In the Beginning

The current events that the players begin the game with are as follows.

The Orcs of Zord, under the influence of the Shadows, lay siege to Castle Argh. The human King Nagrom calls for the levy to be raised to march to the relief of the castle. Due to his un-popularity very few Barons respond. King Nagrom (who is possessed by a Shadow and is working toward failure) takes the standing army and what troops have been supplied and marches off to Castle Argh, against the advice of his commanders. The orcs are waiting and an ambush sees more than half of the army decimated. The remainder fall back to Valairium and then to Castle Bord. The orcs pursue and invest the city and the Castle, a general invasion is now underway. The humans are caught with their pants down and without a King will be taken out piecemeal.

Shortly after the Orcs of God (in the north) will attack Rigel and Gateway.

In a final blow Giants arrive to reinforce the Orcs of Zord and Castle Bord is overrun, the King is killed and the army is destroyed. All human cities except Folkist will fall to orc forces over the next month. Human refugees will be fleeing in all directions but the Orcs of Zord ruthlessly hunt many of them down (in the south and east at least) and kill them in what appears to be an organised attempt to wipe them out.

The players will begin the game as soldiers at Castle Bord, part of the army that survived and fell back to the castle. Their first adventure will be to escape the orcs and flee eastward to the Forest of Anduin. They may take with them to sole heir to the royal line, or one of the players may be that person if they wish to take on the role.