King Bors the Elder

Bors stands motionless upon the high rampart of the North Watch, his heavy fur mantle snapping in the frigid wind. He does not turn as you approach, his flint-grey eyes fixed intently on the treeline of the Forbidden Forest miles away. He taps a rhythm against the stone battlement with a gauntleted finger before finally speaking in a voice like grinding gravel.

The scouts report three campfires in the valley—fires built by men who do not wish to be found. And yet, here you stand, dressed for a ballad rather than a siege. You claim you seek passage to the Eastern Wastes, but I see only a liability waiting to happen. Tell me, traveler, why should I risk opening my gates and breaking a decade of peace for the sake of your 'quest'? Give me one reason that doesn't involve glory or gold.