Kingdoms of Thylea
The Mortal Kingdoms
The Kingdom of Mytros
The city of Mytros was the first settlement founded by the Dragonlords. It was protected by the Goddess of Dawn and grew into a mighty kingdom after the end of the First War. It is the largest city in all of Thylea and the center of commerce, religion, and politics. The Great Games are held outside of the city once a year. The Temple of the Five stands at the center of the city, but in recent years the worship of Sydon has been growing in popularity. The Titan now has his own grand temple that stands across the street from the Temple of the Five.
Mytros is ruled by the mighty King Acastus, the last true descendant of the Dragonlords. Acastus is revered across all of Thylea and he is the husband of Queen Vallus, the wisest of the Five Gods. Through some miraculous feat of magic, he has recently resurrected the race of dragons, which were thought to be extinct since the end of the First War. He now seeks to rebuild the ancient order of the Dragonlords and restore the city of Mytros to its former glory.
The Kingdom of Estoria
Estoria is an ancient stronghold that has resisted centuries of attacks by centaurs, cyclopes, manticores, and other dangers which thrive on the steppes beyond the Arkelon River. The king of Estoria is Pythor, the mightiest of the Five Gods. He rules from his palace at the highest vantage point in the city.
From his throne, Pythor can survey the sprawling farmlands of his kingdom to the south and watch vigilantly for any new threats that might emerge from the north. Although the Estorians are considered provincials by the people of Mytros, everyone knows that the greatest warriors and adventurers of this age are forged in the service of the Lord of Battle.
The Kingdom of Aresia
The kingdom of Aresia has long been a rival to the kingdom of Mytros. The two cities have been engaged in dozens of wars over the last several hundred years, which are collectively known as the Aresian campaigns. The reasons for the fighting vary, but one thing is certain: warriors on both sides seek glory in battle.
The warrior monks of the eastern shore are amongst the most feared fighters in all of Thylea. Their children begin training with spears from the day they take their first steps, and every adult is required to serve in the militia. Aresians spend their lives in pursuit of ‘degrees’ in schools of martial philosophy, which have been refined over many centuries of defending their borders.
Aresian warriors cultivate an air of rugged austerity out of a sense of pride in their history, but it disguises long hours spent on beauty rituals, poetry readings, and decadent feasting. The most powerful families in Aresia are those which take the greatest pains to appear ascetic—eating unspiced gruel and wearing little to nothing in public, while lavishing fine foods and luxurious garments on their servants in paradoxical and conspicuous displays of wealth. The highest caste warriors make a point of leading lifestyles that most closely resemble those of their hard-pressed ancestors.
Barbarians of the Gulf
For millennia before the coming of the Dragonlords, outsiders would occasionally wash up on the shores of Thylea. These were usually shipwrecked explorers or merchants who were blown far off course. Of all races and nationalities, these people had to live in harmony with the natives of Thylea. They formed tribes and lived on the islands of the Cerulean Gulf. When the Dragonlords came, these tribes fought with the natives of Thylea against the newcomers. In present times the barbarians are still looked upon with fear and distrust by the civilized races. They are seen as being as dangerous as the centaur tribes or fey creatures of the Oldwood. The most feared of the barbarian tribes are the Amazons that dwell upon the island of Themis.
Factions of Thylea
The Temple of the Five
The Temple of the Five was one of the first buildings constructed in the city of Mytros, and is the oldest civic building there. Elected representatives from the districts of Mytros and her outlying villages form a council that meets at the temple every new moon. However, the pattern of civic life is increasingly dictated by the Order of Sydon, who believe that the Temple of the Five should be destroyed in order to appease the Titans. King Acastus has taken no sides in this conflict, but the peace is becoming precarious.
Centurions of Mytros
The city of Mytros conscripts a regular army of centurions to enforce the law of the land. The centurions have a history that dates back to the First War, when they followed Pythor into battle against the centaurs and gygans. Although the centurions honor Mytros at religious festivals, nearly every soldier prays openly to Pythor, the god of battle. The highest-ranking centurion is King Acastus who commands the army and serves as the final arbiter of justice for the city.
The Academy at Mytros
The Academy was formed centuries ago and is the center of learning in Thylea. The great wizard Damon was one of its founders, but it wasn’t only an institution for magical learning. It was also a place for philosophy and other intellectual pursuits. Now it consists of many colleges devoted to the different schools of magic (divination, evocation, etc.) and to safeguarding the lore of Thylea. It is also a place where Thylea’s interests in theater, song, and other arts are encouraged.
The Temple of the Oracle
The Oracle is a famous water nymph who dwells in the hot springs below a temple south of Estoria. She has the gift of prophecy, and her soothsaying is heeded by gods and kings alike. Despite her heritage as a daughter of Sydon, she has always had a special fondness for the mortals of Thylea, and she is attended by many faithful priests.
The Druids of Oldwood
Deep within the Oldwood is a druid grove ringed by monolithic stones. The druids of Oldwood are whiteclad men and women who wear laurels and wield oaken staves. They worship the mother goddess Thylea, and believe that the people of Mytros should never have settled in her Heartlands. They perform a daily ritual sacrifice to Thylea, hoping to atone the sins of the mortal races.
The Order of Sydon
The Order of Sydon are zealots who revere the ocean titan Sydon above all other gods. They watch for signs from the heavens—lightning strikes in particular—and their priests communicate the will of the ocean god to the council of Mytros. The ranks of the order are filled with heavily-armored paladins who wear cerulean cloaks and golden clasps, but they welcome true believers from any warrior background. The Order wishes only to enforce the will of Sydon, and they have been known to destroy shrines to the Five.
The Cult of the Snake
This thieves’ guild operates in the shadows of Mytros. They are headquartered deep within the aqueducts. The cultists have recently been breaking into the homes of wealthy citizens, stealing everything of value, and leaving entire families petrified. The leader of the cult is someone who calls herself the Lady of Coins.
Lost Tribe of the Gygans
The gygans were Sydon’s favored people, six armed giants with a single eye. Once the greatest civilization in Thylea, the Gygan Empire fell during the First War. The ruins of this empire can be found on countless islands throughout the Cerulean Gulf. The few surviving gygans keep to themselves, but take any opportunity for vengeance against the hated settler races.
Centaurs of the Steppes
The centaurs of the Steppes are a nomadic people divided into dozens of warring tribes. They move through the hills in thunderous stampedes, hunting, foraging, and raiding the camps of other peoples. Centaurs hold themselves to a strict code of honor, and the children of warriors slain in battle are adopted and raised as part of the conquering tribe. During times of truce, the centaur tribes set up camps along the steppe rivers, drink honeymeade under the stars, and sing tales of ancient Thylea.
The Raving Ones
The Raving Ones are a den of fey creatures who worship Lutheria. On the edges of the Oldwood, west of Atrokos, there is a system of caves where they are said to dwell. They sometimes travel along the roads in the guise of maidens in distress, luring travelers back to the den to be torn apart and devoured in rituals to the goddess of revelry. The Raving Ones are the mothers of the goatlings, who are born from the union of a satyr and a Maenad.
The Laws of Thylea
There are several aspects of Thylea that are different from a typical fantasy world. Oaths are expected to be honored upon the life of the swearer, and guests can expect to be shown hospitality even in the homes of their fiercest enemies. When these ancient laws of Thylea are disobeyed, the resulting punishment can forever change the life of a hero. Oaths and curses are not enforced by any particular titan or god. These are natural laws that were woven into the fabric of Thylea at the dawn of time. Even Sydon and Lutheria must honor their oaths or suffer dreadful consequences.
Guest Friendship
Guest friendship is a concept of great import in the lands of Thylea. It requires that all hosts show generosity and courtesy to guests who are far from home, no matter what disputes may divide the two parties. For guest friendship to be established, a host must invite someone into their home and provide them with food or drink. It is expected that the guest should provide a gift to the host to seal the friendship, but the bond is established as soon as the guest has shared a meal with the host. The bond of guest friendship ends when the guest has departed with the host’s blessing. After that, the two may become enemies once more. However, if one party brings about harm to the other while the bond is in effect, then the friendship is broken, and the offending party is now subject to the curse of the treacherousThis curse afflicts those who abuse guest friendship or break powerful oaths. Those who violate the tenets of guest friendship are at risk of being cursed by the offended host or guest. Breaking an oath made to the gods will almost always cause the offending mortal to be cursed, but a person might also become cursed for breaking an oath to an especially powerful king, or even a pious beggar. The effect of this curse is directly related to the injustice of the offense.
. The Furies are widely known to be the arbiters of such disputes, and few are willing (or foolish enough) to suffer their wrath.
Sacred Oaths
Oaths are sworn between men and their kings all the time, but oaths between men and gods are rarer and more binding. Oaths sworn to powerful creatures of the Fey, or to demons and devils can be just as binding.
Oath of Peace
An oath of peace is one where a powerful creature or king demands that the person swearing the oath will commit no violence against them or any of their servants. There is almost always a time limit to such an oath. Sometimes the time limit can be weeks or months, but other times it may be years or centuries. An oath of peace is central to the story presented in this book.
Oath of Protection
An oath of protection is one in which a powerful individual is sworn to come to the aid of another in a time of great need. One of the most famous of these oaths in mythology is the oath that the Achaean kings swore to Menelaus, husband of Helen. The kings swore to assist Menelaus if anyone ever threatened Helen. When Menelaus called upon the kings to fulfill their oaths, the Trojan War was the result. An oath of protection requires the swearer to answer a call for aid as quickly as possible. Once the threat has been neutralized, the oath is fulfilled, and there is no further obligation. Failure to answer the call, or even allowing the other party to come to harm, will cause the oath giver to be branded an oathbreaker, and they too suffer the curse of the treacherousThis curse afflicts those who abuse guest friendship or break powerful oaths. Those who violate the tenets of guest friendship are at risk of being cursed by the offended host or guest. Breaking an oath made to the gods will almost always cause the offending mortal to be cursed, but a person might also become cursed for breaking an oath to an especially powerful king, or even a pious beggar. The effect of this curse is directly related to the injustice of the offense.
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Oath of Service
An oath of service is an oath sworn by one individual to another. The swearer is required to perform one task, which does not need to be specified when the oath is sworn. Unlike the oath of protection, this task could be of any type: it may even require evil deeds, such as assassination. For this reason, most people are hesistant to ever swear such an oath, viewing it as a last resort. When the oath swearer is called upon, they must answer as quickly as possible. Once the task has been completed, the oath is fulfilled and there is no further obligation. Failure to answer the call, or refusal to complete the task, brands the swearer as an oathbreaker and makes them subject to the curse of the treacherousThis curse afflicts those who abuse guest friendship or break powerful oaths. Those who violate the tenets of guest friendship are at risk of being cursed by the offended host or guest. Breaking an oath made to the gods will almost always cause the offending mortal to be cursed, but a person might also become cursed for breaking an oath to an especially powerful king, or even a pious beggar. The effect of this curse is directly related to the injustice of the offense.
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Mortal Curses
Curses fall upon those who break oaths, break guest friendship, make deals with powerful evil creatures or anger the gods. Curses are not to be taken lightly: they publicly and clearly mark a hero’s untrustworthy quality for everyone to see.
Curse of the Harpy
Any person afflicted with this curse will slowly transform into a harpy. It is sometimes invoked by powerful fey creatures such as hags or nymphs when an oath is unfulfilled, though sometimes the gods might punish a mortal with this curse. The only way to stop the transformation is through powerful divine magic.
Curse of the Medusa
A person cursed in this fashion will slowly transform into a medusa. This curse usually comes from bargains made with devils and demons: a mortal might have been asking for beauty or eternal life, but instead was granted the terrifying form of a medusa. Sometimes, ancient fey creatures such as hags will transform a victim into a medusa, often simply for amusement. The transformation can be stopped with divine magic, but without intervention the victim will transform within a few weeks.
Curse of the Graverobber
This curse is visited upon someone who takes any magical item from the grave of a hero blessed by the gods. Those afflicted by this curse cannot eat. After a number of days equal to their Constitution score, the cursed character will gain one level of exhaustion every day until they die from starvation. It is impossible for the person to get rid of the magical item that they stole, even by returning it to the correct grave. It will always return to their possession at midnight.
Curse of the Treacherous
This curse afflicts those who abuse guest friendship or break powerful oaths. Those who violate the tenets of guest friendship are at risk of being cursed by the offended host or guest. Breaking an oath made to the gods will almost always cause the offending mortal to be cursed, but a person might also become cursed for breaking an oath to an especially powerful king, or even a pious beggar. The effect of this curse is directly related to the injustice of the offense.