Tom Liberman

A Vase Saved is a Vase Earned

After a couple of days to contemplate our choices it was young Ohohoho who convinced us to head to the Sulfur Mine see what we could find. I suspect he has some naïve idea that just because something is called a mine it must be overflowing with gold. But, wishing to put off more significant decisions this plan met with the approval of my compatriots.

As we equipped ourselves for the journey we encountered a merchant in the Coin district carrying a vase far too cumbersome for his stature. Before it could meet an ignominious end, Yee leapt forward and offered to carry it the rest of the way to his destination. The merchant accepted our offer although I would suggest that his offer of five gold coins was hardly the remuneration deserved. It was all I could do to keep Ohohoho from putting a knife in the fellow’s back.

On the Road

On our way to the Sulfur Mines we encountered a large flock of game hens and Ohohoho was ready to shoot down our supper when Person put her hand on his quiver and prevented him from fire. Her logic was that we had plenty of food and there was no pressing need to slay the avian. Interesting, I had not imagined she might be a member of the fringe group I had only heard rumors of existing, Adventurers for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Still, good to know.

At the Mines

We arrived at the mines after a couple of days and the stench of the place was immediately apparent. This did not dissuade Ohohoho in the slightest as he plunged in, I suspect he is used to foul smells. Sometimes it is better not to ask. Inside we found a group of my fellow Vermlings and their guard dogs.

One hesitates to speak ill of one’s own species but there is little good to say about the Vermlings as a whole. I escaped such a life thanks to an inquisitive nature fueled by my parents whereas most of my fellows become lifelong menial laborers with an intelligence equivalent to your average starling. A sorry state of affairs but the reality of the situation.

In any case, soon the mines were filled with the dying cries of dogs and Vermlings. Yee waded into them much like a tornado gently brushes by a rickety barn, that is to say, brutally. Ohohoho dashed from place to place laying waste to our enemies and used his new ring to summon a skeletal warrior who was quite helpful. I summoned several rat swarms and with Person providing what healing was necessary we soon swept the place clean. The leader was an Inox shaman who apparently overawed the Vermling with a few magic tricks but he went down easily enough to the blade of Yee.

Among the debris we found little gold, our Scoundrel let us know of the deficiency with flamboyant lamentations, but there was a strange device, a drill of some sort. While engineering schematics are not my forte, with the help of Person we were able to get the thing running and turned it over to Yee to increase her already formidable warrior prowess.

Now, we shall return to Gloomhaven. Yee, with the powerful drill in hand, insists we investigate the nefarious activity of Jekserah. Yee is still certainly feeling guilty for our part in the destruction of the Inox at the encampment. Revenge is, as they say, boiling her in veins.