3. Locations

The Continent of Vardoun¶

One of three major continents on Ermis. It is home to the Haem and the cities of Astryth and Kavouri. It also hosts the Vardoun mountains that surround the Kypar desert, the home of the Sil.

Astryth¶

Astryth is one of two major cities on Ermis, sister to the city Eryth. It is the original home of Vires. Astryth is slightly smaller than Eryth but also has a more varied surrounding landscape, encompassing, plains, mountains, desert, and forest. The core of the old city is located at the southern base of the The Spar.

Astryth consists of multiple levels as it carves its way up the foot of the Spar. Lower Extremis, Ward Demos, and part of Ward Sophos are on the lower slope. Ward Aurum, Ward Emporos, and the Citadel, are all on the upper slope of the base of the Spar.

Astryth also has an “undercity”, which is a network of passages and sewers that lead throughout the city. The undercity is also connected to the so-called “underdark” which is a deeper network of caverns and tunnels that lead into the mountains. From both the undercity and the underdark one can find passages leading to the tunnels of the Sil in the northern wastes of the Kypar desert.

Entering the City¶

Most travelers arrive in Astryth via the network of roads that converge on the city. There are no gates or walls surrounding the city, but there are various checkpoints, and the Watch patrols the major roads, especially Magna Platea (runs east-west) and Via Kyper (runs north-south). The mountain passage of the Spar grants direct access from Eryth, while other roads lead from the surrounding plains, forests, and villages.

A Short History of Astryth¶

Astryth was founded generations ago (several metachrons) at the base of the Verdoun Mountains. As the settlement grew over time, it expanded across several terraces carved into the mountain slopes.

The accumulation of generational wealth has led to a highly stratified society. City politics and commerce are largely under the control and purview of the two great houses, Tethys and Xeryth. The engineering of the Spar is largely due to the work of Xeryth in Astryth and the Houses Orosen and Valtor in Eryth. Spar transit took nearly a myriachron to engineer and build, but was finally finished in kilochron 110 PD (Prin Diarchian). The success of Spar travel and especially trade brought an increase in conflict between the Great Houses, which was eventually resolved through the establishment of the Dyarchy and the reign of the first Dyad in 1 MD (Meta Diarchian). Prior to the construction of Omerth in 87 MD, the Dyad would alternate their presence between Eryth and Astryth. The Citadel was their seat of power, and today still constitutes their administrative presence, with the Arkane, Gnostari, and Hegemon all sharing buildings in the Citadel.

Major events include the 342 PD founding of the Arkane College Lyceum Miskatonis, 12 PD overthrow of the leader of House Tethys, Mordechai Azhad-Gul, and the 78 MD election of Chancellor Allisandra Venturi. Astryth has endured plagues, famines, succession struggles, and occasional attacks by Scro, Goblinoids, and other creatures issuing from the mountains and desert wastes.

Today the city covers over 35 square miles and houses over 250,000 inhabitants. It remains a key stop for overland trade routes and hosts a thriving community of artisans, merchants, and academics.

Wards of Astryth¶

The Ward Emporos houses markets, guilds, and shops. The Ward Sophos contains the Collegia Miskatonis, as well as a variety of libraries, manuscript dealers, and purveyors of magic. The wealthy typically dwell in Ward Aurum. Ward Demos, as well as Upper and Lower Exremis largely house workers and the poor. An undercity lies beneath parts of the city, particularly Ward Demos.

City Government¶

Astryth is governed by the Council of Three - the Chancellor, High Arkanist, and High Inquisitor. These are appointed by the leaders of House Tethys and Xeryth, after several rounds of voting by the other houses and the lower Ward Demos. The Council oversees the bureaucracy, city guard, taxes, laws, and foreign relations. They strive to balance the interests of the four wards.

Surviving in the City¶

New arrivals should secure lodging in an inn or boarding house, then seek work through markets, guilds, or temples. The lower wards offer cheaper housing but more dangerous streets, so go armed and be cautious at night. Beware pickpockets in the bazaar crowds. The laws of the city are many, and can be complex for newcomers. Punishment of infraction can be quite harsh. At the minimum, newcomers to the city often find themselves quickly facing the choice between payment of a fine and spending a night in one of the city jails.

Magic and technology are also strictly regulated. While many occupants of the city have some sort of facility with magic, typically the public use of magic more significant than that of a cantrip is frowned upon unless one is a clear member of the Arkane order or another municipally-sanctioned organization. This is also true of technology, especially anything that seems like it could be used as a weapon (e.g. absolutely no open display of firearms unless you are a member of the Hetai). Violations of these rules will lead to swift fine and punishment by the Watch.

Notable Features¶

Sites include the Temple of Vires, Catacombs of the Revered, The Wheel (a gambling parlor), the Blessed Baths hot springs, and many taverns, inns, shops, and warehouses.

Holidays & Festivals¶

Major celebrations include equinox festivals on the steps of the various temples, the masked Revelry of Fools, Viresday honoring Astryth’s contribution to the Dyarchy, and the Parade of Colors. Festivals feature feasting, dancing, games, and street fairs. They typically take place on the first Chron (Mondia) of every Decachron (Monoseptem) of every Hectochron (Monomēn).

Commerce¶

Astryth trades in ores, furs, timber, livestock, and crafted goods. Major guilds include Jewelers, Potters, Scribes, and Weavers. The markets offer wares imported over the Spar from Eryth. Coin flows freely in the gambling dens and brothels. The Commercium, at the center of the old city in Astryth, is the main area for trade and evaluation of goods travelling to and from the Spar, as well as to or from the coastal regions beyond the Dunwold or the Western Vardoun range.

Religion¶

Most follow the pantheon of Er. Various temples and shrines dedicated to this pantheon operate in the wards, with the most opulent being in Aurum. However, in part because of Er’s somewhat abstruse nature, and in part because of the seeming infinite variety of Er’s manifestations, there are a number of different groups, cults, and forms of religious praxis that have flourished in Astryth. Among these include the followers of Hodos the Opener, the Order of the Silver Key, and Telios Mechanicus. The Syndicate of the King in Yellow claims devotees in the undercity. Druidic old faiths persist in areas of the city and surrounding countryside.

The Spar¶

The Spar is the great rock column that spans the diameter of Ermis. It consists of extremely dense rock and is approximately 25 miles in width (it has an irregular cylindrical shape). It is the primary trade way for Ermis.

Omerth is located at the mid-way of the Spar. The Spar itself also hosts the train or funincular that transports most goods between Eryth and Astryth.

The Dunwold¶

A large forest in southern Vardoun. The Dunwold separates the major coastal towns from Astryth and the wider Strythian Plains. The Dunwold is a major source of timber for shipbuilding as well as general construction. Occasional conflicts with the Sylweards arise due to worries about deforestation.

There are roads into the Dunwold, but there is as yet no major road entirely through it, though hiking through the Dunwold remains the quickest way to get from the coast to Astryth.

The Dunwold is made much of in story and rumor. There is many a tale of travelers disappearing into its depths, not to be heard from again. The Faeir are often blamed for these disappearances, though they are more likely to try to help travelers through the Dunwold than to strand them within it. Nevertheless, the forest is considered a dangerous place. One does not travel through its heart unprepared.

The Kypar Desert¶

The desert wastes covering roughly the middle of the continent of Vardoun. They are nested in between the Vardoun mountains and are home to the Sil. The deep desert is home to creatures too dangerous to easily catalogue. There are also rumors of passages in the desert that lead deep into the ground below the surface of Ermis.

The Continent of Ororos¶

Ororos is the third largest continent on Ermis and is home to several major political powers and interests, as well as a plethora of biomes. Dominated by lush forests, sprawling grasslands, and towering mountains, Ororos provides a wide range of areas to explore. Its southern regions are home to the dense Faeir Wildes, where the mystical city of Thalassia lies, the seat of the enigmatic Council of the Faeir. The continent’s heartland is marked the Ororos mountain range and the major seaport Themérr, an independent city-state known for its maritime prowess and vibrant trade.. In the northeast lies Eryth, one of the twin cities of the Dyarchy, and home to several great houses. To the northwest is Xanados Reach, a harsh and unforgiving landscape of mountains, forest, and plains.

Eryth¶

The first city of Ermis. Located at the northern base of the The Spar.

The Continent of Kra Chora¶

Kra Chora, the largest continent of Ermis, it nevertheless remains shrouded in mystery and largely uncharted by human explorers. Its tundra offers a stark contrast to the more civilized lands of Ermis. Dominated by the forbidding Kra’Aav mountain range, Kra Chora’s landscape is rugged and untamed, with towering peaks and deep, hidden valleys. Nestled within these mountains lies Caer Mynydd, the formidable northern stronghold of the Haem Collective, known for its defenses and isolationist stance. The continent extends into unexplored territories rumored to harbor ancient icy monuments, the creators of which remain a mystery. Kra Chora’s harsh and remote environment, combined with tales of icy wonders, continues to intrigue and challenge the bravest of adventurers and scholars on Ermis.

Omerth¶

The capital city of the The Dyarchy (and in some ways all of Ermis). It is the seat of autocratic power on the planet. It incorporates both the The Arkanum and the Dunamikon. It is also the residence of The Dyarch.

Omerth is a floating city. It exists on no continent, instead floating at the center of the planet, between the points of the Spar.

Omerth exists solely due to the great technological and magical powers of its wizards and technomancers. Otherwise gravity at the center does not exist, and powerful electromagnetic currents would arc uncontrolled through the area.

The Dunamikon¶

The Dunamikon is a sacred building in the capital city, Omerth.

The Dunamikon contains two orders of the Dunamis (the power) – The Erathoi, or the Clerics of Er, and The Gnostari, which are the psionic arm of the Dyarchy. Both orders are known for their religious zealotry.

Together, the Erathoi and the Gnostari are the “hand” of the Dyarchy (with the Hetai being its “fist”).

The Arkanum¶

The Arkanum is a building located at the capital, Omerth housing the governing body of wizards and technomancers serving the Dyarchy. It strictly regulates the use of magic throughout Ermis. It also the source of all the know-how for building the capital city and maintaining it at the center of the Spire.

The Hegemonikon¶

The Hegemonikon houses the governing members of the Hetai, which is the martial faction of the Dyarchy. Led by the strategic and battle-hardened Hegemon Cassander Voss, they are tasked with enforcing the Dyarchy’s rule, safeguarding its interests, and ensuring stability within its dominion. The Hetai, or the “Red Fist” of the Dyarchy (so named for the symbol worn on their uniforms), are feared and respected for their military prowess, which includes a blend of traditional combat skills and magical capabilities, making them a formidable force in the realm.