Hearing what Gerd said, Lann choked up and suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
Fortunately, Gerd was a man of integrity and magnanimity. He did not care that Lann's excessive modesty might make others uncomfortable. Instead, he took the initiative to continue the conversation.
"But apart from you, I have never seen any other demon hunter who is stronger than me - even in the Bear Faction, I am still confident of this."
"Before I fled here, not to mention in the archipelago, even in the entire North and the South occupied by Nilfgaard, I had never met anyone stronger than me..."
Lann, however, accurately grasped the key words in Gerd's words: "Ged, you said you 'escaped' to Skellige? Are you in trouble? If you don't mind, perhaps you can tell me about it. Maybe there is something I can help with."
If it were an ordinary person, he might give himself some lip service and cover up his "escape" by saying it was a "strategic shift" or something like that.
But after hearing what Lann said, Gede didn't care at all, and told the truth about his past as if chatting:
"To be honest, I once served a king. But then a coup broke out in the country, and the king's daughter declared that her father was a usurper and that she was the legitimate heir - I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's what she really said."
"The coup was successful in the end, and I was wanted for my firm support for the late king, so I fled to Skellige. I didn't expect them to find this place a few days ago, and almost turned a tavern into ashes. Fortunately, the security here was extremely strict during that time, which prevented the tragedy from happening."
Ged lowered his head, showing loss for the first time in his conversation with Lann, as he mourned for the king he once served.
"I know he's not a good man. He's committed crimes and his hands are stained with blood, but how many nobles in the North are normal? Moreover, he respects me from the bottom of his heart and treats me very well. It's rare to see someone who can treat a demon hunter like this nowadays."
Although Gerd was telling a sad story, Lan's eyes lit up when he heard it.
He found the right entry point from Gerd's autobiography.
The words that were almost etched into the muscle memory of his tongue came out naturally:
"Ged, if that's the case, you can come to Cintra. I have enough confidence to grant you political asylum. And I assure you that everyone in Cintra respects the demon hunters from the bottom of their hearts."
"To be honest, I plan to revive the Demon Hunter Cult in Cintra. We have already gathered griffins, wolves, snakes, and cats. If the bear faction can also join us, then we will almost have the prototype of the original cult..."
…
This was the first time that Lann spoke so confidently about recruiting people. According to his previous style, he would tell the griffins that he had the support of the wolves, snakes and cats, and tell the wolves that the griffins, snakes and cats had joined - and he would do this back and forth.
But this time he really gathered the above four schools, so he was particularly confident in recruiting Gede.
However, the opposite happened.
This time, Lann's most confident recruitment so far was rejected, and it was a flat rejection, not the ambiguous "consider it" that the Wolf Faction had said before.
"I'm sorry, Lann. But I have found someone who can serve me now, and that's Thorgil Tursek."
"When I was a refugee in Skellige, he took me in, treated me with respect, and gave me bread, meat, and wine," Ged said sincerely.
"Although our relationship is mutually beneficial, he regards me as a friend and I regard him as a confidant. We get along very well and I am very happy living here."
"You may have heard some rumors about the Bear School. I can tell you that most of them are true. At least, I really don't have a sense of belonging to the Demon Hunter Order, nor do I have any idea of reviving the school."
The bear-faction demon hunter shook his head slightly, looked at Lann with a look of surprise, and laughed.
"Compared to these great missions, I prefer to follow my brothers. Whether I follow them or lead them, it makes me happy."
"But if you are in Skellige, I can still help you. That's why I am waiting for you here."
"Thorgeir is King Bran's elder, so he gave me a new commission - to help you and support Easter to ascend the throne."
…
After some time.
Sitting on the dragon boat heading to Indarsfair Island, Lan looked melancholy.
At this moment, he was surrounded by only Dona an Cinda, the lord of the Sea Rose family, and Godd, the witcher from the Bear School who temporarily joined the team, plus ten Cintra soldiers led by Milva.
As for the three witchers Geralt, Kolgrim and Cohen, they each led their teams to complete tasks on Great Skellige Island and Little Skellige Island.
We are still in the preparation stage of gathering intelligence and the war has not officially started yet, so there is no need to take all the troops everywhere. It is better to let them use local resources to improve Lann's own strength, and take their own guards with them so that they can become more familiar with handling such matters.
The demon hunters were also happy about this, especially Cohen.
[Mission - Cabin in the Woods - Completed]
[Mission - Unmarried Person - Completed]
[Mission - Mermaid at the bottom of the well - Completed]
[Character level increase +1]
To use the terminology in the game - there are too many "question marks" and "exclamation marks" in Skellige, and there are many commissions that can be accepted. In a short period of time, Lann was pushed up a level.
Now Lann's level has reached 32, and he has finally accumulated 4 extra skill points.
There was nothing more to say. According to the original plan, one skill point was left in preparation for possible followers, and the remaining three skill points were invested by Lann into the skills that he had already prepared to activate.
[Secondary Mutation] Page Skills——[Seal] Category——[Bone-piercing] Add points!
[Frozen]: The Alder Sign can freeze the enemy.
A very brief skill introduction, and the effect is also very direct. It directly gives [Alder Seal] a new effect, turning it from a simple telekinetic impact into an ice element attack.
From now on, Lann is also a scene-setter with ice special effects in his left hand and fire special effects in his right hand.
Lann had seen Geron use the skill [Bone-piercing] once in Toussaint's underground laboratory. At that time, Lann was not yet a demon hunter, and Geron had just been awakened from his slumber. The blizzard generated by [Bone-piercing] directly turned the monsters in the underground laboratory into ice sculptures, and then tore them into ice cubes with the strong wind.
I wonder how big the gap is between my current Fayin and that of Teacher Jielong?
…
While Lan was thinking, Gerd looked at him strangely.
His demon hunter senses were keen and he felt that the lion-eyed young man beside him was suddenly a little different, but he couldn't tell what was different.
However, since Gede and Lan were not familiar with each other after all, he thought about it for a while and did not ask the questions in his mind.
At the same time, Dona's voice rang out: "We are here..."
"Welcome to the Isle of Indarsfair!"
The island was surrounded by a light mist, but everyone on the ship knew that hidden in the mist were lush forests and blue coral reefs.
Indarsfjelle is the smallest island in the Skellige Archipelago, but it has the most special status - it is the birthplace of islander culture.
At this moment, Lann and Gede both came with missions, and although Dona was also an old lord who knew etiquette, he was also eager to avenge his dead family guards.
So after seeing that Lann and Gede didn't care, Dona didn't waste time on any pomp and hospitality, and led the group directly towards their destination - the Temple of Freya.
…
Aside from the Eternal Flame, this was the second time Ran had seen the stronghold of a major religion.
If the Temple Island of the Eternal Fire gave Lan the impression of luxury and solemnity.
Then the only feeling Freya gave to Lan was "natural".
What appeared before Lan's eyes was a forest-like area. It was almost like a corner of the forest was enclosed by a wall. There were large tracts of trees and colorful flowers and plants. The lively appearance almost reminded Lan of Brochilon.
It is also far from the image of "church" that Lane imagined and understood.
Dona led the group to the center of the forest garden, introducing the goddess with the highest status in Skellige and the most beloved by believers to these outsiders:
“Freya is the goddess of the hearth, love, and fertility, and the protector of oracles, seers, and telepaths. Warriors would pray to her before going out to sea to plunder, and wives left on islands would pray for their husbands’ safe return.”
As Lann and his group went deeper, women who looked like village ladies wearing coarse linen clothes began to appear on the roadside.
They were dressed like village women, and each of them had a slim figure. Although their skin was not very delicate, it was not rough either.
Most of them wore pigtails and carried flower or fruit baskets, full of youth and vitality. This temperament and appearance reminded Lan of the female students he had seen in Niubao.
According to Dona, they were all priests of the temple.
在一行人经过的时候，她们纷纷朝着多纳问候，领主也对她们回以致意。
而和多纳打完招呼之后，能够看到她们明显放缓了脚步，似乎不急着去做自己原本要做的事情了——
——一束束目光在兰恩身上扫视着。
多纳笑着看向那些好奇打量着这边的年轻女祭司们，其中还能够看到几个不过十三四岁的少女。
哪怕有花篮在面前遮挡，也不难看到她们脸上因为羞涩而出现的晕红。
“若是往常，她们和我打完招呼都会是匆匆离开的。没想到今天居然会驻足——这可是我这个几十年的领主都没有的待遇啊，兰恩。”
兰恩面色沉静，对于这种小场面已经习惯了。
格德对于这些眼神倒是觉得新鲜。哪怕他如今在史凯利格已经获得不少的认可，但也多是跟他差不多风格的大汉或者领主对他赞扬，这些小姑娘一般的眼神就很少见了……
不过如果没记错的话，群岛的小姑娘不应该喜欢英勇的海上战士或者搏击山岩的勇士吗？大胡子大块头的那种，兰恩这种英俊款的骑士理论上应该不吃香才对啊？
这么想着，格德也把眼神投向兰恩。当然，他眼神中的情绪跟女祭司们肯定就不一样了。
“为什么这里会有这小的孩子？”兰恩看着那些有着小鹿一般眼神的十三四岁的少女，“她们也是祭司？”
这些祭司的形象也与兰恩认知中和想象中的“教会”刻板印象相去甚远。
在弗蕾雅教派，男人可以崇拜弗蕾雅神，但只有女人可以执行祂的旨意，因此教派里面只有女祭司。
“如果说官方称呼的话，她们确实是‘祭司’。”多纳点头肯定兰恩的疑问，“但是她们现在还处于‘学徒’的阶段。教派会收养那些在战斗中失去了家人的孤儿，将她们抚养长大，教她们读书、写字、祷告。其中有天赋的将会培养成祭司。”
“教会也会定期从群岛居民家庭中招收学生，不过这个招收的标准就更加严格了。”
兰恩了然地点头：“类似于教会学校一样的体制吗？或许辛特拉可以学习一下……”
“当然可以学习。”多纳认可道，“前提是你需要有一个教会。”
……
这里的很多屋子都是用原木建造的。
当眼前终于出现了一座大的惊人的大理石建筑的时候，兰恩知道这就是目的地了。
漫长的石阶高处有栋建筑物，上面爬满了苔藓、常春藤和灌木，看起来就像一只大刺猬。在它的屋顶上，兰恩看到了灌木丛，甚至还有几棵小树和槲寄生。
两位年轻的女祭司沉默地等在神殿前方。多纳礼貌地向她们问好，表达了想与她们的领袖交谈的意愿——他称那人为“大祭司茜格德莉法”。
他们走进入口，从高窗透进来的阳光为神殿内部提供了照明。其中一道阳光正好照在祭坛上。
两名女祭司朝着众人示意稍安勿躁，因为此刻隐隐还能够听到里面传来祷告的声音。
……
“——圣母弗蕾雅女神！赐给我力量，让我去爱、生下小孩、抚养勇士、杀死敌人！”
……
兰恩的嘴角抽了抽，这祷告词**裸地不像是神殿里面该出现的东西。
朴素的大理石祭坛上，在那些猫和老鹰的塑像高处，在用来献上还愿祭的石制贝壳之上，耸立着“伟大母亲”弗蕾雅的女神像。这是一尊充满母性的雕像，身着随风飘扬的长袍，怀有身孕，雕塑者甚至刻意夸大了她隆起的腹部。
弗蕾雅的形象是三位一体的女神，包括处女、母亲和老夫人。而“母亲”是祂最常见的形象。
眼前的这座雕像低垂着头，面部特征被一块布遮住。女神双手交叠放在胸前，上方的金色项链中间坠着一颗钻石。这颗钻石略显水蓝色。很大，非常大。
目测足有一百五十克拉。
刚刚发出祷告声的信徒已经离开了这里，祭坛前面只留下一个高个子的祭司。
她真的非常高，转过身来的时候视线几乎与兰恩平齐。她的发色和瞳色都很淡，有一张不算漂亮也不算女性化的瘦长面颊。
“欢迎，伯爵大人，欢迎你来圣母殿。”高挑的祭司朝着多纳问候。
“也欢迎你们的到来，辛特拉的兰恩，还有来自南方的猎魔人格德。”
在史凯利格德高望重的老人多纳朝着祭司微微欠身，向着自己的信仰行礼：“向您致敬，尊贵的大祭司茜格德莉法。”
兰恩和格德仅仅低头稍作问候。
“大祭司茜格德莉法阁下？”兰恩有些好奇，“您似乎知道我们会来？”
大祭司茜格德莉法点头：“辛特拉的雄狮，你的名字早就传播到了史凯利格。而如今你来到这里不过一周，却已经制止了一场可能导致史凯利格崩溃的阴谋。”
随后大祭司又转向格德：“来自南方的熊派猎魔人，听说你勇武异常，来到史凯利格的狩猎的第一头猎物就是盘踞在精灵遗迹的绿龙，岛民们都要承你的情，关于你的诗也已经在编写了。”
格德摸了摸后脑勺：“那头绿龙比一匹马大不了多少，算不了什么。”
兰恩倒是对于大祭司的反应很好奇。
“您似乎很了解我们，也知道我们要来？”
大祭司轻笑起来：“我知道你在想什么，但是你和猎魔人格德的这些信息都是信徒们在祷告的时候带过来的。至于你们要过来找我这个信息，则是事先通报。”
兰恩点头表示知道了。刚刚看这名大祭司对两人了如指掌的反应，他还以为对方是使用了什么预言方面的神术。
兰恩对于宗教的力量还是很好奇的，因为这个世界是真正存在所谓的“神”的。
虽然那些真正现身的神很少有展现出直接的破坏力的，格调也不是很高，供奉它们的教派、神殿之类的也经常性地在背景故事里面被人洗劫和屠杀。
北方最大的教派之一还是永恒之火那种没有神的大型武装组织。
但是这个世界是真正存在着所谓的“神”的。
……
大祭司应该是看多了兰恩这样的反应，主动解释道：“你似乎很失望我不是通过神术来得知你们到来的。请牢记——不是信奉神的人就能拥有力量，而是神在必要的时候通过信徒来降下力量。”
兰恩非常配合地露出礼节性的严肃表情，表示受到了教导。心下对于神术的期待却已经降下来了。
而多纳此时上前一步，表明了自己等人的来意：“茜格德莉法，我来此是向你求助的，我们需要圣母弗蕾雅的帮助。”
大祭司露出淡笑，做出倾听的姿势，示意多纳直言。
“在国王宴席上面的流血事件有了最新的进展。”多纳看着大祭司的淡色眼睛，“是狂战士，能够变成熊的邪神信徒，是斯瓦勃洛教派回来了。”
一直维持着平静表情的大祭司终于换了样子。她的脸上满是难以置信，还有一种带着虔诚的愤怒。
“邪神的信徒？”
多纳点头：“所以我来寻求帮助。不知道是否可以通过圣母的力量，获得关于那些暴徒的信息。”
大祭司的胸膛用力起伏着，她转头看向弗蕾雅三位一体中的母亲雕像，强行让自己的语气平淡下来：
“斯瓦勃洛教派居然有残党……但是圣母一直没有降下过神谕，这说明斯瓦勃洛并不是威胁。”
“他们已经是威胁了，他们差点让史凯利格陷入史无前例的混乱。”多纳反驳道。
多纳继续说道：“圣母或许没有降下神谕，但是作为信徒的我们难道不应该主动为圣母分忧吗？昔日的邪教徒再次出现，我们不该消灭异端，保护圣母的信徒吗？”
……
大祭司低着头，认真地思考着多纳的话。
她很快被说服了。
“我可以试着帮忙找找看那些暴徒背后的人。”
格德听言露出高兴的表情，好奇地问道：“您要怎么做。”
“不是我，是我们。”大祭司露出理所当然的表情，“我们祈祷，祈求神的力量。”
兰恩抱起胳膊，这个教派里面终于出现了符合宗教的东西。
……
兰恩看着眼前的多纳和大祭司，他们跪坐在那里，低着头，一动不动。
兰恩没有参与进去，自从之前在元素之环吃了大亏之后，他就拒绝在这种可能存在任何风险的地方进行冥想和祷告。
而见到兰恩是如此的反应，格德自然也不会给自己找无趣了。猎魔人拥有的是信念而不是信仰，更何况这还是一位熊。
大祭司并没有因为他们不敬神而勃然大怒，只是自顾自地拉招呼多纳。
于是便有了眼前的这一幅场景：没有颂诗、没有念咒，也没有什么神秘的意识，只有两个虔诚的信徒跪坐在地，沉默着祈求神的力量。
一刻钟过去，格德差点都要开始打哈欠了，他有点不耐烦了。
Lann was still patient and was waiting to see whether the high priest could pray for God's power.
But he believed in King Bran and he believed in Dona.
An old lord who is the most respected in the archipelago is definitely not a person who is blinded by faith. He will definitely not treat the succession to the throne of Skellige with nonsense.
Another quarter of an hour passed in this patient waiting.
Suddenly, Lan felt that he was being looked at.
This feeling was similar to the one he had just felt when he was stared at by those curious priestesses on the road. Lan, who had long been accustomed to other people's gazes, was particularly sensitive to this.
But compared to the shy looks of those little girls, this gaze was... exceptionally direct.
If the gazes of those girls were like secretly poking their heads out from behind the tree trunks, chattering and peeping curiously; then the gaze that fell on Lann at this moment was like a person holding a torch in front of him in the middle of the night, looking at him regardless of the possibility of setting his hair on fire.
If this unbridled feeling was magnified several times, Lan En would almost mistake it for Master Mirror returning from the star realm.
However, the gaze only stayed on Lann for a moment, as if it had discovered something, and then disappeared quickly.
At the same time, the high priest who was praying suddenly twitched and gasped like a newborn baby taking its first breath.
Dona was awakened from his prayer by the noise of the high priest and showed an envious expression.
"I have received God's revelation." The high priest felt relieved at first, but then he showed an indescribable expression.
She said: "The secret of the Svalblod sect lies in Mokvarg!"
Lan was very familiar with that expression, it was anger that was forcibly suppressed.
Gerd asked in confusion, "Who is Mokwag?"
"He used to be a pirate and a blasphemer." The high priest took another deep breath, "And now, he is a werewolf, an evil monster that can never be full!"