The basic premise is that the world was all but destroyed by an extraplanar invasion with only a small area escaping the destruction relatively unscathed. The survivors have rebuilt in this area, for the most part under the leadership of the Valurian Empire - one of a handful of nations to survive the devastation. The Valurian Empire is slowly rotting from within, the once noble and benevolent realm now a dark and twisted mockery of all it once stood for. Desperate to maintain it's position of power, the Empire will resort to any means neccessary to do so.