Before Drake embarked on his journey to the Whispering Caves, it seemed prudent to gather some information about his quarry. He opened the Codex and attempted to use *Observe* on the quest information itself.
*Notification: "Observe cannot be used on Quest information."*
"Figures," Drake muttered. He looked back at the clearing, but Corvus was gone. "Guess I'm on my own for this one." He decided to try a different approach. He activated *Sense Magic*, hoping to pick up any residual magical traces related to the Sunstone.
The air around him shimmered faintly, but there were no distinct magical signatures. The fire from the Pyrowolf encounter had likely masked any lingering traces.
"Okay, so no magical breadcrumbs," Drake said to himself. "Time for some good old-fashioned brainstorming." He sat down on a charred log, trying to piece together what he knew. Corvus had mentioned the Sunstone was stolen by goblins and that it held immense power. That was it.
"Great. Vague and ominous. Just what I needed," Drake quipped. He closed his eyes, trying to focus. He imagined the Sunstone: if it was stolen from a raven's nest, it was likely something small and easily portable. If it held immense power, it probably glowed or radiated some kind of energy. He pictured a small, golden orb, pulsing with warm light.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Back on Earth, he had once read a book about local legends and myths. One of the stories mentioned a Sunstone, a relic said to be a fragment of the sun itself, imbued with its life-giving energy. It was said to bring warmth and prosperity wherever it went, but also to be a target for those seeking its power for darker purposes.
"Wait a minute…" Drake muttered, his eyes snapping open. "That Sunstone… it couldn't be the same one, could it?" It seemed unlikely, but in a world with talking ravens and fire-breathing wolves, anything was possible.
He opened the Codex again and this time tried searching for information. He mentally typed "Sunstone" into the Codex's search function.
*The Codex displayed several entries:*
* *The Sunstone: A legendary artifact said to be a fragment of the sun, imbued with its life-giving energy. It is said to bring warmth and prosperity, but also to be coveted by those seeking its power for darker purposes.*
* *Goblins of Atheria: Small, mischievous creatures known for their cunning, greed, and skill in crafting traps and rudimentary weaponry. They often dwell in caves and underground tunnels.*
* *The Whispering Caves: A network of caves located east of the Burning Forest. Known to be inhabited by a large tribe of goblins.*
"Bingo," Drake whispered. The Codex confirmed his suspicions. This was the same Sunstone from the legends. It even had information about the goblins.
He read further into the Codex's information about the goblins. They were described as tribal, fiercely territorial, and ruled by a chieftain known as Grimgut. They were skilled miners and often used crude traps to defend their territory. They also had a strange fascination with shiny objects, which explained their interest in the Sunstone.
"So, we're dealing with a tribe of kleptomaniac cave dwellers with a penchant for traps," Drake summarized. "Sounds like a fun weekend getaway." He chuckled dryly.
He now had a much clearer picture of what he was up against. The Sunstone was a powerful artifact, the goblins were cunning and dangerous, and the Whispering Caves were likely filled with traps. He needed to be careful.