The Vale of Fears was once the center of a dark religion that offered up living sacrifices and unspeakable rites to the demon prince known as Ochremeshk (Oh-cray-mesh- ik). Once, his blasphemous name terrorized local folk to their very souls. Now, it is almost entirely forgotten.
The followers of Ochremeshk, who simply referred to their master as "the Demon God", built a huge temple "The Fane" that was also a strangely stylized statue of their patron. They called forth demons from the pits until they were almost without number. With this infernal might on their side, they pillaged and raped the surrounding lands until the earth itself bled. The area became known as the Vale of Fears, for the bloody sacrifices of innocent captives went on night after night. And when there were too many sacrifices to make at night, they extended into the day as well. The sun soon ceased to shine upon the Vale of Fears, for it is said that the gods could no longer tolerate to look upon the bloodshed, the debauchery, and the soul-churning, abominable acts perpetrated by the cultists of Ochremeshk.
It seemed that evil had triumphed in this land, and that darkness would rule eternal. Until, that is, a single man of great power and faith resisted the power of Ochremeshk and the depraved hordes that cavorted in his name. Enchelious (Ahnk-el- ee-us) was a cleric of Thayan, the God of Light. Tales told of this man today in the Church of Thayan say that his heart was so full of Thayan's love, power, and glory, that you could see it glowing within his chest like a bit of the sun. Enchelious led a small band of stalwart soldiers and mages against the cult of Ochremeshk, and by no fewer than three miracles (whose details are lost) in one day, they overcame the forces of darkness. Enchelious called upon the might of Gaen to destroy the Fane utterly, including all the cultists and demons still within.
And that, with a little help from some adventurers, is how the Fane fell from power.
Today the Demon God's Fane still stands amid what is still known as the Vale of Fears, a forbidden and unhealthy place (it is haunted by the ghosts of the sacrificial victims). However, it is completely free of demons and any remnant of the cult of Ochremeshk.
Only the residents of Vale's Edge and the Graven Ones are known to live near The Vale.