Fern: The Forgotten City

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Book7.png Fern: The Forgotten City
Author(s): Marissa Pollen
Location: Empo Sar
Description: -

Text

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Fern: The Forgotten City
by Marissa Pollen

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Fern: The Forgotten City

Small beginnings 

After the terrible events of Notrim 552 in the harbour district of Empo Sar, a small group of Emposians escaped King Grandum's reign and founded a settlement in Milthorn whose dense forest offered good shelter. The village was called Fern and in the course of its construction trees were cut down to make a small clearance and room for the stone houses of the slowly growing population. 

When King Grandum was killed and followed by his nephew Aegum in 553, the people of Fern decided to stay in the village they had just built up and officially became part of the Emposian Kingdom. Hence, Fern became the Emposian Kingdom's furthest outpost on the border with Maliera, something that later on proved to be fatal for the little village. 

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Bloom and sorrow 

Fern had become a flourishing village in course of the many decades that followed and was a welcome resting place for many merchants and travellers commuting between Maliera and Empo Sar, of which the local tradesmen could profit much. Emposians praised it for its calmness, remote from the hectic capital, and many spent a lot of time in Fern's inns. However, in the early 800s, the Malieran Empire began to expand and annex its neighbouring territories. By the end of 814, Fern was among them.
 
As Empo—Malieran dialogues failed to defuse the strained relationship between Empo Sar and Sivaris, Milthorn, especially the areas around Fern, soon became stage to many battles between Emposian and Malieran troops. Fern's citizens fled back to Empo Sar, though some are said to have got lost in the forest when they left the beaten path to avoid the military routes. During the war, Fern was reduced to rubble and ruins. 

Among the fighting soldiers was Queen Liranda herself. She died on the battleground of Fern. On the village's central square, a memorial was built in her honour, upon which is said to sit her helmet, protected by Elven sorcery, barely visible to human eyes. 

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Present

Today, the former village of Fern has been taken back by nature; overgrown by the roots of trees, grass and bushes. It has become a strange and often dangerous place, said to be guarded by strange spirits. Forest imps lie in wait in trees and behind crumbling walls, whilst the unliving from the wars Fern has suffered prowl restlessly amongst the ruins.