You've been here before...
The frozen wind lashed at your exposed flesh like a scourge, but you've been far too exhausted to even flinch as it stole off with precious warmth. You've been climbing this steep incline for hours, maybe days, you cannot be certain in this dark place. You've seen neither sun nor moon nor a single star in the sky, only endless rolling black stormclouds and the gray haze of mist that streamed down this mountain like water. You were drowning in darkness, but you could not stop to rest. Its been so long you've forgotten your purpose of coming here, but something was lurking out there just down the slope waiting for you to crumble. If you stopped now, you'd die for sure. The only way forward is up, the only open path was ahead. When you started this journey you knew it would be difficult, but even now the thoughts of surrendering to the perils behind you teased at your mind.
Keep going. Keep pulling yourself up. The slope was nearly vertical and impossible to merely walk, only crawl or climb. The wind intensified as if trying to push you down and away and the ground was slippery with ice. A few dark splatters of blood was smeared on the rock face and you could not tell if it was yours from an unseen gash you could no longer feel or another's.
Almost there. Your hand closed around a rock and pulled, dragging you up onto a ledge. The slope evens out, this is what you wanted, you found it! You found...
You're awake.You're having those dreams again. All of the marked too, dreams of things under the shroud, a massive mountain of ice and wind, and something calling for you. It was oh so familiar, and yet many have never even seen the Kingdom of Chrysanthemum before the fall, much less after. But there was something in Chrysanthemum that drew them all closer.
For many of you, the problems became too great, the visions too rapid and too intense. For some they sought answers, and others fled from rejection. "Cursed!" "Damned!" "Rejected by the gods!" they'd say. Others were hired, those in governments who sought scouts to brave the darkness ahead of them. It was known the scouts could pass the terrible titans which now guarded the border of the shrouded area unharmed. It was a dangerous and forbidden land, but if at least one soul returned with word of events there, perhaps it would prepare the others for what was to come. For one thing was certain about the darkness;
it was growing. Fast at first, then slow, but it never stopped nor abated. At this rate it wasn't certain how long the world would last until all became shrouded.
It was for these reasons, or one's held deep and personal, you've taken this carriage ride to Limen. A catfolk named Rover was running the vehicle on this trip he has taken many times. From Limen there were many paths, but few carts would go beyond it for between Limen and the next closest town to the shroud, a small settlement of Roanoke on the edge of old Taphos. There were monsters and shades which crawled from the many abandoned mines and the nearby darkness, and so the latter half the journey was done on horse or foot or boat. The marked would sometimes band together for safety and security, for what good it did them, but the large scale invasions were a thing of the past.
"Hey it looks like we've arrived." Rover explained as the cart came to a stop.
"Same as always, empty as always. This is Limen, I suggest finding a room and maybe a map and a friend. Stock up here while you can, I hear it's not an easy trip. And... good luck to you guys. Maybe one day I can ferry you back, eh?"LimenLimen is a small fair weathered temperate village which has become smaller over the years as more and more people have moved out. The place is dominated by one large main street which is lined with buildings, and a dozen smaller off-shoot streets to residential areas on the sides. The entire place is surrounded by a simple but effective wooden paling that serves as the outskirts of town, wooden buildings within, and one large stone guard tower on each side of the main street. The place feels as if its in a state of disrepair, with broken cobblestone, heavy weeds, and dusty unkempt patches of dirt. It's currently late afternoon with clear skies, and a dull hazy line on the horizon. Even from way back here, you can almost make out the shape of the shroud. It must be very high in the sky indeed.
There are a few buildings which stand out: The
Devil's Crossroads, apparently the local tavern and inn which is connected to a stone building which has the sound of moving metal and clouds of billowing smoke from its smokestack. Several horses are parked outside already, and one dwarf in heavy stone armor sitting outside and drinking by himself. There is also a small church of many gods, a typical nondescript shrine used by travelers. And a building which looks to be a small school. A colorful fabric tent is found admit the wreck of two former houses. And finally a small building is near the other gate into town which reads "P THFINDE ". I think it's missing a few letters.
Devil's Crossroads Inn and Tavern
Blacksmith
General Store
Guard's Tower North & South
Pathfinder's Travel Agency
Church of Many Gods
Strange Colorful Tent
A Small School
Various Residential Buildings, many abandoned...
Town Well
There appears to be a small park, in a state of disuse. It has a pond with ducks in it.
Did you come by cart? Or were you already here?