Limping return

[Anastasia]

Sick AND time change? That's cruel and unusual punishment. If you need downtime say so, I completely understand.

Xandra quirks a smile upwards at that, "Or attacked for cowardice, but I shall look on the bright side of the mountain."

You follow the passage, the Child of Jormugandr long gone, skidding and sliding away. It widens a little more and leads along and along a time, then sloping upward. It goes for a time until it levels out, a V bend here going right back down. But in this little space a dwarf sits before a small little fire, a single log shedding a warm flame. He's clad in full armor but with his helmet off, scarlet red hair long and unkempt, beard the same. A five-headed flail sits nearby, each head wickedly spiked.

Glancing back, he grins a sharp smile and is up on his feet in an instant - only to stop as he grabs his flail.

"By Jormugandr's dangling fang, you can't wave a flag of surrender before you even fight! This is Ysgard, not Elysium!" He gawks at you and Xandra, "A pixie?! A pixie, here?"

[Nephrite]

"I swear, every time." He says with a look to Xandra, then back to the dwarf. "Greetings to you, warrior of Ysgard. I wave not a flag of surrender but of peace, as I have no hostile intent here. I seek Jormugandr's aid to remove a curse laid upon me by Orcus. I have no ability to fight in my current state, so I would offer you no enjoyment in a fight."

[Anastasia]

Here the dwarf gives you a new look and...

Taking 10 on Sense Motive for ???

...whistles low. "The old Goat himself?  Nevermind! No wonder you're here." Smiling at that, "You must be a mighty pixie warrior. Are you perhaps Lady Honeydip, savior of Androlynne, or General Afina of Aurora? I've heard of both of those fearsome warriors lately."

Xandra merely clears her throat rather quickly at that, hand hiding her mouth. "Ah, you are assuming the wrong gender."

"Ah." The dwarf says, "Pixies and fey," Shaking his head, "Then....Moore of Aurora?"

[Nephrite]

Moore blinks and then bursts out laughing for a good few moments.

"Goodness, if they ever heard that you'd have done that..." a smaller chuckle as he wipes a tear if laughter from his eye. "Afina would surely kill us both. But yes, sir, I am indeed Moore, now of Celestia — and I know, that asks even more questions."

A warm smile after that, "I admit it's a bit embarrassing to meet someone who knows a more grand legend of myself than I currently have available to me."

[Anastasia]

"Moore the Bard, who sung so well a pit fiend slew himself in sorrow," The dwarf laughs, "Moore of Aurora, who personally spat in the eye of Lixer. Moore, the second beloved of the pixie queen."

[Nephrite]

"I'll tell you that one of those things isn't true, but which one I'll leave up to you." A smile and nod after that.

"Do you mind if I ask about you? You're clearly traveled, but must have your own reasons to be in these caves, Sir...?" He trails off, to hopefully lead to an introduction!

[Anastasia]

"Andor," Is the answer you get, "I travel here, I fight here. Best fighting in Ysgard - the Children of Jormugandr are always up to a fight, along with anyone else around." A tight, vicious smile at that, "It's paradise."

[Nephrite]

"If you'd ever like to join the forces of Hope's Landing, my personal fortress in Mercuria, we are always looking for those who would face the forces of evil." Moore responds. "Do you know the way further in by any chance?"

[Anastasia]

"You're on the right path. Keep on going," he jerks a thumb forward. ""Egil's territory is that way."

[Nephrite]

Moore nods. "Thank you."

With that he continues on!

[Anastasia]

As you go, "Hold on," he calls, "There's a lot of branching paths. Only go down paths marked with no ice around the connection. It's how he marks his territory."

[Nephrite]

"I owe you a good fight!" Moore calls back as he goes on with the new information in mind!

[Anastasia]

Sure enough, branching paths lead on. Yet you immediately notice some are iced over and some have a thin break in the air at where the new tunnel starts.

[Nephrite]

Moore will follow the instructions given and go down the path without ice on it!

if there are multiple then whichever has the least? Ice if possible to tell.

[Anastasia]

Sure thing.

You wander the tunnels a time - until at last coming to one that plunges straight down, down deeper than you can see. It's a straight drop, Xandra kneeling before the edge and peering down. "I can't see a bottom," she says. "And I can feel that this goes on quite a ways, and that it will not be entirely safe. Be prepared."