Strange Ports
Moving outside, breathing in the crisp, salty morning air, you are indeed quite surprised by how pleasant everything seems compared to the eeriness and terror that seem to grip the town by night. The fog has completely retreated leaving behind a rustic yet bustling town. With the sun now clearly shining, you can see that you aren't too fair from the pier. The town itself, while small, is quickly filled with the usual noise and chatter one would expect to find. The markets open for the day and soon people begin filling the streets with vendors hawking various wares to any passerby. You notice many individuals heading down to the docks to fish but strangely, no one seems to be sailing out for any reason. In fact, except for 3 larger ships, nothing beyond the size of dingy can be seen.
Making your way to the northern most gates of the town you find a standard stone built archway with large oaken doors held shut by a large plank and several bolts. On top of the wall archers can be seen pacing about in their duties while a handful of soldiers busy themselves with daily, mundane tasks...oiling armor, feeding the horses, etc. Peering around, however, you begin to notice that perhaps only a small number might actually be soldiers. Many look young...far too young to be serving in any military capacity.
As you approach the small training area, from one side of the stone archway, a door opens and a grizzled looking gentleman steps out. His head is shaved down close to the scalp, revealing a plethora of scars. His face shows signs of age and wear and his beard, while long and thick, is showing heavy signs of white throughout and a large section is bare; a large visible scar covering the patch. His armor is simply leather, old and tired yet clearly polished and taken care of, despite the numerous holes and patches.