On the morning of April 27th you endure a thunderstorm, then the weather turns a little cooler.
Late in the morning you reach the Mississippi River.
Easily the largest river that you have ever seen, it is over four miles wide at this point. A few miles upstream from where you stand you see that another large river flows into it from the east.
Before you, a great arched bridge spans the Mississippi. Of ancient construction it is. Hlarn approves of the quality. On the far side of the bridge you see a city.
You ride on. It takes an hour to cross the bridge.
On the far side, you come to a gate house, blocking egress from the bridge.
As you approach, several heavily armed footmen step out. Their livery is of a country that you do not recognise.
"Welcome to the Free Town of Bridgewater," says the leader, a sergeant, to you. "Toll's 50gp per person plus 20gp per horse."
"Hi!" cries another soldier, from up on the battlement, "Orcs!"
A horn sounds the alarm.
Looking over your shoulders, you see Umboth and the orcs approaching.
Niko says with incredulity, "50 gp?!?!?! That amounts to piracy!"
"It's an expensive bridge to keep up," replies the guard.
"And, it is apparently the only one around, so that folks have little choice but to pay or spend a long time looking for another way."
"WHOA!" Logan yells up, "they are good, converts to Forseti! If you wish, they can stay out of the city, but they are not evil."
"Are they with you?" questions the sergeant.
"Yes, they are," Kadlian says firmly.
He steps back through the gate and it slams shut in your faces.
From beyond you hear more horns blowing and men shouting.
Kadlian waves everyone back. "Back across the bridge. Damn, I knew having the orcs around was going to cause trouble.
"We will find another way, but we need to get away before we get an arrow in the back."
Kadlian gets Fleetwing to move at a gallop.
Carburator turns his horse. "In all likelihood, they will pursue if they feel they can beat us. It is, afterall, an hour back over this bridge."
Kadlian shouts, "That was at a walk. Get going and keep going. Anyone who can fly, get up in the air to cover the retreat of the others. Sian, Rage, Niko and myself, at the least."
Carburator says, "Maybe we should try and talk to them. Maybe they just are being overly cautious."
Malvis nods in agreement, and adds, "Sometimes a little friendliness will go a long way. If done with proper precautions, of course."
"Perhaps a couple of us could go talk with them under a flag of truce."
"Let us get out of arrow and mage spell range and then we can examine our options."
"If they wanted to talk, they were in a position to do it when we are at the gates."
Carburator says, "I expect they are just trying to get prepared in the event of a conflict. However, it can't hurt."
Kadian snorts. "Overreaction to a few orcs. They can see for quite a while and they are behind some fairly sturdy walls. I want to make sure that they do not continue to overreact and use us as pincushions."
Kailar yawns.
"Why don't we just sneak in at night? Failing that, a bribe might go a lot further than a friendly negotiation."
"All of that is possible and there are still more choices than that."
Carburator nods.
Malvis, who has never stopped riding out of range of arrows (dying in hell tends to make one nervous about such things as becoming a human pincushion), replies, "I never suggested we stop our tactical retreat. I only indicated that perhaps not all opportunity to enter this town peacefully has escaped us. Negotiation is still a possibility."
Carburator says, "Perhaps, Malvis, however, I wonder if we appear guilty by default due to our hasty retreat."
He keeps riding, however, assuming Umbroth and company retreat as well.
Malvis cocks his head, thinking for a moment, before replying, "Yes, there is that. I originally wondered if we looked a little suspicious, but we did not appraoch aggressively. The overreaction, is, I think, entirely the guardsmen own doing. Travelling with orcs is not going to make our way any easier, I fear."
Carburator chuckles.
"Agreed!"
Hlarn shakes his head. "I'd hoped to avoid such conflicts."
"Couldn't we just teleport to the other side?" Dor asks.
"I can't see us doing it with the horses."
"Rage needs to shrink us and then teleport us. It will take too long and we are too close. Maybe when we have put some distance between us and them."
"We don't do teleports," says Barker firmly. "Even this bridge is giving us the willies."
You reach Umboth and the orcs.
"Trouble?" asks the cleric.
Carburator looks back toward the gatehouse. "Aye, it would seem the soldiers are sounding alarms since seeing your group approach. They believe the orcs are evil."
Turning to Umboth, Hlarn says, "You never got back to me about using magic to disguise your followers. What do you say now?"
"As I said before, that is up to my flock," Umboth replies.
"An' ye never told what that magic wuz," says an orc.
Kadlian gives a harsh chuckle. "It is too late for this city?"
Umboth sighs.
"This is not going to work," he mutters, "We should have stayed in Golgar."
"Perhaps. Or maybe you would be better to go back to the forest. The guardian was willing to give the orcs the benefit of the doubt. And then you would not have to worry about others."
"I would prefer Golgar. That place has a...history...which appeals to me."
Hlarn shakes his head. "All of you folks pull back along the bridge. I'll stay here and see if I can't reason with them."
The dwarf suddenly seems to move very quickly, his motions a blur and a buzz as he speaks faster than you can hear.
Niko hands his horse's reins to the nearest person, turns invisible and activates his anti-grav belt.
Niko flies away.
Kadlian, not needing to have anyone else on his mount, urges Fleetwing up a few hundred feet.
He strings his bow and knocks an arrow.
Kadlian hovers on Fleetwing above the party, arrow still nocked.
Hlarn lets the others pass by, and heads toward the gate. At this point the rest of the party, save Niko, is several hundred years back on the bridge, out of accurate arrowshot but still very exposed.
"Gatekeeper!" he shouts, waiting to get a response.
All he gets for a reply is the sounds of horns and trumpets from within the gate house, and answering horns from the town beyond.
"Keep moving," calls Kadlian to the people below, who continue to retreat. "Quickly! It sounds like they are readying for war down there!"
An invisible Niko calls down "It looks like they're gearing up to attack. Five men are readying a war engine with a cauldron of oil and some torches. Another dozen are mounting up with reinforcements on the way. The town looks to be in ruins, though. Shall I launch a pre-emptive strike?"
"Can you disable the war engine? If so, do it without injuring anyone."
Logan hangs back with the rest of the party, reading with a spell or two in case the situation gets bloody.
Rage is busy sizing up the situation and casts fly and invisibility on herself, to circle around the back of the town.
Kadlian urges Fleetwing to move higher and closer, so that he can see over the walls.
Immediately on the other side of the gate house is the city of Bridgewater. It is built on the east side of the Mississippi, and south of the lesser river that joins it here. Clearly to you, most of it is in ruins; what amounts to little more than a village close by the gate house remains occupied. Roads run off to the east, southeast and south from Bridgewater. On the north shore, where the two rivers meet, is a tower.
Atop the battlements of the gate house you see five soldiers hurrying about. Two are pushing a small scorpion into a firing position, while two more are wheeling a large cauldron of oil on a wooden wheeled cart, while the last one carries several flaming torches. All are armed with swords and crossbows.
Just beyond the tower is a stable, and there you see about a dozen horsemen - including the sergeant you spoke with - getting ready, perhaps for a sortie.
Going by the horns and shouts coming from the village beyond, reinforcements will be arriving shortly.
Niko swoops back up and casts Flaming Sphere. He immediately turns back invisible while trying to roll the sphere onto the scorpion slowly enough to allow the men around it to avoid being burnt.
Hlarn casts his Wall of Fire spell upon the wooden gate.
"They want a fight, let's give it to them!" he shouts up toward those airborne.
A sheet of amber flames explodes against the gate. Above, the men jump back in surprise as Niko appears out of thin air some 30' overhead and a flaming sphere appears on the walkway. As he turns invisible one of them manages to get off a bolt at him but it is way wide.
Meanwhile, the cart with the cauldron of oil careens into the battlement and stops. Some oil slops out and splashes Hlarn below.
Niko maneuvers the flaming sphere up against the scorpion, and flames start licking up its side.
The soldiers, realising that they are exposed to an aerial attack, give up their initial plan and retreat down the steps off of the battlemented roof and into the gatehouse proper.
The gate below is burning merrily away, when you hear a rattle of chains followed by a loud crash from beyond it. Hlarn throws his hammer into the flames and the gate collapses, revealing iron bars beyond, blocking the entrance.
Niko, Rage and Kadlian above see the mounted soldiers beyond climb off of their horses and rush into the gatehouse. As yet no reinforcements are to be seen coming from the village, though they see people running around over there.
Several hundred yards away and seeing his companions attack the walled gate, Logan mutters, "This is getting all fucked up, right now! Sure, the old crew comes back and things go down the toilet!"
"I told you we should've stayed at the fort!" says Callie.
After seeing the oil land on Hlarn, he shouts, "Get out of there, Hlarn, or you're going to be a short barbeque!"
Hlarn quickly casts "Resist Fire" to help him avoid any burning oil currently on him.
Casting the spell takes the dwarf a half a minute. In the meantime you hear a cry from within the gate house -
"FIRE!"
- and a flurry of bolts rain down on the dwarf out of various slits and murder holes in the outer wall.
Only one quarrel finds its mark, injuring Hlarn for 4 hit points. Little more than his pride is hurt, but it is enough to spoil his concentration and ruin his spell.
"RELOAD!"
"They have overreacted and we should not take advantage of them. Just prevent them from hurting us until we can convince them to talk to us."
Hlarn nods, picking the quarrel out of his beard. "The best way to keep them from harming us is to control that gate and secure a safe passage beyond."
"Good job, Niko!"
Kadlian yells down to the soldiers. "Stop trying to attack us! We are simple travellers and we do not want to fight you."
He gets no reply.
"It's just going to get uglier, Kadlian. We should either retreat or turn this into a full assault...otherwise, we're going to take casualties."
Hlarn nods. "Yes, lets secure this gatehouse."
The dwarf looks toward Rage and the other magicians. "Usually city soldiers are not well trained. During the few minutes we have, I'd prepare some sleep spells to take them out. A barrier of some sort between us and them would also be favorable."
"That means inviting a fight. I do not like this Hlarn.
"Retreat. I do not want to kill them if it is at all possible.
"The rest of you, keep moving. Get to the other end of the bridge and head back into the forest. We will prevent them from following."
Hlarn shouts up toward Kadlian. "We've got to cross this river, and the Treants won't teleport. If we retreat now we'll really have a fight on our hands to get across it. I say push forward, avoid the city and retreat onward."
"I do not want to fight. I want their panic to subside and then we can talk with them. Forcing the issue means we will have to fight. And, potentially kill people. They are not evil, Hlarn, are they?"
Niko, still invisible, maneuvers the Flaming Sphere to the top of the stairs to block the guards from leaving.
Slipping on his ring of invisibility, Logan vanishes from sight and heads back towards the gate house.
Using his giant strength, Hlarn attempts to bend the bars and allow entry beyond.
"FIRE!"
More bolts rain down, but all are deflected by Hlarn's armour.
"RELOAD!"
Oil starts pouring down out of the murder holes onto the floor of the passage through the gate house. At the other end, a second portcullis comes down.
With apparently little effort, Hlarn bends the bars of the portcullis at the west (bridge) end of the tower, but without protection from fire he hesitates before venturing into the oil filled passage ahead, knowing full well what is ready to come down from above, next.
Back in the village, Niko, Kadlian and Rage start to see some organisation becoming apparent. Several hundred men - armed with swords, pikes, clubs, and whatever crude weapons are available - are being led rag-tag towards the tower by a dozen soldiers. The remainder of the populace - women, children and the elderly - are fleeing in the opposite direction and into the ruined city.
Hlarn is on the ground before the gate house, while Niko is above. Kadlian is higher up in the air and a bit back, while Rage is circling about somewhere. The rest of the party has stopped several hundred yards back on the bridge, save for Logan, who is now making his way back to the gate house; and Umboth's brood, who are continuing to retreat.
Carburator continues back across the group with Umboth's group. He shakes his head at retreat, then attack and finally the hostile retreat.
"Birch, when we get to the trees I want you to find a good place to set up for the coming people. Something that will benefit us. Callie, go with him and help," states Sian as he starts to string his bow.
"Umboth, you might move a little bit further into the woods. I want to have you ready to come a running if need be," says Sian.
"We are returning to Golgar," says Umboth, "If we are going to encounter this kind of a reception at every little town and village along the way then it is better that we stay behind. Our presence is more hindrance than help. We shall clear that tower and establish it as a stronghold, for Forseti and the party, if you so desire."
"Callie while you are out see if you can find a trail heading somewhere that we might find another crossing," says Sian.
You recall from your studies in Strabath that there are only three bridges over the Mississippi's mid and lower reaches: the Great Bridge at Bridgewater, where you now stand; Mississippi Bridge to the north, which the Amlad Road crosses; and even farther north, Derextar Bridge, where the Great Western Road crosses. The latter two lead into wilderness and eventually Nolthen. Even if you were to cross them and head south along the river bank you would eventually end up back here...but on the north bank of the Sohio River, which you realise is that large tributary that you can see a few miles off to the north. You would have to get across that river.
South of here there are no crossings until you get to Riverland, where a ferry traverses the river.
"Perhaps we should accompany Umboth," rumbles Barker. "We are hindering you as well."
Kadlian calls down from above. "We can discuss all of this after we deal with the situation at hand."
Hlarn shakes his head. "I doubt they are evil, but they are ignorant. But as you wish, we'll retreat."
The dwarf begins booking it back across the bridge.
Malvis, from his vantage point a few hundred yards down the road, sees Hlarn retreat, and says, "I'm glad we aren't fighting our way into the poor town. But I hope we can negotiate our way across this river. I don't fancy swimming for hours, that's for sure."
"I hate running from a battle," Dor replies. "But I don't want to hurt any innocent folks, either."
"We will take the battle to a terrain of our choosing should they wish to continue. But, no innocents will be in the crossfire at that time."
"Niko, hold the sphere as long as you can and then get back across the river.
"Rage, do you have a force wall or something you can lay across the bridge for a period of time?"
Kadlian continues to hold his position.
Niko covers the retreat by leaving the Flaming Sphere atop the battlement and casting Stinking Cloud on the gate house passage. He then becomes invisible again.
You hear a lot of coughing from within the tower as the fumes waft up through the murder holes...and no more missile fire.
Rage suddenly appears, as she casts a wall of ice across the entrance through the gate house, where the wooden gate was.
She turns invisible again.
"Want me to scatter the mob?" calls out Kailar.
"If you can do it without killing anyone, do it."
Kailar casts a spectral force.
Mist gathers around him. The mist quickly starts to take the shape of a large reptile. The mist solidifies and forms up into a silver dragon. It take flight, making for the gate house. It lands atop the battlements. The dragon turns towards the mob and roars at them.
From beyond you hear screams of panic, as the bulk of the townsfolk who were coming to the defense of the tower are overcome with the dragon fear, turn tail and run.
Several trip and fall, and are trampled by their compatriots.
Perhaps twenty men remain unfazed, stopped and shouting at their retreating allies to come back.
Niko flies back to rejoin the party.
"Excellent job, everyone. Regroup a little further down the bridge and wait," calls Kadlian.
"Citizens of Bridgewater, can we now talk like reasonable people? Or will you continue to force us to dissuade you from attacking us?"
Carburator says, "I don't know how they won't think we are being hostile."
"Because we could have killed a lot of them. It took more effort just to dissuade them from attacking us."
Birch shakes his head.
A hail of arrows is the reply, coming from the tower. Kadlian is unharmed, but Fleetwing takes a hit in a wing. The hippogriff shrieks, and drops, barely able to control his descent.
Landing heavily on the bridge perhaps 50' from the gate house, Kadlian is thrown to the pavement.
Kadlian scrambles back to his feet and checks on Fleetwing.
"Rage, do your worst."
Carburator says, "Don't Rage...they don't know they aren't protecting themselves from an evil force."
"And they will not stop attacking long enough to find out!"
Vanadil shakes his head.
"You are right, Logan," he mutters.
Kadlian casts a cure light wounds on Fleetwing.
"Some people act and don't think. It is a shortcut for them that usually works out well...remember, we are exceptions to the rule in this day not the rule itself. In fact, they are acting out the same way you did when you saw the orcs the first time."
Carburator rides forward to get Kadlian if he needs a ride back to the group.
"Ouch," Logan says as he winces, watching Kadlian fly through the air and land with a thud. "That's gonna leave a mark."
You regroup near the centre of the bridge, Kadlian walking back with the hippogriff.
"I have only seen them take defensive measures against people whom they perceive as an enemy," observes Windul. "We have done nothing to dispel that impression."
"Then what do you suggest? We have done everything to prevent them from attacking us while taking pains not to kill them. Would you have me allow them to kill a few of us?"
"I have seen nothing but defensive measures from them," Windul replies. "They saw orcs approaching so they rolled out the scorpion and oil, which they never used. They were getting their horses ready to chase us away but that seems to have fizzled. Niko cast his flaming sphere at them and got some bolts sent his way. Hlarn set the gate afire so they attacked him. You flew too close and took an arrow. And somehow," he concludes, "I do not think that the village peasants and shopkeepers - what are left of them after Kailar's dragon appeared - are much of a threat."
"Interesting interpretation. And much different than mine. Very well, we leave."
"Our credibility as 'reasonable people' is shot, I think," adds Nuanna. "Why don't we move on?"
"We could build a raft and float down the river," says Edelle, casting a romantic look at where Niko would be.
Niko smiles. "Aye, lass...that's the spirit!"
Niko looks critically at the river and tries to determine if his ship could navigate the waters.
"It will have to be a very big raft to deal with all our mounts."
"Oh, them," says Edelle sheepishly, patting her horse.
"I think I agree with Carburator and Nuanna", says Malvis shyly. "We have been a little, uh, aggressive in our methods of opening dialogue with this town. Perhaps an alternate route would now be preferable to forcing our way into this town."
Kadlian nods. "Rage, forget the destruction. Folks, let us get back to the other side and figure out our options. This has been a disaster. We will let the folks in Bridgewater lick their wounds in peace."
You retreat west. The people of Bridgewater do not pursue you.
At the west end of the bridge is a second gate house, similar in design to the first. It is unoccupied but in good repair. The two doors leading into it are locked.
You pause here to decide your next move.
Niko takes out a small box-like thing, flips up the lid and speaks into it in a low voice.
Logan approaches Rage.
"Where did you find him?" he asks, looking at Kadlian. "When we get to somewhere we can rest, perhaps you can teach me some new spells as it seems my head is no longer clouded by womanly wiles!"
Kadlian shakes his head in confusion. "Are you asking me or the invisible Rage? And which 'he' are you referring to?"
"I was asking the invisible Rage and the he is you," Logan says to Kadlian. "You come back from an extended absence and you seem to be doing a hell of a job since you are back. I am not asking you to leave, but don't be so black and white. That's twice in a matter of days that you let your limited view of the world fuck things up. All I ask for the good of everyone is to open your mind and views a bit, it will keep us from harm and possible death if you weren't so damned narrow!"
Kadlian nods. "Thank you for clarifying. I do not agree at all with your accusations, but you are free to make them.
"I do take responsibility for trying to go the middle road. Either we should have attacked and made our way into the town or we should have continued to retreat across the bridge. Attempting to deter them from attacking us while trying to not injure them and also convince them to talk to us peacefully was a mistake. Fortunately, only Fleetwing was injured."
"And Hlarn is not? What is he? Chopped liver?" Logan asks angrily.
Kadlian looks to Hlarn. "I was not aware he was injured. I thought he was only splashed with oil. My apologies, Hlarn."
The dwarf shrugs. "Just a scratch is all."
"I have a cure light wounds spell left, if you wish me to heal you."
From somewhere you hear Rage's voice. "Excuse me? How did Kadlian fuck things up?
"The townsfolk attempted to charge us a great deal to cross the bridge, and when then asked about the orcs who were accompanying us, they initiated hostilities. Yes, they were of a defensive nature, but to lay the blame at Kadlian's feet is irresponsible and childish."
"Yes, they did, but instead retreating from a paranoid bunch of soldiers, some of the party began to keep them at bay which amounted to an attack in their eyes. Stinking clouds and flaming spheres are acts of war, Rage, so we are not innocent by any means in this debacle. Then when they struck Fleetwing, he said that you should unleash Hell on them," Logan replies. "Not exactly a good turn of events."
"I would like to point out that this would not have happened at all without the orcs being here. Logan, you are too critical of everyone but yourself. Perhaps you should reflect on your errors, it is not as if they are too few to recall."
"I reflected quite fine when Kadlian and crew were not here and we did quiet well then," Logan counters, "But I see what is going on. I'll just stay quiet and fall in line!"
"Logan, you seem to be going out of your way to pick on me. So, please, tell me. How would you have handled the situation with the town?"
"Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but as we did at the various stops we made, because we have had a large group for sometime, we had sent an advance party of 4 or 5 people to check out the place and then bring everyone in!" he replies.
"That is a good suggestion. We will try that in the future."
"Good," he says with a smile. "So, what now, boss man?"
"We go through the town in a few days once things have settled down. In the meanwhile we make it seem obvious that we are heading north toward the other bridges. You rangers should know how to create such a diversion.
"In the meanwhile, Rage and the other magicians can make us all invisible. I and the other clerics can protect us so that the common person would scarcely notice us even if they did detect us. Likewise we can all be protected against fire.
"Sleep and silence spells will knock out the guards and prevent detection. What few soldiers resist can be forcibly detained by a wall of fire or a wall of ice that is concealed by a magical darkness. The gate is mostly destroyed already, and I can quickly open it up.
"Then, we continue on through the down in darkness and do the same on the other side.
"Kailar, can you take a look inside the gate house, please? Do not disturb anything, just poke around and see if there is anything interesting in there."
Kadlian looks curiously at the thing in Niko's hand. "What is that, who are you speaking to and what are you saying?"
"I'm seeing if I can get us a ride up the river."
"From whom?"
"Lord Ramage. I loaned him my ship when I went to Hell with Occa and his crew. I'm trying to see if he's in the area."
Kadlian holds up a hand in confusion. "Okay, you lost me on a few points. How could your ship be in the area? To get from Sandas to this area, they would have to sail for quite a while to near here if I understand the maps correctly. And how would that thing you are talking into be allow you to contact him? I thought Occa said there was no good way to communicate between groups."
Niko sighs. "My ship was not in Sandas. It's been at sea since me and Occa's group raided the pirate's lair. As for how this gizmo works, I'm not sure...some mage Hardboard had this other ship that made these things for us. Technology or something like that...not sure if any of the others still carry theirs around. I made Lord Ramage carry his around so that I could contact him from time to time."
"Was not the pirate's lair south of Mestom, then? Is that not even further away from here than Sandas? How could ship sail the seas to get to here that quickly? Do not get me wrong, that would be a wonderful solution. I am just wondering how that would be achieved."
Hlarn frowns. "If you have a ship, could it not take us most of the way to Atlantia? It seems to me, if I remember my maps correctly, that the distance to that city from the coast is a lot shorter than our current distance to it."
"As far as the technology device, how far is its range?"
After Niko finishes talking into the wrist device, he looks up and replies, "The ship's at Sin City. It would take them a month or so to get here...perhaps if we knew what we were doing after this quest, I could have the ship meet us somewhere."
You also notice that Umboth and his followers are not present. They kept walking.
Niko flies down invisibly behind Edelle and gooses her slightly before turning back visible and shutting off the anti-grav belt. He grins slyly at her and asks, "How about a kiss for the hero who held back the hostile townsfolk and saved the party?"
"With pleasure!" she purrs, as she lets herself be taken into his arms.
Niko grabs Edelle around the waist, dips her and kisses her fully on the lips. Righting her back up, he then says "Now, let's find out what's inside this place, then we can continue our strip poker game!"
Carburator says, "Sounds like we have a few plans now. Let's investigate this guardhouse. It will take our minds off of the latest event and may give us an interesting diversion."
"How about we go back with Umboth and secure that tower for him, since he is set on doing that and meet your ship near here?"
"I like that idea the best so far," says Sian as he starts after Umboth. "Besides even if we can't get the boat, maybe these town folk won't remember us and we will be able to get through."
Carburator says, "We could secure this gatehouse for them and then they will have a revenue source through tolls..and lots of people to preach to when they come by. In fact, they could be given a discount or no charge if they listen to some preaching."
Carburator smiles.
Malvis, who has been quietly blushing over the Estelle/Niko interaction, laughs, and, nodding in agreement, turns to Carburator and says, "Well said. A truly excellent idea."
"Thanks! I always thought I had a knack for business."
"And what happen when the folks from across the river come calling? They likely claim this as their own. It would be much better if they go someplace where the humans in the area are not looking to remove them. That tower was available for the orcs to occupy. Maybe it is best that they occupy it.
"They are unlikely to want to face any real opposition. Besides, this place is well defended AND they won't care if they don't stop the flow of traffic.
"Besides, if we stay here, we are just taunting the folks on the other side to come at us. And despite what they have done, I do not really want to kill them."
Carburator says, "What are you talking about? Umboth's group or us?"
"All of us. I suppose we could go south to meet Niko's ship, but I do not want to cross the border into Nolthen if we can avoid it."
"I figured we would figure out a way across either by going through this way or another way....in fact, maybe we should wait a few days and file through this way one or few at a time under disguise. Or you could ferry people across on your hippogriffin."
"What of our mounts? And my treants?"
"We are an encumbrance on this expedition, milord," says Barker. "We could stay with Umboth."
Kailar turns invisible and searches the empty guardhouse.
After a short time the gnome returns.
"While that is true, Barker, if I leave you, I want to leave you somewhere safe. I wish you would reconsider your feelings on teleportation. It would make things so much easier."
"We need the good earth beneath our feet," comments Acorn.
"I understand that and I have always respected that. Perhaps you would consider staying in the forest where we met the Guardian? That way, I would know you were being kept safe."
"We can do that. The forest here is good."
Kadlian nods. "Then I will not worry for your safety. And I will come for you when we make our way back to Sandas."
"What did you find, Kailar?"
"Here, let me read you my notes."
"'Slipping into the tower through a door on the north side, you find yourself in a deserted guard room. There is a door in the back and a flight of stairs leading up.
"The door opens into an empty store room.
"Going upstairs you find yourself in a fair sized room which spans the entrance way (the gate house spans the road, which passes below). There are many small holes in the floor. There are several barrels of oil in here. A large winch at the east end controls the raising and lowering of a large iron portcullis. There is a door in the west wall, a second flight of stairs going down on the other side of the room and another flight of stairs going up.
"The door opens into a smaller room which also spans the gate house, facing west. Arrow slits line the outer wall, and there is a second winch here for the second portcullis.
"Going up the second flight of stairs, you find yourself on the battlemented roof of the gate house.
"Returning to the large room below, you explore the second flight of stairs going down. These take you into two room on the ground floor, south side of the road, which are similar to the rooms on the north side.
"Overall, the tower is well maintained.'"
Kadlian nods. "Thank you, Kailar, for the scouting and the excellent report. We can catch up with Umboth and confer with him, but I still believe his idea of returning to the tower would be better than trying to hold this gatehouse."
Niko muses, as he draws Edelle closer to him for another kiss, "If it's so well maintained, then why was it abandoned?"
"Defense spending cutbacks?" suggests Windul with a chuckle.
"Remember you said that the town was in ruins? I suspect they may have been attacked fairly recently. Which would explain the exorbitant toll and, perhaps, their reaction to the orcs. Maybe they used to occupy both towers, but retreated back to the other one to be closer to the town."
"Well, then maybe we should find out who attacked them and help them out first."
"The townspeople or the attackers?"
Niko shrugs. "Doesn't matter much to me...whoever's evil, though. Probably the attackers, but you never know..."
"Since the townspeople will not talk to us, how do you suggest we determine any of this?"
Niko shrugs again. "Eavesdropping. I've got a ring that let's me know when someone is lying."
"Also, where do you want us to meet your ship?"
Niko frowns. "You want to wait 4 to 6 weeks?"
"No. We head back with Umboth and make the tower nice and comfy for him. If that gets boring, we can go back and clean out that fortress that Callie is so fond of."
"What's our destination?"
"The tower in that town where you played cards. I do not remember its name."
Niko looks confused. "Which town might that be? I've played cards in more towns than there are stars!"
"New Golgar," prompts Wizbang.
"Niko, are you having a bought of amnesia? You played strip poker in that town. Because of my reaction to the orcs, Umboth took his followers to a tower outside of town and decided to live there. We came and talked him out of it? Is any of this jogging your memory?"
"Oh, I thought you were talking about our ultimate destination...somewhere across this river and past that town...not the town we just came from."
"Our ultimate destination is the capital of the Empire of Saltar, Atlantia. That is where we need your ship to take us. Or, at least, get us a lot closer than we are now."
"Now wait a minute," says Callie, eyeing Kadlian's crotch thoughtfully. "I think it would be great fun to go back to that fort and trash it and all. But, I thought the two things holding us up at this point were the orcs and the treants. They are no longer holding us up. Why don't we get your tatooed girlfriend over there to just teleport everyone and everything over the river right now, and just continue on our way? It may take some time, with the horses and all, but it would be faster than waiting six weeks for lover boy's ship to show up. I'll bet we'd be in Atlantia before it got here."
Rage glares at Callie.
"Would that were true," she says. "However, we can indeed teleport across."
Callie giggles.
"I hear he's got the hots for some ranger-girl. But she's not around. Surely you can find some way to get his attention..?"
Kadlian nods. "You have a point, Callie. And since Rage has agreed that she can get us across, perhaps we should do that. I was concerned that Umboth and his followers might need our help in securing the tower. If you all believe that is the wrong course for us, then we can cross the river and say 'good luck' to them."
"However, I do want to escort my treants back to the guardian's forest."
Niko smiles at Wizbang. "Maybe when we get back, you'll join us this time in strip poker..."
"She did before," Edelle says, "I'm glad you only had eyes for someone else."
"Yeah, but she hardly lost a stitch!" Niko complains.
Niko smirks, but then frowns. "However, considering the good condition of this area and the partial destruction of the town, does this suggest they were attacked by sea or by air?"
"Unclear."
"I wonder if there is a secret tunnel under the river," Dor pipes up. "Maybe between the guardhouses."
"Interesting idea, Dor. However, unless Umboth decides to take up residence, I do not believe we need to waste our time looking."
Niko contacts Lord Ramage again "Lord Ramage, come in."
After he replies, Niko asks "How's you knowledge of the Mississippi?"
"None existent, I'm afraid," says a voice out of his communicator.
"I need you to divert the ship, pick us up at Riverland and take us to Atlantia. What's you time estimate for the voyage to Atlantia?"
"Atlantia is land locked, isn't it?"
"Want me to gather information?" asks Kailar.
"It is a tempting idea, but can you escape if you are caught? Do you have wraithform memorized?"
"Do you want me to accompany him? I've got stealth and firepower, plus this helm allows me to listen in on conversations from afar."
"Kailar is very quiet, though. Can you be as quiet?"
Niko smiles "When need be...but then again, I don't need to get that close to anyone to listen in..."
"You and Kailar, then. Kailar can move around the town and you can cover him from above."
Niko salutes. "Aye, aye, captain!"
Turning to Kailar, "Whenever you're ready to leave..."
"Kailar, please leave your crystal ball with Rage, so that we can monitor you. If you get in trouble, just scratch a message where you are while you are invisible."
When they are ready, Niko and Kailar invisibly take flight, heading east back over the river.
Perhaps an hour after they departed, Sian, Kailar and Niko rejoin the party.
It is mid afternoon.
"Sian, what did Umboth say?"
"Kailar and Niko, what did you two find out?"
Niko shakes his head sadly as he heads toward Edelle and gives her a kiss. "Miss me?"
"You bet," she purrs.
Addressing Kadlian, he replies, "Not much going on there...the villagers are afraid to return to the village because of the dragon. Several villagers seemed to have been trampled to death and the leaders are holed up in the guardhouse. There's nothing here, so I suggest we move on and teleport out of here."
"Slow down, woman stealer," Logan replies, "What dragon?"
"He has a short attention span," observes Edelle.
Niko raises an eyebrow. "Woman stealer?"
Looking back at Edelle, Niko hams it up. "I think the only thing stolen has been my heart by this beautiful woman!"
"Real funny!" Logan says angrily, not pleased at the situation.
He then shrugs and says, "good luck."
Niko winks at Edelle "I pray the fortune smiles upon me tonight..."
"Hmmm... I wonder what that has to do with our ill treatment. Considering how we were equipped, even with the orcs present, you would have thought they would have tried to get us to go after the dragon."
"Hey boss man, how about a few of us go again with a white flag of truce and ask to speak with the leader to see if we can help with the dragon problem. It could very well be that the dragon has the item we seek!" Logan reasons.
"Ahem," coughs Malvis quietly, "I think he's referring to the illusory dragon we 'manufactured' during the brief ruckus. As an illusionist myself, I was watching it carefully."
"Oh. Of course. Thank you for reminding me of that, Malvis."
Rage smacks her head, and looks to Kailar and then Malvis. "Did anyone else forget that Kailar summoned an illusionary dragon to scare the pants off them?"
Turning back to Logan and Kadlian, she says sternly, "Pay attention."
"Actually, I had forgotten until Malvis reminded me. I thought Niko was telling us of their past woes, not current ones. I still have to wonder what happened to that town previously. Rage, you saw it. The place was in a shambles."
"Agreed. I am not sure, nor do I see us finding out. Not at the moment. But I may try later."
"Heh, heh," Logan mutters as he shrugs his shoulders. "So, I guess going through the town won't be the chosen course, eh?"
Carburator shakes his head sadly. "Because of it, we have caused the death of innocent townsfolk. We must see if we can make it up to them somehow."
"First, Sian, are the others prepared to take out the tower and establish it as a base for us?" the mage says. "I would recommend that we keep an eye on them, and I can teleport back there if there seems to be a problem. We should have provided some means for them to contact us, but we will solve that in the future."
"Second, we need to see if the teleportation limitations are active here. If not, we move down the river and zap across."
"Do you have a firm picture of something across the way or should you fly over to find a spot?"
"I will explore later, once we have moved down a ways," the mage says. "I am sure there are sufficient places."
"Finally, Carburator, your consciousness is becoming. Kadlian, I will donate some money to the town, once we are across."
"Becoming what?" Carburator asks.
"Yes," Rage replies.
"That is your right. I will be escorting the treants back to the forest and then rejoin you later. Just keep an eye on me through the crystal ball."
Rage nods. "Very well. I will watch for you and come to fetch you when the time is right."
"If you think it will be faster. I will take Fleetwing, so I will be capable of going across without magical assistance."
"Hlarn will be in charge in my absence."
Logan sighs and just waits for the party to pick a course of action, happily relegating command back to Kadlian.
"I wonder why no one ever says, 'Dor will be in charge in my absence'?" Dor whispers to himself.
Kadlian has excellent hearing. "Because you have not yet proven yourself to be a leader amongst this party. You probably do not remember, but Hlarn is my second and Kailar my third. So, it is only natural that if I leave, Hlarn acts as the leader.
"I only said it to remind everyone."
With that the ranger mounts up and sets off back up the Saltar Road with the treants. The rest of you set off south along the west bank of the Mississippi River.
You set off along the bank of the Mississippi. It is heavily forested on this side, and your progress is slow. Looking across the river, you can just make out the fields and pastures of the farming area south of Bridgewater.
After perhaps two miles you are surprised to hear a noise that you have not heard for a long time...not since your early adventuring days...
"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"
It seems to come from all around you, in the thick, damp undergrowth.
"WHOOPWHOOPWHOOPWHOOP!!!"
Looking closer, you realise belatedly that you have wandered into a patch of...shriekers!
"RAORAORAORAORAORAO!!!!"
Niko draws his cutlass and keeps a close eye out for monsters as he retreats out of the shrieker patch.
Dor is confused by the noise and follows Niko's example, but with his longsword instead of a cutlass.
"AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO! AROOO!"
"What the hell is making all of this racket?" Logan asks.
Looking around, he notices that it is the plants.
"Can any of you druids shut these things up?" he asks. "If not, Rage, can you flambe them?"
"JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP! JEEP!"
"Logan, don't light the forest on fire...much less make Rage use a spell. Just kill the dumb things," says Sian as he draws his swords and cuts down the closest one.
"Fine by me," he says as he unsheathes his magical sword and cuts down the annoying shriekers.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE - ACK!"
A shrieker dies under Logan's blade.
Rage frowns, "Let's keep an eye out for other creatures while you sword wielders deal with these critters."
She then casts fly and turn invisible with her ring, so she can fly over the area to see if there are any critters coming to the sound of the shriekers.
Niko switches to the non-flaming cutlass and begins hacking at the shriekers, using both cutlass and dagger.
Like a good monkey, Dor follows Niko's lead.
Carburator says, "Uh, why don't we just move on? They will quiet in time."
Niko sighs and stops himself from hacking the shriekers. He then looks to Hlarn. "Yo, second in charge! What's the decision?"
Hlarn, however, remains mentally far away.
"It won't take long and the problem is for other travelers as well as ourselves. If they do bring something then we need to dispatch it so no one else is troubled by it," states Sian as he continues to hack the shriekers. "Rage will let us know if something is coming."
The rest of the warriors begin slicing and dicing mushrooms all over the place. You know what you'll be having for dinner tonight.
It takes several minutes to do in the essentially defenseless shriekers.
As you finish them off, ten ogres explode out of the dense forest undergrowth, obvious attracted by the din. Rage, providing air cover overhead, did not spot their approach.
"DEATH TO ELVES!" cries one as he closes on Sian.
"AND HUMANS TOO!" yells another as he goes after Birch the druid.
"AND DON'T FORGET THE BIG FAT DWARF!" yells a third, making tracks for Hlarn.
"Yahoo!" Dor cries, moving to attack one or more of the remaining ogres.
"Yes, bring it on troll dung," growls Sian as he charges at the ogres.
"'TROLL DUNG'??" says the ogre. "THERE'S NO REASON TO BE INSULTING!"
"Yeah! Everyone knows that troll dung smells better!" Niko chimes in.
Niko attacks with cutlass and dagger.
"You don't like to be insulted?" growls Sian as he continues to charge. "Well then I guess dead is better. Wouldn't want your feelings hurt."
"NO WONDER ALL CIVILISED CREATURES HATE ELVES!" replies an ogre, "THEY HAVE NO COUTH!"
"Speaking of no couth," says Malvis dryly, as he waits to see what else shows up.
Carburator casts sleep on the ogres.
One ogre drops, snoring loudly.
"You're dead!" Logan snarls as he casts Magic missile at the ogre on Sian. As he finishes, he finds himself confronting another ogre.
A melee erupts as Rage casts a spell.
Sian dodges an incoming club as he nails his ogre with his frost brand. Already hurt from Logan's magic missile spell, the monster howls, then howls again as the ranger connects with his cutlass.
Birch finds himself in battle as Vanadil rushes to his aid. Fanning with his scimitar, the druid is clobbered for 9 hit points.
Hlarn squares off with another ogre, and makes a big mess of him right off, sending an arm spinning off into the woods, quickly followed by a leg. Needless to say, the ogre expires soon after.
Dor, meanwhile, fans with his longsword; then is crunched for 10 hit points.
Nearby, Niko is dinged for 5 hit points as he slices deep with his glowing cutlass. He follows up with a jab with his dagger, followed by a second slice with his cutlass. The ogre drops.
Logan jumps aside just in time to avoid a concussion, then slashes deep with his longsword into the offending ogre.
Callie, a feral grin on her face, charges another ogre. The monster tries to stop her without success...but then she swings wide with her longsword.
There is a crackle of released energy from above, as Rage releases her lightning bolt. The sleeping ogre and another are blown to bits, while a third is only hurt.
The mage follows up with four magic missiles, killing the injured one, as well as the ogres on Sian, Birch and Dor.
Two ogres remain: on Logan and Callie.
The elf kills his handily but the ranger soldiers on...fanning two more times.
Dor hurries over to help out, as does Vastelle.
Callie misses a fourth time...but so does her foe. Dor, on his flank, lands a solid hit, and the ogre groans. Vastelle swings wide.
Callie continues to stir up little more than a breeze with her blade, but the ogre hits her shoulder for 2 hit points. Dor misses but Vastelle does not, and the ogre dies.
"Don't you say a word, Logan," warns Callie, rubbing her shoulder.
All of the monsters are dead.
Searching the bodies, you find 700gp.
At this point, Hlarn announces that he thinks that his time would be better spent helping Umboth clear the black tower in Golgar.
Maigry offers to accompany him.
Once farewells are said, the two ride back the way you came.
The rest of you continue south along the river. It is late afternoon.
You continue well into the evening. When night finally falls you make a camp.
The night is uneventful.