Grim-faced Vulcanus is a harsh man. Harsh-mouthed, cold-eyed, bad-tempered and liable to dark moods.
Vulcanus is tough and so he should be. As one of the chief leaders of an undercity where survival is a daily battle, Vulcanus has to embody the ideal of a ruler who is both terrifying and yet not unjust, cunning and yet not paranoid, and violent but only against enemies. Some call him a tyrant and long for the kings of better days. But as much as one might wish for a sweet-hearted ruler, there is no denying that Vulcanus' City has virtually no crime and is free from the chaos and famines of other regions.
Vulcanus is not just a political warrior and commander—the man is extremely proficient with a heavy crossbow and an expert in siege equipment. Vulcanus customized his own weapon to fire arrows with such force as to strike fear into even the most heavily armored enemy.

Vulcanus comes from a long line of pioneers. The pioneers of old decided that the best solution to freezing surface temperatures was to go low.
Pioneers all—some adventurers, scholars, exiled nobles, criminals and desperados—found refuge in the undercity areas then already occupied by the Windbreaker Tribe. War ensued, but a better union was forged out of their common concern for humanity. The factions laid down their swords for ploughs and Vulcanus' own people branched into a number of different sects that today war with each other more than the Windbreakers.
Vulcanus' group fearlessly established the city of Thaleira on unused territory... from their perspective. It was never settled by the Windbreakers because the entire ground was considered a "cursed" Forbidden Zone. The curse carried great weight. There is still power in the ruins to damn any explorer from ever returning from its depths. Vulcanus has not been willing to go himself, but believes that whatever killing power is inside the ruins might also bring life to a world slain by ice. A great reward is available to anyone who can return from the Forbidden Zone with the secret knowledge of what is hidden there.

The great mystery of the Forbidden Zone attracts adventurers throughout the land like moths to a flame. Some, like Rufus, come in peace.
What was anyone to make of the fair-skinned giant with his flowing mane of red hair? Only he seemed to be under the guidance of a mysterious elder who helped him evade Thaleira's sentries outside the Forbidden Zone. The sentries shook their heads and walked away — saddened by what they believed would be the explorer’s death, yet relieved they hadn’t needed to execute him themselves.
Rufus barely survived whatever happened in the Forbidden Zone when he stumbled into the arms of Thaleira's guards. Vulcanus ordered Rufus taken to the Palace and treated as an honored guest. Rufus could not remember a single thing outside the city gates. Vulcanus asked many times, but Rufus refused to return. Still, the hope that Rufus might one day remember could forever keep him an honored guest in Vulcanus' kingdom.

Not all explorers interested in the Forbidden Zone are friendly. An advanced contingent of Phaethon soldiers attacked Thaleira soon after Rufus arrived. Their real goal, of course, was to gain access to the ruins beyond. Vulcanus had seen more threats in his life than Phaethon's great cannons. Nor did Rufus fear anything from Phaethon greater than what he had already survived. As Thaleira mounted a much stronger defense than Phaethon expected, Vulcanus and Rufus also forged an unbroken bond on the battlements that has continued to this day.
Although Phaethon's initial strike failed, the promise of the Forbidden Zone remains too exciting for them to abandon. A small Phaethon outpost remains to this day near Thaleira, well-defended and biding their time. Vulcanus too is biding his time, waiting for the right moment to expel the arrogant interlopers from this sacred land.

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