I'm not sure where Nerys and Loic are at this point so in the interest of moving things quickly...
"You'll get used to it quicker than you'd think," Johann assured the girl, without a thought for the fact that she hardly knew anything more about living underground than did, say, the average squirrel. "After all, I'd reckon a little thing like weather's sort of a bump in the road compared to joining the Wardens." She tapped her cheek just under her ear conspiratorially, glancing to the little blonde with a wink. "You hear funny things about the Grey. Call it a hunch, but I think you'll get on just fine."
Johann scoffed at the human woman's addition to the conversation, breathing a little heavier as she marched determinedly up the slope toward the castle on the cliffs far ahead without slowing her pace. "Leave it to a mage to make a sunny day sound like a threat," she said, adding under her breath, "You people need to get out more."
The little group crested the last of the inclines up from the village a few moments later, Johann's expression growing pensive as the gates of the castle rose up before them. Across the stone bridge a few figures lingered expectantly on the stairs above the courtyard, and at the sight of those distant humans in their fine clothes and armor the dwarf had to restrain herself from jogging the rest of the way. Instead she pushed her windswept, tangled mass of hair back off of her face and strode up toward them like she owned the place.
"Hoy," she called as she reached the stairs, looking tired and increasingly grim. She saluted the humans casually, not waiting for anyone to ask any questions or try to make introductions. Without any real notion of what Arl Teagan looked like, she made no indication that she recognized the man or viewed him as of any greater significance than anyone else present. "Johann Bronson, here on behalf of the good folks of this Arling. The Frostback foothills are crawling with Darkspawn, sers. I'll talk to whichever of you lot has the authority to send me men, before every blight-fearing settler in the northern territory is dead or worse."