By the time all the scouting parties had returned, ten days had already passed. Each had brought back relatively detailed information on the routes, for the Witch Doctors to choose from.
The first route followed the White River north all the way to the Finae Tribe.
This was undoubtedly the shortest route, but it had two drawbacks.
First, carnivorous Magic Beasts frequently appeared near the river.
Second, where the White River met the Black River, the water ran deep and swift, making the crossing troublesome.
The second route crossed the White River to the left near the tribe, then followed the river north before crossing back to the right upstream and returning south.
Its advantage was that, while being the second-shortest route, it avoided the confluence of the two rivers.
But it required two river crossings in total, making it somewhat more troublesome. Moreover, like the right bank, the left bank was also a watering place for fierce beasts.
The third route first headed east, then turned north, passing through the forest all the way to the Black River's southern bank. After crossing there, it would turn northwest toward the Finae Tribe.
The Black Forest along this route was all tribal hunting ground, and the ferocious carnivorous Magic Beasts had long since fled.
But it was also the longest route, and the "road conditions" in the Black Forest were unsuitable for a large force to travel through. Unlike the first two routes, it had no relatively flat riverbank for marching.
After much deliberation, the Rune Council decided to combine the first and third routes: first travel north along the White River's eastern bank, then head east at the confluence until reaching a suitable crossing on the Black River. After crossing, they would turn northwest and proceed directly to Finae.
This