Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 252 A Passerby in Neverwinter
That's terrifying. A spell cast by a mage himself, no higher than level five, excluding items and scrolls. What does that mean?
It's like giving mages an Ain Stone with built-in flight mobility! Although there's a level cap limitation.

In some ways, the benefits of this spell are comparable to those of a sixth-ring pet-enchanting spell.

Zhang Yuan forced himself to keep from losing his composure, stared at the other person, took out a scroll and performed the spell before asking the other person to repeat it again.

"Master, you're being too cautious." Even the well-informed, foolish bird, who had recognized the effects of the lie-detection spell, had no choice but to repeat itself.

Phew, I've struck gold!

But then he hesitated, saying, "I already have a magical pet."

The stupid bird on the other side was also getting anxious. It seemed that even if it offered itself up, it couldn't get a good price.

"Master, think about it, is there any magical pet more powerful than me?"

That wasn't an exaggeration, and Zhang Yuan pondered it for a moment: "I acknowledge your confidence, but changing your magical pet isn't such an easy thing."

This is not an excuse. The deep bond between a mage and his magical pet is no child's play. They can even share a small portion of their life force. They are bound together by honor and disgrace, and it is not something that can be easily broken.

If you really want to change it, there is a way. When a mage's spiritual level leaps and their compatibility with the magic network improves further, in other words, at the moment of leveling up, the mage can sever their connection with their magical pet without any cost. Otherwise, the consequences of forcibly severing the connection are no different from the death of the magical pet.

Although he was reluctant to part with her, especially when he thought about how long Shirley had been with him, which was almost his entire time in Faerûn, especially during the lonely times when he was studying, this little white creature was the only person he could confide in. Whenever he relaxed, he would play with his phone, which no longer had internet, and pet his little ferret.

But he was a mage and couldn't act on his emotions. He also understood that Sherry's role was more like a pet than a mage's companion, and freeing her from the role of a magical pet was not necessarily a bad thing.

"Just keeping it as a pet isn't so bad," the mage consoled himself.

After dinner, everyone went into the stone house and rested in their respective rooms. Doflamingo, that silly bird, also followed the mage and tried to sleep in his room. Zhang Yuan let it be.

The next day, they set off, and the horses, having recovered, were finally able to slowly pull the carriages away.

The Canaan caravan drove out of the valley, crossed the riverbank, and followed the straight stream into the River Neverwinter, which runs through Neverwinter. They mingled with the other cars and mixed in with all sorts of caravans and pedestrians on their way to Neverwinter.

The origin of the name Neverwinter is debated, but three explanations are most widely accepted:

Some believe the city was founded by a sun elf named Harius Never, who led the elves of Illyambrun in resisting the Ilushkan invasion during the -10 DR period.

Surrounded by the enemy, he chose the place where the river meets the sea as his final stop and named it Never's Winter, thinking he would die in the ensuing battle.

However, human allies arrived in time to help him, and together they defeated the Iluscans and established the city, which was retained in name and simply called "Neverwinter".

Others, however, consider the above explanations to be pure nonsense, believing that the name comes from its horticultural industry. Neverwinter is nicknamed "the city of skilled hands" because its gardeners can keep their gardens evergreen even throughout the entire winter, hence the name.

This romantic yet absurd argument is quite untenable, at least in Zhang Yuan's eyes it's a typical leftist perspective, but the person who came up with this is no ordinary individual.

The infamous Captain Varro and the equally infamous old rogue, Elminster!

Hmmm~
Let's hear what the locals think. They believe the name comes from the city's unusually warm climate compared to the frigid Northland, and its docks that almost never freeze.

Some believe this is due to the River Neverwinter flowing through the city; this river, which originates from beneath the Hottenno volcano, carries heat that creates a permanently warm climate in the surrounding area.

In reality, the latter, which is the most credible, is less romantic than the former two, and thus its reputation in other regions is often inferior.

They drove two carriages into the south gate of Neverwinter. Although the horses pulling the carriages were still a bit listless, they were traveling slowly on the main road, so it didn't matter.

However, the first impression upon entering the city was truly disappointing. Everywhere there were dilapidated old bungalows, with few brick or stone structures. Most were wooden or mud houses, and the roofs were mostly thatched. Having a tile to cover one's body was considered a luxury.

Even on the streets and alleys, you can see rolls of simple straw mats laid on the ground, with some thin and bony people sitting or lying on them, covering themselves with tattered quilts and clothes.

What's even more disheartening are the crowds on the roadside. They lack the busyness and fulfillment often seen in big city residents; instead, they sway along the streets like zombies, their faces lifeless, filled with numbness and sorrow.

This hardly resembles the legendary Pearl of the North. It's not even as good as a small village, which at least has some pastoral charm.

This is the southern district of Neverwinter, the birthplace of the infamous plague that later ravaged the city—the Howling Death.

This is what is known as the beggar's nest.

As the caravans from outside the city drove into the urban area, the beggars and unemployed people who had been scattered along the streets rushed over, extending their hands with practiced ease and even instinct, their faces showing even more obvious suffering as they begged for alms and pity from the visitors from outside the city.

Neither Zhang Yuan nor the other Canaan team members would be foolish enough to be overly compassionate and give money to these poor people. If they really wanted to help, they would have been more effective and safer to make an offering at the temple of Ilmat.

Münster and Kegan, driving the vehicle, drew their weapons as a warning, and passed through the grime on this pearl without much trouble.

However, it was Tallinda, a young lady who usually stayed in the woods and had never seen such a miserable scene, who couldn't bear it. After being persuaded to stop, she waited until she left the beggar's nest before throwing the remaining dry food that was about to be exchanged to the crowd behind her.

The carriage passed through the gate separating the city and swayed into the commercial district, the heart of the city, where numerous chambers of commerce, shops, guilds, and even administrative institutions were located.

For example, the Temple of Tyr and the Moonstone Mask!

Thank you to Poor African, Remembering My Dreams, and Cthulhu's Cutest for your monthly ticket support!
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(End of this chapter)