Valrindor 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 of the planet.
Geography
Thundermarch lies east of Xalmyrra, while Xolterra is an island west of Xalmyrra, across the ocean. Central Valrindor has green hills, forests, plains and lakes, and Kaldaryn stands beside a mountain range. Farther east lie Haverloch and Ulzathir. Ulzathir contains extensive deserts as well as temperate lands.
The southern continent is joined to the mainland by a massive bridge across the strait at Stormhaven, the capital of Bjarnholt. Stormhaven stands at the continent's northern tip, above a coast of fjords and rough seas. Darkness occupies lands farther south.
Nations and contact
Valrindor contains independent nations with their own rulers and governments. Kaldaryn undertakes peacekeeping across western and central Valrindor. The mainland's language differs from Xalmyrran, requiring translators or knowledge of both languages for communication.
Storms and repeated cycles isolate Xalmyrra from the wider world, while crossing its boundaries can strip away a traveler's memories. Thalassai stands on Xolterra and has ships capable of reaching mainland ports. Ancient gates also provide passages through the void, linking distant settlements.
Valrindor 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 of the planet. Its nations share a world of magic, ancient gates and the remnants of the Malverand Empire.
Geography
Thundermarch lies east of Xalmyrra, while Xolterra is an island west of Xalmyrra, across the ocean. Central Valrindor has green hills, forests, plains and lakes, and Kaldaryn stands beside a mountain range. Farther east lie Haverloch and Ulzathir. Ulzathir contains extensive deserts as well as temperate lands.
The southern continent is joined to the mainland by a massive bridge across the strait at Stormhaven, the capital of Bjarnholt. Stormhaven stands at the continent's northern tip, above a coast of fjords and rough seas. Darkness occupies lands farther south.
Nations, language and transport
Valrindor contains independent nations with their own rulers and governments. Malverine, its common tongue, descends from the language of the ancient Malverand Empire. Xalmyrra has its own language, and its long isolation made contact with the mainland difficult.
Almost all complex technology on Valrindor uses essence, which interferes with finer devices. Thalassai's windweavers travel between mainland ports and its home island of Xolterra. Ancient gates provide passages through the void, linking distant settlements.
Xalmyrra and renewed contact
Storms and repeated cycles isolated Xalmyrra from the wider world, while crossing its boundaries could strip away a traveler's memories. The fight between Thalena and Jorhan ended the cycles. Xalmyrra's rulers and mages established contact with Xolterra and mainland nations through ships and reopened gates.
Valrindor 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 of the planet. Its nations share a world of magic, ancient gates and the remnants of the Malverand Empire.
Geography
Thundermarch lies east of Xalmyrra, while Xolterra is an island west of Xalmyrra, across the ocean. Central Valrindor has green hills, forests, plains and lakes, and Kaldaryn stands beside a mountain range. Farther east lie Haverloch and Ulzathir. Ulzathir contains the Dahruz Desert, the largest desert in Valrindor, as well as temperate lands.
The southern continent is joined to the mainland by a massive bridge across the strait at Stormhaven, the capital of Bjarnholt. Stormhaven stands at the continent's northern tip, above a coast of fjords and rough seas. Darkness occupies lands farther south.
The Plains of Eternity have an exceptional concentration of essence. Their expansion reaches the lands north of Tharendur and the eastern coast, where monsters inhabit the sea and fly over the interior.
The temporal bubble around Varnhallow collapsed. Its former territory is now empty land with forests, hills and plains.
Nations, language and transport
Valrindor contains independent nations with their own rulers and governments. Malverine, its common tongue, descends from the language of the ancient Malverand Empire. Xalmyrra has its own language, and its long isolation made contact with the mainland difficult.
Almost all complex technology on Valrindor uses essence, which interferes with finer devices. Nations possess their own engines and flying vessels. Blackcrag conceals much of its advanced engine technology, and its skyships can cross the Morindel Sea. Thalassai's windweavers travel between mainland ports and its home island of Xolterra.
History
The Malverand Empire fragmented, leaving ruins, gates and surviving devices across its former territories. The Order of Thalion Zenith destroyed records of the empire, leaving its history largely forgotten outside surviving enclaves.
Storms and repeated cycles isolated Xalmyrra from the wider world, while crossing its boundaries could strip away a traveler's memories. The fight between Thalena and Jorhan ended the cycles. Xalmyrra's rulers and mages established contact with Xolterra and mainland nations through ships and reopened gates.
Valrindor is a planet rich in essence, containing the mainland, Xalmyrra and Xolterra. The name also refers more narrowly to mainland Valrindor, beyond Xalmyrra and Xolterra. Mainland maps show only part of the planet. Its nations share a world of magic, ancient gates and the remnants of the Malverand Empire.
Geography
Thundermarch lies east of Xalmyrra, while Xolterra is an island west of Xalmyrra, across the ocean. Central Valrindor has green hills, forests, plains and lakes, and Kaldaryn stands beside a mountain range. Farther east lie Haverloch and Ulzathir. Ulzathir contains the Dahruz Desert, the largest desert in Valrindor, as well as temperate lands.
The southern continent is joined to the mainland by a massive bridge across the strait at Stormhaven, the capital of Bjarnholt. Stormhaven stands at the continent's northern tip, above a coast of fjords and rough seas. Darkness occupies lands farther south.
The Plains of Eternity have an exceptional concentration of essence. Their expansion reaches the lands north of Tharendur and the eastern coast, where monsters inhabit the sea and fly over the interior. The Source is a rift beneath Lake Eternity, releasing liquid white essence into the lake and its river. Eira widened the rift while visiting the ancient Oracles, increasing the flow of essence.
Essence, language and transport
Essence forms a shield around Valrindor, held by the planet's gravity. The God Realm consists of connected essence throughout the world, through which the gods perceive those who share their essence. Varnhallow was an anomaly within Valrindor, sealed outside ordinary time by Michael, Sigvariel and Horol’Khai. The separation cut its gods off from the outside world. Horol’Khai maintained an outside connection until her power weakened. Its temporal bubble collapsed, and its former territory now contains mountains, pine forests and rivers.
Valrindor contains independent nations with their own rulers and governments. Malverine, its common tongue, descends from the language of the ancient Malverand Empire. Xalmyrra has its own language, and its long isolation made contact with the mainland difficult.
Almost all complex technology on Valrindor uses essence. Essence interferes with finer devices, including attempts to make technology powered by lightning. Ancient Malverand developed skyships and gates. Modern nations possess their own engines and flying vessels: Blackcrag conceals much of its advanced engine technology, Haverloch uses vector voyagers, and Thalassai uses windweavers. Thalena has built railway lines through central Valrindor and developed trains in Thalassai.
Valrindor's solar system contains Corthis and Vireen. The planet has two moons, with only one visible at a time.
History
Malverand and the changing landscape
Barachiel built the Malverand Empire around Maraveth, appointing guardians to oversee its provinces. Haverloch and Ulzathir remained independent nations and traded with the empire. Arcanis developed essence transportation and ships capable of leaving Valrindor; the empire sent an expedition to Vireen and created gates linking distant settlements, including a gate above the Aethrendar Sea.
The guardians' conflicts changed the planet's geography. Remiella overloaded her magic while trying to separate Thiravos and Theryssa, causing a massive tsunami across northern Valrindor. At Morindel, Zero and Kallion fought Eremion. Zero's singularity drew in Kallion's conjured sun, and the explosion formed the Morindel Sea. The Malverand Empire fragmented as its guardians turned against one another. The Order of Thalion Zenith destroyed records of the empire, leaving its history largely forgotten outside surviving enclaves.
Xalmyrra and renewed contact
Storms and repeated cycles isolated Xalmyrra from the wider world, while crossing its boundaries could strip away a traveler's memories. The fight between Thalena and Jorhan ended the cycles. Xalmyrra's rulers and mages established contact with Xolterra and mainland nations through ships and reopened gates.
Valrindor is a planet rich in essence, containing the mainland, Xalmyrra and Xolterra. The name also refers more narrowly to mainland Valrindor, beyond Xalmyrra and Xolterra. Mainland maps show only part of the planet. Its nations share a world of magic, ancient gates and the remnants of the Malverand Empire.
Geography
Thundermarch lies east of Xalmyrra, while Xolterra is an island west of Xalmyrra, across the ocean. Central Valrindor has green hills, forests, plains and lakes, and Kaldaryn stands beside a mountain range. Farther east lie Haverloch and Ulzathir. Ulzathir contains the Dahruz Desert, the largest desert in Valrindor, as well as temperate lands.
The southern continent is joined to the mainland by a massive bridge across the strait at Stormhaven, the capital of Bjarnholt. Stormhaven stands at the continent's northern tip, above a coast of fjords and rough seas. Darkness occupies lands farther south.
The Plains of Eternity have an exceptional concentration of essence. Their expansion reaches the lands north of Tharendur and the eastern coast, where monsters inhabit the sea and fly over the interior. The Source lies beneath Lake Eternity, deep below the planet's crust, and releases liquid white essence into the lake and its river. The mountains of Ithyreon restrict travel between parts of northeastern and southern Valrindor.
Essence and other realms
Essence forms a shield around Valrindor, held by the planet's gravity. The God Realm consists of connected essence throughout the world. It is a diffuse echo of Valrindor rather than a clear view of its surface: the gods perceive people and places through their connections to essence, especially through their followers. Cassian demonstrated this by severing a local connection while Tianlei watched; Tianlei could no longer see Nethira at a palace window, although Cassian could still speak to him after stepping onto the connected road.
Varnhallow was an anomaly within Valrindor, sealed outside ordinary time by Michael, Sigvariel and Horol’Khai. The separation cut its gods off from the outside world. Horol’Khai maintained an outside connection until her power weakened. Its temporal bubble collapsed, and its former territory now contains mountains, pine forests and rivers.
Valrindor occupies the same position in space as imperial Valrindor, the central world of the Malverand Intergalactic Empire. A veil of essence separates the native world from the planet visible to ships in ordinary space. Xarion opened a passage through that veil with aether magic and guided a ship into native Valrindor. Its specially adapted hull contained ancient steel that retained essence; contact with that essence shut down the ship's electronic systems.
The Source is a permanent rift between the two worlds. Its openings lie at different points in time; crossing from the native lake leads into the imperial world's future. The solar system also contains Corthis and Vireen. Valrindor has two moons, with only one visible at a time.
Nations, language and transport
Valrindor contains independent nations with their own rulers and governments. Malverine, its common tongue, descends from the language of the ancient Malverand Empire. Xalmyrra has its own language, and its long isolation made contact with the mainland difficult.
Almost all complex technology on Valrindor uses essence. Essence interferes with finer devices, including attempts to make technology powered by lightning. Ancient Malverand developed skyships and gates, while surviving nations possess their own engines and flying vessels. Blackcrag keeps much of its advanced engine technology concealed; Haverloch uses vector voyagers, and Thalassai uses windweavers. These craft serve routes across seas and between mainland settlements.
Thalena has built railway lines through central Valrindor and developed trains in Thalassai. The Valrindor Council plans to extend the network across the planet, connecting every major city. Its headquarters in Melandor provides a central meeting place for representatives from distant nations. Under Xarion's leadership, the council formed a force against the darkness and selected Ithyreon as its first mission. Thalena is to lead the expedition against the darkness beasts there.
History
Malverand and the changing landscape
Barachiel built the Malverand Empire around Maraveth, appointing guardians to oversee its provinces. Haverloch and Ulzathir remained independent nations and traded with the empire. Arcanis developed essence transportation and ships capable of leaving Valrindor; the empire sent an expedition to Vireen and created gates linking distant settlements, including a gate above the Aethrendar Sea.
The guardians' conflicts changed the planet's geography. Remiella overloaded her magic while trying to separate Thiravos and Theryssa, causing a massive tsunami across northern Valrindor. At Morindel, Zero and Kallion fought Eremion. Zero's singularity drew in Kallion's conjured sun, and the explosion formed the Morindel Sea. The Malverand Empire fragmented as its guardians turned against one another. The Order of Thalion Zenith destroyed records of the empire, leaving its history largely forgotten outside surviving enclaves.
Xalmyrra and renewed contact
Storms and repeated cycles isolated Xalmyrra from the wider world, while crossing its boundaries could strip away a traveler's memories. The fight between Thalena and Jorhan ended the cycles. Xalmyrra's rulers and mages established contact with Xolterra and mainland nations through ships and reopened gates.
Thalena's account
In Thalena's Shores of Eternity, a solar flare burned parts of Melandor and Gabriel's crystals detonated during the council meeting. Human communities dwindled over the following centuries. Thalena and Lothar protected Valrindor with a veil sustained by two artificial sun cores above its poles. To preserve the planet from the dying universe, Thalena opened many doors to the void, pulled the entire world inside and sealed it there.