Subject: Hot and Cold Darkness 323 views

[Racer Xonclar]

The older man simply nods in response and continues munching on his food.

After a peaceful and uneventful morning ride, you notice the smell of ash and smoke on the air. Turning to look ahead, you see a vast city, or at least what used to be one. Several buildings have been hollowed out by fire, while a couple are completely knocked over. The gates through the outer wall are clearly smashed to bits, though it looks like most of the debris had been cleared away. Closer to the city and you begin to notice the smell of burning bodies, but it's not just human bodies. There's a different smell to it.

The older man speaks up in a somewhat solemn tone, "Gods... I knew Arabel had been sacked, but I didn't know this bad. Gods be praised dat Lady Myrmeen was able to retake the city when she did. It doesn't look like it could have taken much more of tha orcs' abuse" The younger man quietly nods, pulling the horses to the left as the wagon passes through the shattered gates. You see droves of men, mostly humans though there are a few of the other common races present, working together. Some are dragging away debris, others are sawing lumber, others are hammering things into place.

A man standing apart from the workers shouts towards the three of you, "Ya'll come 'ere to work? Or just passin' through?" "The two of us are here to work," the older man shouts back, gesturing between him and the other man. "The lass is just catchin' a ride."
The man, presumably a foreman of sorts, nods and points down one of the streets, "There's a stable ya'll can park the horses at, free o' charge. Grab ya tools and see me when you're ready ta get started."

The "stable" looks to be one of the buildings in better shape converted into a makeshift stable. Posts to tie off the horses have been driven into the ground and most of them already have horses tied off. Wagons are parked off to the side to make room for more horses.

The two men you've been riding with reach behind them to the single chest and open it, pulling out two toolbelts. The older man looks at you, "Well, lass...this be tha end of the road for us. Hopefully, you have a safe trip the rest of the way to Suzail."

[Black_Hawk]

"I thank you for your hospitality in giving me a ride this far. May your work rebuilding this town not falter and may your weapons strike true in the event of another attack."

Looking at the destruction about her, she sighs. The orcs in this area have caused much more pain than orcs should. If she ever returns to this area she may have to help do something about the orc problem.

Turning back to her acquaintances, she frowns before speaking again. "How far is Suzail from here again? I would like to know about how long it will take e to get there from here."

[Racer Xonclar]

The two men jump down off the wagon, tying the toolbelts around their waists. "It's 'bout a hundred miles down the road to the south. Five days if ya go by foot. Probably will have to since most people be travelin' to here rather than from here." the older man says.

Tying off the horses, they walk around the wagon. "The roads should be safe. They raised the amount of Dragon's patrollin' the roads after the orcs were scattered from here."

As the man talks, it dawns on you that because of your...uniqueness, you can most likely make the trip in less than two days seeing as you would not have to stop and rest as often as a human.

[Black_Hawk]

"Thank you again for your hospitality. I intend to depart as soon as possible, seeing as the sooner i am there the better off i will be."

That being said she goes about her business, bidding the workers fair weather and luck before she goes about her way on toward Suzail.

[unless there is something else you wish to do here. I am fine with whatever if you need to interject]

[Racer Xonclar]

The two men wave as you start walking away. A fresh breeze from the east carries with it a strong scent of burning flesh and ash, a smell sadly your nose has begun to become accustomed to here. As you bid luck and farewell to the workers, most of them nod with thanks and hurriedly get back to their work. The foreman figure you saw earlier waves to you with a shout, "Tymora smile on ya travels!"

The sign shows that the northern road you were on earlier was "Moonsea Ride" and the road continuing south onto Suzail is "Calantar's Way". As you cross the bridge over the Sword River, you notice the water's cloudy and filled with debris; a further show of Arabel's damage.

A fresh, moist breeze from the east greets you as you continue down the road, as does the high midday sun and patrols of the Purple Dragons. They eye you carefully as the distance closes, but quickly the look turns to one of simple confusion. "Who in the hells is that?", likely going through their minds in their speechless patrol.

As the sun hangs low in the evening sky, you find yourself walking up on a town by the name of Immersea. The people walking the streets are finely dressed in silks and glare at you with a look of pure contempt; audible sounds of scoffing quite noticeable. You see the torchlighters, most of them teenaged boys, lighting the street lamps and checking the oil.

Onward down the road, the moon lights the small city of Hilp. While small, it has a healthy selection of taverns and inn; obviously tailored to the travelling merchant. The patrols of Purple Dragons continue even during the midnight hours.

The distant howl of wolves and gurgling of water greet you as you cross Calantar's Bridge; the Starwater's sparkling waters a pleasant sight in comparison to the last river. The distant lights and peaks of buildings can be seen along the horizon; the capital city and all it's splendor not much father to the south.

As the sun climbs the sky, not quite midday, you find yourself standing within the walls of Suzail. The city bristles with people and sounds. Purple Dragons marching along the outer walls in their best armor, children running in and around people, and the buzz of the tournament in the air. Canvas posters are hung here and there announcing the starting date of the tournament; a mere two days away. A walk through the streets shows large, stockade styled structures being built on near the Castle's gardens with more posters hanging from their walls. The streets all around these buildings are littered with taverns, whose signs have the purple emblem of Cormyr painted on them for some reason.

Though road dirty and in need of traditional rest and food, you made it, and in less than two days as you guessed. Following a larger group of people, you step into one of the largest taverns on the street, "The Wayward Child".

((I'll make a public thread for you and Shiv shortly))