(027) Some Country Air

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:

"I'm with you big guy", says Gustave, slapping Dieter on the shoulder.

"...and I look forward to watching you fish with that", he adds, eying Dieters well-bloodied sword.

With that, he picks the last few crumbs of rations from his fingers, shoulders his pack and heads off down the river, pausing only to throw over his shoulder "Are you lot coming then?"

"Who has the map?" Olaf asks, "If we follow the river, we might be traveling through swamps and marshes. I'd prefer dry land myself, but I do agree the chance of finding food is better along the river than away from it."

"Of course, the chance of predators, finding US for their food is greater along the river, too." he adds raising and lower his shoulders, "Could be good, could be bad, who can say. I'll go along with the majority on this decision."

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
"I have the map," Ulric says while extracting the parchment from his satchel. "We came here through the swamp and it had little game to offer. The river may provide some food, but if not it will take much longer. Then again the goblins might be waiting for us on the road. Let's see how much longer the river route will take."

Ulric studies the map intently.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
The scale of the map has everything between Ket and the ravine bridge (the gatehouses are not even marked) crammed into an inch or two of parchment.

The river on the map (which is actually just a stream in reality) follows a wide bend out of the way. It would doubtless add at least an extra day to the trip to follow the river all the way back to Ket.

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:
"An extra day is no bother, IF we can scare up some food, but it will call for a bit of belt tightening if we can't." Olaf remarks.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough is unfamiliar with the road to Ket, thus he will defer to his companions. As a practitioner of Elvish spear-fishing he has a slight preference to follow the river.

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
Pelenwin nods in agreement with the motion of following the river. He's just eager to get back to Ket and have a proper meal after all the ordeals he's been through.

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:
Gustave , now somewhat distant from his comrades, continues to progress along the river, whistling quietly to himself.

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
"Come on, then," Dieter mutters, shouldering his pack and following after Gustave.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
very good.

The company are all agreed... or at least all determined to follow the river regardless. And so they trudge off, following the river as it turns slowly into the west.

The march continues on as dusk approaches... now the canyon-lands are directly ahead (in the west and north-west). Looking down over the river flat, it can be seen that a good half day of marching ahead the river turns south, back toward Ket.

Mondes, of course, has been complaining of hunger pangs every step of the way, and advising everyone else (especially Desmond) to go bake some bread, gather some herbs, cook a pie, fry some eggs, locate a crisp apple and so on...

For now the immediate concern will be a safe place to bed down for the night, and a fire to keep warm. The last of your rations will serve for a meagre evening meal... and Wibert can make some of this water soup he keeps talking of.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough keeps an eye out for wild edibles, to the extent he can do so without slowing down the trek.