As the most influential and widest coverage area in the entire Amn region, it is generally regarded by the people as the most honest and impartial law enforcement agency.
Although the Knights of the Burning Heart are very small in number, with less than 150 official members, and the rest are basically trainee knights or retainers, they have extremely high execution and efficiency.
As long as they discover something that may pose a huge threat to the people, they can gather a dozen paladins and thirty trainee members in a short time, and then cooperate with a small number of priests to launch a conquest against it.
In order to fulfill their oath to protect the weak and eliminate evil, many paladins spend 90% of their time in highly stressful work and battles throughout the year, often without a chance to visit home for several months.
Children, wife or husband.
In modern society, the nine-nine-six and the zero-seven are simply weak compared to their terrifying work intensity and attendant dangers.
After all, modern people can at least return to their residences after get off work, have a hot meal, and then lie on a soft bed and have a comfortable sleep.
But these paladins often camp in forests where wild beasts and monsters are frequent. If they are not lucky enough, they may have to risk death at any time by entering ruins and ancient dungeons for a short rest.
It is precisely because of the selfless dedication and dedication of these people that Ascaltra and its surrounding areas have been able to successfully survive one huge crisis after another, and continue to this day in a world filled with terrifying monsters and supernatural forces.p>
You can get a glimpse of this from the stone tablets in the hall of the Knights that are engraved with the names of heroes and victims.
From the moment they took the oath to join, many paladins were mentally prepared for their names to be engraved on the stone tablet at any time.
In fact, so far, not even one official member of the Order has survived to retire and die of natural causes.
Basically, they either died heroically in battle or their faith was shaken during the long-term mission, and eventually they went down the path of darkness and depravity.
After Zuo Si came to Ascatla, he immediately had a comprehensive understanding of the Knights of the Burning Heart.
Therefore, after taking power, he not only did not suppress or weaken the power of this paladin group, but also increased the allocation of funds and entrusted it with important responsibilities, giving the other party the authority to review and arrest the bureaucracy.
Even in many cases, the Knights often stand on the opposite side of politics.
Because the Knights of the Burning Heart are an important force in maintaining order, alleviating social conflicts, improving the overall moral level and even curbing corruption.
The most important thing is that their words and deeds are consistent, and they will never engage in any collusion or political conspiracy in private.
Although Zuo Si and these paladins have some differences in values ​​and camp tendencies, the two sides can still maintain a close cooperative relationship in the general direction.
In particular, the authorization to examine and arrest officials was obviously impossible to obtain during the rule of the Six-member Council.
Because during the rule of the Six-person Council, Amn followed a typical combination of politics and business, and once developed in the direction of capitalization.
Anyone who knows something about the integration of politics and business and capitalization will understand that money and power trading and corruption are inevitable and must exist in this system.
After all, both business and capital need to gain political influence to ensure their personal and property safety and to protect further monopoly expansion.
If power cannot be bought with money, then capital will not be able to gain a sense of security, and may even be targeted by the bureaucracy that holds power, and eventually become a fat pig to be slaughtered.
Therefore, when the Six-person Council came to power, the Knights of the Burning Heart had no law enforcement power at all when it came to nobles and wealthy businessmen. Instead, they had to report it to the court or even the parliament for processing.
Not to mention the nobles, they don't even have a good way to deal with the Shadow Thieves, a criminal organization on the surface.
But now, the Knights of the Burning Heart not only have the power to investigate and arrest officials, but they can also arrest and judge those criminal shadow thieves without mercy.
This is undoubtedly a huge progress in judicial justice.
Not only has it greatly improved the social security environment, but it has also made it impossible for wealthy and powerful people to escape legal sanctions after committing crimes.
Moreover, with the promulgation of the Religious Management Law, the originally hostile churches in the city were constantly fighting each other, which often led to bloody conflicts and assassinations.
Those evil believers and priests who like to cause trouble no longer dare to easily carry out assassinations and instigate riots under the threat of this set of laws, otherwise they may be expelled or even encircled and suppressed by the army.
No god would be willing to give up this excellent missionary location that is increasingly becoming the largest city in Faerûn and may attract hundreds of thousands or even millions of people in the future.
Therefore, even though they knew that Emperor Zuo Si was an out-and-out tyrant, the Knights still recognized the legitimacy of his rule and felt that he was an excellent monarch and a politician with a long-term vision.
Although Grand Captain Witherland had just been reprimanded in person, he did not stop working passively because of it.
Quite the opposite!
After learning that there was an ancient evil lich hidden in the sewers of Askatra, he immediately summoned twelve experienced formal members with his old friend Sir Kedon, and at the same time sent a message to the temple of Tyr, the god of justice.
Asking for help.
After the latter obtained the specific information, he immediately sent four high-level priests without saying a word.
In this way, in less than an hour and a half, the expedition team was formed.
Different from the relatively loose and chaotic rule of the Six-person Council, the West Coast Empire pursues the ultimate order, so even the smelly sewers that no one usually goes to have complete maps.
The original part of the old city was discovered by the Masked Mage Guild through detecting magic and enchantments, while the new city drew the drawings directly before construction and then built them according to them.
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Therefore, the expedition team did not need to grope their way through the dark sewers like before. They went directly to the municipal department to get a backup copy of the map of the temple area, and easily found the location of the sarcophagus.
Looking at the eerie decorations and furnishings around him, as well as the spiral staircase leading deeper underground, a middle-aged paladin couldn't help but complain: "Damn it! I have lived in this city for almost forty years.
This is the first time I know that there are so many unknown places hidden in the sewers. Where do you think those stairs lead?"
"I don't know. Maybe after we resolve the crisis here, we can consider going down and taking a look."
Sir Kaidong smiled bitterly and shook his head.
He had always thought that the number of caves, ruins and tombs around Luskan in the North was outrageous enough.
But now it seems that the sewers in my hometown of Ascatra are no less generous.
"Don't talk about those useless things. Let's detect the coffin first."
Witherland turned around and glanced at the priest behind him.
The latter understood it and immediately raised the holy symbol in his hand and began to sing hymns in praise of the gods.
After a while, a golden light shot out from the holy symbol and shone directly on the lid of the sarcophagus.
Before anyone else had time to react, a thick fog exuding a black and cold atmosphere spewed out, instantly covering everything within a dozen meters around it.
The priest's face suddenly changed, and he immediately shouted: "It's the lich! He was alerted by the magic! Everyone is ready to fight!"
Instantly!
The paladins and other priests who were on guard one second began to perform various enhancement and protective magic spells the next second.
Especially the holy warriors with a high enough level have added the famous [Holy Sword Technique] to the weapons in their hands.
This is a four-ring magic that only paladins can master.
Although the level is not high, it can allow their weapons to instantly gain an enchantment level of 5, and cause extremely high additional damage to creatures of the evil camp.
In other words, as long as it is blessed with [Holy Sword Technique], even an ordinary steel weapon with a blank slate can instantly gain the lethality of a legendary or even divine weapon.
Moreover, weapons blessed by this spell will emit golden light and look extremely cool.
As for those who are not level enough and have not yet obtained the fourth-level divine spell position, they can only make do with the first-level [Blessed Weapon].
While everyone was preparing nervously, in the dark and cold fog, an undead man whose whole body had rotted and withered to the point where only a skeleton was left slowly pushed open the lid and crawled out of the sarcophagus.p>
He had obviously been sleeping for at least hundreds of years. After discovering the group of paladins and priests from the good camp in front of him, he immediately frowned and asked in a very ancient and jerky language: "Why do you want to disturb my sleep? Do you want to disturb my sleep?"
Is it to seize the golden skeleton and release Kangas?"
But unfortunately, no one present can understand this language that has been lost for a long time, not even the high-ranking priests.
On the contrary, Sancho, who was hiding under the spiral staircase and secretly observing the situation, had learned some ancient languages ​​and understood what the lich was saying. He immediately lowered his voice and translated for his teammates behind him without looking back.
"What did this Kangas do? That he was sealed by two other lichs?"
Imoen asked with wide eyes and curiosity.
The boy shrugged his shoulders and replied: "Well... I don't know exactly what he did. The teacher didn't explain it clearly.
According to the results of the prophecy magic detection, it seems that a very ancient organization of spellcasters is involved.
Maybe it's revenge, maybe it's internal fighting, but no matter what, it doesn't stop us from defeating him.
Another thing that is basically certain is that this guy must be extremely evil and dangerous."
"You're right. It doesn't matter what Kangas did. What matters is that the master wants him to die."
When saying these words, Succubus Loli's eyes flashed with a red light, and the tail behind her butt kept shaking slightly from side to side.
Since there were no outsiders present, she had already removed the disguise of transformation magic, revealing her true face that had been transformed by divine power, divinity, demonic frost-forged dragon blood, and purgatory power.
Imoen quickly shook his head and corrected: "No, no, no, you didn't understand what I meant. I'm not saying that this demi-lich shouldn't die, I'm just simply interested in the story behind it. Don't you all like interesting stories?
To be continued...