Mining! (Job/Mercurial storm/closed)

Nemuru snagged a job off the bulletin as soon as her wounds had healed up. Though it was evening, she found something she considered a trophy of a job. "Ci! Ci! Look at this one!" She yelled excitedly as she returned to their small shared hotel room. "T-the mining company requests help in the Mysterious canyon just southeast of here. It's an easier job so lower rewards but... Just look what they're offering."

She thrust the parchment roll at him, as she began shoving her belongings in her pack. 'Wanted: mages for an expedition into a cave in the mysterious canyon. Mining tools and safety gear will be loaned out. Payment will come in the form of some of the ores and 1000 jewel.'

"Ciran! This is a perfect job for us to get back in the game. We don't need a repeat of last time just yet." Last time had been a close call, both mages making it through with grave injuries. Though she was healed up, she still felt a bit sore. Not that I'm willing to admit it. We bit off too much, too early, she mused. Or perhaps we had bad luck again that ex-boyfriend and his lackeys. We didn't take the grunts seriously enough and nearly bit it. A lesson in hubris, indeed.

She looked up at the time keeper lacrima on the wall. "We'l need to get a move on, the caravan leaves in an hour." A soft smile crossed Nemuru's face. "I've never mined before, but how hard could it be?"

---

(258)
HP:200
MP:100
CD: -

He looked over the job closely. "Do they have us mining, or guarding the miners?" He was lifting up his pack already though. "And it will be....not exactly what your expecting. Ore doesn't usually look much like the finished metal does. Just warning you ahead of time." Still, his mind was already working ahead...Those materials could be used to make Nemuru some gear, and upgrade his own. His magic was almost as dependent on gear as a requip mage was...

He had his pack shouldered and was out the door after her though. Adventure called. He hadn't been injured nearly as gravely as she had, but it still had hurt. But he couldn't let that get him down. Back in the saddle and all that. "So given any thought to what sort of gear you'd be comfortable with? We should get you some, even if its just defensive and enhancing in nature...I've got a few ideas to run past you, if you wish..."

(WC: 163)

"We're doing the mining with them. I bet there's a reason for it, if we are helping out. What'd you wanna bet bandits or some kinda nasty beastie? Then again, there was that time we taught a kid to swim... So maybe it's just a general labor kind of job." Nemuru frowned down at the paper.

"I-it doesn't? What am I looking for exactly?" She hefted her pack as well, checking under the bed and around the corners of the room for any discarded garments or gear. Finding nothing, she met him at the door. "Onward, love."

As she walked down the hall, "I want something lightweight that won't limit mobility. As for weaponry, most stuff won't do me any good. As you saw in that fight the other day," she cringed a bit. "My magic manifests from the palms of my hands. Save when I call on that gifted unto me by my ancestors, I really can't use them. I'd love to here your ideas, though."

The caravan was waiting for them at the mining guild. Draft horses and a mule pulled mundane wagons filled to the brim with gear. Several workers hefted travelling packs like Ciran and Nemuru.

The director barked orders at his crew, then approached the two mages. "So yer the hired help, eh? He spat over his shoulder, "well nice ta meet you both." The purple haired man spoke with a heavy accent. He had a muscular build and was nearly as tall as Ciran. He eyed Nemuru up and down and sighed. Turning to Ciran he grinned. "A big strong guy such as yourself should have no difficulty hefting a mining pick, 'ight? We'll make it just after midnight, the path's an easy one, but you'll have to hoof it." He leaned into Ciran and whispered, "she'll be ok, ight? Don' want anyone slowing down my men."

The men already began to set off with the wagons and Nemuru fell into an easy step behind them. She rolled her eyes at the stares she received from some of the men.
(346)

He whispered back with a smirk "She's tougher then she looks.  She'll pull her weight."  He hefted the pick, and just followed after the men as they marched further into the canyon, whistling slightly as he went.  As they got closer, he gave a whistle of appreciation.  "Good spot you got here.  Lot of good metal..."  Once there, with the crew all set up, he set out for a spot where he saw a good amount of iron, setting to with gust, pick sailing through the air to break off large chunks of the ore laden rock as he sang an old mining song he remembered from his younger days.

"Spent a good bit of time mining with my pa back in the day.  He always wanted to know where his material was coming from.  Said knowing the metal made you a better smith, and being a better smith made you a better magesmith....In a way he was right i guess.  Always easier to work with what i've gotten myself instead of bought goods."

(wc: 174
Mining: 1/10)

The member 'Ciran Garlfang' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

Nemuru slapped a hard hat on each of their heads, then grabbed a pick of her own. She stood by her partner, just outside the flying chips of rock and aimed for the ones he was targeting. "What's this green one, Ci?" She paused, cocking her head at strange stone she unearthed. To her it was a rather ugly rock. Yet, it looked different from the surrounding material and her question drew guffaws from the experienced miners.

Blushing furiously, she tossed the stone in the bucket between them. The poison mage continued to heft the heavy pick over her shoulder, realizing this would leave her sore tomorrow. She had speed at her disposal, not Ciran's raw strength. Yet, she wasn't gonna give up in front of these men. Damn, I hope I'm fully healed after the other day.

She listened to Ciran's song as they worked. After a few of his verses she began to hum to tune, and in a soft voice sing along to the refrains and chorus. Despite her reluctance to perform, Nemuru had a nice singing voice.
(181, 2/10 mining)

The member 'Nemuru' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"That would be copper. Not much to look at raw, i'll admit. But it looks beautiful when shined up once you smelt it down. Also a good conducter of energy. Especially lightning. Works well for just pure magic though." He kept chipping away at his vein. "What i've got here is iron. Good, sturdy iron. Smelt it right and mix in some carbon and you get steel. Basis of most smithing. Can never have enough good iron..."

He smiled as he listened to her sing. Wasn't something he'd had the pleasure of hearing before, so he kept the verses going, even the silly ones about what the miner did when he was tricked by the earth wives, the nymphs of the deep caves. How he lost his clothes, and had to gamble with them to get them back. And how he lost horribly and had to sing and dance and give them kisses in repayment. Yuri the miner was known for his terrible luck, and yet somehow coming out on top...

(wc: 171
Mining 3/10

The member 'Ciran Garlfang' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"So that's what iron and copper look like in their raw forms." She paused a second as she thought it over. The poison mage spluttered at a few of the lyrics as she tried not to laugh too much. "Yuri was quite the man, eh? Perhaps an ancestor of yours, with your luck."

She continued to swing the pick at the stone, sorting out the rocks that seemed good. Eventually, she came upon something with a beautiful metallic sheen. Picking it up she looked it over in amazement before tossing it in the bucket. Perhaps there is beauty in the stone, after all. After a while it became too quiet. They'd moved further in front by themselves, the foreman and workers choosing to stay further behind the mages.

Nemuru chose to break the silence this time with a song of her own. Her voice had a peculiar lilt as she began to sing. An old folk song or a jig perhaps. She started softly, growing in volume as her confidence grew.

"Once upon the docks of Hargeon, a tale was spread.
From man to man, before they went to bed.
For along the shores, where the reef was dark,
awakened from his slumber was a man-eating shark!

Now this shark shall never touch woman or child.
Yet if a man sails his seas,
his wrath is far from mild.
A summon of Mermaid Heel, his appetite never pleased.

He senses through disguise,
yet if a woman falls in,
he'll always save their lives...."

At first, the lyrics were weak and innocent. Yet, as they passed, they began to reveal Nemuru had a sailor's tongue. The baudy lyrics would make most residents of Hargeon's docks blush. The tale went on about the shark 'rescuing' women from their husbands, only to turn around and hit on them. Then it continued to ask if it was ever a shark at all.
(318,4/10 mining)

OOC: forgot these dice

The member 'Nemuru' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

He just gave a laugh at her song, humming along to it, and picking up on the chorus as they kept mining. "That was tin you just found. And here's some nickle" he picked up another shiny stone, showing it to her before adding it to the pile. The two of them worked well as a team even here. He shattered the larger stones and broke them up, leaving her to break down the smaller refuse left and get the heart of the ore vein out of them, her speed letting her keep up with his brute force in that way.

As her song ended, he launched into one of his own, about three guildless mages who called themselves Ronin who traveled on a boat around the world, and their absurd, dirty, and ridiculous situations they got themselves in....in no way was this song safe for children's ears. The bawdy, lewd, and suggestive phrases just kept coming, one after another.

(WC: 160
Mining: 5/10

The member 'Ciran Garlfang' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

Nemuru nodded as he identified the stones, pleased with the volume they'd found so far. She sifted through the stones, picking out the bits that looked good. Soon it was time to trade out the heavy buckets for new empty ones.

Feeling a bit relieved after the short respite she began to heave the pick again, chiseling away at her own spot on the rock wall. The back of the cavern was dimly lit by a glowing lacrima behind them. Shadows stretched in odd directions.

As Ciran song his song, she wondered about the fight with fishing poles. However, having grown up on the docks of Hargeon, it seemed probable. Just about anything could make a decent weapon. Now the bit about the apple, well, that was a bit much. She blushed furiously and shook her head, driving herself headlong into chipping away at the rock wall. The conclusion about time travelling just seemed out of place. After all the whole song was strange. "Where'd you pick up a sailing song anyways, Ci?"
(173, mining 6/10)

ok.. so the lag is eating them...

The member 'Nemuru' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"Sailed a few times. I like seeing more of the world, and if you want to see a lot of it, you have to sail or travel in some fashion....If i remember correctly, you grew up in haragon, a port town yes? Bet you have lots of tales to tell of the sailors." He kept swinging his pick axe, not stopping. This was similar to working a forge. Once you got the rythym, you just had to keep at it. Go with the flow, and it would become easier as your body remembered and repeated the motions.

"Once we have our share of the ore, I can smelt it down into bars. Easier to carry that way, and trade or craft with. Handy having a smith around, isn't it? Any thoughts as to what you would like made with yours? Or where you planning on selling it off?" He looked over his shoulder at her with a smile.

(WC: 158
Mining: 7/10

The member 'Ciran Garlfang' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"Sailing does let you explore the world faster, though... you can't go beyond Fiore's borers without a passport sadly. There's so much more out there." Lift, swing, impact, and repeat. Though her muscles were aching, arms beginning to shake from exertion, the steady flow helped.

"Yes, I grew up in Hargeon with my mother. It's where her former guild is located. The sailors came in everyday with the fish and seafood, a smell of salty brine on the air. They'd regale us with tales of their journeys. Though they were known for exaggerating, it's why I decided I wanted to explore to see some of the things they'd seen."

"How do you go about smelting it with your magic? Will we need to find a forge or blacksmith's shop? I was planning on holding on to it til we decide what gear I need. Perhaps offering it to you to upgrade your equipment." Lift, swing, thump. Damn this thing is heavy. I have a new-found respect for men who do this for a living. Every so often, she'd break her rhythm to pick up the ore they'd knocked loose. She snuck a glance to the foreman, hoping he'd call it soon.
(201, 8/10)

The member 'Nemuru' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"For that simple spell no, But i do need to start collecting gear...higher level spells will require magical tools to cast and shape them, combining magic and physical smithing skill" He shook his head at her offer to give the ore to him "My share will be more then enough. Focus on your own needs. A weapon, or armor, or some form of enhancement item would do you well."

He paused to take a breather, looking around. "Just about cleared out this spot. A little more should do it, then we'll likely call it for the day....You did well Nem. You did very well." He started loading the ore into the buckets as she finished off the last little bit of the ore vein, humming as he did so. "Smelt is a basic spell, so all I need is a little bit of time and I can smelt it down into bars, leaving behind the rock and dross"

(WC: 158
Mining: 9/10 )

The member 'Ciran Garlfang' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

"New gear, or an improvement to your hammer would suit you. I think perhaps an enhancement item or a suit of armor is my best bet. Weapons do so very little for me." Nemuru sighed as she continued to hammer away at the rock. "I'm glad we're nearly done. This is a job I'll never pick for a living. However, if we need to do it from time to time to collect some ore for you I guess we can do it."

"The spell doesn't put too much strain on you, does it? Can I watch you work sometime, Ci? I'd love to see your magic in action." She blushed slightly at admitting that she wanted to watch him.

She reached down to throw the copper from the vein into her bucket. All she needed to do was bring it to the foreman. Deciding to go a little further, she brought the pick to bear into the rock. Another greenish vein of copper shimmered in the dim light of the lacrima. Almost done, then we can get our reward and go find somewhere to rest before grabbing another request.
(189 words, 10/10 mining)

The member 'Nemuru' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :