Written In Shadows

Shadows Rise begins in less than a week. And since we are so excited we’ve been counting down the days, we thought it would be interesting to post some random spoiler-free facts about Valcrest. There’s a lot of ground to cover in five days, so lets get started.

1) The Sun sets in the South and rises in the North.

This is one of many oddities we added with the sole purpose of making sure this world isn’t the same as the one we all know.

2) Valcrest is VERY old.

It’s the year of 2019 for us. Technologically advanced as we are, we are babies compared to Valcrest. The current year when Shadows Rise begins is 2524. And that is counting from when their calendar begins. Valcrest itself might actually be around 6000 years old.

3) Speaking of that calendar…

Valcrest’s calendar has 392 days in a year (393 during leap years), divided into 14 months. That means that a year in Valcrest is 27 days longer than a Earth year. Weeks are also a day longer for Valcrestians than they are for us.

4) The Day of Creation

The Day of Creation is a day that exists ‘outside of time’. That means it takes place after the last day of one year and prior to the first day of the next year. It is the only date celebrated Valcrest-wide as a Holiday.

5) Valcrest is a bit of a powder keg.

Every Great City in Valcrest is basically it’s own Kingdom. They have their own ruler, their own customs and laws, their own methods for enforcing those laws. And that also means that they don’t always see eye-to-eye. In fact, they often don’t. Out of the Five Great Cities that used to make up Valcrest civilization, three are currently in ruins and only two remain standing. They still don’t see eye-to-eye on anything.

6) Valcrest is really small.

Valcrest resides in the very center of the continent of Celiria and is considerably small compared to some of its neighboring countries.

7) Valcrest magic stays in Valcrest

The way magic works in Valcrest is exclusive to Valcrest. While in other places in Celiria it’s possible to learn magic in a number of different ways, in Valcrest you can only be born with a single magical ability referred to as an Enlightenment. No one knows for sure the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ behind this, but it’s the only form of magic that works once inside Valcrest’s borders. Enlightenment will also fade within hours of leaving the country, only reawakening once the Enlightened individual returns.

8) Being Enlightened comes with a price.

Enlightenment usually awakens within certain individuals at the age of 12 and can be fairly unpredictable for the first two to three years thereafter. And even beyond that, Enlightenment can both be influenced by and the cause of a considerable number of ailments. Most Enlightened individuals, while able to accomplish incredible feats, are also plagued with lifelong afflictions because of their magic.

9) Early-Awakenings are a very dangerous thing.

Some Enlightened individuals suffer what is called an ‘Early-Awakening’. As the name suggests, this occurs when an individual experiences their first surge of magic at an younger age. It’s a rare occurrence, but it can afflict children as young as 7 years old. Early-Awakenings usually result in far more powerful enlightenments than normal in the long-run, but the survival rate; especially in children below the age of 10, is also extremely low. There’s no real explanation as to why this happens.

10) Fun and games can be a serious thing.

Between the two remaining Cities; Newhaven and Blackpond, there is an animosity that over the course of history has ranged between violent confrontation and petty rivalry. One of many examples of the latter is their treatment of each other’s pastime of choice. The most popular game in Newhaven is a card game named Olith; a game that requires a mix of strategic thinking, manipulation skills, and luck. Whereas Blackpond favors a more sophisticated game of chess. That means that being caught with an Olith deck rather than a chess board in Blackpond can be cause for ridicule whereas in Newhaven it is downright illegal to organize or engage in competitive games of chess; whether for pure sport or for money.

So that’s a note to end on, ladies and gents… In Valcrest there is such a thing as underground chess tournaments.

Want to know more about Valcrest? Tune in tomorrow. 😉

– The Crew