Darklands: The Source?

This is part of The Darklands story.

Back at the town of Goslar, Ravanel was tempted to simply call it quits but realized that by doing so meant her friends died in vain. Instead she decides to recruit a new party and given the recent mine closure it is easy to find a group ready for a more adventurous life. Joining her now are "Stubborn Sheep" a 35 year old labourer, "Astalnar the Sly" a 25 year old labourer with a larcenous past and "Belghast Aggronaut" a 30 year old labourer with some military background.

After purchasing some low quality gear from the local pawnshop with the remaining funds, the party decides to revisit the mines but find that the entrance has been blocked and they can no longer enter. Those firey Vulcar couldn't be natural though thought Ravanel, something must have summoned them. For a few days they scoured the nearby area, scaring off a pack of wolves by following Stubborn's advice of jumping and shouting and having to flee from some Schrat's (giant men) who wanted to mate with Ravanel.

That's how I read it anyway.

They even escorted some pilgrims to a nearby shrine of St. Mary before finally coming across a simple thatched hut with a blonde lady inside who ordered the party away. Ravanel thought this suspicious so the team advanced anyway and sure enough this woman turned out to be a Witch! After defeating her and her wolf minions they questioned her about her cabal and she said their next high sabbat would be on December 28, West of Aachen. Satisfied by this, Ravanel let her go and she disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again.

And by that I mean either the Schrats got her or Astalnar knifed her when no one was looking.

Darklands: Flamed

This is part of The Darklands story.

The second floor of the mines were even more claustrophobic than the last, and this one was inhabited solely by hell hounds. The fast firey canines tried to make use of the narrow passages but the team was always one step ahead, leading them back into open areas to put them down.

There were numerous treasure chests here too, but after failing to disarm the trap on the first one twice Ravanel decided to leave them alone. Despite this, Lyle managed to get his hands on a dwarven battle axe and before long Lothiriel found the stairs to the next floor. Here they were confronted by three doors, and behind the first one they opened was what they can only guess was Vulcar.

It looked like nothing at first, just fire on the ground - until it threw a glob of flame at Lyle, exploding him into little bits. The rest of the party charged, but even with all their skill the creature was too powerful - knocking Ravanel out and immolating Schulz and Lothiriel with its fiery magics.

Sorry all, I got curb-stomped.

The dwarves and miners must have dragged Ravanel out of there, because when she opened her eyes she was back at the miner's camp. They had packed up all their stuff and were beginning to head back to the city, abandoning the mine to the dwarves. One even tried to cheer her up saying not even the Queen's Guard could have cleared the threat. A sudden alarm then scattered the miners into the wind as wandering bandits attacked the camp. Weakened and alone Ravanel had no choice but to run and hide until they passed before making her own way back to town.

Darklands: The Mines of Goslar

This is part of The Darklands story.

The miners at the topside camp tell the party of their problems with the "knockers" or elves of the mine. Lothiriel translates that apparently elves means dwarves in this case. Anyway while these knockers have previously been benign and even beneficial they have lately began attacking the mining crews forcing them to stop all work. The party heads in to get to the bottom of this.

The first floor is a maze of mining tunnels filled with foreboding emptiness and the occasional groups of green dwarf men. They are all easily dispatched, and even two great stone guardians near the end of the floor are eventually brought down with good tactics and using the narrow terrain as an advantage. Ravanel in particular, is getting pretty good at sword play though not yet a match for her more martially inclined companions.

Flanking the Stones.

The team finally manages to speak to one of the dwarves at the end, and upon asking for an explanation of their actions the dwarf apologizes - saying that they were forced closer to the surface by the fiery "Vulcar". If the team could sort out the Vulcar problem, then the dwarves can go back home and the miners can get back to work. Lyle rolled his eyes upon hearing this.

It sounds like the start of a long chain, what's at the bottom - a balrog? Did the dwarves dig too deep? The team has only one option to find out.