With all who voiced an opinion in agreement, the intrepid group starts the trek through the stables, a nearly ever-present breeze at your backs. Mystie urges Bubba to the front in order to get a better view, and the rest of you filter in behind. The main artery through the stables varies in width and hardly runs straight, cutting left and right, at different times, to get around pens, cages, and buildings.
Two things dominate the skyline as you start the journey. First is a large arch marking the exit from the stables. It's easy to see, although some places within the stables line of sight to it would be blocked. The second major item is a large domed cage. It's hard to make a height estimate, but it must be immense, easily the height of even a large building.
Even with the breeze helping, there is little way to escape the odor of the place. It is easy to see why--just about anything you have imagined ever riding is here. Small mounts like dogs, and giant mounts like elephants, are all represented, as are their particular odors. Combined, it is enough to make one wonder how anyone works here.
Speaking of which, a variety of stablehands busy themselves with daily chores, feeding, cleaning, and exercising the animals. They seem mostly unconcerned with you, although some look and even a few wave, most notably a matronly halfling.
[sblock=Planning and Stuff]In the long run, you're going to need planning on how you are going to 'march', make camp, keep watches, etc, etc. For now, how you're moving as a group is the important issue. Barring any particular 'marching order' being agreed upon, I will default to 'armed gaggle' where I randomly assign your positions if an encounter happens, only making exceptions for those who clearly stated an intent, such as Mystie wanting to be in the front.
And unless told otherwise, I will further assume that you will all move at the speed of the slowest mount, which would be the riding dog or the ponies at 40', although the dog would tire out first if pushed for speed (all equines have endurance).
And for those who wonder, horses and ponies are statistically distinct in Pathfinder, whereas in the real world the boundary is more continuous and blurred together. It's best to think of ponies as more miniature in nature.
Enough of me talking.[/sblock]
