Aethelgard's Watch

The flickering candlelight dances across ancient maps, highlighting sea monsters and uncharted territories. A chill, deeper than the November wind howling outside your window, snakes down your spine. You clutch the worn leather journal, its pages brittle with age and filled with frantic, barely legible script. This journal, passed down through generations, whispers of a forgotten island – Aethelgard – said to hold a power beyond comprehension, a power coveted by many, and guarded by forces best left undisturbed. Your family, the last scions of the Aethelgardian Watch, swore an oath to protect this island, to keep its secrets buried deep within the earth. But generations of peace have bred complacency. The knowledge, once vibrant and sharp, has dulled to mere folklore. Until now. A cryptic message, etched onto a fragment of obsidian found hidden within the family vault, has shattered the illusion of security. It speaks of the awakening, of the ancient wards weakening, and of a shadow stretching across the ocean towards Aethelgard. You are the only one who can decipher the message, the only one who carries the blood of the Watch, the only one who knows (or remembers) the ancient paths. The journey will be perilous. The seas are treacherous, riddled with storms and whispers of lost ships. The island itself is a labyrinth of dense jungle, crumbling ruins, and forgotten temples, each step laden with traps and riddles devised by a civilization millennia ahead of its time. And you are not alone in your quest. Rumors swirl of rival factions, each vying for control of Aethelgard's power. The Cult of the Serpent, with their fanatical devotion to ancient gods, seeks to unleash the island's power upon the world. The Crimson Hand, a ruthless band of mercenaries, seeks to exploit its resources for personal gain. And then there are the island's native inhabitants, the shrouded Whisperers, whose intentions remain shrouded in mystery. You have three days. Three days to gather your resources, decipher the journal's secrets, and prepare for the voyage. Three days to decide who you will trust, what sacrifices you are willing to make, and ultimately, whether you are ready to face the forces that await you on Aethelgard. The fate of the island, and perhaps the world, rests on your shoulders. Choose wisely. Your adventure begins now.