# Velken's Drift — Abandoned Magical Ore Mine

---

## Overview

An abandoned magical ore mine approximately three hours southeast of Drenwick by cart. Closed 15-20 years ago when the main veins were exhausted. Now a site of residual magical contamination, unstable infrastructure, and rare biological growth — including ghostveil moss.

---

## Physical Description

- **Location:** ~3 hours SE of Drenwick by cart road
- **Type:** Multi-level underground mine, originally excavated for magical ore extraction
- **Current state:** Abandoned. Upper levels partially collapsed but navigable. Lower levels flooded and structurally unstable
- **Entrance:** Partially collapsed but passable. Evidence of old salvage work near the opening

### Upper Levels
- Structurally sound in sections, dusty and dark
- Abandoned equipment, old inscriptions, evidence of magical extraction operations
- Some sections claimed as territory by mine creatures (animals warped by magical exposure)
- Devod Fields knows this layout from delivering supplies to salvage crews years ago

### Lower Levels
- Flooded and unstable
- Higher concentration of residual magical energy
- Ghostveil moss grows here — in the flooded sublevel where decades of decayed magical residue has pooled
- Poor ventilation, bad air in deeper sections

---

## Environmental Hazards

- **Unstable tunnels:** Sections that shift, timbers that groan. Structural knowledge essential for safe navigation
- **Concentrated magical residue pockets:** Decades of leaked magical energy pooled in dead-end passages. Effects: sensory distortion, nausea, Flaw Sight overloaded with noise. The bracelet helps filter but can't eliminate interference
- **Bad air:** Deeper sections have poor ventilation. Practical precautions needed (cloth masks, air-quality indicators)
- **Mine creatures:** Natural animals warped by sustained magical exposure — aggressive, territorial, adapted to dark and residue. Not magical constructs; real creatures mutated by environment
- **Standing water:** Flooded lower sections. Unstable footing near the water line where ghostveil moss grows

---

## Magical Environment

The mine's residual magical contamination has specific effects on practitioners:

- **Flaw Sight becomes unreliable at depth** — overwhelmed by ambient magical noise. Like trying to read fine print in a snowstorm
- **Spell work is unpredictable** — effects amplified or dampened depending on local residue concentration. Combat magic in confined spaces is dangerous and imprecise
- **The bracelet helps but can't fully compensate** — filtering the noise reduces but doesn't eliminate the interference

This forces Phelan to rely on non-magical navigation (Devod's knowledge) rather than his primary tool.

---

## Ghostveil Moss Growth

The moss grows in the flooded sublevel where decayed magical residue has concentrated over decades. It feeds on this residue — same principle as verdenshade in the Barrows, different plant with different useful properties.

- **Harvesting requires botanical expertise** — wrong technique destroys dampening properties. Mere Fields' knowledge is essential
- **The growth site is difficult to reach** — unstable ground near the water line, deeper than expected

See `/world/magic/runic-flow-rules.md` for full ghostveil moss documentation.

---

## Compact Connection

During the mine expedition (Ch14-15), the team discovers Compact-tied bandits in the mine — hired to strip it of curse-breaking resources (ghostveil moss and other dampening agents). This reveals that the Compact is **actively suppressing access to curse-breaking materials**, not just controlling licensing. The bandits carry evidence (equipment with vendor markings, procurement markers) connecting back to the same shell company scheme Ned Floundry discovered.

This is why ghostveil moss isn't commercially available — the Compact systematically eliminates wild sources to maintain their monopoly on curse-breaking.

---

## Narrative Role

- **Book 1, Ch14-15:** Mine expedition. Team of three (Phelan, Mere, Devod) enters to procure ghostveil moss for the Floundry cure
- **Mirrors the Barrows (Ch07-08):** Same type of environment (dangerous underground, magical hazards) but with team dynamics instead of solo. The contrast shows Phelan's growth
- **Conspiracy evidence:** Bandit presence proves Compact supply suppression — a bigger revelation than one rigged case

---

## Key Details for Continuity

- **Distance from Drenwick:** ~3 hours by cart
- **Closed:** 15-20 years ago
- **Devod's familiarity:** Delivered supplies to salvage crews. Knows upper levels
- **Mine creatures:** Present in upper levels, territorial
- **Bandits:** Present during Ch14-15 events. Small group (TBD exact number), Compact-funded
