Chapter 387 The Curse of the Lost Lady
What Brian didn't expect was that in such a harsh environment as the Lion's Road, there were actually civilians living here.
These civilians live in houses made of mud and thatch in the wild grass. The rest fish in small leather boats in the bay and build their homes on crooked wooden poles on the top of the sand dunes.
Most people seem to live alone and do not have much communication with outsiders.
When the two of them reached noon, Badrick's leopard suddenly roared, and then three women emerged from the weeds and gave the ascetic a woven basket filled with Clam.
Brian found these three women. One of them was very old, another had a big belly, and the third was a young and beautiful girl.
There is no doubt that they are all ordinary civilians who cannot be more ordinary.
This made him wonder and ask, "Aren't these ordinary people afraid of danger when they live in a wilderness swamp area? Why don't they choose to live in a civilized gathering place."
"Because they have nothing to fear, sir." Badric told him:
"They just want to survive, live and die, and love what they love, even if they know that the lords of Baldur's Gate rule this place. A piece of land, but few people have seen them. Even the nearest city here, Belgost, is just a name to them.”
Although the ascetic monk explained it tactfully, Brian could sense from the words in his words a concept similar to 'tyranny is fiercer than a tiger'.
Obviously, although life here is a bit difficult, at least there is no exploitation and oppression, and you can live in peace, grow old, sick and die, and return to your roots.
As his strength increased, although Brian became a lord and even became the Lord Protector of the Kingdom of Cormyr, he did not realize until this moment that he had not personally observed and experienced it for an unknown amount of time. Live a civilian life.
And the convenience brought by magic has long made him disdain ordinary life. He seems to have escaped from this world, so much so that Badrick took him with him and suddenly walked on foot in this dangerous swamp. After entering the area, he actually felt a little strange.
For this reason, after he adapted, his state of mind seemed to be changing silently.
This made him realize that as his strength continues to improve, if he wants to continue to make breakthroughs, he may not be able to succeed by accumulating a lot of experience, but by tempering his state of mind.
"Although they know very little about everything outside the Lion's Road." Brian looked around, showing a thoughtful look, and said to the monk:
"But they have something in their hearts. Their own beliefs, right? This must be all your credit. It was you who allowed them to complete their own salvation, or to find themselves again. This makes me wonder, how many years have you been walking in this area? "
"Almost fifty years." Badrick sighed, and his leopard turned around and let out a whimpering growl, and rubbed his master's muddy trouser legs affectionately. It seems to be catering to the monk's words.
He said slowly, "From Candlekeep to Baldur's Gate, it often takes me half a year, maybe more, but I wouldn't say that I know the Sword Coast. I only glanced at it from a distance. The towers of the archmages and the castles of the lords, but I am familiar with the towns and manors, the villages too small to even have names, the hedges and the mountains, the creeks and adventurers that can bring water to the thirsty. Even though there are no muddy and winding trails on the map, I know the safe cave they live in. ”
"After all, my bare feet have stepped across every inch of land here dozens of times." Badrick said with a smile.
“This ascetic is not simple.” The thought of the golden dragon Paralandusk sounded in Brian’s mind, “But why don’t I feel the slightest ability of a monk in him, but more like He’s an ordinary mortal, so strange.”
Although Brian had the same doubts as Jin Long, he ignored this boring topic and looked at this person with slight respect. The ascetic took a look and said, "That man must be living a lonely life."
"That's not the case." Badrick shook his head slightly and replied, "I still have a loyal partner."
"Does your leopard have a name?" Brian asked.
"He must have it." Badrick said, "But I am not his first owner."
The leopard turned around and looked at the two of them coldly. He was very big and had bright hair. , has a strong body shape, and his muscles move back and forth like waves when he walks, but he is very friendly.
"Who does he belong to?" Brian asked again.
"Of course he belongs to himself. As for the name, he didn't tell me. I usually call him Cat."
"I once had a cat, but it was a catwoman. .”
The golden dragon Paralandusk seemed to feel a little bored, and took the initiative to share interesting stories from the past with Brian, "Although that catwoman is very arrogant and aggressive, and takes the initiative to be on top every time, her body is softer than that of an elf." , It’s really moist. I’ll help you catch two to try if you have a chance.”
“…”
“He will protect my safety during the journey, even if it is so difficult. At that time, with him by my side, beasts and evil humanoid creatures did not dare to approach me."
Badrick frowned, "It's just that recently, the Sword Coast has become very chaotic. The adventurers said that there were even traces of devils in Baldur's Gate and Elturgard."
Hearing this, Brian nodded thoughtfully.
Near noon, they finally saw the shadow of Candlekeep.
This castle is located on an island half far from the shore. Even from a distance, you can see the wealth of the island. Terraces cover the slopes, there are fish ponds below, windmills above, wood and canvas. The finished paddle rotates slowly in the gentle breeze blowing from the bay.
Brian also saw sheep grazing happily on the hillside and bush birds walking leisurely in the shallow water around the ferry terminal.
"Candlekeep is on the other side." Badrick pointed to the north of the bay and said:
"Normally, the scholars from Candlekeep would take advantage of the evening tide to ferry us across. past, but now that the tide has receded, we can walk to the other side.”
Brian nodded slightly, already used to Brother Badrick's life like an ordinary person.
As the other party said, the tide is ebbing now, and it is receding very quickly. The river that isolates the island from the land retreats rapidly, leaving behind a vast brown mudflat, slightly flooded, and one by one with tides. There were pits all over it, shining like gold coins in the bright sunshine.
“Why is this place called Candlekeep?” Brian asked.
“Because the people who live here are scholars, they meditate, pray, silence, and seek knowledge and answers in books, and the only thing that can accompany them in the dark... is a candle.”
Badrick smiled slightly and asked Brian to follow him, "Sir, if you want to sleep under the eaves tonight, come with me through the swamp now. We call it the road of faith. Only those with firm faith can do it. Pass safely, but those with evil intentions will be swallowed by the quicksand.”
Brian carefully followed the monk's footsteps. He found that this so-called road of faith was really winding. The Candlekeep seemed to tower in the northwest, but Badrick did not walk directly towards it. Instead, he chose the distance instead of the near. Turn east and head toward the deeper water in the bay.
The water in the distance shimmered with silver-blue light, and brown mud squeaked between Badrick's toes.
He stopped from time to time to test the front with his wooden stick. The leopard followed closely behind him, sniffing every rock, every shell and every clump of seaweed. Brian followed, paying careful attention to the line of footprints left by the monk and the leopard.
After walking about two hundred meters, Badric suddenly turned south, almost with his back to Candlekeep. He walked another hundred meters in that direction, and then walked from Pass between two shallow tidal pools.
The leopard stuck its nose into one of the puddles, and a huge king crab unexpectedly clamped his nose with its pincers, causing him to purr like a tabby cat. The golden dragon Paralandusk was in Brian's mind. I laughed so much that I finally received a ban gift package.
After a short but fierce fight, the leopard trotted back, wet and muddy, with the crab in its mouth.
“Aren’t we planning to go to Candlekeep?” Brian glanced at the castle not far away, and finally couldn’t help asking, “Why do I feel like we are wandering around, not heading towards the castle at all? Move forward to your destination.”
“Because this is the path of faith, Mr. Brian,” Badrick advised with a calm expression, “Only faith, persistence, and piety can you find the peace you seek. "
"Piety? Peace?" Brian smiled and said:
"I have no gods to believe in, so I naturally don't need any piety. As for peace, let alone it. I can guarantee my peace of mind and peace of mind at all times."
"You can't help but Asking me questions proves that your heart has gradually been replaced by irritability. How can this be considered peaceful?" Badrick answered calmly:
"Faith contains many things. , Gods are just one of them, there are also beliefs and ideals."
He gave Brian a meaningful look and said with profound words, "If Mr. Brian does not have firm beliefs and ideals. , how can you break through to the legendary realm? However, although your strength has improved extremely quickly, your heart has not reached the corresponding state."
"Okay" Brian shrugged helplessly. He shrugged, said nothing, and followed Badrick obediently.
For some reason, after the other party said these words, he discovered a problem that frightened him. His heart really couldn't calm down as quickly as possible, and there would always be inexplicable irritability.
As a psychic whose strength has reached the legendary realm, Brian's will and belief can be said to be extremely firm. He can calm down at any time and think rationally about any problem.
But today, he was unable to achieve this effect no matter what.
This made him vaguely realize that it was very possible that, as Badrick said, his heart had not reached the corresponding state along with his strength.
Thinking of this, he no longer resisted in his heart, and began to act like an ordinary mortal, following the monk leading the way, silently moving forward step by step.
The mudflats glow with moist light around them, reflecting nearly a hundred dappled hues.
The mud is a dark brown, almost the same as black, but there are also patches of golden sand, protruding rocks of gray and red, and clumps of black and green seaweed.
Shrub birds waded in the tidal pools, leaving many footprints, while crabs scurried across the shallows, avoiding the lively leopards.
Although the air smelled of sea salt and corruption, Brian found that the smell that made him instinctively reject it made his heart feel particularly peaceful.
Time passed bit by bit in the silent rush, only the mud sucked Badrick's bare feet, and then reluctantly let go with a 'pop', as if A squeaky sigh.
When the two of them crawled through the rubble surrounding the island shore, Brian unexpectedly discovered that three people had been waiting here for some time.
They wore the tan robes of Candlekeep Scholars, which had wide bell-shaped cuffs and pointed hoods. Two of them also wrapped the lower part of their faces with long woolen cloth, so that only their eyes could be seen. , the other person's robe is embroidered with a blank scroll representing the emblem of Ogma, the god of knowledge.
"Master Badrick." The person who spoke was the man wearing the Ogma emblem. He said with a respectful expression, "I haven't seen you for almost a year. Welcome, you and your companions."
The leopard turned its head coldly and lay on the ground, stretching out its spiky tongue to comb the mud-covered hair. Badrick shook off the mud from his feet, "We request to stay in Candlekeep. Stay one night."
"Of course, I have prepared sumptuous food for you, but..." The scholar hesitated for a moment and looked at Brian, "The master of rules in Candlekeep must have told you. This is my companion.”
Before Master Badrick could speak, Brian continued, "Of course, I still know a little about the rules of Candlekeep. Don't worry, I won't embarrass Master Badrick."
Any adventurer who wants to enter Candlekeep needs to pay only a book.
This seems to be a very simple condition, but for most people, it is as difficult as reaching the sky.
Because this book must not be found in the Candlekeep, which is known as the 'largest library in Faerûn', and it needs to be appraised by the volume guardians, and its value must be at least about 1,000 gold coins.
After Brian finished speaking, he took out the book he had prepared, which was the "Black Forbidden Book" he had obtained from the madman Oljasla, and handed it to the volume guardian wearing the mark of Ogma who.
For some reason, when Brian handed the book over, he clearly felt that his heart calmed down again inadvertently.
The state of being able to calm down at any time is back, and it's better than before.
What moved him the most was that there was a faint trend of breakthrough in the state of mind.
Just when he was wondering about this, he suddenly found that the three volume guardians and Master Badrick beside him all showed expressions that he had expected.
"Congratulations, Mr. Brian." Badrick used calm words to clear up the doubts in his heart, "Successfully lifted the curse cast on you by the Lost Lady."
"The Curse of the Lost Lady?" Brian was really startled when he heard this. He quickly opened the attribute bar to check, but found that there was nothing abnormal at all.
"That's right." Master Badrick said:
"The first time I saw you, I noticed the curse power from the Lost Lady on you. This is The curse is secretive and powerful. If you don't hand over the "Black Forbidden Book" in time, you will definitely turn into a crazy person like Ojasela as time goes by. "
"This is the price you pay for reading the "Black Forbidden Book."" The guardian of the volume wearing the emblem of Ogma said:
"Only gods with powerful divine power like the Lost Lady can pass this book. , quietly planted such a curse on you, without you even noticing it.”
After speaking, he solemnly took out a golden cover made of unknown materials, carefully wrapped the "Black Forbidden Book", and said with a pious expression:
"Ogma said, there is no knowledge. It should be destroyed, because there is no problem with knowledge itself. At present, only with the help of my Lord Ogma's divine power can this book be completely sealed in Candlekeep until it can wait for the owner who is truly suitable for it."
< br>(End of this chapter)