A rider races up the Auronas Road, passes through the White Gate at Ravenfall and disappears into the bustling streets, filled with merchants and shoppers. The rider navigates his way through the streets and leaves via the Iron Gate, which takes him into the Wealthy part of town, the streets were deserted, save for a slave or two rushing to do errands. The rider ignores all, keeps pushing his horse towards yet another gate, the Royal Gate, which deposits him into the Royal Quarters, and finally up a rather steep hill with switchbacks to his destination, the Citadel of Winter, the ruling seat of House Blackbeard and the Winterlands. The rider reigns up his horse, and gapes up at the sheer size of the citadel.
The rider approaches the steps, a groom appears and grabs the lathering horse's reins and holds the horse as the rider jumps off. The rider quickly rushes into the Palace while the groom guides the horse into the stables and pats him down for the night. He saddles up another horse, knowing the rider's business would probably take him back out again. He leads the horse back out just as the rider emerges from the Palace, a carrying case with him, he throws the case over his shoulder and jumps up on the horse, grabs the reins and races down the road. The groom scowls, says to nobody in particular, "He's pushing these horses too hard."
Meanwhile the next day, the rider enters a mountain pass, following the Auronas Road towards White Pass Fortress, he slows his horse, a replacement from the stables of Silverton, a mining community on the border of White Pass and Ravenfall, and stares at the formidable walls of the Pass, icy and forbidding, it sends shivers down his spine and he spurs his horse into a gallop, his horse happily obliging, feeling the fears of its owner. Within the hour the rider approaches a scout, who points towards the great Fortress at White Pass, the rider looks at the road, a rather terrifying series of switchbacks that leads to the gates, and the only feasible way to move an army through.
The rider sucks in his breath, thanks the scout and nudges his horse forward. He bypasses a wagon filled with Silver from the local mines, throwing the drover a friendly wave, further up the switchbacks he runs into a detachment of infantry, the fearsome Wolf Soldiers of the North, he wisely guides his horse out of the way and watches as they march by, a procession of perfect marching and order, each soldier only looking straight ahead, and only their commander, known as an Alpha Wolf, gives any indication of another traveler on the road by giving a curt glance at the rider. The rider watches as the vanguard passes by before urging the horse back on the road, White Pass Fortress now looms far above him and he can see guards roaming the walkways and the Banner of Lord White, a Snowcapped Peak on White background, flying proudly next to the Wolf Banner of House Blackbeard. He pushes on through the Auronas Gate and makes his way to White Citadel, not as grand as Citadel of Winter, but still intimidating and not taken easily. He meets the groom at the steps and jumps off the horse, he rushes into the Hall to deliver his package from High Lord Blackbeard to Lord White. Satisfied with a job well done, the rider leaves the Hall and heads to the seedier part for a night with a companion.