The Wharton Mining Company

In the first incursion, and behind the legendary names of Costello, Blacknail, Ringbeard, Hardedge, Salanan, The Wrecking Crew, The Hammer Gang, and The Council of Nine, the Misty Vale and some of its mysteries were gradually revealed with the promise of future prosperity.

During this time, a group of adventurous and entrepreneurial hill dwarves, backed and provisioned by the son of a wealthy southern merchant, sought to capitalize on new mining opportunities in the opening frontier of the Northern Marches.

Thus, the Wharton Mining Company was formed in the Inn of the Slippery Eel, in the early days of Javelin Hill, when it was a struggling outpost and fort in an inhospitable land. Founded by Nicholas Wharton, Grog Glitterstone, Frond Gemseeker, and Nordy Slagsmasher, The Wharton Mining Company  sought new and unusual formations to explore and hopefully mine.

Because the Far Hills were not yet accessible and were furiously wild, and since the primary engineers and miners were Hill Dwarves, they were content, at least at first, to mine the Foothills of the Grim Mountains, The Knobby Hills in the middle of the Vale, and the Karst Chimneys of Jura to the east.

Wharton Mine #1 was dug in the hard granite of the Foothills of the Grim Mountains, west of Javelin Hill. The chaos that ensued because of that mining operation is well documented in Frond Gemseeker’s seminal work “It Wasn’t My Fault! and Other Lies.” When the Company was ready for a follow up dig, they headed to the Knobby Hills, now know for its two dozen upthrust sharp sided and flat topped hills because of Julian Costello’s mapping of the central vale and its environs.

And so the Wharton Mine #2 was opened in the Knobby Hills. This time with much less drama than Wharton Mine #1. Helped by a significant order from Alejandro Salanan, the Wharton Mine #2 was a success. 

Three years later it was shut down and closed. Apparently, it was lost by Nicholas in a dice game at the Slippery Eel to an unknown player. It was shuttered and sealed in days, and the Wharton Mining Company moved on to the Karst Chimneys of Jura. And that, like Wharton Mine #1 is another story.

-          Stories of the First Incursion – Turpin Stumbletoe