The Restoration of Erihal [GAME START]

After a few hours, the group introduced themselves to each other, took stock of their supplies, hired on Malik and Jani, had Lucas tag along, and set off. It was early evening when they stopped at a wayfarers' inn to discuss their next moves. They were going to reach the border of wilderness in the next few days, and would no longer be able to rely on paved roads. They had a few options to proceed, all with their own risks and benefits.

They could follow the old Royal Highway, which used to connect Erihal and the League in years past. It would probably still be good for some distance past the border, though no doubt much of it was destroyed during the war to deny the Empire an easy route. The road would take them north and west, bypassing Lutishal and passing through the drier lands of the Luka plain, north of the Karen basin.

Alternatively, they could follow the River Lutis, passing between Lutishal and its mirror Lutispolis, provincial capital of the Mau-Aaru region. The Great Bridge between the two cities may still stand, though if it's collapsed then it would pose a serious challenge in navigating the river. Following its western root would put them fairly close to Arisha, with only a short distance through the gently sloping descent from the mountainous North.

Finally, they could trek across the plains to Lake Ka, and then use the city of Karen as a navigation landmark to proceed. Arisha was almost due north from Karen; if they managed to stay on heading, they would almost certainly spot the capital and correct their course. There was also a road between Karen and Arisha, much less traveled than the Royal Highway, but it might have had a better chance at survival.

Of course, the travelers would need to forge their own path at some point. Nobody knew what had and hadn't changed in the past sixty years, so no doubt many of the landmarks were different in some way or another.