Thyrigen (country)

Thyrigen is a country found in the World of Shaston. It exists as the setting for the Thyrigen campaign.

Geography
Thyrigen is one of the largest individual nations in the World of Shaston, likely because it was originally five separate nations that were joined during the Thyrigen Conquest. These nations are currently divided into five of Thyrigen's six Provinces: the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Light Provinces. The sixth Dark Province comprises of the Gray Mountains that surround the Fire Province as well as Shadow Island. The geographies and biomes of the various Provinces vary greatly, with vastly different environments quickly but smoothly transitioning into each other. It is theorized that the region is inherently magical, allowing for vastly different landscapes to coexist in such a space.

Light Province
The Light Province is at the center of the country and contains the nation's capital, Balance. The country was originally founded at Balance and, prior to the Conquest, expanded to include the rest of this Province. The region is mostly comprised of desert, with the occasional oasis or underground cave. Not many creatures make this region their permanent home, however its existence at the center of the nation and home to the capital makes it a highly-frequented trade route.

Other cities in the Province include Colossus and Homestead.

Water Province
The Water Province is found at the South-West corner of the country. Its capital city is Zebulun, the single largest port in Thyrigen and a large hub of international trade. The Province is mostly covered in swamps and marshes, making travel dangerous if one strays off the roads. Many aquatic creatures make their home here, either because of the bustling ocean-side Zebulun or because of the abundance of rivers, lakes, and marshes.

Other cities in the Province include Rinku and Maizaros.

Earth Province
To the North-West of Thyrigen is the Earth Province, comprised mostly of dense forests. The trees in the Earth Province grow extremely big and strong, so much so that its capital city of Ronriki is based entirely in a single very large carved and hollowed-out tree. Many woodland creatures live in the Earth Province, which therefore mostly enjoys peace unless the forest is disturbed in some way.

Other cities in the Province include the Rift and Irishire.

Air Province
The North-Eastern-most region of Thyrigen is home to the Air Province, a large plains region with fair weather and even fairer folk. Generally seen as the most relaxing Province, people come from all around the world to visit the capital city of Larcenciel in order to purchase from its market or make a pilgrimage to the Temple of Selûne. To some, trying to go about their daily business, the Air Province is merely the easiest way to access the Fire Province through the city of Shade.

Other cities in the Province include Wilderweissen. Also of note is the Temple of the Moon.

Fire Province
The Fire Province to the South-East is a curious region, filled with scorched earth and magma pits. Some are unsure why anyone would ever want to live out here. However, the Province is home to life, despite its shortcomings, most notably in its capital of Pyre. The Fire Province is also home to the unliving city of Soluna, as the unliving find the location not only hospitable but far-removed enough from the rest of society to establish themselves.

Other cities in the Province include Sod. Also of note is Phlogiston Colosseum and Cultbuster Headquarters.

Dark Province
The Dark Province mostly comprises of the Gray Mountains that surround the Fire Province, isolating it from the rest of Thyrigen. The subterranean tunnels that crisscross through the mountains, known collectively as the Stone Highway, only have three entrances and exits, found at Rinku in the Water Province, Shade in the Air Province, and Sod in the Fire Province. The dwarves and the tieflings make there home here, with their capital being Irudweld, city of mining, smithing, and craftsmanship.

Also technically a part of the Dark Province is Shadow Island to the south of Thyrigen. Those who live there in its only city of Murmoir claim that they are (or at least should be) a part of the Fire Province.

Founding
The city-state of Balance was originally founded in the year 897 at a point almost exactly in the center between the Light and Dark Gulfs. From there, the nation slowly spread outward, eventually incorporating the smaller cities of Homestead and Colossus. Balance was much smaller than its surrounding neighbors, however there was surprisingly very little strife between them.

Conquest
Main article: Thyrigen Conquest

In the year 982, User, the current king of Balance, declared war on the surrounding nations. Despite his army being considerably smaller than those of his foes, User managed to defeat and conquer all of the surrounding nations, including Apollyon, Zebulun, Terrawind, and Oakenshire, as well as the Gray Mountains by proxy. These became the Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Dark Provinces respectively, with the original territory becoming the Light Province.

In 1003, one of the generals of User's army discovered that User planned to use those killed by the war to raise an undead army and eventually take over the world. He attacked and fought User one-on-one and eventually killed him, thus ending the war and becoming the first king of the new nation of Thyrigen.

Death Crisis
Main article: Thyrigen (campaign)

In the year 1525, approximately 200 years after the unliving began appearing in Thyrigen, the Cultbusters were recruited by Death to determine the cause of the unliving and put a stop to it. After some investigation, the Cultbusters discovered that Princess Kara the Kind was undead, making her a prime suspect, but they were unsure of her reason or methods, so they tasked Mirror with tailing her and finding any information he could.

Mirror discovered User the Killer's body underneath the royal palace, and ran to meet with the Cultbusters and tell them what he had found. Upon the group searching the area, User's body revealed itself to be the true Princess Kara, trapped there by an evil magic, with User's personality occupying Kara's body. It turned out that User had never really died but was secretly a lich and had been controlling every reigning monarch of Thyrigen through his phylactery. In addition, User was responsible for the creation of the unliving, having attempted to create an army of undead soldiers that retained their minds.

The Cultbusters fought with User while Mirror managed to rescue Kara, though King Trevor the Timid was killed during the battle. Two of the Cultbusters, Larknyxtryxiath and Andur, betrayed the party out of fear that killing User would result in the death of the unliving race. After the Cultbusters all died, the gods Selûne, Mystra, and Arawn, along with Death, met with the party and resurrected Sagan and Meriele. The resurrected party members were successful in defeating User and preventing him from taking over the world.

Trivia

 * Thyrigen is pronounced similar to "there again," and is named after There and Back Again, an alternate title of The Hobbit and the title of the book written by Bilbo Baggins in said canon.
 * As Thyrigen was the setting of the first campaign and the first country created for the World of Shaston, this name was meant to evoke a sense of adventure and fantasy.