Tragedy of Thalyra

The ***Tragedy of Thalyra*** (also known as the ***Flight of Thalyra***) is a legendary epic poem that details the events leading to Queen Thalyra's founding of Philos.

## Story

In the story, the beautiful princess is engaged to Maronios, a wealthy merchant who earned his riches by exploring and trading throughout the vast Serephanian. Thalyra, bound by her duties to rule Palemon (/peɪləmɒn/) like her father King Adones, is captivated by Maronios' stories of freedom, adventure, and exploration. The princess' favourite story is that of Philos (Phocenian for "paradise"), a majestic, unspoilt island in the far west, described by Maronios as the most beautiful spot in the known world. Together, the pair dream of escaping their lives of politics and duties, with Maronios promising to bring Thalyra to Philos as they sail across the world together.

When her father King Adones dies, Thalyra reluctantly prepares to ascend to the throne. However, her uncle Cadmonides mounts a challenge for the title, and bribes the Royal High Priests alongside certain members of the Senate and military to rule in his favour. The move is widely unpopular among the general populace, who adore the princess, while also upsetting the majority of the Senate and military, who view Cadmonides as dangerous, destabilizing, and corrupt. Meanwhile, the Neo-Mephistonian Empire to the south prepared to take advantage of the situation by invading. Thalyra, having already received her father's blessing to abdicate the throne if it was her heart's true desire, concedes to Cadmonides and prepares to leave the city with Maronios.

Unable to afford his bribery payments to the parties keeping him in power, Cadmonides hatches a plan to both steal Maronios' fortune and force the people of Palemon to accept him as king. He has Maronios killed, although he manages to return home, dying in Thalyra’s arms. Distraught, the princess throws herself off the pier in an attempted suicide, but is later found washed ashore by fishermen and brought to heal inside the palace. Still unconscious, Thalyra is visited by Maronios in her dream, who tells her the truth: Cadmonides plans to forcefully marry Thalyra in a bid to secure the late merchant’s vast wealth and gain popular support for his rule.

Upon awakening, Thalyra requests to move into the palace to help with her grief. When Cadmonides’ men arrive to aid in the move, the princess throws Maronios’ bags of gold into the sea, claiming it is an offering to his spirit. The guards return to Cadmonides and report what occured, and the enraged king orders them to apprehend her. Hearing this, Thalyra’s mother sacrificed herself to seal the palace and set it ablaze. Meanwhile, reports of the rapidly advancing Mephistonian army sends the citizens of Palemon into a frenzy, plunging the city into chaos. In the midst of the chaos, Thalyra encourages the people of Palemon to join her in an exodus to a new promised land. The princess, alongside 30,000 citizens, board their ships and sail into the sea just as the Mephistonians begin their sack of the city.

Guided by Maronios’ visits in her dreams, Thalyra leads the fleet to the island of Sargon.