Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 204 New Spells

"Hey, you guys are finally out! Why did you chat for so long? And where's that old man?"

They were met with a barrage of questions from Nancy.

Münster and Kegan were already dizzy from the sight of the legendary powerhouse in person. Their minds were probably filled with the domineering aura that the old man exuded while showing off, so they couldn't utter a sound.

Zhang Yuan picked up the conversation again:

"It's nothing much. After chatting for a while, I found out that he was actually an old friend of my teacher, so we inevitably had some family matters to discuss."

That's a very...

The two people in the know nearby looked over with disbelief. Good grief, they really dared to say that.

"Known to your teacher? An old friend of Master Tyrantir? He must be quite a figure." Nancy's curiosity was truly piqued, and several of her teammates also perked up their ears.

"Yes, a legendary druid is indeed extraordinary."

Beneath the mage's feigned composure lay a hint of amusement and a thoroughly wicked sense of humor; it was quite amusing to drop a bombshell and give his teammates a taste of their own medicine.

"what!!!"

"A legend?!"

"Where is he? Where is that master? I could tell at first glance that he had an extraordinary air about him. May I pay him a visit?"

"Huh?" The exclamation was mixed with the plea of ​​a certain opportunistic female thief.

This wasn't just a small pebble thrown into the fishpond; it was like a strong east wind blowing into the fishpond, completely turning the previously calm and uneventful situation upside down.

It's not really the Canaan group's fault. After all, they were all just trying to make a living around Baldur's Gate, and the highest level of people they knew and interacted with was the Flame Fist's officers, temple priests, and low- to mid-level mages.

Even seasoned veterans like Kegan and Nancy, who have traveled far and wide and have considerable experience and insight, could only imagine, with their wildest and most absurd dreams, how they could chat and laugh with those legendary powerhouses who only appear in rumors.

They found it even more unbelievable that such a person would actually come to their side and ask for a meal.

The team, which was usually lively yet orderly, was now in complete chaos. Münster and Kegan, having regained their senses, were telling their companions about the power and strength they had witnessed and experienced firsthand.

Especially Kegan, the dwarf who loves to boast, was now beaming with pride and spitting as he spoke. This incident would probably push his story of a brave dwarf battling an evil archmage to second place on the list of best bragging material.

Fortunately, breakfast time had long passed, and the travelers who were supposed to depart had already left, so no outsiders witnessed this scene for the time being.

After waiting patiently for a while, until his teammates had released their shock and excitement, he finally spoke:

"Everyone's gone, and we've had our say. Deepwater City is just ahead. Pack your bags and let's go!"

Being well-trained adventurers, they composed themselves and quickly completed the preparations for departure, while their two personal coachmen, Münster and Kegan, led the team's vehicles out of the stables.

Following behind them was Balas, a Mediterranean man, who also came up in a carriage.

Just as Zhang Yuan and his companions were chatting and laughing with Galas, Sangir, the local expert, led his companions to rent a carriage. For the survivors who had no armor, a two-horse carriage was enough.

As for the rent? Well, we'll just have to borrow some from Nancy, the vice-captain. Luckily, the Canaanite group is quite wealthy these days. Only after they reached the trade road did the mage summon two knights to relieve the burden on his squad's horses.

Thanks to the frequent trade and transportation between the two cities of Waterdeep and Daggershoal, and the constant patrols and guards by soldiers, this section of the trade route was extremely safe, without a ripple or a disturbance.

The convoy soon arrived at a fork in the road, the intersection of the trade route and the infamous "Black Road".

This is the western starting point of the Black Road. From here, it travels eastward, passing through many towns in the Delinebil River basin, traversing the Grey Peak Mountains and the Bison Desert, and finally reaching Comanso and the Sea of ​​the Moon.

The number of passing vehicles and pedestrians, which was not scarce to begin with, has increased even more after these two commercial avenues converge.

Caravans from east of Sword Bay traveled along the Black Road, joining the trade routes and heading towards Waterdeep or further north alongside caravans from the south.

The wheels rolled along the road, which was wider than before, and there were many other vehicles and people traveling on the road besides the small convoy.

Zhang Yuan didn't continue his silent reading at this moment. He lifted the curtain of the car window and looked at the convoy of vehicles traveling the same way with great interest. Some of them were all in cars, while others were only in trucks. The people were either on horseback or on foot accompanying the vehicles, presumably for short distances.

There are all sorts of people in it, including various major races. Not to mention the three old favorites of Western fantasy: humans, dwarves, and elves, there are also orcs and even lizardmen who make an appearance.

Traveling light and aided by chess pieces, the Canaan caravan moved faster than the other caravans, gradually leaving them behind.

Having watched the spectacle to their heart's content, the monk drew the curtains and went about his meditation and practice. As dusk fell, the convoy slowly drove into an inn by the roadside.

As the sun set, the group, bathed in the afterglow, parked their carriage and stayed overnight.

After asking his teammates and several Golden Clover survivors, Zhang Yuan learned that there were many taverns and inns along this route. He could save a level 4 spell slot by spending a little money, so why not?
During his journey, the mage, who made the most of his time, not only tried to master a certain skill, but also learned a new level 4 spell. As a result, Stone Skin, a practical protective spell, was prominently listed in the mage's spell list.

Unfortunately, this spell isn't as powerful as the one in Baldur's Gate, which can unconditionally block physical attacks equal to the caster's level/2 times.

However, he could completely understand it. After all, it was reality. How could a mere fourth-level spell achieve such an effect that was close to the power of law?

You can't expect a level 7 mage to block four or five attacks from a Titan or a dragon just by using Stone Skin, can you?

However, as an essential choice for mid-level mages to defend themselves, the practicality of this spell is absolutely unquestionable.

Stone Skin – A level 4 defensive spell that encases the caster in a layer of stone skin covering their entire body. This magical stone skin does not impair the caster's movements and reduces physical damage taken.

This kind of damage reduction ability is different from mage armor or shield spells, which achieve the purpose of protection by interfering with and blocking the opponent's attack through a distorted force field. Stone Skin spell is like saying, "Let you hit me, if you can cut me, I'll take the blame."

After casting the spell, the caster's entire body will be covered in stone, making them look like a small stone figure. They could even be related to Xiao Xiao. Even if a blade were to touch their body, it would only scrape off a layer of stone dust.

Of course, the protection provided by Stone Skin is not unlimited or absolute. Attacks exceeding the limit or wear and tear will break through its protective effect.

This is the comparison of the levels between the spellcaster and the attacker.

Filled with anticipation and excitement to test new spells, the mage drifted off to sleep in his private suite, where he could faintly hear the snoring of his dwarf brothers next door.

Thank you to Feng Qi and Li Menglei for their monthly tickets, and thank you to reader 20201212172845580 for their donation. Thank you all!

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(End of this chapter)