Equipment Printing School Mage

Although wizards often live long enough to put even elves to shame, Elminster of Shadowdale is one of the longest-lived wizards.

Most importantly, those who outlived him were generally those who had committed many crimes. Emya's mentor once said that of the three great arcanists of the Netheril era, with the exception of Karsus who died young due to the famous Karsus Avatar spell, Larloch and Iorum both lived to this day.

What's even more terrible is that Netheril is not actually the earliest magical generation of mankind. Halaster the Blackrobed in the underground of Waterdeep and Sazastan, the chief of the red robe wizards, are both much older than these two great arcanists.

No matter which of these four people you are, if you want to see them... maybe it is not enough to shed a layer of skin. It is almost the same to hold your soul in your hand and drag your skeleton with you.

"So, how do I contact Mr. Elminster?"

"Of course there's nothing we can do. He'll have to come find you," Lady Adrian replied, almost as if it were a matter of course. "At our stage, the most taboo thing is to move around openly in front of others—unless you're deliberately trying to attract attention, don't do such a thing. It's too dangerous. If Yin and the sword really have some secret, then he might appear before you again. If we can't find him, we'll have to find another way."

From this perspective, it would be better to ask the oldest gods after finding Elminster.

For example, the goddess Selune, with whom I had formed a bond in the Sharptooth Forest.

"As for... the crystal sword?" Lady Adrian hesitated, lost in thought for the first time, and finally shook her head slowly. "I think I might have caught a glimpse of it by chance, but I don't remember much more. My attention must have been on more important things at the time."

Eventually, the Son of Bhaal's friends surrendered as well.

So, the next question to ask is another less important one.

Emiya opened her dimensional hole, and Mars carried out the most dangerous trophy in the Sharptooth Forest.

"Do you have any impression of this ball?"

A brass metal ball covered with runes, a huge monster weighing over a hundred kilograms.

It was this that gave a sacred tree its power, but also drove it completely mad.

This time, Mrs. Adrian left her seat for the first time: "—Damn it! So this is what Apodale was talking about?! You really came to the right place."

Lady Adrian waved her hand, motioning for Mars to put it down, then nodded: "Okay, Apodel has already taken care of it. But it doesn't matter anyway, its magic power has been exhausted."

Emiya asked, "It seems you know its origin."

"It's not difficult. Its material is obvious—" Lady Adrian concluded without hesitation, "Hell steel. This scrap metal isn't brass; it's a magical item crafted by the Baatezu of Hell. I don't understand its specific function. I'm an orthodox mage. I don't study necromancy or demons. I'm proficient in how to turn the living into the dead."

"A demon from the Nine Hells?!" This answer quickly reminded the two of some ominous signs on the Sharptooth Forest battlefield. "A shadow druid seemed to have been dragged underground after his death. We didn't realize what happened at the time."

"That means he signed the most thorough indenture, received the most support, and was subject to the strictest control. He is still alive, but his soul has long been in the hands of the devil." Lady Adrian raised her hand slightly, and the ghostly wizard's hand knocked on the brass ball.

"...But," Emiya hesitated and said, "That druid should be connected to the Gods and Non-Gods."

"I see." Upon hearing this, Madam Adrian sighed deeply. "I've always said that an organization wouldn't suddenly rise up without a reason. I just couldn't figure out who was behind it. Everyone should still be recovering by now. It turns out to be the devil from the Nine Hells."

"However, the fact that the devil was able to openly form an organization and conduct semi-public activities in Faerun..." Lady Adrian sighed deeply. "Faerun hasn't been peaceful for a few days. It seems chaos is about to break out again."

Her point was simple—the so-called God is not a God, but just another signboard of the devil.

"By the way, what do you mean by we've come to the right place?" Emilia frowned.

"Because, right now, the place in all of Faerûn that's most closely connected to the Nine Hells is Baldur's Gate," Lady Adrian casually revealed the earth-shattering news. "The [jurists] of Baldur's Gate have meticulously drafted a straitjacket of laws and interpretations that no one wants to read except themselves. Unfortunately, while they've secured rights for themselves, they've also successfully loosened the reins on almost all actions of the devil. Now, unless a devil reveals himself on the street, openly proclaims himself a devil, and threatens to drag all of Baldur's Gate into Hell, nothing they do is forbidden in Baldur's Gate."

"—So, there are... a lot of demons in Baldur's Gate now?"

"Unfortunately, I don't know." Lady Adrian snorted coldly. "The demons attach great importance to Baldur's Gate. Although I have found many clues, I am not good at it. My attempts to track them have all come back empty-handed. But the demons' actions are very effective."

"So, you should leave as soon as possible." Lady Adrian thought again and again, and finally said, "...If you really value that sword, go to the Temple of the Supreme Wonder in Baldur's Gate. It is the largest temple of the craftsman god Gond in Faerun. The craftsmen there may know some clues that can be found on this sword."

Of course, this giant sword of three or four meters in length could not be taken out in public under any circumstances.

Madam Adrian hesitated for a moment, took off a ring from her finger, and tossed it to Emiya. "Go on. I'll escort you out of here in a moment. You can pretend to be guests entering Baldur's Gate with honor... but with your style, it's going to be a little difficult to act sneaky."

"Anyway, when you get to the Temple of Supreme Miracles, show this ring to the priest guarding there. A priest should come to receive you."

"......?" Emilia took the ring and hesitated for a moment.

A pure gold ring was inlaid with a shimmering, translucent purple gemstone. Within the perfectly cut gemstone, a violet flower was faintly outlined, clearly the work of a master jeweler.

"Mrs. Adrian, may I ask, you are active in Baldur's Gate, so you must have a public identity? And what is your real name?"

Faced with this question, Mrs. Adrian suddenly showed a mysterious smile on her face: “It’s a secret.”

Then, she restrained her smile and emphasized again, "Once you get the results, whether you are satisfied or not, leave Baldur's Gate immediately."

Emiya asked in confusion, "Given the scale of Baldur's Gate, is it really that dangerous?"

Madam Adrian was silent for a moment before replying, "The Flame Fist is a well-trained and elite group. They wouldn't easily be in such a state of panic as they have been in recent days. In short, leave as soon as possible."

Author's Note: *Note 1: This incident refers to the end of the Siege of Dragonspear, where Shiji, a selectable party member from the first game, mysteriously dies. The weapon that killed Shiji is found in Chanem's possession by a mysterious individual. This incident directly leads to Chanem's forced departure from Baldur's Gate. The mastermind behind this attack attacks Chanem's party on their way out of Baldur's Gate—this is the beginning of the main story of Baldur's Gate 2.

**Note 2: Although many people refer to Karthus's 12th-level spell as the Apotheosis, and its effect can indeed be called that, the actual name of this spell is Karthus' Avatar.

Note 3: Please note that some characters' personalities will naturally differ significantly from the original. Back then, she was a young girl in her early twenties, facing her closest childhood friend. Now, she's a great wizard over a hundred and twenty years old, facing a younger generation far younger than herself. It's only natural that her attitude would change so drastically that she'd be completely unrecognizable.

The Hall of the Six Supreme Miracles

What they have to do next, of course, is to clear their identities.

Baldur's Gate is a city renowned for its openness. As Mars once mocked, openness and freedom are synonymous with harboring filth and corruption.

The Flaming Fist attempted to track down any potential entrants into the city—this was highly unusual.

Perhaps it was because Emilia's previous speech had some effect. Or perhaps it was due to other reasons, but by the time Madam Adrian led them out of the secret room, the blockade had been lifted.

"That ring is not something you can just take out casually. It is only for the priests of the Supreme Temple of Wonders to see. You are now just ordinary visitors to Baldur's Gate - do you understand?"

But because the blockade had just been lifted and the news had not even spread completely, the streets seemed a little empty for a while - this gave them the opportunity to fish in troubled waters: on the surface, they arrived at a completely legal time.

Emilia glanced at the sky: it was now completely dark.

"Is the Temple of Supreme Miracles still open?" he asked. "It's also the temple of the God of Craftsmen, right? Do the priests work late?"

"Gond's priests are quite fond of showing off. You are in the lower city now, so you haven't seen it clearly enough. They would be ecstatic if someone visited them late at night."

Baldur's Gate is surrounded by two walls, and the innermost part is naturally the Upper Town where the government, nobles, and big merchants are located.

Lady Adrian pointed to the towering gate between the Upper and Lower Towns. "You all are dressed reasonably well, so the Flaming Fist won't stop you outside. Anyway, before you is the Gond Gate of the Upper Town. Go straight through and you'll see the Hall of Supreme Wonders. The Hall of Supreme Wonders is the most magnificent place in the Upper Town right now. You won't want to miss it."

At this point, she sighed sincerely. "At another time, I would say that the Hall of Wonders attached to the Temple of the Supreme Wonder is the most worthwhile place to visit in Baldur's Gate. But now, to you, it is just Gond's temple. Don't make things complicated."

"Okay, I'm leaving now. Don't try to find me again. I'm not free these few days."

Having said that, Emiya observed her surroundings and asked in a low voice, "What happened at Baldur's Gate? Are they really not short of manpower?"

"—The problem is that they are very scarce. With your strength, you are more than enough to serve as the backbone." Lady Adrian paused and replied, "If Baldur's Gate has any connection with your group, I probably wouldn't object to your involvement."

"But unfortunately, Apodel and I owe Baldur's Gate a one-sided favor, yet we were exiled by the city. I will stay because I can protect myself while sympathizing with the innocent citizens of Baldur's Gate. If you stay, you may be able to help, but you may die."

Lady Adrian said without turning around, "If you're going to help a city like Baldur's Gate, are you planning to help as you go? Even the infamous Calimshan has been liberated and has become a center of Ilmater's faith! Do you have more lives than ordinary people? Leave as soon as you're done!"

As soon as the words fell, Mrs. Adrien's back disappeared from their sight.

"Don't help people who are not related to you." Emilia pursed her lips, repeated the sentence, and took a deep breath.

He doesn't quite agree with this statement.

"I think that among people living in the same universe, no one is unrelated to each other." Yin Ze commented.

This sentence surprised Emiya: "I thought you would feel that no one has anything to do with you!"

"How is that possible!" Yin protested immediately. "Magic is the miracle born from the modulation of wisdom. There is no magic in a dead world! Then the importance of life is certainly no less than magic."

This wonderful way of interpretation is very much in line with the style of a priest who expounds on the teachings of God.

But no matter what, it is inevitable to go to the Hall of Supreme Miracles first.

Just as Lady Adrian had said, their journey to the upper city went smoothly. The Flaming Fist soldiers guarding the city gates immediately let Emilia through upon seeing her mage attire.

Moreover, the Hall of Supreme Miracles is indeed conspicuous enough.

Strictly speaking, the Hall of Supreme Miracles was located in the very center of the Upper City. As long as they walked straight after entering the Gond Gate, the Hall of Supreme Miracles, still radiating light, would become the most dazzling light source in the entire Upper City.

"..." Emiya opened her mouth, pointed in the direction of the Temple of Supreme Miracles, and asked, "--Has that temple always been like this?"

Mars replied, "That's not the case. It's just that the Gond Church encourages believers, priests, and even outsiders to invent and create. If there is an invention that amazes the Gond Church and is sent to the church, they often hold various large-scale celebrations."

At this point, the paladin shrugged. "—Of course, it's also possible that the Gond Church simply encountered a happy event. For example, someone paid a large price to order a large amount of goods from them, and each priest received a large bounty. In that case, they would also hold a celebration with great joy."

"The first half was high in the clouds, but the second half was suddenly filled with the air of fireworks."

In response to Emya's comments, the paladin replied: "There's nothing we can do about it. Priests have to live in Baldur's Gate too."

"-What do you mean? Is life in Baldur's Gate difficult?" Yin Ze had no knowledge about this and asked subconsciously.

The distance between the Gond Gate and the Temple of Supreme Wonders was perhaps less than a kilometer. As they chatted, they had already spotted the Temple of Supreme Wonders' iconic marble pillars. Coincidentally, at that very moment, a group of Flaming Fist soldiers, helmets removed and somewhat dejected, were approaching.

Although Mars could be quite harsh in his interactions, he was quite serious when discussing knowledge itself: "A typical church's pastor's main expenses are personal living expenses, sometimes used to support fellow believers. However, the pastors of the Gond Church live in the inner city, and their daily expenses are quite high. The church also encourages all kinds of technological innovation. To prove their talents, pastors often create dazzling and imaginative works, but these works may not have any immediate use, and as a result, they often cannot be sold."

Mars' voice wasn't loud, but his words were clear. The passing Flaming Fist soldiers had clearly heard his words. One of them couldn't help but curse under his breath, "...unless you've met a sucker."

"...?"

This sudden comment made Emiya stop in her tracks: "Sorry, did you say something just now?"

The Flaming Fist Soldier's companion suddenly pulled him back, then laughed: "Sorry, sorry, my friend just lost control of his hands in the Hall of Miracles and is regretting it now. Don't take it to heart."

The Hall of Wonders is where Gond priests demonstrate and try to sell their inventions.

Having said that, the Flame Fist soldier who had just spoken out of turn was obviously very regretful. He had covered his mouth tightly with his hands and the two of them walked quickly towards the Gunde Gate.

Mars stared at their backs in silence. "I think even if we regret it, we won't regret it just a few steps after leaving the Hall of Miracles."

The Temple of the Supreme Wonder is a true work of art. At first glance, its facade resembles Earth's Parthenon—rows of neat, flawless marble columns rise from the flat ground, arching over the temple's azure, slightly curved triangular dome. Beyond the columns lie the spotless, white walls of the Temple of the Supreme Wonder.

However, the Hall of Supreme Miracles did not seem to have any mysterious or intimidating aura. On the contrary, the hall was bustling with activity.

A large number of priests stood in front of the pool in the center of the Temple of Supreme Miracles, holding up the holy emblem and chanting scriptures aloud.

Mars listened carefully for a moment, then blinked in disbelief. "...Ritual magic? They're making holy water? But does that require most of the temple's priests to work overtime? Are they heading to the Abyss or Hell? Even if they want to conquer the lower planes, it wouldn't be the Church of the God of Craftsmen leading the charge, right?"

Likewise, the familiar deafening scraping sound of a grinding wheel rubbing against metal seemed to still be heard from inside the church.

Just as they were standing at the door of the temple, feeling a little lost, two carriages came out from the side of the temple and passed by them.

They were richly scented with herbs, oils, and incense, and their heavy wheels made a loud scraping sound on the rocky pavement of the temple.

These things are the most commonly used spellcasting materials by priests.

Yin silently looked at the bustling temple and asked, "Is the world going to be destroyed?"

Guests of the Hall of Seven Wonders

Obviously, this situation is not normal in a temple at all.

——If I didn’t know, I would have thought that the Temple of Gond was preparing to turn Baldur’s Gate into the private domain of the God of Craftsmen and drive out all other competitors!

Thus, not long after the three of them had remained in the temple, a young woman standing outside the temple ran over. She was wearing the typical attire of a Gond priest, but lacking much ornamentation, appearing extremely plain. She also wore no divine emblem: this indicated that she was a novice who had not yet been formally ordained as a priest.

However, she had another emblem on her body - a silver shield.

Which is the most prominent and important family in Baldur's Gate? It is undoubtedly the Silver Shield family.

Baldur's Gate adheres to the system of the Four Dukes. Each of the four Grand Dukes is elected by the people. As a result, the selections fluctuate constantly. Only two of them can truly be considered regulars.

The then Grand Commander of the Flame Fist Mercenaries and the Patriarch of the Silver Shield Family.

However, the Silver Shield girl had clearly arrived as a novice. She rushed to the front of the group, bowed apologetically, and said, "Three guests. I apologize, but the temple is currently undergoing a special period, and the Hall of Supreme Miracles is temporarily closed to the public. Are you here to visit, or to request assistance from the church?"

Emiya nodded. "We are here to ask for help from the followers of the God of Craftsmen."

At this point, he hesitated a bit: "... Given the current situation of the Gond Temple, are there really any vacant priests?"

Hearing this, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Rest assured, the Gonde Church is not shut down. All church affairs have simply been temporarily relocated to the nearby Hall of Miracles for the next few days. Please follow me."

The Hall of Miracles is just to the east of the Hall of Supreme Miracles, only a dozen meters away.

The girl's identity was obviously public information in Baldur's Gate, so she had no intention of hiding it.

"Shiji II Silvershield. Daughter of Thorin Silvershield. My friends just call me Shiji or Little Shiji. You are welcome to do as you please."

Emilia's expression, hidden under the illusion, darkened slightly.

No wonder Apodel Adrian had to wait until the hundred-year deadline had expired before considering returning to Baldur's Gate.

Shi Ji, the victim of the murder that forced the Sons of Bhaal to leave this port city a hundred years ago.

From what we can see now, Shi Ji's death is clearly a major event that is deeply engraved in the Silver Shield family. So much so that a hundred years later, the Silver Shield family still allows their children to inherit Shi Ji's name.

The group walked towards the east amid the loud chanting and the sound of metal rubbing in the temple.

As Lady Adrian had said, the Hall of Miracles was clearly far purer than the Hall of Supreme Miracles. While similar in style, this hall lacked even a door. The mysteries within were thus unconcealed and exposed to the world.

Although Mrs. Adrian was a little sorry that they missed the Hall of Miracles, they got the opportunity to visit in an unusually wonderful way.