Stygia

> "*Imagine a land drowning in God's black tears.*"
>
>
>

One of the oldest nations anywhere in Starsong, Stygia is a mysterious land in the dreaded east of Dawnforge.

Born from the suffering of the old blood of the Drachen, Stygia is a violent land where grief, regret, faith and sin manifest on each and every inhabitant.

Only the sinless can seek absolution in Stygia.

## Government

Stygia is described as a dictatorship, but no dictator is known. Could the people of Stygia be their own rulers?

## History

Once a theocracy, Stygia turned away from this ideology after the actions of the Mad King Jaret whose unifying faith infected Stygia deeply.

Faith, innovation and war have torn Stygia apart and birthed something new.

## Trade

Stygia's esoteric knowledge is vast as they hold relics from the days of the Drachen. All manner of higher mysteries can be pursued here.

Stygia leads Dawnforge in alchemy discoveries, rivalling any other university with the work performed at Kainherzt University. The wealth from this trade seems to balance out the lack of safety that comes with such discoveries.

## Locations

### Towns

* Ban Prahv - One of the acclaimed birthplaces of modern alchemy.
* Chimaev
* Djurad-Hissau - A fortress city of Dragonborn that serves as a waycastle to Wraeclast.
* Djurad-Alariv -
* New Brasov -
* Kova Ugarit - The capital of Stygia. Contains the University of Kainherzt.
* Orzhova - The Mother of Mother of Churches. Also one of the Eleven Wonders of the World.

### Places of Import

* The Valley of Defilement.
* Dragonsback Mountains - The mountains across the border of Wraeclast.
* The Surround - The bay of Stygia.
* The Nails - A small group of archipelagos south of Darkover.
* Darkover - An island in the Surround.
* Korozjna - The Maze of Decay.
* The Shining Pillar - A pillar of light that emerges from the Burnt Tree within Orzhova, piercing the heavens.

## Inhabitants

### Stygians

Stygians can be Goliaths, Humans, High-Elves and Half-Elves. Goliaths can be found in the Valley of Defilement or the Dragonsback Mountains while Elves come from the archipelagoes in the the Surround where they might arrive from Xorisa or Wraeclast.

They are typically pale with flesh the colour of milk, yet they hide their eyes and faces with masks and hoods. Stygians are prone to wearing red, white and black yet their masks can be forged of fine gold and embroided with gemstones. Perhaps these masks are something precious to them?

### Factions

* The Church
* The Choir
* The Clasp

### Notable Inhabitants

* Advokist Morrigan Illverness, Judge of the Dead - Rules the Court of New Brasov
* Lord Harrow Relloriva
* Saint Zqirce, Returned-By-The-Flame
* Saint Keiva, the Embraced, the Kisser of Wounds
* Saint Caita, the Ever-Weeping
* Saint Yorzjka of the Six-Sorrows

## Culture

### Society

The people of Stygia are stoic and grim, known for enduring hardships without complaint. Stygia is infamous for its use of magic and undead in its vast military. Strength, strategy and discipline are the core values under the Church and Choir of Stygia.

Stygians are a somber folk who generally disapprove of extravagance or excessive shows of emotion. Some claim that showing emotion at all is outlawed, but the common Dawnforger knows little of what happens in Stygia.

As mentioned before all Stygians are masked. These are usually visors but can be hoods or complex headwear of a similiar sort. The use of masks may be related to the rampant necromancy, to hide whether one is dead or not.

There are no qualms about necromancy and undead in Stygia and the army is bolstered by every death, for even when a Stygian dies their duty does not end.

### The Choir, Church and Clasp

One third of the cerberus that rules Stygia, the Choir are the casters, necromancers and warlocks of the University of Kainherzt. They are the learned few of Stygia, seeking the old blood of Drachonis.

The Church are the clerics and paladins who battle the demons and nightmares of the wasteland. They are the ones devoted to Velka in worship from the Mother of Mother of Churches in the great cathedral of Orzhova.

The secretive Clasp, true to its name, is the binding government that rules Stygia. They are an intelligence network to which the world knows little about.