Chapter 2 preamble

When Thiberdorf Panter and his Warhammer army arrived in Icewind Dale, bringing news of the death of the first and ninth King of Mithril Hall, Gundaron Warhammer, I knew Bruno will have to return home once again to carry on the mantle of his ancestors.Like most dwarves, Bruenor understood that his responsibilities as king were more important than anything else, and he had no choice. After receiving Gundaron Warhammer's obituary, Bruno's face was very sad, and it was not entirely because of the death of the former king.Gundaron outlived any dwarf.He did grieve the loss of an ancestor he had only recently known, but that was not the main reason he grieved for so long.I know what bothers Bruno the most, the duty to the tribe that forces him to return to his routine.

I knew right away that I would be with him, but I also knew I couldn't stay too long in the safety of Mithril Hall.What I have chosen is destined to be a road of adventure.I finally realized this when Gundaron returned to the Warhammer Clan after the battle against the drow.It seemed like peace had come to our little group, but I soon learned that it would be a double-edged sword. Catti-brie was by my side when I sailed the Sword Coast with Captain Deudermont and his pirate hunting party. No place--nowhere that could really be called "home"--was able to accommodate a weary me for long.It made me feel unaccustomed and uneasy.I wonder if I will always choose to run or run.I've been driven, is it because of Entreri and Eriffen?These questions echoed in my soul and heart.Why do I have to be adrift for so long?What exactly am I looking for?Is it for the sake of recognition, that great fame will ensure the end of my past from Menzoberranzan, and my rebirth?

These questions surfaced and often confused me, but not for long.When I look at these questions rationally, I feel how ridiculous they are. Once Panter arrived in Icewind Dale, the prospect of making a home in the safety and comfort of Mithril Hall loomed before us again, and that was not a life I could accept.My concerns stemmed from Catti-brie and our steadily improving relationship.How will life change in the future?Would Catti-brie ever hope for a home, a home of her own?Would she wish to return to Dwarfhold as the end of her adventure? If so, what does that mean to me? All of us were mixed feelings, even shocked, by Panter's news.

However, Bruno's dilemma didn't last long.A young and enthusiastic dwarf called Little Dagna, the son of Dagna, the respected commander in the Mithril Hall army, was also one of the people who escaped from Mithril Hall when the gray dwarves occupied Mithril Hall.He came to Icewind Dale with Pant.After a secret meeting between Bruno and Dagna Jr., my friend was as enthusiastic as I had seen him before, and in fact hopeful, preparing to go home.To everyone's surprise, Bruenor immediately issued a special announcement, not a direct order, but a strong suggestion: All dwarves near the Cairn of Cairn in Icewind Dale, will set out with him to return to the secret world. Road to Silver Hall.

When I asked Bruno about his change, he blinked and assured me that he would soon learn that the phrase "this is the greatest adventure of my life" was not just an ordinary promise! He has been silent about this adventure plan, not even a general goal, and little Dagna is as tight-lipped as he is. In fact, none of this matters to me.Most importantly, I can be sure that my life will continue to be risked for some purpose.That is incomprehensible to others, I believe.The purpose of life is the constant pursuit of higher experiences; striving to become a better person or make the world around you a better place, or to have a rich life for yourself and the people you love in your life.That would give me a sense of accomplishment.

A sense of accomplishment, for some, may be creating order, security, or a sense of home.For others, including many dwarves, it is the accumulation of wealth or the creation of a magic item. And for me, I'll do it with my machete. When we left Icewind Dale again, my steps began to lighten up.A team of hundreds of dwarves, a halfling who didn't suffer the hardships of life but complained all the time, an adventurous woman, a powerful barbarian warrior, with his wife and children, and me, a black Leopard friend, and a dark elf who is very happy to escape from the evil path of fate. Let the snow fall more heavily, and the rain more dense, and let the wind tear my cloak more violently.I'm not afraid because I'm on a path worth fighting for.

— Drizzt Do'Urden