Realm of Hysh

The **Realm of Hysh**, also called **Hysh** and the **Realm of Light**, is one of the eight Mortal Realms of the Cosmos Arcane which coalesced from the aetheric energy of the ancient Wind of Magic of the same name. The lands themselves consist of symbols and shapes with hidden meanings in these times of Chaos. Before, it was known as the realm of reason and symmetry.[1] There are many ethereal moons present in the sky of the Realm of Light.[2]

## History

The history of Hysh is a peculiar one, and not truly understood by any mind save perhaps that of the Lord of Lumination himself. The realm was once as multifaceted and ordered as a finely cut gem or delicate paper structure, its many composite lands intersecting like wide shafts of light that could shift or flip with each leap of logic or pure thought made by its inhabitants.

It was once the most virginal of all the realms, its white magic unsullied and free to shine out wherever there were mortal senses to detect it. Yet no realm save Azyr is safe from the greed of the Dark Gods, and even the Ten Paradises of Hysh have long suffered under the grinding maleficence of Chaos.[7a]

A realm of symbolism and mind-expanding arithmantic lore, Hysh's interlocking planes are inhabited by people elevated to higher thought by the very nature of their homelands. The most part of their number have a love for reason and symmetry. Even the wordless tribes of the crystal caves are given to long periods of introspection, and the walls of their artfully sculpted tunnels are covered with intricate images and diagrams.[7a]

Since the wakening of the twin gods Tyrion and his brother Teclis, and the spreading of their influence and dominion, the Ten Paradises of Hysh have become home to many new cultures of Aelves, while the empires and cities founded by Hysh's Human architects and scholars were for a time the greatest in all the Mortal Realms.

The tall pillars dotted across the deserts and alabaster plains were once legion, each topped with a cross-legged seer seeking enlightenment through denial and asceticism. Yet those cities have since been cast down, and those pillars toppled, by the anarchy and slaughter visited upon the realm by the savage hordes of the Dark Gods. Their conquest of Hysh was far more insidious than the blood-mad invasions of Aqshy, Ghur and Shyish.[7a]

The magical energy of Hysh does not coalesce into realmstone deposits as with the other realms, but travels the lands and skies as beams of pure yellow-white illumination. When the seers of Hysh learned how to harness these beams in magically-translucent prisms, the composite realmstone-equivalent known as aetherquartz was devised.

It quickly became a sought-after resource, and gem-like beads, jewels and necklaces strung with that incredible substance took the form of currency across the lands.[7a]

Those who wore jewellery made from aetherquartz found that they took its light into themselves, the gemstones growing dull as their intellects blossomed at incredible speed. Even their movements became swifter and more dexterous, for the stuff of Hysh lends the speed of thought to body as well as mind.[7a]

With unbound progress and success coming easily to the rulers and leaders of each paradise, the towers and pillars of Hysh were raised high. Amongst the most scintillating minds, however -- the most inventive scholars and wizards of that realm -- there was a certain level of competition.

Some were above such mortal concerns, becoming so enlightened and pursuing their arts to such refinement that they transcended mortality entirely. So it was that the most advanced and heroic minds became numinous beings far removed from earthly concerns.[7a]

Others, however, found their personal weaknesses brought out into the light by the power they held in their hands. The lure of pride and the pursuit of perfection blended together to create a spectrum of unhealthy qualities. These were hidden at first, but as the contest to become the purest and most intelligent grew fiercer, they were soon revealed. At first, the friendly rivalry between two scholars might see them raise the pillars atop which they meditated to ever greater heights, or make their robes grow whiter and more luminous than those of their contemporaries.[7a]

As they became ever more self-centredand arrogant, as they leaned upon aetherquartz for ever greater leaps of mental agility and understanding, their noble quest became more akin to an addiction. Image was everything, and no trick or act of sabotage was off-limits in the crusade to appear the most enlightened. Such obsession drew the followers of Slaanesh, whose influence found its way into the hearts of those who dwelt in the Ten Paradises, and the corruption of Hysh's pure light began.[7a]

Since the coming of the Age of Sigmar, Hysh has gone from a land of logic and order to a wilderness of broken dreams and shattered statues. That which was not cast down by the subtle curse of Chaos has been smashed by the violence of open war. It is said that Lord Tyrion musters his forces for a great reconquest – but, as yet, salvation has not come.[7a]

## Illumination of Gods

The gods of the Mortal Realms are not omniscient -- even Tyrion, god of light and war, who is physically blind yet can reach out into the aether with a dozen other senses, cannot pluck visions from across the void. A deity cannot influence one of the Eight Realms without having some kind of presence there, and it is most commonly through their worshippers that they extend their powers.

Faith is a two-way street, they say, for just as the worshipper is empowered by their deity in times of need, the deity is given power by the acts of belief and devotion practised by those who believe in him.

The more people pay homage to a god -- the more souls commit themselves to their creed -- the more powerful that god becomes. Just as a Realmgate allows a person to move from one realm to another, a faithful soul allows a god to move a measure of their power into a mortal realm where they are worshipped.

A shrine or site of worship might have a similar effect, but there is no substitute for the fiery faith of one who truly believes. Through such people the gods can work true miracles. More than that, they can see through their eyes -- quite literally, in some cases.

The God-King Sigmar could not well perceive the Tourmaline Spires, those blinding geometric pillars in Hysh, until the ever-faithful Lord-Relictors of the Tempest Lords braved the deadly beams of light that refracted between them.

In bringing the faith of Sigmar to those benighted reaches, the priests of the God-King’s creed gave him focus and extended his reach, allowing him to gather a mighty celestial tempest in that region. In doing so, Sigmar tipped the balance between aelf, Stormhost and Slaaneshi hedonist that had deadlocked the region for months. Similar bonds of spiritual energy bind every priest and deity in every realm. So it is that true faith can change a world.[7b]

## Notable Locations

* **Dreaming Plains** - The Seraphon constructed the Geometric Tower here.[3]

* **Dreaming Tombs** - The Flesh-eater Courts spread out from the Dreaming Tombs following the wars of the Age of Sigmar.[4]

* **Nochseed** - The city of Nochseed lies in the Realm of Hysh, where the ever-cunning oligarchy known as the Cypher Lords of Tzeentch rule over the city-state.[8]

* **Lunarest** - This diamond-faced mountain is the home of the Thungur lodge.[2]

* **Shadow Wastes** - On the leeward side of the **Gloaming Mountains**, the Shadow Wastes were ravaged by the One-eyed King and his army of Abhorrants.[4]

* **Soothsaying Conclaves**[3]

### Notable Realmgates

* **Crystal Portals** - Learning of Sigmar's attempts to capture the Realmgates with his Stormcast Eternals, Archaon sabotaged the Crystal Portals.[5]

## Sources

* 1: *Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Primer*
* 2: *Order Battletome: Fyreslayers*
* 3: *Order Battletome: Seraphon*
* 4: *Death Battletome: Flesh-eater Courts*
* 5: *Chaos Battletome: Everchosen*
* 6: *The Realmgate Wars: All-gates*
* 7: *Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Rulebook* (2nd Edition)

	+ 7a: pg. 110
	+ 7b: pg. 111
* 8: *Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Warcry - The Method of Madness*