Through the Darkness
In the decade since Balthasar's usurped the throne, the once-prosperous nation of Aurelia has fallen on hard times. Trade still flows, and the inns rarely lack for patrons, and travel hasn't stopped, but the taxes Balthasar has levied ensure the lion's share of the kingdom's wealth floods his coffers.
His hand, in the form of his most devoted lieutenants, is felt everywhere through martial law. Only those cities whose ruling class were utterly destroyed in the war have escaped this fate, as their new governors are Balthasar's puppets anyway. Tax-dodgers are dragged into the street by his men and publicly executed. Where there used to be gentleness and understanding from the throne there is now fury and wrath.
Citizens live in fear daily, hoping that none of the guards decide they don't look 'patriotic' enough. Worse, there are men gathering near the capitol under his orders. Camps are forming, filled with conscripts from every town, city, holdfast, and prison in Aurelia. Balthasar's men are turning these unfortunates into new soldiers for his war machine. He seems to be preparing to take down the last pockets of land not completely under his control: the Greatwood, the Acadian mountains, and the plains that the nomadic dragonborn travel.
There are rumors, whispers in dark corners of taverns deep in the night, of a rebellion. There are rumors that the rebellion is made up of surviving knights and men of the royal army. But there is little evidence of such a thing. The little hope that people have is that just maybe it exists, and, just maybe, it will bring down Balthasar and bring to an end his reign of terror. Aurelia is a kingdom in need of heroes. Heroes that will give their entire being to saving what is left of the great kingdom. Heroes willing to fight Through the Darkness that Aurelia finds itself in.
