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WINTER PALACE
UNDER SIEGE
Although untouched by a century of war, the Winter
Palace suffered an attack from an unexpected quarter: the
people of Breland. The so-called Swords of Liberty have
taken credit for a daring raid that left the east wing of the
palace in flames. No members of the Brelish royal family
were in attendance during the attack.
The Swords of Liberty call for the violent overthrow
of the Wynarn monarchy, demanding that all power be
invested in the Brelish parliament. Their manifesto draws
on the speeches of Lord Ruken ir'Clarn, but Lord Ruken
has condemned their action. "No victory is possible when
Brelish fight Brelish," he said in Wroat. "But I hope King
Boranel can see that the time for change is upon us and
help us navigate a peaceful transition of power before any
more innocents are hurt."
pearances. The King's Dark Lanterns are ever vigilant
here, and newcomers who aim to misbehave tend to dis
appear quickly and without so much as a whisper.AFTERMATH OF THE LAST WAR
For Breland, the Last War was an ever-shifting tangle
of enemies and alliances. Breland fought Aundair, Cyre,
Karrnath, and Thrane at various points of the war, as
well as clashing with Darguun and Droaam. These con
flicts caused many Brelish to embrace a cynical view of
the world, a sense that no one can be fully trusted and
that people need to look out for themselves. As a Brelish
character, you could have an axe to grind against any
of the other nations. This is balanced against a strong
belief in humanoid rights and dignity, convictions that
motivated the Brelish to shelter more Cyran refugees
than any other nation.
The major cities of Breland host significant popula
tions of refugees, both Cyrans and Brelish from villages
lost in the war. This has increased the overall level of
poverty and desperation and contributed to an increase
in crime. The southern cities-including Wroat and
Sham-suffered relatively little damage in the war, but
northern Breland was hard hit. The city ofVathirond
is still repairing the damage from Thrane attacks, and
many northern villages are either recovering or have
simply been abandoned.
Despite these struggles, the Brelish maintain a pos
itive view of their future. The heart of Breland is as
strong as it ever was, and the citizens believe that had
the war continued, Breland would have triumphed.CYRE (THE MOURNLAND)
Capital: Metrol (destroyed)
Previous Hallmarks: Art, artifice, jewelry, music, ora-
tory, philosophy
Current Hallmarks: Destruction, ruins
Destroyed at the end of the Last War, Cyre now exists
only in the hearts of the refugees scattered across
Khorvaire.
Before the war, Cyre was the seat of the kings and
queens of Galifar. The wealth of the kingdom flowed
through Cyre, and it was a nexus for commerce and
culture. By tradition, Cyre's Princess Mishann had the
rightful claim to the throne of Galifar. Cyrans take pride
that they alone were in the right in the Last War, but
they unquestionably lost more to the war than any other
nation. As a Cyran, you stand on the moral high ground,
but that may offer little comfort.
Cyrans like to say that their culture represented the
best that Galifar had to offer, which is to say a little bit of
everything. Cyrans value diversity and versatility, both
in talents and thought. Cyre couldn't match Karrnath in
martial discipline or Aundair in the arcane arts, but the
flexibility of its forces reflected the nation's ideals.
Although the Sovereign Host was the dominant faith
of Cyre, the Silver Flame had a significant following.
Many survivors question their faith in the wake of the
Mourning, but some believe that their anguish at the
loss of their homeland is a divine trial, prompting them
to cling to their faith more than ever.
Queen Dannel ir'Wynarn was in Metro! on the Day
of Mourning and is presumed dead. Her son, Prince
Oargev ir'Wynarn, holds court in New Cyre, a massive
refugee camp set up in Breland. Some refugees support
Oargev and the dream of a restored Cyre, while others
prefer to focus on the future instead of trying to reclaim
the past. As a Cyran, you should decide whether you
hold tight to your national identity, or instead consider
yourself to be an expatriate without a nation.INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT CYRE
(THE MOURNLAND------ )- Cyre was the ancestral seat of the dragon marked
House Cannith, the house of Making. The house main
tained arcane workshops across Cyre. Who knows
what treasures wait in Cannith vaults for those who
brave the dangers of the Mournland? - While not as flamboyant as Aundairians, Cyran
fashions involved bright colors and glamerweave
(see chapter 5). Some Cyrans have made a point of
continuing this custom. Others wear clothing cut in
the Cyran style, but entirely in black; this has become
known as Mourning wear. - Stories say communities of warforged live in the
Mournland, including the insurgent called the Lord
of Blades.
CYRAN CHARACTERS
When creating a character from Cyre, consider the fol
lowing questions:CHAPTER 2 J KHORVAIRE GAZEITEER
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