Jon does his best... and... he... gets a bit lost.

When he comes to a stop... there's a huge mountain.

Really huge. Larger than Everest, thinks Ariadne. Much larger. Can there even be air at the top of that-- well, sure there can, maybe, this isn't Earth. For all we know, the air might be the same for a thousand miles straight up-- who knows?

One of the soldiers accompanying the carriage rides up. "...This Shadow is called Bercarro, your graces. There's some sort of magic carriage thing that transports workers up and down to and from the town over there by that river... up to a mine entrance that starts about halfway up the mountain, see? We're just on the, ah, the north side. This is sort of one Shadow away from Weirmonken, or just a few, anyway. It might be a good idea, though, as long as we're here, to head to the town and ask if there's been any recent news..."

Ariadne was gawking at the mountain like a tourist, and was distracted by the guard's question.
"Recent news?  Would any news here affect us or where we're going?  I  thought these shadows were hard to traverse?   Are there going to be a lot of things that affect several at once?"

Though, in truth, she was happy they'd brought the soldiers.  Rather than being generic security, they were apparently well traveled. Much more than her, it seemed

"Normally you'd be correct, milady, but Becarro and Weirmonken are a little like Amber and Rebma... there is a path between them that travelers can use, even though technically they count as two different Shadows... it's a longer path for those who aren't royal Amberites such as yourselves, but it can still be done, even without the blood of Oberon. There is limited trade between the two Shadows... when times are good, anyway... That may or may not be the case currently..."

Looking at her cousins, Ariadne shrugged and looked back at the soldier
"Some scouting around isn't a bad idea. No sense going into a new environment blind, I suppose "

Jade nods, "Why don't we take their advise, Jon could you guide us to that city."

Jon listens intently to the Guard and Ari's exchange with interest. He smiles when Jade speaks up. Jon nods in agreement. "I apologize for the delay and error in travel to all of you.  And I agree with with Solider..." looks a bit ashamed "I'm sorry, I haven't learned all of your names yet." then sits a bit straighter and carries on "Your advice is wise and sound. If you would be kind to lead the way, we shall follow." his tone is friendly, if a bit formal as he finishes and there is a faint blush.

Internally he is mad at himself for messing up the trip ~I can't believe I did that. I should be better at this.~ and his internal anger fades into a self loathing. ~I am useless, back in Tanus and now this. Perhaps, I really didn't earn the rank of Ranger back home. Perhaps it was all a ruse...~

OOC: FIY, the dialog between the ~ is all internal, unless you have telepathy, you wouldn't be able to hear it.  I posted it for context, I'm trying to show Jon internal conflicts better.

Jade smiles at Jon.

"No need to apologize, I didn't get shadow travel right for a time. You did amazingly well, with only the description of others. Besides we get to see this amazing site." She gestures to the mountain, "It is larger than Kolvir and that is the largest mountain I have ever seen. We might even find something interesting in the site our guard told us of."

Still Jade had not forgotten the gray men and that they were hunted and so kept a keen eye out for trouble.

"My name is Pavel, milord. Let us continue on to the town of Beccaro proper."

You roll and ride forward, respectively, and come to the town. It looks like a town of perhaps 10, 15 thousand people? They're dressed in what Ariadne thinks of as vaguely late-19th-century clothing-- but with no class distinction-- there are-- so far, at least-- no disgustingly-poor people, and no fancy rich people. The social range seems to spread only from "Upper-lower-class" to "middle-upper-class," with hardly anyone at all under nor over that range. It doesn't seem to be the part of town you're in, either. Everyone seems to just be doing okay financially.

Jon notices too, but less.

Jade hardly notices it at all-- Rebma, too, takes care of its own-- but why not? The wealth of the sea is plentiful, and food there even more so.

People seem clearly mildly surprised to see you traveling through the streets, but not really astounded like in Tanus. Just more like hey, here's something you don't see every day.

Eventually, you get to a very large town square//courtyard, with large multi-story buildings on all sides. "I've been here just once, your graces," says Pavel. "That building there is the city hall. There's a trading office for Amber in that building over there, on the other hand-- the closest thing here to an embassy."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 18:10, Mon 18 Sept 2023.

Jon nods "Thank you Pavel." and like Jade, Jon is keeping an eye out for trouble.
As they stop in the square, Jon exits the carriage. Offers his hand to Pavel "Thank you again, you have a good memory." he says as he acknowledges Pavel's building identifications and his only one previous visit.

Jon waits for Jade and Ari, offering to assist them down if they so like.

Jade accepts Jon's help happily stepping down from the carriage. "Thank you." She looks around for a bit waiting for the others near the city hall. She is still amazed at how many realities are just a step or carriage ride away and that so few get the privilege to travel between them.

She opens her parasol shielding herself from the sun though grateful it is not so hot and dry as it was in Tanus.

No indeed-- it's mostly cloudy, in fact.

And in less than an hour, the shadow of the mountain will fall over this spot.

It gets dark early in the town of Becarro. No wonder they have so many lamp-posts here and there.

Ariadne smiled at Jon, giving him a good natured pat on the back
"I agree with Jade, no need to worry about it.  This shadow walking business is more an artform than a science, and bringing us here might turn out to be to our advantage after all."
She grinned and shrugged
"Back home, a bunch of my friends are somewhat obsessed with the works of a painter/philosopher who says mistakes are 'Happy Accidents' that can many times create something new and wonderful. "

Jon chuckles at Ari's comment of 'Happy Accidents'. He nods "Shall we visit the "embassy" and see what we can learn about the state of affairs here and between here and Weirmonken?"

Ariadne nodded
"Spunds like a good idea"

Jade nods with a smile and closes her parasol.

Jon points to Pavel and two other guards to join the 3 Cousins.  He turns to the highest ranking soldier not selected and says "Please keep an eye out for trouble and protect the carriage & crew."

Once he receives a reply, he leads the group of six over to the building Pavel indicated and knocks on the door.

Ariadne looked uncertainly at the guards, but said nothing, following Jon's lead

Jade happily waited for someone to answer the door.

A man of perhaps 40 answers the door. "Yes?" He immediately does a double-take, and makes a little imaginary-hoof-pawing-the-ground gesture that Jade has sometimes seen people in Amber who are devout members of the Church of the Unicorn do. "Um... hello. How may I help you?" He doesn't know who the three people in front of him are, but he sees Jade's green hair, and especially stares at Ariadne. These are out-of-town visitors, and important, he can tell that much.

Jon nods "Good day sir. I, my cousins and retinue are visiting from Amber and are on our way to Weirmonken on official business.  I was advised to check in and gather information from you as the closest thing to a formal embassy." he smiles and points to each cousin in turn "This is Princess Ariadne, Princess Jade and I am Prince Jonathan, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance" and offers his hand.

The man bows. "Your graces, I am Simonel Tazik, the closest thing this Shadow has to an Ambassador. Please, come in, if you wish."

Tazik ushers the cousins into his office, which is nice, if very brown. "How may I help? What sort of information do you--" He pauses... (if Jon has his big sword WITH him right now, he Tazik definitely stares at that. "...Is this about Weirmonken, I don't suppose?"

OOC: Yes, he has Redring, the Knellsinger strapped to his back.

Jon nods "Thank you" and will follow Mr. Tazik into the building and room. "Well, let's begin with how has relations between Weirmonken and here?  Any changes, oddities or trouble?" Jon notices his stare at the sword.

Jade smiles pleasantly to Simonel Tazic and bobs her head in way of greetings. She couldn't help but notice the man stare at Jon's sword. For now though the green haired princess kept mostly quiet.

"People here are scared to take the road west to Weirmonken, now. Half the trading caravans that went there never came back again... and of those that never came back here, half made it there but never made it back here, and half never even made it to Weirmonken in the first place. The old troubles with the beasts in the forest has apparently started up again, everyone believes. So, now, no one from here goes there... and no one shows up here from there anymore, either."

Jon frowns at this news. "When did this start? How many Caravans and people have been lost?"