For almost a thousand years, the human race has languished in exile, banished to the continent of Australia and sealed beneath a veil that holds magic away from the entire continent—except for those taken by the Illness.
As things were, humanity was doomed… until the Old Gods intervened. Called into the harsh depths of the Outback, a chosen few witnessed as the gods reformed it into a perfect replica of the Sea Amidst the Lands; having witnessed, the chosen returned to bear the news to the others sweltering in the swamps of the lush northern coasts.
The Illness followed, repeatedly winnowing the survivors as they tried to rebuild. Finally, there was an outbreak to end all outbreaks.
It took five hundred years for the Great Cleansing to reclaim the Gifted Lands, and even then, more (but lesser) outbreaks continued. Maddened by the constant and unrelenting struggle just to survive, many tribes and cults rebelled, and there was war among the humans.
The last and greatest of the minor outbreaks consumed the isle of Sicily, but was stopped by a naval blockade; it has lain Silent for more than a century.
Denied magic, humanity turned to the study of the rest of the world, slowly but surely mastering one facet after another, all with the aim of extirpating the Illness forever. Now, finally, humanity has developed a suite of tools not only to sweep away the last strongholds of the Illness, but to force an end to humanity’s exile. The gods command it, and humanity will obey!
But first, at last, it is time to begin the Cleansing of Sicily by sending a research crew into its great, unknown dangers! A poorly funded and terribly unqualified crew, but a crew nonetheless. All unknowing, this crew will rouse…
The Storm Before the War
