PART I: THE SETTLEMENT
Summer Year 0

Welcome to Terra Sollus: The Lonely Land. Located far to the Northwest of worlds long-forgotten, this place is strung with rolling mountain ranges and quiet pine forests. Roaring falls cascade down from hilltops, and grassy meadows provide a loamy shelter for many-a-creature. For ages, this place was uninhabited by equine kind, overrun by predators and void of structure and civilization. They were the true wilds of the north, where any who traveled alone would likely find their demise. Soon, though, the equines ventured up into these lands from the south to settle in their own secret world. In a universe where the numerous battles between Light and Dark extended across continents, two herds raced to Terra Sollus to snatch up any lands they could claim for their respective alliances.

An angelic Queen, Valkyrie, her bright golden pelt shining like a beacon of hope to her people, led them in first, and claimed a section of land for the Light Kingdom. Valkyrie was famous for never taking a mate or bearing children, as rulers who felt no need to spread their bloodline were seen as the bravest of the brave. Valkyrie was hailed as a sort of immortal goddess among her people. She was a warrior, but a benevolent one, and swore to protect her subjects from the wretched King Mordant, a Dark beast through and through.

Mordant and his devilish hoard raced in behind the Lights and captured their own sect of lands with iron hooves and dripping fangs. Mordant put his brother Callous in charge for a brief moment while he traveled for days until he reached Valkyrie’s Keep, the Royal Light land, to confront the Queen. He gave her the ultimatum of war if she did not vacate the lands entirely, but Valkyrie was brave, and laughed in the mammoth stallion’s face and ordered her guards to show him out. She stood from her throne and yelled as he was dragged out of sight that she would never surrender to he and his ilk.

This was the beginning of the war.

PART II: THE FIRST GREAT WAR
Autumn Year 0

Days later, upon Mordant’s return to the Dark Kingdom’s borders, he was met with the sting of betrayal. In his absence, his brother Callous had completely turned the kingdom against Mordant’s rule, and agreed unanimously to banish him from the lands if he did not return with Valkyrie’s head. Mordant was understandably furious, and the two brothers engaged in battle. Mordant was not in peak condition after traveling, and was defeated. With Mordant’s death came the death of peace in the lands, and Callous rallied all able-bodied Darks to wage war upon the Light Kingdom and the insolence of Queen Valkyrie.

The Darks attacked Valkyrie’s Keep and left carnage in their wake, slaying or capturing all they could find on their way to the Queen’s doorstep. Callous himself confronted Valkyrie one-on-one, demanding a battle to determine who would truly rule Terra Sollus. Valkyrie stood and fought, threatening and warning the Dark King that his lust for power would only weaken the strength of his heart. Callous cackled wickedly, shaking the walls of the Keep, and told the Queen that true strength came from the ability to kill. He motioned for his highest-ranked officers to bring forth the bodies of Valkyrie’s most trusted advisors, a heinous and bloodied smile stretched across his face.

Valkyrie, succumbing to her emotions, flung herself into battle, and was knocked down by Callous’s heavy front limbs, rearing up to meet her chest as the two titans collided with unbelievable force. She struggled to regain her footing, but Callous and his entourage trampled the Queen until she died. The Keep and all of the Light lands were left in shambles, and the remaining subjects fled for their lives. Callous didn’t care to reap the rewards of his victory immediately, and took his army back to the Dark Kingdom to celebrate before anything else.

PART III: THE SHIFT OF POWER
Winter Year 0

Meanwhile, a young mare arrived in Terra Sollus with her animal companion to stake claim to the Dark throne. Callous, as foolish and brash as he was, did not leave anyone in charge of the Dark Kingdom in his stead. In his absence, a mare called Nirvana had charmed the mares that were left behind when the rest of the kingdom went to war, rallying them against Callous and his regime.

Upon Callous’s return, Nirvana was well-rested, trained, and ready to battle him for his throne with subjects to support her. The Dark King laughed, baffled that this mare thought she could beat him, but he, like his brother upon his return, was not in peak condition, and the same fate that befell Mordant ultimately became Callous’s downfall. Nirvana, before the battle, yelled out to the stallions returning from war that they would be wise to start referring to her as Empress. This was met with wild cackling throughout the ranks, but when Nirvana charged Callous head-on and launched him several feet away with a full-body slam, the army’s laughter went quiet.

Nirvana and Callous, even in his condition, were fairly evenly-matched, and the fight dragged on for several minutes as the two Dark beasts clashed hoof and tooth to the death. In the end, Nirvana defeated Callous and rose to the throne as Dark Empress. Many of her subjects did not respect her right away, unfamiliar with the idea of a female leader, but Nirvana was prepared to prove that she could lead the kingdom to further greatness.

PART IV: A VACANT THRONE
Spring Year 1

The Light Kingdom was left empty after the army vacated the battlefield—only stragglers and vagrants remained. A deep sadness was palatable and raw in the lands then, but hope lingered in the hearts of those left behind. The throne of the Light Kingdom was open for the taking, and the Dark Kingdom’s bloodlust seemed to be assuaged for the time being. A short time of peace fell over the lands with the transfer of power to the new Dark Empress. Would she move to take the open lands for herself, or would she be stopped by a new Light King or Queen before she could get there?