131: Pledge of Allegiance Ceremony (Part 1)

In the hall, under the witness of Holy Knight Randel, Holy Knight attendants John and George, Business Manager Old Hather, Eileen Village residents Bore and Ever, the Sha Ruiwen family mage siblings, Gorebest City Lord Kedas and his guards, Plum and other priests, and my eight Inferno Fist Guards, Adeline and six other adventurers will swear allegiance to me.

The Warlock Adeline was the first to step out of the line.

She held her staff horizontally over her shoulder; this was the Ice Blade Clash ritual, an ancient ceremony for nobles of Bryn Shander to pledge fealty to their lord.

"Lord Lion Black, I, Adeline Silver Ember, swear by the thousand-year-old permafrost of the Silver Ember family beneath the Ice Sculpture Throne," her voice was strong and clear, as a blizzard condensed into a curtain of snow outside the window, "When the Dragon Soul Stone in the Golden Vault suppresses my boiling blood, I will serve you for the rest of my life, and your enemies shall turn into eternal ice tombs in the Breath of the Tyrant!"

"Very good! I, Lion Black, accept your allegiance," I responded.

The moment the oath was completed, a new character attribute appeared on the system's attribute panel.

Name: Adeline Silver Ember

Lord of Allegiance: Lion Black

Loyalty of Subjects: 80

Race: Human (Illyrian Bloodline)

Gender: Female

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Age: 22

Place of Origin: Bryn Shander, Capital of Ten Towns of Icewind Dale

Origin: Noble (Last Descendant of the "Ice Breaker" Family of Ten Towns of Icewind Dale)

Profession: Warlock (Dragon Bloodline Warlock: White Dragon Bloodline)

Profession Level: 5

Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 12, Constitution 14, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 10, Charisma 17

(White Dragon bloodline increases cold resistance but weakens strength)

Defense Level: 5

Health Points: 34 / 37

Zero-level Hit Points: 10

Damage: 1 to 6 (+1 cold damage)

Proficiencies:

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Saves: Constitution, Charisma

Skills: Arcana, Deception

Warlock Skills: Spellcasting, Pact Magic: White Dragon, Pact Magic Points: 5 points, Flexible Casting, Create Spell Slots, Convert Spell Slots to Pact Magic Points, Font of Magic, Metamagic

Spell Slots: Unlimited Cantrips, 4 First-level Spell Slots, 3 Second-level Spell Slots, 2 Third-level Spell Slots

Known Spells:

Zero-level Cantrips: Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Charm Person, Control Water, Minor Illusion

First-level Spells: Ice Knife, Magic Missile, Shield

Second-level Spells: Snilloc's Snowball Swarm, Crown of Madness

Third-level Spells: Slow

Equipped Magical Items:

Ice Crystal Staff (Frostspeak): When used as a weapon, it is considered a simple weapon, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage (one-handed) or 1d8 (two-handed) by default, +1 cold damage, and "Cone of Cold" 3 times daily.

Robe: Defense Level 5 (Embroidered with Druid runes to suppress dragon blood)

Ice Rift Pendant: Can create a 10-foot ice surface when in contact with water.

As the warlock stepped back, the heavy armor of Kou Duo Ironanvil scraped.

The dwarf struck his shield with a forging hammer, and the sparks that flew off formed Moradin's holy symbol in the air:

"Lord Lion Black, the mountains bear witness! Kou Duo Ironanvil's beard shall be woven into the chains of your throne! My shield is the forge, your enemies are the anvil, and every heavy blow shall hammer out my loyalty to you—until the 'Anvil of Soul Forger' returns to the Mithril Hall's furnace, my soul will still boil beneath your warhammer!"

Old Hather and his people timely presented frozen ale, and the dwarf took the keg, drinking heartily.

The moment the oath ceremony was completed, the system once again generated the attribute panel of this dwarf.

Name: Kou Duo Ironanvil

Lord of Allegiance: Lion Black

Loyalty of Subjects: 85

Race: Shield Dwarf (Mithril Hall Exile)

Gender: Male

Alignment: Lawful Good

Age: 65 (Dwarves typically live between 350 and over 400 years old; under 50 is considered a young dwarf)

Place of Origin: Mithril Hall

Origin: Exile

Profession: Fighter (Rune Knight: Learns to speak, read, and write Giant and other skills.)

Profession Level: 5

Attributes: Strength 18/76, Dexterity 9, Constitution 17, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 13, Charisma 6

(Dwarven racial bonus strengthens Strength and Constitution)

Defense Level: -2

Health Points: 40 / 40

Zero-level Hit Points: 8

Damage: 2 to 5 (+2 against constructs)

Proficiencies:

Armor: All Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Tools: Blacksmith's Tools

Saves: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Acrobatics, Insight

Fighter Skills: Defense, Second Wind, Action Surge (once), Giant's Might

Rune Engraver: 2 known runes (Frost Rune, Stone Rune)

Equipped Magical Items:

Rune Warhammer (Oathbreaker): 1d4+1 (bludgeoning, +2 against constructs, consumes 1 AC of target's metal armor per hit)

Round Shield: Defense Level +1 (provides no protection against ranged and piercing attacks)

Cursed Duergar Plate Armor: Defense Level 0 (wearer cannot lie)

Special: Moradin's Anvil Shard (When Kou Duo Ironanvil is within 6 miles of 'Anvil of Soul Forger', he can sense the exact location of this holy relic, which can aid in repairing metal weapons and assist in crafting magical weapons, but may randomly trigger minor earthquakes)

As Grom Frost Howl stepped out of the line, everyone noticed the demonic corrupted veins on the Northlander barbarian's bare chest, wriggling like living black shadows.

"By the frost wolf packs that devour the moon in the Eternal Night Sea, I swear! Grom Frost Howl's tainted blood shall cleanse your trenches, and when the dawn burns away the last trace of corruption, my war cry shall be the wedge that tears open the gates of hell for you!"

"Very good! I, Lion Black, accept your allegiance," I looked at the priest city lord. "I have already reached an agreement with City Lord Kedas just now; a purification ritual will be held tomorrow at dawn in the Morning Song Temple, and all expenses will be paid by me."

During the oath, the system also generated the attribute panel of this warrior.

Name: Grom Frost Howl

Lord of Allegiance: Lion Black

Loyalty of Subjects: 50

Race: Northlander Human (Icewind Dale Barbarian)

Gender: Male

Alignment: True Neutral

Age: 31

Place of Origin: Northern Icewind Dale

Origin: Reghedman Tribe (Frostspeak Tribe) "Icehowl Warband" Vanguard Warrior

Profession: Barbarian (Storm Herald)

Profession Level: 5

Attributes: Strength 17, Dexterity 15, Constitution 16, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 9, Charisma 12

(Ice Battle Tattoo grants AC-2 bonus during combat)

Defense Level: 4

Health Points: 65 / 65

Zero-level Hit Points: 9

Damage: 2 to 18

Proficiencies:

Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Saves: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Intimidation, Survival

Barbarian Skills: Rage, Reckless Attack, Unarmored Defense, Danger Sense, Extra Attack, Fast Movement

Equipped Magical Items:

Dual Ice Battle Axes (Ice Splitter): Main hand damage 1d8 (+1 slashing), off-hand damage 1d8 (+1 cold damage)

Frost Giant Hide Armor: Defense Level 4 (Immune to non-magical frostbite)

Special: Bloodhawk Feather Cloak (Increases wearer's enmity by +20% in front of enemies)