You set off post haste. The mornig ride is uneventful; however, as noontime approaches a light snow begins to fall. This would not be bad in and of itself, but next the wind picks up, driving the effective temperature down. By midafternoon it feels like it is -24F. Not pleasant travelling weather, though Jo-owrn does not seem to mind.
For much of the day the road that you are now following has been paralleling a small river to your right. Around you, the landscape is slowly climbing, as you approach the northwestern border of Happy Valley. As darkness falls and the snow tapers off to light flurries, the ranger leading you presses on, and soon you see the lights of a settlement ahead. A short time later you are riding into the village of Yip Yowee (population 900).
Jo-owrn takes you to The Nelson, a large, drafty inn, where you will be spending the night. The place could be cleaner and warmer and the food could be better, too, but it is the only inn in town and so you make do.
However, after this afternoon's ride, even The Nelson seems like an oasis of warmth and comfort.
At dinner, Jo-owrn says, "Yip Yowee is the last settlement we'll be passing through. If anyone needs to pick up any supplies, you'd better get them before we leave in the morning."
The ranger sips his hot cider.
"The easy part of the journey is over," he continues. "Tomorrow we leave the kingdom and enter the northern wilderness. In a day or two we'll reach Yeti Pass."
"Guess what inhabits Yeti Pass..?" says Leslie.
"After we climb through the pass we next descend into Long Valley, pick up the Devil's Road, and so make our way to Snurre's old home," concludes Jo-owrn.
"Uhhh could it be rats?" asks Kelar with a smirk in reply to Leslie's comment. "What are the chances of us seeing these rats?"
"Pretty good..." replies Jo-owrn.
Raz looks that the ranger incredulously. "That was the easy part?" he says in an exasperated tone, "by the gods man...this can't get any worse can it?" Raz looks very unhappy and is thinking seriously now about casting a heat spell of some type upon himself.
"Worse?" asks Jo-owrn with a smile. "So far this has been like a stroll in the park. Hardly anything's tried to eat us, the weather's been calm, the roads have been passable...I haven't had to put the old snow plow on my horse, yet. Just wait 'til we've had a blizzard or two, a few avalanches and a horde of yeti to deal with.
"I'm just glad we're not trying this in mud season."
Farad asks, "Any chance of avalanche at the pass? If so we'd best avoid loud spells such as lightning bolts and fireballs."
"Might be a good idea," says Jo-owrn.
Raz listens, but is obviously pre-occupied with his own lack of comfort.