| abstract | - The Boatman is the second scenario in Conquest of the Underworld. As he heads deeper into the Underworld, Tarnum learns that he needs the Orb of Inhibition to proceed. The artifact is craftfully hidden, and the tunnels form a terrible maze, so he knows finding it will be hard. Tarnum still communicates with queen Allison through letters, and she wishes to join his forces in the Underworld, as she doesn't want her soldiers to die for her father's soul if she's not there with them. Tarnum thinks that the soldiers will be inspired by her presence, and agrees that she should come, but has no intention of letting her anywhere near actual combat. His barbarian upbringing leaves him ill-equipped to write long letters, and his advisors describe his scribblings as "unreadable", but gradually, he learns to copy the flowery language of the knights. He studies his allies, pondering about the differences between barbarians and knights. He feels less charitable towards them when they discuss barbarians and refer to the Barbarian Tyrant (Tarnum himself) as a "stupid savage". When one of the scouts discovers where the Orb is kept, Tarnum tells him to rest, and that they'll speak later. Tarnum still feels ill-will to the man that killed him, and doesn't want to rescue him any time soon. After a few days, he speaks to the scout, and feels ashamed that he let Rion be tortured in the Underworld while he sulked. When the camp is attacked by pit fiends in the middle of the night, Tarnum runs at them howling like an animal, and the startled pit fiends are soon driven back. One of the men jokes that Tarnum fights like a berserked barbarian.
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