Toric_Arthendain
Explorer
The Northlands are cold this early autumn, colder than at any time this early in the season in recent memory. Many argue that it is ALWAYS cold in the northern reaches of Eredane, despite the season. The real old-timers know better though. They know that this coming winter is shaping up to be the coldest in the last 100 years. A thin blanket of snow already covers the land as far south as the northern shores of the Sea of Pelluria.
Those that live north of the great inland sea live a hard life. The harsh weather is just another challenge. And so it goes for the residents of Arbordale, a smallish village located some 200 miles to the southwest of the ruined city of Cale and about 50 miles due east of the trees of the Veradeen.
Arbordale has a population of about 150, including those that live outside the village proper but still close enough that they are in town from time to time. The village is populated entirely by Dornish and Erenlander humans, with the exception of Miri, the halfling innkeeper. Miri has been left alone by the forces of the Shadow for two reasons...she is old and unable to serve as a slave and she is an excellent cook. Even the goblins and orcs that roam through town on occasion enjoy her cooking. Miri is none too pleased about serving their kind but she does so, only because it keeps her inn , as well as the town, from incurring the wrath of the Shadow's forces. The residents are very tolerant of outsiders and have even been known to harbor members of "outlawed" races.
The forces of the Shadow have no permanent presence in the village. Orcs and goblins pass through roughly every few weeks. The village has seen the occasional Legate but not frequently by any means. For the most part, the villagers are left in peace. The village is too small to be of any strategic value. Certainly it is close to the Veradeen but not close enough to be used to stage attacks on the elves...at least not yet.
Recently, rumor has it that the village is experiencing some rather peculiar problems. Peculiar because for 100 years, the village has mostly escaped the notice of the forces of the Shadow, remaining relatively peaceful. The rumors speak of several unexplained deaths in the last few weeks. Some obscure rumors label these deaths as murders. Who would be killing the residents of an unimportant village? And how are they escaping notice in such a small community? Several prominent villagers, including Miri, have put out the call for SOMEONE to come and help them get to the bottom of this mystery...
OOC: Okay folks, feel free to write your introductory posts. Those that are connected by their backgrounds can be together at the start if you guys want. Everyone can be assumed to have been operating in the vicinity of Arbordale at least for a short time and some of you might even have been to the village a few times, although not in the last few weeks. Rather than me forcing you all into the situation from the start, I decided to write the post and allow you all to decide what you have been doing in the area up until now. This makes it easier for you guys to introduce your characters to the story. Have fun and be as creative as you want as long as you all ultimately end up in and around Arbordale.
Those that live north of the great inland sea live a hard life. The harsh weather is just another challenge. And so it goes for the residents of Arbordale, a smallish village located some 200 miles to the southwest of the ruined city of Cale and about 50 miles due east of the trees of the Veradeen.
Arbordale has a population of about 150, including those that live outside the village proper but still close enough that they are in town from time to time. The village is populated entirely by Dornish and Erenlander humans, with the exception of Miri, the halfling innkeeper. Miri has been left alone by the forces of the Shadow for two reasons...she is old and unable to serve as a slave and she is an excellent cook. Even the goblins and orcs that roam through town on occasion enjoy her cooking. Miri is none too pleased about serving their kind but she does so, only because it keeps her inn , as well as the town, from incurring the wrath of the Shadow's forces. The residents are very tolerant of outsiders and have even been known to harbor members of "outlawed" races.
The forces of the Shadow have no permanent presence in the village. Orcs and goblins pass through roughly every few weeks. The village has seen the occasional Legate but not frequently by any means. For the most part, the villagers are left in peace. The village is too small to be of any strategic value. Certainly it is close to the Veradeen but not close enough to be used to stage attacks on the elves...at least not yet.
Recently, rumor has it that the village is experiencing some rather peculiar problems. Peculiar because for 100 years, the village has mostly escaped the notice of the forces of the Shadow, remaining relatively peaceful. The rumors speak of several unexplained deaths in the last few weeks. Some obscure rumors label these deaths as murders. Who would be killing the residents of an unimportant village? And how are they escaping notice in such a small community? Several prominent villagers, including Miri, have put out the call for SOMEONE to come and help them get to the bottom of this mystery...
OOC: Okay folks, feel free to write your introductory posts. Those that are connected by their backgrounds can be together at the start if you guys want. Everyone can be assumed to have been operating in the vicinity of Arbordale at least for a short time and some of you might even have been to the village a few times, although not in the last few weeks. Rather than me forcing you all into the situation from the start, I decided to write the post and allow you all to decide what you have been doing in the area up until now. This makes it easier for you guys to introduce your characters to the story. Have fun and be as creative as you want as long as you all ultimately end up in and around Arbordale.