The Early History of Ravenholt:
Years 591 - 592 ER

Part Fifteen: War Begins Once More | Part Sixteen: The Imposter Duke | Part Seventeen: The Cessation of Ravenholt

Part Fifteen: War Begins Once More

It was discovered in April of 591 that the Baron had been possessed by the spirit of his father, Randoph Kent. Randolph had been renowned at cheating death. Apparently, he made a deal with a vile necromancer who had become obsessed with research in cheating death. The necromancer had placed Randolph's spirit into an amulet upon his death. Willed to his son, the amulet was cursed in such a way that Nathaniel would never wish to remove it. This amulet allowed Randolph to control his son at any time, and, in retrospect, after his death it explained Nathaniel's frequent periods of amnesia. Once this was discovered, the Duke had the amulet destroyed. When it was destroyed, however, Randolph's spirit was freed and went to the only place it knew; Nathaniel's body. A bitter struggle for control ensued between the two spirits. Nathaniel Kent, in great pain, fought bravely to banish his father's spirit. A Life Elemental which was in Ravenholt at the time explained that there was no way to destroy one of the spirits without destroying the other as well. In an act of unparalelled bravery, Baron Kent asked to be Obliterated, so that his spirit might rest peacefully. There were few that were not moved to tears as the Obliteration was performed. After confering with Baron Blakeny, the Duke then appointed Sir Aleric of Westmarch to be the new Baron of Eastwyck.

In June, the Royal Army was able to regain the land that had been lost to the Goblins the previous year. Reports that the King of the Goblins, King Murdok, had disappeared coincided with the beginning of Goblin attacks once more. Apparently leaderless, the Goblins began their usual attacks and fights with each other, making it easier for an organized attack on the part of the Royal Army. Such disorganization on behalf of the Goblins resulted in success for the Royal Army. The respite for the Royal Army was indeed brief however.

Promptly after defeating the disorganized Goblins, the Sessuar Empire began attacking from across the Ocean. The battle was short and many felt that the primary reason for the attack was an "exploratory sortie" by the foreign power, in an attempt to gage the forces defending the land. This opinion was increasingly shared by many of the citizenry when the Empire launched an attack again in the late fall. Duke Ravenhurst could not respond to this latest threat to his lands, because he was mysteriously unavailable.

Part Sixteen: The Imposter Duke

Theories abounded as to the reason for the Duke's absence. The best theory holds that the Duke was captured by SakalidDesmond Capulus. Evidence indicated that it was Desmond, however many feel that the evidence was a bit too obvious and may have been planted to make Desmond the suspect. In any event, the imposter, working in alliance with Sakalid, immediately ordered the outlaw of all healing spells that could be reversed as necromantic spells. The imposter argued that since healing spells could be perverted into evil necromantic spells at any time, the only course of action to protect the Duchy from necromancy would be to declare their opposites illegal. Strangely, his view and decree had support from some of the nobility, including the Lord Magistrate Pious and Count Jakorren. It was the Count that pointed to a recent attack by an army of strange creatures, insect-like in nature, and to the claim that they were born of Chaos. These creatures were named The Brood by the citizenry, and this formidable race had attacked Ravenholt, nearly bringing the population to its knees.

Immediately, the populace of Ravenholt decried the Duke's actions. Many protested publicly and vehemently, and the law was ignored by many. In an attempt to understand and test the nature of the change in the Duke, the Duchess took Roderick and promptly left town. Even those nobles in support of the Duke changed their minds after this action. Meanwhile, the imposter, believed to be Desmond, stayed in the Duke's chambers and refused to see anyone. It was believed by many that the Duke was distraught at his wifes' abandonment, and no one thought it too curious when he appeared to be distracted.

On the night of November 1, 591, the "Duke" was assassinated at the doors of the Keep. It is not known who, or which group, was behind the assassination, but it was commonly believed to have been the Sessuar. As followers of the vampire Urich who was in the area at the time, they were the prime suspects. Sadly, it was an attack against Urich that permanently killed Lord Pious a few days later. After the assassination, the Duke's body was placed in the Healer's Guild awaiting his spirit's recovery and return to his body.

The very next day, Sakalid attacked the town with an army of undead. After a brutal battle, the Liche was captured. In a bold statement, he claimed he had captured the Duke's spirit, and that unless he was released, his minions would destroy it. Assuming the duties of the Duke as the law required, Lord Seneschal Montfern ordered Sakalid's destruction nonetheless, and rescinded the laws prohibiting healing spells. Baron Alaric of Eastwyck performed a formal Destroy Earth spell on Sakalid's body, which was successful. However, such a formal spell removes all Earth Magics on the being, and many believed that it was likely Sakalid still existed in a different form somewhere. This would be proven all too correct in the very near future. Afterwards, a Contact Earth spell was performed in an attempt to locate the Duke's spirit. Successful, it located his spirit in a spot over two weeks' travel from Ravenholt.

Shortly after the death of the imposter-Duke, Countess Shardon of Cumberland temporarily removed Scafloc as Baron of Elfheim (pending the Duke's approval), and appointed Isilome Arusorambo as the Baron-regent. With the Sessuar already in Capulus and the Kingdom's forces strained, Scafloc's concern for his people prompted him to travel to Evendarr to meet with the King and plead his case. Countess Cumerland's actions had freed him to fulfill his duties and responsibilities to Draelonde (the Drae name for their lands called Elfheim by the Kingdom). Through his seneschal the Lady Saxony, the King agreed that Evendarr was ill-equipped to protect Draelonde, and that the treaties they had signed were therefore void. The sovereignty of Draelonde was acknowledged, and the two kingdoms began immediate peaceful negotiations.

Promptly in the beginning of 592, Eastwyck was made part of the County of Dragonshire, bringing Baron Alaric under the command of Countess Cumberland. The formation of both the Counties of Arkham and Dragonshire to include two baronies each remained this way until the dissolution of the Counties in 599.

Finally, in February of 592, a Contact Earth Ritual lead adventurers seeking the spirit bottle of the Duke to the lands on a hill north of Unity in the Duchy of Volta. Upon research of the area, adventurers seeking Duke Basil's bottle learn that this hill was apparently the abandoned home of the infamous necromancer Thorna Alinger. The Duke's spirit was successfully freed from the clutches of Sakalid, and as it was feared, the foul abomination indeed had not been destroyed by the Destroy Earth formal spell cast by Baron Alaric.

The Duke's spirit was returned to his body and he promptly took leadership in the Duchy once again. He expressed profound thanks and admiration of the brave deeds performed by those adventurers who freed him from the clutches of Sakalid.

Part Seventeen: The Cessation of Ravenholt

During the pursuit of Duke Basil's spirit, in 592 King Richard Endarr died in the capital city of natural causes. Prince Joseph Saxony, as the surviving heir to the thone, was named King. At roughly the same time, in March of 592, the Ardynnites requested sovereignty due to continual changes in the leadership of the Barony of Eastwyck.

For his renowned magical ability and scholarly persuit of magical advancement for the betterment of the Duchy and the Kingdom, T.F. Arcevol, court mage to the Duke as well as the Guildmaster of the Ravenholt Mages Guild, was promoted to Headmaster of the Celestial College at Lake Hollym. As his replacement, Arcevol named Colin Turing as his replacement as the Guildmaster of Wizards. Colin Turing assumed his duty and all within the guild were reported to have been pleased with the promotion.

The revelry of the Duke's return, and the promotion of both T.F. Arcevol and Colin Turing was short lived, however. In June of 592, attacks by creatures resembling lizards began against the Duchy. Lead by a Lizardman called Primus, they declared war on Raveholt, whilst a mysterious plague decimated Garson's Bridge. At roughly the same time, tragically, Baron Alaric Malinruin appeared to take his final death fighting a band of brigands known as the Iron Cross. Much beloved by his court and the people of Eastwyck, sadness gripped the people when news of his death was returned. The Duke, seeking to maintain stable leadership in the Barony of Eastwyck, named Sir Arracor Stormhaven as Baron in the interim.

Strangely, in July of 592, Elememtal phenomenon began to plague Ravenholt and puzzle experts as to why such strange fluxes in the elements are occuring. It was at this time that a Gypsy prophecy heralded the return of Guxx Unfadoo. Believed to have been destroyed by Sir Nork, it did not bode well with the people of the Duchy and many sage wizards and nobles attempted to discern the validity and probability of the fulfillment of this prophesy. It would later turn out that the battle with the being known as Guxx Unfadoo was not yet over.

In August of 592,Baron Cynric Sagramore was named chancellor, and Sir Darin Darkcloud became Baron of Capulus in his stead. Ultimately, the Duke's clemency and lieniency toward the new chancellor in the past would reap tragic consequences. In the following month, strange happenings would continue to occur within most every Barony in the Duchy, including one example in Westmarch, where guards would attack and persecute revelers at a Faire. Sir Dareth Darkthunder and Squire Dire disappeared mysteriously, as well and a mysterioucs citadel would be implicated in both of these instances.

In an unprecedented move, Duke Basil Ravenhurst declared the Duchy of Ravenholt an independent Principality in October of 592, and adopted Count Andros Paragon into his family. Simultaneously, Duchess Rowena Morganna Ravenhurst underwent a transformation startling to everyone. Her Grace became a Life Elemental. Shortly thereafter, she left Ravenholt. In recognition for her service to the Duchy, Prince Basil Ravenhurst, in November of 592, named Aurora Blakeny as Viscountess. As her replacement, Daramor Darkcloud was named Baron of Westmarch. The new Viscountess took to her duties, and the new Baron assumed direct and full leadership of the Barony.