Al's coat fluttered in the winter breeze as he trudged forward, adjusting the sling on his back. The crunch of snow under boots was accompanied by the metallic clink of several blades knocking together in time with his footsteps.

"Note to self: Buy gloves." he said aloud, raising his hands to breathe hot air onto them. Rubbing them together, he peered ahead. A gray fortress seemed to rise up from the cold. Though it didn't seem particularly cozy, the last town informed Al this would be his last stop into civilization before entering the wilds. He briefly went over the essentials: he'd need extra rations, a spare fire starter, and warmer clothing if he could afford it. He'd also need a pot to heat food. Fortunately, snow could be melted for fresh water; this would save on carrying weight.

Al stopped thinking about his shopping list as he came closer to the front gates. A varied bunch had assembled outside, stopped by a guard. It struck the swordsman as odd to make this of all places a checkpoint. Then again, Al himself had an armory slung across his back, so maybe it wasn't entirely unjustified.
"Is this the welcoming committee?" he called from behind a cheek-splitting grin.
"You know, when it's this cold, people are usually greeted with hot cider.... dammit, now I want cider."