But if it can be located, I know of both a weaponmaster and a wizard of great learning, descended from their blood, who will come here and make it strong once again and swear fealty to the Ducal Seat.' There are old rumours that two legendary heroes of my bloodline, Rogahn the Warrior and Zelligar the Wizard, established a stronghold here in this area once. The mine, more than anything else, is the key to re-establishing our sovereignty here, and the Caves are the biggest threat we face.' Now it is rumoured to be infested with monsters and creatures of all manner and description and are now known as the Caves of Chaos. 'And, perhaps most of all, at the the road that turns north into Tallscratch Valley lies a rich silver mine that was once a source of great wealth for my family. But if it could be cleansed, the elves could come and live here once again.' Now it is a haunted, evil place filled with spirits and the undead. 'To the north, along the steppes, is a great forest that was once the strongest and oldest nation of elves in this part of the world. We don't know how they are crossing the Goblinwater River. We are losing one in five caravans and traders are refusing to make the trek. Which we cannot do unless we can find and eliminate the large company of raiders resides somewhere south of the Goblinwater.

'And if we reclaim the quarry, I have contacted a master stonemason I knew some years ago, who will come if we can ensure the safety of his daughter. But scouts indicate there are several nests of monsters that make the nearby area their home. There is an old quarry nearby we could use for the stone. 'First, there are the walls, which we have done some work repairing, but we lack the skill and the resources to complete. But our needs are many and our resources few.' The border kingdoms to the west can trade with all the lands along the Great Road. The coastal lands to the south once provided exotic bounty from across the seas. The Dwarf clans to the north have ancient ties to our bloodline. 'This land was once a centre of trade and culture and commerce. She lays out a sketchy, incomplete map of the nearby wilderness. You deserve your rest, if you will it, and yet we are in deepest need and, should you have more service in your heart, we would seek your assistance yet again.' 'Again we thank you for the services you have provided for the Seat already. 'My friends, my friends,' she says, ushering them over to the table. When the party arrived, she was sat behind a massive desk (black oak, a gift from a local potentate seeking to wed her), papers strewn everywhere, her small team of advisors behind her, and two of her best soldiers flanking the door. The marks of her patrician parentage shine out in her delicate cheekbones and fine blonde hair, but there is none of the weakness or delicacy of the noble in her. She is a tall woman, with broad shoulders and thick, sturdy features. The party, having established a homestead within the walls (remains of the wall, anyway) of the keep, participated in the preparations and organizing of the Keep's earliest days.ДЄnd so, as spring was drawing to a close, but before the thick oppressive heat of summer had yet arrived, the Duke summoned the party to the room where she her seat of government. It is still mostly a ruin, and only a shadow of its former self, but trade has begun here. Her will and her dedication were as strong as steel and her plans moved forward.ДЄnd so, now, months later, the Keep is once again occupied and rings with the sounds of people and lives and civilization. Months of frenzied activity passed as the Duke gathered people and resources and made deals and plans and treaties and agreements with everyone from dry goods traders to military tyrants.

Each member of the party was offered a place of honour in the emerging lands, if they continued to serve the Duke. After their report, she thanked them profusely for their service to the Ducal Seat and set about putting a lifetime of plans into motion.

The party met Duke Ariana Joranna in the border kingdom of Urhl. After the Keep was cleared of enemies (and tidied up a little) the party returned to the grooms and porters (who were happy at least some of the party made it out, and made new friends too!) and started the long trip back to what passed for civilization this far east.

All the little creatures borderlands