Caft was a small farming community that the legates largely ignored. They arrived only to take the town’s bounty. A warband of orcs arriving a month early set the adventure into motion, as the heroes decided to fight or hide as was their nature.
“Orcs! To the west. A war band, just a few minutes behind me. And they have a legate with them.” –Perth of Caft
Uriel, a town leader, begged Kaela to hide his daughter Aislinn. The little girl was blind and helpless, but there was always a lingering though in the mind of the villagers that she was something special that would someday be of importance against the Shadow. Kaela had become a sort of older sister to the girl and agreed. It was revealed that Lorne, another villager, had betrayed the town’s secret in return for Uriel’s wife, who he has lusted after for years.
"We know why the orcs are here. We have tried to keep it a secret, but we have failed. You are familiar with the world outside of Caft, Outlander." Uriel looks Reznik and up and down. "Help us. Flee from this village and take our most precious secret with you. You know of whom I speak. You nursed her back to health! She thinks of you as her sister!" Tears begin to run down Uriel's cheeks. From the west comes the low pitch blat of an orc black horn. Uriel shakes with fear and his eyes lock on both of you. “There is no time! Will you help us!?" –Uriel, leader of Caft and Aislinn’s father
Kaela and Reznik escape with Aislinn as the town is slaughtered and burnt. The others skirmish with the orcs at the edge of town, clearing a path their flight. A decision is made to save Aislinn’s mother from her fate with Lorne before they leave town, with Valurel and Starhl joining the pair. Fleeing the following orcs, it is revealed that Aislinn has some sort of healing powers as she seals Starhl’s wounds with a touch.
He bows awkwardly to Ailsinn. "I... I thank you," he says. "If need be, I will lay down my life to protect you, for in you is the hope of our dark world." -Starhl
Lorne dies by the hero’s blades, but Melin, Aislinn’s mother, must be carried due to her grievous wounds. They rush toward the eastern woods where Aislinn said they might find safety. Melin turns on the heroes, a flesh eating Fell at this point. After destroying the aberration, they reach the ancestor ring, which glows with a faint light. The ring itself defends the heroes against the orcs, wind and lightning striking their foes.
A tunnel opens beneath the heroes and they decide to fell through it rather than risk the open plains. A desperate fight ensues as the pursuers swarm into the pit to destroy the heroes. After a brave stand, the tunnel partially collapses, sealing off the entrance from the onslaught of orcs. Kaela also found a small stone with a rune, buried in the mud and dirt of the tunnel, that has revealed strange and wondrous powers. Aislinn believes it to be touched by the Goddess. It serves to light their path as they descend into the depths of the cavern. After a long walk into the darkness, they find a skeleton holding a blade, which is revealed as Stahrl’s sword, Bjorn's Faith, an ancient weapon against the forces of evil.
Aislinn tells a tale of her vision of the goddess. She explains that she can feel the land’s pain. The goddess explained to her that she had awakened and was angry at the state of the world. She would be the light that would drive the Shadow from the land.
“I could also talk to the land, sense its anger and pain. And I could bring the blessing of the goddess, because, like she told me, I am one of her Chosen.” –Aislinn
Walking through the ruins of an ancient civilization and exiting the cavern, the heroes meet Fallax, a former scholar of Highwall and hermit who has hidden in the dark to escape the Shadow’s notice. His abusive manner and lack of tact make him a difficult companion, but his knowledge of the land and recent events ensure that the heroes need him.
Here ends Book 1, Chapter 1, The Charge.