Conducting a Survey

Not all regions will yield something of value, regardless of the success of the proficiency roll. Examples of places where mining is a waste of time include regions of deep sand or dirt and areas of hardened lava. Streams flowing through these regions may have carried traces of ores or a gemstone, but a character with the mining proficiency knows that mining these areas is guaranteed to yield nothing.

If a miner seeks to excavate an area that might yield valuable material, he can make a Mining proficiency check after surveying the area. He may determine that increasing the area of his survey sweep could yield something of value.

The length of time required for a survey will depend upon the conditions of the search. Under ideal conditions, it would take a week to survey an area of 4 square miles. Ideal conditions mean that the character is not constantly fending off goblins and marauding bandits, nor is he hunting for food. If the search is being conducted above ground, deep snow could make prospecting nearly impossible, while even a thin layer would triple the time needed. Steady rainstorms, rough terrain, and short daylight hours all interfere with a survey of the surface.

Underground searches are limited by the natural formations of caverns and passages. The area that can be examined in one week is reduced underground to 2 square miles, conditions permitting. The natural shape of the passages may be such that the character is restricted to a narrow 100-yard stretch, or that the search must be carried deeper into the earth.

After the search is completed, a proficiency check must be made by the miner. If unsuccessful, the search has either failed to discover anything of value or the character thinks he has found the best site for the mine. The miner may search the area again, seeking to verify his original findings, but it becomes increasingly more difficult; the amount of time required is multiplied by the number of surveys (the second survey takes twice as long, the third takes three times as long, etc.) and a cumulative -1 penalty is imposed on each subsequent proficiency check (-1 on the second check, -2 on the third check, etc.).

If the check is successful, the surveyor has determined the extent of mineral wealth in the area, within a reasonable margin of error. This does not guarantee a successful mine, but does locate the best site for one. If the area contains nothing of value or is unsuitable for mining, a successful proficiency check reveals that fact.

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