Part 9

Follow the road north to the Crusade barricade. Talk to the Crusade Sergeant and ask to see Kharm. You are allowed inside the barricade for a 3,000xp quest.

Enter and go west to a series of cages. Two trolls in the south cages ask to be freed. The half-orc Dorn Il-Khan in the west cage warns you not to free them. Learn how he was imprisoned; he mentions the Crusade camp's leader, the Barghest. You can leave Dorn, let him join you, or send him to the Flaming Fist camp (6,000xp for releasing him).

North of Dorn's cage is Vichand, a researcher and spellcaster you will need later.

North of Vichand is the Boareskyr Bridge, with another barricade and more guards.

East of the bridge is Hormorn, priest of Caelar and Dorn's intended target.

South of Hormorn is Kharm. Tell him you saved his nephew (250gp). Do not tell him about the wardstone.

South of Kharm is Delgar Munsch.

Go north to find the Crusade siege line on Bridgefort. At the north end is a catapult with Oloneiros. You can talk to him to have him fight you, but now is not the time.

South of Oloneiros is the Barghest. Take the tepid mug of ale from the chest near him to Kava.

Kava tells you she hid gold in Bridgefort and wants to free the place to recover their money. Accept her reason, then tell Lieutenant Otilda they are no threat (6,000xp).

Leave the siege camp and return to the magic circle to enter Bridgefort (5,000xp quest).

Bridgefort (BD2100): Khalid talks to you, explains the situation inside the fort, and asks you to talk to Wynan Hess about defenses and Jegg Hillcarver about supplies.

In a cell to the south, you can find Neera. You can leave her or have her join you. If she joins and is dismissed, she can be sent to the Flaming Fist camp, leaving her gem bag with you.

Nearby are Hoach Randymonk and Jegg. Jegg has a plan for supplies if the walls are breached and sells arms and armor. She can fashion your green dragon scales into a shield or dragonscale armor (immunity to poison), and can do the same for rhino beetle shells.

Hoach Randymonk, a cobbler, can fix the damaged "boot and a half" you found for 1500gp, which takes a full day.

Go west to the upper section and talk to Friar Tajik, who has healing skills and potions. Junia is behind him and states she used her spells on healing the wounded.

In a room to the east is Wynan Hess, a mage casting wards protecting the fort from catapult damage. Another mage fights him (mystically), defenses collapse, a catapult stone kills three refugees. Follow Hess up the stairs to the west.

Hess argues with Raylar. The dialogue focuses on the catapult stone with magic runes that drain energy. Agree to find the original spellcasters' scroll.

Leave the fort by the teleport circle.

Return to the siege camp and find Vichand. Ask if he has a planetar's feather and offer to buy it (500gp). Ask about the spell on the catapult stone. Threaten him to get the scroll. You can then kill him or leave him with or without a threat. If you leave without a threat, he sounds the alarm; if he remains silent, you threatened him.

Alternatively, if Vichand is at the meditation ceremony, go to where he normally would be. A guard is next to a chest you cannot access while he is present. Surround the guard so no one else sees, kill him, then check the chest for a planetar feather and a scroll of impactful doom.

Return to the teleport circle and enter the fort.

Bridgefort (BD2100): Go west to Hess and give him the scroll. He casts the counterspell (3,000xp quest), but releases a dark wraith (2,000xp). Gather fragments from the remains of the stone.

Go outside through the west exit and talk to Khalid. Tell him you will get the Flaming Fist to attack the main gate, and he should attack from the fort's gate when he hears battle sounds. Return to the teleport circle and go to the main gate.

Choose your battle starting position: inside near the mages or at the gate as a choke point. Station your party and prepare defensive and protective spells, including Improved Haste on fighters if possible, for a tough battle.

Once the battle starts, the Flaming Fist will arrive to help. When the last Crusade defender falls, the gate to the bridge opens. A Flaming Fist mage appears and informs you the last defenders plan to blow the bridge.

Quickly prepare and go onto the bridge. Take out the mage first, then her guards.

With the last Crusaders gone, loot the battlefield. Talk to Khalid about his desire to make an anniversary gift for Jaheira from spider silk. If you have some, give it to him and tell him he should make the necklace.

Enter the fort and talk to Junia. Place the three dead refugees on the altar. Talk to her again; she asks you to tell Tharantis of his sister's death. Agree. Note that Friar Tajik is not present.

Tharantis is outside, just outside the main gate. Tell him his sister is dead and to honor her memory. He asks for a chain she wore. Since you did not see one, tell him you will ask Junia.

Return to the fort and tell Junia you told Tharantis about his sister and that he wants a chain she wore. The conversation leads to robbing the dead and a possible suspect.