### 166

The closely-packed pines of the Grochod Forest compete for sunlight and fresh air, and beneath their canopy of thick foliage exists a separate world of shadows and cool gloom. Little undergrowth flourishes here and the soil is loose and rocky, hindering swift progress. You pick your way through this difficult timberland, keeping instinctively to a northerly bearing by the use of your innate Kai tracking skills. At noon you stop to rest and consult your map. You calculate your position and determine that you could be four days in this forest before you reach the Demera Quilt, a cultivated region of vineyards and farmlands that stretches from the city walls of Duadon to the banks of the River Storn.

It is nearly dark when you come to the edge of a gorge. Less than a hundred yards to the west you see a rocky knoll with a slate base that juts into the deep ravine, and to the east the tree-line follows the rim for many miles. You are not keen to try to descend into this gorge at night and so you resolve to find somewhere safe to camp until dawn.

If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have attained the rank of Kai Grand Sentinel or higher, turn to 51.

If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 294.