Northern Silver Mine
Located on the Northern Isle, the North-West opening of the Northern Silver Mine is on the east edge of the settlement of Hyon, which leads South-East across to the coastal settlement of Janney.
This underground mine is reach by lowing people down on a solid enclosed wooden platform, using pulley system - the rope is carried from the driving five pulleys to the enclosed platform at the top, from that platform down the shaft, round two wheels in the pit-bottom, and is fixed to the platform there.
Above ground in both Hyon and Janney are conveyor pulley systems - a mining conveyor pulley system is a crucial component in transporting bulk materials across mining sites - works by utilising a dozen pulleys, water buckets, canvas belts, and drive systems to move materials, such as coal and silver - essential for increasing productivity, and ensuring the safe, continuous flow of materials.
ENTRANCE
The two mine's entrances in Hyon and Janney, each lead into a large cavern supported by wooden beams.Any character who has the Stonecunning trait, or who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check, can tell the cavern is in no immediate danger of collapsing.
Of all the chambers resembles a mine the most, jagged tunnels of shimmering rock twist and turn in a cavernous manner - a DC15 nature check identifies the mineral deposits as silver.
Relatively untouched by the current denizens of the mine, hanging across the wooden support beams are hooded lanterns - designed to provide lighting for those less adapt at seeing in the dark, across the floor lay mining picks almost as though the miners threw them away in a hurry. Towards the very end of right tunnel stands a mine wheelbarrow - containing 1d8 silver ore.
PATHWAYS
Mine path is lit on the left / east side with hooded lanterns. The path leading from Hyon is relatively straight for first 3.5 hours, where it takes four paths:-The first left-hand path = unlit - 1 hour in comes to a dead end
The next left-hand path = newer - continues for three more hours, before reaching a dead-end - the walls sparkle with diamonds and veins of silver.
The straight-ahead path = original mine leads through to Janney - quite straight for next three hours, then takes a sharpish bend to the right (South-East) - until comes out to mine pit on the North-West edge of Janney.
The right-hand path = is cut into the rock - slopes up and down at times - partially straight - by most maps of the mine, it continues past the Wether Bog - past the spring at the start of Europia River - which flows South-East to North-West - goes all the way to underneath Spiral Peak
Hidden Entrance = The miners of Hyon have placed a heavy wooden door to sealed a tunnel leading to the longer section of mine heading to Spiral Peak - after a number of the infected children were not stopped as they headed into that abandoned part of the mine. With a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check, a character perceives a section of the wall, discovering a wooden door that was hidden behind a purposefully placed pile of rocks - A pit trap is only 20 feet after the door.
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Before reaching the turn off to the newer mine shaft to Castow, the mine crosses over a small stream of hot warm - part of the Kynym River - flowing North-West to East (then flows Southwards) - able to be stride over (wide step)
The route to Spiral Peak has been covered by a set of movable wooden walls/doors.
There is a more recently recreated turn off to Castow - which comes out in to the Elemental Shrines connected to The Ossuary.
The mine does continue past Spiral Peak - although not recorded on most maps of the mine - blocked off by a set of movable wooden walls - the much wider Kynym River flows South alongside (on left side) as the mine goes all the way past where the Floral Fields grow above - where the land curves inwards the mine opens out to the open air, looking out over Bold Strait.
Then past the Dusk Quagmire to the edge of Echo Woods.
The route to Spiral Peak has been covered by a set of movable wooden walls/doors.
There is a more recently recreated turn off to Castow - which comes out in to the Elemental Shrines connected to The Ossuary.
The mine does continue past Spiral Peak - although not recorded on most maps of the mine - blocked off by a set of movable wooden walls - the much wider Kynym River flows South alongside (on left side) as the mine goes all the way past where the Floral Fields grow above - where the land curves inwards the mine opens out to the open air, looking out over Bold Strait.
Then past the Dusk Quagmire to the edge of Echo Woods.
In Hyon, there are three Miner Lodging houses - which contain bunkbeds - sleeping 10 miners each. There are a pair of outdoor, boxed in showers - which only run cold water. The four long-drops stand behind the lodging houses. a central firepit, is used for cooking food for the miners. The night air will fill with their laughter and singing.
Geography
The main mine shaft is wide enough for a mine cart/wheelbarrow - dug out into slight slopes and corners - determined by the surrounding land of the Northern Isle and locations of coal, silver, and more recently diamonds.
Show spoiler
At the Echo Woods end of the abandoned mine shaft of the Northern Silver Mine, is a rift to both The Plane of Earth and The Plane of Wood.
Ecosystem
Ceilings = Most ceilings are about 10 feet high, except for the ceiling in area in the longer section heading to Spiral Peak - slopes downwards a little - ceilings only 7 feet high.
Light = All of the current sections of the mine's locations have hooded lanterns on the wall that can be lit - going into the longer section, there are no lanterns of any kind.
Wailing Wind = The structure of the longer section of the mine, and the elevation difference between its shafts, funnels a strong wind through the tunnels.
In certain areas the strong gusts of air hiss and howl, imposing disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Localized Phenomena
DANGERS
* Pit traps* Cave-In = At some point after the characters enter the tunnel to the longer section of the mine, a detonation of alchemical charges to collapse the entrance to the longer tunnel to Spiral Peak - wishing to spot the ghouls from returning. Wherever the characters are in the mine, they hear a thunderous blast from behind them. If they return to mine's entrance, they find the cavern has collapsed, sealed by tons of impassable rubble. A character who is proficient with alchemist's supplies or who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check confirms that the collapse was deliberate.
To escape, the characters must find the alternative exit in the depths of the mine.
Passwall Trap = A 5th-level glyph of warding holding a passwall spell is inscribed on the floor in front of the moving walls to Spiral Peak.
Characters can spot the glyph with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
If someone opens the door while standing on the glyph, the glyph triggers and casts its spell on the floor around it, opening a trap down to a lower path that follows the South flowing Kynym River.
Each creature standing in space in front of the doors/moving walls then falls 30 feet taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage.
The glyph's effects can be avoided by opening the door from a distance, which prevents the spell from being triggered.
The floor of this chamber is slick with blood. The stench there is horrendous - piss, blood and fear. Humanoid and animal bones pile in a corner next to a chest.
Two of five tables have alert children strapped to them - another two tables have Dwarves miner strapped down - one looks dead, while the other moves slightly (Passive Perception above 17, to notice).
A dark shape, a frenzied Fiend named Tevin, brandishes a knife as it tightens the straps. 1d12 smaller Fiend gather around waiting to insect new crystal shards and lead the children onwards.
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The feathers and sharp talon claws that are worn as a necklace by Tevin are unnatural, and any character who has proficiency in the Religion skill can tell they are from a fiendish feathered creature.note = the fall dislodged the void crystal shard from the children's ears
+ A character who can automatically sense direction, or who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Survival) check, knows the tunnel leads south past Spiral Peak.
LOOT = Tevin keeps the belongings of their victims in a chest - 2,500 cp, 950 sp, and jewelry and other trinkets worth 90 gp.
Tevin also wears a Cloak of Billowing (Wondrous item, common - While wearing this cloak, you can use a bonus action to make it billow dramatically).
Fauna & Flora
CREATURES
GHOULS
Ghouls - Undead humanoids - an emaciated, roughly creature with an almost-hairless, who devour the flesh of corpsesTwo people are hurrying towards the Party. As they get closer, you see they are Dwarves. One has their hands at their throat, blood seeped over their fingers from their neck. They are running hard. Their eyes are wide in shock and fear.
The one with free hands gestures aggressively. The one holding their throat runs faster. The other dwarf tripped and fell. Before anyone can get to them two figures come closer. There is movement further down the mine - Two gaunt figures are dragging something further into the mine - wrapped up tight.
+ They look bald and too skinny, with wide eyes that shown white in the pale moonlight.
+ The sound of their hissing and their slithering, horrid tongues.
+ They were dragging the fallen dwarf away - looked like it is already dead. NOTE = the bleeding dwarf signed that they came from Castow - sent to do the monthly check of the tunnels - structurally sound.
ANKHEG
Ankheg - an insectoid creature - a burrowing monster with a taste for fresh meat - six legs, and some specimens are yellow rather than brown.GIANT RATS
Giant Rats - Rodents of Unusual SizeCARRION CRAWLERS
* Carrion Crawlers - a burrowing monstrosity that scavenges dead and occasionally living creatures. Carrion Crawlers are drawn to light and the scent of blood, recognizing them as signs of food. These scavengers avoid ingesting inorganic material.OTHERS
* Ochre jellies+ yellowish blobs - a type of ooze - that can slide under doors and through narrow cracks in pursuit of creatures to devour.
+ They have enough bestial cunning to avoid large groups of enemies.
+ Badgers - lived under Echo Woods.
+ Stone-Eaters and Umber Hulk - live under Spiral Peak
+ An ochre jelly follows at a safe distance as it pursues its meal. Its digestive enzymes dissolve flesh quickly - however has no effect on other substances such as bone, wood, and metal.
History
984AG: The miners started digging out the Northern Silver Mine pit on the edge of the Gallic Desert - coal and silver are found by the miners. The town of Hyon grew up to the west side of the pit.
1009AG: the Mine reached Janney.
1098AG: a cave-in - 16 miners killed.
1173AG: the Mine was recorded as reaching the Spiral Peak.
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1389AG: mine shaft dug through to Castow.1245AG: the mine shaft dug through to Echo Woods - finding portals to both The Plane of Earth and The Plane of Wood.
1402AG: first diamonds located with in the mine.
Type
Cave System
Location under
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