Shifting Roots
Thirteenth Day of the First Month 294 AC
You make good time southward after Rina's encounter, the giants seeming to draw heart from the sight of the blade strapped across Mag Mar's back with a simple leather sheath while the Moonchaser above is a source of wonder. Gilly meanwhile has hardly left the ship after it arrived with the rest of her kin. According to Tyene, she has both found some comfort in her family and given such to those in desperate need.
There had been a touch of trouble with a few of the Free Folk taking poorly to flying through the air in a magic ship. All they had known of sorcery was whatever the Hells Craster did, but Moonsong managed to set their minds at ease, enough at least that they preferred the sky ship to an 'army of giants'.
Speaking of the reactions to said host.
"
All of Whitetree has gone to ground in the woods?" you ask Dany, who is still serving as your most advanced scout, her silvered wings carrying her farther and faster than the false ravens.
"Most of those who are left," she explains. "From the looks of things about a third of the cottages have been empty for months, hopefully off to join Mance in Hardhome..." There is no need to speak the darker alternative, not after what you had faced yesterday. The servants of Winter may be hidden under the light of day, but they were already abroad in the Far North and growing bolder by the day.
"So who is left in the village now?" Lya asks from beside you.
"A few old folk who either couldn't or wouldn't leave. I had a chat with one of the bolder of them, once I managed to convince him we mean no harm. He even told me where to find the rest... in exchange for healing all of his ailments, a promise to take him with us, and a pouch of silver."
"Sharp trader, maybe we can hire him for Silver Serpent," you snort, preparing to meet the locals. Bringing a few more free folk in addition to the giants past the Wall wouldn't be a problem with the Lord Commander, you know, not as long as you take them far away, where they will not be his problem nor that of the Northern Lords.
***
Fourteenth Day of the First Month 294 AC
By the time the Wall rises over the southern horizon, you are accompanied by some three hundred free folk, whatever livestock they wanted to bring along, since you could not very well refuse them when the giants had kept their mammoths, and you imagine most remarkably to any Black Brothers watching from the Wall, the ancient tree for which Whitetree is, or rather
was, named. By Vee's reckoning, it should be over a thousand years old. Not quite as venerable as the one in Thennhold which you had already relocated to Last Refuge, but still a fair anchoring for wards and blessings.
Gained 303 Free Folk Refugees
Gained the Tree of Whitetree
Lost 50 IM
How do you want to make your way through the Wall?
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OOC: This is also the vote to do anything at the Wall if you like. For anyone wondering there was no encounter planed for Whitetree, it's too far south for the others to properly challenge a convoy like this one. Not yet eidted.