"I Saw Something Nasty in the Woodshed."
Can Sandal see into the fade? Possibly the only dwarf who can. One shot.
I don't know you, but I feel that Bodhan and Sandal are like the weather vanes of these games. Look where they are and what they're doing and you'll see what's happening in Thedas. That aside, some of the things Sandal randomly says in the house made me patently uncomfortable. Here's my take on what life might be like for Sandal.
As you all know, Bioware owns all characters and settings. We just get to play here.
"The old lady is scary" Sandal said to Bodhan and Orana as they went about their business in the house. He was standing next to his enchantment apparatus, ready for any enchantment or rune craft that may be needed.
Orana frowned and looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Bodhan patted his son's shoulder affectionately as he passed him with the Champion's correspondence "Nothing to worry about, son. " He walked away, carrying on with his duties in the household.
Sandal smiled at his father but grew serious as he looked at the hunched old woman next to the fireplace. Her face haggard and clothes ragged. Her hooded eyes glimmered with light that wasn't from the fireplace. The Mabari hound looked towards the fireplace and howled, running for the Champion's bed chamber. Sandal shuddered but stayed quiet until the old woman was gone. He hated it when she was here.
Orana kept sweeping, unaware of Sandal's distress. She thought him a strange young man. She knew he was lyrium touched, some accident in the Deep Roads, Bodhan had said, but she never quite knew what to make of him. He was simple like a very young child, but sometime she saw something move behind those watery blue eyes that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She looked over at him, staring at the fireplace so intently that she began to feel like maybe there was something there.
Suddenly Sandal broke his stare from the fireplace and smiled widely at Orana. "Enchantment!" he cried happily and went off to look for the dog.
Orana jumped a bit at that, but felt the tension drain out of her. She shook her head and put the incident out of her thoughts. "Poor lad, poor, poor lad" she muttered.
Sandal found the dog sitting on the Champion's bed. He hopped on and bounced a few times. The dog was delighted to have a partner in crime and turned around quickly on the covers, getting tangled up in them. "Enchantment!" Sandal cried happily at the Mabari. The dog became excited and barked. Sandal barked back, happy to be with his friend. He pulled a mabari crunch from his pocket and tossed it at his friend. The dog caught it in mid air. It was at this point that Bodhan came to see what the ruckus was in the room.
The sight of the boy and the dog jumping on the bed nearly knocked him down. "Lad, get down from there! And you, dog! Get down too! You should both be ashamed!" He shook his finger at them both. Young dwarf and dog became the very picture of contrition. "Now go outside. Both of you are too rambunctious to be in here. Stay out of trouble, but get outside, now!" With that, Bodhan proceeded to take the much sullied sheets from the bed and take them to be laundered.
Sandal looked at the dog and the dog whined a bit. He perked his ears and ran to the kitchen door, towards the herb garden. Sandal ran after him. Upon reaching the garden he looked around and seriously told the dog "I want some pie." The dog barked appreciatively, because he too would like some pie. They ran around the garden playing catch. Sometimes the dog would bring Sandal a stick. Sometimes Sandal would bring the stick to the dog. They played around until something caught Sandal's eye near the woodshed.
Why the Amells had a woodshed was anybody's guess, but the structure was mostly used to house garden supplies. Sandal's face became serious as he saw the familiar shadow figure lurking by the woodshed. He whistled for the dog and picked up a rock from the ground. His hands worked on the stone, turning it into a warding rune with such speed that would make anyone in the Circle cry in wonder.
He threw the rune at the shadow-beast and caused it to disappear. It would be back, but for now his little rune was working. Two in one day was unsettling. He wanted his father.
Sandal ran into the house, eyes wide and fearful. He found his father in his usual spot in the great room and pulled on his sleeve. Bodhan looked at him apprehensively.
"I saw something nasty in the woodshed." He whispered loudly to Bodhan.
His father shook his head slightly and embraced him. He never knew what to say to his son when he came over like this. However, he knew these moods passed quickly. More quickly if there was pie, which he usually had on hand. "Come on lad. Do you want some pie? Yes? Good. Come along then" he said as he ushered his boy to the kitchen
That night Sandal looked at the ceiling of the room he shared with Bodhan and thought back on his day. He sighed and turned over, closing his eyes. He would have to talk to the creatures in the dream again. They were getting out again. He might need to do some enchantment. That decided he drifted to sleep, his fingers twitching in his sleep.