Major Events of Ghostreach
This region of Ghostreach, bounded to the north and west by vast forests, to the north and east by jagged mountains, to the south by the Gulf of Ghosts
Chrysalis Heart, breadbasket of the region, ruled by demigod and emperor the Amaryllian Throne.
Earthmarrow, a mountain kingdom, ruled by the flesh incarnate of the holy moon and its highest holder of office.
Darkstar, a land of cold waters and colder woods, its people hardy and fierce but subjugated by the Throne.
Centuries ago, perhaps even before the ancient mercenary companies came to Ghostreach, the construction of the Undying City of Amaryllis began. It started as the Inner City, the capital of Chrysalis Heart and the home of the Lotus Court, palace of the Amaryllian Throne, demigod and emperor of Chrysalis Heart. The Inner City was packed with souls, hovels clinging to the walls of palaces as the gulf held them on one side and the will of the Throne held them in on the other—the land outside of the city was theirs.
200 BEC: The Amaryllian Throne, god-emperor of Chrysalis Heart, rules the region from its capital, the Undying City of Amaryllis. The Throne intends to create an urban paradise for his nobles with gardens, mansions, and all other manner of buildings (for both nobles and the servants who would be "employed" there). Beginning their massive undertaking, the Throne expands the original city through massive construction projects leagues out from its original walled footprint. Nobles and their servants begin moving in and having children and filling it with more nobles and more servants. They take to calling this the Outer City.
50 BEC: The High Priest of Earthmarrow dies and his successor is chosen, a young girl from the large valley beneath the Coil.
10 BEC: The Amaryllian Throne unveils their plan, to immortalize themselves in totality and impart that immortality on their chosen people. Working with a group of loyal mages, the Throne begins creating magical wards on both the Inner and Outer City, slowly weaving magic in, around, and throughout the very stonework and soil that the city was built on.
8 BEC: Some of the Undying City nobility are hesitant to be part of the Throne’s experiment, as the methods of this were known to be highly experimental magic. Many of them start immigrating south to Blossom, the next largest city on the gulf. In the years leading up to the Crisis, the nobles who flee to Blossom build it into a capital to rival the Inner City.
8 BEC: The High Priestess of Earthmarrow begins fortification of all mountain fastnesses in response to the immigration south of powerful Chrysalis Heart families. One thousand Moonwardens are baptized in the holy silver circle of Moonlapse.
Year 0: Chrysalis Heart undergoes the Emergent Crisis. The Throne and their mages attempt their great magical working but it fails horribly. Death and unknown horrors befall most of the nobility and their servants in the Outer City. The resulting magical energy permeates the city, killing or transforming anyone who goes near it. The Throne themselves disappears. The city is in chaos. A few nobles who did not perish form a provisional government to maintain control of the Inner City.
Year 0: Upon hearing of the Crisis, the people of Darkstar declare their independence from Chrysalis Heart. Fortresses fall as native Darkstar soldiers execute their officers and take control. Noble assemblies of Chrysalis Heart try to regroup and declare war on the new freehold. This is known as the War of the Shearing. The war lasts for a few years and many ancient mercenary companies make and lose coin and reputation from it.
1 AEC: The nobles who fled to Blossom had built it into a capital to rival the Inner City. In the resulting chaos, the leaders of Blossom declared themselves the Heirs Apparent, the new council of rulers, and changed the city's name to Godhead's Lament. They made it the new capital of Chrysalis Heart, relegating the Inner City’s provisional government to being the steward of a semi-autonomous city-state. They double their efforts against Darkstar while keeping a wary eye on Earthmarrow.
4 AEC: Chrysalis Heart, led by the Heirs Apparent, attempts to reconquer Darkstar. Chrysalis Heart’s navy is repelled at Houndsbay, where their fleet is devastated in the Battle of the Hound's Mouth at the fortress Vigil. Then their land force, sent through the mountain pass of Falter’s Gap, is crushed under the walls of the fortress of Martinet. Suffering campaign-ending losses, Chrysalis Heart retreats and Darkstar mints their newly-held capital city Circle of Tyrants in mockery of its former masters. Darkstar is free.
7 AEC: The Amaryllian Throne reappears,seemingly from the ether, reasserting their place as the ruler of the Undying City. Although only a shade of their former self, the Throne brings back with it some of its most powerful members, and the rest of the Inner City bows in worship. However, the Outer City sits festering, harboring dark secrets and deadly horrors.