You drop your tools and rush back to the farmhouse to get your dagger. Another orc raid. Your whole life has been spent defending your farm and your cattle from orc raids. Orcs have been around since Greyor broke the world into two continents. They seem almost common place, or they did at one time. For almost a year now, these raids have become near fierce battles. Each time the orcs come in greater numbers and each time they are more daring. At one time, merely the presence of an armed human would send them fleeing, but now they stand and fight to the death.
“Hurry up! It looks to be a big group this time!”
“I’m on my way!” you shout as you grab your foot-long dagger and rush out the door to confront the raging beasts.
“Five of them, just over that hill,” you father explains while pointing with his wood axe.
“Not too bad, we can handle five.”
The orcs rush over the hill and the two of you charge, trying to meet them as far as possible from the farmhouse where your mother and sister are hiding.
The impact of your charge sets the orcs off balance. With a quick swing, your father reduces one of the foul creatures by a head. Your swipe cuts an orc deep in the arm. It screams and staggers away. A moment later and the two of you even the odds.
Suddenly, a human scream pierces the air. You turn just in time to see a second raiding party crash through the door of your farmhouse. This was a trap! With utter horror, you see an orc exit with your sister’s limp body slung over his shoulder. Your father, terrified, turns and runs toward the house. He never gets there. With his back turned, he is easily taken down by a marauding orc.
“Nooo!” you cry while fatally stabbing the orc in facing you. With the opening in front of you, you dash for a small grove of trees about a quarter mile away. The orcs put up a token chase, then turn back to their victory feast. Well hidden in the trees, you sink down and faint from fear and exertion.
* * *
You place the first shovel-full of dirt over your father’s corpse. He now lies next to your mother and sister. You cover his face first, the empty sockets of where his eyes were clawed out being harder to bear than the jagged hole in his torso that used to house his vital organs. What they did to your mother and sister was a thousand times worse.
No tears in your eyes, though you feel like you could cry for eternity. All that is there is a cold, dark hatred and a desire for revenge. Greyor’s evil magic has ruined your family and your life. There is no reason to remain at the farm.
You finish the graves, throw down the shovel, and without a last look, head north in the direction of Meadow. You have a few gold pieces left, hidden by your father under the floorboards. The orcs had not found them. With these you will begin your quest.
The birds chirp playfully, yet the wind blows cold, and Meadow is visible in the distance.
Another thing that really makes Dark Ages: The Continents v1.22 enjoyable for me is how it manages to stay interesting even after playing it multiple times. Many games feel repetitive after a while, but here, the experience still feels fresh because of the small details and different ways you can approach the gameplay. As you continue playing, you naturally start improving and understanding the mechanics better, which makes everything feel more rewarding. I also appreciate the balance the game maintains—it’s not too difficult, but it’s not too easy either. You can play it casually for a short break or spend longer sessions without getting bored. That flexibility is one of the biggest reasons why I keep coming back to Dark Ages: The Continents v1.22. Overall, it’s the kind of game that doesn’t just entertain you for a moment, but actually gives you a consistently enjoyable experience every time you play.
