[Post here first] Western Draconic Forest Edge

The forest path he follows is muddy.  Had it rained recently?  Haile couldn't remember.  But with each step the giant's bare feet squelches into the ground.  What else could have made it so wet, then, if not rain?

He stops walking for a moment and pulls a long drag on his spliff.  Yes, it must have rained.  He exhales a large cloud of smoke and watches as it drifts away from him.  That explains the mud between his toes.

Holding his burning smoke in one hand, he adjusts the pouch on his belt with the other.  Nothing on him is wet, though.  How could that be if it rained?  He takes another drag and continues his walk towards his home in the Expanse, contemplating the mystery.

At the Expanse the rider would likely meet a mounted mage officer on duty. He would immediately recognize the rider and assure him he was welcome into the expanse. He would be given instructions on how to reach Elder's Valley and be offered an escort if necessary.

[Arriving from Isra’s Eastern Gate with Empress Naoki , Kate Green , and Artemis .]

As the sky is just beginning to redden with the setting of the sun, a great armored carriage makes its way to the border. Roughly twelve hours of summer day have passed since the carriage departed from Isra, and only now has it reached its destination of The Land Tillers’ expanse.

Not having received any further orders as to where, exactly, within The Expanse to head, Stan: Carriage Attendant First Class and Animal Handler Extraordinaire simply proceeds straight ahead, figuring it best not to disturb his passengers with the relatively inconsequential news that they have, indeed, arrived. And ahead he will continue, on toward the heart of The Expanse, until such time he is met by one of its inhabitants or instructed to do otherwise by one of his passengers.

“Are we,” Naoki remarks faintly, lying where she was left, spread eagle across the bed. She hadn’t been prepared for the level of stamina Kate apparently possesses.

She spends a moment to process her thoughts before replying, “Well, that’s just the thing, isn’t it. There aren’t exactly many inns, out here in the expanse. No Hotel Auberge, no Moonlight Eclipse, none of that. However, considering that, our options are actually fairly numerous.”

Noticing Kate’s search for something to wipe herself with, Naoki raises a hand, weakly gesturing toward a small set of drawers near the door. There ought to be linens inside one of those drawers. Which one, exactly, she doesn’t seem to share- if she even knows.

“Up toward the north of the Expanse, in the Saskatoon Mountain range, there’s a place called Silver Mountain, and it’s among one of our better options. As I’ve been told, it was once home to a group of elves who fancied themselves the protectors of the Expanse. It’s a place of magic, spiritual healing, being in touch with one’s self and with nature and all of that. Today, the apparently-entrepreneuring elves seem to have opened the place to the public. Made a sort of resort out of it. I’m told that it’s quite pleasant, and it ought to have some sleeping arrangements.”

“We could also simply turn up to essentially any of the villages spotted across The Expanse and introduce ourselves. I suspect that through some combination of status, bribery, and charm, we could secure lodgings with whoever we might please to. My contact- she’s a nice young lady named Jun. She’s a member of the Celadine tribe, and could vouch for us if we visited her village. There’s a map, up with Stan somewhere in the front, that has all of the villages marked on it, if you’d like.”

“Or, alternatively, we could simply park the carriage. I’ve brought several changes of bedlinens, a few tents, and some other assorted bits we could use to sleep outside, if we might be so inclined. The sky probably looks beautiful out here at night…”

She trails off for a moment, evidently contemplating the option of sleeping under the stars, before bringing herself to an upright position with a small groan, evidently somewhat sore.

“The truth of the matter, though, is such that I haven’t made any arrangements, or planned the trip in any real capacity. All I’ve done is clear my schedule for the indefinite future, and fill the carriage full of things I think we might appreciate having. The choice of where to sleep tonight, and essentially all of the choices related to this trip’s path proceeding forward, are yours to make.”

With this said, Naoki throws her legs over the side of the bed, and stands hesitantly. She’s pleasantly surprised to find her legs still able to bear her weight. With a few careful steps, she makes her way over to where Kate is standing, and places a hand on her shoulder- for both support and as a gesture.

“At the risk of coming off as terribly sappy but intending to be honest, I don’t have much of a preference where I sleep tonight, as long as it’s with you.”

With that said, Naoki leans in, doing her best not to fall flat on her face, with every intention of pulling Kate into a relatively simple, yet passionate kiss.

As Kate’s hand slides down and begins its groping, Naoki inhales sharply through her nose, and her eyes go wide, evidently somewhat surprised. If her tongue had been in her own mouth, she may have yelped. However, after a moment, she composes herself- about as much as anyone can as their ‘regions’ are being explored- and leans further in to complete the kiss with roughly double the amount of gusto she began it with.

Pulling back, furrowing her eyebrows and pouting ever-so-slightly, she fixes Kate with an almost-irritated look. It seems to say, ‘You lewd woman, you.’

Wrapping her tail around behind Kate’s midsection and using it to pull her into another- somewhat shorter, follow-up kiss, Naoki’s lips seems to say, ‘Never change.’

As trivially easy as it would be to reach out to Stan telepathically, and issue her instructions in that manner, Naoki decides to indulge her companion (it is her birthday, after all), raising her voice to call out, “Staaaaan...! To the Celahhhhnnnaaadine Hiiillss,” not making any effort to school her features under Kate’s molestations as she does so.

Not having yet been released, Naoki makes no effort to resist Kate’s roaming hands, but a shiver traces its way down her back unbidden, followed by another, more comprehensive tremble.“I’m cold,” Naoki whispers. A quick inspection of her chest, along with the goosebumps forming on her arms would affirm this statement. “Can we sit?”

(Entry from the Eastern Gate of Isra.)

Ryden and his admittedly minimal entourage eventually made their way through the Draconic Forest, emerging to a border checkpoint patrolled by mounted mages of the Celadine clan. They recognised the Chancellor's seal emblazoned on the side of the riders' saddlebags, and allowed them to pass through with minimal issue - only the basic identity and paper checks. After that, they were free to continue their travel to the Elders' Valley.

(Exit to the Elders' Valley.)

As she traverse the swamp land she would find little in the way of hostility. The natives were friendly and tolerant of visitors, assuming they were not world breaking behemoths, an unfortunately common phenomenon as of late. The patrolling guards, mages on the backs of horses, wildebeest-like mammals, and wyverns, would probably just be glad to see a perfectly ordinary, if magically inclined, woman in their midsts.

Assuming she meant no harm of course, she would be allowed entrance to the Expanse.

Her trek would consist of encounters with exotic animals and plenty of jungle fauna, as well as the occasional decades old dragon carcass from a bygone war.

(Sorry about the late reply.)

After the mild disappointment of trying to get into Isra from its south and being unsuccessful, the group of four bandits went to see how the Land Tiller's forest was. The terrain was much more unfamiliar to them then the last try, but previous experience travelling and fighting in woodlands didn't leave them clueless. They knew how to hide, move and avoid normal wildlife in this type of biome.

Their tactic was nearly identical to the attempt with Isra. Two teams of two, each out of eyesight of eachother, but close enough where either team could signal the other. They kept their pace, moving slow and low in the plant life, remaining still whenever they needed to stay hidden to evade any guards or patrols.

Wanting to play safe, they took to keeping unseen, the longer and slower path(s) through the forests, rather than going upon the trails and paths. Once they felt safe and far enough into LTS territory, both pairs met up before setting off deeper into the unknown. While they were only a team of 4, and couldn't really assault, rob, or attack anything, they could still do their scouting and perhaps cause some mischief, vandalizing buildings, burning crops before the local growers could put out the fires, and maybe steal some stuff. Those sorts of things.
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