A long, long time ago (well, maybe not so long), along the banks of the Mudee River in the Kingdom of Gobigread, stood a large castle.  The castle was the home of the Lord of Belleshire. Some in the kingdom thought that the shire was beset by deamons and warlocks as it never seemed as prosperous and happy as surrounding estates.  When neighbouring shires would find bounty with the arrival of merchants and wealthy patrons, Belleshire would languish.  Oh, there would be much wringing of hands and crying of woebegone, but the Lord of Belleshire did nothing to ease the suffering of the shire. And so, throughout the Kingdom of Gobigread, whispers spread far and wide among the common folk that Belleshire was cursed.  That among its inhabitants, both noble and common, there lived witches, evil warlocks, and fools.  And none would travel to the shire, lest they be set upon by those that could do them harm. And so it came to pass that the folk of Belleshire were left to their own devices.  And rather than search for guidance in the mortal world, they vowed that they would ferret out those magical folk who had caused the shire to be in such a woeful state.  And they knew, in their heart of hearts, that once the evil ones were banished from their midst, that they too would enjoy the land of plenty and joy that others found in the kingdom. And so began the time of the Great Cleansing.