"Then perhaps you will keep silent," suggests the Duke with a grin. "Let us begin, if you are ready," he says, hoisting himself onto his black steed. The group sets out from the clearing before the cave, heading down a rocky switchback trail leading gradually down the mountainside towards the valley below. The small valley, home to a dozen huts and their farmer occupants, provides a fair share of Ironcraig's stores of food. The party rides through the green and brown valley, a pleasant contrast to the grey of the mountains, and heads east, deeper into the mountains.
Duke Ghenthar displays his knowledge of the mountains well, and shares stories of his past journeys with his companions as they travel. "Ah, I remember this pass," he remarks one day as he leads them onto a rough trail, barely wide enough for a single horse to pass through between sheer mountainside and a trench below."A goblin warparty followed us when we found this pass, and ambushed us from the rear. I lost a good man that day-he lost his footing right here." The Duke points down into the dark trench, regret on his face as he thinks of past days exploring the mountains. "Now, from here, we can either take the higher pass that continues up this mountain, and will save us a few hours, or descend a little and take a steadier trail around the lower reaches. Which would you prefer?"
