<div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: times new roman;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 11pt;">-The Dark Castle-</span><br/>Guide (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pbr2dWkou62Bc_YhUU16ZGDQoUJYApAuM8ccjfY4zjY/edit?usp=sharing)<br/>(https://cdn.homesthetics.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/7.Castle-In-The-Valley.jpg)<br/></span></div><hr/><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: times new roman;">A thousand years ago, the castle atop the hill was considered the hallmark of a country. The country, known as Elysia, had the castle of Elysium as its center. It was a cultural and economic hub. None of that mattered in the face of a calamity that crippled the castle and the nation. Dozens of areas around the castle were destroyed, and the survivors spoke of a dark 'shadow' that ground the nation to dust. Strangely enough, while there were plenty of survivors from varying counties around Elysia, there were no survivors from the castle. When the neighboring nations eventually decided to investigate the castle of Elysium, they were shocked and disgusted with what they found. An empty castle with no bodies or remains of the residents. The royalty, nobles, and servants were all gone. The only traces left were splotches of blood, torn fabric, and forlorn furniture. Those signs of struggle covered the castle, the blood loss was immense, but no one could find even a trace of a body.<br/><br/>They had no intention of leaving the castle undisturbed. It was once the heart of a prospering nation. But, like clockwork, the residents of the castle would vanish one by one and left no trace behind. Eventually, the neighboring nations had no choice but to abandon any plans they had for Elysium. The majestic castle was left abandoned while the country of Elysia was divided up between neighbors and rivals. The castle, once the center of a nation, was now on the edge of Udros.<br/><br/>Six hundred years ago, Udros had decided to start colonizing the territory around the abandoned castle. A string of villages and towns cropped up along the countryside with the pride of their colonization being the town of <em>Oar's Rest</em>. The royal family was so proud that within fifty years they decided to turn the abandoned castle near <em>Oar's Rest</em> into a fort. The scouting party they sent to examine the damage to the castle and its exterior made a terrible discovery… the fort was infested.<br/><br/>Sometime after it was abandoned several monsters and creatures of unknown origin had made the castle their home. The royal family thought that wiping out the monsters would be a simple manner, sending party after party of soldiers into the castle only to be met with failure after failure. The royal family's actions had a terrible effect, the monsters inside the castle decided to run amok. They lumbered out across the countryside, infecting the nearby forest and fields with their dark presence. <em>Oar's Rest</em> became the focus of the monsters' attention, it was the closest town to the castle.<br/><br/>The dozens of attacks inflicted by the invading monsters did nothing to impede the growth or vitality of the town, it increased it tenfold. Soldiers from Udros stationed themselves within the town, increasing its defenses and denizens. The royal family issued bounties for the creatures infesting the castle, promising rewards for those that dared to brave the dangerous ground. The small town soon became a hub of mercenaries, holy men, adventurers, and monster hunters. Any that sought fame, fortune, or adventure within spitting distance of Udros came to test their luck and their mettle.<br/><br/>But no matter how much gold, or how many men, the royal family threw at the problem the castle continued to produce monsters. It was only after bitter years of struggle that the waves of monsters from the castle finally retreated to the sanctity of their dark home. The royal family was broke and destitute after expending so much gold, abandoned any interest in the castle of Elysium. They renamed it the Dark Castle, and while adventurers from Oar's Rest would still venture into the castle or forest from time to time, they seldom dared to launch the expeditions of old.<br/><br/></span><hr/><div align="center">(https://www.wallpaperflare.com/static/638/904/847/artwork-villages-fantasy-art-brown-wallpaper-preview.jpg)</div><hr/><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: times new roman;">But nothing lasts forever…<br/><br/>More than a dozen years ago, the monsters from the Dark Castle emerged from their slumber. They didn't come out in the same number, or the same intensity, as they did a hundred years ago. But the emergence of the demons and monsters brought new life to Oar's Rest. In a hundred years, the city had grown from a bustling town to a grand city. It boasted its own guilds, its own church and religion, and its own army. Adventurers came and went from Oar's Rest, seeking to challenge the infamous Dark Castle.<br/><br/>Several well-renowned groups sent people to challenge the invading evil; Iron Monks, Monster Hunters, Demon Hunters, Sisters of Night, Scarlet Hoods. The one that lingered outside the castle always returned unharmed, but the same couldn't be said about those that dared venture inside. On more than one occasion the adventurer never emerged. Months later some would find the withered remains or the skeletal husks of what remained. The ferocity of the monsters only seemed to increase; the more adventurers disappeared within the more monsters seemed to dare to venture out. By this point, several societies had moved into the city of Oar's Rest and set up shop. Others began to send their best and brightest to challenge the castle and gain prestige. The only exception was the royal family of Udros. They placed a ban on any imperial-aligned force from entering the castle or setting up shop in Oar's Rest, a ban which included the royal church from having any connections within Oar's Rest.<br/><br/>Instead, the main church of the newly bustling city was Sulimey. It had been established during the first outbreak of monsters from the Dark Castle, practicing a religion built around the purification of the Dark Castle through flame and fire. The church also occupied a place at the heart of the city, in a cathedral of marble and stone. It could be said that the church's influence touched every part of Oar's Rest, whether one knew it or not.<br/><br/>But the church wasn't the only bustling part of the city, with the flow of societies returning to the city, blacksmithing and tailoring once more began to boom. Several merchant guilds also moved back into Oar's Rest, allowing the city to become a hub of trade. The scattered remains that they collected from slain monsters and demons didn't just serve as trophies of their conquest, but could also be sold for a pretty penny. If the Royal family was going to neglect the Dark Castle, then plenty of others were happy to take advantage of the rare goods. <br/><br/>Gold, loot, and adventure aside, the city of Oar's Rest was on the cusp of a crisis. More and more adventurers began to vanish after repeated incursions into the castle. It didn't matter if they were new, experienced, or with a group. Eventually, they'd fail to emerge after several days and be considered lost. The monsters that occasionally broke free of the confines of the castle were larger and more dangerous, a few were even causing problems for the city and its denizens.<br/><br/>It was only a matter of time before the city descended into chaos if something wasn't done, or something changed. Yet, despite this looming threat, it seemed like the people of Oar's Rest were simply unaware of the peril they were in. They made merry, celebrated the prosperity and wealth that came their way and continued to worship at the altar of the church that promised them protection.</span></div></div>