Gerti saw the Necromancer had something on his mind, so she patiently waited for him to gather his thoughts.
A few minutes later, he saw the forgemaster cleaning up the tools she used to reforge the Great Axe and finally found a way to approach the subject.
"Do you mind telling me what happened at Mount Arreat?"
Even if he had heard the story multiple times from different sources, each had a slightly different perspective.
Furthermore, Barbarians weren't the cunning kind, so they wouldn't overthink things when asked a question or a favor.
Seeing Gerti look at him strangely, as if appraising a potential son-in-law, Michael began sweating slightly.
[Most outsiders care only for our steel... seldom our history. It's not much to say. Our kind were born in the shade of the mountain. Many tribes, one people. Raised to fight and sword to protect our home. And for thousands of years, we did.](Gerti)
"..."
[Until Baal, Lord of Destruction, marched on our mountain to seize the power inside. The mountain was destroyed. Our homeland, poisoned. We have been adrift ever since.](Gerti)
"I won't lie. I have heard the story from both the Bear and the Crane Tribe. Seeing you scattered around the continent like this is indeed disheartening."
A deep sigh followed from the forgemaster, but she didn't seem keen to continue on the subject.
Unfortunately, for her, Michael had to persist here.
He started by telling her what he had gone through with the Bear Tribe, which had recently laid roots in Fractured Peaks, and how their warriors suffered due to the goatmen.
Then, he continued explaining about the Crane Tribe's situation and how he found the entire tribe covered in wounds when he first arrived at their Hutmoot.
Without exaggeration, he explained yesterday's and today's events, finally prompting a response from the forgemaster.
[... a good fight. *Sigh* Wanderer, I understand your intentions, and while I personally don't blame the current children of the Crane Tribe, some things cannot be erased by time.](Gerti)
"I am aware. And so is their Chieftain, Ealda."
[Ealda, huh... Last I heard of her, she had lost her left arm.](Gerti)
"Yet that didn't stop her from killing an Elite flesh-eater in a single strike. Sometimes, I am really amazed by how far the Barbarians can go for their faith."
Hearing his words, another sigh echoed through the forge, after which the sound of tools being placed back into their spots replaced it.
[Spit it out, Wanderer. What is it that you want to say?](Gerti)
"The Crane Tribe sends a gift. Ealda wants to meet."
The forgemaster's hands trembled visibly, something uncommon for such a profession.
Turning around while refusing, her words stopped in her throat, and her eyes narrowed considerably after seeing what Michael had taken out.
[I am sorry, but I cannot accept-- This! This is Arreat steel... smithed in the forge of Harrogath before the mountain fell... *Sigh* No gift can restore what Crane destroyed, but I must know where Ealda found this.](Gerti)
"I'm sorry, but I cannot share that. According to her, the ancestors sent her a dream, and she followed their instructions. In there, this blade laid in the hands of an ancient, unwilling to let it go even after all this time."
[Time... in the end, the world changes, and so must we. Stubbornly holding on to some things can hurt our people. We all know this, Wanderer. Perhaps... I will ask her directly.](Gerti)
Michael thanked the woman for her grace and left the ancient sword with her, only to see her treating it more preciously than a Barbarian would treat their offspring.
Once she had wrapped it in a towel and said that she needed to discuss things with the elders of her tribe, the Necromancer took it as his cue to leave.
[ Side Quest complete - Worthy of Arreat
Reward 1: 17,248 experience points
Reward 2: 2,160 gold coins
Reward 3: Salvage Cache. ]
He was aware of how tribe politics worked, and given the stubbornness of Barbarians, the chances of a successful mending of the relationship were close to impossible.
Using his Ring of Communication, he contacted Gonk and explained the overall situation without embellishments.
Hearing everything, a sigh similar to that of Gerti's echoed from the other end of the line.
[Michael, I won't promise you anything, but I'll mention it to my father. Our Bear Tribe and the Oxen Tribe are on good terms. As for the Crane Tribe... we were once close, but after Mount Arreat, everything fell to pieces. Even as the successor of my tribe, I cannot interfere in certain matters. However, it is true that things must change. With how the Sanctuary has been trying to strengthen us lately, I fear something terrible is coming.](Gonk)
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"I agree... I felt it too recently. With both the Nightmare Dungeon and the recent changes."
[That's why... that's why our tribes must once again unite. But it's not an easy thing to do. I'll talk to my father. If all goes well, I'll let you know his decision tomorrow.](Gonk)
"Thank you, friend."
Considering he had done all he could, the Necromancer opened his Quest interface and saw it almost empty.
Only the Main Quest was still there, though, in a dormant state for now. After all, Lorath was still trying to sniff out Elias's current location.
Looking at his inventory, he first walked to the Stash near the weapons shop and stored Raekor's Valor away.
Until the situation was concluded, he couldn't gift this weapon to anyone.
Then, he sold all the other Rare items and salvaged the three Legendaries he had gained.
His gold coins increased by 210,927, and another 3 Baleful Fragments, 3 Veiled Crystals, and 2 Iron Chunks were recovered in materials.
'Finally, back to one million gold coins. Now what?'
A bit unsure of where to go next, he opened the Region Progress for both Scosglen and the Dry Steppes.
Scosglen was already at 1,735 Renown, with only 3/25 Dungeons cleared.
Due to his effort in these past two days, Dry Steppes reached 1,435 Renown, but similarly, only 6/27 Dungeons were registered as completed.
With time running out on his Mother's Blessing, he picked the closest Dungeon near Ked Bardu and decided to start clearing more earnestly.
Since he was in a rush - since hell knows what else might happen in the next couple of days - he prioritized clearing the Dungeon over senselessly massacring its inhabitants like he's been doing until now.
He wouldn't go out of his way to spare his walking experience point bags, but he wouldn't hunt all of them unless the Dungeon Quest asked him to.
That way, he could spend his time more efficiently.
'In that case, let's head for Seaside Descent first. It's the closest one to the city.'
[ Dungeon: Seaside Descent
Description: A cove nestled among a graveyard of ships. ]
Mentally adding how lovely the scenery must be there, he hopped on his mount and raced to the new location.
The monster population seemed at an all-time low, and Michael could still see other Wanderers hunting them left and right, even if it was already pretty late.
Once he reached The Wretched Strand without any impediments, he 'refreshed' his Elixirs and delved right in.
[ Dungeon Quest issued - Seaside Descent
Objective: Slay all enemies in the Secluded Grotto.]
"..."
Feeling like his 'efficiency' might be undermined by the Sanctuary throwing him Quests like that, the Necromancer sighed and began hunting down all the undead Skeletons and Phantoms that appeared.
A new Dungeon Quest was issued when he passed the halfway mark, asking him to Slay two Avaricious Captains.
There was nothing fancy about those two Elites, except maybe for the fact that they were together when he found them.
However, fighting two Elites at his current level was no major issue.
With them down, the system asked him to operate a lever that would then activate the gate release mechanism.
Curiously following the instructions and watching the huge cogwheels rotate, he entered the Murky Depths, where the final portion of the Dungeon happened.
A Cursed Chest Event followed, with a single Resplendent Chest being guarded by a Skeleton Elite with the Fire Enchanted and Vampiric modifiers, so he successfully looted a single Rare item and some gold coins.
Sure, there were two more Magic weapons, but he chose not to waste inventory space since he had only two teleports remaining for the day.
What stood out was the fact that he encountered Elites much more often in this Dungeon compared to others, raising his inventory occupancy to 18 slots filled with Rare-grade items.
After clearing three Corpse Piles, he exited the Dungeon, hopped on his horse, and set the course for a new one.
'The location seems oddly familiar... hmm... Oh, right! It's the location of the carving hermit or whatever. I followed Lorath in those canyons where Elias was experimenting with summoning demons in preparation for his 'Andariel project.' But a Dungeon there, huh? It should be toward the end of the caves behind the house, where all those statues of Lilith were.'
[ Dungeon: Dark Ravine
Description: A Triune ritual site. The screams echo far and wide. ]
Shocked by the description, the Necromancer wondered if it had previously been a Triune ritual site and the Carver had just taken over it or if Triune had 'confiscated' the location after he and Lorath cleared it of its previous owner.
After half an hour, he entered Abahru Canyon, and his MAP alerted him to two potential Side Quests.
Struggling with indecision, Michael gave in and decided to 'collect' them first before thinking any further.
[ Torn Note (Trampled into the dirt)
Shout your rejection, 'No Mother of mine' at her towering statue rift's hidden shrine. ]
Puzzled, the Necromancer wondered if that was it, and the Sanctuary confirmed that a new Quest was issued.
[ Side Quest issued - Reject the Mother
Objective: Reject Lilith at her secret shrine
Description: You found a strange note with what seems to be a riddle on it: 'Shout your rejection, 'No Mother of mine,' at her towering statue in the rift's hidden shrine.' ]
With the Quest's description being as useless as the note itself, Michael threw the note in his Quest inventory and walked back toward the canyon's entrance, where the second Quest Marker was.
There, on one of the rocks, he found a note written on animal leather.
[ Cultist Missive - 'To my fellow Triune...'
Brethren, the bandits of Onyx Watchtower are nothing more than common thieves, but they hold a location of extreme value. We will bring to them the Word of Lilith, giving them a purpose in life and thereby swelling our own ranks. ]
Mentally applauding the guts of the Triune for walking into a lion's den willingly, Michael couldn't help but wonder how many survived of those that went in.
Bandits only care for one thing, and that certainly isn't religion.
[ Side Quest issued - No Deed Unpunished
Objective: Stop the cultist's recruiting efforts
Description: You found a letter detailing the Triune's efforts to recruit followers amongst the bandits of the Onyx Watchtower. You should find these cultists and put a stop to their plans. ]
Feeling the Sanctuary overthinking things, as any person with a working neuron knew how the 'recruitment' would end, the Necromancer still chose to go there.
After all, getting rid of more Triune members might please Gerti, the forgemaster of the Oxen Tribe, smoothing over the meeting she'll have with Ealda.
'Let's see. Hmm... The rejection Quest must happen where my next Dungeon is, so that's good. As for the other... it's further south, so we'll leave that for now.'
Unsurprisingly, there were plenty of demons - though their quality was seriously lacking - which were probably summoned by the Triune as guard dogs.
When Michael re-entered the Carver's House and then the hidden tunnel behind it, he experienced the same creepy feeling while seeing all the sculptures of Lilith around him.
Finally, he found the cave with the huge altar, which was also his Quest objective.
Standing before it, he didn't put much thought into it and just repeated what the note said.
The statue of Lilith glowed in a bright red color, after which a peal of feminine laughter filled the cave.
Scared that Lilith might personally descend, the Necromancer entered a fighting stance.
[ Side Quest update - Reject the Mother
Objective: Investigate the Heretic's Cache
Description: You did as the riddle suggested, and a hidden chest appeared. You should open it. ]
The Quest updated, and a small chest appeared near the statue. Having his Pathfinder open it, the Reaper collected two Rare items and brought them over, completing the mission.
[ Side Quest complete - Reject the Mother
Reward 1: 17,248 experience points
Reward 2: 2,160 gold coins. ]
After the somewhat lackluster experience ended, he entered the Dark Ravine Dungeon and began collecting Animus from the marked Elites.
He was also able to confirm that the Triune somehow turned this place into a Dungeon after the Carver died at his and Lorath's hands since most of the 'monsters' inside were Mother's Disciples and similar people.
Furthermore, he found another collectible!
[ Ornate Triune Letter ]