Kingdom of the Ashen Coast

The **Kingdom of the Ashen Coast** was an extremely short lived kingdom ruled under King Beauforth Cobalstant II. Founded in 300 F.A., the Kingdom waged war against the Kingdom of Gilneas which they seceded from and were able to achieve great victories against King Greymane, going as far as to capture some of the northern borders of Gilneas. The kingdom was ultimately disbanded following King Beauforth's capture and execution thanks to the betrayal of House Gregor, and later resulted in the dismissal of the Duchy of the Ashen Coast as a land title.

## History

Just before 300 F.A., the reigning lord of the House of Cobalstant and Duke of the Ashen Coast, Beauforth Cobalstant II, had noticed a considerable lack of interest in the management of the Ashen Coast region by the House of Greymane. Seizing the opportunity, Beauforth began to amass a large standing army within the region. After word had reached King Greymane of the alarming amount of armed men, Beauforth merely put it off as being a precautionary measure against roaming hordes of bandits that had sprung up due to a lack of centralized guard forces; yet even then the king remained suspicious as the amount of men rallied was far more than what would be necessary to quell bandit problems. On the eve of 300 F.A., Beauforth declared himself King of the Ashen Coast, invading the Northern Ashen Coast and occupying lands that belonged to various families such as the House of Grayblade and a few others. Behind him were the local families of the House of Greyfield and House of Gregor, the two most prominent families in the region. With the exception of the House of Blackmist and the various natives that still made their home amongst the Dark Woods, the Ashen Coast were united under the Cobalstant banner with the promises of power, wealth, and prosperity. Conquering the Northern Ashen Coast quite easily, the new born kingdom caused a rift in Gilneas for years as they attempted to take more and more land as they stretched towards the northern Silverpine border, at one point even absorbing the region that would later become Pyrewood Village under it's grasp.

Refusing to allow an upstart to destroy what his ancestors had created, King Greymane rallied an army of faithful with him to begin liberating and laying siege to the Ashen Coast. Initial battles were disastrous for the Greymane host, as the choke point of the river that separated the Ashen Coast from the rest of Gilneas was heavily defended, and the Northern Ashen Coast still hosted a large portion of the military amongst the various settlements that dotted the region. After several years of war, it appeared that the Ashen Coast would become a separate kingdom on their own right, as Greymane was unable to dislodge them or capture their leadership. It was not until Greymane received contact from the ruling lord of House Gregor that the King had a shot at dismantling this new threat. Displeased with the war mongering of King Cobalstant and the lack to make good on his promises made of prosperity (in truth, the Ashen Coast had suffered as the farms were left unattended due to the sheer amount of levies that were raised for the King's armies.) and the King's refusal to marry his youngest son to one of the Gregor's daughters, Lord Gregor approached King Greymane with a proposition. By the graveyard of Aderic's Repose, which was treated by both sides as neutral ground, the Gregors proposed a passageway that led from Gilneas City to the Range. Disguised as Gregor men returning from the front, King Greymane would have been given permission to rampage across the Ashen Coast under the rule that those in Lord Gregor's protection would remain untouched.

The deal was made and Greymane's host was unleashed onto the Ashen Coast. Rather than pillage or ransack the area, Greymane occupied the city of Bannhurst and captured King Cobalstant in his own home. Bringing him to Gilneas City to answer for his crimes of treason, the King was executed and the kingdom disbanded 10 years after its forming. Though his son was allowed to succeed him as Lord of the house, as punishment the House of Cobalstant's previous title as lords of the Duchy of the Ashen Coast was dismissed, breaking the Ashen Coast into the March of the Bite, and the Range and Reach as separate counties outside of the Cobalstant's jurisdiction. Granted the title of Marcher Lord to prevent any potential uprisings as a result of this split, the Cobalstant family suffered an enormous blow to their prestige.