Book 2
Through the Storms
Returning People
36Jin Leiyun is an elementalist from Thundermarch and the wielder of Tianlei. He traveled as Draven Skyforge. He and Thalena are Thalia's parents.
Cassian Ironvale is a level nine divine and resonance mage from Irrathis, known as the Hero of the People, the Hammer of Justice, and the Godslayer. He served as Xarion's advisor before l...
Thalena Xenith is the archon of Space and Time in Chronasis, Thalassai. One of the nation's five archons, she seeks to reach the God Realm and free people from divine rule.
Eira Caedris is a scholar from Irrathis and the wielder of the Spiral Shard. She worked for the Xalmyrran Council with Lirien before claiming the shard in the Temple of no Return. She is...
Silas is an essence shaper and the wielder of Zal'therak, formerly known as Malcairn. He helped develop the shapers before rejecting Zharrek's forced transformations. Working in secret fo...
Kaelion Saeryth is a temporal and sun mage from Soltheris, a member of the Council and Eira's partner. He formerly advised Aurion and wields Xoh’Tenol's sun shard. His mother is Isrynn, a...
Brynor is a level nine earth mage, a member of the Xalmyrran Council, and a former general of Keldara. Known as the Avatar of the Earth and the Living Mountain, he has won five tournament...
Aldar Rehn is a level eight ice mage from Aemrith and the head of the Xalmyrran Council. Known as the Bastion of the Frostlands and Guardian of Xalmyrra, he coordinates mages against dark...
Renneth Pryar is the Xalmyrran Council mage representing Teryndal. He is an exceptional fire mage and one of Aldar's principal investigators, frequently traveling in search of missing peo...
Deylin Varos is a level nine temporal mage, scholar, and artifact hunter from Earth. Born David Vorrel, he crossed to Xalmyrra and lived through successive cycles under Xelthys's guidance...
Xarion Morvayne is the high arbiter of Teryndal and a close companion of Cassian. A divine and lightning mage, he leads through public persuasion, political planning, and enchantments tha...
Aurion, titled Herald of the Stars, is the king of Soltheris and a level nine cosmic mage. He commissioned Thalvian to build the orreries and supplies them to the other nations. He suppor...
Arinella Morvayne is a divine and resonance mage from Aurivallis and Cassian's lover. Formerly one of Meliora's closest advisers as the Echo of Harmony, she came to Thalassai with Cassian...
Lythariel is a darkness and life mage created by Eira with the spiral shard's power. She became Eira's mentor and protector, accompanied her beyond Xalmyrra, and departed with Thorik to h...
Zephyra is the archon of air in Thalassai, governing Aetherion from the Palace of Air. An adopted daughter of Thalena, she combines an exuberant manner with concern for the people around...
Khoradyn Kaldaryn is an earth and ice mage and a former supreme commander of Keldara. He returned after more than twenty years away and joined Brynor's expedition into the Land of Darknes...
Jorhan Theris is a mage who rules Atraxis Prime, known as Xol’Zahir and the Keeper of Balance. He maintains the storms and cycles that isolate Xalmyrra. His people depend on the essence h...
Maric is a member of Teryndal's Assembly and an advisor to Xarion. A water mage, he serves the Assembly alongside Sarine and travels on missions with Renneth. The water frog Spin is his c...
Ilyra Caedris is a divine healer from Erenmyr. She is Deylin's wife and Eira's mother.
Orin Avenhart is a divine mage and teacher from Valcirae in Erenmyr. He is a former champion of Xalmyrra.
Rhalyn is a divine mage and teacher from Varentis in Keldara. She is Kren's sister and accompanied Khoradyn on his expedition to Thundermarch.
Naryon is the archon of water in Thalassai, governing Thalmyris from the Palace of Water.
Mirael is a divine mage and a member of the Xalmyrran Council in Irrathis. She is Brynor's wife and the mother of their two children.
Ignaros is the archon of fire in Pyrenis, one of the five elemental archons of Thalassai.
Kaelric Ardyn, known as the Shield of the Radiant King, is a divine mage and Aurion’s bodyguard, advisor and oldest friend. He serves Soltheris and represented the nation on Brynor’s expe...
Tazarin is the emperor of Thalcoris on Xolterra. Formerly King Therion of Soltheris, he was summoned away from Xalmyrra by Xoh’Tenol. He is the father of Aurion and Kaelion, and a former...
Lirien is an explorer and scholar of the Xalmyrran Council who raised and mentored Eira. She disappeared inside the Temple of no Return and was later rescued by the council's expedition.
Astheron Valeis is a level eight cosmic mage and advisor to the king of Soltheris. He taught Aurion cosmic magic and also instructed Kaelion during his childhood.
Kren is an air mage from Keldara, Rhalyn's brother, and a member of Garrik's army in Kaldaryn. He accompanied Khoradyn into Valrindor and helped train Jin at Cloudrift Temple.
Splin is a female giant cuddly frog from the swamps of Erenmyr and Kaelion's companion. She carries him on his travels and responds to his thoughts.
Isrynn is a temporal mage from Soltheris, a member of the Xalmyrran Council, and the mother of Kaelion. She disappeared during a council mission in northern Keldara and spent years in Val...
Rhyzmar is an air mage and guild master of the Adventurers' Guild in Teryndal. He works closely with Aldar and Xarion, supplying explorers, helping organize tournaments, and defending Xal...
Jareth is a researcher working with Amos under Jorhan in Atraxis Prime. The two developed much of the settlement's machinery and work to preserve their people.
Zayren is a Tenari aether mage from Thalcoris. Formerly Tazarin’s personal guard, he offered his service to Kaelion and left Thalcoris with him.
Feryon Aedrath is the supreme commander of Keldara, based in Varentis. He and Durvek lead Keldara during Khoradyn's absence.
Ziyara is a Tenari air mage, one of Tazarin's guards, and a diplomat for Thalcoris. She lives in Tequaltor and supports its cooperation with Thalassai.
New People
49Tianlei is the storm god of Thundermarch and the god bound to Jin Leiyun. With Xelthys and Zal'therak, he coordinates an alliance against the darkness and sends Jin to protect Eira. His s...
Zhang is a fire and lightning mage from Thundermarch who serves Kaldaryn. A longtime friend of Jin, he trained at Cloudrift Temple before following Khoradyn in his efforts to bring peace...
Zharrek was the emperor of Shroudvale and one of the first shapers. He sought to recover Zal’therak from Silas and died overloading his essence outside Rimvold.
Nethira is a chronarc and healer of Chronasis in Thalassai. She manages healers, essence cores and supplies under Thalena in Stella Aeterna.
Sigurd is the leader of Skarnheim and an ice and temporal mage. He rules from Rimvold and works with Svanhild and Thorik in the Skarnheim Alliance, seeking help against the strange attack...
Cyrena is the head researcher of the Nexus Research Center beneath Stella Aeterna in Chronasis, Thalassai.
Hrzai is a divine god who meets with Ozaith, Nahm and Pyrathalor in the God Realm. She appears as a woman.
Lunorax is a chronarc serving Thalena in Chronasis. He oversees the city's agriculture and important exports, including its chronoberry plantations, and takes care of Chronasis when the a...
Svanhild is the leader of Vintergard and a close ally of Sigurd in the Skarnheim Alliance. Her unusual sense of smell helps her question visitors, follow magical trails and test the accou...
Calythos is the archon of earth in Thalassai and rules Terranova from the Palace of Earth. He is an earth mage and an agricultural teacher.
Eshmir is a mage who follows Jorhan and lives in Atraxis Prime. She watches over Eira during her stay there.
Master Han was a teacher at Cloudrift Temple in Thundermarch and the master of Jin Leiyun and Zhang. He wielded lightning and air magic. He died shielding Raindawn during Jin's battle wit...
Garrik is a divine mage and the leader of Kaldaryn. Khoradyn chose him to succeed him, and Kren and Zhang serve among his commanders. Garrik's armies work to end the wars in western Valri...
Krexyn is an essence shaper from Shroudvale and an old friend of Silas. He arrived in Xalmyrra looking for Silas and was brought before the council in Irrathis.
Pyrathalor is a god of fire and ice with followers in Morozkaya. He is allied with Ozaith, Nahm and Hrzai against Thalassai.
Halgarr is a commander from Vintergard who serves the Skarnheim Alliance.
Nahm is the patron god of Haverloch, whose worship centers on symmetry and perfection.
Thorik is the leader of Bjarnholt and an ally of Sigurd and Svanhild. He seeks help against the darkness advancing into his lands.
Astryx is a chronarc of Chronasis and a personal student of Thalena. He manages construction projects and carries messages and passengers across Thalassai.
Thalia is the young daughter of Thalena and Jin, raised in Stella Aeterna in Chronasis. She possesses immense innate power and aether magic.
Victor is the regent of Ashenford, where he promotes industrial technology and seeks magical assistance for his experiments and trade.
Aelius is an imperator of the Thalassai Legions, based in Chronasis. He leads the legions alongside Hadrian and Marcellus. He has red hair and uses fire and resonance. Heat radiates from...
Hadrian is an imperator of Thalassai, commanding the legions in Pyrenis under Ignaros. His eyes are streaked with lightning, and he combines lightning and aether magic to move at exceptio...
Amos is one of Jorhan's researchers in Atraxis Prime and works alongside Jareth. They built the machinery Eira studied while seeking a way to save the atraxi.
Gin is a giant cuddly frog and fire mage who travels with Renneth.
Virel is a mage whom Jin Leiyun encountered near Skarnheim after the battle with the shapers. He declared that he brought perfection and would make Skarnheim symmetrical. Jin interpreted...
Yingshui is the commander of Raindawn in Thundermarch, serving under Emperor Feng. She is loyal to Garrik and Kaldaryn.
Pontarius is the admiral of the Thalassai Navy in Thalassai. He explores the waters around the nation and brings its leaders reports of the darkness and storms.
Radomir is a fire mage and political leader allied with Morozkaya. He is tall, with long brown hair.
Ren Wuye was Tianlei's lightning shard wielder in Thundermarch. Jin Leiyun killed him in Stormpeak and became Tianlei's next wielder.
Spin is a giant cuddly frog bonded with Maric. She comes from the swamps of Erenmyr and carries him alongside Renneth and his frog, Gin.
Kheran is one of Jorhan's followers in Atraxis Prime. When Eira was brought there, his essence was folding inward and his body was failing. Jorhan took her to his bedside to show why his...
Tal'Massar is an ancient god of Divine Magic and Balance Magic, capable of killing other gods. Tianlei has not seen him for a long time.
Xirane is the daughter of Xarion and Xelora in Irrathis. She has teal ringed eyes.
Vianna is a fire and ice mage from Brighthaven who became close to Kren. She also uses earth, water, and air magic.
Xelora is a divine mage in Irrathis, Xarion's wife and Xirane's mother. She encourages Xarion to spend time with their daughter and questions his habit of presenting expeditions into ruin...
Zal’therak is the god of veils and illusions from Shroudvale. He chose Silas as his wielder after centuries of imprisonment and escaped with him to help defeat the darkness.
Horol’Khai is a missing deity named in The Eleven Stories of Old.
Marcellus is an imperator of Thalassai and a former student of Lunorax. He commands its legions alongside Aelius and Hadrian.
Oktlix, also called the Data Scar, is named in The Eleven Stories of Old. Reading its entry caused Jin Leiyun to see the world freeze around him.
Thirun is one of Jorhan's disciples. He made the black and violet robes Jorhan gave Eira. Jorhan planned to send him and Dhalith to search for Arcanis.
Thurion was an ancient king of Soltheris in Xalmyrra, known for his immense cosmic magic. His reign belonged to the oldest histories of the world.
Xoltan Morvayne was the founder of Irrathis and a former high arbiter of Teryndal.
Dhalith is one of Jorhan's disciples. After Eira mentioned Arcanis, Jorhan planned to send Dhalith and Thirun to investigate.
Feng Raoyun is the emperor of Thundermarch. He rules from the Celestial Palace in Stormpeak.
Julian is Vianna's brother. He found her in Kaldaryn and told her he could take her back to Brighthaven.
Kazimir is one of Morozkaya's leaders, alongside Kyrana. Radomir mentions the two during a gathering called by Sigurd, which Morozkaya does not attend.
Kyrana is one of Morozkaya's leaders, alongside Kazimir. Radomir mentions the two during a gathering called by Sigurd, which Morozkaya does not attend.
Ozaith is a god who rules Ulzathir and leads the Alliance against Thalassai. He seeks Thalena's and Cassian's deaths, regarding their power as a greater threat than Xol'Zahir.
New Nations & Realms
19Valrindor is a planet containing the mainland, Xalmyrra and Xolterra. The name also refers more narrowly to mainland Valrindor, beyond Xalmyrra and Xolterra. Mainland maps show only part...
Thalassai is a nation on Xolterra, west of Xalmyrra, with its capital at Chronasis. Five regional archons govern its territories.
Malverand was a vast human empire in Valrindor, extending from lands now called Xalmyrra to Skarnheim. Its capital was Maraveth, and other nations arose within its former territory. The s...
Ulzathir is a nation in eastern Valrindor, ruled by Ozaith and his lineage. Its capital, Ishtanûr, stands near a large river that leads to the ocean. Dark stone and pale gold distinguish...
Haverloch is a nation in Eastern Valrindor devoted to Nahm, the god of symmetry and perfection. Its capital is Axanaxa.
Thundermarch is a nation in western Valrindor, east of Xalmyrra, ruled by Emperor Feng. Its capital is Stormpeak, a fortress city in the northern mountains. The country is known for its s...
Morozkaya is a peninsula nation in southern Valrindor, ruled by Kazimir and Kyrana. Its capital, Kyranthos, stands near the foot of an immense volcano and guards the entrance to the penin...
Skarnheim is a nation of Valrindor, south of Vintergard, with Rimvold as its capital. Sigurd governs from Rimvold.
Brighthaven is an island nation in southern Valrindor. Its capital, Radiance Prime, stands at the northern tip of the island.
The God Realm is where gods reside. It appears as an endless white space without a horizon or a clear sense of direction. This space can take the form of a symmetrical hall with mirrored...
Shaoying is a nation in central Valrindor, west of Shroudvale. Its capital, Laizhou, is a hub for mages and mercenaries.
Vintergard is a cold mountain nation in central Valrindor, led by Svanhild. Its capital is Kaldspire.
Atraxis Prime is a green realm surrounding a single town south of Xalmyrra, within the Land of Darkness on Valrindor. Jorhan rules it, and a wall of darkness encloses its valley.
Linsothar is a nation in Central Valrindor, east of Shaoying. Its capital, Linzheng, is a port city whose bridges connect islands and extend into the ocean.
Bjarnholt is a nation in southern Valrindor, with forests, cliffs and narrow fjords. Thorik leads it and cooperates with Skarnheim and Vintergard. Haverloch is a neighboring nation.
Hengvaris is a nation in Central Valrindor, east of Thundermarch. Its capital is Hengzhou.
Borovia is a forest nation in Valrindor, led by Bogdan. Its capital, Dubravin, lies within forests and is built almost entirely from wood, with treehouse accommodations. The nation is kno...
Calthorpe is a nation on Valrindor, beside the Calthorpe Ocean and the Calthorpe mountain range. Its capital, Crosford, stands at the base of the mountains. Calaris, a fishing harbor, lie...
Drozhvenya is an agricultural nation in southern Valrindor that exports food. Vast plains and grain farms surround its capital, Viregrad, which is known for its fresh bread.
New Places
35Maraveth is the ruined former capital of the Malverand Empire in Shroudvale, on Valrindor.
Rimvold is the capital of Skarnheim on Valrindor, at the foot of mountains near the Varnhallow border. Its wood and stone buildings rise in terraces along the slopes. A river runs outside...
Kaldaryn is a protectorate in Central Valrindor, led by Garrik. Its capital, Kaldaryn City, stands at the foot of a mountain range.
Pyrenis is a volcanic city and surrounding region in Thalassai, on the island of Xolterra. Ignaros, the archon of fire, governs it.
Ishtanûr is the capital of Ulzathir in Eastern Valrindor. Ozaith rules from its Council Citadel.
Shroudvale is the desolate former domain of the essence shapers in central Valrindor, centered on Maraveth, the old capital of the Malverand Empire. A massive wall separates it from the s...
Kyranthos is the capital of Morozkaya, standing at the threshold of its peninsula in Valrindor. The city lies below a massive volcano surrounded by smaller frosty peaks. A great volcanic...
Morindel is a city and surrounding region in Valrindor, governed by a regent and connected by diplomacy and trade to much of the continent. The city stands near the Morindel Sea.
Terranova is an agricultural region of Thalassai in Xolterra, governed by Calythos, the archon of earth. Its farmlands spread across green plains and hills, producing food and highly priz...
The Nexus Research Center is a research facility beneath Stella Aeterna in Chronasis, Thalassai.
Thalmyris is a port city and region of Thalassai on the southeastern coast of Xolterra. It is governed by the archon of water, Naryon. Its harbor supports maritime trade.
Stormhaven is the capital of Bjarnholt on Valrindor, governed by Thorik. It stands on a small hill at the northern tip of the southern continent, beside the strait dividing Bjarnholt's no...
Axanaxa is the capital and a port city of Haverloch, in southeastern Valrindor. The Axial Concord governs from the Hall of Reflections.
Raindawn is one of the largest cities in Thundermarch on Valrindor, near the nation's western mountains. It lies on the route toward the pass into Xalmyrra. Stone bridges cross its waterw...
Hengzhou is the capital of Hengvaris in Central Valrindor, northwest of Kaldaryn. Forests and hills surround the city. Its tightly packed wooden buildings have curved red and gold roofs,...
Cloudrift is a sprawling city in central Thundermarch, on Valrindor, dedicated to Tianlei. Its streets follow waterways crossed by bridges. A large river connects it to the area around Ra...
Eastern Valrindor is the eastern region of Valrindor, across the ocean from Thalassai. Its nations include Haverloch in the southeast, Varnhallow, and Ulzathir. Ulzathir is closest to Tha...
Laizhou is the capital of Shaoying in Central Valrindor. Its low wooden buildings have green tiled roofs, curved eaves and beams trimmed with gold. Wide paved streets pass gardens, ponds...
Central Valrindor is a region of Valrindor with green hills, forests and broad plains, broken by mountains and lakes. It contains Kaldaryn and neighboring nations and city states. Garrik...
Kaldaryn City is the capital of Kaldaryn in Central Valrindor, governed by Garrik.
Stormbrook was a village in southern Thundermarch on Valrindor, beside a brook and rice fields. Darkness destroyed it during Jin Leiyun's youth. When he reached the village after the atta...
The Great Hall of Rimvold is the leadership hall of Rimvold, Skarnheim, carved into a cliff. Sigurd receives allied leaders and plans the nation's defenses here.
The Council Citadel is the seat of Ozaith and his council in Ishtanûr, the capital of Ulzathir in eastern Valrindor. The spiraling citadel has dark gilded stone walls and palm gardens. A...
Cloudrift Temple is a mountain temple and training site in Thundermarch, on Valrindor. It stands high among the cliffs, with stone corridors, a courtyard and pillars carved with storm mot...
The Calthorpe Ocean lies on Valrindor, beside Calthorpe. Kalendros is a fishing city on its shore. Therendros also stands near the ocean, and Calthorpe's ships use its trade routes.
The Celestial Nexus is a meeting complex in southern Chronasis, in Thalassai on Xolterra. It was built for the nation's archons and regional officials.
Crosford is the capital of Calthorpe, on Valrindor, at the base of the Calthorpe mountain range. A massive dark stone tower rises above clean white buildings. Pale walls enclose the city,...
Viregrad is the capital of Drozhvenya, in Valrindor. It lies beyond the Borovian forests, among plains and grain fields. The city is known for its bread and pastries.
Dubravin is the capital of Borovia, on Valrindor, and the seat of Bogdan. It stands amid forests, with buildings and gates made almost entirely of wood. Carved details reflect the surroun...
Kaldspire is the capital of Vintergard, high in the mountains of Central Valrindor. Snow covers the surrounding plains, and a winding road descends toward the city beside cliffs overlooki...
Linzheng is the capital and a major port of Linsothar in Central Valrindor. Bridges connect its coastal islands and extend far into the ocean, where fishing boats work the deep water. The...
Strothgard is a small border territory on Valrindor, between Ashenford and Vintergard.
The Hall of Reflections is the seat of the Axial Concord, Haverloch's ruling council, in Axanaxa. Its reflective crystal facade and broad mirrored stairs stand beside a symmetrical park w...
Kalendros is a fishing city along the Calthorpe Ocean in Valrindor. Its low wooden buildings are light blue, with colorful banners along the waterfront. Delicate bridges cross its waterwa...
Taizhou is a small city in Shaoying, near Laizhou, in central Valrindor. It stands amid open green terrain beside a forest, with a river winding past its outskirts. Its buildings are made...
New Organizations
4The Thalassai Legions are the military forces of Thalassai. Their mages defend cities and coasts, train soldiers and carry out military operations under the imperators. The navy supports...
The Skarnheim Alliance joins Skarnheim, Vintergard and Bjarnholt in regional defense and diplomacy. Its members coordinate from Rimvold, while retaining their own national leaders and int...
The Alliance of Gods brings together gods and their shard wielders to defeat the darkness. Xelthys coordinated the plan, with Tianlei and Zal'therak working through Jin and Silas.
The Anti Shroudvale Alliance was the coalition of human nations that defeated Zharrek's expansion from Shroudvale and sealed the surviving essence shapers behind massive walls. Its forces...
New Lore
15Balance magic is a magical technique learned by Khoradyn from a man he met during an expedition. His training involved extensive meditation, and he stopped aging from that time. Khoradyn...
Timerifts are volatile tears in space and time. They can displace an area briefly, and large tears can be unstable and destructive.
Windweavers are flying vessels made in Thalassai to carry people and goods. The Thalassai also call them balloons.
Runic magic gives objects magical properties through inscribed runes. It is practiced in Skarnheim and Vintergard, where it serves transport, craftwork and defense. Its enchantments are r...
Aether artifacts are devices used in Thalassai's magical technology. They help move flying vessels and water, extending the work of aether mages into engineered equipment.
Mind magic acts on thought, emotion and consciousness. It includes healing and protective techniques as well as spells that induce sleep or impose outside control. Resonance magic can sha...
A shard wielder is a mage who draws on a shard bound into their body. A god can grant a shard through a pact, joining its power to the wielder’s own essence.
The Shaper Attack on Rimvold was Zharrek's assault on the capital of Skarnheim to reclaim Zal’therak's shard from Silas. Rimvold survived through the combined defense of Sigurd, Svanhild,...
The Battle of Raindawn was the defense of Raindawn against Zharrek and the shapers of Shroudvale. Jin Leiyun fought Zharrek while the city's mages held off the assault. The attackers with...
A chronarc is a senior official serving the archon of Chronasis in Thalassai. Chronarcs help govern the city and manage specialized work from Stella Aeterna.
The Shaoying Thundermarch War was a conflict between Shaoying and Thundermarch, centered on Cloudrift.
An imperator holds the highest military rank in Thalassai and commands its legions. Aelius, Hadrian and Marcellus have held it.
Dragon arts are Thundermarch's tradition of elemental magic, bringing fire, lightning and air together under the imagery of dragons and storms. The tradition honors Tianlei, the storm god...
The Glaive of Frost and Fire is the weapon wielded by the god of frost and fire in his battle with Thalena. Its dual blades combined molten heat with freezing cold, and its strikes melted...
Thalassai uses a numbered year count that is also followed in Valrindor. When Jin Leiyun visited Haverloch, he found that its year matched Xolterra's: 5365. The count does not give the ag...
New Bestiary
4The atraxi are the people of Atraxis Prime, ruled by Jorhan. Amos and Jareth are atraxi scientists.
Essence shapers, usually called shapers, are people whose bodies are infused with microscopic essence core fragments, and their descendants. They originated among the surviving humans of...
Skylorns are goat like animals native to Thalassai, valued for their meat, milk and fur. They graze in Aetherion’s courtyards, and the city holds skylorn races.
Large serpents are serpent shaped darkness creatures encountered during the renewed darkness outbreak in southern Thalassai and its islands.