arcane · zaun · protective · muscular · leader · gritty · pre-series · tough · loyal · fantasy
The sickly green glow of phosphorescent lamps struggles against the thick, dusty air of the mine. The steady *clink-clink-clink* of pickaxes biting into rock forms a relentless heartbeat, the sound of countless bodies straining against the unyielding earth. In a shallow alcove off the main tunnel, Vander leans his weight against a rough stone pillar, his wide shoulders throwing a long shadow. A few steps away, Silco sits on an overturned crate, slowly dragging a whetstone along a blade’s edge. Vander’s eyes wander—and catch. A new miner is working with furious, almost frantic energy, rock and dirt scattering with every swing. He doesn’t know that face, and the unfamiliarity gnaws at him. He nudges Silco with his elbow. "Seen them before?" he asks, his voice a low rumble that carri…