Background information

Without getting too in depth (this is dungeon fantasy after all)...

Many hundreds of years ago there was a mighty empire that spanned a continent. It brought the shining light of human civilization to the benighted corners of the world and held sway over all the lands. But all was not well, despite the might of its armies and the virtue of its people, there was a rot at the core of the empire. None now alive know the cause of this cancer, but it spread and spread until the very foundation of the empire collapsed under the weight of its own decadence.

Into the vacuum flowed all of the empires enemies, barbaric tribes from the North and West looking to subjugate the peaceful people of the empire. Worse, dark forces that had been though eradicate were on the move. Merely bidding their time after their ancient defeats, from the East great hordes of foul monsters, goblinkin, and undead. Lead by shadowy figures only glimpsed at in the dreams of madmen.

Now it falls to you, heroes, who have come to the ancient city of Ostwin on the shores of the Middle Sea, last bastion of the empire and only haven for mankind, to go out and combat this menace, find them in their lairs and exterminate them as the vermin that they are, find the treasures of a lost age and bring about a flowering of civilization not known since the world was young.