--Three days after the bandit attack--

   Commander Tate and his men were up about taking stalk of their surroundings. The tall trees, the grass shaped like needles, than bushes here and there. A fairly average scene, but a scene to wake up to when camping. The morale of the cavalry was to describe in a single word, poor. Perhaps a understatement, but nonetheless it described their current thoughts. Thoughts such as if the caravan held off the bandits that were led by at the very least a competent commander. How many died? Was it anyone they knew? What is going on at the caravan right now?

For three long days they traveled without knowing the outcome, their fears preying on them. They had little choice but to pin their hope on Drago (dra-go) and the infantry to guard their children, lovers, and wives. The hope that they might once more be reunited.

The men begrudgingly marched onwards from atop their mounts into the wilderness of the mountains, full of anxiety and jumpy nerves.

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   The sun was high in the sky by mid-day's evening yawn when Tate and his men came across a basin. Water streamed from every edge it could from the highlands of the nearby snow capped mountain tops, down into the lowlands of the basin. The streams all converged to a sinhle point, a lake, with a river as an outlet. The most astonishing thing about the scenery was not the basin or the beautiful lake and streams. No, the most astonishing thing was the water flowed north! Or at least the water ran in a northernly direction.

Men came and went up to the river using whatever they could think of to determine its direction, including one bringing out a crude compass.

Tate: Are you sure we didn't get turned around in our march somewhere along the way? The water is flowing North!

??? 1: Yes sir, the water without a doubt flows north. Perhaps we could ask sir Nethan (ne-than), I have heard he is an educated man in many things. Maybe he knows why it is flowing in a northernly direction.

Tate: First we need to find Nethan and the others. For now set up camp and basic fortifications, we can turn this place into a outpost, a staging area to gather our wits before heading out into the Midlands. Speaking of which, dispatch three sqquds to begin the search for the rest.

??? 1, bows to Tate and quickly takes his leave to hand out the orders.

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--Meanwhile in the caravan--

   Drago had finally awoken and had sent out his own scouts to find a source of fresh water and potentially find the others. Of course the hunters were sent out as well to help suppliment their supplies. Drago himself however still took quarter in the carriage with a sense of lethargy while his toys for a lack of a better term, Aireal (air-e-al), Midnight, and tge new addition Crystal took leave and sat about exploring the area. The caravan with a lethargy of its own took a moment of respite to gather it's bearings.

It was during this respite that Nethan strided forward into the carriage.

Nethan: I see you are better now, was it necessary?

Drago: Was it? Yes, of course it is! I don't have time to slowly develop loyalty.

Nethan: An what gives you the right to take away people's memories? The tight to self determination and natural rights

Drago: The state is the giver of all rights, the ultimate authority,  the arbiter of truth and morality, for without permission of the state there exists no right, there exist no self determination, and with magic even their memories belong to the state!

Nethan: You sound errly similar to him.

Drago: You are lucky, i don't have, i doubt you came here to just lecture me though.

Nethan: *sigh* That threat doesn't work, you of all people should know this. Anyways let us move onto the more 'stately' affairs.

Drago: What stately affairs? There is no state for the time being.

Nethan: You know what I mean.

Drago: aw, you mean drawing lines in the sand and planning.

Nethan: I highly advise against planning and just let things go as long as they do not go too far.

Drago: Have i ever listened in our short while being together when you dispense information.

Nethan: Well there is the time we rebuilt the army. By the way, don't throw your coins around little miss.

Drago: Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Nethan: Who is the broken clock?

Drago: Hmmm, who is the clock?

Nethan: The one who gave her a name for pets.

Drago: ...Point taken... but you are a broken clock as well in some regard.

Nethan; A broken clock you can't "fix", i do enjoy our debates though.

Drago: You call this a debate?

Nethan: Why not? We are two opposing views talking.

Drago: Let us get back on topic, our stately affairs.

Nethan: alright, after settling down we should search the mountains for caves or start surveying the land in search of valuable metals...

   The two talked on and on with one another about their plans  back and forth on how things should be done.