You decide to try the left-hand tunnel. The air feels warmer here, and the tapping sound grows clearer—stone tools meeting crystal, steady and careful. As the passage curves, the glow of green light brightens. Then you see him. A cave gnome is standing beside a low stone planter carved into the wall. He wears heavy boots splashed with soil and a vest stitched with pockets full of tools. A pair of round goggles rests on his forehead, and his beard is tied back with twine. He freezes when he notices you. His eyes widen and he takes a step back, gripping a watering can as if it might protect him. You raise your hands slowly to show you mean no harm. "I'm not here to cause trouble," you say. "I was hoping you could help me." The gnome studies you for a long moment. You take a careful breath. "Do you know anything about the Emerald Crown that's gone missing from Iredale?" The gnome's shoulders tense. He glances down the tunnel behind him, then back at you. "That depends," he says quietly. "On why you are asking."