The journey to Wrothgar turned out to be more pleasant than I expected. Kurog continued to be a fun and exciting companion. If anything, his mood grew even lighter the closer we got to the land of his birth. Along the way, we talked of many things, including Kurog's hopes to change some of the more oppressive and restrictive traditions of his people. "We should build great cities, cosmopolitan communities with places of learning and culture," Kurog said. "And cuisine. Lots and lots of cuisine. It's so much better than food." And it was clear that I wasn't the only one who believed him.