[Lore] Death of a Prospector
Phineas loved his two sons deeply, and wanted only the best for them. He was a moderately successful prospector, and had found several payloads of various different precious gems and minerals over the years, bringing enough money in to support himself and his young boys, even if he couldn't provide them with all the finest foods and clothing. But he wanted more.
One day Phineas was exploring a new, uncharted area in search of a legendary load of Bloodstones he had heard rumors of in some of the shadier taverns around Noxus. He came across a hole in the ground, and held his torch close to the hole to see what was inside. Phineas gasped: the hole opened up into a massive cavern, glittering with crimson crystals that he knew to be Bloodstones. Phineas and his sons would be rich beyond his wildest dreams, if he could find a buyer for these illegal gems, which he was sure would not be a problem in Noxus.
Phineas was careful not to mention anything about the cavern to anyone for the next couple of days as he prepared his equipment for a descent into the cave. On the day he returned to the cave, Phineas was relieved to see that nobody else had discovered it in his absence. He went about setting up his ropes and anchors, carefully double-checking each part to ensure he wouldn't fall to his death.
Descending into the cavern, Phineas was overwhelmed with the haunting beauty of the crimson Bloodstones. As he slowly inched closer to the bottom, he noticed a white spot on the floor of the cave. He couldn't make out what it was at first, but as he descended, it became clear that there was a large pile of bones down there. Phineas hesitated. He was not a man given to irrational fear, but the sight of the bones sent a chill up his spine. Suddenly a shadow passed over the cave's entrance, and Phineas looked up. He was sure he'd caught a glimpse of a woman's face. As quickly as he could, Phineas ascended to investigate what he'd seen.
When he got up out of the cave, Phineas looked around. A woman was sitting on his pile of equipment, fussing over her fingernails. She appeared to be a fellow prospector, but Phineas hadn't heard of any female prospectors around these parts.
"Ah! Who have we here?" she exclaimed loudly when she noticed Phineas.
"I was here first! These are MY Bloodstones!" Phineas whispered vehemently, not wanting to risk attracting any further attention, but worried that the woman would try to claim his prize.
The woman laughed boisterously. "First? I was here first, fool." She stood up, rising to her full height. Phineas was surprised at how tall the woman was, but he didn't let her see it.
"And just who do you think you are, to claim this cavern as your own?" Phineas demanded.
"I suppose it doesn't matter if I tell you..." the lady smiled, advancing on Phineas. He lifted his pickaxe, warning her to stay back. She kept stalking toward him. "Keep away!" shouted Phineas.
"I am Baroness Atma..." she whipped out a sword that Phineas had not noticed, and lunged at him. Before he knew it, Phineas had been run through, and fell to his knees, gasping for breath that would not come.
"... and you would do well to remember it." With that, she placed a foot squarely on Phineas' chest, and kicked him backward into the hole.
As he whirled through the air, Phineas wondered at the irony of the situation. He had enough to support his children, but he got greedy. What had it gotten him? A sword through the chest... and now his boys would be alone... with nobody to protect them. With the last whisper of breath in him, Phineas said quietly to no one, "I'm sorry...Darius. Be strong...for your brother."
