8. A fort to take over and a wall to climb over

We return to Kalaman after helping the army defeat the dragon army war engines! Personally, I would prefer some rest, but with how things have been going, I don't think we'll get too much time.
 
The next morning, the first big surprise is that we cannot find Arinona. She left us a message about how she is going to take her test of high sorcery. I'm not sure what that means, but I think she'll be back even more powerful. Maybe we'll have to call her by a special sorceress title! I can't wait!
 
We go ahead and break out fast without her. After getting ready and having a meal, we hear a knock. I ask if it is Darrett, and he confirms and asks to come in. Behind him is an elf. She is wearing leather armor and has a short sword. Her skin is darker and so is her hair, but it is more green than black. Her name is Faylyn, and she has volunteered to help Kalaman's defenses.
 
And it's a good thing she's here to help, because our next mission is to help retake the Well Watch output by the Estwilds, some 24 miles SE of here. If we bring another uncomfortable wagon to this place, I refuse to sit on it again. Sore feet are much better than a sore bum.
 
Faylyn seems to be someone who can help me sneak around and track things, so I look forward to having her by me. As long as she isn't mean to Waah.
 
The plan for the fort is that we'll go there, and the now Commander Raven will be around and march her troops into the fort as soon as we figure out a way to open the gates, and keep them open for at least a few minutes.
 
This all sounds interesting, and we'll meet with Raven soon. In the meantime, it is payday, and I may just spend some of that money on a nice dinner at that nice tavern. Maybe Wash will join me. And then I can see if I can find someone to bother that horrible noble. Maybe someone to claim he is the father of her illegitimate son. Now, there is an idea. And I could watch and have dinner!
 
Ok, back to meeting with Raven. She provides is with a sketch of the fort, and tells us it provides a great view of the surrounding area. It has a horn to raise an alarm. We have no idea of how many dragon army soldiers there are currently inside. The idea is for us to leave a little ahead of the troops. They will find somewhere close by to camp, and await the gates to open and come help us save the day!
 
We ask Raven to have her troops bring one of the talking backpacks, so we can communicate if need be. Darrett will just have to wait to hear the bigger news like everyone else. Plus, we would be too far from Kalaman to communicate with him anyway.
 
We go, and arrive in the valley around evening. We can see, even from a distance, that there are humanoids guarding the fort. We go ahead and set up a camp for the night in a woods around the area. We decide that the best option is for my new BFF to go investigate the fort, so we know more or less what we are dealing with.
 
There goes my beauty sleep! We have to spend the whole night watching the darkness. Turns out, there are 8 people guarding each of the 4 tower in pairs, and their shifts last 6hours. The biggest problem I see is that once an hour, some other asshole guard does a round at the wall, making it harder for us to be able to take down 1 patrol of guards to be able to take the fort.
 
Sterling bravely suggests that he and the others distract the guards in the SE tower. Then Faylyn and I can go and open the door. That makes sense to us, and seems like a good idea.
 
We all go together to the SE tower because Faylyn can help us all be less noticable. From here, they will climb the walls and get the guards. Faylyn and I will move north and then focus on opening the gate.
 
Sterling climbs up, the dashing hero that he is, and starts knocking down some dragon army soldiers.
 
Unfortunately, while Sterling is being heroic, I am being the stooge. I cannot climb the rope. Faylyn uses her grappling hook, and starts to climb. I get tangled. Then I slip. Then I fall. It is a mess! She comes back down to help me up, but then my bad luck spreads to her, and we both struggle. Until we hear some boots, and watch as more soldiers come out!
 
Faylyn grabs the grappling hook and rope, and starts to run. I run after her. She goes south, and turns west. I think she wants to climb the SW tower. Anything to get that door open. I see our friends at the top, and the fight is getting rougher by the second. I need to climb the blasted wall. We need to open that damn door!!