Scythria

**Scythria** is a continent to the far north of Solthris, beyond Xaxalin and the Drowned Reach. It is a land of cold and darkness, populated by humans ruled by the ghost lords of Geistony and the vampires nobles of Intulvania, the orcini realm of Mokboral, and a number of liches in their towers. A race of batlike humanoid lives in caverns deep beneath the land, and a number of demons extend their influence above and below, including several devils and a dybaloth.

## History

### Ancient History

In ancient times, in the wake of the Godspact, the dybaloth Helel and several devils made their way into Scythria and there established their lairs, both in the deeps and on the surface. Eventually, a number of humans and orcini migrated into the land, gathering into various warring tribes. The devils delighted in their conflict, and sought to use them for their own schemes, but were impeded by Helel. The dybaloth had cast his influence upon Scythria, and from him a strange substance reached the surface. To the mortals, it appeared as liquid light, and they worshipped it. The light gave them power, and protected them against the darkness and the cold. Cults of the Light quickly spread, and eventually they learned of the light's source, and feared it. Helel was not a merciful lord, but to his worshippers, being left to the darkness and the devils was worse. Thus he became known as the Hideous Light, and all feared and loved his power.

There was one tribe, however, that rejected the light. These orcini founded a small kingdom on the northwestern shores of Scythria, which they named Mokboral, and they abhorred any and all kinds of demonic power. They cared not for the obscure light, and they cared less for the devils in the darkness. In opposition to the otherwordly, these orcini elevated their own warriors to legendary status. Each generation, they chose their most fierce and cunning warrior to undergo a ritual that would freeze them in stasis. They believed that an apocalyptic battle against the demons would one day come, and then, all the frozen warriors would be awakened to vanquish the darkness.

### Shifting Powers

As the ages passed, the devils of Scythria sought to undo Helel's power at every turn, but were always defeated. The turning point came during the cataclysmic war that fell the Empire of Xaxalin and the subsequent destruction of Arteanu, twelve hundred years ago. Many humans had come fleeing from the conflict, and established small colonies in Scythria, where they were confronted by the native tribes. There was nothing they could do; they could not return to a land that had sunken into the sea, nor could they face furious men and women backed by the power of a demon. Their salvation came at the hands of several devils, who offered them a bargain. The mortals would offer them worship and servitude, and in return they would gain power untold and life eternal.

The humans of Arteanu agreed. In an eastern colony, they had been approached by devils of the vice of Greed, who granted them the power to attain immortality and magical prowess after their deaths, as powerful spirits. In the west, the humans were greeted by a triad, each representing a different vice - Lust, Vanity and Sanctimony. Through the drinking of blood, their life would be eternal, and their power, unmatched. Thus were born the first vampires of Scythria.

With overwhelming power, the colonists from the south tore through the natives. Their power granted by the Hideous Light was great, but they were unprepared for the fierceness of the newcomers. Halel itself was unprepared for the devils' scheming. In short years, the central and eastern lands were claimed by the Arteani, and the tribes were driven to the far brinks of the land. Those that didn't escape fell under the dominion of their new conquerors. In their campaigns, the Arteani established a number of forts, which eventually grew to villages and even cities. In the east, the ghost lords ruled over a number of fishing towns and mountain forts which united into the realm of Geistony. In the west, the vampire lords gathered around their most powerful Houses, and formed the Kingdom of Intulvania.

Beyond the territory of these kingdoms, the remnants of the natives fought for survival. The influence of the devils was growing, and the Hideous Light was getting weaker. But Helel would no let this stand. Through his influence, his followers gathered anew, and reformed their cults into fighting forces capable of surviving the encroaching darkness. In time, they would even send missionaries into Geistony and Indulvania, granting respite from their rulers' oppressive thumb to those subjects who took on their teachings. And all the while, the orcini of Mokboral remained free from demonic influence.

As the centuries passed and these nations grew in size and power, other forces began to take form in Scythria. The Nvordrak Njardr had risen a mountain on the southernmost peninsula of the land, and there established a Dragonroost, Fehu. From the legendary Circle of Magi, the Great Necromancer <name> had come to the far north to research in isolation. In the <name> Islands far to the north of the continent, he built a great tower where he developed the secret of lichdom, gaining power and life eternal. In time, several other sorceres came to him in hopes of sharing in his secrets. <name>, however, had no interest in apprentices, and rejected them. Still, they would not be deterred, and created their own magical towers in the far north of Scythria, in image of the great tower <island name>. In time, they would become liches in their own rights, but instead of remaining in peace and isolation as the Great Necromancer had, they used their power to conquer tribes and gather servants. From that point on, the northern reaches of the continent would become a desolate of dark magic and undeath.

In Geistony, not all were content with the state of their existance. The ghost lords were tied, in essence and power, to the wealth they accumulated, but they were not tied to the land. Groups of spirits built ships and decided to gather riches by raiding other vessels and coastal towns in Xaxalin. Thus appeared the first ghost pirate fleets, who would be the terror of the northern seas. Not even the Qualla merfolk of the Drowned Reach would be able to deter their sailing.

### Recent History

Nearly a century ago, the dragon Njardr disappeared on a mysterious mission to Rakshar. Without his protection, the Dragonroosts were left vulnerable, and none more so than Fehu, located as it was in a land of darkness. A conclave of liches from the north made a daring attack upon the mountain, and with their frost magics slew its storm and sea dragons defenders, and enslaved their bones. Today, Dragonroost Fehu is a haunted ruin, with its undead defenders serving dark masters.