<strong>Prologue</strong><br/><br/>The Kingdom of Syran is a relatively peaceful place. It is at the borderlands of the old empire, so while it has not been a truly majestic kingdom it has always had its own share of both independence and adventure. Dangerous monsters roam beyond the old borders, the wilds belonging to the savage creatures that would not hesitate to strike out at any that ventured beyond the old guardposts.<br/><br/>In that kingdom lies a town of Saroth, a relatively successful little merchant town that has prospered thanks to the fertility of the fields of the small villages near it. It has been close enough to the border that brave adventurers occasionally roam there, some seeking out the path to the wilds, believing that the wilds may contain riches that are simply left there since nobody else is brave enough to head out there. Many of those heroes fall, but new ones arise, and with the flow of people and goods the place has acquired a respected position of a border kingdom's border town with strong enough protection to stand on its own.<br/><br/>When the dawn arose that day, the damaged carriage of a nobleman arrived. Horses followed soon after, their riders missing from the saddles but arrows in their flanks telling their own story, blood drying on the saddle speaking of how recent the attack must have been. On the driver's seat, the carriage's driver lay dead, impaled by a javelin but still clutching to the leash securely, having fulfilled his duty to the last breath.<br/><br/>Whispers speak it was the prince himself that was carried away from the carriage, wounded and dying. By dusk, the Baron had summoned the heroes that were worth the title.<br/><br/><strong>Baron's Manor house, High Noon</strong><br/><br/>Baron Edowar Saroth was an aged half-elf, a respectable man of his word. The town's laws were strict but fair, and the baron made certain to pay well for any bandits and troublemakers captured by the heroes. He had held his position for three decades already, and seen much. Seeing the baron pale and pacing back and forth at the lounge of the manor house was an uncommon sight, but turning to address the heroes once the last of them had arrived he spoke seriously.<br/><br/>"You have no doubt heard the rumors already. The prince was brought here by a carriage earlier, and though he had not received an immediately fatal wound, the arrows carried a vile poison that had done too much harm already. They young prince passed away before a healer could be reached." Looking at each of the people at the lounge at a time he let the meaning of that sink in. The king had only had one heir, a prince that he and the queen had received at a late age, when the kingdom's people had given up hope of seeing the liked king's lineage continued.<br/><br/>"There is no news from the capital right now, but a messenger has been sent to deliver the news of the prince's death and the cowardly attack. The guards are keeping watch at the carriage, in case we missed anything but I think the most important is going to be this."<br/><br/>In the light of the fireplace the people gathered could see the baron's hands shaking as he lifted a black pouch from the mantle of the fireplace to show them its contents. Part of a metal band, appearing to be made of dark gold with engraved symbols. It had a single thin metal pillar rising up from the band, but it was a piece small enough to fit in the palm of a man's hand.<br/><br/>"The Broken Crown has resurfaced." He grimaced and held the piece between his fingers. "I'd want to break it apart and scatter the fragments to dozens of little dungeons out at the wilds, and then burn all records where they are, but I am afraid its proven frustratingly enduring. Even in pieces, the crown's resilience remains. I shiver to think what force the heroes of old used to break it and the tyrant, but its hard to ask when the blaze of glory became their funeral pyre. Nobody made it out of the tyrant's palace that dark day. We gained our freedom, but lost the heroes that brought it."<br/><br/>Drawing a breath, the baron stepped over, and held up the piece. "Whoever attacked the prince may well have been seeking this. There has been whispers about other fragments going missing. If someone is seeking to gather all the pieces, I think that they are no longer safe in their old resting places."<br/><br/>Sitting into an armchair next to the fireplace, he gestured the group's members to take a seat, at the armchair facing his at the other side of the fireplace, or at the couch facing the flames themselves. Setting the piece down on the small table set between these he pat the old map on the table. Outlined upon it were the kingdom's towns and old roads. Five towns around the capital city resting between them, each town in turn watching over the villages around it.<br/><br/>"The prince spoke only a few things. First of them was part of the old prophecy, though I dont put much stock on them the prince apparently did.<em>Reforged with fire of hatred, anointed with the blood of a maiden sacred, the sigil of power shall be carried high, and war begins when the banners fly.</em>While I might not take it seriously, if someone does then there is going to be trouble."<br/><br/>Looking from person to person and seeming to grit his teeth together at the time, the baron's gaze fell. The crackling of the fire cast shadows dancing on the bookshelves lining the walls of the lounge, the large windows at one wall covered by thick black curtains keeping all light within the building.<br/><br/>"I am going to have to ask you to head back to where the prince was attacked, and see if you can find out anything about the identity of these foes. After that, I think there's a few things that must take place. The piece of the crown cannot stay here, obviously. The second is the other part of what the prince had to say."<br/><br/>Clearing his throat, the baron hesitated to continue speaking, sounding tired enough already. "The town of Lareth holds the royal library, kept there away from the vultures of the capital city. The records stored there would give a map of the location of the other fragments, at least the ones that have not yet been found if the rumors are true. Holding even one should prevent its reforging, but the more pieces held by others the harder it will be for any foe to reforge that crown."<br/><br/>Drawing a deep breath, the baron's last words almost did not reach the ears of those in the room. "Perhaps the crown could serve a good master as well, but I would not count on the current pursuer to care much for the lives of those in their way at least."