[OOC: suggested soundtracks:
My Sleeping Karma by Satya
Here Be Dragons by The Kilimandjaro Darkjazz Ensamble
The Iron Horse by The Sound Defects
Sunset Mission by Bohren & Der Club Of Gore]

You don’t know that much about the Badlands. You know just that they are a vast, barbaric steppe region, dotted by occasional stunted groves and bordered eastwards by a gaunt woodland. The Badlands are inhabited by superstitious folk that don’t recognize any authority from external lands, including Baron Tyntern. The people of these lands dwell in sparse villages, apart from the Kugic nomads who wander this land hunting and occasionally trading their exceptional horses. Ignorance, suspicion and cruelty reign here, just as if a dark blight had been cast upon the land. For sure, crossing the Badlands will be a harsh trek for you.

It is mid-day and the path splits in three: one road goes straight north, another one goes west and the last one goes east.
In the center of this broad crossroad there is a tall wooden obelisk, decorated with antic and scorning faces of demons and humans alike. It’s very windy here, and small whirls of dust chase each other relentlessly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:42, Sat 22 Dec 2018.

Garl’s head still aches from the intense effort of learning three new spells from the tome, which was destroyed in the process.  He is grateful for the opportunity, of course, but he also wishes that learning was less painful.

He carefully explains that if he shouts FORK, he means that they must immediately shut their eyes, since that will mean that he is casting a spell which can blind anyone who fails to do so.

After doing this, he suggests travelling west, for no particular reason.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:11, Mon 17 Dec 2018.

Storm congratulates the Mage for mastering the spell. He is fine any direction and remembers the words of his Mage:

If there are no objections (and there won’t be any from Horace Greeley), we’ll go west.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:43, Sat 22 Dec 2018.

After a half day march, without meeting anyone, the road splits: you can carry on west or you can take a new road going north.
It is now sunset and you are hungry.

Storm suggests stopping to take a break before continuing. He will refer to the map to see where to head.

[OOC: the Elves didn't give you a map.]

Robustous is happy to go what ever way the group chooses. He adds a ball of tobacco to his pipe and then  shrouds himself in the resulting smoke.

-

If tuebelves have given direction, Storm follows the advice. If not, he will determine a direction randomly.

Are you making camp for the night or are you carrying on?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:31, Tue 25 Dec 2018.

Storm suggests camping for the night.

Who has a bedroll? Who has a tent?

[OOC: please update your character sheets: you passed one full week with the Elves and this night meal. In total they are 15 meals that you have to deduct from what you carried from the Hellwinter Tower.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:04, Thu 27 Dec 2018.

Garl only had ten in his saddlebags and four in his backpack, not including the waybread.  We didn’t get/purchase any additional food from the elves?

Storm has a bedroll. If possible he will buy food on the way to augment his rations. Failing that, he will hunt for food.

No, you didn't purchase anything from the Elves (and so far you didn't meet anybody else), but they gave you the Waybread.

Can we hunt on the road? Storm has enough meals but he don't mind hunting or foraging.

Of course you can hunt on the road, although it will make yu much slower.

If we were running low on rations, I think we would have already been hunting while traveling.  I’d hate to have to use waybread before it’s necessary... but like I said, I only had room for fourteen rations.

During the trip with the Elves you din't have time to hunt: you were trained by the Elves, as mentioned, and a week travelling and training goes by quickly.
You can try hunting this evening (not much time, but...) or some companion may share his evening meal.

Storm shares a ration with his friend.

OOC: we need deduct 15 rations?

[OOC: one week (two rations a day) + this evening = 15 rations]

Are you camping tonight? Bedrolls? Tents? Anybody taking turns?

In reply to The Director (msg # 21):

Storm offers to take the first watch. He shares his food with the mage.

Should I cast Sentry?  And is the location such that I can cover us with less than four castings?

[OOC: The area of the Badlands is a kind of highland prairie, cold and dry, swept by the wind. Imagine some part of Central Asia.]

Garl offers to cast four sentry spells.  This will guarantee that the party will warned if an undesireable creature approaches.  However, if he does this, he will need an uninterrupted night’s sleep to regain his spell points.

Shall he do this, or no?