Akendorf was something of a surprise. Such a small town, with barely a wooden pallisade, seemed awfully vulnerable this close to Blackfire Pass. The orc scouting party were proof of that, if the bandit attack on the hillfort hadn't been sufficient warning of the dangers. Emmaline had expected the towns closest to the past to be heavily fortified, the way towns deep in the Drakwald were, with keen eyed sentries on watch at all hours. Akendorf seemed a poor enough place for all that. Judging by the bales of hay and corn that were piled up in small sheds, it proabably did most of its bussiness supplying fodder for the merchants moving back and forth through the pass. The soil here was thin and poor, yielding little beyond grass and a few fields of stubly spring corn. The kitchen gardens beside each house were a little more ambitious, but not by much.

"I'm Gelf Gertel and this is my wife Myrtle," the peddler explained as he led them through the streets. Children paused to gawk and adults shot them apprising looks as they past.

"Your name is Myrtle Gertel?" Emmaline asked in some surprised. The goodwife looked despairingly at her husband.

"I married into it I'm afraid."  

The Gertel home was one of the grander in town, a stone base with the timber and plaster upper story that Emmaline unconsciously associated with Riekland. The plaster was cracked and in dire need of painting, and the tiled roof was so patched with globs of tar that it looked like it was poxed. A hog wallow and a chicken coop were attached to the rear of the house, both of which contributed to the unique ambiance of the place. The inside was made up of four large rooms, including a kitchen, and for a miracle a pair of bedrooms, as well as a large living room with an impressive fireplace.

"Our kids are grown now, gone of south where its a little...well gone off south," Gelf explained.

"Reckon the two of you can bunk in there, best your gonna find in a place like this," he went on. Myrtle pushed forward.

"Gelf, why dont you attend to your business about town, I'll heat some porridge for our guests and get them comfortable." It seemed she placed a little more emphasis than was necessary on business and Gelf looked momentarily confused before understanding brightened in his eyes.

"Yes, right you are my dear," he told her then hurried out of the room.