A tall man with long, curly hair sits behind the counter working on a ledger. He wears nice clothes and a sash of office.
"I'm Bohman. Tower liaison."
"I'm liaison for the tower of the spire. That's a fancy way of saying I greet visitors."
0
spire
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
greet
0
"Yes. There are two sorts of visitors. Prisoners headed for the Abyss, and adventurers crossing on some fool's errand."
0
abyss
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
adven
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
check
112
0
information
0
"Hmm. Well, the people are awful. There are giants. Lots of bandits. Very unpleasant. That pretty much sums it up."
1
stnd
0
A small, balding man with a lined face and cruel eyes looks at you.
He looks at you with contempt. "Paul."
"I'm being sent to the Abyss, by these worms."
1
worms
0
"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."
1
slugs
0
"The pale voles, like yourselves. People who had nothing to offer up above. I'm not like you at all!"
1
sense
0
"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.
2
stnd
0
A thin woman with reddish blonde hair peers through a narrow barred window. Occasionally she shifts uncomfortably in her armor.
"I'm Captain Allison."
"Well, I'm in charge of the tower, but we're short handed, so I pull shifts watching the portcullis."
2
tower
0
"The tower of the spire. An impressive piece of work, no? It's the barrier between us and the reprobates of the Abyss."
2
portcullis
0
"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."
"We have a right to keep those people away from us."
2
abyss
0
"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."
3
stnd
0
A woman in chain mail sits watching though the barred window.
"Wendy."
"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."
3
hobby
0
She smiles coyly. "Weaponry. I collect blades. As a matter of fact, at the moment I'm looking for a scimitar."
3
scimitar
0
"Yes. It's a weapon. Very deadly."
3
icarus
0
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."
"She contacts us, and doesn't want to be contacted. If you want her help, you have to get to her."
4
stnd
0
A priest with a sour expression sits at the table, guzzling ale.
"Reynold. Sit and join me." He takes another swig.
"I'm a former missionary." He stresses the word 'former'.
4
mission
0
"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."
4
fate
0
"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."
4
castle
0
"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."
"I also heard rumors of a dragon, but nothing specific or useful."
