Two decades on...
Some vaults have opened, others remain sealed, and too many are tombs or worse. The region faces many challenges at once:
Corrupted creatures
Many beasts and people left unprotected are now grotesque echoes of what they were, driven by hunger and madness. Even plants have changed: some have poisoned thorns or grasping tendrils, their roots nourished by bones.
Predators in plain sight
Bandits, raiders, swindlers, and cults thrive. Some cultists serve Horrors’ aims openly; others push bizarre beliefs born of isolation. Some say the most insidious foes walk unseen among us, gathering allies and puppets.
Tenuous trust
With a steady stream of new faces and the constant threat of corruption by Horrors, many folks are quick to judge. Most believe the tainted cannot make anything truly new, so newcomers are often asked to demonstrate a signature talent: a song, poem, sketch, carving, dance, or culinary creation. A borrowed or uncanny effort invites questions.
Wrong maps
Rivers have shifted, roads are shattered, and the wilds hold pockets where normal rules bend.
Fragile trade
A storm, wrecked bridge, or Horror sighting can close a route for weeks. Coin values vary widely by town, with scrip and barter common.
Scarce resources
Safe sites have been picked clean. Overworked crews take greater risks as demand swells.
Clashing customs
It’s hard to let go of practices that once kept you alive, even when those rules now cause conflict.