Shadow of the Ancients

Shadow of the Ancients is the story of the conflict between the people of Mor and the ominous Shadow Legion. It takes place during the 211th year of the 5th era, and is a spiritual successor to Swords of the South II.

A Pact Between Adventurers
Fate calls all to fulfill their destiny. The call to adventure was answered in the town of Oxcross, near the border of Soril and Eddlebraun. The town had fallen victim to a sudden sickness that cause many to fall ill, some even dying from their ailment. The mysterious nature of this plague afflicting the town led the guards to no conclusion and no culprit. Fearing the continued ailment of his people, Oxcross' Alderman posted a bounty, seeking adventurers to investigate the illness.

Answering this summons were a handful of adventurers, who sought to work together to cure this sickness and split the reward: Ambrose de la Rosa, a whimsical Southron bard from Rodaire, Wreneth of Spring, a Noveri'ahn who wielded divine magical power, Oswyn of Deepwood, a Sorilan monster slayer from the Lithean Forest, Oberon, a Satyr warrior from the Elderwood, and Vali Aldersven, a Havish warrior in search of honor and glory.

After some sleuth work, and beginning to learn each others' strengths and weaknesses, they were able to identify that the sickness was caused by poison in the water supply. They deduced the poison's origin to be the town alchemist, a woman by the name of Enora Eveross. After questioning Enora, they began to feel that she was not entirely aware of her actions, and some form of madness gripped her. She stated that her son was taken away by men from the Arterian military, that he was pressed into service in the army. In her anger, she sought vengeance against the people of Oxcross for allowing it to happen. After some deliberation, Ambrose told the woman of his grandmother who may ease her mental suffering, but that she would have to make the journey alone. Enora agreed, and set off in the morning. For their service, the party was paid a fine sum of silver.

Following this job, the party agreed that each of them were like-minded and sought the betterment of a distraught realm. They agreed to continue traveling together. However, Vali claimed to have business in his hometown of Morsfavn, so he and Oberon agreed to meet up with Ambrose, Oswynn, and Wreneth during the Summer Festival of Terrix.

The Arrowlight Conspiracy
Ambrose, Oswyn, and Wreneth sought work to pass the time and make some silver for their journey to Terrix. It was in Arrowlight that they found work tracking a wild beast through the canopies of the nearby Fellwood region of the Elderwood. Through teamwork, they were able to fell the beast, identifying it as a Girallon. However, the strange thing about Girallons is that they're native to the jungles of Tenmiir, and one residing so far north was out of the ordinary.