Rime Mines

Sakiran and Aria see Vae still projecting the barrier. It is mid day and the sun is shining. Walker has finished constructing the barricade and a few people are stationed on the wall itself attaching spikes. It is looking more fortified. Walker is covered in sweat from moving massive logs.

Sakiran informs him that Nelalwe needs more explosives and he tells her to look in the mine. Sakiran explains that Leoric went on a "date" with Nelalwe and Walker's expression darkens. He says he will tell her later what happened to her. He then addressed Tasu, saying he had snuck up on her. Tasu explained he found a pouch filled with leaves and Sakiran snatches it back. He also explains he barely remembers the last few weeks, just the bottom of a bottle.

Domaru is in the bar and barricades it from within, practicing five finger fillet.

Nelalwe and Leoric are both in the mine. She hides behind him as they walk, covered in thick clothing. Thick smelling smoke wafts downwards. There are a lot of dirty mine carts coming out of the mine, filled with ice.

Tasu, Sakiran and Aria walk through the streets and see people hastily packing their belongings. Someone has set up a wagon to load their possessions onto. They hear hustle and bustle of panicked people. Favian, the store keeper, is on top of the cart trying to calm the beast pulling on it. He looks over to the party as they pass. Sakiran waves her sword and growls in guttural Tasari for them to leave. Favian nods and tells them to move along.

Aria writes that that wasn't very nice. Sakiran said matter of factly that he wanted them to leave him alone. Tasu said he wouldn't have been very intimidating himself.

There are several dwarves at the entrance of the mine, with black soot-coated beards. They carry large pickaxes and pouches. Mine carts are filled with ice instead of ore. The dwarves are having a conversation at the entrance.

As they approach the entrance the dwarf tells them to not head inside. Sakiran and Tasu argue with them to get into. Since he is a rock gnome, he is able to blend into the rocky shadows with ease. He sneaks past them and tries to disarm and take their explosives. He sees all of the fuses are connected to a single button switch.

Sakiran is trying to distract them with insults but they hit a personal spot and she grits her teeth. Tasu makes a massive racket and they all turn to look at him. Sakiran quickly draws her sword and yells that she has had enough of their games and he turns to look at her. Tasu unleashes ball bearings as Sakiran kicks him.

He stumbles straight onto the floor with the ball bearings, his pot belly flying into the air as he falls onto his bottom.

Tasu takes his chance to grab some explosives.

Leoric and Nelalwe exit the mine and sees the situation going down. He recognises the dwarf as the same one from before as they argue. Tasu motions for them to come to him as he offers a fake sapphire. Tasu hands it over as the dwarf sniffs and bites it. The dwarf, Uthil, decides to take it. He says they only have a few explosives. He says he stopped counting at 46. Uthil straightens out his lapels upon seeing Leoric. He asks if they are looking to turn them into bombs. Sakiran confirms this.

He leads them over the ball bearings towards the mine. They enter it. The dwarves are sitting around smoking. The smoke has risen up and is billowing out of the mine. It smells like damp moss and wet rock. They hear picks on rocks and a spell going off. They are carting out ice on large trolleys. Tasu asks if the mine is made of ice. They see gems in the rocks. Tasu swings with his crowbar. The impact goes right through him and gets nothing from the rock.

They see large pieces of ice are frozen. It was once water. A Drow wizard in the centre is freezing the water that is coming out. Uthil explains that he is freezing it so it doesn't flood.

The explosives are hidden within the ice.

Tasu tries to jump up and sees on top of the ice it has frozen in waves. It is large to Tasu, but not to anyone else. It is about ten foot tall to the top. It gives a metre of clearance from the cabin roof. Tasu jumps down. Uthil asks if he has ever thought of working in the mines. Tasu said he used to, but killing heals his soul. He goes on to say that mining is a death trap.

Leoric pulls out a small device from his coat and throws it at the wall. He hears a massive boom as the ice crumbles down. Tasu leaps out of the wall. Uthil chastises the drow for not doing that sooner. He expresses his hatred.

Past the broken wall, it has shattered. Parts are melting and the area is very slippy and slick with frost as it has been frozen. The corridor has jagged shards of ice, but they would need to be careful. Sakiran dips and weaves through, feeling the cold on her skin. She comes out and sees another wall of ice with a cracked crevice in it. She squeezes through again.

Tasu hops through after her. Leoric, too, is able to navigate through the ice. Aria, however, fails miserably and cuts herself on the ice spikes.

There is a crevice less than a metre in width in front of them. Leoric sees a very minor heat signature behind the wall. Sakiran uses pitons in the weak ice to smash the wall. They see work tools within the room. Leoric sees a pickaxe humming with energy embedded in the wall. It is a power pick, one used to harvest when rocks were too tough. It can also be used as a weapon, and the field around it can be deadly. They hear from further down the cave the rushing of water past the narrow pathway they need to shimmy down.

Aria is hurt by a massive blast of ice and Sakiran feels a chill on her back. She uses Step of the Wind to put herself between the monster that has appeared and Aria, taking the next blast of ice. Tasu moves through the ice as quickly as he can, making it through and protecting Aria. Leoric pushes through and can see Aria. He pulls out a device and it produces a field around her, protecting her from attack.

Sakiran smashes into it with her sword and it chips off some ice. As she punches it, her fist gets cold. She tries again but misses.

Tasu hides in the shadows and stabs the ice monster from behind. He chinks into the ice golem, chinking off bits from behind. It seems relatively unaffected. He hides again and blends into the shadows.

The ice golem breathes in and expels icy wind at them all. Tasu and Sakiran are both able to dodge its effects, though its icy breath hurts both Aria and Leoric fully. It smashes into Sakiran with its arm with full force.

Sakiran attacks with her sword, glows with white energy as she smashes her fist into its core, stunning the golem into missing its next attack.

Tasu uses his wand of magic missiles and fires at the golem. They smash into the golem and it recoils backwards even more. He jumps back into the shadows.

Leoric uses catapult to hit the monster. He enchants his racked bullet with catapult. He accidentally hits Tasu.

Sakiran launches inky black tattoos, trying to wrap around the legs of the creature. Because of the previous attack, she loses focus and they dissipate.

Tasu sneaks into the shadows again and attacks the golem from behind. The creature is looking quite hurt. He stabs in with his other dagger under its legs, chinking out more ice.

Leoric overcharges his weapon and it glows, unleashing a bolt and smashing into the creature. It is looking very, very hurt. He fires again with his weapon, hitting its core. It looks like it is about to attack Sakiran again, but it shatters completely and unleashes in a blizzard. It leaves a single crystalline core. Leoric smirks towards Sakiran and she looks unamused back at him. He picks up the core and examines it. It was a common gemstone but had been infused with magic at some point.