In the midst of a quiet war between the two elven kingdoms of Sifaren and Yisara and the slaver kingdom of Kelvanis, a dungeon was discovered. The heart and mind of the dungeon was Sistina, a tree with a dryad-like body. She rescued crown princess Phynis Constella of Sifaren from magically enforced slavery as well as a number of others, inadvertently leading to Phynis falling in love with her.

Suspicious after a decade of war, Queen Calath Constella panicked over this revelation and ordered Phynis’ guards to bring her back to the capital of Sifaren. Due to this Phynis walked into an ambush, in which the princess was mortally wounded. Only Sistina’s aid managed to return Phynis to life within moments of her death, in which time Sistina fully healed even the change forcing Phynis to love her. The upset dungeon gave the guards and other agents of Sifaren an ultimatum, telling them that they were unwelcome in her domain unless they chose to submit to an order to not betray the dungeon or any others within it.

Now aware of the princess’ presence within the dungeon, Kelvanis’ Adjudicator, Jared Falgrave, came to capture her using his Jewels, a group of seven magically modified, enslaved elven priestesses of the goddess Medaea, to break into the dungeon. Sistina ambushed his attack with traps and a war golem she had created, defeating the attack, capturing some of the soldiers, and freeing the Jewels in one fell swoop.

Unfortunately, while the elves of Sifaren prepared to leave as Sistina demanded, they were not yet aware that Kelvanis had captured the goddess Medaea, and had set plans in motion to corrupt her to their bidding.

After the removal of those elves who refused to follow her command, Sistina gave permission for the Jewels to attempt to rescue their captive fellow priestesses, to stop Kelvanis from raiding Yisara, and learn what happened to Medaea. They immediately set out, leaving Sistina and the others largely alone once more, during which time Sistina decided to give Phynis a throne of her own.

When the Adventuring Guild arrived outside the dungeon, the guildmasters quickly decided that Sistina was not enough of a threat for them to destroy her. The inhabitants of the dungeon began to trade with outsiders, and Sistina set up a signboard with rules she’d made for the dungeon. Tension grew when Jared killed Farris, a healer who came to tend to his wounds, then committed suicide while under the magical command of Kelvanis’ Archon, Ulvian Sorvos.

The Jewels very nearly managed to prevent the attack on Yisara, and managed to cut off half of Kelvanis’ attack force while rescuing their fellow priestesses. Disturbed by the absence of their goddess, they began retreating to Sistina’s dungeon.

Kelvanis’ attack was devastating, capturing a large number of Yisara’s noble heirs, including the second princess, and demanding Queen Diane hand herself over in exchange for the heirs, except the princess, and a peace treaty. Under political pressure from her nobles, the queen had little choice but to agree, and did so.

Excavating several temples and clearing an ancient mage academy of necromancy, Sistina found two survivors of ancient Everium in stasis, as well as a vampire whose power had sustained them. She also discovered a golem body into which she was able to infuse Farris’ soul and allow the elven healer to live once more.

Through the winter each faction finalized their plans, even as Kelvanis founded a new faith, one to the Slave Goddess Tyria, and indoctrinated the captive former queen and princess of Yisara in the faith. The succubus Wenris was tasked with reshaping the two former royals to Kelvanis’ whims, but the demon’s loyalties seemed somehow unclear, despite serving Irethiel, the demon lord empowering the Archon.

As winter neared its end, Sifaren sent a force led by the loyal knight Sir Reva Lucien to come to terms with Sistina and wreak havoc behind Kelvanis’ lines. At the same time Sistina finally unleashed her full strength and skill, closing the dungeon for a night as she unleashed high magic for the first time since the Godsrage. With the magic she transformed her mountain into a fortress-city named Beacon overnight, with the palace at the city’s peak crowned by a massive ruby light.

The slaves within the town of Granite Point, forewarned that something was coming, quickly escaped into the city where they would be freed, even as the Sifaren army closed in. The Kelvanis garrison was forced to surrender when Captain Desa led a force of golems from the city itself.

Now Queen of Beacon, Phynis Constella received Sir Reva and informed him that she would stand with Sifaren against Kelvanis, but as an independent nation. If they truly wished to be allies, the queen of Sifaren would have to come apologize for her actions in person. But to demonstrate her own sincerity, Phynis dispatched sixty armored golems and some of her own loyal guards to aid in the coming battles.