As Rin begins her ritual, casting precisely and with care as is her usual practice, she begins to feel more uneasy still.  Under normal circumstances she can feel the arcane power build, with each word and gesture contributing in a controlled way towards the final casting.  Yet there is nothing on this occasion.  It as if she has failed to channel or connect to the arcane power at all. Except, worse, such power as is always present around her - her arcane aura - feels as though it is being drained away.

For Lumaris, the use of Divine Sense deepens the feeling of disconnection and desolation from her customary link with Oriellen.  There is no evil nearby - there is simply nothing. A trackless, featureless, void from which any soul - even one blessed by Oriellen -  might become lost and never return. It seems to almost feed upon her clerical energy like a syphon - pulling and draining her vitality and life-force.

As they meet each other's eyes in fear, the pair each remember a warning - received many miles apart and at different times long before they met.  When The Breach was formed, it disrupted the flow of magic through the world - both arcane and divine. South of the breach, this stabilised and reversed over time (many hundreds of years) but north of the breach, such disruptions remain.  "Void spots", was what Lumaris' mentor called them. "Dead magic zones" was how Rin's Loremaster described them.  Places where no magic of any kind will work. Where spells fail and a caster's link with their power is severed.  To cast in one is to open a channel whereby such energy as the caster possesses will drain away from them.  They are not typically very large areas, but the only solution - if a caster becomes entrapped - is to flee to safety before their magic is completely spent.

When Rin realizes what's going on, she panics, "We need to get out of here! This a bad spot to rest! It's a Dead Magic zone!" Rin then starts getting ready to move as fast as she can while feeling drained.

Gwen shivered beneath her heavy clothes as they found somewhere calm to rest, she finds herself sinking further into her own thoughts as they drifted and drifted... and drifted further from conscious thought to an almost dreamlike state until she is pulled from her reverie by Rin's panicked cries. "Rin, the mule!" Gwen calls after the young woman as she rushes to quickly gather her own things to follow. 

Some ways away, her grey cloak somehow blending into the snowy landscape, Lumaris hears Rin's cry... even as she herself recognized the problem. Stepping back into sight, she says, "Rin is correct. We must move... quickly." Reaching out with one gloved hand, she starts to brush the snow off of the object that they had sheltered next to, wanting to see what it is.

However, as soon as the others are ready to move out, she leaves whatever she has uncovered and moves to lead the way, picking out the faint lines of the snowy track they had been following.

Avery gathers his stuff to move, too, and as he does pulls out an old letter he has stashed that is written in Dwarven. He doesn't know Dwarven, but that's never stopped him from reading this letter, because he has Eyes of the Runekeeper,and can magically read all writing. He stares at it as they walk, and will call out if he can make sense of it again at some point.

Before hurrying away, Lumaris uncovers a corner of a stone tomb.  It would no doubt be enlightening to spend the time to study it and uncover more text, but  time does not permit this. All Lumaris is able to read is elvish text: "Qestar dthe Tel D...."  or Knight of Tel D... which in her present state of distress means nothing.  The party hurriedly make their way back towards the track.  The sensations fade almost immediately - the effect is very localised - and after 100 feet everyone feels their connection to magic or their deity begin to return.  The mule settles almost immediately too and nuzzles Rin hopefully in case she has more of that tasty food.

Everyone is deeply tired now.  Rather than seeking the shelter of a mound, Lumaris guides you quickly to a nearby dell.  A few minutes of hard work by everyone digging away into the dell and throwing up snow around it, provides equivalent shelter. It has the added advantage of removing the party from immediate view - though unless someone leaves the dell your own field of vision is greatly reduced.

A general sense of peace and safety returns.  A small fire can be started for warmth and for a hot drink. The dell and snow heaped around it will confine the fire's light considerably.  Rest and meditation is now possible for a long rest.

Avery's letter, once he is free of the dead magic, appears to be written by one of the first dwarves to travel north once the Underpassage was completed.  One relevant extract: "The land of Erkheim (this is the dwarven name for the northern territory) appears bleak.  It is full of hazards and hidden danger. There are surely riches to be mined north of here within the mountains and I doubt not that there will be those who seek them; yet this is not a path I choose.  My heart lies to the south, along with my mines and my clan. Perhaps when I was younger and free, this land would tempt me as it possibly has some in the times before The Breach was formed.  I hear stories, rumours, that the mountains were inhabited and worked, long long ago before History records such things.  Perhaps they will be so again, now our Great Undertaking is complete.  If so, I doubt it will happen for many generations of Men.  If it proves so, and if men, dwarves and even Elves one day thrive once more here, then my part in the Great Undertaking will be well done and meet.  I shall toast this hope each year upon the anniversary of the Underpassage's completion in Delmar's name."

Once her magic works again, Rin will feed the Mule some more pieces of carrot flavored straw, as thanks for leaving that area promptly.

Rin helps with getting the camp prepared, using magic to do so where she can.

Lumaris settles into the track once again, relieved that the connection has returned, as she carefully points her way north once again, wondering who the Knight is buried there, before finding the dell for the party to rest for the night. Collecting and arranging some pieces of wood, with a murmured word and a gesture she lights it easily with Druidcraft. She sits there by the fire, saying a series of prayers, counting them as she moves a small piece of rope with knots tied into it through her fingers.

Then, after sufficient rations for everyone's supper are bubbling on the iron pot on the fire, as Rin tends to the mule and removes its packs, Lumaris removes some parchment, quill and ink, ruler and compass from her bag, and sitting cross-legged in the light of the fire, she draws out the route they've travelled from North Keep, marking what landmarks she remembers.

"We may keep warmer if we set up the tents," she says. "But someone ought to keep watch. I need only four hours of rest... I can watch the rest of the night." After they eat, she helps to pitch the tents, and will take her four hours to meditate whenever the others wish her to. Otherwise, she watches, climbing to the edge of the dell and trying to remain hidden in the snowy, moonlit landscape.

Perception: 7
Stealth: 10

Eris will also take a watch, allowing Lumaris sufficient time to rest and meditate. The night passes peacefully and uneventfully. A couple of light snow flurries fall but otherwise the moon sheds white lights across an eerily silent landscape. No animal calls or movement disturb the watchers or those asleep.

Rin gets up early and starts preparing a breakfast for everyone.Having the ability to substitute magic for spices makes it easier to prepare tasty fare from simple ingredients.

The party eat well.  Rin's food is far tastier than would normally be achieved with simple trail rations, which sets everyone up very well for the day ahead.  Moving out, it cannot miss anyone's notice that heavy clouds are forming to the north - a forewarning of snow if ever there was one - but these are some distance off.  It should be possible to put in a decent walk, maybe to mid-afternoon, before stopping to find shelter in preparation for the snowfall.

Avery knows the weather patterns of northern Carvos well.  It is possible that this will be one of those heavy downfalls that pass relatively quickly.  It is early yet for anything too prolonged, even this far north.  Comfortingly, Lumaris' connection to her waypoint remains unwavering and she can confidently lead, or gently guide, the party towards their destination.  The mule appears entirely content to trudge along now and, aside from some occasional flatulence, gives no trouble to Rin.  Gwen has a comforting sense that she is on the right path - that Delmar is with her.  A similar sense of purpose and well-being infuses Avery and Eris.

(Apologies for the offensive spam characters that appeared in our Campaign folder. I've removed them and will report the user if it happens again)

Rin continues to give the mule occasional treats of carrot flavored straw, especially as a reward whenever it has to put out extra effort. The mule seems to like them, and Rin likes practicing her magic.

Lumaris trudges through the soft snow, her eyes often on the gathering storm. It's almost a way of resting her eyes, gazing far off into the distance, and there's something soothing and beautiful about the dark shapes of the clouds softly rolled together across the open sky. As mid-afternoon approaches, Lumaris lifts a hand out from under her cloak and gestures--casting Druidcraft--to see what the weather will be like here for a time.

(Druidcraft): A brief flurry of snowflakes appear, swirling and tumbling to the ground before fading to be followed by a soft silver glow.  This suggests a heavy fall of snow with a strong breeze, which will clear overnight.  It is likely to be the coldest night yet, if the sky fully clears as the incantation suggests it will. The silver glow is usually associated with moonlight in your experience.

The open and rather barren landscape undulates with scattered shallow dells like the one you rested in last night.  With the weather coming from the north as it is, if you take the time to pile a good deal of snow around the north side of one such dell, it will act as a windbreak and should also catch drifting snow to keep the worst of it from your encampment.  It is odd (and eerie) to look about such a vast landscape and not see another living creature.  The stillness is almost overwhelming, yet you know there are people out here and perhaps not so very far away. You estimate a day and a half more travel to where a line of trees reaches across your path.  You believe Skirnvjar is located a short distance within the forest.

Whether in meditation or in sleep, each party member experiences a vision or dream overnight.  To each it seems as though in the night sky, the stars align to form the symbol of your own particular deity.  Carrying on the wind you hear a voice speak: "Faith is to trust in the path laid before you, to trust that I place you best where you can do my work when neither the path nor purpose may be clear.  What may appear to be a challenge or obstacle may in fact be a blessing in a test soon to come."

The dawn eventually breaks after an otherwise uneventful night to reveal a fresh layer of snow across the landscape.  The precautions of the night before did prevent the worst of it from accumulating within the dell itself, yet a fair amount of snow has managed to find its way into your encampment.  It is a cold and damp awakening, one in which hot food and drink would be most welcome!  The comforts of an Inn seem particularly appealing now, though to be sure there is a natural beauty to your surroundings. However, the night's vision/dream has left each of you with a comforting sense of purpose; tinged perhaps with some curiosity as to the precise meaning behind it.

Lumaris rises before the sun, but only lights her censer with a sprinkling of incense, the warm glow of the embers softly illuminating the curling plumes of scented smoke that rise up into the frozen early dawn sky. Her eyes follow them up, into the vastness of the horizon. Eventually she stands, shaking the cold and damp snow from her cloak, and begins to gather what sticks she can find, clearing snow from the cold ashes of the previous night's fire. With a soft word and a wave of her hand she lights the sputtering sticks, which steam and smoke from the moisture, but she continues tracing a gesture over the flames, coaxing them to a greater hunger that dries out their fuel with great snapping and popping.

Once the fire is going well, she retrieves an iron pot from the mule's saddlebags, and fills it with snow before putting it on the fire to slowly melt, and then boil... something to warm the party once they wake.

Rin bustles about, clearing the snow out of the way, and preparing meals for everyone (including the mule). Using her magic, she's able to heat the food and drink even without a fire.

The party awake to a warming breakfast of hot food and drink.  This serves to reinforce a general sense that there is purpose to the journey. Despite the inhospitable climate, the party feel that the Gods favour them and they can meet the challenges ahead.  As Rin clears away the last of the breakfast items (magically), there is a sudden snarl and a shape leaps into the dell, placing itself between the party around the fire and the mule.  It is a Panther whose pelt is a mottled white, unlike any you have previously seen.  It's senses and attention seem to be fixed on your four-legged friend as a fresh and tasty meal. (Panther has initiative of 16 for next action)

Rin does NOT like the idea of the mule she's made a friend with being someone's breakfast! 

Initiative 21 (rolled on character sheet)

Lumaris spins to face the predator... it must be desperately hungry.

Initiative: 20 (rolled on character sheet)