Red Wolf Blogs

 (From the April 18, 2025 Newsletter) 9th Day of Snow Moon, 1219 th Year, Human Age of Magic … I’m writing this journal entry from the safety of a small cave near the pass between the Darinian and Faricican mountain chains. It is hard to see the position of the sun from my hiding place, but I believe it is mid-morning now. I had hoped to reach the pass before nightfall yesterday, but dusk overtook me, and in the tall grass with the moon not rising until late, I found it impossible to proceed without losing my way in the darkness. I was nervous about predators, so I built a small campfire in the middle of the trail, something that usually keeps them at bay. I planned to stay awake and vigilant until the moon rose to light my way. Unfortunately, I was more tired than I was aware and fell asleep, waking in the early hours of dawn to a smoldering campfire and a sound that brought my heart into my throat—a distant yapping and yowling that resembled a cruel laughter. Hyenas! I...

  8th Day of Snow Moon, 1219 th Year, Human Age of Magic … It’s been six days since I made a journal entry, trudging north along the old road by night and sleeping hidden in the forest during the day. I may as well have been traveling during the day, because I’ve not seen evidence of any recent traffic along the way. And as dawn was beginning to break this morning, I reached the end of the road. The road had been getting steeper since early evening as I approached the mountain range, and I’d expected it to continue to wind into the hills. Instead, it came to an abrupt halt at the bottom of a forested peak. I found a small path leading westward into the forest that ended after about a quarter of a pentag. Of course, I don’t want to go in that direction anyway. I did, however, find a pathway leading into the tall grass eastward. As I’ve mentioned before, I am loath to go into the grass. My sense of direction gets disoriented, and I am worried about predators. But I climbed a t...

  Dusk, 2 nd Day of Snow Moon, 1219 th Year, Human Age of Magic … I’ve decided to take the trail that runs north along the edge of the forest instead of risking losing my way in the tall grass of the Plains of Saha’ar. It will be a longer journey but safer, especially if I travel at night. I don’t think there’s much traffic here, anyway, for I encountered none this entire afternoon as I foraged for fruits and nuts within the cover of the trees on the west side of the road. I was able to stuff my pack with walnuts, star apples, and a couple of baobab fruits. Along with the dried bowfin, I think I have enough food to last four or five days, if I ration it wisely. I assume I’ll be able to forage as I go, and there seems to be an abundance of small game here. Of course, I have no idea what I’ll find further north. The thing that worries me most is water. I’ve run across many small streams and have been able to keep myself well hydrated since I left the swamp, but I have nothing...

From the January 24, 2025 newsletter ... Morning, 2 nd Day of Snow Moon, 1219 th Year, Human Age of Magic … I haven’t slept much since I left the Swamp of Ozua, being anxious to put as much distance as possible between the castle dungeons and myself. Since I sneaked away under the distractions of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Zemburith, I’ve taken only the occasional cat nap when I felt the need to rest, and I’m pleased with my progress. That first night, the light of a waning crescent moon was sufficient to negotiate the dense cypress groves and thickets near the swamp, and by morning the undergrowth had given way to a more open forest floor beneath a tall tree canopy, which was easier going. Late the next afternoon, I came upon evidence of logging—a large clearing where stumps of mahogany and teak absorbed the unhindered rays of the sun. There was a poorly maintained logging road leading away from the clearing, which I followed, assuming it would be the quickest way out of...