Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 540 Cooperation with the Church

Needless to say, the Church of Gonde, as a partner, has won big this time. The staff of the Mysterious Hall and the Skillful Hands spoke several decibels louder, and they were happy to see the relationship between them deepen and strengthen further.

As for the Church of Ogmar…

It was only after the lord himself paid a visit and outlined his vision for educational reform in the territory that the Shepherd of the God of Knowledge was aroused to pique his curiosity.

Like the gods, the servants of the Lord of Knowledge possess both an extreme reverence for knowledge and invention and the arrogance characteristic of erudite scholars.

How can a group of peasants be expected to receive the transmission of knowledge?

Although I'm not very optimistic about this far-fetched plan, it is still spreading knowledge, which undoubtedly fits into the domain of my god's authority.

This joint visit was made possible by curiosity and optimism about the newly appointed lord.

The trip to the high cliff by the two churches was not simply a matter of joining in the fun and offering congratulations; Zhang Yuan had quite complex considerations behind this invitation.

No education can be discussed in isolation from the quality of teachers. With the expansion of enrollment, the previous master-apprentice system of druids and dwarves is no longer suitable. With the establishment of the new system, it is urgent to introduce a more suitable teaching model and teacher resources.

With spring planting season approaching, the druids will be busy, while the dwarves are skilled in practical matters. But should we let them stand on the podium?
That would be even more painful than killing them.

Who will teach? Surely the lord can't personally take charge?
At this point, it is necessary to introduce external resources. We do not expect the other party to come and support us with figures such as the guardian of the scrolls or mechanical attendants. A few trainee priests or even temple attendants can handle the teaching tasks of the junior class and night school.

Basic knowledge such as literacy, arithmetic, and picture reading are just the foundation. Unless Zhang Yuan or the craftsmen of Keen are willing to take some time out of their busy schedules, it is better to leave the parts that involve basic common sense in the industry to the insiders.

As for the practical aspect, the Gaoya Night School, which guarantees job placement after graduation, doesn't need anyone else to worry about it. Several workshops offer plenty of internship positions, and they politely decline any tentative "enthusiasm" from outsiders.

It sounds somewhat like a dual system combining industry and academia, but to be honest, with such a weak foundation and rudimentary configuration, it probably doesn't even qualify as a basic version.

Regardless, the basic framework of the education system has been established, but what is the cost?

It is the right to preach.

As the prime plane of the Toril multiverse, Faerûn is a grand chessboard where gods proclaim their glory and engage in mutual strife, and few regions can be isolated from the influence of the gods' beliefs.

Take the various territories and city-states of the Sword Coast as an example. Each has its own inclinations, but even the smallest and most remote territory, even if it is so poor that it cannot afford to build a temple, will at least have an altar guarded by a trainee priest.

Of course, it's quite interesting to know which unlucky guy... no, which lone hero was sent to preach in some godforsaken corner.

Even as a mage lord, Master Zhang couldn't be too unconventional and blatantly reject all sects; he had to make choices.

In terms of personal sentiment, the Three Gods of Justice somewhat align with his simple moral values ​​as a modern person, even though Master Zhang himself is hardly a moral exemplar.

It's a pity that considerations of interest cannot be based on emotions.

While introducing the power of the three gods is beneficial to the stability of the territory's order, the very existence of justice and order implies many constraints and potential interference.

Although he didn't consider himself a heinous villain, Zhang Yuan still didn't want those holy knights who were always upholding justice to occasionally wander into his territory. This was purely based on personal feelings, and not out of concern for the various shady dealings hidden within his territory, such as the Night Lady's Altar, the existence of the Word Bearers Squad, or even the slave purchase plan that remained unseen in the lord's wicked mind.

None of that exists; there are no secrets in High Cliff Territory!

What? You said you saw drow elves on the high cliffs?
The winter sun is so scorching, and the wood elves' skin isn't fair to begin with, so what's wrong with them getting a little tanned? I think you've just lost your mind from the sun!

Dude, judging by your symptoms, you've got heatstroke. Come on, take a good look at this 18.5mm double-barreled explosive gun. Does that make you a little more awake?
To avoid wasting precious resources like explosive bolts on minor ailments like eye problems and heatstroke, the stingy Master Zhang finally decided to allow the Church of Gonde and Ogmar to move in.

Aside from their neutral nature, which makes things easier, organizations focused on technology and education are generally more moderate and less likely to have principled conflicts or irreconcilable contradictions.

Furthermore, given that there was already an intention to make connections and leverage their influence, it was a wise decision to invite them to facilitate this cooperative deal, resulting in a win-win situation for both parties.

Of course, given the size of each party and the nature of their relationship, the two churches gave different responses.

The Church of Gonde clearly stated that it would build a temple on the high cliff, and the specific scale would need to be discussed with the archbishop.

Joan Améni, the shepherd of the god of knowledge, spoke with some regret:

"Your vision and courage are admirable, but the spread of wisdom in the northern part of the Sword Coast is still a long way off and cannot yet shine equally over the entire region."

"However, we should support Your Excellency's good policies. I believe that the establishment of the Holy Sanctuary of Our Lord, coupled with the assistance of the Church of the God of Crafts, will be sufficient to deal with the current situation."

The words sound nice and reasonable, but to put it another way: In such a small place with so few people, having a sanctuary is already a blessing, what more could you ask for?

The so-called sanctuary can be understood as a simplified version of a temple.

There were no palaces or temples, no colossal statues or golden bodies; a simple altar with a holy emblem or a small statue of a deity was all that was needed, with a missionary's residence built next to it.

The Church of Ogmar's attitude is not surprising. With its roots firmly planted in Candlekeep in the middle of Sword Coast, its branches reach the Northlands, and it has followers in both Neverwinter and Deepwater. Not to mention, the document guardians in the Great Archives of Neverwinter are mostly servants of the god of knowledge.

Since one resides in a high position in the government, one has no interest in the distant world of martial arts. It is not worthwhile to devote too much energy to the students and citizens of Wudong City, who are so numerous.

Zhang Yuan had no complaints about this; he simply expressed his gratitude and politely accepted the help from the Church of Ogmar.

This is just the beginning of the cooperation. As the scale of education expands, the other party will definitely be the one who can't sit still.

Master Zhang was full of confidence. After the meeting ended and the two envoys left, he began to ponder the current problems in his territory.

The root cause of the symptoms is very simple: population.

Money is not a problem for Gaoya now, and there is still plenty of land available. What is lacking is manpower to cultivate it.

People are the foundation of all development.

Thank you to O銜尾蛇O for the donation, and also thank you to 扯淡区, 麓阳君, Hawkhand, and 田园酷狗 for the monthly tickets. Thank you all!
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(End of this chapter)