A general born to rule

A background and what's coming

The world of Valorcrest was one shaped by empires, rebellion, and the remnants of a once-great past. As Marcus and Sam, reincarnated with knowledge from the distant future, prepared for their mission to the cave, the undercurrents of political unrest and old regimes continued to fester.

Emperor Valdrak and His Loyalists

Emperor Valdrak, exiled from the main kingdom of Valorcrest, had retreated to the old puppet states of the once-mighty Golden Orcest Empire. Now a shell of its former self, the empire was held together only by the fear and loyalty of a few surviving generals. These men, old but hardened, gathered in secret, plotting their return to power. Their underground tunnels and hidden enclaves were filled with maps, marking forgotten routes into Valorcrest and neighboring lands. Among them, a banner waved: a modified version of the Golden Orcest Empire’s flag, representing their rebellion against the modern world that had pushed them aside.

Their military was pitiful compared to the might of Valorcrest. While Marcus and Sam's forces utilized WWII-era technology, Valdrak's loyalists were reduced to training with outdated muskets and wooden naval ships. In a dimly lit chamber deep within their stronghold, the black market tradesman who had acquired the stolen musket from Valorcrest entered. He presented the musket to Valdrak's most trusted general.

"Look at this," the tradesman said with a sly grin, handing over the antique. "This is a relic of their past. The Valorcrest military has discarded these, but we can bring them back."

The general, a grizzled man with a scar running down his face, inspected the weapon. "It’s crude," he muttered, "but it’ll do. We can arm our men with these. Better than nothing."

With the musket in hand, they began mass-producing these ancient weapons, forging cannons with shorter range than the modern artillery Valorcrest had at its disposal. While outdated, they trained their troops tirelessly, preparing for their eventual rebellion. Wooden ships patrolled the waters under Valdrak’s command, primitive compared to the naval forces of Valorcrest, but their numbers grew. As they gained strength, Valdrak's forces began capturing dragons, intending to revive the ancient art of dragon riding, a rare and powerful skill not seen for centuries. Dragons were chained and broken, forced to serve their masters as they trained a select few to become the feared dragon riders of old.

Valdrak’s empire may have been weakened, but his ambition was undeterred.

The Dark Origins of Valorcrest's Crime Syndicates

Meanwhile, the corruption that had taken root during Valdrak’s rule still plagued Valorcrest. The black markets and slave trades, once allowed to flourish under his regime, had spread like a cancer throughout the city. As Marcus and Sam struggled to restore order, they found their military police forces overworked and overwhelmed, constantly putting out fires but never able to stamp out the corruption entirely. The underground slave trade continued, with the church acting as a front for the darkest of operations.

Inside the hidden chamber of the church, the priest, posing as a holy man, continued his vile business. After the disturbing transaction with the slave trader, he led two new acquisitions—a captured elf and an orc—down a private corridor to his hidden bedroom. There, the priest indulged in the most depraved acts imaginable. Afterward, the two slaves lay unconscious on the bed as the priest redressed himself, preparing for the next round of his twisted rituals.

Outside the church, however, the military police were closing in. Though they had been unable to uncover the full extent of the church's crimes, they knew something was amiss. As they stood outside, awaiting Sam's return, they prepared to raid the building fully. But without hard evidence, they could not yet act.

The Continent of Valorcrest and Its Allies

The continent on which Valorcrest stood was a hostile one. Enemies surrounded them on nearly all sides, and only two true allies remained: the Dwarves of the Ironclad Mountains and the Dark Elves of the Shadow Vale. The Dwarves were masters of metallurgy, supplying Valorcrest with steel and iron to craft the powerful weapons and machines that Marcus and Sam had introduced. The Dark Elves, reclusive and feared by many, traded in rare dark fruits and other mystical substances. Among their goods was a strange, glowing rock they called “Vevael,” which emitted radiation similar to uranium, though the elves had yet to understand its true potential.