobold, Federico.  “Maybe we should go back and get help.  I’m hungry.”  He’s shivering, as usual.At the mention of food, Ed’s stomach grumbles.  But Dogfish snorts and starts descending the rope, entering a shaft.  So our heroes clamber down a series of ropes and into the old mines of the dragon Copperdeath.  The sound of water echoes from somewhere below them, and soon our heroes land upon a creaky, obviously unstable platform.  Next to it, the wall opens and a passage leads away.  The rope continues further down.Dogfish nods to himself and steps into the passage, following it down to a large room.  The others are cautiously following him.  More old mining equipment lies around, untouched for perhaps decades.  Large greenish beetles scuttle away from the light of Sandy’s lantern as they begin poking around in the old discarded wheelbarrows and sledges, but it’s obvious that it would take hours to search through the place and there’s no obvious reward, so they continue deeper into the mines.  Dogfish continues to lead the party forward, ignoring the mined-out area and continuing through the room.Then, as the group approaches the room’s exit, the light falls on a pile of three severed heads on the ground.  Ed gasps and starts crying.  Federico starts shivering violently and tuffs his tail between his legs.  Dogfish cocks his head and furrows his brow, continuing to walk forward, and the heads suddenly open their swollen yellowish eyes and let out horrific bubbling screams!  Our heroes are taken rather aback, and for a moment they freeze in horror- then they react, taking up weapons and bracing themselves, but nothing happens right away.  So, shrugging, Dogfish leads the party directly through the intersection.  The corridor goes further than our heroes can see, but there seem to be dozens of mining tunnels off of either side.  Brother He spots movement!  “Look out!” he cries, but it’s too late, as a shambling reptilian humanoid, stinking like rotting fish, steps out from a tunnel on Dogfish’s left and swings a ponderous blow with a club as he passes by.  The barbarian gives a hoarse yell, turning his head to see his attacker, and then another one of the nasty creatures staggers out of a passage just ahead of him and to his right!  Again the creature misses, but further down the passage another one steps out.Brother He wastes no time, swinging his fist into first one’s belly.  He was ten feet behind Dogfish, so he’s already in position.  His blow deals significant damage, but there’s no blood.  Instead, Brother He comes to a sickening realization as he feels its cold flesh.Sandy throws himself forward, stabbing the one behind Dogfish and moving to stand next to Brother He.  The thing turns, its eyes empty of volition or consciousness, and swings its club at Sandy, but the limber halfling ducks under it.  The other one that initially attacked raises its club and smacks it down on Dogfish, hitting him in the face with the strength of the dead.  The barbarian grunts and coughs, but still stands.  The other one the party can see shambles forward, and another moves into view behind it.  “Oh no!” Federico cries in dismay, then starts shouting and singing encouragement to the rest of our heroes, hoping to inspire courage in their hearts.  Shaking, he pulls out his sling and a bullet, preparing to... to fight.  He shakes harder at the thought.Dogfish finally gets his wits about him and gives out a great hoarse roar, swinging his mighty (small) greataxe at the stinking lizard-corpse facing him.  His blow crashes into its ribs and heart and lungs, smashing them like icicles on a winter afternoon.  The thing doesn’t really seem to need them, however, and as it can still stand up it keeps fighting.  Dogfish grunts in disappointment, then smacks it again.  It’s still up!  Trinia moves in, her scimitar flashing, but she’s scared- she’s never seen this kind of unnatural, undead monstrosity before.  She swipes at it, but keeping away from that club keeps her from scoring a blow herself.  Another of the zombies hits Brother He, slapping his head with its club.  He staggers, kicking it in a nerve cluster (Useless! he thinks) and steps back a few paces, shaking his head to clear it.  Sandy falls back, too, and he and Federico start a rain of sling bullets and daggers.  But one of the zombies shambles up on Sandy and strikes him in the arm.  He cries out as it flares with red-hot agony, then pulls out his morningstar, ignoring the pain.  Gritting his teeth, the lil guy swings, and smack! He nails the monster.  Dogfish finally beats down his foe and turns to the next one, spittle flying from his lips as he laughs hoarsely.  Federico yowls, smacking a zombie’s jaw with a sling bullet, fracturing it and smashing a large chunk of flesh loose.  It’s the same one that Dogfish is on, and his next blow takes it out.  Trinia finally lands a blow, and it’s the final one of the battle, as she takes the last zombie out. Breathing hard, our heroes decide to rest for a moment before continuing on...Next Time: The barrier and the bonetangle!</blockquote>

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