**The Shattered Pact: The War of the Twin Fey Kings** ### **Origins of the Conflict** Long ago in the Feywild, the Well of Many Worlds appeared within the heart of the _Ivory Forest_, a breathtaking expanse of crystalline trees brimming with ancient magic. The artifact's power to open portals to any plane made it a coveted prize among the fey courts, but its discovery sowed division between two neighboring kings: - **King Caelthas the Radiant**, ruler of the Emerald Gleam Court, believed the Well’s power should be protected and wielded with care, used sparingly to mend planar rifts or to forge alliances. - **King Verithal the Shadowed Thorn**, lord of the Umbral Veil Court, sought the Well as a weapon to expand his dominion, granting him access to realms where he could conquer and enslave. The kings initially sought mediation through the High Fey Council, but negotiations devolved into bitter accusations. When no resolution could be reached, Verithal took drastic action: he declared war, sending his forces to seize the Ivory Forest and claim the Well of Many Worlds by force. ### **The Pact with Bane** King Verithal underestimated the resilience of Caelthas and his allies. The Emerald Gleam Court’s fey warriors, bolstered by druids and nature spirits, mounted a fierce resistance. As the war dragged on, Verithal grew desperate. His ambition led him to seek the aid of **Bane, the god of tyranny and conquest**. Verithal struck a dark bargain with Bane, offering him the promise of dominion over any plane the Well of Many Worlds could access once it was secured. In return, Bane sent his disciples to the Feywild to forge an army unlike any the realm had seen. These warriors, clad in shadow-forged steel, were infused with planar magic that nullified fey enchantments. Verithal’s forces became a juggernaut, mercilessly advancing across the Feywild. ### **The Fall of the Ivory Forest** The climactic battle occurred at the heart of the Ivory Forest, where the Well of Many Worlds lay hidden within a crystalline grove. As Verithal’s army encircled the forest, Caelthas and his forces made a final stand. The Emerald Gleam druids attempted to use the forest’s magic to shield the Well, but Bane’s corruption had already seeped into the land. The battle was devastating. Crystalline trees shattered, releasing wild magic that tore through both armies. Fey creatures were twisted into abominations, and the skies above the forest fractured, revealing glimpses of other planes. What happened last still remains a mystery. In the chaos, Verithal reached the artifact and tried to activate it, but in doing so Verithal was pulled into the void, his fate unknown, and the artifact gone with him. ### **Aftermath** With Verithal gone and his army shattered, Caelthas emerged as the nominal victor—but at a terrible cost. The Ivory Forest, once a beacon of beauty and magic, was now a ruin of jagged stumps and scorched earth. The Feywild itself bore scars from the war, with some regions permanently destabilized by planar rifts. Caelthas, wracked with grief and guilt over the destruction, abdicated his throne, retreating into the wilderness to atone. The Umbral Veil Court fell into disarray without Verithal’s leadership, splintering into warring factions. The Well of Many Worlds became a cautionary tale, its power both feared and desired. Rumors of its reappearance have since surfaced across the planes, drawing adventurers, warlords, and planar scholars who seek its power—or to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. # Story Info - The group first learned of this war from [[Amelia Hanvola]] after she sent them a letter informing them of the [[Well of Many Worlds]]. - [[Amelia's Response]]