Halane 22-30, 730 - Along the Fur Road

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Halane 22-30, 730 - Along the Fur Road

Postby Matt » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:01 am

Each man retires with his own thoughts about Dragoran's announcement. Fortunately, the night is uneventful, and the group awakes to another clear day. Ulauf remarks that if stays like this for the next few days, they should make it to Kaldor in no time. Everyone lends a hand to break camp, and Vagnar and Dragoran take turns leading the last mule - the beast seems to want to get far away from the scene of the slaughter, and proves no trouble for the whole of the day.

The Fur Road is flat along this part, and leagues of clear country stretch ahead, broken only by the occasional copse of trees or scrubby undergrowth. Ahead, the northermost spur of the Rayeshas looms - not so high as the snow-capped peaks to the south, but high enough for men on foot and a mule to traverse. Laenvan, who has made the trek before, recalls that the road takes advantage of several small valleys cut by mountain streams running towards the Anoth or one of its tributaries.

That evening, the warband camps in the foothills of the spur at the only suitable spot - one clearly used many times before and according to Ulauf, recently enough that the caravan must have stopped here. Ulauf also picks up the trail - at least a couple of days old - of a bear which wandered through the area, apparently foraging. Examining the bear's spoor indicates it has rained at least once since its passing.
Last edited by Matt on Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Postby Dragoran Shengaad » Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:36 am

Dragoran will make sure the mule is safe and secured, collect firewood and help out with cooking.
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Postby Matt » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:49 pm

Come morning, the warband resumes its trek, this time over the mountain spur. They day is again clear, and though cold, each man is exhilarated by the crisp air, and the cool, clear water they find in the various mountain streams. Over the course of the day, Ulauf spies more tracks - perhaps bear, perhaps not - but too old to truly identify as they've been rained on several times. It takes the warband the whole of the day to traverse the pass that wends in a southerly direction across the mountain. As the sun sets over the peaks to their rear, they come upon another well-defined campsite, this one situated on the eastern foothills of the spur.
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Postby Matt » Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:46 pm

Come morning, the warband awakes to a slight drizzle, and the breakfast of mule meat is consumed in silence. At least the past couple of days has lessened the burden of the group as they consume the poor beast who died at the ford.

Setting out, the warband follows the Fur Road throughout the morning, coming alongside a small river - a tributary of the Anoth with Erdrick identifies as the Ovien - by midday. Moving on after the noon meal, the warband follows the Ovien along its western bank for the rest of the day and most of the next. By midday on the 25th, the group reaches the ford across the Ovien. Unlike the Anoth, this ford presents no difficulty, and the entire warband crosses without incident. Now the group has passed into the Nuthela hills. By the end of the day, the warband has come to a small spur of the Felshas, and camped.

In the morning, the warband again breaks its fast with mule meat - there seems to be almost no end of it - and as they group makes to resume its journey on the Fur Road, Sven points into the distance to the southwest. There, in the glow of the morning light, a large 'bird' circles in the distance. It acts like a bird of prey, but it is much, much larger ...

[GM: Aplogies for the delay - my own internet access has been down for 36 hours and I'm piggy-backing on a neighbor's wireless connection. Shhh!]
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Thu Apr 27, 2006 11:04 pm

Looking towards where Sven has pointed Ulauf scans the sky.

"What sort of beast is that?" cries Ulauf.

Scanning the nearby terrain for cover....

"Should we stand our ground and hope it does not see us or should we run for it....."
May Sarajin guide my arrow....
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Postby Matt » Sat Apr 29, 2006 7:02 am

[GM: Gentlemen - my internet connection is back. Alas, the neighbor (who remains anonymous) whose bandwidth I, ahem, borrowed, did not have a speedy or reliable wireless connection. If only I knew who it was, I might advise him on some performance upgrades. :wink: Nevertheless, I was grateful for the few windows. On the assumption that my own connection stays - big as the cable guy never did show up - I should have a good update for you later. Meanwhile ...]

"No," Lord Ulauf, says Sven. "I can't say I've ever seen a bird that big - and it's so far away! Yet, it looks to be heading away from us. Unless it circles back, I think we're safe from it."
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:50 am

"Well done Sven, you have good eyes."

Turning to the group Ulauf continues "Let us not delay, this beast has left us alone on this foray, that does not mean it won't be back! To Tashal my friends."
May Sarajin guide my arrow....
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Postby Matt » Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:05 pm

The warband pressed on. Over the next eight days, the group traveled along the Fur Road, always in the shadow of the mighty Felshas. Each night they camped in a new spot, some nights in the drizzle of cold rain, but more in just the cold, dry night. Once again, on the third day after the first sighting, the warband saw the huge bird circling high above. Not one man wanted to speak out loud their fears that this might be more than a feathered avian.

Yet before this, they passed another spur of the Felshas jutting northwards, as if the great mountain range were stretching north into Nuthela, discontented with its lot. Skirting this spur, the warband noted additional tracks - not bear this time but humanoid. Gargun, no doubt, but many days had passed since they had been here. It was clear that between the various kingdoms of Harn lay fierce challenges that were enough to tempt any man of valor. That the kingdoms saw fit to war upon each other seemed to make less sense in this wilderness. And the fact that much of this philosophical rumination was conducted over a meal of dwindling mule meat only served to heighten the disparity between this land and the thrans of home.

On the sixth day, the warband reached a mighty river which Erdrick identified exultantly as the Kald. Laenvan said a prayer to Halea out loud in thanks, and while the Ivinians in the group found this slightly distasteful, not one rebuked him for the sentiment. For they were all glad to reach this impressive river from which Kaldor took its name. The next day some of the outer villages were reached, but the warband pressed on until late on the eighth day, when the castle town of Olokand loomed into view. It was nearly dusk on the last day of Halane ...
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Postby Vagnar Granier » Sun Apr 30, 2006 4:12 pm

Vagnar breathes a sigh of relief. At worst we can eat good food, enjoy wine and ale, and sleep in actual beds in the warmth.
They say I am mad...they make a good case.
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Postby Ulauf Seld » Sun Apr 30, 2006 6:49 pm

On nearing the first village Ulauf begins to drop his guard marginally. Relaxing with the idea that they have entered safe borders. Still leading the group Ulauf stays alert for possible trouble but gone are the fears that every bush hides a Gargun or a Jarin rebel.

On entering the outskirts of Olokand, Ulauf turns to his companions and says "At last a meal that will not consist of our beast of burden. Let us find a place rest up for the night. Laenvan how far to Tashal now?"
May Sarajin guide my arrow....
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