The homeland of Thyatis is something of a crossroads between the Known World of the Cook Expert set and wider Mystara as described in Dawn of the Emperors. It is one of the older realms of Mystara, having survived for over 1000 years, though not as long as Alphatia, its greatest rival. In both the Dawn of the Emperors set and in this campaign the two main real world inspirations for Thyatis are Imperial Rome and the Byzantine Empire, though of course this is fantasy so I do not feel obliged to stick too closely to these.
To be fair, I had not really paid much attention to Thyatis. Not because I disliked it but simply because other lands caught my attention - the deserts and ruins of Ylaruam, the dwarven strongholds of Rockhome, the classic Basic modules set in Karameikos, the weird wizardry of Alphatia. What does Thyatis have to offer? Upon a closer look, quite a bit.
A Classic Battleground of Law vs Chaos
When I restarted this blog back in 2021 I had this idea of a campaign with PCs fighting against a world-spanning Cult of Chaos. This theme, although no longer the main focus, is still part of my vision of Mystara where, like Moorcock's Eternal Champion and the Warhammer Old World, Law and Chaos struggle for dominance, using mortals as the footsoldiers of these cosmic philosophies. And Thyatis is no exception.
In many ways Thyatis is ostensibly a very lawful society but it has a definite undercurrent of Chaos, the perfect breeding ground for secret subversive cults and malevolent conspiracies. On the one hand Thyatians espouse discipline, efficiency and loyalty, all lawful traits (although in AD&D terms more Lawful Neutral than Lawful Good). Many citizens and governors like the idea of Thyatis functioning as a powerful, effective empire with strong institutions and no crime or rebellion.
But beneath this there is the instinct of every Thyatian for himself. The ambition, the deceit, the willingness to use violence to solve problems both in national foreign policy and in individual matters are all chaotic traits, and if strong enough the person could be tempted to deliberately choose the path of Chaos. Indeed, the trickery and duplicity that Thyatians are infamous for is also a trait that helps Chaos cultists hide their true allegiences and activities.
A Cold War between Thyatis and Alphatia
As I have mentioned before, this blog is using the Gazetteers set at 1000AC, and as such ignores events from Wrath of the Immortals. Alphatia is still a powerful albeit dysfunctional nation ruled by wizards on a continent east of the Isle of Dawn. Thyatis broke away from Alphatia and has fought several wars against it. Although officially the two nations are currently at peace, there is still a lot of tension and small-scale conflict, with secret missions and acts of espionage and sabotage on both sides, while allied nations and colonies are used to determine dominance across Mystara by proxy warfare.Norwold and the Isle of Dawn are the most obvious areas for these lesser conflicts, as seen in the Norwold town of Latella.
Alphatian agents have also reached the Thyatis homeland - given how some of them can teleport great distances without error it is very difficult to keep them out. Some of them are there just to keep an eye on Thyatian troop movements or what is going on in the Senate or the Emperor's court but others have mischief in mind.
Of course the Thyatian government is doing all it can to counter Alphatian aggression and disruption but adventurers could prove their loyalty and usefulness to the Thyatis by thwarting Alphatian schemes. Certain officials in Thyatis City are actually very experienced at recruiting adventurers to assist in this cold war - the fact that they have no official connection to the government can prove useful should the adventurers get caught, fail or break the law.
Social Tensions and Reform within Thyatis
There are things within Thyatis that grate with modern sensibilities, the biggest of which is the practice of slavery. Other realms have ceased this abhorrent practice, such as Karameikos, Darokin, Ierendi and Minrothad. Alphatia only occasionally bothers with slavery - magic has always been a quicker and simpler substitute for human muscle power, though slavery is accepted within the Alphatian Empire.
So it is not surprising that there are elements within Thyatis who are uncomfortable with slavery, and wish to see emancipation, including a group that call themselves the Emancipators. Of course there are others, usually with a financial stake in slavery, who want to maintain the status quo. Others fear what freed slaves might do, while others have become convinced that slavery is necessary for the Thyatian economy and that emancipation would lead to a collapse in production and construction across the Empire.
The gladiatorial fights are a similarly dubious practice within Thyatis, especially those fights to the death. Killing other human beings, even criminals, simply to entertain crowds, is something that many outside Thyatis consider completely immoral. Yet many Thyatians enjoy this ultimate blood sport (from the safety of the spectator seats - the combatants in the arena are less likely to find it entertaining), and some will vigorously defend gladiator fights as being part of Thyatian custom and culture.
Leaving out the questions of slavery and gladiator fights there is still plenty of political intrigue within Thyatis, as different noblemen and different senators have disparate and sometimes conflicting views on how to run the Empire. Some will focus on the military, while others prefer diplomacy or trade or espionage. Many of these nobles and senators will do whatever is best for their own interests rather than the Empire, which usually involves acquiring reputation, money, land and military might, without directly breaking the law or upsetting the Emperor.
The Thyatis Homeland is a Big Place with History
Sure, Thyatis is not as big as Alphatia or the Isle of Dawn, but compared to other realms of the Known World from the Expert Set it is substantial. The map of Thyatis from Dawn of the Emperors is 51 x 8 mile hexes from north to south, or 408 miles - that's only a little smaller than Great Britain. According to various online sources (like this) the population of Thyatis is about 3 million, mostly human but with a few elves and other demihumans. I consider this population to be unevenly distributed, with dense populations around the major cities but also areas of sparse population that are, if not true wilderness then certainly borderlands. Areas such as the Northern Territories where Thyatis is separated from Ylaruam by the Altan Tepes and the rugged hills of Hattias are still infested with monsters and humanoids. Although the Thyatian Army sends expeditions to deal with the most troublesome of these, adventurers are welcome to help out and keep any treasure they find, as long as they leave civilised Thyatians in peace.
Thyatis, like Rockhome, Alphatia and Ylaruam, has a long history, which means a lot of opportunities for ruins and abandoned structures. Across the ten centuries of its existence there will have been rebellions, criminal enterprises, strange cults and feuds between noble families. Many of these events will have left their imprints on geography and society.
- Ochalea
- The Pearl Islands
- Hinterlands of Davania
- Parts of Norwold
- The Eastern side of the Isle of Dawn
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