"Mm. You mention wood, but I agree that wood is fallible for many reasons. We were fortified with it for many years at Masyaf, even until the Mongols came. Much of what made Masyaf impregnable was its position." As he spoke, he gestured, considered, and began to look around them. This village was situated unfortunately in the way of defenses. There were no natural barriers but a river he had heard of to the north - but even then, that was flawed, as the northern village was the nearest anyone had to contact.

He'd seen a map, but a map meant nothing without the feel of the place in mind, and as yet, that was one thing he'd not gotten. He would need to climb - and the inn wouldn't quite do. Trees, he thought, would. Which meant he would need to take time.

"Wood may be limited, but what of stone? There is a method to make stone behave as both stone and metal - impervious to the explosive powders of the East and to battering force, given that is sunk deeply enough in the ground to counter the impact." Again, he looked around, this time for something to write with, but he found himself stymied. He found more and more he missed, and having pages and ink and quill close to hand was one of them. "So long as all of us are caught here, I have no reason to keep this knowledge to myself. We all must survive."