Prequel (Alex) Early 998

I had wandered for days following a general westerly route from Thrane. I had with me almost nothing, coins saved from the war, my weapons and armour, an everburning, silver flame, given to me by the Chaplain of my unit and of course my 'uniform'. I had for the most part hated that. Carrying the shield with the design so prominent, served as a constant reminder of the losses my pride had brought to me, my unit and the Silver Flame. I am ashamed to say I had tried to leave the shield any number of times as I wandered, but each time i could not bear to be without it for more than a few steps.

I reached passage after two weeks of travelling through my country, and for the most part I was left alone, a knight or crusader of the Silver Flame is rarely bothered, and when I was - by a small rag tag band of peasants pretending to be bandits - the battle was quickly over. I slew there leader with a single blow strengthened by the Flames desire to rid the world of evil.

From Passage I followed the coastal road north and west into Aundair. distrust of me and my obvious heritage was evident. I chose not to stay or involve myself too much in the local affairs. Content just to pass through Varna and onwards following the shores of Lake Galifar, South westerly into the Eldeen Reaches. To Cree, then Delethorn, then onto Niern I travelled and still I was plagued by distrust and met with a wariness. At Niern I turned more westerly seeking solace in the forests of the Eldeen. Surprisingly I felt a calmness as I entered amongst the great and ancient trees and soon found myself at Greenheart. Then through Greenheart along the north trade road I passed, soon finding myself at a village known at High Barrow.

Why I stopped here I do not know, save that even now I think the Flame had guided my footsteps over those thousand or so miles I travelled to this little place of solace and anonymity.

I was sat, around a week or so after my arrival, in the tap room of the Blue Flame sipping a local mead I had come to like when I heard a commotion outside followed by the ring and clash of steel on steel and thud of sword on shield. There was a strangled cry, followed by a thud, it seemed almost outside the main window of the inn. Then a scream. Without hesitation I found myself rushing to the door, my axe in hand. I cursed the fact my shield and armour was still in my rooms as I burst out to find two humans bent over the body of shifter, whilst a further body of a militia man lay unmoving on the ground.

They spotted me and rose to glare. "Back off woman." one yelled, the language, common, was thick with the local dialect and tongue. "If yer don't want ta join these .. or (he licked his lips as he glanced me up and down) you don't want worse."

I smiled and shifted my pose slightly. "It would be wise Gentlemen for you to go about your business, return to what ever hovel you have come from and pray I do not meet you on the roads about here."

The one who had spoke scoffed. "Yer a mere girl. You don't frighten us one bit." the other nodded but seemed to have a little reservation.

"So be it, I have given you a chance to redeem yourselves." I suddenly darted forwards, "For the Flame, for good!" I yelled as my axe crashed into the surprised brigand. He staggered backwards under the blow then came at me along with his companion.

I parried the first blow with ease, sidestepped the second, ramming my shoulder into the man's gut. He staggered backwards a little. Moving my feet a little, shifting my battle pose and smiling slightly I yelled out, "Flame give me strength to break bone! Foehammer" as I crashed my axe into the brigands neck. He went down, a look of incredulity across his face as my axe gave off a little faint blue hue. Problem was the man's raised shield snagged my blade. His companion, seeing a chance sliced into my side with his short sword, drawing blood and a cry of pain from my lips. Wrenching the axe blade free I spun, "For the glory of the flame, to purge the world of evil!" I yelled as i rained a succession of blows on the man, I caught him and yelled in triumph. Again, my axe seemed to glow slightly and as it did so I felt bolstered and uplifted, the pain from my wound subsided and a calm strength flowed through my body. The man realised he was on a loose footing. He swung in desperation. I dodge the attack and sliced the mans head clean from his shoulders. the body slipped to the ground as I stood, panting slightly at the exertion and feeling the warmth of the Silver Flame envelop me, healing the pain and wounds.

Moments later the militia captain arrived. His man on the ground was gone to the Flame. The Shifter wouldn't make it through the night even though the Jorasco healing retreat outside of the village tried to save him.

The militia captain was exited and bombarded me with questions and an offer to join the militia and guard. I declined, though agreed he could call upon me if he was so pressed. The village leader was grateful. The brigands had robbed, and beaten a number of travellers on the road and oddly the leader had come into High Barrow, perhaps feeling secure in the image of terror he had sown, it was he I had slain so easily. (or so the mayor believed). Offering a reward I took none, but the agreement to rent a small house in the village for as long as I wished at a cost of 25sp a month. This he readily agreed to under the condition I be available to assist the village should it be needed. I agreed. The Silver Flame had led me, I felt, to a new home.

Incidentally as I examined the bodies of the brigands I noticed something, it seemed they were both marked with the same tattoo. A strange start like object, 7 points, each ending in a strange and vary coloured stylised letter or character, definitely not common in nature. I shall keep an eye out for this as it might be a symbol of the brigands and let me identify more for the the Militia captain.