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The Icy Tundra of Wuliris.

One hundred miles southeast of the DragonLord's volcanic valley, Jamil Targ.

Uronthis Kalthul - The Claw of the Dragon sits, a fortress in the open lava latticed plains.

Home of Sulthon Ni'shaang, one of the six DragonLords of Kulthea.

A military power in his own right.

Tough grasses and solid mud cover the ground, stretching to the horizon. A light frosting of snow, just enough to let sleds move easily, covers the grass. Although one seems to be able to see for miles, the rolling land obscures distant objects at a few hundred yards. Caribou pass through here every year, grazing on the tundra grasses and running from pursuing polar bears. Berrak tells you that the Madook tribe of hunters also wanders these plains, living off the herds and the tundra.

The wizard just coming in to his powers and searching again for his tutor - Tuathir.

The shining knight with a troubled conscience questing for the truth, for it will out.

Master of disguise, Berrak owes a huge and holy debt.

The ex-mercenary cynic. Typical day: F#&kin' dsssshh!
"Anybody else wanna negotiate?"

The beautiful elven Guardian, "The Princess" as she is known to the villagers of Slaw.

The scholar - learned for one so young, naive in the ways of the world, now discovering it. Rapidly.

All of them currently chase the sword of pointing and the strangely motivated bounty-hunter at the behest of Prince Keir and the sake of U-Lyshak.

Their companions for the moment are a squad of Gryphon College soldiers, led by a young man called Sessil. It his first time as squad commander and he is quite enjoying himself.

"Y'know me and the boys, we've been dying to see a bit of action, if you'll pardon the pun, dying and all. Mind you, it's not that I don't miss the warmth of the library barracks. Sitting back, sipping a glass of Ventrian Red, maybe just leaning forward and toasting your hands."

Sessil kicked the snow from his shoes on a nearby tussock and blew a steamy breath. He looked sheepish. "Sorry about that, got a bit carried away." he glanced at one of the Gryphons who were unloading their gear, then looked at your weapon.

"Now you look a bit handy with that, I'm sure, but if it's action you wanna see, stick around these Gryphons. Now inside Gryphon College, they're just better versions of you and me, but outside, they're lethal. Those crossbows are firing at +30 and the must have 120-odd skill - at two shots around - they're as good as a real Griffon."

He introduces you around to the boys.

Gardon, a strapping young lad, who's a bit handy with that sword of his. Once crushed a wild bull's windpipe apparently. He's from Tanara as is his good mate, Jeck. Jeck looks like Gardon's brother but they are just from the same town. There's a few lads from Saralis and two from U-Lyshak.

Biryn wanders over as Sessil introduces the lads from U-Lyshak.

"And this is Henk and Alber. Two likelier lads you couldn't get. If you know what I mean. They don't mind a bit of a lark about every now and then. But it's all business on this isn't lads?"

He smacks Alber upside the head and you can hear his teeth rattle. Sessil leans in and in a low whisper says "I won't forget that horse-woman incident. Ever."

He straightens and you move on.

Now the camera is back to the two lads. Biryn approaches. "Henk? Henk? You were sent to Gaath weren't you? How did you end up here?" And what could have made you forswear your oaths? A more dedicated knight the church could not have had."

"Aye. Dedicated. 'Dead' more like it. I never made it to Journeyman status. But I saw the other lads that made it past the ritual. They turned, like." He looked carefully at Biryn, staring into his eyes. "It's not on you, yet you carry the sword. How is this possible?"

As for Gaath, the High Priest runs northern Lu'nak like a prison camp.

"Half the population trains for war, while the others toil in the fields. I got out of there in a big hurry, only just escaped with my life. Made it to Rhakhaan, got transferred up here. I gave the whole report to the palace, but the "Emperor's hands are tied." was all I got for me troubles."

Henk was still watching Biryn carefully but then seemed to remember his manners. He turned to his partner.

"Anyway, this is my mate Alber. He trained with the Norinth and was recruited for Gryphon College about six months before I made it here. This is the first action we've seen, other than keeping an eye out for either the Emperor or Frelik's troops. I reckon that's one of the reasons why the Emperor won't move against Gaath. As long as he is fighting Frelik his armies are at least guarding the north against any aggressor."

The camera flicks back to you.

"Captain Lo'arniel. What is our situation?"

Our situation is that without tracks to follow, we're sitting ducks out here. And for that matter, if we find them too. This crazy fool could be leading us into anything! He won't know we've followed him with such a large force though, so we have that in our favour. I'm about to send Meather up and see what he can spy out. Our wings seem to be coping well with the cold. I'm glad about that too, having lugged mine five miles already."

"The plan is simple. Find this bounty-hunter. Get the Crown - and the sword if possible. Return home. Nice and simple. Now if this son of a bove would keep still we could get him and get home.

Against us are the Lugrocki (who could be looking for us), the DragonLord and the cold. Added to that are all the normal killer fauna such as polar bears, ice spiders and cold drakes."

Ulrich leans forward.

"Sounds like a piece of piss to me."

Chapter 17... to be continued