"Do you think the Swordlords would let me be sergeant if I weren't brave?" The man replies briskly. "So who are you, then? What are you doing here with my men?" His accusing finger waves towards Zork.
Out of Character: There's no hard rule about role playing, just do what comes naturally. Some players find it easier just to roll Diplomacy, Intimidate or Bluff skills (All skill rolls use the d20) in place of dialogue.
Note: I did not know if I have those skills but I rolled an 8.
"Your soldiers know me well, don't be a afraid. I'm a skilled fighter here to offer my skills to whomever needs it. Your soldiers are good men and allowed me to tag along. For this I help them wherever I can. This is good for you - it means a better chance of your men returning safely."
"Oh, a new recruit then? You lot think he can survive in MY company?" He asks looking around at the other soldiers.
They reply precisely in unison, "Sergeant, yes, sergeant!"
"Very well!" He replies. "You start right now! All of you get indoors. Move it!"
The sergeant pulls you aside as you walk past. "Alright, what's your full name?" He lets you answer, and asks, "Are you sure you want to sign up to this town's professional guard? It's going to be a hard training process and it's a dangerous job. You can be sent anywhere by the Swordlords."
"Its Zork, and you won't be disappointed. This is what I live for and I have no kin to bog down my mind so I am free to be sent anywhere your Swordlords desire." Zork waits for anymore questions before rejoining the soldiers. Later he will thank them for vouching for him.
"Just Zork?" He asks. "Want to forget your surname and your past? We get many like that, you'll fit right in. Everyone starts equal in the Restov guard." He sends you in with the others and shows you the straw mattress and chest that will serve as your rest place for the coming winter.
The first day you are geared up and sent straight into training with Scrag Company, named after the dangerous water trolls. Yet Zork manages to keep up, showing superior talent. Over the coming months you outshine the others, then the cold winter finally starts its late end. Troops are moved around the place, defenses being set to the East and expansion movements South and West.
Scrag Company is among those sent West, to reinforce Fort Serenko. Following the road on the north shore of the Shrike River, you pass through the town of Nivakta's Crossing and continue to a wooden fortification. The palisade opens to reveal a well built wooden keep and other small buildings. Accommodation is cramped and guard duty boring. The only tasks available are guard the wall, farm grains and guard the nearby town. There was also maintenance, endless maintenance.
Every so often, a few men ventured south past the mountains. They often returned bruised, but nobody talked about what happened. The injured veterans were sent home the morning after.
Despite the silence Zork makes attempts to find out where the most battles were and to ask one of the bruised men about his experiences.
The captain of the fort speaks freely about the strategy in the region. "Restov is sending men to the west and south to protect four new settlements being created so we can have a hold on the Stolen Lands. This fort is making pushes deep into the south, to allow the new village of Varnhold to take hold in the region. We must fight defensively, since we sustain too many casualties."
Zork asks about the enemy. The captain tries to avoid the question, "I know for sure pikemen are best against them. Now, get back to your work!"
~
Later when he has a chance working in the ward, Zork asks a wounded man. He replies "I'm sworn to secrecy about that. I'm sorry."
However, the doctor has something to say about it. "Many of the wounds are hoofmarks and other weapons. I think the captain is fighting against mounted barbarians, very skilled with their horses."
Zork is convinced he needs to be at the front fighting and not doing boring guard duty so he approaches the captain and proposes that since he outshines others in training that he has the skill to placed in the line of battle and maybe change the things around.