It’s around sunset when the last of the miners either walk out or give up. It’s also about the time that Tarl and Berdol enter through the main gates. Tarl looks relaxed as he follows Berdol, who looks a bit nervous. I watch them curiously for a few moments before remembering they want to inspect Violet again before giving her an official categorization and recognition.

I don’t even need to ask Teemo to say anything before he hops out of a shortcut at the porch and squeaks at the two.

“Hey guys! Inspecting Violet before bed, hmm?”

Tarl chuckles and Berdol nods, and the elf replies first.

“It’s generally a good idea to inspect during off hours. It helps keep interruptions to a minimum.”

Teemo nods at that wisdom, then eyes Berdol. “How about you? Looking forward to your first official inspection?”

The catkin nods, trying to hide his nerves. “Y-Yeah. She’s a toybox, so it shouldn’t be a problem. And you can help with questions and such.”

“Nope,” interrupts Tarl, drawing the gaze of the other two. “You’ll be doing this one without Teemo’s help. Other dungeons this young won’t have a Voice to talk with, so you’ll have to learn how to read between the lines and interpret what she wants without being able to actually ask and be answered with words.”

Berdol looks even more nervous about that, while Teemo looks a little disappointed.

“I can’t come?”

Tarl shrugs. “I can’t tell you what to do, but just being there shouldn’t hurt anything. Just no interpreting for Violet, please.”

Teemo brightens up at that. “Deal! You guys want a shortcut down to the tunnels, or get a few encounters for Thedeim and take the normal way?”

Tarl smirks and looks to Berdol. “What do you think, inspector?”

The catkin’s eyes widen at that for a moment, before he considers his options. “Uh… the shortcut, please. An inspector should be as prepared as he is able for an inspection. While some encounters would be nice, I should be at my top form to inspect Violet, toybox or no.”

Tarl smiles at that response. “Then if you would be so kind, Voice Teemo?”

Teemo laughs at the formality and hops onto Tarl’s shoulder, before pointing the two down a shortcut. “That reminds me of something, Tarl, and you’d probably know the answer. Why can I hear Violet? I thought I could only hear the Boss.”

“Ah, that’s a bit complicated, and honestly, I don’t think I have all the details. But I think I can give a brief explanation.” Tarl takes a few moments to collect his thoughts and Berdol takes the chance to get out his note-taking stuff.

“Well, to start with: you can hear Thedeim clearer than the other scions, correct?” Teemo nods, so he continues. “That’s part of the power of being the Voice. You need to have a better understanding of what the dungeon wants if you’re supposed to communicate those desires. You’ve probably noticed you’re not the only scion that can form words, so you have to know that’s not something limited only to you.”

Tarl chuckles. “Poe was actually doing his best to fill in for you when you were off to the Southwood. He still has a limited vocabulary, but he also doesn’t have as clear of an idea of what Thedeim wants as you do. In short, he can tell delvers like myself that Thediem would like a meeting, but he can’t exactly give a presentation and list Thedeim’s concerns, point by intricate point.”

“Alright, but that still doesn’t explain why I can hear Violet.”

“I’m getting there. You don’t hear her as clearly as you do Thedeim, right? Maybe you think it’s because she’s so young, but that’s not it. She has clear desires, but you can only hear the gist of them. It’s fine for a protege, they need to listen and learn more than they need to speak clearly. You can hear her about as well as her normal scions can, which is another function of the Voice. You facilitate communication. She can understand what you say, even more clearly than she can understand what Thedeim tries to tell her through the protege bond, because that’s part of your job. And once she gets a Voice of her own, you’ll be able to have a real conversation.”

“I mean, I can kinda do that now…” starts my Voice.

“But it’s a lot of guessing and considering context,” finishes the inspector.

“When do you think she’ll get her own Voice?” asks Teemo, causing Tarl to grin.

“Worried you’re slowing her development? You became the Voice when Thedeim was about her age. Well, don’t worry. Most dungeons take at least a couple years before they get a Voice. I think she’ll probably be ahead of the curve, just not as far as you were. She’ll be getting a lot of mana once she gets official recognition, and I’m lead to believe the Voice upgrade isn’t cheap.”

Teemo nods at that. “Yeah, the Boss paid… well, it was a lot at the time.”

Tarl smirks as they exit the shortcut, before turning his attention to Berdol. “There is a small section of potentially hostile territory now between you and Violet. Thedeim doesn’t own all of these tunnels, so be on the lookout. You may begin when ready,” he says and pulls out his own clipboard and charcoal stick to take notes.

Berdol takes a breath to focus himself before drawing a pair of… boomerangs? He pulls them from their sheath with his magic, and I ask Teemo to get a good look at them. I don’t think he’s used these ones before, or maybe I’m only just noticing them now.

It doesn’t take much looking to know they’re not boomerangs. The shape is all wrong, for starters. It makes me think of maybe a weird shuriken or something? They’re sharp all over, and look like two knife blades fastened at the hilt to each other. They’re definitely something designed to go with his affinity, because I can’t imagine anyone using a weapon like that with their actual hands, even for throwing.

Berdol doesn’t get a chance to show them off on the walk over. With my own expeditions around, there’s not a whole lot of unfriendly things around between me and Violet. He keeps the blades out as he enters Violet’s outer cavern, though I can see his stance loosen up a bit in the safety of her domain.

He inspects differently than Tarl. Instead of speaking his observations, he writes them on his clipboard. I can feel Violet’s curiosity through the bond, but I don’t send her any hints for what to do. This is all on her.

Berdol inspects the mining nodes and notes the barren patches of floor where the scythemaw eggs are buried. He then pulls out a small pick and mines a little by hand, before Onyx slips out of a crack to greet her friend. The catkin smiles at her and speaks up for the first time in his official inspection.

“Hey Onyx. I can’t play just yet, I’m doing an inspection.”

Onyx tilts her head curiously, then looks to Teemo. My Voice smiles and shakes his head. “I’ll explain later. Violet should know what that means, though.”

Onyx still looks curious as she follows, and I feel understanding through the bond as Violet remembers the inspections Rhonda and Freddie used to do when she was first discovered.

I find Berdol’s style of inspection kinda boring, but Violet’s curiosity remains constant, so she seems engaged, at least. I can also feel her considering what he writes about her nodes and denizens, wondering if she should change anything, and mulling ideas for improvements.

When Berdol gets to the door, he pauses and looks at it, tapping the clean end of his pen on his chin as he thinks. After a few moments, he looks to Tarl.

“Would this count as a puzzle?”

“What do you mean?” he neutrally replies.

Berdol gestures at the large stone door. “From what I understand, these doors were put in as a response to the scythemaws, right? They’re something that a beast wouldn’t be able to get past, but most delvers will be able to simply open by pulling. Does that count as a puzzle?”

Tarls eyes brighten, but his reply remains neutral. “What is a puzzle?”

“A type of trap or hindrance that requires thought to bypass, rather than simply power.” When Tarl doesn’t continue, Berdol considers the door for a few more moments, before he scribbles on his paper. “A puzzle, then. A very rudimentary one, but it still counts.”

Tarl can’t quite keep the prideful smile off his face as Berdol enters Violet’s main chamber. Berdol hunts a few bunnies and sets about interacting with the mushrooms and other points of interest, unaware of the look Tarl is giving him. I guess I’m not the only one with a protege to be proud of.