OOC: I'm taking a "half-hearted" search to mean a simple roll, not Taking 10 or 20 over it.
Most of the paperwork seems to be receipts for equipment and other logistic matters. There seem to be a lot of chits for various every day tasks, and it seems like a person couldn't even visit the latrines here without the appropriate forms.
Annika does, however, find a ledger/log book buried beneath the scraps, entitled "House Turif Regeneration of Tigerskin Gorge Iron Mines".
Nuggets that seem relevant include:
A list of personnel and equipment at the front of the book. Seems there are 21 miners with another 23 support staff including carpenters, a blacksmith, an accountant and a jiunsami wizard.
The mission to re-open the Tigerskin Gorge mines began about 6 months ago, on 7th Month of 148th Llazan Independence Year, following closure of the mines due to flooding some thirty years ago.
An entry dated 20th day, 8th Month - "Pumping is completed, the last tunnel has been drained. Master Cordash, our wizard is currently searching for new veins of minerals to tap as previous reports have suggested that these mines are far from played out. His "pet" worries me - it might be able to sniff out metals but I hope he can keep its appetite for turning iron to rust under control."
32nd day, 8th Month. - "Opened up the new seam that Master Cordash reported. Not iron, some other mineral. Cordash and the metallurgists will study to ascertain its provenance".
5th day, 9th Month. "Sickness has struck the camp. Three miners and a carpenter have fallen into some kind of fever. Our healer is doing what he can, but this is not a disease he recognises."
7th day, 9th Month. "Report four fatalities from unknown sickness. Master Kan, second carpenter. Master Kemu, miner. Master Spring, miner, Master Wayesh, miner. At death, their skin seemed like it was melting off them. Master Tasharn, our healer, did what he could to make them comfortable in their last hours. May they find rest in the Jade Gardens. Other members of camp are now showing signs of the sickness."
10th day, 9th Month. "Master Cordash feels that he has found a way of purifying the unknown mineral. He is adamant that it has nothing to do with the sickness sweeping camp, but it seems coincidental. Perhaps we have angered the Immortals somehow?"
14th day, 9th Month. "More men have succumbed to the sickness, but these have not died on their deathbed like before. A strange madness took them before they died and they attacked other members of the camp. Report three serious injuries to add to our catalogue of sick and dying."
15th day, 9th Month. "Master Cordash becoming most reclusive with his new mineral. He seems to be showing signs of the sickness but will not stop his investigations. Cook reports that he is not eating his meals."
16th day, 9th Month. "Current status: 7 men dead from unknown illness. 5 men killed by former colleagues driven mad by illness. 15 men suffering advanced stages of illness have retreated to mines, led by Master Cordash (one of the 15). 8 men showing early stages of illness, myself included. 9 men missing, presumed deserted."
18th day, 9th Month. "Four more men have retreated to mines. Pain intense. ten thousand curses on Cordash. Metal not of Heaven or Earth. Netherworld? Demonic blood?"
The next few entries are an illegible scrawl.
