Background: Lord Malachi Thorne, King of Tovack and Lord of House Thorne, also known as “The Dark Heart” and the Master of the Bone Lords of Tovack, is an ancient vampire-lord of unparalleled power. As the immortal sovereign of Tovack, a dark realm north of the Neldora Coast and cloaked in perpetual night, Thorne commands a small legion of powerful undead and is served by dark prophets, heralds, zealots, evil mages and mystics who are drawn to his presence and the forces of darkness. Thorne is accompanied by his mistress and wife, Lady Aurelia Thorne, Queen of Tovack, known as the "The Black Rose", who is an accomplished mage and oracle in her own right. Tovack is a dark desolate and gray land shrouded in darkness where the undead roam freely and the living, weak and innocent are subjugated, manipulated, and bent to serve the will of House Thorne. Centuries ago, a coalition of heroes from across Zyricus rose up to challenge Thorne and his subjects and although they were unable to utterly destroy Thorne, they were able to force him into a deep centuries long sleep. The seers and oracles of Zyricus now believe dark forces are stirring once again in the north and the dark prophets and harbingers of Tovack travel the countryside auguring of the return of House Thorne and the impending dark prophecies that will finally be fulfilled.

Thalassir the Dark Herald of Tovack, “The black roses have once again started to bloom in Tovack. Our Lord has awoken and it is the eventide of a new age”