A stunning symbol of goodly power, and a reminder of the Great Beasts who once fought to save Mythoss from the horrible forces of the Dark Four, the Tower of Four Sides is one of the most recognizable and iconic structures in all the Realm. In this “Lore of Mythoss” article, we will learn more about this incredible structure and the formation of the Legions of Light in the days immediately following the First Great War.
The Legions of Light
Note: the following text contains excerpts of the historical writings to be collected in “Mythic Legions: Rise of the Dark Four, Volume 1”. We have adapted this text for the purposes of this article. A more complete history will be found in the pages of that forthcoming volume.
The denizens of Mythoss were left to forge their own futures. The weapons once wielded by the Great Beasts found their way into the hands of heroic warriors, establishing notable families that would lead what became known as the Legions of Light. The true names of these families are lost to time, as once they accepted the weapons of the Great Beasts, they took the names of those weapons as their surnames, forever tying them into their legacies as protectors of Mythoss.
Gathered together in the aftermath of the First Great War, the leaders of these four new factions decided to split the Realm of Mythoss into distinct sections, each one of these becoming a kingdom that one of the heroic factions would govern and protect.
The Leossyr family had fought bravely alongside the mighty lion, and with the acceptance of his hammer, they took their place at the front of this great army. The first member of this family to wield the hammer was Attarius Leossyr, and he embraced the strong militaristic aspects that Leodysseus had embodied. The faction he led would be called the Army of Leodysseus, the symbol of the great lion emblazoned on the shields and banners they proudly flew.
The Army of Leodysseus claimed the Northwestern section of Mythoss, naming this new kingdom Leandorr. It was here that Attarius would build a great fortress from where his ancestors would rule their piece of Mythoss. Construction on the Fortress of the Guilded Lion was begun under Attarius Leossyr’s rule, but this massive symbol of power would not be completed for many years, for it was Attarius’ grandson, Attamas Leossyr, who saw the final stones laid upon this mighty structure.
To the Northeast of the Realm retreated the assorted Fae who took the name’s Xylona’s Flock. Leading this assembly of magical creatures large and small were a family of Fairie Elves who called themselves the Silverchords, after the great bow which they carried with them.
Nestled between the vast forests of Emberdale and the Greentop, and to the South of the mysterious Whispervale, Xylona’s Flock built the beautiful Castle Silverhorn. With a facade that seemed to be part of the natural landscape itself, this wondrous castle became a haven for any Fae who choose to grace its halls and courtyards with their wisdom and their powers.
The kingdom upon which Castle Silverhorn and the surrounding forests lay became known as Xylernia, and the Silverchord family led their followers with a reverence to the namesake of their faction, as well as to the Great Mother, whose presence was still seen in every instance of Fae magic.
In the distant Southwest corner of the Realm, amidst the imposing Evergray Mountains, the followers of the great serpent, Bassylia, erected a mighty tower in her name. Calling the kingdom Ophidionn, the Convocation of Bassylia built great libraries and places of deep learning around their tower. Unlike the other heroic armies, this faction would not be led by a specific bloodline, but rather by a powerful member of this magical order who would be voted to the position. This leader would take on the mantle of “Serpenspire”, wielding the serpent staff that had been handed to their faction.
The storied schools of magic that were built in Ophidionn trained individuals who had some connection to the well of power that Selyne had allowed these spellcasters access to. Interestingly, the schools were open to all magically-adept individuals, not just those whose loyalties lied within the great serpent’s followers. Students from the other three factions in the Legions of Light made the trek to the Tower of Bassylia to petition to be allowed admission into the school. After a series of tests, those who showed promise were granted this access and the mysteries of the magical world were opened to them.
The final heroic faction in Mythoss was the Order of Eathyron. A holy order founded under the name of the crowned eagle, the followers of this Great Beast forged their kingdom in the Southeast corner of Mythoss, in a land they named Eathyross. It was here that the Order built the Crowned City, at the center of which was Eathyron’s Temple. This testament to faith and purity was constructed under the direction of the pious Heavensbrand family. First led by Sir Gregory Heavensbrand, they believed that the strength of their sword arms should be overshadowed only by the power of the faith they carried in their hearts.
Under the Heavensbrands, the Order of Eathyron flourished, embracing the arts unlike any of the other factions had ever done. Wonderful music, literature, sculptures, and paintings emerged from the Crowned City. The Heavensbrand family became great patrons of these arts, and they encouraged creators to visit Eathyross in the pursuit of their creativity, which the Order believed was divinely given.
Like the Army of Leodysseus, the Order of Eathyron also maintained a discipline in military strategies and training, and the Templars with their red crossed tunics and banners became the standard-bearers for the military might of the Order.
Four sections of Mythoss, each one ruled by representatives of the great armies that helped save the Realm of Mythoss from the evils of the Dark Four. To forever remember the union that these heroic armies had formed to defeat the dark generals, and to have a place where future members of these newly founded factions could gather, a massive structure was raised at the quadripoint where their lands met. Known as the Castle of Four Sides, the central feature of this great stronghold was a tower with the visages of each of the Great Beasts looking down upon the land they once fought for. An imposing reminder of these powerful warriors, the Castle of Four Sides sits as the very center of Mythoss, and some say that within the many corridors of this castle are the secrets of where the Great Beasts went, and perhaps the way to summon them again should their dark adversaries ever become freed from the prisons where they were sent upon their defeat.
The Map of Mythoss
The text above illustrates a history of how Mythoss was divided into the kingdoms we see on today’s map of the Realm. Examining this map, which can be seen below, we see the heroic kingdoms of Leandorr, Xylernia, Ophidionn, and Eathyross. In the center of the Realm, at the very spot where these four kingdoms meet, stands the fabled Castle of Four Sides.
Looking at the Castle, we see that its name iw derived from the shape of the structure itself, which does indeed include a massive 4-sided tower. Each side of this tower features a stone carving representing one of the Great Beasts, and each of these stone beasts looks out upon the land where their followers now govern. Overlooking Leandorr is a stone visage of Leodysseus the lion, while the elder frost deer, Xylona, gazes toward the great forests of Xylernia. Looking out toward Ophidionn is the likeness of the great serpent, Bassylia, and finally the crowned eagle, Eathyron, watches silently over Eathyross.
The Castle of Four Sides was built not only as a reminder of the union that these four heroic forces formed during the First Great War, but also as a neutral site where they would be able to gather in the ages to come. Those heroes of that early age had the foresight to understand that disputes would likely arise, even amongst those with pure intentions for the betterment of the Realm. Having a meeting place where they could gather without any specific faction holding the upper hand was a keen decision made during the creation of the Legions of Light.
Another factor that cannot be underestimated in the design of the Castle of Four Sides is the message it sends to any in Mythoss who would wish to return to the evil ways of the Dark Four. While those horrors were banished from the Realm, some of their followers survived and slunk back to the shadows to tend to their wounds and wait for a chance to rise once again. Having this imposing structure looking out across all four corners of the Realm shows any who would wish to challenge the hard-won peace that their actions will not go unnoticed. The Legions of Light see all, and they will respond to any threat against the peaceful denizens of Mythoss.
Designing the Castle of Four Sides
In a previous “Behind the Scenes” article, we saw some early sketches of the Castle of Four Sides. For the sake of this article’s completeness, we are also including those sketches below.
From this sketch work by Eric Treadaway, Nate Baertsch was then able to draw the stunning artwork shown at the start of this article.
The Castle of Four Sides will also appear in the upcoming “Mythic Legions Tactics: War of the Aetherblade” video game. Below are a handful of images showing some early development work being done on this key location in the Realm of Mythoss.
Returning to the Castle
The ancient evils of Mythoss have started to return. Arethyr has been recalled from his banishment, weakening the barriers that were put in place to keep the Dark Four away. The vampiric goddess, Illythia, emerged back into the Realm next, followed by the diseased presence that is Poxxus. With three of the four evils now back before their dark armies, it is only a matter of time before the fourth and final horseman returns and the Legions of Dark are reunited.
Of course, the heroes of the Legions of Light are not sitting idly by as this threat returns to Mythoss. Heroic armies are taking up arms and marching. Years of peace shattered, the leaders of these noble armies will return to the great war room of the Castle of Four Sides. This testament to the goodly might of Mythoss will once again act as more than symbol, for from this great castle the Legions of Light will defend their homes as they seek to destroy the threat of the Dark Four once and for all.
Published on 06.15.22