The journey from the ruins of Old Kalath across the northern frontier took three weeks.  Unsurprisingly, they met few travelers along the way.  As the chaos slowly unfolded back in the south, the mad prince locked within his palace where the headsmen's blocks were said to never grow dry, even the major highways had become unsafe, with many nobles barring all passage through their lands without official decree.  Those who lacked proper seals were left at the mercy of the lords’ men-at-arms to do with as they pleased, that is if the bandits did not take them first.<br/><br/>Leanna and Lia had been lucky enough to fall in with a train of supply wagons traveling under the royal flag, a red Ram's head on a field of white.  A dozen veteran soldiers in scaled brigandines and ridged helmets marched with them and even then they’d been glad to take along the women for the extra manpower.  Their numbers proved enough to ward off trouble but the drivers were still visibly relieved when the towers of Fort Moldave finally came within sight.<br/><br/>Moldave was the kingdom's furthest outlying fort overwatching the savage lands.  All things north of it existed outside royal laws and protection, for what little those were worth these days.  These lands remained as untamed and primordial as the day they were formed, home to strange creatures and wild magic.  Many years ago the elves had ruled them, back before the war with the Elder Ones had destroyed their great cities and driven them from the forests.  The only elves known these days were those few who lived among humans like Lia, orphans and children of refugees.  The true fate of their people was unknown, their secrets lost somewhere out there within the timeless and uncivilized wilds.<br/><br/>Now only Moldave and a few forts like it remained to protect man from the things that lived beyond their borders.  At first glance it did not inspire much confidence.  Where once many generations ago it had been surrounded by great stones walls, time and disregard had rendered many of them rubble, the gaps replaced by crude wooden palisades.  Here and there men in faded king’s livery stood at their posts but they seemed few in number.  They cast suspicious glances at their caravan when it stopped before the open gates, hard looking men in chain shirts checking over their seals and peeking under the tarps.<br/><br/>Finally, grudgingly, they were waved through.<br/><br/><div align="center">****</div><br/>Once inside Leanna and Lia parted company with their traveling companions.  The supply wagons would be unloaded at<strong>the barracks </strong>and back on their way before morning, heading west along the river until they reached the coast, bound for Barge Town.<br/><br/>A surly guardsmen pointed them towards<strong>the tavern</strong>, a rickety old shack with a sagging roof and a faded sign out front bearing a gryphon’s head.   There was food and lodging there for the traveling merchants who still came through.  The<strong>merchants</strong>themselves set up shop around a wide dirt ring just east of the gate.  Two densely packed wagons were stationed there now, their owners bartering with the sullen faced townsfolk, who crept in from the ramshackle farms spread outside the gates.<br/><br/>Despite the unpromising look of the fort from afar, it was still surprisingly crowded within.  There was money to be made in these wilds for those willing to face the danger.<strong>Trappers and hunters</strong>had set up a camp along the east wall, freshly cured skins hanging on their racks in preparation for transport back south.  The steady hammering of a<strong>blacksmith</strong>sounded from near the tavern, and<strong>a mining office </strong>had been established by<strong>the stables</strong>, a surprisingly large number of idle workers loitering outside of it.<br/><br/>The two women drew curious glances from several of the rough-looking men who passed, female travelers being relatively rare out here, but none stopped to talk.  They would have to decide where to start on their own.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">OOC:  Anything bolded is a place you can visit/interact with, most having quests or jobs.  Rumors can be learned by talking to people, some of which may be true, some false.  Several of the NPCs about town are also hirelings whose services can be retained for a share of future profits.  </div></div><br/><br/>Visitable Areas:<br/><br/>- Fort Moldave (walled settlement)<br/>+ Merchant Ring<br/>+ Gryphon Tavern<br/>+ Barracks<br/>+ Mining Office<br/>+ Blacksmith<br/>+ Stables<br/>- Farmlands (the immediate area surrounding the Fort)<br/>- The Foothills (the rocky area north of the Fort leading up to the mountains, peppered with mines and caves.)<br/>- The Great Forest (the heavily forested area east of the Fort, expands north for many miles)<br/>- The Marshlands (the swampy area west of the Fort, connects to the river that runs to the southeast)<br/><br/>Plus others yet undiscovered.<br/>