Head for the mountains

One last glance at the shadowy figures in the alley and the war-weary soldiers and citizens on the street sets your mind. There's nothing for you here, at least not now. The best you can do for these people is to get going, and hopefully put an end to this tyranny sooner than later.

In a brief moment of pragmatism, you pull your cloak from your pack and wrap yourself in it's voluminous folds, pulling the hood up over your head, before setting off down the street. While the cloak is still obviously new, it does serve to conceal your exquisite curves and shiny gear, transforming you from someone who is blatantly a target to someone who might be a target.

You walk quickly through the town, occasionally pushing your way through throngs of people milling about, attempting to exude a confidence you don't entirely feel. While you do have a quest, the vagaries of what you're embarking on are not lost on you. With no idea exactly what this 'Hildaran' character looks like, or even an indication of what forces he has beyond "capable of bringing ruin and despair to a city," you'll have to be extra careful in how you tackle him once you're in the mountains.

It takes you less than half an hour to depart the city limits, and you quickly find yourself surrounded by forest. Hardy evergreen trees and scrubby brush grow alongside the worn cobblestone road you follow, eking out an existence from the rocky soil. The sounds of wildlife are more muted than they would be in a lowlands forest, as only hardier creatures could hope to survive these climes.

As your feet carry you closer to the mountains, you find yourself pleasantly surprised by your boots. Despite being able to feel each and every rounded stone beneath your feet, they provide enough of a cushion to prevent you from bruising your feet. Your only concern with them now is how well they'll handle being off the road, when that time comes. Your armor is also suitably comfortable, and you find the corset, despite its' minimalist cups, actually provides decent support during long walks like these.

As the hours pass, you find yourself at the treeline, where the road begins to wind upwards, into the mountains. The sun is riding lower on the horizon, and the temperature falling as you contemplate both shelter and where Hildaran is hiding. This is where things get...difficult. It makes no sense for Hildaran to hide on the peak of the mountain, and you rule that out, your eyes scanning lower on the mountain instead. At this hour, most camps should have cooking fires going, preparing evening meal, but you don't see any wayward flickers of light, nor plumes of smoke. A ways up the side of the mountain, tucked away beneath overhangs, you can see the mouth of a cave, though no light comes from it.

That narrows down where he can be marshaling his forces. The only options left are either in a cave network beneath the mountain, or on the far side of it. There's a chance that cave mouth will lead you into his hideout. The one other thing that comes to mind is the pass itself. While it makes no sense for Hildaran to marshal his forces there, it does make sense to place a small outpost there, to harass and raid merchants, and warn of military movements through the pass. Maybe you should start there, and see if you can come across some information.

On the other hand, night is coming, and you've no way to see in the dark without lighting a torch. Traversing the mountain in the dark will be treacherous. Maybe you should consider just finding shelter for the night, and starting your search in the morning.