Ashes of Empires

"Ay. I have traveled the steppe, I have traveled a great many places. I have no desire to return; you'd be best off going elsewhere as well." The man paused to take a long gulp of his freshly pulled ale. Half the drink seemed to miss his mouth; droplets ran down the long length of his unruly red beard. 

"I understand your reservations ser, however, our need for a navigator is great. As I understand it there are few who could do better. "

A duo of bowls was set in front of the two men by a passing innkeeper; steam roared off the piping-hot stew. 

"Ha! Save your flattery for someone else. It won't earn you any goodwill from the good people of this town." The man dug into the thick and hearty meal, bits of salted meats from the recent winter augmented the dinner. 

"Perhaps not. This might do the trick, however." 

The man caught the coin as it rolled across the table. He eyed it with curiosity and attempted a bite, Satisfied with the feel he pocketed it. 

"Real gold, huh? Perhaps we can do business." His eyes settled on a figure sitting at the bar. "Is it just you and your friend over there?"

"No. There will be thirty of us in total. We can provide our own supplies and protection. If you accept, we shall ensure you are very. Very. well rewarded." The mention of rewards brought a glint of a smile to his mouth with a slight shade of greed.

"Very well then. I shall meet with you all on the marrow, for now, I suggest you purchase you gather extra provisions. Food is scarce on the steppe and I am afraid the game to hunt will not be to your liking."

With a curt nod, the hooded man departed guide, his fellow at the main bar joined him as they made their way to their lackluster but adequate lodging in the courtyard opposite the Inn.

Runswick was a modest town on the border of the principality, a long cry from the thriving cities and Market towns of the southern kingdoms. The further north they went, the more sparse the people became. In comparison to the nearby villages and farmsteads of the surrounding land they had passed, Runswick's seemed almost out of place. The newly instated baron of the town and its attached lands had worked diligently to increase trade with the major cities. Its location next to the Urta River, which cut the town in two, has proven to be an effective highway for river barges to transport goods to and from. 

He passed under the engraved sign of the inn's second, adjacent building that named it the 'Fighting Bear Inn'. After climbing a set of untrustworthy-looking stairs, he entered his room and pulled down his rain-soaked hood.

"Willam. I hope you finally found a guide; I tire of this grim land." 

"And so I have little Lothac," Willam removed his drenched overcoat and placed it in the corner. 

Willam reached for the latent power of magic and whispered, "Ignis." With his well-developed sixth sense, he imbued only enough mana in the spell to dry his clothing. More comfortable now, he held out his hand and whispered.

"Silens volutpat."

Willam doubted there were any eavesdroppers present in such an area, but the spell to soundproof the room to those outside was simple and didn't take much power. It was a precaution most would be smart to make a habit. Wizards were protected by their affluent political influence in the south, their protection under law did not extend this far north. 

"I spoke with a trapper called Hrothgar. He agreed to take us as far as the Adradi Caliphate by way of the rusty road. After that, we will need to find a new guide." Willam could tell his words dismayed the stout dwarf.

"The Rusty Road?" Grunted Lothac, "I heard that war has caused banditry along the areas to become a great issue." 

There was truth in those words. A civil war had consumed the princedom of Costovo, deserters and bandits had almost completely halted the flow of traffic down the river. 

"We shall discuss this with the guide tomorrow. I doubt he is any more interested than us to stride through a war zone." Willam turned towards the third figure, the one who had watched him during the talk with the guide. "Selene, I want you to contact the others and inform them of our success. I expect them here within a fortnight, tell them to be as well provisioned for the journey as possible." 

The journey to the steppe proper would be long and dangerous, his last visit almost twenty years ago had left him near dead. This journey would be much, much longer than the previous.