Finn's peculiar attitude toward strange spells compelled Lynn to remain silent about his own circumstances. He had no desire to provoke the cleric of Bane, nor did he wish to be regarded as an odd specimen for experimentation. However, Finn's words served as a reminder that his condition might also stem from magical experimentation. Coupled with the situation of his family and his affiliation with the followers of Ockas, this seemed quite plausible.
After all, it was rather strange that his hapless father had fathered so many illegitimate children. If they were treated as test subjects for Ockas, offered to demons, it would fit the family's pattern more closely. Yet, Lynn had no means to verify these matters. Although his uncle displayed weakness when dealing with Tain IV, he would strike ruthlessly against members of his own family.
This issue could remain on the back burner for now; it was not urgent.
Nonetheless, the addition of Marty had proven quite beneficial. Although he was feeble to the point of being nearly incapacitated, his capabilities were indisputable. After signing the bail agreement, they acquired four commendable combatants.
With four prisoners joining Lynn and Finn, their six-member squad was now capable of undertaking various endeavors. Particularly given that half of this team consisted of spellcasters, their collective strength was considerable.
Among the six, Marty indeed stood out as a talented sorcerer, yet he had spent so long under the tutelage of his mad mentor that he had little opportunity for real adventures. It had to be said that this fellow lacked the backbone expected of a Ferlin; it was difficult to imagine him as the team's second strongest member, aside from Finn.
Both he and Finn were fourth-circle spellcasters, while Lynn was a third-circle caster. Theoretically, Lynn should be on par with Finn, yet within the group, he fawned over Finn and Lynn with an insipid grin, behaving entirely like a sycophant.
Looking at him, Lynn couldn't help but feel that the advanced class chosen by his mentor was indeed a perfect match for him.
Excluding Marty, the remaining three members were all front-line combatants without spellcasting abilities.
The strongest among them in theory was Imory: her class level was an impressive seven. As a part-time wanderer and wandering swordswoman, she had undergone the finest martial training in the drow world. In terms of technique, the elves indeed possessed unique advantages, and her years of training rendered her remarkably formidable.
However, perhaps due to being hunted or imprisoned for too long, her physique was somewhat frail. The slender white drow, while technically gifted, seemed fragile enough to be blown away by a breeze, raising concerns about whether she might fall ill en route.
Next was the former monk, Howard—his prowess was commendable, though his fighting style leaned heavily on grappling techniques. Against larger opponents, he might lack the necessary power. In lower-level encounters, he could shine brightly, but in high-level combat, he might not be as effective.
Moreover, Howard was likely the only one among them with a sense of justice; his faith was quite unique—he worshipped the Lion God Nubian. This rare and lesser deity was the protector of kingship and noble beasts, yet Lynn knew little about him, leaving him puzzled as to what tenets Howard had violated that led him to become a former monk.
Howard himself remained tight-lipped about this matter, unwilling to provide further details.
As for the final member, the barbarian Gonda, his strength was commendable, but his temperament left much to be desired. He was a quintessential drunkard, loud and brash, his speech laced with a mix of crude orcish language and inappropriate jokes, chattering incessantly from the moment they met. Interestingly, Imory, the only woman among them, did not seem particularly bothered by this; she appeared to relish the ribald humor, comparing the jokes from the surface world to those from the underworld. In contrast, Finn maintained a stern expression, struggling to tolerate the incessant noise from the barbarian.
The internal management of Bane's church was exceedingly strict, with a military-like hierarchy ensuring compliance. Bringing such an individual along on this mission greatly irritated Finn.
However, he understood that the true challenge lay ahead: they were seeking those bandits, most of whom were just as brutish as Gonda.
For the sake of their objective, he gritted his teeth and endured.
With sufficient manpower, Lynn began to devise their route and direction. His first step involved leading them across the Tais River to the southern bank.
This revelation quickly dawned upon the group—they were not venturing north for adventure, but rather pursuing some other objective—yet no one voiced any objections.
These individuals had been brought out by Lynn, with whom they had signed a blood oath and promising compensation, making their direction less of a concern. In fact, they preferred to venture southward: after all, the north was a desolate, frigid wasteland, whereas the south was far more vibrant. Even in terms of accommodations prior to their departure, they were eager to reside on the southern bank of the Tais River.
Compared to the northern shore, the southern bank of the Tais lacked grandeur but offered greater prosperity, making it easier to replenish supplies. While the northern bank boasted majestic stone castles, adventurers often favored the amenities available in the southern section of Santier Castle.
It was worth noting that the essence of Santier Castle was primarily situated on the northern shore, while the southern bank remained an emerging area.
Many now viewed Santier Castle as a symbol of malevolence; however, it must be acknowledged that it was once a pioneering settlement. They were the first to establish a city on the northern bank of the Sea of Moons. Bold exploration granted them access to extensive gemstone and metal deposits, while also subjecting them to considerable attacks from barbarian races. Their resilience in the northern region attested to their role in spreading civilization northward, and it was precisely because they were the first to cross the river northward that they remained the most influential nation in the Sea of Moons to this day.
To safeguard against orcs and giants, the majority of structures on the northern bank of the Sea of Moons were constructed from piled stone. These six-story fortresses, crafted solely from stone, were magnificently imposing. However, due to the increased population of Santier Castle in recent years, the expansion of stone houses became challenging, and residents grew increasingly unwilling to inhabit stone structures, leading to the development of new residential areas on the southern bank.
Of course, this was still Santier Castle, which now comprised two distinct parts: the old town on the northern bank of the Tais River and the new town on the southern bank. Two grand bridges connected the banks, unifying Santier Castle and breathing new life into the city.
The success of Santier Castle was also the dream of the northern expansionists: if they could establish a similar city in the north and become pioneers, the benefits would be immeasurable.
"However, our objective is not to head north, but rather to depart from Santier Castle and make our way to the west toward Dagger Valley—therein lies an excellent entry point, and we shall commence our efforts from there."