The Forging of the Crown of Dominion

In the twilight of the War of the Two Moons, beneath the ashen peaks of Ebonspire, a crown was wrought—seven-spired and black as night, destined to bring ruin upon the world.

It was not born from mortal ambition alone, but from the whispers of Vyrakath, the God of Destruction, who watched from the edges of eternity. Though bound by the Edict of Eternity and forbidden to tread upon the mortal realm, Vyrakath's hunger for dominion found a vessel in Vaeril Dusktide, an exiled Duskborn arcanist cast out from Draidiff.

Vaeril’s heart burned with vengeance against the High Elves of Lumispire, and in this bitterness, Vyrakath saw the reflection of his own fall. Through the veil that separated gods from mortals, the god whispered:

"Forge for me a Crown, and through it, we shall rule both mortal and divine."

The Hidden Forge of Ebonspire

Vaeril descended into the heart of Ebonspire Peak, where veins of Sylrathil throbbed with latent arcane power. This rare ore, long believed sacred by the High Elves for its role in shaping the Leystones, was twisted by centuries of shadow magic, resonating with fractured leyline energy.

Vaeril tempered this metal with Shadowsteel, an abyssal alloy that pulsed like living darkness beneath his hammer. For seven days and nights, he shaped the circlet, each strike upon the forge echoing with the distant voice of Vyrakath.

Rising from the Crown’s base were seven jagged spires, unaligned and hollow, their tips blackened but empty. They awaited something more—a vessel for the vices of mortals.

The Seven Spires of Vice

The spires of the Crown did not gain full power at their forging. Each spire was bound to a sin, a reflection of the weaknesses Vyrakath sought to exploit in the hearts of rulers and kings. But these spires were incomplete, hollow until filled by the essence of mortal souls.

As Vaeril labored, Vyrakath carved into the spires the names of the vices in the Old Elvish tongue, words that seared the soul of any who dared to read them aloud:

• The Spire of Hunger – Ilar’vethil – Insatiable gluttony and desire, crowned with amber.
• The Spire of Envy – Thal’raeken – Bitter jealousy, adorned with emerald.
• The Spire of Vanity – Calen’veris – Pride and arrogance, marked by sapphire.
• The Spire of Wrath – Garoth’karun – Endless rage, sealed with ruby.
• The Spire of Desire – Lythra’mor – Lust and longing, gleaming with amethyst.
• The Spire of Avarice – Duril’kazad – Greed, crowned with topaz.
• The Spire of Apathy – Nymar’sathil – Despair and futility, topped with onyx.

Each spire would remain dormant until a mortal ruler succumbed fully to one of these vices, feeding the Crown their essence. Only when all seven spires were filled would the Crown reach its true potential—a gateway through which Vyrakath’s will could fully manifest in the mortal world.

The Crown’s Incomplete Power

When Vaeril placed the Crown upon his brow, he became the first to bear its curse, his heart tethered to The Spire of Wrath. The ruby atop the spire burned bright, marking him as the first Wraith Lord, but the remaining spires lay cold and empty. The Crown granted Vaeril immense power, yet it demanded more.

Each bearer who followed Vaeril succumbed to a different vice, feeding the spires one by one across generations. As the Crown passed from hand to hand, the world inched closer to ruin. Vyrakath’s influence grew stronger, but until the last spire was filled, the Crown’s dominion would remain incomplete.

A Weapon of Shadows, Not Rule

The Crown of Dominion was never meant to govern. It was not a symbol of authority but a weapon of corruption. Each ruler who wore it believed themselves in control, only to fall victim to the very weakness they sought to suppress.

Though the Crown would later ignite the fires of The Great War, its forging under Ebonspire marked the moment the world began its slow descent into shadow.

"The Crown does not conquer by force. It waits. Patient as the gods, hungry as the hearts of mortals." – Vaeril Dusktide, upon completing the Crown.