Two weeks past by in a flash. Wizard could cast simple spells at almost a dead sprint, although she hadn’t got the hang of not using material components.

Anise was making big strides in her necromancy. She could control six undead at a time, she used my advice to use a group of weaker undead to slowly kill bigger, and bigger animals. Her main problem is a lack of creativity. But I’ve been helping her with that. She managed to take down a large deer by remotely controlling her undead over a period of 18 hours to maneuver it into a trap.

I cleaned up the deer and she used her powers to slough the remainder of flesh off bones. The problem was the it wasn’t exactly conspicuous, we were worried about it getting found out. But Anise remembered Wizard talking about some plant creatures taking the shape of animals. So we made a mock one. Threading vines, flowers, branches, and leaves into its rib cage and around it’s bones. Undead didn't naturally expel an aura of death and decay, so with a little dirt nestled inside its body, and some light care every day it looks more like a plant creature. Besides her skeletal deer, she has two zombie ravens, a skeletal dog, a skeletal raccoon, and two skeletal badgers.

I just assumed Rogue was off doing something productive, as he seemed to always disappear in the morning with nothing and comeback with a coin pouch full of gold in the evening.

Fighter was stepping into the role of meat shield I always knew he was. He was a sturdy guy, who seemed to have more talent with a shield and short spear, or arming sword, over a greatsword. It was fun to watch the guards shoot blunted arrows at him, not in the lets all bully the idiot kinda way, but in the this dude is knocking arrows out of the air with his shield kinda way.

And he has gotten very good at it. I almost want to get him a magic resistant, or even anti-magic shield and get him to learn to deflect spells. That would scare the pants off any caster.

I spent most of my time channeling that well of energy within me the lightning arrow I did seemed to take up a piece of myself, so I could probably only learn a few tricks like that. I could however cause the lighting to crack louder if that made sense. I could channel a bunch more energy into the bolt than normal, and cause it to really sting your ears, but it made me super light headed, and dizzy for a little bit. Which wasn't even at its full power. I would be out of a fight for a handful of seconds at least if I did something like that in combat.

Developing the energy within myself had another boon. I grew more in touch with the draconic side of myself. The backlash from the lightning breath was less intense, and I could manifest that power as physical changes on my body.

Arthur was developing into quite the combatant. Given another month or two of hard training I would be comfortable letting him go conquer the surrounding tribes. He wasn’t particularly good at fighting with weapons, but he knew exactly where to hit someone to make them hurt. He had almost a sixth sense for it. If someone had stubbed a toe, he could pick up on it and would wail on it. Taking advantage like that was a huge boon, and I demonstrated some more techniques to him. Throwing sand in his eyes I had kept in my pocket to blind him, clapping his ears with both of my hands to deafen him, and hitting him in the genitals to stun him are among the few. Arthur had picked up on them all although going after weak points seemed to be his forte.

Llewellyn was doing well too. He still ate lots of stuff, but didn’t bite literally everything in sight. I also purchased, or more accurately was granced a parcel of land which I elected to use on that ruined tavern/carriage house, and a few of the surrounding buildings. Only after I bought them from the inhabitants for a large sum. I gave them a couple of months to move out, and find new lodgings so they weren’t out on the street immediately. A lot of the building had to be repaired, but I didn’t mind. Marnie was happy to have me, and my coin purse, staying at her inn.

Today was the day that Amnello was meeting his contact to pick up more Kobold dust, and get into talks. I offered the Kobolds. Refuge from persecution, improved or at least what I thought was an improved gunpowder recipe, and was open to negotiating about giving them at least some of the mountain. That was both a boon, and trap. As long as they defended the cave, and let me go down with some guards every once in a while, they had free access. And any goods they wanted would get a flat tax and that was it.

In the meantime Amnello had been busy. The hardest thing was getting the rifling for the barrels. However Gred had a type of drill used for putting holes into Earth drale eggs. It was close enough to what we needed that with a little work Amnello, and some rough ideas he could scrape together the rifling machine. Most of the rest of the time was spent testing, and working up the firing mechanism, and bullets. The rifle although not as advanced was ready for use. It was accurate to only about 100 yards, but it was a success.

“If I had some champagne this would be an excellent time to pop it.”

I pat Amnello on the back. He holds the rifle close to himself. Hugging it despite how comically oversized it is.

“Its amazing, maybe in 30 years I could have come with something half as effective. But this, this is a marvel.”

He smiles. Rubbing his hand up, and down the barrel

“You know back home people named guns, after the people who invented them sometimes. The Thompson, Luger, Mauser. How about the Amnello Mark A.”

I tell him, with a smile. He looks shocked.

“They were your designs you drew em up.”

He replies. I wave my hand at him.

“You did the tinkering and smithing. I can get the next one.”

His eyes glaze over.

“The next one… Yeah the next one!”

He says excitedly.

We had been standing near the meeting zone for nearly an hour now. It was a near mile into the woods to the north of Amnellos hut. Waiting for Amnellos contact to come. With a sharp intake of breath I feel a cold piece of steel pressed against my neck.

“This one… Who is he? He is not part of the exchange gnome.”

A voice hisses from behind me. I let out a small smile. I roil the energy in my body.

“People always seem to forget the effective range of their weapons.”

I let a brief wave of lightning roll over my skin. Depleting a small amount of my internal energy. It zaps him, but the person behind me doesn't even flinch.

“Smooth skins always underestimate us Kobolds. I’m sure my clan will enjoy torturing you.”

He replies. I can hear his breath still, as he prepares to strike.

“YOU DARE THREATEN A DRAGON!”

I shout. I draw forth my dragon blood, and my hands become draconic claws. In his moment of hesitation I spin around, and ready my claws to rend his stomach. My skin pulses with a faint blue, as traces of electricity run beneath my skin illuminating translucent scales.

The creature, I recognize as a kobold, stiffens. He immediately drops to his knees.

“I apologize blooded one. Had this foolish one known he would not have attempted such."

He tells me.

“Hmph, see it does not happen again.”

‘Fake it till you make it’ words to live by. I look up, and down at the blue kobold before me. A faint white scar traces over his eye ridge, the scales either newer or damaged. Explains why my electricity didn’t affect him.

“I have some things to discuss with you. I am now the lord of this land, the dragon that resided in the mountain has been taken care of. As such I would like to welcome my cousins.

You have a curious powder, Kobold dust right? Sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal. I want you, and your clan to continue to produce this, and sell it to me tax free. I’m open to negotiations if you would like to claim the dragon's cave in order to be closer to the town. Your clan is free to sell anything they want at market, only kobold dust won’t be taxed though.”

The kobold peaks his head up at me. His eyes scan me for a moment.

“Yes blooded one.”

He tilts his head back to face the ground.

“Stand, Amnello has been working on a weapon. We want to demonstrate it for you. So you may return to your clan with the good news of the power you will soon wield. Amnello if you will.”

We had set up some wooden boards with a bullseye drawn in red paint. Amnello clicks the bullets into place. Then lines up the shot using a simple wooden tripod. With a large crack the gun fires and the wooden board shakes. A large hole clearly seen from here. I look at the stupified kobold.

“Welcome to the age of firearms, congratulations on becoming the strongest species on the plane. I’ll expect your return in a month, with word from the elders.”

The kobold walks over, and inspects the board.

“What magic is this?”

He asks. I smile.

“Not magic,but science. This is what can be achieved with kobold dust, and this is just the beginning. In a decade people from around the world will come to kiss the kobolds toes to get into your good graces.”

His eyes light up at that.

“It will be done blooded one.”

I give the Kobold a nod.

“Very well then, I’ll leave you two to work out the rest of your interaction. You can quote him a price Amnello, if you are confident. I think we should work on a few versions of the gun first. Take it out of alpha testing.”

I give them both a wave, and head off back to town. I let out a yawn, so much to do. A week is both fast, and slow. I felt it in my gut this was the right decision, but the ocean of choices before me was daunting still. Fake it till you make it.