The Rise of Heroes is set in the Forgotten Realms in the Year of the Shield, 1367 Dalereckoning. It has been nearly ten years since the Time of Troubles, when the very gods walked the land, nearly tearing Faerun apart in the process. Avatars roamed the Realms for a time, but not all of them lived to return to the heavens and their stewardship of the Realms. All of the Dalelands was affected greatly by the turmoil, perhaps not all as much as places like Tantris, Shadowdale, or Waterdeep, but there is no place under the sun that did not bear witness to the horror and wonder of the time.
Now, the folk of Faerun have had nearly ten years to put their lives back together and adjust to the new gods and the changes wrought during the Time of Troubles. The Dalelands have mostly recovered, along with most of the Realms. Wild magic fields still pop up occasionally, wreaking havoc with the Art, and even more alarming to mages, dead-magic zones remain, the frightening legacy of the time when the gods walked the Realms.
In Daggerdale, lawlessness and chaos remain the order of the day. The Zhentarim continues to hold sway, preventing the lawful ruler of the dale, Randal Morn, from assuming his lordship and returning the formerly quiet, peaceful dale back to the tranquility and harmony it once enjoyed. Yet the Zhentarim are now having problems where once they enjoyed nearly unopposed rule. Randal Morn and his band of loyal warriors have enjoyed increasing success in their raids. The entire dale is on the brink of bloody revolt as even the most timid and cowed farmers shoot resentful, hate-filled glares at their Zhentish oppressors.
Unbeknownst to most, the changes in Daggerdale are not isolated. All across the Realms, the Zhentarim is faltering in its incessant warfare against freedom. Few know the true reasons for this welcome relief, but rare are the folk who do not breathe a sign of relief. Those who oppose the Zhentarim, individuals of noble heart and groups of meddlers like the Harpers say the source of the Zhentish stumble lies at the heart of their power in Zhentil Keep. There is strife within the church of Cyric, some kind of struggle amongst its black-hearted rulers.
In Daggerdale, the Zhentarim's loss of focus is welcome, but nearly all look for more than a brief reprieve. The Dalesmen hope to take advantage of the ebb in Zhentish power in the region to force the Zhents from their homes for good. They look around for heroes to lead them, desperately awaiting the moment when it will be time to act. Yet the moment has not arrived...
In the midst of this time of tension and apprehension, it is the young who find it hardest to wait. The blood burns hottest, and what some call wisdom seems little more than cowardice. Those humans and elves of the dale seek an outlet for their repressed urge for justice and the harrying of all Zhents forever from the dale. There must be something that can be done to relieve the boredom of waiting!
And there is...
|
