You all live in Kassen, a small village of less than a thousand souls, in the remote Fangwood. The main industries in town are logging, farming and fishing, although the local inn also sees some good trade whenever ships travelling the Skelt have a stopover, or a party from one of the cities comes hunting for boar and deer in the woods.
The village itself was founded by a retired adveturer named Ekat Kassen, some 200 years ago. Way back then, when the village was still very young, a band of mercenaries lead by a man named Asar Vergas, started harassing the populace of Kassen's Hold, as it was named then, apparently for vengeance of some slight years before when Ekat and Asar adventured together. After 2 months of raids and harrasment, the villagers learned where the mercenaries were camped. They assembled a militia with Kassen at its head and went to drive the mercenaries out of the area. As the town failed to find a diplomatic solution with Asar, fighting broke out...
The battle was terribly bloody, with only a few townsfolk coming back to tell the tale. In the end, Asar was slain and his mercenaries scattered, but Ekat suffered a mortal wound. He died 2 days later, on the 11th day of Neth, 4535.
In honor of their beloved founder, the townsfolk buried Kassen in an ancient nearby crypt, interring his bones in a place of honor. Above his sarcophagus, they put an eternal flame and over the years since it has become the target of a tradition...
Every year, 5 days before the autumn harvest festival, a group of 5 able people will make the trek out to the crypt, to go and light Kassen's antique lantern from the Everflame and bring it back alight, so that the spirit of Kassen may guard the village during winter, as symbolized by his lantern hanging, and shining from the roof of the Greathall. The five of course are then guests of honour at the festival, as they are the bringers of the Everflame.
Usually the five are chosen by drawing lots amongst all adults willing, but not every year... When sufficient young people in the village are coming of age, they may be sent instead as a sort of rite of passage. Could this year be yours?
Some background on the larger area around Kassen: Nirmatha Wiki
