The Stone Keeps Every Name I Charis

Threads of Fate RPG Campaign [Verse 1] They found a vein beneath Theron, red metal in the stone. Twelve men went down before the dusk. Not one came back alone. Six more followed after them. At nightfall, one returned. Barefoot, bleeding, without a torch, his eyes like coals that burned. [Verse 2] He said his father called below, though years had passed since death. The scribe commanded, Seal the mine. No man remains with breath. Peisandros answered, We do not abandon men to night. Four soldiers took their shields and lamps and followed him from sight. [Refrain] Hold fast the flame. Remember the way. The stone knows every name of the men it makes stay. Keep close to the wall. Let no voice turn your head. For the earth calls to all— and the living sound like the dead. [Verse 3] The road below betrayed the map. Each passage turned anew. They carved their marks upon the stone and found those markings too. They crossed the footprints they had made before they reached that ground. The mine went deeper than the hill. No upward road was found. [Verse 4] Seven miners ringed the vein, lit blue beneath the earth. Three were wounded. One was lame. None wished to see the sun. They knew the soldiers. Spoke their names. They knew the road above. But when the order came to leave, they raised their iron tools. [Refrain] Hold fast the flame. Remember the way. The stone knows every name of the men it makes stay. Keep close to the wall. Let no voice turn your head. For the earth calls to all— and the living sound like the dead. [Verse 5] One soldier fell beneath a pick. One lost the use of his knee. They bore the wounded toward the path that led where none could see. And waiting where the road should rise, with black veins in his skin, stood Menoités, spear in hand, and would not let them pass. [Verse 6] He said, There is no hunger here, no winter and no fear. Open the stone and stay below. The dead are waiting near. Peisandros drew his iron sword. His answer carried clear: We have gods enough above. We need no others here. [Bridge] Menoités came forward. His captain knew his pace— the wounded leg he kept behind, the guard that left him space. The iron cut him once. The black veins closed the wound. Then Peisandros drew the ancient blade, and silence filled the ground. Menoités saw the silver scars that crossed the darkened steel. For one breath, the fever broke. For one breath, he could feel. He lowered the spear. He spoke no final plea. He looked upon his captain once— and let the ending be. [Final Refrain] Hold fast the flame. Remember the way. The stone keeps every name of the men it makes stay. Three returned to the sun. The rest remained below. They sealed the mine with lead and stone where the blue-black embers glow. [Outro] No victory was spoken. No wreath was carried home. The blade returned into its sheath. The dead remained in stone. Seven years it waited. Once it left his side. One tale was enough for the blade. One name was enough to die.