Chapter 1: Snowblind

[-1warrior]

"You are not the one who offended me. Perhaps being captured and marched across great tracks of wilderness is what has given me my foul temperament."

[SerGavin]

After a few hours of drink and conversation the more attentive members of the party see their captors leader rise from his table and walk towards yours.he carries in his hand a brown leather tube. He then sits down at the table.

"Right then you lot! I expect that you have a lot of questions as to why we've brought you here. I'm not going to answer them, me and my little band of mercenaries get paid a staggering amount just to keep our lips tightly sealed.But now that we are on the furthest god damn rock from civilization in Racoa that we could ever find I think its safe to tell you a few things: First of all, once we leave this tavern, you and I will be going our separate ways, specifically..."

( He opens the leather tube and pulls out a large crisp map which he spreads out onto the table. he then gestures to two points on the map along the border, A long road heading into the mountains, and a dead end on a mountain mark with some odd symbols.)

"these places. Your sorry bunch will be going through this area here, the one with the symbol over it, we have good reason to believe that the ruin there has a passage that leads directly through the mountains into Kardren, circumnavigating all there annoying little patrols and their customs laws. Me and my boys will be going through the mountain pass so consider yourselves the lucky ones. Now I'll leave you to talk this over, but remember, You have no choice in this matter. And to keep you amiable we've attached some very useful deterrents to your wrists, deviate from our instructions and you will die. don't believe me? I would tell you to ask the last guy who tried something but, well... Anyway, you better rest well"

and with that he walks back over to his table.

(you look at your wrist, attached to it is a thin metal band bolted in place

[Lord Gilbard]

Hemmit gives the captor a dark look of anguish but yet of curiousness too.
He looks down at his wrist and then up to the figures
"well.. it doesn't look like any of us will be getting out of doing this.."
He takes a gulp of spiced wine
"So i guess the main question is.. have any of you lot done anything like this before?, personally i have never undertaken something quite like this before, I mean i have been into a few barrows perusing bandits and seeking knowledge but that is about as far as my experience go's i'm afrade"
He takes another gulp of warm mulled wine, sets down his staff and glances across each face with friendly intent...

[Nightwulf]

Simon looks at Hemmit. "I've n-never d-d-done anyth-th-thing like this b-b-before. I'm afraid I d-don't r-really have much real w-w-world experience." He takes another sip of his ale.

[Jered Taikith]

Kiri looks at her bracelet with distaste and says, "Ooooo. Pretty. I just love being abducted, driven across snowy wastes, and treated like scum. Makes me feel all warm and cozy. Could I have a whipping too please?"

[Nightwulf]

Simon looks over at Kiri and smiles. "Ch-ch-cheer up mi-mi-miss. Th-thh-things can't-t ge-get m-much w-w-worse. At le-le-least your alive."

[Jandolar]

Looking at her very own bracelet Reese scowls a bit. I don't have much in the way of experience in a dungeon either, guess that's about to change.

[SerGavin]

"For now lady." utters a hoarse humourless voice from behind Simon. "Wait a few days and then we'll see, and you'll get your dungeon experience as well little man." A tall very skinny man steps out from the shadow that cling to the edge of the tavern. Even inside he wears a fabric hood that obscure his face in darkness, he wears a thick double-headed axe on his back and a thin platinum blond beard desperately clutches onto what you assume is his chin.
"I've walked the pass five times and never once did not nearly die." he speaks with a heavy Nordic accent and numerous scars criss crossing his hands attest to his story.
" I am here not to help, but to observe, make sure you don't get any... Ideas. If I see danger, I will not warn you. And if your position seems untenable, then I will leave.
I will however guide you, Indirectly. we leave tomorrow, at noon, the temperature never changes and all you can see, dark or light, is snow so there's no point leaving earlier.
There is a general traders next to the tavern. If any of you need equipment go there.
You're allowed to come and go freely, there is no escape from here."

And with that he vanishes back into the shadows.

[Nightwulf]

"W-well th-that m-man se-se-seemed t-t-to nnneed some ch-ch-cheering up." he says rather cheerfully given the groups current predicament. He drains his mug and orders another. He turns to look at the strange man and waves.

[Jered Taikith]

"Oh just frickin' wonderful! Go to this ruin the man says. And for what? Won't answer any questions the man won't. Just go to the ruin. And if we don't carry out our mission then we die. Only we don't know what the mission is and we can't ask because the man won't answer any questions! Might just as well kill me now and spare me the trek." Kiri snorts disdainfully.

Looking at her brother she smiles and says with a wink, "Well. It was a short sweet life. At least it was before Mr. Rancid here and his friends came along."

Leaning back against the bar she sat there looking about intently, occasionally twisting her slave bracelet on her wrist.