"Okay." Mikros nodded cheerfully and projected the entire process of his contacts and meetings with the Lords and Ministers of the Dark Fortress. Anyway, it was all about sniping the Conqueror's army, and there was no plan to jointly plot against the Lizard Queen.
As for whether the Dark Castle has any other plots or whether it is using itself as a gun, that is none of its business.
"They are acting in order to push you to the Thun Swamp and to His Majesty's Royal Court. They must have a conspiracy. Doing nothing is not in line with the temperament of this group of greedy and cunning people." Spirit Naga He said with an extremely certain tone.
His knowledge may not be as good as that of the ruling class of the Dark Castle, but there is still plenty of wisdom. If they were a group of idiots who fell for the bait as soon as they were provoked, they would have been uprooted by the Dark Castle long ago, instead of becoming bigger and stronger in the Thun Swamp. Become the princes who dominate this place.
Mikros could no longer remain silent, and opened his mouth to analyze: "Perhaps the Dark Castle has the same worries as your Lord, fearing that they will be attacked by His Majesty's army when they fight against the conqueror's army.
They have a plan, and they probably want to see His Majesty and the army of conquerors fighting each other. They are sitting back to reap the benefits and make themselves invincible. However, low risk means low gain. If they do nothing , he could only watch the army of conquerors swaggering past his eyes with a large amount of wealth. "
"You don't need to tell me this, we also know it." The spirit naga hissed.
"My vizier, what do you think we should do? Are we just going to sit back and watch such a large amount of unprecedented wealth pass by in front of us?" The lizard queen's eyes were so small that she was squeezed by the fat, and her eyes were bright. Looking at the spirit naga, the flames inside seemed to engulf her, and there was only one answer she hoped to hear.
Having served Kurgol for many years, no one knows the black dragon in front of her better than the spirit naga. She has the extreme greed of a giant dragon. Her gluttony is the best proof. There is no such thing as a lion eating a big head here, some are just exclusive.
Either she didn't see it or didn't know it, otherwise everything should belong to her, especially the Thun Swamp, which she regarded as her own private property, even the geese flying in the sky and the caravans passing by. All belong to oneself.
If he goes against the Lizard Queen's ideas, his role as vizier will immediately become a thing of the past.
This kind of thing has not only happened, but more than once. Just wait until the Lizard Queen needs you or thinks of you, and then lift yourself up. Anyway, the core of his life essence is in her hands, and he will never be able to leave without her nod. Swamp of Thun.
The spirit naga replied: "No matter what kind of conspiracy the Dark Castle has prepared, a large number of troops must be gathered. This is determined by the size of the enemy. This is also what we need to do next. When the time comes, who will Who is the prey and who is the hunter is still unknown.”
"Hahaha... As expected of my vizier, you are as smart and wise as ever. I believe that with your talent, we will become the last hunter standing and swallow all the prey in one bite." The Lizard Queen roared excitedly , "Pass my order, all those who can fight in Thun Swamp will go out to fight and come to the royal court to gather for two days. Those who fail to do so will all sink into the rotten pool."
"The queen has an order to assemble in two days. If the deadline is not met, the body will rot in the water." The spirit naga briefly summarized the lizard queen and ordered the evil-toothed half-dragons, "Send the order immediately."
"As ordered." A half-dragon named Evil Tooth rose into the air and flew in all directions towards Thun Swamp, repeating the same command loudly as he flew.
There were as many as a dozen evil-toothed half-dragons leaving the nest at the same time. Each of them had at least fifteen hit dice. They were either at the pinnacle of extraordinary or quasi-legendary. They were the messengers and the front-line commanders sent by the Lizard Queen. They The soldiers of the tribes who gave orders along the way must gather under their flags and obey their orders.
Gathering monster corps with powerful cronies as the core is a common method of this kind of monster kingdom. This was the case in the Troll Kingdom at the beginning, and it is also the case in the Lizard Kingdom now.
The only difference is that a large part of the Troll Kingdom's troops were forced to gather among them. All the corps were pieced together, and their combat effectiveness was below the horizontal line. It was because the noble trolls knew this that they Instead of counting on those cannon fodder, they were used as sacrifices to summon a more powerful demon army.
The lizard kingdom of the Lizard Queen is different. This black dragon has been operating here for hundreds of years, and all she rules are her people - literally, those half-dragon, dragon-veined lizardmen, flowing with affirmation It's her bloodline.
Their loyalty is unquestionable, and they will never betray the Lizard Queen.
At the same time, they have a clear ownership of their own. This can be seen from the direction of their orders. After these dozen half-dragons left the nest, their directions were very clear and there was no confusion.
In this way, the regiment they assembled was not a temporary piece, but had a clear organization and ownership. As for how strict this organization is and how clear the division is, it needs to be verified on the battlefield.
Based on the minimum number of battle groups of 500, they can gather at least 5,000 troops. Considering that slavery is practiced here, it is normal to add one or two times more slave troops.
The war potential of this lizard kingdom far exceeded Mikros's original estimate.
If they were left alone, they would at best cause trouble for the conqueror's army, not a fatal threat.
But if you add the Dark Fortress that's watching covetously from behind, it's hard to say.
Originally, Mikros hadn't figured it out yet, but after being questioned by the spirit naga, he finally figured it out.
The Dark Castle is not not participating in the game, but is setting up its own game. It is completely using itself as a gunman to lure the Lizard Queen and her monster kingdom into the game.
Now the Lizard Queen and the others already know that this is a game set up by the Dark Castle, so they will try their best to break the game, and then in turn lay out the plans for the Dark Castle and the Conqueror's Army.
This is a game.
Dark Castle, Lizard Kingdom, and Conqueror Army are all in this game.
They are only direct participants in this bureau, and there are a large number of indirect participants.
The Kingdom of Sambia is working hard to promote this situation.
The Kingdom of Cormyr is using indirect force, so don’t think they are too innocent. If they don’t need this situation to be established, it is very simple to just open up the east road and allow the conqueror’s army to pass through the belly of the Kingdom of Cormyr and cross straight into the valley.
The coalition of cities on the Dragon Coast has already filled the Persian library, blocking the possibility of the conqueror's army going south again. To be more precise, it is the possibility of all forces going south. A large number of pirate ships are wandering in the lower reaches of the Border River. .
No matter who wins or loses, the situation in the goblin frontier will definitely undergo earth-shaking changes.
As for not joining the game?
That is the most stupid and idiotic idea. Not joining the game means directly entering the ranks of the eliminated. After the winner swallows the benefits, he will take advantage of the situation to deal with the person who did not join the game. By then, the swamp may not be able to protect him. Safety.
Don't forget that there is more than one swamp in the goblin wilderness. The winner can use the loot in his hand to recruit a large number of swamp native mercenaries from another swamp as auxiliary troops.
After all the evil-toothed half-dragons left the nest, the spirit naga grinned, showing the fangs of the poisonous snake in his mouth and said: "In the next period of time, I will invite Mr. Miklos to stay here as a guest and see with your own eyes how Her Majesty the Queen hunts. Kill those stupid humans and those treacherous tricksters of the Darkhold."
"It's my honor." Mikros had already been mentally prepared. Even if it was to prevent him from leaking secrets, they would not let him go easily, not to mention that he might be suspected of being a secret agent of the Zhentarim Dark Fortress. , then it would be even more impossible to leave.
But before the war breaks out, he is absolutely safe. It is true that those colorful dragons are chaotic and evil, but they are definitely not chaotic in one thing, and that is to search for more wealth for themselves.
The moment the war ends is when you are most in danger. In order to celebrate victory or vent your anger at defeat, the other party may eat you as a snack.
Miklos has already done what he should do and what he shouldn't do. The only thing left is to wait for the situation to develop.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the army of conquerors, watching their every move.
The army of conquerors who entered the goblin frontier didn't just clear a path on their own this time. Instead, they headed north along the wasteland path.
Don't be misled by the name of the Badlands Trail. This name is inherited from the past. In fact, it is not a narrow mountain trail now, but a wide mountain road that runs along the western foot of the South Stormhorn Mountains.
Although the mountain roads here are winding, they are not difficult to walk, including the floor-type chariots equipped with giant livestock. Most of the areas here are unobstructed. As for the small parts that are in the way, that is the work of the Pioneer Army. Just like before, before the main force of the conqueror's army arrives, they will widen, repair, and level it to the extent that the army can pass through smoothly.
The current appearance of the wasteland trails is naturally attributed to the Kingdom of Cormyr.
The Stormhorn Mountains are like an inverted figure-7, wrapping the west and north of the Kingdom of Cormyr.
Winning or losing does not matter.
The Kingdom of Cormyr was able to develop from an immigrant farmer farm into a kingdom because of this terrain, which helped them withstand enemy harassment from the north and west. Coupled with Hibernation and the Thunder Peak Mountains, they only needed With two elite soldiers blocking the pass between the east and the north, you can develop with confidence.
But when the Kingdom of Cormyr developed to a certain extent, this unique terrain became the biggest obstacle to their outward development.
Why doesn't the Kingdom of Cormyr put such a huge rocky area into its mouth?
Just because it is isolated by the North Stormhorn Mountains, it can only be entered through a detour. If it is eaten into the stomach, it means that all the defense lines to the north and east of the Kingdom of Cormyr have to be pushed outward. This is not a 10,000-strong force. To solve the problem with 20,000 troops, without the support of natural danger, at least 100,000 troops must be stationed. This is the current total military strength of the Kingdom of Cormyr.
Although the rocky land was valuable, it was not large enough to allow the Kingdom of Cormyr to double its army. It had become a tasteless waste that would be a pity to abandon.
When the Kingdom of Sambia rose in the east and blocked the Kingdom of Cormyr's eastward advance, they devoted their energy to the west. They formulated a grand plan for the western expedition. It took them a full hundred years and three generations to Time has forcibly opened up the Stormhorn Mountains and expanded the wasteland trails into the current wasteland avenues.
The plan is full, but the reality is skinny.
They did expand the road, but their plan to conquer the goblin frontier was stalled in front of the Thun Swamp.
At that time, the Lizard Queen was already entrenched here. If you wanted to enter the Goblin Frontier, you had to fight her and overturn her car. Only then would the Cormyr Kingdom's army have the possibility of entering the Goblin Frontier.
This bet is a bit big. It’s okay if you win the bet, but if you lose the bet, both the Zhentarim, the Kingdom of Sambia, and the cities on the Dragon Coast will turn into jackals, fat and strong but trapped in A harsh bite on the weak Kingdom of Cormyr.
This is the weakness of the kingdom. Before attacking, their first consideration is to defend.
At this point, they do not have the army of conquerors led by Gavin. They are barefoot and are not afraid of wearing shoes. The army of conquerors is all they have. They only need to consider what is in front of them and do not need to consider what is behind them. Naturally, there is no taboo in attacking the city. .
The expansion of territory was unsuccessful, but the expansion of trade routes was very successful. This became the most convenient, smoothest and safest road in the East and West Hartland region.
The name Heartland comes from this place, which includes Cormyr, Valley and Sembia and surrounding affiliated areas. The national city-states here use the same language, and their civilized customs and social laws are also very similar. They may not be The most populous, dangerous or powerful country in Faerûn, but they are the most representative existence of Faerûn.
Later, as the name was extended, they slowly became the East Hartland area.
In contrast, West Heartland was naturally born, which mainly includes the area north of Baldur's Gate, east of the Kingdom of Amn, Dragon Coast and west.
As for the north of Baldur's Gate and the east of the Enook Desert, it is the famous Northland.
However, in the eyes of the Kingdom of Amn and the Kingdom of Tethyr, both the real Northland and East and West Heartlands will be called the Northland.
Just like in China, the division between northerners and southerners is very confusing. Every place has its own standards, and Faerun is no exception.
This trade route has brought a lot of wealth to the Kingdom of Cormyr, and they naturally attach great importance to this place. There are not only a large number of checkpoints along the way, but also a large number of patrols passing through this place. The entire Western Stormhorn Mountains have been completely tamed by them.
Most of the barbarians here have sworn allegiance to the Kingdom of Cormyr. Instead of wielding weapons to plunder wealth, they have tasted the sweetness of exchanging wealth through trade. They can often be seen around the checkpoints on the wasteland trails, using their hands to They exchanged their scarce local products with merchants along the way for their scarce daily necessities.
The arrival of the conqueror's army naturally set off a trading frenzy among them. After hearing the news, countless barbarian merchants poured down from the mountains, bringing with them a large amount of mountain goods, such as goats, furs, mountain treasures, etc.
Gavin and the others still adhere to their previous philosophy, combining migration with doing business, and will not reject anyone who comes, even if they trade some goods that are not suitable for action with the army, or directly drag them back to Myth Noel with a shadow, Or give it to the conqueror caravan accompanying the army and let them sell it according to the market.
The East Road of the Kingdom of Cormyr and the Bosku on the Dragon Coast prohibit the conquerors' army from passing through, but their small-scale caravans will not be prohibited from entering or exiting. After all, trade is their core foundation, especially the Kingdom of Cormyr and the army of conquerors. Not only was there no enmity, the relationship was also very ambiguous and close. The conqueror's army was not allowed to take the east road, purely because this road passed through the core hinterland of Cormyr, and it was purely based on the security considerations of the entire country.
National security is more important than anything else, and it is impossible to pin it on a contract or personal relationship.
Previously, the conqueror's army passed through Amn and the Dragon Coast, purely to eat raw, but there was no discussion with them.
Although the trail in the wasteland is smooth, it is still a winding mountain road. With a large number of trucks and the old, weak, sick and disabled who are recovering, it is difficult for the conqueror army to pick up the speed. It maintains a speed of 70 to 80 kilometers every day and sets up camp. It all depends on the road section. They will definitely not camp on the rugged winding mountain road. That would be too spread out. They must either camp in advance or travel an extra distance. This is all carefully planned, and there is no such thing as neither going up nor going down.
With the addition of the Red Falcon Knights led by Catherine, the planning of the conqueror's army has reached a new level.
After the war on the Dragon Coast, the First Chosen Lady of Strategy was supposed to escort the large amount of supplies from the Yin Red War College that Gavin had given her back to the Strategic Battle Fortress to make the final preparations for the college, but just as she was about to leave The night before, the goddess of strategy sent down an oracle, asking her to continue to personally guard the conqueror's army heading north.
For a elector, the oracular mission is always the most important, and everything else can fall back.
Gavin would naturally not refuse such a good thing. As for the reason, he had vaguely guessed it. Previously in Darauma, the goddess of strategy had already established her absolute belief status there by taking advantage of the opportunity to fight against the invading roots of the gods. Many people The citizens of Dalauma became her believers on the spot. Even though most of this belief is temporary and will fade over time, she has a chosen one as the city lord and is good at taking advantage of opportunities and people's hearts. Landa took the opportunity to bring the Yin Red Banner Order to Darauma, further consolidating the Goddess of Strategy's belief there, and has now achieved fruitful results.
If we say that Zalanda led the citizens of Dalauma and laid a solid foundation of faith for Ms. Strategy.
Then the army of conquerors led by Gavin uses practical actions to honor the lady of strategy. Every step they take, every place they conquer, every enemy they kill, and every strategy they use are all practicing the goddess of strategy. way of war.
Therefore, Gavin has reason to believe that when he leads the army of conquerors to complete the road of conquerors, it will also be the moment when Ms. Strategy ignites the divine fire, raises the Kingdom of God, and officially steps into the ranks of the gods.
(End of chapter)
