Asta the Deep-Minded

Name: Asta the Deep-Minded

Race: Dwarf

Gender: Female

Bestows Quest(s): The Mines of Tethyamar, The Mines of Tethyamar: The Missing Miners

Receives Quest(s): The Mines of Tethyamar

Affiliation(s): Tethyamar Mining Outpost

Location: Tethyamar Mining Outpost

Description: <Mines of Tethyamar Quest Arc>

Notes: Old Dwarven woman who is skeptical of the value of the Jewels of Ardor. She is main quest giver for the Mines of Tethyamar quest arc.

Tethyamar Mining Outpost

Before The Mines of Tethyamar is bestowed:

• Asta the Deep-Minded: Ridiculous! A bunch of fully-grown Dwarves running around like a bunch of fool surface-dwellers - no offense - trying to resurrect an old, played-out mine. And for what? "The Jewels of Ardor?"
• Asta the Deep-Minded: Hah! Those things aren't worth more than a handful of copper. What's all this fuss for?
• Asta the Deep-Minded: Not that anyone will talk to me about it. "Don't worry, grandmother, Stoutheart knows what he's doing" is all they'll say. I need someone with a clear head to be my eyes and ears. Someone who'll find out what they won't tell dear old granny. You look like the type - interested? (Mines of Tethyamar Heroic Arc: CR 15. Legendary Arc: CR 31.)
  • You: You can count on me. I'll find out what's up with the Jewels of Ardor. (bestows The Mines of Tethyamar)
  • You: What are these Jewels of Ardor, exactly?
    • Asta the Deep-Minded: They're flashy-looking crystals found in these parts that have got everyone excited. Some people say they have magic powers. Others say that just one of the Jewels is worth a king's ransom in Kara-Tur. One fella tried to convince me you could brew 'em up to make tea!
    • Asta the Deep-Minded: Everyone agrees the Jewels are valuable. But no two people seem to agree on why.
      • You: You can count on me. I'll find out what's up with the Jewels of Ardor. (bestows The Mines of Tethyamar)
      • You: So who is this Stoutheart? (see below)
  • You: So who is this Stoutheart?
    • Asta the Deep-Minded: That's just it. No one seems to know!
    • Asta the Deep-Minded: Stoutheart came out of nowhere, telling a tale about the fabulous jewels to be found in one of the long-abandoned Mines of Tethyamar. And somehow he's managed to recruit gullible Dwarves from every nook and cranny of the Underdark to follow him. I should know, my nephew is one of them.
    • Asta the Deep-Minded: But what hold does Stoutheart hail from? Who are his kin? Nobody can say. And if you ask him, he just changes the subject.
      • You: You can count on me. I'll find out what's up with the Jewels of Ardor. (bestows The Mines of Tethyamar)
      • You: What are these Jewels of Ardor, exactly? (see above)

After The Mines of Tethyamar is bestowed but before Third Time's a Charm is completed:

• Asta the Deep-Minded: I knew I could count on you! Well now, first things first. The Drow seem to be after these Jewels too. To make matters worse, the Drow have been capturing our workers and doing who-knows-what with them. We can't have that!
• Asta the Deep-Minded: We've already sent one party after our workers, and they didn't come back. Talk to Eluf the Steadfast in the tunnel to the northwest. He's one of the mining foremen, and I know he wants to give those Drow what for!
  • You: I'll talk to Eluf the Steadfast about the missing workers. (bestows The Mines of Tethyamar: The Missing Miners)

After Third Time's a Charm is completed:

• Asta the Deep-Minded: I hear about the captives you freed. Good, good!
• Asta the Deep-Minded: Strange the Drow bothered to come out this way, though. Not normally their stomping grounds. Speaking of strange, I've heard some very troubling things about another one of our mining expeditions.
  • You: What's next? (completes The Mines of Tethyamar: The Missing Miners)

After The Mines of Tethyamar: The Missing Miners is completed:

• Asta the Deep-Minded: One of our miners just stumbled back to the Outpost, saying most of his work crew had been wiped out.
• Asta the Deep-Minded: Now that's not strange, necessarily. The Underdark is a dangerous place. What's strange is ... well, he'd better tell it himself.
• Asta the Deep-Minded: Have a talk with Hagen Silverthumb in the tunnel straight north of here. And be gentle. He's been through a lot.
  • You: I'll speak with Hagen. (bestows The Mines of Tethyamar: The Unexpected Ambush)