"Every kingdom begins with a claim. Every grave begins with ambition."
On the far eastern frontier of Eyr lies The Eastern Front, a sprawling military encampment built along an old border road. Wooden palisades, watchtowers, trenches, and siege engines stretch across the landscape, forming a defensive line against the untamed wilderness and the lands controlled by the Witch Mother.
The camp is commanded by Prince Aldric Valen, the only surviving son of the late King Edric III. Aldric believes that, as the last heir of the old royal bloodline, he is the rightful King of all Eyr.
The problem is...
There has never been a Kingdom of Eyr.
Centuries ago, King Edric ruled only a small realm in the eastern plains. His kingdom prospered for a time before falling to monsters, civil war, and the growing influence of the Four Sisters.
When the kingdom collapsed, its nobles scattered, its castles crumbled, and its people built new lives elsewhere.
Over generations, the kingdom became legend.
Its borders disappeared.
Its laws were forgotten.
Its claim to Eyr died with it.
Everyone knows this.
Except Aldric.
Raised on tales of his ancestors, Aldric became convinced that he alone could restore the "true Kingdom of Eyr."
He has spent years gathering mercenaries, exiled knights, wandering nobles, and anyone willing to fight beneath his banner.
He refers to himself as:
"His Royal Majesty, King Aldric I of Eyr."
No nation recognizes his title.
The Deep Elves ignore him.
Moonveil politely refuses to acknowledge him.
The Witch Mother simply laughs.
Even many of his own soldiers privately call him "The Pretender King."
At the center of the Eastern Front stands Fort Dawnwatch, a massive wooden fortress reinforced with stone walls and earthworks.
Inside are:
Barracks
A blacksmith
Stables
Training grounds
A military chapel
Supply warehouses
A war council hall
A prison
A field hospital
Nearly three thousand soldiers live within its walls.
Aldric's forces are disciplined and well equipped.
His army includes:
Heavy Knights
Longbow Companies
Pikemen
Cavalry
Battle Clerics
Engineers
Scouts
Mercenary Companies
Though experienced, morale has slowly begun to decline.
Many soldiers have started questioning why they are fighting a war no one asked for.
Aldric is only thirty-two years old.
Handsome, charismatic, and a gifted battlefield commander, he genuinely believes he is destined to unite Eyr beneath one crown.
He is not cruel.
He is not evil.
He simply cannot let go of the dream he inherited from his father.
He views the Witch Mother as a tyrant.
Thistle as a misguided hermit.
Nyx as a dangerous sorceress.
Vesper as a political rival.
In his mind...
Only a king can save Eyr.
Despite years of preparation, almost no major battles have taken place.
Instead, the border has become a place of endless skirmishes.
Patrols clash.
Scouts disappear.
Monsters wander between both armies.
Neither side gains ground.
Some veterans believe the Witch Mother intentionally allows Aldric to remain.
His failed war distracts everyone from her search for the Demon Amulet.
A dragon has been seen flying over the eastern mountains.
Several soldiers have vanished while patrolling abandoned watchtowers.
The Pretender King's ancestors may have possessed an artifact linked to the First Civilization.
Secret negotiations between Moonveil and Fort Dawnwatch have begun.
Some officers are considering mutiny.
King Edric's bloodline is genuine.
Prince Aldric truly is the last heir of his family.
What he does not know is that his ancestors were never chosen to rule Eyr.
They were chosen to guard something.
Hidden beneath the ruins of their ancestral castle lies The Crown Vault, a forgotten chamber built by the First Civilization.
Inside rests the Crown of Accord, a magical relic capable of uniting the scattered peoples of Eyr—but only if worn by someone who seeks to serve rather than to rule.
If Aldric continues to chase the throne out of pride, the Crown will reject him.
If he learns humility...
He may become exactly the leader Eyr needs.
Until then, the Eastern Front remains a war fought for a kingdom that exists only in one man's heart.