Duskyon

Duskyon is one of the 7 provinces or archonates within the High Kingdom of Daelyria. Its capital is the mountain valley city of Frostarch, located in the Midlands Valley in central Helmia. Its current governor is Alpha Kaerfels. The name Duskyon comes from the Daelyrian term "-yon", meaning land/province, combined with the name of the former Grand Duke of the region, Dusk Synderys. It borders the archonates of Illeryon, Greater Halond and Kastollia.

The province is a successor to the Grand Duchy of Duskyon, part of the First Kingdom of Daelyria and after that Mithra and the Helmian Federation. During the old Daelyrian times Dusk Synderys was Grand Duke. After the Daelyrian annexation of Baykonia and Astoria through Arcovel Dusk would rule the Principality of Daelyria and gave the title of ruler of Duskyon to Tonic Mahale. After the fall of Mithra Alpha Kaerfels became High Lord of Duskyon, now without the cities of Vhagaria and Duskopion, and Frostarch as the new Capital. Vhagaria would later be added when the High Kingdom of Daelyria was re-established.

Geography and Biodiversity
Duskyon is a region dominated by hilly woodlands, and has a cool-summer humid continental climate with hot summers and mild winters. The Duskyon climate results from the interaction of both warm and humid maritime air from the west and colder air masses from the north and east. This rugged region has colder winters, with substantial mountain snowfalls, and warmer summers, especially in the lowlands and valleys. Precipitation is adequate to abundant, with a summer maximum. The range between winter and summer temperatures increases southward, while there can be high amounts of participation in the mountains, with snow often lying permanently around high peaks. The Duskopian region has only modest rainfall, but the Midland valley and the shadenwoods in the west experience heavy cyclonic winter, as well as summer, rain.

These humid air currents coming from the west and hitting the Helmepion Mountains and forming a series of creeks, most prominently the Left Kaerys and the Right Kaerys rivers, which eventually unite in the Daelkaerys lake and then into the wet Midnight swamps(divided between the Illeryon and the Duskyon province), seasonally flooding most of the lush swamp planes there.

In the east there comes cold dry air from Najer, while the western humid air is blocked off by the huge Helmepion mountains, resulting in a dry cold climate. This only allows for biomes like alpine tundra, taiga, and sparse woodlands. The Rocky terrain only adds to this. The Vhagaria region is the only exception on this side of the region where green forests intersected with farmlands can thrive, thanks to its proximity to the central Helmian Lake system.

Duskyon's rivers support a variety of avifauna, including but not limited to the Duskyon Eagle (Symbol of the region) and the Northern Kestrel. Duskyon was also once home to the Dragon deer, a species of Deer with huge branching antlers that was unfortunately hunted to extinction around 8000 to 3500 years ago. The highlands of Vhagaryon, to the north east, are rocky grasslands and sparse alpine tundra.

Goverment
Like every province of Daelyria, the Archon is supported not only by his sworn lords but also by a smaller or bigger number of advisors, managers, court officials and other retainers. In the case of Duskyon it may be confusing to distinguish between the local goverment and the royal goverment, as those are located physically at the same place, that being the provincial and national capital of Frostarch, and may overlap. The lords in the Archonate posess domestic autonomy in their respective lordships, but are still considered part of the archonal goverment, but usually also hold their own households, courts and number of retainers and officials.

Notable residents
Some of Duskyon's most notable residents (including those who no longer live in the province) include:


 * Alpha Kaerfels, royal, engineer, politician, polymath and High King of Daelyria, Archon of Duskyon and Lord of Frostarch. Married to Faern Vién de Relmont
 * Spoken Kaerfels, High Priest of Draconism, Royal Scribe and Royal Advisor of Daelyria and Kingsbrother
 * Faern Vién de Relmont, Queen of Daelyria and Lutheress of Lorent, vampire
 * Rhaegar Kaerfels, young son of the King and the Queen, artist
 * Icy Kaerfels, quiet traveller and collector, adopted son of Alpha Kaerfels
 * France Kaerfels, fisherman and noble, living in exile in sparwood, adopted son of Alpha Kaerfels
 * Elyria "El" Kaerfels, merchant from Illerya, having lived in an estate in modern day Midlands until killed by outlaws. Mother of Alpha and Spoken Kaerfels (deceased)
 * Siegfried Eichenbach, merchant from illerya, having lived in an estate in modern day midlands until killed by outlaws. Father of Alpha and Spoken Kaerfels (deceased)
 * Malve Kaerfels, estate owner and farmer from Milet
 * Liana Kaerfels, farmerlady, estate manager and possible smuggler from Milet. Born in Illerya (deceased)
 * Willhelm Ackerstahl, estate owner and niedenean nobleman from Milet (deceased)
 * Havaenar Apisamus, craftsman, noble and lord of Duskopion
 * Skyrox, legendary bartender of Shamrock Tavern and Royal Jester
 * Antoine Koekie de Relmont, brother of the queen, barrister and stewardman
 * Tiberius Vulcanus, Halondian merchant, Castellan of Vhagaria for a short time until assassination (deceased)
 * Kyros Mahale, secretive merchant, nobleman and lord of Vhagaria
 * Tonic Mahale, Archon of Illeryon and founder of Vhagaria, and Chancellor of Daelyria
 * Troll Mahale, short-time castellan of Vhagaria and merchant
 * Skaldron Mahale, noble hedgeknight, farmer and a fisherman
 * Malaedar Kalegos, blacksmith, travelled from the far lands of the east to Frostarch to begin a new life
 * Cheesars Nevaris, Draconist sister, healer, court physician of Duskyon and fiancé of Spoken Kaerfels
 * Valyxes, rich brewery master and fisherman in Frostarch
 * Shade Eptaskia Kaerfels, travelling craftsman, merchant, swordsman and farmowner, his estates and company supplying a big part of Duskyon's potatoes (missing)
 * Dusk Synderys, High Prince and Master of War of Daelyria, highborn noble politician, expert swordsman and schemer. Castellan of Duskopion Castle
 * Daemond Synderys, expert young swordsman and sellsword
 * Silent Whiterose, once noble and estate owner in Duskopion, left daelyria and founded Credia (deceased)
 * Enzo Whiterose, once noble and estate owner in Duskopion, left daelyria and founded Credia
 * Dietrichs Whiterose, former lord of Duskopion, merchant and oligarch (deceased)
 * Macca Whiterose, merchant and skilled brewer from Duskopion, the only Whiterose to stay in Daelyria
 * Sormithiel Argonyr, Lhûren refugee from Aurlûnor Velande, resident of Frostarch
 * Miksa Silverhand, last King of Mithra and corrupt Chancellor of Daelyria (deceased)
 * Lukas Brightflame, merchant, smuggler and criminal, then became baron in the border marches of illeryon but was executed for treason soon after (deceased)
 * Steele Domussanad, born in Frostarch, living most of his life in Halond, would become Archon of Astor, Lord of Arbitor and even High Prince for a time following the helmian civil war, til he died in a horse accident (deceased)
 * Broyo Fireborn Silverhand, patriarch of the Silverhand family, raised in kastollia and lived most of his life in Cliffton, owns a residence in Frostarch
 * Fleym, retainer and farmer in Duskopion (deceased)
 * Deskest Hystrix, also known as the Silverfish or the Oracle of Islerion, lived as fisherman in Duskopion before coming to Islerion
 * Lass Rivers, honourable hedgeknight and worker, bastard son of Spoken Kaerfels (missing)
 * Byron "Zwietracht" "Onion" Rivers, drunkard and hedgeknight, bastard son of Spoken Kaerfels (missing)
 * Neon Belgrave, Savernian nobleman and politician, has a vacation home in Frostarch
 * Dalerac Slavski-Shan, korolian noble who resided in Vederya during war in his homeland
 * Tupolev, craftsman and merchant from Milet
 * Lewys "Lew" Wyne, baker
 * Roland Blackwyne, Commander of the City Watch and Veteran of the battle of Frostarch
 * Armond Osgrey, Stablemaster of Frostarch Keep
 * Gryff, Innkeep in Frostarch
 * Marwyn Maeson, head cook in Frostarch Keep
 * Jeffory, stableboy in Vederya
 * Symon Osgrey, stableboy in Vederya
 * Old Cough, begger and pickpocket