Darkened Nicklaus

The Duke Nicklaus’ betrayal of the Hirschbuck Empire would hardly come as a surprise to any noble with a keen eye for current affairs. The new Emperor Nero of the Hirschbuck Dynasty had already built up a reputation for resentment against the descendants of the Holy King and their duchy by the time the vassal state severed itself from the empire in open rebellion. Yet the Emperor had underestimated the strength of Nicklaus’ determination, and there was much mourning in the Imperial Capital on the day of the Declaration of Severance among generals and soldiers wiser than he.

Yet the might of the empire prevailed, and Lasir soon found itself bereft of more than half of its former territories. It was at this despairing juncture that High Pontiff Valeria of the Order of the Sacred Fire found an opportunity to move her long-awaited suggestion: a visit to the Isle of the Holy King Carlos in the hope that some great power may have been locked away in his tomb. The expedition forced its way to the dark magical seal near the Holy King’s sepulcher and immediately made two discoveries: a rift had been opened here at some point in the past into our world from a plane of pure, chaotic energy and that, secondly, any force to wield such an energy would become effectively invincible! This was reason enough for Nicklaus to dabble in a magic that he did not understand to save his people and avenge himself on the hated Hirschbucks.