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Chapter 40

Along the Serpent's Tail Trail

9:30 Dragon, 5th Day of Draconis - Spring

     Weather:  a sunny day, cold but clear.

     Our party consisted of Bran, Eornan, Alpheus, Landon, Travis, and Mads Ovedotten.

    By mid-afternoon, Our Heroes had packed the dead dragonlings into snowbanks, while discussing the strange dreams of the last few days. We decided to camp in the mine again that night.

9:30 Dragon, 6th Day of Draconis - Spring

     Weather:  the day was dry but cold, with a few clouds drifting by. The temperature at night was around 0° F; we started the day at an altitude of 12,000' above sea level.

     We hiked south from the ruined village, along the Serpents Tail Trail -- following the crest of the Frostback Mountains.

     During the day we found another burned and destroyed human village, centered on a wide paved area. It had been attacked at least a couple of weeks ago; there were piles of human bones. This was probably Read Bear Hold.

     We pressed onwards, unwilling to stay near such a hideous ruin. At sunset, we camped at another of the wide paved "foots", just before Lady's Kiss Pass. We set up our two tents.

9:30 Dragon, 7th Day of Draconis - Spring

     Weather:  cold weather continues. The moon was halfway to full.

     After midnight, while Bran was on watch, we were attacked by a pack of ten shrieks -- the Maker's Nameday gift to Bran! Their stench was terrible. Eornan and Mads charged out to assist Bran. Our furious blades and mighty magics made short work of them!

     Before dawn, we repaired gear, made breakfast, and healed all the wounds that could be treated. As the sun rose, we pressed on, over the pass.

     After ten miles of walking, we saw signs of passing people. Another seven or ten miles later, we were looking for a shortcut when we beheld Dragon's Maw Hold -- the fell hall of Torin ar Moldand and his grotesque people.

     Eornan used his spyglass to get a better look. He was able to see Torin himself, and some different clan markings. There were lots of Avvar in armor, with striped and painted clothing and armor; some bore glowing weapons. Others were in ochre robes like Mabs. There were hundreds of warriors visible.

Avvar warrior, with painted armor and shield, and a glowing weapon.

     The hold itself was surrounded by a palisade wall 100 yards wide and 200 yards long; within were primitive "yurt"-like dwellings and a rude central hall. The gates in the palisade were open, as warriors went in and out.

Torin ap Moldand ... is he perhaps a Qunari?

     We sent Mads to find a route around the Dragon's Maw. After a couple of hours, she returned to say that she'd found a route, and not too difficult. Torin's warriors also used this path, but not too often; it was called Death Skull Gorge, cheerily enough. We headed off onto the unfortunately-named pass, which became a long, narrow and flat trail, between high rock walls. The sun soon set behind the Frostbacks ...

     At one point we passed through an ancient and eerie holy (unholy?) site, with a dragon's skull atop a stone altar. There were many skeletons lying about, and the dreadful fane was lit by veil fire torches. Dragons, spirits and darkspawn could be heard moving about nearby, and there were eggs laying about.

     The trail led onwards, but after a few hundred yards it became too hard to follow in the dark, and we camped for the night.

     Alpheus spoke with spirits, but only got a headache.

     During the night, Landon, Alpheus and Eornan had a vision or dream in common:  "In the dark universe, canine claws tear at the blackness ... ". When they woke, they found that the Screamcatcher had been destroyed!

9:30 Dragon, 8th Day of Draconis - Spring

     Weather:  cold weather continued. The moon was waxing past half-full.

     Before Dawn, the Wardens (Landon and Alpheus) dreamed of Darkspawn ...

     As the sun rose, we broke camp, and found the Serpents Tail Trail only a short distance away. We were now about a mile and a half south of Dragon's Maw Hold. The trail bore signs of some Avvar headed south, and we followed them. It soon became clear we were following a slave coffle.

     Before noon, the trail came to a partly-ruined section of Imperial highway.

mysterious ruins high in the Frostback Mountains

     A golden magical shimmering gleamed between the first two arches; everyone but Landon felt a sort of cobwebby resistance. Otherwise, the old highway led on, 10 yards wide and following the contours of the mountains. We had about five miles of easy hiking, until we noticed a wisp of smoke, and smelled an ugly odor of burnt flesh.

     We rushed into a wide area at the mouth of a cave; to one side was a charnel pit.

     Our merry band had caught up with the five slavers as they winnowed their captives, killing the ones too weak to travel and feeding the corpses to dragonlings.  Bran and Mads charged the Avvar while Eornan, Landon, and Alpheus deal with dragonlings and toseds regular Mind Blasts to keep the foes off balance.  The Avvar were defeated; one fat dragonling and one more pliable one were allowed to flee after the Avvar commander fell and told it to go. The Avvar Yorl was kept alive to act as a guide through the tunnel (again, only Landon could freely pass through the tunnel) since the passage coin was blood-keyed to our foe. Wounds were tended, as were the lighter injuries. Several serious injuries remained.

     "You fools kidnapped my sister!"

     The slaves were freed; Mads agreed to lead them off down the mountain to relative safety. Alpheus would dream send at the next opportunity to Tarien (Bran's mother) to request food be sent to where Mads was going.

Landon health remaining is 37; Mana is down by 42 points

onward to The Mystery of Arksmonten