Well, back to the Silver Helm Outpost.
We hit the two southern rooms first. The left one is a storage room, and is completely unguarded. How boring. We take the food and drink from the barrels, and move on.
The right one has an appetizer of guards, with some monks as the main course. Dang it, now I'm hungry. The guards and monks aren't...they're dead. Ha ha, get it? Yeah...that wasn't funny.
Now for the western doors. The southmost one leads to the barracks, where more guards await. Including a nasty Captain. Tough fight, with some arrow kiting, but he dies, as do the rest.
Next (after taking a night off at the local inn), we hit the middle door, which leads to a training room. The swordsmen and guards alike heard us coming and seek to ambush us, but we are prepared (Toblerone is, at least). We take the guards out, then the swordsmen.
Now for the final door, which leads to the prison. A couple of guards, easily dealt with, and three cells. Surely Melody Silver is in one of them...
The first one (northwest) contains a prisoner who is most definitely not a damsel. He tells us there must be a secret passage nearby, as he heard strange noises. Sure, man, it's not like you've been locked up so long that you might be loopy. He departs.
The second one (south) is empty. Oh come on!
The third one (northeast) has...a monk. No telling what he did to get thrown into prison, but he apparently thinks he can win his freedom by attacking us. Yeah, and we totally haven't been killing off the people who threw you in there to begin with. Nice knowing you.
Well, no damsel in distress, so let's poke around for the secret passage. Something about the eastern wall of this corridor seems odd...bingo, it opened.
We go around to find ourselves in a vertically large room, with no apparent way to climb up. We're on a low ledge, linking us to another room, one with a few guards. They're willing to give their lives for this group? We'll take them.
Inside the other room is a button, which activates the weirdo stair. This is a series of steps that stick out as you move up the room. You can't run up them, they don't come out fast enough. However, you can't stop...because there's a time limit on how long they work.
We make our way to the top, and find a small hallway with a mural. My psychic powers tell me not to mess with the mural, so I don't. Instead, I open another secret door on the left...and there's Melody Silver, looking somewhat the worse for wear due to her time here.
We wall hug our way down (who needs Feather Fall?), and head back to the main room. However, the Silver Helms are making one last attempt to stop us, having sent a handful of guards and swordsmen to block our exit. They fail to do so, which means...
Silver Helm Outpost complete!
Now after resting, we pay another visit to Albert Newton, to find out how to become (honorary) Archmages. Apparently his memory has improved already, as he tells exactly where to go: Corlagon's Estate, in the swamps near Castle Ironfist. We have to retrieve the Crystal of Terrax, which is key to the mysteries of the arcane (or so he says). Next destination is established, but first..
...we go to Ironfist...if the boat will take us there.
First day: goes to Bootleg Bay. Second day: goes nowhere. Third day: goes to Ironfist. (Whew!)
We take it, and go hand Melody Silver over to the regent. Hmmm, Melody Silver, and the Silver Helms? I wonder...
Anyway, Humphrey is happy, we get 5000 gold, we are now honorary Crusaders, and we get to go train ourselves up to level 20. Not bad, huh?
