The old ones still remember the empire, and the great war to bring it down. The war was bitterly fought, but no one imagined that the aftermath would be worse. As the alliance was closing in, the doomed Emperor pronounced his final curse on the world that had spurned his rule. Countless horrors were unleashed.
Now horrible beasts roam the world. It's not safe outside the defended towns. Only rarely does a traveler brave the roads between them. As often as not, these travelers bring bad news. Sometimes a whole village can just vanish, overrun by ghouls or slime or something that doesn't even have a name.
There are just a few people brave enough or crazy enough to push back at the encroaching darkness. They are a motley bunch or misfits, outcasts and half-breeds; practitioners of forgotten arts, acolytes of foreign gods, thieves, killers, and sometime just caravan guards who dream of being something great. The polite term is "adventurer."
When the monsters are pushing hard, and the village militia isn't enough, maybe you can find a such group before it's too late. If your lucky, they'll even help you for room and board. Don't mistake this for altruism: these people make their living looting the dead. So if you see anything among their bloodstained loot that used to belong to your missing neighbors, just keep your mouth shut.
What every adventurer is really looking for is an imperial vault. These are the secret hiding places where the empire stored its most powerful magic and most valuable treasures. These are the places from which the Emperor's curse emanates.
Unwelcome Guests, a Short Story
Link to Cursed World:
