The Drums of Pict-land

The Frontier

For centuries, brooding on the west coast of the Great Land, there have been Picts. Beyond the earliest memory of civilized people, the savage Painted Ones have dwelt in the trackless wilderness known as Pict-land, the enemies of all others, beastlike and untameable. The Picts have resisted a thousand years worth of dynasties, autocracies, kingdoms, and armies who smashed themselves across the Blood River into Pict-land.

Shaped like a rough spear-head, the Frontier Province of Omdara, stabbing over the Blood River, all the way into Pict-land as far as the Wolf River, the embattled western frontier of the kingdom of Hedera. Omdara is constantly under attack, being raided by Picts on all it's forested borders. The forts which once were the front of Omdara have slowly become a line of fortified towns along the middle of the Province; in the center of the wedge at the Blood River there is the de facto capitol of the frontier, Baldava. Most of Omdara is lightly settled by farmers who till the earth, clearing the forests out. There is also a small population of woodsmen, frontiersmen and rangers who have become hardened and adapted to the forest, and are the main line of defense against the vicious Picts. The far off king is unwilling to commit more troops and money to the Province, so most of the forts of Omdara are lightly staffed, at least where professional soldiers are concerned. This is a constant frustration to Aidavas, the Lord Marshall of Omdara, a strong but caring man who wishes to see the settlers thrive and eventually push back the barbaric front.

Of late, there has arisen a new power over the border. The settlers have heard anew the drone of the drums of Pict-land; many have seen the new depredations of the howling Pict warriors. At the salt lick near South Fort, a party of 20 Picts (verified to be of the Skull Tribe; their arrow-shafts were painted white) rained death upon a merchant's party who had been heading towards Gadora (the farthest fort) with supplies.