Across the Sea of Stars from the continent of Ohar is the island-continent known only as Gateway Isle. Three hundred years before, the capital of the Kavad Empire, Hearthstone, rested in the foothills of the heaven-piercing holy mountain of Olympus. Three hundred years before, only humans and mundane animals existed across the face of Ilvanis, the human clergy of the empire commanding divine magic granted by their gods. But two centuries past, all of that changed. A rift between worlds opened, and through it came dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings, fleeing a world which was falling slowly behind them. The majority of their number had stayed behind to hold off the invasion of the new world for as long as possible, and sealed the rift behind them. Speaking with their gods for the first time on Ilvanis, the other races followed a divinely created ice bridge to the south, to a new continent of Rela that had remained undiscovered.<br/><br/>But with them the other races had brought arts unknown to humanity, even as humans brought the gift of divine magic to them. Dwarves had uncovered the art of forging magic into items, whether wood, stone, or metal. Elves brought the deep power of nature itself, calling upon the natural world for power and knowledge. Gnomes had created the art of alchemy, creating substances previously unknown. And halflings possessed the gift of sorcery, unlocking the power of arcane might. Together with humans, they created the art of wizardry, even as they prepared for the coming invasion.<br/><br/>But the Kavad Empire was foolish and over-confident in the blessings of their gods. Ten years passed before the first Gate opened, and one opened each year after that until five had opened, each opening on Gateway Isle, near to Olympus itself. At first they held their own, but it was the third gate, and the dragons that soared through it, that brought Hearthstone and a goodly portion of the Empire's army low. Fortunately, angels intervened when the demons and devils poured through the fourth gate, giving the defenders time to finish the Barrier, a powerful ward maintained by tens of thousands of black stone obelisks around the center of the Isle. Only one such obelisk, the Keystone, can be harmed, and no being from another world can escape the Barrier. Alas, any being born on Ilvanis can ignore the powerful defensive effects of the Barrier, which weakens powerful creatures that come too near. Thus, defenders must be on their guard for turncoat cultists and newly born monsters from the other worlds.<br/><br/>This has led to many adventurers and mercenary groups entering the Barrier to thin the ranks of the monsters before they can grow too large. Those which desire profit know that fragments of places from other worlds regularly appear within the Barrier, often with things of value within, before vanishing when abandoned. Strange, alien herbs and metals also form within the Barrier, which means that much profit could be had for those who enter, and many enchantments require items from within the Barrier.<br/><br/>Thus, many come to the massive city of Port Fellspan, a city of shining temples, extensive docks, stores, and farms beyond its walls. And within the great city is the huge, labyrinthine structure of the Gateway Academy, a school whose entire goal is to train prospective adventurers.<br/><br/>But perhaps the best known Inn in the city is the Dragonskull Inn, run by Galvas the Dwarf, a powerful warrior who is getting on in years. The dwarven warrior is one of the refugees that came through the rift two centuries ago, and knows a great deal about various creatures. An information broker, dwarf charges an amount based on how dangerous the information is, hoping to keep adventurers alive in this way. Above his fireplace is his deadly greataxe Skullcleaver, and below it is a massive dragon skull, forming the fireplace and with a rent in its skull that matches the axe. Few ever ask the elderly dwarf to prove his expertise.