There is a mirror, upon who's face none may look and retain their sanity.  This mirror is the lock, and Him Who May Look is the Key, so say the ancient prophecies of Linq Xum the Mad, who once ruled the island of Y'bo, now lost beneath the Sea of Blooded Screams, who's waters no man may sail for fear of the dreaded Crimson Kites who find the blood of Man particularly delicious.

The Mirror is hidden, said to reside beyond the Swamp of Infinite Jest, and guarded by the Blind Archers, an order of fanatics, not men, nor elves, no beasts but some remanent of a long lost race protecting that which destroyed their people.

It is said that should one look upon the Mirror and not be driven mad that the First King of Men, Manas the Serpent Rider, would rouse from his ancient slumber, rise with his army of Golden Heroes to drive back the Darkness from the world once more. Some believe that Manas sleeps beneath a great mountain, the Smoking Giant visible past the great swamp and its demonic inhabitants, who's face is carved into the likeness of a glowering, inhuman face. It is known that the right eye of the face is not natural... there are doubts about the entire face, but the right eye... they know.

It is said that the return of the Darkness, the Impenetrable, Endless Night is upon us once more.   People disappear in the night, and even the bold rarely venture forth when darkness covers the land. Horrific screams pierce the night air, and the morning dew smells of forgotten blood.  The king has not been seen in public in weeks, and some say he has gone mad with grief over the loss of his wife. Others claim he is dead, slain when his beloved rose from her crypt to join him once more.

Luckily, a small monastery devoted to the study of the Mirror and the Prophecies of Linq Xum the Mad think they have the answer.  One of their charges, an orphen boy of prodigious spiritual gifts, meets what they believe to be all the requirements of the prophecied one.  There are two catches: one, the boy will never survive the journey to the Mirror which no man has seen, not alone or with the aid of the monks alone.  Two, there is a vital passage that is missing that has never been noted before the current crisis, the prophecies describe the journey of the chosen one in some, cryptic, detail, and the decribe the rising of the Golden Army, the defeat of the rising darkness...in somewhat disturbing, even more cryptic, detail...

... but no mention is ever made of the Chosen one actually GAZING upon the Mirror.  Luckily it is said the original prophecies of Linq Xum were carven upon the hardest of stones, and carry the weight of Destiny, as all true Prophecies tend to do.  And those stones are said to reside in his palace upon the Island of Y'bo...

A thirty-year old man, amnesiac for ten years, returns to his room at the manor where he has been staying for apparently saving the noblemans' life. He finds the following letter, addressed to the nobleman, hidden in plain sight - Perhaps in with his shaving supplies.

'To Sir Gerald, Royal Guardsman,

It is time. We have identified most of the traitors and are ready to put down this insurrection. The household staff has been cleaned up and we are as sure as we can be that there are no more assasins lying in wait.

The royal council, and I, thank you for your long years of service. What we ask may be difficult, but It is only a constructed personality. We know you have grown fond of It, but the Empire needs its Emperor. Besides, the shy and dependant personality we constructed for It would be incompetent to rule.

We suggest you restore the Emperor while It is asleep, as that would be kindliest.

Mathew Holmes,
Royal Counciler,
Head of Council.'

Next to the letter, in his guardians' handwriting, is the following note:

'I believe you can trust the following list of people: .

Not all of them are Ignorant, but I believe all of them to be Your true friends.'

It is the annual festival of Lolthapalooza, and the land is swarming with shog-goths.

You dropped your briefcase as you walked to your car. As you bend down to pick it up, you hear your son open the door to climb in so you can drive him to school.

When you straighten up, the door is still open, and your son is nowhere to be seen.