Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 723: Chapter 522: A Plea for Help from Neverwinter

Hill was somewhat puzzled. Why involve Agleya in matters between mages?

If a trouble so grave that neither the temples in Neverwinter nor those kind-aligned mages could handle emerged, seeking the Arcane Brotherhood in Luskan was an absolute certainty.

But generally, they used exclusively magical means, and identifying the root was essential, as healing divine arts often struggled to deal.

Deities of the kind alignment found detoxification, expulsion of evil, and healing mostly manageable, but it depended on whether their priesthood included those specialized against diseases and curses.

Agleya merely promoted her oceanic priesthood here, so in theory, you wouldn’t go to her to eliminate diseases.

”Respected Archmage Hill.

Somebody from Neverwinter, upon passing through here, took back a flask of Holy Water from the Temple of Goddess Agleya,” Bane said respectfully, ”Mages have tested it, and it significantly resists that disease and similar ones.

Some mages suggested my father seek help, as having such Holy Water could provide enough time to treat anyone should the disease strike again.”

Hill hesitated, ”Is it Holy Water you need or the purest form of water?”

Holy Water created by Tyr and Agleya likely wouldn’t differ much, with Tyr’s purification of evil probably being slightly stronger than Agleya’s.

That is mighty divine power!

If Luskan had designs on Neverwinter, they wouldn’t allow an issue easily dispelled by Holy Water, and that area is where Tyr Temple’s influence was strongest in the Northern Continent.

The only difference probably lay in Agleya’s Holy Water being absolutely pure. Besides, all Holy Water had a very short shelf life. If Neverwinter wished to stockpile in large amounts, it surely wasn’t Holy Water they were after.

It must be the material used to create Agleya’s Holy Water: Pure Water summoned from the Elemental Realm.

Bane hesitated before answering, ”If we could get water devoid of any power and able to be preserved longer, that’d be better.

The mages worry that, should a major event transpire in the wilderness, the Arcane Brotherhood might contrive a reason compelling their return to Neverwinter.

The simplest are curses and diseases, all somewhat mitigable with Pure Water.”

He quickly glanced at Hill and cautiously said, ”The old Toril could only pray for a boon from the Water Elemental God to obtain such absolutely pure water.

She’s not all that willing to respond to humans’ requests.

We also know of Strange Objects deep in the sea that can condense pure water, but... Ambori, always ready to spoil things.”

Hill thought to himself that while Ambori wasn’t able to kill Archmages taking a dip, she had no trouble contaminating the Strange Objects they obtained.

This minor task was well within even Hill’s capability, to say nothing of a deity mastering Marine Law.

Even with the least Laws mastered, she was still a god.

However, despite this prince also named Bane’s pitiable tale, Hill had no interest in getting involved in the affairs between Neverwinter and Luskan—after all, he had just declared his eternal neutrality.

Just like those Luskanese patrons coming to buy strong liquor, Hill wouldn’t refuse them entry to the tavern and shops just because their alignment was somewhat evil.

Hill’s domain lay on either side of one of the most crucial roads in Ferun.

Even those of the Evil Faction had made their contributions, and they naturally had the right to use this road.

After all, the truly vile ones did not dare to come to Agleya Town, as their evil aura was visible without any need for Alignment Detection, and Tyr’s Paladins were merely turning a blind eye, not truly blind.

Hill’s formidable power allowed him to handle these minor annoyances.

Intoxicated Luskan Pirates causing trouble were more than a few times thrown into the Undead Swamp.

Especially after Agleya purified half of the swamp, troublemakers were directly abandoned in the area of the Bhaal Temple.

In Luskan, the Temples of the Tyranny God Baal were well known, and they understood none of the Three Gods of Death were benevolent—pirates cast there experienced considerable fright.

They weren’t wrong, for there in Baal’s domain, each person touching the temple would offer up a portion of their Life Force.

The drunker they were, the sicker they’d emerge, and with no time for sickness in a pirate’s life, it amounted to a death sentence.

So now, those who still come to Agleya Town for a drink or shopping are basically able to keep their wits about them.

As for those actually intent on committing crimes, they typically vanished without a trace, and Hill’s Puzzle Lock’s sensitivity to hostility was part of its uniqueness.

The power of the Mists’ Puzzle Lock was evident; over the past year, the disappearance of hundreds of Professionals told the whole Northern Continent.

Agleya Town was indeed peaceful now, and Hill wouldn’t risk disturbing that peace for others’ troubles.

He pondered a moment before softly saying, ”Agleya has an interesting Strange Object: the Blue Pearl, produced by a type of Pearl Shell amidst the great whirlpool where her Main Temple resides.

Though with only one function—to generate the purest Elemental Water, at 5,000 liters per pearl each day—it comes at a steep price.”

Hill understood why Bane mentioned seeking Agleya’s help yet approached him directly.

Even with Tyr’s support, Neverwinter wouldn’t dare dream of compelling a deity unconnected to them to provide so much Pure Water.

But as the Sea Goddess, Agleya surely had a way to procure pure Elemental Water; otherwise, her Holy Water couldn’t achieve that effect.

Hill pondered in a daze, ”Doesn’t Neverwinter have about twenty thousand people? What would be the right price for him to quote?”

Although he didn’t want to take advantage of people in their time of need, some things could not be compromised.

Bane asked with some agitation, ”Would 500 Gold Coins for one pearl be acceptable? This is the only price Neverwinter can afford. We would like to buy 200.”

The price Hill had in mind was about the same; generally, the price for such strange objects hovered around 450 Gold Coins.

Bane’s cold sweat ran down his face as he pinched his hand and waited nervously.

Even though the Mage Lord in front of him aligned with the Kind Faction, anyone discussing prices with him, who consorted with dragons, would feel a bit of fear.

He had envisioned many outcomes before coming here, and this one was the best he could hope for.

The people of Neverwinter never thought that the Mage Lord would change his attitude out of sympathy for them. They just wanted to get some benefits before the Arcane Brotherhood could react.

The mages from the ’Cloak of Stars’ had praised Agleya’s Holy Water well before her official deification, declaring her the true Sea Goddess, whose gifts were Pure Water.

But the people from the Tyr Temple did not want them to do anything that could affect her before her official deification.

As a faithful follower of Tyr, his father Nasir didn’t understand but still complied.

It wasn’t until the Black Staff incident that Neverwinter confirmed that this relatively silent Nature Mage was definitely a tough character.

How annoying Kelben had been these past few years, Neverwinter, the city that dealt most with Deepwater City, had the most say.

Had it not been for thinking this was Kelben’s last madness before death, his father Nasir would have grabbed an axe and gone after Black Staff himself!

It turned out that Lord Hill hadn’t held back at all. As soon as Kelben reached out a hand, he immediately slapped it away.

”Killing the chicken to warn the monkey” didn’t even begin to describe most people’s feelings.

Now that Deepwater City was in chaos, nobody dared to make any more probes in this direction.

If it weren’t for the Paladin from the Silver Shield who kept instructing him to speak frankly and not to hide his intentions, Bane would have actually liked to say some flattering words.

Before coming here, he had indeed prepared to spend money to avert disaster—100,000 Gold Coins were Bane’s discretionary funds.

But no one knew if Hill, who claimed neutrality, would be willing to accept it.

This man never lacked money.

Hill didn’t let Bane remain anxious for long. He indeed ran a Magic Shop selling goods; anyone could buy, with clear pricing, and he certainly wouldn’t take advantage of someone at a time like this.

”Okay,” Hill nodded, ”Go to the Magic Shop to purchase. I’ll have Agleya put them up for sale there.”

Bane’s visit this time appeared quite covert, with only himself attending. Yet his face was one that nobody from Luskan wouldn’t recognize.

Hill had long noticed several big men who often came to drink squatting outside on the commercial street looking around. Their posture was quite irritating to the eye, no wonder those Paladins from Tyr had simply chosen to stand by them immovably.

Let’s just be open about these matters!

Conducting business dealings officially was his best attitude towards Bane: The waters of Neverwinter were too deep, and he was not from the Undead Tribe, with no interest in playing puzzle games.

Bane took his leave quickly.

Yet Hill fell into contemplation. Why did Bane come by himself?

This issue involved the lives of many; as one who aligned with the Kind Faction, Hill and Agleya were unlikely to refuse such a request, and a reply could have been obtained through Tyr’s Paladins.

Those in neutral territories are usually reluctant to deal with rulers from other territories with set allegiances, and this was not a matter of politeness.

Moreover, the Temples in his own territory carried much more status than the rulers in other places!

Bane, when he spoke, had he only mentioned his own father as a faithful follower of Tyr, without mentioning himself?

Yet in the end, he did indeed inherit the throne, and maintained Neverwinter exceptionally well during the most terrifying period, didn’t he?

Hill sighed deeply.

The place Neverwinter, the Undead Tribe would probably be very interested, right? Definitely more than Deepwater City and Silvermoon City!

Hill remembered that in Felunryel, during their conversations, both Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate had been cursed countless times.

”Marsha.”

The neatly dressed Marsha appeared promptly.

”Keep an eye on the people from Neverwinter. I feel like something is not right,” Hill casually tied up his hair messed by the wind, ”He wasn’t lying, but he’s still hiding something.

It might be unrelated to me, but it’s happening in my territory.

Anything that happens in my land, I can ignore, but I must not be ignorant of it.”

”As you command, sir.”