Diary of a Mad Miner

Day 1.

I relieved the former mine supervisor today. When I arrived at the mine I found that he had barricaded himself into his quarters, and he only came out after I told him my business several times. I felt foolish yelling through the door, and I kept my hand on my sword in case he should prove to be the murderer that the miners claimed him to be.

He looked wild, unshaven, and panicked. I was only somewhat surprised. His last communication was broken and rushed, and the four employees that had escaped the mine said that they felt an evil in it, and that he had worked with the evil to kill the other miners.

I discounted their feelings, but I understood the very real consequences of their shared delusion. They said that a thing had eaten their co-workers, and that the supervisor was in league with it. We might have believed more if they hadn't all committed suicide that night.

I tried to talk to the supervisor, but he babbled incoherently about "him" and "it" making him kill. He insisted that someone took his name, and he ran off into the night. I heard a creeper explode soon after, and as he ran out in only his nightclothes I assume he died. I didn't go out to look for him. That is above my pay grade, and I'm glad that the creeper handled the problem for me.

Day 2.

Examined the mine today. The supervisor did a terrible job. Debris lay strewn about, and there were large, suspicious stains that were probably blood from the miners. I had to light most of the mine to keep out dangerous wildlife and zombies. There were some torches in place, but there were more scattered about on the floor. I have to assume they fell and weren't replaced. Zombies and spiders are too dumb to do that, and creepers and skeletons seem to exist just to kill.

Day 3.

I saw a human in the mine. There shouldn't be any new employees after the "incident", so I assume he's an employee that didn't flee. We never did find out what happened to the three left behind.

I almost called out to him, but something stopped me. At first I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong, but he made my skin crawl. His eyes were bloody and red, but that could have been the result of a disease.

He was just...off. His jaw hung open slightly, and his skin was a sallow yellow, jaundiced and sickly. He cocked his head and looked at me.

Then he ran at me, faster than I've ever seen anyone run. I barely had time to scream before his hand went into my chest. He had no weapon. His hand simply sank inside me from sheer force, tearing and ripping me visciously.

Day 4.

I just woke up in my own bed. That was the most realistic nightmare I've ever had. I'm not taking down my normal iron armor and sword today.

I'm secure in my ability to defend myself, and I've never bothered with diamond armor - just couldn't justify the expense - but today I'm making a full set of diamond armor from some excellent gems that the former supervisor had left behind, as well as some battered diamond armor that needed repairing.

There is a fine diamond sword that glitters with an unknown enchantment that hangs just inside the mine entrance, and I'm going to take that down with me tomorrow morning. I'm going to sleep now so that I can get a full night of rest before I face the insane employee. I think he was only a part of my dream, but it just felt so real.

I wish the telegraph was working.

Day 5.

Didn't find the madman, but at least I know what happened to the torches. About half of them were pulled down again, and I had to spend most of the day re-lighting the mine and killing various varmints.