Now I know, I know. I know technically speaking that the first objective of the Grand quest was to slay Cryovain the white dragon, however, I really wanted to complete all those side quests first and then go deal with the dragon as the cherry on top of this little Grand quest. So that's exactly what I'm going to do! Before immediately doing that though I decided to humor Toblen and the rest of the stragglers inside the inn with the stories of my adventures so far as well as listen to tales surrounding this town from a native's point of view. I suppose I really did wear my heart on my sleeve, that or Toblen was just that gentle and charismatic of a man! I like both ideas, but the second slightly more.

Having acquired food and shelter for the foreseeable future I left the Stonehill Inn and looked for the job board. In doing so I also found the farmhand that worked for Alfonse and told him what had occurred and to hurry back! I worked up the courage to ask for directions, it was an amusing pastime. The town master's hall had sturdy grey stone walls, a pitched wooden roof, and a bell tower at the back. The job board next to the front door featured a sparse number of notices, all written in Common tongue and in the same hand as well. Scanning the postings I pocketed the one concerning Alfonse and his ranch, that'd be an extra one hundred gold in my pocket. I took the quests regarding Umbrage hill and Gnomengarde mountainside. I backtracked to the Stonehill Inn and told Toblen, just to let somebody know y'know.

And with that I was off! Ten miles southeastward, a straight diagonal, lovely. Built on the slope of Umbrage Hill stood an old stone windmill surrounded by an iron fence. A large winged monster with a spiky tail was trying to knock down the windmill's front door. A woman appeared from the second floor window and waved at me as she yelled.

"A little help?!"

I couldn't help but chuckle internally as I broke into a dash towards the monster who was in fact a manticore! Neat. You know manticores, a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. Though the wings aren't always a consistent thing. Its long tail ends in a cluster of deadly spikes that can impale prey at impressive range. It's also of supposed Indian origin, fun fact. Where was I? Right! Monster trying to kill an old lady!

I gave two smite infused overhead swings to the back and neck of the monster, nearly killing it! Nearly…Part of me was kind of hoping to take it out in one go you know, oh boy it's seething now. It let out a truly monstrous roar both human and inhuman, how disgusting. It turned around and proceeded to maul my face, or at least it would have if I didn't dodge and parry its attacks! Ha! I plunged my longsword through its forehead, the radiance slipping through bone and flesh like butter and scrambling the monster's brain.

[Manticore has been slain! 700XP gained! 700GP gained!]

"Sweet."

"Oh thank Chauntea, thank you young man." One Adabra Gwynn, the local midwife of Phandalin exclaimed as she came downstairs, still using the door as a shield.

"Yes thank God indeed. She doesn't know him yet, let it pass. True, true, fine." I chuckled and nudged the corpse of the manticore aside. "No problem Lady Adabra, though I must ask, can't I convince you to take sanctuary in town? It's not as safe in the mountains you know, especially with those dragon sightings these days."

She was a typical woman in her late middle ages, earth colored clothes and some silver strands in her hair. "Oh no, no, be that as it may I much prefer the windmill you know, besides the situation is dealt with now, all is well."

"Yes well be that as it may, take these regardless, for the sake of my heart."

I handed her three tangler grenades. "Throw them and either run or attack."

She chuckled at the gesture and gave me a "potion of healing" for my troubles. And with that I left. If she wanted to stay behind in her windmill I'd honor her freewill. If anything God shall protect her, amen. Now where was I, ah, yes, Gnomengarde!

I kept to the mountainside as I traveled, having this much nature around you as an urbanite ha, nearly brings a tear to my eye. My ears eventually heard the babbling of a stream uphill, so I followed said stream. It led to the base of the mountain, where waterfall erosion had carved out a natural concavity. The roaring waterfall created a cloud of iridescent mist naturally as it plunged into a shallow pool of water, within which rose two small islands covered with two foot tall red, green, and purple mushrooms. Several cave openings overlooked the pool from rocky ledges twenty to thirty feet above. The mountain blocked the sunlight from this point on. Overall a rather quaint spot, peaceful even.

It was rather awkward for me honestly just walking into a gnome settlement but they didn't look too concerned as to me being there when I walked about the tunnels and finally came across some life in the kitchen. Rock gnomes, tanned skin, pointed ears, and blackened hair with a blue-purple sheen to it, all of em. There were three females and two males, all messing about with those colored mushrooms from before, making them into flour, wine and…oil? Mushroom oil, got it. I decided that honesty was the simplest course of action so I told them about what was happening in Phandalin and around the area in general. I was then told to seek one "Fibblestip" or "Dabbledob" towards the western half of the settlement, how quaint.

Before that occurred though I managed to come across two gnome guards wielding…nothing, they had no martial weapons on them, the only way I knew they were gnomes were from the badges on their chests. A female and a male guard, the woman, Ulla spoke to me in what I could only guess to be gnomish tongue. It was cute, not going to lie. Thankfully P- oh my gosh I kid you not the male gnome guard was named Pog. And who is to say lift isn't a comedy sometimes, come on now. Anyway my broken sense of humor aside, Pog was able to speak common and basically asked me to prove that I wasn't a shapeshifter.

"If I truly were a shapeshifter would I have gone up to you two like this, in this form twice your size in chain mail no doubt when I easily could have taken the form of a barrel crab or a mushroom, if I were a shapeshifter, no sir Pog, I am a human through and through. I seek audience with Dabbledob."

And so after that quaint interaction I managed to cross the rope bridge and was met with a room of spinning blades. Mist from the waterfall pervaded the room. The larger eastern part of the room contained two rapidly spinning devices that looked like turnstiles fitted with stacks of long, sharp blades spaced one foot apart. The northern turnstile spinned counterclockwise, while the southern one spinned clockwise. I did my best to rush through them. I was definitely unsuccessful but tanked on regardless.

I growled in irritation but then shook my head as I heard more gnomish being thrown about in the air. I managed to meet Dabbledob after all, a female rock gnome, along with Fibblestib, the male rock gnome. Huh, plenty of duality and equality going on here. Oh gosh I think the mushroom dust is starting to get to me, thar or residual pain from the spinning blade room. I shook my head again and asked them what was going on. Priding themselves as Gnomengarde's foremost inventors, they were trying to dream up an invention that would cure King Korboz's madness. Fibblestib's proposal was a magical "sanity ray" device. Dabbledob thought that was dumb, and wanted to build something called a "straitjacket" instead. They however asked for my advice on how they might help cure King Korboz and rescue King Gnerkli in the end. A twin king leadership, interesting. Reminds me of Rome. Oh Rome…right, right, king rescue. At least the gnomes were promising magic items as reward for my help.

Roaming the halls till I found the throne room was amusing, along the way I found where most of the gnomes were sleeping, they looked cute in a way. The throne was naturally empty on account of King Korboz's recent madness and barricading isolation. I knocked on the main doors which were locked to the tune of "shave and a haircut, two pence", a classic really.

"King Korboz, I have come to the aid of your settlement, a shapechanger has befallen you!"

"What! Yes! YES! There is indeed a shapeshifting demon roaming my halls, please, PLEASE kill it, vanquish it from this realm I beg you. I won't leave till it's gone! ANd no one shall see King Gnerkli either!"

Well damn ain't that something. I didn't get that much of a madness vibe off the bat, just fear, desperation and paranoia. Okay maybe those things can lead to madness after all. Anyways! I backtracked to the workshop and borrowed Dabbledob for a moment to turn off the spinning blade room, crossed the bridge and then recruited Pog and Ulla with ten gold each. Using sticks, time I will never get back, two tablespoons of my sanity and grit we scoured each room and poked everything in sight till we finally came across a mimic! It was in the wine room, it also nearly ate Pog, bless his heart. Ulla peppered it in the face with a magic missile while I essentially obliterated with sword slashes and smites. God I love my longsword.

[Mimic has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

"Alright you two, stand proud, you were brave and did your job as the protectors of your people." I teased slightly with a smile.

Returning to the throne room I spoke to King Korboz once more, having Pog and Ulla vouch for me as well. Thank God this little mystery was solved rather quickly, my patience was wearing thin for all things gnomes and I was nearly half asleep on my feet. I was rewarded with a "clockwork amulet", a "pole of collapsing", a wand of pyrotechnics from King Gnerkli and a "hat of wizardry" from King Korboz. Neat. And so I went to bed and fell asleep in the throne room because I couldn't care anymore.

[May 24th, 2023, 9:00AM]

Alright new day, time to leave and probably never return here again, woohoo! Ten miles southwestward and I managed to come across the dwarven fortress of Axeholm. Thrust out from the base of the dark grey mountains was the entrance, a dark, fifteen foot wide passageway flanked by forty foot high bulwarks of smooth, seamless stone. An iron portcullis covered in rust blocked the entrance. Arrow slits carved into the bulwarks were dark, revealing no hint of occupation or light within the abode. Guess ol' lefty is wielding the torch again. I tried to mess with the portcullis but it was honest to God rusted shut. I was tempted to bomb it with dynamite but then the fortress would be without a proper defense for the entrance. That just wouldn't do, if the people of Phandalin had to evacuate here that is. I sighed and gazed up at the mountain spotting some chimneys.

"Bingo."

It was a tad unnerving climbing down a chimney into darkness but I did it. Hanging from a hook above the mantelpiece of the fireplace I crawled out of was a nonmagical steel shield bearing the symbol of Axeholm; a dwarven gauntlet clutching a handaxe. How quaint. The room's other furnishings, cots, tables, chairs, and empty footlockers were, to my semi surprise, intact but covered in dust. I lit my torch, left the room and immediately came across the upper bastion…it was filled with four giant spiders. All of which were ten feet tall. "DISGUSTING, DISGUSTING, DISGUSTING!" I threw my last pack of dynamite I had currently and ran back into the west upper barracks.

[Giant spider has been slain x4! 800XP gained! 800GP gained!]

I "bought" 900 sticks of dynamite as I calmed down my nerves. Yes this was a totally reasonable response. I have no idea what you're on about. Anyway I stepped back outside and stayed clear of my left for now, to say the aftermath was gory was an understatement. Ugh, gross. Oh well time to explore again! I went downstairs to the western bulwark and beyond, finding a dwarven ghoul gnawing on bones in one of the hallways. I rammed my blade through its throat and basically decapitated it via an internalized smite explosion.

[Ghoul has been slain! 200XP gained! 200GP gained!]

New technique perhaps, neat, now moving on. Most of the rooms were honestly empty of any life or "unlife" for better or for worse, aside from wind howling upstairs. Empty barracks, empty armory etc etc. It was kind of calming in the silence. In hindsight I probably should've or could've used my ability to sense the supernatural, however, I just didn't feel like it, plus all this stone was getting in the way more or less. Plus like I said before there just wasn't that much activity going on in this fortress. The stench of death however hung in the air akin to a hot soup. I eventually came across a throne room. A dusty, pillared hall, which had a dark, soot-stained fireplace at the east end. A deep alcove in the south wall contained a dais, atop which rested a limestone throne flanked by granite statues of dwarf warriors. Between the throne and the fireplace was a hallway with stairs leading up to the second floor of the fortress. Before I could go further a ghoul screeched and leaped from behind the throne to attack me. It died quickly, as undead naturally do against radiance.

[Ghoul has been slain! 200XP gained! 200GP gained!]

I picked my torch back up after dropping it to two hand my sword. I nearly left before noticing a golden ring on this ghoul's corpse, a signet ring. Don't mind if I do. That's when two more ghouls came tumbling out the fireplace. Talk about scary, they were relentless as they went for me. I dropped my torch again and firmly gripped my blade, batter up.

[Ghoul has been slain x2! 400XP gained! 400GP gained!]

Sliced through 'em like butter once more. Picked up my torch and the signet ring and went about going upstairs to complete my investigation of this fortress. The sound of wind howling became stronger as I turned the "L" shaped hallway and was met face to face with a banshee. The luminous, wispy form of an elf floated in front of me, her face wreathed in a tangle of gossamer hair, lean yet toned body clad in spectral rags that fluttered around. It nearly tempted me. Until she reminded me that she was truly undead.

Her face became a mask of rage as she screamed, "Get out of my house!"

My amusement, any wandering thoughts were all spent and pulled at that moment. There was only finality and hate. "You're not even a dwarf, you dumb $!&*#." I smacked her across the face akin to when I smacked that one will-o-wisp way a few days ago. I noted my Lay on Hands pool hit zero and how she slammed half way into the wall before partially phasing with and spasming as she screamed in pain, dying a second time over in a sense before finally exploding in a show of pale frost blue and golden light.

[Banshee has been slain! 1,100XP gained! 1,100GP gained!]

[Congratulations! You have reached 6th level!]

What bitterness that insufferable pest instilled in me was curbed by the joy of leveling up. Serves her right. I let out a sigh, first gnomes, and elves I swear. I meandered about till I finally found a secret room with a treasure chest in it. No key hole, but ah yes, the signet ring. My loot you ask? One pair of "Gauntlets of ogre strength" and one "Dread helmet". I sold them as I left the fortress, stuffing a ladder in between the portcullis and the floor.

Next on the list, the dwarven excavation site, one of the jobs on the job board was to run them or something like that. I think the stench of death was burning my brain. Oh well, five miles later I made it to the site. The canyon's rocky walls rose to a height of eighty feet. At the end of the canyon, a twenty foot high wall of black stone had a broken gate carved into it, with one stone door hanging precariously by a hinge and the other door missing. Beyond this open gate, in the shadow of a great mountain to the east, lay a ruined settlement. All was quiet as I made my way through and into what looked like a courtyard and a temple facade. Cut into this facade is a ten-foot-high open doorway flanked by crumbling, life-sized granite statues of cloaked dwarves. Evil grins can be seen on their weatherworn faces. How original.

Yes indeed all was quiet for the span of two seconds before I heard the bickering of two dwarves as they had their lunch break over the fire. Two shield dwarves, Dazlyn and Norbus, Dazlyn as I found out, was honest to a fault if not slightly a blabbermouth, but meant well. Norbus was the cautious one. It was akin to a dog and a cat being friends really. I told them about the white dragon sightings, to which Norbus didn't really care for, only to be undermined, pun not intended, by Dazlyn telling me of the ochre jellies that were in the temple, much to Norbus's nerves. Heh, good job Dazlyn.

As I entered the temple itself I quickly realized why the two dwarves decided to hang back. Upside down in the ceiling was the ochre jelly, I had forgotten how large they were, a ten foot mass of acid and God knows what. It fell down to the floor with a thick splatting sound. Using analysis on it was interesting, it had immunity to lightning, I wasn't aware of that either before. I was tempted to just chuck some dynamite at it but I didn't want to damage anything, it is an excavation site after all. Thankfully swords can pierce as well, now which element to use…Ice.

[Ochre jelly has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

Watching it turn into an ice sculpture and shatter beyond repair as its tether to this realm died was honestly kind of fun for a few seconds, like watching a bomb go off. I shivered and shook my head, utilizing another element, let alone it being ice of all things drained me a bit. I wasn't fond of the cold. Sighing and moving onward I made my way through the temple.

[Ochre jelly has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

Thank God it was a small site. I left the dwarves to their devices. I wasn't really interested in the rewards they wanted to give. I sure as hell wasn't sleeping here and I had about fifteen miles give or take going northward to get back to Phandalin and my stomach was starving, I couldn't stop producing saliva. I was nearly going mad just by the thought of the Stonehill Inn. I began my journey back.

[Warning, you have earned one level of exhaustion!]

I spat into an alleyway and groaned before I practically harpooned my way into the inn. "Toblen! I need whatever meat you got ready to eat, I don't care if it's an owlbear."

Suffice to say once I ate I also slept like a rock. God did it feel good to be in a real bed.

[May 25th, 2023, 9:00AM]

"Ya had me worried there you know, I know you told me before earlier what you were planning, but I guess that's just part of being an adventurer huh? So what devilish monsters and wild stories did you encounter this time?" Toblen asked as he smiled.

I softly thanked Trilena, Toblen's lovely wife, as she handed me a plate of breakfast. God it tasted so good. I love meat. I cleared my throat a bit.

"First day, manticore at Umbrage Hill followed by a mimic attack in gnomengarde. Second day, cleared out the whole of Axeholm, slayed a small band of ghouls, finished it off by exterminating some ochre jellies, nasty things. Then, I walked all the way back to this lovely safe haven of a home and that's all I wrote." I smiled as I proceeded to finish my breakfast.

"Hahahahaha! Well that certainly explains everything then. You definitely put in your day's work there. Say though…why don't you fetch a horse? Alderleaf's farm might have one."

"Ha, I thought of that as well, which is why I prayed beforehand, should be here any minute now."

I grinned as a warm sensation spread over the nape of my neck. I excused myself and went out the front door and there he was. Toned, tawny with a gold tinge, a flowing white mane and eyes as blue as the sky. He was…

"Sunfire." I said in a fervent whisper, a grin plastered on my face.

"Master." He spoke forth into my mind.

Oh yes. I was going to have plenty of fun now. "Alright Tolben I'll be back!"

I hopped on Sunfire and was about to dart off before I remembered I should probably look over the details regarding all the quests I nabbed from the board. Ah I see so that's how it was. I soon found myself within Barthen's Provisions! Barthen was a gentle, lithe and tall man, slightly balding at the corners of his hairline, wearing soft reds and browns in his ensemble. He let me know that his clerks went ahead and have filled two crates with supplies as he handed me a sheet of parchment, upon which is written an inventory of the crates' contents: foodstuffs such as dried meat, blocks of cheese, and loaves of bread, as well as casks of ale and flasks of oil. Damn, I could go for a block of cheese or two y'know… Anyway, the two heavy crates were loaded onto a two wheeled cart pulled by an ox.

"The ox's name is Vincent." Barthen said. "I'll expect to see him and the cart returned, thank you."

"Aye no problem Barthen, thanks again!"

I led my "crew" outside the reaches of the town and went to test if I could place living things within my inventory, the answer is yes, I could! For how long would have to be an experiment for another time however. Jumping onto Sunfire I rode like the wind towards the Logger's Camp. Along the way I came across a patrolling anchorite in boar form, thankfully they were right in front of me in clearing so I didn't have to worry so much about collateral, and so the dynamite went.

[Anchorite of Talos Drethna has been slain! 700XP gained! 700GP gained!]

Making my way into the camp was definitely not the sight I was expecting, but considering all the crap that the Anchorites had been trying to pull off here I should've seen it coming. The logging camp spreaded along the south shore of the river, where a dozen tents were arranged on a sandy beach. Near a dock stood a cabin with logs stacked under an awning. Older cabins close by had been torn down to leave only stone chimneys and foundations. A grim silence hung over the camp, and there was no one around. Throw some fog in here and you basically have medieval Silent Hill. I was pulled from my thoughts as the ground itself rumbled and a damned Ankheg burst out of it. I was immediately assaulted with flashbacks to the giant spiders in Axeholm and threw a pack of dynamite at it as I pulled away with Sunfire.

"UGLY UGLY UGLY UGLY!"

[Ankheg has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

Good God they are so ugly it's like a triceratops mixed with a xenomorph had a baby with a mantis or something UGH! Gross!

I caught my breath and dismounted Sunfire, deciding to rummage through one of the ruined houses closest to me. My gut was telling me that the orc punks of Talos were most likely the guilty party behind this. And my gut was proven right, thirteen tiny, androgynous stick figures dipped in pig's blood, inscribed with tiny lightning bolt symbols, and tied together in a bundle with hair. A curse of misfortune and death. So much heresy. I could feel my guts tighten into knots, my teeth gritting together in anger as I crushed them all in my hands and then curb stomped them for good measure. Dammit how many people died because of these accursed orcs! Catching my breath and no longer seeing red I decided to visit the one house that wasn't destroyed yet.

Coming across a locked door I knocked on it and was greeted to the desperate ramblings of Tibor Wester. While he went on doing that I released Vincent the ox from my inventory along with the camping supplies.

"Sorry about that Vincent, you took it like a champ though." I patted his head.

I eventually got Tibor to come out and sign the paperwork and left Neverwinter Wood, placing Vincent and the cart back in my inventory.

[Congratulations you've reached 100% Reputation with Xanth for cleansing the forest!]

"Woah…I'm flattered, also sweet."

It was about eleven in the day when I returned back to Phandalin and returned Vincent the ox back to Barthen along with the cart. I was close. I was so close to finishing all the side quests. Just a little bit further! I looked at the other quests as I entered the Stonehill Inn. Trilena was manning the fort at the moment, green eyes alive with life, her chestnut brown hair in a braid.

"Well would you look at who's back already? Seems that prayer of yours worked wonders eh Arthur dear."

I couldn't help but smile and be bashful. It was just common manners, was I really that "cold" in terms of life…no it wasn't just manners, that was Trilena's genuine kindness, her compassionate heart. A fruit of the Spirit.

I pulled my thoughts together again. "Ah yes indeed, and he rides like the wind too, it's a breeze you could say haha. Ah anyway, would you happen to know where I could find the man Don Jon Raskin?"

"Aha that'd be good sir yes indeed."

A raspy voice akin to what I think whiskey would be like flowed into my ears. A middle aged man, six feet on the dot, donned in leathers and bright threads with skin the color of chocolate with a purple undertone to it sat next to me. A toothpick to his lower lip and a smile on his face.

"Ah good to meet you Mister Don Jon, when would you like to depart?"

"Boy- Arthur yes- ha, I was just about to depart myself so help me I can hear that mine calling my name just like when those dryads were calling for me a month ago! The sooner the better!" He laughed. He had a fire in his eyes that's for sure.

We hopped aboard Sunfire again and gunned for Mountain's Toe gold mine. As we made our way we came across a low ridge to my right, beyond which I could see the Sword Mountains scrape and mingle with the grey mottled sky. But closer in, something was strewn across the rocky ground ninety feet ahead.

"Well, ain't that something." Don Jon quipped, pointing at six dead orcs.

I paused to observe. "Hmm, yes, this was definitely Cryovain, that white menace."

"I suppose dynamite ain't the only way to kill an orc huh Arthur, seems that dragon almost did us a favor here."

I playfully shook my head with a smile as we ventured onward. Hidden among bushes, a tunnel burrowed into the foot of a soaring, snow capped mountain. Above the mouth of the tunnel was a wooden plank with the words "Mountain's Toe" carved into it in Common tongue. It was then that Don Jon decided to inform me that it was his first time here and he didn't know the layout. Fair enough I suppose. I told him to stay behind me and it'd be fine…probably. I was proven wrong immediately as we were greeted by two female wererats in their hybrid forms. Why was someone as beautiful as I cursed to fight such ugly enemies, alas! I could already tell that Don Jon was not a happy camper right now, or rather a happy prospector. We were led to their den, two male wererats, and their leader, Zeleen Varnaster, all in all I was outnumbered, one of me for five wererats, followed by four giant rats in the corner. So be it. "I like those odds."

I threw a tangler grenade at the guards and bull rushed Zeleen before she could open her mouth. She didn't like that one bit, her and the men turned into their hybrid forms and immediately retaliated with their shortswords. I grinned in a grimace of pain as I felt the shortswords stab into me past my padding and chainmail. Made sense, you know, sure they weren't rapiers but they were still piercing weapons. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I felt my abdomen heated up in knots from the familiar pain of being stabbed. Meanwhile Don Jon opted to fight the giant rats himself. I spat my blood in Zeleen's face before I threw a left jab at it, the smite infused in said jab was enough to break her neck in the process.

[Wererat Zeleen Varnatser, Leader of the Whiskered Gang has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

I threw another tangler grenade at the male wererats, managed to snag one but the other did a damn backflip before practically bullet jumping off the wall and stabbing his shortsword through my mail again. I decided to return the favor as I rammed my longsword through his heart, internally detonated it via a smite and then sliced his head off.

[Wererat has been slain! 450XP gained! 450GP gained!]

"Damn."

I gritted my teeth and looked at the remaining restrained wererats. For once having that resistance was going to be a detriment to them, but I did my best to make their deaths quick.

[Wererat has been slain x3! 1,350XP gained! 1,350GP gained!]

…There was a lot of blood, cursing, hissing and screaming. I don't think I've ever seen my stamina bar this low before either, it was currently at fifty nine out of one hundred and eight. Yeah, life is a lot more relaxed with throwing dynamite. Don Jon was bleeding all over the place a bit so I took the liberty of healing him back up with my Lay on Hands.

"Ready to get that gold Don Jon?"

"That was one hell of a fight boy! Reminds me of when I had to fight off a pack of wolves with just my dagger in a rainstorm, yes sir."

"I'll take that as a yes." I was amused by Don Jon.

So we continued onward, Don Jon taking one of the torches from the den with him. We eventually got to the cave where the gold storage should have been due to the plethora of picks and such, however there was no gold to be found in the wooden cart, much to my chagrin.

"Ha, I can bet you my whole hat I know where it is now." Don Jon tipped his hat. "It'll take a lot more than that to stop me boy or my name ain't Don Jon Raskin! Yes sir."

Raskin was amusing company, to me at least. We backtracked to the den and found two sacks hidden under debris. One sack contained ten fist sized chunks of gold ore worth ten gold pieces each. The other held eighty two silver pieces, four hundred and fifty copper pieces, and a pair of "Goggles of night" and a manual labeled "Metals, Minerals and More! By Waylend Ironside." How quaint. Don Jon gave a good whistle and was content. I however was growing weary of exploring cave systems frankly and wanted to get out of here, so I did! But not before letting Don Jon have the spoils, minus the book, he let me keep that for myself. I also gave him the joy of exploring the rest of the cave systems on his own, along with four tangler grenades just in case. My reward for all that, a rumor from his lips.

"West of Phandalin, on the coast, is an old stone lighthouse. Ships are drawn to this gleaming tower like moths to a flame, and are doomed to crash upon its rocks. Their wrecks must be filled with treasure! Maybe even something to help take out that dragon perhaps."

Let it be known and Don Jon Raskin was a good business partner. Looks like I wasn't going back to town just yet! I hopped atop Sunfire and set off for the lighthouse! Roughly fifty miles later and I was there. And it was cold. My chainmail only heightened that fact, especially considering my padding under the mail had holes in it now. Oh well, should've seen that coming, most beaches I've been to in my life have always been cold...I shook my head before I went on a tirade over how beaches in the northern hemisphere sucked. The lighthouse was built atop a barren, black eighty foot high outcropping of rock. Thankfully the sea was in low tide, revealing a narrow causeway extending from the shore to this outcropping, allowing easy access to the lighthouse.

My mood was swiftly soured as a thunderstorm brought itself to life rolling in from the sea. Rain fell hard and the light of the lighthouse shone a sickly green color, like that of mucus or curdled limes. Sure, I could potentially buy an umbrella but it'd just get in the way of combat, and even as an improvised weapon it'd won't do much, so I'd just have to put up with getting soaked. Wouldn't be the first time either. I left Sunfire behind seeing how narrow the causeway was and made my way along, my ears hearing a faint drumming sound as the green light pulsed up high. "I'm sick of all these mother$!%&^*) anchorites on my mother$!%&^*) plain." I was pulled out of my brain as I heard a voice call out to me.

"Ho ho! Well met traveler!"

It was a giant crab, I kid you not a giant talking crab. I was talking to a giant crab. I couldn't help but giggle, I shouldn't be so surprised you know, it is Faerun after all.

We got to talking and Gene the giant talking crab basically ended up asking me to help lay to rest his dead sea elf master, Miraal, whose spirit haunts a nearby cave. Me, being the totally logical and rational individual that I am, agreed to do so. Plus he looked kind of cute in an odd way, and sounded like an elderly British man. Rough-hewn steps climbed a seven foot high tunnel that passed all the way through a thirty foot tall natural pillar of rock. A damp, eight foot high cave encrusted with lichen was connected to this tunnel. This was where Miraal manifested as a ghostly elf with gills, webbed hands, and webbed feet. Miraal was a sea elf, because of course she was. Damn elves and their inclination for micro adaptations I swear.

"Please Adventurer I ask of you, beg even, return my conch to me and KILL THAT BASTARD ORC MOESKO. AVENGE ME! AVENGE MY DEATH MORTAL!"

Well who can say no to a woman's request like that eh. I agreed to help and ventured off. At the top of the stairs, a rocky plateau spreaded out some eighty feet above the water. Wooden doors leading to the lighthouse were rusted, as well as sporting decorative lightning bolts carved into them. I sighed in irritation, and then cursed as a harpy tried to dive bomb me after I managed to not be swayed by her songs, how rude of her. Guess who caught dynamite to the face as a result.

[Harpy has been slain! 200XP gained! 200GP gained!]

Gave something for the sharks to munch on. At least the doors weren't locked despite being rusted, so that was a plus in my book. Passing the foyer I ended up in a shrine room dedicated to Talos. The effects were rather immediate as I grit my teeth in anger. The walls of this fifteen foot high room were adorned with frescoes that depicted ships being tossed on stormy seas, with a dark and terrible god looming above them and smiling. Set into the west wall was a dirty, salt-encrusted window. A stone altar with lightning bolts carved into it stood against the south wall. A metal rod descended from the ceiling above the altar, splitting in two before it embedded itself into the stone. I was disgusted as I scoffed. I punched the altar with my left fist and felt lightning flow into me.

[You have received the Charm of the Storm; You are now able to cast the "Lightning Bolt" spell a total of three times after which the charm will vanish.]

"What?" I snarled. "I don't want your damn charm you bastard! By His name, I reject it!" I swiftly performed the sign of the cross over my chest.

I checked my status to confirm myself, the charm was no longer there. My breathing grew harder as I let out a growling shout of rage. Flipping my longsword into a murder stroke I didn't stop bashing the stone altar with the crossguard and pommel of my weapon till it cracked into chunks. Catching my breath afterwards I realized I could've just summoned my pick axe, oh well whatever. $!%^ Talos. I moved onward, checking the other rooms. That's when I met Moesko, the bastard. Covered in giant octopus hide as armor sitting upon a barnacle encrusted chair, smoking a cigar as he held the opulent conch in his lap.

"Get out of that chair and fight me right now you piece of $!%^."

Like a rabid dog indeed he did, laughing and cursing back. Slashing an "X" into his torso he roared in retaliation. My ears popped briefly as he unleashed a "Thunder wave" spell. Teeth clenched, I tanked it regardless as I let out a scream of anger, slashing twice more at his chest. That's when he blasted me with a lightning bolt at point blank range.

[Warning you are below half health!]

[Congratulations you have gained Lightning Resistance 3/100]

I nearly blacked out, my left ear was ringing, my lungs hurt simply from existing. With a raspy breath I inhaled and felt a cool wave wash over me. My eyes fluttered as anger raced through my blood like fire and I screamed again.

"You want a storm so badly? I'LL SHOW YOU WHO THE TRUE GOD OF STORMS IS YOU $!%^#."

Gold colored lightning trailed off my blade like a live wire as I rained it down overhead. The sound of flesh being sliced into and seared filled my right ear as I watched Moesko get vertically bisected in half. He was missing his heart, literally.

[Anchorite of Talos Moesko has been slain! 700XP gained! 700GP gained!]

Suffice to say I was a tad sore and sweaty from battle. I added insult to injury by placing his corpse halves in my inventory and then throwing them into the ocean for the sharks to take care of. Oh right, nabbed the conch as well for sea elf spirit, whatsherface. I was tempted to sit in that chair but I knew my mission wasn't over yet, at least not to me, not till I took care of that light upstairs. So up I went. I was nearly blinded by the light from the beacon before glancing away. I bought a blanket from the Market tab, using two rusty shortswords as holding pins as I worked everything into the slits and railing of the beacon's cage. Taking a moment to breathe I firmly grasped my sword and stabbed it into the core of the beacon, hearing a sickening squelch noise followed by a muffled explosion as the light vanished.

[Congratulations you have erased the influence/presence of Talos from this area of the Sword Coast!]

"PRAISE GOD, THANK YOU!"

I let out another scream, of anger, victory and relief. The scorn I had for Talos at this point was unreal. I gripped the railing at the edge of the walkway, resting for a moment as I watched the thunderstorm die within the heavens. The faintest rays of sunlight making their way through. My body was so damn sore. I dragged myself down and away from the lighthouse and gave Gene the conch, setting his master to rest. A few minutes later he returned with a "+1 shortsword", how cute. I said my goodbyes, threw myself atop Sunfire and told him to take me back to the Stonehill Inn.

By the time I returned to Phandalin it was only noon. Only noon yet you could tell my body it was the evening and I'd be ready for bed. I completed all the side quests though. That made me giggle as I walked into the inn.

"Arthur! Good to see- Hey lad are you alright? You got blood all over you."

"I fought wererats in a gold mine." I giggled as I practically collapsed into a chair, fluttering my lips.

Trilena handed me a glass of water which I thanked her for. "The orcs are all gone. The ghouls are gone, the monsters, the nonsense, all that garbage, I did it all. The only thing left is that dragon's head severed at my feet. I'm electing everyone in here at the moment to be my witness. I completed every quest on that job board, I will kill that dragon and I will throw a party afterwards for it in this very inn."

"Sounds good to me!" One of the townspeople shouted from a corner of the dining hall.

I let a soft chuckle escape my lips. Seemed the people did pay attention to the antics of adventurer's every now and then. I was tired now but at peace within the inn. It was a beautiful day outside, dragons and monsters be damned. The Sword Coast was beautiful, raw primal land, lush nature and mystery. I nearly fell asleep in that chair as I mused internally. I scrunched my eyes close to focus myself awake before pulling out that book on metallurgy I got from the gold mine earlier. Copper, Iron, Cold iron, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Mithril, Adamantine etc.

Copper was considered a neutralizer of sorts and the bottom rung of the metal hierarchy. Iron and Steel was self explanatory. Cold iron was a type of iron mined deep underground. It was forged using a special process at lower temperatures than normal iron or steel in order to preserve its delicate properties. It was famed for its efficacy against fey creatures and was also effective against fiend typed creatures as well. Cold iron weapons normally cost twice as much as their standard counterparts, and enchanting them cost an extra two thousand gold pieces. Furthermore, cold iron was known to be forged into thick manacles, used to restrain magic users such as wizards, warlocks, sorcerers, etc, containing their magical abilities. Such manacles were also known to be used on the fey themselves as well to similar effect. And as far as I could tell Phandalin was the leading source and producer of cold iron. How sweet!

Next was silver, we all knew the fame and glory of silver. To create a silver weapon, the silver was often bonded to a steel weapon. This was a delicate process of metallurgy known as "silvering"; Hence weapons made this way would be considered "silvered" you see. It could not be performed with non-metal items, nor with exotic metals like adamantine, cold iron, and mithril. However, while a silvered weapon would harm therianthropes, shapeshifters and other creatures vulnerable to silver, it was slightly more fragile and a little less injurious than standard iron and steel weapons. Silvering also cost extra. From an additional two gold pieces for a projectile, twenty gold pieces for a small weapon, ninety gold pieces for a one handed weapon, and one hundred and eighty gold pieces for a two handed weapon. Furthermore, if treated magically and used to craft armor, silver weighed as much as steel while it also gained a level of resistance to lightning and poison.

Gold was prized by many wizards for its properties and ease of being instilled with magic. If refined and treated with the right magical processes, gold could become as hard as steel and used to forge effective armor and weapons, which could hold a number of enchantments, even those that conflicted one another. While it offered significant protection against fire and acid by virtue of being gold alone, golden armor was twice as heavy as steel and more encumbering.

And the one above Gold itself, Platinum. Due to its malleability, platinum's rigidity would be magically altered when crafting weapons and armor so that it more resembled steel. Platinum was used in crafting weapons to symbolize rank and for additional protection or to inflict more damage. Platinum weapons would be heavy and somewhat unwieldy but were crafted in such a way as to symbolize rank and to inflict more damage. Similarly, armor could be plated with platinum as decoration or for additional protection. Armor crafted from platinum would provide the wearer with cold and thunder resistance.

Mithril and Adamantine I didn't bother going into due to how famous they were as metals, they were pretty self explanatory to be honest. Though I will share an interesting rumor concerning the two noted in the book. Supposedly mithril could be made from letting silver bathe in the light of the full moon while submerged in arcane and/or fey energy. Meanwhile adamantine, while said to be found from meteors and mineral veins was said to also be harvested from the flesh and bones of the gods themselves. Interesting, I'm tempted to experiment with those claims at a later date.

This book paid off definitely, I had no idea that the currency metals could have actually been used like that beforehand. There was also a reason as to why such armors were so rare and considered to be used by royalty as well. A single pound of silver was five gold pieces, not that bad for an adventurer. A single pound of gold was fifty gold pieces, higher sure but not that bad. Platinum however was five hundred gold pieces for each pound. Yeah now that could easily drain an adventurer's wallet. So let's say I wanted to make chainmail armor out of it raw instead of just coating some steel mail. Seeing as how chainmail is fifty five pounds I'd have to dish out twenty seven thousand five hundred gold pieces. Oh yeah now we're talking about a reasonable price. I was pulled out of my calculations by a man's voice.

"Your name is Arthur, yes?"

Closing my book and looking up I was met with the sight of a man approaching his fifties. Straight hair both cropped and combed, silver at the sides and oak brown on top with piercing green eyes. Fair skin that was wrinkled with battle and age along with some silver scruffy beard stubble. He was kitted out in chainmail as well.

"Ah, aye sir, that's me."

"My name is Sildar Hallwinter, I simply wanted to tell you that I appreciate what you're doing, not only for the town, but the lands around as well."

"Oh think nothing of it Sir Hallwinter, it's the right thing to do. I'm just grateful I was given the strength to achieve it in the first place."

He nodded his head at that, eyes slightly glancing as if looking at something far off. "When you return from your slaying of the dragon, whenever that is. I'd like to discuss business with you. I don't want to take away any more of your time. After all, rumor has it that the dragon's sightings have begun to reach the edge of Neverwinter as well."

"O-oh. Yes, of course. Wait you said it's begun to reach Neverwinter now, dammit that's not good at all. It's probably building up courage to attack the town and then aim for the city."

He nodded in agreement. "Time is of the essence."

I excused myself and went upstairs to the room I had been renting. I sat on the floor and pulled up the Market tab. I'd lose my half a million status at the moment but it'd be a worthy sacrifice. Soon enough I had purchased fifty five pounds of pure platinum. I then began to calculate the next steps of action in my head. As a result my body was beginning to steam. I didn't think I'd need to calculate fluid dynamics but here we are. After beating my forehead against the wall I abandoned that idea and decided to buy two barrels instead. After conjoining the two together I bought three hundred and twenty flasks of holy water, costing me eight thousand gold pieces. Placing the hunk of platinum in the super barrel- yes that's what I'm calling it- I proceeded to pour every flask into the vessel. All of this was the easy part amusingly enough, now was the hard part.

I sighed and went into the Market tab, received the free Bible that was gifted in the lower right hand corner and firmly grasped it. "Let faith be the catalyst."

"O Father God, who did grant to Saint George strength and constancy in the various torments which he sustained for our holy faith; I beseech Thee to give me strength and protection the same, if not greater. To preserve my faith from wavering and doubt, so that I may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto death and even further beyond. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord do I pray for all these things. Amen!"

I proceeded to strike the barrels with the Bible for emphasis as I ended the prayer. It was one in the afternoon when I left the inn looking for the town's local smithy. Soon enough I heard the familiar sound of metal clanging against metal in the air with heat rolling in waves against me. Tending to the freshly finished horse shoes and other metal works was Alger Frakk, master blacksmith and owner of the smithy. His hair was as orange as the fire itself and swept back in thin wisps, skin tanned from years of the craft, he looked to be in his sixties or above. Meanwhile his apprentice, Maza Fieldsalder, tended the forge. She was a perfect example of an athletic figure in terms of her back muscles and arms, her bundled up hair as blonde as gold as well. I shook my head to not get distracted and glanced back at the Alger who took note of me.

"Hello there, well if ain't the newest adventurer to grace old Phandalin. What can we do for ya?" Alger's eyes were honestly beautiful, like citrine.

"I have the commission of a lifetime for you all, if you'd be willing of course."

"Oh is that true, right then lad, let's hear it."

"Unfortunately at the moment I lack the strength for plate armor, so I'll have to ask for chainmail instead. I already have the materials stocked as well so you won't have to worry about that, I'll be willing to even offer myself as a means of labor to help the process."

Maza gave pause and turned around listening in, Alger as well was intrigued.

I clapped my hands briefly before spreading them out, the hunk of blessed platinum appeared on my left at my feet from my inventory. To them it merely popped into existence, I couldn't help but smile. "I require chainmail fashioned entirely from this stock of platinum."

"By the gods and here I thought Toblen was joking about you slamming a thousand coins for a room and then you pull this off on me lad. You aren't a priest or some avatar of Waukeen are you? You know what little rumors there are about you already in town suggest you're secretly nobility."

Suffice to say Alger and Maza had their eyes widened, I couldn't help but laugh. "No I am not a priest of Waukeen, neither am I nobility, I am simply blessed."

"Simply blessed he says, the nerve of this man. Adventurers of every kind I swear. Ha…Hm, no doubt you're commissioning this to fight that dragon, just by looking at it I can feel it in my gut, there's something special to that metal. That being all said and done, it'll take seven to eight days to complete."

I knew that armor would take time to make, that much is obvious, but hearing the number nonetheless took the wind out of my sails, especially with a dragon threat imminent. I nodded and thanked the two of them asking if they could start on it as soon as possible, that whatever expense was needed I could afford to cover and pay for it. Alger, noticing the blood stains I hadn't even bothered to wash off before suggested for me to rest up for the day, and that I'd done enough already.

Suffice to say, I was frustrated. I wanted that dragon dead, because otherwise everyone else in this town would most likely die. I returned to the inn and ended up striking a conversation with Sildar, through which I managed to map out the location of "Icespire Hold" within the "Sword Mountains", sweet. We discussed the logistics of possibly creating a garrison for Phandalin when all was said and done. He went on to tell me of how he was actually from Neverwinter and served as a knight before retiring to Phandalin. I joked on how he could be the leader of the garrison idea I had in mind, or at least help train them. This managed to chip through the restrained exterior Sildar set for himself and for a moment I could see a fire shine within his eyes, one of passion and boldness, the zeal of a knight fresh even if the vessel was old.

[June 2nd, 2023, 7:00AM]

Eight days had passed. For eight days I was restless as I contemplated on how to attack Cryovain, going so far as to pray over my sword every now and then as well. The last four days of that time period tensions were soaring as the bastard of a dragon kept circling the skies closer to town, the nearest and most recent sighting being Umbrage hill supposedly. Cryovain was no doubt looking for more food and was finalizing his mind in regards to just slaughtering the town.

Visiting the smithy once again I was finally gifted for my patience and persistence. I had finally acquired the armor I commissioned. Alger and Maza were practically beaming with pride and joy.

[Blessed Platinum Chainmail. Rank; Very Rare.

Heavy Armor; Provides an AC bonus of +1 alongside resistance against cold/ice damage and thunder/sonic damage.

Freshly polished, masterwork riveted, sky white platinum chainmail, includes gauntlets as well. Gives off a faint golden sheen when exposed to light sources. Weighs 55 lbs. Made from platinum that has been blessed by God, and forged by Alger Frakk and Mala Fieldsalder.]

It was absolutely beautiful. It was akin to "Dragon scale mail" as a decent to rough equivalent. Granted, it is much more expensive in my opinion. It was time, I was ready. I saluted everyone inside the Stonehill Inn, hopped aboard Sunfire and made my way towards Icespire Hold. Sweet merciful God it was cold. Go figure right, I'm going up a mountain to go fight an ice dragon, what else would I be expecting? Didn't stop me from being irritated at the wind attempting to bite my flesh with its chill. I passed a frozen ogre on the way to the hold, it was freshly frozen as well.

Clouds partly obscured a stone fortress situated atop the icy spur of a jagged, snow-covered mountain. Icespire Peak was truly a sight to behold, having been viewable all the way from Phandalin some thirty miles away. Icespire Hold consisted of two separate structures joined together by a stone bridge. A narrow, winding path corkscrewed up the mountainside to the smaller of the two structures, and was the only safe way to reach it by land. It was an unwelcoming path, but not as unwelcome as the hellish howling winds that kept trying to eat away at me.

The narrow trail clung to the mountainside as it twisted around and up to the gatehouse of the hold like a spiral. I was not having a fun time. Though I was curious due to the fact that there were fresh horse tracks already all over the trail as well. The trail ended at the outer door of the gatehouse. The thick wooden door was made of spruce and shut, though not locked. Setting myself off of Sunfire I let myself in. Walking into the stables I found the horses, all four of them, safe and sound, there was a fifth empty spot, I "parked" Sunfire in there for safekeeping. God I loved Sunfire. Turning around to explore the rest of the hold I was soon stopped by a female voice.

"I wouldn't move any further if I was you boy."

Letting out a whisper of "Analyze" my heart was soon in turmoil.

[Name; Syleen Wintermoon, Leader of the Stone Cold Reavers
CR; 3 (700XP)

HP; 60/60
Stats;

Str; 16 (+3)

Dex; 14 (+2)

Con; 18 (+4)

Int; 11 (+0)

Wis; 11 (+0)

Cha; 11 (+0)

Proficiency; +2
Passive Perception; 12

Armor Class/Damage Reduction;

17 (Splint)

Movement speed;

30ft - 60ft]

My first ever human enemy. "Oh dear God no, please." That's when I remembered, I have tangler grenades! Praise God! I didn't need to stoop down to killing them outright. Syleen was lean, with steel grey colored eyes and ginger hair pulled back in a ponytail. Behind her was Runa Vokdottir, lightning blue eyes, chin length black hair, tan skin and athletically toned. Rounding out the group were two male reavers who I didn't bother with. They had their longswords and short swords ready for battle, both dual wielders. Damn, it'd be a shame if someone just decided to meme on them and stop them from being evil idiots. Oh wait, that someone is me, how sweet. I tossed a grenade in between them with a grin on my face.

Syleen and Runa started to shout in anger, their buddies as well. I couldn't help but laugh at them. Regardless I had a dragon to slay so I left and pressed onward. The battle against Cryovain would finally begin.

AN: Alright I'm getting closer to figuring out how to work the publishing system, this thing is weird but I'll make it eventually. Anyway thank you for you patience and your time. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and my insanity. I don't know why the word count is saying 9,992 when I literally have the word count as 10,002 on my doc file but yeah okay totally not tilted over that. Maybe the site is just as sleep deprived as I feel at the moment. Anyway! I hope you're excited for Chapter 3 cause I sure am. I'll see you later, thanks for sticking with me, be safe alright. God bless.