"A mask with permanent [Disguise]? Are you trying to fool me with this cheap, low-level magic item?"
Zuo Si raised the silver metal mask in his hand, his tone revealed strong dissatisfaction, and his eyes became quite aggressive and dangerous.
Because this thing has no other function except changing the wearer's appearance. It is far inferior to the fourth ring's [Transfiguration] which can change the body shape and even race.
Perhaps the only use is to slightly disguise the identities of races such as dark elves and tieflings, which are unwelcome in many cities, and that's it.
What's more, the other party arrived at the scene so quickly through teleportation magic, anyone who is not a fool can see that there is a problem.
Ximanmeng just felt like he was being targeted by a legendary spellcaster like his teacher Mansong. His sixth sense was sending out warnings like crazy, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
For the first time, he realized that the polite and easy-going Zuo Si he met in Candle Castle was not the entire character of the young man in front of him.
Just the opposite!
At this moment, his sudden change of hostility and even his undisguised murderous intent are his hidden true side.
There is nothing more terrifying than having an ally with whom you could work together and chat and laugh one second, but suddenly becoming an enemy without any warning the next second.
Although according to the original plan, Ximanmeng intended to use some "art of language" to resolve Zuo Si's dissatisfaction.
But now it seems that if he doesn't quickly take out a magical item of sufficient value, he will most likely die here today, just like those Xirik followers who were killed in just a few seconds.
Without any hesitation!
The man who always tried to maintain an elegant demeanor took off his cloak as quickly as possible, then forced a smile and explained, "I'm very sorry, due to my negligence and leaving in a hurry, I forgot to bring the reward I should pay you. Why don't you use this [Gargoyle Cloak] as compensation. It can transform the wearer into a gargoyle every day for one hour."
"I'm sorry, but this rubbish cloak has no appeal to me. Give me your two ioun stones."
Zuo Si pointed at the lavender and green Ion Stone floating above the other person's head and asked for it without any hesitation.
His behavior is actually no different from robbery.
Because Ioun Stone is a rare treasure for any spellcaster.
It is not like magic rings, necklaces and other equipment that have quantity restrictions. If there are too many, they will interfere with each other.
No matter how many Ioun Stones a player has, they can all be equipped at once, surrounding their heads to provide a variety of additional abilities and protection.
It is said that in the days of Netheril, many major arcana would be equipped with at least a set of twenty-four or more Ioun stones as a means of strengthening themselves.
So Zuo Si has been collecting these magical gems through various channels.
But unfortunately, no one is willing to sell it so far, even if the offer is twice the market price.
After all, other wizards and warlocks are not fools. They all understand how scarce Ioun Stone is in this era. Even if they are short of money, they will give priority to selling other magical items.
Since Xi Manmeng has given Zuo Si this excuse today, it would be a waste of such a good opportunity if he doesn't take the opportunity to blackmail him.
"You...you are robbing! Blackmail!
As expected, Xi Manmeng was so angry that he was shaking all over.
The two he was equipped with were both standard "spell-absorbing" Ioun stones, each of which could absorb twelve levels of magic attacks, which added up to exactly twenty-four.
It is precisely because of this trump card that he dares to move around various dangerous people and at the same time solve some potential threats for his teacher Mansong.
"Whatever you say. Now either give me the Ioun stones or prepare to fight. No one can owe me a reward! Not even the gods! Perhaps you can try to see if these two Ioun stones can help you resist attacks from the special abilities of the Chosen."
Zuo Si acted like a tough guy, with a suffocating feeling of oppression emanating from his whole body.
Especially the divine power that was about to burst out of his body, making Ximanmeng feel as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, and even breathing became difficult.
Finally, after weighing the pros and cons, Mansoon's most trusted disciple chose to back off. He took down the two Ioun stones with a reluctant look on his face and handed them over: "You win! Here, they are yours now."
"Thank you. I am very satisfied with this reward. Also, next time, remember to prepare the things that should be paid to me in advance to avoid unpleasantness again."
Zuo Si, who had a stern face in the previous second, smiled kindly in the next second and casually took the two Ion Stones under his control.
In the blink of an eye, the Ioun Stone became invisible.
Knowing that many "bad-intentioned" people would target the floating Ioun Stone above their heads, he added a magical item to himself that would hide the Ioun Stone from view.
The Ioun Stone is invisible to others, at least until some invisibility spell is cast.
Xi Manmeng undoubtedly noticed this, and he suppressed his anger and responded with gritted teeth: "Don't worry. I will definitely not forget next time."
"Very good. If there is nothing else, I will go back first. It's a pleasure to work with you."
Zuo Si turned around and walked towards the other side of the portal as if nothing had happened.
Just as he was about to pass through, Ximanmeng suddenly asked, "You were attacked on a large scale by the top leaders of the Emerald Society at the junction of the High Wasteland and the Trolls' Roaring Forest some time ago?"
"Yes, that's right. Just some minor misunderstandings. They have been resolved."
Zuo Si stopped, turned around and gave an affirmative answer.
As an intelligence network covering the entire continent of Faerun, it did not surprise him that Zhentarim knew about this matter.
In other words, it would be strange if the other party didn't know.
"Misunderstanding? Could an ambush of that magnitude really be a misunderstanding? Also, what about Dragonspear Castle?
According to adventurers and merchants, a great number of demons seemed to emerge from the underground portal on the night you arrived.
Even including high-level demons like the Hell Fiend and the Horned Demon.
Even the temple of the god of war Tempus was destroyed by the terrifying nine-ring spell [Meteor Explosion].
And there is a man named Marshall who claims that you are the lord of Dragonspear Castle and that he is loyal to your steward.
He also controlled a multi-headed lizard of gigantic size through some unknown means."
Xi Manmeng asked in person all the information he had collected through the dark intelligence network in recent times, as well as the things he couldn't figure out.
This cunning man did not expect Zuo Si to give a direct answer.
As long as he can provide one or two relevant clues, he can analyze a lot of useful things.
"What's the current situation at Dragonspear Castle?" Zuo Si asked with interest.
The reason why he allowed Marshall to use his name was entirely from the perspective of "civilization". He did not want to see the survivors being ravaged by the monsters in the High Wasteland after experiencing the attack of the devil, which would eventually lead to the loss of this important stronghold between Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep.
As for the fact that the Zhentarim spies mistook the Orlanli Hydra for a Hydra Lizard, he was too lazy to correct it.
After all, the Hydra also has several heads, and its appearance is very similar to that of the Orlanli Hydra.
The only difference is that the former is a giant magical creature that lives in swamps and water, while the latter is a terrestrial magical beast that lives in the forest.
However, Ximanmeng obviously didn't know this, and replied meaningfully: “Marshall did a pretty good job.
It can be seen that he is a very capable person and has a certain prestige among adventurers and businessmen.
By manipulating the behemoths you left behind to constantly encircle and suppress the goblin, orc and wolverine tribes, this guy not only brought back rich loot, but also used the captives as free labor.
After a period of construction and renovation, not only has the former prosperity been restored, but a lot of wasteland has also been reclaimed, apparently in preparation for winter planting wheat.
Right now, there were two to three hundred adventurers gathered around Marshall, as well as merchants attracted by the spoils, monsters, and human bandit slaves.
They even invited several priests of Talona, the goddess of poison and disease, to build a new temple in Dragonspear Castle.
But judging from your reaction, it seems that you are not clear about what he did, right?
I'm curious, why did you allow Marshall to use his name?
Do you really intend to make Dragonspear Castle your own territory?"
"No, of course not." Zuo Si sneered and shook his head. "At first, I just wanted to help these survivors. But then I realized that the portal to Baator Hell in the lower level of Dragonspear Castle must be watched by someone. Otherwise, there's no guarantee that those demons will sneak back into the material world at any time."
"Are those demons coming for you?"
Xi Manmeng suddenly felt that he had grasped the key, and a hint of imperceptible surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Sorry, no comment."
Zuo Si realized that the other party was testing his reaction, and immediately ended the topic without hesitation.
After saying this, he ignored the other party's reaction, turned around and walked through the portal back to the dock area of Athkatla.
Ximanmeng stood there, stroking his chin and thinking for a few minutes, then he also cast a teleportation magic and disappeared on the spot.
As for those Xirik believers who disappeared from the face of the earth, no one cared about their life or death.
Even the personal belongings left on the ground were quickly dealt with by the spies who arrived.
No one is more professional than them when it comes to destroying corpses and covering up traces of crimes.
Zuo Si had no interest in the subsequent actions of the Zhentarim. His mind was filled with how to learn the most important seventh-ring magic as quickly as possible and then make corresponding planeswalker cards.
The more he understood the nature of this world, the more he realized the importance of power.
Whether it's Manshoon of the Zhentarim, Fuzor Chamberlain, those evil-minded Lords of Symbols, or Erinikas who wants to become a god, as long as he has enough power, he can deal with it calmly.
But unfortunately, on the way back to the Mage Tower, Zuo Si was stopped by several priests of the Church of the Goddess of Poison and Disease who were waiting halfway.
Looking at these devout believers of Talona, he immediately frowned and asked in an impatient tone: "What do you want?"
"Yes, honorable elect. There is a very important matter in the church right now, and you are urgently needed to make a decision. High Priest Yvette specially sent us to invite you to the temple." The leading female priest hurriedly explained.
Although this "Son of Plague" usually ignored the church and believers, she knew how much Talona loved this mortal in front of her, so she didn't dare to neglect her at all.
"Important stuff? Do you need me to make a decision?"
Zuo Si frowned even more tightly.
Because he had made it clear during his last conversation with Yvette that he would not be involved in any management of the church.
"It is not convenient to talk about this matter in public, so please be sure to go to the temple. And... the chief priest also said that he has prepared an extremely precious gift especially for you."
As she said this, a trace of bitterness and helplessness appeared on the female pastor's face.
I'm afraid no one will believe it if I tell them.
The church of a god actually resorted to "inducement" to invite the voters of its goddess.
But the cruel reality is that Zuo Si really fell for it.
When he heard that there were gifts to be won, he agreed to follow the other party to the temple without saying a word.
The group passed through the chaotic bridge area and soon arrived at the magnificent temple that had been completed not long ago.
However, unlike other white temples in the area, the outer walls and domes of Talona's temple are painted silver-gray, giving it a unique beauty.
The moment he walked into the hall, Zuo Si immediately felt himself enveloped by an invisible energy.
Through these energies, he could clearly feel an incomparable emotion of joy and happiness.
There is no doubt that these energies are the divine power born from faith.
The joy and happiness are conveyed by the huge statue in the hall.
"Your Excellency the Elector, you are finally here."
Yvette, who had been waiting for a long time, hurriedly came out and bowed humbly with one hand on her chest.
Not only her, but all the priests and other clergymen following behind her, without exception, paid tribute to the "Son of Plague" appointed by the goddess.
Countless priests and believers bowed, and the scene looked very spectacular.
But unfortunately, Zuo Si was not interested in this kind of situation and scene at all, and asked straightforwardly: "Why did you ask someone to call me here? What's the important matter? You can tell me now."
Yvette nodded without hesitation: "Of course. Actually, this is the case..."
Soon, the high priest of the Church of Am recounted the entire controversy regarding the unauthorized modification of doctrine and the unusual reaction of the goddess.
In particular, it was emphasized that the small groups of young pastors have now developed into a large group of believers in terms of number and size.
If it is not handled properly, it may lead to a series of serious consequences.
After listening to this, Zuo Si immediately ordered: "Where are those young pastors? Let them choose a representative to come and see me."
"As you wish."
Without saying a word, Yvette winked at her confidant.
The latter understood what he meant and immediately turned around and disappeared into the corridor leading to the residential area at the back.
About seven or eight minutes later, he came back with a young man who looked to be around twenty-four or twenty-five years old with short black hair.
"Your Excellency the Chosen One, this is the trainee priest who secretly tampered with the Goddess' teachings.
His name was Ilze, and he was originally the son of a pharmacist.
However, because his father made a mistake in preparing the herbal medicine and accidentally got the wrong dosage, he poisoned a patient and ended his life in self-blame and shame.
Since then, he has joined the church and become a follower of Talona, devoting himself to studying various viruses, bacteria and toxins. "
Yvette briefly introduced the young man's identity and background.
Zuo Si looked into the young man's eyes with great interest. After a full minute, he asked in an uncertain tone, "Why would you risk such a huge risk to tamper with the doctrine without authorization? In other words, what prompted you to have such an idea?"
The young man smiled bitterly and replied, “You may not believe it, but I don't know why. I just had this thought all of a sudden. I simply felt that poison and plague should not only have an evil side.
It should be neutral, just like magic, knowledge and death, it should be an objective existence and should not have a specific stance or camp in itself.
Moreover, my father taught me more than once when he was alive that many poisonous animals and plants are actually important materials necessary for making medicines.
Since toxins can save lives, why not plague?
With this in mind, I began to learn more about the viruses and bacteria that can cause various diseases and began to teach people how to prevent them through good hygiene habits.
Since there is no need to use magic and the effect is very significant, gradually many poor people from the bottom of society voluntarily became believers of Talona.
No one knows better than them how terrible it is to be sick.
Often a sudden illness can destroy a family, leaving the only man who can earn money bedridden, and even leaving him with heavy debt.
So I think this is a very good development direction if we want to increase the influence and number of believers of the goddess in the continent of Faerun.
After all, the number of poor people will always be greater than the rich, and the number of civilians will always be greater than the nobles.
But the faith and influence they offer are similar.”
After hearing these words that were totally unlike what a trainee priest would say, Zuo Si's face suddenly became very strange.
Because he seriously suspected that the reason why Ilze had such an idea was not due to his own will, but he might have received some kind of "enlightenment" or "hint".
Simply put, this young man's soul and mind were influenced by a more powerful force.
Needless to say, the biggest suspect who can control a priest without his knowledge is naturally the god he believes in.
Thinking of this, Zuo Si raised his head and cast his gaze towards the giant statue of Talona, the goddess of poison and disease in the hall.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that the corners of the statue's mouth were slightly upturned compared to when he just came in.
Is it possible that a chaotic evil goddess would actively plot to change her alignment?
Zuo Si expressed strong doubts about this.
But the problem is that the facts are now before our eyes.
"I don't think it's a big problem.
And as Ilze mentioned, doing so can greatly increase the number of believers and influence of the goddess in the mortal world.
However, in order to avoid doctrinal contradictions, it would be best for Ilze and the like-minded young pastors to separate and form a new sect.
This would allow two conflicting doctrines to be reconciled at the same time.
Just like many neutral gods will give birth to various branch sects based on the believers' own understanding. "
Zuo Si shrugged nonchalantly.
For him, whether Talona is in the evil camp or the neutral camp, there is essentially no big difference.
The only upside is that if the Goddess of Poison and Disease really changes from chaotic evil to absolute neutral, then his reputation as the chosen one will become slightly better.
At the very least, it will not cause nervousness among local rulers as soon as it appears.
"I see! I understand! Don't worry, I will personally take charge of this matter in a couple of days and find a place for the newly established sect."
Yvette made the promise without hesitation.
Although the high priest of the Church of Am was very clear that if Ilze's sect developed in the future, it would definitely have a huge impact on him.
After all, different sects that believe in the same god do not get along with each other, or even are hostile to each other, and they quarrel as soon as they meet each other. This is a common situation in Faerun.
The most typical example is Silvanus, the god of nature and father of oak.
From the very beginning, its followers were divided into "extremists" and "moderates".
The former would regard even if they saw a woodcutter entering the edge of the forest to chop some firewood as disrespect and destruction of nature, and would kill him without any explanation as an "enemy of nature."
This is the case even for chopping wood, not to mention things like mining and large-scale logging.
If they deem it necessary, they will even summon countless beasts and elemental creatures to launch a large-scale attack on the towns around the forest.
In comparison, the moderates are slightly better. They tend to advocate harmonious coexistence between civilization and nature. Even if they encounter things like logging and mining, they will at most expel them and generally will not easily kill people.
Moreover, the two groups often clashed due to different ideologies, and the conflict even evolved into one group killing the other.
In Faerun, a land influenced by the gods, the conflict between various ideas and philosophies is so intense that there are "mad people" everywhere with extremely extreme thoughts and behaviors.
If the Goddess of Poison and Disease eventually becomes a neutral deity, conflicts between the good and evil camps under her will inevitably arise.
But compared with these internal contradictions, the current priority is to comprehensively enhance the influence of the goddess, upgrading her from a weak divine power to a medium divine power.
As for the sectarian struggle, we will talk about it later.
Obviously, Zuo Si was surprised by the overall view shown by Yvette.
But after a brief moment of surprise, he quickly returned to his usual almost indifferent attitude, and said nonchalantly: "Don't bother me with this kind of thing in the future, just make your own decisions. Also, where is the gift you promised? Why haven't I seen it yet?"
"Please wait!"
Yvette immediately walked to the huge statue, bent down, carefully picked up a scepter that was enshrined in front of the statue, and then held it in front of Zuo Si with both hands.
"Your Excellency the Chosen One, this is a weapon commissioned by the church and made by a gray dwarf forging master. I and other high-ranking priests blessed it with powerful magic, and finally the goddess herself blessed it. No one except you can pick it up or use it."
"You mean, this is a divine weapon?"
Zuo Si raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
Yvette nodded solemnly, "That's right! The name of this scepter is [Talona's Favor], and it is a weapon specially prepared by the goddess for her only chosen one. As for the specific effects, you should feel it for yourself."
"Exclusive weapon..."
Zuo Si showed a puzzled expression, totally confused about what the Goddess of Poison and Plague was doing.
But considering that the other party would not harm him, he still reached out and grabbed the gorgeous and beautiful scepter.
The next second...
All the capabilities of this weapon instantly popped up in my mind.
[Talona's Favor]
Second artifact
A +6 scepter can add an additional seventh, eighth, and ninth ring spell slot for the wearer.
You can cast [Implosion] and [Energy Absorption] once a day.
When hitting the target, there is a 25% chance of releasing [Blade Wall], a 20% chance of releasing [Reduction to Ashes], and a 5% chance of releasing [Soul Binding] on the target.
When the target soul is successfully captured and imprisoned by the scepter, the holder will gain all the soul's class levels, special skills, and spell-like abilities during its lifetime, and can use them at will as if he or she possessed these powers himself or herself.
The scepter can only capture and hold one soul at a time; if one wishes to change it, the previously imprisoned soul must be released or destroyed.
The scepter has the ability to transform and can be transformed into any weapon that the holder is proficient in, including swords, halberds, war hammers, axes, spears, maces, etc.
Notice!
This scepter is a weapon given by the goddess of poison and disease, Talona, to her chosen ones only, so no one else can use it.
Otherwise, their soul will be instantly captured and imprisoned in the scepter.
After reading the entire introduction to this weapon in his mind, Zuo Si was completely stunned.
Although he had long known that Talona had an unreasonable obsession with him, this could be seen from the large number of electoral abilities bestowed upon her last time.
But no matter what, I never expected that this goddess would spend so much money.
Although sub-artifacts are not true artifacts in the strict sense, many legendary spellcasters theoretically have the ability to create them.
But the problem is, this one is "exclusively customized", and it's given away for free without any additional conditions! There's even a relief at the end of the scepter showing Talona kissing Zuo Si and giving him power...
Just look at the envy, jealousy and hatred in the eyes of the surrounding high-ranking priests, and you will know how amazing the power and value of this scepter are.
It’s a pity that no matter how envious, jealous and hateful they were, they dared not have any improper thoughts about this weapon.
"[Talona's Favor] is truly worthy of its name..."
Zuo Si tried to swing it, and found that the scepter seemed to have no weight at all.
But the moment he lightly smashed the wall next to him, the hard stone wall was immediately like tofu, and a layer of debris was easily scraped off.
There was absolutely no hindrance at all during the whole process.
Needless to say, the hardness of this sub-artifact is probably far beyond that of refined gold. It should be made of another unknown enhanced magic alloy.
And unlike most scepters that have fancy designs on the front end, its front end is designed completely in the style of a mace.
If someone gets hit by it, even if they are wearing a helmet, their entire head will inevitably be cracked.
"Mr. Chosen One, have you felt the selfless love of the great goddess? Her favor for you has surpassed everything. Looking back at all the voters in the history of Faerun, there are only a few who can compare with you." Yvette said fanatically.
Because the old woman could already sense the changes that the young man in front of her had brought to the entire church and even to Talona's faith in the material world.
You have to know that in the past, believers of the goddess of poison and disease often had to choose to act low-key, and even recruiting believers had to be done secretly.
But what about now?
Not only did he successfully build a majestic temple in Askatla, the capital of gold coins!
At the same time, it has the endorsement of the government and officials, and can carry out activities publicly anywhere in Amn!
So Yvette's real hope is that Zuo Si can abandon that slightly disgusted attitude and contribute to Talona like the other chosen people of the gods.
"Love? Maybe." Zuo Si smiled meaningfully and shook his head. "I do plan to talk to the goddess, but not now. Okay, continue with your work. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."
Immediately afterwards, he completely ignored the pairs of astonished eyes in the temple and turned around and walked out without stopping at all.
As for Ilze, who had obtained permission to form a new sect, he stood there like a fool, at a loss as to what to do.
But after a while, Yvette, the chief priest, took him to another room for a secret conversation that lasted three or four hours.
By the time the conversation was over, all twelve trainee priests who had recently joined the church were assigned to his command.
In order to better spread and consolidate the faith among the civilians and the poor, the new church's base was established in a private house between the slums and the bridge area, quite close to Zuo Si's wizard tower.
Needless to say, Yvette wanted to use the deterrent power of voters to ensure that the new sect would not be strangled by other hostile forces at the beginning of its establishment.
After all, the security situation in Askatla is not optimistic.
In particular, the open and covert struggles between the various hostile churches of gods have reached a point where they are incompatible.
Fortunately, Zuo Si had just obtained a sub-artifact of amazing power, so he was in a very good mood and did not mind the other party's little trick.
After returning to the Mage Tower, he first sent a batch of goblin skeletons and zombies to the Emerald Society gem mine controlled by Rain and the dragon lich to increase the mining intensity of the mineral veins. Then he began to concentrate on learning arcane magic, while helping two new core members to make life boxes and complete the complicated lich transformation ceremony.
At the same time, he also took time out to go to the Cherimba Swamp, and cooperated with the black dragon that had been lurking there for a long time. He captured and sealed two middle-aged black dragons in one breath, and took all the treasures in their nests for himself.
Just as Zuo Si was digesting the magical knowledge he had collected some time ago and enjoying the fun of being the "Pokémon Master" of Faerun, Baldur's Gate far in the north fell into a huge crisis.
To be precise, it was a planned and premeditated large-scale retaliation.
Ever since Vanessa ordered the Nelanther Islands fleet to transfer more than half of its main forces to the waters south of the Sword Bay and began to collect three times the normal protection fee from merchant ships sailing to or from Baldur's Gate, serious trade shrinkage and economic depression have inevitably occurred here.
Moreover, those merchants who had to take this route did not hesitate to pass on their losses directly to the chambers of commerce, nobles and civilians in the city.
Whether it is food, steel, salt or other daily necessities, although their prices have dropped compared to the previous negotiations with Amn, they still make life difficult for many not-so-rich civilians.
In addition, large chambers of commerce such as the "Seven Suns Merchant Alliance" and the "Traveling Merchants Alliance" have begun to use various means to put pressure on the dukes, demanding that they come up with solutions as soon as possible.
As for the Iron Throne...
Sorry, the Iron Throne had already been bribed by the conditions offered by Sir Crispian at the suggestion of Zuo Si, and became a "traitor" planted by Amn inside Baldur's Gate.
They will use their influence to constantly interfere with and divide Baldur's Gate's merchant class from within, making it impossible for them to unite to deal with foreign enemies.
In return, the Iron Throne can obtain high-quality iron ore from Nashkel at extremely favorable prices, and then sell it at a high price to the West Heartland region including Baldur's Gate.
This alone can generate very considerable profits every year.
What's more, the caravans and merchant ships under the command of Rita, the leader of the Iron Throne, can also enjoy preferential tax treatment from Amn merchants in Amn.
That's why he doesn't care about the lives of those dukes and other merchants in Baldur's Gate.
"What? The Lords of Waterdeep rejected my proposal for a joint military campaign? Why?"
After hearing the reply from the envoy who had just returned from the north, Duke Iltan suddenly stood up from his chair, his face full of shock and disbelief.
You know, in order to fight against the fierce competition from Amn in the south, Baldur's Gate has always been close to Waterdeep.
Not only are both cities important members of the "Northern Lords Alliance", but they also joined forces to wipe out the earth elf chieftain entrenched in Dragonspear Castle two years ago.
In Duke Iltan's opinion, it would be in the common interests of both parties to deal with a group of pirates from the Nelanther Islands who extorted merchants at sea.
The messenger explained with a wry smile, "Because in the eyes of the lords of Waterdeep City, those guys who are collecting protection fees are no longer considered pirates.
Because they are not simply plundering wealth, but also providing corresponding services and protection.
This situation, which ended the chaotic situation from Sword Coast to Sword Sea, was a change that Waterdeep and even Neverwinter were very happy to see.
What's more, those pirates only collected three times the high protection fee from Baldur's Gate, and only 10% from other city-states.
To exchange this little loss for a safe maritime environment is nothing in the eyes of most businessmen who would otherwise have to take huge risks in fear.
And as fewer and fewer merchant ships dock here, other surrounding cities will naturally take a larger share of the trade, and Waterdeep will naturally be one of the cities that benefit from it.
So it's totally understandable that they would refuse.
In addition, a masked lord specifically reminded me that Baldur's Gate had previously declared the belief in Talona, the goddess of poison and disease, illegal and expelled priests and even voters, which actually involved insults and blasphemy.
He suspected that the disaster we were now enduring might actually be revenge from that elect.”
"revenge?!"
Duke Iltan suddenly recalled that some time ago, the captain of the guard in charge of guarding the city gate had sent someone to report to him that Zuo Si was intercepted at the gate.
The latter also threatened to make the dukes, including himself, kneel down and beg for mercy.
He didn't care at all at the time, and just treated it as a way to vent his emotions, or perhaps as impotent rage.
But now, combined with the current crisis that Baldur's Gate is facing, everything seems to make sense.
What Duke Iltan couldn't understand was how Zuo Si had managed to successfully control the extremely chaotic pirates in the Nalansel Islands and even organize them into a powerful naval fleet.
Not only did they not rob merchant ships, but they achieved sustainable development by collecting protection fees.
According to some merchants who have recently visited the Nelanther Islands, the pirates not only built large houses and streets on the islands, but also opened up large tracts of farmland.
It seems that he is preparing to build a city or even a country of his own.
Just when the envoy was about to say something, the Duke of Silver Shield suddenly rushed in from outside and roared angrily: "Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! We can't continue to tolerate it! We must declare war on those pirates who deserve to be cut into pieces! Send them all into the sea to feed the fish!"
"What happened? What made you lose your composure?"
Duke Iltan asked in an uncertain tone.
"The five ships of my family and some of our allies originally intended to sail into the Winding River and secretly transport goods worth more than 200,000 gold coins back to Baldur's Gate by land.
But who knew that he would be caught red-handed by these greedy bastards.
As punishment for evading protection money, they confiscated all the ships and their cargoes, and only released the captains and crews.”
As he said this, the Duke of Silver Shield's eyes were red.
It's impossible not to be famous! You know, those ships and cargo are his lifeblood.
Once everything is really gone, not only his own family but also his allies will suffer heavy losses.
And it won't be long before his prestige suffers a severe blow and he is eventually driven out of the position of Duke.
After all, the Duke of Baldur's Gate is not hereditary, but is elected by merchants and the Chamber of Commerce.
That's right!
It is an election where one person has one vote, but it is limited to citizens and the merchant class who own a certain amount of property.
This means that whoever has greater strength, financial resources and personal prestige can secure the position of Duke.
Of the four dukes of Baldur's Gate at present, except for Iltan who is the military grand duke in charge of the "Flaming Fist Mercenaries", the other three are basically dukes in charge of trade and guild management.
Among them, the Duke of Silver Shield was in charge of maritime trade, so he suffered the heaviest losses in this crisis.
In comparison, the other two engaged in river transportation and land trade are much better off, at least there is no risk of losing the duke title.
Just the opposite!
They also took advantage of this crisis and successfully regained many of the rights they had previously lost from the Duke of Silver Shield.
So for the Duke of Silver Shield, the situation was so bad that it was time to do something.
Otherwise, even if he and Duke Iltan were secret allies, he would inevitably step down in disgrace amid strong dissatisfaction and protests from the merchants.
(End of this chapter)
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