The Apocalypse Ring

In the frozen north of Ultor, a ring of fortresses centered about a small, mountainous island covered in glacial ice is the only thing between our world and Armageddon. A rift, unusual in its size and longevity, is open there, the strongest yet recorded, and certainly the longest-lived. It is a beacon for all those demons and devils of Hell and Abyss alike -- and too many other dangerous creatures to name here. These fortresses are constantly manned, guarded by the most skilled and experienced soldiers that Ultor has to offer. Loyalty and national pride are forgotten here, as they are only a hindrance to those who seek to survive their watch.   A soldier of the Apocalypse Ring is an elite fighter. Each guard is only required to serve two years, though many, after seeing the horrors that await Ultor should their vigil fail, choose to stay for life. Most will not die of natural causes. Some will be lucky enough to be pierced through the heart by a devil's dagger, or a demons spear, but some less lucky Watchers will fall prey to beasts -- ripped limb from limb and consumed by other-worldly predators. The goal of a Watcher is simple. Survive. For only in their continued survival as an order will they protect the world from the horrors of Death's Doorway. Some soldiers hold out hope that the gateway shall close during their service, dually wishing to see some great historical event and to see an end to their personal suffering.   Watchers come from all places of this world. There are dragons, elves, men, dwarves, gnomes; mages, arcanists, alchemists, stonemasons, blacksmiths, and many more. Nations who are warring contribute manpower to the Ring, as do nations who have not fought a war in centuries. Each Watcher is intermixed with those of differing races, professions, religions, and creeds. They are stripped of their personal prejudice and forced to work together, for that is the only way they will survive. Recruits are sometimes conscripts, sometimes volunteers, and sometimes are simply there because their military service demands it.   Each fortress in itself is an impressive work of living stone (stone magically infused and reinforced by a mage) and metallurgy. There are five, each lying on its own island, connected to the others by great bridges spanning the sea that separates them. Krzepky, Wysoki, Sciana, Kamien, and Zamek (or the Red Keep). These are the names to which we owe our gratitude -- and perhaps our very lives. The castles (or fortresses as some prefer to call them) are quite old. They were constructed exactly 239 years ago from the writing of this script, in the year 880 AC. The shine and glamour of the walls has long faded, now replaced by a more menacing, grim, and altogether appropriate complexion. The five castles are each different, built by different persons in a different time. The layout of each is as unique as the men who guard it, and each man upon its walls can perfectly recount the number of merlons on his stretch of the wall, how thick they were and how tall. What type of stone was used, how large was each, and, more importantly, what dangers had they held at bay. The many chips and scrapes in those impassable walls are testament to the fierce fighting that each has seen. The wooden floors of the towers and battlements still contain traces of that red substance which is so essential for our lives -- as well as some more alien colors that do not belong in this world.   Five generals oversee the five castles, one to each. Each of them serves for life, and his or her replacement shall be based upon merit, taking into account period of service, competence, affinity for tactical thinking, and performance under pressure, as well as traditional leadership skills which almost needs no mention. The men that serve these generals will often invariably hate and love them with the same measure. A Watcher learns to hate his general for forcing him to drill for too long, or to stand watch too often, but loves him for keeping him alive and ready to survive his next fight, for few are the men who do not see action during their tenure upon the battlements of the Apocalypse Ring.