Heshtor'ys (heʃtɔ̃r is)

Heshtor'ys, or the City of Hestor, is on of Terrabors leading citys in the STEM fields.

History

According to the historian Kallay'yo Almays, this city's history dates back all the way to the second century BE when Gyanns migrated into the Metisian Pennensula from modern day A'oro and the Middle Islands. Archeological evidence of conflict between these Gyann peoples and Hronian tribes has been found in what has been dubed "Di'organth" or "the Barbarous Vally." This title derives from the extreme battle wounds found in the skelletons of the burried individuals, both Gyann and Hronian. As Almays puts it, "These kinds of injurys are likely uncommon throughout most of the pennensula due to most battles of later periods useing more witchcraft than physical weopons."

The city's modern name comes from the Deonnic goddess Heshtor or Hester, the Deonnic goddess of knowlege and learning. This goddess, however, has roots that date back further than the Deonnic Empire and stretch even further than many other Metisian icons.

Hester seems to have ancient origins in the Gyann Valley. What might seem suprising is that she might originate from the same mythology as the modern apocalypse god, Atom and was even associated with her own form of destruction. The myth of Atom tells of an old world destroyed the god and his three dogs: empire who wields a sword, money who weilds a scale, and knowlege who weilds a scroll. The dogs are sometimes depicted as women bearing torches that burn the world and small statues similar of these depictions are commonly found in the Middle Islands and West Metis. The depiction of Hester bearing a book and a torch is believed to has derived from this depiction. Additionally the Hesterian cross is also believed to have derived from the three rings of Atom.

In pre-Deonnic myth, Hester was believed to house the plans for the end of the world in Heshtor'ys in waiting for their eventual use. This is believed to be where the transition from a destruction goddess to a goddess that preserves began. The cult of Hester eventually because a cult of librarians who guarded and preserved knowlege for their lord's use and once Deonnic Rule rolled in, she found a new place in the new pantheon.

Under the new empire, she was combined with Sheyo, another local goddess who was the soft-hearted daughter of Heaven. This gave Hester the role of the teacher in the Deonnic legend. According to the myth, when Heaven was judging humanity, Hester—the youngest yet wisest daughter—proposed that humanity should be taught the ways of good and made more civil rather than be destroyed. In the later portions of the Dioniad, she is the one to teach Deonna of her mission on earth and teaches her the secrects of deep magic.

Then the youngest spoke: "That's not fair! Why should we punish someone for something they haven't done anything yet? If someone is sent to correct poor behaviors and thoughts before they are acted out, shouldn't humanity be allowed to stand along side their siblings."

It is with the concept of deep magic that the city truely shines. The scolarship of Heshtor'ys studied the natural world as a tradition that enhanced their witchcraft. It is the Hestorian philosopher Leyo who first developed the Hestorian atomic model of energized particles, leading to the concept of hyper-energizing particles in order to perform chemical magic. As a result the population of Metisian children who show show signs of fire magic increased rapidly in the city to the point that it became a common magic type in Heshtor'ys.

In more modern times Heshtor'ys has become the home city for Herstorian Edenism and is the chemistry and physics capital of Terrabor. Even the highest of Guildwellian Edenite scholars envy its prowess. Every year hundreds of Metisian witches and foreign scholars walk through its gate hoping to broden their horizens and discover the secrets of the atom and both its physical and meta physical properties.

Alternative Name(s)

The City of Hestor, Hestoris, Hestorus

Type

Large city