Wilderness Crawl (Solo)
Mapping the North, Foray 1 - by Lommond
I (Lommond, Dwarf, Thief 1, Fighter 1) have spent weeks in the new, remote dwarven town of Middlestep at the foot of Ben Domhainn (Mount Deep). They are a faithful lot, and even though the settlement is only a year old, there are images of Moradin everywhere. I came for the work. Several veins of different precious minerals were found a few years ago and now mines are being plumbed. There's a lot of competition for rights and plots and several clans have already started to feud. The only law that is respected in Middlestep at the moment is the church. So it stands to reason that the visage of Moradin should be so prominent. Priests of the church have assumed the role of arbiter, but even amongst their ranks, clan ties influence decisions. Sometimes, the safest place you can be in Middlestep is in a mine, despite the risks that that entails.
I tired quickly of having to watch my back and took on a contract to map the area to the North of the mountain. My first probing attempt was slow going without maps or much guidance. There are rumours that kobolds have been seen somewhere to the Northwest.
On that first attempt as I was about to setup camp for the night, I stumbled across an old ruined village, over grown by saplings. It was eerie and the trees themselves seemed to move in on me. My first foray was just meant to be out and back again; day's travel out and then return to Middlestep for more rations the next day. I would prepare to go out further with each subsequent foray. The ruined village was a great marker to bury some hard tack rations. I left the cache in the corner of a ruined building foundation and returned to my shelter. As I leaned against a tree to start to whittle, a deep, creaking voice greeted me with "Hello." I started to my feet and the voice chuckled. Looking around, I couldn't see anyone nearby so I darted around the tree and was only greeted by more chuckles. Then I looked up. The tree I had been leaning against had a face! "We mean you no harm." said the tree. "We?" As I looked around the small grove of trees in which I set my shelter, I could see all the trees had faces. One of the trees was untying the guy line I had secured around its waist to erect my shelter. I apologized and the tree smiled and said that it had tickled and I wasn't to worry. The leader of the trees asked my name and introduced himself as Fastroot. I said I was Lommond and from a settlement to the South. He said that the mountain and hills before it are beyond the South edge of their territory and that this area is the East-most extent of their lands. Fastroot also said I had free reign in "their" woods (about a day's walk to the West, North and South) so long as I didn't burn nor cut down any trees. He and his kin patrol the forest and chase away those who disturb the woods. He also warned me that there were other creatures like me in the woods. Sneaky creatures. And that I should not return alone.
When I woke the next morning, I was in a clearing, the grove of trees had moved on. I quickly broke camp and returned to Middlestep, still thrilled by my encounter the night before.
I will put together a party to explore this old village and to serve as protection during my explorations. The locale of the village was situated well for a possible copper mine or something similar.
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