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You speak to a rather young, but well dressed busy Ulfen official who ignores most of your questions as he shuffles pieces of parchment. Your persistence pays and he gives you some advice about the trails, My advice is that that when camping at night, it is best to store one’s food in a shallow hole beneath your bedroll, as storing it anywhere else is sure to attract animals that will steal it away."
You learn from an elderly Ulfen fur trader as you negotiate the price for some nice warm clothing, "The first part of the course takes your round Uthran's Mount, the quickest way there is to head straight towards the South-Eastern tip of Angram's forest. Save you a mile of two, as you'll miss the really boggy ground. The really deep snows that drift in the region" The fur trader expresses an interest in banking, "Whatever it is, it sounds like a way to keep my gold from 'er indoors."
Iggy is busy trying on different boots to size, talking to Grantik the goblin leatherworker. Grantik tells him of the "'Wolves of Vallard' a team of lycanthropes that almost won the Balgirdtrek many years ago, but miscalculated the phases of the moon . Instead of using their lycanthropy to allow them their wolf instincts to take them through the forest of Tradfek, they had to be rescued after stumbling through the forest in the middle of the night without any torches, lost and frozen." Grantik almost falls off his stool laughing, as he ends the story.
Jord tries to elicit more information from another official, an old Ulfen with a crusty brown beard. The official warns him that the gods do not reward cheaters, " just like the 'Wolves of Vallard' a team of lycanthropes that almost won the Balgirdtrek many years ago, but miscalculated the phases of the moon . Instead of using their lycanthropy to allow them their wolf instincts to take them through the forest of Tradfek, they had to be rescued after stumbling through the forest in the middle of the night without any torches, lost and frozen." He continues, "Whilst there are many Ulfen that think lycanthropy a blessing, some of us have lost our loved ones to them." The official turns away, hiding his emotions, as he motions for Jord to move on.
As you all gather once more by the side of a seller of hot nuts, teh brazier warming your hands, you have maybe another 2 hours to prepare for the start of the race and glean knowledge about the other teams, or resume you shopping and other activities.
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When they all reconvine, Grabshanks will mention to the group" "Seems the best way to do the first part of the race is to just do a straight shot to the first checkpoint. It may look easier to veer north or south to avoid what looks like difficult terrain, but those areas usually get swampy and hard to move through under the snow. That's what I heard at least."
Grabshanks will go and talk to the group that seems most predisposed to talking to a bunch of goblin bankers.
"Hello my good sirs. Just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Grabshanks of clan Moneymaker. We've been roped into this trek, though it seems like a good workout. And I suppose getting to know another culture and their laws is always welcome. There seems to be be some consternation at our team though, have we done something to offend? Have we violated some law?"
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Lewdvik is the first of the Gringott's Goblins to make his way over to Lief and Oluf, they stop and have a pleasant talk about winning last year, "But remembert o take in the scenery as you go, it'll not only make the trek more beautiful and therefore bareable, but you never know when you need to take heed of the landmarks in the scenery. That's what we did last year, and we were succesful."
Grabshanks approaches Steen and Unn, but when Granshanks starts talking about investment and spreading the load across the various cities and countries to lessen the risk. Both Steen and Unn look on, their eyes glaze over and they walk away shrugging their shoulders, wondering what in Gorrum's name they were talking about.
Iggy manages to talk to the Fang of the Remouhaz, who excitedly tell them of the challenge of trudging trough the deep snows, they are likely to encounter, "But if you are short on rations we have many, we could trade. You said you're bankers used to trading, perhaps you need some rations?"
Jord notices the Bluetongue Brawlers, who seem extremely strong.
Later Iggy manages to get past the social defences put up by the Withou or Fail team, who despite the cleric whose symbol opf Gorrum hangs against his robes, eyes you with distrust and orders his companions to ignore your advances and not talk with you. However it seems Ostog takes pity on you and offers a shovel, "Quick take this, you may need it later, if the snows become too thick. Now before Storval sees."
Whilst watching the other teams prepare, Jord notes that he may have other skills that might prove useful in interacting with other teams, all he need do is demonstrate useful skills to them.
With time running out, only an hour left to find out any more information about the other teams.
[ooc]All except Iggy have a last hour.[/occ]
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Despite Jord's efforts to show his strength to the Bluetongue Brawlers, his efforts to try and bend a bar of steel, though worthy of praise, do not impress Jori and Sigurd. "Go on Jori show the little one how it's done." says Sigurd who then watches the bar bend double under Jori's pressure. With a sweaty brow offers Jord the bent bar, "Here you can take this, whether you say you did it or not doesn't concern me." he smiles as he pats Jord's head and ushers him on his way.
As Jord leaves the Bluetongues, Sigrun an Ulfen warrior woman, ushers Jord to her. "I don't have anything t give you but some words from part of Balgird Bluetongue's ballad ...
“The heads of the tarn linnorm are their own creatures.
If one is stubborn, the beast becomes indecisive and will likely die.
Those tarns that survive are those that work together.”
She nods at Jord as he joins her in singing the words, so despite failing to impress them, Jord does learn part of a cool ballad.
The teams are asked to gather at the starting line: a thick-braided rope with wooden handholds at either end carved in the shape of a linnorm head.
You all look snug in your new fur coats and hats.
The officials wait until the previous year’s winners to signal that all teams are ready--
Steen looks at Unn, from the Two Houses, and they both turn to look at all the competitors. With their blue eyes twinkling in excitement they nod, Steen calls out, "Ready".
Then Steen cuts the rope and the race is on .....
Fortunately today the start is under skies which allow a little sunlight though the clouds, you are even lucky enough to see some blue patches. You can easily see the way ahead and also your competitors, as you all go off together.
You start marching out toward the west-by-northwest direction, to cover the many tens of miles. You are all bunched up together, but after ten miles or so, some of the other teams veer left and right as you continue on straight towards the South-Eastern tip of Angram's forest, as indicated by Grabshanks.
You walk and you trek and you are tired and it is hard-- but you move along!
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Gringott's Goblins make good progress through the snow, in the clear and bright day, able to make out the landmarks and swiftly move forward. You bring up a sweat in the mildly cold day, making it a pleasant journey. As you reach the checkpoint, the snow shows many footsteps, could they be from the competitors or just from the race's officials and entourage.
The tall pines ahead are heavy with snow, and the forest is quiet. Ahead, officials for the Balgirdtrek stand around a roaring fire. Several campsites have been cleared nearby as clerics stand ready to examine and treat any injured racers. Beyond the fire and campsites, in a small, raised clearing, is a tall, thin pole carved with the intertwining necks of a Tarn Linnorm. Atop the pole rests is a small platform, an oval shape resting within it.
At the entrance to the area around the pole, a couple of officials with clipboards are noting the names of the teams arriving and inviting them to either take part in the trial or set up camp before nightfall. With the light fading in the next hour or more and the portents of the weather looking as though the night will bring bad weather, they suggest you stay and camp in the safety of the official race campsite. To the north you see that the ground has been cleared and one or two other teams are setting up camp. The ground in the campsite has been cleared of brush, excess snow has been removed and a large fire burns toward the back of the campsite.
An Ulfen official looks at you and then the pole. He starts, "This trial hearkens back to Balgird’s time in the wilderness. While searching for a Linnorm in the frozen reaches of the Saga Lands, Balgird Bluetongue survived by living off the land itself. In particular, Balgird was known to have scaled a great tree and retrieved the egg of a massive bird. He did this so swiftly and carefully that the tree did not bend, and the bird did not notice its egg go missing."
You look at the pole, that is maybe over 20ft high, on top of which is the platform. As you study the pole, it is really thin, tapering as it reaches to the top, you guess it's only about 8 inches in diameter at the bottom, and might even be less than half that at the top.
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Grabshanks takes the time when you arrive to seek out Sten and Unn again, offering them a drink, not any old drink, but a goblin delicacy from his flask, strawberry snotgobbler whiskey. Whilst the whiskey part almost makes it palatable, what ever other components it contains make the drink disgusting to anyone other than a goblin. And so it proved with Sten and Unn, "You lucky we don't report you for cheating, trying to poison us!" they shout at Grabshanks as they retch into the snow.
Iggy speaks to the ranger Hjeldr from the team 'Without Trace or Fail, who advises her to be ready for the storm, for when it comes it will be nature that relieves Gringott's Goblins of their challenge. "Be ready for the whiteout that kills." It seems that Iggy has at least made some slight progress in thawing the ice between the two teams.
Whilst Iggy is off trying to win over their nemesis, Jord decides to climb up the pole and get the 'egg'. He climbs half way up, then as he climbs the second of half of the pole, it starts to wave and bend with Jord's extra weight........
The Ulfen race official looks on, his jaw drops, "That's strange.." he says as he watches Jord.
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As the pole bends viciously, Jord just about manages to hang on, but unfortunately it means he's not able to pluck the 'egg' from the air as it rolls off the plinth. The object plummets towards the ground. As quick as a flash, the Ulfen official sticks out a hand, catching the 'egg' before it hits the ground, "Umpfh....failed!" He stops and writes the result on his parchment. "Next."
At that Iggy approaches the pole, as the 'egg' is replaced. She thinks hard and decides against a straight forward approach, instead she calls on the occult magics in the pine forest. A hand, an illusory force looking like a hand of green pine needles, floats upwards to the top of the pole, It carefully grabs the 'egg' and safely brings it back to Iggy. The Ulfen looks on, "I see .... Passed!" he says as he writes down the result.
The pole your team used is soon replaced by a new pole, as the officials grumble amongst themselves, "Bent a lot!" ... "Yes Yrath, best check the other poles." ... "Gardth, you're right. never thought the pole would do that." .... "Yes, very strange Yrath!"
Other teams attempt the challenge, you notice several of the Fangs of the Remorhaz fall and injure themselves in their attempt to complete the challenge. The injured are taken to the clerics tent, here they are completely healed of their injuries
The rest of the evening passes uneventfully, as you keep warm by a roaring camp fire. The evening meal, cooked by the officials is a spit roasted pig, that you and the other teams cut though crackling and fat to the moist tasty meat. Full bellies mean you sleep well.
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Iggy's persistence pays a dividend for the Gringott's Goblins, she not only discovered sabotage, but she identified some scraps of dried salted fish skin, a snack you saw Ostog Oakfeller of Without Trace or Fail eating whilst you were waiting for your trial. Whilst the rest of the teams were happy to make use of the roast pig, that team were eating their own food.
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Iggy makes a point of showing the food scraps to the race officials who replaced the pole. She mutters unhappily, "I hope this doesn't happen again."
Iggy tells Lewdvik, Grabshanks, and Frogface about the probably sabotage. "We should keep an eye out for anything out of place, if we can even recognize it," she says, frowning deeply.
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The official looks at Iggy and the evidence he is supplying, and shakes his head. "We take cheating very seriously you know, but with need solid evidence against the team you accuse of cheating. A few scraps of fish scales proves nothing on it's own. If you have further evidence then come to me again at the next checkpoint." The Ulfen official, name Urgut, writes in a note in his journal.
The night passes, and it gets colder...even by Ulfen standards, this is getting really cold. Not only that overnight, the winds begin to blow and by morning you wake to a winter storm. You have no doubt that with the current conditions making headway in the race will be very difficult. However, after a hearty breakfast of hot bacon and tea, the officials wish you luck on your second day of the Balgirdtrek.
As you start off, the snow is getting deeper by the minute and it cuts at your faces, as you start off.