Update (such as it is) on my Dragon Hunter Challenges: How low can you go?
I finally had a few solid hours of free time so I could get back to hunting dragons. Exited the Emerald Graves at level 13 with 6 power, great position in comparison to my first run. Next up is Vinsomer, level 19. I opened The Storm Coast for the first time with every intention of getting all the way to Dragon Island and defeating that electric baddie all in one session.
And then the RNG decided to troll me.
Because The Storm Coast has the highest concentration of Giant Spiders, it's the place to pick up mats for a standard Dragon-Slaying Rune. All I needed was 12 "measly" glands to equip two weapons, no sweat. So, my plan was, pick up Iron Bull for power/influence, gallop down the coast past all the guys wanting to fight, including one rift, until I got to the Small Grove Camp, farm spiders in the cave above, gallop down the coast some more to the Driftwood Margin camp, stroll down to the Red Water front door, slingshot over the top to Red Water itself (because the door doesn't open until level 16 and a war table mission), fight through some Red Templars, catch a boat ride to Dragon Island, fight Vinsomer. Easy!
Well, I never got past the farm spider glands part. After two and a half hours IRL, I managed to kill about a hundred spiders, for all of 6 glands! Luckily, each spider is only 10 XP, so I only picked up about 1000 total. I really, really want to stop farming spiders, but I've tried to fight Vinsomer at level 16 on NM without dragon-slaying runes and got my arishok handed to me, so I guess I'm going to have to go back to that cave and try again.