#vaalbara au

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

The Dragon’s Eye

Long ago, when the land was still young, the Western Woodlands were wild and untamed. People survived on what they could, fighting off beasts with what they had.

A young lad, returning home after a long fishing trip, came about the scariest of beasts: a dragon. It was bigger than a house, with scales the colour of sunset. Claws so sharp they could shred stones to pieces, and wings so large they would raise a storm just to get it up in the air.

The boy shuddered when it hissed at him. He had heard about dragons. Big scaly beasts that could breath fire, or bring lightning, or even snowstorms. So terrifying they could scare the dead, and so powerful all other beasts bowed their heads as they flew by.

But not this one. It was lying on the ground, one of its wing tips with flesh wounds. The dragon’s tail slammed the earth with anger, yet the lad knew it was trying to make him leave, rather than to crush him dead. With his dagger ready, he approached the beast’s head. It looked exhausted, covered in dead leaves and blood.

The boy raised the dagger and slashed off the head of one of his fish, dropping it right next to the dragon’s jaws. Its long tongue slipped between the sharp teeth and gobbled it right up. He walked a few steps away from the dragon, and dropped another piece of fish. This time it was a long claw dragging it closer to the mouth.

It took several hours, but the lad finally got the dragon on its feet, and guided it to a cave on the rocky hillside. He dropped the rest of his fish inside, and watched the beast rush right in. The boy gathered some wood for a campfire, and ate the berries he had left.

After a few weeks camping outside of the cave, the boy heard a voice. “Come, Child of Man, have no fear of me,” it said.

He went inside, fully aware of the bright bronze eyes staring at him. There was a small pile of red-hot stones just near its belly. The lad sat a few feet away from the dragon. “How can you breathe fire?”

“I am fire, boy! Born from a volcano and nurtured by lava, I am fire all around,” it replied, smoke rising from its nostrils. “My name is Altan*, and you have my gratitude. I was injured while traveling, and had not eaten in days. Your scrawny little fish saved me”.

The boy said nothing, but nodded in understanding. The dragon got to its feet. “Before I go, Child of Man, look into my eyes,” Altan said, and so he did. Though only for a moment, he felt engulfed by the bronze pools staring at him. He blinked twice, and realized Altan had lost one eye.

“What have you done?” the boy said, almost reaching out to touch him.

“I have granted you my Eye, and you will notice that when your feelings are strongest, so shall your sight be. That, and this hill are my gift to you. Build a home at the very top, so good winds come your way”. Altan spread his enormous wings at the entrance of the cave, and let out a satisfied sigh. The dragon took flight with a tremendous roar that shook the earth.

Many decades went by. The small home on the hilltop began as a woden house, but eventually upgraded to a stone cottage. It provided a great view of the Woodlands, and it did not miss the gigantic shadow that landed just below. A tall man with a small axe rushed downhill, trembling head to toe. “Come, Child of Man, have no fear of me.”

He peered inside the cave, and one bright bronze eye peered back at him. “Well, well. Look at you! A man grown already!” the familiar voice of Altan rumbled through the cave. The man dropped the axe, and sat as close to him as he could. The dragon had grown too, and how it was able to get itself inside the cave was a mystery.

“Thank you, Altan, for your gift! The day my daughter was born, I saw a glimpse of her eating poisonous berries and dying. The antidote takes years to make, and too few mages know how to brew it, but thanks to the Eye, we had two bottles ready the day it happened, and she survived,” he ran out of breath. “Thank you!”

“Oh?” the dragon let out a tired laugh. “So you chose to have an antidote, instead of telling her not to eat berries.”

“I feared she might grow tired of my warning, and dismiss it as her father’s mad delusion.”

“Hmm... It appears my Eye passed to wise hands. I hope that remains so after I’m gone.”

This took the man by surprise. “Oh... Are you going away so soon?”

“Indeed. I’m going away at dusk. I came back to die,” Altan sighed heavily. “You took good care of me so many years ago. I thought you might take care of my bones too.”

The man clenched his jaw. “I... Yes, of course. I’ll make sure they are safe.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I've been waiting to tell you how much you helped me. I never thought a dragon would change my life.”

“Well, I never thought a Child of Man would change mine, but here I am, entrusting my bones to you. And as a final gift, take my scales. The Eye will show you how to use them,” his voice was low. “Farewell, Child of Man.”

“Drake**,” he offered, putting his hand on the dragon’s snout. “My name is Drake, Altan. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“ ‘Drake’... What a fitting name. Farewell, Drake.”

And so, he was gone.

The man offered a prayer to the gods before returning home. He took the name “Fallen Drake”, as to never forget the kindness shared between the two. Its said the Dragon’s Eye is still present in his bloodline.

And so, that is how the noble and most ancient House of Fallendrake got its name.

XXXXXXXXX

* "Red dawn" in Turkish.

** Derived from the Old Norse byname Draki meaning "dragon", from Greek δρακων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent".

[alectology-archive]

SJ/M’s unacceptable and lazy usages of real world places/cultures

I’m aiming to make this the most comprehensive list of SJ/M stealing bits and pieces of world history and pretending like she came up with them. Feel free to comment down below or send an ask if you can think of anything.

The addition of adaptation of names from some real-world places is included either because of insensitivity (Hybern and Prythian) or mostly because SJ/M doesn’t try to represent any of the cultures she takes from.

Note that this post will keep getting updated as I discover more evidences of unacceptable usages of cultures. Also note that there is every possibility that some resemblances are purely accidental and/or unintentional. So take it with a grain of salt.

T/HRONE OF GLASS

- Most of the cultural activities mentioned in Tower of Dawn are rip-offs of Mongolian culture and seem to resemble the Dothraki from Game of Thrones very closely.

- Pagan holidays mentioned in the books:

Yulemas* is celebrated in Erilea despite there already existing an established religion consisting of 12 gods and goddesses.

Samhain* is a festival celebrated by Irish and Scottish people.

Beltane* is a festival celebrated historically in Ireland and Scotland.

- Nehemia is probably derived from the Jewish leader Nehemiah who helped rebuild Jerusalem. Instead of trying to work that into Nehemia’s narrative, SJ/M killed off Nehemia to serve a white woman’s narrative.

- Mycenae is a historical site in Greece.

- Illium is an actual Greek city as well.

- Ravi in KoA is named after a Hindi word which means “sun”.

- Strangely enough Ravi’s brother is named Sol after the Roman god of the sun.

- Suria, where Ravi is from, is also a synonym for sun in Hindi.

- Mab is from the story of “Queen Mab”.

- Maeve is a sexual goddess in Irish mythology who was actually raped. So making Maeve a rapist in the books was hurtful.

A/COTAR

- Nagas belong to Hindu/Indian mythology included in a book that’s clearly a very western fantasy and has little to no PoC representation. 

- Illyrians were an actual indo-european tribe with close relations to modern day Albanians. S/JM is not the first person to feature them in her work but other authors have used versions of the name like “Illyria” by Shakespeare, “Ilirea” by Paolini, “Valyria” by GRRM etc. which are acceptable.

- Calan Mai is actually a celebration of spring in Welsh culture. As @gemorsedd put it so eloquently, SJ/M turned it into a festival about Tamlin being unable to control his hormones.

- Hybern is derived from the classic latin name of Ireland which is “Hibernia”. 

- Prythian is a modified version of the ancient name of Britain “Prydain”. COINCIDENTALLY, Prythian VERY closely resembles the UK. It’s also possible that she plagiarised the name from Anne Bishop’s Daughter of Blood.

Note for further reading: Read @blakeseptember’s about why SJ/M was especially insensitive in including Prythia and Hybern in the ways she did: https://blakeseptember.tumblr.com/post/187088853587/hybern-as-ireland

- Bharat is actually the Hindi name for India which is mentioned in ACO/TAR. Not only is it mentioned that Feyre’s father was sailing to Bharat to trade in cloth and spices (which was exactly what British colonialists and traders did when they sailed to India), it’s also said, quite clearly, that Feyre’s mother died of Typhus while her cousin died of Malaria (IN BHARAT). By doing so SJ/M is blatantly promoting a very colonialist view of India. 

The Malaria mention: “My mind was void, a blank mess of uselessness. Could it be some sort of disease? My mother had died of typhus and her cousin had died of malaria after going to Bharat. But none of those symptoms seemed to match a riddle. Was it a person?”

The Trade of cloth and spices: “I swallowed. ‘Eight years ago he amassed our wealth on three ships to sail to Bharat for invaluable spices and cloth.’”

- Myrmidons feature in A/COWAR. The Myrmidons is actually a nation from Ancient Greek mythology (led by Achilles in the siege of Troy). 

- Harem pants which are worn in parts of South and Middle-east Asia feature in the books where they’re introduced into a court consisting of white people only.

- F/eyre’s floral tattoos are very reminiscent of mehendis which are very important to Indian, Arabic and North African cultures but it’s a trait given to a white woman here. Read this post.

C/RESCENT CITY

- Danaan is from Tuatha de Danaan (celtic mythology) / Danaans is another name for Greece in the Iliad, used interchangeably with “Argives” and “Achaeans”.

- Avallen is Avalon (the legend of King Arthur). Ruhn’s story also bears a very close resemblance to the legend.

- 6 point star = Star of David

- Lehabah = a word in Hebrew meaning "a flame" (להבה)

- Mount Hermon = an actual mountain place in the northern part of Israel.  In Hebrew: הר החרמון.

- SPQM’s full form is Senatus Populusque Midgard. Which is awfully close to the SPQR of the ancient Roman empire which is Senatus Populusque Romanus

- The river Tiber mentioned in CC is actually a Roman river.

- Midgard, in Norse mythology, is the home of mankind. In Norse mythology.

- Sandriel: Comes from the angel Sadriel, the angel of order. S/JM added an “n.”

- Orion “Hunt” A/thalar: First name is pretty obvious, Orion as in the hunter which is where his name “Hunt” comes from. Probably from the god Attar called Athtar in Southern Arabia. Attar is sometimes considered a storm god explaining his lightning powers, but also linked to the Morningstar aka Lucifer. No explanations are given regarding as to how the constellations of our world are the same as that of SJ/M’s fantasy AU.

- Shahar Daystar: From the dawn deity Shahar. Also linked to Lucifer.

- Jesiba Roga: A Croatian respelling of Baba Yaga. Jesiba Roga, is quite literally just a combination of Ježibaba (a figure closely related to Baba Yaga in West Slavic folklore) and Baba Roga (the Croatian version of of Baba Yaga). 

- Danika Fendyr: Danika is a Slavic dawn deity. Fendyr comes from Fenrir a wolf in Norse mythology. 

- Isaiah: Taken from Isaiah 14:12-15 which details the fall of Lucifer. It’s also easily accessible from Shahar’s Wikipedia page (which may imply that SJ/M uses Wikipedia for research and just steals/lazily incorporates whatever she finds along the way.)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven,

O [a]Lucifer, son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground,

You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart:

‘I will ascend into heaven,

I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;

I will also sit on the mount of the congregation

On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,

I will be like the Most High.’

15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,

To the [b]lowest depths of the Pit.

- Fury Axtar: Hunt is likely related to Attar or maybe even Ishtar or Ashtaroth. It’s unclear right now. Ishtar is sometimes linked to Lucifer as well. It’s possible that she’s named after the Furies in Greek mythology, deities of vengeance.

- Micah Domitus: Micah is a prophet in Judaism.

- Syrinx: A chimera in this book, a nymph known for her devotion to Artemis.

- Urd: The god of flame and shadow possibly the name comes from Urðr one of the three Norns in Norse mythology.

- Luna: A Roman moon goddess

- Cthona: “Chthonic”, in English, describes deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in Ancient Greek religion.

- Vanir: The Vanir are actually group of Norse gods.

- Asphodel Meadows: A section of the ancient Greek underworld where ordinary souls were sent to live after death.

- Hel: Hel is a goddess but also a location in Norse Mythology for the dead. Depictions of Hel depend on the source of the information. It’s strange that Hel and Asphodel Meadows belong in the same place, translating to lazy world building on SJ/M’s part.

- Midgard: In Norse Mythology basically the plane of existence of humans.

- Laconic Mountains: Named after Laconia the administrative capital of Sparta.

- Nidaros: Where Bryce grew up. It’s the ancient name of Norway’s capital when the Christian kings ruled. It’s now called Trondheim.

- Istros River: Taken from Istros of Ancient Greece

- Valbara: Taken from the super continent Vaalbara

- Pangera: probably Pangea, the huge supercontinent on which dinosaurs lived

- Crown of Thorns: In reality it’s a symbol of Jesus but in the book it’s branded onto the foreheads of angels who rebelled in a war some decades ago.

- Keres: Phillip Briggs’s terrorist gang is named after the Keres who are “goddesses who personified violent death and who were drawn to bloody deaths on battle fields.”

- Sailing: A Norse funeral custom for Vikings as seen in movies like How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Thor: The Dark World. Here’s more information on it, but it seems SJ/M got it wrong. Most Vikings were usually cremated and it was mostly used for Kings and Chieftains (Danika might fall into the Chieftain category).

- 33rd Imperial Legion: Could be a reference again to Jesus who was 33 at his death.

- The Ophian rebels (of which the the Keres rebels are a subgroup of) are named after Ophian, and elder Titan in Greek mythology.

Sources I’ve derived some facts from so far:

- Sapir Englard on Goodreads via @spaceshipkat’s tumblr post using Hebrew in CCity.

- @bittenwrath for basically everything in crescent city. 

- @blakeseptember’s tumblr about Hybern’s origins.

- An anon dropped by with “Hel”

- @chenmighty and @tavithelibrarian pointed out the Illyrians.

- @sylphene and @omourningstar for Prydain

- @ok-boomer pointed out that Yulemas, Samhain and Beltain are all pagan holidays.

- @gemorsedd For pointing out Calan Mai

- An anon pointed out the Norns, Danaan and Avalon.

- @mimiofthemalfoys for the Bharat, malaria, typhus, spices and cloth mention.

- @kryingkardashianz for Danaans being another name of Greece and Myrmidions.

- an anon pointed out Nidaros

- @shurislut for mehendi and harem pants

- @sanktaalinaa for Jesiba Roga

- @croissantcitysucks for the Ophian Rebels

[auparadisdujeu]

Les deux commandes du jour! Et la 2ème ! Tracks Galileo Project Super Mega Lucky Box Vaalbara Hiroba Black Sonata La bête Tout n'est que mensonge Bristol 1350 Prophétie #jeuxsociété #jeuxdesociete #j2s #jeudesociete #boardgame #boardgames #auparadisdujeu #lausanne (à Au Paradis du Jeu) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmO06cNoiO8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Thálmar Empire - Main Islands (meta)

Apatite of the Shapeshifters

“Apate”: From Greek, meaning deceit alluding to its similarity to other more valuable minerals such as olivine, peridot and beryl. I relate it to Caça, who is able to change his appearence.

Iolite of the Stormwinds

Iolite is a blue silicate mineral that occurs as crystals or grains in igneous rocks, found in the Yellowknife area of the Northwest Territories of Canada, among other places. I relate it to Baian, who attacks with powerful air currents.

Lapis Lazuli of the Beasts

The finest colour is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite. I relate it to Io and his beasts, for no particular reason.

Sapphire of the Believers

They can be found in Sri Lanka, among other locations. I relate it to Krishna, who firmly believes in Poseidon’s power and guidance.

Turquoise of the Just

Delicate veining, caused by impurities, is desired by some collectors as proof of a natural stone. Turquoise is found in Siberia, among other locations. I relate it to Isaac, since he is “impure” (left Athena’s side), but is still a “natural” (born warrior). He is also just to a fault, damaging Hyoga’s eye as repayment for the loss if his.

Tanzanite of the Faithful

Rarely pure blue, Tanzanite almost always displays its signature overtones of purple. In smaller sizes, Tanzanite usually contains lighter tones and the lavender color is more common.  I relate it to Sorrento due to the colour of his hair, and he is the most faithful to Julian.

Alexandrite of the Mighty

Outside in daylight, it is a cool bluish mossy green. Inside in lamplight, it is a red gem with a warm raspberry tone. I relate it to Kanon, who is very powerful, and also a master deceiver.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Thálmar Empire - General

The Thálmar Empire is located to the east of the continent, far into the ocean. Its an enourmous archipelago of both natural and man-made islands. The biggest of them all is the capital, Aquamarine*.  However, other 7 main islands function as smaller capitals for their nearby isles:

Apatite of the Shapeshifters

Iolite of the Stormwinds

Lapis Lazuli of the Beasts

Sapphire of the Believers

Turquoise of the Just

Tanzanite of the Faithful

Alexandrite of the Mighty

All these islands are easy to identify, since they each have an enourmous pilar in the center. Maelstroms are abundant around the borders of Thálmar, making the seas around it very difficult to navigate.

Fountains and running water canals cover the cities, both in public and private spaces. Thálmar culture believes all life comes from water, and at the end it should return to it. The dead are sent in small boats to the maelstroms so they can rest at the bottom of the ocean.

Thálmarines are known to raid the coasts of Nimbus, ocassionally pester the Black beaches, but rarely able to defend themselves from the Hjarn (due to the mastery of the Ice Raiders sailing frozen waters).

* All main island names are inspired by seawater-coloured gemstones. Further information will be provided in another post.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Hjarn* Principality - General

Northwest of the continent is the Hjarn Principality. A land of ice and snow, summers are short and winters cruel. The frozen Mountains of Origin separate it from the outer Nimbus City-States. So far, it has proven too difficult for invaders to cross.

The Great Divide, an enormous fissure in the ground, separates the rest of Hjarn from the mountains. Castle Snöblomma stands in its edge, with a ceremonial terrace where the current head of House Polarstjarna frequently prays to the old gods. A walled citadel at its feet houses most of the karls.

From their Tribe Holds, the Seven Chosen Jarls defend Hjarn from invaders. The names of the clans reflect the animal they hold sacred**:

Fierce Dragon

Roaring SnowTiger

Fiery Stallion

Hunting Wolf

Singing Hawk

Binding Serpent

Crystal Wyrm

Some of these no longer dwell in the clans’ territories, but are occasionally sighted by their people. In their place, there are heavy wooden carvings to watch over the Hold. Snöblomma has its own sacred animal, the Overseeing Ravens.

Survival is so difficult, that any child born in the family is welcomed, even if they do not have the blood of both parents. Life is hard enough already, so Hjarn keeps mostly to itself, and has little interaction with the rest of the continent. Their peace treaty with Nimbus was established about one century ago, after a Princess of old was bewitched by the song of a Siren and its Thálmarine Master. However, it is not uncommon for Ice Raiders to pillage the northern islands of the Thálmar Empire.

* (Old Norse) ‘hard, frozen snow’; 'frozen earth covered with snow’

** Reference to: Fafnir (Siegfried), Slepinir (Hagen), Fenrir (Fenrir), Vedrfolnir (Mime), Jormungandr (Thor), Nidhogg (Alberich) and Huginn and Muninn (Hilda). Alberich’s and Mime’s are artistic liberties.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Black Kingdom - Culture and Customs

When one is courting another, it is traditional to wear a metal piercing in the lower lip, upper ear, or right eyebrow. If the courted corresponds, they will wear a piercing of the same metal, in the same place as the courter.

Every city, town and village has a necropolis. All flesh and organs are removed, and the bones cleaned for storage in the catacombs. The most revered citizens of the Black Kingdom are kept at the Shadow Valley Necropolis, which is personally attended to by the Royal Family.

Every year during the Autumn Equinox, the Royal Family lights a magical fire over the Necropolis to allow the souls of those who died in the last year to re-enter the mortal world. Their families and friends offer a final greeting and farewell with music.

Though Necromancy is a common practice in the Black Kingdom, it should only be done on the body of the deceased. It is punishable by law to bind a soul to one’s will and the Black Queen herself exerts judgement in these cases.

Translucent crystals are known to grow in the necropolis. They are harvested in small pieces and gifted to children over 1 year old. It it said these crystals absorb the essence of the bearer’s soul, which is why they change colour and composition over time until they become a gem. It is common to see them worn in pendants, rings, earrings, bracelets, swords, and many other objects.

Knighthood is vastly popular in the Black Kingdom, specially in the Western Woodlands. It is expected of noble heirs to be knighted by the end of their teenage years.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Black Kingdom - General

Located in the south of the continent, the Black Kingdom divides in roughly 5 areas:

The snowy mountain range that separates it from Nimbus is guarded by House Kolbein of Griffin’s Claw. It is said to be a bloodline of necromancers and sorcerers.

The stormy coast and wild forests of the west are held by House Fallendrake of Drakehall, famous for their martial prowess and fierce battle tactics. Though dragons are known to nest under the castle, they are not kept as pets and are treated with solemn respect.

In the hills and rocky shores to the east, House Rai of Skyreach keeps the Black King’s peace from invaders and rebels alike. Theirs is a blood of salt and wind, as comfortable defending land as they are battling at sea. The region is known for their mastery at falconry.

The Peninsulas to the south are the tropical paradise guarded by House Nyx of the Twin Towers. Since there are no known enemies to the south, their war participation is low, but their political experience has served the Black Kingdom for ages. They also have the special duty of guarding the oldest necropolis known, where the bones of the first Black King rest.

Finally, the Shadow Valley of Death, located roughtly in the middle of the other areas, is the seat of the Royal House Heinstein of Ascheholt. The valley houses the kingdom’s biggest necropolis, where the remains of all ancestors are jelously guarded from harm.

Death is an important part of the Black Kingdom, where it is highly celebrated during Autum. Necromancy is a common practice, yet it must only be applied to corpses, never to the souls that once inhabited them.

Even though they already hold large areas of land, the Blacks are always up for conquering their neighbours. Fallendrake, Kolbein and Rai are directly sworn to the Heinsteins, and each have 35 minor lords sworn to them as well, which ensures they always have enough manpower for war.

Sigils are common across the continent, but the Black Kingdom is also known for the use of family words.

House Heinstein

Status: Royal Family

Location: Shadow Valley

Seat: Ascheholt

Sigil: Silver skull and snake on a black field

Words: “The Embrace of Darkness”

Current Head: Pandora (Queen Regent)

House Nyx

Status: Royal Advisors

Location: Twin Peninsulas

Seat: Twin Towers (Dreamhaven and Deathhaven)

Sigil: Gold and silver stars on a dark grey field

Words: “We bide our time”

Current Head: Hypnos and Thanatos

House Fallendrake

Status: Lord Paramount

Location: Forests of the West

Seat: Drakehall

Sigil: Golden wyvern on a dark purple field*

Words: “The Night is Fierce”**

Current Head: Radamanthys

House Kolbein

Status: Lord Paramount

Location: Mountains of the North

Seat: Griffin’s Claw

Sigil: Silver griffin on a midnight blue field

Words: “As Noble as Death”

Current Head: Minos

House Rai

Status: Lord Paramount

Location: Hills of the East

Seat: Skyreach

Sigil: Bronze eagle on a tyrian purple field

Words: “Valiant in the Skies”

Current Head: Aiacos

Notes:

Fallendrake: due to Radamanthys being a dragon in hell, “fallen”.

Kolbein: “black bone”

Rai:  “King” in old Khas kura

* All family words are to include a direct reference to the Evil Star assigned to that character.

** SIgil colours are related to characteristics inherent to the applicable character. For example, Aiacos’ is a reference to the anime colour of this surplice, as well as darker skin (as a canonical Nepali).

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Nimbus* City-States - General

The borders of the domain are guarded by the 48 low-ranked nobles (called “Stars”), scattered through the outskirts of Nimbus. The second line of defense is held by the 28 middle-ranked nobles (“Moons”). Finally, the last line of defense are the 12 high-ranked nobles (”Suns”), who encircle and guard the entrances to Noctua Palace, seat of the Royal House Glaukopis.

Each Sun has 7 Moons under their jurisdiction, and each Moon has 12 Stars under theirs. Each Sun, Moon and Star is a clan, not necessarily blood-related, with one Head, one heir, and 2 apprentices. The Heads usually have an epithet, which also describe the symbol of each clan. For example, for the 12 Suns, these are their epithets:

Ivory Ram

Iron Bull

Vigilant Twins

Great Crab

Stellar Lion

Calm Maiden

Steel Balance

Celestial Scorpion

Winged Centaur

Mountain Goat

Precious Urn

Twin Fishes

The Nimbus City-States usually prefer to keep peace agreements, like the long lasting one with the Hjarn Principaliity. However, they are widely known for their martial power, and have won all wars (not without heavy loses) against the Black Kingdom and the Thálmar Empire, who can’t seem to keep the peace for more than two centuries.

* Nimbus: a luminous cloud or a halo surrounding a supernatural being or a saint.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Magic

Magical abilities are inherent to everyone and everything, but “raw talent” is not enough to master them. One requires studies and training to channel it correctly.

Magic manifests in different ways, depending on the individual. Superhuman strength and speed are common among those competent enough. However, there are many branches: battle, healing, necromancy, shape-shifting, elemental, blood, alchemy, etc.

Magic can only cure magic. That is, a curse or hex can be cancelled out or removed by a magic user, but physical/biological damage must be treated by a medical expert. Healers specialize in the combination of medicine and magic.

There is no such thing as “time” magic. Mages are able to change how someone perceives the passing of time, but not stop, rewind or forward it.

Space, however, can be altered by magic, making teleportation possible. It requires to have traveled to the desired location before, or have an object that came from it. The exact distance the mage can cover depends on their own power and skills; trainees might make it a few meters, while elders could cross a whole kingdom in the blink of an eye.

Some say magic is stronger in those who carry the blood of the Motherland.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara AU

Etimology

General

Vaalbara: Archean supercontinent consisting of the Kaapvaal Craton and the Pilbara Craton.

Rodinia: from the Russian "Родить", rodít = ‘to beget’ or ‘to give birth’ (originally), or "Родина", ródina = ‘The Motherland’ or ‘a birthplace’. Neoproterozoic supercontinent.

Nimbus City-States

Nimbus: a luminous cloud or a halo surrounding a supernatural being or a saint.

Glaukopis: from the Greek “γλαυκῶπις”, = "bright-eyed" or "with gleaming eyes".

Noctua: Athene Noctua, an owl species.

Black Kingdom

Ascheholt: from the German “Asche” = “ash”, “holt” is an otter den.

Kolbein: from Old Norse “kolr” = 'coal' (synomym for 'black', 'dark') and bein = 'bone', 'leg'.

Rai: from old Khas kura, “King”

Thálmar Empire

Thálmar: from the Greek “Θάλασσα“ = “Thalassa” (sea), and Spanish “Mar” = “sea”.

Hjarn Principality

Hjarn: from Old Norse, 'hard, frozen snow'; 'frozen earth covered with snow'

Polarstjarna: from Old Norse “Stjarna” = “star”, and Norwegian “Polar” (same meaning).

Snöblomma: from the Swedish “SNÆ” = “snow” and “BLOM” = flower.

Jarls: noble class citizens

Karls: middle class citizens.

[el-cadejos]

Vaalbara (Fantasy AU)

Geopolitical Division

Black Kingdom

Type: Mainland

Location: South of the continent

Climate: Temperate/Tropical

Terrain: Valley, Mountain, Forest, Hills, Rainforest

Royal House: Heinstein

Nimbus City-States

Type: Mainland

Location: Center of the continent

Climate: Temperate

Terrain: Valley, Rocky Mountain

Royal House: Glaukopis

Thálmar Empire

Type: Insular

Location: Archipelago southeast of the continent

Climate: Tropical/Temperate/Arctic

Terrain: depends on the island

Royal House: Solo

Hjarn Principality

Type: Mainland

Location: Northwest of the continent

Climate: Arctic

Terrain: Rocky Mountain, Stone Coast

Royal House:  Polarstjarna

[el-cadejos]

Winter Gifts [Fic]

Fandom: Saint Seiya

Characters: Pandora Heinstein, Wyvern Radamanthys, Harpy Valentine

Context: Medieval Fantasy AU described here

“...and so, I take my leave, your Majesty,” he said with a low bow, turning around to leave.

However, the moment he reached the door, the sentries crossed swords to block his path. He slowly turned back, unsure of what was happening. “Your Majesty…?”

She stood from the Serpent Throne and slowly made her way to Valentine, the whisper of her cloak trailing behind her. “For thirteen winter days you’ve come to Ascheholt to leave a present, and yet you still refuse to mention the sender’s name.”

“I am but a messenger, your Majesty,” he replied softly, his smile full of charm.

“And I am your Queen, young man,” she said, walking around him. “Do you really expect me to believe that some fool has the young heir of the Harpy, and squire to one of the most powerful lords of the Black Kingdom as his errand boy? No, surely there is more to this”.

Queen Pandora stared at the box she left on the throne, trying to guess what it was this time. On the first day, it was a pair of earrings; on the fifth it was a full set of armor, on the ninth a fine horse and the day before, a striking new staff. All magnificent gifts worthy of her, but from whom?

“There is not much to say, your Majesty. I can tell you, though, that there will be a gift for each year you have known the sender, for it is the amount of years he has admired your beauty and your strength,” Valentine announced, believing himself very clever.

“Oh, so it is a man, I see”, the Queen pointed out, smirking at the boy’s sudden realization that he was not that clever. She licked her lips. “But surely, this man is still a fool, trying to get favors from the Crown with such tactics. It has not worked before, and it shall not work this time.”

“What? No! Not at all! The sender of this gifts intends nothing more than polite courtship,” the boy shot back, clearly taking the comment personal. “My Lord would never dream to disrespect the woman he so dearly adm-”

Her Majesty smiled triumphantly, watching the young squire sink his shoulders in shame. Queen Pandora leaned close to him, whispering an errand of her own.

The throne room in Drakehall was gloomy and cold, with a single fireplace lit at the far end to keep the Lord of the Castle warm. He had been staring out the window so long, his faithful dog started to think he had turned to stone. They both jerked with life when the great oak doors opened.

The Lord’s Squire was back from his errand, but unlike the previous times, he returned with a small package in hand. He kneeled and handed it over to his Lord, intense blush all over his face. “M-My Lord, a p-package from Her M-Majesty, the Black Queen,” he squeaked, sweating intensely in the cold hall.

The man opened the package to find a small dragon-shaped amber ring inside. A note that smelled like plums and peaches read:

“Esteemed Lord Fallendrake,

Thank you for all your lovely gifts. I expect tomorrow’s to be personally delivered by you around dinner time.

Best regards,

Her Majesty, Black Queen Pandora Royal House Heinstein of Ascheholt”

[el-cadejos]

[ Vaalbara ]

El Fantasy AU del Cadejos

Las historias con temáticas de fantasía medieval siempre han sido mis mayores ilusiones, y siempre quise desarrollar un mundo que, aunque no se mantenía totalmente en lo medieval, ciertamente continuaba la línea general de lo que tanto me inspiró. La primera versión no fue tan sólida como hubiera querido, pero con Vaalbara, me he tomado las cosas con calma para poder ir puliendo los detalles con tranquilidad.

Si bien la base para este mundo es Saint Seiya, debo admitir que he limitado las referencias directas al mundo de Kurumada (nombres incluidos), y obligarme a investigar más a fondo para lograr algo más personal. La verdad me da un poco de pereza escribirlo en español, porque es un mundo que concebí en inglés (dado que en ese idioma es que he leído más la literatura de fantasía, y los términos me son más familiares así). Sin embargo, sí tengo ya partes hechas para quien tenga interés en ahogarse en este hellhole conmigo, lol. (shoutout a @trio-infierno por haber sido la primera jaja)

General

División Geopolítica

Etimología

Reinos

Nimbus

Black Kingdom [ General / Culture ]

Hjarn

Thálmar

Fics

Winter Gifts

The Dragon’s Eye

Las imágenes que acompañan este post son parte de un proyecto personal que llamo el Infradeck, donde quisiera crear 12 ilustraciones de Espectros en el mundo de Vaalbara, en un formato similar al de las cartas de juego, pero con los palos del Minor Arcana del tarot (Pentacles, Swords, Wands y Cups). Como tal vez algunos saben, soy fan de los decks ilustrados y tengo una colección tanto de tarots, como de cartas de poker. Debido a cosas del trabajo, no he podido seguir con este proyecto a la velocidad que quisiera, pero no lo voy a dejar botado. ¡Gracias por leer!

[el-cadejos]

Radamanthys of House Fallendrake Great Lord of the Western Woodlands

Known across the land as “Hell Dragon” for his overwhelming strength, Lord Fallendrake is one of the Black Kingdom’s most admired individuals. His blood is said to carry the Dragon’s Eye, which many believe is the key to his martial prowess. Even though he wears a courting piercing on his ear, the name of his beloved remains a mystery...

★ The Infradeck ★

Rada also had a V1.0 for the Fantasy AU, which I have named “Vaalbara”. I changed his broadsword a little bit, yet everything else remained almost the same. It should actually be a greatsword, but that was not gonna fit. And so, in a rush, we complete the illustration for February.