================== Eldarin Calendar in Sindarin ===================
IC time is: Early Afternoon About 1:31 PM
IC day is: Orbelain Valar-day
IC date is: 52 Firith Fading
Moon phase: Waxing Crescent VISIBLE
Earendil: Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is: Loa 4 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor TA 3028
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RL time: Wed Apr 09 20:30:29 2003
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Secluded spot near the river
Nestled here between the trees you come across a most unusual site. Looking off to the west through a dense patch of underbrush you can see the Celebrant river as it burbles noisily along over a small section of rapids. What catches your eye though is not the river - it's a long elevated wooden trough north of you which starts at a point upstream by the riverbank and runs in a great horseshoe shaped arc, all the way to the base of a large mallorn over to the east standing just to the fore of a grassy mound, and then back to the river again at a point a little further downstream. The upstream end of the trough is elevated slightly higher than the other end, and you notice a number of wooden buckets setting on the that end. You realize that the trough is actually some sort of sluice; the buckets clearly are used to dump water into the trough where it flows around the arc and eventually back to the river.

Looking more closely at the eastern end of the trough by the large mallorn, you notice that there's actually a dark opening in the side of the mound behind the tree, perhaps the entrance to a small cave. It appears that materials are occasionally dug out from the ground and then washed in the sluice, though you see nothing which hints at what those materials might be. The sluice and buckets are in good condition and obviously maintained, but the ground is grassy and there's no sign of raw dirt or gravel anywhere in sight. Despite the upkeep on the equipment, this area seems rarely used.


In the coolness of the morning damp hangs heavily on the leaves and undergrowth leading to the mining area. The canopy of trees is still in shadow as the first shafts of sun pierce the glade and dapples it in long sharp shadows and golden light. Through the the brush a flash of grey, swift running waters can be seen from the Celebrant - curls of mist rise from its cold early morning murmur.

Gown damp and turned a dark at the hem from brushing against the early morning dew, Gilrowen enters the glade rather impatiently trying to untangle her skirts as they drag at her booted feet. A blackbird bursts into song in a tree above her and she lifts her head setting her long dark braid sweeping over her shoulder. Rising she begins to pace the perimeter of the area attracted by the sluice and seemingly abandoned tools.


Stepping lightly into the shaded grove that heralds the entrance to the Mine, an elf clad in elven grey slowly scans the surrounding area, keen eyes bright in the morning sun. He approaches the craft-elleth pacing around the sluice, "Mae Govannen, Gilrowen. I trust that this day finds you well?" The soft voice of Bregedalagos carries on the light breeze, seemingly dancing as it meets the wind.


The tools are not abandoned however, merely laid aside as unneedful. From the black hole of the mine, a cold breeze blows unceasingly outwards and in its depths tiny golden lights shimmer and grow. Quiet voices nonetheless grow louder until a small group of elves emerges from the bowels of the earth. Their words are still soft, almost inaudible, but expressions are concerned and so is the tone of the murmuring. One among them, brown of hair and grey of eye looks up abruptly at the sound of knight batchelor meeting jewelsmith.


"I say again, if we just shore up the-- Oh! There is Gilrowen!" Another in the group, golden-haired and short for a Sinda, cuts off his words to raise a hand in greeting ere looking back to the group. "If we take a bit of time for the work, we might not make the deadline but at least 'twould be better in the long run." Daeridro idly runs his hands down his trousers, wiping off dirt.


The sun mounts higher and flashes on the Celebrant as she stops to return the Knight's greeting, "Good morning to you. Indeed, I did not know you would be here." She looks about her curiously as if she would be able to see others from the Order around them. "Are you on duty?"

A faint echo from the mine shaft attracts her attention away from the soldier and she glances at him before walking toward the source of the curious sounds in time to see several miners emerge. A faint smile forms that broadens as she recognizes a face among the group, "I am here as promised. Good morning to you," she calls to the several rather grimy miners. Approaching the group and seeing their serious expressions her smile fades as she asks their chief, "How do things go then?"


A short nod does the Bachelor give to Gilrowen. "I am on duty at present." A pesnive pause, and then Bregedalagos continues. "I shall not disturb you unless it is vital for your safety." Elven warrior then takes up stance of guard, spear upright in his right hand, shield clasped loosely to his side.


A little bulkier than is normal for the firstborn, the miners halt in a little cluster not far from the entrance. Eyes meet other eyes and slide away, a little uncomfortable shifting of feet rustles through the dry dead grass. Caerdan's expression becomes a little grimmer. "We have spent every moment checking all the timbering. Most of it is sound..." He pauses, the 'but' unspoken, but sounding clearly through the silence.


"So we just avoid that spot," Daeridro adds, though his voice is less of a statement and more of a question. "Or take some time to shore it up." His hands clasp behind his back, and black eyes turn, measuring, to the other miners.


The ill ease that the miners feel is evident and the last question widens the mirdan's eyes though she says nothing for the moment. Eyebrows raised in polite query Gilrowen motions for Caerdan to speak to her a little away from the group. Facing him she shoots a brief look back over his solid shoulder as she asks, "Is there some problem? I had hoped to go down with you today."


"No...." Caerdan says slowly. "I believe it is safe enough." Again unspoken words hover in the spaces. 'For now' are these. "But it may be better to avoid that spot." He frowns a little in indecision, then gives a sharp nod. "Come if you will. Now is as good a time as any." Without waiting for a response, he turns on his heel and heads back into the gaping black maw of the mineshaft.


The abruptness of the miner's manners far from the courtliness of the city makes her shake her head slightly and she presses her lips together tightly as she considers their words but she does not follow them down immediately. Instead she walks a few paces over to the Knight-bachelor, "Will you remain here then? I do not know how long we will be down but .., "she looks back at the shaft, "it somehow reassures me that you are here." She raises her hands as if to say I do not understand why but there you have it and goes back toward the tunnel.

The darkness before her makes her blink several times and it is only the her first steps that are slow as she joins the others gone on ahead. "I am coming. My it has been a long time since I was here ...


"Here, Gilrowen, there is a lantern." Daeridro leaps forward as his fellows linger behind, and swift steps brings him near the miirdan. Aside and down, he lifts said lantern, turning something so that a flame burns bright and white within, light casting long, wierd shadows.


And more lanterns blossom again to light, filling the dark endless mineshaft with swiftly descending stars. To one side of the hole is a ladder that vanishes into the depths and down this each miner climbs in turn. Caerdan has paused at the top, waiting and watching.


The shadows leap and dive around her and and she nods unseen by the miner, the flare of the lamp lights his face and makes it almost threatening - eyes small and dark nose broader than an elves. Grimacing slightly at her reaction she takes the lamp and quickly follows after him passing several miners in order to join their leader Caerdan. "It has been a long time since I have been here. The last time my father was still among us so it has been at least 2 yeni that I have not walked here. And I thought that certain veins were exhausted." This last is said on a rising note as she looks doubtfully at the ladder but turns prepared to descend it.


Gilrowen follows the last of the miners save one, and Caerdan comes last of all. His voice echoes weirdly in the damp darkness of the earthen shaft. "Which veins were those?"


After Gilrowen comes Daeridro, and he hangs off the side mid-way down, holding the lantern out to spread light all around, where it seems to seep into the earth and be swallowed. His eyes go between the Miirdan and the head miner as he listens.


Carefully she places her booted feet by feel on the rung below her, "The mithril veins and another metal that is very rare, indeed, a variety of mithril." Reaching the bottom she looks around her expectantly.


The shaft flares open here, dark tunnels running off like spokes of a spider's web. The walls glitter in the lantern-light, crystals and minerals seaming the surface of the rock between the latticework of timbers. Here and there, water gleams brightly. Booted feet tramp lightly down one tunnel, already the furthest of the lanterns is out of sight, and Caerdan follows. "Come," he says shortly. "There is something here you may wish to see." His voice floats back over his shoulder and after some time, he stops. The place he has picked seems no different from any other along the way. The tunnel continues on beyond them, and the miner stoops to pick something up from the floor. Holding it out for Gilrowen's inspection, he adds, "Tis odd-looking, is it not?"


Miners cluster closer around Caerdan at this, one or two with lamps but all silent, a few craning their heads to see what he holds. Water drips somewhere near-- or far, the echo sounds oddly distorted.


Dusty grey, no different than the grey rock that dusts the air and lays in heaps around them the stone he hands her is surprisingly heavy. Turning it over she sees the rich silver sheen of a metal and she scratches at it with her finger nail. She shakes her head trying to understand what it is that he has handed her and continues to scratch at it, "Indeed, indeed." A lantern flares as a miner brings a lamp closer, "What is it? And did you find more?"


"I am not certain." Whether he is unwilling to say, or truly doesn't know is impossible to tell. "The vein seems to widen that way." Caerdan jerks his head down the tunnel where they have not yet gone. "But there are the dangerous places as well, and I will not take you there this day. Daeridro is right, we must either shut the shaft or shore up the supports." As if in answer to his flat statement, the earth groans a little around them, and a faint scratchy rattle is magnified by the riddling shafts and tunnels. The miner's face turns still more grim. "That," he says, pointing to a small pile of dust and pebbles, "Is what awaits us. Have you seen enough? I think it is safe enough here for the moment..."


At the earth's moan, the miners shake their heads and begin once more their fretful murmur. A small group of them turn away already, and up the ladder they go-- a lantern going with them, a star rising, rising, then swallowed by the shaft, long, shuddering shadows trailing in their wake.


A cough is her first answer as the dust floats lazily in the air, "How much can I take?" The question is directed more towards the shaft where the creaking emanates. "I will have to speak with our master about this and look in the books of lore though my father may..."

A long moan issues from the shaft. A quickly intaken breath followed by a cough cuts off her sentence as she takes a wary step back and looks about her at the cluster of miners.


With a wary glance at the ceiling, Caerdan bends to pick up another chunk of rock, liberally seamed with the greyish substance and hands it to the jewelsmith. Large as two hands together, it is lighter than it looks and not hard to carry. And then long strides carry him back towards the ladder. "Take this to Master Aegraum and tell him of its location. Else if you do not, I will. Do not think of mining this until we have made some repairs to the wood. I do not think it will fail soon, but I do not wish to find myself mistaken."