Awesome. Enjoyed the post. Hm, I like both options but kind of want to do the former. I like the idea of sending people ahead to scout though.
Edit:
Ah, just a note since they spoke about their travelling plans the night before. During that discussion, Yanhua would of advised everyone when in company of strangers to call her "Helga" however she would not of breathed a word on that it is her birth name.
Hm, NewSun's got me thinking with the enchanted line of thought. Would it be possible for "fake life" to be created, making a golem of sorts or to install your own life in favor of casting mortal flesh aside? Just throwing ideas around.
Could any materials in this world be affected by magic? Like perhaps, a material which is liquid until "magic" is run through it thereby creating a solid.
I quite like Nicholas, he seems like a genuine good guy will be nice to see how he deals with his two mage buddies. I got too much delight out of reading his home was attacked by a pyromancer.