Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 958: Chapter 754: Schemes and Mutual Benefit

Lynn smiled as he watched Chief Haber agonize over there: Adanko’s meticulously neat robe had been wrinkled by his restless fingers.

They were all aware that Agleya City could indeed refuse those haphazard trading caravans; a single faction’s demand could make those caravans racing across the continent hesitate in their tracks.

Of course, caravans from the Kind Alignment would still come, but having two or three a year would already be considered good.

But if the benefits offered by Long Saddle Town aren’t high enough, Lynn could easily have the caravans bypass the city edge and travel along the coastal road… Indeed, Agleya City wouldn’t earn from those passing caravans, and Hill wouldn’t expand his inn and warehouse located at the road’s edge just for these folks; ultimately it might only benefit Deepwater City’s port faction.

However, it all depends on Long Saddle Town’s attitude… sometimes harming others without benefiting oneself can also be a satisfying choice.

Adanko hesitated for over ten minutes, finally making a decision: “The Haber family is willing to share all information with Agleya, except for the magic and alchemy techniques related to the family’s heritage… I believe the time taken to transport this information would be enough to monopolize the road’s cargo for a hundred years.”

Lynn showed a dismissive smile: “The rules set by Agleya basically don’t change, discussions about agreements for something like a hundred years are just tiresome… it sounds nice, but in reality, it’s just something to tear up whenever the upper hand is gained.

The Haber family can’t seriously think that once Mystra is reinstated, Kelben will have the ability to suppress our lord, can they?

Forget it, your opinions don’t concern me…

We’re all knowledgeable people, I was once part of the Harpists… some things, not speaking doesn’t mean not knowing.

Moreover, with what kind of courage are you trying to deceive the Lord of Agleya who can consult deities anytime?

Even if I blindly accepted your conditions, how could I possibly decide on a formal treaty like this?

Aren’t you afraid that this treaty, upon reaching him, might anger an Archmage whom even Kelben doesn’t dare to directly confront?

This condition is meaningless, Chief Adanko should return and discuss with your clansmen thoroughly!

I’ll give you one month’s time, before spring arrives, please provide me with a satisfactory answer.”

Lynn sneered and shook his head, as if no one knew that the Haber family’s real treasures are actually held by those individual Archmages?

Information sent in the name of the family probably isn’t even as abundant as the resources Hill has collected personally.

What Hill truly desires is actually the information held by those Dark Mages from the Haber family residing in the Underworld, but he cannot openly ask for it.

Lynn was well aware that to gather enough resources to impress Hill, things from the Underworld would undoubtedly be sold off the fastest… the Toril people excel at using mineral-rich Underworld resources to deceive.

The information they hand over is certainly not fake… but in the Underworld, amidst so many evil forces, those who can hold onto these minerals… are either the slave-holding Dark Elves and Eye Demons, or various Dwarves.

The more prized the minerals, the stronger the enemies they represent… for instance, the precious materials desperately needed by mages are likely monopolized by the Dilo Dwarves… these hideously small dwarves are the sworn enemies of mages.

Their entire bodies are covered by colorless skin from head to toe, so translucent that the blue arteries and copper veins underneath can be distinctly seen.

This semi-transparent skin tissue lacks the ability to protect against sunlight, so the average Dilo Dwarf would die from exposure in less than a day, yet this skin simultaneously provides unimaginable magic resistance.

Although Lynn didn’t know how Hill found out about the Dilo Dwarves’ weaknesses… Toril people rarely have information about them. But Lynn didn’t bother asking his friend… it’s nothing but another one of Hill’s divine acquaintances.

Ever since hearing that even Shaer had visited that small study, Lynn no longer wished to know just how many Toril deities Hill was acquainted with.

It truly defied belief that someone could simultaneously befriend Shaer and Suren without getting pummeled by both.

Lynn looked at Chief Haber’s flushed yet speechless appearance and smiled: “Well then, please go ahead! Chief Adanko, shouldn’t you also consult Great Magician Marko’s opinion?”

Chief Haber angrily stood up directly, and upon reaching the door, summoned a jet-black puppet carriage, boarding it without turning back.

Lynn watched the carriage leave, unable to resist shaking his head and smiling: Such carriages rarely appear in the hands of Low-rank Mages, only a level 10 like Adanko could freely employ it, demonstrating that the Haber family’s ability to craft wondrous horse-related objects is indeed peerless in Toril.

Of course, others might be more struck by the wealth of the Haber Family… But let’s not mention the variety of ornate and expensive carriages Hill possesses; even the ones used by the Undead Tribe as cages are way superior to the carriage owned by Chief Haber.

Lynn felt a bit lost in thought, thinking that he must reconnect more with former friends during this period. Fortunately, Hill had raised many little white-throated birds, which he could use freely… Otherwise, as a native of Toril, he might not even know where the price levels of this world stand.

While considering these topics, which might provoke his old friends to the point of never wanting to speak to him again, Lynn leisurely walked into Hill’s study.

“Good day, Lynn.” His friend greeted him with a cheerful smile, clearly aware of what had stimulated him before the White Dragon Mountains.

“Good day, Hill.” Lynn put on a fake smile, “But if you could assign the next task that involves direct communication with the Undead Tribe to someone else, I would feel more at ease.”

“Actually, you can assign the task to our city guard officer in Agleya.” Hill sincerely suggested, “After the joint battle through Luskan, I believe Oste is quite accustomed to communicating with the Undead Tribe.”

Lynn nodded thoughtfully: Oste indeed fits well, and being a Chosen, his mental sea is well protected, shielding him from upheavals due to incomprehensible events… As long as that Sword Singer deity has briefed Oste a bit on the Elf Deity System’s past, the Shine Sword Master should handle all chaotic situations calmly.

Anyway, he understood Hill’s stance: as long as he doesn’t push troublesome things onto Hill, it doesn’t matter to whom Lynn assigns tasks… In Agleya City, only a few can handle such assignments, either Oste or his cousins.

Lynn still held some brotherly affection, unable to be so ruthless.

He immediately changed the subject to prevent his friend from having any mischievous ideas. Although Hill was a good person, he was also the type who could get along well with the Little Flower Fairy… Even pranks, however minor, should be avoided against himself.

“I estimate that the Dark Mage on the Haber Family’s side, if truly aware of the Dilo Dwarves’ news, will undoubtedly inform us concerning the mineral resources they occupy.” He smiled, “That Clan Leader doesn’t seem to have intentions to coexist harmoniously with us… If there’s hope to weaken us, he definitely won’t hold back.

I specifically mentioned Marko, perhaps he might think we are after high-level wonders or even the crafting methods of the Dusk Tower.”

Hill nodded with a smile, “Very well… I believe the Haber Family must know a bit about the Dilo Dwarves’ news; they couldn’t possibly interact without any contact in the Underworld.

The Dilo Dwarves love to attack Dark Mages, robbing them is much easier than robbing Dark Elves.

Lynn indeed understands these mage families well! He directly hit the sore spot of the Haber Family.

Marko, hehe…”

Marko Haber was also a follower of Mystra, and before advancing to a level 20 Archmage, he always stayed in the Black Staff Tower as an aide to Kelben.

Once he became an Archmage, he had to leave Deepwater City, there was no other way, as besides Kelben and Laila, a third Archmage couldn’t be accommodated in the Black Staff Tower… Top resources aren’t that easy to collect, and Kelben couldn’t support him.

So Marko had to choose to return to Long Saddle Town to find his own path, eventually building that very famous Dusk Tower on the borders of Neverwinter Forest.

This kind of Array that allows a Magic Tower to directly hide in Dimensional Space and return to its original location at any time is an exclusive secret of this Archmage, and he is also skilled at making Rock Guardians and Staff of the Archmage, Missile Wand, Plummet Ring, as well as the Ring of Warmth.

The basic crafting methods for these magical equipment, as long as you have the money, are known, but the similar magical equipment crafted by Marko surpasses the ordinary ones by almost a third in effect, so in the North, he is already an unrivaled Alchemist Master.

To be honest, in terms of Wonder-making, the reason the Black Staff Tower once had so many apprentices capable of crafting Elementary Wonders was all thanks to this Marko laying the groundwork for Kelben.

That’s why once Lynn mentioned Marko, the Haber Clan Leader became so vigilant… They would rather spend more resources than allow the Alchemist Master’s legacy to leak.

But for Hill, if it’s just a third enhancement… it’s really no different from trash; what he casually makes almost achieves double the effect.

If he handed it over to Fran for thorough research, Hill estimated that multiplying it several times wouldn’t be an issue… Though the magical equipment in Toril indeed comes in many types, in terms of intricacy, they fall far short of those on Teraxil’s side.

It might be due to the Weave, which prevents Toril people from studying the characteristics of various materials in such fine detail.

Lynn couldn’t help but laugh, he too did not think Marko had anything worthy of Hill’s envy, the small-mindedness of the Haber Family was entirely misplaced, but it happened to be what they needed.

“So, we just wait for spring to obtain information on the Dilo Dwarves.” Hill said after a moment of silence, “Hopefully before then, the White Dragon Queen has assisted the Undead Tribe in finding the location of the underground passage.”