Underrush Mines

The Underrush Mines are mineral mines located in the southern part of the Smolder Spire of Jrusar. They are one of the larger and deeper mines in that district. Bells Hells, working with the Green Seekers, entered the mines as part of a greater investigation into odd goings-on in the city.

Description
The entrances to the mines are at the south end of the Smolder Spire, and quite low on the spire as well - less than 200 feet above the surrounding jungles of the Oderan Wilds. The two entry points are about 30 feet from each other, both behind guarded iron lattice gates. Between these two points is a third tunnel into the rock which serves as a storage area for mining carts and equipment. When Bells Hells first visited, they noticed several workers doing repair work, aided by muscular sillgoats.

Inside, the mine smells like iron, rock, wet earth, and sweat. Small corridors lead from the entrance into a central hub from which the various operations and managerial offices (such as Ogdes's) branch off. Like in many places in the Smolder Spire, there is a layer of soot and ash on most surfaces, although it is a lighter layer than the ones seen outside the mines.

Shotan Bruo's office is at the end of a gated corridor that leads deeper into the mines from the central chamber. The office smells of stale sweat, and is lit by oil lanterns.

The Crownset Caverns
The Crownset Caverns are down another hallway from Bruo's office, and when Bells Hells visited, they were barricaded. A set of roughly constructed steps leads down into a well-mined tunnel system, at the end of which is a metal elevator suspended on an iron chain and controlled by an automaton.

At the bottom of the elevator shaft is the Crownset cave system. It is mostly unlit, and the path from the elevator appears as though it may be a natural gap in the rock, though the miners have since extended it. The cave system smells musky and rotten.

The path continues upwards and branches out into various tunnels. The climate is warm and moist, and one of the tunnels leads to two pillars on each side of a path that then descends into large cavern in which there are multiple platforms, two workstations, and a number of strange machines.

Bells Hells joined the Green Seekers in investigating the mine. Gus asked his former lover, Ogdes, for access into the mines so that he could pursue a lead, and Ogdes eventually relented. The party then questioned Shotan Bruo, foreman of the Crownset Caverns, which had been shut down for some time. They learned, with the help of Fresh Cut Grass's Detect Thoughts, that House Treshi were paying Bruo to keep the mines closed. They requested access, which a very intimidated Bruo granted. The party took the elevator down into the mines and noticed the smell in these caverns was similar to that of Emoth Kade or Dugger. As they explored, they were attacked by a large group of shade creepers. After the fight, Chetney scouted ahead and noticed the sound of movement. Upon following it, he found the walls of the tunnels becoming more and more slimy, with cocoons embedded in the slime. He continued on and saw Lady Emoth emerge from one of the cocoons, and returned to report back to the group. They all continued, and found a large cavern which contained multiple levels of rock, various pieces of mechanical equipment, and a giant, slug-like creature.

The slug creature (called the Shade Mother by Lady Emoth) seemed possessive of a purple glowing crystal within an orrery, which Imogen managed to take during the battle. Fresh Cut Grass pulled a lever within the room, setting off an augur which collapsed the central rock pillar, and the party was able to escape with the captive Lady Emoth, pursued by the shade creepers, and took the elevator back up to the surface.

Notable People

 * Ogdes Friez
 * Shotan Bruo
 * Shade Mother
 * Emoth Kade