[It doesn't take them long to find the stream and clean up, and their trek through the mountains begins. Thankfully, they don't need to travel too high up through the mountains, and even more thankfully, they don't have to travel too far. After only a day and a half, they're able to see where the mage's base is likely located, though that's where their luck runs out.

While there aren't any towns around here, there is an old military outpost. It isn't listed on any more recent maps, which is why they missed it, but this area must have once been somewhere important to the kingdom. The base is built into the mountain itself, with stone walls and a tower for looking out on the surrounding plain and distant forest. Much of it is crumbled and unusable now, but that hasn't stopped the mage and her lackeys from renovating the place. From their viewpoint, Blanche and Alaric can see that they've been rebuilding; there's only a couple of former small houses that look potentially livable, with plenty of tents set up in the area surrounding it. The main building of the fort is made of stone and mostly intact, and the walls are manned with archers and other mercenaries. It's difficult to get an exact number from here, but the place is definitely not short on soldiers.]

I had no idea there was a place like this out here... Seems like a good spot for them. It'll be difficult to break through.

[The front gate is the one looking out on the plains, which is obviously not the best way for them to approach.]

If we continue around like this, we can likely sneak in tonight.

[The walls of the settlement would be easy to get onto from the mountain, so getting in won't be a problem. It's just everything else...]

I'm guessing that mage is holed up there, in that building.

[He points it out - it's the main stone one that likely housed most of the base's military might a long time ago.]