A neverending field

[Anastasia]

You walk a time - and soon enough you come to a place, nothing around but the road and empty space as you continue to make good time.

[Corwin]

'Let's take a moment to consider passage into Ferrum's Crown,' Seira thinks to the others. 'I originally wanted to leave it for later, but while that feels dramatic there's no harm in figuring things out now. We're not paying in souls, so it's a matter of producing magical items. Since you looked into this, do you have a good idea of what sort of magical item we need to pay with, and whether it's per person? I could produce some mid-level mortal gear similar to what I tend to wear for each of us as our ticket.'

[Anastasia]

'That should do,' Zariel says, 'But aim to make them better than not, and avoid anything holy or otherwise complicated or limited for a fiend.'

'It's per person,' Xera says, 'I believe, though it's paid collectively for the group.'

[Corwin]

Seira focuses, opens her bag of holding before using her power to create another gauntlet of heartfelt blows near it. A bit of sleight of hand pretends to retrieve it from within, and she presents it to the others. 'Does this look alright?'

[Anastasia]

Zariel takes it, 'It'll be fine,' she decides, 'Devils favor fiery weapons and magic, so it'll go over well.'

[Corwin]

A pair of flaming burst scimitars follow suit, and then Seira produces a portable hole to hold them all.

'Seems like this covers us?' she muses, handing the entire set over to Zariel.

[Anastasia]

They are all taken.

'It should,' Zariel says, 'If all goes well.'

[Corwin]

'Anything else we can do to prepare?' Seira wonders, also making a horn of blasting that she places in the same bag of holding with the scrolls just in case. 'Now that we're all here, and have a better sense of things?'

[Anastasia]

'That should be enough for the toll,' Zariel sends back.

'Mental preparation is more important. I expect to see stomach churning acts of evil there,' Xera sends, 'Wickedness, hatred and horror will walk hand in hand together.'

'I have seen some from the reports from Aurora,' Amaryl admits, 'What some of then went through at the hands of devils is unthinkable.'

Zariel's expression is dark, 'Imagine less what you have seen and imagine more what they have kept in the shadows from you.'

[Corwin]

'I've seen quite a bit.'

She deeply regrets that Amaryl and Xera will not be spared, but it happens at some point for any crusader. The most she can do is ensure they're driven by a worthy cause and to be there for them.

'Let's get going again.'

[Anastasia]

Amaryl perhaps senses your regret, or simply knows you well. She takes a moment to smile at you, sad but supportive.

In time you take the second path westward as commanded. Ahead lies tow rivers side by side, that often interlink and become one. Two raging rivers, waters swift and dark. Small skiffs are tossed about on the waters as they cross, a line several deep for parties - all various groups of devils - to cross.

[Corwin]

The twinned rivers, was it? Seira tries to catch the exchange between those wishing to cross and the boat operators. A password might be pretty difficult to catch, but if there's a certain format to the request, they can avoid rousing suspicion despite not being devils.

[Anastasia]

It goes something like this:

"How many," The devil - an amnizu - asks, a slimy thing that watches them all.

"Nine," The gelugon asking declares. "Less than 90 pounds of cargo."

"990 gold," Is the answer, "Who is your superior officer?"

As the money is passed over, "Colonel Akamiz the Unforgiven," The gelugon chitters.

The money is taken as, "Who is his superior?"

"General Marod, 2nd circle." Is the answer back.

At that there is nothing more, the devils allowed to get on skiffs.

[Corwin]

Seira listens in for a while longer, deciding see if there is any repeating name where it comes to superiors. Probably not someone too high up in the hierarchy. Then she'll just need to time their arrival so that there are no devils nearby wishing to cross who can overhear her, and challenge her.

[Anastasia]

Nope, you don't see any repeats off hand. Or hear them as the case may be.