Martylion was once regarded as one of the great cities of the land as well as a vital western citadel. The city contributed greatly to the HIY 100 Teras Pharma campaign, as well as being the home of Empress Astrid. Following the war, independence movements such as those led by Ufred would begin to flourish.
Over the next century and half, Martylion continued to prosper. During the HIY 200 Teras Pharma conflict, it formed the backbone of a volunteer army led by Warrg out of Tios Fortress. However, all this would change with the tragedy that occurred in HIY 280.
The escape of a Teras Pharma from the House of Wisdom to the east saw Martylion quickly under siege from the quickly multiplying beasts. With no other solution, the Holy Imperial Army sealed the gates to the walled city and set it ablaze, immolating the Teras Pharma and killing the vast majority of the people there.
The tragedy at Martylion, especially with its connection to the Teras Pharma being covered up, left a deep scar on the provincial towns as well as a deep stain on Ionia's reputation. Holy Emperor Renefarious would seek to take advantage of this by using
the incident as a spark to form an insurgency, the fear of which would unite the land under Ionia.
Martylion itself, however, would remain an immolated ruin, known as Forsaken Martylion and generally avoided. In HIY 300, the 3rd Branch under General Dilom Lances would make camp at Martylion in the hopes of baiting the Vermilion Axe insurgency into a foolhardy attack only to be ultimately wiped out, leveling the ruins still further.
When the Yggdrasilian Throne changed history so as to move their Teras Pharma facilities from the House of Wisdom to the Tower of Zoe, they also ensured that Martylion was still razed so that it would ultimately give birth to the Vermilion Axe as planned. This change from a tragedy that Ionian eventually preyed upon to a deliberate slaughter galvanized the Company's opposition still further.
