Realm of Ghyran
Mortal Realms: | Aqshy • Azyr • Chamon • Chaos • Ghur • Ghyran • Hysh • Shyish • Ulgu |
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The Realm of Ghyran, also know as the Jade Kingdoms or the Realm of Life, is one of the eight Mortal Realms. It's a bounteous realm forever flowing in cycle and the most verdant of lands when blooming. The life in there was everywhere and innumerable shapes, spreading with a hunger that defied all logic. It has countless emerald gardens filled with verdant life of every kind, lush valleys, babbling streams and glittering mountains. The skies are covered in tangling canopies, vast clouds of spores, shattered husks of sky-islands and storm-reefs. The entire realm responded to the eternal song of Alarielle, her voice echoing from every corner of the realm, except where darker gods held sway.[1][2][8a]
Ghyran is a realm besieged by Nurgle's followers, seeking to claim the Realm for Grandfather Nurgle.[2] At the dawning of the Age of Sigmar the entire realm had almost been completely corrupted by Nurgle's tainted influence, turning it into a pestilent and corrupted plaguescape. It very nearly became an extension of Nurgle's Garden within the Realm of Chaos. Only a few regions contained hidden wellsprings of uncorrupted life magic, like the province of the Ivy King, the Skyfalls of Rhyros and the kingdom of the Greenglades. [6][7c]
Rescued from the followers of Nurgle, Alarielle the Goddess of life has been reborn into a new war-like incarnation to turn the tide against the forces of Chaos.[6]
The ancient laws of Alarielle forbid logging in the realm, which is strictly enforced by the Sylvaneth, forcing cities to import stone and timber.[8b]
Contents
Symbol
The Rune that is used to represent the Realm of Ghyran is the Coil of Life, Inhabitants often inscribe it as a tattoo or tribal marking whilst menhirs, waystones and talismans often bear the sigil. [21]
Characteristics
A reality of never-ending bountiful life. The realm of Ghyran is a place embodying life in harmony, forever turning in a circle of beginnings, endings and new beginnings. The embodiment of life, growth, fertility, fecundity, birth and rebirth. The realm teems with countless forms of flora and fauna, as well as many different kinds of magical beings and spirits of life.[21] [22]
Indeed, even the earth, air and stones are alive with the energies of life and the vast super-continents themselves mate with one another to birth new lands.[21] [22]
Aqua Ghyranis, the sacred water of Verdia is known for its life-giving, super nourishing properties. It is even able to purify and remove the taint of Chaos that plagues the Mortal Realms and it's peoples. It has also steadily become a currency favored in the cities and markets of the Great Parch.[22a][26a]
Culture
The peoples of Ghyran are called as Ghyranites. They are known to be a pragmatic and forward-thinking people who revel in life magic. They tend to integrate the natural world into their settlements, either by using magic to shape various woodlands, forest or jungles into defensive walls and buildings. Or by building great garden districts and cultivating plant life within cities made of brick and stone, merging civilization and nature. With Greywater Fastness being the only known exception.[21] [22]
Fashion in the realm is represented with colors often associated with Ghyran. Browns and greens are common, But other colors are known to be favored, such as the yellow of spring roots, red and orange of autumn, white and icy blue of winter. For the turning of the seasons effects this realm more then others.[21] [22]
History
Age of Myth
The goddess Alarielle creates the Sylvaneth, sowing soul pods singing the Spirit Song as she did so, which still echoes and guides her children. [6]
Age of Chaos
- The War of Life: Nurgles war to conquer the Realm of Ghyran and the Sylvaneth fight to preserve their lives, world and goddess, for as the Queen of the Radiant Wood fares - so does her people and realm.[6]
- The last remnant of the Oak of Ages, rotten at its core lands in the Drydenwald turning it into the Rotwater, the first the first of Nugle's footholds into the realm.[7g]
- Nurgle invades the realm of Ghyran in force. At first the Sylvaneth and their goddess do not stand alone as glades in other realms send multitudes of warriors to aid them.[6]
- Rotblight destroys the Spire of Emerald Dreams[6]
- The City of Fronds is razed.[6]
- Twelve sons of Druthu are dispatched into the Realm of Ulgu to seek out a weapon to turn the tide.[6]
- Nurgle creatures - crawling worms eat through the Pristine Heart and dreaming Lilandry is ruined.[6]
- Alarielle plants the seed of Drycha[6]
- Rotbringers lay siege to the greatest stronghold of the Gnarlroot Glade, the Silvered Glade. They are defeated but at great cost to the Sylvaneth.[6]
- More and more human tribes fall to despair and begin venerating the Plaguefather, The Blackstone tribes shamans are infested with blight-worms and turn on their allies before the Ironthorn Wall, summoning daemons of their new god to sweep the Sylvaneth away. [6]
- The Lady of Vines leads a strong Sylvaneth force to recover the Tear of Grace from Slaaneshi cultist in the ruins of Ghoremfel. [6]
- Over the following centuries, the Realmgates fell to Chaos and the realm and its defenders fight on without aid, as slowly but surely their world was infested and polluted.[6]
- Alarielle retreats to her sanctuary of Athelwyrd, weary and dispairing.[6]
Age of Sigmar
- The Realm of Life began to flicker virginal white against the infested entropy as the Age of Sigmar began.[7c]
- The Glottkin order a new assault on the Greenglades, this one led by Blightmage Kraderblob, they are forstalled by illusionary magics and sylvaneth ambushes.[7d]
- After seeing the despairful state of Ghyran, Sigmar sent many Stormhosts, hoping to rouse Alarielle to war, or at least avenge her realm.[16]
- The Hallowed Knights are cast down to secure the Gates of Dawn Realmgate slaughtering Lord Grelch and his Ghyrtribe.[7e]. However the Gate opens and the Great Unclean One Bolathrax comes forth to challenge them with many daemons as well as Skaven flowing out of a gnaw-hole. The Stormcast are hard pressed until the Sylvaneth join them and together they win the battle.[7g]
- Stormcast arrive at the hidden vale of Athelwyrd but Alarielle refuses to meet them. [7f]
- Torglug the Despised discovers Athelwyrd and Alarielle is forced to flee, Sylvaneth and Stormcast alike giving their lives to safeguard her. He pursues her across the realm, crossing the Sea of Serpents into the jade kingdom of Blackstone, Her remaining defenders flee onward, the goddess now trasnformed into a Soul-Pod carried by the Lady of Vines. [11]
- The Knights Excelsior join the fight as the fugitives head for Blackstone Summit and although Troglug nearly claims his prize, the Celestant-Prime arrives to save the goddess who is planted in the bloodsap of her most devoted servant.[11]
- Alarielle is reborn in her war form and her spirit-song sings out across the realms – reigniting the War of Life.[6]
- In the Nevergreen Mountains, Sigmar sends a large force to cleanse the Hexwood of beastmen and free Sylvaneth soul-pods hostages. [8b]
- Battle at the Genesis Gate: The Stormcast Eternals and the Sylvaneth assaulted the fortress known as the Ring of Corruption to seal shut the Genesis Gate, cutting off the realm of Ghyran from the Allpoints.[13]
Locations
The Everspring Swathe
- For more information see: Everspring Swathe
Greywater Reach
A swampy region inhabited by bog-grot tribes, before its resources were plundered to build the Greywater Fastness, including a deposit of Ghyran Realmstone that made the city possible. Due to the deforestation in this area caused by the expansion of the city, the sylvaneth came to blows with their allies.[4c]
- Greywater Fastness: This towering stronghold of ironclad walls, roaring furnaces, and cannon batteries was built by the Ironweld engineers.[3]
Jade Kingdom of the Greenglades
A woodland realm that came under repeated attack by the forces of Nurgle in the Age of Chaos, sickness rolling in with disease tainted fog banks.[7d]
- Shimmertarn: A massive and ornately carved stone from which flows many purifying streams.[7d]
Jade Kingdom of Verdia
- Hammerhal Ghyra: Half of the city of Hammerhal built around the Stormrift Realmgate, that connects to the other side in Aqshy, Hammerhal Aqsha.[4a]
- Nevergreen Mountains: the Hexwood cloaks its slopes and all its trees are swathed in corruption – at its heart is a flux-cairn raised by the servants of Tzeentch. Tzaangor guard its depths and are quick to threaten the soulpods within the cairn to forestall any attacks by the Sylvaneth or their goddess.[8a][8b]
- Scabrous Sprawl: A daemon haunted wasteland.[8b]
Jade Kingdom of Verdantia
Jade Kingdom of Thyria
- The Living City: A city forged by the Alarielle made from great bulwarks of entwined ironoak and bedrock, fortified with thorn-studded vines.[3][4b]
- Hollow Forest: A forest of ghost-elms and sighing willows around The Living City.[4b]
Phoenicium
The Phoenicium is an ancient metropolis suffused with the power of Ghyran and stands as a symbol of rebirth.It's found at the base of the Arborean Mountain.[3]
Other Locations
- Hidden Vale of Athelwyrd: Alarielle's hidden sanctuary she used to guide the Hidden Wars.[7f]
- Demesnus: Once one of the greatest cities of the southern part of the realm, it is now mainly known as a fish market supplying cities such as Hammerhal.[20]
- Drydenwald[7g]
- Ghyrtract Fen: Found near the Rotwater where the Gates of Dawn where located before their destruction.[7e]
- Rotwater: A swamp that releases disease-ridden fogs into the surrounding landscape. Created when a fragment of the Oak of Ages collided with Ghyran and the first place of the realm to feel Nurgle's touch.[7g]
- Great Marsh: A marsh that was transformed by influence of Nurgle into a sprawling monstrosity and a crawling plague that swallowed mountain ranges whole during the Age of Chaos.[7b]
- Isles of Rain: Isles whose waters were turned rancid by the influence of Nurgle during the Age of Chaos.[7b]
- Landshoals: Since Alarielle banished the Glottkin from the lands around the Genesis Gate, the waters of the Landshoals have flowed pure, bringing the cycles of abundant life to those with the skill to channel them.[5]
- Living Orchard: A location where Corpsys Bule planted the living and reaped their rot.[12]
- Living Plains: A pair of vast continents seperated by the World Chasm, much of which has been destroyed by Ironjawz under Megaboss Zogbak [13]
- Province of the Ivy King[7d]
- Rhyran: A forest realm withered by the Plague Legions of Bolathrax.[7h]
- Shimmerfalls of Gloriphus: A series of floating isles that sent shimmering waterfalls filled with life energy cascading down to the forest realms below. Nurgle corrupted many of the floating isles to spread poison instead.[7a]
- Talbion: One of the small Jade Kingdoms comprised of a floating isle.[7f]
- Verdant Bay: Before the Age of Chaos it was home to a cluster of port cities, but was claimed by the Nurgle worshippers led by the Order of the Fly, it was reclaimed after hard fighting by the Hallowed Knights.[18]
- Verdant Palace: From where Alarielle ruled Ghyran throughout the Realm of Myths.[7f]
- Wandering Mountains: They roam the realm of life and are home to the Baeldrag Fyreslayer lodge who protect them from the Skaven who seek to mine their depths [15]
- Writhing Weald: An ancient wood that is guided by Drycha Hamadreth rather than Alarielle and had one of the Eight Lamentations buried at its heart, tainitng it.[17]
Realmgates
- Genesis Gate: The Arcway of Ghyran, providing access to the Allpoints.[13]
- Festermere Realmgate: A Realmgate in the Greywater Reach in Ghyran from where the builders of the Greywater Fastness led by the architect Valius Maliti came from.[4c]
- Stormrift Realmgate: A realmgate that connects the Realm of Ghyran to the Realm of Aqshy. Before the Age of Sigmar, many Orruks tribes used the realmgate in their savage migrations, until the Hammers of Sigmar purged the surroundings lands of greenskin influence during the Realmgate Wars. A City of Sigmar grew on both sides of this gate and was named after the heroes that made this possible, the Hammerhal.[4a]
- Five Gates of Ghyran: Streams of contagion and grasping tentacles sprouted forth from the archway to these Realmgates.[7c]
- Gates of Dawn: A gate that led once led to the Realm of Aqshy but was corrupted so it led to the Garden of Nurgle instead and was subsequently destroyed when the Great Unclean One Bolathrax fell on top of it.[7e]
- Gates of Chogkorr: A corrupted gateway to Khorne's domain, used to send eight times eight legions to Ghyran.[9]
- Gate of Weeds: Located in the Verdant Bay, the Order of the Fly built the Third Circle, one of the three sargasso-citadels above and around it.[18]
- Living Gate: A Realmgate liberated by the Knights of the Aurora.[7i]
Inhabitants
- Aelves
- The Khelt Nar Sect of the Daughters of Khaine has a Stronghold-temple in the Valley of the Oracle's Eye. [25a]
- Duardin
- Baeldrag Lodge: Scions of the famed Vostarg lodge, these fyreslayers protect the Wandering Mountains from the Skaven and in turn are carried around the Realm by the living peaks.[15]
- Root-Kings: A proud, but shy folk that delved deep underground, rarely surfaced and only to trade.[10]
- Humans
- Order of the Furrow: A knightly order dedicated to the Lady of Leaves (Alarielle) before the Age of Chaos began and who still serve her in the Age of Sigmar.[17]
- The Foresters - a tribe in the Nevergreen Mountains who worship the Lady of Leaves, an aspect of Alarielle.[8b]
- Skaven
- Clan Snirk of the Clans Moulder [23a]
- Sylvaneth
- Tzaangors
- Thornhoof Warflock - they captured Soul-Pods from the Sylvaneth in the Nevergreen Mountains.[8b]
Magic
The Realmsphere Magic and spells associated with the realm of Ghyran are known as Jade Spells.[26b][26c]
Trade
- The spice trade between Aqshy, Ghyran, and Chamon has become extremely lucrative. With Dawnspice, Daggerbite, and powdered Gheist-chilies frequently appearing in the larger markets of all three realms.[26a]
Quotes
The world was fair, in ancient days. Forests rose, one upon the next, tumbling upwards forever into jade skies, and the sounds of life were as the songs of minstrels, echoing between the glens without cease. Then came the Withering Season, and the Cruel Gardener. With his pitted scythe, Nurgle reaped life and made the air and waters foul. His slaves sowed sickness, planting a crop of plague-seeds which fester even now, in darkling vales
'~Bramble-Maiden to Sir Roggen of the Ghyrwood March.[17] |
Sources
- 1: White Dwarf Issue 75 4 July 2015, The Nine Realms
- 2: White Dwarf Issue 76 11 July 2015, this Week in White Dwarf
- 3: Season of War website
- 4: Season of War gaming aid from the WH AoS app.
- 5: General's Handbook 2017, pg. 45
- 6: Battletome: Sylvaneth (2016)
- 7: Mighty Battles
- 7a: The War of life, pg. 42-43.
- 7b: The Spread of Nurgle, pg. 172-173
- 7c: From the Heavens, pg. 170-171
- 7d: Ambush in the Greenglades, pg. 174-183
- 7e: Before the Gates of Dawn, pg. 188-193
- 7f: At the heart of Ghyran, pg. 194-195
- 7g: Where strides Bolathrax, pg. 198-207
- 7h: The Plague Legions, pg. 197
- 7i: pg. 78
- 8: Hammerhal & Other Stories
- 8a: Dark God's Laughter
- 8b: Hammerhal by Josh Reynolds
- 10: Eight Lamentations: Spear of Shadows
- 10a: Chapter 6: Tools of the Maker
- 11: The Realmgate Wars: Balance of Power
- 12: Call of Archaon, Beneath the Black Thumb
- 13: The Realmgate Wars: All-Gates
- 14: Battletome: Ironjawz (2016) - Across the World Chasm, pg. 66-68
- 15: Battletome: Fyreslayers (2016) - Fyreslayers of the Realms
- 16: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2015), pg. 17-20
- 17: The Tainted Axe (short story) by Josh Reynolds
- 18: Plague Garden (novel) by Josh Reynolds
- 19: Grand Alliance: Order, pg. 86
- 20: Hallowed Knights: Ghosts of Demesnus (short story) by Josh Reynolds
- 21: White Dwarf: Vol.3 No 31. The Realm of Life, pg.44
- 22: Age of Sigmar: Core Book (2nd Edition)
- 22a: The Great Parch, pg. 86-89
- 23: Battletome: Skaven (2019)
- 23a: The Clans Moulder, pg. 28
- 24: Blacktalon: First Mark (novel) by Andy Clark
- 25: Inferno! Volume 4
- 26: Soulbound Core Rulebook,