Turn 0: Calm Before the Storm
Your small group marches down the dirt road, the clumps of trees strolling by ever so slowly with birds alighting in their upper branches or squirrels scurrying down from their homes in search of food. The sun hangs low in the sky giving everything the slight yellow tinge of dawn dulled every so slightly by the black clouds that fill the sky threatening to pour down and turn the packed earth to a highway of mud. Looking eastward along the road you all see a decrepit stone tower, standing about twenty feet tall with a jagged edge running along its top from where it had been shattered in the final battle between the tyrant Ramus and the champion Nalmar.
From the shattered top the flag of Kingdom of the Seven Isles flies, an upright sword with a vine of thorns twined around its blade, and you can barely make out the shapes of several men arrayed across the upper level. Not five minutes later you find yourselves arrayed around the bottom of the tower looking over the flat plains beyond, gathered around the base of the hill you see dozens of cloth tents arrayed in orderly lines and farther back to the sides of the massive hill several wooden structures belch black smoke into the skies. About a mile or two of empty grasslands, sparsely populated with trees or the occasional boulder, lies the enemy's camp nearly twice as large as your own though towards the center you notice what seems to be an empty space with black smoke pillowing from it. Beyond that you can just barely make out the sea ...
However your observations are cut short as Sir Yalmer's voice breaks through the din, the grizzled man sitting astride his armored drake Grim as he scratches at the thick black beard that covers his scarred face. His words leave you slightly enthralled as the man speaks, a gift he had been given by the God of Justice for great valor so many years ago,
"Alright my Squires, this is it I'm afraid, this is where you all will take part in your first battle and its quite fitting I must say. After all you'll be fighting to prove yourselves worthy of knighthood on the very land one of the greatest Knights ever to live died defeating the Tyrant King Ramus. More importantly I have business to attend to with Knight Commander Zalen so for a time you all will have free reign to do as you wish throughout the camp, before I leave I want each of you to have this."Turning away from you he pulls out five small leather pouches and hands one to each of you before continuing,
"Each of those pouches contains five gold crowns for you to do with as you see fit. I want you all to meet me back here at midday, for now your free but keep in mind the teachings of Knighthood and your respective Orders, now I must be going."With that you all watch as he departs, quickly making his way down into the midst of the camp and disappearing from your sight, but before long you all quick go back to observing the camp before you. Of all the things you see a few strike your interest, the
training ground lie not far from the base of the hill and you see soldiers running drills, and carrying out mock battles on the densely packed earth, a few taller men stand off to the side who appear to be either recently raised Knights or fellow Squires. They might be interested in some quick sparring, and the regular soldiers down there might have need of a Squire's aid who knows you could end up making some friendships while you're at it.
Back at the wooden shacks and overhangs you notice weapons, armor, and wagon loads of ores making their way among the building instantly allowing you to recognize it as the
Camp Smithies. With the money Sir Yalmer gave each of you there might be something worth buying down there, that or you might be able to find a smith who specializes in working Knight weaponry to improve your current weapons. You remember to take note of it if only for any repairs you may need after the coming battle.
Not far from the smithies you notice a large pavilion that acts as the camps
Hospital according to the various banners arrayed around it. If you have need of treatment there would be the best place to go, or perhaps you could find a few tonics and tinctures made by experienced Apothecaries or Wise Women have crafted. Those would be of particular use to you for who knows when you'll get another chance to purchase them now that the war is soon to begin in earnest.
After a few seconds Andros points the rest of you to the tower where you find a small
Chapel has been set up to cater to the various religious and divine needs a war camp would need. Looking inside you see a few small groups of soldiers spread about three altars, one for the God of War, one for the God of Death, and one for the God of Justice with a few priests leading each of the groups in prayer. You might be able to get a few of the priests from their work in case you desire their protection, or some blessing upon your equipment, but above all they might have some blessed trinkets that you could make use of.
Free to do as you wish for a few more hours you all begin to decide which places to visit ...
All players gain a leather purse of 5 gold crowns.There's no real time limit for searching the various places, buying stuff, training, etc. but if I feel it beginning to take to long I'll go ahead and move the story forward but for now you are free to look, and buy as you wish.