Over an hour later, the Dauntless finally docked at Candlekeep's harbor.
The two Candlekeep guards who had spotted them from the lighthouse earlier used Air Dance to descend before the berth where the Dauntless had docked. Raising their hands, they tapped their chests three times in succession before addressing the group: "Welcome to Candlekeep. The great Prophet Orlando watches over us. Please state your purpose, travelers from the north."
Good lord, this really is a gathering place for scholars—even the guards are spellcasters?
Seeing this display, Levis raised a brow, clearly intrigued by this mysterious fortress upon the sea.
In this world of magic and fantasy, "knowledge is power" was no empty phrase.
If those renowned scientists from Blue Star were collectively transported here, then in all likelihood, they would each become moderately famous grand Arcanists within their lifetimes.
For example, Tesla the Demon King of Magnetic Storms, Faraday the Venerable of Shields, Galileo the Demon King Who Measured the Sun... They might even create another arcane empire like Netheril.
Xia Lan Veloss seemed to see through Levis's thoughts and said with a smile, "There's no need to find it strange. This has always been a holy land for scholarly mages. Ever since Prophet Orlando founded Candlekeep, he has sought to gather every scrap of knowledge that could be collected. That vast library, coupled with the paid-entry rule Orlando established, draws even more spellcasters here bearing 'new knowledge,' creating a cycle of healthy growth. Since there are books here that one could almost never finish reading, many mages choose to remain. But Candlekeep has its own rules. If they wish to extend their stay, they must pass assessments and continue contributing to Candlekeep. Serving as guards is probably the least cost-effective option, yet it remains one of the few choices