Shadowdale is a city that stands on the border of the Dale and Cormanthor, beside a broad, fast-flowing river.
Unlike other typical towns in Faerun, in addition to being home to several voters of the goddess of magic, including Elminster, this city is also not protected by high walls and adopts a true one-person-one-vote election system.
The political system here is very interesting, a bit like a combination of democratic elections and feudalism.
Commoners who own land, property and freedom will elect a lord, and then swear allegiance to the lord through a ceremony. The lord will manage and lead the daily operations of the entire city, as well as resist monsters such as dark elves, goblins, orcs, etc. that may invade from the Cormanthor region.
Of course, Shadowdale dared not build city walls even though it was so close to the dangerous Cormanthor, mainly because the souls of Elminster, Storm Silverhand and Hiron were there to guard it. When necessary, they could also summon the other chosen ones of the goddess of magic to help.
Otherwise, with its own militia quality and defense capabilities, it would have been occupied and destroyed countless times.
The reason why Xiren died and existed in the form of a soul was that he sacrificed in the battle to protect Shadow Valley.
More than 70 percent of the reason why this city can exist and stand firm is due to the powerful magical power of the "Great Sage of Shadow Valley".
Therefore, no matter how bad the outside world's evaluation of Elminster is, the people here always support and love him.
They can even tolerate some of the old wizard's weird quirks and habits, and allow strange visitors who are obviously dangerous to enter the city.
In the eyes of the people of Shadowdale, no matter how dangerous the visitors are or whether they have bad intentions, the invincible Elminster can always handle everything.
But today, when a bald wizard appeared on the street, Elminster, who had never been friendly to anyone, actually opened the door of his house and stood outside to greet him together with Storm Queen Xinbu.
Without asking, one would know that this bald wizard was Mordenkainen who had just visited Zuo Si.
As soon as the two sides met, Xinbu asked impatiently: "How is it, have you met him?"
Mordenkainen nodded slightly: "Yes, I have seen him. Thank you for the letter of introduction you wrote to me. Otherwise, it would not be easy to enter his Mage Tower. Did you know? I actually saw a Seraph Servant in there."
"What? Are you sure your eyes are not blurry and you mistakenly take the alien god servant for the Seraph god servant?" Xinbu raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Do you think I would make such a stupid mistake? He is just a Seraphic Servant, but for some reason his body is filled with amazing natural energy. Also, are you sure you want to talk about this here?"
As he spoke, Mordenkainen glanced at the ordinary people around him who had curious expressions on their faces, and the implication of his words was self-evident.
"Please come in. I baked some delicious cherry pies at home, and there is also a hot cocoa drink with a rich flavor from the Maztec continent. We can eat and talk at the same time."
Elminster took the initiative to make a gesture of invitation.
With the sound of the door closing, the three people disappeared into this seemingly inconspicuous little house.
A few minutes later, they sat in front of the fireplace, enjoying cherry pie baked by the Great Sage of Shadow Valley and drinking hot cocoa with a rich aroma.
A scholar once said that time and aging are mankind's greatest enemies, but for Elminster it is just the opposite.
After all, no matter who you are, as long as you are a normal person with similar intelligence, you can accumulate knowledge, skills and experience that ordinary people cannot even reach after living for more than a thousand years.
Not to mention that Elminster himself is a genius in the field of magic, otherwise he would not have been chosen by the second generation magic goddess.
Especially his cooking skills, which are quite good, probably because he always had to go on adventures and sleep outdoors when he was young, and even cooked and ate special ingredients like dragon meat.
Even Mordenkainen, who was very picky about the taste and texture of food, ate it with gusto.
After finishing a piece of cherry pie, he picked up the cup and took a sip of the hot cocoa, patiently waiting for the other party to ask questions.
Obviously, in addition to Mordenkainen's own wish, visiting Zuo Si also included a transaction between him and the two chosen ones of the magic goddess.
In other words, these spellcasters who stand at the top of their respective worlds are not only concerned with their own little piece of land.
Instead, they maintain close contact with each other and occasionally gather together for secret meetings.
Sometimes it is to communicate and share magical knowledge and new discoveries, sometimes it is to exchange information and intelligence, and occasionally they will ask the other party to do a small favor that they are not convenient to do.
In short, Elminster, Mordenkainen, and Xinbu are all frequent visitors to this secret gathering.
In the world of Krynn where the story of Dragonlance takes place, Dalamar, a disciple of the most powerful and famous archmage Raistlin, was once treated as a clown and teased by three big guys at the gathering.
Although he was the strongest black-robed wizard in the world after Raistlin's death, he was still far behind the real strong ones.
Of course, this does not rule out the possibility that it is related to the relative scarcity of magical resources and the extremely small number of mages in the Klein world itself.
But at least when Raistlin was alive, he was absolutely qualified to communicate on an equal footing with Mordenkainen, Elminster and others.
"Do you know what Soth is doing lately?"
After a while, Elminster was the first to speak and break the silence.
"Which aspect do you mean? In the outer planes or this world, or other time and space he has visited?" Mordenkainen asked calmly.
Elminster answered without hesitation: "Of course it is the continent of Faerun under our feet.
From what I've heard, he's recently joined forces with the churches of Bane, the god of tyranny, and Waukeen, the goddess of wealth, and seems to be doing something big.
Whether it's the airship, a means of transportation that could bring about dramatic changes to the world, or the West Coast Trade Alliance, which has already invited many countries and city-states to join, both make me feel very uneasy.
Most importantly, the prophecy of the wise Alando is coming true. The descendants of Baal, the god of murder, are awakening in large numbers and beginning to fight for the Blood Throne.
I’m not sure what South’s position on this matter is.”
Mordenkainen immediately showed a look of disgust when he heard these questions, and said with a slightly contemptuous tone: "You are still the same as before, always like to meddle in such trivial matters that have no practical significance. Tell me, Elminster, do you have the confidence that you can defeat a Seraphim with a divine weapon in a battle?"
"No mortal would dare to make such a guarantee, and I am no exception."
Elminster gave a very straightforward and direct negative answer.
Although in the turbulent years, he once faced the gods who came in the form of saints and fought fiercely with them.
Anyone with a little religious knowledge knows that a god in the form of a saint is not a real god at all, otherwise the second-generation magic goddess would not be easily killed by Heim, who was responsible for guarding the gate.
The Seraphic Servant can be regarded as a special demigod to a certain extent.
Therefore, Elminster was not sure whether he could gain any advantage from the Seraph God's servants by relying on the silver fire in his body and other special means.
The most likely result would be that you would be pinned to the ground and rubbed repeatedly without any ability to fight back.
Not to mention dealing with the Seraphim, he might not even be able to deal with the great demons in Hell who were exiled by Asmodeus.
“Since you know you are no match for them, why do you still want to intervene?
No matter what Soth wants to do, he is fully prepared, and it is definitely not something you and those Harpers who think they are saving the world can stop.
Look at what happened to that mad god Cyric. Don't you understand that he is completely different from anyone you've ever met?
Soth's unique character determines that he rarely uses force rashly, especially using naked violence to force others to obey him, and then achieves rule through cruel means that may provoke strong resistance.
On the contrary, this interesting young man is very proficient in human weaknesses and good at grasping other people's psychology. He can use the knowledge and resources at hand to create huge benefits, thereby winning the support of the majority.
After gaining the support of the majority, we will use the power of the majority to attack the minority enemies.
I have summarized some of the things that Soth has done since he came to Toril, and found that he almost never fights alone. No matter what he does, he is always surrounded by a large group of allies.
And keep at least one or two backup plans that can reduce losses and reverse the unfavorable situation after failure.
Most importantly, his soul may exude a strong evil aura, but it is not chaotic or brutal.
The lower classes within his control live even better than those in so-called areas that tend to be kind.
So I really don't understand what you are worried about.
In my opinion, letting Soth rule the west coast of this continent is not a bad thing, but a good thing.
At least from a macro perspective, it can make business more prosperous and allow ordinary people to live in a relatively safe and orderly social environment.
This will also promote the development of civilization and improve the quality of the population.
Perhaps decades or even hundreds of years later, a magical civilization as powerful as Netheril or Imaskar will be born on this land again.
As for the minor destruction and sacrifice in the process of achieving this goal, they are just the birth pains for realizing a more grand vision.
Even without Soth, do you think those civilians can live a stable life?
No! Whether it is the numerous monsters and beasts, or the heavy taxes collected by the greedy lords under various pretexts, they are all huge challenges they face in their survival.
As the saying goes, a short pain is worse than a long pain.
Only by establishing a strong and unified regime can all these problems be eliminated at the root.
As for the Sons of Bhaal, Thors had never concealed his intentions.
He wants to seize the priesthood of death, which originally belonged to the god of murder, for the goddess Talona, who first gave him power and the status of the chosen one. "
When saying this, Mordenkainen's tone clearly showed admiration for Zuo Si.
As a person of absolute neutrality, he has never liked, or even looked down upon, Elminster's petty style of doing things.
On the contrary, I strongly agree with Zuo Si's idea of showing the evil side of human nature without concealing it, but knowing when to stop and never easily breaking the balance between good and evil.
The only thing that made Mordenkain feel a little regretful was that Zuo Si was too inclined towards lawfulness, so that he had a certain "narrow prejudice" against the demons from the Abyss.
Otherwise, the two should be able to reach a consensus on maintaining the great "balance" of the universe.
You should know that he formed an army of his own in the Greyhawk world, and then jumped back and forth between the camps of justice and evil, and even helped the devil fight more than once, just to prevent one side of good from gaining an absolute upper hand.
"So... he is really planning to unify the entire west coast of Faerun and establish an empire?"
Elminster grasped the key point keenly, put down the cup in his hand and showed a solemn expression.
Mordenkainen shook his head slightly and said, "I'm sorry, you shouldn't ask me this question, but should ask Soth directly.
After all, you are all the chosen ones of the Magic Goddess, aren't you?
All I know is that he has the strength, ability and means to achieve this goal.
In the south, King Shane VII, who is about to unify Calimshan and Tethyr, has made a young girl his crown prince. I believe you should know what he wants to do.
Additionally, Amn has seen some dramatic political changes recently.
According to the results of my investigation, after a brief struggle, the six-member council has gradually been controlled by a woman named Vera Salem Quanta.
Guess who she is loyal to now? The powerful wizards in the Masked Wizard Guild dare not disobey Soth's orders.
They even merged with the Emerald Society, which they had been besieging and hunting for many years.
As for Baldur's Gate, its backbone was broken in the naval battle a few years ago.
All merchants engaged in maritime trade must rely on the fleet of the Nelanther Islands to continue their business.
I think one word from Soth would be more effective than a hundred words from the dukes who are caught up in a fierce internal struggle.
If we add the trade alliance initiated by the Church of the Goddess of Wealth, the power wielded by Soth has become unrivaled.
Perhaps in your rigid traditional thinking, you would think that kind-hearted city-states and countries such as Waterdeep, Neverwinter, and Silvermoon Alliance would stand up and fiercely oppose it.
But the actual situation was that Alustriel was the first to sign his name on the agreement on behalf of the Silvermoon Federation, and Lord Nasir did not hesitate to announce that Neverwinter would join.
In comparison, Waterdeep, which is still hesitating and discussing fiercely, will not be able to hold on for much longer.
The emergence of airships has greatly reduced transportation costs, which originally accounted for the largest proportion of land trade.
If the lords of Waterdeep choose not to join, then their merchants and the various goods they produce will quickly lose their price competitiveness and become unsalable, ultimately leading to a series of serious adverse consequences.
If things go wrong, the whole city might decline and perish.
unless……
You can step up and offer a means of transportation that is more convenient, cheaper, faster, and safer than an airship.
For example, a permanent portal connecting two cities."
"You actually took the time to do a detailed investigation on the West Coast?"
Xinbu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Of course! I've even been to the ninth level of Baator before, and witnessed with my own eyes that wonderful city that can be called a great miracle.
Believe me, if you go there, you will be amazed by Soth's vision, thoughts and creativity.
Not only did he break the devils' original strict hierarchy and extremely repressive atmosphere, he also completely reversed the mortals' perception that lawful evil is equivalent to pain, torture, tyranny, oppression and slavery, and made countless people feel unprecedented happiness from it.
More than 90% of the mortals who have been there feel that living in this super-large and prosperous city is ten thousand times better than the best city in their hometown.
Even if the end result is signing a contract to sell their souls and becoming completely depraved, they will not feel the slightest regret.
This crystal ball records the scenes I saw in the ninth level of hell. If you are interested, you can take a look at it.
After reading this, I would like you to answer a question.
If evil is no longer something that causes pain to people, but something that they can derive pleasure from, how can you stop them from choosing to be part of evil?"
As the last word came out of his mouth, Mordenkainen took out a palm-sized magic crystal ball from his pocket, and then recited the command from his mouth to activate the image stored inside.
moment!
A place filled with high-rise buildings, colorful neon lights, various advanced means of transportation powered by gasoline or electricity, and a constant stream of people enjoying delicious food, fine wine, beautiful women, electronic games and various entertainment services.
If they had not just received some information from Mordenkainen and had not seen a large number of different kinds of demons coming in and out, Elminster and Simb would not have believed that such a city would be a level of the hell in Battor.
Because at first glance there is nothing to do with pain, torture, oppression and slavery, but instead it is filled with unrestrained indulgence and freedom.
It was easy to tell from the expressions of excitement, enjoyment, or extreme pleasure on the faces of the mortals and petitioners that they were simply loving this place to death.
As we all know, the Chaos Camp is the group that most loves to pursue freedom without any constraints.
Coincidentally, the two people in front of me are both from the Chaos Camp.
Elminster is chaotic good, while Simb is chaotic neutral.
So they were immediately attracted by the huge cyberpunk world and began to look for the parts that interested them in the pictures shown in the crystal ball.
Among them, Elminster is obviously more interested in electronic products and perfect succubi engaged in special service industries, while Xinbu prefers vehicles with cool shapes and engines that make loud noises when driving, especially two-wheeled heavy motorcycles that are as fast as lightning.
Whenever she saw a creature riding one of these vehicles speeding past on the road, the Storm Queen would feel her heart beat faster and her adrenaline surge.
Time passes by every second.
After the two of them finished watching all the images recorded in the crystal ball, Elminster sighed and said, "Okay, I think I'm beginning to understand what you want to say.
Soth was truly different from anyone I had ever met.
He is a planeswalker who possesses countless knowledge, perspectives and unique insights from other time and space and even the universe, so he cannot be measured by common sense.
I should not and do not need to stop Soth from integrating the countries and towns on the west coast.
Because he has never been a destroyer or a slayer, but rather a very brilliant creator and builder who can bring many very positive impacts to the world.
This is why many gods like to cooperate with him.
But I still stick to my original idea that he must be restricted and constrained to a certain extent."
Elminster shrugged his shoulders. "We'll have to try to know. Don't underestimate the power of the Harper Alliance. They have crushed the plots of enemies who are many times more powerful than themselves more than once."
Seeing that this stubborn old man was not listening to him at all, Mordenkainen immediately turned his gaze to Xinbu: "Storm Queen, you are not going crazy with him this time, are you?"
"No, of course not. I'm still waiting for Soth to expand his influence to the coast of the Falling Star Sea, and then establish trade relations with Agrallon, which I rule, to make the whole country rich and powerful." Xinbu responded with a smile.
“A wise choice.
Despite rumors from the outside world, you are always known as a reckless person whose hot temper easily consumes your rationality.
But in my opinion, you are much smarter and calmer than Elminster in many cases.
Okay, that's enough for this conversation.
I hope that the next time we meet, I won’t hear that Elminster has been killed.”
说罢，魔邓肯站起身准备施展跨位面传送魔法返回自己的老巢。
就在他刚掏出价格昂贵的施法材料时，伊尔明斯特突然笑着开口说道：“放心好了，我可没有那么容易死。
更何况我很确定，就算跟索斯正面冲突，他充其量也只会把我狠狠的揍一顿，而不会选择杀了我。
就好像如果我在这场争斗中赢得胜利也同样不会痛下杀手一样。
因为我们之间的矛盾更接近于思想、理念和价值观的差异，而不是那种必须分出你死我活的厮杀。”
“那我就祝愿他能在战斗中多打断你几根肋骨，顺便在把你那引以为傲的胡子和头发全部烧光。”
魔邓肯没好气的翻了个白眼，紧跟着迅速吟唱咒语完成了复杂的施法动作，整个人瞬间消失得无影无踪。
确认这位灰鹰世界的法师之王彻底离开，欣布这才用略带关切的语气问：“你真的确定要与索斯为敌？”
“不，不是为敌，仅仅只是阻止他的一些计划跟企图。巴尔之子事件是个很好的切入口。就让我来试试这位旅法师、神祇选民兼巴托地狱第九层的领主成色吧。”
说着，伊尔明斯特抓起了放在身边的木质手杖站了起来，眼睛里闪烁着异样的光芒。
很显然，他做出这个决定并不是临时起意，而是经过深思熟虑之后的决定。
因为两人第一次见面的时候，左思的力量还远没有现在这么强大，势力也仅限于安姆首都阿斯卡特拉一带，根本无法对脚下这片大陆产生太过深远的影响。
但随着其实力与势力的快速膨胀，现如今的左思已经能够影响费伦大陆差不多五分之一乃至更大的面积，并且正在按照自己的想法和理念对其进行大刀阔斧的改造。
这种快速且根本无法预料未来是好还是坏的变化，让伊尔明斯特充满了担忧，生怕再出现像耐色瑞尔时代末期那样的恐怖灾难。
所以他想要通过自己的方式来拖延改变的速度，破坏一些比较激进的计划，最好是继续维持现如今的状态。
当然，左思还暂时不知道魔法女神的第一选民、阴影谷的大贤者已经盯上了自己。
不过就算知道了也只会一笑置之，并不会太过在意。
在他的眼中，伊尔明斯特的这种做法无异于是一个拥有强大力量但却跟不上时代步伐的老顽固，妄图以一己之力拖慢整个文明发展的进程。
等发生正面碰撞的时候，伊尔明斯特就会发现自己对抗的并不是想象中的一小撮人，而是像滚雪球一样不断壮大的既得利益群体。
这里边可不仅仅只有贵族跟商人，还有同样可以从中获得好处的农民、卫兵、工匠、提供各种服务的从业者。
即便是神明，如果敢挡在这辆列车前进的道路上，也有可能被瞬间撞得粉身碎骨。
要知道绝大部分凡人的信仰可没有那么虔诚，基本有一个算一个都只是泛信徒，指不定什么时候就会换一个守护神。
当某个神严重损害了他们的利益，那么这个神的信仰自然就会遭到唾弃和抵制。
事实上，就在伊尔明斯特与魔邓肯见面的时候，由巨型飞艇所搭建起来的陆地运输网络已然出现在了很多城市的上空。
最远的地方甚至抵达了与坠星海相邻的巨龙海岸一带。
就连像西门、普罗斯、伊里普等沿海城市在见识到了飞艇恐怖的载重量和运输效率后，也都纷纷表现出想要成为贸易同盟的一份子。
毕竟从位于大陆中央的坠星海前往西海岸，光坐船走海路可是过去不的，必须要在中途换上马车走陆路抵达蒸汽湖，再从蒸汽湖穿越光耀之海、宝剑海，最终才能抵达剑湾。
但飞艇却能轻松越过数千米的高山，走最短的直线空中航路，只需要两三天的功夫就能抵达目的地。
这可比费劲九牛二虎之力绕个大圈省时省力多了，并且费用也相当的便宜，只要加入财富女神教会组织的“团购”，甚至比海运还要便宜划算。
至于安全性……
自从得知连接银月城与阿斯卡特拉的固定航线开通后，就再也没有任何商人会对此表示怀疑。
毕竟横穿如此危险的大片区域都能平安无事，像这种原本就相对比较安全的平原自然更不可能会有坠落的风险。
更何况，那群袭击过飞艇的恶龙和怪物部落的下场，也足以起到杀鸡儆猴的作用。
整整九条不同颜色的龙，还有超过八千颗血淋淋的脑袋，眼下可还挂在阿斯卡特拉的起降平台上示众呢。
那强烈的视觉冲击力，足可以让大部分人相信，左思绝对有能力也有意愿去杀死任何一个胆敢打劫飞艇的狂妄之徒，不管对方是怪物还是令人闻之色变的巨龙。
眼下，他正坐在蒙面法师公会总部的会议室内，双手交叉放在胸前，用充满审视的目光扫过那一个个坐立不安、脸上挂着紧张表情的面孔。
不用问也知道，这些人就是蒙面法师公会所有等级在LV13以上的大法师，同时也是组织内部真正的掌权者。
他们之所以会表现的如此，原因在于每个人身后都站着至少五名掌握九环魔法的巫妖。
除此之外，还有一条龙巫妖正匍匐在一旁的地板上，像个乖巧的宠物一样一动不动。
“相信经过亲切友好的拜访与磋商，诸位应该都已经知道我此行是为什么来的，对吧？”左思缓缓开口询问道。
“当……当然！从今天开始，您就是蒙面法师公会的主人和最高领袖，我们将服从您下达的每一个命令，绝对没有半点反对意见。”
一名施法等级高达LV18的幻术系专精侏儒法师赶忙站起来，一边擦汗一边回应道。
从眼神中透露出来的惊恐不难看出他被吓得不轻。
任谁躺在自认为安全的法师塔房间里睡觉，突然被五个巫妖从被窝里拽出来强行带走，表现也不会强到哪去。
太他妈的恐怖了！
到现在这位侏儒大法师都没搞清楚，对方究竟使用了何种手段，居然没有惊动法师塔内的守卫和魔法防护。
这也就意味着，对方如果是想杀自己，那他连呼救、逃跑的机会都不会有。
“没错！我们愿意臣服于您！”
“我愿意交出手中所有的权力跟资源听候您的发落。”
“这里是一份不成敬意的小礼物，请您务必收下。”
“索斯大人，我有个非常有天赋且年轻貌美的半精灵孙女，不如就送给您做学徒吧。”
一时之间，这些蒙面法师公会的高层纷纷化身舔狗。
不舔不行啊！ 自从被巫妖登门拜访之后，不是没有人想过要逃走。
可无论他们跑到什么地方，这些巫妖永远都能在需要的时候第一时间将其找出来。
在意识到左思手中所掌握的可怕力量之后，在场的大法师们就彻底认命了。
毕竟光是人家手下掌握九环魔法的巫妖数量就远远多过己方好几倍，这还拿什么斗，趁早高举白旗投降算了。
反正高阶法师这种稀缺资源，只要不是有什么深仇大恨，通常都不会赶尽杀绝，最差也能混个收下当狗的待遇。
更何况一个组织里有如此多的巫妖，不是刚好说明了对方掌握着完整转化巫妖的技术和方法吗？ 要是能拿到这些，岂不是就能逃避死亡获得永生了？ 欣赏着这群平日里自视甚高的大法师卑躬屈膝的样子，左思满意的点了点头：“非常好！我喜欢识时务的人。
放心，短时间内我不会动你们的位置，更不会剥夺你们在公会内部的权力。
但有一点！ 以后在执法的时候都给我睁一只眼闭一只眼。
除非闹出太大的乱子，否则不要去管在街上释放奥术魔法的行为，以及那些贩卖魔法卷轴、药剂和物品的商人跟冒险者。”
“您的意思是……渐渐放开对奥术魔法的禁令与管制？”
一名看上去已经很苍老的人类女性小心翼翼的试探道。
“没错。在我看来，安姆所有法律中没有什么比禁止奥术魔法的使用和研究更愚蠢的条款了。
这不仅削弱了这个国家的发展潜力，同时还损害了所有奥术魔法使用者的利益。
说实话，你们能活到现在没有被某些施法者组织或是强大的传奇法师给扬了，还真是有够幸运呢。
记住，我不仅要开放禁令，还会以法律的形式给与法师更高的社会地位，鼓励从事魔法相关领域的研究。”
左思没有任何掩饰，大大方方说出了自己的意图。
Although he had already obtained a license to cast spells freely in Askatla, he had always disliked this magic ban and wanted to abolish it.
"But how do we explain this to the six-member council?"
Another great wizard looked embarrassed.
Zuo Si waved his hand dismissively: "Don't worry about the Council of Six. My people will make sure they are busy with their own affairs and have no time or energy to deal with the enforcement of the Masked Mages Guild."
"Understood."
The great wizard quickly lowered his head and exchanged a glance with his companions at the next table in a very obscure manner.
As smart people whose intelligence attributes are all above 19 or even 20, they can already tell from this sentence that even the six-member council, the highest authority, has been infiltrated and even controlled.
This means that it won’t be long before this young man in front of him will become the true King of Am.
Zuo Si ignored these little movements and continued to ask, "Regarding the merger plan with the Jade Society, how is it going?"
“Everything went very smoothly.
Except for a very small number of guys who are strongly hostile to the Masked Mage Guild, more than 60% of them have been absorbed into it.
But the problem is that many of these mages are self-taught and need to undergo systematic training before they can be assigned tasks.
A small number of them were hired and bribed by local nobles, and simply ignored the orders issued by Lord Barisriatt."
Having said that, the human wizard turned his gaze to the gigantic dragon lich not far away.
The latter raised his huge head and explained in a very helpless tone: "Master, this is not my fault.
The Emerald Society was originally a loose alliance that existed to fight against the Guild of Masked Mages.
Many of these mages are simply there to put their names on the organization, using the organization's channels to purchase the materials and magic items they need.
Although after several years of infiltration, I have already controlled most of them.
But there are still a group of undisciplined guys.
Of course, if you allow me, I would be happy to kill them."
Zuo Si stroked his chin and pondered for a moment, then quickly shook his head and said, "Forget it, let them be. Amn will soon completely lift the ban on arcane magic anyway. If there is nothing else, you can go and do what you need to do."
moment!
The top leaders of the Masked Mage Guild immediately felt relieved and activated teleportation magic to escape.
The liches bowed to the leader of the organization and returned to their own wizard towers, even the dragon lich Barisrat was no exception.
After everyone had left, Sean VII, who had been hiding in a dark corner, came out and commented with a tone of approval, "You are very quick, much faster than I thought.
In particular, letting his liches directly visit the top leaders of the Masked Mage Guild had a good deterrent effect.
I estimate that in about a month at most, you should be able to hold Am in your hands."
“Taking Amn is not difficult.
Because from its establishment till now, it has always lacked a truly strong person to take charge, which is completely different from Waterdeep.
Compared to Amn, I am more concerned about how you plan to deal with the sons of Bhaal who are causing trouble in the Border Mountains?
You must know that as the killing continues, the divinity of some of them will continue to increase, and they may even gain the blessing of divine power."
Zuo Si asked with interest.
"Damn it! Stop talking about them."
King Shane VII showed a rare expression of annoyance and regret on his face, and then he complained in a low voice: "These guys have messed up the northern part of Kalinshan, and I dare not send too many troops to suppress them, otherwise it would be like adding fuel to the fire.
The only thing left to do now was to send a fleet and attack Memnon from the sea.
After retaking Mannon, use it as a base to attack the Kingdom of Tethyr, trying to avoid the mountain ranges.
By the way, remember to say hello to the fleet operating in this area. I don't want any misunderstandings to happen."
Zuo Si smiled and replied, "Don't worry. I have already informed you that your fleet can freely operate south of the Xingxuan Mountains and can even go to the Nelanser Islands for supplies."
"Great! In this way, I can use ships to capture several coastal port cities first, and then advance inland. By the way, do you have any plans regarding the Son of Baal?"
Shane VII suddenly asked.
"I don't have any special plan. Let's take it one step at a time. Because I'm not sure how many people or gods will be involved." Zuo Si shrugged and replied.
Shane VII nodded thoughtfully, "That's true.
After all, this concerns the ownership of the Blood Throne.
Whether a son of Baal inherits everything from his father and becomes a god from a mortal, or the God of Murder returns with the help of his own offspring, it is a big event for the whole world.
I believe there will be many gods watching from the outer planes, and no one knows what will happen.
To some extent, you are now also considered as one of the chess players and can no longer play on the field yourself.
Otherwise it would be like breaking the rules of the game.”
"Yes! I found that when the power is too strong, it will be subject to invisible restrictions everywhere.
But it doesn’t matter, I actually made my move before everyone else.
All we have to do now is wait patiently for that chess piece to start working.”
While saying this, Zuo Si's gaze had already fallen on Atio across the long distance.
Through the eyes of the white bear cub, he could clearly see the groups of hobgoblins, orcs and human bandits hiding in the forest.
There was no doubt that these guys were all Sarevok's men, and they were robbing along the road from Baldur's Gate to Belgost, almost completely cutting off the land trade routes.
Their purpose is very simple, which is to artificially create panic and shortage of daily necessities in order to make the situation in the region tense and sensitive.
After several days of waiting, Artio had killed more than thirty bandits in the area and ate all the metal weapons they carried as snacks.
At the moment, this guy was lying on a stone with his eyes closed in a very lazy posture, basking in the sun. He didn't notice at all that a petite figure had sneaked up to him, carefully rummaging through the pockets of the corpses thrown around, and took out blood-stained gold and silver coins from them...
(End of this chapter)