Quest: Rid Ponoisle Mines of Gremlins

The mountain king is considering opening back up Ponoisle Mine, but first, it needs to be cleared of the gremlin menace that has taken up residence there. You can help by killing 12 of them.

Difficulty: Medium

Success: Kill 12 Gremlins

Reward: 1 gold, 3 Potions of Minor Healing, Dwarven Pants

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

They stood at the adit, staring into the dark mine.

“First ey suppose we oughta get some light goin',” Rygn walked over to a large metal switch set into the wall. His eyes settled on it, and he hummed as he scratched his chin through his beard.

“What's wrong, uncle?” Theonix asked then immediately realized that the switch was already flipped to on and the sconces lining the walls remained unlit. “Do you think one of the gremlins might have flipped it?”

“Nah. Too short. Too stupid. Someone musta been here before us.” He stared into the distant darkness for a moment longer in thought, then he sighed and flipped the switch back to its off position. “Let's just hope this works. Havin' ta carry torches would just be a pain.” Flipping the switch again produced no results. Rygn groaned in disappointment. “Looks like we've got more work aheada us, lad. We should really fix tha lighting system before we venture too far inta tha depths a tha mine. Luckily, we don't have ta go too far in before we should be able ta hit a coal deposit. That's what we'll need ta fix this. Before that though, we need ta make torches. I've got tha cloth scraps and oil ta do it. Ey just need two sturdy sticks. Be a good lad and fetch some.”

Quest: Materials for Torches

Unfortunately, the lighting system for Ponoisle Mine doesn't appear to be working. You will have to carry a torch in until you can mine the coal to fix the problem. Go to the edge of Willow Forest and find two good pieces of wood to make torches out of, then return to Rygnuhdruhr Madguard.

Difficulty: Very Easy

Success: Gather two pieces of wood

Reward: 1 Torch

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

He nodded, and the notification disappeared.

Apparently, Theonix leveling up had given Rygn more confidence in him. Several moldlings had emerged from the pond, and he would have to skirt around it to reach the base of Willow Forest.

Theonix took long strides(as long as a Dwarf can take) toward the forest. The urge to kill more moldings was strong, but budgeting his time was more important right now. Rygn was at the adit waiting for him, and while Theonix knew that his uncle would be patient, he was also aware that they had a lot of work to do before nightfall. Even more now that the mine's lighting system needed to be repaired.

Trying his best to give the small mossy monsters a wide berth, Theonix made his way around the pond and approached the forest. There was something incredibly eerie about the trees of Willow Forest, the way their limbs hung like drapes, thick with narrow blue-green leaves that created a curtain obscuring his vision from what was inside. They swayed lightly in the breeze, dancing in a mesmerizing way, inviting adventurers in never to return. As Theonix drew closer, he could have sworn he heard a soft song coming from the trees, almost like a whisper. It sent goose pimples racing across his skin and filled him with a sense of foreboding. From the stories he'd been told as a child, the forest itself was a monster of sorts.

“Hopefully, I can find something out here,” he muttered to himself, comforted by the sound of his own voice yet wondering if it was dangerous to speak. One of the most famous stories about Willow Forest was of a band of performers traveling on its outskirts. Willow ents had reached their boughs out, entangling and snaring several of the performers, swallowing them into the forest. Only two men had lived to tell the tale.

Theonix crouched down, trying to look under the billowy curtain for fallen branches suitable for torches. Part of him felt like a coward for not wanting to cross the treeline. Gathering his courage, he pushed past the first sheet of leaves in his way. The shade that covered Theonix felt like a cloud of gloom. A shiver rolled down his spine as he realized that the temperature had immediately dropped by several degrees.

Luckily, there appeared to be a decent-sized stick at the tree's base. Urgency to leave the forest's deadly embrace caused Theonix to jog over to it. He swiped the stick up from the ground, not daring to kneel or put himself in a vulnerable position.

You have received the following item:

Weeping Willow Branch

Uses: Crafting Component.

Sell Price: 2 copper

Quest Update: Materials for Torches – 1 of 2 pieces of wood collected.

Congratulations! New skill learned: Gathering Level 1. Nature provides a bounty of ingredients for various purposes. Make the most of the things you find.

The dread that the atmosphere created denied him the joy of celebrating his newly acquired skill. All that mattered was finishing the task and getting the hell out of this godforsaken forest. There was something disorienting about Willow Forest, even though Theonix was barely inside of it. Wanting the mounting feeling of confusion to dissipate, he decided it was better to weave in and out of the forest rather than to stay inside.

Moving to the next tree, Theonix entered its dreaded covering and was pleased to see another utilizable stick lying on the ground. Employing the same quick snatch method, he grabbed it and exited the forest, feeling like he was shaking off a bad dream.

You have received the following item:

Weeping Willow Branch

Uses: Crafting Component.

Sell Price: 2 copper

Quest Update: Materials for Torches – 2 of 2 pieces of wood collected.

Rygn was grinning at him from the entrance to Ponoisle Mine. He fully understood the unpleasant sensation that entering Willow Forest caused. That's why he had sent Theonix in instead of going himself.

"I got the items you requested." Theonix held the sticks up for his uncle to see.

“Did ya feel it, lad?” Rygn asked. “The evil.”

“Yeah. I felt it.” Theonix shivered as he glanced back at the forest. He wouldn't soon forget that experience, even though it wasn't particularly traumatic. “I don't know why anyone would ever go in there.”

“Treasure,” came the simple reply. “Tha hardest places ta explore have tha best loot. Not worth it fer that one.” Rygn shook his head at the forest. “I'd leave it ta tha elves.”

They had the best chance of survival in a place such as that. Well, maybe not all elves. But definitely the wood elves and dark elves.

“Yeah. They can keep it.” Theonix agreed, watching his uncle take the rest of the supplies from his bag to craft the torches. A few minutes later, they had fire, and a notification popped up.

Congratulations! Quest: Materials for Torches has been completed.

You wisely used caution and didn't venture too far into Willow Forest to find what you needed. Now, Rygnuhdruhr Madguard will be able to create torches to light your way through Ponoisle Mine. You have earned 60XP. You have also received the following item:

Torch

Uses: Light Source. Will burn for 1 hour. 60 minutes remaining.

Theonix held his torch up to the darkness before them, illuminating the inside of the mine for the few yards that the light would reach.

"Hopefully, we won't encounter too many gremlins before we reach a decent place ta mine," Rygn said as he stepped up beside his nephew. "Whatever tha case, it can't be helped. Let's go."