Synderos

Synderos, a continent that stretches from the northern pole of Evalore to its equator. Fractured from its southern arm, Sieben, Synderos is one of the largest continents on Evalore, but it hadn't always been there. It was created in the year -8900 of the Pyrosian Calendar at the conclusion of the War of The Old Gods. Previously, the landmass known as Synderos was one of the three Old Gods, the one known as Krr'etherun, The World Devourer before it had many of its hearts ripped out and was petrified. Afterwards, the responsibility of monitoring this petrified Old God fell to Pyros, the Phoenix Mother, who had been mortally wounded in the battle. Under her protection, and with the help of the Synderfolk, an ancient family of dragon, Pyros nurtured life to bloom on the barren corpse with but one exception, mortals were forbidden from stepping foot there, for Pyros new the corruptibility of the lesser races. However, this all changed in the year 0 of the Pyrosian calendar when Pyros fell and mortals flocked to this untainted new land.

## The Phoenix Empires

Once little more than feudal kingdoms, the now Phoenix empires at their peak were the largest global power in Evalore. Synderos' abundant resources and fertile soil saw the Ten Kings flourish until their kingdoms and the kingdoms of later settlers and off branches grew to cover the entirety of the inhabitable parts of Synderos. These feudal kingdoms slowly merged into empires to combat the growing tension between nations as more land was claimed. The first of these were the kingdoms of Fire, all of which were ruled by branches of the Pyre family, though prone to feuding, the unity of the Phoenix Kings is what forced the other nations to band together as to not be swallowed by the enormous First Empire of Fire.

### The First Empire of Fire:

"Made up of seven united kingdoms, is run by a royal family of phoenix sorcerers.  This is the most powerful and wealthy of the empires, with fruitful fields, strong armies, and powerful rulers.  It is at the heart of the continent and borders almost every other empire." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

#### The City of Fire

The First Empire of Fire's land is divided around the City of Fire, before the Conquest, the city itself was ruled by the Phoenix Emperor. The city is the largest in all of Synderos, covering 496 square miles, its population reaching as high as 2 million. It was a kingdom in its own right, originally founded by Ignarious of the Ten Kings, it stood for a thousand years before it was destroyed in the Calamity. It was only ever reached by foreign army twice, the first was when it was annexed during the conquest, and the second was by an army of demons during the Calamity.

##### Phoenix Emperor Sulfarus Pyre

However rulership of the city passed through many hands, the most notable of which were Phoenix Emperor Sulfarus Pyre, first of his name and eleventh reigning emperor of the First Empire of Fire.  Known most notably for his incredibly long reign where he has managed to live over a century, which is unprecedented for a man who has been in over thirty-six different wars.  Many think him a coward as he rarely appears on the actual field, despite his prowess as a pyromancer like so many before him. Sulfarus died in battle during the Conquest, in year 885 of the Pyrosian calendar, days after the Requiem of Magic and through the combined effort of High Exarch Eldarian Farfather, King Dundarian Blackskull, Emperor Adrian Moevalski, and Balisaren Vandikov. He was the last Phoenix Emperor of Fire in the Concurrent Timeline, however in the Legacy Timeline there were two Phoenix Emperors after him.

##### Phoenix Emperor Incindius Pyre

The first of which was Incindius Pyre, a vile and cruel man who inherited the throne from the line that ruled Wrathholm. Most notable for the breeding experiments he went through to create an heir that would surpass all before him in pyromancy by combining the purest remaining strain of phoenix blood with the blood of Uldran Hellstorm, one of the four elemental lords of fire, eventually creating Lucius Pyre, third of his name, who would become the thirteenth and final Phoenix Emperor of the Legacy Timeline.

##### Phoenix Emperor Lucius Pyre

Commonly known as "The man who wrote history," Lucius Pyre was know most widely for how he forcefully forged a peace through war between the thirteen empires of Synderos, coercing each to bow before him. Conquest is what he was made for, the peace wasn't even his idea. With the combination of the purest phoenix blood and the blood of a lord of fire running through him, he was able to wield the legendary artifact Pyros more skillfully than any of the twelve emperors before him. He was able to call forth hellfire after hellfire until no one dared meet him in battle, even the dragons of the Empire of Spires feared his fiery wrath. When there was no one left to fight, he forced every other Emperor to abdicate their crowns and become what he called "princes to claims they didn't deserve" in an event called Lucius' Peace in year 932 of the Pyrosian Calendar. In the Legacy Timeline it was Lucius himself who destroyed the City of Fire, a devil called Sebastian wormed his way into Lucius' councils and convinced him the other nations were plotting his downfall as he grew weaker with age and that the only way to avoid disaster was to merge with the remneants of godhead that lie dormant in the staff of Pyros and reincarnate as Pyros reborn. This was a lie and right before the ritual was completed Sebastian stole Pyros, which was acting as the heart and focus of the ritual, causing it to go supernova in an explosion thirty miles wide, sending meteors crashing down all across Synderos and killing millions.

##### After the Fall of the Phoenix Emperors

In the Concurrent Timeline, after the fall of Sulfarus, the City of Fire came under the rule of the Pentagon Alliance, an alliance of nations consisting of the empires of Shadow, Light, Radiance, Retribution, and Blood. Under the Pentagon Alliance the cities Stewardship was handed to Moophel Amnity, a servant of the Blackskull family. It remained in his care until the Calamity when it was destroyed by demonic incursion.

### The Second Empire of Blood:

"Made up of three kingdoms, is run, once again, by a royal family of blood mages that have hoarded ancient secrets for generations.  In the empire of blood, many monster races are found living peacefully under the rule of the open minded royal family." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Third Empire of Rebirth:

"Lodged in the northwestern mountains, the monastic order that rules scattered mountain tribes of Rebirth is reclusive but fearsome." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Fourth Empire of Retribution:

"One of the most divided and technologically advanced empires, Retribution is run by four united kingdoms that band together more out of necessity than desire.  Warforged called Arcane Constructs, sentient machines gifted souls and free will by the gods, now lead the empire in the place of an old family of vampire lords which are now back on the rise." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Fifth Empire of Glory:

"Ruled by the strongest warrior, is an enormous savanna/wasteland filled with roaming tribes.  Brute strength is valued there above all else, it is one of the few places where adventurers are still common to the point where adventuring warbands make up their military." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Sixth Empire of Spires:

"Ruled by ancient metallic dragons from before pilgrims landed on the coast of Synderos, the Empire of Spires is the only land left to the native elves and dragons that watched over the continent before the colonization and has a very close connection to the faewild.  The dragons and their people are reclusive and their lands fraught with danger." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Seventh Empire of Tears:

"Completely under water, Tears is ruled by a powerful Demi-Kraken that watches over the shores of Synderos and its many underwater kingdoms." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Eighth Empire of Regeneration:

"Ruled by a mad storyteller that weaves the fate of the continent for his own amusement, Regeneration is a place of surreal narratives.  The kingdoms are black and white, preferring to war with themselves instead of each other.  Despite this, people fear Regeneration, for stepping into its borders is akin to letting fate dictate your actions.  Those who enter do not leave until their story is complete." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Ninth Empire of Light:

"Ruled by a theocracy, Light is a thriving coastal empire in which they worship just about every deity out there, though the evil ones are forced underground, leaving Light a hotbed of corruption in a constant struggle with itself as cults attempt to push their way on top." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Tenth Empire of Radiance:

"Home to four kingdoms, Radiance is ruled by an order of paladins headed by a royal family.  Forged under oppressive waves of mindless undead that shamble south from the Thirteenth Empire of Death, Radiance is well known for its prejudices against all undead and soulless constructs." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Eleventh Empire of Shadow:

"Home to three kingdoms, the empire of shadow is the linchpin of trade between the port empires and the rest of the continent.  However, their land is small and constantly being bombarded by invading armies trying to crush a troublesome gatekeeper.  In spite of fate, they have survived against invasion from every front, Light, Radiance, the Underdark, and the Shadowfell all have failed to destroy Shadow's ancient walls." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Twelfth Empire of Ash:

"Ruled by a council of warlocks, Ash hardly keeps itself together as demon and devil summoning is rampant and the destructive creatures have tainted the soil beyond repair.  Ash can be viewed as an extension of Light, only that on this side it is the evil deities that rule.  Holy cleric invasions are common as Light and Ash feed each other's corruption and drain each other's resources." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

### The Thirteenth Empire of Death:

"Ruled by the long-dead First Phoenix Emperor of Fire, Death is a barren frozen wasteland roamed by mindless undead.  Any who die within two hundred miles of the Emperor's throne become his thralls until they slay another sentient creature to take their place, at which point they become sentient undead if their soul wishes to return." - Excerpt from Memoir of a Merchant, by Wilhelm Stoh.

## Pyros

Pyros, The Phoenix Mother is the patron of the Phoenix, a great flaming bird of prey that burns eternal.

Pyros' nature as a phoenix granted her the ability of eternal rebirth. However, during the fight with Krr'etherun more than just her body was eaten away. Krr'etherun hungered for more than just flesh and carnage, it devoured whole planes of existence before finding his way to Evalore. When Pyros was wounded by it, it devoured part of her soul and very godhead, and no matter how many times she was reborn, its corruption still lingered, eating away at eternity long past its defeat.

It was in her nature to see life sprout from death. So, in spite of her injury, Pyros devoted herself to fostering life from Krr'etherun's corpse. Even with her mantle, it took over a thousand years to make the barren stone wasteland habitable for even the smallest and hardiest of plants, but eventually life took root. After eight thousand years of nurture, the corpse was unrecognizable as such a thing, it was, in truth, a continent.

## The Ten Kings

The Ten Kings were the first settlers to find their way to Synderos after Pyros' Fall. Each of them was approached on the collapse of their reigns and given a letter stamped with the seal of a laughing jester. A formal invitation to flee from strife and try again in New lands along with means to teleport entire populations, a feat that could only be seen as divine intervention. The methods varied, however the results were the same. On the first day of what would one day be known as Spira, ten kings were the first mortals to set foot on Synderosian soil since the continents inception.

### King Vladimir Movalski

Former ruler over a small domain in the Forest of Roses, King Vladimir Movalski originally came to power by earning the favor of the Queen of the Moonlit Court and came to Synderos through a portal in the Feywild.

### The Four Radiant Kings: Aundar Darkbane, Keldor Skalacrass, Eldesar Pendragon, and Renthad Tyrithil

Four of the ten kings, known as the Radiant Kings, were all driven out of what would one day become Venaxxia by increasing strife in the coalescing kingdom. After the fall of the Precursors in the north, the fledgling civilization of waring factions began to struggle from a lack of trade and an influx of monsters from the north. The conflict came to a tipping point when war broke out between the Radiant Kings and the other factions of the fledgling Venaxxia, and after their defeat, their remaining armies and peoples found salvation in the invitation to Synderos, for it included schematics for ships that could be quickly and easily built. King Aundar Darkbane took the risk of sailing clear around to the far side of Synderos and landed in the western bay. His people journeyed through the mountains of rebirth and settled beyond their frozen slopes. Kings Keldor Skalacrass and Renthad Tyrithil sailed up the large river they found draining into the eastern coast until the river ended in the Frozenthyme Mountains. There King Keldor settled his people, while King Renthad continued his journey, following the rivers that flowed from the mountains into the region now known as Radiance. Lastly, King Eldesar Pendragon sailed along the southern coast and settled on the rocky southern tip of Synderos' shores, prefering to remain close to the ocean.

### King Thul'kael Koldier

Once from the land that is now known as the Salted Grove, the Koldier family was once a well respected faction in what would one day become Felrazim. However, after Thul'Kael Koldier began to dabble in the ritual sacrifice of his enemies in attempts to obtain immortality, he became a pariah and him and his followers were outcast. When the Invitation came it was in the form of a mass teleportation ritual that used much the same foundations of blood magic as his attempts at immortality. His exodus from Valrithen used the corpses of many of those that had shunned him to fuel the ritual that spirited him away.

### King Ignarious Pyre

Once a great power in the south west of Valrithen, the Pyre family had been ruling successfully in the land that is now known as the Killing Fields. They had long since known of Synderos, it was revered as a sort of holy land to their people, forbidden for all to enter. So when the letter of invitation came on the brink of their empires destruction, it was only natural that it would be their salvation. The doom of Old Pyrosia was one born of hubris. The First Mage came to Ignarious with boasts of how he would restore the land of the Precursors and usher in a new golden age of magic. Additionally, the First Mage offered as payment to help Ignarious forge a great suit of armor the likes of which the world had never seen. This Relic Armor would be the foundation of what would one day become Relic. The King agreed and allowed the First Mage to continue the experiments that had seen his own people destroyed. This was done in secret, and Ignarious' trust in the mage would prove his downfall. He never did learn the truth of the matter though, the First Mage was even lauded as a hero, for he helped lead the ritual that saw the people of Old Pyrosia escape the continent through teleportation before the horrors he had unleashed swallowed them all. It's said that Ignarious Pyre was the first human to set foot on Synderosian soil.

### King Ilgran Darkheart

King Ilgran Darkheart was one of the only kings not come to Synderos fleeing peril. He was originally sent as a settler by the Great Dwarven Empire in response to so many surface kingdoms fleeing to Synderos. However, after settling in Synderos, Ilgran cunningly severed his connections to the Great Dwarven Empire in his greed to become a true king in his own right. This lack of support from his homeland, however, would see that the Darkheart family never grew the strength the Great Dwarven Kingdom had hoped, and eventually saw the family lose their crown entirely when they were folded into the Empire of Shadow under the Blackskull family.