Overview
Xalmyrra is an ancient region of Valrindor and a former province of the Malverand Empire. After Malverand begins breaking apart, Xalmyrra splits into Teryndal, Soltheris, Erenmyr, and Keldara, with the Xalmyrran Council coordinating the four governments from Irrathis.
Modern Xalmyrra is primarily the four-nation region. The four nations also share Xalmyrran peoples, a history as a former Malverand province, and a regional political sphere.
For ages, Xalmyrra is separated from the rest of Valrindor by magical storms that cause memory loss. Jorhan uses the spiral shards and the darkness to bind the region inside repeating cycles, and after those cycles break, Xalmyrra reopens contact with the rest of Valrindor, Xolterra, Thalassai, Haverloch, and the emerging all-Valrindor council talks.
Geography
Xalmyrra lies within Valrindor. Xolterra lies west across the sea. The mainland beyond Xalmyrra and regions such as Thundermarch are separated from Xalmyrra by mountains, seas, tunnels, routes, and the storms that once isolated the region.
Lake Velisyth is a shared landmark for the four nations. Teryndal holds Irrathis, its capital and council seat; Soltheris lies to the east; Erenmyr stretches through swamps, vivid forests, green lands, and long coastlines; and Keldara holds icy northern mountains and fortress-cities. Xalmyrra also includes the Aethrendar Sea, the Land of Darkness to the south, the eastern Xalmyrran mountains, Teryndal's farmlands and waterways, and the mountainous reaches of Keldara.
Nations and Cities
- Teryndal holds Irrathis as its capital and the seat of the Xalmyrran Council.
- Soltheris is an eastern kingdom known for cosmic mages, advanced technology, Zeydrith, and the Luminary Halls.
- Erenmyr is a land of divine magic, swamps, forests, scholars, healers, giant magical frogs, and the city of Valcirae.
- Keldara is a martial mountain nation with icy northern reaches, Keldaran commanders, and the fortress-city of Varentis.
Society and Civic Life
Xalmyrra has essence towers, national magic traditions, tournaments, and council-led defenses against darkness. Tournaments gather mages, fighters, and spectators from across the four nations for training, public competition, and regional cohesion.
The Xalmyrran language grows from the atraxi tongue after the atraxi settle in Irrathis, Valcirae, and Varentis. It spreads through trade and cultural exchange until it becomes a unifying language across the four nations.
Buildings, city defenses, transport, and civic magic vary by nation and city. Irrathis is built largely from wood and stone by earth and water mages, Zeydrith is more advanced and partly built by the atraxi, Varentis is carved into cliffs, and Valcirae is hidden within Erenmyr's forests. Xalmyrra has essence towers, essence cores, airships, trains, gates, magical lights, and mage-built civic utilities; after contact with Thalassai expands, windweavers also circulate through the region.
Government
The Xalmyrran Council is based at the Imperial Institute in Irrathis and directs regional defenses against darkness, corruption, essence overuse, and cross-border threats.
The council's authority overlaps with national governments, rulers, armies, scholars, and mages. Council heads include Aldred, Aldar, and Brynor. After the cycles break, the council becomes a diplomatic contact point for Thalassai, Haverloch, and all-Valrindor council talks.
Later leaders discuss an all-Valrindor council as its own diplomatic project. Xalmyrra continues to operate through its four nations and the Xalmyrran Council.
History
Under the Malverand Empire, Xalmyrra is a province overseen by Sariel. Hrzai lives among and protects the Xalmyrrans. As Malverand begins breaking apart, Xalmyrra splits into four nations, and the council takes charge of regional affairs. Aldred rises within that council and guards Xalmyrra. The region continues outside direct Malverand control.
The atraxi arrive above the Aethrendar Sea and reach Irrathis, where Xoltan formally welcomes them and Aldred Behn offers sanctuary through the Xalmyrran Council. Most atraxi settle in Irrathis. Others depart for Valcirae and Varentis. They spread their language through trade and cultural exchange and bring advanced knowledge into Soltheris. Their survival problems, essence overuse, corruption, and Jorhan's rise lead into the storms and cycles that isolate Xalmyrra.
While Jorhan's cycles isolate Xalmyrra, the region repeatedly struggles against darkness and divisions among its four nations. The War of Scars devastates the region, drawing armies from Teryndal, Erenmyr, Keldara, and Soltheris before Arcanis ends the War of Scars. The four nations later move toward a formal alliance and a unified expedition into the Land of Darkness.
When Jorhan and the darkness are defeated, the storms clear and Xalmyrra becomes free from the cycles. Thalassai sends ships to Teryndal, Haverloch opens diplomatic channels with the Xalmyrran Council, and Xalmyrran leaders discuss an all-Valrindor council as Raphael's faction threatens central Valrindor and Nerissa launches Nerissa's Invasion of Xalmyrra.
During Nerissa's Invasion of Xalmyrra, a foreign skyship force attacks toward Erenmyr's coast. Xalmyrran forces gather around Brynor, Orin, Tazarin, Feryon, Seralyth, and Mirael. Orin defeats Nero, Lucilla unmakes Nerissa, and Brynor sacrifices himself to contain one of the essence bombs.
Secrets and Mysteries
Jorhan uses the spiral shards and darkness to trap Xalmyrra in storms and repeating cycles that distort memory and isolate the region from the rest of Valrindor. Hrzai lives among the Xalmyrrans as Xelthys. Thalena acts within the cycles as Arcanis to prepare Jorhan's defeat.
After the cycles break, Aldar creates a smaller Xalmyrran-style cycle and veil over Cyndarel as a battlefield trap. The Cyndarel trap is a smaller version of the old Xalmyrran cycles.
During Nerissa's Invasion of Xalmyrra, Lucilla buys time, uses her unmaking power, and destroys Nerissa. Nerissa's invasion damages Xalmyrra. Xalmyrra remains unconquered.