Rune Kingdom

The ancient empire known as the Rune Kingdom was active in Tyrrus between 2.00 and 6.72. At its height, it ruled the entirety of Eastern Tyrrus, plus the region now known as the Hinterlands. "The Rune Kingdom" is a retrospective name given by Tyrranean historians due to the kingdom's development of the runic language. The kingdom's actual name would have been something like the "Dasium Empire"

### History

#### Origin

The Rune Kingdom was originally founded by a unification of the Zatherrus tribes, who then built the city of Dasa in North-East Tyrrus. This became the kingdom's capital. The Zatherrus tribes were unique in Tyrrus for being the only group to have developed a written language. This language was inspired by Draconic markings.

The Rune Kingdom was a dragon-worshiping culture, which meant they had good relations with the worshipers of Zythia who had settled on the foothills of the Dragonclaw mountain. They exchanged knowledge and goods, which advanced the magical knowledge of both groups.

#### Rise and Fall

The kingdom's golden age came under the reign of King Altavik, who expanded the kingdom's territory into the south, all the way to the coast, and oversaw the development of the Runic Language. This runic system spread, and was the basis of Tyrrus's modern Arcane Script.

In 5.52, King Nekrus rose to power. Nekrus had been inspired by his visits to the Black Monastery, and adapted their teachings into the Dasium dragon worship. As such, his favoured dragonlord was Velkyn, lord of darkness. In his dedication to Velkyn, he delved into study of the afterlife. To this end, he and his apprentice Zaikerik began building the Blackspire. In 6.50, they used this device to break the first veil, which allowed souls to return from the spirit realm, and allowed for the use of Death Magic. Unfortunately, the consequence of this was Velkyn unleashing his wrath upon Nekrus and his followers. Nekrus was slain, but Zaikerik remained and took over the kingdom.

Zaikerik lead the kingdom down a dark path, the study of necromancy and darkness. He taught his mages how to summon demons and undead to serve them. These armies of darkness fought for the kingdom during the First Dragon War, against Tyrraness. Zaikerik lost the war and was killed by Solas Sorrowsong in 6.71. Upon hearing this, the warlock Tenebrex took control of the kingdom, and performed a dark ritual in a last-ditch attempt to save the kingdom. They say this ritual transformed all the citizens of Dasa into demons, which then turned on Tenebrex and killed him, before destroying the rest of the kingdom.

#### After the Fall

After most of the kingdom was taken over by rogue demons and undead, the only remains of the Kingdom were a few external cities. The city of Vylatea was far enough from the rest of the kingdom to be mostly unaffected. It was reforged into the Vylatean Republic in 6.75, the last vestige of the Rune Kingdom. The new nation abandoned its worship of dragons, and instead worshipped Darkness. For the next seventy or so years, Vylatea was a cutthroat, hedonistic, crime-filled city which ignored all of the cornerstones of civilisation which had made the Rune Kingdom so great in the first place. In 7.36, the dark magus Azjol convinced all the senators of the city to take part in a dark ritual. This ritual killed them all, and turned him into a Demonlord. He then took control of the city, and as a Demonlord was able to command the demons of the Hinterlands. He used these to declare war against Tyrraness and the Zythans. The Zythans managed to rebuff his attack, but the people of Tyrraness were ravaged and their kingdom destroyed, though the intervention of elves prevented the demons from delving into the Everwood.

After this, the White King and the remaining Whytehold Guardians attacked Vylatea, and drove Azjol and his demons underground. They killed most of the dark mages, and left the city in anarchy. The city then had a variety of rulers, and eventually was renamed to "Violetholt", but could never again be considered part of the Rune Kingdom, since it changed so much.

### Cities and Settlements

#### Dasa

the lost capital of the Rune Kingdom, long abandoned, located deep in the Hinterlands.

#### Runea

One of the largest cities of the kingdom, now nothing but a ruin. The Atheling Petty Kingdoms briefly occupied this city, and renamed it to "Runeholt". It is located on the edge of the Hinterlands.

#### Svarzum

The city King Nekrus originally came from. It was occupied by the Atheling Petty Kingdoms and renamed to Schwarzholt. It was then lost to the Fomorraigh elves, and is currently owned by the Dark Elf King Mallobyrne.

#### Mortum

Mortum was where the Blackspire was built, and where Zaikerik developed necromancy afterwards. It is currently a ruin. Due to a language difference, the city is more commonly known as "Mortholme".

#### Vylatea

Vylatea was the last remnant of the Rune Kingdom after the rest fell. It was where Azjol the Spider King became a Demonlord. It had a succession of occupiers, and was later renamed to Violetholt. Much later, after it was taken over by the neighbouring Thassaly tribe, it was renamed to Thassalus.

#### Karlusun

A minor city in what would eventually become Rivenwald. After the fall of the Rune Kingdom, an offshoot of the Weit tribe occupied the city and renamed it to "Karlassonne". Karlasun is most well known for the great basilica built there.

#### Kal Kastae

The furthest outpost of the Rune Kingdom, built on the southern coast of Tyrrus. After the fall of the Rune Kingdom, the Reik tribe occupied the city and renamed it to "Calcaster".