1

Elwin had slumbered late that morning even though he was supposed to be on watch. He had dosed off sometime before the morning broke. His face was pressed against outside of the musty canvass tent. He squirmed awkwardly. His body contorted in fretful sleep. The light pried at his eyes. Forgetting completely about watch duty, he refused to open them until he was fully rested.

The adventurers had been on the road for two days and had put fifty miles or more behind them. The Trip to Lola Hills a few days before had been a success. They had sold the farm to Elwin’s aunt Thessa and they had obtained an old tent from her. He and Rith split the money into equal shares. Elwin thought they had done quite well for themselves, even if Emerson felt that they had sold the farm too cheaply.

When they returned to White Birch Farms, they plundered anything of value. Elwin felt like the adventuring had already begun!

Rith had found an old dusty backpack, a couple of pots of different sizes, a couple of cups and utensils were fit inside the pots and the whole thing was stuffed into the bottom of his backpack.

Elwin packed some extra clothes, a broach and a locket that had belonged to his mother. He armed himself with the crude goblin dagger and packed the flint and sharpening stone into a large pouch that could be hung from his belt. He took anything that was small, light and valuable; a pendant, a few rings and other jewellery that could fetch a few gold coins in the nearest town. Elwin rolled the tent tightly and tied it up with twine so it could be slung over his shoulder. He put his clothes in a burlap sack and tied it tight. He kept the map tucked away in his pocket.

After that they stopped at Emerson’s home. They got even more lucky. Emery gave them a pony to help carry their gear. Emerson was right about his mother she was in tears. He tried to say that he would be back some day to see her, but she told him not to lie to her and to ‘just go if you must!’ was the last thing she said to him.

The adventurers were back on the road, and they had a plan. They decided to travel to a place called Ardyn’s Keep. They had heard that they could get adventuring gear and weapons in the small-town outpost. None of them had ever been there before, but it was rumoured to be a three day walk on foot. There were no imperial roads this far out in the countryside, only muddy pathways and overgrown wagon lanes, so it was a tough march. They would not see an imperial road until they reached Ardyn’s Keep.

That was two days ago when the sun was shining brightly and life started to creep into the surrounding countryside. Since then, the road had simply been miserable. It rained most of the time accompanied by a cold bitter wind that swept down from the north. The only hope was that it would not last long. Spring was here already, but winter was slow to release its icy grip. Elwin prayed the warmer weather would come soon.

The trio was out in the wilderness unprotected. For the first time in their lives, they had to watch their backs. They had enough foresight to gather whatever food they could find at the farm before leaving. If they rationed it out, it may last a week or more. They would be able buy more food in Ardyn’s Keep.

But how far was Verant City? Elwin had wondered. No one in the group really knew. He longed for a map of the Empire where he could see roads, cities and rivers. The fact that he did not have such a map stuck in the back of his mind like a mosquito constantly irritating him. He wanted to see the lay of the land, to get his bearing on where they were going.

2

As Elwin slept that morning, he rolled over trying to get more comfortable. He was suddenly aware that something was not right. Where was the long sword, the one that Uskker had given him? It should have been jabbing him in the ribs, but he felt nothing. Where was bloody the handle? Without being fully awake, he instinctively reached for the scabbard.

It was gone!

He opened his eyes, squinting against the bright light. As they adjust, he glimpsed a creature staring back at him from a few feet away. Elwin’s sword was gripped tightly in its tiny, scaled hands.

Elwin knew there were creatures out here. The road to Ardyn’s Keep was more of a trail in some places. Once outside of Salome Hollow, the farmland gave way to lush forest of firs, oaks, willows and maples of all types. It had been like that the rest of the trip. Outside the safety of towns and villages, murderous creatures lurked. Not just the usual bears and wolves, though they were dangerous. It was the humanoid creatures, once relegated to the fringes of the Empire that had found their way back into the heart of it. It was mostly kobolds and goblins, but hobbes and orc were being sighted with more and more frequency. Those living outside of villages and fortified communities were fencing their properties and stock piling weapons. The Empire did not feel like a safe womb it had once been.

The creature that stood before him was a kobold. He recognized it right away of course. The reptilian like creature stood like a statue. It focused its beady red eyes on him. The ears were twitching at every sound. Its tongue darted around. It sniffed the air. The lips on its long dog-like snout curled up into a snarl baring dirty yellow teeth. It stood three feel tall with purplish and green thick scales. It wore an old animal hide for protection. The creature clutched a crude spear in one hand, Elwin’s sword in the other.

Elwin tried to move very slowly, but the creature hissed and backed away.

Son of a bitch! Elwin thought. It’s going to run off with my sword!

Before Elwin could even get to his feet, the kobold was off like an arrow. It ran as fast as its legs could move, into the dead underbrush.

Elwin banged on the side of the tent and shouted. “Hey, there’s a kobold in the camp! It’s running! I’m going after it!”

In his haste, Elwin did not stop to see if his companions were following him. He knew they would be behind him soon enough.

He pursued.

The kobold proved surprisingly nimble.

3

The party had camped off from the road in a small clearing. This was the first creature any of them had seen so far. Elwin’s cursed his luck that it had to come on his watch. He cursed himself again for falling asleep and vowed to never do that again.

The terrain quickly changed from evergreen forest to a large swamp. Dead trees mixed indistinguishably from living ones. Dark jaunting branches looked like skeletons against the grey sky. Elwin had to duck and weave to avoid being skewered on one of them.

The kobold continued to sprint away. Elwin was having trouble following it. His foot plunged threw thin icy pools of muddy water that the kobold dodged skilfully. Jumping across another one, he landed against a stark hallow tree trunk, which promptly snapped off throwing him down in the mud.

Elwin shook the mud off and spotted solid ground ahead. It was an oasis of bright evergreens amid a world of decay. The kobold stood among the low branches. Half concealed, it stared back at him. The creature did not move.

Elwin ran forward, knife drawn. His footing slipped. He tumbled. His arms slammed down. The knife slipped from his fingers. His face hit something hard and damp. His hands clutched at the edge of something. He smelled sour earth. He was aware of his dangling legs. He dared to look down. The ground was close and littered with spikes.

A pit trap! He thought. I was nearly killed! Elwin’s heart pounded like a hammer. I still could be killed!

Elwin looked up. He heard distant shouting! Echoes? A female voice? Then Emerson’s voice!

His fingers grew numb. He felt them slip!

An arrow flew over the pit, then another one.

Grip slipping, no! He thought. Elwin heard a screech. There was a face. A female face? Anna’s face!

Emerson ran past the pit, sword drawn.

“Elwin! What are you doing down there?” Anna said giving him a perplexed looked. Still the sight of her face at that moment was comforting. Without a word, she grabbed both of his arms and pulled. He got a better grip. He used his legs to climb out. He rolled on to his side panting. He saw Rith and Emerson both battling a group of kobolds. The one he had chased lay dead next to the pit, arrows protruded from its chest.

“Anna! How are you here?” Elwin said mystified.

“Of course, it’s me. And let’s be honest, you weren’t hard to track!” She replied proudly.

“Would you grab the bloody sword and help!” Emerson bellowed. He fended off three kobold spears at once.

Elwin took the blade from the dead kobold and stalked off to help. Even a dozen kobolds were no match for three grow men. Those kobolds that were not smart enough to run were quickly impaled, tip to hilt.

4

“What were you thinking!” Emerson roared at Elwin once the enemy was dispatched.

“That kobold stole my sword! What was I supposed to do?” Elwin retorted defensively.

“Kobolds are pack animals, Elwin! They work as a team. It was a trap! That’s what they do, they lure in unsuspecting travelers!” Emerson berated him. “And I’m suppose to be the dim one!”

“Well, I wasn’t going to let him run off with my only sword!” Elwin reaffirmed.

“Idiot! You could have been killed!” Emerson said. “Next time wait until we’re all ready. Never run headlong into a swamp like that either. This time it was kobolds, next time who knows what could be waiting for us!”

“How do you know so much about kobolds anyway?” Elwin questioned. They had both grown up together and he had never seen one in the flesh before.

“I had old brothers, remember?” Emerson said. “I used to go hunting with them all the time. I killed my first kobold when I was only ten!”

“What? How come you never told me that before?” Elwin asked.

“I don’t tell you everything!” Emerson stated.

Indeed, it was true, Emerson was not known as a great talker with an incredible wit. Still, it stung Elwin a little that Emerson would not tell a good story about fighting kobolds with his brothers.

“You’re lucky Elwin,” Rith said pointedly. “If Anna hadn’t arrived when she did, that kobold would have stuck you with his spear. We wouldn’t have gotten to you in time.”

Once Emerson had his say, he began picking threw the dead kobolds, but they had little of value. No coins and their weapons were crudely made.

“What are you doing here?” Elwin said turning on Anna as if she had done something wrong. He owed her his life and it ticked him off.

“I told you, you were easy to track!” She shot back.

“Why Anna? You were told you not to come!” Elwin berated.

“Because… I don’t want to live in that house anymore!” She cried.

“Thessa will worry for you,” he said. He struggled to justify his opinion. “It’s dangerous out here.”

“Elwin, I love Thessa and all she has done for me, but that place is not my home! I want to come with you! I want to be an adventurer! I’m not afraid, my brother’s taught me how to hunt and live off the land,” Anna said furiously. Her eyes burned from Elwin’s insulting tone.

Elwin’s shoulders slackened and he sighed heavily. “I thought we told you no?”

“You said no,” Rith pointed out to his brother.

“I’m going to Verant City Elwin, with or without you!” Anna shouted. She started gathering up any arrows that looked reusable.

“I say she joins us,” Rith said. “What do you say Emerson?”

Emerson looked up from one of the kobolds with a small dagger in his hand. Hefting the weapon, he spotted a good tree trunk. With a quick well-placed throw, he hit the trunk, the hilt sticking out in an awkward angle. “Anna, you got three shots with that bow of yours,” he said. “If you can hit the dagger from where you’re standing, then I say you’re in.”

Anna did not speak. She eyed the dagger and readied the bow.

Elwin figured the shot was at least fifty paces.

Anna’s first shot narrowly missed the trunk.

Emerson shook his head disappointed.

The second shot hit the trunk a foot below the target.

Emerson looked disapprovingly at her.

Give me a moment to get the distance right,” she replied.

“Come on Anna!” Rith cheered.

The third shot glanced off the dagger with a faint ringing sound.

Anna raised the bow in victory.

Rith shout with glee. He rushed to her side and gave her a big hug. “That was awesome!”

Emerson smiled triumphantly at Elwin and clapped his hands. “Pretty impressive for a girl, eh?”

“Well?” Anna asked with a smug look.

“Aright, alright!” Elwin relented. “You can join our party!”

Shouts of joy were followed by hugs and celebratory pats on the back.

Elwin allowed Anna a few minutes to revel in her new role in the group. He took out his watch and checked the time. “We should get moving soon. I want to be in Ardyn’s Keep by mid afternoon.”

5

Elwin was not exactly sure how far the town was, but he knew they were close. They went back to the camp and packed up the tent. They fed the pony, but skipped breakfast for themselves hoping to put as much distance between them and this horrible place as possible.

They arrived in Ardyn’s Keep around mid afternoon that day just as Elwin had hoped they would. It was a strange sight. Elwin had never seen a real town before. It was surrounded by a series of large pine tree trunks that formed a protective wall. There were more buildings that stood outside of the walls than there were in all of Salome Hollow and the surrounding area for miles was all farmland. The once dirt trail had transformed into a real maintained road of gravel and stone.

According to the stories, Ardyn’s Keep was originally a fortified outpost when the shire was first being settled a few hundred years ago. It had not been attacked in decades and the large wooden gates stood permanently open and unguarded. The walls loomed high above as they entered the archway.

Once inside the walls, the streets were bustling with activity. They had never seen so many people or buildings. Lined next to each other all the way down the street were wooden structures of various sizes. Some were even three stories high. Elwin was awed by the town.

The group found signs on the street corners that pointed out various places of interest and advertised different businesses. Emerson noticed one that pointed out expedition equipment. They would start there looking for gear.

The Dev-Ka Expedition Emporium had all the equipment an adventurer could need! Or at least that’s what the sign in the dusty old window proclaimed. It was a very archaic looking shop with an old rickety door. Inside they found a cramped space loaded with all kinds of equipment. The shop was empty aside from the owner, a mid-aged tall thin woman.

Camping gear was first and foremost on their minds. Three days on the road and they did not even have basic equipment. Elwin insisted that they each get a large burlap backpack, big enough to carry all their gear in. They also got bedrolls, which was a simple fleece-lined mattress which could be rolled up and pack away in addition to some heavy blankets. They all agreed that a second, new tent was in order. No one would be forced to sleep outside anymore. At ten gold coins it was the most expensive piece of equipment that they bought that day. Elwin also had enough foresight to purchase a map case and two belt pouches to hold money or other handy items. He added a basic map of Militar Territory. It would help them get to Verant City without getting lost or taking the wrong road. It was pricy, but Elwin was desperate for a map. This seemed like a lot of equipment, but the group reasoned that with a pony doing the carrying for them, they could handle it.

Rith was practical. He wanted a large iron pot for cooking and a kettle. It would go with the two other smaller pots he brought from home. He also bought a hooded lantern, at a pricy seven gold. It would come in handy just the same, especially if it was raining.

When Rith went to buy the rope, Elwin stopped him. “Do we really need to lug around fifty feet of rope?”

“We’re adventurers now. Rope has too many uses to pass it up. What if we have to climb down a cliff or into a deep cave?” Rith pointed out.

“If we need it that badly we can by it in Verant City,” Elwin reasoned.

“Yeah, at twice the price!” The shopkeeper laughed as she listened to the debate. She continued. “If you folks have never been to Verant City, then first thing you need to know that everything there is more expensive. You’ll get your best prices at the Dev-Ka Expedition Emporium!”

Rith bought the rope. One gold coin was a small price to pay.

They thanked the shopkeeper and stepped back out into the lively streets. They wandered around until they eventually found a blacksmith with a sign that advertised a ‘wide range of weapons available’. It was not a shop as much as it was a bulky shed with its large front doors open to the public. They could hear clanging of steel coming from inside. The walls were covered with finely crafted weapons of all sorts. There were several styles of swords, from rapiers to claymores. The steel weapons had decent craftsmanship, although they lacked that master’s touch. Rith got the two weapons he was most familiar with, a war hammer and a short sword.

Elwin and Emerson already had long swords. Anna had her bow. Now Rith was properly armed and ready for danger. They had collected all the gear that they might need for the future. All they needed now was a comfortable room in an inn and food for the trip. That would be cheap compared to the money they had just spent that afternoon. After asking around on the street, they determined that the Barley Inn was the biggest and best place in town to stay.

6

Elwin reckoned it was a wooden monstrosity. A massive three-story log building, it dominated the street and dwarfed the surrounding building. It had plenty of rooms at a gold coin a night and a large main floor dinning area, with a full bar and kitchen.

The entire Salome Hollow tavern would have fit inside the common room! Elwin thought as he marvelled at the sheer size. A few of the town folks had told them that the Barley Inn had the best food and drink in town. The common room was busy, but the innkeeper assured them that there were plenty of rooms available. A single room with only one bed was all that they had, but sleeping on the floor would still be better than any damp cold tent. The new bed rolls would come in handy that night.

They dropped their gear off in the room and then went to the common area for food and drinks.

The dinning area was noisy, crowded and rambunctious with lots of people drinking, singing and shouting. The contrast between home and Ardyn’s Keep was striking. The perky young serving wenches had their hands full with the crowd, but eventually the companions found a small table and a servant made her way over. They ordered a pitcher of ale and a fresh made hot stew.

“What did Thessa say when you told her you were leaving?” Rith asked trying to make conversation.

They were just finishing up the meal when the second pitcher of ale arrived.

“Ah… Well, you see…” Anna replied.

“You didn’t tell her, did you?” Elwin questioned. He poured himself a new glass of ale.

“Well, I left a note for her to find! I said I was going to follow you,” she said shrinking back into her seat.

“Anna when we get to Verant City, I want you to write to aunt Thessa. A proper letter telling her that you are with us and you are fine,” Elwin scolded.

“Alight!” Anna replied. She proceeded to spend the evening getting drunk.

Elwin was sure that this was to spite him. He reasoned that even though Anna was another mouth to feed and he would be constantly worried about her safety, she was good with her bow and having a forth person helped to round out the skill set of the group. Tomorrow they would return to the road and continue their journey northeast to the capital. Finally, they would be walking actual imperial roads instead of muddy pathways.