The cold, wind pushed through the grey woolen cloak wrapped tightly
around the skilled woodsman. Even though he was trained to withstand the
elements, the freezing temperatures were disheartening. The winter snow
veiled the normally pristine green landscape and flora at the foot of the
mountains.
As Velarus moved higher up the foot of the Storm Horns, clouds begin to gather around the peaks forming a grayish halo at the top of the pass. The Storm Horns, Two very large peaks, seemed to curve and take shape similar to the horns of a gazelle. He could feel the sweat underneath his layered clothing from the steep walk and his legs started to ache, but he finally arrived at his destination. "The caravan's must have passed through here somewhere," he thought to himself. Rocky cliffs, several stories tall, formed on both sides creating a natural passageway between the twin peaks about the width of six horses. Snow blanketed the many ledges and outcroppings up both sides of the natural rock walls.
A few moments later, Velarus noticed a few humps protruding up from the packed snow and a demolished wagon sat off to the side of the main path. The ranger brushed away the thin coating of snow that accumulated overnight and noticed the remains of several Cormyrian soldiers, bearing the symbol of the Purple Dragons. "Knights of the Kingdom," the warrior thought aloud, though no soul was anywhere within earshot. After an hour of sweeping away the snow of the various bodies and objects, the young leather- clad forester realized that the knights were in combat with the caravan wagon. Several of the other bodies were merchants, but those bodies were still fresh and without much decay. Yet the same accumulation of snow and the placement of the bodies would indicate they were interacting at the same time. The knights' skin was almost completely gone and only dry bones remained, with some scattered clothing and pieces of armor and tunic draped around the corpses.
The young man looked around and back down the mountain in the direction that he ascended from. "Hmm. The barkeep mentioned he heard that the dead had risen and attacked. It is the only possibility. The dead knights must have attacked the caravan." His keen, deep blue eyes scanned the area once more making sure no other creature living or undead moved nearby.
The ranger then moved over to one of the skeletons of the knights'. Using the tip of his long composite bow he hooked it on the ribcage of a Purple Dragon's body pulling it out for closer inspection. Strange golden runes were inscribed on the bones of the skeleton, which shocked the young woodsman.
"This seems very odd." Velarus moved to another knight corpse and found the same strange markings. After noticing that the runes were found on all the knight corpses, the young warrior shook his head and removed his longsword from its scabbard. Several gold markings in intricate patterns etched in the base of the blade seemed to glow faintly as he removed it. The woodsman raised the weapon, taking careful aim, and brings the polished steel blade down in a swift, smooth stroke, severing a bone fragment containing one of the mysterious runic symbols. Velarus inspected it one last time, as if hoping the symbols would reveal their meaning to him. He deposited the object in his leather belt pouch and carefully closed the leather strap, while sheathing his sword.
The sun began to descend below the tops of the mountain peaks casting enormous shadows from the mountains and around the sparse groves of snow-covered pine trees. Velarus hastened his pace down the path, away from the mountain pass. As dusk approached, the woodsman reached the three way crossroad, heading east to Arabel and the other crossed south around the King's forest to the capital city of Suzail, home of King Azoun's royal palace. "I'm sure someone there can tell me what these bone fragments mean." The ranger turned to the south and continued down the road, which is barely visible amid the numerous snow drifts.
As Velarus moved higher up the foot of the Storm Horns, clouds begin to gather around the peaks forming a grayish halo at the top of the pass. The Storm Horns, Two very large peaks, seemed to curve and take shape similar to the horns of a gazelle. He could feel the sweat underneath his layered clothing from the steep walk and his legs started to ache, but he finally arrived at his destination. "The caravan's must have passed through here somewhere," he thought to himself. Rocky cliffs, several stories tall, formed on both sides creating a natural passageway between the twin peaks about the width of six horses. Snow blanketed the many ledges and outcroppings up both sides of the natural rock walls.
A few moments later, Velarus noticed a few humps protruding up from the packed snow and a demolished wagon sat off to the side of the main path. The ranger brushed away the thin coating of snow that accumulated overnight and noticed the remains of several Cormyrian soldiers, bearing the symbol of the Purple Dragons. "Knights of the Kingdom," the warrior thought aloud, though no soul was anywhere within earshot. After an hour of sweeping away the snow of the various bodies and objects, the young leather- clad forester realized that the knights were in combat with the caravan wagon. Several of the other bodies were merchants, but those bodies were still fresh and without much decay. Yet the same accumulation of snow and the placement of the bodies would indicate they were interacting at the same time. The knights' skin was almost completely gone and only dry bones remained, with some scattered clothing and pieces of armor and tunic draped around the corpses.
The young man looked around and back down the mountain in the direction that he ascended from. "Hmm. The barkeep mentioned he heard that the dead had risen and attacked. It is the only possibility. The dead knights must have attacked the caravan." His keen, deep blue eyes scanned the area once more making sure no other creature living or undead moved nearby.
The ranger then moved over to one of the skeletons of the knights'. Using the tip of his long composite bow he hooked it on the ribcage of a Purple Dragon's body pulling it out for closer inspection. Strange golden runes were inscribed on the bones of the skeleton, which shocked the young woodsman.
"This seems very odd." Velarus moved to another knight corpse and found the same strange markings. After noticing that the runes were found on all the knight corpses, the young warrior shook his head and removed his longsword from its scabbard. Several gold markings in intricate patterns etched in the base of the blade seemed to glow faintly as he removed it. The woodsman raised the weapon, taking careful aim, and brings the polished steel blade down in a swift, smooth stroke, severing a bone fragment containing one of the mysterious runic symbols. Velarus inspected it one last time, as if hoping the symbols would reveal their meaning to him. He deposited the object in his leather belt pouch and carefully closed the leather strap, while sheathing his sword.
The sun began to descend below the tops of the mountain peaks casting enormous shadows from the mountains and around the sparse groves of snow-covered pine trees. Velarus hastened his pace down the path, away from the mountain pass. As dusk approached, the woodsman reached the three way crossroad, heading east to Arabel and the other crossed south around the King's forest to the capital city of Suzail, home of King Azoun's royal palace. "I'm sure someone there can tell me what these bone fragments mean." The ranger turned to the south and continued down the road, which is barely visible amid the numerous snow drifts.