[Legolas]

A merchant caravan halts in a dusty settlement. Thirty-two horse- and oxen-drawn wagons carting apples and gemstones, building materials, slaves, royalty and everything in between are guided off the packed earthen road.
The journey has been long, but will be longer still and though Brisken has naught to offer, here they would stay, and rest a few days. The watering holes, two humble taverns, and the sizeable inn had seen many a traveller over the years and now stood worn and crooked upon the dry and infertile soil.

There were two names to this place, as there were to its grander counterpart on the other side. Trepidation, and Relief. For the traders who now moved among the hired guards, ensuring the finest protection of their valuable wares, for those men and women who would soon be retiring to those real and soft beds long longed for, Relief lay on that other side.
Not a thousand thousand soldiers could guarantee the days and miles between here and there would be free of peril.
It will be no surprise, then, that while their men recover their strength, they will recover their wine casks, and perform that too familiar rite.

We'll be starting out with some low fantasy. There are wondrous creatures, magical realms, foul warlocks performing forbidden witchcraft and shining objects invested with potent enchantments - but thanks no doubt to your protective charms and warding rituals they come no closer than that friend of a friend who swears to have seen something spooky.
Being the obvious source of fortunes and misfortunes, these rumours of unearthly forces are what passes for religion, and many a man has a personal imp or related creature to beg for aid or mercy.

It is an age of metal blades and links of chain, oaken shields and wagon wheels, and great stone buildings - though the only stones erected in Brisken are found in the graveyard, unmarked but not forgotten by the seven families who occupy the humble homes and tend to those passing through.
The caravan itself is best described as a travelling city, migrating along predictable patterns for the better part of each year.

You're free to choose your own role, whether that of a caged labourer, a mercenary guard, merchant's daughter or journeying prince. A local lad looking for adventure, or a lucky survivor of the last group to brave this dangerous stretch of land. Play one of the horses if you must. We'll try to bring all or some of you together before long and make it an adventure.

When submitting characters, I'm mainly interested in the following:
- A physical description on age, appearance, fitness and the like.
- A mental description on what they hope to get out of life etc..
- Personal history, what have they been doing the past few years, which skills did they hone, how did they end up where they are?
- Family history, who are the relatives, what did they do, how did they get along. Also, who's your family now?
We won't be using anything like statistics; instead, success in any venture depends mainly on your experience with such matters.
Please PM your character details, and inform the other players of what they need to know in an introductory post.

I can imagine you'd like to know a little more about the lands you're in first, and the perils you're about to face, but since most people couldn't care less about who rules where and what nasties approach so long as they have more important things to worry about (such as finding the next meal and saving up some riches for a cow) I'll leave you to discover most of that over time. You're in a kingdom and equality's hard to find.
If, however, you want to play one from the upper classes, I'll be happy to let you (re)invent some of the noble houses and even lord over all the other travellers and locals. Until they stone your pompous bottom, of course.