AA3 38 - Expedition III

The expedition set off somewhat ponderously at first, but that was to be expected with so many people who weren’t used to working together.

Eventually, though, they did get moving and started heading southeast through the chain of mountains known as the Steps of Govannon.

Dunkirn lay on the far side of the Steps and was down at their southern edge, so they would make their way through a pass that lay partway in between and then cut down the far side of the mountains.

Unlike the trip north, they were all on foot this time. The wagon space was wholly taken up with supplies and the necessary equipment. Considering that each of these wagons was made for capacity rather than travel, it was a considerable amount.

Sweeping the area with his Aether senses, Verdan noted the familiar Aether inside the middle wagon. It seemed that was where the enchanted gear he’d helped make was being stored.

Beyond that, there were only a few flickers of Aether from the other work he’d done, like Kai’s spear, Barb’s prosthetics, and the weapons for the Mhorgain thearns.

Verdan restrained the urge to sigh, slightly disappointed but not particularly surprised. He still hadn’t had a good opportunity to really investigate the runes the Chosen were using, and he was wary of pushing to do so for fear of giving insult.

The Keepers of the different Clans took their roles seriously; that much was clear. Verdan strongly suspected that keeping the knowledge he sought secret was very much one of the tasks they were set, if not the primary one.

He had a good relationship with Sebastian at the moment, and Maeve’s presence had good connotations for his dealings with her mother. Rushing ahead could ruin all of that, and that was unacceptable.

“I’d like to do some more of the assisted meditation tonight if you’re free?” Kai asked, breaking Verdan from his thoughts.

“I can manage that,” Verdan said after a moment. “I’ve got quite a bit of work to get done before we reach Dunkirn, but some time spent improving our capabilities would be worthwhile. Dirk, you’ll join us for this, but you’ll be focusing on just adding new layers to your spiral.”

“Yes, Master,” Dirk said eagerly, his eyes bright as he looked between Kai and Verdan. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I’m sure I don’t,” Verdan said with an amused smile before picking up the pace slightly and looking over to Kai and Barb. “I need to speak with the Keeper; I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, think about what further enchantments could assist you.” 

Heading off from their small group, Verdan moved over to the centre of the expedition, where Ciaran and Sebastian were talking.

The Chosen had set up an alternating schedule for their position as they travelled, and it looked like it was Osran’s turn to be on patrol, as Maeve and Jarn were positioned at the front and rear of the expedition, respectively.

“Wizard Blacke,” Sebastian looked up as Verdan approached them. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I have a somewhat delicate question regarding caelin,” Verdan said, moving over to walk alongside them. 

“I need to go switch off with Maeve. Good to see you, Wizard.” Ciaran nodded to both Verdan and his father before heading off towards the front of the expedition at a jog.

“The Chosen that joined us have merged well with our group, and you have my thanks for that,” Sebastian said softly. “Maeve is well known for her prowess, and Osran has a clear hatred of the Darjee.”

“I assumed that you arranged for their presence?” Verdan lifted a brow questioningly. “I don’t believe I did anything to encourage them to join us.”

“Oh?” Sebastian looked over with a surprised expression. “Maeve mentioned a service you did for her mother, though she gave no details.”

“Ah, I see,” Verdan said no more, not wanting to give away information that wasn’t his to provide.

“Yes, just like that,” Sebastian said with a low chuckle. “Osran, however, said that his great-uncle tasked him to join us. Any idea there?”

“He did?” Verdan echoed in surprise. He hadn’t felt like he’d left that strong of an impression on the old Keeper, especially not to this degree. “Will it cause an issue with Osran being from Clan Menteith?”

“No, in some ways, it will be easier than the fact that Jarn or Maeve are here,” Sebastian said, his smile turning slightly brittle. “The politics between Clans are often a lot simpler than those within a Clan. That isn’t relevant right now, though. You said you had a question?”

“Yes, it’s about caelin replacement,” Verdan said, taking a moment to organise his thoughts before continuing. “Some of the thearns from Clan Mhorgain have injuries on their heads, which I would be able to heal. The problem would be that doing so would remove their caelin, as the magic wouldn’t exempt the scars.”

“I see, and you’re wondering if I could then replace them?” Sebastian asked, to which Verdan nodded. “I don’t see an issue with that, but I’d ask that we wait until Dunkirn. They will have an area prepared for such things for when a local Keeper comes through.”

“I can agree to that, thank you.”

“I’m happy to help. I wish more of our older warriors could have access to healing. The clerics of Govannon do what they can, but there are only so many of them, and they have a lot of area to cover.”

“I will do what I can for those we have with us, but I’m not as good a healer as a cleric.”

“You underestimate your value, Wizard,” Sebastian said with a shake of his head. “Without you, we have only basic alchemy and mundane healing to rely on. Take my word for it. You will save lives by the end of this.”

“You’re right. I should focus on the good of what I can do,” Verdan said, looking at the surrounding Kranjir and wondering how many would die by the end of this. It was a sobering thought, and he hated the idea that their lives rested in his hands. 

They both fell silent, lost in their own thoughts, for a few minutes until Verdan excused himself and headed back to share the news with Benlen and the other Mhorgain thearns.

Benlen spread the news among his companions to a mix of reactions ranging from surprise to joy and, in a few cases, suspicion. 

Verdan tried not to let that last part bother him. After all, he was a foreigner here, and the Kranjir of Clan Mhorgain had only just come into contact with him. Still, it was frustrating when he was only trying to help them.

Verdan would push on anyway, though. A healthy and hale group of thearns would mean the best level of protection for Dirk, and that was worth some annoyance in Verdan’s book.

“Looks like we’re going back into the woods,” Kai remarked, gesturing up ahead to a thick wall of trees that they were approaching.

The initial stretch of the journey from Glarn had been grassland with some rolling hills, but the base of the mountains was thickly forested. That meant they were getting close to the pass.

The expedition had been somewhat loose until now, but the tighter confines of the road through the forest and the short sight lines had them form up much more tightly.

The mood in the air began to change as they moved through the forest, becoming sombre and resolute as they reached the head of the pass between the Steps.

A large clearing with an inn and a watchtower sat before them, which surprised Verdan. There wasn’t much in the way of fortifications outside of the city, but he imagined that the passes through the Steps were key for travel and trade.

“We’re camping here this evening. We move at first light, so get your rest while you can.” Ciaran’s voice rang out as the wagons began to turn off the road. 

The camp was set up in short order, and some of the relaxed mood returned as the cooks got to work feeding everyone. While they waited, Verdan set Dirk a few tasks that he’d come up with after the last meditation with Kai.

The first was for Dirk to practice shifting his focus between actively gathering Aether and partitioning his mind to keep it running passively. 

Dirk had taken to partitioning his mind with surprising ease, and that same competence shone through with this new task. It was impressive, to say the least, and Verdan felt a swell of pride as he watched Dirk push himself to be better.

“Wizard, do you have a moment?” A voice came from off to one side, drawing Verdan’s attention over to where Maeve was standing at the edge of their small section of the camp.

“Chosen Barkstar, please, make yourself comfortable,” Verdan said, gesturing to a raised seat of hardened earth that he’d made earlier.