Until five short years ago, the Realm was the undisputed ruler of Creation. The only ones still willing to argue the point were hill-men savages and the glorified bandits that populate the Scavenger Lands.

The Empress had it all, a never-ending reign. And then, she vanished. Now, it seems like the Realm's dominion is nothing but a fading memory.

The world tears itself apart. Great powers come out of hiding in the Empress' absence. The dead have destroyed a city in the East, and the Realm's armies marched to defeat against the bull of the North. Every kingdom is full of war profiteers and prophets of woe. An age of war approaches with the certainty of an onrushing storm.

As a mortal in the Age of Sorrows, you must survive as best you can in a time of warring heroes. As the world trembles on the eve of the Time of Tumult, you must find your way without special might or wisdom. Will you rise to defend your ideals or merely seek to survive?

What stories will they tell of you?

- From The Player's Guide Sourcebook -