"Oh, guarding mostly." "Granville." You see a man in heavy armor. 0 stnd 25 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 0 stnd 26 It hisses. 0 gnrc 10 It snaps at your foot. "Hiss." There is a large lizard pacing on the bridge. 0 stnd 10 "I also heard rumors of a dragon, but nothing specific or useful." "Yes. I have information on goings-on in the Abyss. They're two towns - Spire and Bargha. Bargha is to the north, and they're busy fighting off giants. They're doing much better than you would expect. They have some fierce fighters there." 0 castle 4 "The derision of those who live far from grace. It could be worse, of course. They could have killed me." He sighs, and drinks. "Anyway, I failed, and fled. Now I'm going to the Castle." 0 fate 4 "I just came from the Abyss. I was trying to bring some of their less horrible souls to a more peaceful state, when I suffered the fate of the holy." 0 mission 4 "I'm a former missionary." He stresses the word 'former'. "Reynold. Sit and join me." He takes another swig. A priest with a sour expression sits at the table, guzzling ale. 0 stnd 4 "She contacts us, and doesn't want to be contacted. If you want her help, you have to get to her." She looks around nervously and pulls you close. "I don't have much to tell you. Erika lives in her tower down the long passage to the west of Spire, and then across the river. She is our greatest ally! But her defenses are fierce." 0 icarus 3 "Yes. It's a weapon. Very deadly." 0 scimitar 3 She smiles coyly. "Weaponry. I collect blades. As a matter of fact, at the moment I'm looking for a scimitar." 0 hobby 3 "Being bored, mostly. Watching the people who go through. Making sure only those who should return can. It's tedious work. I'd much rather be working on my hobby." "Wendy." A woman in chain mail sits watching though the barred window. 0 stnd 3 "Yes. The Exile within Exile. I hear they have two towns there. They can do what they want, as long as they do it away from us." 0 abyss 2 "We have a right to keep those people away from us." "Yes. I have lists of everyone who we sent through and who can come back. And if they aren't on them, we have to assume they belong in the Abyss. It's harsh, sure, but the Abyss is where we put the criminals. Thieves, murderers, and the like." 0 portcullis 2 "The tower of the spire. An impressive piece of work, no? It's the barrier between us and the reprobates of the Abyss." 0 tower 2 "Well, I'm in charge of the tower, but we're short handed, so I pull shifts watching the portcullis." "I'm Captain Allison." A thin woman with reddish blonde hair peers through a narrow barred window. Occasionally she shifts uncomfortably in her armor. 0 stnd 2 "I was in the running to be mayor of Almaria. I try a few minor maneuvers perfectly normal above, and they get all self-righteous and send me here! The things I could have done for them! The worms!" He spits in disgust. 0 sense 1 "The pale voles, like yourselves. People who had nothing to offer up above. I'm not like you at all!" 0 slugs 1 "On the surface world, I was an official! Powerful, high in rank! Then a rival gets me sent down here, and the slugs down here have no sense at all." 0 worms 1 "I'm being sent to the Abyss, by these worms." He looks at you with contempt. "Paul." A small, balding man with a lined face and cruel eyes looks at you. 0 stnd 1 "Hmm. Well, the people are awful. There are giants. Lots of bandits. Very unpleasant. That pretty much sums it up." 0 information 0 112 check 0 "Yes. Lord knows why anyone would want to go up there, but some do, and it's not my job to stop them. Anyway, I give them information and check them in." 0 adven 0 "Yes. That's what we call the huge cavern to the north, where we send all the violent misfits who don't belong in Exile. I greet them, tell them what to expect, and brief them before they get sent on their way." 0 abyss 0 "Yes. There are two sorts of visitors. Prisoners headed for the Abyss, and adventurers crossing on some fool's errand." 0 greet 0 "Yes. The huge stone pillar coming from the pit below, upon which this building is built. I'm sure you saw it while crossing the bridge." 0 spire 0 "I'm liaison for the tower of the spire. That's a fancy way of saying I greet visitors." "I'm Bohman. Tower liaison." A tall man with long, curly hair sits behind the counter working on a ledger. He wears nice clothes and a sash of office. 0 stnd 0 "Don't know about that." 35 4 A sign at the edge of the bridge says: Fort Spire A sign at the edge of the bridge says: Be sure to check in before going across. Fort Spire