Wilwarin

The storyteller looks at his young audience. For once, they are still and listening to his words. He draws breath to tell them of the background of this beautiful world.

"Right. Glorwing is a young world, you know. It was discovered about a hundred years ago by a young mage, called Gilmor. The mage was trying to make a love-spell when he accidentally created a rift in the fabric of space and time. This might teach you all something about not messing with love-spells.

Anyway, Gilmor reported this to the proper authorities. After the initial confusion, it was decided to send an expedition to explore this new world. The expedition was diplomatically selected from all the peoples of the kingdom: Elves, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Half-Orcs and Humans. Even a Gnome or two joined.

Alas, as soon as the expedition entered the rift, it closed. Despite desperate attempts to open the rift again, nothing worked. The rift seems to be closed forever. After a time of great despair and sadness, the expedition accepted their sorry fate with surprisingly good grace and began to explore the lands of Glorwing.

After a while the portals were found. None knows who made these, but they allow us to travel swiftly across the lands. The portals all lead to the same place, called the Standing Stones. The Standing Stones is a strange place, anchored somewhere else in time and space. No-one has managed to solve the riddle of the portals and the Standing Stones, despite years of trying. Perhaps one of you youngsters will be the one to solve this mystery?

Now, a hundred years have passed. This great Capitol, the city of Port Sunrise stands proudly as a testament to the initiative, drive and skill which we all possess. Different families have settled in several places, building villages like Crescent Bay, Eagle's Nest and all the others.

But still, much remains to be explored. So go forth, my young ones, go forth unto this world and explore! But, be careful, there are strange beings afoot. Not all of them are friendly. *ahem* Actually, none of them are friendly, as a matter of fact."

The old storyteller falls silent.

In time, the old storyteller has a new one to tell, a one just beginning, whose end has yet to be written.

"The days had grown dark indeed, when King Victor was dead, and the Queen sailed away. Everywhere, there seemed to be all kinds of dark and dangerous things, lurking under the banner of vile gods. They could not wait forever, and in blood and death they came.

"To have been there! In Crescent Bay is started, hordes of the most terrible creatures, stumbling through the streets. The Sun Guards withdrew to protect the Palace, but others came to the aid of the towns, sometimes with the aid of guards and priests.

"Lord Anen organized the defense, and saw that refugees made it to the Standing Stones, as the towns were decimated, one by one. Though every blade was raised to fend them off, always there were more enemies, and more, a stream without end. Nasty business.

"Where was I? Oh yes. It was then that dark gods began appearing among the foes, and it was clear that this was a battle to end all battles. In Port Sunrise, the Helmsman led the people to safety, while in the Stones themselves the Quiet God and the Lady of the Light spoke to their believers.

"In the end, the powers of good could not last the charge, and they sealed away the Standing Stones from those outside, in which the people crouched. Knowing that so many could not live that way for long, with the power of her followers, the goddess caused time to be moved forward, and a year and a day passed outside, while inside a moment was all that seemed to go by.

"In that time, evil outside turned on itself, and the world was rent in great destruction, the like of which few mortal eyes live to see."

"Oh, it was a terrible time, a horrific time, and afterwards the world was not the same. Some gods grew silent, magic seemed new and strange, and everywhere the world was changed, as the once fused armies lay scattered about the world.

"Glorwing, however, survived, my listeners. Although that was only the beginning."

"More you say? Perhaps another time."

The old storyteller falls silent.