Frostridge.
The world has changed.
What exactly caused it never came to light, but what was told from word on mouth was that a great cataclysm caused the near extermination of man. A few places remained untouched at first but that was before the Great Winter came.
Winters grew more long and harsh forcing humanity to bundle together in settlements and taking care of one another.
Countries ceased to be, the greater and more powerful cities however sought to control their people and control the food supply, thus forcing most of the smaller nearby towns into contracts that felt more like nooses, ready to be tightened and be made to obey.
These cities formed the Empirical Conclave, carving out large chunks of land to add as theirs, after all the people had to be fed.
Frostridge and the others would have been swallowed too if it hadn’t been for what lurked in the darkness of night and had seemed to come after the first long winter.
Them.
The Creatures.
Predators that hunted at night with a preference for humans since they were slow and weak.
Towns were exterminated, those that had tried to fight them perished. Hunting parties never returned.
Safe for one.
A young boy then had been spared when it had stumbled into a field of flowers. Snow’s Mercy’s to be exact.
It had been enough to cease the attacking creatures until daylight finally drove them away.
Ever since that incident people hard used the small blue starlike flower in the necklaces around their neck and as wreaths upon their door. They grew them around their houses making sure that their places would be protected that way.
It had halted the raids on villages and Frostridge itself hadn’t had another incident like it not until 6 years ago…
The Elders had come home with the lifeless bodies of Edwin and Aliena Ramsley, the wreaths had been found torn from their necks and later had been recovered.
No one knew exactly what had happened and the Elders more or less silenced any rumours on the matter. The children that were left behind were offered to be taken in by other families, but the eldest girl refused. Selene insisted she could take care of her brother and sister even though she was just 15.
She demanded a chance to prove herself and so the Elders agreed.
Like all other families she had to make sure they could contribute to the village, therefore a fixed tribute was required; a toll if you will so the village would be able to supply everyone with their rations for the winter. Farmers offered crops, Hunters offered game, Crafters and Smiths offered their tools and services and all depended on trading something back for it of value.
Now Selene had kept faith and had been able to provide the required tribute each year, but things were about to change this particular year….
The world has changed.
What exactly caused it never came to light, but what was told from word on mouth was that a great cataclysm caused the near extermination of man. A few places remained untouched at first but that was before the Great Winter came.
Winters grew more long and harsh forcing humanity to bundle together in settlements and taking care of one another.
Countries ceased to be, the greater and more powerful cities however sought to control their people and control the food supply, thus forcing most of the smaller nearby towns into contracts that felt more like nooses, ready to be tightened and be made to obey.
These cities formed the Empirical Conclave, carving out large chunks of land to add as theirs, after all the people had to be fed.
Frostridge and the others would have been swallowed too if it hadn’t been for what lurked in the darkness of night and had seemed to come after the first long winter.
Them.
The Creatures.
Predators that hunted at night with a preference for humans since they were slow and weak.
Towns were exterminated, those that had tried to fight them perished. Hunting parties never returned.
Safe for one.
A young boy then had been spared when it had stumbled into a field of flowers. Snow’s Mercy’s to be exact.
It had been enough to cease the attacking creatures until daylight finally drove them away.
Ever since that incident people hard used the small blue starlike flower in the necklaces around their neck and as wreaths upon their door. They grew them around their houses making sure that their places would be protected that way.
It had halted the raids on villages and Frostridge itself hadn’t had another incident like it not until 6 years ago…
The Elders had come home with the lifeless bodies of Edwin and Aliena Ramsley, the wreaths had been found torn from their necks and later had been recovered.
No one knew exactly what had happened and the Elders more or less silenced any rumours on the matter. The children that were left behind were offered to be taken in by other families, but the eldest girl refused. Selene insisted she could take care of her brother and sister even though she was just 15.
She demanded a chance to prove herself and so the Elders agreed.
Like all other families she had to make sure they could contribute to the village, therefore a fixed tribute was required; a toll if you will so the village would be able to supply everyone with their rations for the winter. Farmers offered crops, Hunters offered game, Crafters and Smiths offered their tools and services and all depended on trading something back for it of value.
Now Selene had kept faith and had been able to provide the required tribute each year, but things were about to change this particular year….