The tall, walled city of Castlebruck glinted in the morning light. Spring rain hung dripping from the eaves of towers and taverns alike, as men and women of the city watch lined the parapets of the massive city’s three interconnected castles. Those lucky farmers who could afford it, hauled their carts into the city by horse for the morning markets, while others brought their carts in by hand on rickety wheels over the cobblestone streets. The tall spears and pikes of the city watch hung over the crowds as people began to fill onto the streets, not too long after dawn, heading to temple, or market, or even some heading home after the conclusion of a long night of drinking.<br/><br/>In a large square near the heart of the city, known as Triumph’s Reach Square, a town crier stood on a box of thin wooden slats that had been flipped upside down for him. Straw spread out around him like a wreath on the cobblestones as he shouted. “The Grand Army calls to volunteers—A copper a day! Food and board to soldiers! Citizenship to Beaumoral with service! Win glory and keep Beaumoral safe!” His voice was shrill and frantic as he yelled, his long robes of yellow gold and deep black coiled around his fat body, his arms being thrown around wildly as he pointed and swiped the air manically.<br/><br/>A few stopped to listen as he continued about service in the kingdom of Beaumoral, but most passed by unappreciative of his efforts.<br/><br/>“Will no one take on this great honour?” the crier called indignantly, trying to engage the crowd that flitted by.<br/><br/>A tall human man neared, alongside him a half-orc named Valdaris who was even taller. The human smirked and rubbed at the stubble of his ginger beard. “This one. This one right here!” Dancy, the human, called loudly to the crier as he pointed to his half-orc companion. Dancy was thin and wiry, not at all as muscular as his friend. He swept away the short tangle of curly red hair on his head and threw his hand onto the half-orc’s shoulder. “Can’t get enough of the army, this one. Come, tell him all about what Beaumoral offers.”<br/><br/>The crier hopped down from his small box and rushed towards the pair. His eyes were wide and full of excitement, no doubt receiving some form of compensation for every soul he could convince to serve.<br/><br/>“Ah, yes, yes! The Grand Army could certainly make a man out of you,” the crier crowed proudly as he stood in front of the two other men. He was almost half a foot shorter than Dancy, and even shorter than that compared to Valdaris, but the small man showed no signs of being intimidated by the pair of well-seasoned men.<br/><br/>A long time acquaintance of the half-orc, Dancy couldn’t help but smile to himself as the crier began into his spiel about protecting the realm and winning glory. He hadn’t seen his friend much since they’d left the army together, and he missed busting his balls. Even though he’d brought his friend to Triumph’s Reach with the promise of a job, he couldn’t resist wanting to make a fool of the small, annoying crier first.