Deathless

Deathless Chapter Twenty-Three: Southbound

Chapter Twenty-Three: Southbound

In the north, the regular mode of transportation to the capital from the various other cities of the North like Aegarr City, Plaeus Town, River’s End, or Seapoint was the Iron Road, a trading route stretching from Frontier Town to River’s End. The road was well-paved and well-marked, thanks to Emperor Argus the Ironborn, who ruled from 767 2E until 793 2E, and built the Iron Road after he restored Arlenian control in the Peaks of God, the mountains of Southreach, and the Arcaneus Peaks after they were lost to barbarian tribes because of the turmoil caused by the War of Liberation against Isenord and the kingdom of Raldbak.

Emperor Argus the Ironborn had seized control of all mining outposts throughout these mountains, and established Arlenia as one of the top producers of metals in Serenar.

To deal with the sudden increase of trade, he had built the Iron Road, a trading route stretching from Frontier Town to River’s End that passed within a few miles of the Peaks of God to serve as an avenue for miners to sell their goods along it.

The Iron Road, while it was currently getting less business than it would have liked in the days of the Arlenian Civil War, still served as a prominent trading route for merchants all over the North.

However, one of Argus’s less known exploits was his building of the Southroad, a trading route in the South that he’d built, stretching from River’s End to Oronthurin, which, at present, had been overrun with bandits centuries ago. It was now a perilous route for merchants in the South to take as they peddled their goods, where bandits and outlaws lurked, hoping to catch the unwary trader and steal their goods.

However, this was the route that the four adventurers, weary from their long journey south from Ninquelen, were now most inclined to take, thanks to its direct link route through River’s End to Seapoint.

“Time is now of the essence,” the proud captain Risselyn argued, his thick lips that rested on a flat line across his face curling slightly as he spoke. “The Southroad will take us straight from here to Southport in a week. Go any other way and we’ll take twice as long.”

“The Southroad is ridden with bandits,” Lindale repeated, for what felt like the hundredth time that night, as they sat at the common room of the Sizgodil inn that they were currently staying in.

The common room was well lit with a hearth to their right, surrounded by well-cut stones and fuelled by rich black coal. The room was mostly empty, with the other diners in the room mostly keeping to themselves, in small groups strewn about throughout the room speaking in quiet tones to one another. To them, the four adventurers looked no different than a small roving band of mercenaries, trying to earn themselves a fortune in the lawless lands of the South.

Some of the other men and women in the room were dressed in mail; others in tight leather armour, and a couple men who sat to Lindale’s right were dressed in plate armour, all polished steel, with broadswords hanging at their sides. Lindale hoped that the night would be peaceful, and they would be allowed safe passage through Town of Shadows.

“We’d be hunted down, ambushed, and mugged a thousand times over if we try to get there by way of the Southroad,” Lindale continued in a hush but urgent tone. He didn’t like the looks they were getting from the two men in plate armour. He thought it best if they didn’t broadcast what route they were to take.

“We can handle a few petty bandits and thieves,” Sirya said, carelessly twirling one of her daggers in her hand. “They won’t think to come near us with you with us, Lindale. Most men would turn tail and run to their mothers once they get a glimpse of that monstrous battle-axe you’ve got.”