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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 2002452" data-attributes="member: 9255">EBERRON02/05/05SEGMENT 038THE ISLAND OF STARVOS     PT IVThe six of them continued up the trail walking beside the rails leading to the mine.  Asunder and Chief, the two warforged of the group followed Cedious with less stealth than he wanted.  Bemnol corrected assumed they were trying to attract attention and attacks.  How Bemnol missed his simple missions of protecting Zilargo from the evils that left Darguun and threatened his beloved country’s peace and security.  Boddynoc was lost in thought.  He was certain this was a mine that sought Dragon Shards and dammit- he was going to find some!  Balkroth, the ½ giant psychic warrior had given up trying to explain to the others that he was not a x-bred ogre.  If he was greatly insulted, he did not show it.Finally they reached a clearing in the thick and dark woods.  The moons revealed how the rail split into three.  Two rails entered two mines and a third rail created a loop that included a rock filling station.  Two buildings were visible also.  A small building near the one mine entrance and a smaller one on the right side within the rail’s loop.  After only a brief slowdown to survey the area, the six of them continue on going to the far left where the rail went by a building.Cedious notes a small pack of wolves watching them from nearby.  They don’t seem aggressive or threatening.  They watch in solemn silence as the reach the porch to the building.  Finally, they move on into the darkness leaving them alone again.The mosquitoes and black flies are thick and annoying.  Cedious checks the front door.  “Unlocked.” He says with a smirk of over confidence.  Inside a soft light grows.  Looking onto the wall near the door is a small disk that castes soft light as they move within the room.  Using their lights and torches, the group searches the room.  There are shelves with ledgers and scrolls.  They do not search it for long.  Instead they move onto the desk and the two doors leading out.  On the desk is a large heavy iron key.  Also there is a small map of the mines.  Both of these Boddynoc picks up.  Cedious digs and with a long sigh puts away the only money he has found- a mere 3 silvers.Going to the closest door, they find it unlocked.  Looking inside, it is a storage area with linens, boxes and other mundane items.  Boddynoc discovers two things that bother him however.  A serrated tooth about 1 – 2 inches longs.  It looks like nothing he has seen before.  Also there is a 2-foot hole chewed and clawed that leads outside.  “Serious pest problem” thinks Bemnol to himself.Outsider, the Psychic warrior is checking out a large cart on the rails.  It is about 6 ft long and four feet wide.  At each end is a three-foot long riding platform.  He also spots a large keyhole at one end.  The warforged are still hoping for combat and wonder where the wolves went.  A “snack-level” bloodbath sounds good to them right now.Boddynoc tries the second door while Cedious finishes searching the desk.  Locked.  Using a pick he tries to undo it but instead breaks his pick.  Frowning, he calls to Cedious.  Within 30 seconds, Cedious has it open and is sure to impress this onto Boddynoc.They go inside and find a small desk that looks more like a podium and a wall of locked drawers.  As if he could smell Dragon Shards, both Cedious and Boddynoc go to it.  Bemnol is disappointed with their actions.  They could make great operatives for the Trust but their greed can be used against them too easily.  He stays to watch over them.  He doubts any shards are here.  The workers at the village said the ship left a few days ago.  It would not have left empty.Three drawers later, after being picked, are drawn out and searched.  Within each are folds of soft oily cloth with some dry dirt and dust on it.  Not to be discouraged, they continue on.  Cedious pops open a draw that had a soft scrapping sound to it.  Something is within it!  He looks to see if anyone else heard it or are paying attention.  Boddynoc is grumbling since he is having a difficult time with the locks.  Bemnol is watching him.  Reaching in with a sweeping motion as if messing with the cloth he finds a small 1-inch sized crystal.  He holds it with two curled fingers and closes the door with a look of disappointment.  He starts on another drawer further away.  Picking the lock easily, he looks around within the drawer (really at what he had found before).  A dark colored crystal with a dark blue or black swirl within it was there.  “Is this a Dragon Shard?” he wonders.  “What can we use shards for again?” he asks innocently.  As Boddynoc begins to explain how it improves or holds magic Bemnol notes the change in voice.  He watches Cedious from the corner of his eye and spots the crystal.“If you find one let me know.” Adds Cedious.After thirty minutes of searching and finding nothing, Cedious’ smirk can not be mistaken any further.“Gimme!” demands Boddynoc.“Whaaaat?!?” smirks Cedious. “Are you suggesting I have something and am holding back?”“gimme.” “I found it.  It’s mine.” He says as he fishes it out of one of his many pockets designed for concealing picked up items.“Khyber Shard.” Says Boddynoc looking it over.“Its mine.” The rogue says with his hand out to take it.  “If you would like, you can create a magical rapier for me with it.”Boddynoc gives it back thinking about what he could do with it.Bomnel reminds them that the warforged are outside ..unattended.Sure enough.  The two of them were beginning to walk towards the mineshaft without them and must be called to stop.  They wait impatiently.Still hoping to gain some respect from the leaders of the group, Balkroth shows them the cart.  Spotting the keyhole, Cedious offers to use his key.“Sure.” Says Boddynoc whom then realizes he has the key from the desk.  “Hey!”Cedious had found a second matching key and with a smirk inserts it.  He then steps back to allow Boddynoc to take over.Boddynoc turns it slowly a loud click can be heard then a soft hum.  The cart seems to float on the rails now.  The wheels gently touch and the springs under relax.  “Hop on everyone.”Bomnel steps onto the back and the others hesitate.  “Now how to move it…..”  Boddynoc checks it out then notices the section of metal where the key inserted moves.  He pushes on the large key and the cart slowly moves forward.  He pushes it further and is picks up a slow but even pace (MR 10).  Cedious and the hulking psychic warrior pace their walk to stay just ahead of the cart.  The warforged wait with great impatience.  Finally, together, they enter the shaft.It is dark.  The lanterns and torches reveal wood and metal supports that aid holding the earth at bay.  A few dozen feet in there is a niche cut out used to store spare lanterns, picks, shovels and buckets.   Chief even finds some leather gloves which he looks at.  He seems to notice for the first time the size of his hands vs. a human's and how he has four fingers instead of five.  Bored with it, he tosses them back to the group.“What are we looking for?” asks Balkroth.  Cedious and Boddynoc but thinks Dragon Shards but say anything unusual.  “Define unusual.” Adds Bemnol as he thinks about how “normal” the situation is.Suddenly the cart stops and the hum goes away.Perplexed, Boddynoc gets off and inspects it.  Unseen by anyone, a wood beam on the rail has runes and arcane inscriptions on it.  “A security device against theft.” Offers Bemnol as he continues to walk so as not to be left behind by the warforged.  Boddynoc frowns.  He wants to take time to inspect it but knows he has to catch up with the others.  He runs after them as the light goes away.Using the map, they still inspect each short branch leading off from the main tunnel.  Both Cedious and Boddynoc inspect (each hoping to find a stray crystal to keep secret from the other) the branches and find nothing but rock, earth and mining tools.  Neither are discouraged and each return with a smile hoping to bluff the other.Looking at the map, the two main branches lead in and non-railed tunnels connect them.  Another railed branch leads off to the right.  A long passage leads to the right that travels either over or under the rails.  So far, the map is very accurate.  Once they reach the end of the rails they can hear several thinks.  Some of the party can hear flapping of wings or cloth.  Others hear running water.  Boddynoc notes there is no water shown on the map.  They try to figure out which path has the water and follow it.  “This isn’t on the map.” Says Boddynoc.  According to the map, there is a branch here only a few feet deep.  What they find is narrow and recently dug.  It leads to an underground river.  In the dark, they can not tell how deep it is but it is slow moving.  Two thick planks strapped together cross the ten-foot width.Cedious crosses it without a thought.  Boddynoc goes across to be sure to see whatever Cedious finds and pockets.  Balkroth crosses next.  The boards creak and groan under his weight.  Bemnol secures a line before crossing.  He is not taking any chances.  Asunder looks at the planks then the water then his new teammates.  He leaps into the water and finds it only 5 feet deep.  However, after centuries of being run over by the water, he finds the floor of the river very smooth and free of anything to trips over AND to brace against.  It is only his sheer weight that keeps him from being drawn down the river.  Chief is next.  He misjudges the landing and slips.  There is a brief moment of suspense before he surfaces and walks on with water still spilling out of his mouth.  He spits it out before speaking to them.About thirty feet down a narrow lose earth tunnel; they find a curious sight.  A barrier.  The diggers have dug until they struck a solid wall of  …earth?   Looking at it closer, the earth is real but hardened and very compact.  Cedious inspects it.  It is magically reinforced and shaped somehow.  Asunder scratches as the wall.  He doesn’t make a mark. “Hummmph.” He snorts.  “Now what?”</blockquote>

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