Kryn Dynasty

Dominating the northern reaches of Xhorhas the lands of the  were covered in dark clouds that blotted out the sun.

Description
Tales told by Yasha's people describe the civilization of Kryn Dynasty to be situated within a massive forbidden ruin that the drow had settled. With the use of magic their civilization was kept perpetually shrouded from the sun.

Background
Most of the Kryn Dynasty were drow. Brethren alongside all elves until their minds were swayed and corrupted by the terrible silvered tongue of The Spider Queen. Under her will they became deceptive, cruel and violent. When the Betrayer Gods were defeated and banished during the Calamity, the drow returned to their subterranean cities to rebuild their power far from the burning light of day.

Studies into current drow society across Exandria point to growing paranoia and madness seeping in from what is believed to be the influence of Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion by proximity to remnants of his power deep beneath the surface that have grown close to these socieites. Whispers and rumours point to these societies going slowly mad due to this influence.

Those able to penetrate the boundries of the Kryn Dynasty's borders find little iconography of either The Spider Queen or Tharizdun except some ruins that are ancient, crumbling and largely ignored by their society. The Dynasty instead worshipped something new and dangerous known as the Luxon and seek to bring all under its burning banner.

They rallied to the surface of Ghor Dranas, casting the skies into eternal midnight that spreads with their dominion. They began taking the ravenous hordes of beastmen and terrors of the Xhorhasian wastes and indoctrinate them under this new god.

On occasion, a number of people of adolescent age have been found abducted by the Kryn. The number steeply grew in the years after their first open conflicts with the Dwendalian Empire began.

Kryn operatives attacked the Zauber Spire and stole a Beacon that was being kept there. The tower collapsed.

Despite having many open conflicts with the on the Xhorhasian border, all out war between the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire did not begin in earnest until Thuron stole the Beacon from the Hall of Erudition in Zadash as part of a detailed plan from Empress Leylas Kryn. It was taken from him when he was killed by the Crownsguard in the Sewers. The Mighty Nein stole the Beacon from the Crownsguard as they were taking Thuron's body away.

On the third of Fessuran 835 P.D. word had reached Starosta Wyatt of Zadash that The Ashguard Garrison at the Brokenveil Bluffs had fallen to the Kryn Dynasty. With accounts numbering the dead at over 1000, war had been formally declared against the invading forces and on the wastes of Xhorhas. These advancing armies brought with them the spread of dark skies which hung over the Kryn lands to the east of the Ashkeeper Peaks.

The Mighty Nein learned that Kryn Dynasty soldiers attacked Felderwin after finding a way to travel underneath the mountains of the Ashkeeper Peaks.

The Mighty Nein traveled to Felderwin to investigate the Kryn attack. The soldiers came up from a tunnel under the ground, set several buildings and fields on fire, then left. An apothecary owned by Nott's friend Yeza was kidnapped one of the buildings burned down. When they investigated the ruins, the Mighty Nein found that Yeza had been working with the Cerberus Assembly to study Dunamancy. The research notes they found talked about Kryn experiments in Ghor Dranas to use Dunamancy in battle. The experiments involved a Beacon like the one the Mighty Nein took from Thuron.

The Mighty Nein, having completed the task for Lady Zethris Olios involving investigating the source of the rifts to the Abyss spawning in Asarius, sought a favour from the Bright Queen as payment. They met with the Bright Queen in Rosohnas, but things quickly went awry as their nature as people from the Empire was revealed. Before they were captured, and potentially killed, Caleb Widogast opted to reveal to the Bright Queen their possession of the Beacon, presenting it to her while saying he was "a child of the Empire, but no friend to the Empire." This revelation stunned all present, and the Bright Queen said this brought them hope, calling the Mighty Nein heroes to the Kryn.

Notable Locations

 * Asarius- also known as the "City of Beasts". See main article Asarius.
 * Ghor Dranas- capital of the Kryn Empire.
 * Rosohnas

Demographics
The Kryn Dynasty was comprised mostly of drow.

Notable People

 * Leylas Kryn: Drow Empress of the Dynasty.
 * Zethris Olios: Drow Lady supervising the city of Asarius.
 * Thuron: Drow Assassin sent by Leylas Kryn to steal a Beacon from Zadash.
 * Sunbreaker Ulumon

Culture
Being slavers, the drow of the Kryn Dynasty would use man, beast, and demons for labor and would use them to fight under their war banner.

Military
Soldiers and assassins from the Kryn Dynasty wore chitinous insect-like leather armor that protruded in large sweeping hooks at the joints and the shoulders. Additionally they wore form-fitting helmets of similar black leather that had onyx studs wrapped around the head. The brow plate of these helmets had backwards facing horns, looking almost demonic. Kryn Dynasty soldiers additionally wear metal cups as part of their uniform.

"Crick"
As referenced in the semi-historical portions of The Courting of the Crick, this derogatory slur use against those from Xhorhas by those of the Julous Dominion, and later by those in the Dwendalian Empire, originated from the cricket-like noise the armor worn by the soldiers of the Kryn Dynasty made when they charged into battle. Designed with tubes and holes, the armor would make a high-pitched sound like an orchestral swarm of crickets rushing into battle.

Dunamancy
War mages of the Kryn Dynasty use a school of magic called Dunamancy. Very little is known about this school of magic outside of Xhorhas. The Kryn Dynasty's experiments in Dunamancy focus on manipulation of gravity, entropy, and time.

Religion
The drow of the Kryn Dynasty worship an unfamiliar deity referred to by The Cobalt Soul as the "Luxon". The drow seek to bring all of Xhorhas under its "Burning Banner". Followers of the Luxon use the phrase "Light be with you" as a farewell.

Artifacts

 * Beacon

Trivia

 * Empress Leylas Kryn's title as an "umavi" is speculated to be one of both political and religious significance (similar to the role of a caliph in the early Islamic world).