None could discern the identity of Count Karyel's "old friend," but the vampire soon unraveled the enigma himself with a pointed question.
"We vampires have resided here for a century, seldom troubling the townsfolk. You must know what sustains our existence, yes?"
Vampires, too, require sustenance and monetary resources. This was not surprising. Beyond the ornate furnishings, as a mage, Karyel inevitably needed funds for his arcane research. The method by which Count Karyel earned his livelihood was becoming increasingly clear.
"You are involved in smuggling."
"We prefer to call it free trade—this is also why I wish to depart. Just take a look at this."
The vampire tossed two daggers to the group, which Finn and Eirich caught, examining them closely. Eirich scrutinized the craftsmanship and then turned to show his dwarven companion. Uncertain, he finally spoke.
"The metal used to forge this dagger… is it King's Dust?"
"And this one, if I'm not mistaken, is made of Talstian Alloy," Finn interjected. "I've only heard tales of weapons crafted from such metal, but I have never seen one. These materials are excessively valuable and rare, to the extent that many believe the knowledge of their crafting has been lost."
"Foolish notions—both metals continue to be produced to this day, and Dagger Valley serves as a hub for the trade of these precious materials."
"Dagger Valley?" Finn immediately sensed the inconsistency. "That doesn't add up; Dagger Valley is primarily a smuggling hub, with goods originating from Santir Fortress. Before now, they mostly dealt in dwarven weapons. But if memory serves, both King's Dust and Talstian Alloy are creations of the Gnomish metal masters; they belong to the Gnomes."
The metal master, Flandar Steelhide, was the Gnomish deity of craftsmanship, celebrated for producing exceptional steel. His achievements in metallurgy rivaled those of the Dwarven pantheon, and he was the inventor of these two invaluable alloys. Yet, only his priests were privy to his intricate techniques. Although Dwarves maintained a reasonably amicable relationship with Gnomes, there was no precedent for worshipping Gnomish deities.
These materials could only be crafted by Gnomes, so why would their creations end up in Dagger Valley?
"Indeed, they are Gnomish in origin. The reason for their presence in Dagger Valley is rather straightforward. When it comes to mining, the first name that springs to mind across the continent is the Gnomes. They excel at extraction far beyond Santir Fortress—surely, you can concede that?"
"I would argue they are inferior to the Kobolds," Finn replied cunningly, engaging in the age-old debate regarding the respective mining skills of Gnomes and Kobolds. Yet, Finn's remark was clearly meant to provoke.
While Santir Fortress turned a blind eye to smugglers, the fact that these smugglers exploited their channels to transport priceless contraband left him somewhat irate.
"Kobolds cannot endure the northern chill, yet Gnomes can. The White Peaks are home to a community of Gnomes: they mine, forge metals, and have established their own city, Faharn."
"The White Peaks?" This location caught Finn off guard.
The White Peaks lay to the north of the Steedgrass Prairie, separating it from the Land of Torment. Before the weather warmed, it served as the boundary between snow-capped mountains and grasslands, earning its name for the perpetual snowfall atop its summits—a true snow-covered mountain.
Building a city in such a remote region seemed excessive for these Gnomes.
"How do they forge in such a place?"
A nearby Dwarven warrior could not help but interject, for as a Dwarf, he possessed a deeper understanding of metallurgy than most. However, the vampire glanced at him and earnestly replied.
"They raise dragons—two dragons, in fact: one blue and one red. In truth, only dragons can enable them to forge alloys. The creation of these two alloys requires conditions like lightning and dragonfire, which are not easily attainable."
Raising dragons… this certainly could resolve the issue.
"Yet, you mentioned a change in circumstances; does that refer to the disruption of these goods' distribution channels?"
Finally breaking his silence, Eirich inquired, and the vampire nodded, sighing. "Indeed. Previously, supplies from the Gnomes of the White Peaks were transported through the Border Forest to Dagger Valley for trade. After all, Crow's Hollow is heavily fortified, and the Sea of Moons City-States has always maintained an understanding regarding northern defenses. This was our primary source of income; selling common swords and provisions barely yields a profit. But now… times have changed."
"The northern lands have thawed," Eirich interjected swiftly.
"Precisely; the north has warmed, and the Sea of Moons has expanded northward. With a mixed populace in the north, competition among city-states has intensified, resulting in an abundance of trade routes. Dagger Valley is no longer the sole option for the Gnomes. They now possess alternatives and seek righteous partners—how can vampires be seen as righteous?"
The vampire scoffed, continuing, "Compared to the diversion of regular supplies, this represents our most vital source of income. Without this revenue, survival becomes incredibly challenging, not to mention… while the Gnomes shout for justice, they betray their allies. We must teach them a lesson."
Perhaps the latter concern was of greater importance, Lynn thought to himself.
"So, you lured us here," Eirich deduced the chain of events. "In the event you cannot locate the artifact and intend to leave, you plan to kill the priests of both factions to attract the attention of their respective churches. Since you can no longer profit from smuggling, you've resolved to wreck the operation. Consequently, the White Peaks will attract the attention of various adventurers, and the Gnomish city may well face destruction—are you not being rather vicious?"
"Do we have an obligation to keep Gnomes' secrets?" The vampire countered, prompting Eirich to fall silent. They approached matters differently; in the vampire's lexicon, there was no concept of amicable separation; betrayal was the norm.
"Is this why you destroyed the minecart?" At this moment, Lynn interjected, "Was it to sever our escape route?"
"Wasn't that your doing?" The vampire appeared momentarily taken aback. "I merely trapped you here; why would I destroy the minecart?"
Both sides exchanged glances, their expressions shifting. If they hadn't been responsible, then who had?
"I have one more question: you sold King's Dust and Talstian Alloy to the south, but why is there no trace of them in Komir and the Valley? Even Eirich and Finn consider these to be legendary metals, clearly indicating they have not been seen in a long time…" Lynn's expression grew serious. "Whom did you sell the goods to?"