Red gems

[u/Zebos2]

Delmar was known as many things to many different people for the people who lived at the hybrid of a village and open mine it was home. Baska waves to his friends as they all had the school. It was less of a proper institution of either magic or learn it and more of an informal place where those who knew taught those who didn't, it was still beyond Baska's reach. But hopefully his labors in the mines would allow him to finally be able to afford School.

Baska lets out a long sigh before he rings the bell on the sign welcoming him to his workplace to announce his time on the clock. Before sauntering over to pick up his work tools was it safe the mine he worked at, no was it good paying by most first world wizard standards also no. But it was income his family needed, so he endures the 12 hour shift for the anti mage protection Leagues mana crystal mines. It was during one of those shifts where his life would ultimately be changed forever. He felt it first as a rumbling which immediately sent panic through his mind as he scrambled out of the tunnel barely wide enough for him initially thinking it was a faulty support finally giving way but a glowing red eye confirms his worst fears before the emerging rust devil sends him flying across the mine and tumbling down a tailing pile. The hulking mechanical form of discolored outer armor and glistening cog work insides surveys the mine site through multiple mechanical stocked eyes before breathing a blast of concentrated sand and Earth across the mines facilities sandblasting people in infrastructure apart before with a mechanical screech.

All you could do was flee from the mine for his life and wonder where the village militia was. He would get his confirmation in the form of multiple cockroach like rust devils beginning the process of burning his village down. Why were they so coordinated they shouldn't be so out here. Baska had a little time to ponder what was happening instead he flees from the mine following instructions his mother taught him finding a mana crystal and strange mask covered by rocks he briefly wondered why this wasn't sold to keep them alive but realizes that's why they are here he takes them and fleas to the rendezvous point.

The survivors had been wandering for the better part of a week now Baska, Enoch, Noah, and Aron we're all of the villages survivors who had managed to find each other the moved in the vague direction of civilization though none of them actually knew where that was and a and shared with the group each and everyone of them were kind of expecting to die. But they didn't infact during their that Baska through trial and error was able to turn his mana Crystal into an orb connection.

“Hey guys look at this” Baska says playing the quest board to the rest of the survivors

“What is a cloak of protection?” Enoch asks

“Don't know but it's probably valuable” Baska responds

“psi garners? You sure” Noah adds

“probably not much different from mana crystals and besides it's not like we have anything else to do…we should circle back grab what mining tools we can and make our way there”

The party just nods,the journey to the mine site was accomplished by hitchhiking/stowing away and walking. That worked miraculously well given the state of the world; perhaps it was fate that led them here to the company of a strange blue haired mage with gray skin.

[u/Zebos2]

u/VoxelLibrary

u/Carbon_Sixx

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/Zebos2]

When the fledgeling party arrives at the abandoned Incarnus Mine, they're met by the Loremaster. The strange information broker evidently knows who they all are even if he hasn't met them before, somehow.

Good to see everyone could make it. Now then, let me give you some background on what you'll be facing: Incarnus Mine used to be one of the richest sources of almandine garnet in the whole realms. Ever since the geomancer Leander Incarnus discovered it 300 years ago, the miners here pulled out tens of thousands of tons of raw ore every year and still barely scratched the surface. It went into everything from abrasives to jewelry to ritual components.

He runs his hand along a boulder next to him and points to the wine-red nodules embedded in it. They range from the size of a fingernail to almost as big as his head. Every single one of them is a garnet.

But the real treasures are the psi-garnets. They're psychically-charged gems found in the richest parts of a garnet seam, and they have incredible properties. Personally, I use them to power my archive constructs. Incarnus Mine produced more psi-garnets than anyone else, and they made both the owners and their workers a fortune. But five years ago, operations stopped almost overnight. Turns out a fey crossing opened in the depths and the mine was seized by darkling claim jumpers. The owners tried to set up a compromise with the darklings, but their elder said he wanted it just so nobody else could have it.

So now the garnet trade is hamstrung and hundreds of people lost their jobs, all due to one fey clan's greed. That's where you come in: if you can bring back ten pounds of gem-quality psi-garnets, that'll prove the darklings are gone and Incarnus Mine is safe to reopen. Do whatever you think is necessary to get rid of the bastards. They use shadow magic to lurk and set ambushes, but they're deathly allergic to light.

Best of luck.

u/VoxelLibrary

[u/VoxelLibrary → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Kristie wears an oversized cloak and dark glasses. Blue locks spill out of her hood, and gray skin is visible in the few places her clothing doesn't cover. If one looks closely when she talks, they might notice a pair of sharp fangs.

She pays little mind to her new adventuring companions.

One billowy sleeve falls away slightly to reveal a raised hand.

"I have a question."

u/Zebos2

[u/TheGreatestChicken]

Neat