"Welcome, young'uns," Miss Cordie offered in greeting as the unsuspecting would-be adventurers filed into her humble abode.
"Ainsley," Miss Cordie called out.
The so-named gal stepped through the kitchen door, with the blue-eyed hound dog Teeter at her heels.
"Yes, Miss Cordie," she replied.
"Fetch us all a pitcher of lemonade and come sit. We got some tidings to discuss."
Ainsley Kells smiled cryptically to herself and disappeared back into the kitchen.
Miss Cordie took er favorite rocking chair next to the large picture window that looked out over her covered porch and into the hills surrounding the Holler.
The house itself was small, but cozy. The main room, where all were now assembled, was part living room, part study and part storage closet. In addition to Miss Cordie's rocking chair, several tables were set up throughout the chamber, with a particularly large example placed right in the center of the room. Each table was covered with (well, strewn with would have been more accurate) with a hodge podge of bundled herbs, half burnt candles, scrolls, jars, beakers and dozens of other trinkets.
Although cluttered, it was well known that Miss Cordie had a keen mind, and it was unlikely that she did not know the identity and placement of every single item in her sanctum.
In the blink of an eye, Ainsley returned with the pitcher of lemonade and several mugs. She set the tray down and very efficiently cleared out a space by the window and pulled up several chairs for all their visiting guests, who took their seats and chatted familiarly amongst themselves.
Once everyone was seated, Miss Cordie drew out her pipe and carefully set it to light. After a few moments of refection, the host set to the purpose of the gathering.
"Thank y'all fer comin' out to visit this afternoon," she began. "You might think it odd that I should call such a meeting on a cheery Sunday afternoon,"
"I assure you I would not have done so if it warn't fer a matter of some import."
"I also have it in my mind that each of ye are the restless sort, strong with the spirit of, if not all necessarily the blood of, mighty Cu Chulainn. Each of y'are now of the age of adulthood, and are as such, the masters of yer own destinies.
Corda Broome drew long on her corncob pipe.
"Such bein' the case, I have a proposition for ye," she said, almost mischievously. "An opportunity presents itself to scratch that restless itch and seek out a bit o' adventure."
The young villagers looked at each other excitedly. Was the well respected wise woman going to send them out on an epic quest of some kind? Sensing their eagerness, the greying dame quickly supplied a bit of reality.
"Now afore y'all get to worked up, mind ye, this proposition ain't fer no grand quest across the breadth of the Splinters, or no such thing."
"But it ain't fer no trifling matter, neither. Before I proceed what say y'all? Are y'interested?"
With a consensus of expressions from the assembled lot, Miss Cordie continued.
She let out a series of short barks and whistles, and, as if from tin air, a number of small, snouted faces peeked out furtively from around various barrels, tables and other items of furniture.
Kobolds!
Before a general alarm could break out, Miss Cordie shushed all present.
Settle down, settle down!" she admonished. "Don't ye fear. They ain't here for no mischief. The are my guests and are sworn to be on their best behavior! Ain't that right, MakTuk?"
In response, one of the kobolds perched behind a particularly large barrel slipped out from behind its hidey hole.
"You ssspeak truly, Corda Broome," it spoke in halting common speech. ''We have come to you in a time of great need."
Miss Cordie reached into the folds of her garment and drew forth what seemed to be a blackened rock. She handed it to Ainsley, who then passed it around to the others for examination. The stone was smooth and somehow familiar to the touch, and yet unlike any stone they had seen before. When it returned to Miss Cordie, she held it forth before them.
"What we have here, my young friends, is a curious matter. It appears that my other guests have stumbled upon an old dwarven mine and got themselves into a bit of a pickle."
"The mine was a jade mine, and as you all are like t'know, the dwarves o' the Splinters mind the jade very carefully. What I have here before you is a bit o' that precious stone, though not as such as I have ever seen before."
"It's been burned from the inside out . . . "
At the mention of the withered stone, the kobold identified as MakTuk burst out in fervent request.
"We bessseech you, Corda Broome!" it pled aloud in its growling tone. "Your wisssdom and invessstment in the Green is well known, even to usss. We do not posssesss the meansss to confront these wretched eventsss, we have been driven from our dwellingsss . . . "
Miss Cordie held up her hand.
"Whether it be by your own deeds, or no, I do not sense any wicked intent from you MakTuk of the scaly folk. Such bein' your case, it is to the benefit of your people, and my own, and to the Green, that we suss out th' truth o' this matter.
She then turned back to the assembled young adventurers.
"Well, there y' have it young'uns. Something has burned jade from the inside out, one of our most valuable warding stones against the Black. I need more of it to examine, and yon scaly folk lack the capacity to retrieve it for me, having been driven out of their abodes."
"What say y'all?"
