Editing Harmondale (section)

== History ==
Construction of Castle Harmondale was completed in 689 AS as an Erathian fortification during the [[Timber Wars]], intended as a defense against the Elvish forces of King Lothoe IV. The castle fell to AvLee only three years later at the Battle for Harmondale, beginning centuries of conflict over the region. Since its founding, Harmondale changed hands at least sixteen times, most often alternating between Erathian and AvLeean control.

In 817 AS, after a time of oppression, the citizens of Harmondale revolted against Baron Danforth Octavio, killing him in the streets. They declared their mayor, Ty Vespin, as King Vespin I. His short-lived rule lasted six weeks before Erathian King Aaron Gryphonheart IV retook the town, executing Vespin and his supporters. Gryphonheart himself was slain soon after by Elvish forces, and the town returned to AvLee in 818 AS.

In 1008 AS, the necromancer Lord Terrence Rockwin II captured the castle as part of his expansion plans. During his brief occupation, citizens fled or hid in the nearby hills to survive. Witnesses later spoke of frenzied excavations beneath the castle. When the town was retaken in 1009 AS, no evidence of the dig or of prisoners taken by the necromancers was ever found.

By 1168 AS, following the [[Restoration Wars]], Harmondale was ruled by Lord Markham, an Erathian duke and war hero. Desiring to be rid of the troublesome territory, he announced a scavenger hunt on [[Emerald Island]], offering Harmondale’s lordship as the grand prize. A [[Lords of Harmondale|party of four adventurers]] emerged victorious, becoming the new Lords of Harmondale.

Upon their arrival, the castle was infested by rats, bats, and goblins. The new lords cleared the infestation and soon gained the support of [[Stone City]] and the [[dwarves]] of [[Antagarich]]. In gratitude for their rescue of dwarves trapped in the Red Dwarf Mine in the [[Bracada Desert]], King Hothfarr IX recognized them as the rightful rulers of Harmondale and sent craftsmen to restore the long-neglected castle and town. This marked a period of prosperity and optimism for the citizens.

=== The Conflict ===
As tensions between Erathia and AvLee reignited, both nations claimed Harmondale under conflicting treaty interpretations. Although under Erathian jurisdiction, AvLee invoked the Treaty of Tularea in 673 AS, while Erathia countered by citing AvLee’s abrogation of the treaty in 811 AS.

The Lords of Harmondale, meeting with [[Catherine Ironfist]] in [[Steadwick]] and King [[Eldrich Parson]] in [[Pierpont]], were given tasks by both leaders, aimed at striking blows against the other side. Several months into the conflict, [[Judge Grey]], the designated arbiter in the Harmondale dispute, died of a heart attack, with the lords having been chosen to select his successor. Ambassadors from [[Bracada]] and [[Deyja]] arrived to present their candidates: [[Brandis Fairweather]] for Bracada and [[Devon Sleen]] for Deyja.

The lords ultimately chose Fairweather, aligning Harmondale with Bracada and the Path of Light. His arbitration led to the Treaty of Harmondale, which ended the conflict peacefully. During the signing, Queen Catherine remarked, “It’s hard to believe we were fighting each other when we all know who the [[Deyja|real enemy]] is.”

=== The Heavenly Forge (alternate timeline) ===
In another timeline, the lords chose Devon Sleen, the Deyjan candidate, aligning Harmondale with Deyja and the Path of Darkness. Sleen’s inaction caused the negotiations to collapse, igniting an all-out war between [[Erathia]] and [[AvLee]]. Deyja exploited the chaos to raise vast undead armies.

Following the outbreak of war, the lords aided Deyja and the [[Adventurers of Terra|Terran]]s Tolberti, Dark Shade, [[Maximus]], and their leader, now King of Deyja, [[Kastore]], in his plan to restore the legendary [[Heavenly Forge]]. Recovering the final component needed to activate the machine, Kastore succeeded in creating weapons of the Ancients and equipping his forces of undead, goblins, ogres, and other creatures with advanced technology.

Together, Deyja, led by the dark Terrans, and Harmondale, led by the Lords, sought to conquer the world with this army. However, they were ultimately defeated by Erathia using the [[Armageddon's Blade]].