The party moves on

Early the next morning Janno and Ariel woke up together. Bella smiled as she brought them bowls of gruel sweetened with honey. Janno returned to the business at hand, and organized the party for a quick departure. Ariel's eyes were much better, and they started off.

At the end of the day, dusty and tired, the little party wound its way up the road to the broad, high valley of Caravan Cross. Sitting under the flapping canvas of a tent that passed for a room at a cheap inn at the edge of the caravan city, Janno laid out some possibilities for how to proceed.

"This is what I get from asking around town," Janno said. "We have three ways we could go, really, toward Araban. Most straightforward is the caravan route. We might be able to sign up to work one of the caravans. The problem is that caravans travel more slowly than we would alone, and the road swings wide of the direct path to Araban, touching Photex on the sea. I can't say I really want to visit Photex again. Maybe eleven days to Araban that way."

Janno cleared his throat. "Next," he said, "this time of year we could take a high pass that would cut several days off. Arduous, but not especially dangerous on this side of the top of the range. A couple days of rough, lonely country on the other side before we rejoin the high road to Araban. Maybe six or seven days. I'd want to find a guide, at least to get us up to the pass."

"Last, we could start on the caravan route but instead of dipping down to Photex, we could traverse the Silkwood Forest. At the end of the forest is a set of hills that drops down to Araban. Maybe six days if all goes well. I'd prefer a druid or ranger to help pass the forest. It's not so much that it's dangerous as that it has a reputation for being confusing to pass through, like the land spirits enjoy playing little tricks on travelers."

"And did you find anyone who was looking to join an adventuring party?" Ariel asked. "Three still seems a bit small."