Worthies of Tyros

Worthies of Tyros is the major literary work by Tyrosian politician and author Hephryan of Tyros. A collection of biographies of major figures - historical and pseudohistorical - connected to the city of Tyros, the book is of interest to thaumatologists as one of the major sources of information about the demigod and wizard Morogyad.

Content

The substantial book covers seven major figures connected to Tyros. Although Hephryan did not include any preamble or explicit overarching thesis, he belabours the common work ethic and clarity of vision with which he attributes these men.
* Tyrtaylon, the mythical founder of Tyros, is applauded for the clarity of purpose he displays in single-handedly bringing a ship into the harbour, dismantling it to build the first houses in the city, and shedding his blood on the soil to give rise to the people who populated the place. Hephryan makes no mention of the otherwise widely-attributed role of Hayan in the story.
* Zamayod the Law-giver is praised for his diligence in codifying the constitution of the city, and for the foresight involved in writing it all down in such a clear way. Hephryan directly contrasts this with the constitutions of cities such as Loros and Dypholyos, which he dismisses as vague and haphazard.
* Oryen of Tyros is praised for his expert guidance of the city through the worst excesses of the Mast Wars and foresight in allying the city with Pholyos and Andymalon. Hephryan goes into some detail about the organisation and functioning of the historical Tyrosian navy here, praising Oryen for his ability to use a system to the advantage of the general public.
* The book is the only known account of The Leathern Bear, an eccentric character said to have haunted Berry Hills during Hephryan's own childhood. Dressed in a leather smock and subsisting on berries and honey, this man is widely taken by researchers to be one of the Beast Men, though the northernmost example of his kind ever documented.
* The chapter on Morogyad is a major source of information on the wizard's activities in Tyros, where he produced most of the Morogyad pieces and conducted research into kinesis and transmutation which led to the composition of the 'Tyros canon' of the Esoterica of Morogyad and, so far as can be ascertained, the construction of the Discus of Morogyad. Hephryan attributes these activities to a highly methodical process of trial, error and experimental record-keeping. He also provides some details about the very careful application of "magical powders" to metals to make them "glow like sparkling seawater" and relating an occasion upon which Morogyad flew in circles around the city by means of the magic in his "thumb and final finger." He gives no sources for this information, which leaves his suggestions open to question, but creates considerable leeway in which interested thaumatologists can experiment.
* Jephys of Tyros is described as a highly efficient and expeditious bureaucrat working in the harbour district of Tyros in the early years of Hephryan's tenure as Dog. No other historical records of this man exist but he is believed to have been associated with the local clerisy of Zargyod and may have been Hephryan's unnamed brother. He is applauded as an example of someone working diligently to ensure the successes of something larger than himself. 
* Temryan of Tyros is described as a highly astute speculator who set up a hugely effective trade network exporting Tyrosian copper and iron to the southern cities and returning with his ships laden with foodstuffs. As with Jephys there is no other historical record of this man but Hephryan's biography is an interesting, highly detailed example of how maritime trade in the pre-Wesmodian era worked. 

Commentary

Hephryan's book is famous for its dryness; he was not a lively writer. He nevertheless provides details on important matters otherwise missing from the historical record, and historians who can find it in themselves to forebear his writing style find the book quite useful. Thaumatologists in particular have been known to pick it over looking for guidelines on experimentation related to Morogyad and his Esoterica.

Availability

The book is widely available in Tyros and can usually be found for a reasonable price in most other cities.