The Stormhaven Dominion was not forged in times of peace. Since its founding, six hundred and seventy-two years ago, every stone of its towering fortresses, every star within its dominion, has been claimed through steel and blood. What were once fractured kingdoms now lie beneath the banner of the Crimson Lion—the emblem of House Stormhaven, master and sovereign of the vast archipelagos that form this empire.
At the heart of the imperial metropolis, Varethia, rises the throne of Magnus IV Stormhaven. Known as the Titan of Stormhaven, Magnus IV is a militaristic emperor, born and raised to rule with an iron fist. Son of Lucius II Stormhaven, the Warrior, he continued the expansion begun by his father, subjugating the last rebellious regions of the empire. Yet the cost of conquest has been steep, and the scars of war still burn in every corner of his vast dominion.
House Stormhaven has long been synonymous with absolute power, but the bloodline of the imperial family has thinned through death. Apollonius Stormhaven, firstborn of Magnus IV and heir to the empire, fell in battle during the offensive against the separatists of Tarsis. Cesarion Stormhaven, his second son, perished in the Archipelago of Thal'Dorien, ambushed in a massacre that bled the imperial army dry.
Now, only his legitimate daughter remains: Thessalia Stormhaven, a princess surrounded by enemies. Though she is the rightful heir, the noble council and imperial generals look with suspicion upon the idea of a woman on the throne—within an empire where the right to rule is dictated by war.
Yet the imperial line is not entirely extinguished.Still lives Orion Stormhaven, Grand Duke of Stormhaven, nephew of the emperor and rightful commander of the legions. Son of Hadrian Stormhaven, younger brother of the emperor, Orion has spent his life upon the battlefield, leading the empire's bloodiest campaigns since the age of fifteen. His title, more burden than honor, has marked him: his fate is bound to the future of the empire, whether he wills it or not.
Beside him grew another member of the imperial family, though from a very different station. Kassandros Varethia, bastard son of Emperor Magnus IV, was never granted a claim to the throne. Acknowledged but powerless, raised within the court yet treated as a servant, he has lived his life in the shadows of the imperial palace. To all, Kassandros is loyal, docile, and without ambition. But within the Stormhaven Dominion, even the meekest may become predators.
The High Noble Council, composed of the dukes and great lords of the empire, watches closely. Their loyalties are uncertain, and many hunger for greater autonomy, greater power. Chief among them is the Imperial Chancellor—the second most powerful figure in politics after the emperor—who has already begun to move his pieces upon the board of intrigue.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Army, commanded by Grand Duke Orion Stormhaven, struggles to maintain the empire's dominion over its borders. Divided into legions, fleets, and elite units, their mission is to guard against external threats and to crush any spark of rebellion within. Yet even within the ranks of the military, loyalty to Magnus IV begins to crumble.
In the Black Isles, pirates and mercenaries raid the trade routes. In the Principality of Vharyon, nobles conspire against the crown. In the waters of the Archipelago of Thal'Dorien, an unknown fleet has been sighted.
The Stormhaven Dominion stands on the brink of a new war. And at its center, Orion and Kassandros find themselves ensnared in a fate they did not choose—in a game that can only be won with blood.
The throne of Stormhaven still endures.But for how long?