Brodar's Mine (Open for Contracts)

[Maerok]

Those who come along a road leading southbound from the Town will eventually reach an intersection where the road turns west to a few small hills or east to a barren meadow. If one were to take the east road, they would most certainly come across a dwarf standing in the middle of the field holding what looks mostly like a compass. With disheveled red hair, the stout and martial figure takes great care to pace out his steps, weaving back and forth across the field, pointing the small golden circle this way and that way. Every so often, he pulls a stake out from his backpack and jams it into the ground, wrapping it with red cloth and proceeding to the next spot to be marked.

At the spot where path gives way to the golden husks of grass, a sign reads 'Mine in Progress: Looking for those capable of moving the earth. Will pay with gold and stock options...'
[hr]
Brodar's Mine is a large underground complex of tunnels designed to liberate the land of much of its natural resources. Nearly any mundane metal can be found, along with gemstones. For more exotic materials and expensive jewels, a would-be-customer must pay a very handsome fee.

Most of the business is conducted at the warehouse; the side facing the roadway is an office where contracts are made to supply shops and construction. Smaller purchases can also be made here.

Access to the Mine or the warehouse itself is strictly forbidden and signs are posted that you are under the jurisdiction of the Mine's owner, who will mete out punishment as seen fit. Many say the Mine is haunted, and no one has ever returned from excursions to vandalize the large target.

(To acquire a contract, go to the office and see Brodar, the resident NPC and the master of the mine; take control at your leisure, though he becomes 'occupied' quite frequently.)

Shipments are delivered regularly and Brodar is very dedicated to ensuring the quality of his craft.

(Rumor: The Mine sells black onyx and necromantic materials, but that requires contacting someone other than Brodar.)

[Xerillum]

a group of 1000 unemployed dwarves walk to the mine, picks in hands.

[Maerok]

At the sight of a thousand ready workers, the dwarf's head perks up. "Well ain't ye a sight fer these sore eyes. I need a few hands to help with this 'ere mine I plan on buildin'. Say, what brings ya'll around here anyways?" His eyes shine up with a sea of glee amongst a tint of red. "Just bin markin' out the best places 'ere fer the mine. Do ya'll got a foreman?" He begins to point out a few key spots which have been marked out.

[Xerillum]

((1000.)) the dwarves line up in rows. We're Ex-Soldiers. A foreman? they group, and find out who's tallest. that dwarf goes in front.

[Maerok]

OOC: Why did I say 'hundred'?

"Well 'k then. I'm sure ya'll know yur way around a pick, boys. Once we start pullin' ore n' out of this 'ere mine, it'll be the most glorious mine in this 'ere neck of the woods. Once the money starts to flow, you'll find that I pay very well."

He unrolls a well-kept length of parchment and holds it out to the foreman. It is marked with colored inks.

(click to enlarge)
http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/7/1/13/t_minebmpi_9349m_034be380.png (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img02&img=/7/1/13/f_minebmpi_9349m_034be380.png)

"This 'ere is the basic plan. The main supplyway is goin' go down a mile to 'is large chamber where submines will branch off to reach specific veins o' ore. The central chamber is goin' be a half mile around. O' course, it'll all expand over time. The ore exit i' conveyor belt fed, powered by a water wheel that'll be placed in sum river nearby. The warehouse won't be over th' mine, o' course, but i' just there in the plans to make sure I remember it." He taps his head. "You folks do this 'ere job fer me, and you get a piece of the action."

[Xerillum]

Oh, I don't know about that! Half of this town was built from another local mine. But! Into the hole! Bring out the Digerectomator! A Colossal machine rumbles in, with a massive drill bit. it drives over the main shaft site, and turns on, spraying dirt and various and sundry other things into the air.

[Maerok]

The dwarf looks a bit disappointed but regains his vigor, especially in his eyes. "Well, ain't nothin' better than a bit o' the ol' competition. An' I'm one o' the fiercest once I get my game on! Trust me." He pats the foreman on the back. "My name's Brodar. And yours?"

(OOC: Should this mine be finished Tuesday since it'll take a while?)

[Xerillum]

NPC# 623409545-A

[Maerok]

(OOC: X_X)

"Ay, a fine man indeed. Mind if I call ye Bob? Well looks like that machine o' yours is doin' a nice bit o' work. With a few o' your men to hammer out the details, it'll look grand. An' I suppose I 'av enough in the ol' bank to have a nice inaugural party fer all o' 'em." He smiles and elbows the foreman. "Big ol' banquet with some friends o' mine."

[Xerillum]

Hmm. Looks like the main shaft is done. I'll supervise the elevator installation, and the Digorectomator crew is going to dig the air shaft.

[Maerok]

"Alright then. I'll double-check the plans." With that, the dwarf wanders off into the meadow and down to the river, awaiting the time for the completion of the mine. He sets up a sleeping back and drinks a potion before settling down to sleep.

[Maerok]

Brador suddenly jumps up in his sleep and ushers a stifled scream before he rolls out of the sleeping bag. His first task is to inform the thousand dwarves of a massive banquet he will hold for each of the workers on the last night of construction. Food, drink, girls, the works... With red-tinted eyes gleaming, he descends into the mine.

[Maerok]

Brodar hosts an extravagant party in the mine warehouse on the night of the mine's completion. It's a banquet with the finest in dwarven food. Along for the party are a hundred or so dwarven women. Brodar, eyes burning with a sinister red, is seated at the head of the table, closest to the door.

As the desserts are passed around, he waves his arm and bellows "Dig in!" Each of Maerok's undead succubi revert from dwarven form to slaughter the men. Their screams echo over his laughter for a minute.

[Maerok]

(Sorry, PSP)

As the last die out, Brodar/Maerok bellows out "For the Dark! So that he may find an ally in undeath."

There is a momentary pause before his voice is answered. "And for our Lord Maerok! Lord of the Dead, the Damned, and the Dying!" Maerok's puppet smiles, holding a piece of black sapphire-infused onyx, the most plentiful material in the mine. An army of 1000 devourers is always something to smile about...

[Maerok]

Brodar/Maerok retrieves the dimensional gate purchased from the Omnishop and sends his devourer army into the Lord's demiplane - the Dread Nirvana. As the last of the grim creatures disappears, a tide of zombies emerge to take up the positions of the former labor. They begin to load slabs of black onyx and black sapphire into the gate. Once the massive amount of dark material has been transported for construction in the death realm, they continue back into the mine where Brodar sees the entrances, only leaving the conveyor belt open to extract the rocks.

[Maerok]

In the deepest sublevel of the Mine, Maerok, Telaras, and the mummy stand around a vat that contains a few of the angel bodies the demilich had salvaged from the battle at the temple. I've been one for quantity over quality for far too long. That could have been a victory, perhaps... Now here's a creature that'll do some damage. With the bodies of three solar angels, a few devourers, various undead creatures, and a literal ton of black onyx, black sapphires, and black sand, the necromancer has forged a most sinister beast. Now it resides in the thick glass chamber, awaiting the last spell reagents to be added. Telekinetically, Maerok hurls the mummy into the mix as well, sacrificing his favorite magic jar pawn for the advancement of this new creature. Telaras backs away as well, hoping to avoid Maerok's apparent instability. Floating about the rim of the tank, Maerok pours in his spells, ones of epic power that crack the dark glass around the edges.

With a hideous laugh, he lowers himself into the tank as well... Telaras stands guard, lowering the lid and activating the completion runes along its perimeter.

[Pantler]

A wagon driven by Percy arives, then another with some human on the driver's seat. The gnome enters the office.
Hello? I need some iron ore, copper ore, coal, deep crystal and amber. Can I get it here?

((I don't know if the place is still a mine, or just a place of unspeakable horror now, so I didn't help myself... If it doesn't work for regular customers, feel free to unleash some undead against me. :smallsmile: ))

[Renrik]

A small group of six goblin guerillas, well hidden in the wilderness by the roadside watch the mine and the wagons.

There's only the human protecting the carts, sir. What do we do?

Hold for now. We've had recon here before, and it seemed to be abandoned then, but we're not sure. If the place is abandoned, it's not an economic target, and we don't attack unless it's economic or military.

And if it's still operational?

Then we attack, loot the wagons, and come back later to sabotague the place. Ghuran, take Blackclaw and Nashrikk and sneak around to the back, be ready to drop the human on my signal. Runtak, you and Thrannik come with me.[color]

[color=Red] Yes, sir
Gotcha, sir.

The guerilla squad splits up, one sneaking around to the rear, the other taking a flank position. They keep still, waiting in the wilderness.

[Pantler]

Seeing that no one answers his calls, Percy loots the warehouse of everything he finds useful or valuable (mostly barrels of rock oil), loads it to the wagons (with the reluctant help of the coachman), and pulls out towards the town, whistling.

[Renrik]

The goblins decide the mine is abandoned and not a legitimate target. They place some explosives near the entrance and collapse it, so that the dwarves can't return to it and use it, and they leave.

[Maerok]

Brodar returns to the mine after a long break in his lord's absence. "Oh no! The master shall not spare any mercy this time..." He calls forth a few of the undead overseers through the ore removal shaft and orders them to begin repairs. Moments later, he makes his way into the warehouse to find the various ores have been missing. He settles in the corner, fearing the wrath of his master upon his return. A huecuva overseer finds him and reports the noises and attacks from long ago, offering to perform some divinations on the offenders...

(The mine has been running as a front for Maerok's black onyx mining. He sells various waste ores, such as mithril and adamantine, for a little less than the average market price. Go into the mines, and the undead working there are poised to attack; mostly zombies and skeletons, but intelligent undead manage their actions as pit bosses.)

[Nevrmore]

In the dead of night, the sound of thousands of small feet shuffling around is heard. They take care not to be seen, but the Papua enter the cave and begin mining, leaving whatever they find in carts by the mine's mouth.

[Maerok]

<What about the undead? But I guess tiny little guys like that are sneaky...>

[Nevrmore]

((They specialize in sneaking past fully alert humans, so using stealth against some -INT undead isn't too much of a challenge for them.))

The Papua prove to work fast, filling up almost half of the carts in record time. They even coordinate which mineral goes in which carts, leaving piles of onyx and gold and every other naturallly occuring material under the town at the mouth of the shaft.

[Maerok]

<Ok. Hehe, my first response to seeing you had posted was "OMG! The statue's attacking!!!">

[Nevrmore]

The Papua finish every single available cart and exit.

[NecroPaladin]

Two shady looking men, garbed all over so as to show no skin (think robes with goggles sticking out) begin to look over the area above the mine.

((K.N.A.V.E.S operatives. They're making sure you don't hit The Scar.))

[Maerok]

Brodar spots the men and hurries over to them, the shock of his master's imminent dismay having worn off. "Well you're some interesting looking fellows... In need of some metals? I think we still have a good supply of gems around?"

The demilich planeshifts into the lower chambers of the mine from a [discontinued] campaign in Gunndyr.

[Maerok]

(double post - uber lag)

[NecroPaladin]

One of the men turns. "We could use metal, but not now. What we wanted to know is if you had any plans to go under the town, as that could damage our assets. We're...agents of a concerned bussiness, see."

[Nevrmore]

((Fine! Don't even be grateful that my Papua helped you immensely! IMMENSELY!))

[Maerok]

((How do I say thanks to the little secret people? :smalltongue:))

"Nope. We've pretty much dug straight down. Maybe a few branches here and there, but nothing under the town itself. I guess there ain't nothing to be 'fraid after all."

[NecroPaladin]

"Thank you. We may be back for more commercial purposes at a later time."

The two men depart.

[Maerok]

Maerok regains his sense of direction in the lower levels of the mine and finds that much of the ore has been harvested. "Well this is a pleasure surprise! Especially after all that trouble back there. Doesn't seem like the work of my undead, so I'll have to wait for a chance to meet whoever did this amazing work."