There is a bench they can sit on. There's a couple of soldiers in the entryway. "Prestidigitator on duty is that way to get you dried off and cleaned up," point, "mess hall is that way but we are not on full rations so you aren't either. Channels are at noon and sunset in the mess. Commander Artigas'll want to hear from your party leader or whoever's best at Taldane when you're ready."

"Thank you", again, and some more muttered conversation, including 'Iomedae' a couple more times and something that might be 'High Inquisitor' if anyone recognizes the title.  "Khalid know prestidigitate, once we rest, but channel is likely good, thank you, we walk much.  We have some camel also, we share.  Commander speak alone?"

"Uh, probably?"

A couple of meaningful looks are exchanged, and the ranger nods.  "I speak best Taldane.  Tariq and Khalid wait in mess hall?  Is it commander who channel at noon?"

"Yeah. He tried to get a Gozrehn to stick around but her party left, it's just him."

This does not really answer any of Omar's questions but okay.  It's nearly noon already, they can shuffle off to the mess and wait to meet the commander there after he channels?  And most importantly they can SIT DOWN.  (Or Omar can wait here but it's probably pretty obvious the party would prefer to stick together.)

At noon, there he is, standing on a specific table; people crowd in around him and when they settle down he channels.

The stray adventurers squeeze into the edge of the radius and- yup, that's a positive channel all right, there go all the miscellaneous aches and strains from keeping up a punishingly hard pace through snow for three days with a minimum of rest, and Tariq's wrenched elbow from where he landed wrong- whatever else is going on here this guy is definitely a real priest of Someone.

The other two go back to the table they were sitting at, Khalid slumping back onto Tariq's shoulder and continuing to halfheartedly clear the snow off their boots, and Omar hangs around for the commander to be available, scratching behind Noor's ears and trying not to look nervous. 

And then the commander steps off the table, accepts a bowl of Worldwound stew from one of his men, and makes his way to the lost adventurers. "My office is upstairs."

Whatever the Worldwound stew consists of, it is not cold raw camel and therefore it is the most delicious thing in the world.  Omar will collect a bowlful for himself and Noor before he follows.  (Tariq has the remains of the haunch in his pack and will seek out whoever seems to be in charge of the kitchen once they've eaten.)

"You have questions, or I should tell from the beginning?

Worldwound stew is rice and beef and sometimes, if you're lucky, dried tomatoes or cheap zucchini or potatoes or something. They are not lucky at this time. It's rice and beef.

"Go ahead from the beginning," says Commander Artigas.

It is hot rice and beef and it is glorious.

"We are from Sothis, in Osirion, work normally as-" he struggles for a word, comes up with an archaic one, "skiptracers?  Follow man who flees and bring him.  Other things also, but this pays best because with a wizard we go further into desert, most wizard parties think this is not worth it, so since Khalid join we do mostly these. 

Three days ago we follow man, he is- very afraid, he run into tomb ruins.  We follow-" a twist of his expression probably means he's eliding an intraparty argument that he lost, "we do not see trap, it send us to snow.  We think, we go south, maybe Worldwound, maybe Tian Xia, probably freeze, still better than stay put and certain freeze."

"That's quite a trap. You can accompany patrols around the edge of the Wound and progress to Kenabres that way but I don't know your prospects for affording passage back to Osirion from there. Teleports are scarcer than they normally are at least on this front, I don't know how much you get of Avistani news there."

He nods.  "Khalid think it is old trap, not meant do that, not sure what it did meant.  Think we maybe lucky it was not worse.  In Kenabres they speak Taldane, yes?  We likely make boat money, not teleport money, but most places enough work for willing swords to make boat money.  Slower, but we none have family waiting."

Noor delicately fishes bite-size pieces of beef out of his bowl as he talks; he pushes a few over to the edge so she doesn't put her whole paw in.

"We hear- a lot of things.  Cheliax has revolution, no Galt conquers Cheliax, no Lastwall does, no the High Inquisitor's party does, war is over, Aroden has returned, Nefreti Clepati has closed the Worldwound, no it was the archmages with the High Inquisitor, no it is still open, no it goes other place now... but mostly we hear war in Cheliax.  We did not think to find Chelish fort still up, still patrolling.  ...Even more, I did not think to find Iomedae has Chelish forts now?"

"They have Taldane there but also Hallit. It was insofar as my information is correct the Inquisitor's party in both cases. Iomedae has me specifically, not the fort entire. Chelish forts continue operational but in most cases with fewer clerics even than this one. Asmodeus dropped all of his clerics not too long ago. You'll be able to sell that wand for considerably more than it'd be worth in a city if you care to."

"All His clerics...?"  Omar looks badly disconcerted.  "If they..."  but whatever foundation just shook, he apparently doesn't have the Taldane to discuss it, and after a moment takes a breath and returns to practical matters.  "Good tip for the wand, thank you- we will talk this, dangerous to go without but if it buys us teleport, maybe worth it."

"It might, I'm not sure. Not too many people have the necessary knack with wands if they can't cast their own Cures. It'll be dearer at a neighboring fort than this one. Would you like to be assigned to the next patrol going clockwise?"

"I sp- will speak with Tariq but I think yes.  Or, it leaves how early?  If we have one or two nights to rest, this is better."

"You can rest here a night or two in the guest quarters, yes. Patrols go out frequently, you can catch one when you're ready."

"Thank you, yes.  More questions?"  Noor has eaten her fill and climbs back onto his shoulder to look around at the office; he starts finishing up the rice and remaining beef.

"What are your abilities? It's usually quiet here but if you're taking Worldwound hospitality I need to know how to deploy you should Worldwound events occur."

"I have my grandfather's bow, and very good at follow- track?  In desert, I have not try this in snow before now.  In desert also Noor helps me scout," he rubs the back of her neck affectionately, "but she is young cat still and does not like snow in her paws.  Tariq is good brawler, I think grapple demons is bad idea?  But he can fight sword also- needs loan sword if this, though, it is in Sothis still.  Khalid is second circle, mostly useful spells, less fighting spells- because Endure Elements we are alive, Comprehend Languages, some illusions, some I do not know the Taldane."

"Endure Elements is very valuable, on the men and the horses, and will be most of what I would ask of you. It is generally a bad idea to grapple demons. I can source a loaner sword; you do not have to return it to this fort in particular but must leave it at some Chelish fort unless you buy it, that kind of equipment slosh is accounted for in the budget. Archers and wizards are usefully posted on the battlements. How rigid is Khalid's sleep schedule? Does he have a familiar?"

"I will tell Tariq of loan sword, hope it will not need."  He makes a bit of a face (to Chelish eyes, possibly a lot of a face); it's never pleasant to split the party but especially when you're sending your friend into worse danger. 

"No familiar yet.  Rigid is... stiff, firm?"  The question is clear enough from context anyway, even if he's completely off.  "Khalid sleeps best in dark and no footprints, does not need precise before dawn?"

"Well, there's plenty of dark to be had at this time of year. If you have no further questions I'll have Caldentey show you to quarters and get you on the schedule."