Mage Legend

Lynch saw not another creature at the window, but a familiar figure—the Strong Snake People. The figure swiftly crossed the street, its black cloak concealing its entire body, yet its vertical slitted eyes and tail betrayed its snake-man ancestry. Lynch had encountered them many times in the Underdark, crossing paths and often clashing; even after the Mage left that dark world, he had seen their traces again. Each appearance of the snake people was accompanied by trouble and continuous conflict. But what puzzled Lynch more was why such a new species as the Strong Snake People had appeared in the Dwarf city?

Lynch had read about the history of the snake people, who achieved great glory in the very ancient past. Their vast kingdom spanned mountains and rivers, and their splendid civilization lasted for thousands of years. At that time, the snake people, together with the dwarves and elves, were an important race of wisdom in the ancient times.

However, when they began endless expansion, they lost their two other major allies, and the emergence of humans accelerated the demise of the snake-man kingdom. Humans learned magic from elves, engineering from dwarves, and even military tactics from snake-people, combining them to create their own culture. After centuries of war, the snake people's territory eventually became the spoils of humans, forcing them to retreat to the eastern marshes and forests to reflect on their mistakes.

From that time on, the snake-people civilization was completely excluded from the major civilizations of Anriel. However, they did learn to respect peace and maintained friendly relations with their neighbors.

This history must be memorized by every apprentice in the Mage Association, but the snake people Lynch faced now were very different from those of the past. Lynch recalled his encounters with them: the "Strong Snake People" were more robust, with strength significantly greater than that of normal snake people, thus enhancing their mobility. Judging by the number of enemies Lynch encountered, the number of Strong Snake People seemed to have already surpassed the usual snake-people reproduction rate. Now, the snake people appeared more resilient when resisting magic, even acquiring immunity to lightning. Although it's uncertain whether their originally unique poison teeth and stealth skills have been further developed, the Strong Snake People have already grown back into a force not to be overlooked.

"The only way to clarify these matters is to see the Dwarf King here."

Thus, they went to see the Dwarf leader the very next day. Everyone was a bit puzzled by Lynch's decision, as they had not yet had the chance to enjoy a few days of comfortable living. The Dwarf palace was very grand, but as expected, the Dwarf King Barrend was not in his palace. He spent far more time in the mines than on any other activities. Morgan suggested Lynch search for the elder here, who was a former Dwarf King, but had long since retired. If the Mage wished to inquire about any history, then this old Weite had a more comprehensive understanding of most of the situation.

Lynch constantly observed the pedestrians on the street, his field of vision expanded to its maximum, almost encompassing the entire city. However, he did not see any trace of the Strong Snake People. Although this indicated that it might only be a spy and not a large-scale operation, Lynch's unease pushed him to move forward quickly to find answers.

Old Weite was nearly the oldest dwarf in this cave, only fifteen years younger than the legendary dwarf hero Blotto Baldric recorded in the annals. The greatest contribution of this former king was discovering the possible location of hidden treasures within Ice Furnace Peak and leading the dwarf miners in the first round of excavation. In addition to being an outstanding warrior and craftsman, he was also respected for his rare wisdom and erudition. His house was located near the palace, as elders would occasionally seek his advice on historical matters.

Because the dwarves often helped their "old master," the stones in front of Weite's door were more even than anywhere else. Clusters of glowing moss and mushrooms adorned the courtyard pleasantly, and a curved path was highlighted by the blue illumination. Morgan held the door ring, gently tapping the round ring stone. Then they heard a voice from inside, "Is someone visiting old Weite again? Come in. My legs aren't very nimble, so I can't open the door for guests, hence there's no latch."