Rise of the Overlord

chapter 1

The borderlands south of the kazar range is what I expected in all respects. Nothing but old houses of dried mud and straw. Where nomads, wanderers and mercenaries gather for knowledge of the road...or the next payout.

For me, I'm in the middle. Meaning I wander around alot...and running from the most unfriendliest people in all of tiera. Of course nothing beats a good place to hide then a good old fashioned watering hole.

Covered in dust , dried mud and some other dried objects I walked in to the most rundown looking inn I could find. For my motto is ' the more rundown the place, the cheaper they are!'. And by my good surprise it is indeed more ware for tare inside.

Ad I walked in I see half a dozen men, wearing scarves, some Gambon and other travellers attire. But the most striking thing I saw were how worn down the tables and chairs looked.

I gave a face of contempt and walked to the bar with ease. The was little room for walking to I was careful not to bump into the furniture. By the time I reached the bar I was given a stink eye from the clear owner of the inn.

" what do you wish to order?" The big inn keeper asks with his shoulder facing my way. Clearly he had seen many fights judging from all the scars I could see, good warning I thought.

" I like to order whatever you have cheapest to drink, eat and sleep here for the night thank you good sir!" I responded while counting off the request with my figures. And to get the point across I placed one of my silver coins on the bar for nothing less.

Course that got some customers to look my way. Clearly when you hear either silver or gold coins...your worth robbing later. Thankfully I showed my dagger off on my rightside to emphasise ' don't bother me' threat.

It works but instead of eyes of greed it got turned into eyes of annoyance and murder. I turned back to my first stein of warm beer and my meal, which is a cold gruel of grains and oats and some other ingredient I can't place. I ate and drank away my troubles for the last three days of travelling.

By the time I finished my gruel I asked for another stein and some news of recent events. The bartender slash innkeeper responded " there've been some raids around here for the last week or so. Can't say about anything else though, you should learn that yourself " and with a huff he went to serve another customer.

I pondered for a bit to understand the situation I'm walking into. First I realised that it's raiding season for raiders. Or so the rumours go, with how disorganised the raiders are, especially being mostly orc. Why am I even going along the borderlands is unclear even to me. But it's better then paying up a ridiculous debt that I owe to some people.

As I slowly sip my second beer, I was recalling how I even ended up in this situation.  Aside from running away from debt collectors. I'm also running away from...old friends who want me dead for ruining there petty schemes.

Till one day I heard of a port in the east of the Badlands that will take me to anywhere I want. Problem is money, which I'm low on, might need to do some counting when I go to my room.

By the time i was finished with my last drink i asked where my room is. The owner gave me directions to its location,  which was upstairs on the end of the hall.

A few moments and squeaky floorboards later i reached to my temporary abode. And the one i thing i noticed near instant is the foul odor in the room. With a near broken bed along one wall to my left, a small window near said bed and a chair.

Room was somewhat small but liveable,  with the smell being the exception.  Gods i wish i was in a better inn but i was tired and there was no other inn within leagues so i got to make do.

After putting down my travellers cloak on my bed i started to put whatever money i had on the chair. Making it into a makeshift table, counting whatever gold and silver i have left. Which wasn't much in all honesty.

If my counting is good i say i have half a dozen gold pieces, a solid dozen silver and some copper. In otherwords i need ALOT more gold to hire a ship out of tiera.

Too tired to worry i decided to sleep for the night, opening up my cracked window to allow a cool breeze.

Of course it wasn't easy to sleep in the desert. It was muggy in the night, making me sweat In my clothes i had  as my night clothes, since i have nothing else.

Hours ticked by and still I was restless in my sleep. Dreams of gold and women and for once some gods damned good luck for me. Turned into nightmares of orcs terrorising the five kingdoms, rivers of blood spill forth from the great stone gates in the far north.

By the time i woke up in a panic, sweat pouring forth from my skin. I had no water near me for it was still in my poor excuse of a bag. But then my skin prickled into gooseflesh.

The only times i have this feeling is when danger is near. And gods damn it there was danger, the old associate kind. I got out of bed, sneaked to the window to see three horses, saddled with richly adorned saddles with large weapons strapped to their sides.

Fear gripped me in an instant. They old gang of vel has come for me. With little warning i heard shouts coming from downstairs,  calling out my name. Not the brightest bunch of men but persistent nonetheless.

I quickly grabbed my bag, made sure my money is in it then put on my cloak. With little options i climbed out the window, small as it was , I managed to squeeze through most of the way till I heard loud footsteps coming my way.

And without warning the largest man i haven't seen in a while barges through the door. Breaking the door off its old hinges, within seconds I was through and hoped down from the small shack I was on.

Then I ran to the nearest horse, saddled up and was riding like the wind. Only to hear shouts from two men who really hate my guts.

" It was nice to see you guys too!" I yelled back and I received curses instead. Within minutes they were on their horses and in hot pursuit for my head.

Despite having a head start, my horse was getting tired fast, which isn't great since my pursuers where right behind me. A rode to a bend in the rocks south , slowed down, hopped off the horse and ran through the rocks.

My old gang did the same judging from their shouting to kill me or owing them alot of money. To be fair it wasn't much from the vel gang, but in total from everyone is ridiculous so my only option was to run.

The Badlands sun was slowly rising up and I was in the open now. Sand and dunes as far as the eye could see. With little choice I pushed on into the desert.

By the time I was out of sight, I knew the old gang gave up, probably knowing I was a dead man to wonder into the Badlands. They were probably right of course, considering this is orc territory.

But I kept walking...and walking...and walking till I see a small road leading to nowhere south. I decided bugger it and follow the road. Better to deal with orcs then my old gang.

If it wasn't for that strange dream i had i would probably be dead by now.