A New Frontier: Coal Mine part 2

The party:

• Bernard the cleric
• Thorgus the henchman
• Gorn the dwarf

The party returned to the coal lift the next night. After a brief look around, sneaking in wasn’t an option. Gorns new Plate Mail armor slowed the party down enough that the lift was decided as the only way to get down. Being prepared for the alarm, but not understanding where it was coming from, the party hurried as fast as they could into a side passage. Gorn struck up a lantern and led the party north into the mine.

Hearing the familiar sound of picks on stone the party stopped, covered the lantern, and scouted forward to seea mutant directing a small team. The party acted fast, and struck two enemies down as Bernard engaged the leader. As Bernard approached, a globe of darkness momentarily stunned him. Gorn finally made an attack roll to shoot the caster and felled the caster and the last mutant fled north. Following the fleeing opponent north, the party tracked the mutant through two more chambers.

Arriving in the entrance of a chamber barely able to hold the party, Gorn listened carefully and could hear the small movements of someone attempting to move stealthily. The party entered in force and were beset upon from a ledge by four mutants. Making quick work of the mutants, the party climbed the ledge and proceeded down a disguised tunnel. Shuttering the lantern and moving forward, Thorgus listened at the door, hearing nothing, he peeked in. Inside was a three room chamber containing a rest area, kitchen, and an area of worship to their dark gods that the mutants used as a lair. After quick preparation, the party stormed the chamber shooting a dark acolyte and slaying two in surprise. A hard fought battle against six more mutants raged and the party barely came out on top thanks to Thorgus’ bravery in the face of death.

After moving the bodies out of the room and securing the door they came through, the party rested in order to bandage their wounds. Bernard had a vision of his divine patron during this time, and upon waking was able to heal Thorgus. Gorn sorted and packed away a pitiful amount of treasure for their efforts when Bernard for a hidden door leading to Cliff side. The smell of sea air and winds washed over them, as they stepped out on a small overlook. The party used rope to climb down the cliff face checking caverns and picking up bits of treasure along the way.

Entering the cave system closer to sea level, the party worked through the tunnels and caverns stumbling across a pirate’s treasure. Not having the time to sort through it, the party placed all of it in sacks, except for the short sword found in it, and beat feet east. Out running a carrion crawler, avoiding shriekers, and ignoring the iron door leading deeper, the party made it back to the lift only to find it destroyed. Using the last of their rope they moved themselves and the treasure sacks up to ground level and began the walk home in the rain.