The Story
You are from the world of A’lloye and live in a time of deep darkness. Undead roam the land and make what were once simple travel routes into corridors of sheer horror. Through this constant terror however, there is a light: The Iron Faith. A religion born when the undead creatures had almost dropped humanity to its knees.
Around 150 years ago, a person of indeterminate identity came across the North Sea. They wore an iron mask that covered their entire head and adorned their body with layers of robes. This person brought peace in a time of constant war, gave order to the circle of witches, defeated the one known as the Exile, and helped teach a chosen few how to use Magic. Over time, these acts earned them the moniker of“Iron Lord” and they would continue to help the rulers of the land to make decisions that resulted in the benefit of others.
Through years of peace, this gave way to a demand for resources that people needed to survive; they needed more land for people to live. The Iron Lord knew of vast areas to the North, but knew crossing the dangerous North Sea would result in too many dead. They asked five of their strongest students in magic to help create a bridge made from the very earth to connect the two pieces of land.
The Iron Lord led a great expedition into this unexplored territory and pressed far into the North. And then…they disappeared. Months passed: some small villages and homesteads were raised just across the land bridge to the Northern Continent, but people reported that the soil was too hard to farm, and the constant storms in the sea made it an inhospitable place to live. About a year after the Iron Lord left, the five students suddenly returned from the North bringing warnings of a sea of undead coming close behind them. More importantly, they brought dreadful news that the Iron Lord had seemingly perished, having sacrificed themselves so that their students could return with precious knowledge.
The Five fled to an island fortress and asked people to give them time to decipher and understand the knowledge the Iron Lord had left behind. Soon after, the undead creatures spilled over the land bridge and poured into every corner of the continent. The world went quiet; all manner of horrid creatures began to consume it, clawing and gnawing at the fortress that the Five had taken refuge in.
After years of darkness, filled with desperation, servants went to check on the Five, only to find the room empty. Within lay the book of knowledge the Iron Lord had left and some scattered pieces of paper. Some of these were instructions; others were translations from the Iron Lord’s book. It is believed that the Five sacrificed themselves to make wards that the undead could not pass, using the knowledge they gained to do so.
The Iron Faith was born, renewed with information of how to stop the undead tide. They established the Great Citadel, using the foundations of the fortress wherein the Five had studied and sacrificed themselves to give humanity a chance. Now that they had a place to safely rest and recover from years of undead assault, they took on the task to continue to translate from the Iron Tome whilst a group of warriors stood vigil.
Year by year the Iron Faith grew stronger.
After years of study, the Iron Faith dared venture out once more and began to ask others to join, for if they did, they would also receive the blessings of powerful wards upon their lands. Their intention was to place these powerful wards upon the Land Bridge itself so that no undead could cross it ever again. This plan did succeed, however, a second expedition once more crossed the bridge and never returned…
After fifty years the Iron Faith united four main Nations via its religion. These are referred to as Houses: House Alder, House Volpe, House Stein, and House Baron. Other free people also roam the world who have no allegiance to the Iron Faith.
It is now the year 252. Messengers bring word that the Iron Faith intends to hold a meeting. All are invited even if they do not share in its religion. There is discussion of a wish to send a third expedition beyond the bridge to the North in the hope of finding out more information on what happened to the Iron Lord and the second expedition.
You, regardless of your reasoning, are part of this expedition. Your goal is to establish a location of defence, place wards, gather information on this land, find out what happened to the Iron Lord, and report back your findings.
Having crossed the Land Bridge, you find yourself ferried across a large lake, and arrive on the shoreline of a land ravaged by the hordes of the undead…