Years ago, before the first chapter of the Dominance of Fate, there were a people, the Grey Folk. Masters of industry, culture, and crafts they were, their city states brought much good to the lands of Aleagasia. They employed the Dragons to keep their forges alight, and taught the Dwarves how to craft great works of steel and stone.
It was peace, and all was happy and content, but none could imagine what horrors this path would give them.
The Grey Folk, up to this point, had not tamed that ever elusive thing called magic. They had bound it into weapons, armor, buildings, but never did they actually use it in the way we do now, it was too wild, too chaotic.
Until one scholar king discovered, that by letting one self be possessed, he would gain greater control over magic. He became known as the King of Shades, and he commanded many grey folk and dragons that had gathered under his banner, becoming shades themselves. The land was split with war; the Greyfolk used their weapons bound with magic against the Shades. The Shades had much power in magic, but it was so chaotic that the shades almost killed as many of their own as they did the greyfolk. Eventually, the shades were slowly but surely pushed back. The King of Shades took part in a ritual that was supposed to wipe out their enemy. It destroyed the king, and many of his servants, but it did what it was designed to do. It wiped out all but a few greyfolk that had hidden away themselves in "Safe Houses" that stopped the effects of magic. But the battle was not over, the remaining shades gathered together and formed an army numbering in the hundred thousands, and began to march towards the largest of the safe houses. The greyfolk were few in number and had little chance. But the Shamans proposed they bind magic to their own language, and destroy the shades before they could even react. This plan was adopted, but the ritual would take some time, and the shades were nearing their gates. The army positioned themselves in front of the doors, and fought hard with the shades, but many fell on both sides, and eventually only a hundred or so of the greyfolk troops were left.
Just in time, the Greyfolk Shamans completed the ritual, and turned the shades to stone, but at great cost. In their haste and inexperience, they turned the remaining greyfolk soldiers outside the walls, to stone. It was a bitter victory; many greyfolk swore never to use magic again. Some left the safe houses and intermingled with the primitive races. Some hid themselves away from the world in the safe houses. But the Shamans could not forget the power that they had held; they left the safe houses and became wanderers. A few became advisers to kings and queens. One dedicated himself to restoring their lost army. Some, some just wanted to be left to their grief.
Now, there are only a few dozen left in the main safe house. The others disappeared, their safe houses destroyed. It became clear that the King of the Shades was back. But where does he and his hordes dwell? We know not.
So, what do you guys think of it?
Awesomeness. This would make an awesome companion backstory. The companion could be one of the last Greyfolk and he is searching for the
King of the Shades. Hold on, Im having a moment. This could unfold into
a major story. After the player conquers Alegaesia the King of the Shades emerges from the shadows and the player has to defend his kingdom against the Shades or go into hiding and basically start the game all over again, but this time facing not the Varden or the Empire, but the Shades. The companion could be one of the companions that alters the story but is not available until late game.
Close, very close. But before I tell you fully what we intend, but first I want to tell you some things this clears up.
1:The King of Shades was the one that had the Urgals attack your home.
2: The King of Shades is the reason the remaining Grey Folk don't leave their Safe houses, he hunts them down and tortures as many words as he can from them.
3: You know how the book has ominous references to a magical disaster? This explains that.
See, during, well, Act 1, you'll find a lot references about someone that is called, "The First"
Now, at a certain point, your character will be captured, and put in an Imperial prison on the border of the Hadraac desert, (This is when the Ra'zac joins). You'll over hear some of the guards saying that Imperials are coming to bring you to Galb. Strangely, when they say this, they seem like they don't want them to come, and they say things like, "I hope "he" arrives before the Imperials." But, the imperials arrive before whoever they were talking about. The garrison commander, refuses to handover you, saying that he answers to a higher power then Galb. A fight breaks out between the Imps, and the garrison, (The Imps have spell casters so the battle is rather one sided) Just then, the Ra'zac breaks you out, and the two of you escape.
But before you get too far, "he" arrives. A man in black armor, riding a Fanghur flies above the fort, and with a yell of, "Brisingr" (plus to other words the player doesn't recognize) he burns all the combatants in the fort.
When you meet up with the rest of the party, you ask the mentor who "he" was, he says, "A servent of your precursor." and changes the subject to what they should do know. You can make one of three decisions.
1: Go and offer your allegiance to Galb.
2: Find the Varden and ally with them.
3: Try to discover the identity of "The First".
If you pick 1 or 2, your story will conflict with IC canon. Number 3 however, does not conflict with the IC canon.
I can't write anymore for today, I'll try to make time for the continuation tomorrow.
Be sure to tell me what you think.
I like it, it really adds a greater story element to the bland stories of the base game.