Ok so you guys really really liked my Ghost King Danny doodles so I want to finally take the time to write out some lore that has been floating around my noggin for some years now & I need it to get out to make space for other junk so grab some popcorn or a snack cause Imma try to sum up everything as best as I can without making a giant wall of text.
So the way Danny became Ghost King in this alternate universe was when his adoptive Father/King Vladimir of the Kingdom of Amity sent his most skilled warrior which was Danny who had been trained at a young age to be a soldier/knight to kill the legendary King Pariah however when he managed to reach the reclusive specter King he found a fragile old man on his deathbed & couldn't bring himself to slay the spectral king.
Without his knowledge Vlad had followed Danny on his mission & when the young man couldn't do it Vlad became enraged & tried to kill Danny & the King himself in order to take the Ghost king's crown wanting to gain its power for himself & strengthen his alliance with the wicked dragon King Aragon.
As Danny lay dying on the floor, he watched as the Ghost King Pariah used his incredible power to send Vlad away injuring him enough to cause him to retreat. Seeing the courage & honor Danny displayed in sparing his life Pariah gives Danny a choice if he wanted to live. Pariah reveals he has been waiting for someone to succeed him in being the New Ghost King in order to protect the kingdom of the dead, A title passed down to different trusted users rather than a bloodline linage (much like the dread pirate Roberts thing from the princess bride)
Wanting to live & get his revenge against his stepfather Danny accepts Pariah's offer & becomes the new King in his place but there's much he had to learn from his newfound power which Pariah was able to show him before he finally passed sometime later. During this time of learning, he found another more positive father figure in Pariah & swore he would protect the kingdom of the dead like many others before him.
There's still more to explain like when he meets Elf Queen Sam & the impending war Vlad & Aragon are preparing for but that's all the time I have for now, thanks for reading & enjoy the sloppy doodles :D