Prologue

This year, the season seemed unable to make up its mind.

Summer had been unusually cool, but Rudolph, Vanquisher of Mount Titan, had hoped that the season would hold for the length of his journey. Yet, as he crossed the mountainous region, summer gave way to Fall. Temperatures dropped, and it began to rain. Cold rain soaked into his clothes, and chill penetrating winds swept up the mountainsides. Even his horse began to snort his discomfort. The trip afforded no comfort and little rest.

He stuck to the goat herders trail as long as he could, attempting to avoid any skirmishes with the invading armies.

As he descended from the mountain trails, the storm abated, but the cool Fall weather remained. Out of the mountains, he followed the trade routes, where wagons had cut deep muddy ruts in the road. These criss-crossed with other tracks - the unmistakeable movement of a large army.

As he travelled, he passed farmsteads. Some of these had been burned to the ground, while others had been quietly abandoned.

It was only as he came closer to the city of (name of city) that he passed farms that were still active…but even then, farmers would stop their work to eye him warily.


 All men and women with weapons and armor such as his would have been a part of a standing army or conscripted, so he could be mistaken for a scout or a deserter. Neither was good.

Close to sunset, he passed the last hill, and the walls of the city come into view.

The hills behind Ipthum Heights were cast a dark purple. Wood smoke clung about rooftops and outer walls, giving the city a dingy look. It wasn’t far from its’ reputation, and not where he would have expected to find Meredith of the Road...but this is where he had been led. It had been confident that she was here, and he had stopped second-guessing it.

Entered by: 0x1dEA…B7B5 and preserved on chain (see transaction)