Xyria

Enlightened Matriarchy

Xyria is a major, theocratic hegemonic polis, most akin to Troy by way of the Amazons. It sits in a fiercely defensible location across the entire summit of a low forested mountain, from which it dominates the rolling valleys of the continental horn south of Krypteia and the Firesea, and west of Pelekys. This encompasses numerous farming villages and hunting camps, as well as the small port of Lofia downhill to the north on the shore of the Pyrmar, which is more like a separated district ward of Xyria than a polis unto itself and is connected to its mother city by a winding cobbled road. Xyria's influence ends at the edges of the Aimafon, an endless red plain that has been the site of innumerable conflicts between it and Pelekys, and which would be surpassingly fertile if only everyone would stop constantly chopping and burning up the place.
While men do live here, the polis is highly matriarchal and women have far more power and influence here than men, in contrast to the more egalitarian poleis such as Krypteia, or the comparatively patriarchal Pelekys. It is said that men work the fields and forests here, and are (almost) entirely forbidden from the central civic quarter. This is where the business of state is conducted, overseen by the church of the Trithea, the Triple Goddess - Xyria's state conception of Grandmother Mytrah, Mother Heliana, and Daughter Paideia as a trinity both separate and one. It is held that only women are wise enough and calm enough to actually oversee something as intricate and important as governance, as well as the conduct of war, whereas a man's role is to support his mothers and sisters with the physical labor for which the Trithea created him. Stratia receives much respect as goddess of strategy, Oneiste as weaver of fate, Varva as the mighty huntress and shepherd of the wild, and Persereka as judge of the dead, but it is the Trithea who receive the bulk of state sanctioned worship here.
This is the breadbasket of the southern Firesea region, which serves both as the primary source of its influence in regional politics as well as a lure to potential aggressors like Pelekys. It also has a reputation for producing more noteworthy artists and artisans than any other major polis in the Thousand Kingdoms save perhaps for Senemet, but where Senemet is famed for its stonework in particular, Xyrians are known for their work with wood and cloth. Music also reaches its greatest heights here in the whole of Ithea, and on almost every corner, at almost any time of day, you will usually hear someone singing or playing an instrument somewhere in the near distance.

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Xyrian PCs

• Proficiencies: You gain one bonus skill (Deception, Nature, or Religion), and either a tool, game or instrument proficiency.
• Sacred Wisdom: You learn one cleric cantrip of your choice. Additionally, choose two first level ranger or paladin spells, and you get a number of spell slots each day to cast them equal to your half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). If you are a spellcaster, these spells are also added to your class spell list and you gain them as bonus spells known, but you do not add the spell slots to those of your class. While they are "spells" under the rules, they are more "something you just know how to do" in actuality. Traditionally, male Xyrians learn ranger techniques due to their work in the fields and wild, while female Xyrians learn paladin techniques due to their tutelage under the church of Trithea, but there is some tension against these gender roles and as a PC you can learn either. It is actually more common for those who actually receive character class training to become a Ranger if a woman so as to protect the homefront, or a Paladin if a man so as to support being sent on missions far away. You choose Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma to be your casting modifier for both the cantrip and the spells.

Type

Large city