Cyrus

"The restless dead are haunted that which life denied them." - Opening line of an old Akkadian ghost story The Great Conqueror Cyrus is believed to have died on the battlefield. He perished far from his homeland during an ill-fated push to secure control over a small Northern duchy. Following his death, his army scattered and his remains were lost—never to be returned to the kingdom he fought so adamantly to expand. Though only partially true, this origin offers an explanation for the Conqueror's unyielding ambition. Long after his untimely death, Cyrus awoke as a spirit bound to serve the God of the Netherworld. His feats in life had earned him a place among the God's warriors. Though Cyrus served loyally for centuries, he grew more and more restless. Visiting the frozen plains where his life was lost and his legacy cut short, Cyrus was filled with resentment. He had far more power in death than he had ever possessed as a mortal. Yet his enigmatic god showed no interest in expanding the domain of the Netherworld. What was the use in possessing so much power if not to conquer? Why serve the whims of an uncaring god when there were still lands to be taken? Cyrus grew determined to use his second, unnatural life to continue the work of his first. He imagined a grand necropolis spanning all of Tya, a domain even greater than he had built before. But first, he would need to discover a way to unseat the God of the Netherworld and assume his rightful throne.