Hysperia

**Hysperia** is
the name given to a group of city states located between Drôhznia and The
Teldari Vale. The Hysperians do not consider themselves a singular people,
instead identifying as being a citizen of their individual city state. The cities
of Hysperia are varied in culture and tradition as well as different systems of
government. Some city states are monarchies, oligarchies, and some are even
democracies with elected officials ruling them.

## History

Not much is known of Hysperia's early history. Many of the records of that time are epic songs and tales of great heroes. Most of these sagas are believed to be purely fictional, but there are many that insist that they are based in truth.

### The Pretosian Age

In the Hysperian oral tradition, the world was once the domain of titanic gods known as The Pretos. These behemoth creatures held dominion over all life and they were constantly at war with one another. These battles were known to level mountains and drain the seas. It was a time of terrible cataclysms and never ceasing carnage.

These epic wars eventually culminated in the Pretos destroying each other and almost the world itself. In the wake of this apocalyptic battle, the mortal races were able to flourish and thus began The Age of Heroes.

### The Age of Heroes

Following the fall of the The Pretos, the mortal races of the world were able to emerge from the shadows and forge their own destiny. With the Pretos gone, the cosmos sought new beings to fill the power vacuum that was left by the fallen titans. Thus several great heroes, known as The Patrons, were uplifted to a godlike status to rule over the mortal world. These demigods were not given the same power as the Pretons, in order to avoid the same destruction that they brought on the world. However, the Patrons were still beings of incredible power and presence.

It was during this time that The Patron City States of Hysperia were formed. Each Hero founded their own city to act as their home and place of worship. Patrons often went to war with one another, marshalling great armies of mortal followers. Eventually, these conflicts began to wreck havoc on the world and so the cosmos stepped in once more. The Patons were banished from the mortal world, to wage their war within Apothesa, a realm above the mortal plane.

### The Drôhznian Invasion

The Age of Heroes is said to have come to an end when Sâlikhín, the holy leader of the burgeoning Drôhznian Empire, invaded Hysperia. The Drôhznians had recently expanded their domain over much of the east and quickly turned their attention towards Hysperia.

Early relations between Drôhznia and the Hysperian city-states were peaceful. Many cities, such as Daethos and Thraedia had been trading with the Najharâni for generations. As the power of Sâlikhín grew, many in Hysperia become uneasy, fearing that the empire would soon invade. In the years leading up to the war, missionaries and preachers of Anarâh began flocking into Hysperia. These priests were often met with hostility from the native pagans of Hysperia. This only served to increase tension between the two lands and to provide Drôhznia with incentive to attack.

The Drôhnzian army swept through the cities of mainland Hysperia like an inexorable wave. Often cities surrendered as soon as the army approached, others were besieged and overthrown, and some submitted after their champions were bested in single combat by Sâlikhín himself.

After a matter of months, the mainland of Hysperia was under Drôhznian control. The island cities had managed to hold off the invasion, owing to the fact that Drôhznia had never waged a naval war before. Sâlikhín's only navy was a handful of converted trade ships from the Najharâni Delta. These vessels were no match for the war ships of Hysperia. These island city states had spent centuries perfecting the art of naval warfare. Although the islands of Hysperia outmatched the Drôhznians in their naval capabilities, the Drôhznians greatly outnumbered them.

Throughout almost all of Hysperian history, the city states fought and bickered with each other, never unifying under single rule. Towards the end of the war, the remaining free cities of Hysperia decided to band to together to resist the Drôhznian invaders. Unfortunately, the alliance came too late and Hysperia was eventually completely conquered.

### The Hysperian Grand-Shânate

After the fall of Sâlikhín in The Battle of the Teldari Gate, Drôhznian rule in Hysperia started to falter. Once news of the Emperor's death reached Hysperia, the region's governor Hâzbír Khâlam Al-Tâlír, took advantage of the chaos and declared himself Grand-Alhak of Hysperia.

He quickly consolidated his rule and withdrew all of his forces into Hysperia. In the first few years after Sâlikhín's death, loyalist forces tried desperately to retake Hysperia, but Hâzbír Khâlam had fortified the borders and dug in deep. Hâzbír had conscripted legions of Hysperian levy troops and sent them to fight and die on the front lines against the imperial Drôhznians, whilst he kept most of his loyal troops garrisoning the cities to keep the local populations under control.

As the empire diminished, there was less external pressure on Hâzbír's kingdom and he was able to focus his attention inwards. Dissent had been growing in Hysperia since it was conquered 40 years prior and this only got worse during Hâzbír's reign. Revolts began springing up all over the Hysperia, each one was crushed mercilessly by the Shân's troops. These uprisings became more and more frequent, eventually Hâzbír's forces were spread so thin, he could not quell them all.

Before long, the rebellion's organised into fully fledged armies and long campaign was fought between the Hysperian rebels and the Drôhznian occupation force. Although Hâzbír was a shrewd and cunning leader, his forces had been warn down by the constant civil unrest. One by one, the cities of Hysperia regained their freedom. Hâzbír tried to flee when defeat seemed imminent, but he was captured by the Hysperian forces. His captors then paraded him through each of the patron cities, naked and in chains. The newly liberated citizens flocked to the streets to curse and throw rocks at their former tyrant. After his humiliation was complete, Hâzbír was executed by being thrown into a pit of vipers.

### The Hysperian Alliance

After the fall of Drôhznian rule, the Hysperians were once again free to govern themselves. The leader of the Patron-Cities decided that they needed to unite, in order to prevent another invasion. Never before in the history of Hysperia had some an alliance occurred. A treaty, known as The Hysperian Accords was drafted after much negotiation between the states.

The rules were set so that all cities would remain as independent states, but they would come to aid of any city that was threatened by foreign invaders.