Legend: Legacy of the Dragons Forum

hi,

so by one of the battle passes --- Season «The Disappearance of the Mountain Lord» 20.06.2025 --- https://warofdragons.com/info/news/?show=news&id=7169

a collection been added into game collection --- Mountain King's History, 10 parts of scrolls with text of bit of a story, for a chest (https://warofdragons.com/artifact_info.php?artikul_id=47048 )with 500 cooled down lava cores, for 5 lots of random rewards at the shop at the NPC's..

the text is fun, so i read it and leave them on forum here

First bit of the story --- https://warofdragons.com/artifact_info.php?artikul_id=47049

...I'll tell you truly: I just hate the mountains. Since childhood, I've had that fear of heights. I can crawl over a wall, all right, but roofs are already a different story. It's a detriment to what I do, indeed. I have to do my own thing by digging under, instead. But that's beside the point.

Anyway, I have no desire to go to the mountains. But do I have a choice? Down here, it's either that the guards get me, or the old buddies prick me good for all my debts. A dagger to the ribs or the noose around the neck. Ah, I've been bad, I've been sinful! Suffice to say, I've got in a pickle but good. Even prayed to Sheara so that she'd send me good coin. But a thief's prayers are too rough for her tender ears, it looks like. Though... Maybe it was the Goddess' doing that I won that ring? I really had an eyeful for it at once. Well-nigh pure gold, that much was clear. But looking weird at that. Sort of ugly, crumpled. As if a blacksmith was doing it for kicks, not a jeweller. And, should I say, so large that no finger would hold it. Nor a toe for that matter.

So I asked that dunce who put it out as a bet: "Who could have been wearing a ring like that? Your esteemed spouse, perchance? Or your bride found it smallish?" And he goes like: "No, it was crafted for a golem's finger". Alright, I say, now get started with the details. So he did. Told what he knew, anyway. That got me all sweaty. I was sitting there gaping like a fish. So, in his words, it was like...

Second bit of the story

…high up in the mountains, there's the Kingdom of Golems. They say, it's got riches beyond imagination. Gems, gold, all sorts of decorations... But no one's going there most of the time - it's way too dicey. The golems are all made of stone, and huge at that. Can put you on one hand and slam the other on top. But of late, some sort of turmoil started there - they started going to town on each other. And then, some of our folks thought they might venture there. In the end, that fellow barely got away with his hide - but the rumor of treasure is all true. He did get away with a couple of trinkets. That huge ring that I won was one of those. He said, there's lots more where that came from.

I did some thinking and decided to try at it. Put my stuff in the backpack, and my fave deck, and this diary, too. What can I do - it's my weakness of sorts. See, I wasn't born thieving, my sadly departed parents did teach me to write - had a different life in mind for me. So, I like to scribble about the stuff that happens with me. Just so I remember. When I retire, I'll be cherishing these memories. Sure, it can make for a fine court sentence, or a few. But I've already been sentenced anyway, right? Can't die twice, but you sure will once! So even if someone gets their hands on these writings, it won't do that much worse for me. Okay, I'm done wasting the parchment. Got to have a nap, tomorrow I'm setting out...

Third bit of the story

...Alright, this is my second day up in the mountains. I'm creeping through, hiding. Saw one golem yesterday, from afar. Damn huge rockface! I was watching it from a safe place and thinking, wasn't it folly to come here at all? It just can step on me without even noticing. But I decided to follow it quietly. Maybe it would lead me to a treasury of sorts? I was crawling after it all day, just barely avoided falling to my death a couple of times. Cursed myself and this whole endeavor! But in the end, that golem did walk to a cave of sorts in the end. There were so many of his kind there, loads of 'em! All makin' noise, pushing and stomping. Rumbling like it was in the middle of an earthquake.

Sure thing, I was keeping away. Decided to return later. I crept up high to have a good view, ate some corned beef, washed it down with water. Remembered the tavern and all the feasts we've had. Those were the days! Not like now, for sure. Do I have enough supplies? Not nearly enough game around. But the scenery looks nice, of course. I looked around - and saw a dirt path. Walked along it some, then lo! Something shiny on the ground. A ruby! And a hefty one at that. I snatched it up and started off on the path, with no heed for danger anymore. I turn the corner, and then I'm getting scared witless. Another golem! And what a golem: twice as thick as me, and halfway taller. All black stone, and gleaming eyes. Scary like my life. It glanced at me, and rasped...

Quoted from "orrin"

a collection been added into game collection --- Mountain King's History, 10 parts of scrolls with text of bit of a story, for a chest (https://warofdragons.com/artifact_info.php?artikul_id=47048 )with 500 cooled down lava cores, for 5 lots of random rewards at the shop at the NPC's..

in backpack ---> collection ---> instances tab* ,

10 parts of scrolls with text bit by bit* of a story,

for a chest (https://warofdragons.com/artifact_info.php?artikul_id=47048 ) with 500 cooled down lava cores, which can be used* for 5 lots of random rewards in the event* shop at the NPC's..

4th

... I very nearly turned to stone myself. Froze with fear, can't move a hand or foot. I'm looking at that golem, but it ain't moving. Leaning on the wall, spinning its eyes round and round. It kinda dawned on me that I've got nothing to fear. Looked like the old boulder guy was a goner. I shrugged off the stupor and came up to it. Sure, I did draw the sword, though my blade wouldn't even leave a scratch on it. "What got you so bad?" - I asked. It rasps back: "Sorcery... I'm not long for this world now". I said not a thing, but thought that it was kinda obvious then. Then, the golem moved its pincer a little, like he was calling me close. I leaned to it, and it was like: "King... Save the King... Follow the trail... now". And fell silent, the eyes went dim.

I pricked him a little with the blade, just to check. I barely touched it, but the stone husk all went cracked at once. As if it was made of road dirt, not that hardy basalt. Fell to pieces all it once, crumbled into black sand. The wind got up, and blew all this sand right in my face. Got my mouth, nose and eyes all clogged. I edged back, spun around blindly - then felt no ground beneath my feet. Went falling down into the abyss! Barely managed to grab the side and crawl back up. Lucky that I kept the backpack. I dusted me off, spat out all the gunk, caught my breath. And thought that it wasn't so bad after all. Besides, I could say that I've dealt with golems - easy peasy!..

possible typo:
Fell to pieces all it once --- 'at'

5th

... Still, I didn't risk following that path anymore. If that stone hulk got himself enchanted so bad that it just up and crumbled, what would that sorcery do to me? I decided to return to the cave instead - the one where all the golems were milling about. I was walking but keening my ears - and not a sound, not an echo, the mountains went all quiet. When I crept up close, I saw why. There was no one left alive - only bits and pieces all strewn around. A stone hand here, a leg there, now a head grinning from the ground... Looked like they all just got angry and killed each other.

So I'm watching the scene from the cliff and thinking of ways to get down there safely. And then, a voice right behind me: "Stop there, softie!" That, as I learned later, was how the golems are calling all of us - humans and magmars alike. I turn around, and see three of these hulks moving to me. Each one's different. One looks like a simple worker. They make 'em like that to haul stuff around and drudge away in stone quarries. The second golem is strange: all covered in symbols and signs of all kinds. Just plain reeking of magic, too. But the third one came closest - and that one was of a combat sort, plain as day. A huge figure of stone, mean looking face, eyes like slits. And a huge hammer in hand - swinging it at me. I thought, it strikes now, and there goes my thieving life. Too late to pray to Sheara and promise to give all the trophies to orphans. So, I closed my eyes and imagined that I'm at the tavern now. Sampling the good old frothy. Kinda easier to die like that. But my scalp all felt the air move from the hammer coming at me...

6th

... So I blew the froth from the tankard. Even sipped once, mentally. And the blow doesn't come. Then I opened one eye, with caution. And I see the golem just standing there with his hammer in mid-swing. It just got jammed! That sort of thing happens if the owner doesn't maintain them for a while. I jumped to the side, tore the backpack off me, and took out the deck of cards. "Don't just kill me, folks! Let's just play, one last time!" The combat one started creaking and moving some, but drew back the hammer anyway. Sure looking vexed, too. So it rattles to the others: "Unidentified enemy! Target! Destroy!" The worker-like one is just standing there, blinking with its stone eyelids: thunk, thunk. And the third, strange one, even gave a whole speech: "Cognition is the loftiest pleasure and sense. We can always kill - better learn something new first". An educated golem, it turns out! Maybe a sophisticated mage has created it to help in his experiments, so some of the wisdom has rubbed off.

So, anyway, they decided not to hammer me into pulp right away. That was just what I wanted. You open the door for an inch, I'll put a foot right in. We talked, got acquainted. The combat one was called Bambar, it turned out. The worker went by Uchrom, and Fertur was the literate one's name. Good folks, not exactly super smart, but that was all for the best... For me, that is. I shuffled the deck before they would reconsider, taught 'em the rules, dealt the cards. And the game got on...

7th

... Playing cards with golems! Not even Shiz Beer would give me a thought like this. And sure, we didn't just play for naught. Each of them had a sack that they've stuffed full in that cave. Coins, jewelry, gems - they boasted about it themselves. Alright, I tell them, let's start with small bets. You bet however much can fit in your palm, and I bet my sword. Don't you scoff about it being so plain looking. It's an expensive thing, made by a famous craftsman. Cleaves a falling feather in half! They nodded in agreement - even the sophisticated Fertur.

So we started. First, I let them get drawn in. I lost a couple rounds - sighing and shaking my head: "Some kind of bad luck!" But I see that they're getting excited - even though they're made of stone! Then, it all went smoothly. Their sacks are getting thin, and I've got a pile of treasure growing by my side. What do I do if I've got a lucky streak! Not without a little helping hand, of course. My opponents got darker, as if rain's soaked the rocks. The worker doesn't see a thing, Fertur, the literate one, starts getting the idea, and Bambar is just getting mad. Madder and madder! And when I really got them beaten but good, he started gnashing his jaws so hard that he was spitting granite rubble! Grabbed his hammer - and I saw that he wouldn't just get jammed this time. But I've got nowhere to run - except leaping off that cliff...




8th

... I had just a moment left to find a way out. Time got stretched long as I saw the hammer rise over my head for the second time. Some rotten kind of fate, I thought - the same death coming for me again! And then, my tongue just said: "The King! Got to save the King!" The hammer froze halfway down again, and the golems keened their ears of stone. Sure, I grasped at this and told them everything the crumbled giant has said to me.

The game was forgotten. They didn't even take back the lost loot from me! They just stopped paying attention to me, as if I wasn't there anymore. Grunted something quietly to each other, nodded in agreement and set off towards that path from before. I could only exhale when they got out of sight, behind the mountain.

I came around, got myself to stop quivering and remembered what we've been talking about while playing. I've had the time to ask them if the treasury was emptied. Turns out, there's loads and loads of stuff there. The royal treasury! They also spilled that there are some sort of monarchs' regalia. They said, even the most brazen rebel would not dare touch them - such is the golems' thinking. So I'm sitting and thinking now. Do I just grab what I've won and run for it? Or do I take a chance and go down there for the regalia? And I was the one to laugh at gamblers: if you've got a win, take it and get away! If you try for more, you'd get robbed blind. But no - they can't stop in time, and that's their undoing. But that ain't no gambling... right? And I'm not a novice, either. It is worth the risk! Alright, I'll be setting off then..

9th

...So I took the plunge. Got down there all careful, and over the stone remnants. Stepped into the cave. The first hall was empty, but there was a door to another one in the far end. Not locked! Didn't even have to whip out the tools. My lockpicks wouldn't have helped anyway, though I only learned about it later. When it was too late...

I crept inside carefully - and just got blinded. Piles and piles of gold! I froze on the doorstep: breath got caught in my chest, the throat went dry, the legs started trembling. I'm looking around, and seeing new life ahead of me. A king's life! The only catch was how to get all of this home. Or even a small sliver of it. That'd be quite enough for the rest of my days!

It's all quiet and neat around, except the torches are crackling a little. In their light, the gold was all shimmering - and enchanting, like a Phitzell does a Kretch. Who would've kept his wits about him? Would anyone resist? Just be honest! Maybe a monk or a cleric would. But I'm not a monk... I'm a thief and a cardsharper. I walked in and took a few steps on unbending legs. I bent down, picked up a coin and kissed it. Then tossed away like a girl I'd get bored off - back into the pile of ones exactly like it. Then started wading awkwardly, knee deep in gold, like a Yeti in the deep snow. The knees got weak and failed me, I grabbed a pillar for support. The prominent pattern under my hand clicked suspiciously. And right away, I heard the grinding noise of stone on stone behind my back...

10th

... It looked like I tripped some sort of mechanism controlling the doors by accident. And they got shut. I panicked and started touching all of the pillar, but couldn't find any sort of lever. Got my tools out. But what'd it do against the lock made by golems with these huge paws of theirs? I broke a lockpick in my dazed state, then sat down on the threshold. I had piles of treasure before me, but there was no way to get any of it out. Golden cups and royal dishes were strewn all around me, but I only had half the flask of water and a piece of dried meat on me. These coins would've been quite enough to pay all my debts, bribe every judge in Faeo, set up a manor of my own, but... Turns out Sheara's heard my prayer after all. Except I didn't set up all the clauses, so the goddess got her last laugh...

How much time has gone since that cursed day? I don't even know. These thick torches are filled with oil that is so dense that it'll probably last them forever. In the time that has passed, I've searched every nook and cranny, examined all the pillars and walls looking for a locking mechanism. For hours, I was picking through the treasure, tried the royal regalia on. Gold makes me sick now. It's been a while since I drank all the water and ate all the meat. To quench my thirst, I tried sucking on the blue sapphires that look like ice. Chewed on the leather of ceremonial belts to try and sate my hunger. Read my diary from the very start, so I got all of my life passing before my eyes...

Only these notes are keeping me a little distracted now. But I have nothing to write about anymore. Although... I think I'm hearing some sort of noise. Someone's picking at the lock. I have no strength left to leap up - instead, I keep writing dumbly. Maybe these are the last letters I'm ever writing in my life. Or maybe I will be laughing at my own despondency when making the next set of notes. That's it, the doors are giving. Behind them...

and that's all