Fodinae Profundae (foˈdi.ne proˈfun.de)
Located somewhere in northwestern Creoda, the Fodinae Profundae (Lingua Clara for "The Deep Mines") are the strangest - and most profitable - mines in the world. They yield only small amounts of ore that is fiendishly difficult to refine, but within it lie the rare and extraordinarily valuable Arcane Metals: adamant, mithril, Orichalcum, aetherrum, and others, each possessing qualities no mundane material can match.
It was from these Arcane Metals (and their alloys) that the Aurelian Bridge minted its coins. Orichalcum - once obtainable only through perilous expeditions into The Dream - remains one of the essential tools of the metaphysical art of Alchemy. Armor forged from adamant is said to be impenetrable, while mithril blades are prized for their preternatural sharpness and durability.
The Fodinae Profundae are one of the chief reasons Creoda is the wealthiest nation on the island of Ynys - and among the wealthiest in the world - and protecting the mines' secrets is one of its foremost priorities.
A Wild and Fearful Place
The Fodinae Profundae are one of the Wild Places of the world, where the physical realm intertwines with The Dream and the spirit, creating a region in which reality is far more malleable than normal. Although history records that the mines were discovered by the Clarati sorcerer Illustrata, scholars of the Clarati suspect he did not merely find the Fodinae Profundae but engineered their existence early in his experiments with The Egregoric Force. Records from the time show that Illustrata spoke of the mines for nearly two years before bringing the first workers to extract any ore, and it seems likely he was testing The Egregoric Force as a means of manipulating physical reality.
Like all Wild Places, the Fodinae Profundae react to the thoughts and emotions of those who enter them. In their case, they seem particularly attuned to fear - though not exclusively. Miners must learn to school their thoughts and maintain fierce discipline: if one imagines a monster emerging from the dark while in the deep mines, it is very likely that such a creature will indeed coalesce from the shadows. Should this occur, it is imperative not to look at it, for seeing an escaped nightmare grants it far more reality and power than a mere sound in the dark.
An experienced miner keeps their mind firmly on their work and can banish intrusive thoughts before they manifest. Those who fail to master this skill do not survive long in the Fodinae Profundae, and new miners are avoided by veterans until they have proven their mental discipline - lest the nightmare that comes for them seize upon any nearby bystanders as well.
Baited Dreams
Not all the creatures that manifest in the deep mines are monstrous. Sometimes a miner who is melancholy or lonely will hear the voice of a lost love or an absent friend calling to them from the shadows. The veteran miners know this is far worse than any beast, for while they have all learned to ignore strange footfalls or the occasional heavy breathing in the dark, the sweet voice of the dearly departed is far harder to dismiss.
More than one miner has worked for years in the depths, steadfastly ignoring every horror their imagination might conjure, only to vanish into the deepest tunnels while chasing the phantom of a past lover.
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
I live in a place where coal was mined, and perhaps you know the fairy tale "Snow White and Rose Red," in which there's a mountain spirit that people fear. I find it hard to imagine how miners knowingly go into the mountain, even though they're haunted by their nightmares or deceased loved ones. This seems far more gruesome to me than the many "real" dangers like escaping gases or collapses. The treasures here must be truly immeasurable for anyone to take such a risk. Is there some kind of mental training for the miners during their "apprenticeship" to prepare them for this, or are they simply naturally very mentally strong? Nevertheless, I love the concept.
Here are my Entries for the water continent Ulűri̋qi̋
They don’t train so much as they test; those who display the innate talent for ignoring the manifestations in the mine are put to work in them. They are also paid ten times more than most miners; a few years in dark and they are often rich by local standards.