With everyone gathered the journey began. The street to the outer wall had a few people going about their business, but none seemed intent to interrupt the group on their way out. The last acquisitions made for the journey, the group had a clear path to the gates, and past the squad of six soldiers watching the gatehouse, they could see the old road leading to the wilderness. The hills, the sparse woods, and the outlaying farmsteads were going to be all that would greet them for a while.<br/><br/>About hour passed without trouble, the old road leading them towards the hills, the plains around the city having held a fair share of old farms scattered about, with their fields of wheat stretching like a sea of gold to the side, yet the hills ahead showed the green grass growing wild besides the road. Few trees along roadside, and small woods in the distance, though the path seemed to be slipping past the woods, the old map from the mentor suggesting they could easily trail around the woods or bring the wagons through if they so chose. The detour around the woods would only cost them a couple hours more with the horses anyway.<br/><br/>Reaching the hills, they still had a little while, about two hours to decide upon their path through or around the woods, when some smoke ahead came to sight. Following the road, they would soon come to see an old hamlet, the wooden buildings smoldering ruins. By the looks of it the place had been abandoned a good while ago, the old buildings still standing looking like they'd weathered their share of storms, but something was there.<br/><br/>Blood on the ground, and two green figures laying on the ground. They were at least six feet tall each, though with a crooked back, but both lay in a pool of their own blood by now. There was a pair of crude, curved iron blades left on the ground near them, untouched by blood. If nothing else, it at least confirmed there were orcs back in the area.