mittens walks around speaking with his recruits seeing if any have experience with mountain climbing
Mittens found a few who knew their way around ropes and cliffs, mostly among Master Sudor's Free Folk and the Plainsfolk.
Caitlyn and Loren spend several hours at the hunt. They saw no more than game signs while away, but returned heavily laden with game.
Jakun flew high and far over the lake and canyon. He could tell as he followed the edge southeast that the near side would be a difficult and slow passage. The opposite side remained flatter so far as he could see. In the distance, perhaps a day or two away from the campsight as the refugees trudged, he saw a wide arch of ice spanning the rift.
Coming back laden with game, Cailtlyn laughs and exclaims, "Why Loren you do appear to be my lucky charm! I don't think I've ever caught so much before." Normally a catch like that would be cause for celebration, but these weren't normal times and there were so many mouths to feed...
Once back at camp and the food delivered, Caitlyn asks nervously, "Has Jackun returned?"
The knight was grateful for the time in the woods and, upon returning to camp, he grins at Caitlyn, "That was your skill entirely. I'm afraid I just slowed you down, though this will certainly help keep some bellies full." He looks back at the mobilizing column, searching for a sign of Jakun. "We've still a treacherous path ahead of us and I fear too many of them will be lost on the way, but it seems the gods are giving us what aid they can."
Jakun returns to his Companions with haste, "The most direct route around the Mountain would be the narrow, rough near side of the canyon. However, it would be slow travel and difficult for the children and the inform.
The opposite side remains flatter and will take longer to get around but will be easier travel. At least until we reached the arch of ice spanning the rift. That could be tricky to negotiate without some sort of shoes shod for that purpose. This side also provides a more direct route to Zhaman and thereby a more direct route to the safety of Thorbardin..."
Loren listens closely and frowns. "Perhaps I overestimate the dangers of crossing the rift by the bridge, but it seems to me that if both paths present risks but one is a more direct route to our destination with less strain on our supplies, then that's the path we should take. We lay out rope lines to aid with the passage and pair the able-bodied with those who may need assistance."
The most direct route would be the most prudent remarks the Revered Daughter.
"This ice bridge, how wide is it? Do we think it will hold up to that lot marching over it?" asked Caitlyn. She mostly agreed with taking the direct route but her mind kept on showing her images of children and the elderly tumbling to their doom.
"This ice bridge, how wide is it? Do we think it will hold up to that lot marching over it?" asked Caitlyn. She mostly agreed with taking the direct route but her mind kept on showing her images of children and the elderly tumbling to their doom.
Jakun estimates the bridge at fifty or sixty feet wide, a bit more in some places, before the curvature becomes a problem. Short of getting a close look at it by someone learned in such things, he can't be sure of how sound it is.
I can go across! It'll be fun! Thisteltorp bounces towards the bridge.
"Of that I have no doubt." laughed Caitlynn. Soberly she added, "It's the elderly and infirm I'm worried about. Still perhaps the arch is the best option. From what Jackun has described the other way will sorely press the refugees..."
Jakun looks to Mariel, "Revered Daughter, do you believe the Council will have to meet once more to decide our path or can we simply move forward based upon our discussion here and now?"
I think that we should have someone check the bridge out for proper supports before we let the Council know of the option. Not knowing especially with the sick, infirm and the young would cause much infighting. remarks the Revered Daughter.
"Know Revered Daughter, we will lose a day if we do that..."
Loren shakes his head at the suggestion then voices agreement with Jakun. "I must agree. We've bought ourselves some time with the avalanche, but..." His mouth clicks shut like a steel trap. You cannot reveal what the spirit in the stone said lest you allow aid to be given to our enemy.
"But it is an advantage we must not waste. Wizard, you've seen the near path. Is it merely slow going, or is it plainly treacherous such that we put lives at risk by taking it? We have food for now but not an endless supply."
And, back to Mariel, "I don't mean to overstep and I mean no disrespect to whatever customs you've established, but the time we've bought ourselves will be lost while the committee debates. Are they asked what time to feed the column? To stop a march? To start? Our destination remains the same. To me, this seems to be a tactical decision, not a political one, but if this is the chain of command you've established, I will respect it."
He says the last grudgingly, feeling in his heart it is a poor method to make such a decision, but it is also true. If that is how everything is decided in this group, then he must respect it.
"Not plainly treacherous but a hazard. Even a mountain pass is not without risk".
IS there a mess treacherous route the at the refugees take or even a place they can hide while we investigate the ruins of Shaman?
IS there a mess treacherous route the at the refugees take or even a place they can hide while we investigate the ruins of Shaman?
Jakun shakes his head, "My knowledge of the area is gained through the study of maps with Thistle on my way here. From what I have seen we are in no man's land so to speak thus if the ways were passable no doubt humans would have already settled here as your people breed like rabbits and always need to expand.
Dwarves live here but they are hardier folk than humans and there are not that many of them. The faster to Zhaman the faster we accomplish our goals there and the quicker to safety for the Refugees within the dwarven underground Kingdom.
If we find shelter we can leave them in whatever place we may find Revered Daughter".
Caitlyn had been considering this for some time before she spoke up once again, "It seems to me the choice is between a slow certain death for some if we take the harder but sure route and a possible sudden disaster if we take the easier route. How do you weigh this up? Maybe nothing goes wrong if we travel over the ice bridge and we save lives. Or maybe some fall in transit or worse it collapses meaning we have to go back the long way and risk encountering the dragon army... We simply don't have enough information to decide rationally. I guess it comes down to, are you an optimist or a pessimist?"
Loren listens and while he tries to remain stoic, various reactions play out rather plainly on his face; the man would be a horrible gambler. Beyond that, he seems content to remain silent. He'd offered his thoughts and knows repeating them is pointless.
While the rest continue their discussion, he bows out from the circle, then walks to where he has a vantage of the rift and what lays beyond. If we take this ice bridge and it doesn't collapse beneath us, maybe we can collapse it behind us. I'll have to study it when we get closer.
I can go and in my prayers request the insight of the Platinum Dragon. replies the Revered Daughter.
She doesn't
The night passes without incident and morning dawns cold and clear.
As the night passes, Jakun will use his free time to Scry both the dwarven settlement they happened upon as well as the pass which they collapsed to see what he can see.
The refugees had their own guards of course, but Caitlyn was often restless and lead a patrol a little beyond the perimeter in the early hours of the morning.
Loren finds himself nearly consumed by anxiety while the others deliberate and pray. It's as if no one ever had to make decisions without aid of the gods or sorcery... Maddening. Alright, Loren... you're a knight. What do you do? Follow the orders of your superiors and lead those under your charge. Wringing your hands like a fish wife accomplishes nothing.
Loren spends some time in prayer to Kiri-Jolith but the rest of the day training and drilling the ablest of the refugees. When he walks from one spot to another or has a moment of downtime, his gaze inevitably drifts back to the passage they came through the day before.
When the column rouses the next morning, he braces himself for the worst. If the near path will make for slow going and the armies are behind us, then our decision may we'll be made for us.
Thistletorp will busy himself quietly scouting the area.
As the night passes, Jakun will use his free time to Scry both the dwarven settlement they happened upon as well as the pass which they collapsed to see what he can see.
Try as he might, Jakun couldn't get his spell to work against the Dragonarmy. He had better luck with the dwarves. It looked like they had left their village as they said and were headed somewhere to the southeast.
During his training of the refugees, Loren feels hot animal breath pass over him hears stampeding hooves. They had an odd finality to them, like the end of a long journey that also marked the start of a new one.
Caitlyn and Thistletorp take their separate paths about, ranging far from the refugee camp. Fortune is with them and neither uncovers new perils.
During his training of the refugees, Loren feels hot animal breath pass over him hears stampeding hooves. They had an odd finality to them, like the end of a long journey that also marked the start of a new one.
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During his training of the refugees, Loren feels hot animal breath pass over him hears stampeding hooves. They had an odd finality to them, like the end of a long journey that also marked the start of a new one.
That morning the Revered Daughter will cast an Augury and will also memorize a searing light.
That morning the Revered Daughter will cast an Augury and will also memorize a searing light.
Is the bridge safe and sturdy passage
Is the bridge safe and sturdy passage
Mariel prays and speaks her design to Paladine. Then she sits still and silent, waiting for the calm, wise insight to pass over her.
It does not come.
The Revered Daughter emerges from her tent, ready to go. She tells her companions Paladine was silent to my questions about the bridge she says softly.
Loren listens to the news with disappointment and frustration, but it passes. "It was worth a try," he offers, then presses ahead. "If I may, it seems to me we have two choices.
"First is the near path. It is treacherous and narrow. Progress through the passage itself may be slow, exposing us if the dragon army comes behind us before we are through to the other side. But, once we're on the other side, our path to Zhaman will be faster than our alternative.
"And that alternative is the far path, across an ice bridge that is wide enough for the column to pass in comfort, but people may be injured crossing so much ice and many do not have clothes appropriate for the passage. It is the longer route to our destination, but we will more quickly fall out of direct view of the passage behind us and are less likely to be attacked by the dragon army. Finally, depending on what we find at the ice bridge, we might be able to collapse it behind us.
"So far, we are fine on food and supplies, but those are not inexhaustible.
He pauses, then adds, "Are we agreed that is about the sum of it?"
Jakun shakes his head, "All you state is correct. I have utilized my magic to spy on our Dwarven acquaintances. They have moved on from their home. Based on that information, I believe that the Dragonarmies must have been near their location else why would they move?
I attempted to scry the pass but the magic does not work that way, I need to scry and individual for the magic to function properly. I dare not scry the Dragonhighlord or worse yet his Dragon and so I have no certainty as to their location at the moment.
I believe we should move for the ice bridge bringing us faster to Zhaman and therefore, faster to Thorbardin. We must move and we must move today. Perhaps even destroying the bridge behind us, if that is possible..."
"No, the ice bridge is the most direct route to Zhaman."