Empire Of Bones
"Calling all mercenaries, travellers and adventurers.
Come, fight for the Three Nations and gain honour, glory and riches!
Meet Knight Morro Aramato at The Mountain tavern, where Ruritania and the Old Country meet, and join us in the fight for good.
10,000 gold reward for any who come back with information regarding the Lich and his fortress.
Samara Ruon, Queen and ruler of Ruritania"
When the curse spread across the Old Country, the land that connected with Ruritania had been swallowed by a swamp. It had taken exactly half of The Mountain tavern with it, and at least three customers. Only two had risen, the other crushed beyond revival by the roof. Although the floor had been thoroughly swallowed by the murky waters, the roof had risen above the surface and formed a barely slanting platform. The owner of the Tavern, a large and well muscled Orcish woman, had been loath to accept defeat at the hands of a mere curse and so had precariously balanced three tables and several chairs on the tiles of the collapsed roof. Business was doing surprisingly well despite all that had happened, and with the undead on one side of the tavern and the alive on the other, fights were at an all time low. Nobody alive wanted to risk dying on Old Country ground.
It was nearly midnight when the group reached the tavern, well past the organised time, and they were welcomed into their temporary lodgings with nothing more than a bleary eyed grimace and a push towards their rooms. The best had already been taken, and the only remaining room was missing half a wall and all customary furniture. They were haughtily told that they could 'go sleep in the bloody swamp' if they were fussy, and it didn't take long for them to settle down (albeit a little resignedly).
"Two weeks. I can't believe we've got to stay here for
two, long weeks." The youngest of the group began to complain, and was soon joined by his elder, a short and stocky female elf.
"I just don't understand why we couldn't have been sent on that mission to Bella!
No, y' have to go t' th' swamps and mingle wi' the locals, waitin' fer a bunch o' fools who'll ne'er even turn up." The elf looked pleased with herself as her friend laughed at the over-the-top imitation of their commander, but they were cut short by the taller human female.
"Shut it and go to sleep, if you don't stop your moaning I'll make sure you come back here for another month after this to secure the borders. Count yourselves lucky."
"But Morro-" He was cut off before he'd completed her name.
"You'll call me Knight Aramato, subordinate. And I said
shut it. Go to sleep."
Not another word was spoken until the sun rose, and the Three Nations soldiers woke for another day.
Kij'hara had left the city three weeks before, to make her wandering way to The Mountain tavern. She was not in any particular hurry. The poster had been lacking in any true information - a ploy, perhaps, to attract people with an offer of gold and trap them in the job. Kij didn't care - if she found it appealing she would take it. If she didn't, she would walk away. She crested the hill and surveyed the landscape before her, scanning her eyes over the thick mat of trees. A line ran through the leaves where the lush green colour gave way to a greyish hue, and to the far left she could see the forest sinking down into swampland. A lone building stood half demolished in the distance. Two miles away, maybe three. With determination, Kij'hara turned and made her way towards The Mountain tavern.
