The Story

I wrote some stuff for the game's intro 'cinematic' (I'm doing cinematics as series' of pictures at least for now), so I figured that I might as well share what I came up with :D

In the year 820, the Orcish army invaded the Human Kingdom of Ardam.  The battles fought over the course of that great war were bloody and merciless, and left both kingdoms shattered.  Many lives were lost, and many families on each side were left without a single adult man.

The devastation was felt most strongly near the border, where most towns were destroyed completely and others were left in shambles.

Even in the interior of the kingdom, in places like the town of Kinton, the loss of so many men had a terrible impact.  Among the population, nearly half the children grew up without their fathers and nearly all had lost brothers and uncles.  As well, there were many orphans who made their way from the remnants of the border territories in search of new homes.

Near the end of the war, a woman named Diona moved into a small house at the edge of Kinton.  She had a young daughter named Shara, whose father had fought and died in the war.  Less than a year later, the two were joined by a young orphan boy who Diona had found wandering in the forest and adopted.  She took him in and named him Ardo, after Shara's father, vowing to raise him as a son.

The peace between the kingdoms remained shaky for many years after, and life was difficult even for the most fortunate.  For Diona, she took comfort in the knowledge that she could keep herself and her children safe.

                 

Diona worked at the tavern when she could, but some years were harsh and there was little work.  Thanks to a generous old friend that lived in the nearby town of Dionosa, however, the family was usually able to make it through the hard times better than most.  Even when food was scarce, Shara's family always found a way to make it through.

                 

Ardo would do work for townsfolk of passing travelers, in exchange for food...

                 

Shara would often collect edible plants, herbs, and berries from the forest nearby...

                 

And in the coldest and longest winters, when supplies ran low and half the town was on the verge of starvation, Diona would visit the nearby trading post.  The hunters there spent long stretches in the wilds, and were quite willing to part with some of their catch to help a beautiful mother, who desperately wanted to see her children well fed so that they could grow up smart and strong.  And of course, they had heard of how thankful Diona was for such generosity...

                 

Diona felt no shame in doing whatever was necessary, to provide for her children and make sure that they saw a time when the world moved back from the darkness.

However, even as the last flames of the war were smoking out, another shadow began to show itself. 

It was in the late spring that it all began, while Shara was in the forest gathering some herbs...