Empheros
General InformationOther NamesNārgos, Bībūnor (formerly)
LocationCentral Rhusagos, between Khōrgos and the Great Chasmous Sea
TypeRegion
DescriptionLarge, grassy region centered around the Five Fingers
RegionsBībūnor, Five Fingers, Nenog, Pārāgōl, Downs Yonder, Rog and Dor Amban
Major CitiesPenthelon, Īngomes, Hazad, Hemdok Laego
People and HistoryInhabitantsLakemen, Clicker’s Folk, Goblins, Elves
GovernanceUmbadic Empire
EventsFlight from the Wooded Mountain
War for the Lake
Horn’s Battle
War of the Patrons
Midgetower Raid
Empheros is the name of the lands on the east side of Great Rōdzīr and west of the Green Sea. The vast Five Fingered Lake is in its center, and the densely populated woodlands of Bībūnor are a part of it.
Many wild horses and kine roam the plains of Empheros.
Description
The boundaries of Empheros are:
- To the east: the Green Sea,
- To the north: the Downs Yonder, and
- To the west: the line marked by the river Great Rōdzīr.
From east to west, the country spans a distance of some three hundred leagues.
History
Days of Wrath
Elves settled the lands surrounding the Five Fingers. In time, they became known as the Lake-Elves.
After fleeing the Wooded Mountain, the Patrin passed through Empheros during their journey to Pārāgōl. Some split off from the main party, passing through the steep Gha-ghīl-Mārosh before ultimately choosing to dwell in Bībūnor.
After the Binding
The Patrin boarded their ships and left Pārāgōl forever. Eventually, Rhusagos was recalled only in myth and song.
In the mid-4th century A.B., Dun the Angler washed onto the shores of Bībūnor after a great storm, and brought news of this new land to Patrinor.
The Patrin began colonizing the coasts of Empheros. Īngomes was their first settlement.
Following the formation of the Patrin Empire, colonists from Patrinor pushed northward, eventually coming into conflict with the Lake-Elves. The Patrin began a campaign to drive them out, bringing bronze spears and chariots to the Lake. Herald the Tall led his tribe into the north, but the rest of the Lake-Elves chose to fight. They are now no more. Horn, son of Herald, later marched into Empheros against the Patrin, which ended in disaster.
During the reign of Arpharaz Unwise in the 12th century AB, the keeping of the Lake was committed to Umbad the Rider, who set his court at Penthelon. Then, when the sons of Arpharaz declared war on each other for kingship over the Empire, Umbad rebelled, conquering many territories in Empheros. Now his heirs, who style themselves the Kings of Bībūnor and the Lake, are the lords of all Empheros east of Nenog, save the perilous swamps of Rog and Dor Amban, in which the living things are bizarre.
Etymology
Empheros (more correctly Mopheros) is Classical Paternic for “Newland”, consisting of empher (“new”) and a suffix for the names of regions -(g)os.
Other Names
Another more rarely used name for Empheros is Nārgos, which means “Lake Country.”