Realm of Hysh
| Mortal Realms: | Aqshy • Azyr • Chamon • Chaos • Ghur • Ghyran • Hysh • Shyish • Ulgu |
|---|
The Realm of Hysh, also known as the Realm of Light, is one of the eight Mortal Realms. Hysh is a realm where reason and symmetry rule, and where purity endures the touch of Chaos. The lands of the realm are rife with symbolism and hidden meaning.[1] Before the Age of Chaos, Hysh and Ulgu, the Realm of Shadow, were known as the Mirror Realms, each said to be an opposing reflection of the other.[5]
Contents
Symbol
The Rune that is used to represent the Realm of Hysh is known as the Serpent of Light but shows Hysh mounted above the wheel of magic, representing that the realm is the most magically powerful. The symbol is that of a serpent and is often used by the people of Hysh as a decorative and protective device on jewellery, weapons and clothing. [20a]
Characteristics
A reality of radiant illumination, The realm of Hysh is a place of enlightenment and revelation. The embodiment of light, truth, purity and wisdom. The lands themselves reveal hidden truths to the unwise and uplift the ignorant to higher knowledge. While the geomantic spirits of the realm seek to guide mortals to a higher state of being. [20a]
Called the ten paradises and bathed in sempiternal light, The realm is split into ten immeasurable mega-continents layered in the shape of the Serpent of Light. [20a]
Culture
The peoples of Hysh are enlightened, perfectionist and high-thinking. They ever seek to reach a higher state of enlightenment, intellectual debates are commonplace and meditation is a daily practice. Hysh has some of the most talented practitioners of the arcane arts than any of the other Mortal Realms, many of the realm's peoples fully embracing the use of magic. While many others seek to master the arts of war and combat, the realm's martial orders endeavouring to reach ever-higher levels of militant might and combat prowess. Philosophy, theology, scholarship and the other intellectual disciplines are also well-loved. [20a]
The use of aetherquartz is commonplace for the people of Hysh.[20a]
Fashion in the realm is represented with the colours often associated with Hysh, White and Silver.[20a]
History
Age of Myth
Tyrion and Teclis awoke from a long enchanted slumber in the realm of Hysh. The two brothers understood without knowing how that Hysh was theirs to shape as well as to protect and serve. Tyrion and Teclis searched the realm for their people, the aelves, but found no sign of them. In time the two encountered Sigmar and learned that aelves were unknown in the realms outside the city of Azyrheim. The two aelven deities agreed to join Sigmar's pantheon.[1]
Teclis builds the city of Léiriú as a haven for the souls he had claimed from Slaanesh but when he began to weave spells to cure them of their darkness, many died and the survivors fled becoming the Idoneth Deepkin [23a]
More successful was the retrieval and rehabilitation of the aelves who would become the Lumineth who spread across all the Paradises save Haixiah, whose glaring perfection mortal minds were not meant to endure.[23a]
Age of Chaos
Eventually, however, competition between mystics and luminaries turned to bitter rivalry, fuelled by the whispers of the bound Slaanesh and in a shockingly short time, all of these Great Nations fell into darkness.[23a]
Ocari Dara the survivors call it, the Spirefall - where Daemons poured through the cracks the Lumineth carved into their realm as they unleashed their magics upon one another.[23a]
Though Chaos engulfed all the Mortal Realms, Hysh retained some of its former purity.[1]
Teclis managed to commune with the spirit of Celennar, the glorious moon of Hysh, bringing it and its wisdom to the shattered people. Together they taught the repentant Lumineth how to contact the spirits of the Realm — its mountains, its rivers, its winds, its very sky — and how to enter into spiritual pacts with them. The most dedicated became the Aelementiri, gaining wisdom and supernatural abilities.[23a]
Age of Sigmar
The nations of the Lumineth endure, but still suffer many attacks and invasions by the forces of Chaos and although the Necroquake boosted the power of many of the guardian spirits it has also unleashed countless predatory spells to roam the realm. To save lands that have been crumbling since the Spirefall, grand rituals are performed to brand mile-long symbols into their realm. [23a]
Locations
Ten Paradises
The Realm is divided into ten continents known as the Ten Paradises. Xintil is at the centre, with the other eight continents around it and Hiaxiah ringing their edges. Each is part of the Lumineth Empire.[16][22]
- Alumnia: A militaristic nation that follows the teachings of Tyrion [22]
- Aurathrai: A militaristic nation that follows the teachings of Tyrion[22]
- Helon: A militaristic nation that follows the teachings of Tyrion. [22]
- Haixiah: A Uncanny land, where even the fjords are rimmed with precise fractal shapes. None live here. [22]
- Iliatha: A matriarchal Teclian nation following the teachings of Teclis. [22]
- Oultrai: A militaristic nation that follows the teachings of Tyrion. [22]
- Syar: A Teclian nation following the teachings of Teclis. [22]
- Xintil: Where Teclis first awoke, and populated by Sigmar worshippers and other non-aelves.[22]
- Ymetrica: A Teclian nation following the teachings of Teclis. [22]
- Zaitrec: A Teclian nation following the teachings of Teclis. [22]
Other Locations
Locations whose placement on the Ten Paradises is unknown:
- Chasm of Shattered Questions: In the Age of Sigmar, the entire order of Grey Seers gather here for thirteen days and thirteen nights, all underlings kept away by a gathering of Verminlords. [17a]
- Dreaming Tombs: Because of the wars of the Age of Sigmar, the flesh-eater courts, spread out from here.[11]
- Dreaming Plains: Where the Seraphon built the geometric tower.[10]
- Glass Mountains: A group of mountains where Tzeentch's followers erect altars.[7]
- Gealus Ocean: Great ocean of the realm; the first of the Idoneth Deepkin were settled there by Teclis[15]
- Léiriú, the Bright Haven is a city of Hysh. [20a]
- Lykerna: A human city of Tyrion worshippers destroyed by the Khornate warlord Graunos.[8]
- Nochseed: A city notable for its martial colleges and the Cypher Lords. [19]
- Plain of Sigils: Each new dawn these vast salt plains are swept into ridges and dunes that, from above, form the sigils of Lord Pha's hermetic priesthood, granting boons to those who prove worthy.[6]
- Pyre of the Phoenix: A crystallised valley full of the still smouldering ashes of the Ur-Phoenix and a place of pilgrimage for the commanders of the Phoenix Temple. [21a]
- Shadow Wastes: Found on the leeward side of the Gloaming Mountains, they were ravaged by the One-Eyed King and his army of Abhorrants.[11]
- Soothsaying Conclaves[10]
- Transient Isles: A floating archipelago containing many aelven sanctuaries. The Dawnspire is located in the smallest of these isles.[9]
- Weaveweld Spire over the Dreaming Vales where stands bastion of the Swifthawk Agents[14]
Realmgates
- Arcway of Hysh: The unnamed realmgate that connects Hysh to the Allpoints.[5]
- Blackpit Realmgate: A realmgate that connects to Ulgu, located at the very bottom of the Crackenmaw Chasm. [20a]
- Crystal Portals: Archaon sabotaged these realmgates with murder spells after learning of Sigmar's attempts to capture them.[13]
Inhabitants
The realm is notable as being the home to a variety of Aelvish cultures as well as some of the greatest cities created by humankind in the Age of Myth.[16] The realm's warriors are well known for using magical crystals of aetherquartz to increase their speed and dexterity whilst scholars can increase their intellect. [20a]
- Aelves
- Duardin
- Thungur Lodge: Fyreslayers who dwell in the glimmering peaks of Lunarest. Huge crystal lenses allow them to focus the lights of the realms ethereal moons to power their forges. [11a]
- Grots
- The Frazzleshun live deep in the Crackenmaw Chasm to escape the powerful and feared the light of the realm. [20a]
- Humans
- Skaven
- Clan Scour: A growing rival to Clan Fang.[17b]
Flora and Fauna
- Glimmerfish[9]
- Ymetrican Longhorn: a robust mountain beast, believed to be immortal. [24a]
Magic
The Realmsphere Magic and spells associated with the realm of Hysh are known as Light Spells.[23b][23c] The spell lore utilized by the Lumineth Realm-lords, which is connected to the realm's power is known as the Lore of Hysh.[24b]
Trade Goods
- Sun-Stone: These stones absorb heat and light and can be used to provide the same. The Katophranes of Shadespire also used them in large War-Golems to produce a destructive beam of light. [18a]
Sources
- 1: Warhammer: Age of Sigmar - Mighty Battles in an Age of Unending War
- 2: The Realmgate Wars: The Quest for Ghal Maraz
- 3: The Realmgate Wars: Balance of Power
- 4: The Realmgate Wars: Godbeasts
- 5: The Realmgate Wars: All-Gates
- 6: General's Handbook 2017, pg. 46
- 7: Age of Sigmar faction guide
- 8: The Prodigal by David Annandale
- 9: Spire of Dawn guide - Tower of Dawn, pg. 2-3
- 10: Battletome: Seraphon (2015)
- 11: Battletome: Fyreslayers (2016)
- 11a: Fyreslayers of the Realms
- 12: Battletome: Flesh-Eater Courts (2016)
- 13: Battletome: Everchosen (2015)
- 14: Grand Alliance: Order, pg. 217
- 15: Battletome: Idoneth Deepkin (2018) - Underwater Empires, pg. 20-23
- 16: Age of Sigmar: Core Book (2nd Edition) - Hysh, Realm of Light, pg. 110-111
- 17: Battletome: Skaven (2019)
- 18: Shadespire: The Mirrored City (novel) by Josh Reynolds
- 18a: Chapter Twelve, pg. 196
- 19: Warhammer Community - New Models
- 20: White Dwarf Vol 3 No 36,
- 20a: The Realm of Light pg. 40-43
- 21: Battletome: Cities of Sigmar (2019)
- 21a: The Phoenix Temple, pg. 42
- 22 Exploring Hysh
- 23: Age of Sigmar Roleplay: Soulbound
- 24: Battletome: Lumineth Realm-lords (2020)
