The World
of Jack

Looming high over Black Forest stands Grimrock. Its forbidding and uninviting shape is only a mask, for if you were to conjure up enough nerve and enter into one of its hidden passageways, you may come across a cave deep within, as our unlikely hero did one night. That evening, seeded deep in the heart of the damsel he rescues, is the birth of his legend.

To the north and east of the Black Forest and smaller in size than Hagen, Windermere is ruled by the Good King Philip, as the people call him. Although its population is small the army that defends it is considered the best in all the world. Though the treaty forged with Hagen ended the Great War, there is still an air of unrest and distrust in the kingdom.

Named for the mushroom-like treetops stretching high up into the sky, it sits at the base of Grimrock. Except for light pinpointing through tiny openings in the canopy, it is pitch black within. In recent years, after the Great War, it has become a haven for criminal fugitives fleeing justice, and, in some cases, injustice. Stories of creatures and ghosts dwelling there cause even the bravest of hearts to pause before entering.

It flows ribbon-like out of Grimrock, where its headwaters spring from the snowmelt, and winds effortlessly southward to the sea. The gradual erosion of the mica-rich mountain fills the river with reflective particles, from which it derives its name: natural light causes a rainbow of colors, like shards of crystal in the water.

Located in the Neutral Zone and established as a result of a treaty brokered between Hagen and Windermere, the Council Chambers is where laws and ordinances are created and enforced. The council is made up of seven representatives – three from each of the kingdoms, and a seventh, referred to by the people as The People’s Seat, who is elected by those same people.

The Neutral Zone is composed of the Roundabout and the Council Chambers and their adjoining buildings. It was established as part of the treaty that ended the Great War and created the Great Council. In the middle is the “Roundabout,” named for its circular design of shops and services. Merchants pass through, bringing news from around the world and the latest inventions and medicines. Although the word neutral conveys a sense of agreement and companionship, in the Roundabout there is often crime and violence.

Originally a privately-owned institution housing orphans from all the land, it was converted into a prison and torture house by the Kingdom of Hagen during the Great War. It was reverted back to an orphanage for boys at the time of the forming of the Neutral Zone.

Much larger than Windermere in size and strength, Hagen is located southwest of the Black Forest. It was ruled by the adored King Wessex until his death, at which time he passed the control on his deathbed over to his daughter, Mara, first born of twins. After Mara’s ascension to the throne the good, simple people of Hagen become hopelessly enslaved by deceit and backbiting. They have become warlike and aggressive under Mara’s chaotic, iron-fisted reign.

Located between the two rival kingdoms, the cemetery serves as a burial ground for the impoverished and unclaimed victims of the Great War. Now, it is used exclusively for disposing of those convicted and executed under the laws of the Neutral Zone. It is a dumping ground for lost or unwanted souls. Buried in one shallow grave lies a mystery that only the Keeper of the Black Forest knows about.

Devil’s Cliff juts out menacingly from high upon Grimrock, where the air is thin and storms batter the peak. Littered with the broken remains of troublemakers and other unlucky souls can be found far below, most severed in half by the jagged cliff’s edges. A place used exclusively by Queen Mara in the disposal of those who dared to questioned her orders.

Bane Valley lies between the Black Forest and Grimrock, Bane Valley was once lush and green. But after the firebombing it sustained during the Great War it is now a deep black scar on the earth. This turned out to be the last battle which brought forth a delicate truce between Hagen and Windermere.