Mine Entrance and Railhead

The entrance to the Puciosa Mine is through a large, unmistakable fissure that cuts into the face of a towering limestone cliff, so 20 meters high. The cliff face itself is decorated with creeping yellow tendrils of sulphur veins making for a beautiful, if haunting, facade.

A large clearing, describing some forty meters from the entrance of the mine itself is cleared of foliage and piled with mine tailings and gravel, rising up in a mound toward the entrance some three or four meters above the forest floor. In and around the clearing is evidence of several wooden shacks and other out-buildings that have long since fallen to ruin - nothing currently remains that could provide shelter.

Coming from the entrance of the mine is a set of old rails, splitting into three rail heads - two of which have old iron carts on them, rusted through after what looks to be more than a century of exposure to the elements.

Off to the right, along the cliff wall, can be found the skeletal remains of three horses. The horses appear to have been left lashed to posts and set upon by wild animals, unable to escape. Saddles, saddlebags, and tackle all are shredded. Three partial sets of adventurer’s gear are scattered about and ripped to pieces. Nothing valuable or identifying can be found.

CHALLENGE

21C using Veterinary Skill

The horses are recently dead - perhaps only a month or so old - but the bones have been picked clean, and nothing remains to rot; the skulls have been smashed open and even the larger bones have beeb cracked to get at the marrow inside.

CHALLENGE

21C using Naturalist Skill

Some of the larger bones have been cracked open by something powerful enough to break a horse's femur. The marks on the bone suggest maybe a large, extremely powerful beak.