Tales From a Guild Member

Cart - A Friend's Tale

JG and Trip encountered a rather busy young Black guard officer. "Brae, you requested us?"
The Lt looked at the pair. "No. I had requested your clan leader Spartok. But when I got in contact with her, she said she was busy and since my matter seemed 'important' she would be more than willing to send some of her ... what was the term she used again? ... "
"Clanmates?"
"Friends?
"Heroes?"
"No. I think it was more along the lines of someone she could dredge up. So it seems I'm stuck with you 2."
The pair looked at each other and then back at the dwarf "Dredge up? We're better than that" though both were thinking at the same time "or at least I am."
JG continued, "so what exactly was it that you needed outside help with?"
The Lieutenant shuffled some papers, then looked down at a report. "This." She handed them the document.
Both of them scanned it. "Just says here that some mine carts have gone missing in the last few months. Only 5 reported though? Not quite sure what the problem is. This should be simple enough for you guys."
Brae looked back at them. "Normally you would be right. 5 carts wouldn't be enough to warrant more than a simple search. We think there might have been more missing. We've also had reports of tools, track sections, and other material losses. Or at least, that is what HAS been reported."
"Has been?"
"You know how mining operations go? Cave in here and equipment gets damaged. Someone doesn't fill out a form there and uses it for a repair or what not. Sometimes we end up with some young dwarves just looking to cause trouble and steal it from a Mining Company.*
"So how is this a problem?"
"Normally, the mining companies would just take it as a standard write off for accounting purposes, and then build or buy a replacement. But it's happening just enough now for things other than work related to get noticed."

"And you need us to investigate because?"
"We've already done a routine investigation, but turned up nothing. And we're still stretched pretty thin with the whole Red Axe debacle, protecting the caves from trolls, and other commitments, I just don't have anyone to spare. Plus whoever is doing this would probably recognize a Black Guard investigator and just slip away. But 1 or 2 humans poking around, probably wouldn't raise as much suspicion if there is something going on."
"Mind giving us a moment?"
"Sure." Brae returned to her the latest form she had to fill out.
The pair muttered among themselves for several minutes to give the appearance of talking it over. "Ok Lt, we're in. But there is the matter of our standard fee ... "
Brae cut them off "Fee? That I already have worked out with your boss Spar. She ... "
"OK! OK! We get it. We'll work it out with her when we're done. So any suggestions on where to start?"
Brae snorted "and here I thought you were clever adventurer types. Maybe you should start where some of the carts disappeared from." She handed them an expanded set of reports on everything that had gone missing and motioned for them to 'get out'.

The pair worked their way to the south east portion of Kedalgrim to poke around at the mine carts. Hours of searching and interviews did not turn up any leads or any more information than what was already in the reports.
Trip was about to call it a day. "So, think we should take a ride on the carts while we're here?"
"And go where? You thinking we should see if the other stops have had carts stolen?"
Trip shrugged "I was just thinking it might be fun to ride 'em. But that's not a bad idea either."
"Where to then? White Wolf or Ice Mountain? Or should we split up?"
"Oh no. Never split up. If there is a nefarious plot afoot, then naturally the more handsome of us will be taken prisoner and ... "

"Trip, do you read way too many detective fantasies?"
"No. "
*Let's just go to White Wolf Mountain, together then."
"Yay!"
They got some tickets from a conductor, and hopped in the same cart.

"Woohoo! Whee!*
"Trip, please."
"What?"
JG looked around "This trip is taking longer than I remember."
"How?"
"Did that last turn back there seem odd? I'm not sure I ever remember it being there."
"Well, how should I know? Last time I took this trip was last age. You really expect me to be up on all of the latest dwarf tunneling?"
"OK, fine. But still, we should have been somewhere by now.*
JG pulled on the brakes to stop the cart and then pulled out his lantern. As the pair got out they started to look at the tunnel.
"This tunnel, it's new. Or at least newer than the rest."
"Yeah, but does it really change much? They could have just found new areas to mine, or started a new path to connect to somewhere else."
"True. But then why is the tunnel barely braced? I mean, if this was for transport or something, the supports would be better than this. We could get a cave in at any point and no one would know or notice."
"Well then, we've got 2 options. Go back the way we came, or keep going forward and see where this ends. If you want to keep going, we'll have to walk. We lost all of our momentum when you stopped us, and it's a steady incline as far as I can see."
"Then if we wanted to go back, it would be pretty easy. But I'd vote we see where this ends. Maybe we get lucky and it's a short walk."
Trip shrugged, "OK."
They hiked for about 20 minutes along the tracks before reaching a cave in. Trip pulled away some of the rubble. "I'm not sure how much there is. No way we're going to be able to get this out safely. And no telling how deep it is."