In the veiled domain of Gloomhaven, a land wrapped in the eternal mists and arcane whispers, lies the forsaken labyrinth of Shadowdeep. This age-old fortress, buried under the dense canopy of the Mourningvale, a forest of gnarled trees and somber breezes, is rumored to guard the Sepulcher of the Forgotten King, a timeless ruler who once governed the domain with insight and valor.
The narrative unfolds in the rustic hamlet of Briarwatch, where our heroes—a gallant human paladin, a shrewd elven sorceress, and a dauntless dwarven berserker—convene following the summons of a veiled, enigmatic benefactor. This shadowed patron presents them with a map that marks the gateway to Shadowdeep and entrusts them with recovering the Sunfire Diadem, a mythical circlet believed to confer mastery over light and destiny, from the depths of the sepulcher.
As the adventurers penetrate the labyrinth, they must evade a network of deadly traps and confront a legion of spectral defenders: timeless warriors pledged to the King’s command, ghostly apparitions, and minions crafted from bone and shadow. With each stride further into Shadowdeep, they discover pieces of the King’s sorrowful saga, revealing his descent into misfortune and his eternal bondage to a sinister enchantment that shackles his spirit to the corporeal realm.
Their expedition through the labyrinth becomes not merely a fight for survival but also a pilgrimage for atonement—for the King, whose spirit is tormented by centuries of remorse, and possibly for one of their own, who conceals secrets tied to the labyrinth’s bleak legacy.
Will our heroes triumph, securing the Sunfire Diadem and liberating the King’s spirit, or will they succumb to the labyrinth’s ancient curses? Their destiny, and that of Gloomhaven, teeters on the brink as they delve into the abyss of Shadowdeep.