36: Stormy path

I started the day knowing, or at least strongly suspecting, that the Cavern of the Incarnate lies on the remote north-eastern slopes of Red Mountain. I could not have been further away without leaving the island. Typical. In retrospect I wish that I had taken an offering to the shrine of daring and used the powerful flight spell of Vivec's blessing. I just didn't want it sputtering out and landing me on the barren wasted verge of the volcano. Instead I am camped on the barren northern shore, far from my destination, wondering if Dagoth Ur is intentionally disrupting my travels.

I handed off a bundle of documents for Malven before leaving Vivec City, and gave Flacassia packets to be sent on to the other guild stewards as well. Then I had her teleport me to Ald-ruhn. My plan was to catch the silt strider to Mar Gaan, hopefully arriving there in time for a quick lunch. The first hints that my plan was astray came to me even before I got outside. The plates of the great shell that house the hallin Ald-ruhn were groaning mightily as the wind pounded at them. I emerged into the dust storm and cursed Dagoth Ur roundly.

The caravaner said that taking the road to Mar Gaan would be heading directly into the worst of the storm and asked if the small port city of Khuul might be as close to my final destination. He hadn't come right out and said that he would not go to Mar Gaan, but if I had pressed I was pretty sure he would. I took the ride to Khuul. We swung far to the west to skirt the worst of the storm and did not arrive until midafternoon.

Following the coast will keep me as far from Red Mountain and the source of the storms as possible, but it is a long trek to get where I am going. Too long a trek to languish for the rest of the afternoon in Khuul, especially since I think I saw all there was to see before I had climbed down from the strider. 'Small port city' was a pretty brazen exaggeration. At least having gotten a couple hours travel behind me has brought me to the edge of Urshilaku territory, which will hopefully make tomorrow's travel uneventful. Although brief, today's trudge was not uneventful.

As the sun was setting behind me I began seeking a good campsite. Clearly I have learned a lot about the Ashlands from my hunting forays with the Urshilaku. I read the terrain and guessed that a certain ridge would provide shelter at a few critical points along its base. I made for one of the most likely, as I read it. I was vaguely pleased when my understanding was proven correct. The spot I had chosen was already occupied by a small Ashlander camp.

I got close enough to hail the three Ashlanders who were actively going about setting up for the evening. I hoped that my status as a Clanfriend of the Urshilaku would make for peace if not downright hospitality. Not so. Their leader replied "Clanfriend? Only if their Ashkhan was blinded by dust, or had the brain of a kagouti. Fortunately I am my own Ashkhan. I will see if their Ashkhan recognizes your head next time I trade in their village."

Their camp is comfortable, and their corpses lie far enough away that any beasts drawn to the smell of blood in the night will have no need to disturb me, nor fear that I will disturb them.