Welcome to Veilstrum
"There’s the world we can see—and then there’s the world we don’t dare to look at too closely. The Veil keeps it all in place, and they say it’s thin in some places. That’s where the trouble starts."
This is the kind of thing you’d hear whispered in a village tavern, passed around like a half-forgotten prayer, used to frighten children to eat their vegetables. For most peasants, life is simple: work the land, tend the animals, survive the seasons. Yet even the humblest folk know enough to be wary of the dangers that lurk beyond the fields and forests.
In the beginning:
The Weaver and the Veil
Long ago, before the world was shaped, there was only The Weaver—a timeless being of infinite threads. In its endless solitude, The Weaver began to spin, weaving the fabric of existence from the strands of its own essence. Each thread became a piece of the world: the land, the seas, the skies, and the stars.
But as The Weaver worked, the threads that frayed and broke fell away, forming the Unwoven, a chaotic, hungry force that lurked just beyond the edges of creation. To protect the world, The Weaver cast the Veil, a barrier of shimmering threads that separated the realm of order from the endless chaos beyond.
Legends say The Weaver vanished after completing its work, retreating into the Veil itself. Some believe it watches still, mending breaches and guiding fate, while others whisper that the Unwoven’s relentless hunger has slowly devoured The Weaver’s strength.
The Veil is all that keeps the world whole, but its threads are not perfect. The smallest tear can let chaos seep through, warping life and reality into terrifying shapes. It’s said that those who delve too deeply into magic or seek the Veil’s secrets risk unraveling themselves—and the world.
Thus, the people live in a fragile balance, caught between the beauty of The Weaver’s creation and the lurking dread of the Unwoven beyond.
The Veil and Its Shadows:
Everyone knows about the Veil, even if they don’t fully understand it. It’s an invisible boundary, a layer that separates this world from something... darker, stranger, and hungrier. Most say the Veil protects us, but it’s not perfect. There are cracks—places where monsters seep through and magic twists the land.
Old tales speak of breaches, where entire villages vanished overnight or strange creatures spilled out, leaving only silence behind. Travelers always say to avoid the Mistshroud Expanse or the deep waters of the open sea—because the Veil is thin there. Everyone has heard of someone who didn’t listen.
Common Wisdom
Life as a peasant means knowing a few simple truths:
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Always lock your doors at night.
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Don’t stray into the Mistshroud or the deep waters.
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And if a minstrel sings a song that feels too familiar, be careful—sometimes, they know more than they let on.
The world may seem quiet in your little corner of it, but everyone knows it’s a fragile peace. You can hear it in the wind on cold nights, in the way the animals grow uneasy before storms. There’s something out there. And when it comes, all the kings, merchants, and minstrels in the world won’t save you.
Your Home: Bramblehollow
Tucked away in a quiet valley surrounded by dense woods, Bramblehollow is a small, isolated hamlet where life is simple and slow. The villagers tend their fields, care for their animals, and gather by the fire to share stories of the wider world. Though it lies far from the bustling kingdoms, Bramblehollow isn’t entirely forgotten—traveling merchants and wandering minstrels pass through occasionally, bringing news, wares, and a touch of excitement.
Bramblehollow isn't where you’d expect a great hero to be born. But that’s the thing about heroes—they’re made by their journeys, not their beginnings. This is where the first step was taken, a step that would demand strength, endurance, and determination. And that first step? It’s the same one you’re about to take.