In the far north of Provinka near the coastline lies a small village by the name of Inizi, which lends it’s name to the local barony. Located just on the edge of the surrounding countryside is a large, untamed forest. The local villagers make some use of the woods for gathering and firewood, but by and large they are a more agriculturally minded people inclined more towards farming and fishing than hunting and gathering. As such, the forest has for many years remained wild and unexplored. This all changed with the coming of the Reavers.
It was in the year 934 according to the Lorelae calendar that they were first spotted. They are savage, brutal men who have been raiding coastal towns and villages across for the past two years. In response to these incursions King Geralt of Dalria, who is in his fifth year of rule, sent a force of men to reinforce the coast. While passing through Turizi, a group of scouts stumbled upon a vast ruined city deep within the forest. Word of this forgotten city spread like wildfire, attracting all manner of wild theories and hypotheses. Even now the ruins are being swarmed with adventurers and treasure hunters.
The ruins are located deep enough within the forest that little sunlight penetrates the dense canopy above. Despite the lack of sunlight, however, as one gets closer to the city visibility increases, becoming perceptibly brighter as you reach the outermost buildings. There is no visible source of light, almost as if the buildings themselves enhance what little sunlight manages to reach them. The first buildings are crumbling and decrepit, scattered about in a congested warren. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their placement, and only a few have any walls left standing.
Several hundred years into the slums, however, things begin to change. The remnants of what must have once been a grand wall of pristine white stone rising up to divide the city into an outer and inner section are now a ragged line crumbling, smudged stones hardly more than chest-high. Beyond the wall the buildings, though still near ready to fall apart after centuries of neglect, are still noticeably much more grand than those on the outer edges. There can be seen huge buildings, large enough to fit the population of a small village quite comfortable. Even with the walls falling apart and the domed ceilings collapsed, they are an awe-inspiring sight. Further still there are once magnificent spires towering over the rest of the city, and the jagged, broken tops surely once rose high above the trees.
Despite everything in sight, the city is of such size that much of it is beyond view of the outer wall. The city is vast and sprawling, the decayed corpse of a once great civilization reduced to nothing but stone and dust. Hovering on the edges of this archeological marvel are the inevitable explorers. They run the gamut from scholars interested in the knowledge to vultures wanting to pick it clean of any valuables or treasures. Even those who got their first, however, have barely begun to penetrate the outer edges of the city. Whatever mysteries the ruins hold remain to be uncovered, for good or for ill.
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Standing at the edge of the ruined city was a tall man with shaggy blond hair and a powerful build. He scratched at his beard as he stared at the city, an exasperated look in his bright green eyes. Baron Aelfric would much rather have been...well, anywhere else, really. He had important duties to be attending to. The villagers of Inizi had sent one of their councilmen (elected officials being an odd tradition amongst the Turizi that many of the Dalrian commoners had adopted) to speak with him about something important. His game warden had informed him that there may be some poachers about, and he had wanted to oversee the work that had begun on what was to be his new manor. More than anything, of course, he wanted to be on the coast, protecting the Kingdom from foreign raiders.
All told, Aelfric was not particularly happy about where he was. Still, it was not for a Baron to question the orders of the lord’s lord, and Duke Reislig had personally requested that the ruins be investigated. In turn, Count Udolfo had decided that it was the perfect task for the local baron. His own men-at-arms being requested to participate in the defense of the coast, Aelfric unfortunately at that point had noone that he himself could delegate to.
So it was that he found himself staring at the ruins, wondering where in the world he would begin his “investigation”. Aelfric sighed, and laid his hands on the hilt of his sword with a familiarity befitting an experienced warrior. If he had known that being a noble would be such a hassle, he never would have accepted the title of baron. Being a Knight had been so much more simple. Defend your Lord’s honor, fight when needed, and maybe save a distressed damsel or two in your free time. None of this responsibility nonsense. Shaking his head at the unfairness of it all, Aelfric began trudging towards the decrepit wall, hoping to find something soon so that he could make a report and get to the war.
It was in the year 934 according to the Lorelae calendar that they were first spotted. They are savage, brutal men who have been raiding coastal towns and villages across for the past two years. In response to these incursions King Geralt of Dalria, who is in his fifth year of rule, sent a force of men to reinforce the coast. While passing through Turizi, a group of scouts stumbled upon a vast ruined city deep within the forest. Word of this forgotten city spread like wildfire, attracting all manner of wild theories and hypotheses. Even now the ruins are being swarmed with adventurers and treasure hunters.
The ruins are located deep enough within the forest that little sunlight penetrates the dense canopy above. Despite the lack of sunlight, however, as one gets closer to the city visibility increases, becoming perceptibly brighter as you reach the outermost buildings. There is no visible source of light, almost as if the buildings themselves enhance what little sunlight manages to reach them. The first buildings are crumbling and decrepit, scattered about in a congested warren. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to their placement, and only a few have any walls left standing.
Several hundred years into the slums, however, things begin to change. The remnants of what must have once been a grand wall of pristine white stone rising up to divide the city into an outer and inner section are now a ragged line crumbling, smudged stones hardly more than chest-high. Beyond the wall the buildings, though still near ready to fall apart after centuries of neglect, are still noticeably much more grand than those on the outer edges. There can be seen huge buildings, large enough to fit the population of a small village quite comfortable. Even with the walls falling apart and the domed ceilings collapsed, they are an awe-inspiring sight. Further still there are once magnificent spires towering over the rest of the city, and the jagged, broken tops surely once rose high above the trees.
Despite everything in sight, the city is of such size that much of it is beyond view of the outer wall. The city is vast and sprawling, the decayed corpse of a once great civilization reduced to nothing but stone and dust. Hovering on the edges of this archeological marvel are the inevitable explorers. They run the gamut from scholars interested in the knowledge to vultures wanting to pick it clean of any valuables or treasures. Even those who got their first, however, have barely begun to penetrate the outer edges of the city. Whatever mysteries the ruins hold remain to be uncovered, for good or for ill.
Standing at the edge of the ruined city was a tall man with shaggy blond hair and a powerful build. He scratched at his beard as he stared at the city, an exasperated look in his bright green eyes. Baron Aelfric would much rather have been...well, anywhere else, really. He had important duties to be attending to. The villagers of Inizi had sent one of their councilmen (elected officials being an odd tradition amongst the Turizi that many of the Dalrian commoners had adopted) to speak with him about something important. His game warden had informed him that there may be some poachers about, and he had wanted to oversee the work that had begun on what was to be his new manor. More than anything, of course, he wanted to be on the coast, protecting the Kingdom from foreign raiders.
All told, Aelfric was not particularly happy about where he was. Still, it was not for a Baron to question the orders of the lord’s lord, and Duke Reislig had personally requested that the ruins be investigated. In turn, Count Udolfo had decided that it was the perfect task for the local baron. His own men-at-arms being requested to participate in the defense of the coast, Aelfric unfortunately at that point had noone that he himself could delegate to.
So it was that he found himself staring at the ruins, wondering where in the world he would begin his “investigation”. Aelfric sighed, and laid his hands on the hilt of his sword with a familiarity befitting an experienced warrior. If he had known that being a noble would be such a hassle, he never would have accepted the title of baron. Being a Knight had been so much more simple. Defend your Lord’s honor, fight when needed, and maybe save a distressed damsel or two in your free time. None of this responsibility nonsense. Shaking his head at the unfairness of it all, Aelfric began trudging towards the decrepit wall, hoping to find something soon so that he could make a report and get to the war.
