The first map of Thyrenacia from 1991

The "History" of Thyrenacia

hyrenacia was first created in a short story I composed in late 1991. Over the next few years, Thyrenacia would be the setting for additional stories and a few role playing campaigns. But only in the last five years has Thyrenacia begun to take true shape. What was before simply a name and a rough map, into which could be placed almost any fantasy tale, has become a rich and highly developed tapestry. Now, Thyrenacia has a defined set of cultures, nations, historic events, races, religions, and individuals. Not to mention rules for what can and cannot happen.

I am currently in the process of composing a series of novels about Thyrenacia, five in all. Their working titles are as follows. The Thyrenacian calendar dates each book spans is noted in parentheses.

If the series is well recieved, I have plans for a prequel novel concerning the events of the Dyshanti War, the coming of Thyren, and the establishment of the Alliance of Thyrenacia, all of which occured more than a thousand seasons before the main series.

I had been working to produce a Neverwinter Nights campaign world for Thyrenacia, but I have postponed that activity in favor of working on the novels.

The World of Thyrenacia

hyrenacia is an alliance of six kingdoms occupying most of the territory of the continent of Fail Komrual on a world called Araes. Thyrenacia's only neighbors are the introverted Ahlimites, the secretive but peaceful Tsavashi, and the barbaric tribes of the Wilderlands. As the Ahlimites keep to themselves, Tsavash's mountainous borders have never been crossed, and the Wilders are constantly watched on a blockaded and guarded isle, Thyrenacia has been at peace for over a thousand seasons. This is due to a powerful central government that holds the allied kingdoms together.

This government, the Ascenderat, is ruled by the Ascendant, supreme ruler of the Alliance. The most recent Ascendant was Gaulis Vlaparaiso I. A member of the Vlaparaiso Dynasty, Ascendant Gaulis' dynastic bloodline has remained strong and unbroken since the establishment of the Alliance fourteen hundred seasons ago. This strong leadership is further supported by the three executive arms of the Ascenderat. These are the White Masters, the Khallaiie, and the Viziers.

The White Masters are enchanters and mentalists who are always in telepathic contact with each other and allow disparate city-states to instantly know about events thousands of miles away. The Khallaiie are highly skilled female fighters who are trained from birth to be protectors and military advisors to the noble houses and governors of the cities of the Alliance. The Viziers are diplomats and spies who constantly gauge the activities of the noble houses and apply just enough pressure to keep the Alliance from unraveling due to corruption or infighting.

All in all, Thyrenacia is a land in perfect equilibrium, prosperous and unhindered by outside influences. This peace is due in large part to the great stability and wisdom the Ascendants of the Vlaparaiso Dynasty have maintained since the establishment of the Alliance.

Unfortunately, Ascendant Gaulis Vlaparaiso was recently assassinated, leaving no heirs.

About This Website

he purpose of this website is to be an encyclopedia of Thyrenacia's cultures, peoples, lands, and kingdoms, both for my own purposes, and for those who are interested in the eventual novels and campaign world. The story time frame of the website is Thyrenacian Calendar (TC) 1454, just before the course of the world's history changes irrevocably. As Thyrenacia is a land where many things are not as they seem, this website will reflect the world as it is understood by the most knowledgable of Thyrenacians, not necessarily as it really is.

As you read through the site, you may notice that some words are highlighted in dark red. These are cross references. Clicking on one of these highlighted terms will link you to more information on that subject, allowing you to traverse the site more like an encyclopedia.

This site is best viewed at 1024 x 768 or higher.



The Author in Celtic Armor

About The Author

y interests are in astronomy, physics, history (especially Celtic, Greek, and Roman), linguistics, and epic fantasy/scifi. The story of Thyrenacia began as a fairly novice retelling of the story of Robin Hood based on the 1984 british TV series "Robin of Sherwood". That plot was, fortunately, dropped. But over the past ten years I have reworked the characters and lands into something that I feel is far more interesting. As this website is presented as an encyclopedia of background facts, I am afraid that, for now, much of the plot and story I am working on is lost on the reader. In the future I may rectify that with a story excerpt section.

Thyrenacia has been influenced by many things:

The Dune series by Frank Herbert is a major influence. Dune's secretive societies, great houses, and political mechanizations fascinated me, and I hope to make Thyrenacia equally Byzantine.

Japanese Anime, especially Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vision of Escaflowne, Berserk, and Neon Genesis Evangelion, have also influenced Thyrenacia. The idea of a single person manipulating the world to achieve a revolutionary goal, a kind of mad messiah who does unspeakable things but for reasons he sees as justified for the greater good is compelling. Such stories make you hate the madman until you start to get into his head and discover that his reasons might actually be justified after all, and you are forced to confront your own sense of morality.

Babylon 5, with its epic scope, plot twists, deep characters, and sense that you must define your goals and then take a stand to execute them, is another big influence. "No one here is exactly what he appears." What is presented as good, may have bad aspects, and what is presented as evil, may be good and justified from another point of view, but in the end, you have to make the choice and act on it, that is in many ways the message of B5, and I hope Thyrenacia will reflect that message as well.

Classical literature and history, including Herodotus, Ceaser's Commentaries, and the Illiad, have also influenced Thyrenacia. I want to give Thyrenacia a historic feel, the story should seem like it is just one chapter of a history millenia old.

Soviet history is another major influence. In 1990 I visited the then Soviet Union. Being a child of the Cold War, it was an eye openning experience to see the "Evil Empire" first hand and meet its inhabitants. The Russians were extremely friendly depite the land's long history of anguish and pain. The ways in which the former Soviet Block nations have dealt with the break up of communism, how some countries split themselves up cordially, others fought long wars, and others remained relatively unchanged interests me. For 40 years, the Soviet occupation had essentially frozen the tribal and religious strife of the Balkans and other areas, preventing it from expressing itself. When that occupation ended, the strife in many places resumed. The concept of a central force keeping nations together that would otherwise fall upon each other in war until that central force is removed is a major theme in Thyrenacia.

Other travels have affected Thyrenacia as well. I have been to Russia, Greece, Ireland, and Hawaii, and each has presented me with a unique rich culture for study. Russia influenced (actually created) Tsavash. Gallysto was once an analogue for medieval Britain, now it is a sea faring league of Greek style city-states. Nevhon was the home of Mongolian horsemen until I visited Hawaii and learned that the Nevhonim were, in fact, polynesian horsemen using their navigation skills to roam the wide featureless plains of their land.

The Future

 will be updating the site with new information on a regular basis, so text and maps may change without notice as I refine things. Amongst the material I will be adding are descriptions of the non-Alliance kingdoms and lands, scripts and dictionaries of the various languages, more religions and myths, and more information about the characters who populate the continent. Until then I hope what I have so far will give a taste of what Thyrenacia holds to those who are interested, as well as inspire other world builders to breath life into their own creations.

- John T. M. Whatmough
whatmough@comcast.net

Thyrenacia, this website, and all maps, text, computer renderings, concepts, non latin alphabet fonts, and proper names within are
Copyright © 2003 by John Whatmough. All rights reserved.

Mapped with CC2 Created with CA
Maps and character portraits created with Profantasy's Campaign Cartographer and Character Artist.

Computer renderings, like those on the Artwork page, were created with Curious Labs Poser 4/5 or with MetaCreations Bryce 5.

Paintings are taken without permission from various fantasy artwork websites. I am slowly substituting these with my own renderings in Poser.

Photographs of artifacts and manuscripts are taken without permission from various academic sites. Photographs of scenery are either my own or taken from the Microsoft Design Gallery Live.