"The Ogre Witch Yaga Baba moved into the valley about eleven years ago.  Baron Von Spielburg went out to her and tried to drive her from the valley with threats, and so she put a curse on the entire valley that day.  It was subtle at first.  The winters got more harsh, then monsters starting moving into the valley.  A month after that, his daughter Elsa vanished.  A year later his son disappeared on a hunting trip, the horse he had came back with large claw marks on its sides.  Then the pass started shutting every year, on the first caravan through.  Things just keep getting worse.