<em>Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a kingdom where everyone was prosperous and happy. Sickness and hunger were unknown, and parents tucked their children into bed at night without concerns or misgivings, knowing another bright, sunny day awaited them tomorrow. All were treated fairly and the king and queen were renowned for their generosity, kindness and wisdom.<br/><br/>But their rule was in peril, for a witch had secretly entered the court and risen through the ranks to become one of their most trusted advisors. On the eve of a grand ball commemorating the founding of the kingdom, the witch stole into the royal vault and seized the royal regalia, a scepter, crown and ring that held great power. With their aid, the witch placed a curse upon the realm that would change it forever.<br/><br/>Dark clouds gathered and lightning flashed; the earth trembled and cracked and walls and towers came crashing down. From the remains of the castle rose a keep of dark stone: Castle Grym. The witch was now a Witch Queen, and the once peaceful kingdom became a nightmarish realm where no one was happy or prosperous. For the Witch Queen's curse ensured that only she would have a happy ending. All other denizens of the realm would meet a tragic fate. The only exception was those who received the Witch Queen's mark, a brand that protected them from the curse. <br/><br/>It has been many years since those terrible events and the Witch Queen still rules uncontested. But there is a prophecy among the people, spoken of only in paranoid whispers, for the Witch Queen's spies are everywhere: That one day a hero will arise who will break the curse and defeat the Witch Queen forever.<br/><br/>The people are waiting.</em><br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">PLACES</span><strong></strong></strong></span></div><br/><strong>Grym</strong><br/>When the Witch Queen first rose to power, her curse encompassed only her castle and the surrounding city (whose name has been lost, and is now known as Grymoire). Over the centuries, village by village, town by town, her curse has spread to cover the former kingdom in its entirety. Only a sliver of land to the south, as well as the island nation of Yamato remain beyond her reach.<br/><br/>The people of Grym are thrice in servitude to the Witch Queen. They must swear fealty to her and obey her laws. They must pay taxes. And each village or town must provide an annual tribute: their most beautiful youth, sent to Castle Grym. Each year these young men and women are paraded through the gates of the castle, never to be heard from again. Exactly what happens to them is a mystery that the citizens of Grym speak of only in fearful whispers, if they speak of it at all.<br/><br/>None are alive today who remember the Witch Queen's ascension. As far as anyone can remember, even the longest lived races, the world has always been this way. Each new generation is born into a world devoid of hope, a world without change, a world where time may as well stand still.<br/><br/>Notable towns and villages include Charity, Patience, Civility, Honour and Modesty. The southernmost town in the kingdom, closest to the free town of Compromise, is Felicity.<br/><br/><strong>Yamato</strong><br/>Defined by the mountains and rivers that divide the land into some twenty small provinces, each governed by a warlord, Yamato is an island nation located off the southern coast of Grym. While the Empress is the head of state, her duties are largely ceremonial. True administrative and military power lies in the hands of the Shogun and his officials.<br/><br/>Yamato has remained independent and free from the Witch Queen's curse, though recently there has been a series of inexplicable deaths that suggest Yamato is not as safe as once thought.<br/><br/>The Empress's court is at Nara, inland. The Shogun rules from the coastal city of Kamakura.<br/><br/><strong>Compromise</strong><br/>Named after the agreement between refugees and brigands that created a free town where all are welcome, Compromise is an autonomous town just beyond the borders of Grym. Though the curse claimed the nearby town of Felicity decades ago, it has yet to reach Compromise. Each year the population grows a little more due to refugees from Grym, at least the ones who evade the queen's patrols and spies.<br/><br/>But many of those refugees are bitterly disappointed, for Compromise is hardly a utopia. Its elite are the merchants, who trade with Yamato, and the smugglers, who trade with ports in Grym. Lawlessness is the rule, and those without fighting skills or the money to hire guards or mercenaries can easily find themselves robbed, enslaved, or worse.<br/><br/><div align="center">(http://i.imgur.com/yjfPAma.jpg)</div><br/><strong>Haven</strong><br/>Five days travel to the east of Compromise will bring one to the farming village of Haven. Its people are a motley lot: parents who seek to raise their children in peace; wanderers and free spirits; dissidents and activists who are wanted for treason due to speaking out against the Witch Queen; criminals who have fled the Witch Queen's harsh laws and punishments. The fact that Haven is relatively peaceful owes much to Sophia, the village's mayor who is quick to lend a sympathetic ear and even quicker to lead the town militia in breaking up any disturbances.<br/><br/>Points of interest around the town include:<br/><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li><strong>Duskwood:</strong> The dense, forbidding forest that lies between Compromise and Haven. The trees grow so tall and dense that they blot out almost all light, leaving the road in perpetual shadow. Wolves make their home here, and though the road is regularly patrolled, at times a more dangerous creature will wander in from the Wall Mountains or the Gold Hills. Most dangerous of all are the migrating wyverns that pass through every couple of years, though they generally avoid people unless provoked (their mounts may be another story, however). The Duskwood is also home to an owlbear known to the locals as Bluebeak, as she is often sighted munching on the wild blueberries that grow at the edge of the woods.</li><li><strong>Gold Hills:</strong> Once prospected for gold, the mines have long since run dry. The abandoned mining shafts have found new life as a home for various creatures.</li><li><strong>Grey Lake:</strong> Due to its proximity to the Ravenwood, only a few foolhardy souls live by the lake. Most of the fishermen that ply the lake in boats live in Haven, and are long gone before dusk arrives.</li><li><strong>Lost Keep:</strong> The tale of the Lost Keep is popular among the villagers. Supposedly, within the Ravenwood is a grand keep so well preserved that it looks as though it were finished only yesterday. And though it's marked on maps, it never appears where it ought; it finds <em>you</em>. Once it reveals itself to a traveler, all paths lead to it, and it cannot be evaded. Or at least, so the stories say. Few who have seen it have returned to tell the tale.</li><li><strong>Ravenwood:</strong> These dark woods are the most dangerous locale near Haven, and are home to many fey. While some are mischievous and some are capricious, others crave the taste of human blood. The locals give it a wide berth, especially after sunset. Beyond the Ravenwood, many leagues distant, lie the slopes of Mount Pelion.</li></ul><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;">CONCEPTS</span></strong></span></div><br/><strong>Witch Queen's Curse</strong><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/f4h58Nr.jpg)</div>The curse that the Witch Queen has placed upon the land ensures that the only happy ending will be her own. All others will meet a tragic and unexpected fate whether by accident, disease, or violence. However, the queen will show magnanimity towards those who obey her laws and pay her taxes and tribute, and their ultimate fate will be delayed until they reach an advanced age. On the other hand, those who displease her can expect swift and terrible retribution.<br/><br/>The queen bestows her mark upon her most trusted lieutenants: a tattoo of a sinuous dragon that moves upon the skin, sinuously coiling and uncoiling. Some choose to receive it where it is easily concealed by clothing, while others wear it prominently, upon the cheek or neck. It is said that those who bear her mark are all but immortal, and can only perish by the passing of time or in a moment of great glory in service to the queen.