Chapter 1 - The Royal Soldiers

Act 1 -- The Royal Soldiers
Chapter 1: Burland Castle

Every day seems to be more grueling than the one before. Ever since I
joined the ranks of The Royal Soldiers for the King of Burland more than
four years ago, it has been my duty to protect the castle from outside
threats. My name is Ragnar, one of the many guardsmen here at Burland. And
though I may be one of many, I have moved up the ranks during my tenure.
Most of my time now is spent in the King's Chamber, as well as in the
barracks taking instruction from an elder swordsman.

I have a funny feeling that the King has something in store for me. Not
only has he insisted that I, along with a few of my fellow soldiers take
extra instruction...but I have recently learned that he has also planned to
meet with us soon. I really don't know what this is all about, but I have a
couple of ideas. First off, I have heard word that monsters have been
sighted in the area during the daytime when our peasants are at work in the
fields, as well as by travelers within the continent. Although many of
these creatures have lurked in the dark hours for the last several hundred
years, they have never caused havoc until the last few weeks. And the
reported cases of serious injuiry and death have rose steadily in recent
times.

Burland Castle is located on the Southern Continent, the smallest in the
world of Alefgard. It is also the safest. Nowhere else on this plane can
the normal soldier traverse without fear of encountering fierce enemies,
although it seems as though these times may soon be over. The continent is
bisected by the Olgaz river, for which for hundreds of years could never be
crossed due to the massive currents that were too treacherous to cross by
even the sturdiest of boats. In recent times, King Trolomu III commissioned
skilled diggers as well as hundreds of peasants to construct a tunnel
underneath the Olgaz, allowing travelers to reach the other side of the
continent.

To the northwest of Burland across the Olgaz lies a small village called
Izmit. The town is known for it's luxurious bathhouse, in addition to a
very skilled team of blacksmiths. In the beginning, Izmit attempted to
start their own government and break their ties with Burland, until a great
famine hit the land, making it impossible for the Izmites to be
self-sufficient. The famine has long been over, and both have been on great
terms ever since. Because of the narrow distance between Izmit and the
castle, travelers can often be seen on the beaten path.

I have only been to Izmit twice -- once as a child, and another occasion two
years ago when I escorted Trolomu V to the village festival. Although the
area is nice and I have to admit -- the baths are great...I my opinion is
that the town is too small for me to live in. I had the opportunity to
purchase a new copper sword there, which I still carry on occasion. One day
I hope to convince Trolomu to purchase greater weapons such as Chain Sickles
and Iron Spears for our army.

Well, I have some errands to run now. The Archduke has commanded me to
visit Lady Flora, who has reported that her husband Sir Alex has not been
seen for three days. Once that is completed, I will return to my barracks
and get some much needed rest. It's getting late, and Ireally should be
going now.

-Ragnar, Royal Soldier