elcome! You are invited to enter a land both familiar and strange—a land of noble knights and cruel robber barons, of pious monks and greedy bishops, of wealthy merchants and wretched serfs. You may someday be great among them, for these are unsettled times. From afar come rumors grand and terrible: a slain king, an ailing Pontifex, the Snow Queen riding forth; and old men shake their heads and mutter about ominous days. But here, on the edge of the wilderness, there are always more pressing worries than distant horizons, however stormy ... at least for most people.

A Voice In the Wilderness is an extended campaign designed for a small group of adventurers. It begins in a small backwater barony, and it is intended that all the beginning characters should be locals—and, indeed, that they should all know one another. Ideally, the same group of player characters should play the campaign all the way through; newcomers may find that they have a lot of catching up to do!

This campaign is not suited for all players. The characters will probably gain power slowly (although faster than their NPC peers), and their rewards will likewise be scaled to the local standards. In addition, players who dislike problem-solving may find many of the adventures frustrating.

Finally, and most importantly, the players need to be willing to read the background material. This is not just a matter of letting a lot of work go to waste: there are important story elements presented in this material, which the characters would and should be aware of. If the players don't want to read their background notes, the GM will need to keep reminding them during the adventure of things their characters know—a frustrating task for all concerned.