"My spells may be put to the fort's best defense as long as we remain here," Khalid speaks up unexpectedly, in archaic but perfectly grammatical Taldane (albeit with an accent thick enough to cut with a table knife), ignoring Tariq's attempt to shush her.  "I have met First Arcane Grec and found him very hospitalit- hospitable."

"My best officer," nods Artigas.

"When is no demon, soldiers here do what?"  Omar interjects, fending off another brewing argument.  "Play cards, dice, this is allowed?  Practice shoot, grapple?  ...practice language maybe?" he adds hopefully. 

"Cards and dice are allowed but on the advice of the insurance adjuster betting is exclusively in favors, not money. There are classes and practice sessions you may sign up for with Lieutenant Vallvé, over there, including in common Taldane, though the classes assume that the native language is Chelish."

Omar translates 'insurance adjuster' and a few other words for Tariq, who scowls.  "No good favors, leave soon."

"What manner of favors?  I expect there may be quick ones?"  Khalid directs the last few words to Tariq; he responds with some suggestive remark in Osiriani and she rolls her eyes at him. 

"You teach grapple soldiers maybe?"  Omar is trying to keep this conversation in Taldane their host is right here.

"I do not teach the grappling classes personally. Sometimes the favors are quick, or they're more like dares than like favors."

"Tariq knows good tricks, maybe good practice grapple soldiers-"

"No, no, is good dares!"  Tariq interrupts him.  "I do dares."

"So then we may stay a bit longer?"  Khalid stays in Taldane this time, although it's directed at Tariq.

"Two days.  Then go."

"I've sent a letter to the next fort east of here to alert them that your party will be heading clockwise soon, so they will be expecting you."

"Is how long walk, between forts?  Noor no-"  He intercepts the little cat before she can pounce on Blai's holy symbol, glinting in the light.

"It depends on the weather. Unless something goes wrong a patrol is out for hours, not days."

"Oh good."  Omar and Tariq both look immensely relieved; Khalid is still poking glumly at her bowl.  If something does go wrong they might all be dead and it won't matter if the next fort is one mile away or a thousand, but nobody actually needs to say that, it's equally true of adventuring parties the world over.

"You will have many legs of the journey to get to Kenabres, though."

Omar nods.  "One, maybe two night at forts, should ready each time for two days walk if fort locks doors..."

"Oughtn't they simply kill us, if they take us for shapechangers, not drive us off and let us try the next fort?"

"Maybe no food, not share?"

"That's part of what the letter is for, and you should accompany a normal patrol who can account for you having been with them the whole time. But you might run into places on shorter rations than we are."

"Bring camel, give."  Tariq says decisively; Khalid looks miserable about this prospect but doesn't argue.

"What beasts live here?  Not demons-"  Omar indicates Noor, now working determinedly at a particularly chewy lump of beef, then expands the gesture a few feet above the tabletop.  "Wilderness beasts much trouble?"

"Occasionally there are bears, caribou, dire rats, ptarmigans. Not likely to attack a group the size of a full patrol, though of course you should be ready if you do see a bear or dire rat."

"What is caribou?  And ptarmigan?  Not know these?"  Omar glances at Khalid, who shrugs and shakes her head.

"A caribou is a big deer. A ptarmigan is a white bird, so big, not dangerous but good to eat."

"Ah, food beast not fight beast, that is good.  With patrol we can- Tariq, not grapple bear.  Loan sword bear."  He accompanies this with a glare of 'I know you were thinking it', and Tariq throws up a hand in mock surrender with a "yes, yes", and a comment in Osiriani that presumably alleges a lack of courage.

"Caribou are also good to eat."

"Is good!"

"What do the caribou and the- the birds eat, themselves?  I did not think to find many, um, such beasts here where there is so much snow."

"I'm not sure. We don't see them too often so they may have to travel pretty far for it. There are some plants under the snow, though."

"Huh."  She nods thoughtfully. 

"Most places is some plants.  Desert have-" Omar checks with Khalid if she knows a Taldane word, then switches back although he's still mostly addressing her.  "...very small sword plant, drink much at once and keep it, like camel, ocean have no roots plant, swims, make sense snow place have snow plant."  He looks much more interested in the prospect of investigating weird snow plants than he was about just trekking from fort to fort for weeks.

"The snow does melt for some of the summer. ...anyway, please let me or my officers know if you need anything or have questions." And he moves on.

"Thank you much!  Is good talk!"  And the little party will return to Osiriani among themselves as they finish up dinner.  If clusters of soldiers stick around the mess hall talking after the meal breaks up, they'll split up but keep vaguely in the same area, Tariq and Omar looking for a card game or a group of men who might seem inclined to start one, Khalid in search of the wizards.  ...hopefully a smaller group of wizards.