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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4498584" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 7 - Winter Travelers (Part 1)Berdar Djaler, Ambassador for the First Lord of Hillsfar looked up at the lights of the walled village and allowed himself a moment of relief. Snow had blocked the mountain passes behind him and his companions and it had fallen heavily until the previous night. The last day had been a hard slog through the knee-deep fall and his old bones were wearying of the struggle. He would not allow his companions to know any of that, of course.“Tymora smiles upon us,” he said, turning to the two fur-cloaked figures behind him who flanked the small wagon that carried his travelling gear. “We shall rest under thatch tonight.”“I’m so glad,” answered one with a voice that was edged with venomous sarcasm. Berdar ignored her. Kelolitha, Kel to her friends, had an acerbic wit that he had learned to tolerate.“One day Kel will learn manners,” said his other companion. Serethira was another matter. She used what charms she had to win others over, though those she won over were frequently drunk sailors and mercenaries. They called her Thira but she rarely saw any of them more than once.“Well I’m staying there,” he said with mock annoyance. “You two can freeze out here if you prefer.”Berdar turned off the road and started up the barely visible sloped track towards the gates of the walled village and the two robed figures turned the wagon and followed him. No sooner had he turned aside than he felt the toes of his right foot stub sharply on something hard in the snow and he stumbled forward, falling to his hands and knees. Kel and Thira both rushed to the aid of the ambassador but he waved them back with one hand.“Just a rock in the snow,” he said.Kel knelt where Berdar had tripped and began scrabbling in the snow.“This rock has a goblin attached to it,” she said then.The ambassador turned and joined Kel in scraping back the snow while Thira calmed the jittery draft horses who had seemingly now smelled the goblin. Sure enough, Berdar and Kel quickly uncovered the top half of a goblin warrior, frozen solid and seemingly buried in the snow several days before. Clutched tightly in its left hand was the object that had caused Berdar to trip. And it was not a rock.“A knot of wood,” said Kel warily.“With something carved on it.Sure enough, the knot of wood had what seemed to be a map carved onto its surface though it was no bigger than the hand of a man or a goblin. Kel prized it free, ignoring the cracking of the goblin’s fingers. Berdar visibly cringed.“I wonder where this leads?” asked Kel.“Maybe they can tell us,” said Thira gesturing at the walled village at the top of the trail. Two torches could be seen burning on the walls now , presumably held by shivering sentinels peering out into the winter darkness.“Put the goblin on the wagon,” said Berdar. “If he’s from around here, whoever lives here will want to know his tribe.”“Besides,” said Thira. “They may pay a bounty on goblin hides.” She clicked her tongue and the horses started up the trail again towards the gates of the village.</blockquote>

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