Chapter Summaries

He Xi returned from the valley and reported that the ogres had been mostly defeated and a copper dragon lived beneath it. As the group discussed dragons and ways to acquire their power, the sphere He Xi had recovered began glowing and trembling, leaving him to wonder whether it was a dragon egg.

• Morris told Edlin and the others that Dalt Town had organized militia watches while waiting for help from Ashfield County.
• Ulag and He Xi returned to the camp, and He Xi explained that the surviving ogres were crippled or trapped in the dragon's nest.
• He Xi identified the dragon as a reddish-brown copper dragon, and Edlin explained the differences between metallic and chromatic dragons.
• Ryan worried that the dragon had taken his crystal ball, while Ulag denied seeing it in the nest.
• Edlin described how people could acquire a dragon's power, and Ryan voiced interest in confronting the dragon over his crystal ball.
• Zoya's sphere began glowing and trembling, and He Xi wondered whether it was a dragon egg.

On the journey back to Dalt, He Xi extracted Ulag’s Wind of Revival trait and discovered individual traits had their own slots. The next day, the party collected its ogre reward, and He Xi bought Zoya a staff by trading a crystal ball at Hogen’s General Store.

• He Xi used the individual extraction mechanism to gain Heavy Armor Mastery I and selected Ulag’s Wind of Revival I, then realized individual traits had separate slots.
• Zoya helped He Xi fall asleep in the carriage, and the group reached Dalt the next day.
• Nora explained that the Adventurer Guild had run out of reserve funds after paying the reward for the party’s twenty-two ogre teeth, leaving other adventurers waiting for their commissions’ payouts.
• He Xi, Zoya, and Bruce visited Hogen’s General Store to find Zoya a staff, while Grot and the others handled the ogre materials and Ulag.
• He Xi negotiated the price of a willow-wood staff down to thirteen Gold Shields, then traded a crystal ball worth more than the cost and left with Zoya and Bruce.

During the Green Grass Festival, Kazmir provoked Theron for belittling the party that had killed hundreds of ogres, and Ulag fought him while He Xi and the others watched. After Ulag won, He Xi toasted him and the adventurers in Gantgrin’s name, leaving Kazmir puzzled about the city’s connection.

• Adventurers at the Broken Antler Tavern complained that the guild’s extermination fund had run out after a party turned in the teeth of hundreds of ogres.
• Theron claimed the ogres must have died without the party fighting them, and Kazmir insulted him to provoke a confrontation.
• Ulag charged into the fight and battered Theron while Kazmir’s magic and taunts disrupted the warrior.
• Theron surrendered when a talking dog lunged at him, then fled in humiliation as the Female Ranger slipped away.
• He Xi toasted Ulag and the adventurers, who cheered the end of winter and drank to Gantgrin, while Kazmir wondered what the city had to do with it.

He Xi’s party departed Dart for Mist Town in the spring rain as Feyn warned them about the remote town’s weak defenses. Meanwhile, Ryan searched for a casting focus and bought back the crystal ball he had lost in the valley, leaving Dart furious at its seller and the people who had taken it.

• Edlin and Feyn saw He Xi, Ulag, Grot, Zoya, Bruce, and Kazmir depart for Mist Town, and Feyn warned them that the town had few defenses and no Adventurer Guild.
• Edlin learned that Feyn had sent Ryan to buy a weapon, while Ryan searched Dart’s shops for a suitable casting focus.
• Ryan found an Alteration crystal ball at Hogen’s General Store and recognized it as the crystal ball he had lost in the valley.
• Ryan argued with Hogen over the crystal ball’s origin and paid thirty-five Gold Shields to take it back.
• Ryan left the store lamenting his lost money and cursing Hogen, the dragon, the swindlers, and a dog.

Harvey crawled out of the rubble, found a preserved Ghoul Hag’s head, and learned that Velsadorn had given the dragon egg to a mysterious human he believed was chosen by prophecy. Harvey’s attempt to locate the egg with a Detection Spell failed, leaving him determined to find the human and ensure the egg’s safety.

• Harvey recovered from the collapse, searched for the dragon egg, and found that it was missing while Velsadorn remained in the lair.
• Harvey discovered a preserved Ghoul Hag’s head among the rubble and stored the magical spellcasting device in his Dimensional Bag.
• Harvey confronted Velsadorn, who admitted that a human had taken the egg after it glowed in his arms, which Velsadorn took as a sign that he was the hero of prophecy.
• Harvey cast a Detection Spell to locate the egg, but the silver mirror failed to reveal its whereabouts.
• Harvey warned Velsadorn that they had to find the human and learn whether the egg was safe, then showed him the Ghoul Hag’s head and vowed to punish whoever had discarded it.

He Xi and his companions traveled through the fog to Mist Town, searching for Zachary Oss and signs of the mycelium-related illness. At the Song of the Wind tavern, He Xi noticed a wary, gray-skinned figure with red eyes and silver hair, whom he suspected was a Drow.

• He Xi discovered that the dragon egg was an Ancient Brass Dragon named Kozmioko and that extracting a trait from it required 728 Parsing Points.
• Bruce warned the group about Goblins during their southbound journey, and the party repeatedly cleared roadside ambushes.
• The group reached the fog-shrouded Mist Town, where their carriage became stuck and they continued on foot.
• He Xi and Grot found grayish-white filaments around pine roots, and He Xi tested them with Mage Hand without provoking a reaction.
• He Xi asked an old townsman about Zachary Oss, then followed his directions to the Song of the Wind tavern.
• He Xi spotted a cloaked figure with gray skin, silver hair, and crimson eyes and suspected she was a Drow.

He Xi's party investigated reports of Zachary Oss and an infected couple in Mist Town, uncovering conflicting descriptions of Zachary and signs that he had experimented with the town's strange mycelia. The chapter left them questioning who had lied and wary of the apparently unstable apothecary.

• Kai told He Xi's party that Zachary Oss was a short, brown-haired man with a thick beard who had left his cabin in the eastern woods, while the inn's ogre waiter Friday showed off a magic headband that had made him smarter.
• Katzke invited the party to hunt valuable running mushrooms, but they declined; the next morning, Weijia discovered his spell notes missing, and Friday said he had heard a noise by the storeroom wall.
• At the blacksmith's shop, Harold confirmed that Glen and Martha had developed grayish-white skin patches and left town to seek treatment, after an apothecary had promised to cure them.
• Harold described the apothecary as tall and thin, with blond hair and a monocle, and said he had talked to mushrooms near a cabin in the eastern woods.
• He Xi's party realized Harold's description contradicted Kai's account, and Kazmir urged them to return to Fernandez because Zachary might be an insane apothecary.

He Xi’s group investigated conflicting reports about Zachary and concluded that he had used disguises to appear differently to townsfolk. Back at the inn, they found a confrontation over a missing spellbook ending with Siluo'er holding a blade to Weijia’s throat.

• He Xi persuaded Grot and the others to continue investigating Zachary while keeping a path open to retreat.
• He Xi’s group questioned local shopkeepers, who described Zachary as a tall blond man with a monocle, while Bessa described him as a short, plump, bald man in a dark green robe.
• Kazmir confirmed with [Detect Thoughts] that the shopkeepers were telling the truth, and He Xi suspected Zachary had used [Disguise] and decided to speak with the innkeeper Kai.
• The group returned to Song of the Wind and found Weijia accusing Siluo'er of stealing his spellbook while Kai defended her and refused to let him enter her room.
• Weijia fired a Magic Missile as a gray shadow struck; Siluo'er slipped past his [Shield] and held her ghostly blue sword against his throat.

After Siluo'er left the inn, He Xi learned that the town's apothecary had appeared under conflicting descriptions and heard Weijia's account of a dangerous encounter near town. Weijia asked the party to recover his spellbook, and Kazmir and Ulag agreed to help in exchange for access to its spells, including [Leomund's Tiny Hut].

• Siluo'er stopped Weijia from casting, then left the inn after throwing down two Gold Shields for her lodging fee.
• He Xi told Kai that townspeople described the apothecary Zachary Oss as two different people, and Kai hurried off to discuss precautions with Jiali.
• Weijia asked He Xi's party to recover his spellbook, explaining that it contained his teacher's notes on [Leomund's Tiny Hut] and that his adventuring companions had died in a cave near Mist Town.
• Weijia offered to let the party study the notes, and Kazmir demanded that he write out his teacher's spell models before they returned the book.
• Ulag backed Kazmir's terms, and Weijia reluctantly agreed as He Xi recognized that his companions had accepted the trouble for his sake.

He Xi gathered the inn’s guests and promised to recover their stolen belongings, using Beilu’s magical appearance to convince them that help was on the way. A hidden cultist decided to postpone his plans, wary of He Xi’s party and a terrifying presence in their second-floor room.

• He Xi briefed Beilu and his companions on a plan to expose the thief, while Ulag and Grot struggled to understand their roles.
• He Xi told the inn’s guests that a friend in Valheim could track their stolen items and asked them to register detailed descriptions.
• Beilu emerged through a magical portal and claimed she had delivered He Xi’s message, persuading the guests that his story was credible.
• He Xi promised full compensation if the party failed to recover the registered belongings, and Ulag and Grot worried over the extravagant claims on the list.
• A hidden cultist recognized He Xi’s party as a threat to his plans to awaken the Mother’s incarnation and postponed acting because of the dangerous presence he sensed upstairs.

He Xi exposed Katzke as the servant of Zuggtmoy’s fungal avatar and destroyed the creature beneath the Song of the Wind Inn, but Katzke escaped and realized the fungus lived on within him. As Katzke fled through the rain, a silver-haired figure emerged and cut his neck.

• Katzke visited the fungal avatar beneath the inn and tried to move it before tracking magic could locate it.
• He Xi and Bruce drew Katzke’s attention, allowing He Xi to strike the avatar with lightning and destroy it despite its rapid regeneration.
• Katzke released spores that animated the remains and spread toward the inn, while Ulag, Kazmir, Kai, Zoya, Grot, and the others fought to contain them.
• He Xi searched the underground passage for Weijia’s notebook, but found only the charred remains and scattered valuables; Katzke had escaped.
• Katzke realized Zuggtmoy’s true seed had taken root inside him, then a silver-haired figure appeared in the rain and slashed his neck.

Siluo'er killed Katzke and joined He Xi's group after they clashed with a Drow squad in the woods. Once He Xi helped her speak Surface Common Tongue, she invited him to worship a mysterious Underdark being.

• Siluo'er dodged Katzke's spores and thorn cage, then killed him and dissolved his mycelium with alchemical powder.
• He Xi chose the Fragrance of Decay entry and led Ulag, Bruce, and Zoya toward the woods, where they encountered Drow crossbowmen.
• He Xi evaded the ambush and killed the Drow captain with lightning despite his Spider Web spell.
• Siluo'er confirmed that she had killed Katzke and returned Weijia's stolen notes, though she had dissolved the body He Xi wanted to search.
• He Xi cast a language spell on Siluo'er, who introduced herself and explained that she had taken only the notebook.
• Siluo'er asked He Xi to join her in worshipping a mysterious being from the Underdark.

Hoxi Atmesia's status was listed as a level 28 human Mage, alongside his accumulated skills, traits, and equipment. The entry catalogued his abilities and magical items without advancing the story.

• Hoxi Atmesia's status listed his attributes, spells, and Elemental Harmonizer talent.
• Hoxi Atmesia's traits included elemental affinity, bloodline effects, enhanced movement, creature communication, and healing abilities.
• Hoxi Atmesia's equipment included Spindle-Speaker's Arthropod Cloak, Elysium's Mirror of Whispers (2/7), and Penitent's Vigil.
• Hoxi Atmesia's remaining items included Personal Monster Quick Reference Manual, Dimensional Bag Type 2, and Amethyst Willowwood Staff.

He Xi and Zoya learned that Siluo'er followed Eilistraee, the Mother of Hope, and Siluo'er invited them to celebrate a successful hunt with a moonlit ritual. He Xi accepted, while Zoya agreed to keep watch as Siluo'er danced unclothed, leaving He Xi facing Zoya’s loaded crossbow.

• He Xi misunderstood Siluo'er's faith, then learned she worshipped Eilistraee and that the dead Drow had followed Lolth.
• Siluo'er recognized Zoya's connection to the Silver Holy Mother and explained that she wanted to celebrate killing the powerful spore mutant.
• He Xi accepted Siluo'er's invitation to a celebration and agreed to help buy wine, while Zoya agreed to guard the ritual.
• Siluo'er revealed that she would shed her clothes to dance in the moonlight, and Zoya agreed to keep watch with a hand crossbow.
• Ulag offered to join the ritual, but Siluo'er dismissed him and said a dwarf could not master moonlit dancing.

He Xi and his companions caught Walking Mushrooms in the woods and helped Innkeeper Kai recover compensation from guests who had invented lost valuables. After leaving Mist Town with their catch and Siluo'er, He Xi planned to give mushrooms to Mentor Mirabelle and his senior sister.

• Jiji and Gugu enjoyed the surface world until He Xi's enormous magical web trapped them and the other Walking Mushrooms.
• He Xi, Zoya, and Siluo'er collected eleven Pujis, then left some behind so the creatures could keep breeding.
• Kazmir and Ulag confronted guests who had falsely claimed lost valuables, while Grot's forced smile frightened one merchant into offering five Gold Shields.
• Ulag spotted another guest trying to escape and called him out over his fabricated claim of a Mithril Short Sword from the Elven Royal Court.
• He Xi and the others departed Mist Town carrying six Walking Mushrooms, with another tied to Bruce's back.
• He Xi considered giving two mushrooms to Mentor Mirabelle and one to his senior sister.

Lidona defeated Senior Alex with a powerful Lightning Bolt and pushed Lionel through more training while denying that she was competing with He Xi. Meanwhile, He Xi joined Siluo'er in a moonlit ritual outside Dalt, then resumed studying until Siluo'er approached him unclothed, leaving him flustered.

• Lidona broke Alex's shield with Lightning Bolt and won their duel, drawing attention to her rapid progress and relentless training.
• Lionel delivered Lidona's dinner and tried to persuade her not to compare herself with He Xi, but she criticized He Xi for skipping classes to adventure.
• Lionel defended He Xi's diligence and privately dismissed Lidona's suspicion that he was fooling around with a woman in the wilderness.
• Siluo'er invited He Xi and Zoya to a secluded moonlit celebration outside Dalt, then danced with He Xi as part of her devotion to Midalin.
• After the ritual, He Xi studied notes on Leomund's Tiny Hut while Siluo'er approached him unclothed, prompting him to tell her to put on clothes.

He Xi agreed to send Siluo'er annotated instructions for [Leomund's Tiny Hut] once he understood the spell, then received a letter saying Instructor Fivik would visit within a week. Meanwhile, Tata sensed she was being followed on her way home, and a strange bird watched her from a rooftop near 46 Sea Breeze Street.

• Bruce reported that the area around He Xi and Siluo'er was safe while keeping watch over Zoya.
• Siluo'er explained why she wanted to learn [Leomund's Tiny Hut], and He Xi offered to send her annotations and an address once he worked out the spell.
• Nimo delivered Fivik's letter, saw Siluoer's disheveled clothes, and hurried away after throwing the envelope at He Xi.
• He Xi read that Fivik had returned from another plane and planned to visit within a week.
• Tata sensed a follower as she walked home, then felt a frightening presence near 46 Sea Breeze Street.
• Tata spotted an unfamiliar grayish-brown bird watching the street from a rooftop.

Harvey, a druid sent to find the human chosen by the dragon egg, watched Sea Breeze Street and suspected shadowy creatures were targeting the egg’s holder. After he investigated a giant skeleton in an alley, neighbors discussed the incident the next morning, and Alvin joined the Watchers’ investigation to keep the situation from escalating.

• The Chief told Harvey that the Guiding Dragon had chosen the dragon egg’s holder and instructed him to find that person in Fernandez and help hatch the egg.
• Harvey watched 46 Sea Breeze Street, sensed an evil aura, and searched the house in rat form, but found no undead presence inside.
• Harvey noticed the evil aura grow stronger, suspected hidden creatures were targeting the dragon egg, and began patrolling the street as an owl.
• Harvey tracked the sound of clattering bones to a dark alley, where a giant skeleton was seen by residents that night.
• The next morning, Alvin warned the neighbors and Watcher Huo'er about the owl, and Huo'er agreed to investigate the street.
• Alvin offered to accompany the Watchers on their door-to-door search so he could monitor events and protect the neighborhood’s reputation.

He Xi and his companions sold their Drow loot in Dalt Town and continued north toward Fernandez, while Ryan calculated how many Goblins he would need to kill to recover his losses. The chapter ended with Ryan fainting and falling from the carriage as Edlin called for it to stop.

• At the Broken Antler Tavern, He Xi overheard adventurers recount how a red-haired lone professional had driven off a Wyvern, and he suspected the tale concerned Edlin and his companions.
• He Xi appraised the Drow equipment and found that the poisoned bolts, concealment armor, and scimitar had useful features, then agreed to let Ulag buy the scimitar for 80 Gold Shields.
• Kazmir, Ulag, and Grot sold the equipment at Hogen's General Store while He Xi and Zoya browsed a book stall and bought three books.
• The group left Dalt Town for Fernandez, and Ulag complained that Hogen had offered to sell He Xi's old crystal ball for 35 Gold Shields after buying it for 25.
• In another carriage, Ryan calculated that he needed to kill thousands of Goblins to break even, then fell out of the carriage as Edlin shouted for it to stop.

He Xi read the unsigned prologue of The Picky Gourmet, which revealed a disgraced warrior’s transformation into a being ruled by hunger and his fragile friendship with a kind person. Meanwhile, Huo’er’s investigation on Sea Breeze Street led him to Tata’s house, where a giant skeleton and an owl-headed Demonic Beast appeared as he called for reinforcements.

• He Xi read the book’s account of a warrior who lost his family, honor, and home before becoming a vessel for an insatiable hunger.
• The warrior learned to cook to disguise his monstrous appetite and treasured the friendship of a kind person who welcomed him.
• Huo’er refused Alvin’s offer of dinner and insisted on questioning the tenant at the last house on Sea Breeze Street.
• Huo’er entered the house despite Tata’s protests and threatened Alvin with being investigated as an accomplice if contraband was found.
• A giant skeleton crashed into the street, and Huo’er called for reinforcements before an owl-headed Demonic Beast landed nearby.