"Two or three thousand leagues across, depending on the direction you measure and which map you consult." Unfortunately, the disparity in units means even Stratos's knowledge is unlikely to give Jim a clearer picture.
"Fortunately we won't need to travel that far, but we may find ourselves hiking for the next few days." Stratos folds up his map and checks the state of their packs. Jim knows where to find the clean clothes in this household, and once they both have a couple of scarves around their necks and ready to pull over their lower faces, they'll be off once more.
...This time they're indoors. Around them is something like a dining hall in a long-neglected manor house that must have been quite handsome just a century ago. Elegant windows gape empty, and the roof is partly open. In the corners are small drifts of dark grey ash. Stratos takes a cautious look around, then passes a hand over his face and repeats it, this time with a thin pink glow overlaying his eyes. Satisfied that this time there are no lurking surprises, he steps over to a crumbling fireplace and checks behind some of the bricks, then nods.
"We prepared this place as a more secure waypoint," he explains to Jim. "Most of the others are just points on a map, so far. We can go out through the gardens and find the main road. And if anyone asks, remember, I'm an up-and-coming trader looking to make business connections around Mournhold, and you're along as my escort."
no subject
"Fortunately we won't need to travel that far, but we may find ourselves hiking for the next few days." Stratos folds up his map and checks the state of their packs. Jim knows where to find the clean clothes in this household, and once they both have a couple of scarves around their necks and ready to pull over their lower faces, they'll be off once more.
...This time they're indoors. Around them is something like a dining hall in a long-neglected manor house that must have been quite handsome just a century ago. Elegant windows gape empty, and the roof is partly open. In the corners are small drifts of dark grey ash. Stratos takes a cautious look around, then passes a hand over his face and repeats it, this time with a thin pink glow overlaying his eyes. Satisfied that this time there are no lurking surprises, he steps over to a crumbling fireplace and checks behind some of the bricks, then nods.
"We prepared this place as a more secure waypoint," he explains to Jim. "Most of the others are just points on a map, so far. We can go out through the gardens and find the main road. And if anyone asks, remember, I'm an up-and-coming trader looking to make business connections around Mournhold, and you're along as my escort."