Prologue
If there was one thing that humans could almost universally agree on, it was a simple warning: "Stay away from Mount Ebott."
Located in the northern wildlands of the largest kingdom on Earth, it towered above the surrounding areas and seemed to gaze down at the kingdom below. To the casual observer, it wasn't worth noting much. Unusual height aside, Ebott had no distinct physical features. Numerous outcroppings and steep paths lined the slopes of the mountain, with trees practically covering every other surface. There was no snow-capped peak, no sharp spire at the top with unforgiving clouds, not even an unusual mist floating through the air to signify that something was dangerous about it.
The prospect of venturing up Ebott was popularly discussed among children who were either curious as to what could be found there or daring each other to step foot on the base of the landmass. Naturally, none of them had the nerve to ever go too far up, thus awarding it even greater intrigue. Sometimes, adults would discuss the mysterious place with each other as well when not otherwise occupied. Many of them could be just as easily excited by the secrecy of it all as those younger than them, and countless rumours of what Ebott held floated around the kingdom. Traversing the mountain was ostensibly banned by the government, but as the laws prohibiting its exploration were hardly upheld, it was in essence public property. And yet, very few citizens living near Ebott would ever dare to seriously consider having a look for themselves.
Put simply, the reasoning for this was the legend surrounding the mountain. Those who had been exiled from the kingdom of men, so it was said, relocated to the sprawling caves beneath the earth through Mount Ebott and spent the rest of their days there. Terrified locals believed that to this day, the vengeful spirits of the "Underlanders" were still down there, sealed away by a magical barrier but ready and willing to prey on the foolish and unlucky as those who would dare enter their domain. Indeed, several people had already scaled the mountain and were never heard from again, their souls presumably devoured by the guardians of Ebott.
Had you asked a knowledgeable enough historian, or perhaps an open-minded politician of the day, about the validity of such rumours, he or she would likely describe them as being "not untrue."
In actuality, the residents of Mount Ebott's caves were said to be not humans but monsters, a species of bizarre creatures mostly comprised of magic energy and possessing various powers. These beings had once ruled the earth alongside humans but were eventually seen as too dangerous to be allowed to remain with them. A great war broke out, ending with human victory and the monsters being trapped underground. Despite the fear of retaliation from whatever still remained there, every so often someone was curious enough to venture up the slopes of Mount Ebott.
And so this dark tale... begins