Factions of Thylea

FACTIONS OF THYLEA
The Temple of the Five The Temple of the Five was one of the first buildings constructed in the city of Mytros, and is the oldest civic building there. Elected representatives from the districts of Mytros and her outlying villages form a council that meets at the temple every new moon. However, the pattern of civic life is increasingly dictated by the Order of Sydon, who believe that the Temple of the Five should be destroyed in order to appease the Titans. King Acastus has taken no sides in this conflict, but the peace is becoming precarious.

Centurions of Mytros The city of Mytros conscripts a regular army of centurions to enforce the law of the land. The centurions have a history that dates back to the First War, when they followed Pythor into battle against the centaurs and gygans. Although the centurions honor Mytros at religious festivals, nearly every soldier prays openly to Pythor, the god of battle. The highest-ranking centurion is King Acastus who commands the army and serves as the final arbiter of justice for the city.
The Academy at Mytros The Academy was formed centuries ago and is the center of learning in Thylea. The great wizard Damon was one of its founders, but it wasn’t only an institution for magical learning. It was also a place for philosophy and other intellectual pursuits. Now it consists of many colleges devoted to the different schools of magic (divination, evocation, etc.) and to safeguarding the lore of Thylea. It is also a place where Thylea’s interests in theater, song, and other arts are encouraged.
The Temple of the Oracle The Oracle is a famous water nymph who dwells in the hot springs below a temple south of Estoria. She has the gift of prophecy, and her soothsaying is heeded by gods and kings alike. Despite her heritage as a daughter of Sydon, she has always had a special fondness for the mortals of Thylea, and she is attended by many faithful priests.
The Druids of Oldwood Deep within the Oldwood is a druid grove ringed by monolithic stones. The druids of Oldwood are white-clad men and women who wear laurels and wield oaken staves. They worship the mother goddess Thylea, and believe that the people of Mytros should never have settled in her Heartlands. They perform a daily ritual sacrifice to Thylea, hoping to atone the sins of the mortal races.
The Order of Sydon The Order of Sydon are zealots who revere the ocean titan Sydon above all other gods. They watch for signs from the heavens—lightning strikes in particular—and their priests communicate the will of the ocean god to the council of Mytros. The ranks of the order are filled with heavily-armored paladins who wear cerulean cloaks and golden clasps, but they welcome true believers from any warrior background. The Order wishes only to enforce the will of Sydon, and they have been known to destroy shrines to the Five.
The Cult of the Snake This thieves’ guild operates in the shadows of Mytros. They are headquartered deep within the aqueducts. The cultists have recently been breaking into the homes of wealthy citizens, stealing everything of value, and leaving entire families petrified. The leader of the cult is someone who calls herself the Lady of Coins.
Lost Tribe of the Gygans The gygans were Sydon’s favored people, six armed giants with a single eye. Once the greatest civilization in Thylea, the Gygan Empire fell during the First War. The ruins of this empire can be found on countless islands throughout the Cerulean Gulf. The few surviving gygans keep to themselves, but take any opportunity for vengeance against the hated settler races.
Centaurs of the Steppes The centaurs of the Steppes are a nomadic people divided into dozens of warring tribes. They move through the hills in thunderous stampedes, hunting, foraging, and raiding the camps of other peoples. Centaurs hold themselves to a strict code of honor, and the children of warriors slain in battle are adopted and raised as part of the conquering tribe. During times of truce, the centaur tribes set up camps along the steppe rivers, drink honeymeade under the stars, and sing tales of ancient Thylea.
The Raving Ones The Raving Ones are a den of fey creatures who worship Lutheria. On the edges of the Oldwood, west of Atrokos, there is a system of caves where they are said to dwell. They sometimes travel along the roads in the guise of maidens in distress, luring travelers back to the den to be torn apart and devoured in rituals to the goddess of revelry. The Raving Ones are the mothers of the goatlings, who are born from the union of a satyr and a Maenad.