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Your adventuring band begins with a grand total of... two. The first is <span class="mu-i">Jonathon of Blackwater</span>. Skilled with a lockpick and quick on his feet- he is a capable man, though with no wealth or weapons to his name. The second is <span class="mu-i">Elly</span>, the milkmaid. While not a lady of high breeding, she is trained in woman's work- the art of magic of the home. She has delivered babies and bound up wounds of soldiers- though she has seen scant action herself.
The two arrived in the small mountain town of <span class="mu-i"><span class="mu-s">Shovestone</span></span>. Once a huge town, it has shrunk down since the olden days. The abandoned houses no longer stand at least, for fear of creating knockers and other creatures of the night, but even so it feels strangely lonesome even at the market or within the dimly lit tavern.
The first night, Jonathon awakens to a haunting sound. From far away, sounding as though just over the nearest hill, was the sound of a quiet and painful moaning- the voice was impossible to gauge, but it sounded like a human being in pain or loss. While he felt the urge to flee this place as soon as he was able, he suppressed it. There was rumor of beneath that mountain- and it would be the only way for him to pay his debt.
<span class="mu-b">“Elly, did you hear that noise last night!?”</span>
“No Jon, I stuffed my ears with cotton!”
<span class="mu-b">“...You are much more clever then me. I should have known- with a name like the “Moaning Mountain”- that I'd have trouble sleeping...”</span>
“Hehe, the locals say you get used to it.”
<span class="mu-b">“Get used to <span class="mu-i">that</span>!? I think not!”</span>
“Well, tomorrow night, I'll boil you some lavender tea. It always does well for the frights...”
While your small adventuring team has promise- there was an element missing. The villagers warn against traveling to the mountain, as most who go do not return. Even worse, they claim a tribe of orcs live up there now, making travel even more dangerous. The simple truth was- you did not have the means to defend yourself. Jonathon was a strong enough man, but had no skill with a sword.
