Emberfield, a coastal settlement in southeastern Coia, was founded by ambitious merchants and explorers as a vital trade hub. Its name was inspired by the fields of red wildflowers that bloom like scattered embers each spring across the landscape. The city's first century saw rapid growth, marked by the construction of the Great Lighthouse. This landmark quickly established Emberfield's port as one of the busiest on the eastern coast.

This initial prosperity attracted not only wealth but also scholars and mages to the city. During its second century, this intellectual influx led to the establishment of the prestigious Emberfield Academy of Arcane Arts, ushering in a golden age. This era was defined by unparalleled magical innovation and cultural flourishing, making Emberfield a beacon of learning and power.

However, this golden age came to a horrifying end with the Shadow War, a devastating demonic incursion from the mysterious Stonewatch Island. To save the city, Archmage Ariel, head of the Mages Council, led nine mages to the island. There, using the forbidden Book of Vile Darkness, they performed a powerful ritual, sacrificing their very souls to seal the demonic forces. Ariel was martyred as a hero, but Emberfield was left utterly devastated, its once-thriving magical community shattered.

In the long centuries that followed, Emberfield entered a slow and arduous period of recovery. While trade eventually resumed, the grand influence of the academy steadily waned, a stark reminder of the city's great loss. Governance shifted from the founding merchant families to the Emberfield Council, a body now composed of representatives from various guilds.

For generations, Emberfield cultivated a fragile peace, evolving into a quiet town renowned for its crafts and shipbuilding. Yet, the dark past was merely dormant, as the magical seal on Stonewatch Island recently shattered. This cataclysmic event unleashed not only the imprisoned demons but also the twisted, vengeful spirit of Archmage Ariel, now a powerful lich. Convinced Emberfield abandoned her, she seeks to transform her former home into the capital of a new undead kingdom, casting a palpable sense of dread over the entire region.