"I have four 2nd-level spells." Anser opened his dragonhide pouch and handed the prepared spell models to Jiandar.
Jiandar took the booklet filled with complex spell structures and carefully flipped through it. The brighter his eyes became, the more regretful his expression looked.
"Why couldn't it be you?" His face twisted with conflicted emotions, unable to let it go.
Anser immediately understood. With a light chuckle, he said, "You overestimate me. My magical attainments are still far from sufficient. The Goddess... wouldn't choose me."
It was hard to say whether the Goddess of Magic even had a Chosen at all.
"Don't sell yourself short." Jiandar looked up at him. "The spell models you provided last time caused quite a stir within the Research Society. Everyone gained a great deal from them. Many people built upon your spells, conducting further research and developing even more spells..."
Spells had never existed in isolation. They were part of an entire theoretical framework. Those few 1st-level spells hadn't provided answers; they had provided a viable method of applying theory to practice.
Once those genius mages found the correct path, it wouldn't take long for them to catch up. Under their leadership, the return of spellcasters to their former peak was only a matter of time.
Perhaps most spellcasters would never master mid- or high-level spells in their lifetimes, but that wasn't fatal. Cantrips and 1st- and 2nd-level spells could still produce astonishing results.
"Has the Research Society managed to contact Candlekeep?" Anser asked.
"No. They seem to have completely isolated themselves from the outside world. No communication channel can reach them. We can only send people there directly." Jiandar shook his head slightly as he continued reviewing the spell models. "The journey is long, so they probably won't arrive anytime soon."
Anser didn't interrupt, merely waiting quietly.
The 2nd-level spells were considerably more complex, but thanks to their previous cooperation, Jiandar only performed a general confirmation instead of testing each one individually.
"The current purchase price for externally acquired 2nd-level spells is 1,500 pounds of gold. Yours are of higher quality, so I'll pay an additional 1,000 pounds of gold for each spell."
"Deal."
A smile spread across Anser's face. He suddenly felt that the Research Society not only knew how to treat people properly, but was also extraordinarily wealthy. They conducted business with remarkable straightforwardness.
Four 2nd-level spells meant 10,000 pounds of gold—equivalent to 500,000 gold coins. Another enormous fortune.
"And this as well." Jiandar smiled and handed him a black box. "This is your personal identification token. No one else has one quite like it. It's also your pass for entering and leaving the headquarters of the Magic Research Society."
"Before I came here, I checked your records. More than half of the Society's members have already purchased your spells. The share of contribution points generated from those sales is approaching one hundred thousand..."
Anser's heart skipped a beat. The news caught him completely off guard.
He opened the box, revealing a silver necklace. Its pendant was shaped like an open spellbook, gleaming with silver light and emitting faint magical fluctuations.
The dice spun slightly and displayed the item's information:
[Magic Research Society Identification Token (Drizzt), Wondrous Item, Rare]
"It's forged from mithral. A magic item of Rare quality. Leave your magical imprint on it to activate it. No Attunement is required..." Jiandar explained carefully.
The identification token possessed three charges. Its attached magical effect was similar to the 5th-level spell Mislead. When the wearer was attacked or activated it voluntarily, a duplicate would appear and take damage in their place, while the real body entered an invisible state.
The invisibility ended if the wearer attacked, dealt damage, or cast a spell.
For a spellcaster, the item was extremely practical. The duplicate could masquerade as the real person and tie up enemies, while the true body used the opportunity to escape or create distance. It was ideal for staying alive.
Anser hung the necklace around his neck, tucked it beneath his robes, and gave it a light pat.
"One more thing," he asked. "What can contribution points be used for? And where is the headquarters?"
"Contribution points are the universal currency within the Magic Research Society..." Jiandar began explaining the Society's internal rules and benefits to him in detail.
The headquarters of the Magic Research Society was located within a hidden artificial demiplane whose position constantly shifted. The only way to enter was through spells such as Plane Shift, Gate, or Teleportation Circle.
The identification token served both as proof of membership and as a record of the demiplane's rune sequence.
The barrier to entry was extremely high. In the past, that hadn't been a problem, but now it severely restricted the members' movements. They either had to travel in groups or rely on magic items to enter and leave the headquarters.
Its full name was Magic Research Points, also known as Academic Points. They functioned as the Society's internal currency and could be exchanged for gold coins at a one-to-one ratio.
The Research Society had priced Anser's 1st-level spells between 700 and 1,100 gold coins each—several times higher than normal—yet they still sold extremely well.
Using 900 as the average price, every spell model sold earned him 180 points.
He didn't have to do a thing. He could lie back and make money in his sleep.
That said, the Magic Research Society was making even more than he was. They kept eighty percent of the revenue. On that alone, they could easily recover the bounty they had paid him, which explained why they never seemed short on money.
'Not a bad deal. I'll just treat it as an intellectual property protection fee.' Anser wasn't jealous.
Back in his previous life, filing a patent also meant paying annual maintenance fees.
"I have a magic item that contains a Teleportation Circle. I can lend it to you for now," Jiandar offered. "You really should visit the headquarters. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."
"No need. Teleportation Circle happens to be one of my specialties."
"Oh?" Jiandar looked at Anser, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.
Anser's heart stirred. "Does the Society have the rune sequences for the permanent Teleportation Circles in the major cities?"
"Of course. They're in the public archives, free of charge. You can consult them whenever you like. However, most of those circles aren't open to the public. You'll need permission from the local authorities first," Jiandar explained.
"I understand." Anser nodded slightly. It seemed a trip to headquarters was unavoidable.
After completing the transaction with his usual efficiency, Jiandar sat down with Anser. They brewed a pot of tea and began discussing recent events.
It was obvious that, now that Anser was considered one of their own, Jiandar trusted him far more. He was willing to share most topics and intelligence that weren't particularly sensitive.
For example, a Chosen of Waukeen, Goddess of Trade, had appeared in Waterdeep. Their identity was reportedly one of the Masked Lords, though no one knew which one. According to rumors, both the church and the council had already placed the individual under protection and were preventing all outside contact.
According to refugees who had fled the River Chionthar, the Underdark creatures invading Baldur's Gate had fallen into internal conflict. The Society suspected that a Chosen was involved. The invaders had split into several factions and were fighting fiercely among themselves, completely halting their outward expansion.
Grand Duke Ravengard of Baldur's Gate had not died. He was currently in Paros, recruiting soldiers, rebuilding the Flaming Fist and The Watch, and preparing for a counteroffensive.
Anser's gaze darkened.
He had known all along that the three Grand Dukes wouldn't die so easily.
"Just yesterday, two Chosen appeared in Rock of Bral. There seems to have been some conflict between them..." Jiandar lightly tapped the rim of his teacup, his expression grave.
Anser's expression turned strange.
He had personally experienced that incident, yet less than a day later, the Magic Research Society had already obtained the intelligence.
Then again, the affair had caused an enormous uproar. More than half of Rock of Bral knew about it, so it wasn't surprising that word had spread.
"I happened to be in Bral at the time. One of them was Bane's Chosen—the second prince of the Bral royal family and a peak-tier professional..."
Returning the favor, Anser shared what he knew, though he concealed both his and Brunhilde's involvement, as well as Evan's identity.
Bane had many enemies. Besides the deities of the Good and Lawful alignments, he also had numerous rivals among the Evil gods, one of the most notable being Cyric.
As long as news of Bane's Chosen became public, it would inevitably attract hostile attention. Combined with the pressure from the Church of the Silver Moon, even if the Bral royal family remained stubbornly defiant, there was no way they could continue protecting that second prince.
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