For seven more days, the weary travelers traversed the soft, grassy hills and sparsely wooded rises. No more incidents occurred, although there was much conjecture about the rather large gang of bandits they had encountered. It was unusual for so many to mass together and then employ such a well-organized, ambitious operation as they had on the river. Many hypotheses were postulated and even a few whispered of the elusive rebels.

By the time the companions arrived in Lorelis at midday on the eighth day, they were tired, dirty, and in want of a hot bath and soft bed. Frisha noticed her pants were a little loose around the middle and made a mental note to take them in when she had the opportunity.

After disembarking from the ferry that shuttled them across the Lorelis River, Rezkin, Tam and Frisha acquired a couple of rooms at an inn on the north side of town and waited for Lieutenant Jimson to call on them. The lieutenant and his men had reported to the fort straightaway, and he had mentioned that the commander might wish to speak with them.

After eating a hearty meal and washing, Rezkin could not sit still. He finally decided to run a few errands while the others rested. He gave his dirty laundry to an overly zealous maid and filled his coin purse before heading into the town. Since Lorelis was not a capital city, it was much smaller than Justain but still a decent size. Both the river and the north-south trade route that ran through the town were named for the city. It was a primary distribution center filled with many warehouses.

Lacking the cultural attraction and far from most influences of the nobility, the city remained largely functional. Fort Maneske was located at the edge of the city and served as the primary military post for troops west of the River Straei, so the city’s culture was largely influenced by the presence of the soldiers. As such, crime was fairly low and lacked the organized guild structure that existed in the larger cities.