Wall of Force Outside Ragefort

The road stopped near Ragefort because someone decided it should. A tan-suited orc opened a Wall of Force directly in front of the magical caravan. Jonah reacted fast enough to brake before the vehicle took the full punishment of impact, but the message was clear: the road was no longer only a road. It had become a controlled space. Ash called out. The answer was not conversation. The orc answered with a sonic boom that shook the approach and turned the caravan's strange protections into an immediate tactical concern. Those inside were shielded like people inside a hut. Those outside or on the roof had to ride the force of the blast with their own bodies. Then three uniformed figures began approaching. The road session shifted in a breath. Thorn had been a scam. Evan had been a frightened old connection. Baba and Ziki had been a wild royal family hook. This was different. This felt organized. A checkpoint, an ambush, a containment operation, or some mix of all three. The party had not reached Aleklot's Rest yet. Ragefort had found them first.