Barnabas
I don' know what you did, but it sure worked. We've already received a shipment of food from Homestead and more seems to be on the way.{^n}{^n}You've single-handedly secured the future of this settlement. I don' know how to thank ya. Have a glass of water, it's on me.
I'm just glad we'll all survive.
*Barnabas raises a glass of water*{^n}{^n}Well, here's to all the lives sacrificed to bring us this small respite in a sea of misery. May they find peace at last.
Hear, hear.
So you found yer way to Malmouth then?{^n}{^n}I hope you can put a stop to whatever's creating these horrors.
I will try.
It is one thing to wage war, for man to kill another man for the sake of food, land or wealth. All deplorable acts that make us less than human.{^n}{^n}But this...this thing, this Aetherial abomination made of human parts designed to butcher us all. That is war brought to entirely new repulsive lows.
We must persevere.
It is one thing to wage war, for man to kill another man for the sake of food, land or wealth. All deplorable acts that make us less than human.{^n}{^n}But this...this thing, this Aetherial abomination made of human parts designed to butcher us all. That is war brought to entirely new repulsive lows.
We must persevere.
Word of your deeds travels fast, friend.{^n}{^n}*Barnabas raises a glass of water*{^n}{^n}To you, and to the fallen.
There is still a future for Cairn, so long as we fight for it.
Thank you.
It's been too long since I've laid my eyes on fresh corn. I used to hate the stuff. Now it's like a blessing.
Farewell.
Yer friends have done wonders to secure our relations with Homestead. This sanctuary would not survive without the help of people like you.
We all do our part.
Your allies already made good work of everythin' I needed done.
Very well.
Any progress with Homestead?
The people out there don't trust us.
Oh, I can' blame them. These are trying times and trust is hard to come by.
I'll do what I can.
We will survive. I will make sure of it.
You found yer way to Homestead? Tell me, is there any hope for it? Do we stand a chance?
I found some people out there.
Interesting. I don' suppose they were handing out food, were they now?
I need to speak with them. Farewell.
How goes the journey?
Where am I headed again?
Head northwest out of Devil's Crossing across the bridge we repaired. The journey will take you far to the northwest, and we haven' a clue what's out there. Start by following the road out into the Arkovian Foothills, all the way through Old Arkovia. With luck, the old coastal bridge near Twin Falls still stands.{^n}{^n}If that's not an option, you will have to look for Smuggler's Pass. It's an old smuggling route that ran through the Broken Hills. It should connect to Homestead.{^n}{^n}We must find out whether the farmlands can still support us, or if the Grim Dawn claimed them as it did Burrwitch.
What's Smuggler's Pass?
That ol' hole in the ground once served many a smuggler in avoiding imperial patrols along the coast road. Smuggler's Pass was never the safest route, but if you needed to avoid prying eyes, it was a blessing. Why, it served me many a time in my younger restless years. Course, that's all ancient history now.
Thanks.
I will head there now.
I need to get back out there.
Come friend, share a glass of clean water with Ol' Barnabas to celebrate yer victory in Burrwitch.
Mornay said you have a plan for our food situation?
Right to business then. Before the world fell apart, Burrwitch got its food stocks from the vast farmlands to the northwest. With the bridge repaired, we need to find a way back to Homestead.{^n}{^n}The journey will take you far to the northwest, and I haven' a clue what's out there. Start by following the road out into the Arkovian Foothills, all the way through Old Arkovia. With luck, the old coastal bridge near Twin Falls still stands. If that's not an option, you will have to look for Smuggler's Pass. It's an old smuggling route that ran through the Broken Hills. It should connect to Homestead.{^n}{^n}We must find out whether the farmlands can still support us, or if the Grim Dawn claimed them as it did Burrwitch.
I will get on it.
What can I expect out there?
Nobody's been as far north as Homestead in months, so I can only imagine what sort of horrors have crawled out of the mountain crags following the Grim Dawn. Stay sharp out there.
I will.
I've already found Homestead.
Oh? Yer quite the ambicious feller. What did you see out there?

Thanks for all your help! At least we can get a decent drink... even if that drink ain't a finger of whiskey.
My pleasure.
Any luck clearing out those Slith? People are starting to beg me for water.{^n}{^n}I don' know how many more times I can say 'it'll melt yer guts' before they just rush me and take it.
I've taken care of it.
Well done! Once I pump out the remaining poisoned water, the spring should be clean enough for drinking.{^n}{^n}I'll make sure to let people here know how much help you've been. They'll be grateful that they can get a drink without dissolving their intestines.{^n}{^n}One more thing, take my rucksack. Useful for hauling back Scrap or whatever else you come across. I'm too old for that stuff now.
Thank you. Glad to be of help.
Well done! Once I pump out the remaining poisoned water, the spring should be clean enough for drinking.{^n}{^n}I'll make sure to let people here know how much help you've been. They'll be grateful that they can get a drink without dissolving their intestines.
Thank you. Glad to be of help.
Have you cleared out the Slith den?
Not yet, where is it again?
Open the cellar in the shack behind me. It connects to the bowels of the prison, which should lead you to the cave.{^n}{^n}Find the Slith Matriarch that's likely polluting our water supply and the poison should clear out on its own.
I'll take care of it.
Well, the good news is I got the water pumping again. The only problem is it smells like a sewer, only about a ten-fold worse.{^n}{^n}Why, I haven' smelled something this rotten since...
Since when?
Since I've cleared out a den of Slith, ages ago. They're loathsome reptiles - make their homes in swamps and dank caves.{^n}{^n}They secrete a nasty poison into the water that makes it drinkable for them, but nearly always fatal to us. I'd bet good iron there is a nest in the cave that fuels our pump.{^n}{^n}I'm too old for all this spelunking so I need you to go down there and kill it.
How do I get to the cave?
This key will open the cellar in the shack behind me, right by that accursed riftgate. It connects to the bowels of the prison, which should lead you to the cave.{^n}{^n}Find the Slith Matriarch that's likely polluting our water supply and the poison should clear out on its own.{^n}{^n}You do this, and all of Devil's Crossing will be honoring your name with every glass.
I'll take care of the Slith.
I don't have time for this.
Did you get the Scrap?
Will this suffice?
Perfect! I will get the wind pump up and running in no time. Devil's Crossing will have safe drinking water again, and it's all thanks to you.{^n}{^n}The first glass is on me.
Glad I could help.

Did you get the Scrap?
Not yet, where can I find it?
Search the ruined houses and the Old Dumping Grounds on the far side of Lower Crossing, past the Burial Hill. Smash some junk. Search the bodies of those things roaming around out there.{^n}{^n}You'll find enough in no time!
I'll be back.
The Captain send you over? You musta done quite a service with the Dead if he's got hands to spare for Ol' Barnabas. Let's get to business, yes?{^n}{^n}Our wind pump's broken down again and we're running low on water. We're all out of parts, so I can't fix 'er up.{^n}{^n}Can always melt down what weapons we have, but I'm not too fond of being devoured in my sleep. I'll need scrap from Lower Crossing.
Where can I find it?
Search the ruined houses and the Old Dumping Grounds on the far side of Lower Crossing, past the Burial Hill. Smash some junk. Search the bodies of those things roaming around out there.{^n}{^n}Where you get it isn' that important to me, just that you get it soon. We are running out of drinking water, nothing to be said about ever taking a bath again.
I'll get the Scrap you need.
Sorry, I don't have time.

Um, why not just lower a bucket into the river?
Have you seen the bodies floating out there?{^n}{^n}Surface water around here is rank with disease and decay. Our only hope is this well.{^n}{^n}Now are you going to get us some scrap or do I have to settle for sass?

Is this enough Scrap?
Impressive! We hadn' had much luck scavenging for supplies on account of the Dead swarming Lower Crossing. You seem to handle them well enough though. I will get the wind pump up and running in no time. Devil's Crossing will have safe drinking water again, and it's all thanks to you.{^n}{^n}The first glass is on me.
Glad I could help.

Did my ally deliver the scrap?
Yes indeed! We hadn' had much luck scavenging for supplies on account of the Dead swarming Lower Crossing. You seem to handle them well enough though. Devil's Crossing will have safe drinking water again, and it's all thanks to you.{^n}{^n}The first glass is on me.
Glad we could help.

So yer the one that we almost hung! I didn' really see the sense in it, but then again, no one really cares what Ol' Barnabas thinks.{^n}{^n}You really should go speak with the Captain. He'll be the one deciding whether there's a place for you here at Devil's Crossing.
Take care.
