Capital: Metrol (destroyed)
Previous Hallmarks: Art, artifice, jewelry, music, oratory, philosophy
Current Hallmarks: Destruction, ruins
Destroyed at the end of the Last War, Cyre now exists only in the hearts of the refugees scattered across Khorvaire.
Before the war, Cyre was the seat of the kings and queens of Galifar. The wealth of the kingdom flowed through Cyre, and it was a nexus for commerce and culture. By tradition, Cyre’s Princess Mishann had the rightful claim to the throne of Galifar. Cyrans take pride that they alone were in the right in the Last War, but they unquestionably lost more to the war than any other nation. As a Cyran, you stand on the moral high ground, but that may offer little comfort.
Cyrans like to say that their culture represented the best that Galifar had to offer, which is to say a little bit of everything. Cyrans value diversity and versatility, both in talents and thought. Cyre couldn’t match Karrnath in martial discipline or Aundair in the arcane arts, but the flexibility of its forces reflected the nation’s ideals.
Although the Sovereign Host was the dominant faith of Cyre, the Silver Flame had a significant following. Many survivors question their faith in the wake of the Mourning, but some believe that their anguish at the loss of their homeland is a divine trial, prompting them to cling to their faith more than ever.
Queen Dannel ir’Wynarn was in Metrol on the Day of Mourning and is presumed dead. Her son, Prince Oargev ir’Wynarn, holds court in New Cyre, a massive refugee camp set up in Breland. Some refugees support Oargev and the dream of a restored Cyre, while others prefer to focus on the future instead of trying to reclaim the past. As a Cyran, you should decide whether you hold tight to your national identity, or instead consider yourself to be an expatriate without a nation.
Interesting Things About Cyre (The Mournland)
- Cyre was the ancestral seat of the dragonmarked House Cannith, the house of Making. The house maintained arcane workshops across Cyre. Who knows what treasures wait in Cannith vaults for those who brave the dangers of the Mournland?
- While not as flamboyant as Aundairians, Cyran fashions involved bright colors and glamerweave (see chapter 5). Some Cyrans have made a point of continuing this custom. Others wear clothing cut in the Cyran style, but entirely in black; this has become known as Mourning wear.
- Stories say communities of warforged live in the Mournland, including the insurgent called the Lord of Blades.
Cyran Characters
When creating a character from Cyre, consider the following questions:
What Have You Lost? Did you lose wealth or status? Did you have family or loved ones killed in the Mourning? Did you lose something you could one day recover from the Mournland—arcane research, an heirloom artifact, or a precious family relic? Consider the impact the disaster has on your background. As a Cyran noble or soldier, your estates have been lost and your army scattered, but you still have the respect of your comrades or peers.
What Do You Hold Onto? Do you have a trinket that embodies Cyre for you? Is your wand or weapon an heirloom of your family? As an entertainer or guild artisan, do you preserve a particular Cyran tradition?
What Drives You? Are you determined to solve the mystery of the Mourning? Do you want to help other refugees, or are you concerned only with your personal survival? Is there something you want to recover from the Mournland, or would you prefer to never set foot in Cyre again? Do you hold a grudge against the nations that fought against Cyre in the war, or are you solely concerned with the future?
Cities and Sites
Cyre was devastated by the Mourning. Its ruins have become grim reminders of the folly of war. Unknown threats both magical and monstrous haunt the Mournland. For more about the Mournland as it stands now, see chapter 4.
Eston
Once the seat of House Cannith, this was a place of wonders—a city where “magic comes to life.” Marvels of the city included the Clockwork Menagerie, showcasing the golems and homunculi made by generations of artificers; production facilities that housed three creation forges (see chapter 5), and the miraculous Steel Gardens, an early breakthrough that paved the way for the living warforged. If you’re an artificer or have ties to House Cannith, you might have roots in Eston.
Metrol
Once the capital of Galifar, Metrol was known as the Rising City, for many of its buildings stood atop soaring columns of rock that dared to scrape the heavens. The Cathedral of the Sovereign Host was the center for followers of that faith. The Vault served as the mint and treasury of Galifar, containing cultural treasures deemed too valuable to be displayed; salvagers dream of finding this “golden palace.” Floating gardens orbited the towering Royal Vermishard. Now lost, the beauty of Metrol lives only in Cyran memory.
Seaside
A coastal town in southern Cyre, Seaside was a popular vacation spot even during the war. While not as celebrated a destination as Stormhome in Aundair, the memory of Seaside has become an iconic image of peace and tranquility for the people of Cyre.
Aftermath of the Last War
No nation won the Last War, but Cyre unquestionably lost it. Other nations are recovering from the conflict, but Cyre is gone. The lands not destroyed in the Mourning were lost decades earlier to Darguun and Valenar. Cyrans who survived the war must now carve out a new destiny in the lands of their enemies or in foreign nations beyond what was once the Kingdom of Galifar.
In creating a Cyran character, first determine how you survived the Mourning. Were you outside Cyre when it occurred, or did you somehow escape the destruction? Where did you take shelter? Breland has taken in refugees and created refugee camps. Thrane also accepted refugees but has worked to disperse and integrate them into the general population. Are you grateful or bitter? Do you have family or friends in refugee camps, or are you a lone survivor? Other Cyrans sought opportunities on the frontiers, settling in the jungles of Q’barra or seeking a new life in the distant land of Xen’drik.
Many Cyran survivors are soldiers, veterans stationed on the front lines when the Mourning occurred. If multiple members of your party are Cyrans, you might have served together during the Last War. Because Cyrans are so widely dispersed, you can encounter former comrades or friends anywhere in Khorvaire.
Since Cyrans lost their lands, the distinctions between peasant and aristocrat have become moot. Even with a criminal background, you might have been a viscount in Cyre; your background reflects your current standing and the resources you can call upon in the present.
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