Rhode did indeed set out quickly, but he moved much faster than the average cultist of the Damned, and he was heading toward Stromgarde, not the hills to the south.
The Cult of the Damned was not a regular army, after all. Its organization was fairly loose, and if a person or two went missing, no one would notice for a while-as long as they rejoined the group around the right time.
By midnight, Rhode had already reached the roadside and begun to spot Stromgarde patrols.
Naturally, Rhode did not want to alert too many people, so he had to avoid these patrols carefully as he advanced.
Fortunately, the thick woods beside the road provided ample cover. Combined with well-timed uses of Blink and Glamour, they allowed him to keep moving without slowing down too much.
However, the closer he got to the city, the sparser the woods became, forcing Rhode to be even more careful.
When he saw the road sandwiched between two small lakes, Rhode knew he was about to enter Stromgarde.
The moon was hidden and the wind was high, and there were no soldiers on the road. Even so, Rhode cautiously followed the lower edge of the roadside, his feet almost touching the lake water.
He crept forward until he saw the massive, heavily guarded city gate.
Finally, I'm really here!
Stromgarde's main gate was firmly shut.
Most cities were like this. Once night fell, ordinary people were no longer allowed to come and go freely.
Two full rows of guards in neat red uniforms stood rigidly on either side of the gate. Ever-burning flames blazed inside stone lampposts, illuminating the open ground before the entrance as brightly as daylight. There was not a single shadow to hide in.
Fully armed sentries also stood at regular