The Bone-Choked Shafts

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investigation

The Bone-Choked Shafts

Lvl 1-241-2 sessions· medium

“Some secrets are buried for a reason, and some reasons are buried in secrets.”

— Hook · investigation

QuestgiverMagistrate Valerius

Investigation

Pathfinder

Medium

Lvl 1-2

1-2 sessions

3 NPCs

2 encounters

The Opening

“The rusted iron seals on the Deeprock Mine have been pried open from the inside. Magistrate Valerius offers a pouch of gold to anyone brave enough to descend and discover why the silence of ten years has finally been broken. The air from the shaft smells of old copper and dry, shifting dust.”
— Hook · investigation

Set the Scene

The rusted iron seals on the Deeprock Mine have been pried open from the inside. Magistrate Valerius offers a pouch of gold to anyone brave enough to descend and discover why the silence of ten years has finally been broken. The air from the shaft smells of old copper and dry, shifting dust.

Patron

Questgiver

Magistrate Valerius

The Magistrate meets you at the edge of town under the cover of dusk. He is sweating profusely and fidgeting with his signet ring, handing over a heavy iron key with trembling fingers.

On the Streets · In the Books

Rumours

d3 · table

01
The Deeprock Mine wasn't closed because of a cave-in; the survivors were forbidden from speaking.
02
On quiet nights, you can hear the sound of pickaxes clicking against stone coming from the sealed entrance.
03
Magistrate Valerius carries a key to the mine that he refuses to use even to pay off the town's debts.

Stakes

If the source of the undeath isn't purged, a skeletal tide will swarm the town by morning. Furthermore, the Magistrate's complicity in the death of dozens could spark a civil revolt.

Ticking Clock·Every hour spent inside the mine increases the number of skeletons that manage to claw their way to the surface, making the eventual return to town much harder.

Background Lore

Ten years ago, the Deeprock Mine was the lifeblood of the region until a 'depletion of resources' forced its immediate closure. In truth, miners breached an ancient subterranean ossuary, unleashing a plague of skeletal horrors. The town elders panicked and sealed the main doors while workers were still trapped inside to prevent the spread.

What the World Knows

The mine was closed a decade ago due to structural instability and a sudden depletion of ore. It was sealed to prevent curious youths from getting hurt in cave-ins.