The Dark Gift Arrives

In the golden age of the Western Kingdom, under the rule of King Ramarvis Ashwood, its cities glittered with wealth, its armies marched with unmatched precision, and its influence stretched across the Ancient Reach. Ramarvis had earned his kingdom’s supremacy through strategic alliances, military might, and a keen sense of diplomacy. His reign was seen as the zenith of human achievement. Yet, behind the throne, whispers carried darker truths: the king was a man burdened by insatiable desires, his ambition teetering on the edge of obsession.

The Arrival of the Crown

In the year 2380 BGW, a delegation of Duskborn arrived at the gates of the Western Kingdom, presenting themselves as emissaries of trade. Unbeknownst to them, they carried an artifact of immense and terrible power: the Crown of Dominion. The artifact’s whispers had guided them unknowingly, driving them to deliver it to the seat of human authority, where its corruption could take root and spread.

The delegation presented the Crown as an ancient relic discovered in the shadowed depths of Draidiff. Its seven spires glinted with an alluring, otherworldly glow, and though three gems shone brightly, the others pulsed faintly, as though awaiting the touch of a worthy bearer. Ramarvis, curious and covetous of power, demanded the artifact be brought before him.

The Temptation and Corruption

Ramarvis gazed upon the Crown, his eyes drawn to its dark beauty. It whispered promises to him, unseen by the court but echoing in his mind. It spoke of unyielding control, eternal dominance, and the power to reshape the Ancient Reach in his image. The king, though powerful, had always harbored a deep fear: the fear that his legacy would be forgotten, his empire crumbling into obscurity after his death.

The Crown knew this fear and latched onto it. It promised him not only the preservation of his kingdom but immortality—his name etched in the annals of history forever. The king, tempted beyond reason, placed the Crown upon his brow.

In that moment, the fourth gem flared to life. A surge of energy coursed through Ramarvis, amplifying his every desire and fear. His paranoia deepened, and his ambitions grew monstrous. The Crown turned his fear of obscurity into a consuming obsession with control, and his desire for legacy became a need for absolute domination.

The Reign of Tyranny

Under the Crown’s influence, Ramarvis transformed from a calculated and admired ruler into a tyrant. He declared himself the Chosen King, ruler not just of the Northern Kingdom but of all the Ancient Reach. His decrees grew erratic, demanding fealty from neighboring kingdoms and threatening destruction for those who refused.

• Paranoia: Ramarvis became convinced that his closest allies plotted against him. He purged his council, replacing trusted advisors with sycophants who fed his delusions.
• Conquest: The king launched relentless campaigns, aiming to subjugate the other kingdoms. His armies, once a force of pride and defense, became tools of terror, razing villages and enslaving populations to fuel his war machine.
• Oppression: Within his own borders, Ramarvis instituted draconian laws, silencing dissent and demanding worship of himself as a near-divine figure.

The Crown’s Influence

The Crown’s corruption was not only evident in Ramarvis’s actions but in his very appearance. As the months passed, his once-vibrant complexion grew pale, his eyes darkened, and his voice carried an unnatural resonance. Whispers spread among his people that the king was no longer human, but something far worse—a vessel for a greater, malevolent power.

Even as his kingdom’s power grew under his iron rule, cracks began to form. Neighboring realms united against him, and rebellions simmered within his borders. Yet Ramarvis, consumed by the Crown’s whispers, remained blind to the seeds of his downfall.

The Legacy of King Ramarvis Ashwood

Ramarvis’s reign marked the beginning of the Western Kingdom’s decline. Though his empire expanded to its greatest extent under his rule, the cost of his tyranny left the land fractured and weakened. His story became a cautionary tale of ambition unchecked, the perils of seeking power at any cost, and the insidious nature of the Crown of Dominion.

The Crown itself vanished after his death, leaving behind a shattered kingdom and a legacy of fear and ruin. To this day, the ruins of his great palace stand as a reminder of the dangers of hubris and the dark allure of the Crown.