| Retribution of Scyrah | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type |
Political & paramilitary organization |
| Leader |
Nine Voices of the Retribution
|
| Headquarters | |
The Retribution of Scyrah is a fringe organization of zealous and violent elven fanatics with the goal of eradicating of human wizards and sorcerers, whom they hold responsible for the ills of their species. Until recently, they were outlawed and had to work in secrecy from numerous cells within Ios’ neighboring human kingdoms. Now, things have changed. Their message has found a voice inside Ios and they have won new allies to their cause. They are no longer forced to hide their affiliations and have begun to organize into an army capable of waging open warfare. The Retribution is now large and influential enough to abandon secrecy at home and to become a recognized political, religious, and military power.[1]
History
Origin
The roots of the Retribution of Scyrah lies in the incident known as the "Rivening". After the fall of the Empire of Lyoss and journey of remaining elves and their gods now stuck in Caen the Elves settled Ios and began building the new nation. However during Great Malaise the Gods revealed that their powers were waning due to being away from the Weld while the lifespans of Elves dropped and they were faced with aging and diseases. The Gods left Ios to find a way back to the Weld leaving the Elves without their guidance during which many cities were abandoned and claimed by the wild while the children of Nyssor abandoned their city of Darsael and left Ios for the north and eventually became the Nyss. Seven hundred years after the exodus of the gods the Rivening happened. Priests of the Divine Court across Ios experienced an abrupt and severe mental shock followed by a complete sense of isolation from the gods. The loss was too much and it claimed the sanity of the priests, who burst from their places of worship ranting and screaming. Some immolated themselves in the streets, while others fell into murderous frenzies while weping and praying. Panic and riots swept through the major cities as the Rivening spread. The priests of the goddess Scyrah seemed insulated from the worst effects, but even those healers wandered the streets in a daze spouting gibberish. Subsequently all Iosan priests other than of Scyrah found they cannot channel the power of the divine through prayer. Many deduced that the Rivening was a sign that most of the gods were lost or destroyed and the priests sane enough to reach this conclusion fell into despair, and many committed suicide. Soon soulless children began to appear eventually began to arrive with increasing frequency. The likely cause of this phenomenon was the absence of the goddess Ayisla who was responsible for judging elves for the afterlife or reincarnation. In her absence, souls slated for reincarnation became lost and incapable of returning to Caen while the children intended to receive them were born.[1]
While the priesthood of Ios continued to honor all the gods in their seasonal ceremonies, Iosans shifted their worship of the eight gods to focus on the one we hoped had endured, the goddess Scyrah, whose priests had not lost their minds in the Rivening. Nearly a century after the Rivening goddess Scyrah reappeared in the winter of ^3932. Without forewarning the she passed through the Gate of Mists and walked silently to Shyrr, gaining an awe-struck escort of witnesses as she passed. This single goddess had returned, though it was clear something was amiss. She was described as downcast and silent. She had traditionally been an eternally young and vibrant maiden, but on her return she was older and visibly weary despite her deific beauty. Those who witnessed her return experienced it through a dreamlike daze that overwhelmed their senses. Her presence was an unspeakable relief, but her silence seemed despondent. When the gods left they had claimed they would not return; their passage to the Veld was the only hope for the Iosan people. Scyrah’s return was tacit proof of failure or defeat. Scyrah entered the Shyrr, fane of Lacyr the Narcissar of Ages and nor Iryss her own city and there collapsed into a deep slumber. The priests saw her taken to the safety of the inner fane’s chambers, and since that day have constantly attended her. We believe she has focused all her will and remaining strength on protecting the vulnerable Iosan people. Very few outside the priesthood and her chosen protectors among the Fane Knights have seen her. [1][2]
A group of Iosan theologians and scholars began a systematic examination of the cosmological phenomenon to find answers to the state of Scyrah and the Consulate Court sent emissaries to observe external events. Studies revealed the proliferation of arcane abilities among humans who were once thought to lack any insight into this art. The Orgoth used abilities gifted by their loathsome gods but the resistance against Orgoth was observed utilizing arcane power that did not appear to be derived from either Orgoth or their own gods. The pace at which these formerly oppressed people innovated arcane principles was both staggering and ominous. Further investigation led to the discovery that the onset of these powers coincided almost exactly with the Rivening. The first recorded instance of a human sorcerer was only three years after that fateful day when Ios priests went mad. Decades of subsequent investigation revealed Thamar's role in the gift of magic to humans. Research by arcanists further discovered tenuous clues that human magic exacerbates the fundamental cosmological dilemmas safed by the Elves. Additionally, similar studies conclude this corruptive influence extends to the proliferation of human mechanika as well as those who directly invoke magic. Even though the evidence is more suggestive than absolute.Awareness of this troubling pattern was the most important goad to prompt the movement that would eventually become the Retribution of Scyrah.[2]
Early eras
The Retribution has a strong religious foundation maintained by its dedicated priests and embodied by the pious mage hunters, yet at its core this organization is based on information gathered through research and reconnaissance. They established hidden bases throughout the human kingdoms for use in the planning and execution of surgical strikes chosen to help slacken the noose around Scyrah’s neck by eliminating Human arcanists. Not long after the official founding of the Retribution of Scyrah, the sect was outlawed and its membership declared unlawful. Similar sanctions fell on the Seekers who did believe that human magic was responsible for the ills that befell the elves and seeks to find the other Gods who they believe to still exist. The Consulate Court feared that such efforts could reveal the weakness of Ios and thereby invite invasion but numerous citizens had heard their call and devoted themselves to their causes.[2]
The exiled sects continued their secret work as Scyrah continued to weaken. For every human wizard or warcaster the mage hunters killed, three more emerged. In this time the Retribution began to speak of the Consulate Court with open disdain, and such opinions were echoed even in the halls of power. To many it seemed as if the government had become a morass of fruitless bickering and that nothing would change our predestined doom. Even among the hallytyr discontent with the Consulate court was rising and in ^4546 Lord Ghyrrshyld, who rose to dominate House Vyre disbanded the incissar council ruling the house and declared himself Narcissar and High Consul of House Vyre.Events took a far darker turn in ^4547. Lysevyn, wife of Ghyrrshyld’s cousin and much beloved within the house, gave birth to a soulless child in Shyrr. Much hope had been placed on the birth, as few children of the direct lineage of Vyre had been born in several decades. It is said that when he heard the ill tidings Ghyrrshyld rushed into the birthing chamber, his eyes filled with rage. As the exhausted mother wept and screamed at him, he tore the babe from her breast and stormed away. The infant made no noise, as the soulless are silent at birth, but stared up at its kinsman blankly. Ghyrrshyld Vyre barged into the chamber of the Consulate Court where a partial assembly had gathered to discuss matters of law. Before their horrified eyes Ghyrrshyld held the soulless child aloft as he decried the failings of the court in the face of certain doom. Without warning, he dashed the skull of the child on the stone floor at their feet and demanded they heed his call to march to war, to set loose their blades to avenge the goddess even unto their last breath. Eventually his own retinue pulled the narcissar from the chamber, erupting the Consulate Court into chaos. This would eventually result in the War of Houses during which House Vyre would reveal it's massive military might and begin a civil war that would ravage Ios and came close to executing all the consuls. [2]
House Shyeel was the first to discover the scope of Ghyrrshyld’s atrocities in late ^4548. He had conducted cruel experiments killing hundreds or even thousands of both soulless and normal Iosan babies. In the opening months of the next year, the allied houses committed to a full assault on Iryss led by the Dawnguard and myrmidons of House Shyeel. The hallytyr had previously avoided such a battle in the hopes of sparing that sacred city any substantial destruction. All involved were sensitive to the relevance of this city to Scyrah. Even as the assault drove forward, the alliance made what efforts it could to protect the Fane of Scyrah and other holy sites. For this final push Houses Nyarr and Shyeel convinced the Retribution to lend its assistance, a fact largely overlooked until now. All nearby forces the Retribution could muster joined an assault against the heart of House Vyre, however Ghyrrshyld escaped and became an Eldritch known as Goreshade. House Vyre was forgiven due to their long history of services while known collaborators of Ghyrrshyld were executed. many members of House Vyre would join the Fane of Scyah and even the Seekers and the Retribution as an attempt to redeem their house.[1][2]
Search for Nyssor
All Iosan ambassadors were recalled and the gates sealed against outsiders. An already cautious policy toward other nations became absolute isolation to hide the civil strife and the general degradation of Iosan cities and security. But nothing had changed, soulless children continued to be born and quietly killed or sometimes smuggled into Retribution hands and the message Ghyrrshyld had gone to such lengths to deliver was forgotten until disturbing revelations came from the outside.
Retribution agents and Seekers had learnt of the people of Darsael, now known as the Nyss. However without warning Nyss communities were attacked by blighted creatures as witnessed before the fall of Issyrah. The tribes fought as they could but were forced to flee the Shard Spires of northern Khador. Investigations revealed that Ethrunbal, the dragon that annihilated Issyrah was responsible and Retribution cells near Korsk were the first to investigate this tragedy. It was Eiryss, Angel of Retribution, who discovered a secret the Nyss must have been maintaining for centuries. At some point after the Rivening, Nyssor had apparently returned to his chosen people just as Scyrah had returned to Ios. The Nyss fleeing the forces of Ethrunbal had carried the god concealed among them, hoping to keep his divinity safe from those who followed after. Eiryss made her way to the human cathedral to verify the claims only to find its guards slaughtered and Nyssor’s stone vault shattered. There she witnessed the Scyir of Winter, partially thawed from his frozen rest, being attacked by the eldritch Goreshade who had stolen Nyssor’s sword Voass and profaned it with his touch. His unholy hands proved too feeble to slay a god with a single blow, and the sound of approaching defenders prompted Goreshade to flee the chamber. Eiryss pursued the eldritch only to be defeated but Goreshade withheld the deathblow to pass on word of his deeds. Left bleeding in the streets of Korsk, Eiryss gathered her waning strength to return to Nyssor only to see Khadoran soldiers had assembled at the cathedral with members of the Greylords Covenant who had secured the god’s vault and were preparing it for transport.[1]
Eiryss brought the news to Ios stunning the Consulate Court and the Fane of Scyrah. Houses Nyarr and Shyeel publicly annouced support for the Retribution and provided tremendous military assets to recover Nyssor. Many other houses, specially Vyre contributed soldiers and support to the cause. So the Retribution and its new allies launched an expedition of unprecedented scope with the goal of swiftly penetrating the Khadoran interior and recovering Nyssor. Ultimately they were successful after fighting against the Khadorans and Cryxian forces led by Ghyrrshyld several times during which House Vyre played a major role. Recovering Nyssor and returning him to Ios was a great accomplishment for the Retribution, proof to many that this was no fringe sect but an organized cause that could make great strides to reverse the misfortunes of Ios. Other houses also stepped forward and offered strength of arms to the alliance, including House Ellowuyr.[1]
Skorne Invasion of Ios
While the Retribution forces were spread thin the ancient enemies of Lyoss, the Skorne turned towards Ios. Skorne attacked southern, western, and eastern borders with vast armies supported by dark magic and powerful beasts and were able to overpower and push back the Homeguard Coalition.[1]
Organisation
Forces of the Retribution
Warcasters
- Adeptis Rahn
- Vyros
- Elara, Death's Shadow
- Garryth, Blade of Retribution
- Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn
- Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper
- Lord Arcanist Ossyan
- Lord Ghyrrshyld, the Forgiven
- Magister Helynna
- Ravyn, Eternal Light
- Thyron, Sword of Truth
Myrmidons
Light Myrmidons
Heavy Myrmidons
Colossal
Battle Engines
Troops
- Dawnguard Destors
- Dawnguard Invictors
- Dawnguard Sentinels
- Heavy Rifle Teams
- House Ellowuyr Swordsmen
- House Shyeel Arcanists
- House Shyeel Battle Mages
- House Vyre Electromancers
- Houseguard Halberdiers
- Houseguard Riflemen
- Mage Hunter Infiltrators
- Mage Hunter Strike Force
- Ryssovass Defenders
- Stormfall Archers
- Soulless Escort
- Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters
- Spears of Scyrah
- Arcanist Mechanik
- Dawnguard Destor Thane
- Dawnguard Sentinel Scyir
- Fane Knight Guardian
- Ghost Sniper
- House Shyeel Artificer
- House Shyeel Magister
- Houseguard Thane
- Lys Healer
- Mage Hunter Assassin
- Priest of Nyssor
- Soulless Voidtracer
- Aelyth Vyr
- Eiryss
- Skeryth Issyen
- Lanyssa Ryssyl
- Narn
- Nayl
- Sylys Wyshnalyrr