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The Risen Road
| Wilderness | ||||
| Waukeen's Rest | ← | The Risen Road | → | Emerald Grove |
| ↓ | ||||
| Blighted Village | ||||
|
“ | ... those who seek to journey to the coast from the interior regions lying to the east will typically seek out the Risen Road. Running parallel to the River Chionthar, the Risen Road provides an overland route all the way from Elturel to Baldur's Gate, and has proven tempting to travellers seeking an alternate to the river barges that sail the Chionthar. |
„ |
| — Traveller's Guide to the Sword Coast Vol. IV: The Risen Road |
Overview[edit | edit source]
The Risen Road is located to the north of the Blighted Village. It can be accessed from several points:
- From the Blighted Village - jumping across the broken bridge at X: -6 Y: 493
- From the Forest - jumping at the stones across the stream at X: 78 Y: 489 (near the place where Scratch can first be met)
- From the Emerald Grove - climbing a ladder in the Secluded Chamber ( Zevlor's quarters) and descending the western cliff at X: 126 Y: 527 (means like
or 
are helpful here to avoid damage).
In this location Karlach can be recruited.
If traversing the Risen Road westward the party can reach the Mountain Pass.
Ravaged Caravan[edit | edit source]
When coming from the Blighted Village and moving eastward from the collapsed bridge, the results of a massacre can be clearly seen at X: 4 Y: 517: broken wagons, blood pools and corpses strewn around. Several Bloated Hyenas lie here, exhausted. Approaching them, an automated dialogue with one of the hyenas starts, and the player character can understand what is happening to her by succeeding a passive 
check: a birth of a Gnoll; they can prevent this by killing the beast. 
and 
can bless it instead, with the same result, while Dark Urge origins have additional unique choices.
Regardless of the result, a fight with the rest of the hyenas starts. On its first turn, the only not-bloated hyena runs northward, where a pack of already born gnolls feast on corpses. Eliminating the gnoll pack grants the 
inspirational event for the characters with 
background.
Gnolls, as well as hyenas, provide a rare alchemical ingredient, 
Hyena Ear, which can be occasionally traded for or obtained at higher levels further in the game. Also, looting the caravan wreckage provides Camp Supplies, as well as several potions.
Among the corpses, the Dead Caravan Agent can be spoken to via 
to find out that some of the caravan members managed to flee from the gnolls.
On the lower path next to the river running under the broken bridge, there are several points of interest. A skeleton in a thick bush at X: 57 Y: 516 can be looted for a 
Smuggler's Ring. Knotted roots at X: 35 Y: 515 lead to the upper path, to another point where the dialogue with Bloated Hyenas may be started.
At the end of the path, under the broken bridge, a couple of skeletons "sit" in an eternal embrace. Interacting with any of them prompts the player character to make a passive 
check to recognize their armour as belonging to a Harper and a druid.[1]. Successful discerning the armour grants the inspirational event for the characters with 
background.
Trapped in cave[edit | edit source]
A trail of beasts' pawprints leads northwards from the encounter with the gnoll pack. Following it, the party arrives to where the ambush survivors fled. At X: 30 Y: 576 the player character notices a symbol of the Absolute daubed onto a rockside with blood.
In a cave at X: 32 Y: 608, Rugan and Olly are defending themselves against another pack of gnolls, led by Flind. They are transporting a locked 
Caravan Strongbox containing an 
Iron Flask.
Upon approaching the cave from outside, the battle between the party and the gnolls is commenced. Flind rushes to attack the nearest party member, but on its first turn links with them mentally, and the player character's tadpole responds. The player character then has a chance to change the odds: they may sic the whole pack onto the men in the cave or attack its pack, thus making Flind neutral to the party, through several 
rolls (using the tadpole to compel her to eat her peers is only DC 2).
After the initial order is fulfilled, the player character can speak to Flind again (if she is close to the party, she engages in a dialogue with the nearest party member automatically). The player character can then use Wisdom again to compel Flind to kill herself, attack the pack (if this was not initially ordered), or flee. Failing any of the rolls keeps Flind hostile to the party. If Flind is killed, a 
Shattered Flail and a 
parasite can be looted from its body.
If Rugan and Olly remain neutral at the start of the battle, on their first turn both retreat deeper in the cave and disengage from the fight.
The cave has also another mouth at X: 50 Y: 570, but it is blocked by a wooden barricade, and is further inside trapped with two Tripwires, any of which, if triggered, sets loose a large round boulder to roll down. Disarming both Tripwires grants the inspirational event to the characters with background.
If entering the cave that way, Rugan considers them as allies and offers to fight back the gnolls. The player character may then agree to help or refuse, but the latter makes the survivors hostile, too, in addition to the beasts.
Depending on the player character's choices made throughout the whole episode, they may discuss it with Rugan afterwards (the dialogue with him starts automatically), or speak to his corpse if he did not survive. In case Rugan survived, the party can find out about the important shipment which they are transporting, and succeeding a passive 
DC 10 History check reveals that both men are agents of the Zhentarim.
The party then can let the men go, or intimidate them into surrendering the cargo, or bargain with them on selling it and splitting the profits. If the conversation turns out in favourable way, Rugan tells the party the password to the Zhentarim Basement in Waukeen's Rest. Otherwise, it can be learned from his corpse while interrogating.[2] Getting payment from Rugan and Olly for saving them earns the inspirational event to the characters with 
background. If the Zhentarim are killed or the cargo is wrested from them, opening the strongbox and taking the flask grants the inspirational event for the characters with 
background.
Inside the cave at X: 37 Y: 644, in a locked chest lie the 
Reason's Grasp gloves. The small ground in front of the chest is trapped with a Poison Mine. The corpse of an unnamed Dead Caravan Agent which lies nearby the cave mouth wields the 
Speedy Reply Scimitar.
Meeting Karlach[edit | edit source]
Approximately at X: 55 Y: 533 the upper path along the river and the path leading to the gnoll-sieged cave collide. From this point, a bridge goes towards the local Toll House, and another path goes eastwards and down to the river shore.
If choosing to go the latter way, the party can encounter Karlach behind the log crossing the stream at X: 111 Y: 503, trying to cope with the flames engulfing her. At this point, she can be recruited. If Wyll is in the party, he recognizes Karlach as his target and confronts her.
On the way down to the shore, at X: 104 Y: 525 the player character can pick up the 
Toll Collector's Key. It is easily missed, as it is not highlighted by the 
skill.
To the north-east of the road collision point there is another bridge which leads to the Toll House and is also littered with gnoll corpses.
Toll House[edit | edit source]
The Toll House was once used to collect tolls from travellers, but recently the toll collectors decided to abandon it due to the road's dangerous conditions. However, their guards fled instead of defending them, and the collectors were killed by goblins.[3] One of the dead bodies, Vance, lies on the road at X: Y: .
The area in front of the Toll house features a Waypoint at X: 82 Y: 597 and a collapsed tunnel that might otherwise lead further onto the Risen Road. On approaching the rockfall, any party member comments on it, suggesting that the cave-in was not from by natural causes. As the Risen Road appears blocked, the party must use the Mountain Pass to continue their way towards Baldur's Gate overland.
The abandoned Toll house recently became a temporarily base of operations for Anders and his crew, who are searching for Karlach under the disguise of paladins of 
. However, fighting with Karlach and with gnolls, they lost two members of the squad. The corpse of one of their mates can be found in the Toll house backroom, while the other might be Buckle, a Rock Gnome whose corpse was left on the bridge.
The party can talk to Anders and his mates, Trynn and Cyrel about their mission, and also trade with the latter. Throughout the dialogue the player character may detect that Anders is deceiving them; of Tyr have an additional option to catch him on a lie, asking to recite a basic dogma of their faith. Also, the party can interrogate the aforementioned corpse of their fallen fellow to find out that in truth the crew serves Zariel, the Archduchess of 
Avernus. Once caught red-handed, Anders attacks the party.
All these interactions are available only if Karlach is not in the party; if already recruited and in the active party, any of Anders' subordinates attacks them on sight. Anders, however, has more composure and starts a dialogue first, trying to convince the party to turn on Karlach.
Killing Anders grants the inspirational event to the characters with 
background, and the 
Sword of Justice can be taken from his body. Killing Anders without first learning his true loyalties is considered an oathbreaking action for 
, while eliminating him without talking at all breaks the oath of 
.
After the false paladins are dealt with, the party can descend to the Toll House basement, gaining various loot (see below). Also, on the open balcony of the Toll house at X: 109 Y: 551 lies a single 
Soul Coin, possibly left by Anders' crew to bait Karlach.
If Karlach is in party, she rampages for 10 turns after defeating the false paladins inside the Toll house building, crushing everything that comes under her axe, and leaving a burning trail behind (which may damage the party members, should they stand in the way).
Toll House Basement[edit | edit source]
The Toll House basement can be accessed via a trap door in the same room where Anders initially resides. Until the false paladins are defeated, it is marked red-outlined.
The basement consists of an antechamber, where a dead toll collector lies, and the locked vault. The vault cannot be lockpicked, although it can be opened by using Toll Collector's Key (see above), or destroyed. There is a Burrow Hole on the wall opposite the basement door, connecting to the hole just east of the Toll House.
Past the door are two rooms with four Vents in each, which can be detected and disarmed, but do not trigger if stepped on. Various containers in these rooms, as well as in the antechamber, provide the party with Valuables, alchemical ingredients, Camp Supplies and various common armour and weaponry.
At the end of the second room there are two stone thrones. Letting party members sit on both of them at the the same time, or placing items on both thrones, reveals a hidden treasury room behind a movable wall containing a 
Greataxe +1, 
Gloves of Heroism, several piles of 
Gold and also several mundane weapons. Just behind the wall section a Marble Plate can be detected. If not disarmed but triggered, it makes the vents in all three rooms cover the floor with 
Simple Toxin. The movable wall section cannot be opened from within.
Related locations[edit | edit source]
Characters[edit | edit source]
Available to Speak with Dead[edit | edit source]
- Amnos (Dead Caravan Agent) - near the bloated hyenas
- Marten (Dead Toll Collector) - in the Toll House basement
- Refugee (The Risen Road) - in the Toll House
- Vance (Dead Toll Collector) - near the Toll House
Creatures[edit | edit source]
Loot[edit | edit source]
Hidden treasures[edit | edit source]
- At X: 9 Y: 507 a Flat Rock is highlighted with a DC 15 Perception check. If dragged aside, it reveals a
Bloodstone. - At X: 74 Y: 549, under the bridge a buried chest (requires a DC 18 Survival check to detect).
- At X: 95 Y: 608, near the cave-in another buried chest.
- At X: -75 Y: 542, near the entrance to Waukeen's Rest and the bridge at the Mountain Pass (requires a DC 20 Survival check to detect).
Related literature[edit | edit source]
Order of the Gauntlet: On Matters of Law and Justice
The Leadership of the Zhentarim
The Lords of Madness, Vol 4: Yeenoghu
Tollhouse Ledger
Traveller's Guide to the Sword Coast Vol. IV: The Risen Road
Related quests[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Risen Road on the Forgotten Realms Wiki
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ If any party member has successfully deciphered the "Alliance" fresco in the Inner Sanctum of the Emerald Grove, the check is considered as already passed automatically and is not rolled again
- ↑ Rugan's bandmate Olly does not know the password to the Zhentarim Hideout and cannot provide it even being questioned as a corpse.
- ↑ Tollhouse Ledger, on Marten