State Logs of Kyras - Overview

Located in the eastern parts of Calveria, the Republic of Kyras is a series of military-governed territories united under a stratocracy overseen by the most powerful warlords. Seen as backwards and feral by the majority of Calveria, Kyras is governed by two human species, Homo sapiens as the dominant progenitors of the land, and beings only known as the Scorched Ones, former humans that have been changed by continuous magic usage, their bodies now changed into demonic forms.

The Republic is unique as a conundrum of various ideologies: despite being a literal nation governed by the ideals of war, the Kyran people are also led and rely on the followers of Myratnis, the goddess of life, despite Rigma's fires being extinguished by the waters of life - this is due to the fact that the Kyrans believe in eternal warfare rather than death. To them, life must continue to allow Rigma to survive, while Decidius prevents potential warriors from ever reaching their strength, robbing them of a life governed by bloodshed: this is reflected in the Charter of the Republic, which explicitly supports and protects the states and peoples that worship Myratnis, while discriminating those who worship Decidius, seeing him as being little better than Yrutas. Similarly, despite being geared for war, Kyrans noticeably possess a refined taste in both weapons crafting and silicate glasswork, the latter being due to the amount of fire needed to turn sand into art. Similarly, due to their beliefs as honorable warriors and soldiers, Kyrans are noticeably tolerant of the followers of Zypnac and the secular states, though they are considered serfs upon entry.

Homo sapiens: The majority species in Kyras, humans constitute a total of 95% of the Republic's population, with 25% of them having access to magic, yet they are noticeably considered the weaker of the two species in comparison to the Scorched Ones. In comparison to most humans in Calveria, Kyran humans are slightly taller and stronger given they have been imbued with the fires of Rigma: to a normal human or High Humans, the average Kyran is taller, at a height between 5.9ft to 5.11ft, though this can be further divided between the castes and followers, with followers of Myratnis usually being at 5.5ft, while serfs tend to be at the extremes of either 5.4ft to 5.10ft depending on diet, while nobles and priests tend to be at 5.6ft.

Kyrans are noticeable for having a tan complexion and either having brown or bleached hair, with those imbued with Rigma's abilities tending to be the latter, while eye color is evenly split between brown, green, gold, or one of the colors with flecks of a second (such as green with gold flecks), which plays a part in how one is perceived: brown eyes are the most common, while green and gold are rare, while the mixed-colored ones are usually found in the mages.

Scorched Ones: In contrast to the Kyran humans, the Scorched Ones are still technically human in the sense that they possess the same physiological features, but the Scorched Ones are considered little more than beasts in the country. To understand the difference, one must look at how the Scorched Ones are tied to Rigma: while the average Rigma-worshipping Kyran is partially imbued with the fires of Rigma, the Scorched Ones are considered shards, having a piece of the war god's own embers and blood, and are able to use their associated magic far easier than a regular human, at the cost of severe changes to their bodies: a Scorched One loses most of their body hairs, the skin heavily charred upon ascendance, and possessing more animalistic features. In comparison to the average Kyran, a Scorched One stands on average around 5.11ft to 6.2ft, not including horns or limb changes.

First and foremost, the people of Kyras can be summed up in one word: warriors. In Kyras, the citizenry is fueled by a love for war over everything else: violence and resistance of authority are what fuel them the most, even more so at times than life itself. Many a Kyran soldier have admitted that the thrill of battle overrides their sense of logic and reasoning and even prevents them from enjoying a personal life

Yet, despite their hunger for battle, Kyrans are also proven to be an artistic people, with a penchant to not only forge fine weaponry for display but surprisingly glasswork: silica is used to produce fused-silica, lead, and soda-lime glass that is molded into various glass utensils, windows, and religious works. In some areas of Kyras, glass even proves to be the largest export for their economy: on the map, these tend to be the territories held in the Sea of Glass, a forest that has since turned into a desert from the constant fires the Scorched Ones and mages leave on their campaigns. Further inland, the central states give rise to smithery, in particular bladesmiths, swordsmiths, and fendersmiths, usually dispatched to other territories for their skills and wares: the Falanx has proven to be the largest of the consumers, commissioning finer weapons and armor sets for the warlords.

Clothing
The Kyran style of clothing is unique for the fact that it is a mix of practical and boastful, ranging from puffy, loose clothing, to pelts and leather as the basis. An average Kyran wears mostly flax clothing, tightly-woven, weather-resistant, and subdued in colors (mostly dark colors to be heat-resistant). Soldiers, meanwhile, are heavily varied: the lowest-ranking soldiers wear the flax clothing, as well as the armor they are granted, but higher-ranking soldiers and officers take to pelts and clothes from the outside (the Squidspawn's clothing and, more importantly, their ink are the most desired). Dyes and fine fibers are the most coveted, but also the most expensive type - very rarely does anyone outside the Falanx and governors are even financially stable enough to be purchased.

Language
Due to it being a country of various tribal groups, nations, and collective ethnicities from other Calverian countries, Kyras oftentimes finds itself awash in a sea of languages. At the center is the actual Kyran language, Ilsien tal-Gwerra (Tongue of War), which itself is broken down into two main groups: Ilsien tal-Punent (Western Tongue), which is spoken in the Western Sea and Varan, technically marking it as the national dialect overall, and Itä-Englanti (Eastern Tongue), spoken in the east and along the coastline, while it is also the primary dialect used in the Kyran Underground by the Roaming Merchants assigned to the location. Due to this, a mix between the two heteroglosses exist both in Varan and in the Underground, which incidentally created a third dialect used as a form of lingua franca: Limba Centrală (Central Tongue), though usage of this dialect is mostly constricted between the Roaming Merchants.

Within the religious community, particularly the Temple of War, Ilsien tal-Gwerra is eschewed in favor of Vaslen ag-Toden, Tongue of the Dead, the constructed language of the Tekkan Empire before its collapse following the Great War. While few speak it given the replacement of Vaslen ag-Toden for Ilsien tal-Gwerra, Vaslen ag-Toden has a surprising amount of records detailing pronunciation, construction, and diacritics, primarily from old scrolls and hieroglyphs collected from ritual sites

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Despite its classification, the Kyran government does not resemble much of a republic, but a highly-stratified military dictatorship. At the heart of it all is the Falanx, a council of the strongest warlords and tribal leaders in Kyras, able to pay for a seat to the council: all laws, military actions, and trade must be approved by the Falanx before a person can act on it. Due to the fact that the Falanx is based on strength, membership constantly changes as burgeoning leaders fight for power and to receive protection by the Republic: as such, political alliances are secured between the Falanx members on common grounds, with infighting even in Varan being common.

The Republic follows a codified document known as the Valdības un Savienības Pilnvaras (Warrant of Government and Union), which specifies conduct and confirms the union of the Kyran peoples of the former Tekkan Empire. This document is continuously renewed by the Falanx and legislature, the Concilium Unionis Reipublicae (Council of Union of the Republic), which gives legitimacy for the state and also serves to protect the caste system enforced in the Republic.

Said caste system operates as given
- Falanx
- Roaming Merchants (a unique class of state-sanctioned individuals who are entrusted to form trade routes, secure settlements, and discover resources for the Republic, the Merchants are recognized by the Writ of Trade, granted by the Falanx to the Merchant as an official trader, as well as the benefactor of their own noble house by extension of the Writ to their relatives)
- greater military officers
- Myratnis followers
- Outsider Rigma followers
- nobles (unlike the Merchants, most Kyran nobles are usually tribal rulers, descendants of the former nobility of the Tekkan Empire, purchased a House Commission from the Falanx, were chosen to serve in the Concilium, or are members of traditionally-loyal officers to the Falanx)
- lesser military officers
- Zypnac followers
- enlisted soldiers
- pressed soldiers
- peasants
- slaves
- Decidius followers
- Yrutas followers
- Desert Raiders
- Arvesh

Outside of Varan, however, Kyran politics are less of social status and more of blood, such as tribal lineage: all Kyrans are registered as members of specific tribes that were either part of the Imperial tribes or were part of the post-Imperial tribal structures. Several of the tribes that possess large populations or government support include the Geras, Vosten, Aten, Kotek, Temat, Atake, Reya, Verush, and Koven, each of which claims descendence from the pre-Imperial tribes. In contrast, exiled members of tribes are registered as Arvesh, claimed to be the descendants of pre-Imperial tribes that were censured and disowned by the Kyran Pantheon before being exiled to the western deserts: most Arvesh tend to operate as Desert Raiders, brigands that live close to the Magna Tabes and above the Kyasii Dominion, pillaging and attacking the few desert settlements and trade caravans forced to pass through.

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When the Tekkan Empire was in existence, a pantheon of gods had already existed and ruled over the Tekkan people: Kreigsadar, the First God of the pantheon and Lord of war, rain, and life (represented by the wolf); Vatardan, son of Kreigsadar, the Second God, and Lord of agriculture, fire, and law (represented by the eagle); Asfardan, brother of Vatardan, Third God, and Lord of fertility, earth, and death (represented by the leopard); Reinrasag, son of Asfardan, Fourth God, and Lord of the forests, wind, and family (represented by the lynx); Wasadar, son of Vatardan, Fifith God, and Lord of the seas, tempests, and time (represented by the serpent); Toden, brother of Kreigsadar, Sixth God, and Lord of the volcanoes, ashes, and wealth (represented by the stork); and Wolkenmard, son of Reinrasag, Seventh God, and Lord of the deserts, bloodshed, and the undead (represented by the jackal).

For centuries, these gods guided the Tekkan people, protecting them from the outside empires and bringing great strength to the people. Yet, the gods were still beings of emotion and complex thoughts: while Kreigsadar was a wise god and benefactor of the Tekkan, he was callous to his sons and grandsons and fought heavily with Toden over control of the pantheon. Vatardan and Asfardan, representing different ends of the spectrum (Vatardan believed in moderation and support of the law, Asfardan believed in excess and self-determination), often quarreled, while Reinrasag, Wasadar, and Wolkenmard battled each other over the excesses of their domains.

It was a surprise to the Tekkan, but not one for the gods when the pantheon collapsed in 75 B.R.A. (Before Rigma's Ascension), all of the gods splitting against one another (Kriegsadar immediately came to blows with Toden, while Vatardan was divided over following his father's word or rightfully scolding him for his abhorrent behavior and actions; Vatardan and Asfardan battled each other, occasionally assisted by their sons; Wolkenmard, meanwhile, raised an army of the undead and declared war on the other six gods), felt in the Tekkan Empire by its collapse amidst a wave of natural disasters.

During the Great War, the Tekkan fell to civil war as people went for the god of their choosing: in the heavens, however, Rigma came about, intrigued by the conflict and thirsting for blood. After quickly killing Toden, Rigma killed Reinrasag, mounting the fallen god's skull above the chestplate of his armor. In a fit of rage over the unjust killing of his son, Asfardan struck at Rigma, who dueled him for seven days straight, eventually killing Asfardan by crushing the bleached skull of Reinrasag and throwing fire into Asfardan's eyes, blinding him before snapping his neck.

After the slaughter of Asfardan's line, Wasadar and Wolkenmard temporarily joined forces to halt Rigma: meeting him at the mountains of northern Kyras, a fierce snowstorm combined with a sandstorm, creating a horrid tempest as the two gods fought Rigma, who set himself aflame to rid of the snow and sand, inadvertently creating the first Valnaran and wounding both gods. Seizing the opportunity, Rigma tore Wolkenmard's head clean off to prevent the hordes of the undead from destroying Kyras, before killing Wasadar with a blow of his ax, cleaving the god in half and causing immense tidal waves throughout the Empire.

Enraged at the death of his son and nephew, Vatardan ended the war against Kreigsadar and joined with his father in one last attempt to stop Rigma: meeting at the canyons of Western Kyras, Vatardan drew his sword against Rigma, who wielded two serrated axes capable of tearing mountains apart. The battle was fierce, lasting a month as Vatardan attempted to wear down the crazed god, who seemingly lacked any signs of fatigue. Despite his grand strength and powers, however, Vatardan grew weak and Rigma seized the opportunity: swinging one of his axes at Vatardan's head, Rigma struck Vatardan's legs as the latter dodged the flying ax. Cursing in agony, Vatardan attempted to strike again, only for Rigma to tear out Vatardan's throat using his teeth.

The great battle between Rigma (red armor) against Vatardan (blue armor)

Struck by the news of Vatardan's gruesome death, Kreigsadar drew all strength and magic within Kyras as best he could, drawing his sword and meeting Rigma at the heart of Varan, the future capital of Kyras: in a far cry from the handsome and flawless visage that he once possessed, Kreigsadar resembled more of the wolf, eyes glowing as blue as the magic of his sword as fangs grew out. The battle between the final two gods was even stronger than Rigma's battles against Asfardan and Vatardan, lasting over the course of a year as the once pristine grasslands crackled and buckled against the might of the gods. Fierce storms enveloped the two gods, filling the cratered earth with water, while winds tossed seeds about, a forest growing around them. For months, many Tekkan warriors claimed that, if one were to look towards Varan at night during a storm, the lightning would reveal against the fog the two gods battling one another.

As the year began to end, Kreigsadar knew that Rigma would attempt to use magic to finish the conflict: summoning the spirits of his sons, Kreigsadar grew more vulpine, yet his strength managed to make Rigma stumble. Another four years of battle would continue, both gods desperately attempting to kill the other, yet Kreigsadar had grossly underestimated the god before him: summoning all his might, Rigma tossed his axes away and charged head-on towards Kreigsadar, striking him against the face and wrestling his sword away from him. Before he could react, Rigma broke the sword in half with his bare hands, throwing the hilt at Kreigsadar's head and delivering a concussion against the god. Unable to recover in time, Kreigsadar was grabbed by the head by Rigma, who promptly ripped Kreigsadar's lower jaw off and spewing flames into his throat, killing the last god.

The final battle over Kyras, Rigma against Kreigsadar

With Kreigsadar's death, the Tekkan Empire effectively became Rigma's personal dominion, yet the other states he claimed meant he could not focus his attention for long, especially with the rise of Yrutas near the Magna Tabes. Instead, Rigma severed a finger, turning it into sand before heating it to glass, sprinkling it over Kyras: the remnants of his finger would serve as the basis of his Shards, which gave all Kyrans martial might beyond that of most Calverian empires, yet they would be doomed to an eternity of perpetual tribal war against one another, the Great War proved to be too much for the former Tekkan Empire to overcome.

The Two Temples: Brief History and Organization
Temple of War
After the collapse of the Tekkan Empire and the Kyran Pantheon, several tribal shamans who were purported to have had contact before with the Gods declared that the scourge of the Gods, Rigma, would take the land under His benevolent rule, the War God awakening their inner strength locked away by the previous Pantheon. Initially, many Kyrans, in deep grief over the loss of the Empire and their gods, shunned these men and wished to see them hang for their statements. Eventually, however, came the Great Trial: after a group of shamans arrived in Varan to declare the new faith, a local mob attempted to lynch the men in a fit of rage, chasing them to the Shanath Delta. There, the shamans fell to their knees and called upon Rigma to secure them and prove His blessings to the shamans to spread His light.

In an instant, the Delta was awash with flames, the mud turning to earth and those closest to the shamans struck down, their blood flowing into the baked ground and drawing the first sacrifice to Rigma. The crowd, watching in horror and shock, fell to their own hands and knees, begging for forgiveness as the shamans stood once more: the crowd became the first converts of Rigma, and their word would begin the spread of the God Himself throughout Kyras.

Within the span of several decades, the faith of Rigma grew stronger in Kyras, the individual tribes and warlords finding a god who actively reveled in bloodshed and might. As the Republic was formed, the surviving shamans who professed their faith on the banks of the Shanath came together to petition the government in forming a uniform denomination of faith for Rigma. The first Falanx agreed and signed a charter for the formation of a state church: the Temple of War was erected atop the ruins of Varan's Temple to Reinrasag atop Anthel Hill, overlooking the shining beacon to the War God.

The Temple of War itself is organized from the ground up by the Shamans, the individual ordained priests of the Temple, who either wander throughout Kyras with scripture pinned to their clothing or serving as morale with military formations: the Shaman, as humble, modest, and laconic in their endeavors to Rigma, serves as His ultimate bulwark, for if the Shamans were to ever collectively fall silent, the Temple would be unable to function and would fail Him. To signify their importance, every Shaman receives a medallion at his ordination ceremony, a small iron axe, serrated and in the shape of Rigma's axes, that denotes the Shaman as Mhux Mittiefsa (Untouched) and to not be harmed upon pain of death.

Above the Shamans are the Keepers of the Lodge, the first group to receive a parish to oversee their communities: due to an unspoken agreement within the inner confines of Temple leadership, the Keepers are only given a parish within a tribal village to farming communes. The Keepers' duties, meanwhile, are to receive new converts, oversee faith in Rigma and the Temoke within their community, and induct new members. Their equals under Temple hierarchy, meanwhile, are the Presidents of the Cloth, individuals that hold the same responsibilities but within urban villages and small towns.

Inside Kyras' major cities, meanwhile, are the Marshals of the Eternal Flame, who maintain the Republic's smaller Temples, which hold statues of Rigma at which tithes are placed under. The Marshals are the first to have ordination powers: they can see who will serve as the next generation of Temple leadership and process the faithful Shamans worthy of a higher status. In darker terms, however, the Marshals also prepare sacrifices to Rigma to ensure the strength of the Republic and its armies, the harvest, and faith in Rigma Himself - the Marshal can determine whether a sacrifice is made with a small animal like a chicken or goat, a larger animal like a pig or cow, or even human sacrifices in times of great peril.

Above the Marshals and their administrative Ptéryga (Ward; i.e. the Ptéryga of Varan) are the Librarians of Ash, who despite their unassuming name oversee entire parts of the Republic and serve as the main voting bloc for the Temple's higher-ranking members: overseeing an Kéntro (Center; i.e. the Kéntro of Varan Island), the Librarians compose the College of Electors, who elect the higher positions of the Temple, along with forming ecclesiarchal borders for new Ptéryga and Kéntro. Additionally, the Librarians oversee the tithes received from the Lesser Temples and their Marshals: in a strange manner, this causes the Librarians to become investigators for corruption, as they make certain the Marshal has not strayed from his duties to the War God.

Finally, the Monasteru hosts the most important individuals to the Temple proper, the Monasteru itself serving as the only High Temple in contrast to the Marshals and their Lesser Temples, and the Librarians with the Archon Temples. To that extent, the Monasteru is host to several high classes, including the Princes of the Temple, ordained Librarians who oversee affairs with all Archon Temples and additionally manage the Temple's warriors and Missionaries. To that extent, additional titles can be granted in the form of the Grand Masters, the second-highest ranking members of the Temple overall and form the Chamber of State, which advises the Temple leader.

At the heart of it all, however, is the Lord Grand Master of the Temple, the ultimate authority of the Temple and considered Rigma's material representative of His godly blessing. The Lord Grand Master of the Temple oversees reports between the Temple's governance and powers with the secular government of the Republic, along with overseeing the Temple's Campaigns of Ash, mass crusades of Temple warriors seeking to establish Rigma's hold over Calveria, to bring the fires of the War God through the continent.

Temple of Nature
In contrast to the rather violent birth of the Temple of War, the Temple of Nature was founded by more peaceful means. During the initial growth of the Temple of War after its charter with the Falanx, a Shaman accosted a young woman caught in the act of killing a man in broad daylight, the man bound and strangled. After he had pulled her aside, the Shaman learned the woman killed the man after he had raped and beaten the woman's mother: despite that, the Shaman sought to punish the woman for failing to spill blood in a sanctioned manner. Drawing a dagger, the Shaman was stopped by another woman who was joined by the mother: claiming that she could restore the mother from her injuries using a vial of water, calling upon the Goddess Myratnis to anoint the water with Her blessings. Pouring the water upon the mother, the assembled crowd and Shaman saw the mother's injuries heal rapidly, the mother eventually rising and embracing her daughter. The daughter, seeing what had come from the Mother Goddess, dropped before the mysterious healer and pledged her undying support to the Goddess in full view of the Shaman.

Rather than harm them for their borderline-heretical statements, the Shaman instead asked if the healer had others like her. Upon learning that there were, in fact, several healers, the Shaman traveled to battlegrounds, witnessing the healers restoring the vitality and strength of Kyran soldiers injured in combat: the Shaman, seeing the duty and unwavering loyalty to the Kyrans, reported his findings to the Temple and Falanx, advising both bodies to allow their existence. After weeks of debate, the Falanx announced a charter for the healers to assemble as a Temple of their own, dedicated to Myratnis.

In contrast to the Temple of War, the Temple of Nature does not have an ecclesiastical position like that of the Shamans: rather, the Temple has what are known as Hospitallers, who serve as traveling physicians and rite administrators for the dead. Their main purpose, rather than spreading the word of Myratnis, is providing care for the people of Kyras and preventing the taint of the Dead God from further expanding into Calveria from the bloodshed cast daily. Similar to the Shamans, however, the Hospitallers are marked as Mhux Mittiefsa and cannot be harmed on pain of death.

The majority of the Temple are organized into a stationary class known as the Sisters of the Coven, who maintain small temple buildings throughout Kyras, taking in the sick and injured in the urban environments. The Sisters, unlike the Keepers of the Lodge and Presidents of the Cloth, actively move around the Republic and increasing knowledge of its peoples and healing techniques.

Within the major cities, the Temple sends the Varan-trained Palatines, older Sisters who register all tithes to the First Garden and its library for access in training future Palatines and Sisters located on Varan Island. Similar to the Librarians of Ash, the Palatines help develop the Temple's own Ptéryga and Kéntro, but do not elect the highest positions of the Temple: rather, they serve as the intermediates between Varan and the rest of Kyras. Above them are the core of Temple hierarchy, the Central Council of Our Mother, which purportedly maintains contact between Myratnis and Kyras. The lesser members of the Council, the Librarians of the Mother, serve to elect the ultimate authority of the Temple, and are chosen by convention between the Hospitallers, Sisters of the Coven, and the Palatines. These Librarians in turn elect the Sister of the Mother, the highest authority of the Temple and the curator of the First Temple to the Goddess of Life in Varan.

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Located on the island of the same name, Varan serves as the administrative heart of Kyras and its most-fortified citadel, nestled comfortably within the Kreigsfalden Sea. Perhaps one of the few areas scarred by war yet still blessed with life and agriculture, Varan is as beautiful as it is vicious, comfortable with a large amount of trade generated from the industries operating in the Sea.

In terms of layout, Varan is, by geographical luck, the most well-defended settlement in the Republic, lying at the mouth of Varan Island's Veltmarra River, defended by large forests, sheer drops, and a choke point preventing forces from storming the river. In addition, large citadels lay at the northern, eastern, and southern edges of the city, including a well-defended port with a regiment of guards maintaining all trade entering in and out of the Veltmarra. At the mouth of the Veltmarra lies the Shanath Delta, a low-level depression in contrast to the rest of the city lying atop the Anthel Hill: here, the aforementioned Shanath Port and Registrar Center maintain trade and access between Varan and the Kreigsfalden Sea, while extending from it is the closed sector of Southern Varan, including the Mercantile District, Roaming Merchant Headquarters, and House of the Delegates (a collection of nobles from the Kreigsfalden Sea, this area is, in fact, a squalor with little defense and high crime rates).

At the center lies the Poor District, a collection of shantytowns and rustic buildings that represented the second wave of residents that moved into Varan after its mythological creation, with one of the few noteworthy attractions being the entrance to the Varan Uhrautuva Kamari, a key location for studying the prehistoric Kyran societies, particularly the Varan tribes that existed before the creation of the capital. Additionally, one of the Poor District's main attractions is the Iron Cunnus, a brothel that is rather noteworthy for the number of visits received from members of the Roaming Merchants and even the Falanx: it is said that the brothel is well-maintained primarily to avoid it spilling secrets shared between the Falanx and its employees.

To the east, however, is the sullen and imposing Defence Sector, the main headquarters for the 1st Kotek Honor Guard, the main standing force of the Kreigsfalden and one of Kyras' more illustrious units. Additionally, the Scribes of the Flame reside here, a collection of magicians who meticulously study and meditate in the halls of its main building, formulating plans and preparing sacrifices to Rigma in exchange for weaponry and equipment: it is said that a majority of Kyras' fire-water supplies come from the Scribes, who prepare the rations for each military sector in the Republic.

In the west, the Residential Sector is the heart of it all for Kyras' highest caste members, alternating between the Spartan lodges of the Falanx and top military officers to the lush villa of Xanakht, a Verush-constructed home for foreign officials and those able to pay for permanent lodging in the villa's apartments. Additionally, the Kyran Reserve Center lies here, producing high-quality materials and finished currencies for the Republic, including the coveted Ċinturin ta 'Marque (Belt of Marque), a finely-woven belt of shells, beads, and glass that serve not only as symbols of status, but also as currency between settlements and personal records; similarly, the Glass Workers Guild resides in the Sector, using their skills and sands from the Western Sea to produce artisan glasswork and furnishings for Calveria.

Finally, to the north lies the Administrative Sector, home to the Qorti tal-Gvern Superjuri (Grand Court of Governance), the seat for both the Falanx proper and the Council of Union. Additionally, the Monasteru Għoli tal-Gwerra Alla (High Monastery of the War God), the ecclesiarchal headquarters of the Temple of War, the predominant body of worship to Rigma in Kyras and one of two main religions in the Republic: the Monasteru is unique as it is rather a collection of buildings inside a district, including the L-Ewwel Librerija tat-Tempju tal-Gwerra (First Library of the Temple of War; the records department for all findings established in the Temple and its hierarchy), the Raġunijiet tal-Mewt tat-Tempju (Death Grounds of the Temple; the cemetary and crypt for Heroes of the Temple, mainly martyrs, past members of high regard, and ordained ministers of the Temple proper), and the Repożitorju tal-Gwerra (Repository of War, a museum dedicated to collecting ancient tools of war in the Temple's history, as well as the training grounds for the Temple's Missionaries of Ash).

In addition to the Temple of War, the Administrative Sector houses the L-Ewwel Tempju ta 'l-Għaqda tal-Ħajja (First Temple to the Goddess of Life), the ecclesiarchal headquarters of the Temple of Nature, the second religion of Kyras, dedicated to Myratnis and Her esteemed followers. Unlike the Monasteru, the Temple contains its library, crypt, and the L-ewwel Ġnien tal-Ħajja (First Garden of Life), a large garden dedicated to Myratnis and Her healing touch. Unlike the Temple of War's rather grandiose method of architecture, the Temple of Nature is modest and respectful to the entirety of the Kyran populace, inviting all regardless of caste status.

Outside Varan lies the agricultural fields, laden with crops such as olives, grapes, and wheat, shipped out to the rest of the Kreigsfalden; additionally, the fields develop scores of opium poppies, tobacco near the Shanath, and beehives to extract honeycombs for consumption. Here, security is heavy as to protect the product from raiders and pirates entering inland: dead bodies of raiders are often buried in the fields, with flowers grown to disguise the scent and encourage pollination with the crops.

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In relation to the formation of the vast desert known as the Western Sea, mages have found a ritual that allows for the replication of the Valnaran, the massive sandstroms filled with glass and eletrical bolts that plague the manmade desert. By both a recitation and the sacrifice of human and/or Scorched One, several mages can summon a Valnare to aid them on the battlefield should the tide turn against the Kyran forces. These manmade Valnare can range from a simple strong gust of wind and sand to the massive Death Currents feared by the inhabitants of the Western Sea, in relation to the number of sacrifices performed during the summoning ritual, from a small group of people to an entire foot regiment to necessitate this terrifying formation.

For the mages that summon these currents, however, they face their own sacrifice to bring about the Valnare: the incantation that is used in the ritual effectively allows Rigma to claim bits and pieces of the mages' bodies, whittling their flesh and bone into sand to form the next Valnare summoned. This process can end when the mages agree to halt the Valnare, whether victory has been achieved or the rare retreat order has been given, though if they survive, they may face either the loss of a limb or an entire portion of their torso, killing them immediately even if a follower of the Mother Goddess hastily delivers the water of life to them. Additionally, the speed at which the mages' bodies transform can increase should they establish more direct control of the currents, such as the speed or direction of the Valnare, with their deaths causing the storm to dissipate, while other mages of Kyras within their range suffer illnesses or blocks against their own powers.

Read more: http://thecoffincofn.boards.net/thread/22/cofn-medieval-rp-ooc#ixzz4t5dVhLvf

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Much is unknown about the original history of the Kyrans, the most intact of this subject being compiled in the tomes known as the Alfadhirhaiti (Names of the Allfathers), the Historia Antiquae Kyrus Communitatum (History of the Ancient Kyran Communities), and the Metsän Luvuissa (Chapters of the Forests). All of the collections do share similarities on the mythology behind Kyras before the arrival of Rigma: during the Great Creation of Calveria, it is said that various gods had already been in existence, a pantheon now long since forgotten - among the pantheon were the gods Kreigsadar and Toden, sons to one of the lesser gods. Using their combined strength, the brothers sought to claim a land for themselves, far from the pantheon: this gave birth to the lands of Kyras, which became the personal dominion of the brother-gods.

Not long after, the stories claim that the pantheon fell to infighting: Kreigsadar and Toden, far from the fighting, were safe and created their sons from the earth due to the lack of any goddesses. The sons soon created their own, while Wolkenmard was formed from the remnants discarded during the births of his father and grandfather, cleaned and prepped for construction. Afterwards, the gods formed the Kyrans from the earth and trees, while Vatardan and Toden added fire and lava to ensure the strength of these creations.

After years of gestation and living in the great forests of eastern Kyras, the Kyrans began to leave these woods, most organizing into small bands for survival outside the residual areas. The groups that stayed in the forest, however, began to coalesce into tribes, eventually owing their existence under the patronage of Reinrasag. In particular, one tribe grew much stronger than the others, with many purporting the tribe to be under the personal patronage of Kreigsadar: in reality, this tribe was, in fact, under the control of Wolkenmard, and were called the Dæuðar Vélfa (Dead Wolves). While many tribes accepted the place of the Dæuðar Vélfa in the forests, the Uvejr af de Røde Haver (Storm of the Red Hawks), a tribe aligned with Asfardan, viewed the Wolves as a threat to the forests and sought the wisdom of the gods.

When the gods failed to answer, the Uvejr af de Røde Haver launched a campaign of total war against the Dæuðar Vélfa, who responded in kind with brutal tactics: both sides were reported as sinking further and further into depravity - under their control, the Uvejr af de Røde Haver indiscriminately slaughtered entire villages not aligned with them or Kreigsadar, along with salting the earth and burning entire stretches of land to root out their opponents before killing them to the last man; the Dæuðar Vélfa, meanwhile, violently tortured any of the Røde Haver before sacrificing them to Wolkenmard, cannibalized captured Røde Haver in front of their fellow warriors, and even engaged in the first reported cases of war rape and mass killings against the Røde Haver, selectively pulling Røde Haver from unaligned villages and executing them in the center of the village proper.

After 3 years of violence, the gods returned back to Kyras, finding to their horror the remnants of the war between the Uvejr af de Røde Haver and Dæuðar Vélfa: in a fit of rage, Wasadar summoned a great flood from the eastern seas to cleanse the forests of the atrocities and ruined land, Vatardan and Asfardan seeing fit to decimate the warriors of the tribes before burning the corpses and handing the ashes to Toden, who promptly sent them to his domain for dissolution in the volcanoes. As the great flood washed away the destroyed forests, Reinrasag took it upon himself to replant the earth, the tears spilled from each atrocity he saw turning into seeds as the flood was filtered of its salt and allowed for gestation. In an act of retribution, Asfardan and Wolkenmard appeared to the two tribes, denouncing them for their actions and pulling their support for them, robbing them of their identities before sending them west - the survivors would form the bulk of the Arvesh tribe in the Western Sea, as well as the majority of the Desert Raiders.

Upon the expulsion of the forsaken tribes, the remaining forest tribes returned to the forests, only to lament as they saw miles of gestating fields lacking in materials. The gods appeared, also upset that their rage had caused the innocent dwellers to lose their home in the forests: to make up for the flooding of the forests, the gods imparted the wisdom that the western Kyran bands had developed in the years as well, sending great messengers to the isolated bands that took pity on their long-forgotten forest kin. In response, the forest Kyrans gave their thanks in the form of written scripture and spreading the might of the gods to the animistic desert Kyrans. It was said that the forest tribes went west, excluding one that reached out to Reinrasag personally, vowing to protect the forests from the soon-to-be Arvesh and Desert Raiders: upon meeting their desert brethren, the gods showed their existence in the form of rain showers and seeds, blowing the sands away to form grass fields for both Kyrans to survive on, along with bountiful prey.

It is believed by ancient Kyran records, specifically the various runes, hieroglyphs, and abjads collected from most prehistoric and ancient Kyran civilizations that humans and their associated ancestral species had long survived in Kyras, in particular the bridge species between ape and man. Despite this, Kyras in the form of even hunter-gathering civilizations had seemingly never existed until 75,000 years before, when stone tools with rocks dated around this time were discovered, along with signs of ancient burial rites. Recorded history in the sense of paintings and cave dwellings came about 35,000 years before the present, in particular the Iidne Tuulepea (Ancient Wind Chasm). The first recorded writings that were discovered were the Varan Uhrautuva Kamari (Varan Sacrificial Chamber), a tribal cavern under Varan that held animal skeletons of past sacrifices, tableware, weapons, and writings from the various tribes in the area at the time, at one point with additional transcriptions for Early Modern Kyran.

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The armies of Kyras are varied, ranging from small militias harassing villages to well-trained and heavily armored warriors on the field, while equipment and weaponry are ranged and well-crafted to suit the melee-oriented sons of Kyras. At head of it all is the division between normal humans, magic-trained humans, and the Scorched Ones: between normal humans and the magic-wielders exist the Geras, a class of soldiers that have access to fire manipulation magic and the associated weaponry (sand bombs, which are clay shells filled with sand that are tossed and heated by the magic user/glass bombs, which are metal shells filled with glass that are detonated by a heat-triggered explosion/fire-water, an unknown material that the user places in their mouth before spitting it out, using fire to ignite the enemies sprayed with the mixture). To contrast the powers of the Geras, the Vosten are regular humans/Myratnis followers that keep the Geras from going insane or causing friendly fire incidents, as well leading military formations.

In terms of organization structure, at the bottom exist the Kavan, low-ranking and low-trained recruits that are given a double-edged sword, dagger, and aketon (gambeson with arming points) with leather and metal plates. Above them are the Kavan dan-Toten, powerful berserker warriors clad in chainmail and given a longsword and dagger for combat, while they are contrasted by the Økesadr and Gevaerhalde, muscular serfs and farmers given an aketon with metal plate armor and a heavy weapon (the Mokar carry a pollaxe or halberd on the field, as well as a handheld axe, while the Volen wield a warhammer and double-edge sword). In the forests, fields, and castles exist the Hertag, lightly-armored couriers and scouts wearing a buff coat for comfort and protection, while carrying a dusack (a curved dagger akin to a saber) and throwing knives, the Traestaldr, sentries wielding a buff coat with leather plates, a bow of ranging size, and a dusack, and the Katet, crossbow-wielding soldiers clad in both a buff coat and aketon covered in leather and metal plates, while wielding a shashka (a lightly-curved guardless sword).

Contrasting the standard infantry are the Kriegsaldr and Aven dan-Rigma, heavily-armored and well-equipped soldiers that can change the tide of battle in their location: the Kriegsaldr are siege tacticians and are the first to move in on the fields or castles, wielding a kaskara (a yard-long double-edged sword), pike spear, or halberd, and a spatha as a secondary weapon, while clad in an aketon with metal plate armor and a round shield. The Aven dan-Rigma, however, are Scorched Ones believed to hold the war-thirst of Rigma and move to battle as best they can before they engage in a berserker rage and utilize their magic: the average Shard wields a kriegsmesser (a yard-long saber), pata (a sword with a gauntlet integrated into the guard, designed for cutting rather than thrusting), and fire-water, all while clad in an aketon with metal plate armor and a round shield.

The most important member of the battlefield, however, is the one class of soldier not held by Rigma: the Aegelse dan-Myratnis, those blessed by Myratnis and designated as field medics, who rush among the soldiers, attempting to keep them alive, or attached to a Geras or even one of the Shards of Rigma, meant to pull them from insanity even at the risk of being burned alive. Clad in a buff coat with leather plates and a buckler shield, attached at first to the back and designed to be pulled off quickly, while wielding a stiletto for as quick and painless a death as possible, or a sand bomb so as to bluff the enemy.

In contrast to their nature, the leading warlords have also mandated the usage of artillery, such as cannons (few and far in-between, these weapons are used to repel anti-magic soldiers such as that of the Kyasii, as well as break the enemy defenses should the Katet prove unable to effectively suppress), ballistas, onagers, mangonels, and trebuchets, usually wielding stones, infected heads, or clay balls filled with caltrops. The strongest of these weapons, however, is the incendiary caster, a cannon-like weapon blessed by Rigma with the eternal flames, a mixture of fire-water and the blood of a fallen Scorched One, the mixture is volatile, hard to extinguish, and usually paired with a secondary form of ammunition such as caltrops, sand, cannonballs, or even with other flammable substances, usually reserved for cases such as naval conflicts, long sieges, or total war.

At the basis of organization are foot regiments, 100-man fighting formations that are primarily composed of the Kavan, Kavan dan-Toten, Økesadr/Gevaerhalde, and Katet, the latter entrenched in three-man formations with the Katet, a Hertag for reloading bows, cannons, and ballistas, and a Kavan to prevent enemy infiltration. Foot regiments tend to deploy first, rushing head-on: to single out targets, cavalry units of 25 mounts charge forward, either Kavan, Økesadr, or Katet striking or firing upon their selected targets or positions. These units, called the Arban, are supported by cannonfire respective to their class, further scattering officers and entrenched positions for the foot regiments to hit. The third line are unique as they mix suppressive fire with movement: the armored cavalry, large plated carts holding either an incendiary caster or miniature ballista that follow the foot regiment's charge, burning out the cannons or hitting targets further away. These carts also hold ammunition stores for entrenched Kyran positions, supporting them before moving forward. The fourth and final line, however, is the most important in cases such as siege warfare or mass engagements: here, the bombers and the Geras move forward, drawing morale from the other units as they hit strategic locations, either utilizing their bombs to sow chaos in the ranks or sending heavily-armored units to butcher formations, leading the foot regiments to battle. The Shards follow suit, using their magic to either burn their enemies alive or heal the wounded on the field before washing away the offensive units in a large tide.

Admist the waves, however, lies the Kyran Republican Navy, a collection of both national and private fleets that defend the Kreigsfalden Sea or the oceans of Eastern Kyras. Organization of the ships are strict, with large galleys and cog ships rowing towards the enemy, launching waves of flaming arrows, rocks, or ballista projectiles to damage the ship before either boarding it or delivering the death blow. Construction of these ships tend to focus on mixing offensive and defensive strengths: to prevent fire-based damage, the ships are outfitted with large shields mounted on both sides to absorb blows, while the firing formations use shields during reprisals. Additionally, Kyran ships are outfitted with large rams at the front to break formations up, allowing for additional Kyran ships to engage. Much of the Navy's capabilities also lie in the Mariners, men that are called to board enemy ships, utilizing heavy armor and powerful weapons to try and overpower the enemy crew. Usage of the Mariners are limited given the Navy's emphasis on annihalitive attacks rather than successive boardings, but their presence is welcomed on most ships as a sign of the battle turning.

Particular units within both the Kyran Army and the Republican Navy tend to have high distinctions and track records, often summoned when the battle is fierce and magic usage is too limited to risk gains. Such includes the Army's 1st Kotek Honor Guard, derived from the central-west shoreline of the Kreigsfalden, a unit of Kotek tribesmen who are descended from warriors that proved vital in securing Varan during the Great War, their modern duties based on defending Varan Island; the Death Guard, veteran fighters renowned for their steadfast resilience and determination, unique as a wholly non-magic unit, commonly deployed to fight against followers of Decidius and/or Yrutas; the Black Cohorts, a specialist unit with unknown numbers, they have balanced both their defensive and offensive strategies to serve as both a rapid deployment unit and as siege-breakers, identifiable only by their black aketons and red-black cloaks; and the White Arban, a cavalry unit famed for 150 ARA Battle of the Green Rivers in eastern Kyras, braving flooded waters and entrenched units firing from above to break the defensive line, allowing for the foot regiments to clear the way into the rest of the rebelling eastern provinces.

Within the Navy lie the 3rd Fleet, a large collection of cogs that helped to secure the western Kreigsfalden shoreline during the War of the Two Councils, sinking a majority of the defending ships and allowing the Mariners to make landfall; the 13th Mariner Company, a collection of veteran Mariners famed for precise attacks and quickly sinking enemy ships by locating weakpoints; and the "Fog Splitter," a large cog outfitted with extensive plating, it ganed notoriety in the Siege of Velran, where it broke through a formation and dropped barrels of eternal flame in the water, sailing back and firing into the water to ignite the defending fleet.

Infantry	Artillery	Weapons	Armor
Kavan (Swordsman)	Light Cannon	Double-edged sword, dagger	Aketon with leather and metal plates
Kavan dan-Toten (Skullcrusher Swordsman)	Heavy Cannon	Longsword, dagger	Chainmail
Hertag (Swiftrunner)	Ballista	Dusack, throwing knife	Buff coat
Økesadr (Axeman)	Plague Trebuchet	Pollaxe/halberd, tomahawk	Aketon with metal plate armor
Gevaerhalde (Hammerer)	Trebuchet	Warhammer, double-edged sword	Aketon with metal plate armor
Traestaldr (Treestalker)	Onager	Bow, dusack	Buff coat with leather plates
Katet (Ravenkiller)	Ballista	Crossbow, shashka	Buff coat and aketon with leather and metal plates
Kriegsaldr (Warmonger)	Mangonel	Kaskara/pike spear/halberd, spatha	Aketon with metal plate armor and round shield
Ildandr (Fire Drinker)	Incendiary Caster	Spatha, fire-water	Chainmail
Vestot (Glass Stormer)	Heavy Cannon	Falx, glass bombs	Chainmail and buff coat
Pistoladar (Sand Bomber)	Cannon	Spatha, sand bombs	Buff coat with metal plates
Aven dan-Rigma (Shard of Rigma)	Caltrop Trebuchet	Kriegsmesser, pata, fire-water	Aketon with metal plate armor and round shield
Aegelse dan-Myratnis (Shard of Myratnis)	Plague Trebuchet	Stiletto, sand bombs	Buff coat with leather plates and buckler

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