"Finally, I've crawled my way out..."
Emerging from a narrow cleft in Stormhill, Mohg finally stepped into the heart of Limgrave. He let out a long, weary sigh, taking in the scenery before him with a sense of profound appreciation.
It had to be said that this part of Limgrave was exceptionally fertile and prosperous—provided, of course, one stayed far away from the extreme, localized weather systems haunting Stormhill.
Now that he had arrived, he needed to decide his next move: should he scour this region for the talent he required, or head straight for the Mistwood to find the well leading down to the Siofra River?
"Actually, before any of that, I should find a suitable place to establish a base of operations..."
With that thought in mind, Mohg slowly shifted his gaze toward the forest southwest of the town before the gate.
Beyond those woods lay the Church of Elleh, a place he knew all too well. However, that wasn't his intended destination. He had his sights set on an area even further to the southwest: the abandoned Church of Dragon Communion.
Those who worshiped dragons hungered for their power. They bathed in dragon blood and devoured dragon hearts to claim that strength for themselves. In the process, many lost their minds and their humanity, eventually transforming into dragons.
Yet, what they truly became were neither human nor dragon, but wretched monsters—Magma Wyrms. They possessed immense power but lacked the ability to soar through the clouds like true dragons. To be seen by a Flying Dragon or an Ancient Dragon was to be met only with utter contempt.
The rituals of Dragon Communion had actually spread throughout the Lands Between during the reign of the Ancient Dragons. By now, the practice had been largely abandoned; though a few still clung to the worship and the rites, they were a shrinking minority.
This meant the abandoned Church of Dragon Communion in southwestern Limgrave would make an excellent hideout. With a bit of camouflage, some structural repairs, and an expansion of the subterranean space, it would be the premier stronghold in the region.
Furthermore, aside from the coastal path, the demi-humans dwelling in the nearby cave served as a perfect natural deterrent. If he added a few magical illusions to the cave entrance... it would be flawless.
If he felt like it, he could even stock the cave with other creatures to act as natural guardians. Land Octopuses, for instance, would be a fine choice.
Speaking of which... he had been meaning to catch one to see how they tasted. Now that he thought about it, there were plenty of them roaming the beach nearby, weren't there?
Mulling these thoughts over, Mohg skirted the immediate area and slipped toward the outskirts of the town located just before the main gate.
Once he reached the perimeter, he dropped his cautious posture. Stretching his limbs, he walked toward the settlement with a confident stride.
Two Stormveil soldiers stationed at the town entrance noted his attire. They performed a routine inspection of his belongings, but when they confirmed he was only carrying a Glintstone Staff, a few shards of Glintstone, some Runes, and a bit of dried meat, they simply charged him a small fee and waved him through.
"Excuse me, brother. This is my first time coming this way from Caelid, so I was hoping to learn a bit about the local rules here..." Mohg said, adjusting his gear as he struck up a conversation with one of the guards.
"Go check over there. The notice board has all the regulations posted," the guard replied curtly before returning to his post.
Mohg offered his thanks and headed toward the board.
The primary rule listed at the top was a ban on the use of force within town limits (excluding designated areas), a policy very similar to the one in the Academy Gate Town. Below that, however, were specific ordinances regarding sorcerers.
This was something he hadn't seen in the Gate Town, though he surmised that since the Gate Town was essentially sorcerer territory, any restrictions there were entirely dependent on the Academy's whims.
"The display of Glintstone in public is strictly prohibited... Research involving Glintstone is forbidden within town limits... The study or practice of sorcery is forbidden within town limits..."
Mohg's mouth twitched as he read. Put simply, a sorcerer in this town could do absolutely nothing but meditate.
After memorizing the essential rules, he began to observe the layout of the area. The two most prominent structures were the guardhouse and a large residence that appeared to belong to a nobleman.
Scanning the crowd, Mohg picked out a small stall and approached the vendor. He bought a few random materials to break the ice and then asked, "Hey, boss, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead, traveler."
"I'm new here, and I was curious—who owns that big house over there?" Mohg pointed toward the mansion, which was significantly more luxurious than its surroundings.
"Oh, that? That's the manor of Lord Nibla."
"Nibla?"
"Aye. He's the Count of this region. Everything from the forest behind us to the farmlands beyond is Lord Nibla's fief. This town belongs to him as well."
Mohg nodded, then stood and took his leave.
This was useful information. It seemed this Count Nibla held a fairly significant station. To govern the town controlling the main pass to Stormveil while owning the fertile lands at the foot of the castle suggested considerable influence.
Mohg took another look at the soldiers nearby. Their quality was notably higher than that of the Cuckoo Glintstone Soldiers—closer, in fact, to the soldiers of the Royal Capital.
Among the various factions, Carian soldiers were the highest quality on an individual level, but the trade-off was that they were also the fewest in number.
Mohg stroked his chin. He wondered if these men were Nibla's private house guards or part of the Stormveil garrison.
There was a distinction. If they belonged to Stormveil, it meant Nibla likely held a high-ranking military commission that allowed him to command the castle's troops to secure his own town.
After quietly assessing the strength and numbers of the soldiers, Mohg clicked his tongue in silent appraisal and departed.
It was clear he still had a long way to go before he could rival such established powers. However, these factions had the benefit of centuries of foundation and history, so the disparity was to be expected.
"Lord Mohg, the task you assigned us has been completed. What are your further instructions?"
Mohg paused as he received a message from Pilar. After a brief moment of thought, he replied: "Well done. Secure the items for now. I will deal with the rest once I return."
"Understood."
At the same time, a report came in from Holuf. His team had made it out of the cliffside area. Following Mohg's orders, they had located one path leading toward Caelid and another toward Limgrave. The group had split into two teams to gather intelligence.
One team had reached the vicinity of Saintbridge, waiting for an opportunity to cross to the other side. The other team had arrived at a cliff edge in the Stormhill region—the same area Mohg had just vacated—and was currently searching for their next objective.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (383 Chapters – Ongoing)
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