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You are the daughter of a minor nobleman. Lively-tempered, you have always loved horseback riding and managed to annoy your parents enough for them to finally allow you to take fencing lessons, at which you excelled.
Everything was going swimmingly, until the fateful day you met your fiancé. Until then, you had resigned yourself to the idea that your husband had been chosen before you were even born, by a diplomatic agreement. You had never seen him because he lived far away, beyond a mountain range infested with trolls, and only his portraits had ever reached you.
Your first shock was realizing that painters didn't depict flaws and were remarkably adept at creating portraits in the most hagiographic way possible. Your second shock was discovering that his mind didn't in the slightest compensate for his appearance.
Rather than resign yourself to spending the rest of your days with a rude and arrogant fool, you took your mare, your sword… and little else, before fleeing. You had no destination in mind: you simply wanted to go as far as possible. As time passed, you regretted not having thought more carefully before running away. Not that you would have stayed, but you could have taken more provisions or money.
Perhaps you could make a living with your sword? Although women are extremely rare in the profession of arms, this vocation often being frowned upon in human kingdoms, you know that the few who make a career of it are formidable enough to command respect.
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A terrifying howl suddenly shatters the stillness of the sinister forest where you find yourself. You have no idea what monstrous beast could utter such a cry. Your mare too, but she doesn't even hesitate: bolting with terror, she races northwest, heedless of her passenger. You barely have time to flatten yourself against her neck as branches tear at your travel clothes.
A few minutes later, your mare emerges at the edge of the woods with an exhausted trot. Luckily, you're still on her.
Before you, an imposing defensive structure frames a small stone bridge spanning a fast-flowing river. On the other side of what appears to be a border barrier, the sight of a tiny village warms your heart: after days lost in the northern forests, you've found civilization again!
As you approach the guards manning the bridge with dignity, your mare collapses, dead! The poor creature was exhausted.
The guards rush to your aid and help you free yourself from your mount. They then politely inquired about the reasons for your arrival. Preferring to keep your origins secret for the time being, you simply stated that you had business to attend to in the city. The soldiers did notice your signet ring, proof of your noble lineage, but they were certainly unfamiliar with heraldry and would have great difficulty guessing your origins.
Contrary to your fears, they had no problem letting you pass. They also informed you that the western road leads to the city of Tririva, the eastern road to the city of Thotherside, and the northern road to the city of Goldenfields and then to the capital, Talipeca. After thanking them, you entered the village in 5.