Winter, a harsh season made even more so in the shadows of the Spine of the World, so far north of lands held traditionally by the Elves.  A hard life for the new Elven lands of the Hand, but opportunity offered in the North was too great for Myth Drannor to pass up.  Raw materials needed by any great nation, even on which lived in symbiosis with nature as the Elves, were plentiful so it made sense to establish their own presence and lands in the North where humanity had yet to make their presence.  For decades the Hand of the Seldarine had continued to thrive and be a force to contend with, asserting the presence of the Elves in the near subtle way they are known for.<br/><br/>Spring had come to the region, and roads and pathways once before closed by ice and the snows of winter were free for the most part.  Winter had been long, and very reluctant to release its grip upon the land, thus the warm days expected were few, and mud had become a factor in travel.  Even so, when the normal spring caravan from Cormanthor was more than two tendays overdue.  While not alarming, it did raise some concern.  Enough so Ianathe Eroth called together volunteers to forge out to see if the mud along the trade routes was far more troublesome than first thought and to give aid if such was needed.  Ianathe herself joined the volunteers, her concern higher than others given the lack of communication.<br/><br/>Deep into the Moonwood the party finds itself, three days out from the Hand and still nothing of the caravan, though there were no other signs of mischief or aggression.   All in the Moonwood was as it should be for early spring, with animals awake and forging for foods, and the forest itself alive with new growth and life.  The sun peeks through the trunks of the wood, dawn an hour past and Ianathe is anxious to get upon the road, rousing the camp and telling them to task, there would be no hot morning meal this morning.  She could not say why she was on edge but she was, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing up on end.<br/><br/><hr/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Header Info</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div class="codeheader">Code: <a class="codeoperation" href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="return smfSelectText(this);">[Select]</a></div><pre style="margin: 0; padding: 0;"><code class="bbc_code">[floatleft][img height=140 padding=5]Image[/img][/floatleft]<br/>[b]Name:[/b] <br/>[b]Location:[/b] <br/>[b]Tag:[/b] <br/>[b]Initiative:[/b] <br/>[b]Free Action:[/b]<br/>[b]Swift Action:[/b]<br/>[b]Standard Action:[/b]<br/>[b]Move Action:[/b]<br/>[b]Feats or SA used:[/b]<br/>[b]Warning:[/b] None (PG rating).<br/>[hr]<br/><br/></code></pre></div></div>