In the center of the city was rasied a huge temple to the Gods, which had started as a simple country shrine, and all roads ran past its gates. In time however the city grew unwilling to share their profits with the Gods. The King spent his gold on a new palace to outdo all the others in the city, and the lords followed suit by saving their sacrifices for yet more buildings and yet more tunnels.
The temple, neglected, was soon overshadowed by towers which stole the light from its stained glass windows, and the throne reserved for the Queen of the Gods was taken down from its roof and transfered to the palace of the King. He said, 'I need no Goddess to help me reach heaven, my own hands have raised a building to take me there myself.'
The Gods grew very angry at the King and his city, and when they heard the words of the King they decided to show it their anger. They set the ground shaking and down came the huge towers, crushing everything below them into ruin. Fire swept the city, and the waters of the lake burts from their shores and washed the whole of the wreckage into a newly formed river. Soon only twisted tunnels and broken walls remained.
In time even the walls wore away, and the tunnels were lost beneath the earth. Then came a great Archmage, whose name is not spoken now, a mighty Wizard, who raised for himself a house on the site where the city had once lain. (This supposedly took place in about 530 of the current calendar. For more details of the lineage of the royal family of the Grand Empire, at whoose centre the Village lies, see The lineage of the ruling families of the Empire.) Whereas no one else knew of the legend of the city, the wizard knew well, and as a village grew up around his house, he reopened the old roads and adventured into the tunnels below the earth. (The priests have the account rather differently, as do the officials of the High King, but this is the tale most people would tell for a pint of Ale.)
Within these tunnels it is said that the Wizard found many things, some of which he took, some of which he hid, and others of which he destroyed. Some passages he sealed with magic forever, others he worked into the fabric of the village's buildings, where no one would see them. The greatest of all things he found was a huge door, with four locks upon it. To open the door by any lock other than the correct one meant death, but beyond the door was the inner chamber of the ancient Temple of the city, and there it is said the Gods would come and test any that visited them. If the supplicant could only correctly answer their test then they would transport him or her to paradise, the most wonderful place in all the worlds.
Now the Village thrives just as the ancient city did, on the trade going everyway along its roads, for countries both near and distant. Unlike the city however The Village pays due respect to the Gods, and many brave adventurers come to seek their fortune in the passages below the town. Those of you who wish also to do so should first obtain a license to enter the tunnels, and then see the guard at the door in the Temple for more instructions.
To the Town Hall
Library
To the Grand Empire
Information page