Pylea

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Pylea
Type	Dimension
Appearances
Debut	"Belonging"
Last seen	"There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb"

“A world of only good and evil... black and white, no gray? No music, no art, just champions roaming the countryside fighting for justice?”

―Lorne

Pylea was a dimension in which demons were the dominant life form and humans were treated as animals to be used as slaves, beasts of burden and even a source of food. In spite of this social order, Pylea's geography and climate were rather pleasant by human standards. Known locations in Pylea were the Sacrificial Canyons of Trelinsk and the Pylean castle.^{[citation needed]}

Laws of metaphysics

The twin suns of Pylea are harmless to vampires.

“Can everybody just notice how much fire I'm not on?”

―Angel

The laws of metaphysics on Pylea were different from those in our dimension in such a way that the light of its two suns were not harmful to vampires, which were referred to by the natives as "Van-Tal." Van-Tal also differed from earthly vampires in that they had a reflection, a largely muted bloodlust while in human form, and an even more bestial visage and personality when they "vamp out," transforming into mindless, bloodthirsty beasts..

Unlike most other hell dimensions, time in Pylea does not flow faster than on Earth; Winifred Burkle was trapped in Pylea for five years in both Pylean and Earth time.

Society

Initially, Pylea was a feudal, theocratic society similar to the European societies of the Middle Age. Like Middle Age European nations, Pylean society had a strict hierarchy based on the species each individual was born into. Social mobility was rare, though not unheard of; it involved acts of great heroism and victory in battle.^{[citation needed]}

The sovereign

“The Venerable Monarch of Pylea, General of the Ravenous Legion, Eater of Our Enemy's Flesh, Prelate of the Sacrificial Blood Rites, Sovereign Proconsul of Death, is prepared to pass sentence on upon you.”

―Narwek

At the top of the Pylean social pyramid was the Sovereign, who was styled as "Venerable Monarch of Pylea, General of the Ravenous Legion, Eater of Our Enemy's Flesh, Prelate of the Sacrificial Blood Rites, Sovereign Proconsul of Death." For several millennia the throne was unoccupied until the coming of the Cursed One, a being with the Pure Sight that would restore the Monarchy. However, the Monarch was little more of a figurehead, with the true power laying in the hands of the Covenant of Trombli.^{[citation needed]}

The Covenant of Trombli

“The Priests that have been running this mess for the last several millennia, the Covenant of the Trombli, humorless bunch, anyway they teach of a coming messiah, the Cursed One.”

―Lorne

The Covenant of Trombli was a sect of monks, all belonging to the same species, that had ruled Pylea for several millennia, and dictated most, if not all, of the tenets of Pylean society and commanded the Imperial Guard. They were highly revered and feared. The Covenant preached about a prophesied messianic figure, the Cursed One, who would one day arise to reclaim the unoccupied throne. However, their prophecy was also a plot that would allow the Covenant to seize control of the Visions for their own purposes. The Covenant also had ties to Wolfram & Hart and may have been the Pylean branch of the organization, manipulating Pylean laws to serve the will of the Senior Partners.^{[citation needed]}

The court

The Monarch was surrounded by a number of courtiers, most of them members of the Gathwok species. Their true role within the Pylean political structure is unknown, as most of the power was held by the Covenant.^{[citation needed]}

The imperial guard

The Imperial Guard was the military arm of Pylea's political power. It was tasked with maintaining order in Pylean villages, capturing or hunting down criminals and fighting against the Human Rebellion. While the Monarch held authority over the Guard, they owed their allegiance to the Covenant itself. They are commanded by a captain and also follow orders of village's Constables, such as Narwek.^{[citation needed]}

Warriors and champions

“He shall be welcome in our home, and we will do him honor! Numfar, do the Dance of Honor!”

―Mother of the Vile Excrement

Warriors and Champions hold a great deal of prestige within Pylean society. Highly respected by their actions and heroic deeds, most of them involving slaying powerful creatures such as Drokken beasts. While most of Pylean warriors belong to the Deathwok Clan, even beings with the appearance of "cows," such as Angel, the "brave and noble Drokken killer," or the Groosalugg enjoyed the reverence of the Pylean people. When visiting villages or households, warriors were adorned with clothes befitting their status and were asked to tell the tales of their adventures and battles. In the case of Angel, however, the Pyleans quickly turned on him when he refused to execute the runaway slave Winifred Burkle.^{[citation needed]}

Peasants

Peasants were demons, belonging to both the Gathwok and Deathwok clans, that engaged in activities such as agriculture and commerce. While adult males usually become hunters and warriors, females and elder males, such as Trensiduf, engage in less dangerous tasks, generally hunting lost humans sold like cows.^{[citation needed]}

Cows

“Lord, as it was ordained in the Beginning, our lives belong to you.”

―Markallo to Silas

At the bottom of the Pylean social pyramid were the human slaves, referred as "cows" by Pyleans. Regarded as little more than animals, humans served as beasts of burden and slaves for peasants, and also tended to the needs of their masters at the Imperial Palace. They were held in line by metallic necklaces that released an electric shock to the wearer whenever the demon master activated it via a remote control and also imploded if the slave tried to remove it.^{[citation needed]}

Not only forced into labor and servitude, humans were sometimes employed by Pylean demons as a food source in the festivity known as Bach-nal, where fugitive slaves were beheaded by a warrior and then consumed.^{[citation needed]}

While most humans spent their lives as slaves, a few of them managed to break free, spending their lives in caves and stealing food from villages. Some of them joined the Rebellion, a loosely-organized group of former slaves fighting against the state.^{[citation needed]}

Social reform

“As it is now written, all citizens are created equal. Slavery and religious persecution are outlawed.”

―Cordelia Chase

Following the rebellion led by Wesley Wyndam-Pryce and Charles Gunn and the death of Silas at the hands of Cordelia Chase, the Covenant was overthrown and slavery was abolished. Under the leadership of the Groosalugg, a new society, in which humans would no longer be forced into slavery and the priests of Trombli no longer held any power, was formed.^{[citation needed]}

However, this new regime lasted for a short time and the people turned against their ruler. Endless committees were formed, though they collapsed, making their way into factions and coalitions and then into subcommittees, until some of the more radical oppressors, led by the charismatic leader Numfar of the Deathwok Clan, did the Dance of Revolution. With the Groosalugg deposed, Pylea became a People's Republic of sorts.^{[citation needed]}

Appearances

• "Belonging"
• "Over the Rainbow"
• "Through the Looking Glass"
• "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb"
• "Heartthrob" (Only mentioned)
• "Fredless" (Only mentioned)
• "Waiting in the Wings" (Only mentioned)
• "Couplet" (Only mentioned)
• "The Price" (Only mentioned)
• "A New World" (Only mentioned)
• "Deep Down" (Only mentioned)
• "Supersymmetry" (Only mentioned)
• "Apocalypse, Nowish" (Only mentioned)
• "Calvary" (Only mentioned)
• "Inside Out" (Only mentioned)
• "Unleashed" (Only mentioned)
• "Life of the Party" (Only mentioned)
• "A Hole in the World" (Only mentioned)
• "Underneath" (Only mentioned)
• In Pieces on the Ground, Part Five (Only mentioned)