On their way...

[feathered_mages]

As soon as they return to the universe they've been frequenting, Arashi takes to the air to check some details against the maps he'd been looking over during lunch. Waltzes, like Mages, have poor visual acuity when it comes to documents, but can focus easier on moving things - like terrain below when flying.

The others, on the wagon-rutted road just outside of Sarwin, wait for a moment and adjust their belongings.

Comments

[random_xtras]

Silver is wearing her belongings. She stands and wriggles her little bare toes, absently rubbing one eye as she sniffs the air.

[mist-caller.livejournal.com]

Rydia's occupied a short ways away with a minor summoning spell. The robed creature that appears hands her something, and she hugs them before they vanish again. Then she'll return to the group and offer a pair of child-sized boots to Silver.

Arashi, meanwhile, is landing. "I've found the mountain trail the dwarf mentioned."

"How much are we getting paid for this, again?" asks Blaze.

[random_xtras]

Silver looks at the boots, then tips her head back to look at Rydia quizzically.

[mist-caller.livejournal.com]

"These were mine when I was about your size. They should fit you, in case we have to do a lot of hiking."

((I coulda swore I'd replied to this >.< ))

[random_xtras]

The disguised dragonling quickly studies Rydia and the others, her expression clearing with understanding. "Ohhh. Foot clothes. Thank you."

[mist-caller.livejournal.com]

"Yes. They're called boots. Would you like me to help you put them on?"

[random_xtras]

Her strong little fingers close around his as those bright blue eyes go to the other young Waltzes. "Maybe they're just chaotic?"

Then she squeaks as she catches the toe of her new boot on a stone and stumbles. Oh... this is going to take a little learning.

[feathered_mages]

Mistral chuckles. "Perhaps." His pack, with supplies and Snowball the Boe tucked inside, bobs along beside him under the effects of a float spell. Up ahead, it can be seen the other two Waltzes are doing likewise with their belongings - Mages just aren't good at carrying much for long.

When she trips, Mistral will immediately move to catch her. He's not about to let anything happen to her.

[random_xtras]

The catching earns Mistral a surprised look, and then a grin. Then Silver straightens up and is ready to go again, her attention focused carefully on her 'foot clothes' and how best to walk in them. That fine silver hair is standing up slightly now, and shining in the sun.

[feathered_mages]

Mistral will just keep ahold of her hand - that way she doesn't really have to watch where they're going. It won't take long to catch up to the other two Waltzes, since they're not going so fast as to outpace everyone once the group is underway.

When they get closer, they'll be able to hear the other two talking.

"Maybe, but what would eat a dwarf?" asks Blaze.

"Goblins would," says Arashi.

[random_xtras]

"Goblins eat anything. Well, not dragon eggs. The shells are too hard." Silver stoops quickly to pick up a pretty stone.

[feathered_mages]

"They'll even eat other goblins," says Arashi.

Mistral tries to explain the current situation to Silver as they walk. "There's a mine up in the mountains we're going to. They had a problem this morning. Something grabbed one of the miners."

"And they're willing to pay us 75 gold pieces each to find out what did that and take care of it," says Blaze.

[random_xtras]

"Okay!" She gives Mistral a sunny grin, then turns those bright blue eyes toward the Dwarf.

[feathered_mages]

Rurik the Dwarf is very glad to see them, though he's a little puzzled by Silver. Still, from what he's heard of this group, the kid might be some sort of Mage too. Anyhow, he's not going to ask too many questions as long as something can be done about the current problem.

"Glad to see you made it," he says. "We've been guarding the hole, but my workers are miners, not soldiers. Do you need lights? It's this way." This particular breed of Dwarves didn't need lanterns underground, but Rurik knew humans did. And at least two of the group looked human-ish.

[random_xtras]

Silver studies Rurik closely, even wrinkling her nose in a sniff. Then she speaks in his own language, a formal, polite greeting about his beard never falling out.

This done, she hides behind Mistral.

[feathered_mages]

Manners allow Rurik to respond even as he's blinking in surprise. So, the little girl was their translator? He's never heard one of the tall folks speak Dwarvish so well, and she's only a young one!

"We have a lantern, if you think it's needed," Blaze says, retrieving one from his pack. It's one of the LED kind, so very anachronistic here. Not that the Waltz cares.

[random_xtras]

And here is Silver doing the bow. "Silver Silvershell, at your service!"

Then she turns her head to look at the lantern.

[feathered_mages]

"Rurik Granitecrusher, at yours," but there's not really time for pleasantries now. Rurik's already uneasy about dealing with Mages, even if they have a good reputation and they were the closest help available.

He'll lead them into the mine, down a long dark passageway that's braced with timbers every fifteen feet.

[random_xtras]

"They didn't hear it. They're too happy." Silver's looking at the rats with an expression of nose-wrinkled ewww.

[feathered_mages]

"The door's locked," says Blaze, giving it an irritable glare.

Mistral's attention is mostly on the rats. He has the four of them under his control now, and just makes them calm down and go back to their scavenging. No threat here, really.

Rydia gives the door a glance, thinking of anyone she knows that could open it from the other side.

[random_xtras]

Silver looks up at Blaze, then lets go Mistral's hand to walk around the rug and put both tiny hands on it as she listens to it talk.

"I can open it," she says, and vanishes.

[feathered_mages]

Mistral blinks at the sudden absence of young dragonet on this side of the door.

The next room looks to be a sleeping area. The walls are chiseled from the stone instead of natural cave walls like the previous 'storage-pantry-garbage' room. The ceiling is 10 ft high. In an alcove to the south hang four empty hammocks. In the middle of the room stands a round table, and just south of the door on the east wall is a full-length mirror. On the table are four bowls filled with stew. There's another wooden door across the room, and it too is locked - but the hobgoblins are right on the other side of it.

The hobgoblins that live in this warren never expected to defend it from attacks coming from in the back room. But they've had a little while to prepare...

((There's a rug one adult step away from the doorway. It has a switch hidden under it. Putting weight on the switch will trigger a huge block of stone to fall from the ceiling. Sort of like the 'bucket of water over the door' gag, only more dangerous.

They've also poisoned the bowls of stew, but anyone stupid enough to eat stew made by hobgoblins has more to worry about than poison... It's not even a very good poison - the booklet says 1d4 damage from stomach cramps, so maybe it's just their cooking! O.o ))

[random_xtras]

Silver looks around, and then looks up before her face creases with concentration and her pretty stone appears in her hand. This is tossed toward the thing that the walls and door are telling her are hidden under the rug. She's not sure if her stone is big enough to make the thing move, and now she's very tired from the double teleport. But she really wants to protect her new friends.


((I hear gobs like cooking with poison mushrooms and such like.))

[random_xtras]

Silver's moved a little, and now looks as though she's folded in half as she sits with her head on her own knee. She's sleeping deeply and soundly in the way of the very young and innocent, her small face peaceful.

[feathered_mages]

"I'll carry her back," Rydia says, knowing the weight would be too much for the Waltz, even as small as Silver is. "We need to let the dwarves know we found their friend..." The missing dwarf was dead, but the hobgoblins hadn't made stew of him yet - he'd been stuffed in a barrel for later. Still, at least his coworkers would be able to give him a decent burial.

Mistral lets Rydia pick Silver up, and the two of them go to update the dwarves on things. Meanwhile, the other two Waltzes chase the Hobgoblins all the way down the mountain, zapping at them with spells whenever they can see them running below. They'll return when they're done having their fun, but it's a safe bet that hobgoblins will steer clear of this area of the mountains for quite some time to come.