The northern hemisphere of Vastinia contains a large ocean, filled with archipelagoes. Some small, some big. Austpolia is an island in the south of the northern hemisphere and the first bigger island, so big it takes weeks to cross it. Up until two decades ago, this island was governed by the Nobles of the kingdom of Helio isles, the elf monarch seeking to expand their homeland. But two decades ago, an uprising happened and three warlords arose, Renard the Cleaver, Lucious the Reaper and Edward the Defender.

All three warlords have been fighting for control over Austpolia over the last two decades. Mostly political, but every once in a while, one of the warlords would make a play for more control. Usually, Renard Hargrave and Lucious Cauterus. But there has not been any real progress over the decades, leaving Austpolia divided into four, the cleavers, the reapers, the defenders and the northern city states.

The city states are the dwarven settlements Unsun and Sunless on the northern side of the giant volcano Gond that makes up a big part of the center of Austpolia, the seaports of Seacaptain Katis and the open plains of the roaming bandit king, Dorian Ashborn and his horde of misfits, Globins, Orcs, Ogres, Bugbears and a lot more.

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And it is in the area, a couple of days' ride from the small port town of Bleakwater, there the small sleepy village of Palewood could be found, on the edge of the forest bearing the same name. A sizable forest containing mostly birch trees and bushes.

But there was something wrong about this year; the wild life has turned skittish, like wolves, boars, deer and more. Magical beasts like Ettercaps, and owlbears have been more aggressive and the more nature beings like fairies, pixies and spirits have been hiding in the deep dark parts of the forest.

Harsh northern winds have been constant in an almost unnatural manner, bringing overcast skies and colder weather. The High Spring and Low Summer had been cold and overcasted, so the crops had not grown as much as earlier years. Many are starting to believe in ill omens and foul magic.