The Road to Loudman is Extremely Busy

I seem to have mastered riding this horse.  As we're not trying to hurry to Loudman, controlling it is much easier.  It generally follows the others, and if I need to adjust its route only gentle persuasion is needed.  If we end up in a chase, though, I'll probably go to pieces.  But half a day in the saddle has left me feeling much happier with my level of control.  The ache in my backside and legs had all but gone my late yesterday afternoon.  But only an hour or so into our journey this morning saw the pain return again.  It doesn't seem as bad after this morning's ride - but there's plenty of time yet.

We've stopped for a break in the riding, and I tried to slip my legs back into their normal position.  This is not so easy as everything has become quite stiff.  I managed to sit down, though, while we ate some of the fresh food.  We brought some excellent pie with us for our early journey rations - made with chicken and mushrooms.  This wouldn't keep well for the long journey beyond Loudman, but this is so tasty that I don't think there is any risk of it making it past the end of today.

The freight along this road is quite heavy, it's busier here with trader's carts than I've seen it anywhere else in Caldonacia.  This volume of traffic would make it difficult to press on past all the people if we'd wanted to do that.  So we took it easy and just kept up with the others.  This did have the advantage of giving us the chance to talk to some of the traders and cart owners, though.

For some traders this is an annual trip, once per year selling on a large order, while for others it is a monthly or even weekly expedition.  There is a bewildering variety of trade goods - farming and industrial equipment, pottery and gilded or brass items are popular, as are the Caldonacian specialities - apple cider (and it's pear-based equal, perry) and a fire spirit they called whiskey.

I was intrigued by the whiskey they were bringing.  I managed to scrounge a taste of this locally produced drink, as we have a similarly named spirit in the delves.  Ours is nothing like this, though.  Hznaman whiskey comes largely from the northern coastline of Caldonacia, and from across on the water on the island of Tenagria, of which only the southern half is populated they said.  These are spirits of exceptional quality, and it seems they can fetch a high price in the south.  I managed to negotiate a deal for three bottles of the stuff, I have no idea of ten Gold Crowns is a lot for each bottle, but it matters little. I'm quite surprised that the Hznaman don't export this stuff to Gora - it'd fetch a high price there too.