Mining Cave Number Three, Mount Meredith.
"To what do we owe the honor, Lord Mickey?" A lead miner asked Strom Mickey, who had appeared there for some reason.
Although miners such as them were paid well enough, their jobs were still hard labor and most nobles wouldn't bother looking into their ashen-faces, believing that they were beings just a little better than slaves.
Naturally, for some big shot in Crookes like Strom himself to come here suddenly was leaving the stout lead miner—who resembled a dwarf in appearance—confused.
"I'm just looking around," Strom replied. "I am a city official in Crookes after all, so I should learn a little about the mining caves that are the lifeblood of the city."
The lead miner accepted the reply at face value. Even if Strom was showing signs of losing power, he remained an important official and noble of the city, someone whom peasants like the miner himself must never provoke.