The 'Gigantic', a leviathan of polished brass and shimmering glass, cut a graceful path through the bruised twilight of the sky. Within its opulent belly, laughter and the clinking of crystal echoed, a symphony of extravagance played out against the morose backdrop of the Mournland. From their celestial perch, the passengers adorned in silks and finery observed the desolate landscape below with detached curiosity...
Beneath them, the Sunless Citadel — a legendary landmark; a monument to times long gone — rose from the ashen plains like a skeletal finger cursing the heavens. Its shattered towers, gnawed by the relentless teeth of time and touched by the Mournings decay, whispered tales of forgotten grandeur and mysteries still-buried. Wind whistled through its hidden halls carrying with it the scent of dust, grime, and despair.
Further Eastward, nestled within a surprisingly verdant grove of trees, lay Oakhurst, a tenacious weed amongst the empty plains, a tenacious ember of civilization flickering against the relentless whip of the dusty wind. From the airship's lofty perspective, the town resembled a child's forgotten plaything, its inhabitants mere ants scurrying amidst the ruins of a broken world.
Beyond the town, Westward, the land buckled and contorted, forming what was colloquially known as the Red Scale Canyons. Their rust and red clay walls deeply scarred by the Mourning's touch, and by battles fought centuries ago — remnants of which still remain hidden in their crevices, beneath their rivers, and within the depths of their labyrinthine caves.
Directly below, a lone ribbon of winding, electric steel, the Lightning Rail, winding through a series of bombed-out craters in the planes, splitting the difference between the Canyons and Oakhurst, leading one-way towards Sharn, the City of Towers.
Where are we in the Mournlands?:
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A small, mostly stabilized region just beyond the mists near Lake Cyre. Oakhurst, the game's hub town, is one of the only pockets of true-blue civilization currently around. Founded only a decade ago, as a product of industrial and magical ingenuity, in an effort to stake claim on the haunted realm, Oakhurst has its share of quirks and problems but is, for the most part, a bustling center for adventurers and entrepreneurs alike to launch their endeavors. A busy frontier town with (unusual) frontier problems, basically.
What about all the spooky stuff?:
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Fret not, it's still there. Beyond Oakhurst, the land is just as uncivilized, unpredictable, and unwelcoming! Things go bump in the night; temporal, magic, and monstrous anomalies are abound; and, looming over it all is an ancient Citadel seething with darkness.
Warforged? Shifters? Changelings!:
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Absolutely. Listen for the heavy foot-falls, looks for animalistic traits, and memorize your party member's faces! Not all are friends, not all are foes, but it's better safe than sorry...
Cowboys, Zombies, Robots, and Magic! Also, why is it always dark and raining?:
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While it won't always be dark and raining, do expect this game to use the desired themes and genres very liberally. We're going for pulp style and flair!
