For hundreds of years the Ymerawdwrs of Great House Llud, ruling from the land of Drefaldwyn, promoted the faith, kept the peace, and defended our people from the enemies that threatened them. From tribes of humanoids and bands of giants, to the wild sea dragons of the Dekkulde Islands and hounds of Alizon, to the dread armies of the Cold Lords of Isakoti and the White Hand, their armies held the darkness at bay.
It has been more than a generation since Ymerawdwr Cearnach VII died in the last crusade in the frozen land of Isakoti at the gates of Iltorni, the last of his line. It has been more than a generation since Drefladwyn sank beneath the Heulwen Sea to be renamed Lloegyr, the lost land, destroying the line of succession to the Carnelian Throne. Since then, the remaining Great Houses, unable to choose a new High King from among their number, have warred among each other: four bloody and bitter wars have been fought over the question of succession, and all the while threats from outside continue to loom.
The inhabitants of the free Commots, owing no special allegiance to any of the Great Houses, have thankfully been spared direct involvement in these dynastic wars, although many warriors from these lands, seeking power and position, have sworn themselves to the
service of one or another of the warring factions. Without the protection of the Ymerawdwrs, and with the other great Houses divided against one another, we have been left to our own devices, with only the failing assistance of the shield holds of your holy orders, and the meager aid that trickles through the Ostgrau Mountains. The dwarven nations, pressed on many fronts themselves, seem otherwise only interested in counting their gold, and the elves remain an impenetrable enigma. The Hills of Bran-Galedd have all but been abandoned to wandering bands of orcs and other foul creatures, the Marshes of Morva have become home to all manner of flesh eating villains, and most folk have retreated to east side of the Great Avren River. And always the threat from Isakoti darkens the north.
The Church cannot offer aid, we have few resources, and those that we have are stretched thinner than parchment. Though the Patriarch has offered to mediate the dispute, I have been told that House Amaethon and House Gwydion have utterly rejected him in this role, claiming that his residence in Carmathen after being forced to flee Anderita by the self-styled Autarch Thorivid of Castille makes him necessarily biased in favor of their enemies.
I am afraid that the situation is not good, and I do not see any evidence that leads me to believe it will improve soon unless aid comes from a place entirely unexpected . . .
- Letter from Bishop Galen pen'Jophiel to Grand Master Ian pen'Imriel
