The Black Door

An earth unlike ours, besieged by magic and monsters. Legend has it, two hundred years ago, a black door opened and out stepped the Nine. Powerful magicians, they summoned the monsters to do their bidding. They wander the earth, anonymous, working for their mysterious crusade. They avoid open conflict, working to sow discord and terror, fear fueling thier arcane powers.   A shadow council of twelve rules the earth from the shadows. The twelve factions are constantly at odds, and formed the council formed to keep the Peace . They conceal the existence of magic from the general populace, ostensibly to protect them. The Peace is an illusion, a game that suits them. National borders are meaningless to them, the factions have invisible borders between then constantly in shift as they maneuver against each other.   Meanwhile, the world senses the danger, creeping in the corners, just out of sight. They awake in terror, not able to remember their nightmares. Are these attacks random or is there a larger pattern and purpose?