Bloodlines
Tysha is one of the oldest kingdoms in Thelekar, able to trace its history back to some time during the Dratarian Age. Some doctrine of the Church of Hope indicate that both the kingdom and its main faith existed prior to Khoran's birth, potentially placing them at the forefront of human civilization on Arith, predating the earliest known existence of the Aristean or Imperial lines. Though this bloodline has spread out across the continent over the millennia, two distinct ethnic groups have remained behind in the King's Valley: the Rushal and the Véritians.
Both the Rushal and the Véritians maintain that their respective cultures were the first to take root in Tysha and were the source of its growth, while also accusing the other of being envious invaders who simply wanted to expand their power. While a majority of the Order lacks any sort of major ethnic rivalry due to the circumstances of its formation, Tysha has remained a steadfast beacon of both the positive and negative traits eastern humans adopted over the past centuries. Entire towns have been declared for either side of the rivalry, with Véritian and Rushal citizens driving each other out of ancient homes in the name of an amorphous pride that may not truly exist. While some use the distinct languages spoken by each group as proof of their different origins, many just assume that a schism formed amongst Tyshan culture millennia ago and the reason has been lost to time, leaving two sides of the same half fighting each other like enemies.
Despite this constant underlying cultural divide, the two groups have managed to set up a rather tense political system to govern them both. As no king has been chosen since the death of King Tysha, the nation has become a Principality, ruled by a quintarchy of Princes from the largest noble houses in the region:
- House Viret of Honrich, of Véritian blood.
- House Guissac of Rubinstead, of Véritian blood.
- House Holyward, of Véritian blood.
- House Durnovo, of Rushal blood.
- House Obelensky, of Rushal blood.
Many other noble houses hold sway in Tyshan politics, but the High Table is entirely controlled by these 5 houses. As long as the Rushal and Véritians continue to fight, Tysha will remain a principality and go without a king until it either falls to corruption and civil war, or invasion from the outside.
The Church of Hope
Arguably more powerful than the Quintarchy itself, the Church of Hope has remained the center of Tyshan culture and focus since its founding. The worship of The Hopeful and The Death Eternal is so ingrained in the population that many are surprised to find that there are other gods in the heavens, let alone major divine figures like Tyr and Khoran. For most, the Siblings represent the only higher powers that matter enough to be known, to the exclusion of all other religions. Though this law was amended in order for Tysha to join the Order of Aristea, most of the houses of Véritian blood prevent temples to other gods from being built in their territory. Though this attitude is not held by the houses of Rushal blood, it is not a result of their understanding of the heavens. Instead, the Rushal are often considered apostates by the Chantry for their lack of respect for the Church of Hope's authority. They do not deny the existence of higher powers, but instead simply continue to exist without giving them much thought. There have been Pontifexes from the houses of both Khilkov and Obelensky, but for a Rushal to hold any sort of religious influence during the Age of Swords is a notion worthy of being scoffed at. Church doctrine is decided upon by the Chantry, the highest ranking members of the clergy led by the Pontifex. Decrees such as the technically legal pantheon, the restrictions on arcane magic, and the role of the church in legal matters are all passed down through the ranks by this group of religious leaders.
The Church of Hope is made up of worshippers of the Siblings, a pair of gods that rose during Zero Year alongside Khoran and the Sunfire Legion. Tiriana and Fairyn Keltris are twin gods, with control over the domains of Life and Death. While there are devoted servants to each of the siblings individually, a majority of the populace pray to "The Siblings'' together as a group. This devoted worship has made Tysha a borderline hostile place for any who do not venerate the siblings above all others, even to the exclusion of beings as powerful as the Stormlord. The Church of the Storm is one of the few churches to gain a foothold in Tysha since the Church of Hope was made the national religion during the Age of Ancients, and even an organization as powerful as the Church of the Storm has only succeeded in constructing a single church, and it wasn't even in a desirable location: the building is located in Fort Calbridge, within House Holyward territory.
The High Table's Game
The Game is the nickname given to the complex dance of politics within the Tyshan court, especially amongst Véritian houses. From Castle Ledeford of Honrich to the mayor's hall in Mistdale, players of The Game know that every word they say is sending ripples through the rest of the field. Knowing who to ask for a dance at a ball, what houses not to trade premium goods with, and even things as small and inconsequential as your public favorite food can be turned into a deadly dagger to plunge into your rival's back. Some nobles may have a positive predisposition towards one another based on the academy they attended, while others may see your chosen schooling as either too pretentious or low class. At the heart of the game sits the Quintarchy, the noble houses at the High Table.
- House Viret is one of the most influential houses in Tysha, having directly descended not only from the ancient King Tysha, but also from Pontifex Gisele I, the first Pontifex of the Church of Hope. Viret noblemen have long held positions of great power and influence in both the church and government, gaining power not from holding access to important resources like lumber mills or mines, but from expertly manipulating public opinion using the pulpit. A friendship with House Viret can carry any man into a comfortable life, and to make enemies of them is to doom yourself to social destruction. House Viret represented Tysha long ago during the formation of the Free Cities Alliance, with an army of holy warriors led by Lord Carlisle Viret joining the Battle of Ven Gap.
- House Guissac is the richest family in Tysha, owning business ventures across the kingdom and even controlling the national bank that currently requires the use of Honrich Notes rather than Imperial Drakes, effectively causing all gold that runs through Tysha to pass through Guissac hands. These changes were unpopular at first, but with silence from the Chantry and House Viret, business owners could do little else than begin using the bank notes. As soon as every merchant with ties to House Guissac had begun requiring the notes, the few independent businesses left in the Kingdom had no choice but to follow suit. The house often runs itself more like a business than a noble house, and rank is given to those who are able to make money efficiently rather than to those born first. Rich merchants often buy their way into the family tree as rediscovered distant cousins, gaining themselves the title of Lord or Lady without needing the scrolls of pedigree required elsewhere. Because of this, the Guissac name has spread across the western coast of Arith, popping up in major cities like Qempool, Trale, and Remnant overnight.
- House Holyward is a prime example of what happens to houses who play The Game too aggressively. While House Guissac is an unpopular house amongst the common people, House Holyward is easily the least popular house amongst the noble class. They are seen as traitors by the majority of the Véritian line for acting as the connection between the Order of Aristea and Tysha, despite the fact that the entire Quintarchy had to agree to the alliance together. Frustrations with the recent surge of refugees from the Sundering of Eaglecrest have been blamed on House Holyward, and as a result they have lost significant power within the kingdom in the form of revoked trade agreements, retracted invitations to formal events, and higher taxes placed on their trade caravans. As a result, the Holywards have had to form stronger bonds with their previous rivals, the Rushal houses, which has only dirtied their reputation amongst the Véritian houses even more so. If it wasn't for the fact that their close relationship with Voletaria and Lorain gave them significant political power, they likely would have been replaced on the High Table by now.
- House Durnovo is certainly as powerful as any of the other houses, though it does not organize itself like one. Masha Durnovo, the matriarch of the house, facilitated its rise to prominence during the fall of House Lovets and expertly maneuvered her way into the empty seat at the High Table. Her father was a lesser lord of a lesser house, and her mother a foreigner from Mol Boldor, but her scroll of pedigree was binding and under her supervision House Durnovo had been a powerhouse in Tysha for many years before this. Surprisingly, House Durnovo's appointment to the High Table marks the only time in recorded history that House Viret and House Khilkov both agreed on a measure from the beginning.
Ever since its appointment, House Durnovo has been busy paying off the massive debts people had begun to accrue with House Guissac. With any interest being paid to them instead of the bankers, tensions between the two houses have become tense, though legally House Durnovo is following all the rules, preventing House Guissac from publicly responding to the slight. The Durnovos provide work for the poor and hungry in their territory, and run some of the most profitable businesses in the region including the Icerun Mill, Dunebrock Quarry, and huge tracts of farmland in the Spellscar. In just 50 years, House Durnovo has become powerful enough to cement their seat at the High Table.
- House Obelensky has only held a seat at the High Table for less than a decade, replacing the fallen House Khilkov after their betrayal of the Quintarchy. Though they are Rushalan, they have recently become close with House Viret, and have even facilitated a number of marriages between the lesser lines of each family. Their popularity with their Rushalan cousins has plummeted as of late, as they've failed to take any meaningful stands against House Viret's decisions at the High Table. Khilkov long stood against the criminalization of arcane arts and the purging of "apostates" from towns and cities, but Obelensky seems to be held on a tight leash by Prince Bastian Viret, the current leader of the high house. Though Obelensky has been put in charge of Perelglen, the second largest city in Tysha, their influence and power have not grown like one would expect of a newly appointed member of the High Table. Their nearest neighbors, House Van Der Bellen, only trade with the Obelenskys out of pure necessity for survival, and have turned down a very public marriage offering from the more powerful house. Despite this, Prince Kazimir Obelensky still holds a seat at the High Table, and even with the odds severely stacked against him, does his best to maintain his family's honor.
Purging Day and the Fallen House Khilkov
House Khilkov was the most mysterious of the High Table, as much of their power and influence could not be tracked like the rest of the houses. House Viret controls the church, Guissac the banks, and Holyward the alliance, but House Khilkov seemed to get by with presence and name alone. They had no lack of money or resources, their territory seemed entirely free from petty crime, and they managed to accomplish all their goals within the strict rules of the Church of Hope. Anyone who attempted to play The Game against them came out worse than when they started, though they often could not discern how. Even the common folk within House Khilkov territory seemed to slip into this allure of mystery, and no amount of gold or offers of power from interested parties able to answer the many burning questions the Véritian houses had about their cousins. It is thanks to House Khilkov's resilience at the High Table that the Church of Hope never legally banned arcane magic, despite their incredible control over Tyshan politics. As long as House Khilkov remained in power, some form of personal freedom for religion and magical arts remained present for the people.
Of course, the day came when this noble house fell from grace. After thousands of years of infighting and political squabbles, Prince Victor Khilkov and Princess Elyse Viret were betrothed to be wed. The two had developed a deep respect for the other after years of negotiations and arguments at the High Table, and despite their family's deep feud, they decided to mend the bloody wound of the kingdom and unite their houses by marrying. Letters sent from Victor to his children in Perelglen indicated he had allowed himself to love another person after his first wife, Yulia Van Der Bellen, had died giving birth to their daughter Aleksandra. As the two began the proper private ceremonies they had to finish before they could host a public celebration, an explosion rocked the cathedral within Castle Ledeford, killing not only Victor and Elyse, but a large portion of the Chantry and a number of other nobles who were brought in as witnesses to the legitimacy of the union. At once, the remaining members of the Chantry began an investigation into the explosion, discovering the occult nature of the magic used to spawn it- magic that only House Khilkov had any knowledge of using. For the third time since its creation, the Church of Hope announced an Exalted March against the Khilkovs.
The next few weeks would mark the bloodiest since the invasion from the Smoldering Grove. Hundreds of Khilkovs, both of lesser and greater lines, were hunted down and slaughtered by the Spellbreaker Order. The main square of Perelglen, Khilkov's center of power in the kingdom, was host to a violent battle between Lady Aleksandra Khilkov and a significant number of the Spellbreaker's greatest warriors. Witnesses report her use of dark magics and occultist knowledge to take down scores of her foes, managing to stay standing for a number of hours before her exhausted enemies finally brought her down. The story of Aleksandra is still told to children before bed much akin to the boogie man, to make them behave and be obedient. A monument to the fallen of that battle was constructed, and it has remained primarily empty of any commerce since.
To commemorate the day that the last of the Khilkovs was slain, the Church of Hope announced a new holiday- Purging Day, where the common people were encouraged to remove bad influences from their lives like alcohol, mushrooms, and bad relationships. Many simply take the day to clean their homes, and town squares are turned into massive swapmeets where citizens trade pieces of furniture and knickknacks. The courts often hold grand masquerade balls where the courtiers wear old gowns and outfits that have not seen more than a single event in their lifetime before giving the outfit away to friends from lesser houses. Despite its bloody origins, Purging Day has become a popular holiday in the kingdom, and its celebration has begun to take place beyond Tysha's borders, though without the grisly bedtime stories about the devil Aleksandra.
Bards and Minstrels
Competition amongst the lesser houses is brutal and vicious, rife with novices sullying the game with amateur moves and botched assassinations. Whether they are wearing the latest from a controversial clothier or wield a dueling blade forged by an apostate blacksmith, even the smallest missteps can guarantee a novice player will never make it past the door. The barrier of entry is so high that classes in the universities of higher prestige have opened up to the young lords and ladies, teaching them how to guide conversations and foster power like a professional. Those that learn this skill without a noble house to return to are considered incredibly valuable as agents, known as Bards. Though the term "bard" is often used in other areas to denote any entertainers that make living using their skills, Tyshan bards are masters of the game, only using their talent at entertainment to gain themselves or their employers more power. Whether it is by entertaining a new lord's guests with skillful musical performance, spreading scandalous gossip convincingly enough to end careers, or trading favors for information with other bards, these agents are second only to their employers in Tyshan high society.
They are, of course, not to be confused with minstrels and musicians. While such performers may frequent the same parties and establishments as bards, they are not players in the game except as resources to be flaunted at parties. Surely, it will make your rival furious to have the most talented minstrels in Honrich at the party they declined to attend. However, bards will often work together with these artists, or even lead double lives as one of them, in order to get themselves invited to more and more court events where they can accumulate knowledge and power. The very best bards are those that can slip in and out of different names and roles, those that can bare not gaining name recognition in return for greater influence with those that truly matter.
Academia
Though much of a bard's arsenal comes from their list of contacts and book of secrets, the basics of conversation of etiquette from from one of many academies across Tysha. Even the rather politically detached Rushal will send at least one of their house's members to these academies in order to learn from the masters of the craft. Speechcraft is only one of many skills a bard must learn, however, as they perform a very dangerous job. Whether they are assassins or targets for assassins, bards must know how to engage in combat, and how to do it properly. Even with their lives on the line, bards must maintain their dignity as courtiers and practice proper dueling forms of swordplay and movement. Rapiers and dueling daggers are popular choices thanks to their regal appearance and refined fighting styles, though sword both long and short make good choices for the less dexterous. By the time a prospective bard begins their final combat tests at their academy, they will be trained to use a variety of weapons popular in the courts they attend, as well as having gained a proficiency with shortblades and daggers designed to be hidden within even the sheerest of clothing.
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