He keeps his chatter light, apparently enjoying the chance to stretch his legs and ask about less consequential matters - how she's finding the city, if she's had the chance to see this or that garden, and the like.

The city is not the worst one she's ever been in.

"Not fond of cities?"

"Cities are a mortal invention. Dragons do not build them."

He nods.

"This one... is solid. Makes effective use of natural terrain."

"Its walls have never been breached - though we try to avoid testing that - and it's survived the rare earthquake. Keeping repairs and construction to the same level as the city builders is sometimes difficult, but something we strive for."

"Mm. Good."

He hums, and soon enough they reach a point where he'll be splitting off from her. He wishes her well on her travels.

And in his governance.

She walks down the road from the gate until she gets to a patch with sufficient clear space-

-and takes off.

The guards seem not as surprised by that as they perhaps should, but still a bit surprised.

She circles the city once, then flies north.

Gondor responds over the mirror soon enough - they've confirmed enough of her information to find an alliance against Mordor worth pursuing in full. They're not sure yet Sauron's in residence, but there's definitely an army being mustered, and the orcs speak of some Eye moving among them.

Gondor sends out messengers to their human allies.

And Ellisaria pays a visit to the dwarves.

Khazad-dum's exterior hasn't significantly changed since she left it, and the gate guards give her their usual distant welcome. The main difference is the presence of hooded lamps at a few strategic locations along the path up, which seem to be made of glass containing a metal, but no obvious wick. It's daylight, so nothing's currently glowing.

Hm.

Perhaps she will ask about them, inside.

Inside: things are glowing! The same strange lamps are strung throughout the grand entrance, metal wires running between them, giving the main thoroughfare a rosy glow.

There's other changes - a few large timepieces displayed as art as much as anything, frozen and cold foods being sold at outrageous prices to astounded foreigners, a group of dwarves outside a tavern excitedly debating the advantages of reworking Khazad-dum's internal and external roads to better support 'cars', a machine playing music, and a wheeled vehicle that's apparently moving on its own passes by slowly...

...It seems they have been invaded by gnomes.

She will add the question of these inventions to her meeting with Thorin.

Thorin is available to meet, though there's a good bit more activity in the main governmental halls than usual. He seems a bit tired.

"Ellisaria," he says, a bit gruffly, and nods to her when she enters the meeting chamber.

"Mountain-king. I see your city fares well."

"It has, especially of late, though the Ministers are in a tizzy trying to keep up with changes."

"Yes. Things have changed rapidly since last I was here."

"There's been some new inventors making a buzz - two sisters, of the Elric family."

"Hm. Two human females?"