The slums of Port Calim.

The temple of Ilmater, the god of suffering.

An old man, barefoot and wearing only a tattered linen robe, knelt in front of the shrine and prayed silently to the god he served.

He looked solemn, not at all ashamed of his tattered clothes and the simple furnishings around him.

Unlike the temples of other gods in Faerun, which are either gorgeous, magnificent, or as solid as fortresses.

This temple of the god of suffering is just a hut made of discarded wooden boards, cloth and other miscellaneous items, no different from other shacks around the slum.

But it makes people feel inexplicably calm and warm, as if no matter how difficult or desperate things are in life, it is no big deal.

Obviously, the Church of Ilmater was not so poor that it could not even afford to build a decent temple, nor could it not afford to wear those luxurious silk robes.

Just the opposite!

His priests, like priests of other gods, possess powerful divine arts.

It's just that the priests of the God of Suffering did not sell these divine arts to rich people at a fixed price, and then use them to build and decorate temples, or to satisfy their own desires for enjoyment.

Instead, it is provided free of charge to the poor and orphans who simply cannot afford the expensive costs of divine arts.

Keep them away from disease and pain.

Not only that!

Ilmater's priests would also use their limited possessions to buy food and distribute it to the poor who could not afford it.

Raise orphans who have lost their parents and relatives at all costs, and protect the souls of children who died due to various reasons.

It can be said that if there is a god in the entire Faerun who can truly represent "goodness", it must be Ilmater, the god of suffering.

Although some organizations and individuals would scoff at the part of his teachings that encourages followers to bear the pain and suffering of others, such selfless and unrequited actions are undoubtedly respected by almost all people in the good and neutral camps.

After a full half hour, the old man kneeling in front of the shrine finally slowly opened his eyes and stood up.

The young holy warrior Ai Luolin, who was waiting on the side, immediately stepped forward and asked, "Master Priest! How is it? Did the gods give us guidance?"

"Yes! The great God of Suffering has been guiding every believer."

The old man, known as the chief priest, slowly took down a wooden amulet from the shrine, feeling the sacred power bestowed on it, and then he spoke: "The young man named Soth has been targeted by the powerful evil force that shrouds this land. Your next task is to take this amulet and help him resist the temptation from darkness. Most importantly, make sure he doesn't get sick."

"What? Make sure he doesn't get sick?"

Ai Luolin blinked in confusion, unable to understand the meaning of this sentence.

"In the visions revealed by God about the future, once Soth falls ill, it will cause terrible plagues and disasters, and thousands of people will die. In addition, we must try our best to influence him. Even if we cannot lead him to the path of goodness, we must try our best to ensure that he does not fall completely into evil."

After saying that, the old man handed the amulet in his hand to the young paladin, his tone filled with unquestionable seriousness and earnestness.

"You mean... this is a long-term mission?"

Ai Luolin carefully took the amulet blessed by God, her face full of excitement and anticipation.

After all, she was only in her early twenties, an age full of aspirations and fantasies about personal heroism and saving the world.

The old man nodded without hesitation: "Yes! This is your trial.

In the process of carrying out the mission, please be sure to stick to your beliefs and bottom line and keep in mind the teachings of the God of Suffering, but you can make certain compromises on other issues.

If you spot a follower of Talona, ​​you must be extremely cautious.

The goddess of poison and disease is also seeking and desiring him.

Also, you don't need to report to the temple starting tomorrow.

Stay home and spend more time with your family, and pack your bags.”

"I understand! Please rest assured that I will complete this task excellently." Ai Luolin patted his chest and assured confidently.

Soon, she was excited to distribute food and clean drinking water to the orphans waiting outside.

This is something that Ilmater priests do almost every day.

They will do everything they can to ensure that every child within their sight does not go hungry or cold.

Are you sure it is a wise choice to let her go on such a dangerous mission alone? I admit it! She does have enough courage and passion for a just cause.

But her impulsive personality makes her easily tempted and eventually go astray.

Especially the child named Soth, who always gives me a wisdom and maturity that does not match his age.

Who is he?

Why would illness lead to plague and disaster? If he was really so dangerous, why didn't we take him to the temple for purification? And during the investigation, I found that he had a strong negative energy aura, which was obviously due to his frequent use of necromancy magic.

Coupled with his attitude of keeping people at a distance, I don't think he would accept Ai Luolin to stay with him."

After hearing these questions, the old man was not angry. Instead, he smiled faintly and replied meaningfully: "God already knows everything and he has his own arrangements."

"Ah—I hope so.

I've seen too many young paladins fall in my life.

He even witnessed his former friends becoming dark guards, protecting slave owners and tyrants.

In Calimshan, evil has seeped deep into the land beneath our feet.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot reverse this desperate situation.”

Agor sighed deeply and vented all his true thoughts.

The ubiquitous surveillance and hostility in the city made this elderly paladin exhausted both physically and mentally.

"It is precisely because there is such a powerful and hidden evil that we must stand up to protect and save the innocent and kind-hearted civilians.

Don't lose heart! I promise that everything you do has meaning.

In addition, you have been too tired recently. Put aside your responsibilities, give yourself a little vacation, and spend more time with your wife and children.

The warmth of family can relieve mental fatigue and give you new motivation. "

The old man raised his hand and gently patted the older paladin's shoulder in comfort.

"Thanks!"

The latter nodded with a wry smile, turned around and slowly walked out of this extremely simple temple.

He had no idea that his worry and despair were signs that his faith was wavering.

In fact, many paladins have more than once fallen into the awkward situation where "law" and "goodness" conflict with each other and they don't know how to choose.

The [Tangled Symbol], which controls the entire Calim Port, will never miss any opportunity to corrupt the Holy Knight.

If someone noticed this and reported it to the Lord of Symbols, an action against Agor would immediately begin to brew.

In contrast, Eloline, who had not experienced much, seemed very happy.

After distributing the food, I even asked the officiant for some tips on how to get along with others.

Especially the part about necromancy.

But unfortunately, the officiating priest did not give a direct answer, but simply asked her to make her own judgment based on the situation at the time.

And so, the young and energetic female paladin quickly returned home to share the good news with her family.

Zuo Si, who was sleeping soundly on his hotel bed, had no idea that a conspiracy, struggle and game surrounding him had quietly begun.

And he himself was in the very center of the storm.

After all, in the continent of Faerun, the confrontation between good and evil, order and chaos, is almost an eternal and unavoidable topic.

It’s a pity that Zuo Si is not a native of Furen in the traditional sense, and he would not agree with the definitions of "good" and "evil".

Most importantly, he hated others interfering in and manipulating his destiny, whether it was God or the [Tangled Talisman].

(End of this chapter)