Pyrrhus Deep, commonly referred to as Pyrrhus City or simply Pyrrhus, was the largest city and capital of Helghan, located on the banks of the Corinth River. Visari Palace and its complex was located on a hill overlooking the city. Pyrrhus was one of only a small handful of cities of its size on Helghan, and was the largest population center on the whole planet. During and after the Second Extrasolar War, Pyrrhus was devastated by the Red Dust nuclear warhead and later utterly destroyed in the Terracide.
Description[]
As the largest city, the population of Pyrrhus before the ISA invasion was about 12 million, mostly workers and their families.[1] Most of Pyrrhus consisted of run-down housing and apartments, with a vast stretch of slums and factories. Various ground cars were scattered across the city, and cable cars were located in the more heavily traveled sections.
The buildings drew power from Helghan's electrical storms and the Petrusite power grid running underneath the city as well. Cables were typically messily strewn across the city from house to house. There were small markets in the city, and the main avenue of the city was Visari Square, with cable cars leading up to the military sector and ultimately Visari Palace. Near the Palace, the headquarters of many companies, such as the Visari Corporation, Stahl Arms and Corinthmetall, were located. Most of the city's resources were invested into the military and propaganda-related structures. The military academy and related structures were much more strongly built and articulated than the more common civilian buildings.
Outside of the city is the characteristic Helghan terrain and mining settlements. An underground pipe system out of the Tharsis Refinery fed Pyrrhus with refined Petrusite.
Due to the sheer size of the city, Pyrrhus was very much visible from space.
Notable locations[]
Radec Academy[]
A military academy.
Salamun District[]
One of many industrial centers. It was a harsh working environment due to lack of modernisation.[2]
Visari Palace[]
Home to Scolar Visari and the former home of the Helghan Administration.
Visari Square[]
A city square where Scolar Visari made his early speeches and the site of his assassination attempt.[3]
History[]
Early Years[]
Pyrrhus Deep was founded in 2212 by the remnants of the Helghan Corporation following in the aftermath of the First Extrasolar War. It quickly established itself as a stable settlement and within 20 years the region known as Central Pyrrhus was built. Petrusite exportation funded the city's expansion from this central hub and stimulated further industrial and military growth, leading to the foundation of many leading interplanetary corporations such as Visari Corporation and Stahl Arms.[1]
In 2344, Autarch Scolar Visari chose Pyrrhus as his principal workplace and construction began on his residence Corinth Palace. With its strategic position overlooking the city, the fortified complex holds regular state functions for leaders and visiting foreign dignitaries.[1]
Second Extrasolar War[]
Colonel Mael Radec overlooking a war-torn Pyrrhus.
After the Helghast's failed invasion of Vekta, ISA Alpha Centauri attacked Pyrrhus during the events of Operation Archangel. This devastating invasion wrought unspeakable destruction upon Pyrrhus as ISA ground forces pushed convoys through the streets and both sides took refuge in and around destroyed civilian buildings. The majority of the populace was evacuated to mining settlements and Constantine City before the assault, leading to fewer civilian casualties.[4]
The Helghast's attempt to preserve the city and the ISA's hopes of taking it were dashed when Scolar Visari detonated a stolen Red Dust nuclear warhead over Pyrrhus, annihilating thousands of soldiers and the collected culture of the Helghast capital.[5] The mushroom cloud remained visible for some time from the ISA drop zone outside Visari Palace. Despite the devastation, the battle in the capital resumed as remnants of the ISA invasion force led under Captain Jason Narville launched an offensive on Visari Palace, where they overcome the Helghan Second Army under Colonel Mael Radec. However, the ISA failed to capture Visari, who was murdered by Rico Velasquez.[6]
The Helghast First Army soon arrive over Pyrrhus and engaged against the ISA, which they were forced to fight their way through the city's ruins to reach an extraction point outside of the city. The First Army's MAWLRs destroyed several ISA ships during the evacuation, forcing the remaining ships to leave Helghan without the ISA forces.
Post-War[]
Pyrrhus Deep, thirty years after the Second Extrasolar War.
By 2390, Pyrrhus is an uninhabited and ruined city that was further damaged by the Terracide. Due to the Terracide, Helghan's core is left unstable in which Pyrrhus is frequently plagued by tremors.[7] The Helghast led by Jorhan Stahl established a base of operations beneath Pyrrhus where they constructed warships and MAWLRs for their planned invasion of Vekta.
On July 7, 2390, ISA Alpha Centauri launched an attack on Stahl's base. However, the ISA fleet was instantly destroyed by a bio-tech weapon that was based on the Vektan Security Agency's technology.[8]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Pyrrhus takes its name from the Greek general Pyrrhus of Epirus, who became infamous for his incredibly costly victories against the Romans. This type of battle, whereby victory is attained at crippling cost to the victor, has since become known as a "Pyrrhic Victory". Its use in Killzone 2 is a reference to how the Helghast only achieve victory over the ISA ground forces by obliterating their own city with a nuclear weapon, wiping out many of their own in the process. It also references how the ISA succeed in their mission of neutralizing Scolar Visari, but at such cost that they are subsequently left open to a devastating counter-attack.
- During the campaign of Killzone 2 when Alpha Squad stood upon the steps outside of Radec Academy, Rico remarks upon the grandeur of the Academy's architecture being far superior to the slums of Pyrrhus, "Now we know why the rest of this place is so much of a shithole!"
- The destruction of Pyrrhus is also witnessed near the end of Killzone: Mercenary, with Anders Benoit commenting, "Crazy sons of bitches actually did it. Nuked their own city rather than surrender."
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Dossier: Pyrrhus Deep
- ↑ KZ2 Loading Screens: Salamun District
- ↑ KZ2 Loading Screens: Visari Square
- ↑ KZ2 Loading Screens: Civilians
- ↑ Killzone 2, campaign level Maelstra Barrens
- ↑ Killzone 2, campaign level Visari Palace
- ↑ Killzone Shadow Fall, campaign level The Dead
- ↑ Killzone Shadow Fall, campaign level The Destroyer