The most Faint Star.

Manden - The Kingdom.  Technically, Manden Kurufaba - but really, everyone just refers to the Kingdom as Manden.  As 'The Kingdom'.

And it is into this Golden Age that you were born.  Gone are the civil wars of ancient times, although historians still search for relics of that ancient past.

Gone is the bloody, brutal war against the Gao.  The war against the orcs is much more recent - elderly Xeph and Humans still remember that vicious time from their younger days, while more long lived races like gnomes, elans, and elves remember it more keenly.  Still, the orcs have been very thoroughly defeated, and even raids are now rare.

For now is a Golden Age for Manden!  The Kingdom has grown to be one of great wealth - Dwarves and Duergar mine the great gold mines that Manden is famous for.  Halflings and their dromite partners trade the kingdom's salt with the smaller nations and clans nearby.

And of course, the near-legendary brother-warriors - Walata and Teghazza - came into prominence.  The fame of the half-orc and half-elf ensured that, despite this being a time fo peace, there was still a drive for military prowess.  Small adventuring groups pushed the boundaries of Manden a touch more and more, and would travel further and further, finding artifacts, or great sites of wonder, or simply fantastic stories from their travels.

Culminating in the Faint Star.

In Manden tradition, there are three stars.
Sigi, or home.  The Star of Manden, which historians have discovered is an incorrect translation of its ancient name.  Still, Sigi is the star that does not move - and all of Manden can thus utilize it to find their way home, no matter how far.

Po Tolo, the companion star.  This can be seen, and quite clearly, within the kingdom itself - a brilliant sphere, embedded partway in the ground, that emits a soft, almost gentle glow.  He is warm to the touch, and despite being non-psionic (and non-magical, if you were wondering), astronomy becomes easier when near him.  He's also great to talk to, even though he never responds.

But the third - Emme Ya.
The most faint star.
The fabled source of Manden history.

And, on one adventure, the Princess believed she found it - or rather, found information about it.  She left, with her brother the Prince, to go find it.

Three years later, a mental message was recieved in return from the two.

-Found Emme Ya-
-Need rescue-
-Take Your Time-

The last part especially was unusual, but really everyone in Manden was still in high spirits.  And while originally, Teghazza and Walata were going to go, they were the ones that suggested to send others.  After all, this was to be a grande adventure, the search for Emme Ya.  A search for legend, and one that the Princess and Prince had themselves embarked on!

An adventure worthy of your talents!

You have the full support - and funds - of Manden behind you, traveling far past where the traders and merchants go, traveling far beyond the edges of the map.  There, you will find danger, and riches, and /new/.

But if anywhere is up for it, it's people from Manden.

Find the most Faint Star!