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The town of Shadow's Bay is as much as you remember it, at least for the most part. Dilapidated shacks spread out all across a muddy circular expanse, where fishmongers, merchants and the like sold their wares all along the side of streets. Races of all kinds trudging through the muddy roads that had recently seen rain. All the while watched by Redling guards, who for the most part sat drinking, gambling or fighting each other. Many of whom, judging by their fitness haven't seen any action in a long while. If you hadn't known better, you would have thought you had entered a back water slum and not a minotaur town where it's only redeeming feature was a large manse atop a hill that looked like it had been recently cleaned.

For the most part, this place did not give you a good impression of this Barook, who as far as you could tell did not run a well disciplined force. Still, for a entire mercenary company to be equipped with crossblades, meant they had to be doing pretty well for themselves, considering how notoriously expensive and difficult they were to obtain.

Keeping that thought in mind, you plot a course to the nearest tavern, a ramshackle old building with boisterous laughter oozing out of its doorways. The establishment run by a long time acquaintance of yours going by the name of Grugold Blacktooth. The tavern called The Hob's Resting Place for reasons Grugold refuses to share with you was as good a place as any to collect some information before trying to hire a ferry to cross the river.

Thrusting open the door, you are instantly assailed by the raw stench of sweat, vomit and shit. The tavern filled wall to wall with patrons laughing, dancing and singing along to some elven ballad that was being sung at the end of the room by a stout elven maid in a dark green dress.

Gesturing your hand for Lorna and Gorrack to wait here for you, you make your way across the creaking floorboards, feeling Lorna's scowl boring into the back of your neck. But it could not be helped, Grugold loathed all elves with a passion and would take it as a slight if you brought her along with you. And while that thought paled in comparison to the possibility of having your ears chewed out by the furious elf, you needed Grugold's help more.

Edging your way along the fringes of the room, you scan the tavern for any sign of the crazy old gnome and find him sitting on stool behind the bar, examining what looked to be a rumpled piece of parchment. The gnome biting his lips furtively to expose rotten yellow teeth, winced inwardly.

"It's good to see you Gru, how's business?"

The gnome looked up with bleary grey eyes that hadn't seen much sleep, his wrinkled saggy skin as ashen as smoke. "What do you want? Can't you see I have my own problems deal with. Blasted Barook insisted I hire an elven singer and look what she's done?! My place is a complete mess and all these fools refuse to keep hounding me for booze. Why can't they all just go away and leave me alone?!"He harrumphed loudly.

Clenching your teeth to stop yourself from laughing at the gnome's predicament, you try mimic his indignant outrage. "It's pure madness, that's what it is! We must speak with this Barook immediately and rectify this situation!"

Grugold eyes tightened suspiciously. "Are you mocking me?!"

You shake your head emphatically. "Of course not, now can you please tell me what's going on?"

The old gnome stares at you for a bit longer, before sighing reluctantly and waving his arm to a doorway behind him. "Come along then, I've had enough of her braying to last a life time."

Taking the lead, the gnome waddled his way through a back door and into a cosy room with shelves adorning its walls. Each of the shelves packed full of scrolls, bottles and parchments that looked like they had been there for hundreds of years. Sitting behind a finely carved desk customized for his diminutive size, the gnome plopped himself down and pointed to a seat opposite him, which thankfully was much larger. "You've come at a bad time my friend, a bad time indeed. Lord Salwin along with a few minor lordlings have begun seizing land from Lord Colmar, claiming his rule was an affront to the Lightbearer. But whether that is true or not, Salwin has taken control over some rich farmland to the north that had once belonged to his family and refuses to withdraw his warriors. And with no Honor Blades here to settle the dispute, Lord Colmar has begun hiring mercenary companies to deal with Lord Salwin. A foolish mistake if you ask me, the other Minotaur Lords will not long tolerate foreign soldiers on their soil, you have my word on that."

"How far has the fighting spread?"

Grugold rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "As to that I can't really say, last I heard Lord Salwin had besieged the Citadel of Pride, an apt name wouldn't you say? But that was about it, although I hear Colmar may have contacted the dark mages from the Blood Mist to request their assistance as well."

Head bowed in thought at the news of infighting within the Land of Dreams, you finally ask, "What can you tell me about the other side of the river?"

"Thinking of crossing are you? Well be warned, Barook has taken to charging anyone that wishes to cross a large sum of gold. As for what's on the other side, rumor has it Bone Eye has an encampment somewhere on the other side, where he can waylay travelers to Minos."

Looks like no matter which direction you go, trouble would be waiting for you.

Grugold seeing your consternation leaned forward. "Listen, I got a job that needs doing. It'll pay well and help get you across the river. I wouldn't normally ask, but most of my muscle is already busy elsewhere. What do you say?"

4. Kill the guards by the ferry and force your way across the river?"

You shake your head in reply and stand back up."I can't"

The gnome stares at you in disbelief, unable to believe that you would brush aside gold, but there were other things to consider. Grugold's jobs were notoriously difficult and always ended up being quite bloody. So it was probably a good idea to just leave and find another way to get across. Plus there was still the matter of settling the score with the redling that had taken your gold.

Nodding your head in thanks to the gnome for his assistance, you leave the tavern quickly and link back up with your companions. Lorna immediately talking your ear off about the necessity of sticking to together, which you conveniently ignore as you stride towards the docks.

There you see fishing boats of all sizes gliding across the water, while patrols of redlings watch the river front. Unlike the guards you'd seen in town, these did not appear to be quite so lax, instead halting anyone that neared the docks.

Finding a good spot by the waterfront where you could keep an eye on the guards, you explain your plan to Lorna and Gorrack. Lorna muttering curses beneath her breath in the elven tongue so you wouldn't understand, although you get the distinct feeling most of the curses are directed towards you.

Using the time to study the rotation of the guards, you grin with excitement at the familiar sight of the redling captain, that smirk still on his lips and glint in his blue eyes. Asking a passerby who he was, you learn that his name was Red Smile, a former bandit turned mercenary.

Gripping your blade hungrily, you wait till there is only a few guards on the docks, before rushing out with a cry full of rage, your blade spearing forward to gut the nearest guard as you dance forward.

Crossing blades with the man known as Red Smile, you laugh at the sight of his smirk vanishing from his lips as you drive him back with a series of blistering slashes, your blade sliding across his throat to spill his blood and send him to the ground. The fight quickly over, Gorrack shredding apart the handful of guards that had chosen to fight and Lorna letting fly arrows to kill those that fled.

You run along the pier and find a row boat that looks easy enough to handle and begin untying the rope, when you hear cries of alarm go up from behind, ignoring the shouts, you throw your gear onboard. The thumping of footsteps slamming into the creaky wooden boards,while bolts whiz through the air.

Leaping in, you gesture frantically for Gorrack to begin rowing, the big orc using his immense strength to get the boat moving quickly, while you take hold of the tiler and guide it away from shore, more bolts flying through the air to score the wood and scrape the flesh.

When at last, your safely away, you breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Battlefield Results

- 145 Health Points

Companion Reputation, (-2 Gorrack and -2 Lorna are both displeased by your actions.)

Loot

None

(Click here if Red Smile has taken all your gold.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Having looted Red Smile's body before you left, you find most of your gold still in his pouch. (Restore half of your gold pieces as some of it has been spent.)

Side Quest Completed