Starting slowly

I think the title says everything about tonights session. We began by clearing up a couple of things I'd missed last session, principly what each character notices about each other and the NPCs. I then had then describe how they're dressed so that each knows how they appear to others.

After sorting out where each character is spending the night we moved to early morning, and the point Vialle gets up. Of course being blind she doesn't need the light on and then proceeds to make her way across the room to the toilet using just a cane. This has the effect of first waking Isocrates as she taps his recumbent form an navigates around him. As she enters the toilet Isocrates feels his way across the floor to where he remembers Allanon chose to sleep and shakes him awake.

As Vialle exits the toilet and makes her way to the coffee percolator, Allanon wakes and using his thermographic vison identifies the female figure trying to pour herself a coffee after trying to find a mug because the PCs moved them from where she expected to be. At various points both the PC try to ask Vialle questions and Vialle trys to ascertain who they are. Having no language in common this proves rather difficult.

Eventually the commotion wakes Cordelia, who after a brief exchange with Vialle, suggests that Allanon turns the lights on. People then start to wake, and when Cordelia takes her morning shower, Allanon wants to know where the spare towels are. Cordelia suggests he finds his own and leaves her stuff alone.

As she's drying herself, she appears to freeze, not responding to anything the PC's ask. After 20 seconds of so Fane decides to go and shake her to see if she's awake. A second or so later he also freezes for a few seconds and then goes and sits down. When the other PC's question him he says that somebody invaded his mind, and then told him to sit down, which he did. With Cordelia still not paying attention, Kohaku moves over as if to shake her but Fane strongly suggests she doesn't. Cordelia then appears to come round and suggests to Fane that his actions weren't very wise, and she was surprised that Fiona hadn't just killed him.

After a short discussion Cordelia informs everyone that they now sort of have a job  to do as Carnelian needs the mortars and rifles that were due for delivery but hasn't yet got. She then asks if any of them can drive an articulated truck, which of course none of them can. Isocrates then wakes from a short nap, and Cordelia asks him if he's got anything warmer to wear. When he says he hasn't she says she'll see what she can rustle up for him. Taking one of her weapons with her she exits the shelter, the blast of air at 4^oC  highlights to Isocrates exactly what Cordelia means by cold.

She returns about 45 minutes later expecting breakfast, to find that whilst most of the PC's have eaten, neither she not Vialle has food available. She drops a pile of clothes onto the napping form of Isocrates and suggests breakfast would be a good idea. Whilst waiting she organises her pack and Fane goes to look around outside.

Breakfast over she ushers everyone out of the shelter, Fane having offered to carry the Queen, and Allanon been cajoled into carrying a jerry can of fuel. They make their way to a local establishment where Cordelia knows there's a mini-bus parked. As they're walking Cordelia answers various questions about shadow, Pattern, and traversing shadows.

Isocrates is then completely fascinated by the vehicle as Cordelia first fuels it, then gets everyone on board, and they set off.. Mikato (Cordelia's Akita) having intimidated him out of the front seat. Cordelia then trys to shadow shift too quickly, moving them to a shadow where the engine won't run, but has just enough momentum to move them back to a shadow where she can restart it. 15 minutes later they arrive at a building in forested craggy hills, somewhat ravaged by earthquakes. Cordelia attaches a white flag to the end of her sword, and telling everyone else to remain where they are, approaches the building. 5 minutes later she returns with an oriental guy who she introduces as Hou-Jin.

She then sets off across shadow in search of a riding school, much to Hou-Jin's chagrin when he learns they're going to have to ride. After about 45 minutes they arrive at a school. Fane and Allanon retrieve 3 mares from a field and Fane sets about saddling them whilst Cordelia retrieves the stallion. Distributing the non riding parties, except Allanon, they ride double for 45 minutes whilst Cordelia locates another school and 3 more mares. Now all riding comfortably(well for those that were used to riding) they ride for 4 hours until Cordelia rests to give the horses a break and a drink. Remounting they ride for another 4 hours before coming to a mountain cabin, with waiting food and refreshment for both human and horse.

After a couple of hours break, whilst people attempt to put strained limbs into some semblance of working order, grab something to eat, and make use of the facilities, Cordelia orders everyone back into the saddle. 

[GM Note to the PC's : Having now added up the time passed.. which I should have been more attention too.. there is another incursion of the strange time, where you here clocks strike and the world freezes at this point. Both Hou-Jin and Vialle are frozen but none of the rest of you are. Nothing else untoward happens.]

Another 5 hours in the saddle brings them to a clearing. Cordelia orders the horses unsaddled and turned loose. Then carefully making her way across the clearing she causes first one, and then a second truck to appear. There then follows a debate as to who is travelling in one truck or the other. Cordelia debates whether Fane is better riding with her and the queen or whether Isocrates should. Eventually she sends Isocrates to the second truck.