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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."

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"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?"

2. If you cannot afford to pay the toll, you can take up Grugold's offer of work in exchange for passage across the river and gold in your pouch?

"What's the job?"you ask.

Grugold smiles back. "First tell me are in or not?"

You nod your head and the gnome's eyes light up."Excellent. Already there is discontent within the town over the way Barook is running things. The way things are going everyone will soon be walking around naked, which is why a few merchants have gotten together calling themselves the Brothers of Honor and begun preparations to take back this town. The only problem is, they all terrified of Barook and won't lift a finger until he is dead. That's where I need you. I need you get inside the manse and kill Barook. Once he's dead, The Brothers of Honor will begin their attack."

Unable to help yourself, you let out a short sharp bark. "Since when do you care what happens to others."

Grugold's mouth tightened, his eyes briefly bulging. "I don't, but 3,000 gold pieces say that you care as well."

"Okay, okay. So tell me how do I get inside without being stopped?"

The gnome grinned. "That my friend is the easy part, you wait for night to fall and enter disguised as a guard. Barook has been hiring so many guards, he won't know the difference and there is only a small garrison of roughly ten to fifteen men at night."

Sitting back in your chair, you steeple your fingers together and consider your options. Fifteen guards in your opinion were fifteen too many, especially with them all being equipped with crossblades. Three thousand gold pieces however was not something to turn your nose at and besides the task shouldn't be too difficult if you move quickly enough.

Nodding your head once more, the plan is soon set into motion with Lorna and Gorrack filled in on the details, except for the part about the payment of course. It wasn't really necessary for them to learn about that for now, all they needed to know was that you were going to free the town with a little help from your gnomish friend.

And while Grugold bulked at first at the idea of you bringing along Lorna, he eventually comes around to liking the idea of risking her life, no doubt in the hopes that she would die horribly. Something else you don't really need to mention to her.

All set with your disguises, you wait for night to fall, before winding your way up the muddy path followed by Gorrack and Lorna.

Full of confidence, you stride past the guards in the corridor playing finger or toe and head deeper into the well decorated home. Passing rooms filled with guards. More than Grugold had let on.

At the end of the corridor, you enter a large chamber with a bed and roaring fireplace. Barook an obese orc with pale green skin sitting at a round table laden with delicious food stuffing himself.

The orc clearly not used to being disturbed, glanced up angrily, his eyes flashing red. "What are you doing?!"

Smiling wordlessly, you leap forward with blade in hand to stab the orc, but the creature is much quicker than he appears, rolling away from the blow, his skin swiftly changing to charcoal and body growing larger.

Half going into shock at the realisation Barook was a berserker, you quickly charge forward before he can complete his transformation and attack. Lorna and Gorrack stepping past you to either side to give you aid. With their help, you swiftly end the orc's life, but the noise of your battle has alerted the guards.

Gorrack holding the doorway as long as he can, you search the room for another way out and find a hidden escape tunnel at the back of the room. Blocking the doorway with the table, you slip out of the manse together, bloodied, bruised, but still very much alive.

Dawn soon comes and with it the sounds of fighting that ebbs and flows through much of the day, but in the end the town is victorious and the mercenary band called the Blood Fist is driven out of town.

Hailed as a hero, you collect your gold from Grugold and take a ferry across the river free of charge.

Battlefield Results

- 220 Health Points

Companion Reputation, (+2 Gorrack and + 2 Lorna are both pleased with your actions.)

Loot

You've gained the title "Savior of Shadow's Bay" and 3,000 gold pieces.

Side Quest Completed