A Wounded World
“Before the Cataclysm, there were no gods on Solasta. No humans, either. Then the Rift opened. Some say it was a magical accident, or the work of an evil god. No one knows for sure. The Cataclysm destroyed the old High Elf empire - Manacalon, they called it - and twisted the land beyond recognition.”
A thousand years have passed. The humans have survived and thrived. The former outer provinces, less scarred by the Cataclysm, have grown into young nations. Only the brave and the foolish venture into the Badlands where the Empire’s heart once stood, but the few who return bring back priceless ancient treasures.
A Time of Tension
It is a time of political tension between the Principality of Masgarth and its neighbors. Explorers recently found the Copperhead Road, a hidden pass that gives the Principality easier access through the rugged mountains that surround the Badlands. Its neighbors fear the Principality will use this to hoard recovered Imperial treasures, and grow too strong for comfort.
As a compromise, the Principality plays host to the Legacy Council, an independent organization drawn from the academic and magical societies of all the eastern nations. Overseen by the priests of Einar, god of justice, it guarantees fair access for all.
A Political Snake-Pit
The Council sits in the heart of Caer Cyflen, the Principality’s capital. While its key delegations are not formally affiliated with any government, political necessity dictated that each of the Principality’s neighbors is represented, along with the Principality itself.
These academic organizations compete for access to the secrets of the Badlands, both on their own accounts and on behalf of their home nations. So far, this arrangement has been sufficient to maintain a delicate peace – not least because of the diplomatic skill with which the Principality plays its neighbors off against each other.
The Future at Stake
So the balance has stood – fragile but intact – for several centuries. While many adventurers seek wealth in the Badlands, the finds of Council-sponsored parties are examined by all, so that the lost knowledge of the Manacalon Empire is shared more or less equitably.
But all that is about to change. Contact has been lost with the Council’s garrison at the former Imperial outpost of Caer Lem. A group of aspiring adventurers is sent to find out what has happened – and what they discover will place the fate of the world in their hands.