The Zhundak Mine of Gleamdeep
Like many others, Ekhrim Zhundak and his sons came to Gleamdeep as impoverished fortune seekers, lured by the rumours of rich veins of the fabled umbralith running through the slopes of the chasm below the settlement. They were convinced to struck a deal with the Gleamdeep Council by their clansman Godri Snorrisson. Nirimos Sylai underwrote their mining enterprise, granting the Zhundaks exclusive mining rights on the chasm slopes. Any umbralith they'd found would be theirs to trade as they'd saw fit. For anything else they mined, Nirimos Sylai would act as their sole trading agent. So was the Zhundak Mine founded, nothing but a wooden shack protected by ancestor idols carved by the young Zhundaks and a few walkways criss-crossing Gleamdeep's slopes. Years have gone by and nor the mine itself nor the Zhundaks' fortune have improved a bit. Not a single shard of umbralith has been found. What little the Zhundaks have earned from the sales of other minerals, is inevitably spent in more gear from Snorrisson's Emporium and supplies from the Black Gor Inn, as the stubborn Dispossessed claim they are close to hitting the mother lode that will forever change their fortunes.
I had the Ancestor Idols and miners' cart from Battle for Skull Pass in my bits box and though I knew they wouldn't be ready for the last round of submissions for Animosity III, I decided to add them to my Lux Umbra board.
The cart was partly damaged as I had used half of the luggage sitting on top of it and one of the dragon heads on other projects. So, I've repaired the damage with a chest from the Empire Cannon and accessories from the Dwarf Quarrelers. The banner tops and a couple of bucklers also from the Quarrelers, together with bits from the Organ Gun and a torch from the Flagellants, helped to give a Dispossed feeling to the wooden shack made with coffee stirrers.
With the cardboard offcuts from the mine base and a few others I had laying around, I made some rocks, decorated with slate chips and coated in a mixture of talco, sand and PVA glue.
What's left to do now, is building some walkways, more rocks and the Zhundaks themselves. Then, I could call the Lux Umbra project done.
Alti's Purge
"Whitefire Crystals, or something quite similar to them. And this... Swiftwind Dust, I believe". Lady Laelanyel put down the pouches she was inspecting.
"This idol is of duardin make, but a style unlike any I've seen. Still, I can sense power in its runes". Aef-Grimnir was with her, inspecting the haul from the tomb.
"I'll read the scrolls later, but at a first glance it's some form of chronomantic spellcraft".
"Not bad for a quick run through a tomb, wouldn't you agree my Lady?"
"Indeed, Runefather. You were right. We got at least something worth our efforts. Drevakh and his scouts should be back shortly. If the map was right, they'll have located the entrance to the Umbral Web".
"And not too soon. I had enough of this place. The vampire wants it? He can keep it and his non-sense about gods!"
Outside, the Shadowkin stood guard, just in case any of the other mercenaries menaged to find them so deep in the Lux Umbra and demand an explanation for their desertion.
What they were not expecting was to see the gloom start to deepen and figures moving jerkly at its edges. Their alarm cry rung loud.
Lady Laelanyel and Aef-Grimnir rushed to the side of the Shroudmaidens at the entrances of the settlement.
No sooner had they reached their positions, than a familiar voice, both rasping and booming, filled the cave.
"Bow to Alti! From Lux Flumen to Lux Umbra, all belongs to Him! Refuse and die, for I am His Hand".
All around the Wight King, skeletons advanced.
Aef-Grimnir and Vorya squared up to Grallem Vallkern, claiming the first strike in the confrontation.
With unnatural speed and vigour, a clutch of skeletons came upon Iyshak despite his rain of arrows and dragged him down from his perch.
Narlek and Blekiel kept their positions, black shafted arrows embedding themselves into empty sockets.
On the far end of the settlement, Viserhyx joined Lady Laelanyel and Slytha, slowing the advance of the undead sodiery.
Aef-Grimnir's axe swung back and forth, felling a skeleton and smashing onto Grallem Vallkern's shield. Vorya's flail and Narlek's arrows found purchase, but the Wight King still stood.
Slytha and Lady Laelanyel rampaged through the skeletons, Viserhyx keeping more from reaching them with his arrows.
Blekiel felled a Grave Guard, but the skeletons it was leading kept advancing steadily.
And yet, so numerous where the undead that two broke through and entered the settlement. And more were pouring into the cave.
Vorya and Narlek both shadowleapt to halt them, least they reached the Shadowflames' stash.
Aef-Grimnir stood his ground, ur-gold runes ablaze as more and more skeletons responded to Grallem Vallkern's summons.
Harnessing the darkness around them, Viserhyx shielded Lady Laelanyel and Slytha. The two, for their part, drew their blades in a deathly dance. But for each skeleton they fell, one more emerged from the darkness.
A chilling victory cry went up as Blekiel was overwhelmed and the skeletons started to climb over into the settlement.
Narlek and Vorya bested those that were already deep into the settlement and prepared to face the next wave.
Outside the settlement, where Aef-Grimnir and Lady Laelanyel were fighting, Alti's servants' advance was stalling. Yet the skeletons dragged down Viserhyx.
Vorya shadowlept up to where skeletons were breaking through, Narlek's arrows thudding on the wood planking as they missed their mark.
With Viserhyx's shield of darkness gone, the skeletons overwhelmed Lady Laelanyel. Unable to cut through the press, Slytha fell back where she could mount another defense.
Aef-Grimnir was tiring, his blows getting weaker and weaker, but yet he did not give a single inch of ground.
Narlek joined Vorya on the platform, but it was too late. Soon both were overwhelmed and swarmed over.
Slytha felled a skeleton and barely managed to hold off a Grave Guard, but another slipped past her and into the settlement.
Then, Alti's Hand's sword blazed with witchfires. As Aef-Grimnir slumped to the ground, the Wight King strode victorius into the settlement.
The skeletons set to tear down the structures around them. Grallem Vallkern looked at them, nodded and moved forward. Alti's work was not yet done. More of the Lux Umbra was still to be claimed.
The Shadowflames capitalised on that. Crawling and dragging themselves, they reached the tunnels where, earlier that day, their scouting party had disappeared searching for their way of escape. A few skeletons turned to pursue them, but with the Wight King gone, much of their energy was gone. Soon, the Shadowflames had lost them in the tunnels.
It wasn't long before the rumbling voices of Tark and Engrin hailed them. Their faces turned pale as they saw the wounds on their comrades. Yet, they brought good news. The entrance to the Umbral Web had been found and Drevakh and Anielyn were opening it.
Lady Laelanyel nodded for them to lead the way. As the Shadowflames approached the portal and went through it in single file, the Mistweaver brooded.
Yes, she had found Aef-Grimnir, getting rid of the burden of his kin's reclamations. But now they were leaving empty handed. Soon, the Fyreslayers would have asked for their payment. And with their hoard lost to Alti's Hand, what did she have to give them?
Yet, she couldn't but blame herself for that. How could have she been so shortsighted? The signs had been there, in front of her as soon as Alti had made his offer. The others fighting for Dornayar had revealed themselves to be dream hunters, idealists fighting for laughable notions of justice and freedom. She had warned them, but they hadn't listen. And where had that led them? To believe there could be any kind of salvation in the figment of a paradise conceived by a delusional Soulblight. Still, she had kept the Shadowflames fighting alongside them and their ideals.
To Chaos with ideals! She stepped into the portal and relished the cold embrace of the shadows.
Opportunity in Strife
"Can I interest you in a sword? Finest blade in the Lux Umbra, swear to the Maker!" Godri Snorrisson walked up to Tark and Slytha lingering at the entrance of his Emporium. "Oh, but I can see you are more interested in axes... finely balanced, aren't they? A Lumineth spear, perhaps? Ideal to keep enemies at a distance!"
The Shroudmaiden and the Vulkite Karl shook their heads and moved away, the duardin's droning following them as they made way for the Black Gor Inn. From the inside, they could hear the voices of their companions raised in boastful banter, and the shouting of Tulok Marrowbreath at Wench.
In a quieter corner of the common room, Lady Laelanyel and Aef-Grimnir sat, considering the Shadowflames' situation.
"There's a map in this book" the Mistweaver was explaining. "Which marks what I think is an entrance to the Umbral Web. Unlike Khainites, my Shadowkin is weary of threading it, but it could be our only way to leave the Prime Dominion before it is too late".
"My Lady, I'm as keen as you to leave this wretched Dominion and that lunatic Soulblight behind" replied Aef-Grimnir. "But I cannot return to my lodge with just a few books and scrolls, not after such a long time".
"What do you suggest, then?"
"We venture once more into the tunnels. Surely Nirimos Sylai will know of some hidden trove".
"I don't like that Iscarneth... there's something odd about him and this Gleamdeep of him".
"What other choice do we have? We don't know the place. We must rely on the locals. And as we go after something worth our efforts, you can check the accuracy of that map".
"Always finding opportunity in strife, Runefather. This is why I like you. I'll speak with the Underwriter".
***
"Well... there's this tomb that other customers of mine, a far lesser skilled company than milady's fine companions I'd say, failed to enter..." Nirimos tapped his finger on the pages of his ledger.
"And you are sure about its content?"
"Well... I'm sure it is an Iscarneth tomb, and we have always buried our dead with their valuables".
"Then, what it will take for you to underwrite an expedition?"
"Well... I'll take a cut of any profits... or an advanced payment. Let me see..." the Underwriter flicked through his ledger. "Ah, yes! There's another customer, a fine gentleman from up above, after antique books, preferably lost items from the Basileun Library... You won't happen to know anything about something like that, would you?"
Behind her shadesteel mask, Lady Laelanyel's eyes opened wide. How come the Iscarneth knew about the books? For a moment, she considered turning back the Underwriter, but forfeiting the content of the tomb would have not gone down well with the Caengan.
"I happened to stumble onto this" she said, producing the book from under her cloak. "Could it be of interest?"
"Ah, yes! Such a fine item! It will most definetely do. Now... there's a few more clauses we should discuss..."
The directions provided by Nirimos were surprisingly accurate. And the tomb was indeed full. Aef-Grimnir could see at least two chests brimming with coins and books.
As he moved in, Viserhyx and Anielyn close behind, bowstrings held taught, a barrage of bullets and filthy grot magic welcomed them. The cursed Underwriter had sent another party, it seemed. Aef-Grimnir could not blame the aelf, if it was not for the choice of Zotbag and his ogor bodyguards as backup collectors.
With a grin, the Runefather rounded up the sarcofagus, withering another blast of green energies, and brought his axe around.
Firing his bow at the maneater, Viserhyx reached for one of the chests, but it only contained common copper coins.
With the tip of his sword, Anielyn pulled out a scattering of the crystals studding the sarcofagus and fell back, just as Lady Laelanyel entered the tomb with her party.
Tark, Drevakh Xosh and Iyshak entered the tomb from a side tunnel. From across the chamber, came the booming voices of the rest of the Ironforged.
Aef-Grimnir took another blast to his face. Then, a gentle wind blew through the tomb. He breathed in deeply, sensing Ghyranite magic in it. For all his efforts, Alti had not yet sealed off the Dominion. Reinvigorated, the Runefather slammed his axe down upon the grot shaman.
Throwing axes and arrows flew at the ogors approaching the second chest as Visheryx managed to snatch a book from it, just before a brute was upon him.
Lady Laelanyel drifted to Aef-Grimnir's side, coils of mist lashing at the maneater.
Vorya moved to their back, preparing to strike at another ogor. Behind her, Anielyn still holding onto the crystals, loosed a few arrows at the same target.
Around the book chest, the ogors charged. One engaged Tark and Drevakh, the other tramped over the books, crushing them to a pile of thorn pages and smashing Viserhyx down.
Engrin rushed to support Vorya, the two barely managing to keep the ogor from reaching Anielyn and take the crystals from him.
Again Aef-Gimnir breathed in the Ghyranite wind still blowing through the room. Bullets from the maneater's gun flew at him, but together with Lady Laelanyel they bested the ogor.
Lady Laelanyel moved out of the tomb to face the second maneater. The ogor shot a few bullets at the Mistweaver. They found their mark, but the burly mercenary realised there was no way now, without Zotbag's magic, to get through the Shadowflames and take the crystals from them. With a roaring command, he called the Ironforged back.
In Gleamdeep, Nirimos rounded the corner of the wooden tower acting as his office. There, waiting for him, was his customer.
"Well, sir, I have the book you asked for".
"Well done, aelf! Well done..." the Thief of Wit's voice was heavy with gloating. "Now, forget. As always, that's the price you pay to keep your business prospering".
Once alone, the Gaunt Summoner opened the book. An enraged scream filled the air. Two pages had been ripped off, the two pages he wanted. The pages showing a map to an entrance to the Umbral Web.
