According to Plan (Bohdai and Veral) 23.W.509

[Bohdai]

The 23rd Day of the Season of Winter, 509 AV. Bohdai and Veral had left Syliras on the date promised, the very morning after they left. Fortunately, Bohdai preferred the wilderness, any wilderness, to the chaos of a city. He felt at ease with trees around him. Ice crunched beneath the hooves of the Dhani’s horses as they forded a stream, nay, a mere brook, Veral ever on the watch for ruins, or even a likely cave. Bohdai was more concerned about threatening creatures, though bandits were more likely. The horses, their saddlebags bulging, passed through a clearing in the trees, affording Bohdai and Veral a view of cloudless winter sky. The pale blue spread as far as the eye could see, until it touched upon mountains days to their north. The Cobalt Mountains lived up to their name, a deep blue, almost purple blotch, against the sky. Soon, the trees hid the view again. Bohdai reached into a saddlebag, withdrawing two apples. He checked the fruit for bruises before offering one to Veral. Remarkably, the Viper accepted the apple. Bohdai shrugged and faced forward again, taking a bite from the juicy fruit. Veral surreptitiously checked the apple for any tampering before taking his own bite. “Do you have no skill with weapons, Veral?” Bohdai was curious, they barely knew one another, yet already had a business arrangement. “I have no proficiencies with weapons. Thus, why I sought a companion,” Veral took another bite from his apple, and brought his mount level with Sidewinder. “And if you have to defend yourself while I am otherwise occupied? Blades do not listen very well.” "My Dhani form will have to suffice. If not, then due to my Viper upbringing, I am agile and fast, and I'm sure I can outrun many things!" Bohdai offered no reply. Instead, he allowed the silence to hang. The only sounds were those of nature, and the crunching of twigs and leaves beneath the metal-shod hooves of Sidewinder, and Veral’s mount.

[Veral]

The 23rd Day of the Season of Winter, 509 AV. The Dhani amused him immensely. He let the silence carry as he observed his surroundings. The Wildlands, for all the ice and the current bleakness of the land, had a certain beauty to it. Veral wasn't usually fond of cold, snowy places, since growing up in Eyktol tailored him to become adaptable to the heat. Yet the weather in the Wildlands was peaceful, almost serene. Yet, he knew not to be deceived of such surroundings. Danger could lurk around any corner. He decided, however, selfishly, that Bohdai could keep an eye out on such dangers, and he could enjoy the view. He reached into a pocket, and pulled out a pouch. Opening it gently, he pulled out a smoking pipe made out of briar, with a dark colour. Laying the pouch between the horses shoulder blades, he pulled out the light brown tobacco and lightly filled his pipe, being careful not to pack it too much, but not too lightly either. He repeated the process again twice until the pipe's bowl had been filled just below the brim. The ritual was almost complete when he looked over to Bohdai. "Could you light a piece of tinder for me?" He asked while his teeth clamped down on the pipe's stem. Complying, Bohdai pulled out his flint and steel and some tinder and proceeded to light it, handing it over after. Taking the lit tinder, Veral circled the tobacco lightly, singeing it and causing it to curve as he pulled slowly on the pipe, letting smoke curl through the air. With a free finger, he slowly pushed the tobacco down into the pipe again slowly, and lit the tobacco, properly this time, causing huge puffs of smoke to waft into the air. His ritual complete, he sighed and threw the tinder into the ice, and puffed at his pipe. He looked over at Bohdai, raising an eyebrow. "You don't smoke, Bohdai?" He noticed the Dhani's face scrunch up in contemplation. "I have never tried it." Nodding, Veral held out the pipe with his free hand, the other pocketing his pouch. "Try a bit. It won't kill you." "No." He shrugged. He'll take some cracking, this one. He placed the pipe between his teeth, and turned his eyes back onto the wild. There had to be something out here. So far, they had spotted nothing, but there was something. He could sense it. Without averting his eyes from the lands, he phrased a question aimed at Bohdai. "Tell me, what brought you to Syliras?"

[Bohdai]

The 23rd Day of the Season of Winter, 509 AV. "Tell me, what brought you to Syliras?" Bohdai turned his head to face Veral. He rocked slowly with the horse’s motion. “A very long road. Very long. I left Falyndar almost two decades ago,” He finished his apple with two final bites. He tossed the apple to the ground, were it smashed a hole in a light layer of snow. Veral accepted Bohdai’s answer, and let silence descend. For that, Bohdai was thankful. He talks too much. Once again, the only sounds were those of nature. The Dhani followed a non-existent trail through the trees, allowing their horses free rein. Bohdai didn’t notice that they had ridden through the gap in a low wall until several yards afterwards. He reined Sidewinder in. “Stop, Veral,” He handed his companion Sidewinder’s reins, and dismounted. The steel of his splint mail clanked when his boots hit the ground. Deftly, Bohdai undid the ties that held his weapons to the saddle. The Dhani explored the area on foot, Veral held back somewhat, but followed with the horses. Small stretches of stone wall were all he found, until his boots met a firm surface. Bohdai kicked away layers of dirt and leaves, slowly revealing cracked stone floors. “I think these are your ruins, Veral.” Bohdai revealed more and more of the floor, before finding the rotten remains of a trap door. “Here.” Bohdai applied his boot to the mix of dirt, leaves, and moldering wood. The debris fell inwards, cascading down a flight of stairs. A shaft of sunlight pierced the canopy, revealing the base of the stairs, but no more. “There is no way we’ll get the horses in there…”