Embedded Files
Major Factions
Major Factions
The following factions represent nations, city states or large groups of people. These factions will each have a stance on region-wide events like the Arkys-Nyria war. Nearly everyone will be aware of these factions and have some opinion of them.
The Empire of Arkys
The Empire of Arkys
Type: Militarist Empire
Current Ruler: High King Bracus, The Lesser Monarchs
Allied with:
Friendly with: The Gailum Tribes, Some Sons of Ares Sub-Factions
Unfriendly with: Emeris, Amazons, Some Sons of Ares Sub-Factions
Enemies with: The Nyrian Republic
Arkians value a few things, above all is military honour. The most honourable thing an Arkian can do is to die a heroic death in battle.
Each city has their own monarch with near absolute power over their city and its residents. These monarchs, known collectively as the Lesser Monarchs, answer directly to the High King or High Queen who rules over both the city of Arkys and the wider Arkian Empire.
Upon the death of one of these monarchs, the next monarch is usually decided by a contest of strength, usually combat or sport. Typically most contenders are siblings and children of the previous monarch though well respected generals may also compete. In cases of emergency an acting monarch may be installed until the contest is arranged. Typically these acting monarchs face rebellion if there is no contest held within a year.
It is common, though not mandatory, for every child of Arkys to begin military training as soon as they are large enough to swing a sword or spear. It is traditional for every citizen to serve at least a few years in the military when they come of age. Typically, though not always, female arkians will leave if and when they are ready to begin families. The eldest child will also leave upon their parents or elder sibling’s death to marry and take over the household.
Enemies of Arkys often refer to them as chaotic barbarians with no sense of civility or respect for art and philosophy, prefering to destroy rather than create.
They are currently at war with the Nyrian Republic and get in frequent scraps with the Sons of Ares and the Amazons.
The Democratic Republic of Nyria
The Democratic Republic of Nyria
Type: Democratic Republic
Current Ruler: The Nyrian Senate, First Chancellor Pythus
Allied with:
Friendly with: Emeris, Some Sons of Ares Sub-Factions
Unfriendly with: Some Sons of Ares Sub-Factions
Enemies with: The Empire of Arkys
The Nyrians pride themselves on their “enlightenment”, placing themselves above the “common barbarians” of the land. Their justification for this is their adoption of democracy and pride in their great artists and scholars.
Unlike most nations, Nyria does not have a monarch or single ruler, instead each city is run by a council of 100 which in turn answers to the Senate. The Nyrian Senate consists of 300 senators and meets in the city of Nyria.
Both the Senate and the individual councils elect a small number of their own, usually between 5 and 10, to be chancellors. These Chancellors run the council meetings and will make the proposals for the other councillors to vote on. Each Chancellor represents a particular aspect of society or politics. Not every city has the same number of chancellors nor do they always cover the same domains, below are a few examples of common chancellor titles:
First Chancellor (Chairman of the council/senate)
Second Chancellor (Deputy to the First Chancellor)
Chancellor of Spears (Manages military)
Chancellor of Gold (Manages money, taxes and trade)
Chancellor of Papers (Manages diplomacy and treaties with other factions)
Chancellor of the Sea (Manages navy)
Chancellor of Law (Manages justice system)
Despite being a democracy, only those who can afford the voting tax are actually allowed to vote. There is also a large fee for standing for election to a council or senate. This means the majority of councillors and senators come from wealthy families, which also happen to be mostly elves.
Enemies of Nyria frequently accuse them of elitism, racism, hypocrisy and general snobbishness.
They are currently at war with the Arkyian Empire and facing a rebellion from the Birds of Prey in Trenin.
The Sons of Ares
The Sons of Ares
Type: Mercenary/Pirate Faction
Current Ruler: The Generals, General Macar (De Facto Ruler)
Allied with: Varies between sub-factions
Friendly with: Varies between sub-factions
Unfriendly with: Varies between sub-factions
Enemies with: Varies between sub-factions
The Sons of Ares began nearly a century ago with less than a dozen orphaned warriors looking to appease the god of war, Ares, by performing mercenary work. They have since grown to one of the largest and most powerful private armies on the continent.
In recent years the Sons have increasingly acted in their own interests rather than just swords for hire. Most notably, they conquered the city of Nekri (617 AoC) and now use it as a base of operations for raiding and piracy across Cyranos.
The Sons do not have one single ruler, each sub-faction of 600-2000 troops is run independently by a General. These generals have their own policies and allegiances regarding which contract they will take and from whom. The Council of Generals meet up occasionally to discuss major issues and large contracts.
General Macar is the ruler of Nekri and commands the largest army among the Sons. He also earned the accolade, the Red King, after briefly donning the bloody crown of the former king of Nekri in jest. For these reasons, he is often considered the de facto leader of the Sons despite officially renouncing any such claim.
While the reputation of each sub-faction varies, the Sons are overall seen as a rugged band of mercenaries, bandits and pirates with little care for honour, morality or law. Those with less favourable views of authority may see them a haven of free peoples and misfits.
Extra Lore about the Generals and Sub-Factions are available here. This is only intended for characters in, or with intimate knowledge of, the Sons of Ares or who have lived in Nekri recently.
Queendom of Rubin
Queendom of Rubin
Type: Independent City State
Current Ruler: Queen Hyra of Rubin
Allied with:
Friendly with: Emeris
Unfriendly with: The Empire of Arkys, The Nyrian Republic, Some Sons of Ares Sub-Factions
Enemies with:
By far the largest and richest city in Cyranos, Rubin sits in the Bay of Leda on the island of Stredi in the centre of the Sea of Cyranos. Rubin is Cyranos’s most frequently visited port by navel traders both foreign and local. Combined with local bountiful fish, pearl and wine industries, this trading hub has made Rubin one of the richest and most desired seats in the land.
Don’t let Rubin’s mercantile focus fool you however, many have tried and failed to conquer the gilded city. The bay is encircled by tall cliffs, some reaching above 300ft, the entrance to the bay is a little more than 200ft across and protected by moving chains, ballistas and catapults. The most famous example of these defence capabilities was when King Tracus of Arkys led over seven thousand warriors in over forty ships against a defending army of approximately nine hundred. Tracus’s son, Pracus, had to transport his father’s body home with just three remaining ships.
Queen Hyra is the oldest and longest serving monarch in Cyranos. In fact, her coronation marks the beginning of the Age of Crowns as she is widely agreed to be the first monarch in Cyranos to inherit a major throne, and keep it, rather than claim it by conquest or founding.
Rubin has remained neutral in the current war, though it is well known that both sides desire Rubin for its economic and strategic value. As the public knows, neither side has made attempts to coerce or conquer Rubin.
Kingdom of Emeris
Kingdom of Emeris
Status: Independent City State
Current Ruler: King Rastrix the Bold
Allied with:
Friendly with: The Nyrian Republic, Vrakos
Unfriendly with: The Empire of Arkys
Enemies with:
Emeris sits atop vast wetlands, most of its buildings rise straight out the water on stilts. These may seem like simple fisher folk, but it takes courage and grit to live in Emeris fighting off alligator attacks and insects daily.
WIP
Emeris has maintained its neutrality through the current, though its location forces it to remain friendly to Nyria in order to maintain this neutrality. However, many fear that this situation is not sustainable and Emeris will have to choose a side soon, before one is chosen for it.
City of Vrakos
City of Vrakos
Status: Independent City State
Current Ruler: Queen Hvera Rocksteady
Allied with:
Friendly with: Emeris
Unfriendly with: Amazons, The Nyrian Republic
Enemies with:
Vrakos is a dwarven mining city built mostly underground and known for highly valuable mineral exports.
Nobody knows exactly how deep the mines of Vrakos go. It has even been rumoured that some dwarves go their entire lives without ever seeing the sky.
WIP
Vrakos has remained neutral in the current war, not for lack of offers from both sides.
Minor Factions
Minor Factions
The following factions are less well known and typically represent less than a thousand people. Most people will still have at least heard of these factions, even if only very little.
The Lesser Settlements
The Lesser Settlements
Type: Villages and Towns
Current Ruler: Each will have their own leader(s)
There are a number of other settlements in Cyranos that each have their own policies and allegiances. These settlements are not officially part of, or aligned to, any of the larger factions. However, in many cases, they may have trade or protection agreements with nearby cities.
Most settlements will have at least some form of militia and/or government, made up of volunteers or mercenaries. In some cases an army from one of the larger factions may occupy, or camp near, a settlement in order to make use of its resources and services.
See Settlements of Cyranos for more information.
The Amazons
The Amazons
Type: Collective of Warrior Tribes
Current Ruler: Each tribe has their own queen
The Amazons are tribes of mighty female warriors who pride themselves on their strength and independence. Men are not permitted among their ranks and are only used for reproduction.
Opinions on Amazons vary greatly within Cyranos. Some believe they are little more than glorified bandits while others revere them as paragons of both war and feminism.
Extra lore for Amazons is available here. This is only intended for characters in, or with intimate knowledge of, the Amazons tribes and culture. Please don’t click this if you do not intend to play such a character as it may contain spoilers.
Any PC in the Amazons will most likely use the Amazon background.
The Gailum Tribes
The Gailum Tribes
Type: Collective of Orc Tribes
Current Ruler: Each tribe has their own chieftain
There are many tribes across Cyranos, including several composed mostly of Orcs, Ogres and Goblins. Every year some of these tribes gather in Gailum to feast together as well as settle disputes through games and blood sports.
Not every tribe partakes in this tradition, some choosing to keep to themselves. Those that do are known as the Gailum Tribes.
Extra lore is WIP
The College of Halosini
The College of Halosini
Type: Academic College
Current Ruler: Grandmaster Deacio the Wise
The College of Halosini prides itself on being the largest (and richest) academic institution in Cyranos.
Studying or working at the College is extremely expensive, usually only the richest families in Nyria can afford to join.
One of the most famous parts of the College is the Dragonvault, a heavily restricted archive of highly valued texts, spells and items. No one who has been is allowed to describe the interior or how to get in but often praise it as the greatest library in the world.
The Birds of Prey
The Birds of Prey
Type: Guerilla Rebellion/Terrorists
Current Ruler: Unknown
Rumours from Trenin mention an underground organisation known as the Birds of Prey, that claim responsibility for several attacks against the city elite.
The Birds of Prey have a very mixed reception among those who have heard of them. Many condemn their acts of violence and vandalism while others praise their courage and sympathise with their cause.
Very little is publicly known about the Birds, especially outside of Trenin.
The Wild Peoples
The Wild Peoples
Type: Tribes of Centaurs, Dryads, Satyrs, Firbolgs and others.
Current Ruler: Each tribe has their own leader(s)
There are many tribes of creatures who prefer not to get involved with the “civilised” people unless they or their homes are threatened. While most of these tribes generally keep to themselves, they are known to mingle and socialise with each other, especially dryads and satyrs.
Many of these tribes consider themselves guardians of nature, defending the wilderness from people who stray too far or destroy too much forest. If the threat is great enough, they may join forces to fight back and protect the wilderness. Many excessive logging, hunting and mining operations have been violently shut down by the wild peoples.
Occasionally outsiders, who have proven themselves friends of the wild, are permitted to visit or join the tribes.
The Sea People
The Sea People
Type: Unknown
Current Ruler: Unknown
Nobody knows who the Sea People were or if they even existed in the first place.
Shore raids and piracy are common in Cyranos, however for a brief period three decades ago (591-596 AoC), this was pushed to the extreme. Massive amounts of death and destruction were caused to ships and coastal settlements. People began to notice similarities in some of these attacks and theories began that responsibility for these attacks belonged to one unknown group of people, perhaps some new invaders. These mysterious raiders became known as the “Sea People”.
There were never any survivors or evidence left behind to confirm or deny the rumours of who the “Sea People” were or where they came from. Fear spread and led to brutal campaigns of violence against certain racial, cultural and religious groups suspected of being “Sea People”. Notable examples of this are the destruction of the Temple of Poseidon in Plateia or near complete genocide of the Triton population of Cyranos. Nearly 5,000 Tritons, and other blue skinned races, were executed or exiled by angry mobs within five years.
After just over half a decade of attacks, they suddenly stopped. Shore raids and pirate attacks still occurred, but could usually be traced back to particular groups, no attacks like those of the “Sea People” have since occurred. However, some still remember and refuse to forgive. Tritons and other blue skinned people are often unwelcome in Cyranos and still sometimes face lynch mobs to this day.
Clan Dakestus
Clan Dakestus
Type: Warrior Tribe
Current Ruler: Adras Dakestus
Adras Dakestus was a minor noble in Nyria before breaking away, due to political disagreements, to form his own faction along with his wife and other supporters. They formed a new home in the forest of Western Thelma.
The clan idolises Athena and the right of might, as opposed to the democratic ideals of Nyria. This ideology has led to a friendly relationship with the Baldara Amazons.
Extra lore is available here. This lore will only be known by those who have spent time within the clan or within the Baldara Amazons.
Cults and Holy Orders
Cults and Holy Orders
These organisations brand themselves as followers of particular gods and beings. While there are followers of nearly every celestial or infernal being, the following are the most well known and influential.
The Magi of Hecate
The Magi of Hecate
Type: Holy Order, Academic Society, Mages-for-Hire
Current Ruler: High Sorceress Rhea
Typical Members: Mages and arcane researchers
While many of the Magi of Hecate do worship and respect Hecate as the goddess of magic and witchcraft, the group’s primary focus is the study and development of magic among the mortal races. The group regularly gathers in gardens surrounding temples and shrines to discuss, practice and develop their magical abilities.
Young mages just discovering their magic talents are often sent to learn with the Magi, sometimes a magus may be hired by a rich family to teach their child the magic arts.
The Magi are also seen as mages-for-hire as tutors, performers, transportation, item enchantments and occasionally mercenaries. The Magi often try to distance themselves from this reputation but even mages need money.
Extra lore is WIP
Any PC in the Amazons will most likely use the Magus background.
The Daughters of Artemis
The Daughters of Artemis
Type: Holy Order, Cult
Current Ruler: High Priestess Appollonia
Typical Members: Hunters, rangers and archers
Like Artemis herself, her followers are sworn to maidenhood. The huntresses that make up The Daughters of Artemis come from all backgrounds and regions, but they swear away their old lives in order to serve Artemis.
They sometimes help people deal with beast problems but are equally willing to hunt people if they are over-hunting or not respecting the natural world.
Extra lore is WIP
If you join this faction, you will be expected to take an oath of celibacy. You can break this oath during the campaign but there may be consequences.
The Justicars of Themis
The Justicars of Themis
Type: Holy Order, Vigilantes
Current Ruler: High Justicar Kalix
Typical members: Paladins and those who believe strongly in holy law
While most residents of Cyranos are tolerant of other gods and religious practices, there are some holy laws that should not be violated, such as those regarding xenia, kinslaying or oathbreaking.
Where local law enforcement is too corrupt or too powerless to punish these crimes, the Order of Themis step in to uphold the laws of the gods. The Order is too small to take on armies or governments, they generally stick to small scale problems in the smaller settlements. The Order will also occasionally fight monsters, bandits and cursed beings to protect the innocent...and to get paid.
While Themis is the namesake of the order, there are several gods hailed by the order as those who punish the impure and sinful, including Dike, Nemesis, Horkos and Thanatos.
Extra lore is WIP
The Cult of Dionysus
The Cult of Dionysus
Type: Touring Hedonist Society
Current Ruler: None
Typical Members: Hedonists
Dionysus is the god of wine and debauchery and his most devout followers take that to an extreme. The cult are famous for hosting wild parties wherever they go that feature excessive amounts of alcohol, drugs and sex.
Publicly, most people shame the cult and they are often barred from towns and cities. However some who publicly oppose the group still attend their parties in disguise.
The Followers of Chaos
The Followers of Chaos
Type: Religion/Cult
Current Ruler: Unknown
Typical Members: Secretive Cultists
Chaos is the original entity, which existed before the cosmos, It is nothing, yet is the source of everything. Many folk do not understand the concept of Chaos and so they are suspicious of those who claim to worship Chaos, after all how do you actively worship nothing?
The Cult of Nemesis
The Cult of Nemesis
Type: Cult, Assassins Guild, Vigilantes
Current Ruler: Unknown
Typical Members: Assassins, Mercenaries
If someone has slighted you, you may want revenge but lack the skills and resources to carry it out. This is where the Cult of Nemesis comes in. They can be hired to exact revenge through murder, torture and vandalism.
By design, very little is known about the organisation of the cult, even to many of its members. It is believed they have networks of agents in the major cities. Some reports suggest they are led by a council, some suggest they are entirely decentralised with no overall leader, some even suggest the goddess herself leads the cult.
Many priests and scholars condemn the cult, saying they do not accurately represent the goddess, Nemesis, and are merely mercenaries and criminals.
The Cult of Drakon Olympus
The Cult of Drakon Olympus
Type: Religion/Cult
Current Ruler: Brother Beradon the Scalespeaker
Typical Members: Dragon Worshippers
Residing mostly in Ormux, the Cult of Drakon Olympus worships draconic versions of the Olympians. It is unclear if these are simply alternative forms of the beings most people know as the Olympians, or if they are supposed to be entirely different entities. No concrete evidence or statements have been made about this, at least not any that aren't conflicting.
The cult is often dismissed as crazy ramblers but usually tolerated. They do however, have some prominent and wealthy members, granting them significant influence and real estate. The most notable example of this is the Drakon Dias temple in Ormux.
Artisan Guilds
Artisan Guilds
The following guilds are typically apolitical and focus primarily on a particular trade or craft. Artisans who belong to these guilds are generally more trusted than independent practitioners. Other smaller guilds do exist but these are the more well known ones.
If you play a guild artisan and an appropriate guild can’t be found here, tell me and we can make one.
The Hammers of Thalia
The Hammers of Thalia
Type: Smithing Guild, Local Militia
Current Ruler: Forgemaster Venna
The Forge in Thalia boasts the greatest smiths in the known world. It is also the only place where the celestial metal, adamantine, can be forged. Many great smiths have studied in Thalia or at least aspire to.
This naturally attracts unwanted attention from thieves and conquerors wanting to claim the forge for themselves, so the Hammers of Thalia was formed to protect the Forge, the people in it and the secrets it holds. Only those within the guild are permitted to use the forges themselves, visitors are only able to purchase or commission goods from the surface.
The Golden Lyre
The Golden Lyre
Type: Bard’s Guild
Current Ruler: Grand Rhapsodist Hesiod of Nyria
While there are many groups and guilds of bards, poets and other performers and many others act independently, The Golden Lyre is one of the largest and most respected guilds for performers. The clientele of the Golden Lyre boasts some of the richest and most powerful figures in Cyranos.
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