The World that Remained

There weren't always dragons in the Valley. There weren't always creatures in the forests. There wasn't always screaming in the villages. There weren't always undead Kings occupying the throne. But here we are. The world we currently reside in...

Come close, young Nephew, for it is time I tell you the tale of these acursed lands. Stick close to the fire! For many spirits linger outside it's warmth. I cannot say what will happen if the flame goes out...

Now that you are of age, it is high time I tell you the history of our world. Age has taken me and it will not be long before I leave this wretched place for good. But do not fret! We will teach you how to survive and live off the land as I did. And perhaps there is a secret in the history long passed that may hold the key to a future more hopeful than before...

There were once tall buildings that dotted the landscapes. Fifty stories high that would light up the night sky when darkness crept in. Powerful automobiles that would take people to wherever they pleased across concrete paths within painted lines.

But then, a great fire. A crippling pandemic. And an awful flood that washed away everything we had achieved.

We were thrown back into the stone age, dear Nephew. Why? I cannot say. Many believe humanity was too greedy, and eventually, too complacent. We raped and pillaged the land of anything we could and expected it to stay as it once was. But that is not how life works and now you see the outcome before you. Mother nature's unadultered wrath!

But still we managed and still we pushed on. A new medieval age was here and somehow we prospered. In the place of ministers were Kings and in place of vast cities were small, tightly knit villages. Humanity has always been resilient and this proved to be another challenge to overcome. It was now the age of the Sword. But what about the Sorcery?

In the basement of a castle ruling over a vast island, humanity proved to be too greedy once again. King Vihlmir begged his miners to dig deeper and his Alchemists to believe his mad ramblings. He heard the voices calling out to him and often had visions of countless souls trapped underground (and untold riches they would find) in his dreams. But they had all unfortunately followed a mad man. The byproduct and fruitless campaign of an ailing mind.

Instead, what they found was the unsurmountable horror of digging too deep. An ancient power unlocked. Awful creatures clamboring out of the depths. And a once terrible ruler, so horrifying and appaling that they were buried deep beneath the earth so they could never be found. But the King had freed it from it's prison...

It's red eyes glinted and immediately it's followers set upon the King's men. What I am about to tell you, dear Nephew, may horrify you to your very core, but it is a far cry from the horrors we face today.

They tore them to shreds. Ripped out their innards and eyeballs. Feasted upon their flesh. And then their leader let the King escape...

I will come back to his ultimate fate later. But I will say this. He did not escape that castle unscathed.

The red-eyed man, now free to roam the land, quickly freed and set his feral followers upon the remaining kingdoms. There was no order anymore. All laws were overthrown. A new age of madness and tyrany had begun.

Which now brings us to the present. My nephew, if you are going to live through this, you must heed my words carefully. I have had many encounters throughout this strange land and perhaps my knowledge will save you more than once...

To begin, his demonic footsoldiers are the least of your worries. Yes, the ones that rip out your guts and feast on your flesh! Surprisingly, they are dispatched with a well aimed decaptation of the head or stab through the heart. It is when they are in groups or have the element of surprise that they are considered a threat. They roam the Desolate Plains and occasionally wander into villages for food...

The creatures of the forests are much more formidable. I have never laid eyes on them completely. In fact, if you can avoid the forests altogether, I would strongly recommend it! But if you do find yourself in these overgrown mangroves, be wary. The things they whisper to you and the visions you see are not for the faint of heart. Stealth will be your best friend here. Lest those blue eyes spot you and your waking nightmares begin.

I understand you are wondering about the screaming in the villages. It is not as sinister as it seems. But the reality of it is much more bleak. The citizens of each kingdom are famished. Angry. Seething. They have lost faith in their undead rulers and believe they have abandoned them. They are not opposed to fights to the death. Or torturing each other. They will eat ANYTHING. And if you happen to run out of supplies, only enter the villages when necessary. Disguise yourself as one of them. Or there will be more on the menu than burnt porridge that morning...

The aforementioned dragons in the Valley are also a problem. The living Gods. There were only a few when the great Kingdoms fell but now they have tripled in numbers. Thankfully they don't stray too far from their nests. But be prepared for a fight if you manage to stumble into one.

Finally, each Kingdom still has a great ruler. But they are shades. Shadows of their formers selves. Cursed to wander the halls of their castles and locked to it's confines indefinitely. What happened when the red eyed leader let King Vihlheim go? He locked him in his castle forever but gave him everlasting life. A cruel punishment befitting a cruel fate. For what is eternal life if you cannot leave beyond the walls of one's home? Their bodies aged, decomposing over time, but their souls remained. And the curse spread to each of the seven Kingdoms.

Seven lonely Kings and Queens with nothing but their dark thoughts for company.

I understand Nephew that you breathe a sigh of relief that you may never end up in an altercation with those cursed beings. But there is something I must ask of you. They have your sister. Yes, by the look on your face you must have thought she was long-dead too. But I received some information. A vision if you will. That she is being held by one of them, deep within their hallowed halls.

We cannot hide by the light of a fire anymore. She needs your help. And my time is short.

But beware! Beware the Red Eyed man. I fear his power is somehow linked to the Undead Kings. And if you strike them down, he will come for you.

I am sorry to put you in this position. I have put you between a rock and a hard place. But I am old. And she will suffer if you don't find her.

Here, take this sword. It was your Father's. Pray it serves you against the many dark forces of this world. I fear we have only scratched the surface of the horrors that lay in waiting.

I will douse the fire to cause a distraction and get the lingering spirits off our trail. This may be the last time we meet. Flee. FLEE! And perhaps we will meet again when light has returned to this existential darkness-