While Blom was raiding one Bulgar pastoral troop, Su Nan had already sent Warwick, the old steward, to lead an attack on another Bulgar troop on the opposite side of Baron Frank's territory. This second troop had also attacked merchant caravans traveling to Maple Leaf Town.
The werewolves found an enormous haul of treasures looted by these Bulgar marauders at the sites of their destruction. A rough estimate placed the value of the stolen goods at no less than 1,500 gold coins for each troop.
These bandits had indeed gotten rich from their raids, turning into mobile treasure troves.
Unfortunately for them, Su Nan's forces had burst their gold-filled pockets wide open.
However, due to the Bulgars' disdain for books, only a small number of manuscripts and texts were recovered.
Warwick contacted Su Nan to report another discovery: a strange obsidian idol found in the fields of one of the Bulgar camps. This idol seemed to absorb the magical power from the nearby Sleeping Bug potions.
Through his pack-linked connection, Su Nan observed the idol through Warwick's eyes. The obsidian figure stood in a field, its four heads representing an eagle, a tiger, a lion, and a leopard.
"This is a shrine to the Beast Lord," Su Nan remarked.
The Bulgars had only been worshipping the Beast Lord for the past two to three centuries, a reflection of their gradual integration into the political and religious framework dominated by the Celestial Gods. Once purely nomadic, the Bulgars had partially adopted feudal systems.
Their history had seen cycles of rise and fall. Over three centuries ago, they had claimed vast territories from the northern reaches of the Eastern Empire and established a kingdom. However, the Basil Dynasty of the Eastern Empire waged a series of wars that decimated Bulgar nobility and dismantled their feudal structure, driving them back to a semi-nomadic existence.
Now, centuries later, the tables had turned: the once-dominant Eastern Empire had collapsed, leaving the Storm Kingdom to face the Bulgar threat.
Su Nan ordered Warwick to toss a potion at the obsidian statue. Through the wolf pack's shared perception, Su Nan observed as hundreds of magical bugs were drawn into the statue and consumed.
"This idol is unusual," Su Nan noted. "It either has inherent magical properties or it's related to the Beast Lord's divine powers. Analyze this for me."
[Analysis Complete.]
Material Composition: The statue is made entirely of obsidian.
Magical Properties: The obsidian appears to naturally absorb magic from its surroundings.
Explanation: Concentrated magical energy forms a gravitational-like pull, drawing ambient magic into a focal point. When crafted into large structures, obsidian objects can create an area of localized magical absorption.
Recommendation: Combine the statue with Sacrificial Stone Potion to create a modified Stone Golem infused with its properties.
Su Nan agreed with the suggestion and instructed the werewolves to haul the statue back to his castle for further experimentation.
Warwick also presented another find: a sheepskin scroll retrieved from the Bulgar camp. "This scroll seems to have come from a noble's collection, possibly looted from Baron Frank's estate. It bears his family's crest."
Knowing Su Nan's fascination with ancient texts, Warwick asked, "Does it interest you, my lord?"
Through his connection, Su Nan inspected the scroll. His eyes lit up at the sight. "Who would have thought Frank's family had something like this? I doubt the baron himself knows its value."
The scroll contained notes from a distant ancestor of Frank's family—a man who had served as a mortal assistant to a first-tier Wizard Apprentice. The assistant had secretly copied down his master's experimental notes.
"Sadly, this ancestor had no magical talent of his own," Su Nan mused. "But he must have hoped his descendants might inherit the gift. These notes detail two apprentice-level spells—Summon Minor Fireflies and Lesser Mortal Repulsion Barrier."
Though incomplete, the notes provided enough for Su Nan to extrapolate their effects:
Summon Minor Fireflies was a flame-based magic capable of summoning small, fire-like insects. It would have been troublesome for Su Nan's werewolf forces if the Franks had mastered it.
Lesser Mortal Repulsion Barrier created a psychological deterrent, preventing mortals with a spiritual strength below 2 from approaching a designated area.
Both spells held significant potential. Despite the gaps in the records, Su Nan could use his analytical system to reconstruct the formulas and translate them into potion recipes.
Tonight's efforts had been fruitful.
As Su Nan considered the resources and information he had gained, an idea took shape. With Frank's territory in ruins and the baron incapacitated, Su Nan could easily annex the land. Given the current disorder within the Storm Kingdom's feudal system, such a move would likely go uncontested.
Frank's lands could serve as a buffer zone, sparing Su Nan's own territory from future conflicts.
However, Su Nan decided not to dwell too much on the matter. If the opportunity arose, he would take it. If not, it wasn't worth unnecessary effort.
For now, he summoned his werewolf forces back to his castle, instructing them to bring the looted treasures and other resour
ces along.
Another step forward in Su Nan's ever-expanding plans.
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