Fyros

History

Nomadic desert tribes first established their stronghold to the north of the forest lands around the oasis of Fyre. The first great Fyros Empire was founded in 2275 by the remarkable warrior, Dyros the Great. He led campaigns to secure mineral resources throughout the desert areas and established a route through Matis dominions to Tryker lake lands to set up a water supply for the expanding population. Under his wise rule an alliance was elaborated between Tryker and Fyros peoples. Trykers would convoy water supplies to Fyros cities in exchange for protection against their domineering neighbors, the Matis.

Under the long rule of Abylus the Learned, a counsel of chroniclers was set up to write up a history of the Fyros peoples. After an accidental discovery of mysterious ancient ruins in the Prime Roots, the counsel set up a company of miners to search for knowledge of the past and the Dragon of the Myth. But miners working in the area of Coriolis hit upon an underground vein of acid sap which gushed forth like a geyser. According to Fyros records, fire quickly blazed a trail across the parched vegetation of the wastelands on to the fringes of the lush forests of the Matis territory devouring everything in its path for two weeks solid until the rains came. During the Fire of Coriolis, as it came to be known, many Fyros lives and habitations were lost trying to bring it under control.

To add to this, the water route was cut off both by fire and Matis warriors who also took the opportunity to overrun Tryker lake lands. Abylus the Learned, had little choice but to act quickly or face certain famine through lack of water. True to their determined nature, after having buried their dead and mustered all their forces, the Fyros turned against the Matis to reinstall their water route. In spite of many skirmishes with Matis forces, their empire came to shine once again in all its glory for the next two generations.

It was during the reign of Cerakos II that the empire declined suddenly in the year 2481. Excavators working in the Prime Roots came upon a nest of kitins. In their fear and panic they slew the giant insects only to trigger off a great swarming of soldier kitins which massacred populations and all traces of hominkind throughout the ancient lands.

Cultural Characteristics

Determined, loyal and fierce, the Fyros rank themselves among the greatest Atysian warriors. They are the offspring of a despotic state whose society still rests on a strict code of honor and a common goal : the quest for the Great Dragon who has ravaged entire regions and who menaces to rear its ugly head again and let loose all its hellfire. For this the Fyros readily transgress Jena Law and Karavan interdiction of delving down into the bowels of Atys.Indeed, the search for the truth behind the Dragon has become a vehicle for their intellectual advancement leading them to uncover as many mysterious relics as evils.

Considering themselves as the only ones brave enough to remain amid the fire infested regions, they have since rebuilt their towns and villages in the new desert lands where it is thought the Dragon is most likely to resurface. From these inhospitable wind swept dunes, they thus consider themselves as protectors of the fertile regions of Atys.

Aspirations

The Fyros, apart from their striving for social dominance and the restoration of their Empire, have taken it upon themselves to protect the environment from the ravages of fire. These fire masters also aspire to further develop their already extensive knowledge of the fabrication of fire-toughened tools and weaponry.

How They See...

The Karavan : Traditionally the Karavan are venerated as disciples of Jena who helped shepherd Fyros through the rainbows during the Great Swarming. But over the years the Fyros have come to doubt as to the true role on Atys of the Karavan who were in reality incapable of saving many thousands of homins from kitin onslaughts.

The Kamis : As with any phenomenon whose mechanism they are unable to grasp, the Fyros behold the Kamis with a wary eye and refuse blind adherence to their teachings. But despite their reticence, the Fyros hold them in awe and are prepared to make pacts with the Kamis in exchange for their esteemed magic.

Elias Tryton : Fyros elders speak of a man in a nimbus of fire that came from the sky in a glint of light. He appeared to a chosen few at the time of the great swarming to help guide their people to safety through a rainbow.

Truth, honor and discipline are the values prized by every true born Fyros! We are the champions of the desert who stand by a strict code of honor. We are the warriors of knowledge who vow never to retreat in our quest for the truth behind the Dragon of the Myth. Neither the Law of Jena nor Karavan prohibitions will stop us from delving down into the bowels of Atys where we have uncovered as many mysterious relics as evils.

We are the protectors of the more fertile regions. For we are the only ones brave enough to rebuild our towns in the scorching desert where the Dragon is most likely to resurface.

From these hostile dunes we shall shape our new Empire, make it strong, and build our alliance with the Kamis whose magic we are proud to wield. We also aspire to further develop our knowledge of the fabrication of fire-toughened tools and weaponry to help in our conquest of the truth.

If you're keen and just, come join our ranks, homin. An Empire needs you!!

Now, if you've got any questions?

Who am I ?

You are a young homin refugee. You have bravely taken the long and perilous journey from the old lands to these new lands where we have begun building our new Empire. Once you've got enough training behind you, you'll be able to put your skills to good use for our Emperor and help rebuild our civilization.

Who are my ancestors ?

By sword and fire, your ancestors forged the most powerful empire in history. Honor their memory as long as you live ! But the fruit of their labor was destroyed by great invasions of kitins. Your parents, and their parents, were lucky to escape the massacre. For many years they survived in the wilds of Atys where you were brought up. They showed great courage in urging you to take the long road to join your own people here in these new lands. Now you have found us you must live up to their courage. It's taken forty four years of blood and sweat to build the foundations of our new Empire, your generation must now build it up.

Who is our chief ?

Dexton is our lawful Emperor, you owe him your allegiance. His orders can only be debated in higher spheres. Until you have gained enough rank you will not contest them, never forget it, young homin ! You will carry out imperial orders with success or you die trying, unless you will willingly tarnish the name of your ancestors. Dexton has chosen the best to counsel him, Abycus Zekops and Kyla Dyntheus are his senators.

What do we believe in ?

We believe in the energy of Atys, the energy that fills every being with life and conscience. According to the Zora�s, the Kamis are a manifestation of that great energy that created the world which they call Ma-Duk. Though we refuse blind adherence to their teachings, over these last years we have become closer to the Kamis to escape Karavan sanctions for mining and underground exploration. To the Kamis we owe, if not our faith, our loyalty.

What are our values ?

Your life must be built upon the four pillars that uphold our Empire : Truth is the first pillar. Cowardly lies will not deceive the cut and thrust of battle ! Tell nothing but the truth to your comrades, just as they must give straightforward answers to your questions. Do not hesitate, however, to use the art of cunning in the face of the enemy. Stratagem used wisely is as dangerous a weapon as a sharp lance held firmly in hand! Honor is the second pillar. Let yourself be guided by honor no matter what. Never stoop to the minor sentiments, no matter how high the potential gain. And remember, an honorable death is better than a cowardly existence. Discipline is the third pillar. The Fyros empire exists thanks to the chain of obedience that links us to the Emperor, from the youngest novice to the most celebrated general. Each and every one of us must show obedience to higher command. Just one insubordinate Fyros is enough to break the link and so menace the whole Empire. Justice is the fourth pillar. The Emperor is our absolute chief, though even he must scrupulously obey the laws decreed by our ancestors. From the most powerful to the most humble, we respect our laws without compromise. In truth, then, it is not the Imperial Chief but the Imperial Law that dictates our conduct.

What are our prohibitions ?

Never be tempted to do favors for the Karavan. They are against the Kamis and against our sense of justice. Indeed, they place their Jena Law above social justice.
Never carry out a mission for the Karavan
Never carry out a mission for the enemy tribes.
Never violate the code of honor.

What are our goals ?

Our empire suffered greatly from the Great Swarming. Our sense of discipline has allowed us to survive much better than the Matis or the Trykers, our great city of Pyr is proof. We must now :

develop our individual strengths and skills
form powerful and well-structured guilds to build up a driving force
build alliances with the Zora�s
discover the truth behind the dragon
fight against the Karavan to impose a new order around Kami worship
gather the knowledge that was scattered throughout the land during the Great Swarming to open the doors to the secrets of the past.
consolidate and conquer more territory.

Who are our friends ?

Since the Peace Treaty signed at Fairhaven, we have been at peace with the other homin peoples. Nevertheless, the past has left us with many scars as tokens of past instability, and our relations vary depending on the civilizaitons.

Zora� : Over the years the Zora�s have proved time again their loyalty and friendship towards our people. What is more, we both hold the Kamis in our hearts and share a deep aversion for the Karavan.

Tryker : Time and again we have tried to take the Tryker under our protective wing, but they have proven too chaotic and too flighty for lasting friendship. Nowadays, we must be careful of the fickle little homins, for more than ever they have stepped in line with the Matis in their veneration of the Karavan goddess.

Matis : The Matis are our inherent enemy not to be trusted. We do not adhere to the Matis sense of justice which centers around the monarchy and Jena Law. Even in these times of peace we must stand vigil lest they team up against us.

Friendly tribes include : The Root Tappers, The Kitin Gatherers, The Pyromancers, The Watchers, The Frahar Hunters, The Water Breakers, The First Deserters, The Slash and Burn, The Oasis Diggers, The Sacred Sap.

Who are our other enemies ?

The Karavan : They are against us digging down for the truth. They are not to be trusted.
The Kitins : These gigantic insects massacred many thousands of Fyros and devastated our great Empire in the old lands.
The Dragon of the myth : For centuries we have been in search of the truth behind the Dragon of legend. It is our digging down into the bowels of Atys where the dragon is said to slumber that first brought Karavan retribution down upon us. We shall dig on till the truth is uncovered.
Enemy tribes include: The Sap Gleaners, The Cockroaches, The Chlorogoos, The Lawless, The Scorchers, The Renegades, The Lagoon Brothers, The Tutors, The Ancient Dryads.
Bandits : Beware, the lands are full of outlaws, thieves and cutthroats.
Animal predators : There are many predators in the animal kingdom, watch out they are not impartial to a bit of homin flesh !

How can I help my people ?

We need crafters, harvesters, magicians and warriors to maintain and make our civilization stronger.

Atys is a treacherous place, we need warriors to defend our territory and conquer new lands for new settlements.
We want crafters to produce everyday objects and weapons; and harvesters to gather the raw materials for food and manufacture.
We need magicians to enchant crafted items, protect harvesters, and heal warriors in combat and help them fight.

What can I expect of my people ?

Training from our expert trainers.
Our people is defended by guilds who may come to your aide once you've joined one.
The more you act for the good of our people the more you're deeds of valor will be rewarded.

What is our new land ?

Our people first settled on these desert lands in 2483 on their resurfacing from the newfound land Prime Roots. The desert is the toughest region of all though this has always been the challenge equal to our courage and the values of our people. Since 2487 we have been continually rejoined by refugees having taken the road from the old lands, the very road you have courageously taken.

What can I expect from Atys, our world ?

Atys is abound with raw materials, young homin, as long as you respect the environment you will reap many a reward from her bosom. As you become skilled in the ways of the world you will learn to tame the wilderness and conquer new grounds.

What they value

Truth
Honor
Discipline
Justice

How they see the Karavan

Traditionally the Karavan are venerated as disciples of Jena who helped shepherd Fyros through the rainbows during the Great Swarming. But over the years the Fyros have come to doubt as to the true role on Atys of the Karavan who were in reality incapable of saving many thousands of homins from kitin onslaughts. The Fyros have never been easy about these technolords who refuse to go into detail about their origins as Jena's disciples and planetary cops. One Fyros Emperor after the other ordered information quests to find out more about the true identity of the Karavan, and their activities. Precious information was gathered at great cost (this information was not lost during the Great Swarming but hidden by the Emperor and shall one day be uncovered).

Nowadays the Fyros are staunchly averse to the Karavan who place their divine law above social justice. Nevertheless, the Fyros behold the Karavan as anyone would a deadly snake remaining cautious in their dealings with them. The Fyros civilization is fragile in these times of reconstruction, it would be unwise to openly challenge the Karavan too early.

How they see the Kamis

The Fyros at first cast a wary eye upon the strange creatures which they took for simple game. Indeed, their reaction on coming across their first Kamis was to hunt them down for their fur! They changed their mind however, on seeing how powerful they were. And when the Karavan labelled them as evil, punishing those who would interact with them, Fyros curiosity was roused. Partly because they disliked the Karavan laying down their law, partly because they refused to condemn a phenomenon without understanding it, the Fyros state never voted any radical action against the Kamis. Nor did they further their understanding of the mysterious Kamis as they were already too busy investigating into the Dragon that, according to legend, was slumbering in the depths of Atys.

The recent friendship with the Zora�s has brought the Fyros closer to the Kamis. Though the Fyros refuse blind adherence to their teachings, they have come to align themselves with the Kami to escape Karavan sanctions for mining and underground exploration, as well as to make pacts with the Kamis in exchange for their esteemed 'magic'.

How they see Jena

The Fyros have always been the agnostic souls of hominkind. These down to 'earth' homins need living proof before they will throw themselves into any kind of veneration. Nevertheless they never officially rejected Jena outright for fear of Karavan retribution. They simply let her fall into oblivion building their culture around a belief in the spirit of Atys. To add to this, Jena is a woman!

Today the aura surrounding Jena still remains a mystery which the Fyros are keen to resolve. They want to find out the true purpose of Jena and why the Karavan preaches her Law so resolutely i.e. what is in it for them?

How they see Elias Tryton

Fyros elders speak of a man in a nimbus of fire that came from the sky in a glint of light. He appeared to a chosen few at the time of the great swarming and gave them direction to guide their people to safety through a rainbow. Only a few 'witnesses' still live to tell the tale. During the years that followed the massacre, some Fyros sages founded the Guild of Elias with other homin races to keep Tryton's memory alive. This guild was later portrayed by the Karavan as a sect opposing the church of Jena and prohibited, many members were able to take refuge in Fyros territory where the Karavan were less present.

Today, most Fyros pay little attention to the Guild of Elias. Indeed, the one who encountered Elias did not stay long enough to tell his story before he was off again in the wilds to find a road back to the old lands. His name was Oflovak Rydon. Nevertheless the Fyros government wants the truth and shall investigate further when the time comes.

How they see the Matis

The Fyros ceaselessly endeavored to keep the conquering Matis in check in the old lands. And Matis attempts to spread their religion often led to skirmishes, especially when the Fyros began to break away from Karavan influence. The Fyros never could abide the Matis sense of justice centered around the monarchy and Karavan Law. Conflicts with the Matis lasted over 200 years coming to a head when the Matis perfidiously took the city of Karavia during the Fire of Coriolis, and made an attempt to extend their dominions to Tryker lands and so deprive the Fyros of water supplies. The subsequent treaty of Karavia brought with it a time of peace throughout the lands until the terrible kitin onslaughts of 2481.

Despite the present state of peace, various incidents in the recent past such as frontier skirmishes in 2506, or Matis persecution of Fyros in forest lands in 2508, have kept the Fyros thinking that the Matis are still the same dangerous snakes as before.

How they see the Trykers

Throughout history the Fyros have often lent the Trykers a strong hand, in return the Trykers supplied water and raw materials. The two peoples complemented each other well, sharing a common passion for the simply life and great adventures. When put to it the Trykers also proved themselves to be intrepid and tenacious allies in battle. Despite this friendship, the Fyros were often exasperated at Tryker indiscipline as well as their remaining under the influence of the Karavan and Jena.

Nevertheless this privileged relationship with the Trykers continued into the newfound lands. Indeed, it was the preferential Fyro-Tryker trade agreement that sparked hostilities with the Matis and led to the Autumn War in 2499. But since the Treaty of Fairhaven the Trykers have reinforced their ties with the Matis. Consequently, the Fyros have sought alliance with the Zora�s who have proved worthy and loyal in battle, and with whom they share an allegiance to the Kamis and an aversion to the Karavan.

How they see the Zora�s

In the old lands the Fyros had little to do with the Zora�s who for centuries shut themselves away in their jungle lands which, incidentally, the Fyros did try to set foot in. Since those first skirmishes with and glimpses at the mystic Zora�s a mutual respect has existed between the two civilizations. But Zora� relations could not develop, as the Fyros had their hands full with the Matis at their frontiers. The Zora� response to this interracial aggression was to build a great wall to keep the war out. However, a period of peace brought Zora� travelers out of their boundaries to the great halls of Fyre, the ancient Fyros capital, where learning was exchanged.

Since the homin exile in the Prime Roots the Fyros have learnt to better understand the Zora�s whose influence has coaxed the Fyros closer to the Kamis. The Fyros appreciate the Zora� sense of peace and wisdom. Indeed, the Zora�s, over the last forty years or so, have intervened a number of times to calm down spirits. What is more, the Zora�s are not shy when it comes to fighting for freedom. Mabreka's assistance against the Matis dictatorship in 2506 is proof, or again in the western Fyros territories against the kitins in 2512. The Fyros now consider the Zora�s as faithful allies to be counted on in the name of the Kamis in case of foreign aggression. Though the Fyros do find the Zora�s' blind adherence to Kami teachings a little over the top, they feel that teaming up with them could well lead to finally understanding a certain number of Atysian mysteries.

History In Brief

Under the long rule of Abylus the Learned, a counsel of chroniclers was set up to write up a history of the Fyros peoples. After an accidental discovery of mysterious ancient ruins in the Prime Roots, the counsel set up a company of miners to search for knowledge of the past and the dragon of the Myth. But miners working in the area of Coriolis hit upon an underground vein of acid which gushed forth like a geyser. According to Fyros records, fire quickly blazed a trail across the parched vegetation of the wastelands on to the fringes of the lush forests of the Matis territory devouring everything in its path for two weeks solid until the rains came. During the Fire of Coriolis, as it came to be known, many Fyros lives and habitations were lost trying to bring it under control.