Perils of Ice Mountain

I'd already started this quest before, so today I decided to finish it as part of my quest for completing all the novice quests. I checked my quest journal, which said that I had to go to Ice Mountain after seeing a gnome run off to there. So I left the moment I saw, wearing an amulet of glory and wielding a rune axe. I walked to the Dwarven Mines, up and past them until I got to the mountain. I saw there were creatures called Icefiends there, which I had never seen before. I continued up the mountain until I reached the Oracle and the end of the mountain. I frowned, puzzled, and then asked the Oracle if she had any wisdom to impart. All that she said was, "Sometimes you're lucky and sometimes you're not."

Puzzling over this strange prediction, I opened up my world map to check that this was indeed Ice Mountain. After determining that I was right, I headed back down the mountain, thinking the gnome must be down there somewhere. Sure enough, I found him swiping a butterfly net at a baby Icefiend. I spoke to the gnome, named Professor Arblenap, and he told me that, as it was getting hotter, the Icefiends were going to go extinct. This didn't explain the net, but he soon did, saying that he was trying to capture babies to take them back to a cold island to save. I asked to help, and sure enough, he handed me the net and I easily caught the four babies he needed. I returned and found him swinging his net again, perhaps practicing for next time. I gave him the four Icefiends, and then an avalanche started.

The earth shook and the professor teleported out, leaving me to my fate. Luckily, after snow piled up the screen, it cleared and I went to investigate the other end of the mountain. But the new track, Icy Trouble Ahead, heralded danger approaching, so I was on my guard. There was snow clumped in patches down the mountain as I climbed up, and the Oracle's tent, where I had been minutes earlier, had blown away! I spoke to the Oracle about the tragedy.

I offered to fix the tent. I then realized that I had no idea how, but I headed to the base of the mountain to see what had become of the cloth covering. The wrecked tent lay there, covered in snow, near the bottom. I picked up what I could, and immidiatly knew that I needed two planks, two nails, a hammer, and a saw. Having my handy rune axe, I cut two trees and headed for Varrock and the plank man.

Upon reaching the city, I went into the nearest bank and withdrew a hammer, saw, iron ore, a nature rune, and five fire runes. I cast my superheat spell and headed for the smithy across the road. I crafted some iron nails, pleased that I would have some left over. Then I had a thought, 'Do I need iron or steel nails?' Confused, I checked my bank, and, thankfully, there were two steel nails. I brought them as well, heading once more for the plank man.

On the way, seeing a bucket on the ground, I picked it up, because I used to always be at a loss for buckets, and now I have a habit of picking them up. When I reached the plank man, I stepped into the sawdust and offered him my logs. He applied them to his blade, cutting them to uniform thickness. Planks in hand, I began the trek back to the mountain. I decided to run, but I dropped off the bucket in the bank first. Unfortunately, my energy gave out about halfway through Barbarian Village, forcing me to walk the rest of the way.

By the time I got back, I had some run energy left over. I spoke to the Oracle, now prepared to fix her tent. I put it together, and was surprised by a visit from Postie Pete. The Oracle said, "I open my lips, and then no dogs bark." Postie Pete, thinking she was familiar with Shakespeare, said "Et tu, brute?" Then she started jumping crazily and pointing at Ardougne, yelling something about revenge. She was very angry. I spoke to her and she said she foresaw global warming in Runescape's future. I guessed it must be Numorf's machine, so I went down to investigate.

I spoke with Drokar, and he took the stereotypical human attitude, that the atmosphere and environment were endless reservoirs to be dumped in to, and that he wasn't doing anything, so I went to talk to Numorf in the mines. He said that he thought it might happen, and Brother Bordiss might have a better idea, so I left to talk to the monk. However, I tried to use the ladder in the mine, but I wasn't allowed, so I had to walk around. I went to the Monastery, which was surprisingly close, and spoke to Bordiss about it. He cracked and broke his vow, saying that he doesn't know where the key is. I think Drokar has it. He also called the machine "Zamorakian." I'm not sure if that was a curse, or the truth. I do know where the chest is - I saw it in Drogo's shop while I was looking for Numorf. There's a hidden catch on the side I have to press to open it.

I went into the back of Drokar's shop and tried to free the dragons or take an egg, but I couldn't so I went into the front and spoke to him. He didn't say anything helpful, but I noticed I could pickpocket him. I did so and obtained a dwarven key. I thought it must be Bordiss', so I took it into the mines and attempted to open the chest. There were a bundle of technical plans inside, the largest of which looked like a windmill. I took the plans across the mines to show to Numorf. I was puzzled, because he wasn't in the room. I thought maybe he had been kidnapped, but then I spotted him over by the cart conductor and spoke with him. I showed him the plans and he thought they might work. We attached the mill to the pickaxe machine and both ran smoothly. We then sent Drokar back to his masters in Keldagrim so he couldn't interfere. Then, Numorf taught me the secret of making dwarven pickaxes. Along with a quest point and 2,000 experience evenly between Farming, Construction, Hunter, and Thieving, I now gained the right to climb up that huge ladder I wanted to. Before logging off, I climbed it. I went up to Hunter level 15, and Farming 27.