Call for Reinforcements!

This is a side quest for the map for the inside of Althror's Castle. It is written down in the player's Journal if the player accepts the quest from the sentry guard in the castle signal tower.

## The Story

* The guard is furiously striking his firelighting flints against the woodmound, evidently attempting to light the signal fires. He shakes his head in panic and frustration, and turns to face you.

> 'The fire will not light!' he cries. 'Damp has gotten into it. Those damned storms we had last week, the rains have crept into the woodmound and made the wood damp. I cannot light it! I told the captain we needed to replace the wood, ah, if only he' [sic] listened!
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> 'You have to help!' he implores. 'A jar of pitch, thrown over this wood, would be enough to get it to light. The blacksmith keeps pitch in his stores. I cannot leave my post - can you run down to the smithy for me and bring back a jar of pitch? We must light this signal fire to call for reinforcements!'
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**The sentry guard in the castle signal tower is trying to light the firemound, but damp has gotten into it and it will not light. He has asked me to race down to the castle smith on the ground level of the castle, and bring back a jar of pitch to help light the signal fires with.**

* You are given a jar of black pitch.
* You hurriedly explain the situation with the signal tower to the blacksmith.

> 'By the One God!' he explains, 'What unholiness is this! ... yes, my friend, of course you can have some pitch, take as much as you need. Here's a jarful for you. Now go! Make haste back to the signal tower!'
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**The blacksmith has given me a jar of pitch. I must get it back to the signal tower.**

* You race back into the signal tower, looking around for the sentry guard. With horror, you realise he is gone! You cannot imagine a guardsman of Althror's castle would desert his post...
* ... but then you notice a trail of blood leading off to the **north**...
* As you turn the corner, you spot the missing sentry guard. He is mortally wounded, lying in a thick pool of blood, and struggling to breathe. Crouching over him is one of the hideous cadavers. It's sword-arm rasied and about to deliver a death blow...
* But then the creature notices you. Leaving the injured soldier behind, it turns to close in on you. You have but moments to act!
* You nnow have a fire-lighting flint!
* The guard speaks in barely a whisper, with fresh blood bubbling from his lips,

> 'Could not... stop it... the... the tower... take my flint... light the fire... go... now...'
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* ... and then he speaks no more.
* You grab the guards flints, and turn back to head back towards the signal tower.

**The sentry guard has died at the hands of the cadavers, but his final breaths has given me his fire-lighting flints, and begged me to light the signal fires for him. I must return to the signal tower and complete this task.**

* You hurl the jar of pitch at the fire, smashing it and splashing the black, tarry liquid all over the surface.
* With panicked, shaking hands, you strike the flints repeatedly. One of the sparks catch, and the pitch ignites! You stand back and watch as the flames spread. The wooden mound is soon engulfed in flame, and burning brightly.
* You turn to look over the view of the fief. In the distance, perhaps from the vicinity of **Treebridge**, you see another fire burning in the distance. The signal has been seen, and the towns are responding! Soon, whatever reinforcements they can spare will be here to help drive off the undead invaders. You slump back against the wall, relieved that at least this one task has been completed.

## Rewards

Experience: 500

Gold: 0

Fame: 1