WELCOME TO THE BEYOND

This force is known as THE REAPER, a collective consciousness that flows without physical constraint, and as such extends its power into many beings to act as shepherds to the Spirits. From time to time, the Reaper takes physical form and calls itself  GRIMLI. The Reaper guides Spirits who have entered the Beyond to one of the many Afterworlds based on that Spirit's mortal nature. And within those Afterworlds, the Spirits will begin their journeys.

These journeys are specially constructed by the GRIM, the creatures that inhabit the Afterworlds. Grim are elemental beings that have inspired folklore for millennia. They are the demons, the yokai, the angels, the haunted, and the fairies of stories from the mortal plane. They are mischievous and benevolent, powerful and careful, calculated and bullish--they are diverse, as are their tests. The Grim will pass their Spirits through trials of wit, of strength, of purity, of more. Those Spirits who fail their journeys will be consumed by the Grim. And those who complete their journey will achieve the status of GRIMLORD, master of their Element, ridding themselves of their mortal flaws, and becoming a part of the Reaper, directed to guide more Spirits to the Afterworlds in a harmonious machine.

But while most Spirits ascend peacefully into the Reaper, one rogue soul stubbornly opposed it, and was able to slip through his Afterworld's gauntlet without shedding his mortal form, retaining his flaws and ambitions, his jealously and pride.

Having conquered his first Afterworld, and attaining dominion over that Element, pride drove him to traverse more Afterworlds in a desirous quest for power. This growing avarice, fostered within this Spirit as he forged his path, convinced him that he alone should hold sovereignty over the Afterworlds and Grim therein. In short order, he ripped through each realm, first through means which abused the Grim and the obstacles they oversaw and later by tearing past them with the raw Elemental energy he had amassed. The Spirit shred a path of destruction through the Afterworlds, his corporeal form rejecting the Elemental forces that sought to rebuild him and wreathing his silhouette in twisted, sickening wings. In a vicious, triumphant moment, the Spirit stood over the form of the last Grim in his path and turned his gaze upon the Reaper. The Spirit took flight, trailing the remains of those he had conquered in his wake, and struck at the Reaper, imprisoning him. This act rung through the Beyond, instilling fear in all who heard of it; the Spirit soon became known as THE FIEND. The Fiend divided the Reaper’s power, severing the connection with the Grimlords, and placed himself upon the throne of power within the Beyond. He spread his vile wings wide, casting his shadow across the Beyond, dreaming of how he would shape the Afterworlds in his image; a land of Spirits and Grim that revere him.

The Fiend’s first act as sovereign of the Beyond was to shatter the Afterworlds, destroying their boundaries and forcing the Grim to vie amongst themselves for Spirits, inciting war for his own amusement. The Grim, first reticent to fight, were soon goaded by a hunger for the energy that had once been provided so unreservedly. They gathered with their Grimlords at the helm. The Grim battled for Spirits through all Afterworlds, the Fiend swaying his favor among their commanding Grimlords. Denying the embattled Grimlords the opportunity to amass power enough to usurp him.

But the Fiend's hubris flavored his perception and he deluded himself that the Grimlords fought out of devotion, mirroring his vicious conquering and upheaval of the natural order of the Beyond. He used his immense power to wrench their battles through the Afterworlds at a blinding pace, demonstrating his dominance over the Beyond so that they may fear his power and come to rely on him as their ruler.

To temper the growing strength of the Grimlords who prevailed in battle, the Fiend, in his unending effort to imitate all aspects of Grimli and the Reaper, cast his power into what he dubbed THE BANISHED, husks of war-fallen Grim animated by his hand, and made only to thwart any imagined coup by the Grimlords, forcing many battles into a deathly stalemate. This act divided the Fiend’s power and splintered the cage in which Grimli was shackled, presenting a narrow opportunity for Grimli to connect to the Reaper's entirety and guide the Grimlords from within his bonds.

Grimli sent a desperate message to the Grimlords he could reach... Continue to rise in power, war among the Afterworlds with intent, master all Elements, and one of you may gather enough of the Reaper's force to overpower the Fiend and his Banished. If you do, his power will be divided, and I may narrowly escape to join you. Together, we can amass the whole of the Reaper within you, and you can incarnate to a form capable of opposing the Fiend. . .   THE GRIM REAPER.

. . .

In GRIM the Card Game, you, a powerful Grimlord who has completed an Afterworld journey and has since mastered several more Elements, will battle with your Grim against an opponent, a similarly mighty Grimlord, in an effort to overcome the Fiend's swaying favor, to defeat the Banished, and to allow for Grimli's escape from imprisonment. Each of you is strong enough to overcome the other, but only one will ascend to the status of the Grim Reaper.

Fulfill your destiny, cast down the Fiend, and restore the Beyond to its once peaceful existence.

. . .

In BANISHED, you are a young rogue spirit, hungry for power—but you are not alone. Others much like you seek that same power. Master the Elements by summoning Grim and legendary artifacts to your ranks. Cast spells with wands and curse your enemies. Build your army to establish yourself as the most feared entity of the Beyond. Only one will rise to become THE FIEND.

WILL YOU WIN THE SPIRIT WAR?