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BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/roomwherepod.bsky.social

Discord: https://discord.gg/uTxewBrkA5

Website: https://roomwherepod.com/

Patreon: https://roomwherepod.cash

No one wanted to believe the stories. An ancient evil on the rise again. It was something old men said deep into their cups late at the tavern. In the age of the dungeon, with mechanical wonders and bustling cities, these tales of the old world seemed like just, tall tales. They were not.

The Gloom King had risen once again. His fog rolling slowly over the lands, choking out light and joy. His force of dark monster growing. It should have been an evil that united the Land of Erm, much as it had done in the days of old, but city states and tycoons all squabbled as the light slowly faded. That isn’t to say brave sous did not rise to meet the occasion. Five heroes fought hard to stay the hand of the Gloom King. No one but they know what happened that day, but despite their efforts, they did not stop the Gloom King. Despite their failure, another soul did slay the ancient evil A hero of a noble house, of noble blood. Saving the Land of Erm from disaster, he would go on to experience wealth and fortune.

That was ten years ago. The world has mostly recovered, with vestiges of the Gloom King’s influence all but a memory. The thing is, though, when those old men get deep in their cups there are still stories of something lurking at the edges of the land.

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So as the shadow of the gloom king faded, new powers rose. While many great companies had existed before the Gloom King returned, they rose to new and historic heights in the absence of any real City or State power. The damage that the Gloom King crisis had caused has push many institutions to their breaking point, but the great companies of Erm had sat back, waiting to see how the winds would blow,and importantly, selling you all the things you needed to put your life back together.

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In the time since the Gloom King Fell, life has changed dramatically for the people of Erm. Not just the great technological advances from the companies, the most powerful of which is VileTech Wholesome Home Goods, but in where they live. Many small towns and hamlets were greatly impacted from the Gloom King, and their remaining residents found their way into the cities of Erm. There they found work in factories and offices run by the companies, further relying on them for their everyday needs.

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Of course, some small communities still thrived out in the world. Someone had the feed the cities after all. However, one by one these small farms and the villages that supported them come under the ownership of groups like Viletech. Soon only a few, truly independent farming communities remained. The town of Dunk was one of the most prosperous. Ran by a town council, decisions maybe didn’t happen fast in Dunk, but it does work to help keep outside parties and the interests at bay.

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Website: https://roomwherepod.com/

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Still though, it gets harder and harder each year to keep these influences from creeping in. At first they offered money, then trades and partnerships. However, as Viletech and those like them kept getting nos from the small communities, the niceties fell away and the tone and tenner became more cold. More hostile. Of course, the companies can't, say, march an army into a small community and take. That would be just ridiculous. No, I’m sure that these grand companies will do their best to find more, cunning approaches to get what they want.