Cynara is a large island, which is home to the Cynaran people. It located off the northern coast of Iskandar, in the Sea of Vaas.
As part of the kingdom of Iskandar, the island is densely populated, with many cities and towns; Its largest city is the seaport of Cyrenica.
Because of its bloody history of Variag raids, Iskari invasions, and civil wars, the isle has many fortification Today, however, the island is a quiet and peaceful.
Cynara is also home to the Veiled Society, whose fortress of Erôn Khorlöth is located at the eastern edge of the Forbidden Forest, overlooking the large seaport of Swanford.
Politically, the island is divided into three Duchies: Cynara, Deroshar, and Silverdeep, which are then sub-divided into 16 different smaller Baronies.
The climate here is cool most of the year, with bitterly cold winters, and even cool summers.
The waters around the island are cold even in the summer months, and choked with large icebergs during the winter.
Based on its climate and history, the folk of the island have a well-deserved reputation as hardy souls.
Local History
Long Ago, the Isle of Cynara was once home to the ancient Cynaran kingdom of Urland; an influential independent kingdom that existed in the late Third Age.
Urland was populated by early Vaas tribes called the Cynarans; a fierce and war-like people.
When the first Iskari settlers landed at Wyn Falas, Urland controlled not only the Isle of Cynara, but most of present-day Iskandar and Derianor.
At that time, Urland was ruled by a fierce and proud leader named King Narmacil Redmond.
By the late Third Age, Urland was an expanding regional power, but faced its largest threat; the Iskari.
In the fateful year of 1137/3, Ilnavel Cyrenäe landed at Wyn Falas with his fleet of 1,000 ships. Soon the Iskari began expanding across the entire Westvale Island.
Ironically, that same year, Narmacil completed a great fortress in the southern foothills of the Crystalpeak Mountains.
For nearly forty years, Narmacil waged war against the Iskari invaders, until his death at the Battle of Swanford in 1171/3.
After that defeat, the surviving Cynarans bent the knee, and his descendants became forever known as the "Kings Without a Crown.'
After the Battle of Swanford, the kingdom of Urland was conquered by the Ilnavel Cyrenäe and became absorbed into the newly-created Iskari kingdom of Iskandar, Urland was re-named the Duchy of Cynara, and has remained a Iskari vassal state ever since.
Even today, the Redmonds remain a powerful noble House in Iskandar, and Castle Redmond stands as a legacy to the power of that ancient kingdom.
Centuries later, the royal line of the Redmond family died out, and the Duchy of Cynara came to be led the noble House of Strongfist.
King Ilnavel renamed the Cynaran capital city of Karstad when he captured the city. It then became known as Cyrenica, a name it still carries today.
Role in the Iskari Civil War
In the year 1068/4, King Ilcanar Cyrenäe II of Iskandar was poisoned by Alokkair’s agents, leaving no rightful heir, and Foehammer; the King's Elanthir sword was stolen from Erôn-Wyntharë.
At that time, the Duchy of Cynara was led by Lord Teraxas Strongfist, a powerful Cynaran noble who bitterly resented his Iskari overlords.
Fueled by Alokkair’s treachery, Lord Teraxas, along with the Dukes of Rhoyden and Vharia, rebelled against the Onyx Throne, sparking the bloody Iskari Civil War. For the next twenty years, a terrible conflict raged between the opposing factions before King Irenicus Blackburn finally crushed the rebellion was in the year 1087/4.
Irenicus then broke the island into the four small Duchies: Cynara, Deroshar, and Silverdeep, which from then on, were ruled by loyal, hand-picked Iskari Lords.
For decades after the war, the island's population remained bitter enemies with their Iskari overlords, and only time healed those deep wounds.
The capital of Cynara was the city of Karstad