- - Sir Gromhelm's Geography Primer of the Icatian Empire ** January 7th, Boarderlands of Icatia, 53 Years after the Fall of Bhall, 10 Days From Springwell **
Its been ten days since you left Springwell and the the Blackthorn Dells. The trip has been easy enough, this far south the winter hasn't settled in with full force yet making travel on foot simple enough. You've left all you know behind, your companions, Celevan and Braedon, Drak and Mlion, they are no longer with you. The new quartet only has two of the old guard, "Dreams" and Torias, plus Nate and Lineos. You've had ten days now on the road to get to know each other, and you all seem to be getting along still. Even if Dreams is a bit preachy, and Lineos' constant preening is annoying to some.
The travel route has been fine, you have kept the River Foam on your left and followed it south, eventually it will empty into the sea and the dangerous coast and the are known as Chimera Cove. You crossed the Bright River without too much trouble, paying a ferry man a few silver for the use of his boat. The lands aren't devoid of life, besides the wildlife you've found pioneers, ranches, and a few small frontier hamlets no larger than an extended family or two. The people are hard people, they don't like strangers, and they don't trust stangers. Not here along the edge of the wild, any time you speak to them about supplies or directions, or anything they point to your Thornkeep to the north,"You traveling type can find what you want there."
Thornkeep however is well out of your way at this point. Still, you make the trip, the weather warming as you go south and as you near the sea. On a clear day you think you can see the great sand dunes of Malakim to the east and Lineos looks that way often. You are seated around your campfire, hopeful that in the morning you may finally reach Chimera Cove. The question of why you are going there has come up a few time from Nate or Lineos, and so you sit around the fire and go over it, 'one last time'.