Vessarim

The year is 1426DM (Deus Mortem). The shadows of past wars and horrors still linger over the realms, and to make matters worse, the undead are returning. What were once mere stories are now becoming far too real for the peoples of Vessarim, as the dead are rising faster than the Order of Duriak, an order of holy knights dedicated to destroying undead and fiends, can defeat them. To make matters worse, the Order face a mysterious new foe - the shadowy Kabal - who seek to undermine their every move, seemingly in allegiance with both the forces of undeath and those of the Lower Planes. All three are appearing all over Vessarim, causing chaos and death wherever they appear. Most importantly, no-one knows why. Though they are a widespread and popular organisation, the Order of Duriak cannot hope to deal with all three threats on their own, and will need assistance if they are to be victorious against such a great danger to all that is good in the world.   The inner turmoil gripping the political scene does not improve matters. Tensions between the great human kingdoms of Anderland and Baelynwood have reached an all-time high, and talks of war circulate taverns at night. The City States are growing in power, and growing greedy as they do so, threatening one another with more legitimacy to their threats than ever before. The once thriving country of Vinnolant has become a desolate wasteland after falling to vampires, and their corruption now spreads through the stretch of land now known unimaginatively as The Deadlands. The great lands of Nekar to the far south are stirring once again, and the most recent High Pharaoh, Khufu V, was one infamous for conquest, and the mighty Talbarad Empire's agents are seen more now than ever. Raiding parties and occupational forces from the far off continent of Nyssir threaten the coasts in far greater numbers than before, and where the malicious dark elves are found in great number, an invasion will not be far behind. Each of the realms of Vessarim are facing many dire threats and it is clear that no amount of mundane aid will save them - they need heroes.   However, with the humans in the cities, the elves in the forests, the dwarves in the mountains, and the other races scattered in pockets throughout the world, heroes are in drastically short supply, and yet appear to be the best hope of ending this horror once and for all.