Homestead Survival

<16 September 2024, MOLBRAK CAVERN, A>
[Theo and Julia]
They were shown through the massive cavern quickly. While the dwarven city bustled around them, they received many staring faces. Theo and Julia smiled at people as they were shown to a small inn that was off the beaten path.

Harbek activated his skill again.

>Local Message: Universal Translation Active

"Now then, is there anything else that I can help ye' with?" Harbek asked.

"No, I think we should be fine. Will someone come get us when it is time?" Theo asked.

Harbek nodded, "Yes, I will come and get you when the council is ready to see you."

"Thank you, Harbek." Julia said, "And congrats on your level-ups. You are using your skill much more than you were even a few days ago, when we saw you."

Harbek smiled and bowed, "Thank ye' Lady Sorrin, I'm glad to have the chance to use it. Now then, the inn is reserved for ye' all. Please don't hesitate to ask for whatever you need to."

With that, Harbek walked out the door, and Kreldar stepped forward. "Now then, ye' should all get some sleep while ye' can. No tellin' when they will call for ye' I am goin' check on some friends if that is all well and good."

Theo nodded. "That's fine, just let us know if you need anything or if there is something that we should be aware of."

"Of course." Kreldar nodded, then gestured to a young female dwarf. "This is Eska, she's the daughter o' the innkeeper, and has a translation charm. She'll be able to understand what ye' ask for, and will be available for the next several days. Ask for what ye' will, and if needs be, she can fetch Harbek. Now then, I'm off."

With that, Kreldar left as well, and Eska showed them all to rooms where they fell asleep after their long day of travel.

<16 September 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER, A+>
[Sylvi and Sarah]
After Theo and Julia left, Sylvi and Sarah got to know each other better. Sylvi found the young girl incredibly entertaining, and Sarah thought that having a dragon friend was simply the coolest thing ever.

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"So why do you look like a human?" Sarah asked as they helped Velna and Renno water the fields.

"Well, I don't know that I look like humans specifically," Sylvi said, as she used Theo's waterskin to pour water into the bucket that Sarah was using to water the berry bushes.

"Well, what do you mean?" Sarah asked, her eyebrows scrunching up in thought.

"Well, humanoid forms, like humans, like this form that I have, and like the dwarves, and others are very common." Sylvi explained, "I am able to take on almost any shape that I want; shapeshifting is one of several magics that dragons had long before the System came to us."

"So you can look like a normal dragon too!" Sarah said excitedly.

"Yes, I can," Sylvi said. "Though I am not a regular dragon, so I look something more like what you might recognize as a dragon with extra spider legs."

Sarah looked up at the older girl, "Whoa! That sounds cool!"

Sylvi smiled; not many people thought that her particular hybridization was a good thing. She shook her head, "Let's finish up here, and then we can go for an adventure. After lunch, we can work on learning the runes if you want."

Sarah nodded, and they continued talking as they completed watering the berry bushes.

After a long day, Sarah was still full of energy. "Will you play hide and seek with me?"

Sylvi thought she could infer what the game was from the name and looked up at Velna. Velna smiled. "One of you will hide and the other will try to find them."

Sylvi nodded in thanks to the old woman and looked back at Sarah. "Sure, do you want to hide, or do you want me to hide?"

"I will hide first, and then you can hide," Sarah said excitedly.

"You two go play for a bit, but your bedtime is coming up, Sarah," Velna said with a stern grandmotherly tone that brooked no argument.

Sarah nodded and jumped up, grabbing Sylvi's hand and rushing into the darkening trees. When they were a good way to the north of the Thronehold, Sarah stopped. "Okay, you cover your eyes, and count to twenty out loud. I will hide, and then you find me."

Sylvi nodded, covering her eyes, "Okay. One... Two..."

Sarah giggled and rushed away, searching for a good spot to hide. Sylvi, only cheating slightly, was using her hearing and sense of smell to track the young woman. Suddenly, Sylvi could not sense Sarah anymore.

Sylvi dropped her hand and looked around, moving quickly to where Sarah had been. "Sarah!"

Sylvi looked around and then felt her heart drop out of her chest. Sarah was nowhere to be found.

[Sarah]
Sarah was slightly confused. She had been trying to slip into the hollow of the tree and hide from Sylvi there, but now she was in a cave.

It was mildly lit, and she could see across the whole cave. It was almost twenty feet across, and the stone walls seemed to glow slightly. In the middle of the cave, there was a small block of wood nearly a foot high, and on top of it was a strange skull with a crystal sphere in it.

She walked up to the block of wood and looked at the skull. "Weird skull."

A very quiet voice seemed to come from the skull. "Who are you calling weird?"

"You can talk!" Sarah said, squatting down to look at the crystal eye.

"Of course I can. Why shouldn't I be able to?"

"Well, I don't know." Sarah said, "What are you?"

The crystal shimmered, "I am a dungeon core."