Where Shades Rule

The Lands of Arleans are blighted and yet many still sojourn here to eek out a living in this once blessed land.

### Genre

Zombie Survival

The Second Campaign based in the World of Immorhia, this campaign begins in the City of Thoraholm where the Arlenian Redemption League fights a Crusade to reclaim its lost land from the Curse of Malite. The heroes are required to join one of the supporting Mercenary Companies in order to begin their journey into the Blightlands and test their mettle against the worst that the Undead have to throw at them and the Armies of the Living.

## Premise

### Background

Mundassia, the Heartland of Humanity in all of Immorhia is considered the land of Fables and Valour. The land that has produced most of the world's most widely known heroes and wonders. Yet it is also one of the few lands that bears one of the greatest curses that gives many a knight or adventurer the chance to prove that legacy is not consigned merely to the pages of history.

Since the fall of the Luminous Kingdom of Gilder, in the centre of the continent sits the Wound which marks what remains of that Kingdom and from those days so many centuries ago all sorts of unknown curses, monstrosities and other terrors have slowly lurked from its wastes in search of the World untouched yet by its schemes. For in the Kingdom of Arleans one such curse was loosed in thanks to the terrible knowledge that has seeped into the land that corrupts even some of the greatest of men and women.

### The Curse of Malite

The Kingdom of Arleans was told to be Gilder's soul successor, their beating heart planted in a new land from where their innovations and culture carried on in their descendants. It was more than true that Arleans was given deference by all the Kingdoms and stood equal to the greatest of powers and may have had the power at one time to unite Mundassia into one Empire. But the Shades that Rule had other schemes for Arleans, their unfinished work, their victim's children still thriving in the world and they wished to complete this work.

Thus began the "Curse of Malite", when the Royal City of Nagred fell without so much a whisper and the land heard nothing from her King. It was often spoke in the halls of the mighty that a thorn at court known as Fibian Malite supposedly a powerful wizard who had the King's favour had pestered him ceaselessly for the King's daughters hand in marriage. At a time, Princess Roesia was smitten with the young wizard but had grown tired of him and moved her affections elsewhere. A slight not unforgotten by the young Lord who insisted that she still loved him. But so too did the King spurn Malite and remove him from his place of favour. It was on this that the Court hoped Malite would sulk away into obscurity.

### The Fall of Arleans

While no survivor from Nagred knows the whole tale today, they did tell of what they saw that terrible day the Dead came to life from their graves and rose to claim the living. That a terrible light emanated from Nagred with a sick greenish tint as it rose and fell to the land making it sick and twisted. That it became hard to breath as they shrieked, grabbed their families and ran with what they could as many were cut down or consumed. The Dead claimed the lives of so many living in Arleans and the Kingdom was forced to flee its very own land. Since that day 80 years ago, the Arleanian Redemption League fights from the Frontier City of Thoraholm with the backing of the Mundassian Kingdoms to reclaim their homeland led by what Lords and Ladies remain.

But Malite still sits in Nagred drawing breath so they say. That he sits on the King's throne. That he wears his crown. That he commands his 'Legions' to claim the Kingdom that he declares is his by right.

### Original Members

   **Sir Davion Phylund of Sull-on-Bend** a Human Battlemaster in service to House Meyer of Sull-on-Bend and also sworn to Marquise Halward of Litholme in pursuit of the goals of these Nobles of Austonia. Sir Davion is the Cousin of his own squire Wulf Phylund whom he hopes will benefit from his higher standing to enjoy a better life as both hail from common origin.

Sir Davion is also the Guardian of Saszi Vermillion acting as his Keeper for the unsuspecting Harengon at one time found himself on death row and is recovering from trauma that drove the poor man mad. It become Sir Davion's duty to help rehabilitate the Harengon and keep him from sliding back into madness even if it should require the final option.

**Deagon Sunseeker** a Dwarven Druid from Endhall located in Austonia. Although officially from the Duergar Empire below, Deagon and his clan are virtually outcasts due to their proximity to the surface and for other reasons that even Deagon is not entirely aware of. Not much for caring about the Dwarvish clans that treat his own family like filth Deagon has taken many opportunities to visit the human settlements to gather news and happenings to report back home.

But a new duty soon fell upon Deagon's shoulders. Although his father acts as Lord of Endhall he is determined to keep good terms with their kin below and the Dwarven lords have called upon them to investigate the Curse in Arleans and whether it is likely to become a threat to them below. Deagon accepted this duty for the sake of his parents and to see more of the world that has always kept his curioisty.

**Saszi Vermillion** a Harengon Necromancer who has been forced to life with great potential and great angush. Born in the rural village of Hori and raised in a family with one older sister Phiphyra he was largely obscure from notice until he took a keen interest in book reading and began to discern the mysteries of Arcane power. This catapulted him into local stardom and eventually notice from a Wizard called Torlek who would invite Saszi to join him at Trinden Academy of Magic.

It was during his study and eventual rise as a member of Faculty at this Academy that he met the love of his life. Life for him was complete until she tragically passed leaving Saszi reeling mentally and emotionally from the loss. Turning to his one other great passion of magic he delved into the darker arts in hopes of finding consolation. There he found the arts of necromancy that led him to death row for murder and graverobbery. Since, Saszi has endeavoured for rehabilitation but the nagging voice in the back of his mind lurks and springs into action whenever Saszi is in distress seeking to overtake him.

**Tore Wolfram** is a Genasi Barbarian hailing from Hewell, Austonia he is the Husband of Diana Wolfram and Father of Cassandra, Alexi and Sora. Having worked as a noble farmer he also leant his uncommon strength to dealing with pests and dangers to the township earning a level of notoriety and respect from the townsfolk.

However, the family farm has endured two bad years of harvest leaving them close to destitution. Diana worried for their future looked to Tore as to what they could do until in town came a Royal Magistrate who was looking for candidates to go to Arleans with a special contract and the King's promise of reward. There with his friend Deagon they tried out and won the Magistrate's notice. From there, Tore informed his wife that he would find wealth in Arleans to support their family through the tough harvests bidding tearful farewell.

**Vandor Tah** is a Human Cleric dedicated to a Deity who's name even he does not know. Vandor arrived in Mundassia via vessel from far away lands in pursuit of a man named Morgan Silva who possesses something belonging to Vandor who is fleeing Vandor's coming wrath.

Tracking Morgan through the Kingdom of Iellas he meets Tully Tanglefoot who had recently escorted the taciturn Morgan through her hometown of Midas heading towards Arleans. With Tully's help they began to head to Midas to see if they could find more clues about Morgan only to be ambushed by some men hired by that blackguard Silva. Surviving the encounter and pressing the survivor into cooperating he informed him of Silva's plan to travel through Arleans through the guise of joining one of its Mercenary Companies in the fight against the Dead. It would be there that Vandor would continue his search.

**Tully Tanglefoot** is a Shifter Beast Master hailing from Midas, Iellas. Found rummaging through the midden heaps of Midas in Iellas, a western Kingdom of Mundassia as a tiny child by her older brother, Tarwin, she followed him home on the promise of raspberries and her own thick wool blanket. Tully was quickly accepted by Veshina and Valoria Tanglefoot, Tarwins mothers, who knew exactly what Tully, as a shifter, was. Her life from that point was much more stable, her relationship with her human family strengthening over the years and giving her a happy and loving home.

Working as a guide, Tully finds herself ensuring travellers find their way safely to and from the town of Midas, to the Port city in the east when she meets Vandor who she notices to be a 'fish out of water'. There she agrees to help him look for whoever he was chasing and soon realizing that the man he describes is no less the same as the one she had just guided to her hometown but days before. Always wishing to eventually break away and explore the world and see all of the creatures that Immorhia had to throw at her she leapt for the chance to join Vandor on his quest although with the trepidation of her parents but also the welcome ribbing from her brother who egged her on.