The road to Skalavik was covered with over two feet of snow, if this even was the road. It was impossible to know for certain as there was little travel this early in the year. But in any case, it was a beautiful vista, and the early spring sunlight reflected on the snow. It was clean and fresh and cold. Much colder than one would expect further south at this time of year.

The young halfling crossed the snow with snowshoes. Without them, not even her whole head would have been seen above the snow! From another direction, a riding half-elf was also making her way towards town. As the horse was trudging through the deep snow, they traveled at about the same pace.

Miles ahead of them and over these hills was a small coniferous forest, about 10 square miles or so, and some distance beyond it was Skalavik.


[OOC: As mentioned elsewhere, each of you get snowshoes and winter clothing for free. The snow is deep and it's below freezing. If you look at the Group 1 map, you're about an hour off the map to the southwest, so it will be a few more hours before you'll get to town.]

Coming abreast of the halfling trudging along on foot, Sigrun dismounted and slipped on her snow shoes. It would give the horse a break as it struggled with the deep snow, and allow her to chat more easily with her only other companion in this chilly countryside.

She'd grown up in Norland and was used to the cold and the isolation, but her natural desire to communicate made the chance of a conversation irresistible.

"Do you know the road to Skalavik?" she asked by way of starting a conversation. "Is it much farther?"

Oddly high up in the world at the moment Kara's light weight makes walking on the top of the snow even easier for her than for most people wearing snow shoes.  Gliding easily across the top of even the most powdery of recent snow fall she can almost see the world, and its horses, from the same perspective as humans do every day.

The arrival of one such horse, and it's accompanying human, wouldn't have surprised her in even normal conditions but in this situation it draws a bit of a smile from her.  ”I don't think knowing the road would help very much when we can't even see it, but if we keep going this way we should be able to see signs of civilization fairly soon, no more than half a day at this pace.”

Then we'll be traveling together for a while, Sigrun replied. If that suits you. My name is Sigrun Goll, a skald by trade. I tell stories and sing songs for a living. Perhaps you would allow me to tell you a tale to pass the time? It works much better when I have an audience, even of one, than if I sing to the snow.

Have you heard the Song of Krysuvik? It tells the tale of the coming of the Gods to the Hunted Lands and the heroes who fought back the wild faeries. I'm working on a few new verses. I'd like to practice with you if I may.

At first Kara doesn't seem opposed to the concept of traveling with someone, but the suggestion of singing the whole way turns her mood rather a bit darker.  ”You might want to reconsider that, the last person who tested their songs on me has two broken feet and may never walk again.  If that happens to you out here you could very easily freeze to death before anyone even notices.”

Sigrun reacts cooly to the not-so-veiled threat from the halfling. She's also keenly aware that while she gave her name, the stranger has not reciprocated. Perhaps the customs of polite society are different where she comes from? She continues to trudge alongside for a hundred paces or so and then asks.

Would you rather travel on your own?

Kara hasn't slowed down even a little bit, she doesn't walk any faster in snow shoes than anyone else, but she doesn't seem inclined to take breaks either.  Even talking barely causes her to turn her head to make it easer to speak without the wind eating her words.
”I don't have any preference for traveling alone no, but we are close enough to civilization that it should be fairly safe to do so if you need to.”

Sigrun shrugs and continues the journey apace with the grumpy halfling for a while until they reach the woods. Here she pauses to adjust her horse's tack and to make sure it is protected as best she can from the cold wind. She gives the animal a handful of grain and strokes its neck.

We'll get you warm soon, she whispers.

She lets the halfling get a hundred paces or so ahead of her and then resumes her journey, singing softly to herself, practicing the new verses she hopes to add to her act. She continues to walk on her snowshoes, allowing the horse to move without her burden.

Even as she sings softly she keeps a weather eye out for possible dangers. They may be close to civilization, but that does not mean they are not still in danger.