Prologue

A deep cool wind blows through the desert town of Ca'astings. The night sky is shrouded in darkness as it makes it's hollow calls. The town seems desolate on this abnormal night. People have shut themselves in and blown out their candles for hope of a better day tomorrow. Torches still glint outside of shops and on the walls that surround the small town. The two guards at the entrance sit under make-shift shelters and hold linen masks over their faces to keep the sand from pelting their bodies.

A small dark figure emerges from the shadows of one of the buildings within Ca'astings. It huddles along toward the back of the seemingly barren town to another entrance. This one unguarded. As it hurries out through the entrance and along the path, it pauses a moment to take in full view of the massive mansion in the not-so-far distance. A few lights escape from the windows in the overgrown, two-story house. It's sandstone walls seem to mimic the drab appearance of this violent night as it tries to defend off the whipped up sand.

Remembering it's duties, the figures continues to drudge towards it's overpowering, yet subtle, goal. It clamors close to the house, but does not go to the front doorway. Instead it seeks out a refuge to the rear, where a locked stairway hides access to the cellar. The figure brings out a white clawed hand from underneath it's cloak and quickly breaks the lock on the doors of the stairway. The mighty wind gives another great howl and the creature raises it's head in alertness, it's face still hidden in the brown, sand-stained cloak. Seeing that the coast is clear, it quickly stows itself away from the elements into the cellar below.