“akep[1]
- to Refyia, for your beautiful lucios and your kindness. You really are a Trykess of heart,
- to the Imperial Academy officials for allowing me to search their archives,
- to the varinx who died so that I can write on their leathers, because, I will never stop saying, the writing is in my opinion more beautiful than any Amber cube,
- and finally to our sharükos [2] for his confidence since so many years.
Introduction
Pyr is the capital city of the Burning Desert, theAtys region the Fyros inhabit. With its ramparts, streets, vaults, arches and buildings with remarkable architecture, it is the only town worthy of the name. Pyr is also built in a tree stump, which makes it a fortified city.
The main artery of the Fyros economy, the city is considered by some to be the most beautiful in whole Atys. The city is a maze of streets and curved lanes that intersect around arranged squares. It is a pleasure to meander through this labyrinth, in the heat of the day's star, protected by the shade of the flaps stretched between the houses, or in the evening, by the light of firefly lamps.
It is in these narrow streets with names steeped in history that I invite you in this book to discover this wonderful Fyros culture of which we can be proud. For those who already know the city I hope it will be a guide rich in information to rediscover the city in a different perspective. And for those who have not yet had this chance, I am sure it will make them want to visit it.
A people in the service of an Empire
As the capital of the Desert, Pyr is home to the Imperial Palace, where sharükos and his family reside, and the Senate. It is the nerve centre of the Empire. Many of the streets are named after an illustrious Fyros Emperor. The Emperor is the Empire and thus may change or remove at any time, and without consultation, celiakos'[3] orakenak[4], as well as any of the organs of society or dismiss from office any Fyros holding a position.
