Ankheip, the southern inland sea of Faerun continent - the central port of the Lake of Steam, this bustling trading port is currently under the rule of the Badid family of the Sespites noble alliance.
The huge port city is divided into two major urban areas from south to north. The northern city of Lias belongs to the nobles and the rich. It is full of baroque-style noble manors. The appearance is thick and the structure is free, but the interior is filled with Byzantine luxury decorations. .
Grettal Cathedral is the tallest building in Ankheip. The spire towers standing side by side in front of the gate are as high as 137 meters. Standing in the towers, you can enjoy the scenery of the whole city.
From this angle, the crowds in the port look like groups of crawling ants, and the masts and sails at the pier are like rows of looming mirages in the fog on the sea. If it weren't for the cold and humid sea breeze blowing past our faces all the time, this kind of landscape would always give people the illusion of falling into a dream.
Unlike the North City, where the streets are clean and tidy and there are many luxury shops, the South City belongs to the most noisy port area in Ankhape, which also includes a large market adjacent to the pier.
This large market covers a very large area. Not only are the offices of major chambers of commerce established here, trade associations, but also fish markets, slave markets, auction houses, and weapons, protective gear, and magic items for mercenary groups and armed sailors. blacksmith shop and alchemy shop.
To the south of the big market are many small taverns on the port wharf. Of course, many of them also operate hotels and hook bars upstairs, which belong to the unique entertainment red light district of Pansteam Lake Seaport.
Here the three religions are mixed, and the dark side of the city is full of snakes, rats, rats and ants. In the dirty, dark alleys, you can often see many gangster thugs with hideous faces, carrying out dirty and illegal activities.
At this time, a group of figures in cloaks were passing through the alleys of many dock taverns. This group of people dressed plainly, did not speak much while walking, and deliberately lowered their heads, hiding their faces under the hoods.
Some of them occasionally raised their heads, and they could still see their handsome and refined faces, which were different from the delicate faces of ordinary people. In addition, their hair that is as bright as gold and silver is exposed outside the hood and the sharp ears that appear in the hood. The sharp-eyed Golden Gloves in the port area can fully tell that some of them should be elves that are rare in human cities.
However, what is surprising is that Ankhepu's insatiable gold gloves seem to have become blind and deaf at this time, turning a blind eye to the gold coins that can walk on their own. Even if they glimpsed the true colors of these strangers occasionally, they would quickly look away, quietly hiding in the darkness of the alley like avoiding the plague.
It's not that the dark forces in Ankhape don't like gold coins, but because this seaport is different from other seaports in the pan-steam lake, it has a very unique and distinctive feature. Elves are not uncommon here, and while not a permanent population, neither are slaves or goods.
Since the Eleventh Patriarch of the Badid Family formed an alliance with the Ankh Elf Family, the Ankh Elves have saved the fate of the city three times from the civil wars of the Seth Patz aristocrats in the past one hundred years, making it free from war.
At the same time, animal skins, wood, spices, and medicinal herbs obtained from the Anker Forest are also the biggest factors for Anker Hep's sustainable prosperity.
In this human seaport city, whether it is the nobles and rich merchants in the north city or the gangsters in the south city, they have gradually realized that they can also gain huge profits from the trade with the Anker elves, rather than taking the risk of capturing elf slaves.
What's more, the group of humans and elves walking in the alley of the tavern, the silhouette of the strip under the cloak also revealed that they were not unarmed, and they were probably a mixed mercenary group with rich experience in adventure.
Instead of provoking such enemies, the Golden Gloves might as well try their luck at the busiest big market at this time of the day while the sun is still setting, and maybe they can find a few unsuspecting fat sheep.
…
Mileras's face twitched slightly. Looking at the thick layer of unknown filth on the side of the canal and the thick liquid foaming on the surface, he felt a churning in his stomach. The subconscious's natural aversion to human beings seemed to be Another layer deepened.
"His Royal Highness, are all the human cities you have visited before like Ankheip?" Mileras turned his head and asked softly to his companions.
"Your Highness Mileras, which side are you referring to?" Qin Lun stepped on the sewage in the alley indifferently and asked with a smile, "You crossed the sea from Comanso to Jondal, didn't you pass by along the way?" Any other human cities?"
"Well, to the east of the Comanthor Forest is the Dragon Bay. We crossed the Sea of Falling Stars with the help of the Kraken provided by the Cannes murlocs, and then arrived at Jondal through the Vihon Sea. We experienced a few sea storms on the way, but there was no It was resupplied in the human harbor." Mileras explained with a frown.
"So that's how it is!" Qin Lun's eyes flashed brightly, he narrowed his eyes and smiled, "The most noble green lotus only grows in the mud, Your Highness Mileras, when you meet the so-called high-class people of human beings, Maybe you will understand what the 'Emperor's New Clothes' are!"
"I'll wait and see!" Although Mirelas was puzzled, he still nodded and smiled, "It's a blessing to be able to walk with such an experienced royal family. Ferrar, maybe we should put aside each other's identities and How about calling each other by name?"
"As you wish, Mileras!" Qin Lun leaned slightly, nodding gracefully in response.
"My lords, I have found a 'voluntary' guide!" While Qin Lun and Mileras were talking softly, Stark ran from the front, holding a small human being in his palm-leaf fan.
"Pfft!" The acting head of the fortress team lightly threw this person at Qin Lun's feet, "This guy is called Saigon, and he is a local snake near here. He should be more familiar with the dock area."
"My lord, my lord, I am Saigon of the Byron Society. I don't know where I can help you?" After being thrown at Qin Lun's feet by Stark, the thin thief bent his upper body and prostrated himself on the ground with his forehead Covered with cold sweat, a pair of narrow eyes turned straight, and his right hand was quietly stretched into his arms.
"Raise your head, put your hands where I can see them, don't act recklessly!" Qin Lun squatted down with a smile, took out a fist-sized cloth bag from his arms, and shook it by the thief's ear.
The thief's body froze, and he slowly pulled his right hand out of his arms, spreading it flat in front of him. The crisp and pleasant sound of gold coins colliding greatly eased his nervousness. He had seen many elf mercenaries in the tavern, but few elves were willing to deal with underground rats like him.
Although there are many Ankh elves working as mercenaries and bounty hunters in this city, the elf mercenaries with a strong sense of justice generally do not have a good impression of the golden gloves and gangsters in the port area.
At some point, the two will also have bloody conflicts in the underground world. The gangsters who fell into the hands of the elves would often disappear without a trace, and the city guard would not offend the elves because of such trivial matters, so Saigon couldn't help but worry about his own life.
"Don't worry, we don't have any malicious intentions. We just want to inquire about the regular departures of the cargo ships to Suldover!" Qin Lun took out a Colinpu gold coin from his purse and handed it to the thieves. palm.
Looking at the gold coin on the palm of his hand, the thief's narrow eyes lit up a little, and with a dexterous flip of his right hand, the gold coin disappeared into the cuff.
"My lord, the business of our Byron Club is limited to a few nearby taverns and hotels, but I can help you contact the old man Garp of the 'Black Owl', he is the leader of the dock workers' union, and he is responsible for every merchant ship in Ankhap. I know it like the back of my hand..." The thief grinned, revealing a row of messy yellow teeth, forcing a false smile on his face.
"Well, you have a wink, if the information I get satisfies me, then this bag of Colimp is all yours!" Qin Lun shook the purse, pointed at Stark and smiled, "However, put Be smart and don't play tricks. This buddy of mine will go with you, his strength is no less than that of a high-level boxer, you should have seen it!"
"Yes, my lord!" The thief showed a terrified expression, lowered his head deeply, and concealed the greed and viciousness in his eyes.
…
"Filar, why do you want to entrust such a despicable human being? Didn't the Badid family already prepare a merchant ship for us?" Looking at the thieves and Stark going away, Elistine took two steps forward, Leaning to Qin Lun, he asked softly, puzzled.
"Hehe, our journey will not be very easy, and we can't leave too obvious targets for our opponents!" Qin Lun's eyes flashed, and he said lightly, "The boat of the Badid family will also set off on time, but We won't be on board."
"Filar, these gangsters have no bottom line. Asking them for information will cause future troubles? In Ankhepu, they may not dare to touch elves, but at sea..." Mileras asked with some concern, "Why don't you ask the trade guild? Human beings with status and status will at least have some scruples!"
"Well, yes, the trade guilds in the port area do have professional ethics, but they can't keep secrets. The Zhentarim Society itself started out by controlling trade routes and sea trade. Asking the trade guilds for information is no different from directly telling them whereabouts !” Qin Lun explained with a smile.
However, there was still a word in his mind that he had not explained to Elistine and Mileras. It is difficult to deal with people who have status and status to inquire about information afterwards, but it doesn't matter to snakes, rats, rats and ants like Saigon and old man Garp. Dead people can no longer reveal secrets, so naturally there will be no future troubles.
"Let's go, let's find a hotel where we can stay first, and leave the other things to Captain Robin!" Qin Lun said with a smile, "I believe they will have taken care of everything by tomorrow!"