NPC: Zentas

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Due to multiple options when speaking, text below may not be in comprehensive order.

*You hear a loud explosion and run to see where it came from. You see smoke, dust, and ash filling the air as you approach the spot. You can feel the heat coming from a large cratEL-DB.comer where the blast must have come from. Suddenly you feel as if someone or something is coming up from behind you. You turn around and find the ugliest gnome you have ever seen.*

Who the hell are you?!

*The ferocity of your words causes him to jump* Who the hell am I? Who the hell am I? *There is something slithery about his voice that reminds you of a snake's hiss* I am Zentas. This is my home. You are disturbing my work. My work is very important... and very secret. My patron is Minel and he is not a man to be trifled with.

You trying to bring the cave down?!

Don't be stupid, or at least try to act like you are not stupid. *You feel the biting sarcasm of that statement* I am the world's greatest engineer and extraordinaire of explosives! As a matter of fact, I was just testing my latest explosive technique on this deposit of iron ore.

Your home

Yes, this cave is my home. I have lived here for many years. *The smell of him assures you he is telling the truth* Solitude is my friend, and therefore I have many friends here. *He chuckles at this* I have lived amongst the creatures of this cave because they do not bother me and they do not mind the noise of my experiments.

Your work

My work is none of your concern... but since you have seen a small taste already, I will tell you a little more. I am working on a new mining process for Irillium ore. It is a very rare substance that only a few people know how to mine. The smartest gnomes in Draia have not even begun to fully grasp its value.

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I am very close to perfecting this process, but I need the right ingredients for the proper explosion. These ingredients are very difficult to obtain.

Minel

Minel can be found within the city walls of Nordcarn. It was he that took me in after I was disgraced. *He looks at the ground and shuffles his feet as if he is upset about this statement* Minel is a grand person and has an honest business! Everyone needs special services around the world. And he deals in my favorite service... engineering.

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*You get the feeling that engineering is not exactly what he does* Minel somEL-DB.cometimes calls me his little Pinky. *He giggles at this, but you ask no more*

Greatest engineer

Before I came to live in this cave, I was an esteemed citizen of the gnome civilization. My father was sure that I would receive the highest engineering awards of our kind. I was very close to finishing a probe that studied the weather and the effects of strange atmospheric conditions like acid rain and solar flares.

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Our understanding of these situations is limited because we lack the technology to reach the outer sky. My creation would have given us more information in one day than what we have learned in sixty years! All I needed was to finish the delivery device for the probe. I was given a small team of engineers to work with, but they were not of my choosing.

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So when it came time for the first test of the delivery device, one of them made a huge mistake that damn near killed us all. I was the leader of this team so I was held responsible.

Techniques

Minel says that I should not talk about this with anyone, but I am bored. You seem kind of stupid and probably will not understand anyway. *You think he is probably right, but still want to stick your sword in his back* You see, Irilium is an extremely strong ore. But, you cannot just blast into it or you risk losing the ore.

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The process I have created uses a very controlled blast to lift the Irilium straight out of the deposit without molesting any of the ore. The other benefit of this process is that the bombs will be able to penetrate all types of armor.

Irillium Ore

You are not a great listener are you? Or has your stupidity returned even after I asked you to try and not act stupid? *You remember he already told you about Irillium Ore, and you think maybe he has a point* If you haven't left this continent, I highly doubt you've seen any... it is only found on Irillion, hence the name.

Ingredients

There are many ingredients required to blast through Irillium ore. Saltpeter, sulphur and dung are fairly easy to obtain if you know your way around. But, the most important part of my expeEL-DB.comriments are the bones of phantom warriors. They have a very unique ability to self-destruct and create a tremendous explosion. I have isolated the cause of this ability within their bones.

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This cave is full of phantom warriors so it is an ideal place for me to conduct my experiments.

Disgraced

Yes. *Again, he shuffles his feet and you can hear the sadness in his voice* Many people were hurt when the delivery device for my probe exploded. I was blamed for the stupidity of my team members. I could not even walk down the street without someone laughing at me, or turning their nose up at me. My own father would not look me in the eye. When it was obvious I would never be able to work again, my father

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asked me to leave my home. I wandered across Draia for many months living off what little food I could find. One day, I was passing through Nordcarn when I noticed another gnome entering this cave. I resolved to kill him and take his possessions. Just as I was sneaking up on him, I noticed another man in the cave. The man was Patrick. He also lives in this cave.

Bombs

They are the most important part of the engineering skill! *He says this with extreme excitement* They are very dangerous and can only be made by the more practiced of engineers. They are very useful in combat and can help turn the tide of any battle. They are also great for assassins who wish to be more discreet with their identity.

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Oh... and to see someone... err... ahh, something get blown to pieces is always fun! Minel and I have had many laughs at this.

Patrick

Patrick kept me from killing Nestor that one day, but soon I will spill Nestor's blood. Patrick has shown me some techniques with a knife, and I showed him a couple of bomb building techniques. He sometimes teaches other people too, for a price, but you will have to ask him yourself.

Nestor

*He spits on the ground when you mention his name* Nestor is like the rest of the gnomes who blamed me for the explosion. He is an uppity gnoEL-DB.comme who will soon find himself on the wrong side of the grass. *He gives an evil laugh at this* I just haven't decided on how to kill him yet.

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You can usually find him somewhere in this cave causing me problems. If you want to meet him you should do it fast, because I plan to kill him soon. I caught him flirting with my girlfriend, Caroline. *He blushes*

Caroline

She is the most beautiful woman in Seridia. I have only talked to her one time, but she will surely fall in love with me when I slip her a love potion I am concocting with the help of my potioner friend. *He winks* I listen to her everyday talking to people passing by, and she is so smart. I melt at the sound of her voice. She is doing some studies in this cave too.

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I was even thinking of having Gilrand, the court bard, write a song for me about Caroline. I'm going to call it... 'Sweet Caroline'. Oh oh oh. Good times never seemed so good.. SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD! *He swoons as he breaks out into song*

Goodbye

Be careful on your way out. *He gives another evil laugh, and you get an eerie feeling that your next step could be your last*