Ebonhold



Located at the foot of the southern edge of the western reaches of the Dragonspine Mountains, north of the Drakesreach Sierra and Crown's Refuge within the Wildlands, the citadel of Ebonhold is an ancient stronghold with a history that has been long since forgotten. Believed to have been built some time before the Cataclysm, it was eventually taken over - or perhaps built as - the lair of the Dragoness Kalath'aria, who once resided within the depths of the the Dragonspine Ravine that is nestled between the Ebonhold Rampart, and the jutting spears of mountains behind it. It is also host to a Host Tower of the Arcane that was recently home to one Archmage Zanorin Drakesfire, a Shadow-Touched Mage of considerable power who was believed to be in the service of the Lady Kalath'aria until his banishment in 625 ATA. Having evidently been refurbished numerous times with the aid of the same form of magic that saw the construction of the Aegis wall around Fastheld, and flanked on three sizes by the sheer cliff faces of the Dragonspine Mountains around it, Ebonhold is a daunting fortress indeed. It is also a location that has been in a state of flux for most of its history, with the citadel playing host to a number of different factions, races (not all of them Imperial) and political mechanations during its long and relatively enigmatic legacy through the ages. For example, in recent history, Ebonhold fell into the claws of a large tribe of Black Wildlings roughly 600 ATA, and remained a bastion of their strength until in early 625 ATA when Kalath'aria returned to the world and removed them from her ancestral home. However, later in the same year, Kalath'aria departed the citadel for an unknown purpose, throwing the fate of the citadel into question. It managed to rebuild itself as a haven for the Wildlanders of the region who had not joined Talus Kahar XIV in his quest to build Crown's Refuge, a dream that lasted little more than a year before Zanorin Drakesfire was banished from the Wildlands by the Red Dragon Val'sharax. In the months that followed that event Ebonhold was apparently changed hands once more, slipping from the grasp of the peaceful Wildlanders and falling into the grasp of faction that heralded itself as the Cult of the Dragon. Little has since been heard from that faction except for a contacts with the Wildlanders of the rebuilt freehold of Crown's Refuge who have reportedly been met with a less than peaceful reception at every encounter, including - but not limited to - a full blow assault upon the freehold at the turn of the year 627 ATA. Rumors have also been reported within Crown's Refuge that the faction currently in control of Ebonhold have openly embraced the Shadow and all of its darkness, adopting the corruption of the taint as a tool to be manipulated and forced to submit to whim and desire, rather than one to fear and be wary of. What problems this may cause to the Wildlands and the Empire of Fastheld in the future is subject to much discussion and speculation.