Grand Duke Drago Koshevek
When the Bürach Empire invaded Ostoya, Soma
was at the front lines of the war. While wealthy,
their army was not as experienced as the Empire’s
seasoned soldiers, and they lost more battles than
they won. The Bürach’s encroachment into the
province grew with each passing season, before
retreating for the winter.
Matters worsened when the Darkfall led to
widespread destruction. The inciting earthquake
unearthed an ancient metropolis that the Somans
had unwittingly built over. The City Below gave
up its dead: hordes of zombies, wights, ghouls,
and vampires emerged from the abyss to ravage
the countryside.
Without drastic measures, it was clear that Ostoya
would fall to this new threat. The nobility came
up with a plan: they ordered a young Soman
captain named Morgen Hund and his company to
fight their way into the largest chasm and hold
back the tide of undead.
Hund’s company dutifully descended the crevice,
destroying scores of undead along the way. When
they had carried the battle deep into the abyss,
the Raevo wizards used their most powerful spells
to collapse the sides of the crevice, sealing both
the undead and the soldiers within.
With the horde dealt with, the nobility took one
day to honour their soldiers’ sacrifice before
turning their attention back to the Bürach.
But this was not the last they saw of
Morgen Hund.
The Ostoyan captain had survived the collapse.
He wandered deep in the underground city to
escape the undead horde. During his travels, he
found himself in a strange shrine dedicated to a
forgotten god. The shrine spoke to him, offering
him his fondest desire in exchange for his
servitude. Hund replied, “I wish for the power to
destroy my oppressors.”
The shrine glowed in the dark like a votive candle,
then struck Hund down with a blast of sinister
magic. “Granted.”
When he awoke days later, Hund had been
changed into a vampire lord. He spent the better
part of the year gathering an army of undead
before returning to the surface.
Upon emerging Hund sought the Soman nobility,
turning each one into vampires. He killed the
Grand Duke and took his place, renaming himself
Klaus Vorgen, Lord of Soma.
Once the gentry and nobility were all turned, they
formed a united front against the Bürach. Bürach
soldiers were shocked to see their dead comrades
rising from the frozen battlefield and shambling
towards them. After a single bitter season of war,
the undead forced the Bürach to abandon their
forts in Soma and return to their homeland.
After this victory, Grand Duke Vorgen continued
to consolidate his power. He established the
Crimson Court, the highest ruling body of Ostoya,
and placed his closest allies in the highest circle
of power. They ruled the land unchallenged for
years until the Raevan Secession.
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