In the Golden Empire, it is well known that Emperor Engelbert II is an avid hunter. It is said he is the best tracker in the land, able to track an owl through a cloudy sky on a moonless night. Before he ascended the throne after the death of his father, he spent many years abroad, hunting and slaying countless fierce and wondrous creatures. What is not well known is that his adviser, confidant, and lifelong companion, Count Malthus, constructed a great subterranean complex to provide the thrill of the hunt for the Emperor now that rule of the Empire keeps him near home.
The Deadly Menagerie houses myriad captured creatures from far-flung lands, with more being brought in regularly to slake the Emperor's lust for the chase and the kill. When the desire arises, the Emperor chooses his quarry, and it is released into the sprawling Maze of Death, where he tracks it through the labyrinthine passages before the eventual kill.
You are one of the many unfortunate beings abducted and brought here by the Count's men, languishing in your cell until it is your turn to be the Emperor's prey. But now, a glimmer of hope. A chance to be free. Unarmed and alone, you are easy prey for the Count's men. Yet if you can work together with your fellow captives, perhaps through ingenuity and use of your natural abilities, you can escape the Deadly Menagerie. Will freedom be yours?
