Crimson Sea Aethelburg

The biting wind whips at your threadbare cloak, carrying the scent of brine and decay. The Crimson Sea, they call it, and for good reason. It's swallowed more ships and souls than any priest dares count. You're huddled on the cracked, salt-encrusted docks of Aethelburg, a city clinging to the edge of the world like a barnacle to a rotten hull. Aethelburg: last stop before oblivion, a festering wound on the map, a place where hope goes to die. You're not here for hope, though. You're here for coin. Or perhaps vengeance. Or maybe just to escape the horrors you left behind. Whatever your reason, you've come to the right place. Aethelburg is a haven for smugglers, pirates, heretics, and the generally disreputable. Survival here depends on your wits, your grit, and perhaps a touch of luck. The year is 1487 by the God-Emperor's reckoning, but here, far from the shining cities of the mainland, the calendar means little. The Old Gods still whisper in the crashing waves, and the whispers grow louder with each passing storm. The Church's grip on this corner of the world is weak, and ancient powers stir in the shadows. A crumpled flyer lies discarded at your feet, stained with mud and seagull droppings. It's a notice from the Crimson Company, a mercenary outfit known for its ruthless efficiency and utter lack of scruples. They're recruiting. "Strong Backs, Sharp Swords, and Even Sharper Minds Wanted. Generous Pay, Dangerous Work. Apply Within: The Drunken Kraken Tavern." The Drunken Kraken. A fitting name, considering the stories whispered in the ale-soaked corners of Aethelburg – tales of monstrous leviathans dragging ships to the ocean floor, of cursed islands haunted by restless spirits, of forgotten treasures guarded by unspeakable horrors. Your stomach growls. The wind howls. The choice is yours. Will you risk your life for a handful of silver? Will you delve into the mysteries that lurk beneath the waves? Will you become another forgotten soul lost to the Crimson Sea? The Drunken Kraken awaits. Your adventure begins.