The World of Labyrinth

And who will you be, little one? Hmm? I cannot read your future in the stars, but with your whole life ahead of you — oh, the possibilities! Perhaps the Northern Empress will make you a duchess for saving him in battle? No, rather you will travel south to Kholeis, to that city all the world desires, and learn of both heaven and the earth to serve in the Imperial bureaucracy. That does not suit you? Well, as a Wildborn I think you would do rather well in the Land of Endless Sky. A learned philosopher, perhaps? Settle instead in Dolom, and you might achieve a great work of art to please the citizens of that magnificent city. Oh, how I see you reach even past them towards Ezu. I do not think they will welcome you there, though I see your potential plain — perhaps you will take well to their fighting arts. Or perhaps none of these will suit you at all? Well, there is always the open road. It has been as welcoming a home as any to me.

— The words of the landless mage Domitia, on discovering a young Wildborn.

Labyrinth is set in the world of Thyslann, centred on the lands surrounding the Inner Sea, formed at the junction of two continents — Zong-Di Shao in the west and Eosena in the east.

Hover over the map below to discover the various states…

There are five major overworld states in the world of Labyrinth. These are the biggest players in this part of the world and the main factions interested in the Labyrinth itself. This is an overview of each state to give you a broad idea of what they are like.

You can see more details about each of them by following the link to their page. This is useful if you plan to play a character from that state, but by no means necessary!

Also called the Divine Empire of Tharena.

One half of the former Tharenan Empire which split apart 700 years ago. The Northern Empire is a patchwork of semi-independent feudal states, a hotbed of political intrigue and a land of opportunity where even a lowly peasant could rise up to become an Empress (and at least one has in the past). The Empire is ruled by a Senior and Junior Empress from a series of imperial capitals, seeking to deal with local crises and keep the ambitious and bickering Duchesses loyal. At each level, its people seek glory and recognition, from peasants aspiring to be Knights, Knights seeking to impress a Duchess or Empress, and the Duchesses coveting the imperial throne or independence from it.

With the Labyrinth opening up, the Empress seeks the ancient Crown of Horns to fully legitimise the Northern Empire against the Southern, and the people of the Empire know that fame, fortune and immensely powerful relics within can only bolster their own agendas.

For more information, see here.

Also called the Tharenan Empire.

The other half of the former Tharenan Empire which split 700 years ago. The Southern Empire continues to be ruled by the ancient Dragonblooded families and is built around a complex and intricate bureaucracy. The imperial family ruling the Southern Empire can claim direct descent from the first Empress of Tharena, Kallia Vere. Countless thousands across the empire sit exams in the hope of joining the imperial bureaucracy and being involved in some part of the state's function. It is a necessary machine to marshal the many resources of the empire, feeding its armies, collecting its taxes and keeping its citizens aimed against the empire's enemies.

The Crown of Horns has only ever sat on the head of Kallia and her heirs, and the Southern Empire does not intend to allow any others to claim it.

For more information, see here.

One of, if not, the oldest societies whose culture and practices were not absorbed or changed by the Tharenan Empire or its predecessors. The society is divided into a fairly rigid caste system, with a priest caste symbolically at its pinnacle, though true political power is exercised primarily by the servant caste. Located within a forbidding mountain range, it is challenging to reach for even the most experienced travellers, leading to the culture of the plateau becoming highly insular.

While the Ezu Plateau rarely involves itself in the affairs of outsiders, the re-emergence of the Labyrinth and the promise of many relics have drawn their eye. In particular, their priest caste makes heavy use of a rare resource which they call the Divine Medium, believed to exist in unusually high quantities within the Labyrinth.

For more information, see here.

Once a group of disparate nomadic tribes, The Land of Endless Sky was united by The Great First Emperor and formed into a powerful force to rival the greatest empires of the world. Most people still live in their original nomadic tribes, but many people flock to the Imperial City from which Emperor Tai-An rules the land and flaunts the wealth of the Tai-An Tribe. It is a land filled with warriors, scholars, and artists. It is also one of the few places where Wildborn can have high social status.

Now that the Labyrinth has been revealed, the People of Sky are headed to the entrance to help the Southern Empire find the Crown of Horns. They hope this will strengthen the alliance being formed between the Land of Endless Sky and the Southern Empire through the betrothal of Princess Tai-An Aolin to the Princess of the Southern Empire.

For more information, see here.

Dolom is an independent city state formed in the splintering of the Tharenan Empire, acting as a hub for traders, craftspeople, and diplomats the world over. Its citizens enjoy a great many rights and privileges within the city: rights which can be earned by anyone, no matter their lineage.

The re-emergence of the Labyrinth represents a great opportunity for profit for many traders based in Dolom, but a great risk for the city itself. With the shifting balance of power, many people from Dolom are keen to ensure that the outcome maintains the city's precarious independence.

For more information, see here.

The people living in the upper few floors of the Labyrinth have also divided into states, though on a much smaller scale than above ground. Remote players must be from the Labyrinth factions. In-person players can create a character from the Labyrinth if they would like, but are asked to be mindful of the balance of characters from different states. PCs not from the Labyrinth will know little or nothing about the Labyrinth factions before the game starts.

For more information, see here.