The difference between History and Legend can sometimes be a thin one. The best example of this would be Candle Cove, California. History tells us that many years ago, the town, whose original name has been lost to memory, was being ravaged by an epidemic of Cholera. Treatment was spread too far along the west coast, and the city was deemed expendable. The state government decided that it would be better to contain and destroy the disease rather than treat the population. In the dead of night, the state’s militia locked the citizens in their homes then set the town on fire. Anyone who tried to escape was shot, and their body thrown to the fire. The incident was kept as secret as possible, but they could not hide their guilt from everything.

That is where Legend takes over. It is said that so much death in one location, so many innocents sacrificed, cursed the land and punched a pinhole in the fabric of reality. The evil of the government’s actions permeated the area. It drew the attention of the things in the dark, creatures of the Netherworld. Demons. Slowly, over time these beings rose, lured by the sweet taste of innocent blood spilled. By the time the first monster emerged through the hole the town had been rebuilt, repopulated and renamed Candle Cove from how sailors on ships off shore said the town looked as it burned. The new residents had no idea what was about to happen.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first. Then pets and livestock began to go missing. The people blamed this on local wildlife, bears or cougars, but when hunting parties came home empty handed suspicion began to grow, followed quickly by an instinctual fear. They were right to be afraid because soon it was children then adults that disappeared. People began to see things in the shadows of the forest around the town, in the alley ways. In their homes. Things hunted anyone who dared to venture out at night. Finally, people decided things were too weird, too dangerous in their quaint, seaside town, and they tried to move away. Only the things of the Netherworld took a page out of the militia’s playbook. The town limits were guarded. Anyone who tried to leave was viciously killed, their corpses left as a warning. You can enter, but you can’t leave.

Time passed with the creatures and monsters taking up residence alongside the citizens. Word got out and others were drawn to town. Hunters. Investigators. And other creatures who could feel at home there, such as vampires, ghosts and werecreatures. Yet, even though they are drawn there for reasons only the things beyond the pinhole understand, they are unaware that they will be unable to leave Candle Cove.

Until it is too late.