Helgroathe Mine

Hex 21.15. Once a promising coal mine, that fell on hard times. Or perhaps, tripped, face first. The Azimuth Corporation, at one time a major dungeoneering outfit in the Mucklands, suffered a multitude of disasters. Terrible accidents, cave-ins, even black powder explosions. Eventually, the worst accident in the history of the Dungeon Era trapped a thousand miners deep below the surface, where they were never heard from again.

Today, people avoid the derelict mine, considering it cursed or haunted.

OLD NOGGIN

A shabby, long-bearded goblin hermit. Old Noggin has a case of amnesia and can't seem to remember his own name after an accident in the mine. One thing he does remember is that he's no fan of Lord Orfong and Subterranean Pits and Lairs LLC.

• Traits: Kooky, forgetful, nothing if not persistent.
• Motivation: Exact his revenge on Lord Orfong.

quests

THE NAMELESS HERMIT, PART 1

Not far from the mine, a shabby goblin clings to the past and lives like a hermit. Folks call the goblin Old Noggin, because he can't remember his own name (a knock to the noggin from a cave-in made sure of that). One thing Old Noggin does remember is that Lord Orfong—founder of Subterranean Pits and Lairs LLC—is responsible for the ruin of the mine, though Old Noggin doesn't have proof. Accompany Old Noggin into the mine to look for clues that prove that Lord Orfong and Subterranean Pits and Lairs LLC is responsible.

• When the PCs travel some time in the mine, they find a lone SKELETON (L4-G) picking away.
• The SKELETON does not respond to commands, unless from a fellow skeleton.
• The SKELETON attacks if its work is impeded. When it attacks, a group of SKELETONS (L4-G) emerge from the walls, presumably buried miners.
• The mine is also haunted by the GHOST (L3-B) of Harga, a dead miner Harga who roams the back of the mine. She seems very concerned that “the man in black is here.”
• Harga is referring to Lord Orfong who she saw come to the mine before it was destroyed.
• A TOMMYKNACKER (L5-B) called Agrivein insists that they aren't responsible for the cave-in, though he wishes he were. That would have been fun. Agrivein wears a fine set of cufflinks inscribed with the name T. Orfong that he found in the rubble.

THE NAMELESS HERMIT, PART 2

Old Noggin accompanies the PCs to investigate

rumors

• Helgroathe mine is haunted. If you listen close, you can hear the clink of pickaxes, despite the mine being abandoned for years.
• Helgroathe mine is likely to collapse completely.
• An old boggart lives outside of Helgroathe Mine claiming Lord Orfong the Defiler, founder of Subterranean Pits and Lairs LLC, is responsible for the sabotage of the mine. the cufflinks at SPL HQ, and prove definitively that Lord Orfong was there at the scene of the crime.
• The proof is in Lord Orfong's locked office at SPL HQ (p352).
• Orfong's office looks like it hasn't been used in a while. Snooping through the file cabinets reveals that Lord Orfong's first name is Tim. Tim Orfong, Founder and Head of Sales. There are old notes detailing Orfong's desire to bring down the Azimuth Corporation and destroy Helgroathe Mine.
• There's also mention of Azimuth CEO Lumply Pendergoose. Old Noggin instantly remembers: “That's me! I'm Lumply Pendergoose!”
• When Lumply remembers his past, a figure in grand armor walks in the office and sighs, removing his helmet to reveal a sweaty, nerdy-looking boggart in his early twenties, who says: “Oh boy, are my dogs barkin'!” before panicking at the sight of the PCs.
• He introduces himself as Elmo, a lowly employee, paid by SPL Chief Execution Officer, Madam Wozinski to pretend to be Orfong and keep people from knowing Orfong is dead, “You know, to keep up appearances and whatnot.”
• No one outside of this room can know, and Elmo offers, as Orfong, to reach a settlement with the Azimuth Corporation. Everyone will have to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
• Elmo glibly offers Lumply a thousand pouches of Gold Coins and he readily accepts. As thanks, he hands over the rights to Helgroathe Mine to the PCs, encouraging them to build a dungeon or base of their very own.