Yearly Campaign

2. STATUS

4. Dolrain's Lore

It's believed that thousands of years ago, a highly evolved and technologically advanced seafaring people discovered the island. They weren't warriors but scholars and builders, and their goal was the pursuit of esoteric knowledge. They believed the island, due to its location and strange geological features, was a place of "energy intersections" where the veil between dimensions was thinnest.

They built an advanced civilization with imposing stone cities and gigantic underground temples, where they studied the flow of magic and the laws of reality. Their cities weren't built on the surface but were carved into the heart of the island, a labyrinth of tunnels and secret chambers. The island itself became their laboratory, and their goal was to achieve an enlightenment that would allow them to manipulate reality.

Then, suddenly, they vanished. There were no wars or cataclysms. The underground cities were simply abandoned one day. Nature reclaimed its territory, and the island became wild and pristine again. Their artifacts and knowledge remained buried, waiting to be discovered.

In the centuries that followed, the island became a legend among sailors. Tales were told of strange lights dancing among the peaks and mysterious voices carried on the wind. The few ships that got too close often didn't return, or their crews came back with stories of visions and madness. For this reason, Dolrain was never colonized. Its shores remained unexplored, and its ancient ruins unknown. It was a place to be avoided, a superstition to be told by a tavern fire, a warning to the most adventurous sailors.

It was a forgotten island, a place of ancient ruins and unresolved mysteries… Until one day, the sky opened up and a comet fragment struck it.

The comet fragment's impact on the Isle of Dolrain was a cataclysm that could not be ignored, echoing across the continent and drawing the gaze of all who sought power or treasure. Unlike other blasted lands that later became a graveyard for warring factions, Dolrain remained a prize for only the most determined. The journey was treacherous and costly, and the ambition to conquer and control the fractured land meant only the most powerful and ruthless dared to make landfall.

These were the first to arrive. Dwarven treasure hunters, their axes gleaming, allied with a crew of berserker kin known as the Slayers; the Shadow Elves, treacherous and cunning, who formed an uneasy pact with a band of Chaos Marauders; the Witch-Hunters, fanatical and righteous, traveling alongside the elegant and deadly nobles of the Ice Court; and the Engineer Clan, with their bizarre and powerful arcane engines, arrived on rust-stained ships of their own design.

Yet, they were not alone. The continent's native denizens also swarmed the shores of Dolrain, drawn by the raw, chaotic energy that now suffused the land. The Infection Clan, a plague-spreading menace, sailed alongside their Skryre kin, a fleeting and pragmatic alliance. The Chaos Carnival, a grotesque and joyful legion of maddened warriors, made common cause with a horde of monstrous Ogre mercenaries.

Their first act was to establish footholds in this strange new world. The lands were wild and untamed, the previous inhabitants having fled or been consumed by the comet's influence. Each faction chose a starting point, planting their banners and establishing their base camps. The air was thick with tension, each knowing that their neighbor was both a potential threat and a temporary obstacle in their quest for dominance.

With the camps established, the initial expeditions began. The first marches were undertaken with a cautious curiosity, meant to scout out enemy positions and stake a claim on the island's desolate expanses. The days were filled with the sound of marching feet, the clang of hammers, the whispers of dark magic, and the foul stench of plague. The pioneers of Dolrain were seeking to increase their influence over a landscape now completely devoid of its original masters.

The inaugural week of exploration concluded with a skirmish in the western forests of the island. A serendipitous encounter saw the dwarven pirates and the ratmen invaders clash amidst a bizarre and monstrous landscape. What began as a strategic ambush quickly devolved into a desperate fight for survival against creatures never before seen. The dwarves, in a stroke of good fortune, emerged with fewer wounds, claiming a hard-won victory.

Meanwhile, other factions across the island were busy consolidating their power. Some won the loyalty of the disorganized local populace, promising them protection and a return to order. Others, however, simply converted the terrified inhabitants to their malevolent cults or, in the case of the Ogres, simply ate them. In the more tranquil regions, each faction solidified their hold, gathering resources and services, whether offered willingly or stolen outright. The local populace, initially hopeful, would soon realize that many of their self-proclaimed saviors were just as dangerous as the new threats.

As the first week of conflict and conquest drew to a close, every faction leader knew that their enemies were now closer than ever. The marches became more guarded, supplies more jealously guarded, for none could be certain of surviving to see the next day.

A new dawn broke over Dolrain, and with it came the realization that the initial skirmishes were just the beginning. The second week began with the forces of Chaos invigorated. Reyus's cultists celebrated two consecutive victories, while the Chaos Carnival, under the leadership of Johnny, savored a crucial triumph. The Witch-Hunters had been successfully driven back from the northern sea cliffs, thanks to a chance encounter with two ravenous Hydras that seemed to have a particular taste for fresh human flesh.

With the initial battles resolved, the factions turned their attention to their territories, shoring up defenses and securing their gains. The island’s scattered populations, initially bewildered, now found themselves under the yoke of new masters. Many were happy to drive out the evil that had fallen from the sky, readily assisting anyone who claimed to be their defender. Often, they were too desperate to realize the true nature of their new allies.

These were but vague shadows on the horizon, too faint for anyone to truly worry about. For now, the most terrible beasts were nothing more than mutated wild animals. A coordinated and determined threat had yet to emerge.

But as the first light of the third week stretched across the island, it brought with it a foul, diseased wind. Weariness settled into the bones of the warriors before they even moved. A palpable sense of impending disaster drove the leaders to goad their forces forward. The thought on everyone's mind was a grim one: the sooner the victory, the sooner they could escape this cursed land.

A new chapter was unfolding on the Isle of Dolrain. The adventurers had been forced to learn that on this island, survival was not just about strength, but about cunning, alliances, and a constant awareness of the enemies surrounding them.

And everyone now knew that the greatest threat might not be the creatures of the land, but the other factions themselves.

Fifty years of incessant warfare have transformed the hope of a quick conquest of the island into an epic of conflict and corruption. What began as a series of skirmishes between bands of adventurers has evolved into a full-scale conflict. Early alliances shattered, pacts were betrayed, and the original leaders were consumed by madness or the enemy's blade.

Over time, the invading bands have consolidated into powerful factions, each with its own stronghold and a deep-seated hatred for the others.

The dwarven treasure hunters and their Slayers became a dynasty of pirate warlords, the witch hunters transformed into a military order that dominates the snowy lands, while the Shadow Elves and their marauder allies became the lords of the coast. Over five decades, chaos magic has permeated everything, corrupting the flora, fauna, and minds of anyone who ventured too far in. The island, once wild, has become a twisted organism. Ancient ruins, buried for centuries, have emerged, brought to light by the power of the comet fragment. Now, the ruins are places of contention, where factions clash not just for territory, but for the possession of relics capable of altering reality.

The war for supremacy has never known a truce, fueled by the dark magic that continues to emanate from the heart of the island. Deformed beasts, dark cults, and demonic creatures are now an integral part of the landscape, a constant threat to all. And yet, despite everything, the island has issued a new call. Rumors of stolen maps and magical compasses pointing toward Dolrain have reached the continent. New ships are sailing over the horizon, bringing a new wave of explorers and mercenaries. They know nothing yet of the consolidated factions that await them, nor of the chaos that lies at the heart of the island, but the promise of power and glory is irresistible. 

The story of Dolrain is not over; it is about to begin anew with an even greater conflict that could determine the fate of the entire world.

Fifty years have passed since the cataclysm that shook the island of Dolrain, when the comet fragment struck the heart of the island, unleashing ancient and devastating powers. What was once a remote and forgotten corner of the world is now a place of perpetual conflict and corruption.

Dolrain has returned to being a battleground for bands of adventurers, pirates, and mercenaries in search of power, wealth, and glory. The bands that once invaded Dolrain have consolidated, transforming into powerful factions, each with its own ambitions of conquest. However, the real threat lies in the heart of the island, where chaos magic has deep roots and dark forces patiently await their awakening. Chaos has contaminated not only the island's nature but also the minds of those who inhabit it, making Dolrain a dangerous land where humanity is constantly put to the test.

Ancient ruins, once centers of powerful and mysterious civilizations, are now places of conflict, where bands of marauders and adventurers vie for possession of the relics hidden within. Some seek the power these relics could confer, others hope to discover secrets capable of bending reality itself, but all, without exception, are forced to contend with the terrible forces of chaos that dominate the island's most remote lands. Deformed beasts, dark cults, and demonic creatures are now an integral part of the landscape, threatening to overwhelm anyone who isn't prepared to defend themselves.

The lands of Dolrain have become a mosaic of contested territories, each with its own strategic importance. Some are dominated by bands of raiders and pirates who plunder every ship that approaches, while others are strongholds of bandits or mercenary leagues that, day after day, struggle to wrest control of the territory from others. The bands, once allies, now challenge each other in continuous battles as rivalries grow and allies turn into enemies. The war for supremacy knows no truce.

Yet, amidst the confusion and chaos, rumors of a new awakening are spreading. Ships are approaching the coasts of Dolrain, flying the flags of explorers and merchants. Some tell of maps stolen from the most inaccessible towers of the wizard islands, others of pirate junk dealers who have gotten their hands on ancient scrolls, rich with clues about hidden secrets. Some say that in the north, where demons still walk among men, magical instruments have been forged, including compasses that point toward the island, as if an invisible force were guiding the ships to resume the journey to Dolrain.

Explorers and adventurers, armed with these new discoveries, are preparing to set out. Rumors of an unknown power and ancient relics continue to spread, and the call of Dolrain has never been so strong. Now, more than ever, the island is destined to become the center of an even greater conflict, where whoever manages to dominate the corruption and dark magic will have the power to change the fate of the world. The forgotten lands of Dolrain may soon be reawakened, but no one can say what the price will be for those who decide to claim them...