Well met, fellow delvers and brave hearts!

Digging Day 6 has dawned, and the mountain keeps whispering its secrets. Yesterday, we encountered a guardian in the deep vaults of Tharaz-Thul, and found an archive crystal that may hold the history of this forgotten hall. Today, we pushed further into the darkness, driven by curiosity… and perhaps a bit of dwarven stubbornness. But the depths hold more than just secrets; they hold shadows, and not all of them are friendly.

A Morning of Study

We began the day by examining the archive crystal we recovered yesterday. Thrain Rockseer, our resident expert in old magic, suggested we use a simple illumination spell to reveal its contents. Carefully, he placed the crystal on a stone table, muttering an incantation under his breath. The crystal glowed brighter, and then, a soft light filled the room.

Images began to dance within the crystal—faint and flickering, like a memory struggling to be remembered. We saw glimpses of dwarven miners working in vast caverns, chiseling out great chunks of ore, and then, a gathering of robed figures around a table, speaking in hushed tones. Their faces were blurred, but one thing was clear: they were troubled. The words were lost to time, but the sense of urgency was unmistakable.

Thrain’s face was grave. “I think… this shows the days just before Tharaz-Thul was abandoned,” he said quietly. “Something happened here—something that frightened even the bravest of our kin.”

“But what?” I asked. “What could drive dwarves away from a hall so rich in resources?”

He shrugged. “That’s what we need to find out, isn’t it?”

A Plan Takes Shape

With the crystal’s images still fresh in our minds, we decided to explore another section of Tharaz-Thul today. The map we found on Digging Day 4 showed a series of chambers labeled “The Deep Forges.” It seemed like the perfect place to continue our search. Forges often hold not just tools and weapons but also clues—ledger books, notes, and sometimes even hidden passages.

I gathered my companions: Thrain, who was eager to learn more about the magic in the halls; Orek Ironfist, who seemed restless after yesterday’s fight; and Bruni Stonearm, ever the problem-solver, with his collection of tools and tricks.

We filled our packs with fresh torches, ropes, and a few healing potions (just in case), and set off once more.

Into the Deep Forges

The path to the Deep Forges took us through a narrow tunnel, its walls lined with rusted sconces and broken lanterns. The air grew warmer as we descended, the scent of old fire and coal lingering in the air. The deeper we went, the more we felt the pulse of the mountain itself—a low, rhythmic thrum, like a giant’s heartbeat.

Finally, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber, filled with the remains of old forges, anvils, and workbenches. Tools lay scattered across the floor, covered in dust and cobwebs, untouched for centuries.

“This is it,” Thrain whispered. “The Deep Forges of Tharaz-Thul… untouched for who knows how long.”

We spread out, searching the area for anything of interest. Orek found a rack of old weapons, some still sharp despite the years. Bruni discovered a series of blueprints on a workbench, detailing some sort of mechanical device—perhaps a great door or a hidden vault.

But it was me who found the first sign of trouble. On the far side of the chamber, I spotted a set of tracks—footprints, large and clawed, leading away into another tunnel.

A Dark Presence

I called the others over, and we examined the tracks closely. “These aren’t dwarven,” Orek muttered. “And they’re fresh. Whatever made them is still down here.”

“Or was,” I replied, peering into the darkness. “Either way, we’d best be on guard.”

We followed the tracks cautiously, deeper into the forge complex. The air grew colder, and a thick mist began to form around our feet. The faint thrum of the mountain’s heartbeat grew louder, more insistent. Ahead, we saw a faint light—a flickering glow, like firelight dancing on the walls.

As we drew closer, we heard it—a low, growling sound, deep and guttural. We stopped, holding our breath, listening. The growl grew louder, closer, and then… silence.

Thrain raised his hand, signaling us to hold back. He whispered an incantation, his hands glowing with a soft blue light. “I’m sensing… a presence,” he murmured. “Something old… something angry.”

Orek hefted his axe, ready for a fight. Bruni, ever the pragmatist, slipped a small knife from his belt and nodded to me. “Ready when you are, cousin.”

The Beast Revealed

We crept forward, rounding a corner, and then we saw it. In the center of a small chamber, crouched over a pile of bones, was a creature—a great hulking beast, covered in dark fur, with glowing red eyes and claws like iron spikes. Its body was massive, at least twice the size of a man, with muscles rippling beneath its skin.

It looked up as we entered, its eyes narrowing, and let out a low, menacing growl. I felt a shiver run down my spine. This was no ordinary beast. It was something out of the old stories—an Umbral Wyrm, a creature of shadow and fury, said to haunt the deepest, darkest places of the earth.

“Hold steady,” I whispered. “No sudden moves.”

The beast sniffed the air, sensing our presence. It rose slowly, its claws scraping against the stone floor, and took a step toward us.

“Thrain,” I whispered urgently. “Any ideas?”

Thrain was already muttering another spell, his hands moving quickly. “Give me a moment,” he said, his voice strained. “I think… I can bind it.”

A Desperate Fight

Before he could finish, the beast lunged, moving faster than I’d have thought possible for something so big. Orek swung his axe, striking it across the shoulder, but the beast barely flinched. It swiped back, sending Orek crashing into the wall.

“Get clear!” I shouted, rushing forward with my pickaxe. I struck the beast’s side, feeling the impact shudder up my arms. It roared in pain, turning to face me, its eyes burning with anger.

Bruni threw one of his smoke bombs at its feet, and the chamber filled with a thick, choking fog. The beast hesitated, coughing and snarling, blinded by the smoke. Thrain seized the moment, casting his binding spell. Blue tendrils of light shot from his hands, wrapping around the beast’s limbs, holding it in place.

“For now!” Thrain shouted. “But it won’t last long!”

The Escape

We had to move quickly. “Back to the main chamber!” I yelled. “Now!”

We ran, dodging through the mist, back toward the entrance. The beast roared behind us, straining against its bonds. I could hear the crackling of the magic starting to fray.

As we reached the entrance to the Deep Forges, the binding spell broke. The beast let out a deafening roar, charging after us, its red eyes glowing with fury.

We sprinted up the tunnel, the ground shaking beneath us with every step the beast took. I could feel its hot breath on my neck, hear the scrape of its claws on the stone.

We reached the narrow passage that led back to the upper halls. “Go, go, go!” I shouted, pushing the others ahead of me.

Just as the beast lunged, I grabbed a heavy iron bar and slammed it into a notch in the wall, triggering an old mechanism. A thick stone door began to slide closed, just as the beast’s claws swiped through the gap, missing me by inches.

The door slammed shut, and we heard the beast’s roar echoing from the other side, muffled but still furious.

A Narrow Escape

We collapsed against the wall, breathing hard, our hearts pounding. “That… was too close,” Bruni panted, wiping sweat from his brow.

Thrain nodded, looking pale. “We need to find out why that thing is down here… and what else might be lurking in these depths.”

I nodded, still catching my breath. “Agreed. But for now, we regroup, rest, and plan our next move. The mountain isn’t giving up its secrets easily.”

What’s Next

Tonight, we’ll study the crystal and scrolls again, and try to figure out what this creature was guarding—or what it was drawn to. There’s more to Tharaz-Thul than meets the eye, and I’m starting to think that whatever drove the dwarves away may still be lurking in these shadows.

Tomorrow, we delve deeper still. The mountain has secrets, and by the beard of the ancestors, we will uncover them.

Until then, sharpen your axes and steel your nerves. The darkness is watching.