PREQUEL - The Spark

       The Ebonreach Wilds lay untouched for centuries, a vast expanse of ancient forests, winding rivers, and untamed hills that served as a natural barrier between two great kingdoms. To the north, the Steel Legion thrived in the rugged Ironwood Dominion, their disciplined society carving order from the land through strength and resilience. To the south, the Woodland Syndicate wove their lives into the intricate Sylvan Nexus, where sprawling cities were connected by elaborate systems of trade, transport, and strategy. Though their cultures differed, the kingdoms shared an unspoken understanding: the Wilds were neutral ground, unneeded and unclaimed, a no-man’s-land that shielded them from open war.

    That balance has now shattered. The Steel Legion’s population has swelled, filling their fortresses and settlements to capacity. Their people look to the Ebonreach Wilds as a frontier, rich in ironwood trees, fertile fields, and precious minerals, where new strongholds can be forged to secure their future. The Woodland Syndicate, too, feels the strain of growth. Their intricate urban networks, once models of precision and sustainability, now strain under the weight of a thriving populace. The Wilds offer a chance to expand their cities and their influence, weaving the untamed land into their grand design.

    Deep within the shadowed glades of the Ebonreach Wilds, a chance encounter between scouts from the Steel Legion and Woodland Syndicate erupted into chaos. Tensions boiled over as harsh words turned to drawn steel, each side accusing the other of trespassing and provocation. When the skirmish ended, both parties retreated to their kingdoms bloodied and bitter, each carrying tales of aggression that stoked the fires of war. What had been a frontier of uneasy peace was now a battleground, the first spark of a conflict that would consume the Wilds.

    For the Steel Legion, the Ebonreach Wilds represents a proving ground where they can forge their legacy and build a prosperous future for their people. For the Woodland Syndicate, the land is a puzzle to be mastered and integrated into their homeland as they seek its precious resources. Both kingdoms see the Wilds as the key to their survival—and neither will yield.

    Now, the gauntlet has been thrown down and the drums of war echo across the land. The Steel Legion marshals its forces, preparing to carve order into the Wilds with strength and resolve. The Woodland Syndicate sharpens its strategies, ready to outmaneuver their rivals and claim their rightful place in history. Beneath the towering trees and shadowed glades of the Ebonreach, battle lines are drawn. Champions from each kingdom rise, vying to prove their worth and secure their people’s future. The Wilds, once untouched, are now a crucible where the fates of two kingdoms will be decided.