The Isle of Sai'mul

When we die, our souls customarily ascend to the holy realm of Fadal, where our value to the Gods is to be determined. The favored souls enjoy new life in the Fadalians' kingdom while those who aren't are transferred to the Soulforge to join the next phase of the Gods' mysterious plan. But sometimes, for reasons unknown, a soul will fail to leave its mortal shell and linger on in Comalan. These unfortunate souls are known as the Sai'mul, or undead.

The Sai'mul are often miserable creatures who arise from all parts of the world, lamenting their failure to properly die. In Comalan, death is viewed as a crucial step in the evolution of mortalkind, so no one would choose such an odd fate. Why this happens to people is unclear, even to those who speak with the gods. According to the clergy, the emergence of a Sai'mul is a random and disastrous occurrence that results in an odd condition: Sai'mul are invisible to the Gods. Their decaying bodies appear as ordinary corpses to them and they cannot perceive of the life that remains.

As a result of the Gods' inability to sense a Sai'mul, they are unable to use most forms of magic. There are some spells that are inherently mortal powers as well as those which were not intentionally bestowed by the gods. These are the only forms of magic that a Sai'mul can use. Because most magic is divine, they also possess a resistance against some forms of magic. Fire is as effective against a sai'mul as a true living mortal (perhaps more so, due to the relative dryness of their bodies), but non-elemental magic such as Empathy, Pacifism, and Omniscience, has no effect on them.

Sai'mul are prone to emotional resistance to their new reality. For the most unfortunate, this manifests itself in violent outbursts, and perpetually dark moods. For this reason, many people are uncomfortable in the presence of sai'mul. This often leads to persecution, all for the inescapable act of living when they should be dead. Murder and suicide are common responses to the emergence of a sai'mul, but the clergy condemns this, for to take a life is a sin regardless of whether that life was meant to persist.

Fortunately for the Sai'mul, there is a safe place. Towards the end of the First Age, the devastation that struck the mainland of the former Akisian Empire has left a barren land behind occupied with the very oldest of Sai'mul. Although the land, now known as Midania, remains barren of vegetation and fauna to this day, the undead do not require sustenance. Therefore they can live on this island comfortably as no one else can.

Although the gods can no longer hear their voices, they continue praying to Salica as the former Akisians once did. If nothing else, they seek comfort in knowing that Salica in particular is sympathetic to their plight. Others, however, have developed alternative methods to communicate with Salica which have been unsuccessful only in comparison to the conventional methods of the clergy. Through these efforts, they know that Salica cares for them, and it is this knowledge that gives them the hope they need to carry on with their unusual existence.

Isle of Qwara

Located roughly 20 miles off the coast of Galeon, southwest of Rashara, lies the small landmass known as Qwara. The isle’s tall outline can sometimes be made out from the nearby mainland, but a heavy fog obscures many of the details — no matter the season. 

The isle isn’t widely known to most Galean citizens, save those who live along the coastline just to its north, despite being the somewhat hotly contested subject of a Fides government forum several years ago. At the forum, a representative of Qwara proposed a total restriction on travel to the isle by non-residents, as well as any entry into Qwara’s airspace. Many attendees at the forum took issue with such a tight restriction on freedom of movement within the borders of Galeon, while others were persuaded by the representative’s claim that restricting travel to their isle posed little to no burden on mainlanders while being crucial to the preservation of the Qwarans’ way of life. The forum concluded that the solution be somewhat of a compromise — the Galean government would strongly discourage travel to Qwara by mainlanders, but only non-violent means could be used to ward off any unwanted visitors. 

While the forum’s decision, as well as local custom, has been enough to dissuade most travelers from the nearby coast from attempting to land on the island, some have ventured close enough to carry back vague descriptions to those who are curious. The land rises high above the sea, making it difficult for sailors to see atop it. If close enough, one can make out patches of yellow and burnt orange vegetation peeking over the massive, streaked cliffsides. One traveler, who managed to circumnavigate the island before encountering an unnaturally strong current that carried him back towards the mainland, reported seeing what appeared to be a distinctive, crystalline rock formation protruding from atop the isle. This is the only report of such a thing, however, and to date, no credible reports have been made of anyone ever seeing or speaking to a resident of Qwara, save the one representative sent to Fides several years ago. 

The island’s mysterious nature has inspired many theories and rumors among the nearby townspeople. Some claim that Qwara is actually home to a top-secret scientific research facility, while others believe its residents to be members of a strange, reclusive cult. In one village on the coast, there is a running joke among the people that there is, in fact, nothing at all on Qwara, and that any attempts to discourage visitors or heighten the isle’s mystique are merely an elaborate practical joke, or some sort of long form performance art. Unfortunately, none who have decided to truly test this theory have ever cared to share their findings, if they ever made it back to the mainland at all. 

The Story of Sura

A Heronite embroiderer's artistic rendering of the constellation Sura, similar to the interpretation used in the Karn Family Sigil.

The legend of Sura is one that is well known across all of Heron. It tells the story of a beautiful mountain nymph named Sura who fell in love with a human man, despite the disapproval of such a relationship by other magical creatures and her betrothal to an immortal sorcerer who lived in the stars. She was able to live with her human lover for many years while arousing little suspicion from her magical brethren, for even several human years would feel like little more than a blink of an eye to a magical creature blessed with immortality.

Unfortunately for the pair, the sorcerer, Runa, decided it was time for Sura to join him in the sky and become his wife. He stole her away to the stars above where she took her place beside him. However, when he discovered that she had loved a human man, and had even borne him a child, Runa killed her for committing such a taboo. It is said that wherever her blood fell upon the earth, a purple dianthus plant grew. Forever after, Runa was known as Runa the Wicked, and the flower was known as Sura’s dianthus. The two can still be observed in the sky, as the constellations Runa the Wicked and Sura, the latter being displayed on the Karn family crest.

It has been said that the child of Sura and her human lover was the first Karn, and that all the Karns after that were descended from that union. However, very few still believe that part of the legend.

The Magister's Rage- Prologue

The Magister's Rage is an earlier attempt at publishing a short story online that quickly fell through. I have decided to update the story and publish a longer version of it here on this blog, but I'm going to start here with the prologue, which is completely unchanged.

***

Despite common proclamations of my sharp intellect, I have made many mistakes in my life. I have taken lives, destroyed emotions, and warped my perception of magic. I will never again understand the world as normal people do. They see a world of balance, preserved by the Gods we all love. I may have been one of less than two dozen that have realized that they are not infallible. They have mortal weaknesses and desires as we do. It is one goddess' desire for revenge that made me the person I am today.

I carry a curse for which one could never truly be prepared: the presence of a spirit of death and destruction. It was because of this that I turned my back on everything I believed in and chose a darker path. I never wanted to hurt anyone, but that choice was never given to me or the cousin with whom I share this curse.

For my crimes, I am to be considered gullible. Unlovable. I am a blight upon decent folk. There was a time I hadn't a single care for what people should think of me, but I realize now that by giving into the despair that drove me down my dark path, I am perpetuating her plan. I did not choose this curse for myself. It is merely my birthright. But for a time, I unwittingly embraced the destiny the Death Goddess Maula inflicted upon me. For a time, I was to be an instrument of her will.

I was considered by many to be a prodigy. As a boy, my family and friends always told me that I had the potential to pursue any dream that should occur to me. I could have been a seer, empath, arcanist, or templar. But I chose to follow in the footsteps of my father and brothers and walk the path of the spellwarrior. Nobody knew then that my fate was sealed when my ancestors Artix Maloran and Lady Orion joined the heroes who would banish Maula from our mortal realm of Comalan. It was they who provoked her curse, and it was ultimately determined that I would be one of two who would suffer for it.

Perhaps, in retrospect, I should have seen that these circumstances are hardly an appropriate justification for the atrocities that I have committed. The evil spirit that plagues me destroyed my dreams and I only had thoughts for the injustice of it all. Forever was I marked as dangerous. Forever was I marked as a potential instrument of the Goddess of Death. Nothing anyone, including the other deities, could do would change this perception, even were I to become free of the curse.

In my rage, I have done exactly what the evil within wanted of me. In a sense, I have lost a very important part of myself. What has there been in these past three years to distinguish myself from the terrible alter ego I had acquired? Frankly, no one can answer this question for me, because no one even knows half of what has transpired in that time. It is for this reason that I must confess to everything that has happened as a result of my curse.

Before I begin to tell my story, it must be said that anyone who denies me any blame for what has happened is harmfully deluded. It was not my choice to be possessed by the Avatar of Death, but it was certainly my choice not to control myself as my dear cousin has. While she suppressed her demon, I chose to indulge mine.

Click here to read part 1!

The Time Before History

In the beginning, the world was a formless void, a blank template inherited by two brothers. Ragos was a soldier; Intala, a scientist. Stricken with grief at the near-extinction of their people, the two desired a world in which new life could flourish, free of the troubles that plagued their harsh existence.

The two set to work in earnest collaboration. Intala focused his superior mind on designing the land and its creatures while Ragos' considerable power was instrumental in giving form to these ideas. With their talents combined, a world was formed over a million years ago. This was a tremulous time, as their infant world proved unstable. It was then that they enlisted the aid of one called Karas, a being even they once called their king. Karas helped them to fix the mistakes they made and Comalan as we know it was complete at last. Karas told the brothers that they had incurred a debt that he would someday collect on before disappearing from this world, never to be seen again.

With their creation finally brought to reality, Ragos and Intala watched over this world with joy, enraptured by the developing lives of their mortal creations. But after a time, both brothers began to realize that their creation had only realized a fraction of its potential. By cultivating sentient life, they realized that they had a chance to revive their entire race. With this esciting prospect, however, came an unfortunate division.

Ragos wanted mortals to be strong, so that they could resist the hardships that had killed their people before while Intala wanted the mortals to be smart enough to recognize and overcome the trials they may someday face. Both brothers set about their goals in different ways. Ragos pitted humans against the other creatures of the world so that they may learn hardship and self-reliance, and Crane encouraged humans to study the world they lived in so that they may broaden their minds. Eventually, the brothers found these two goals to be at odds, one a distraction from the other. So, they commanded the humans to split up. Ragos' followers migrated to north and Intala's took up residence in the south. Thus, the earliest nations were formed, the lands of Pyris, the Land of Strength and Eris, the Land of Knowledge.

All of this was told to us retroactively by the only two who remain from that time, the two brothers who we now know as Chaos and Crane, by way of the priests who commune with them. This is the story of the Zero Age, otherwise known as the Time Before History.

The Castes of Tanis

Deep in the western forest of Comalan lies the elven nation of Tanis. There, citizens hold a reverence for all life, which forbids even the destruction of trees for shelter, or the killing of animals for food. Tanis is a union of independent city-states that carve their homes from stone and bar their doors in metal. Their society is separated into three different castes, whose distinct cultures reflect values suited to different occupations. While the castes enjoy similar rights and accommodations under the law, the lifestyles of each caste are different.

***

The Elder Caste

This class is often comprised of city councilors and their families. Members of the Elder Caste enjoy the best education and are often groomed for high-influence public service positions. The least ambitious of this caste often choose between joining the military or leaving the country to explore other cultures.

The Mercantile Caste

This class is comprised of the private business owners who make their living providing goods and services to the rest of the city. The people of this caste are typically the wealthiest in Tanisian society and many live decadent lives as a result. Despite this, some members of this caste take a hand in producing their own wares, which can be seen as a source of pride. Those who do not go on to form their own business in adulthood live without care on the finances of their parents. Regardless, the Mercantile Cast forms the economic backbone of Tanisian society.

The Worker’s Caste

This class consists of the miners and workers tasked with the expansion of the elven cities. The workers are highly educated in order to safely identify and preserve any important findings discovered while digging. Calling themselves the pioneers of their society, they are often the first to explore the depths of their land. They are often regarded with an air of respect for their adventurous tenacity. Workers can also be seen in other areas, such as maintaining public areas or serving in the military. The most desirable assignment for a member of the Worker caste is maintenance of the markets or elder streets, where they might attempt to court a member of another caste.

The Festival of Winter

Every year, as the final autumn month fades, a flurry of activity rises in the kingdom of Resta. Mages seal themselves in caverns of ice. Stalls selling firewood appear. Long lines form at butcher shops. The towns of Ridge, Amora, Freedom's Reach, and Karatal swell with travelers. Everyone searches their belongings and dust off their copies of a certain hymn book. They are all preparing for the most joyous time of year, the Festival of Winter, otherwise known as Salica's Festival.

As the first snows of winter fall, the Royal Family open their courtyard to all, where many attractions await. The succulent aroma of hot roasts fill the air, served with piping hot drinks to keep guests warm. The pools that normally litter the grounds are frozen over so that people may skate across the ice. Crystalline sculptures of ice, lovingly sculpted by mages and artists alike, are proudly displayed for an annual contest. The entire courtyard is decorated with decadent wreaths of gildleaf and icicles of red, blue, yellow, and green. hang from the ramparts. While the festivities are joyous in their own right, keep your eyes open for the lorekeepers who gather to tell tales of the festival's origin. Their accounts are often conflicting, but all are captivating.

The festival is a time of releasing stress before the winter snows come to seal so many within their own communities. It came about as a tradition due to the tragedy of King Dolph, in the hundredth year of the second age. Although he was a beloved king, he lived and worked under much pressure. It had been the hardest year of his rule to that point, and the winter ahead of him promised to be harsh. Still, he held fast to his duty until the first blizzard struck. The snow fell hard for three days, sealing him into Resta castle with his family, his retainers, and few members of his court who had been unable to leave in time.

The king was a hospitable and genial man, so he accepted the burden of hosting so many people with grace. When the weather cleared, the slow work of clearing the snow from the capitol began. But before the roads could be safely opened again, a second blizzard struck, which lasted for a week. Still, King Dolph was a generous host to the people trapped with him. By the third day of the second blizzard, the king began to feel restless and irritable. He felt his grasp on his kingdom slipping, he began to seek seclusion. But by the seventh day, the snow had stopped once more, and workers once again struggled to clear the snow.

Not wanting to be trapped any longer, King Dolph ordered Hem Academy to send spellwarriors to assist in clearing the snow. But the spellwarriors were slow to get there, as their arrival was immediately followed by a third blizzard; the longest in Resta's history. For a month, snow fell heavily onto the castle. In that time, the King's mood darkened considerably. The inconvenient timing of these blizzards began to hold some significance in his mind, and the faces of his disheartened guests began to fill his mind with fears of treason.

After the second week of this deadly storm, a body was found on the palace steps. It was one of the spellwarriors, who had been working to drive back the terrifying masses of snow. Surely, he had frozen to death, but the king began to suspect he was murdered; possibly to ensure the king himself would be buried in snow. He began to feel convinced that he was being plotted against and this act of nature would soon be the death of him if he did not uncover the traitor.

The king watched his subjects suspiciously in the following weeks, which earned him the concern and attention of many. But being trapped in snow for such a long time does not do much good for the nerves of anyone, much less a stressed king. Many began to avoid the king, others would complain about him when they thought he wasn't listening. This only served to deepen the king's paranoia until he became convinced that everyone in the castle had turned against him.

On the final day of the storm, the king snapped. With a sword in hand, he stumbled drunkenly into the chambers of his own daughter, claiming that he must execute the traitors himself, for he could trust no one. The princess, being cunning and significantly more sober, escaped her father and fled into the frigid courtyard. As the snow finally stopped, King Dolph shambled out of the castle and tripped on the steps, impaling himself with his own sword.

In the weeks that followed, the princess mourned, praying in the Temple of Salica to help her to understand what had become of her father. In time, she came to understand. Winter is a hard time and a hard year had left King Dolph with an unimaginable burden of painful emotions. She came to see this as a toxic combination. Therefore, as the new Queen of Resta, her first decree was that what happened to her father must be prevented from happening again. Thus, she held the first Winter Festival, a day to let go of any emotional burdens that can hold you down in the isolation of winter.

The Festival of Winter is a day in which homage is paid to Salica and unresolved, negative feelings can be put to rest, but it is also a day of celebration for the people of the world who made it through another year. So put away your worries, let go of your grudges, and embrace the beauty of the world around you. A long and harsh winter may always be around the corner, and you would do far better  to face it with optimism than despair.

The Armed Forces of Resta

The theocratic monarchy of Resta has a powerful military, bolstered by the country's great wealth. Several organizations have cropped up over the years, assuming various roles in the protection of Resta and its citizenry. The four major branches are: 

The Royal Army

The main branch of the Restan military answers directly to the king and royal family. This order consists of soldiers of the greatest numbers during wartime, but fewest during peacetime. Lacking the magic of templars or spellwarriors, their training consists of use of firearms and other modern technological weapons. In wartime, they specialize in gathering intelligence. They are based out of the Army Camp north of Resta City.

The Spellwarriors

This branch of military is devoted primarily to peacekeeping. Spellwarriors train in a combination of mystic and martial arts for the purpose of protecting the common people. They are often at odds with templars as the two organizations have varying ideas of justice. In wartime, they specialize in combat on heavy terrain, due to their customary training through the rough Lightning Ridge. They are based in the magic school Hem Academy, near the town of Beldor. They are customarily led by the Archknight.

The Templars

This branch is a religious sect who vow to protect the interests of the Fadalians. They are responsible for the protection of sacred pilgrimages and the eradication of the gods’ enemies. They possess a longstanding rivalry with the spellwarriors as their morals are often defined by the clergy’s interpretation. In wartime, they are known for their powerful navy. They are trained in the relative quiet of Blackstone Monastery, along the southeast coast of the country.

The Goodwill Company

The Goodwill Company is a diplomatic military outfit that was formed for the purpose of lending Resta’s strength to its allies. It is composed of soldiers of various disciplines, including royal army spies, gunners, spellwarriors, and templars. They are used rarely, but have seen combat in every corner of the known world. They are ultimately loyal to Resta, but are trained to fight with equal zeal for whatever cause they are commanded to.

The Fey Creatures of Comalan

Creatures with supernatural abilities or biology are referred to as the Fey. They differ from normal animals in that they are formed of magical energy in some way or another. The following is a partial list of Comalan's Fey creatures.

Maulans

A giant humanoid creature that is created by Maula, the Goddess of Death. Maulans are sentient, but typically less intelligent than humanoids. They have slate grey skin and three horns, one protruding from their chin and two from their forehead. The most dangerous feature of the maulan is its lightning quick tail, which is tipped with a stinger that is used to inject an unforgiving corrosive poison into its victims. With a sole physical vulnerability in their necks, they are considered to be the strongest sentient species in the world, but they have a little-known weakness to exposure to a kerunite eye. In addition, their skin when properly petrified, is used for several purposes. These include the manufacture of explosives and the forging of magical weapons when used in place of coal.

Kerunites

Kerunites appear at first glance to be dolls with large jeweled eyes. These tiny creatures are frail, but have an affinity for magic, with which they can defend themselves. They are created from kerunite eye stones, so named for the fact that the stones become the eyes of a kerunite. 

Nymphs

Nymphs, in Heronite lore, refer to magical creatures that dwell in Heron’s natural environments. They can live in some of the region’s harshest areas, as well as its most temperate. They are strongly tied to their respective habitats and are often thought of as nature’s guardians. There is still debate as to whether they are real or mythological, though there are those who claim that they have had a real life encounter with a nymph. There are several different kinds of nymphs. For example, there are mountain nymphs, which can dwell on the harsh crags and peaks of Heron’s tallest mountains, tundra nymphs, which dwell on Heron’s flat plains, and sea nymphs, which dwell in the icy ocean that borders the north of the region.

Magmadons

Fire elementals formed from the stone inside volcanic caverns. They appear in the form of stone-scaled lizards, ranging from six inches to four feet long. They are very territorial and will spew magma at anyone they see as a threat.

Georans

Maulans who have been exposed to a geosian quartz. This causes a transformation that lightens the color of their skin to a silvery-white. In addition, their horns shrink, their ears grow into a lupine shape, white fur grows on their arms, legs, and backs, and their stingers shrivel away. They can no longer poison their foes, but retain their strength and gain a geoli’s speed.

Floral sprites

Fey creatures who appear as various flowers in their natural form. In addition, they have the ability to take a humanoid form at will. Like a flower, every floral sprite is a hermaphrodite. They have short lifespans, but produce seeds that will spawn exact copies of themselves. In their humanoid forms, they can adopt either sex and breed with true humanoids. The spawn of such a union will always produce a floral sprite, regardless of who carries the child. If the sprite is the father, the child will be born in the form of the humanoid species of its mother. If the sprite is the mother, the child will be born as a seed which must then be planted in the ground.

Skyres Dragon

The mythical Res brood are a clan of dragons said to have lived in a sky city. Their home was believed to be a repository for all of Crane’s knowledge, but unfortunately no explorer has ever been able to find this city since the Windlords were cursed for trespassing there. As such, the Res were believed to be purely mythical in the modern era until the resurgence of Selon, it’s last living member. He has a long, serpent-like body plated with gray scales. His bearded face is parted by a long snout with dagger-like fangs.

Phoenix

The phoenix is a mystical bird worshipped by followers of Chaos, owing to his taming of their last king, Gyandala. Their gold and red feathers are tipped with flames and they can range in sizes as small as a teacup at birth to the size of a small house in adulthood. Their most distinctive feature are their long plumed crest and tail feathers, which are often used in Chaotic rituals of strength. Even after falling from their owner, each phoenix feather burns to the touch. Finally, when a phoenix dies, its body burns to ash, from which a new phoenix is born. In rare instances, a second phoenix will emerge. The phoenix are believed to live in secret in many places, including Gladiator’s Peak and Hem Academy.

Nauveil

A nauveil is a formless creature that makes its home in the coldest regions of civilization. While they are seen irregularly in the northern reaches of Tanis and Resta, their appearances in Heron could almost be considered common. Not much is known about their origins--a secret which even eludes the most diligent of theological scholars--or even if they reproduce. What is known is that they subsist on the vital energy of mortals and how they go about obtaining it. They loiter on the outskirts of civilization in the disguise of a local and seemingly intelligent animal, luring people from their homes to the nauveil's nest. As long as they remain there, their energy is constantly drained by an almost unnoticeable degree. They keep their prey trapped there indefinitely by using their magic to grant anything the mortal desires. This trade can be considered a godsend for poor families, who relish the opportunity to send one of their own toward a lifetime of endless bliss in exchange for one less mouth to feed.

Welcome to the World of Comalan!

Hey, everyone! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Maya and I am a writer whose dream has long been to create a world to share with as many people as I can. I have been at work on and off since 2007 to complete my first novel, but real-life responsibilities and various struggles tend to overshadow this goal most of the time. So I have started this blog to  keep the dream alive. It exists partly to develop the world in which my novel will take place and partly to motivate myself to finish it.

What you may be wondering is what you, the reader can expect to find here. To answer this theoretical question, you will find daily updates relating to the lore of Comalan, a world of mystery, enchantment, and conflict. It is a planet that is watched over by a small family of deities who interact with and direct their subjects on a whim. For countless millennia, the forces of Chaos, Crane, Serenity, Salica, Geos, Maula, and Kerun have shaped the destiny of Comalan's inhabitants to suit their varying ideals. Sometimes the gods are at odds with each other; sometimes they are at odds with their mortal subjects.

This website will be maintained by me, with additional contributions from a good friend of mine who has agreed to join me on this exciting journey. For the first week or so, we will try to get into the swing of things with a constant and unscheduled stream of updates. Once we have built up a decent array of content, we'll settle on an update schedule that continues to provide glimpses into Comalan seven days a week. I want to thank you for visiting and hope that this site will grow into a fun-loving community.