Elden Ring: Try looking away

[Part of my Elden Ring journal]

Unlike the slow stone smiths there are occasionally these spry birdmen assassins that jump out and do capoeira at me, and after beating the third or so (they are paper DPSsers), I meet the final member of Leda's team: a weak and soft spoken chemist named Thollier who sells poisons. On the cliffside path beyond Ancient Dragon-Man invades (and is promptly slain lol). Seriously? "Ancient Dragon-Man"? Could have been worse I suppose. Still remember that guy from Knight Online named "Warm Dragon Piss". 

The mimic tear still rocks!

A dungeon beyond him that features his return as the boss (LOL) opens a path to some jagged mountains but I opt to go another way first to Castle Ensis, guarded by an armored giant! But these are like the ones I've killed before so he's no problem, and neither are the soldiers and casters I sneak up upon. The Carian Knight Moonrithyll IS a problem though as she is super aggressive so I have a fun time running away from her until I reach the next camp site... then I go back and kill her. Fights go very differently if I can open with a sneak attack!

The actual boss of the castle is a dual sword wielder of no importance because she has absolutely no chance against me and Needle Knight Leda, and beating her opens up the next zone... with an even bigger castle in the distance. LOL. I take a detour first to try get a map fragment but fail since it is not in the valley I thought it was and instead end up facing off against a death knight in his crypt. Too bad for him he's weak to my holy great club. No idea why the club is holy, it just is. I'm now level 165.