The world of Vale has just recently entered a period of tenuous peace after an era of arduous war. Through great cost and effort, a small settlement has been carved out upon the shore of the dangerous and uncharted continent known as the Heart of Vale. Rumor of an expedition looking to recruit individuals and venture deep into the mysterious inner portion of the land spreads, but a decade of painful rebuke from the creatures that seem to guard the Heart has scared off most would-be adventurers.The paths of six individuals cross in the beleaguered settlement of Tarn's Rest: An ex-military captain seeking purpose; a survivor of fearful rhetoric and war seeking adventure; a scholar of an ancient civilization seeking answers; a farmer of rot and death seeking new specimens; a cursed traveler seeking a cure; and an enigma seeking freedom from their past. What they find deep in the Heart of Vale will lead to more questions than answers and will draw the entire world into an ancient mystery. Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge.