Lyshriol

Lyshriol is the name of a fictional planet in Catherine Asaro's novels regarding the Saga of the Skolian Empire. It is the homeworld of one branch of Ruby Dynasty.

Also known as Skyfall by the Allieds, Lyshriol is a planet where the humans and the planet seem to have been designed for some unknown purpose, probably by the ancient Ruby Empire. The humans have hinged hands with only four digits and unlike the majority of the population in Skolian Imperialate (who are swarthy, dark-eyed and dark-haired) they have fair skin, violet eyes and red or blond hair.

Lyshriol is a heavy gravity world with two suns called Valdor and Aldan. It has a circular orbit and no axial tilt, due to day and night being of the same length and there are no seasons. Climate varies with changes in altitude, so it is always summer in lowlands and winter high in the mountains. Most significant geographical points on Lyshriol are the Dalvador Plains, Rillian Vales, Stained Glass Forest or Backbone Mountains. The main, most heavily populated provinces are Dalvador and Rillia. General population of Lyshriol is not very large, there are about 400 thousand people in the whole world. The language spoken there is called Trillian and although some dialects may exist, they are not very different from each other.

Biosphere

The planet got its other name Skyfall because of its blue colored water and snow, which looks like sky fallen on earth. Water in any form on Lyshriol contains impurities which turn everything blue. This is however not dangerous for humans and doesn't cause any problems to the inhabitants who carry in their bodies nanomeds that degrade the blue dye.

Lyshriol has lavender sky and big plains of green and silvery grass. Its biosphere is full of unique animals, famous are especially lyrine - animals that look like horses, with crystalline horns and silver, lavender or blue coats. A Lyshrioli meal is made up entirely of bubbles, which vary in size, color and flavour.

People and culture

Lyshrioli people are simple rustic farmers who live their lives in harmony with nature and without modern technology, which seems like magic to them. They have no written language and because of their genetical predispositions to illiteracy they are not able to learn how to read or write. They are however very musical with chiming voices, love singing, dancing and festivals. But only women are allowed to dance; for men dancing is considered "too feminine". Lyshrioli society has traits of patriarchy but is also very egalitarian, without any social classes and despite the fact that Lyshrioli respect their Bards as leaders, they do not see them as being something "more" than other people.

Though an idyllic world at first sight, Lyshriol too has wars. But no regular soldiers serve in the armies, troops consist of farmers who go back to their families and land when the war is over. Because of this all boys must be trained to use sword and bow, and ride the lyrine.

Bards

Bards record the history of the Lyshrioli people in ballads. They also execute duties of judges, perform marriage ceremonies and lead armies in wars. Every village has its own Bard, a man who is chosen by his fellows for this position because of his ability to sing and lead. Only two Bard titles on Lyshriol are hereditary, passed on from father to son – Dalvador Bard and Rillia Bard. This can however lead to unexpected problems, such as the Rillia Bard is a horrible singer. Dalvador Bard is responsible for the area of Dalvador Plains and Bards from the smaller villages answer to him. He in turn answers to the Rillia Bard, who governs the Dalvador Plains and Rillian Vales.

Memories

Memories are women with eidetic memories, who record important events with their mind. You can recognize them at the first sight because of their long red robes. Their unique memory is a genetic trait engineered into the Lyshrioli by geneticists of the long lost Ruby Empire. Title of Memory is not hereditary because this gift does not always run true in the family and can appear in unexpected places. So every girl who happens to have eidetic memory can study to become a Memory.

Blue Dale Archers

Archers are a Lyshrioli ethnic group that was long believed to be extinct. They differ from the overall Lyshrioli population significantly with their lither build, pale skin, white-gold hair, silver eyes and pointed ears. Archers do not like staying in one place, so they build no cities. They live in nomadic tribes in Blue Mountains, rarely leaving the area and avoid dealing with other Lyshrioli. Unlike them they are not farmers and make their living by hunting. It is suspected that the Blue Dale Archers are the result of a genetic engineering project by the ancient Ruby Empire, since they have the ability to enter Kyle Space in a trance state, without the use of a Triad Chair or any other machinery.