Ramiro's off to find himself some pleasant company for the evening - no doubt his inspiring speech at the main hall has done him some favors today. If his compadre happens to have a friend/sibling, he gladly introduces Ulf. The man needs to take some edge off.
(( lolol -- Ulf would be the wing man from hell, I fear ))
Ulf nods to Ramiro as he departs, then gets ready to rest for the night. He cleans his weapons, waxes his bow string and tends to his armour before finding a dark and secluded position in which to rest. His bow lies alongside him, and his other weapons are all within reach. He smiles to himself, wishing he had the stamina of the bard, who always seems tired but never seems to rest. Hell of a day. How many more do I have left, I wonder?
((Parchment secured easy. However much you need[be reasonable, don't walk away with an entire Office Depot].))
With a plan settled upon and preparations underway, you all go your (mostly?) separate ways for the night. Ramiro is easily able to charm his way into one of the least crumbled structures around the lake, earlier claimed by a merchant group welcome among this circle for their willingness to trade under the table. The others take rest where they can find it, either camping out in the open or among the other abandoned buildings in Sanctuary. Most people here keep to themselves or their groups, but aren't hostile if you approach. You settle in, and eventually sleep takes you.
You are woken slightly before dawn by some of Alavin's men, who quietly lead you down one of the paths leading out of Sanctuary. Shortly out of sight from the temple, you find the man himself standing among a few others. An untethered covered wagon sits beyond them. He ends a conversation as you approach, turning to face you. "I hope your sleep was restful. You've quite a journey ahead." He gestures over his shoulder with a thumb at the wagon, "We were able to get one with a canvas covering."
"You'll need to abandon it once you get well within the Vale. Even the best trails inward towards the temple are treacherous, but this will do you well on the road. There are a few small settlements along the way, though you'd need to go out of your way to reach them. Hammershawl is unavoidable by road however."
"I would be wary traveling through. If you get delayed and your summoning spell runs its course while you're still there..." He grimaces, "well things might get ugly for you at that point."
"Once you've found the Divine Veil, return here. Most will have cleared out by then, but myself and a few others will be waiting."
Ulf examines the wagon, then thanks Alavin, "The sooner we leave, the better." He glances around at the others, "Does anyone have means of observing into the distance from above? A familiar or companion spirit of some kind? It might serve us well as we travel."
It was hard to tell if Ramiro had a good rest or not, with the perpetual dark circles under his deep eyes in contrast to his pale complexion, but judging by his leisurely steps and the slight smile on his lips - he probably did. He looks more properly equipped, with sleek leather armor over his sophisticated fine clothing, a satchel hanging by his hip for his spellbook, and carrying a bandore made of dark maplewood with mysterious engravings behind his back.
He looks at the wagon, then smiles handsomely at Alavin. “I shall try my best to keep these in one piece.”
Ramiro climbs into the wagon, finds himself a comfortable spot. He produces a crystal ball in front of him, wisps of mists within the glass shifting and rotating, forming warped and evanescent figures. While he casts Phantom Steed, he turns to Ulf and shrugs at his question.
Ulf waits for Ramiro to finish the ritual to see if he has more to add, beyond his shrug, then looks dubiously at the horses. "Beasts of burden are not something concerning which I have much experience. I find the concept...mildly distasteful." He examines the conjured horses more closely, running his hand along their necks admiringly, "A useful conjuration though; what spirits inhabit these, I wonder?"
He sighs, strightens his pack, then turns to the others, "Perhaps someone else has more experience with such things?"
Thalia stands a bit back, watching the conjuration of their cart horses. As it finishes, she moves to place her things in the wagon. "I can't say I could steer them either."
"I'll try if you don't mind the risk of being thrown into a tree."
He looks over the horses again, "Impressive beasts! If they are as fast as Ramiro says, then they might take a little practice." Nodding in satisfaction, he begins hitching them to the wagon, and is surprised by their unnatural stillness. "These are no ordinary animals; otherwise I might try to...persuade them to do what we need. Hopefully they won't be as nervous as real horses." As he finishes his work he nods in satisfaction, and climbs aboard, "This should be interesting."
He cocks an eyebrow to Ramiro, "Can you control them, or do we treat them like normal horses?"
“Someone’s gotta steer them!” Ramiro calls out from the wagon. He flips through his spell book with his slender fingers and black nails, and kicks one foot atop another. “I can’t; I’m casting.”
He gives a subtle chuckle as sees Ulf in front of the wagon, “Don’t worry, they are very obedient. They don’t have feelings.”
10% chance of others on road when reaching Imperial Way 53
Alavin and the others with him begin their trek back towards the safety of Sanctuary as Thalia takes the reins of the summoned horses. After the rest of you pile in she gives the reins an experimental light tug before setting off.
It takes about three hours to actually reach the Imperial Way, a stone-paved road the loops around most of Belorion, connecting the important trade, political, and resource centers of the country. Here on the west side of Lake Borel, the geography is marked by tall peaks, punctuated with valleys that hold fertile soil for crop raising. Partially down the mountain from Sanctuary is a rough dirt path wide enough for the wagon, but the last three hours are an uncomfortable ride, as the the road gives way to natural terrain.
Just before you crest the final hill blocking sight of the Imperial Way, Thalia would pull the wagon to stop to allow someone else to scout the way ahead. Walking to the top of the hill and looking out over the field below, you see the winding stone road of the Imperial Way and see...
...That the coast is clear. For a few miles in either direction on the road, you see no on else traveling at this time.
"Ah, lucky us. The road all to ourselves for now."Aiden says, welcoming the relatively easy start to their journey. "If it's all the same to you all, when we start nearing lands with civilization, I'd like to spend some time in the air to make sure we're not heading into trouble. I'd hate to run into a patrol of some kind right as we're frantically pulling our horses from whatever nether they're summoned from."
(whenever the party gets close to like, a major intersection or a town where they can expect more traffic Aiden will Polymorph into an owl and fly up/ahead a little bit)
Ulf nods at the remark and, at the crest of the hill, asks the driver to stop then jumps next to the driver's seat of the wagon and stands, using his spyglass to see if he can make out any extra details. He matches what he sees to the details to the map, then uses both to try to pick a good spot to camp for the evening. Ideally, something defensible, not too far from water, and secluded...
He nods his thanks to Thalia, letting her resume the journey, then returns to the back of the wagon. He stares at the tireless bard for a time before speaking. "You're doing well lad, we are making excellent time. Should be able to rest in a few hours."
Having said his piece, Ulf resumes the silent vigil that has occupied him since departing Sanctuary; looking ahead, then behind and then carefully out the sides of the wagon covers (he has loosened them slighty at each side, to allow a small sliver of their surroundings to be seen). He seems perpetually ill-at-ease. He tried trotting along beside the wagons, but the remarkable speed of the conjured horses soon put an end to that. The only times he has seemed even slightly relaxed was when the wagon was forced to travel slowly over broken ground, and he was finally able to walk for a extended period.
From this vantage point on the hill, which is one of the taller ones in the area, there isn't all the much to make out. You're certain to be out here alone, and there's not a farm nor homestead in sight. Below leads onto a brief field before hitting the road, which runs north and south. The terrain on the other side of the road gives way to more gently sloping hills. From the map and your general knowledge of the area, you would know that Lake Borel is just out of sight beyond those eastern hills, approximately 8 miles from the road. Because of the terrain and curvature of the world however, it would be out of sight(Likewise, given you still have something ungodly like 130+ miles left of travel today, you cannot spot an encampment for the night ;) ).
Thalia directs the phantom horses onto the road, and you resume your journey. The next three and a half hours pass with no incidents, despite Ulf's unease. The terrain would stay much the same through that time, with the size of the hills occasionally taking up the entire view east or west, hiding the mountain peaks from sight for brief periods of time.
About two miles out from what you would know is a relatively well traveled intersection the wagon is stopped again briefly - both to allow Aiden to cast his Polymorph spell, and to allow Ramiro to refresh the conjuration so they have plenty of time left if they do run into someone else. Aiden transforms into an owl and takes to the sky, launching out the back of the wagon and flying upward to get eyes on the road ahead...
Aiden Perception: 21
20% chance of someone being at T intersection: 62
He flies high into the sky, keeping the Imperial Way in sight. Eventually the intersection in questions comes into view for him, as well as several miles of the road leading in either direction. Surprisingly, it appears to be empty at this time. After flying back down to the wagon and informing the others, the journey resumes and you continue ahead.
Turning onto the western road at the intersection, you find the environment around you slowly start to change over the next two hours. The most common trees become firs and spruces, and the hills give way as the road takes into the mountain pass...While there are some who live in this area, there's little in the way of major population. Most moutainfolk live together in small hamlets at best, or often alone or just with their families. They're rare to see on the Imperial Way or at all really, as even Belorion's tax collectors rarely bother trying to collect from them.
You've traveled for eight and a half hours so far, traversing about a hundred miles. The mountain pass goes on for the next 85 miles, ending at a large town named Aramoor. It is avoidable, but would require a ~50 mile detour to instead go further north around the end of the mountain range and then loop back onto the Imperial Way.
(( Does Ulf know much about Aramoor? I am mainly concerned with how 'devout' they are, and how long it would take to traverse the town? We can't risk taking more than an hour. *Might* be best to bypass if it's big and/or devout. ))
"If it takes more time to avoid an unnecessary trouble," Eleriel offers a shrug to her companions as they plan their next steps, "it's probably worth it. Though if you're all confident we can get through Aramoor without raising suspicion I'll trust you."
"If it takes more time to avoid an unnecessary trouble," Eleriel offers a shrug to her companions as they plan their next steps, "it's probably worth it. Though if you're all confident we can get through Aramoor without raising suspicion I'll trust you."
Ulf nods, "Aye, anything that slows us down -- inspections at the gates, a festival, anything -- they all put us as risk of being discovered. Best to play it safe."
(( It's a "large" town, so I assume the above makes sense in context; if not, he would probably say something different... ))
“Carsick?” Ramiro asks, noticing Ulf’s unease during the trek. He leisurely lifts up the wagon curtain and gives the old man walking along side of it a casual smile, “Wanna ride the horses or you’d like to sit on a giant floating disk?”
And Ramiro was enjoying the trip, mostly - he claimed the most comfortable seat in the wagon, his fine shirt was haphazardly tucked into his trousers, which were haphazardly tucked into his boot. He worked on his spellbook, then his poems and librettos, noting down the tales of the voices in his head telling him. His buttery blond hair had an air of wild and free, and he kept tangling a curl of it in one finger and artlessly letting it go.
“Aiden is a pretty cool guy.” He remarks, after he watches the man polymorph into a owl and soar away.
“No need to make this hard for ourselves. Let’s take the long way around.”
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(( Assuming Alavin can suggest a place to sleep and to meet, Ulf is done; was he able to buy extra paper or parchment? ))
Ramiro's off to find himself some pleasant company for the evening - no doubt his inspiring speech at the main hall has done him some favors today. If his compadre happens to have a friend/sibling, he gladly introduces Ulf. The man needs to take some edge off.
(( lolol -- Ulf would be the wing man from hell, I fear ))
Ulf nods to Ramiro as he departs, then gets ready to rest for the night. He cleans his weapons, waxes his bow string and tends to his armour before finding a dark and secluded position in which to rest. His bow lies alongside him, and his other weapons are all within reach. He smiles to himself, wishing he had the stamina of the bard, who always seems tired but never seems to rest. Hell of a day. How many more do I have left, I wonder?
((Parchment secured easy. However much you need[be reasonable, don't walk away with an entire Office Depot].))
With a plan settled upon and preparations underway, you all go your (mostly?) separate ways for the night. Ramiro is easily able to charm his way into one of the least crumbled structures around the lake, earlier claimed by a merchant group welcome among this circle for their willingness to trade under the table. The others take rest where they can find it, either camping out in the open or among the other abandoned buildings in Sanctuary. Most people here keep to themselves or their groups, but aren't hostile if you approach. You settle in, and eventually sleep takes you.
You are woken slightly before dawn by some of Alavin's men, who quietly lead you down one of the paths leading out of Sanctuary. Shortly out of sight from the temple, you find the man himself standing among a few others. An untethered covered wagon sits beyond them. He ends a conversation as you approach, turning to face you. "I hope your sleep was restful. You've quite a journey ahead." He gestures over his shoulder with a thumb at the wagon, "We were able to get one with a canvas covering."
"You'll need to abandon it once you get well within the Vale. Even the best trails inward towards the temple are treacherous, but this will do you well on the road. There are a few small settlements along the way, though you'd need to go out of your way to reach them. Hammershawl is unavoidable by road however."
"I would be wary traveling through. If you get delayed and your summoning spell runs its course while you're still there..." He grimaces, "well things might get ugly for you at that point."
"Once you've found the Divine Veil, return here. Most will have cleared out by then, but myself and a few others will be waiting."
Ulf examines the wagon, then thanks Alavin, "The sooner we leave, the better." He glances around at the others, "Does anyone have means of observing into the distance from above? A familiar or companion spirit of some kind? It might serve us well as we travel."
It was hard to tell if Ramiro had a good rest or not, with the perpetual dark circles under his deep eyes in contrast to his pale complexion, but judging by his leisurely steps and the slight smile on his lips - he probably did. He looks more properly equipped, with sleek leather armor over his sophisticated fine clothing, a satchel hanging by his hip for his spellbook, and carrying a bandore made of dark maplewood with mysterious engravings behind his back.
He looks at the wagon, then smiles handsomely at Alavin. “I shall try my best to keep these in one piece.”
Ramiro climbs into the wagon, finds himself a comfortable spot. He produces a crystal ball in front of him, wisps of mists within the glass shifting and rotating, forming warped and evanescent figures. While he casts Phantom Steed, he turns to Ulf and shrugs at his question.
Ulf waits for Ramiro to finish the ritual to see if he has more to add, beyond his shrug, then looks dubiously at the horses. "Beasts of burden are not something concerning which I have much experience. I find the concept...mildly distasteful." He examines the conjured horses more closely, running his hand along their necks admiringly, "A useful conjuration though; what spirits inhabit these, I wonder?"
He sighs, strightens his pack, then turns to the others, "Perhaps someone else has more experience with such things?"
Thalia stands a bit back, watching the conjuration of their cart horses. As it finishes, she moves to place her things in the wagon. "I can't say I could steer them either."
"I'll try if you don't mind the risk of being thrown into a tree."
Ulf snorts, "I'm sure we'll manage."
He looks over the horses again, "Impressive beasts! If they are as fast as Ramiro says, then they might take a little practice." Nodding in satisfaction, he begins hitching them to the wagon, and is surprised by their unnatural stillness. "These are no ordinary animals; otherwise I might try to...persuade them to do what we need. Hopefully they won't be as nervous as real horses." As he finishes his work he nods in satisfaction, and climbs aboard, "This should be interesting."
He cocks an eyebrow to Ramiro, "Can you control them, or do we treat them like normal horses?"
“Someone’s gotta steer them!” Ramiro calls out from the wagon. He flips through his spell book with his slender fingers and black nails, and kicks one foot atop another. “I can’t; I’m casting.”
He gives a subtle chuckle as sees Ulf in front of the wagon, “Don’t worry, they are very obedient. They don’t have feelings.”
(( If Thalia is willing to drive, are we ready to set off? ))
10% chance of others on road when reaching Imperial Way
53
Alavin and the others with him begin their trek back towards the safety of Sanctuary as Thalia takes the reins of the summoned horses. After the rest of you pile in she gives the reins an experimental light tug before setting off.
It takes about three hours to actually reach the Imperial Way, a stone-paved road the loops around most of Belorion, connecting the important trade, political, and resource centers of the country. Here on the west side of Lake Borel, the geography is marked by tall peaks, punctuated with valleys that hold fertile soil for crop raising. Partially down the mountain from Sanctuary is a rough dirt path wide enough for the wagon, but the last three hours are an uncomfortable ride, as the the road gives way to natural terrain.
Just before you crest the final hill blocking sight of the Imperial Way, Thalia would pull the wagon to stop to allow someone else to scout the way ahead. Walking to the top of the hill and looking out over the field below, you see the winding stone road of the Imperial Way and see...
...That the coast is clear. For a few miles in either direction on the road, you see no on else traveling at this time.
"Ah, lucky us. The road all to ourselves for now." Aiden says, welcoming the relatively easy start to their journey. "If it's all the same to you all, when we start nearing lands with civilization, I'd like to spend some time in the air to make sure we're not heading into trouble. I'd hate to run into a patrol of some kind right as we're frantically pulling our horses from whatever nether they're summoned from."
(whenever the party gets close to like, a major intersection or a town where they can expect more traffic Aiden will Polymorph into an owl and fly up/ahead a little bit)
Ulf nods at the remark and, at the crest of the hill, asks the driver to stop then jumps next to the driver's seat of the wagon and stands, using his spyglass to see if he can make out any extra details. He matches what he sees to the details to the map, then uses both to try to pick a good spot to camp for the evening. Ideally, something defensible, not too far from water, and secluded...
He nods his thanks to Thalia, letting her resume the journey, then returns to the back of the wagon. He stares at the tireless bard for a time before speaking. "You're doing well lad, we are making excellent time. Should be able to rest in a few hours."
Having said his piece, Ulf resumes the silent vigil that has occupied him since departing Sanctuary; looking ahead, then behind and then carefully out the sides of the wagon covers (he has loosened them slighty at each side, to allow a small sliver of their surroundings to be seen). He seems perpetually ill-at-ease. He tried trotting along beside the wagons, but the remarkable speed of the conjured horses soon put an end to that. The only times he has seemed even slightly relaxed was when the wagon was forced to travel slowly over broken ground, and he was finally able to walk for a extended period.
From this vantage point on the hill, which is one of the taller ones in the area, there isn't all the much to make out. You're certain to be out here alone, and there's not a farm nor homestead in sight. Below leads onto a brief field before hitting the road, which runs north and south. The terrain on the other side of the road gives way to more gently sloping hills. From the map and your general knowledge of the area, you would know that Lake Borel is just out of sight beyond those eastern hills, approximately 8 miles from the road. Because of the terrain and curvature of the world however, it would be out of sight(Likewise, given you still have something ungodly like 130+ miles left of travel today, you cannot spot an encampment for the night ;) ).
Thalia directs the phantom horses onto the road, and you resume your journey. The next three and a half hours pass with no incidents, despite Ulf's unease. The terrain would stay much the same through that time, with the size of the hills occasionally taking up the entire view east or west, hiding the mountain peaks from sight for brief periods of time.
About two miles out from what you would know is a relatively well traveled intersection the wagon is stopped again briefly - both to allow Aiden to cast his Polymorph spell, and to allow Ramiro to refresh the conjuration so they have plenty of time left if they do run into someone else. Aiden transforms into an owl and takes to the sky, launching out the back of the wagon and flying upward to get eyes on the road ahead...
Aiden Perception: 21
20% chance of someone being at T intersection: 62
He flies high into the sky, keeping the Imperial Way in sight. Eventually the intersection in questions comes into view for him, as well as several miles of the road leading in either direction. Surprisingly, it appears to be empty at this time. After flying back down to the wagon and informing the others, the journey resumes and you continue ahead.
Turning onto the western road at the intersection, you find the environment around you slowly start to change over the next two hours. The most common trees become firs and spruces, and the hills give way as the road takes into the mountain pass...While there are some who live in this area, there's little in the way of major population. Most moutainfolk live together in small hamlets at best, or often alone or just with their families. They're rare to see on the Imperial Way or at all really, as even Belorion's tax collectors rarely bother trying to collect from them.
You've traveled for eight and a half hours so far, traversing about a hundred miles. The mountain pass goes on for the next 85 miles, ending at a large town named Aramoor. It is avoidable, but would require a ~50 mile detour to instead go further north around the end of the mountain range and then loop back onto the Imperial Way.
(( Does Ulf know much about Aramoor? I am mainly concerned with how 'devout' they are, and how long it would take to traverse the town? We can't risk taking more than an hour. *Might* be best to bypass if it's big and/or devout. ))
"If it takes more time to avoid an unnecessary trouble," Eleriel offers a shrug to her companions as they plan their next steps, "it's probably worth it. Though if you're all confident we can get through Aramoor without raising suspicion I'll trust you."
#edbd00 - Gold
(( I realized I forgot to roll for Ramiro's Spirit Tales: )) 4
Ulf nods, "Aye, anything that slows us down -- inspections at the gates, a festival, anything -- they all put us as risk of being discovered. Best to play it safe."
(( It's a "large" town, so I assume the above makes sense in context; if not, he would probably say something different... ))
“Carsick?” Ramiro asks, noticing Ulf’s unease during the trek. He leisurely lifts up the wagon curtain and gives the old man walking along side of it a casual smile, “Wanna ride the horses or you’d like to sit on a giant floating disk?”
And Ramiro was enjoying the trip, mostly - he claimed the most comfortable seat in the wagon, his fine shirt was haphazardly tucked into his trousers, which were haphazardly tucked into his boot. He worked on his spellbook, then his poems and librettos, noting down the tales of the voices in his head telling him. His buttery blond hair had an air of wild and free, and he kept tangling a curl of it in one finger and artlessly letting it go.
“Aiden is a pretty cool guy.” He remarks, after he watches the man polymorph into a owl and soar away.
“No need to make this hard for ourselves. Let’s take the long way around.”