EditAncient descendants of lost Atlad- Tone: High-spirited myth-loving and passionate warrior-farmers
- Timeframe: -2000 years to Present
- Artifice: Low
- Region: Albizia
- Capital: Cymyddon (kingdom, ~72,000; capital ~16,000)
- Notable Settlements: Rygydd (kingdom, ~103,000), Gynydd(kingdom, ~91,000), Gylycia (kingdom, ~78,000), Ryadd (kingdom, ~42,000), Tal Lianydd (kingdom, ~38,000), Dymonydd (kingdom, ~23,000), Cymbrydd (kingdom, ~21,000), Adrydd (vassalage to Cymbrydd, ~13,000)
- Government: Hereditary Monarchies
- Ruler: High King Yryaen fir Mogyr
- Races: Human (~600,000)
- Languages: Cymython
- Religions: The New Gods (Icus Pantheon)
- Coinage: Inyr (2gp), Nyr (1gp), Lyr (1sp), Ayr (5cp), Vyr (.5cp).
EditSynopsisA collection of tribal kingdoms far descended from lost Atlad that have managed to hold on to small pieces of their once great heritage, sharing a common language, culture, religious pantheon, and mythology. Though split into many small and not necessarily contiguous nation-states, referred to as demesnes, all of the Cymthonic nations recognize a "High King" reigning in the ancient mountain kingdom of Cymyddon and sitting in the capital of the same name. As a rule Cymthonic nations don't wage war on each other casually or openly, but conflicts do sometimes occur between bordering nations. Internal conflicts are far more common as hereditary inheritance of titles is complicated by highly branched family lines and several millennia of intermarriage among the ruling elite of the various demesnes.
The Cymthoniaid have a cultural preoccupation with self-expression and personal independence , which has engendered a society with only very loose concepts of caste and almost no class-based stratification. Personal merit and, for lack of a better term, idioms are valued more highly than heredity or birth. Cymthons tend to have a lot of "personality", and usually exhibit some form of artistry. Even simple farmers often have some other skill in which they seek artistic expression and for which they are known such as playing a musical instrument, singing, composing riddles, wood carving, breeding hounds or livestock to produce exceptional specimens, training horses, cooking, or mastery of arms, etc. Those lacking such a higher pursuit or skill are regarded as clods and as being of little importance.
The sole exception to this is the belief that the aristocracy of Cymthoniaid are ultimately descended from the demi-god Cymiddor, who is held to be the son of of the goddess Rhianin and the great human warrior Yrion. Cymiddor founded Cymyddon, and direct descendants of his many-branched family line carved out the other demesnes of the Cymthoniaid over the course of a couple thousand years.
Thus the ruling families are considered to have a divine right of provenance by the common folk, but as intermarriage with commoners occurs from time to time, and due to broad and prolific descent those who can claim lineage from Cymiddor is a much larger pool of people beyond the bounds of actively ruling families, there is only a very blurry line between commoner and noble and it means little in practice outside of the context of the ruling families themselves.
EditMagicCymthonic mythology stretches back quite a ways and is somewhat tangled. However the worship of the so called "New Gods" slowly formed out of it into something resembling its current state over eighteen centuries ago as a syncretion of the older Pantheons and various other entities.
It is a rich mythology that is perpetuated and extended by a politically active and influential guild of Cyccials who travel the demesnes telling tales, educating children, carrying news, and furthering the secret agenda of their guild. All of the Cyccials can trace their lineage back to Cymiddor and are thus considered to be of noble blood, and it is believed that their beautiful speaking and singing voices are a result of this divine heritage.
All of the New Gods (Icus Pantheon) are worshiped in one form or another in Cymthonic lands. Ecclisiastics, generally called "Paddyon", are somewhat common and generally live among the populace rather then being sequestered or organized; almost all practice some other trade in addition to their duties as holy men and women.
The Druí of Corenos (Grenicus) are an exception; they live apart from civilization and reside in the wild typically organized into "circles".
There is also a strong tradition of Occultists and a few Herbalists (effectively Alchemists with a strong herbalistic focus), referred to by their specialty or by the catch-all term of "Magus". As with the Paddyon, Magi generally live among the populace and either ply their magic for profit or have some other trade in addition to their magical abilities.
An ancient tradition of Mentalism tracing its origin back to Atladian times persists in Cymthonic lands, but Mystics born with the talent are rare and cliquish, often living together in small semi-related communes in out of the way places.
Daemonologists sometimes crop up and usually work alone or gather a small cult. Daemonolgy is held to be abhorrent and steps are taken when a Daemon infestation is suspected.
EditDetails
The demesnes of Tal Lianydd is the only Cymthoniaid kingdom not ruled by a family claiming decent from Cymyddon. Rather, the ruling Lianyddon family claims decent from a companion of Cymiddor's named (unsurprisingly) Lianyddas, who was a powerful druí of Corenos. Having a close connection and shared history to the descendants of Cymiddor, they along with the less influential Pyrddion and Vrymui families are considered to be lesser nobility (though at this point so much intermarriage has occurred between the families that its an almost entirely moot point).
The Cymthonic people demonstrate a preference for simple one-handed cross-hilted straight-swords with blades of between 2.5 and 4 feet of length, and leaf-tipped spears of between four and six feet of length. A secondary dagger of between four and nine inches is almost universally carried by both men and women for both general utility and self defense. Only the wealthy can afford metal armor, and thus leathers are prevalent among the masses. Those who can afford better favor short skirted chainmail belted and the waist and un-hooded. The distinctive and archetypal Cymthonic helmet retains strong Atladian influences of clean lines and a general swept-back look; grand examples such as those worn by kings and great warriors often sport flared-back wings evoking the classical Atladian Drygyn symbology.
The Cymthonic lands have some gold mines and many silver mines. Silver jewelry and adornment is quite common, often in elaborately shaped artistically wrought forms; in addition to being distinctively Cymthonic, such jewelry makes for a handsomely profitable export.
Humans
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