The Thayn Empire
Capital: Zeion Jut
Ruler: Alpher Kerza Tul’Zal
Faith: The Twin Gods — Craitep
At war with: Revara, since 1233 B.A (the 4th War)
A vast and diverse land in the northern reaches of the eastern continent — a realm of striking contrasts. The far north is subarctic, its mountains covered in snow and ice for much of the year. The temperate Midlands are the fertile heartland where the capital, Zeion Jut, stands: a marvel of Thayn engineering where geometric precision is balanced with the lush green surrounding it. Further south the land turns dry and rugged as the heat of Revara’s deserts encroaches.
At the core of Thaya flows the Lifeline River, a vital artery that nurtures the land and its people. The great houses (Tuls) rose upon it and it remains central to the life of the empire. The southern border with Revara is a massive canyon carved by the legendary earth mages of Revara to halt the southern expansion of the Thayn Empire — a lasting testament to the rivalry between the two powers.
A powerful civilization known for technological innovation and military strength. Lacking innate magical abilities — Thayns are the only non-magical race on Insolitus — they rely on advanced technology and the mystical alloy Brazz. Once perceived as the weakest younger race, they have eradicated that perception with innovation and mastery of their environment.
The Thayn Empire has been at war with Revara since 1233 B.A. The continuous competition between the two nations since 1763 B.A has driven each to their current strengths as well as their weaknesses. The current Alpher, Kerza Tul’Zal, earned his position through the capture of Zarrathan the Shackled, “The Mightiest Reeva”.
A hardy yet intelligent warrior race with vast diversity. Northern Thayns are pale with light-to-dark brown hair; central Thayns light olive, known for their cleanliness and smart appearance; southern Thayns olive to darker, often of mixed heritage from centuries of marriage with the Reeva — a deliberate goal of the Empire. Eyes are usually amber to orange.
A prominent gene is bright golden-yellow eyes, seen as the purest form of Thayn heritage and as a direct blessing of the gods. Those born with them are often gifted — or forced — into special roles in religious iconography, military leadership and training. Full-blooded Reeva are excluded from significant positions within Thayn society.
Thaya fundamentally believes in what is written in fragments of the Keofa, an ancient text they search for in the leftover ruins of the ancient races. Parts of it tell the younger races that their world will be attacked by the Deamo someday, and that a united force will defend the world and triumph. This drives the Thayn Empire to expand and take over the planet: they believe it must be done by any means to unify the races.
A dark, near-golden metal in scarlet tones gifted to the Thayns by Craitep. It is forged from a bronze alloy of Azzan (copper), Valthir (aluminium), Nokir (nickel) and Komr (iron), then awakened in the Rundia’Veth — “The Sparked Creation” — by infusing a cracked Savinn shard and Braeth flake while chanting Vinn’Kora. The result is light yet extremely strong, corrosion-impervious, seemingly responsive to its user’s will, and can be bonded to the wearer. Knights of Brazzim glisten in it as they storm towards the enemy.
The Alpher is the supreme ruler of the Empire. Aspiring Alphers must earn their place by outshining the current Alpher — through combat duels, political maneuvers, or demonstrations of exceptional skill — and must then continue proving their worth to the elite of the seven dominant Tuls. The Council of Order, senior members of the major factions and guilds, ensures no single faction becomes too dominant. The Empire is broken into regions called Tharn, each with a leading city ruled by an Ulva or Ulvia (king or queen).
The In Vincazz is the imperial senate of each major city: councils of Knights of Brazzim, Higerians, trade leaders and religious figures, its members mostly Kings, Queens, Lords and Lorda. Its main holding is the mountain city of Zeion Jutta rather than the capital. It controls the Seers — the elite, semi-secret division of the Knights appointed as protectors of the Empire’s most important individuals, up to the Alpher themselves.
The core military force and champions of Thaya, formed around 1763 B.A when the magical Tul Reeva was banished from Thaya during the final civil war between the Tuls. They were preceded by the Knights Junta of 2484 B.A — a small band of extremely skilled warriors that grew into soldiers of fortune and finally settled at the center of the continent, now Zeion Jut.
Ranks: Caedi (recruits), Zenon (knights who have passed the five trials), Zenonvar (knight leaders), Zenon Brazz (prime knights), Torvanar (commanders) and Velkarin (war lords). Divisions: the Zenon (ground force of knights, archers and Yux riders), the Seers (intelligence), the Ah’Dravar (a hybrid naval-air division, from Ah’Lum “storm” and Drav “ship”) and the Vikt’Caedi (builders of war).
To leave the rank of Caedi a Thayn must pass the Varkul, the Five Trials of Zenon, each tied to a piece of armour: Kra’Vrek, the Arena of Shifting Stones (boots); Tan’Zeka, the Weighted March (greaves); Rek’Vash, the Grip of Brazz and its Trial of the Beast (gauntlets); Fal’Dran, the Storm of Arrows (chest); and Gur’Navax, the Silent Arena (helm), which weaves all the others into one.
The backbone of Thayn society, driving technological, philosophical and cultural progress. It was established to counter the magical cultures of Insolitus — Thaya decided that technology and knowledge were their only chance of survival. Higerias are guild buildings combining schools, libraries, laboratories and research facilities; the word is old tongue for “seeking”.
Branches: Jelkan (exploration of uncharted lands), Jelkan Ras (historic sites and artefacts), Ethrum (the Thayn Archives), Falinvir (engineering and infrastructure), Varim (education), Solum Observation (a giant telescope on the western coast), Zarthia (everything above the clouds) and Animax (the creatures of Insolitus). Ranks: Savinar (scholars), Alkivar (Archivants), Brav Alkivar (Grand Archivants) and the Eidolon, who sits on the Council of Order. Arch Archivants — one from each house — are awarded honorary bracers and a dual medalius, ranking above Lords.
An elite order of warrior-monks dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the Keofa prophecy. Their creed is simple: “The Deamo will return.” They are not a religion but a watchtower order. Their iconic weapon, the Saviruss, is a spear tipped with a Savinn crystal that resonates uniquely with each wielder. Their Grand Temple in Zeion Jut holds the Library of Alonn, said to contain the oldest surviving Anglitian texts; regional temples in Minika, Zal and Ootza guard sites linked to Anglitian and Deamo history. Ranks: Rethin, Velar, Velarion.
Thayns generally follow Craitep, killed by his brother Brazzim in the final battle on the sacred Isle of Scars — an ancient feud that fuels the rivalry with Revara, who follow Brazzim the Killer. The religious monks, the Faithers, mark their faith with Brazz-infused tattoos that glint in the sun; the deepest followers cover their bodies in black ink, symbolizing the blackened heart of all who know Craitep. Faithers run the bathhouses of towns and cities and are seen dancing in the sun of the temple courtyards. The Faithers and Higerians despise one another but tolerate each other’s presence.
The Tuls were originally clans warring for control of the Lifeline. A Tul is not a bloodline but a specific combination of ideology, culture or group aligned under a common name — more like a company than a family. Civil wars and wars against the other races eventually drove the Tuls to unite under a single ruler, thrusting them into the modern Thayn Empire.
Tul’Uthama — almost solely responsible for Thayn technological progress; settled the island of Thianma in secret, where the city of Galia holds the first Higeria. Intuitive, studious, adventurous.
Tul’Zal — one of the oldest houses, traced to Mother Zal, the first Thayn with direct links to Craitep and Alonn. Skilled warriors, cunning tacticians, and the house that has held the most ruling positions. Power, fame, bravery.
Tul’Minika — famous for extremely dangerous warriors and most of the great Knights of Brazzim commanders; original home of the Velar Order. Minika is a naturally fortified city stitched across two landmasses of a 400 km² island at the mouth of the Gulf of Thaya — “the armour of the cliffs”. Brutish, hardy, fearless.
Tul’Rundi — made famous by Vinn Tul’Undi, architect of Vinn’s Canal linking the capital to the Lifeline. Political figures who work closely with the Higerias; there has never been an Alpher from this house. Empirical, cautious, inventive.
Tul’Jutta — art and metalwork; they create the majority of the Knights’ weapons and armor and run factories of immense scale. Diversified, creative, charismatic.
Tul’Viktor — builders, alchemists, trinket and device craft, potions, and agriculture; center of the smaller guilds such as the Hunting Guild. Industrious, strong, irascible.
Tul’Ootza — the northern house, one of the oldest and the most frequent instigator of wars between the houses. Immensely rich from mountains full of Savinn and rare metals, shipped south along the Lifeline by intermediaries such as Tul’Boren. Cunning, robust, swift.
Alpher Kerza Tul’Zal — Alpher of Thaya after capturing Zarrathan during the invasion of Minika. Extremely confident; never avoids a fight. Keleso Tul’Uthama — the previous Alpher, now old but heavily respected for the 1278 B.A trade deal with Salisya; he stepped down gracefully for Kerza. Tome Tul’Uthama — Arch Archivant of the Higerian Guild.
King Hatimir Tul’Ootza — “The Cold King”, guardian of the far north, generally hated by the southern elite; an ambitious man who desires to conquer Avoz and create his own empire. King Om Tul’Minika and his daughter Princess Nissa Tul’Minika, desired by most of the upper classes and constantly sought in marriage by Ootza.
Nova and Oma Tul’Rar — twins from Ulama Isle, children of a Prime Knight and a Higerian researcher, who dream of the Knights of Brazz rather than the Higerias. Safa Tul’Uthama — Archivant and founder of the School of the Historians, who uncovers the knowledge leading to Revara’s secret project. Danika Tul’Jutta — Seer at Fortan Keep who judges the quality of processed Savinn.
Thayn is a complex and expressive tongue with a melodic flow, known for words with layered meanings — Vinn’sa (energy flow), Caedi (warrior), the prefix Ka’ (the) and suffix ’Uset (related to). The Old Tongue, ancient Thayn, survives only as fragments on stone tablets and preserved scrolls. Revaran and the Fortan Tongue are dialects of Thayn. The Language of Trade — the common tongue — formed at the height of the Empire’s power from languages across Insolitus, much as Latin shaped the West.