This is a little story I put together from a vast world I have been creating in my spare time. Plenty of lore and even a map is soon to come but is not totally ready for your viewing. I hope you like it and feel free to criticize me to help me see faults and increase my story making.
Story 1 Cratos the Mighty
Under the eaves of Stoutoak Forest, there sits a small town by the name Of Stoutoak Village. It was quite a small
village but a peaceful stop for travelers going south away from the troubles in the Fading country of Varnir.
One of its few ihabitants is Cratos Stoutfarther. He was The inn keeper of the Kingly brew Inn which certainly
lived up to its name.
Cratos was a of average size, maybe 6 foot in height and stocky with long braided dark brown hair and a large bushy beard.
He was a jolly fellow and everyone knew him and was fond of him. He travelled far and long in his younger days
but now was quite settled down. he was not married and had no children and spent his days tending to travellers
at the Inn.
One evening Cratos' well known friend and messenger of the great country of harrowfal, "Slen" came to the Inn.
"Slen! Your back! I haven't seen you in close to an age!" Said Cratos. "Indeed, It's good to see you my old friend."
Replied Slen. "However I come from the north and I bring news not so good."
"What is it Slen? Will it affect the Village?" Said Cratos. "No! Not yet atleast,
it has not yet come to that and hopefully will never" answered Slen. "But the hour is late and I have not slept for
many days, Lend me a room, for I have no money, and I will tell you my tale in the morning."
Nothing else was said between the two that night, Cratos took him to his room and went back to tend to others in the
Inn. Later on that night when a warm fire was going in the sitting room, no one else was in the Inn and Cratos was about
to call it a night, the door slammed open. It was the town Blacksmith Burz Grunder.
"What brings you in so late Burz." Said Cratos. "I just got back from delivering a shipment of armor and weapons to
the the old keep in northern Varnir." Said Burz with a grim face. "They were all dead." he said
"What!? What happened up there!" said Cratos "I don't know... They were all butchered, like animals." Burz replied.
"I searched the keep up to the tallest chamber in case there were any survivors, but the whole place was empty."
"That's not the worst of it though, I could expect no less with war, but as I returned to the lower floors..."
"What? What Happened?" Said Cratos.
"Thats Just it, I don't know what happened. The Bodies were gone. I Ran as fast as I could back to my caravan."
said Burz
"You're Saying they got up and walked away?" Cratos Said.
"I don't know but it just might be, with all the strange news coming from those parts." Said Burz.
"hmm... Wait a minute... Slen just returned from the north. He said he had very bad news. Maybe he can sort all this out"
Cratos replied.
"I hope..." Said Burz as he gazed deeply at the fire.
They had not seen eachother for many weeks and talked for a while of all of the news and sightings of travellers untill they could
not resist the urge to sleep any longer.
The next morning Cratos woke to a beautiful morning, the sun shining bright through his window, birds chirping outside and talk of people
in the sitting room. And in walked Cratos' assistant Drogen. Drogen was a young lad not older that 20 which was in that time a very young age.
He had short brown hair and just taller yet more slender than Cratos. Cratos took him in as his parents were murdered by bandits when he was only a
young child. "Wake up old man people are waiting and breakfast is far from being done." He said and walked fast back into the kitchen.
Cratos got up as fast as he could and dealt with all of the hungry costomers.
Later that evening Slen was sitting in a dark corner of the inn. Cratos walked up to him and sat down beside him.
"Have you talked to Burz, He also brings strange news from the north." "I have Said Slen "And I have revealed to him of what happened in that keep."
"Well what did happen, Slen?" Said Cratos. "My country has long kept the war in the north a secret as I'm sure you do not know who the enemy is." Said Slen
"But I'm sure it will be a secret no longer."
"4 years ago black ships came from the north. A man in a black cloak was the only one found on them. He was silent and said nothing to us. We let him go
as he seemed of no threat and he walked away into the woods. Days later there were reportings of....dead people walking again, and then more, and more
untill there were armies of these 'undead' walking around. We have been trying to fend them off but more and more come every day and even our fallen raise
from the dead fully armored and with weapon." Said Slen "Is there anything we can do." replied Cratos. "I don't know but they seem to rot and become weakened
as they come to warmer weather. I can say no more of the matter." Said Slen. "But I am on my way to Harrowfral where the king awaits my tidings. I will return in 2 months time."
Later that evening Slen left and Cratos tended to his costomers in the next few days to come untill...