Mining Town Ontoglia
Before you leave the Great Fortunio and his surviving ten men with your painstakingly tallied haul of 3 gold, 42 silver and 407 copper coins, you provide him with some instructions:
***
A. He will focus on compiling information about the military forces in the area.
B. He will focus on gathering knowledge about the other bandit groups in the area.
C. He will lay low and do nothing until you have further orders for him.
D. Something else.
***
The slopes of the six peaks on Mount Asteronto converge in a large, rocky plateau called the Barrens, nestled deep in the center of the mountain. There lies Ontoglia. The entrances to the plateau are controlled by three gates at the base of the mountain, one to the south, and two to the east. Upon approaching the southern gate, with its zig-zagging route up the mountain, the guard takes a look at your cart and orders you to head to the merchant’s entrance at the eastern side.
There, you find a long line of carts waiting to get in. Beyond the merchant’s gate lies a huge wooden platform, wide enough to comfortably fit at least twenty carriages, if not more. Three long strips of metal lead up the steep incline, and the platform appears to be connected to those. A system of pulleys can be seen overhead, and the entire thing is linked to a strange contraption at the base of the platform. It is fairly large in size, with numerous wheels and gears, and half a dozen pipes sticking messily out from its sides. As you watch, one of the gate guards walks over to the apparatus once the platform has been fully loaded. He tinkers with it a bit, and you spy a translucent, pink crystal embedded at the center of the device. It is similar to the one that had been stabbed into Rin’s side, but significantly larger in size. The crystal begins to glow. Puffs of steam jet out from the pipes and the gears begin to turn. The platform moves, emitting an infernal chugging noise as it begins its steady climb up the mountain.
The twins and Runde stare at the scene in awe, and to your surprise, Rin too shows an interest.
Soon, it is your turn. While Arlin guides Lucy onto the platform, you chat with the guard. In between staring at your tall and eye-catching hat, he talks easily, and you learn a few interesting tidbits of information.
Firstly, that this machine is powered by magnatite: the pink crystal at its core. By releasing the fire magic stored within the crystal in a controlled manner, it heats water into steam, which in turns acts on a system of pumps and pistons that the guard isn’t entirely sure about, which then acts to pull the platform up the mountain.
Secondly, that it was constructed for Ontoglia by the famed genius inventor, Zayan, who hailed from the Royal Republic of Dijeh. It was a symbol of goodwill and friendship between Methuss and Dijeh, though you do not doubt that good contracts for ore were quietly made to willingly sweeten that friendship, as they always were.
Thirdly, that Zayan is in Ontoglia at the moment, sent on another visit from Dijeh.
And lastly, that this world is likely to be more technologically advanced than yours.
You also learn, from your fellow merchants on the way to the top, that a large lode of magnatite has been uncovered; one of the largest deposits in the past decade. A big shipment is currently being prepared for transport to Barzam, who are apparently one of the largest customers for Methussian magnatite. More interestingly, you also learn that the town’s governor is currently seeking a tutor for his daughter, who is widely regarded as the sole flower in a place full of sweaty men.
As the platform grinds to a halt at the top of the Barrens, you are greeted by the sight of Ontoglia itself.
It is a large pit dug into the earth, so deep that you cannot even see its end. According to legend, it was not dug by the hand of man, but by the Five Gods casting their adversary out of the heavens. The buildings of Ontoglia are gathered around the sides of the pit, some converted from former mining tunnels, others built on sturdy lattices supporting platforms that stretch across the empty gap. The main thoroughfare within the town is a gigantic stone bridge that spans the width of the pit, connecting one end to the other. Further down, the sides of the pit are riddled with holes, entrances that lead to the sprawling tunnel network of mines within the mountain. Ores are mined and raised vertically using devices similar to the one that had brought you to this plateau.
As you ride down the bustling and crowded bridge – Asshimar’s Finger, the locals called it – you keep an eye out for the traders and their stalls. What you have in your cart would not sell for much here, and in fact you had been informed of the regulation that you needed a trading permit to sell, and a buying permit if you wanted to purchase ore in Ontoglia. You could get both of those at the local merchant’s guildhouse, which would cost you 3 gold per permit and had to be renewed annually.
***
A. You purchase a trading permit: this will officially allow you to hawk your wares almost anywhere in Methuss.
B. You purchase a buying permit: this will officially allow you to import ores from Ontoglia.
C. Spending big, you splurge your money on both permits. Money is there to be spent.
D. You do not purchase any permits: your trading will not be fettered by the chains of mundane laws!
E. You tail and murder a merchant for his permit, impersonating him for your upcoming dealings in Ontoglia.
***
Besides that, there are several points of interest that may be worth investigating:
A. You search for more information about the reclusive and eccentric Zayan, who is said to be in the town at the moment. A genius inventor could become a valuable resource for you, given how little you know about this world and its devices.
B. You keep an ear out about the shipment of magnatite to Barzam. Perhaps, with the right crew and the right tools, you may be able to procure the valuable ore for yourself. It might also make for some interesting waves in local geo-politics, given how volatile it is from what little you have seen, if something happens to the shipment.
C. You meet with the governor and attempt to hire out your services as a tutor. You are trained as a scholar after all, albeit not one weaned on this world’s classics, but you should still manage to put up a good façade. It would be a good chance to establish connections with the local authorities, making your future endeavours easier.
D. You visit the local branch of the Adventurer's Guild. It should be a good way to tap the pulse of the town, feeling out what its inhabitants seek and what problems they face through the requests that they have on offer.
E. You do nothing. Something will happen even if you do not do anything. You just have to wait and see, and have some time off seeing the sights of the town.
No wonder the former military turned bandits are less than competent themselves!
