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+---- Thread: Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] (/showthread.php?tid=564)
Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] - J'ver - 15.Jun.12
“Why would I be interested in doing your share of the work? That hardly benefits me at all.”
J’ver clicked his tongue in annoyance as the blue weyrling brat sauntered away, heading into the mine. The man – Vialden, wasn’t it? – had made an enemy that day and J’ver would be sure to keep an eye on the man that seemed like a potential troublemaker that would be good at inciting others to rally around him in mischief. That was something to worry about later, however, as the chore currently at hand needed to be dealt with. The probability of getting anyone else in his merry little group of miners to work double time and make up for his slacking off was extremely low and no one else seemed interested in trading chores or doing two that month to help him out. Perhaps he needed to work on his people skills and make friends?
Nah.
With a resigned sigh, J’ver slowly shuffled into the cave with a pick axe in hand. Rilaleeyth did her best to send comforting sensations his way and mentioned how S’kef would be impressed by such a level of manual labour but J’ver was in one of his moods and the sweet dragon did nothing to help him. As Rilaleeyth curled up off to the side of the entrance, resigned to simply wait through the negative mood until her bonded wanted such affections, J’ver stood in front of an area of firestone that was primed for the picking. With the first swing of the pick axe he grimaced but by the third he was scowling at the rocks and anyone foolish enough to be within his vision – which seemed to be a lot. Why were so many people assigned to mining firestone with this chore rotation? Thinking back to the list that had been posted, it did seem like a particularly lengthy list when compared to most of the others.
Was D’ren planning something?
Curse S’kef for falling ill when he had! If the brownrider hadn’t lost his position they would know more of what was going on in D’ren’s mind. That lovely reminder of his current lot in life only added to J’ver’s mood and he swung the axe with more force.
I wasn't sure where the mining would actually take place but I figured a mountain was a good place to start. Please move the thread if I was blind and missed an obvious location for this. Fellow miners, jump in whenever!
Re: Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] - Parella - 19.Jun.12
Already inside the cave and swinging a pick axe almost too enthusiastically Par'a had created a mess almost up to Grith's standards. She was coated in dust and had a collection of rocks spread willy nilly about her, though only one small rock was in her basket. She had already looked over the group on the chore listing and there were a lot of women on it. This drew her to the conclusion that everyone's name was written on parchment, or perhaps wood for durability, and then drawn out of a sack to decide who got to do what. Because honestly. All these women mining firestone? She'd only seen three men on the list, two of which were new Weyrlings and well, she doubted they would be much help. As a weyrling Par'a had barely had the energy to wash a dish when she was rostered into chore duties at High Reaches. While chores weren't something so needed like at Katila, they were still there enough to tire and bore everyone.
Vialden's scoffing as he entered the mine reached Par'a's ears and she was intrigued. Sure, mining wasn't the best thing but if you did it quickly you could bring in your quota and be free for the rest of the day! Whoever was trying to pawn their quota off was clearly an idiot. Straightening up and resting the back of her hand holding the pick axe on her hip she looked towards the entrance. Seeing J'ver come into sight shortly after didn't surprise her. The poor darling didn't want to get dirty, no doubt.
Par'a liked her fellow Greenriders.
Par'a did not like J'ver.
Anyone who associated positively with S'kef automatically was listed into her bad books. While they could certainly prove her initial impression to be incorrect, that certainly wasn't the case with J'ver. Whiny, aggravating and absolutely smitten with the horrid man, Par'a saw no goodness within the other Greenrider. He was a slave to S'kef.
Wiping her hand across her brow she smirked. She knew S'kef wasn't anywhere near them today, she always made sure to check on where the people she made a point to avoid were rostered. It allowed her to prepare herself then, particularly if they were to participate in a chore together. Adjusting her filthy shirt she called over to J'ver, her voice jovial.
"Oh J'ver, aren't you going to show off all your amazing muscles by mining your 'stone quicker than the rest of us?"
It wasn't a particularly sly taunt, anyone who didn't know how much Par'a disliked J'ver would probably just think she was being her usual teasing self.
Outside, Grith was attacking the mountain with as much enthusiasm as her rider. Dead set on helping the Katilians mine, the Green was tearing at the rocks with her claws in an attempt to find firestone 'closer to the surface'. There had been a long winded argument earlier between Par'a and Grith about why exactly the dragon couldn't come into the caves to mine with them, to which Par'a won by lying that there was firestone closer to the surface too. She chirpily greeted each dragon that turned up, though not many stayed which made her sad. When she spotted Rilaleeyth curling up by the entrance to wait she squealed with glee.
Rilaleeyth! Come mine with me! We can help them finish quicker!
She invited excitedly, still oblivious to the fallacy.
Mountains work! Let's get this show on the road!
Re: Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] - J'ver - 02.Jul.12
That voice.
J’ver cringed and missed the mark of his swing, only catching the edge of a stone. He almost lost his balance but managed to keep his feet and swung harder with the next swing out of further anger at the assignment. With that physical venting complete, J’ver turned to face Par’a, “quality over quantity, my dear,” he finally replied, wishing the cursed woman would have taken a trip to the mine on another day. Why did it have to be now? He wouldn’t have been surprised if Par’a made sure they would cross paths just so she would have the chance to harass him. Some women were a cut above the rest and this old crone in particular had the market cornered on irritation. “You should probably take it slow and easy as well. I would hate for one of these fine young men have to come to your rescue as you lay twitching under a medical condition.”
Rilaleeyth had been intent on staying out of the way of human and dragon as she napped as a way to pass the time and tune out J’ver’s constant string of complaints. So when Grith greeted her and asked her to help out, she sat there in stunned silence for several moments. Okay! She finally called back enthusiastically, jumping to her feet and moving to start clawing at the rocks near Grith. Whether or not they could find anything, she didn’t know, but Rilaleeyth was willing to try and she couldn’t say no to a dragon that wanted her around. Grith was such a sweet green as well. Everything was always fun and exciting with her around!
Re: Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] - Parella - 10.Jul.12
Peels of laughter came from Par'a as she watched J'ver miss and almost topple over. His next angered swing didn't do much to dull her laugh, though she did quieten just enough to hear his reply. "Somebody else can sort the quality, I don't plan on being here all day and night seeking 'quality'." She sniggered, readjusting her grip on the pickaxe. She swung it a few times, breaking away plenty of rock to sort through. Kicking some with her boot she cast a small glare in J'ver's direction. It had been a long time since rumours of her 'illness' had gone around, but she wouldn't put it past the slimy rider to keep such a piece of information, false or not, just to stir someone up.
"Oh I'm quite sure any one of these fine men would be honoured to help be if I so happened to injure myself." She gestured widely around her, but made it clear that J'ver was not included under the label 'men'. "There's simply no need to fret your little self over me anyway. I can handle a little hard work as good as anyone else here." She gave a broad wink to Tarrekel nearby. He was one of the cheerful Weyrlings she had met, with the perfect little Green to match.
After a little while sorting through the rock she glanced over to J'ver, a smirk decorating her face. "So. Couldn't get your friend to pull some strings to swap chores?" Par'a put enough emphasis on her words to insinuate that it was S'kef she meant and that she certainly didn't believe they were just friends.
When Rilaleeyth finally responded Grith bounced up and down on the spot, happiness almost visibly radiating from her. Yay! Pell said there wasn't enough room for me inside, but there's some stone near the surface! If we help we can play sooner! The rocky mountainside peeled away with little encouragement from the Greens, much of the surface was lose from the recent storms. Did you want to come play when they finish? Grith offered excitedly. They didn't have any plans, but there was always sky to be flown in, buildings to prance on or weyrbrats to be painted by.
Re: Cave of Chaos [Firestone Mining Group] - J'ver - 15.Jul.12
I didn’t plan on being here at all, J’ver thought with growing irritation. That woman’s laughter was enough to send a dragon between or knock Thread out of the sky for good! Perhaps they should strap her down somewhere and study her, dissecting the laughter out of her body. That thought made him smile and J’ver blissfully ignored Par’a’s continued gum-flapping. He didn’t even mind, much, that Rilaleeyth had taken up with that insane green Par’a naturally bonded to. If it kept them both out of trouble, and a careful eye on Grith, he could approve of such things. It was hard to say if Par’a was grounded enough in reality to keep her dragon from entering the cave and causing a disaster that would get them all stuck or killed. That would simply ruin his day.
Unfortunately thinking about Par’a being tortured or having her voice box removed could only keep his mood lifted and ears deaf to his surroundings for so long. He sighed as he pulled a small square of material from a pocket to dab at his brow, “he is far too busy to disturb over such a thing. I wouldn’t want to trouble the Weyrsecond over my misfortune of being stuck in a cave with you.” J’ver was beyond caring that he was being blunt and not using witty retorts. In fact, he was beyond caring how long he should properly stay in the mine working. There was a decently sized pile of useable stone around him which had to count for something. Satisfied, the pick was thrown down and the sack to load the firestone into was scooped up in its place.
It does look to be a bit too small for dragons to help properly in there, Rilaleeyth commented with her head peeking into the mine not for the first time. She wanted to make sure it would be okay for J’ver when they landed but just because it passed the test once didn’t mean it would again. There were a lot of humans in there chipping away at the walls. Anything could happen! She knew she was being silly and overprotective but sometimes someone had to pay extra attention to make sure J’ver didn’t land himself in trouble.
Rilaleeyth had started putting a bit more effort into her digging, copying Grith’s carefree attitude of going crazy against the poor defenceless mountain when she stopped to look over at her fellow green. I would love to! Her soft mind-voice carried her excitement as well as the shock at being asked to spend time together. While not everyone avoided her, there was a sweet blue that worried over his rider an awful lot that was nice to talk with, it was still rare and exciting when a dragon sought out her companionship. J’ver wouldn’t like the idea since he was currently arguing with Grith’s rider but he would likely go soak in a long hot bath afterward which would be the perfect time to see Grith.
She quickly set back to work so they could finish all the sooner.