If you ask anyone in Winterhaven or Fallcrest about the Old Kings Road, they'll tell you that there hasn't been a king in the area for as long as anyone can remember, just that the name stuck. If you probe further no one knows which king built the road, or which it was named for. However if you travel north of Winterhaven along the Cairngorm Peaks, up a rarely used section of the road you will come upon the Old Kings. These ancient stone monoliths resemble stylized chess kings with iron crowns upon their brows. Standing on either side of the road their silent forms look north, and lean slightly away from the road.
Travelers along the road will often leave an offering at their base for luck and protection as they head north, hoping that the Old Kings will watch their backs.
The Old Kings
Divine Location
Any traveler that leaves an offering with the Old Kings may find their way cleared of troubles. The chance of random encounters drops by half for the next 12 hours while on the road, and any encounters that do occur receive a +1 bonus to the reaction roll.
Are there any rumors or terrible stories of what happened to those who tried to steal the crowns off the kings' heads?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about it! But that's an interesting idea.
ReplyDeleteVery nice...reminds of the legends about the Greenway outside Bree in the LotR. That and the fact that the Shire's sheriff has the responsibility for enforcing the king's peace, although no one remembers much about the (human) king.
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