Chapter One: Introduction
On a barren winter hill, a large figure burst from the fog. It stood taller than a human, and wore a dark hood obscuring its face. A steel war hammer bounced across the figure's back, shining ethereally. Leather clothes covered much of the figure's bulky form, straps and buckles placed strategically across the garment. Its boots splashed through shallow puddles of muck. A large black satchel swung gently at the figure's side. The figure took long strides, seemingly eager to escape the low fog, which night soon would follow. A gloved hand flitted across the hood, suddenly removing it.
She dropped the hood to the ground as she slowed down, eventually coming to a brisk walk. Her face was reptilian, scaled and mottled red and brown, and yet held certain elegance. Two short fins extended from her brow, decorated in silver earrings, and flexed gently as she ran. Her eyes shone a dull green, and tiny scales covered most of her head. On her head sat a silver circlet, inset with a radiant emerald. She pulled her gloves off hastily, scaled hands becoming stuck for a moment. She stowed the leather gloves in a pocket of her satchel and frowned.
The wind died down softly as the woman came to a fork in the road. An ancient forest stood before the fork, and one of the paths wound its way into the forest. The other path continued down the bumpy trail, staying clear of the forest. The woman looked around and behind her. Nobody but her stood on the road. She eyed the forest, and crossed her arms. She looked around once more, and chose the forest path.
A hard rain began to fall, slicking her scales. She frowned, but continued walking. Several minutes passed, and no sign of civilization showed itself. The endless trees shadowed the already dark pathway. Rain had caused several large puddles to form along the edges of the path. The scaled woman watched her feet, making sure she did not fall. A few small critters skittered across the cobblestone. The woman tensed, prepared for a fight that never came. In the distance, she noticed a small light flickering. Her face lit up slightly, and she walked faster towards the beam.
Eventually, she came upon a dimly lit building. A worn sign hung from the eve, picturing a boar's head resting in a wicker basket. Evidently, this was a tavern. The woman stopped, looking around for several minutes. The rain beat against the thatch roof gently, and the reptilian woman approached the door cautiously. It swung upon before she could touch it, and she lowered her head, entering the two-story cottage.
The tavern was bustling, guests of all forms, mostly male, filling the small room. Most of them were human, though there were several elves and dwarves interspersed between them. A smiling orc stood behind the counter, looking out at the room. A fire crackled in one corner of the room, bathing the inn with a warm glow. The strange woman stood at the entrance for a moment, disconcerted by the amount of noise emanating from the room. She gained her composure, and strode towards the orc.
"Hey there!" the orc joyfully called. "Anythin' Ah can git ya?" The woman sat down at one of the few remaining stools, and pulled a small sack from her satchel. "How much for a room?" the reptilian woman questioned. The orc raised an eyebrow and replied, "Tha'll be ten gold a night." The woman smiled gently. "A week's worth." With that, she dropped the bag on the counter, coins jingling. The orc positively glowed, and sweeping the bag under the counter, he produced a key. "Wha's yer name?" The woman sat silent for a moment, before gently speaking. "You may call me Shafr. [shay-fer]" The orc nodded, and handed over the key. "Yer room's the one upstairs at the end o' the hall. Welcome te' the Boar and Basket."