“Don’t worry about it, it’s very old and while important, isn’t used by just anyone frivolously.  Outsiders call the aiadra “elf gates.”  They are a network of portals that helped connect our empire long ago.  Their construction is a bit of lost technology, and many have fallen to ruin or simply lost, but we maintain what we still have and are always on the lookout to unlock others.  This one will instantly take us miles and miles away into Galt, then a short hike ourselves through the forest.  I don’t think any of us has personally been there.  While our neighbors occasionally come across elven relics that need to be liberated, Galt and the river kingdoms are so chaotic with civil wars and constant turnover, there’s almost no point in establishing diplomatic ties or even espionage.  With one ‘great leader’ replaced, so too go all of their plans and even high-minded constitutions.”<br/><br/>Faunra paused as the wasp buzzed over, its large wings creating a low hum before landing.  Giving its hard carapace an approving pat, she introduced the two.  “This is Arluth.  Arluth, this is Alice, our new sister.”  The giant wasp’s tail was subtly raised before, in a state of readiness, but with the ranger’s calming introduction it seemed to relax and accept Alice as a member of the little “hive.”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">&lt;Arluth&gt;</div><div class="spoiler_body">Ar-luth: ”Golden lance”</div></div><br/><br/>“Here, feed her a treat,” Faunra suggested, pulling a hand-sized spider from a pouch, presumably stocked with such rewards.  The giant wasp’s eyes were unreadable, but it’s face locked on the spider the moment Faunra reached into her pouch, and would gently, if eagerly, snatch it up in its mandibles to gobble up.<br/><br/>Stepping through the large stone arch with the opaque misty portal, Alice felt the sensation of a self-propelled catwalk, which with one step propelled her across the land, leaving her to suddenly finish her step with no more momentum than she started with.  The new surroundings were quite different as well, requiring a moment to gain one’s bearings.  At first it looked as if it were night here, but after a moment, she could recognize she was inside a large cave, with the walls spotted with humming crystals, their facets glinting from the floating lights that slowly bobbed in the air.  Behind her was a stone arch like the one she stepped into, and its hazy mist dissipated as the magic deactivated.  The others looked around as well, but then started walking out and up the only passage available until they reached a stone door.  Without latch or knob, Faunra pushed it open, exposing them suddenly to the brighter sunshine.  Adjusting to this second transition, they found themselves in the overgrown remains of ancient ruins.<br/><br/>“This was once one of our temples,” Kieyanna offered, walking among fallen columns, crumbled arches, or the remaining foundations of stone doorways since overtaken with grass, vines, or the drooping boughs of trees that had gone unchecked and wild.  “Probably a shrine to Alseta.  It’s rare to have a formal place of worship, though it may have served to support the aiadra underneath.  What we do know of history, it was razed by Taldor soldiers.  Whether this was a response to some perceived heresy or an attack upon our resources, I haven’t heard.  But the gate still stands, and is fortunately forgotten by outsiders.”<br/><br/>After a moment of appreciation for the ruined architecture and the history they worked to preserve and recover, Tamarie clapped her hands, “Okay, well, we are supposed to be within the Boarwood Forest now, the largest within Galt.  To the west is Isarn.  Faunra?”<br/><br/>The ranger took a stick and sketched in the dirt outside.  “This wide oval is the forest.  We head west through it, and shortly meet the river.  We follow that further, which will take is directly to the city.”<br/><br/>With the basic geography settled, the group started hiking.  With Faunra in the lead, they were able to follow the easiest to traverse deer trails and avoid any troublesome thickets, gorges, and other natural barriers.  Making their way with minimal intrusion, they did occasionally come across a group of deer or the forest’s namesake boars, all of which took a curious look at the alien group, then bounded or shuffled away deeper into the trees.  “Not filled with the sprites and fey spirits of home,” Kieyanna noted.  “Dull.”<br/><br/>“I can take dull right now,” Faunra spoke back from the lead.  “I remember one excursion with you through fairy territory, we ended up in some feywild epic fairytale adventure-play for a year being led to rescue a princess and save the world, and in the end got a crown of flowers, told it was all a dream-game, and tossed back into the forest with our<em>actual</em>mission long-passed and gone.  I’ll take a boring hike with predictable time and weather.”<br/><br/>“You were just mad the pretend-princess made me her consort and you our concubine,” Kieyanna smiled wistfully at the memory.<br/><br/>Plans, ruminations, or silence cycled through their hike and occasional bushwhacking through the forest.  Faunra estimated it was two day’s travel to reach Isarn, the capital city.  By the time night fell, they had reached the edge of the Boarwood.  Tamarie and Kieyanna worked to set up camp as Faunra went on one last foraging trip before they crossed the plains the next day.  In the morning, they tore down the camp and cleaned up what evidence they could of their passing.  “We’re quite a ways off, but always do your best to hide your approach and methods on a job.  Unless of course you’re sending a message—then you have to play it up, even broadcast it beforehand,” Tamarie grinned, apparently preferring the more flamboyant missions of revenge and audacious larceny.<br/><br/>Crossing the plains was faster and easier than hiking through the forest, searching for deer trails or clear ways.  On the other hand, being out in the open with only fields and hills of grass and no protective canopy was quite different than Kyonin, and especially Iadara’s concealing mists and trees.  Sensing that vulnerability, Tamarie reassured the group, “We should arrive around nightfall, so that will give us cover for infiltrating the city, meeting the Order of Vengeance, and reconnaissance.  With how obvious and open human settlements are, I almost wonder if what we’re looking for will be sitting out on a table for us…”  Moving closer west, the party started coming across farms and villages hugging the river, and skirted around these settlements and roads, until dusk started to settle and they found themselves on a hill looking across to a large human city hugged between river and main roads.<br/><br/>“Now their rivals, the River Kingdoms, lie north, so that may be the most guarded area.  The river hugs around the south and west parts of the city, which may make a softer entry.  Alice, do you have any ideas or preferences for entry?” Tamarie asked.