[hider=Click Me!]It was dark, not so much a trickle of moonlight breaking through the forest canopy to the ground below. The myriad of stars overhead were hidden from sight by the leafy ceiling, leaving Eriscinna in almost pitch blackness. The sounds of the night could be heard, as if from all around you, the chirping of crickets, the baying of wolves, the scurry of animals as they tried frantically to stay alive. Here, in Eriscinna, nature was a brutal mistress, one who let only the strong survive. 

Eriscinna was home to the Uruken hordes, foul beasts who many years before had driven the continent of Hereshia to the brink of destruction, in a war that had left every race deeply scarred. The Elves had lost their Queen in the battle, while the dwarves had lost their two princes, leaving their King a broken man. The humans, who had made up the bulk of the forces, they had their losses too. More human men died in that war than in any other event in history. And the Uruken, the instigators, perhaps they had the worst of it. Driven to the brink of extinction, they had retreated withen the dense foliage and darkness of Eriscinna, a fell forest which was home not just to them, but creatures such as trolls, ogres, giants and other creatures to horrible to mention. 

Eriscinna was a place where few dared to tread, a place that even fewer of those returned. The Uruken and their ilk were thus left in peace, given time to grow more and more powerful. Their numbers grew, they forged alliances with the other beasts who called Eriscinna home. And they bided their time, waiting until they were all but forgotten, even to the oldest of the elves, those who lived for centuries and who forgot nothing. The Uruken were a myth, a fallacy used to make children behave. But they were strong, they were waiting and now...they were almost ready. 

It was gradual, at first. Sightings of creatures most foul, the like of which had not been seen in centuries. Scouts, raiding parties, the Uruken were beginning to expand from the woodland fortress of Eriscinna. Where they came across people, death was rarely quick and always savage, the deaths of those the killers consider far beneath themselves.

The Uruken did not have it all their own way, however. The Humans, the Elves and the Dwarves had been joined by new allies as well, the Fae and the Demonata. The Fae were mysterious, ethereal beings, ancient and powerful like the Elves. The Demonata were shapeshifters, creatures with animal like features and attributes who could shift between humanoid and beastoid forms.

As the threat began to establish itself, the five great nations gathered together. It was clear that war was coming once more, war on a scale that made the Great War seem tiny and insignificant. Their own scouts, primarily consisting of the Elves and the Demonata, had returned from Eriscinna. They told of a great horde, a horde of Uruken, Giants, Trolls, Ogres, Goblins and other creatures they didn't recognize. They spoke of the serpents longer than the trees were high and of spiders that were larger than a house. They spoke of sorcery, of dark magic which was corrupting the land there. Wraiths, Lichs and other undead had joined the Horde and, to the scouts horror, two dragons, two of the last, had also rallied to that banner. One was a Black Dragon, a creature of pure, unrestrained malicious intent, while the other was a Red, almost as bad.

The Horde of Eriscinna was large, many times what could be put in the field by the Alliance. It seemed helpless and yet...People can be stubborn. The Humans, the Elves, the Dwarves, they refused to lay down and die. The Fae and the Demonata, they joined their allies in great numbers, fearful of what would happen to their own homelands if Hereshia were to fall. 

So, stranger....will you join with us to save the world, or will you help the Horde destroy it?[/hider]


This is actually based off another roleplay I had on another roleplaying website, which has since been shut down. 

The setting it somewhat dark, and it would allow for players to join as a wider variety of races and subraces than are usually included in high fantasy. I thought perhaps that the Alliance could sport a small group of warriors and mages, played by roleplayers, who go forth as the vanguard. Their task would be to serve as guerrilla fighters, infiltrating Eriscinna in order to harry and delay the Horde as much as possible, before branching out into hit and run attacks as it begins to advance. 

Thoughts?