The Shadowcoast
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The Ancestral Seat for the House of Stafyr and a de jure part of the Holy Orenian Empire under the House of Carrion, The Shadowcoast (High Imperial: The Shadowcoast), also known as The Shadowcastle & Schattenburg was a settlement built upon the Eastern Coast of Anthos, founded by the House of Stafyr as first Barons and then Counts, enfeoffing the Barony to the House of Amador's Patriarch James Amador. It was also the site of the famous Battle of the Shadowcastle, during the Ithrun War with the House of Tarus, Teutonic Order and the Grand Kingdom of Urguan.
History
Founding
The House of Stafyr, following the Exodus from Elysium & Kalos, settled upon the Eastern Coast of Anthos when their ships landed upon the coast and took note of the large mountains making the land easily defensible, provided a couple of fortifications were built. As such, they founded the village of Schattenburg, with themselves as the titular Barons of the lands. During this time, they erected a castle at the southern side of the mountain and dubbed it the Shadowcastle, thus naming the coastline itself The Shadowcoast.
Recognized as the Lords of the coastline, the House of Stafyr, alongside the House of Silverblade on the other side of the mountain in Furnestock, became part of the recognised nobility of the Kingdom of Oren. Soon thereafter, the ships of the House of Amador also arrived in Schattenburg and they took up residence in the court of the Baron Farley II Stafyr. For context, Upon the death of Sigismund I, Exalted Holy Orenian Emperor, his successor and nephew, Henrik I, ascended to the throne of the second Holy Orenian Empire. However, he refused to adopt the style of Emperor, instead returning to the previously held designation of King of Oren.
The Amador Patriarch, Tristan, used the fortune of his House to ingratiate himself and the House of Amador by donating much of it to the betterment of House Carrion and their new patron Farley II of House Stafyr. Tristan Amador requested land and title from King Heinrik I of the House of Carrion, the King of Oren. King Heinrik, however, chose to elevate Tristan's son, James Amador, to nobility, given that Tristan was a sickly man after a voyage that had decimated the House of Amador. In the Edict of Ireton, James Amador was granted the Barony of the Shadowcoast, after swearing their loyalty to the newly elevated Count Farley II Stafyr, their new liege lord, thus the House of Amador reemerged into Oren politics and Nobility. Unfortunately, James' father, Tristan died two years later.
Start of the Ithrun War
Soon thereafter, the Amadors & Stafyrs became were brought into the Ithrun War, where Arthur Amador saw action in the Battle of Shadowcastle. This was the first engagement in the war. After the ascension of Sigismund as Holy Orenian Emperor the old Renatian Royal House Tarus declared with the support of House Silverblade and The Grand Kingdom of Urguan war on the Second Holy Orenian Empire & tried to usurp the throne. The two houses had at first tried to amass support within the Orenian nobility, but failed to do so due to their alignment with the dwarves who had years before dismantled the Empire after the Exodus.
Prelude to Battle
Without a foothold in Oren the Tarus rebels needed to find a route towards Abresi. To march through the Old Kingdom of Salvus was decided unwise as they would have to march a long distance and besiege the ruins of Kingston as well as numeral Orenian forts such as Baile along the old imperial roads. House Silverblade garnered support within House Colin and the Teutonic Order, who bordered Schattenburg. Failing to sway the Stafyrs into joining the rebellion, the Tarus Rebels attacked.
By conquering the Shadowcastle the rebels would gain control of the entirety of the south-easten coast of Oren and also have a road through the Shadow-mountains straight towards Abresi with little to hinder their march. However Shadowcastle was a sizable fortress built by the House of Stafyr to protect the Orenian south from dwarven incursions and hold the mountains & Coastline.
Battle of Shadowcastle
Rebel troops marched through the village of Feldkirch to Schattenburg, the Village under the Shadowcastle. They sacked the village and set it ablaze, whilst the inhabitants had fled to the Castle. The rebels had hoped to provoke the levy-men under House Stafyr to try and sally out to protect their homes but this didn't occur. Once the village was ablaze the dwarven siege equipment begun to rain rocks upon the walls of the castle as the bulk of the dwarven and Teuton forces began charging towards the castle.
The Dwarves and Rebels were met with arrows from the walls of Shadowcastle, but also hit by the unexpected siege equipment on top of the Vandorian Order's beyond the fortification. The clash resulted in mounting casualties for the Rebels, however the dwarven catapults did plenty of damage on the walls of the castle. Destroying a the towers and killing many defending soldiers. Siege ladders were unable to be raised against the walls and soon after, skirmishing began between entrenched Vander Allies and the Teutonic Rebels within the barricades erected surrounding the Shadow-coast, resulting in a famous charge by Vander forces against the Rebels, routing the rebel forces. Shadowcastle forces sallied out as the rebels and the dwarves began to fall back.
The battle was a decisive Victory for the Defenders of the Shadowcastle. On the fields between Kreuzberg and Shadowcastle. Not long after the siege, the Emperor died and Heinrik Van Roy was named Heinrik Carrion and crowned as the first king of the Holy Kingdom of Oren. The Tarus rebellion had been crushed and a peace was almost settled. However, the Orenian masses refused to accept peace with the dwarves, leading to the Siege of Thoringrad.
The Battle had absolutely devasted the region. The Shadowcastle, as seen in the 1420 painting, was a ruin and required significant reconstruction. Feldkirch & Schattenburg had been completely razed. The Stafyrs decided to tear down the ruined keep and instead moved down into the Shadowcoast where, with the support of the House of Amador they rebuilt Schattenburg, Feldkirch & a new Stronghold atop the Shadow-mountains.
The Zionist War
In 1455, the Dwarves of the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, the Orcs of Krugmar, and Elves of Malin & the Kingdom of Alras, signed a coalition pact known as The Treaty of Zion. Fearing the continuing political prowess of the King of Oren, Heinrik I of the House of Carrion, these nations of what would become known as the 'Zionist Pact' grew anxious of a new Empire subjugating them. Hostilities broke out soon after, with the war being known for its large-scale raiding and skirmishes in between major battles. A loss for the Kingdom of Oren at the Battle of the Orcish Field, in which the House of Amador is not known to have been present, led to Grand King Wulfgar Grandaxe demanding that King Heinrik abdicate. Refusing, King Heinrik I returned to battle & was killed in 1456. His Successor would not last.
During this tumult, the House of Amador, along with it's liege lord of the House of Stafyr were known to have taken part in the Siege of Mount Augustus, a heavily fortified stronghold defending from the Zions. Ser Arthur Amador, a Knight of the Church of the Canon was known to have participated, but mentions of James are lost to history.
Civil War
In the Midst of the of the Zionist War, Franz-Josef Carrion, uncle of Heinrik Carrion, was crowned by a Common Priest, who supposedly impersonated the High Pontiff Regulus. Failing to recognise him as the successor of King Heinrik I & insulted by this failed impersonation, The Order of Saint Lucien rebelled and attacked the coronation ceremony in retribution. The Kingdom of Oren, already beset by foes, erupted into civil war. The Houses of Winter, Stafyr & Horen joined the Order of Saint Lucien against the House of Carrion, leading James & the House of Amador to follow their Liege lord into rebellion. In retalitation for the slights against his Coronation, King Franz-Josef I raised Peter Pavel to High Pontiff, pushing aside High Pontiff Regulus. He becomes known as the anti-pontiff. Seeking the re-establishment of his authority, High Pontiff Regulus led the Rebels and soon pontifical forces seize the City of Vekaro. King Franz I and much of his Privy Council council were murdered & the final battle of the Orenian Civil War simultaneously coincided with the end of the Zionist pact at the Siege of Mount Augustus.
Devastated by years of war, both internal and external, the people within the largest city in Anthos, Abresi, witness a Miracle, in which an apparition of Saint Godfrey Horen reveals himself to the masses, declaring the popular War Hero, Peter Chivay, as Emperor of the Third Imperium. With this Spiritual Authority given to him, Peter I, Holy Orenian Emperor ends the Zionist & Civil war, starting the Third Imperium of the Holy Orenian Empire.
The Third Imperium
Sadly, Sources from 1456 to 1482 of the First Age appear to be scarce.
It is known that, upon the Coronation of [[Peter I as Holy Orenian Emperor, James Amador swore his noble vows alongside Count Farley II of the House of Stafyr.
However, Lord Farley of the House of Stafyr was subsequently removed from his position on the privy council in the following months, as Peter I, Holy Orenian Emperor restructured the Second Imperium into the Third. With his loss of influence, it would appear that the House of Amador appear to have lost theirs. James Amador, who had participated in some of the fighting with his Cousin, Arthur Amador, appears to have settled into the ruling of the Barony of the Shadowcoast.
In 1482, James Amador died around the age of 67. His cause of death was unknown. He left no surviving heir and no marriage certificate survives. His cousin Ser Arthur Amador continued as the Patriarch of the House of Amador, but did not pursue noble title.
Geography
The House of Stafyr's strong-hand in the region made the Shadowcoast one of the most sought after areas in Anthos. Furnestock, Feldkirch, Schattenburg and Kreuzberg were all settlements built upon fertile soil suitable to the cultivation of wheats, fruit & root vegetables. The Mountains also provided a supply of Coal, Iron and other resources. The Shadowcoast was also covered in Oaks and Pine Trees, allowing for lumberworks, though this was handled by their vassals in the House of Amador.
The House of Amador's main exports during this period remained as Lumber suppliers to the Kingdom and later Empire of Oren, as well as picking up a new trade as horse ranchers. Amador Cavalry is documented by the House of Stafyr as being used for patrolling the County of Schattenburg. However, it is notable that, during this period of history, the total wealth of the House of Amador greatly diminished, in order to maintain their influence and gain a foothold in Orenian politics.
