The Vale of Sorrow
I am running Mythic Bastionland with my home table. Here is what they knew when the campaign began.
The Land
The Vale’s sorrow knows no succor. Wanderers in the wilderness glimpse remnants of the Sun Guard’s emblem carved on ancient stones, the Queen’s face engraved on old metal coins. Little is remembered of what caused the Realm to fail. Harpists sing of a dying Queen seeking the cup of Solace. Others gossip of jealous lovers or sibling strife. What is known is in the last Age, the Sun Guard sallied forth from their Rotunda in the Queen’s Halls in Baelfyre, their eyes yearning for the City’s gleam. They were never seen again
They are lost and dispersed, withering in forgotten groves or rotting in hollows. There are rumors that their ancient hall still stands.
In these latter days of the fallen queen’s realm, peace extends no farther than a hold’s torchlight. The Forest and Wilderness cast long shadows. The Vale is a remote realm carved out with warrior’s blood on the edge of the empire across the Sea. There is word that lawlessness reigns, with roving warbands terrorizing the countryside and strange mystics shouting apocalyptic prophecies. Nature reclaims the queen’s road. craven opportunists find easy avenues to power
For the Players
You are hedge knights, come to this Land seeking opportunity, your knighthoods fresh as morning dew. You are the children of spring. Your new arms shine in the midday sun. You came to your knighthoods over the long cold winter, called to serve by the Seers and sworn to your oaths.
Despite whatever burgeoning relationships (good or ill) you may have, you are a Company, newly formed of foreigners sent to a land unseen by your fathers.