Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 572 Long River Fork
This stone from another world, after being thrown into the long river of fate in Faerûn, finally splashed a few ripples.

The timeline seems to have branched off, slightly deviating from its intended course.

This is easy to understand. Since he came into this world, he will inevitably have an impact on some people and things. As he grows and becomes stronger, the echoes and ripples he stirs up will inevitably become more and more profound.

Take Garrick, for example. Now, he's Gavial, who went from a down-on-his-luck troubadour to the only son of a grand duke, a position that inspires envy.

For example, Zhang Yuan has never heard of Melikan. It is likely that Tyrantir, having taken on a good disciple, is either fulfilled in life or too tired and has no intention of opening a new school.

They were neither the first nor the last lucky ones whose fates were rewritten by Earth time travelers; Shaflock was among them.

It's just unknown what kind of process Sand went through from being the adopted son of the Iron Throne leader to a Flamefist officer.

Zhang Yuan was genuinely interested in this. As a time traveler, he naturally disliked things like plot changes that were beyond his foresight and control, but they were unavoidable.

Even intelligent NPCs can interact and drive the plot forward. Expecting everything to be exactly as planned is like trying to find a sword by marking the boat.
However, whether it was a subconscious feeling or a rational deduction, the monk did not believe that the future of Shaflock, the descendants of Baal, or even the Sword Coast would take a different turn.

As long as the divinity of the King of Slaughter and the humanity of his offspring and those involved in the events are not stripped away or reversed, any ripples or tributaries will eventually return to the vast river of fate.

Unless, unless a pebble becomes as large as a meteorite and crashes into the river, even if it cannot cut off the path and change the course of the river, it will be enough to establish a firm foundation and not become mud and dust to be washed away and swept away, unable to control its own destiny.

However, beautiful dreams are easily shattered, and reality is like frost that sobers people up. Even a large and deeply rooted academy like Wudong was not enough to protect itself in a future plague. Although it did not lose its foundation, it was still in a very bad state.

Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that the old foxes are deliberately standing by and watching, taking the opportunity to reshuffle the deck.

At first glance, the scene was a complete mess. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that only some newly recruited trainees had been killed or wounded, with at most a few ordinary faculty and staff members also killed. So, the gates were locked, and they naturally distanced themselves from the incident...

Located in the notoriously troubled city of Neverwinter, the vast academy seemed shrouded in mystery, disappearing amidst numerous calamities.

In contrast, the Red Robe Mage Academy was utterly wiped out by the protagonist of Soul Eater and Akachi's old flame, a truly disastrous situation.

It seems that the powerful figures in my sect are quite influential?
But the plague of magic is ultimately an obstacle that cannot be avoided.

We must make more plans. Since the tide of the times is irresistible, it is only right to ride the waves and try to find a way out.

The winds of fate have already begun to blow, and in the coming years they will sweep across Sword Coast and reach Faerûn. The Son of Baal in Candlehold is undoubtedly the eye of the storm; though seemingly calm, the situation is far-reaching.

Zhang Yuan had considered making a move against this Apole, but after much deliberation, he still had many concerns.

Leaving aside the old rogue Elminster, who is very likely already aware of this matter, Gralian himself is not someone to be trifled with.

In his youth, Old Ge was a ruthless character who could storm into the Temple of Baal to rescue the divine child, bully the red dragon Felcrag, and make the latter remember him.

It has a similar feel to Faerûn's greatest mystery—a group of adventurers.

How could an ordinary person possibly catch Elminster's eye?

Besides, Old Ge is a mage, not a warrior. His retirement from adventure and seclusion in Candlecastle may not have diminished his strength; he might even have reached a higher level.

Although the final outcome was somewhat rushed, with Garian being chopped to the ground by Old Sand and a few of his henchmen.

Looking back on this scene in the future, it seems like a plot-driven death that forces him to exit the game. But if you think about it carefully, you can understand it. After all, Shaflock isn't stupid. Why would he leave a bunch of cannon fodder under his command and go into battle bare-chested with just a few trusted men?
Grian's spell slots are not infinite, and what's worse, he has Apodel as a bond with him.

Rather than saying he was killed by Old Sha, it would be more accurate to say he sacrificed his own life to save his adopted son. A specific juncture and the intervention of a specific figure were what set the stage for the turmoil surrounding Baal's offspring.

A grand drama where the reward for victory is immense divine power. Those who see through the scheme dare not easily intervene, and those who rashly meddle will suffer the consequences.

Even someone as powerful as Irenicas met a tragic end, not to mention others such as the Underdark, the Masked Wizards, and the Iron Throne.

People should at least have some self-awareness.

Getting involved personally is definitely not advisable, but since a small turning point in the plot is right in front of him, doing nothing is not in Mr. Zhang's style.

The Flame Fist soldiers were housed at the White Tower Inn in the High Cliff Port area.

As its name suggests, it is designed to entertain business partners and clients, and its interior is luxuriously decorated.

Drawing inspiration from the hotels of the previous era, the White Tower Inn, equipped with hot water pipes and sewage systems, received rave reviews from well-traveled merchants and noble managers, not to mention the mercenaries who were utterly astonished.

Even the seasoned veteran Sha was amazed.

On the surface, the two sides are of vastly different statuses, and it is not appropriate for a mage who holds real power to interfere in the affairs of a mercenary officer.

Not only would it be abrupt, but it could also alert the other party and generate unnecessary hostility, which would be undesirable.

However, if it's inconvenient for the leader to handle something, there will always be sensible subordinates to share the burden.

With just a slight gesture, Lawrence, a shrewd old fox, immediately understood and, under the guise of arranging the handover and discussing future dealings, went to entertain the group of Flame Fist soldiers.

Thanks to the old thief's diligent efforts, the Chamber of Commerce became much more efficient. The handover procedures, which could have been completed in one day, were delayed for three days due to various reasons.

Flame Fist wasn't in a hurry either. After so many days at sea, what was wrong with enjoying a few more days? Consider it an extra day off.

"He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding," and with meticulous planning, the Flame Fist members were thoroughly dealt with. Even though Shafulok himself was somewhat vigilant, he couldn't prevent his subordinates from becoming complacent.

Three days later, Lawrence, having just seen off the visitors from Bode, left the port area and headed to High Cliff Fort.

"That's how it is. Angelo's faction has finally gained power. The Grand Duke is getting old after all."

"That explains it."

After listening to the other party's account, the mage roughly understood the internal changes and entanglements within the Flame Fist Sect during this period.

In Lawrence's words, it was nothing more than the turmoil in the process of dividing power, which is not uncommon and nothing surprising.

Although Iltan is nominally the Grand Duke of Flame Fist, ruling over everything, his power and influence are not rooted in this position.

The Flame Fist leader came first, then the title of Grand Duke, not the other way around.

In short, fortunes change.

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(End of this chapter)