Prologue
It is a second month after gates of the Underworld have been unsealed. Attacks of undead mobs and dark spirits became less bloody, and sightings of demons became scarce. That is because beings coming from the dead, dark and arcane are slowly losing things to kill on their death march through Axewrath. Holy Inquisition tried it's best to save as many lives as it could, but even those holy warriors and exorcists were quickly overwhelmed by sheer numbers and brute force of their adversaries. Many settlements have turned into death traps, gaining the biggest amount of undead, dark spirits and demons. Those that survived spread out in search of safe hideouts, or still battle their way to bring faith in gods back to the world.
Darkness came even to places far away from great cities, bloody battlefields or trade routes. A small village, forgotten among millions lost in the cataclysm, is still holding on againt supernatural threats. Survivors remain hidden in their hideouts, while northern fields and western forests are swarming with walking dead or dark forces. Villagers most probably were able to hear an explosion to the south-east from village when the cataclysm started. That's a place where hell pit burst open and lesser demons ran out from towards Height Keep, a ruined fortress atop eastern hills - to prepare it for their demonic master. But the battlefield became still and silent one day, as if the cataclysm stopped just for a few hours, to let newcomers join into the slaughter and allow hidden to breathe some fresh air.
Doors to a slightly charred shed - the only remainings of a burned house, slowly opened with a silent creak, then fell off their hinges. Dennis - peasant dressed in patchwork clothing, with a battered hat on his head and an unkempt beard hesitantily came out to sunlight and stared at the blackened sun, corrupted with taint of the Underworld. Keeping his pitchfork at ready, he went towards a place that once was a shrine to the gods in the center of his village. A vision of demon spilling guts of his ox then strangling it with them still striked into his mind.
From the north came a lone, wandering undead hunter. His holy crossbow loaded and in his hands at all times. A little bit taller than average and skinny man, with red hair and a general look that might be called elfish, but with skin that would likely be described as sickly or zombie-like. Going through fields, he passed by numerous corpses lying dormant on the ground. Kids, elders, a young woman with her beau. Some of them rotting, some drained of life and mummified by dark spirits. Aaron Blaze, as that's his name, moved through an alley of burnt down buildings and got to village center.
From south-west last remnants of Holy Inquisition appeared. Jeremiah Nix - a stocky man with shaved head and pug-like face. One of the few exorcists. Reynald Smithson was accompanying him, a brown haired, brown eyed, middle aged man - inquisitor, a holy warrior set against undead. They went through forests, avoiding an old graveyard - most probably a death trap, and reached the burnt down part of village, heading towards it's center.
Passing through gates at Height Keep and moving downhill, Pguhyuh Sugnta reached the village as well. The keep was empty and he haven't seen any demons there, but the place was filled with arcane energies. Going around barricades and piles of bodies, he approached a shrine in the center of village.
Then Bob came out of hiding, leaiving his cellar. Armed with scythe, he looked nervously at the aftemath of massacre that happened in this village. Decapitated, tortured and rotting bodies made him feel sick. He thought for a while that he saw someone alive, and chased the mysterious person towards the shrine.
They all met at the same time by desacrated shrine in the center of village, staring inquiringly at each other, waiting for someone to take initiative and start a conversation.
OOC
Thought that it'd be best for everyone to meet in one place and then decide if you all go in one group, split by 3 or go all alone.
Poise bonus decreases chance of enemy staggering you and makes you able to tank through heavy blows without being thrown off-balance.