Many Meetings

The Day of Mist

Almost everyone in the Kingdom of Arnesse can remember the cold Winter’s Day almost six cycles of the moon ago, when the mists came. Roiling seemingly out of nowhere on the 15th day of the 2nd Moon Cycle, a strange gloom swallowed the land in its dark, damp embrace. It began at the Witching Hour and persisted the entire night, and then throughout the entirety of the next day, before finally beginning to retreat from whence it came. When the strange fog had gone however, many fell ill while some even died from the otherworldly chill that had spread throughout the Kingdom. Livestock perished, some of the crops in the south failed and more ominously, people are said to have altogether vanished, swallowed entirely by the oppressive fog, never to be seen again.

In the wake of the mist’s disappearance, the Kingdom has struggled to come to terms with what has happened. Even the most rational of individuals, however, consider this an ill omen. The King has called for an inquest into the origins of this seemingly supernatural phenomena, and both scholars and learned individuals alike have scrambled to find out more. Some think it an astronomical event that somehow pulled the very fog from the sea, while others say it may have simply been a strange and massive storm. But no natural or scientific explanation has gone so far as to explain away the worry and terror felt by many. A palpable sense of unease fell over the land in the weeks following as people came to the dreadful realization that they truly experienced something utterly unexplainable.

The Annwyn

And then word came of the Annwyn. How exactly it was discovered remains unclear. The popular story is that a crew of sailors in Breakwater Bay came across a long line of fog that swallowed their ship whole. They returned some days later, cast out of the fog and speaking of a land shrouded in mists and mystery. They spoke of ancient ruins, terrible monsters, and fantastic treasures. A land lost to time itself. Thus, it was given the name Annwyn, the Otherworld.

Further scouting revealed a section of the western Arnesse coastline was indeed encircled by a ring of deep, roiling fog. Several expeditions entered the wall, though none has yet to return. The curiosity associated with this discovery was soon replaced by fear for many, and any expeditionary efforts began to slow. Coincidentally, this also marked the time at which the fog began to be used as a means of execution and punishments for the Kingdom’s undesirables. Known as the “Last Walk”, prisoners and others that were no longer welcome were taken to the borders of the Annwyn and sent to their unknown fates.

Then came the Mistwalkers. These individuals are said to have emerged from the misty border of the Annwyn and claimed to be able to navigate their way through to the other side, able to take others with them. At first, they were understandably mistrusted, though after several demonstrations it became clear that these Mistwalkers could in fact do as they claimed. There was only one catch, of course. Once one travels the mists, and through to the Annwyn, coming back again is nearly impossible. It has become common among those speaking of this new land to recite the phrase, “…once the Annwyn has you, only she can let you go.” Now that the journey into the Annwyn was not proven to be a death sentence it was once thought to be, the floodgates have opened to those wishing to make the voyage. Parties of nobility, joined by Cirque and Commonfolk alike have started to make their way to this new otherworld, each group more hopeful than the last.

The Gateway

To accommodate all these would-be settlers, a ramshackle village was set up on the borders of the Annwyn and aptly entitled, “Gateway”. In recent moon cycles, owing to extremely rapid growth and an uncanny combination of poor planning and administration, it has become a stinking, festering boil of raw sewage, open-air markets, and decrepit buildings. The town has also become a bit of a haven for criminals, grifters, and the unscrupulous merchant looking to price gouge would-be adventurers. Gateway is nominally administered by a coalition known as the Mistguard, nobles and knights from House Richter and House Bannon who have taken it on themselves to maintain civil order in the area in and around Gateway. The village is a waypoint and a final destination before the unknown, a place to resupply and seek a Mistwalker who can take you to the Annwyn. One can secure lodging in Gateway, but it is expensive, and the rooms are poor at best. A large tent-city has cropped up around the wooden palisade and most who arrive here end up sheltering there.

All parties who wish to enter the Annwyn by land go through Gateway first. Groups tend to gather every week or so, underneath the light of the moon and stars, and then head into the Annwyn with a guide shortly thereafter. Some are willing to brave the journey without a guide; most of them are never heard from again. The practice of the Last Walk has yet to cease and there are certainly no guides provided for that grim punishment. Many still consider it a death sentence. Approach by sea to the Annwyn is said to be possible but treacherous at best. There are a handful of captains who are said to be able to navigate the way through the mist wall by ancient star charts, but far more tales are told of wrecked ships and sailors who have been dragged to the depths than of anyone actually making it through to find their ‘fortune and glory’.

One way or another, you have found yourself on the precipice of adventure. Either in the mud-swollen streets of Gateway making ready to depart or traveling on a sailing ship bound to brave the treacherous seas surrounding the Annwyn.

The Mistwalkers

Little is known of these mysterious persons who seemingly have the ability to navigate the mists surrounding the Annwyn. They appear just as human as anyone else, but many have speculated that they are in fact supernatural entities in disguise. As long as they are paid good coin, they don’t judge whom they take into the Annwyn, and they do not ask any questions about why someone wants to make the journey. Though many have asked them to teach the way into the Annwyn, they have steadfastly refused to divulge that secret. Nor will they agree to take anyone back out of the Annwyn once they are led in.

Current Events

Town criers and gossips around the Kingdom have been talking about various happenings in the land of late.

• The mysterious event known as the Day of Mist caused a great fear and concern among much of the Kingdom’s populace, particularly the commonfolk. Rumors have been rampant since the event, and some have whispered that this is a sign of the end times prophesied by the Aurorym faith. As a result, the Aurorym has seen a strong uptick in converts in recent months and interest in the faith has been renewed in many corners of the Kingdom.
• King Giles Bannon II is the current King of Arnesse and rules from his throne in Highcourt. He is a man of faith, married to Queen Aline, formerly of House Blayne. While the King has been silent on the matter of the Day of Mist and the appearance of the Annwyn, there has been a call from Highcourt to gather as much information as can be found on these phenomena. There are rumors that there is concern about this event being the first of many and that the realm will soon be plunged into darker days. Some see this as a prelude to the King fully embracing the Aurorym faith and making it the official religion of Arnesse. An act that some nobles might see as casus belli.
• An alliance of House Richter and Bannon, joined by allies in House Corveaux and even House Hale has formed around the appearance of the Annwyn. Called the Mistguard, this tenuous agreement among the Iron Lords and the House of Kings is said to be to protect the Annwyn and determine its true origins. The wise know that there is also the matter of who actually owns the Annwyn. Given that it sits dead on the border between the Dusklands and the Sovereignlands, it is yet to be claimed by anyone officially. However, given that it is said to hold wealth and artifacts, it is clear that one or more houses will make that claim should the Annwyn prove to be valuable.
• The Day of Mist was a time of great and dark tidings for the Aurorym faith. Many saw this as the first sign of a coming darkness that would herald their End of Days. Thus, aurons throughout the Kingdom have been actively preaching about this and seeking to gather more converts (if not a few more dragons for their coffers as well). Guided by their religious leaders and House Blayne, the faithful have also been flocking to Gateway to gain entrance to the Annwyn. It is said that House Blayne has also sent in a contingent in the name of the New Dawn, a coalition of faithful from the Sovereignlands, Dusklands, Hearthlands, and the Everfrost. Many of those who joined the New Dawn went in as warriors for the faith, sworn to give their lives to defeat an unnamed, unseen evil that they swear rises even now within this newfound land.
• The Day of Mist did not play out well among some elements of the Kingdom. Many have felt that this was a perfectly natural, but unexplained, phenomena. Not a sign from the long-dead gods or the rise of any evil. Most of these hail from the Thornwood, Tarkath, Everfrost, and even the Midlands. Houses such as the Aragon, the Hales, and the Innis have viewed this religious revival with some concern and growing malcontent. There are said to be whispers that the Aurorym are using this incident as a reason to mandate the Aurorym faith among the nobles and protectorates of the Kingdom. Given the anti-religious stance of at least half of the Great Houses, there is concern that this issue could be the spark which sends the Kingdom over the edge and into a civil war.
• Clashes at the Border - Fighting at the eastern border of the Dusklands, between Richter forces and the houses of the western Northern Marches continues to escalate. Settlers from the Dusklands continue to push eastward in their expansion and search to find a better life. However, this has invoked the ire of the Innis and the Northern Marchers who see this as an attack on, and affront to their sovereignty. House Hardinger of the Dusklands continues to hold the eastern part of the protectorate against forces from the Northern Marches who are said to launch daily raids in an effort to keep the expansion at bay. The king is strangely silent on this matter, though emissary activity from both the Dusklands and the Northern Marches is said to be lively in High Court these days.
• Dark Omens - Tales of the mystical and supernatural have long pervaded the mythological zeitgeist of Arnesse. Many of these are said to harken back to the time of the Eldritch Age, when magic was present and creatures both terrifying and fantastic stalked the land. In the modern times, tales are still told and occasionally, someone swears to have had an encounter with the unknown, but such stories are rarely ever verified true. However, since the Day of Mist, the Kingdom has been rife with tales of the supernatural and encounters with otherworldly forces. Tales of ghosts and encounters with the risen dead seem to have become more commonplace. All of this could just be the zeitgeist of the moment or mass hysteria, but it has had an impact on the Kingdom, causing a slow, rising panic and a scramble for authorities and scholars to verify if any of this is indeed fact.