House Lyra Emperox, known as The Emperox of the Age of Mourning, The Masked One.
The Masked One[]
The Masked Emperox’s true name was never revealed, and their face always went covered by an elaborate black mask to signify their role as an impartial mediator more than a despotic ruler. Everyone agrees they likely had powerful psionic abilities, as nobles and their envoys often needed not even speak their requests or complaints before a fitting compromise was laid forward. However, it is possible this had more to do with House Lyra’s sprawling diplomatic structure and expertise in the arts of covertcy.
The Masked Emperox’s reign was a time of cultural renaissance and revival with fresh art and literature movements flourishing, spreading Common Lyric all over The Empire. Countless monuments dedicated to the lives lost and The Empire’s struggles during The Silence and the years of bloody conflict were also erected.
The Orgone Pyramid[]
The most prominent of these monuments is the Orgone Pyramid. A large mausoleum of grief and mourning built on the imperial capital planet, Imperial Prime. The pyramid looks like a black monolith from the distance but as you get closer the swirling combination of different rare ores and stones gives off an esoteric green purple sheen. This symbolizes that even in darkness, loss and sadness; hope, light and purpose can be found.
The inside of the pyramid hosts the finest of Lyran art and culture outside of Orpheus, commemorating the sorrow and loss of The Silence and the following civil war. Leading up to it is a boulevard lined with matt black obelisks carved full of fine etching emitting a light purple glow. The etchings tell tales of suffering, hardship and death and the triumph of peace, mourning and prosperity in life as well as the After.
When the Emperox’s rule ended, the building came to serve also as the embassy for house Lyra and the best place on Imperial prime to experience art and culture - be it somber poetry readings, grand operas or massive Hekate concerts.
The Masked One Order[]
- Main article: House Lyra Embassies
During the reign of the Masked One, a decree was issued that all imperial worlds were to have a Lyran Embassy. All embassies were to have an expanded function to impart some of the planet's culture into the embassy. This has resulted in embassies being visited more than just to coordinate with Lyra but also to participate in whatever the embassy is offering culturally. After the reign of the Masked One came to an end these embassies influence waned but their extra functions for the most part remained.
The Circle of Lament[]
The Circle of Lament is the name of a group of extremists and Lyran supremacists. They harken back to the time of the Masked One, a time of Lyran prosperity, a cultural renaissance and peace in the Empire. They consider House Lyra the only House suitably qualified to helm the Empire due to their respect and reverence for death, and thus life.
Of course there are many that hold this belief; a nostalgia and reverence regarding the Masked One is not uncommon within the House. It is not this that makes the Circle of Lament. The Circle of Lament are doggedly determined to ensure another Lyran Emperox and believe that in order for the Masked One to return, they must create the same conditions. A state of great strife, disorder and death, a time when mourning is required. Due to this, they seek to sow discord within the Empire in order to create this scenario.
The current climate is ripe, they believe, for this and for a Lyran Emperox to step forward and lead the Empire through another Age of Mourning after the loss of House Cygnus. But they are not many but they are secretive. Their endeavour is to sow discord without anyone attributing that discord to Lyra, consequently, they can never step out of the shadows.