Barbarian Princess and the Eye of the North

The rain had fallen steadily for the last week. Never a torrential downpour, but constant. The fields and hills beyond the fort's walls were saturated with the moisture, making travel into the wilderness all but impossible. The few patrols sent out had quickly bogged down and returned home exhausted, covered in mud, and soaked to the bone. Not that things were much better within the wooden walls. Even the walkways along the walls were slick, and dangerous. The constant grey clouds made telling the hour impossible.

Yet there they were. On the appointed day, at the appointed time... and somehow they'd arrived at the gate without being completely covered in mud. Gaius stood at the top of the gatehouse, looking down at the small party. "Open the gate" he ordered the guards as he took the ladder down to meet them.

Sinking into the sucking mud at the bottom of the ladder he sighed, and continued around to the now open gate. The barbarians remained in place, looking into the fort with ill-disguised distaste. As Gaius stepped into the gateway, their eyes all swept quickly over him. Most returned to watching the rest of the fort, but the young woman in the center of the group locked her eyes with his.

While lacking the hulking forms of the more northern barbarians, the local tribes were no less ferocious in battle, making up for what they lacked in size with guile. This princess was no exception. Her pale eyes bore into his. Unnervingly the circlet she wore held a stone the same pale blue as her eyes, and all three orbs seemed to stare unblinkingly at him.

Sniffing the runny nose the gods-forsaken weather gifted him with he raised his hand in greeting. "Welcome to Fort Artok. I am Gaius, son of Geldar and Philena, commander of this troop." He hoped they spoke a civilized tongue.

"On behalf of the Tribe of the Grey Spirit and the Tribe of the Morning's Dawn I have come to treat with you, and bring warning that further encroachments into our territory will be met with deadly force." Her voice was strong, clear, and spoke his language with barely an accent.

The barbarians around her gripped their spears a little tighter, their backs straightening. Behind and above him, Gaius knew his troops were doing the same. "You come to treat, then please enter in peace" he said 'and get out of the rain' he thought to himself. 

She held his gaze, and only the ever present rain and dripping of his own nose punctuated the long silent moment.'There's a fire and hot spiced wine inside... please...'

Finally she nodded her ascent and the whole group stepped forward toward the gate.

Barbarian Princess
AC 5; HD 4+4**; #AT 1 spear or 1 spell; Dmg 1d6+1 or by spell; MV 120' (40'); Save Elf 4; ML 10; TT Vx3; AL Neutral, XP 275
The barbarian princess casts spells from the Druid Spell list with 3 first level slots and 2 second level slots. She wears the Eye of the North.

Eye of the North
This pale blue zircon stone, set into a simple circlet, grants the wearer the ability to find paths in dark places, both physical and metaphorical. The most notable power is to reduce the chance of becoming lost in the wilderness by half. In addition, it can provide an insight bonus when dealing with strangers. This can manifest in a +1 bonus to reaction rolls.