Tower of the Coast

Duke Aiden hurried forward, bowing politely before speaking in a clear voice: "Good day, Mr. Hermit. Thank you for your assistance to our family, and welcome to Castle Silver. Having you grace us with your presence is truly our honor." "Good day, Mr. Hermit." Behind him, Chief Wizard Kaushik and three knight commanders bowed respectfully, greeting him in unison. Having chatted along the way, Heloise seemed far less reserved. She simply smiled and said, "We meet again, Mr. Hermit." "You must be the Duke Aiden Miss Heloise spoke of." The Hermit merely nodded in greeting. He glanced around at everyone in the hall before finally looking at Duke Aiden. Those from House Silver in the hall had no idea that in the deep, pale green eyes of the Hermit—or rather, Cassius—they stood as though stripped bare, without a single secret. It was the sheer crushing supremacy of life essence. As a red dragon possessing a progenitor bloodline, even in this avatar, Cassius possessed a life essence far superior to theirs. Duke of the Broom—Aiden (Class Level: Battle Master 12) Blade of Silver—Simon (Class Level: Champion 20) Master of the Arcane—Kaushik (Class Level: Wizard—School of Conjuration 19) Commander of the Hand of Mithral—Feodor Pette (Class Level: Rune Knight 16) ... *Tsk, tsk. As expected of the Feanso Continent where gods and fiends clash. Even a noble controlling only a fraction of a city possesses such strength.* Scanning the information appearing on his panel, Cassius could not help marveling inwardly. A sub-legendary fighter, a near-legendary archmage, and several equally extraordinary, formidable warriors. This was merely the power House Silver had put on display for him. If such a lineup were placed in the Northlands, it would be more than enough to rule a principality, or even crush the Principality of Bosque, the mightiest among the northern realms. Yet here on the Feanso Continent, in Port Victoria—the largest and most prosperous port on the West Coast—they could not even achieve total control over the city, forced to share power as equals with the other three major families. With that in mind, Cassius said in an easy tone, "Heh, worthy of being one of the rulers of Port Victoria. Duke Aiden, it seems your family is indeed formidable." At this moment, cold sweat seeped from Kaushik's forehead. The numerous defensive spells he had arrayed throughout Castle Silver were completely useless before this Hermit. Moreover, he had an unsettling sensation—the being before him had seen right through him long ago, and nothing about him could be hidden in his presence. Simon, too, instinctively placed a hand on the silver sword at his waist to ensure the duke's safety, yet his arm trembled ever so slightly. Just moments ago, he had felt an unprecedentedly powerful aura roll over them, instilling in him a primal terror. "At ease, everyone. Mr. Hermit is a benefactor to House Silver." Sensing the strange tension in the air, Duke Aiden quickly beamed with an appeasing smile. "Mr. Hermit, you protected House Silver's caravan and rescued my daughter. I truly do not know how to express my gratitude. This is merely a modest token of our appreciation, a small gesture of House Silver's sincerity. Please, you must accept it." He summoned several servants and directed them to bring forward several chests prepared well in advance. Yet they were so heavy that the servants strained with all their might just to haul them before the Hermit, where they skillfully popped them open. Instantly, golden radiance flooded the hall. Inside the chests lay heaps of gold coins, tens of thousands in total, strewn with exquisite gold jewelry and glittering pearls clustered like gravel. Clearly, Duke Aiden had meticulously studied the preferences of bronze dragons, knowing they shared all dragons' covetous greed for gold and treated pearls as delicious treats. Even the onlookers in the hall could not help their breaths quickening at the sight of so much wealth. —Yet coveting another's treasure was ill-mannered, so they soon reined in their emotions, fixing expectant gazes on the Hermit. The "Hermit's" eyes lit up as the corners of his mouth curved upward. He nodded repeatedly, clearly delighted with the gift. Reflected in those pale green pupils was the radiant gleam of gold—evidently, even a metallic dragon could not entirely suppress the innate draconic instinct of greed. Yet this was far from the end; it was merely an appetizer. Duke Aiden continued, "Mr. Hermit, this is only part of our gratitude. The munitions brought back by the caravan can still be measured in gold coins, but to me personally, my daughter Heloise is priceless. I truly do not know how best to show my appreciation, so I can only offer these various collectibles from Port Victoria. I hope they please you." Clap, clap. Duke Aiden clapped twice. The hall doors swung slowly open, and maids dressed in lavish attire entered in an orderly procession. They carried transparent glass cases containing various rare collectibles, many of which shimmered with magnificent magical auras: Red coral harvested from the ocean depths, ships preserved inside glass bottles, the tiara of a naga noble, colossal pearls radiating iridescent lusters... Nearly all of these were precious maritime treasures meticulously prepared by Duke Aiden. To his knowledge, besides gold and pearls, bronze dragons—known as "Dragons of the Coast"—favored other treasures born of the sea, and House Silver, entrenched in Port Victoria for generations, naturally possessed a rich hoard. Over a dozen collectibles were presented and laid out before the Hermit, while Duke Aiden discreetly observed his guest's reaction. The "Hermit" admired the curated treasures, his pale green eyes gleaming with poorly concealed delight. Duke Aiden knew he had achieved his goal: House Silver had successfully won the favor of this ancient bronze dragon. The Hermit remarked with a sigh of appreciation, "It seems Port Victoria is indeed the most prosperous port city of our time, and House Silver's wealth is truly profound. In that case, it would be remiss of me to refuse your goodwill. I shall accept these gifts. If you ever need my aid, have Miss Heloise toss that coin." Duke Aiden exchanged a glance with his daughter, and Heloise stepped forward promptly, asking softly, "Mr. Hermit, there is still something I wished to ask of you... Do you know who those cultists who ambushed us—those who called themselves followers of the 'God of Dominion'—truly were?" The Hermit let out a scoff. "Hah, merely a swarm of vermin who overrate their own strength. They don't even realize their minds have been ensnared—utterly laughable. But by ordinary conventions, they would be called... puppets of the mind flayers." "Mind flayers?" Upon hearing the name, Kaushik, standing nearby, blanched visibly, his expression changing drastically. He had studied the knowledge of the multiverse systematically under Trafalanlo and knew well how evil and dangerous these creatures were. Pulling up fragments of memory from his library-like mind, Kaushik recalled in detail: Mind flayers, also known as illithids, meant "mind plunderer" or "mind enslaver" in Undercommon, and were sometimes referred to by the githyanki as *ghaik* (brain-eating bastards). They were cruel aberrations feared by countless sentient beings across the multiverse for their formidable psionics. Mind flayers extracted and consumed the brains of living victims, thereby devouring their personas. These aberrations typically dwelt in twisted lairs deep within the Underdark, seeking to dominate all other forms of life and controlling their minds to render them docile thralls. Kaushik could not help muttering under his breath, "Mind flayers... How could they appear on the surface world?" The Hermit glanced at him and said meaningfully, "Young wizard, the history of those vermin is far older than you know, and their greed stretches far beyond your imagination. Four hundred years ago, I destroyed one of their nautiloid warships and learned of their grand design." Hearing these startling revelations, Duke Aiden furrowed his brows, his expression growing increasingly solemn. "Mr. Hermit, the objective of these mind flayers... is it Port Victoria?" The Hermit said indifferently, "You could say that, but it goes far beyond. And that is one of the reasons I came to Port Victoria." Duke Aiden said, "Mr. Hermit, House Silver will provide everything within our power. We only hope you will cooperate with us to exterminate these monsters." The Hermit replied, "Certainly. However, you will first need to find me a place to stay. Heh, I originally planned to return to my lodgings in Port Tarr, but who would have thought... the entire place sank straight into the sea." Duke Aiden quickly said, "Of course, Mr. Hermit. We shall construct a manor for you in the finest district of the Upper City, allowing you to enjoy Port Victoria's most splendid ocean view..." The Hermit shook his head in refusal. "No need. The Upper City is filled with clergy and nobles; it would be rather dull, and I would have no contact with diverse walks of life." "Then your intention is...?" Looking out the window at the ships coming and going in the harbor, the corners of the Hermit's mouth twitched upward. "How about this: I need House Silver to build me a tower in the most chaotic, lawless corner of the Lower City. Call it... the Tower of the Coast." Duke Aiden agreed at once. "Yes, Mr. Hermit. Ten days. Give us ten days, and we will erect a tower for you in the Lower City." Inwardly, however, he chuckled, silently mourning for the chaotic underworld forces entrenched in the Lower City. An ancient bronze dragon with a fierce sense of justice taking up residence in the chaotic Lower City would surely give those thieves and cultists more than they could chew. Yet regarding those ancient and wicked mind flayers, Duke Aiden remained on high alert—what were they plotting? To go so far as attempting to kidnap his only daughter? Suddenly, the Hermit spoke again, cutting through his reverie: "By the way, Duke Aiden, do not forget to transport all these treasures into the tower." Having said that, the Hermit tore open a spatial rift and vanished from the hall, leaving Duke Aiden standing there between tears and laughter. A dragon through and through, after all. ... Port Victoria remained a bustling, clamorous hub, with merchant fleets arriving and departing in an unbroken stream. Yet rumors began circulating within the city: Duke Aiden's only daughter, Heloise, had been ambushed by cultists, throwing the duke into a towering fury. The renowned Blade of Silver and the duke's confidant, Simon Amorim, personally led several hundred elite mercenaries toward Port Victoria's most chaotic neighborhood: the Wilson District. Just as the various factions within the Wilson District were gripped with dread, convinced a massive purge was imminent, the mercenaries instead began construction work in the district, leaving everyone thoroughly bewildered. Several days later, an exquisite and handsome blue tower stood tall in the Wilson District, bearing the plaque "Tower of the Coast"—standing in stark contrast to the low, dilapidated buildings of the Lower City. Mercenaries of the Hand of Mithral escorted massive amounts of gold and treasure, stowing it all inside the tower, which stoked the greed of the surrounding thieves and gangs. Once all was completed, the Hand of Mithral mercenaries withdrew entirely, leaving behind only a handful of defenseless servants and a grey-robed man. Even though this was likely Duke Aiden's treasure, faced with a seemingly lax defense and such dazzling riches, the local cutthroats could not restrain their covetous appetites. Several gangs and cults even joined forces, pulling in a group of the Undying, plotting to storm the tower together and divide its abundant hoard. Yet after a particularly tempestuous night filled with lightning and thunder—when fishermen cursed the Sea Queen's fickle moods—heaps of ash were found piled before the gates of the Tower of the Coast, with servants laboriously sweeping them away. And the people of the Wilson District discovered to their amazement that the cults and gangs that had planned to raid the tower had vanished without a trace, never to be seen again. Consequently, another rumor began to spread: the master of the coastal tower, the man calling himself the "Hermit," was an immensely powerful wizard. Some even swore that a terrifying dragon dwelled within, though most people scoffed at the claim. As the largest port in Silvermoon Bay, Port Victoria was exceptionally cosmopolitan; people had long grown accustomed to non-human races such as orcs, dwarves, elves, and even nagas. Soon, the residents of the Wilson District grew used to the presence of the Tower of the Coast, treating it as a pawnshop that took in marine treasures, as well as a place to purchase intelligence. Those most enthusiastic about the tower, however, were the Undying. They often entered in packs to accept quests from the mysterious Hermit. To these players who had chosen Port Victoria as their spawn point, the "Hermit" of the Tower of the Coast had clearly become the most mysterious and crucial NPC. Standing on the top floor of the Tower of the Coast, gazing out the window at the harbor crowded with ships, Cassius narrowed his eyes slightly. *According to the original trajectory, the Cult of the God of Dominion was supposed to kidnap Heloise, using her to coerce Duke Aiden and gradually seize control of Port Victoria's armed forces.* *Now that I've rescued House Silver's caravan, let's see... what other tricks they have up their sleeve.*