Revision 3

The Free Mine is the ore operation run by the New Camp in the Valley of Mines. Unlike the Old Mine, whose output is shipped out to the Crown, the Free Mine's ore stays in the Colony to fund the Water Mages' research and the camp's escape plan.

Remake Restoration

Alkimia Interactive has indicated that the Free Mine is one of the locations where the remake restores content the 2001 team had planned but could not fully deliver. Specifically, previously-unused unique characters and Chapter 1 quests associated with the Free Mine are being brought into the remake as part of the expanded content Alkimia has added on top of the preserved story.

Economic Role

• Research funding. Every unit of ore the Free Mine produces is funnelled toward the Water Mages' barrier research rather than being traded out.

• New Camp autonomy. Because the Free Mine is outside Old Camp control, it is what lets the New Camp exist as a functioning settlement rather than a protest encampment.

• Target for friction. The existence of a parallel ore operation is part of what makes the Old Camp and New Camp politically incompatible, even before ideological differences.

Access

A Hero who has joined the New Camp naturally spends time at the Free Mine as part of the Mercenary or Water Mage progression. Heroes aligned with other camps can visit but generally do so on thin cover.