Thoughts of Arcturus Cinderfang, Day 2I stop by a local monastery. Seba, the goddess of labor is honoured here, and the labors I must undertake are many. I seek her guidance, but once again it seems I am ill-favoured. I make an offering of a gold coin and leave.
I stop for a drink at a stream and notice an odd sight. Two deer perched on a tree. An opportunity to replenish my supplies. I hack at the tree with my axe, only to realize my folly. A misjudged cut, and the whole thing, tree, deer, and all, tumbles on top of me. My injuries aren’t life-threatening but will leave scars. Another sign of the gods’ displeasure. I limp away, defeated.
I continue on until reaching a city. The few people on the streets stay focused on their own business as I pass. The keep appears abandoned. I nurse my wounds and rest there for the night.
Day 3I continue north, following old confederacy settlements. The lands here are sparsely populated. I reach an abandoned castle, it’s sole occupant brutally slain. Judging by the state of decay, it happened not too long ago. I carve a quick memorial to him and leave. This frontier is dangerous, I must be wary.
I pass a cave jutting out of black sands. A human skeleton warns of danger, but it appears to be empty. Regardless, I will find somewhere else to rest for the night.
I next come across a strange structure, ancient pillars reaching to the sky. Many skeletons cluster around their bases. What is this place, a ruined temple for some bloodthirsty god? I dare not tarry long here.
A short distance away I find another odd sight, a couple living goblins amidst a number of their dead fellows and the butchered hide of some great beast.
The goblins are fearful at my approach, but don’t immediately reach for their weapons. They confess to being cowards, having fled their home only to find their companions slain anyway. I leave them to their misery and plot a route around the goblin ruins.
I finally spot a nearby hamlet of human design. Perhaps this place will be safe enough to spend the night. I enter town. It seems abandoned, but I hear noises coming from within a house. I open the door and find a human tending to a rotting, yet still animate goblin. Necromancy!
The necromancer’s pet staggers and lunges at me. I effortlessly dismember it, but the necromancer uses his foul magic to command the severed limbs against me! Rumour claims that one cannot perform sorcery without hands. I test this, but the necromancer just reanimates his own hands which continue to fight. The matter is, however, resolved when he bleeds out.
I step outside. The once empty streets now swarm with shambling goblin corpses. I easily outpace them and find the town’s mead hall. I barricade the doors to wait out the night. The undead give up and leave me in peace.
Day 4I leave this cursed village. Had I the time, I would purge the undead and reclaim this place for the confederacies. But I need top make haste to the north, before the elves wonder what became of their scouts.
I approach another large human town. Nearby, I run into a hostile goblin patrol. I easily dispatch them. Were they part of an occupying force? I move in to investigate.
The town, like many others, is mostly abandoned. However, within an empty and long-dry tavern I find one goblin who is not hostile. He introduces himself as Cameda Pricemaroon, a traveler and seeker of adventure. He tells me that a small gang of goblins rules this place, but he is not with them. I tell him some of my story, and he asks to join me. I have been moving quickly alone, but it may be helpful to travel with someone who knows the area. I agree but will keep a close eye on him.
We head to the keep and find the only other living resident of this town, the captain of that goblin gang. At first he answers my questions, but suddenly grows hostile and draws an ornate gemstone knife. I effortlessly disarm and grapple him. This is an opportunity to test Cameda’s loyalty. With little hesitation, he draws his sword and slays the helpless goblin. I reward him with one of my treasures, a sword of pristine dwarven steel.
Day 5Together we continue northward. We stop at a small fort in the wilderness. The mercenary company inside is welcoming. They have a small shrine, and Cameda gets a shock when the thin ice on the reflecting pool breaks under his weight. He pulls himself out with no harm done.
Near the fort we encounter a small force of humans and goblins. The fort commander warned of growing tensions, could these be enemy scouts. It matters little, they become hostile as soon as they see us. I weave between the ranks. They are well equipped but ill experienced and are easily disabled. Cameda earns some experience and armour, and I pick up a halberd to replace my goblin-made axe.
We reach another town as dusk falls. Like most towns in these lands, it is barely populated save for some goblins living in the keep. I learn that the Empire of Peaks rules here. We spend some time swapping stories and providing entertainment. I trade a dwarven toy axe for an amazingly beautiful knife gently hewn from a solid star ruby. The residents graciously offer shelter for the night.