The darkness danced with the single candle residing within a lantern in the large ceremonial room. Smell of old fabric, mold and rust filled the air creating a dense atmosphere that spoke to the history of the once great land. The books he endlessly transcribed from the old rotting tomes of old were the only thing he had left of the history of Winterfell. His father had taught him that this was now the purpose, still clinging to the old Kingdom as if it would resurrect itself on its own. Rain turned to snow that night, and he could almost hear the north wing crumbling as he wrote. The buildings of Winterfell that had once stood as a pillar of a vast and powerful Army were now his for the keeping, and he did not have the masons to maintain the structures. He dipped his pen and continued to transcribe his inheritance. As the candle burned down its wick, his thoughts slowly turned away from his work. A voice broke the silence and cut through the dark, “Sir, thirty-two monsters killed tonight†“In our borders?†The man with the two tone hair sternly answered, “Aye, in our borders†“Thank you for the report, Vain. Thanks for your service this evening.†“Honor in Vita et Morte†Ciet Nodded, his candle but a cool yellow glow. The man continued to stand in front of him. It is easy for one to rationalize the increasing kills per night by his patrols. He spoke again, “It’s become safer in Sosaria and people have again pushed out into the wilderness, displacing the monstersâ€. “How can you forget the new attacks by increasingly stronger monsters attacking towns like Coveâ€, Vainamoinen argued, “Shadows have maintained the walls of these structures for long enough, strength must now come from outward action.†“I respect your counsel. Hand me the new tome that came with this month’s supplies†He opened a new tome to the first page. “Marching orders†he wrote, “Scouting and reporting†The freshness of this new parchment inspired him. The reports from third parties littered his desk speaking to attacks across the land. This drove his hand. Perhaps this move would make his protection of Winterfell’s land harder, but there was proof positive that Darkness was returning to the land. “Sister,†he called out, “Summon everyone†Groggy from her slumber she grumbled, “Is this another provision run?†He smirked, “Nay, sister. Banners must return.†A small group of men and women joined him around a table. “We fly no banners at this time. We must return, and perhaps royalty shall return once more. We are the Outriders once again.†As daylight crept into the musky hall, Chapter one was laid out to the small group.
The prisoner's of Wrong thought they had cleverly disposed of the bodies. They thought perhaps Justice would not find them. They failed to realize they had deposited the boxes of flayed and mangled corpses under the watch of the Out Riders.... and they would pay double for their errors, for Catalin of Paws also answered to the Banner of the North. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A solitary Oak Tree stands in the plains near the Outriders' Fortress. Symbolically, the tree, like the Outriders, will stand alone if need be against an army of evil. Gruesome!! I'm sorry, does it still count if the enemy slips in a pool of blood and kills themself?
