Harrison DeVries Writing

The Golden Empire, the Neverending Reign, are just two of the many self-proclaimed names of these people. Vaelor is the grand empire of the known world. At their height, they commanded the entire continent. Now, it still holds the largest mass of land as its principal holdings while maintaining influence from coast to coast.

The Vaeloran Empire holds the largest city of the continent at its center. Vaelora is a sprawling settlement of impressive make. Other cities, such as Hailgrad, were created in the likeness of the great city eternal, but none compare in its design. Layers upon layers of homes, beautifully carved from white stone, stand as far as the eye can see. The city is so large that many, particularly the wealthy, ride on trams suspended on wires over the city streets for quicker travel. They are made through a combination of expert engineering and enchanted machinery and are often the first thing that takes a newcomer’s breath away.

High in the upper reaches of the city is the royal palace. It is the most grand building on the continent. White stone is accented with gold, much in the fashion of the high-class buildings of the city. The king and queen sit of lavish seats of gold and jewels here. Next to the palace is the temple of Vaelentros, the patron god of Vaelor and head of the Divine Order of Gods. Around these magnificent structures are countless estates of Dukes and Lords whose namesakes reach back hundreds of years. Of the over million people that call this place home, many live in the various tight alleyways and small, cramped homes of the endless city.

Vaelora is just the beginning of this grand empire. Throughout the center of the kingdom are the Fields of Golden Wheat. They are the breadbasket whose fertile lands keep the empire fed.

Garloban might be the most vital part of the empire. This vast mountain fortress produces more gold than anywhere else on the continent. Its operations rival even the most productive Kaboutian mines in terms of this mineral. It was an early development of the Vaeloran ancestors and acted as the catalyst to build their power. Its vast works are carried out primarily by prisoners sent there to work. Many of these are wrongfully taken, never to be seen again. While it is a stronghold of wealth for the elite, it is a pit of despair and toil for many.

One place of mystic wonder is the Monastery of Vaelentros. This place is said to be the closest point to the gods. Many believe this is because it is the highest settlement in terms of elevation, but that is not true. It is meant as a commentary on the devoutness of the inhabitants. People from every race and corner of the continent live and are welcome here. The only requirement is that they are followers of the divine order. There is ancient knowledge and magic there that has been kept alive through the ages.

The Towers of the Divine Lightbringers are the most powerful order of mages in the empire. Unlike the separated monastery, the Lightbringers serve the Vaeloran crown. Many times, they serve in the military during times of crisis. While these mages and the devotees at the monastery both use magic, there are notable differences. The devotees can be monks, paladins, or any devout followers of a god. They worship that deity and draw power from them as their patron. This means that if one of these individuals breaks their bond, many times they can lose their power. Some who do this turn to dark magic and follow a dark god such as the sinister Dyurkan. Mages, on the other hand, draw their power from the energy of the world around them. They build this power through the study of tomes and teachings of other mages. Some mages do devote themselves to a deity, but it is a knowledge-based magical power rather than a faith-based power. Nevertheless, both routes have developed powerful beings over the years with differing powers.

The Lake of Endless Waters is a curious place amongst the Oldroot Forest. It is said that a monster swims its icy, dark depths, but few credible sources claim to have seen it in person. An evil power dwelt in a tower near this lake an age ago. They were destroyed by the Vaeloran people before the empire fully formed. It was a tenuous time that threatened the existence of the fledgling kingdom.

Kaedros is the east-most city in the empire and is closest to Hailgalad. Being so near to the borderlands, this city is often host to garrisons of armies. It is also grounds for many ceasefires and peace treaties brokered by the Kaboutians for the two warring kingdoms. With these ongoing actions, it is a diverse city of travelers. Many Hailgaladrians who have been here say it bears a striking resemblance to Javailty.

The Hold of Pleatus is named after a great king of Vaelora. He was a warrior-king who faced down a fearsome conglomerate of northfolk raiding armies and struck down a warlord named Knud. This city is a lavish place filled with grand theaters and performers. In addition, many of the empire’s military leaders and wealthy who do not have the honor of having great houses in Vaelora call this place home.

Avignon is the north-most city of the empire. In current times, it is a safe place, but it had long been subject to various northfolk raiding parties. Many of the elites of the kingdom see this city as the least prestigious of them all, but it is a beautiful city nonetheless. It lies along the rushing Taeros River and borders the vast Oldroot Forest.

Baelera is perhaps the most strategic settlement of Vaelor. It was created at the mouth of the Bottomless Bay. Not far offshore is the Isle of Diamonds. It was aptly named because it is rich with exotic and rare minerals. People say that this island was the battleground for the duel between acolytes of the gods or even Vaelentros and Dyurkan themselves. Ancient tales say that flaming boulders from the sky rained down there and created the Bottomless Bay and the island. Regardless, it is a rugged landscape of craters, pits, and dangerous caves where all manner of dangerous creatures live. Vaelor and Kaboutia have fought over the island for many years, but they currently have an uneasy peace where both have settlements on it. People hopeful to strike it rich come here from all around the continent and travel there from Baelera. This coastal city is a hub of trade from all around the bay and even to Mendale and west to the Ironwood Forest. It also acts as a staging ground for armies to travel to the Ashshadow Rainforest where the Ashland Kindred have always had a fraught relationship with the empire.

Sentiment about Vaelor ranges from praise to hatred, but one thing is certain: it is a place of great power and history.