CHAPTERS
CHAPTERS
WHAT CAME BEFORE
After giving up his duties in the kingdom he had sworn fealty too, Messiah boarded his ship the Executioner and along with his other two warships the Revenge and the Vengeance answered the distress call of the kingdom's former Queen who had previously left and was escorting ships of elves to a new homeland. In their travels they had come upon numerous slaver ships that seemed to be part of a large elven slave trade. Using his ships and power Messiah saw to the sinking of all the ships they came across, rescuing numerous elves in the process. Once he learned the location and center of this trade Messiah sailed the Executioner into the unarmed harbor of the kingdom of Sloaton. There was quite a commotion as residents watched the stranger leave his ship and head right for the palace. Upon reaching the throne room the then sitting king was an old enemy of Messiah’s, a slaver named Cessair. The man sat lounging on the throne surrounded by enslaved elf maidens. Taking matters into his own hands Messiah grabbed Cessair off the throne and after announcing to the watching eyes of most of the kingdom that they were now free and the elven slave trade ended today, Messiah tossed Cessair from the throne room balcony to land on the boulders below. As a warning Messiah ordered the body remain there.
It was never Messiah’s intention to stay, but as he was heading back to the docks to return to his ship, the elders of the kingdom stopped Messiah and announced they had voted and wished him to remain to reign as their king. Messiah did this reluctantly and vowed he would only do so until their government was cleared of all corruption and they were set up to govern themselves. Sloaton was renamed Cindermere due to the kingdom’s location on the lake of a dormant volcano. Messiah reigned as king for ten years. With Cindermere settled into a more democratic government Messiah prepared to step down but at the behest of the people he did not in case he was ever needed again. Messiah left Cindermere and returned to the Banehold where he took up serving his father and his pursuits for the next twenty years.
After twenty years of serving his father in the Banehold, Messiah left to run the Obsidian Temple that had been established in the fae realm. But after six months of establishing the temple Messiah realized that the upkeep and time spent there was no longer worth the effort or time. Thinking it best to begin the slow breaking down of operations in the fae realm, Messiah sent forth one of his most trusted associates Neshima and Leon to go out and gather information and possible following for the next steps. Messiah then returned to the Banehold to notify his father of his decision to disband the Obsidian Temple to further their pursuits elsewhere.
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The god Bane was in a foul mood. He scowled watching his son walk away from him after a heated argument. The armrest of his throne cracked as he gripped it. But over his shoulder he would feel the gentle caress of a hand, that hand belonging to his consort the maiden of pain, Loviatar. “Are you really that surprised he abandoned the temple in the fey realm, Bane? Your son always seeks some way to defy you. Skilled as he is, I have to wonder if he is even an asset anymore.”
“Watch your words, woman. It is my only son you speak of.” Bane brushed Loviatar’s hand aside as he stood. “His defiance shows his strength and I cannot deny some of his words were true. Trying to establish anything in the fey lands was not the best of ideas.” He walked slowly across the room to a table laden with maps, scrolls and markers made of obsidian. “Some of my churches have failed. I seek power. I need it.”
“And you will have it.” Lovitar toyed with one of the obsidian markers on the table absently. “You just need to go about it the right way.”
“What do you mean?” Bane’s brow rose as his gaze scoured the maps on the table.
“Your son has a protective nature about him. He cares for the little mortals. Point a crying woman in his direction and he melts like a puddle of goo.”
“He gets that small pearl of kindness from his mother. She is a gentle soul.”
Loviatar scowled and tossed the marker across the table. “Do you really need to bring that woman up? Honestly. Okay she gave you a son. Besides that she is worth—“ She found her words cut off when Bane’s hand locked onto her throat. His hazel eyes glowing red to match his rage.
“Do not ever speak ill of her. She has been through enough and she is to be left in peace.” Grunting he released his consort which caused her to fall back a few steps.
“And Messiah gets his rage from his father.” She rubbed at her aching neck. Then sought to quickly find some way to smooth the situation. “He looks much like you, my love.”
“Perhaps he does, at least when I was a mortal man. His powers have grown when he spent so much time here in the Banehold.”
A small smirk crossed Loviatar’s face. “He needs a mate worthy of the son of a powerful god.”
“Flattering my ego is not going to work and I will not marry my son off to one of your whiplass maidens if they were the only things female in existence.”
Loviatar glared. “How dare you! One of my maidens would be a perfec–”
“Enough! I am not here to speak of the marital status of my son. I need to establish a place of power on the mortal plane. A strong one that will be feared yet sought.” Bane scoured the map once more. His eyes settled on the area of Cindermere. “Perhaps I can use his compassion for these people against him.” His fingertip tapped the map.
“He will know you would be responsible, Bane. Do you really wish to start a war with your son?”
Bane tossed one of the obsidian markers. “He will rule again in this whatever it was. But with a new purpose.”
Loviatar rolled her eyes. “If you are set upon this course then so be it.” She turned on her heel and left, the heels of her boots clicking on the flagstones as she departed.
WHAT CAME BEFORE
Bane used his power to open a portal and did something he had not done in hundreds of years. He entered the mortal plane in a human form and landed near the dormant volcano. The city of Cindermere was in full activity and it looked like a festival celebrating the moon was going on. Gathering all his power Bane concentrated on the silent volcano. As his power slammed into the ground a female figure that looked to be made of pure starlight appeared, a horrified look on her face as she saw what was unfolding.
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“Stop! What are you doing! You will destroy that city and all in it!”
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“I do what I must. Get lost.” Bane growled at the moon goddess Danae who circled around him like an annoying fly.
“I cannot let you do that. I know who you are and I will not let you disrupt the peace here.”
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The battle that took place was unseen by any but the surrounding forest and nature. But Bane was older and stronger. The goddess flung into the mountainside only to crumple to the ground. Bane stared down at her before turning away. “I do not desire to end you Danae but I will not be denied.”
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The ground rumbled but it was not the volcano it was the disruption of the magical ley lines fluttering and moving with the exertion of the magic that had been unleashed.
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“Oh no.” Danae looked around. “What have we done?”
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Golden ley lines floated up then snapped down into the ground, the earth suddenly cracking around them. Bane noticed the small fountains of magma that had sprouted up. The volcano had awoken. Satisfied, Bane left through another portal leaving the lunar goddess Danae to watch in horror, but her strength was drained and all she could do was watch. A dryad curious as to what was going on emerged from the trees.
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“My lady what has happened to you? The volcano has awoken.”
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“Hush now and help me.” The goddess struggled to her feet. “Cindermere is in danger. Send who you can to warn them. My strength has been used up to fight the evil that appeared here. Send them. Send them now.”
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That night the once grand city of Cindermere burned but luckily there were many survivors who escaped to higher ground and established camps to pick up what was left. As for the volcano it only erupted for a few hours then went as dormant as he had before, In the weeks than months that passed what had once been a great city turned into a group of small villages each run by one of the three remaining elders who had not been able to come to an agreement as to what to do. Loviatar watched from the Banehold. “This is taking too long.” She would wait for an opportunity before going to one of the villages. Once there she grabbed one of the women who at the time was washing laundry along the river. “Do not be afraid.” Loviatar would coo to the terrified woman. “Believe it or not I am trying to help you and your people. I have a very important mission for you, my dear.”
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“Mission?” The woman would look around. “I cannot leave. My family is barely surviving. “
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“Tut tut. Do not worry your pretty little head. While you are away I will look after your family. Now, I need you to find a horse and go in search of your former ruler Messiah. Seek that friend of his. The burly one with the haircut, Leon. Tell him everything that has happened. Make sure you cry. Cry a lot. The more pitiful the better. And of course leave our meeting out of this. Then you can come right home.” Loviatar dropped a bag of coins into the woman’s hand. “Go on, you are wasting daylight.”
Loviatar returned to the Banehold keeping her word for the most part. As for the woman Katherine, she started her journey to seek Leon, last hearing he was in the kingdom of Alhaya.
It took a long while for news to reach Messiah as to what had befallen Cindermere. Messiah was no idiot and knew from what Leon reported to him that his father was responsible. Leon was sent along with Nesh and his most trusted followers to start the journey back to Cindermere and set up what they could to help the people until he could get there. Back to the Banehold he went to confront his father who was waiting for him.
“What the fuck is wrong with you! I appreciate you are angry I abandoned a temple that wasn’t even worth erecting in a land that gives zero fucks about who you are and what you want! But striking out against innocents is way over the line old man!”
Bane sat upon his throne and listened to his son unleash his rage. He knew his son would be angry at his actions but he did not regret nor would apologize for them. “I had my reasons for what I did. I need that land.”
“For what? You lowered a kingdom to build a temple!”
“No. Instead of erecting new temples, staffing them, and dealing with them, we will build a base of operations. A grand kingdom to be sought, feared, a resource.” Bane kept his eye on his son as he spoke. “And you, my only son will rule this land in my name. Those mortals know you and trust you. You once led them. Who better to swoop in and lead them again hmm?”
Messiah rubbed his brow. “You are insane. I won’t do it.”
“That is unfortunate. So it will then be of no use to me so I will just finish what I started.”
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Messiah said nothing but glared. Bane took this as surrender on his son’s part and raised his hand. “Of course with this new responsibility means more power for you.” A bolt of dark energy shot from his outstretched hand to strike Messiah in the chest. This caused Messiah to fall to one knee as the energy coursed through him. But before Bane could utter another word Messiah crossed the distance between them. Messiah seized his father by the throat and threw him across the room and into the far wall. The shock of this sudden attack took the god by surprise and it slowed his recovery time so much that the distance was closed again and the feel of his son slowly squeezing his neck made it hard for him to breathe.
Eyes glowing red Messiah leaned in until he was almost nose to nose with him. “You think throwing power at me will endear me to your side old man? That I will just be the obedient son and do what you ask of me without pause, without question? You are wrong. Dead wrong. I will return to Cindermere and pick up the mess you created. But I want to make it clear I will not rule in your name. I will rule in mine. Stay out of my business old man. You will get what I feel you are owed when and where I choose. But you will not dictate a single thing in my life. Not a fucking thing. If you truly want a war with me I will give you one. We are done here.” Messiah rose and walked away, exiting the Banehold by a portal of his own making.
Bane remained on the floor of his throne room as his son left. He was slow to stand pausing to dust off his pants and shirt. In no way did he expect his son to attack him in his own house.
“Well well well.” A sultry voice came from the opposite side of the room. Loviatar looked at her nails as she watched her defeated consort sink into his throne. “You almost got your ass kicked by your own son. I am surprised you didn’t kill him. I warned you about giving him more power.”
“Silence woman.” Bane’s fingertips drummed on the armrest of his throne. “Everything I do and allow is for a reason. My son needed a fire lit under him. Today was the match. What is it you want?”
Loviatar leaned into the side of the throne and looked at a scroll. “You have pissed off quite a few gods with your display. The Raven specifically with the amount of souls she has to deal with at one time. Seems your little tantrum killed many. She sent one of her little minions with this scroll.“ She offered it up to Bane.
Bane snatched the scroll and looked at it. “Another reason why my son was so angry. The Raven can deal with it. It is her job to usher souls sent to her, she can deal with it and do her damn job. Leave me, I wish some time to myself.”
“Of course.” Loviatar slowly turned on her heel. “Your son may become a problem. You have given him too much power. Are you truly willing to have to deal with that?”
“I asked for privacy.” Bane growled.
“Mmmhmm but tell me love, how long until spread the dark fear of Bane becomes” and she leaned close to whisper in his ear “spread the dark fear of Messiah? People know him, people follow him, even some of your own troops here. They respect him and see him as a leader.”
“Enough. Get out.”
“Fine I am going out but do you think he will ever be loyal to you? I don’t.”
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As Loviatar left pleased with herself Bane remained seated in his throne staring at the wall.
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“He would never. He is my son.”
From the ashes of a once great kingdom an empire will rise.
The Akbah desert was a no man’s land, a vast expanse of sand and wind that only the bravest dared to traverse. The landscape was subject to frequent and violent sandstorms and lightning that only subsided in parts of the desert twice a year, on the cusp of summer and at the beginning of winter. During those times a single caravan departed to replenish the magical lamps that lit the only safe path through the desert that linked the cities of Prophis and Kireth. These lamps were constructed to not only withstand the harshest of the sandstorms but to brightly light the path so the caravan never lost its way. But this desert had a violent and bloody history. Condemned men and women doomed to die were taken into the desert blindfolded and left to survive for as long as they could. The whipping winds quickly brushing away any trace of the wagon that had borne them hence. Armies thinking with large numbers they could traverse a march across the desert were sorely mistaken. After hundreds of years the Akbah desert was declared unfit for safe travel and paths were remade to skirt the desert. This added weeks and months to caravans traveling from one end to the other. But no one was crazy enough to walk into that barren expanse.
Sultan Nazim stood silent on the balcony of his palace, the jewel of the oasis of Kireth and looked out at the skyline. Bolts of lightning lit up the sky this day but it was mid-summer and he found this unusual. Such lightning was usually only seen in the winter months. A ringed finger tapped on the side of the chalice he held in his right hand. Something felt off. Sudden changes in the desert were rare and such a change had not happened in well over a hundred years. His quiet contemplations were interrupted by the throne room doors slamming open admitting two guardsmen. Coming to a stop five feet from the Sultan both men bowed their heads, silently waiting to be acknowledged. Nazim sighed and finally set down his chalice.
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“What is it?”
“My lord there is a report that a man wandered into the city from the desert this morning. He was raving about seeing something in the desert. We don’t..”
Nazim held up a hand causing the guardsman to pause. “He came from the desert. Are you sure?”
“Yes, one of the palace maids saw him from one of the terraces as she was attending to the Empress.”
“And where is this man now?”
“He is with the healers. He had to be restrained due to his thrashing about. The healers gave him something to calm him. When we heard of this we came right away.”
“Of course you did.” Nazim rubbed his chin, his gaze going once more to the lightning streaking down from the sky. “I will see this mad man for myself. “ The Sultan turned and headed out of his throne room. “My planned quiet day will not be so quiet after all.”
Elsewhere in the city past the palace and the market stood the healing house of the kingdom. Inside, deep in the dungeon level reserved only for the condemned or soon to be condemned was a cell. And in this cell was a man restrained, struggling against his bonds.
“I saw it! I saw HIM! Evil has come! We are doomed!”
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“Please calm yourself. You are safely in Kireth.” The healer in charge of him fluttered around the room.
The doors opened and in walked the Sultan surrounded by his honor guard. The healer gasped, surprised he had ventured so far from the palace.
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“Sultan, what brings you here?”
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“This man brings me here.” Nazim crossed the room to look at the man bound to the bed. The man’s eyes were glazed over, his skin scratched and scarred showing it was obvious he had walked through one of the many sandstorms. “I was told he just wandered out of the desert this morning raving and shouting.”
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“Oh yes he did.” The healer sadly looked down at her patient. “He caused quite a scene in the market screaming about evil in the desert.”
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“I need to speak to him if he is able to speak to me.”
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The healer looked from her sovereign to her patient. “I did have to heavily sedate him so he should be able to talk for a bit.”
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“Thank you, if you do not mind?” Nazim motioned to the doorway. The healer knew better than to argue and allowed one of the guards to usher her out. Nazim waited for the door to close before approaching the man. “This man looks familiar. Tell me why.”
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One of the guardsmen moved forward to look at the man, canting his head slightly. “I remember him. His name is Sammed, he was sentenced to walk the desert for murdering his relative over a woman. But that was almost a month ago.”
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Nazim nodded and continued to stare at the man. “Send for the witch. I have need of her skills. I want all the information we can get out of him.”
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Minutes passed until the door of the cell opened. The witch Amalia entered the small space pausing to look at everyone in the room. “There are too many in here..”
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Nazim nodded and pointed to individuals as a signal to wait outside. The room emptied until the only occupants were the man, the Sultan, the witch, and two guardsmen. Clasping a book to her chest Amalia moved to look at the man.
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“He is dying we do not have much time. Tell me what you wish of me my Sultan.”
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“I wish to know what he saw in the desert, how he survived so long, and how he found his way back here.”
“As you wish.” Amalia started laying stones around the man who started to twitch when she got to close. “You will tell us what you saw in the desert.”
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Sammed’s closed eyes snapped open but when he spoke his voice sounded hollow as he had been commanded to speak. “I wandered the desert alone for so long. Days or weeks, I do not know. Always the sand and the storms hitting me like shards of glass. I longed for death so I could exit this life and find peace. Then I saw it, it was there in the distance. I thought I was seeing things but it was there.”
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“What was there?” Nazim spoke up but asked no more when Amalia looked at him.
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“The city was there. I found it in a moment of calm. There I found shelter or thought I had. I was there three or four nights then the lightning started. Something was wrong and I ran for my life. I lost my footing and fell but when I looked back I saw something. I did not know what it was but I think it was some sort of portal. This cloaked figure walked through followed by ten others. I watched as best I could.”
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Amalia looked to Nazim who nodded for her to continue. “Tell us more about this group of people.”
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“I don’t know!” Sammed tried to cover his head but could not due to his bonds. “I do not think they expected to walk into the environment they now found themselves in. The man was angry and started yelling. Some looked confused. I could not hear their conversation though. I was too far away!”
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Nazim raised a brow wondering if what the man spoke was true or just madness that had set in.
Amalia shook her head. “Tell us how you returned here then you can rest in eternal slumber.”
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Sammed was shaking as he heard Amalia’s words whispered in his ear. “I watched them as they walked around, the lightning was growing worse and it made the man clad in black more angry. Then suddenly the storm stopped, I remembered that because the sand looked like diamond dust as it fell to the ground. It was then I noticed he was looking right at me! His eyes red as hellfire! Evil is upon us! He pointed at me and bid me to go that he declared the land as his and dared anyone to do something about it. He ordered me to return to send this message. He closed his fist and I truly thought I was going to die but I woke up and could see the city.” Sammed turned his head to Amalia with fear in his eyes. “The war ground of the gods is reclaimed and evil now walks where none dare tread. We are doomed!” Sammed started screaming. “Look to the desert on the thirteenth day and he will make his presence known!” He then fell lifeless to the bed.
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Amalia looked to the Sultan and shook her head. “We can get no further information from this man.”
Nazim frowned, turning away from the scene and leaving. He walked out of the building and into the litter that will carry him back to his palace. He mused that it had been centuries since the desert had been referred to by its ancient name, the war ground of the gods. It was the belief that this was the reason for the violent storms and lightning that ravaged the desert. Late that night as he stood once more on his balcony watching the storms, Nazim made a mark on his calendar.
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“Thirteen days. I await you to make your presence known.”
News of Sameed’s final words somehow made its way through the city over the following days. As the thirteenth day dawned nothing was seen in the desert. Nazim stood along with his Empress, concubines, and council as he watched and waited. As day turned to night nothing had changed. As midnight approached Nazim slammed his chalice down. “This has been nothing but the ravings of a mad man and a waste of my time.” One of his concubines gasped causing Nazim to spin around. The empress cried out and ran from the balcony.
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For all to see mirrored against the night sky was the gigantic shadow of a man on horseback surrounded by flames. The banner pole held in his left hand was slammed into the ground and where the eyes should be glowed red. The ground vibrated as the pole hit the ground and a wave of sand rose up and headed for the city. This caused a mass panic of screaming humanity to run for cover. Nazim continued to stare at the gigantic figure that filled the night sky.
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“Sultan come inside!” One of his honor guard had to drag him into the safety of the palace.
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“Eyes like hellfire.” The Sultan was visibly shaken. “Evil has come.”
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In the following days Nazim set forth decrees limiting travel on the caravan paths. Scrolls exchanged with their neighbor Prophis reflected a similar incident. Once the storm had passed and the people of Kireth could once more go outside, most could not help looking out at the desert to wonder what was coming next.
DEEPPORT - Kingdom of Deepport mostly cavernous with the entrance is a mass of labyrinthine cliffs. Population is mostly Beastfolk with a Chieftain Silverfist and council of elders who preside over the Kingdom's affairs and commerce.
The Deepport port is a massive tunnel that leads throughout the darkness that leads to outside bay that used by all sorts.
Languages: Feral, which is a Beastfolk tongue and Common.
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DRANESSE - A kingdom ruled by Queen Kathryn which matriarchy society which only women can obtain citizenship. Males are welcome to visit the city. "Walking Marriages” are very common, where the man goes to the woman’s home, spends the night with her and then leaves the following morning. Dranessan warriors are known for fury, efficiency and speed
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BREAM - A Kingdom ruled by Great Inquisitor Arcturus and his minister of affairs Tim. Their warriors are called Intelligunts, which are taught to study to their opponents and learn their fighting technique. Bream society is egalitarianist in nature with a firm social class system that based on one's intelligence. They are known for the massive libraries and some of the best artificers.
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DESOLATION - Not so much a kingdom itself, but the still smoldering caldera of what used to be the Kingdom of Cindermere. These days it is seen as haunted wasteland, the only standing structure in the skeletal remains of the once thriving city being the Skyspire, an obsidian tower carved from the center of the cursed star Bane used to level the kingdom. It is said to be a land where no living may walk and it's border closely guarded and monitored by the Roost and it's Blackbirds. For the right price, one may find a a 'ferryman' willing to take them back through the sands to the ghostland.
Work In progress, check back later!
