Valanthus' Geography

Dracus' Folly (renamed from The Everlasting Storm)

Location: Central Valanthus, South-West of Junon. The storm has the tendency to wander, now then even over Junon itself or the nearby Junon river. It has never crossed to the West of the river or moved excessively however, prefering for whatever reasons to remain central in the Air continent.

Description: Dracus' Folly is an eternal cyclone, similar in nature to that of a land-borne tropical storm or hurricane, though far less brutal. Torrenting rain, whipping gusts of wind and the thundrous exclamations of lightning crackling above are the chapters of this particular tome. Occasionally, depending upon season, travelers making their way through the rushing wind currents of the storm have experienced hail and even more threatening foul-weather forms. The storm churns perpetually, never halting, never sleeping. Even on the clearest days of Valanthus in high-summer, while all the rest of the continent is peaceful and bright, radiant in the sunlight, the storm still broods over the horizon, though perhaps more sedately. It is a curious thing to see a massive storm huddling out over lonely, empty fields on a clear day.

History: Dracus' Folly is no natural conundrum or coincidence. It was created during the Tribal Wars of the Dragina by clan Dilos. Led at the time by Dracus Dilos himself, founder and perpetuator of the Dilosian Empire. As the remaining clans that tried so very hard to resist the rise of the Empire set forth to crush Dracus' meager force holding at a townstead near present day Junon messengers flew as fast as their slender wings would carry them to bring word of possible rebellion and the uprising on Valanthus to the isles of Dzanator. Dracus Dilos saw this as the perfect time to unleash his new weapon upon those that would dare defy his might. Gathering a council of the greatest wind magi he could assemble he led in the conjuring of a storm that was so viscerally brutal the shards of ice it projected upon the earth literally impaled themselves into thousands of soldiers, cutting the ranks of the enemy army in twain. It would not stop there, however. Grown beyond the control of the magi, the storm whirled and howled and reared its great claws of wind and ice and lightning and laid low the townstead the Empire had sought to protect (though it was likely of little consequence to Dracus Dilos himself) and then continued on, wreaking havoc and desecrating the beautiful windswept fields so carefully urged to blooming by an unsteady friendship between Dio and Volkain.

Volkain was enraged. From the heavens he called down to Fou Lu, "I am the master of the winds! I ride upon the storms and no other! Your punishment for your transgressions shall be eternal." and so Volkain took the storm and into it he crafted the souls of every soldier to fall to it, their allegiances mattering not at all. When the storm had exhausted its fury, Volkain used the hundreds of thousands of souls he'd gathered from one of the most brutal battles during the Tribal Wars to power it, trapping them for eternity in the gusts of its mighty wind.

It is said that those venturing through the storm (most stay far, far away from it) can hear the howls of anguish from the soldiers caught thoughtlessly in its grip. On the occasions that storm DOES pass over Junon, no one leaves their house. It is considered ill-luck to brave the storm, despite that it is not much more terrible than any other sweeping across the countryside of Valanthus... It is simply a reminder of a time far more terrible.

The Pillar Mountains

Location: Southwestern part of the Air continent, about a week's ride from the coast.

Description: The area of a “fist fight” between Dio and Volkain, the results yielded this, a region of gargantuan stone obstructions seeming to be jagged spires working their way out of the earth; large boulders littering the terrain between each structure. Dangerous and monolithic, many creatures have claimed this place as home. From a distance, it looks as if it were many stone fingers pointing toward the sky at odd angles.

History: What happened here was that Dio and Volkain got into a disagreement, with Dio throwing several mountains into the continent of Valanthus. Upon impact the mountains split and became pillar-like structures stabbed into the terrain itself. After the dust cleared, several creatures migrated to the area and decided it was a perfect site to live, hiding away in holes created by the mountains striking the terrain or living in outcroppings of rock.

The Ampitheatre (renamed from Ears of Volkain)

Location: Amid the Northern foothills of the Pillar Mountains

Description: The foothills of the Pillar Mountains are commingled, some vast and smoothly rolling hills while others are abrupt and jagged. The Ampitheatre is a member of the former category, rising up from the flatlands of the north at the very beginning of the foothills themselves. Its crest forms the brim of a vast bowl-like indention in the earth itself. Perhaps most peculiar is that the hill itself is only sparsely covered in earth and grass. Beneath the thin sheath of dirt is a mountain of granite that reaches its immense roots deep into Dio's breast. The portion that juts from the land is in and of itself only a small part of the beast beneath, but that small part is excessively strange in its properties. There is a rocky protrusion jutting almost suggestively from the exact center of the curved rise and anyone who stands upon the very tip of that protrusion and speaks with but hardly a whisper can be heard anywhere within the bowl itself.

Over the many years since this unique facet of nature was discovered, men have carved the outcropping into a marvelous stage. Dwarven stonesmiths have worked the protrusion into a beautiful flowing song written by hammers and chisels. The Devout of Volkain have enchanted the bowl itself to further enhance the impossible accoustics of the rise, creating the perfect spot for grand speaches and announcements. Below the stage itself, the bowl has been carved into many, many curving benches so that the audiences may seat themselves.

History: Because the Ampitheatre is so far South of Junon it is not often used anymore. In its grand history, however, it has held audiences of hundreds of thousands for kingsmoots, declarations of law and order, peace treaties and many other such services. The perfection of the accoustics make so that the speaker who stands upon the stage's voice dwarfs, even completely squelches the chaos of the crowds that were once often gathered beneath. Such it is that in the birthing of democracies, kingdoms and empires, all sorts would come and speak their piece upon the dais and then remit themselves, so that another may speak.

Perhaps most notable in the history of the Ampitheatre is Junon's declaration of succession from the Elven Empire. For weeks discussions were held at the Ampitheatre, arguments made and broken and threats hurled from atop the stage until at last it was decided that the city would be allowed its independence. It was King Junon III that demanded the succession, speaking with such raw emotion that all were moved when he said that Althena came to him and spoke to him in his dreams, saying that Junon must become an empire all its own and a place of peace, clean of corruption.

Since that day, Junon has remained true to its third king's vows and only allowed to do so because of the amazing natural amplification caused by the The Ampitheatre.