The barrier can be passed from the outside in – but once inside, nobody can escape. The whole area, dubbed 'the Colony', is surrounded by a magical barrier, a sphere two kilometers diameter, sealing off the penal colony from the outside world. Whoever breaks the law in these darkest of times is sentenced to serve in the giant penal colony of Khorinis, mining the so much needed ore.
Orcish hordes invaded human territory and the king of the land needed a lot of ore to forge enough weapons, should his army stand against this threat.
War has been waged across the kingdom of Myrtana.
