A strange looking gemstone

In Aventuria, a dwarf named Grom lives deep in the mountain city of Nanlodihr. He is a skilled blacksmith and renowned finder of ores and gemstones. His swords, hammers, and axes are famous throughout Aventuria. Nanlodihr is one of five dwarf cities in the north of the Ganalants Highlands. While touring the mines one day, Grom finds a strange green gemstone with odd silver lines across its surface. It could be an achat or an emerald ore.

Grom takes the stone home to his workshop and examines it. The forge's heat causes the stone to move. “What is that? Why is it moving?” Grom wonders, feeling fearful. The stone rolls on the ground, cracks open, and reveals a small dragon. Grom grabs his hammer and shouts, “Don’t move! You are in my workshop!” The little green-silver dragon meets his eyes and approaches. Grom sets his hammer aside and reaches out. The dragon touches Grom’s hand with its snout.

The dragon starts communicating with him via their minds. “My name is Ilduril, and you will become my dragon companion, Grom, son of Groulgrir Bronzedigger”, says the little dragon. Grom was completely stunned at the idea that he was to become a dragon companion — he, a dwarf, would never be granted such an honour; only elves or humans are allowed to form such a bond, for dragons and dwarves have always been enemies. The question now is what he should do, as a dragon needs food, and he will not stay so small; he must think and try not to get crazy because the other dwarves will not allow it. Grom thinks and thinks, as suddenly someone knocks at his door. Quickly, he tries to hide Ilduril in his living quarters. “One moment, please!” he shouts to the door. As Ilduril hides, Grom comes to the door and opens it.

Azilsia Coppercoat, a friendly and old dwarf woman who provides, from time to time, food for Grom, stands in front of him. “Greetings and always a good hammer on your belt, dear Grom!” she begins her greeting “I have prepared some mushroom stew for you with some rat meat in it. I hope you will like it.” Grom nods, “Thanks, Azilsia. That looks delicious. May I ask you for some spare rat sausages? I want to go tomorrow on a bigger trip through the mines, and I am not sure if I can manage to be promptly back home.” Alzilsia frowns, but doesn’t ask further and hands him eight sausages and three mushroom breads extra to the little pot of mushroom stew. “We don’t want you to get hungry on your expeditions, do we?” she laughs and winks at him.

After they said goodbye to each other, Grom goes into his private room, where Ilduril sits on his bed and signals that he is hungry. Grom gives him one of the additional sausages he got from Alzilsia. The dragon eats the sausage with joy and grows at the same time. Now Ilduril has the size of a small cat. Grom is a bit worried because if the dragon really grows that quickly, it will become a very tough challenge to hide him from the other dwarves. For now, he decides that Ilduril stays at his place and sleeps on the ground next to his bed.

During his dinner, Grom starts thinking, “What if I hide him somewhere deep in the mines where no dwarf goes anymore because the ores are all collected and mined? It might be a good hiding spot.” After he finishes his meal, he goes to bed, and Ilduril rolls in front of his bed and sleeps, too.

The next morning, Grom stands up and sees that Iduril has grown a bit more; now he is of his size, like a wolf pup. “I really have to hide you somewhere, Iduril, because if you grow more, I will come into trouble. I hope you understand that”, says Grom to the small dragon, which then nods. Grom grabs his biggest backpack and puts Iduril in it. He also put his pickaxe, mining helmet, food and a sleeping bag into it or attached it to it. Then he gets out of his forge and puts a note on the door, “I am on a mining expedition. I don’t know when I am coming back. Grom” The streets of Nanlodihr are not that busy this morning, so he has the chance to bring Iduril without any trouble outside the city. But before he reaches the city gate, he gets stopped by two guardian dwarves. “Hey, Grom, where are you going?” asks one of the guards. “Mining and exploring the new tunnels”, answers Grom. In the next moment, his backpack shifts slightly, and the guards become a bit suspicious. “What do you have in your backpack?” asks the guard. The other guard checks the backpack and sees Ilduril's small head. “IS THAT A DRAGON?!” shouts the guard, and Grom gets in trouble. The guards bring Grom to the dwarf king Elddumri Flintbelch. The king gets very angry when the guards tell him about Ilduril. Grom tries to explain the situation, but the king is too angry to understand. “From now on till the end of time, you will be banished, Grom. Take your stuff and then leave Nanlodihr immediately. You are no longer welcome, and most importantly, take that enemy with you”, says Elddumri with a very resolute voice. Grom goes home, packs a few more things, and then the guards bring him to the gate. They wish him safe travels, and then they close the gate.

With enough distance between him and the city, Grom notices that now a big and exciting adventure awaits him. Ilduril speaks with him, “Let us find the council of elders. We must speak with them to end the war between the dwarves and dragons, and maybe we can find someone who can teach you how to become a dragon companion.” Grom nods. This will become the biggest adventure in his life. ...