The story of Fable is an intriguing one, and genuinely helps immerse the player in the fictional world that it is set by allowing you the freedom to explore and behave however you please. The sheer idea of grooming your own character from childhood to old age certainly helps give the game a unique feel.
Fable’s story, as stated, revolves around a young boy who is destined for great adventures and untold fame. This boy lives in the heart of Albion’s deepest forests in Oakvale, a peaceful village where its residents are able to live out their lives in true tranquillity.
But one seemingly normal day, the boy met with his older sister, bringing her a gift for her birthday. As much as she wanted to celebrate the day, she warned him of strange visions she would witness in her dreams; visions of great terror and chaos.
[ High resolution Fable images available in the gallery ]
After she began to speak of her nightmares, there wasn’t a moment gone by before a group of bandits stormed the once peaceful village, determined to rob and murder the humble villagers, simply for their own profit. The boy who was almost petrified with fear was able to hide behind a nearby fence, while his sister was not so lucky. She stood tall as bandits grabbed her and took her with them.
The bandits pillaged long into the night. The blue sky had now been completely enveloped in a blanket of total darkness as a fierce inferno engulfed the village, burning homes, taverns and schools down to nothing but ash. All the boy could hear was the shrill cries of the villagers, desperately trying to defend themselves and their belongings.
But they proved no match for the villainous bandits, who overpowered them with ease.
The terrified boy managed to return to the town but not a soul could be seen, only destruction. He wandered the centre of town in the hope of finding someone, anyone who might still be alive when suddenly a lone bandit caught sight of him and launched himself straight towards the defenceless lad. Fortunately a brave hero by the name of Maze was able to intervene, and killed the bandit in a single attack, saving the young boy from harm.
He warned the boy that if he did not come with him right now then he too would become a victim of Oakvale’s massacre. The boy, scared and confused, reluctantly agreed and the brave hero teleported the two of them to the sanctuary for all heroes, the Heroes’ Guild.
The raid continued long into the night; there appeared to be no survivors. The boy’s father, who was not a warrior, was slain by a cruel bandit. His mother and sister were kidnapped and taken to a place unknown, where they were tortured and ordered to reveal the boy’s location. Neither spoke a word. The irritated bandits who were hungry for blood, apparently murdered the mother and cut out his sister’s eyes, leaving her blind and in agonizing pain.
The boy was offered a home at the Heroes’ Guild where he would be given the opportunity to train and possibly become a hero himself. The boy, who was crying and eager for revenge against the bandits who had crushed his family readily agreed to Maze’s offer.
It was there that the boy spent his childhood, studying the ways of becoming a hero, in the hopes that he might one day discover the bandits behind the vicious attack on Oakvale, and reap his revenge…