You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? she begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.” ((How do you respond?))
*Nori plunks down on the cushion, his eyes scanning the surroundings with curiosity. Suddenly, he lets out a hearty, welcoming yell.*
Nori: “I’m Nori, a dwarf with an itch to dig deeper than anyone in my family ever dared, together with my brother Thror! It’s like a calling, you know? While they’re all about gold and gems, I’m chasing the earth’s secrets, like they’re hidden treasure waiting for me to uncover. Every day, I’m down there in the depths, my pickaxe clinking against the rocks in a rhythm that feels like it’s in my bones. My beard? Wild and tangled, a badge of honor coated in dirt and rock dust. And let me tell you, I find some mind-blowing stuff—crystals that hum with ancient tunes and tunnels that lead to who-knows-where.”
*Nori looks around slowly, and begins talking in a slightly somber tone.*
Nori: “But there’s this feeling, this tingle in the air, like I’m getting close to something huge. The stones start whispering warnings, telling me I’m messing with things better left alone. But can I stop? And here we are, at the brink of it all. I’m about to stumble upon something that could shake the whole earth. It’s like fate’s waiting for the next swing of my pickaxe!”
*He snaps back into his previous over-joyous tone.*
Nori: “I traveled here with my brother in search of a new place to call home. Once we find our perfect mountain, the rocks will sing out in unison!”
*He leans forward with an eager glint in his eye.*
Nori: “Anyway, friend, tell me about yourself.”
