Keld adjusted the straps on his armor, trying to ignore the beasts and the nagging sense of fear at being so open and with such a large party. He was a morose looking man with dark eyes sunken into his head and a nose that had been broken more than once. His face was clean shaven as was his head, all the hair scraped away, lending a skeletal look to the man. Perhaps in his late forties, his body was limber and strong, the kind of muscle that came from constant movement and training. Unlike the others, his armor was made of light, well-maintained leather, and his shield, rather than the gaudily painted affairs carried by those around him was made of wood and noticeably unadorned with any marking. 

He carried a short, utilitarian sword at his belt. Trailing behind him were two soldiers dressed almost identically, from the boiled leather armor to the shaved heads. One of them, Oks, was a large, heavily muscled man with a rough, lined face. He was well over six feet tall and broad shouldered enough that he looked like he could lift a man off the ground with one hand. The other was Slegge. He shared the same lean, whip thin build as his commanding officer. Though shorter than both of his companions. He had shifting eyes and his left hand had been burned. Most of his palm and all of his fingers were covered in shining scar tissue. Keld and his men rode down, joining up with the king. Gerrard, King of Daelor, was in high spirits this morning, just like every morning, and a grin spread across his face.

“Fine morning for a crusade,” Gerrard said. It was hard not to like the man, but Keld tried anyway, grumbling under his breath. Even in the homestead of his native house, Keld always found it difficult making small talk.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s morning or evening, fair weather or foul. The blighted will come for us, and do their best to strip the flesh off our bones.”

“No need to be so glum about it. We’ve an entire army. Let’s see them pit teeth and claw against a full suit of armor. Besides, we’ve been beyond the walls for days now, and I haven’t seen one yet!” said the King.

“Fighting them is not like a joust or a duel. You cannot yield or negotiate or plead with them. Whenever you fight them, only one of you will walk away, and it is up to you to do everything in your power to make sure it’s you or you’ll leave that burden to your family once the blight has passed on to you.”

“Smiling Maiden help us!” said the King as he rolled his eyes. “Is everyone in the Dead Guard so damn dour? Especially you Geantsmead folks. it’s no wonder why the Penndrakes leave you up in your mountains and never bother inviting you to any banquets. It’s that attitude that’s forced our realm into stagnation, I’ll tell you something; this has been a long time coming. It’s about time that Daelor took it upon itself to handle this responsibility rather than being coddled by those five houses that make up your beloved Dead Guard. None of my advisors can seem to explain to why you lot had been entrusted with protection of the realm in the first place. But that complacency ends today; finally our fate will be put back into the hands of the people! Rather than just the guard alone.”