Deaths' Row

Prologue

Once upon a time, there existed a world as old as the Universe itself.

It was prosperous and beautiful, just like the gods imagined it to be. Humans, elves, dragons, and thousands of other races - including the gods themselves - lived together on this world in harmony. Technology and civilization were advancing in leaps and bounds.

Greatest among the gods was Morteres, tall and fair, god of Creation, and the creator of Valdren, as the world was known. He was the kindest and most selfless god of them all, making him worthy of the land's one true king.

Morteres and the other gods loved the inhabitants of Valdren dearly, keeping them close as though they were their own offspring. Just like children, the people of Valdren were young and curious about the wonders of the world. When they lost their way, the gods guided them with love and wisdom. All was well in this beautiful world, but the peace would not last forever...

Turmoil among the gods irked the people of Valdren. Soon, the tension lashed out into an all-out war, and the world was nearly destroyed in the conflict. Amidst the chaos, Morteres succumbed to insanity, being God of Creation no more. With the world in ruins and Morteres hell-bent on shrouding what was left in eternal darkness, the other gods banded together to seal him away, ending the war and saving Valdren from its doom.

However, civilization had been destroyed by the time peace was restored. Few humans remained, and other races were severely unstable. As a last resort, the gods wiped away Valdren's past and started anew, creating what is known as New Valdren. But, as a result of such hasty actions, saving the world came with a bitter price: the races no longer lived in harmony, and the gods were not allowed to walk the earth with them. Advancement of civilization moved at a much slower pace, and certain technologies and knowledge had become strictly limited to some of the world's countries.

Nonetheless, peace among the world prevailed for many years, and the history before the Great War was kept secret to all but the gods that participated. However, this time of peace would not last.

Now, Morteres is stirring once more, and with his incoming reign rises an army of new enemies, beings of darkness, hatred, and insanity. One of the countries of the world, Aleria, has already been struck by this new darkness; most of the country has become blanketed in shadows, and danger lurks in every corner of its land. Whatever peaceful cities remain live in fear of the one that controls them all, the Dark Lord - a merciless man of evil, proving his cruelty in the destruction of an entire major city. The loss of such a place affected people far and wide, causing some to grow to seek revenge.

And that, dear Reader, is where our story begins...