Morella

The Kingdom of Morella is the fictional world seen in the Blades of Light and Shadow series. The majority of Morella is ruled by the human king, King Arlan Valleros VII -also known as the Gentle King- in the capital city of Whitetower. His will is carried out by two dozen local lords.

Elves
Elves are taller than humans, standing an average of just over six feet tall. They possess incredible senses, better eyesight and hearing. They also are long-lived; the average elf lives to three hundred years old. They reach maturity at about 50 and maintain that appearance until their oldest years. They also possess a degree of magical affinity. From an early age, children are sorted into magical schools to train their talents, from Green Naturalists to Purple Illusionists to Black Battlemages.

The elven empire was once the greatest, glorious civilization spanning Morella and beyond. For a thousand years, they lived in peace and prosperity, building their society on magic. However, magic was also their downfall and in the pursuit of ever-greater power, rogue elves opened a doorway to the Realm of Shadow and the dark powers therein. The Great War began and lasted a hundred years, wiping out most of the population. After the Great War, there are only five hundred or so elves left alive. Most live in the city of Undermount in the north, and for nearly four centuries, they've sealed themselves away refusing contact with the outside world.

They have a complex hierarchy amongst their houses, an ever-shifting ladder of rank and wealth. Social competition is a cornerstone of elven society and many elves spend their lives trying to advance the standing of their house. Currently there are 50 different houses, whose members are not always biologically related. Each house holds a certain rank within elven society, and that rank confers with it political weight. The highest ranked house, known as the House Ascendant, holds the power to definitively break all ties.

Orcs
Orcs are the largest and strongest of the sentient species of Morella. The average orc stands six and a half feet tall, and has the muscle mass of the most well-built humans. They possess tremendous physical strength, and can withstand extreme heat and cold. Female orcs are stronger than males, which means most orcish fleets are matriarchal. Magical affinity is extremely rare in orcs; less than 1 in 10000 orcs possess the gift of magic. They do not worship Gods, but instead worship the Ocean, the Sky, the Stars, and the Moon.

They are a nomadic species. "We Lay No Roots" is a foundational principle held by all clans. They value travel, adventure, and the thrill of conquest. They are a seafaring race, divided into twelve fleets each made up of several hundred members. In the past, the twelve fleets acted independently, competing and even warring against each other. However, ten years ago, they were united under the leadership of Ventra Tal Kaelen. They established a capital on the floating city of Flotilla. Now, Ventra rules with absolute power, advised by a council of twelve leaders, one from each fleet.

According to legend, they hail from a continent to the east known as K'ell Dhana, "The World That Was". There, their empire was so massive it would put the Kingdom of Morella to shame. Unfortunately, K'ell Dhana was destroyed in a great volcanic eruption.

Humans
Humans are smaller than orcs and shorter than elves. They are most physically distinguished by their agility. Magical affinity is rare among humans; less than 1 in 1000 possess the gift and most that do are quickly adopted by one of the major temples.

During the era of the elven empire, humans were largely a servant caste, serving as laborers and farmers. After the fall of the elven civilization, humans flourished and became the dominant sentient species in the Kingdom of Morella. For about 500 years, Morella was divided into two dozen fiefdoms constantly at war. This ended when the Lords of Whitetower triumphed by conquering the territories one by one to create a unified dynasty. Now, they are organized in a traditional monarchy, ruled by a king of the Valleros Dynasty from Whitetower.

While the monarch was once absolute, over time his power has dissolved, and the local lords now operate with a fair degree of autonomy.

Grobtars
Grobtars are the amphibious species that live in the ocean depths. Little is known of their culture except for unreliable accounts from captured sailors; however, grobtars are feared for their vicious, merciless attacks on traveling ships.

Vhampyr
The vhampyr live in the crypts of the ruined city of Necropolis. Some believe the bloodsucking immortals are cursed elves; others think they are not alive, but are ghosts made of flesh. No traveller has ever made it out of Necropolis alive.

Mermen
Mermen live in the Shimmering Isles.

Molepeople
Molepeople live in the Red Desert.

Birdmen
Birdmen live in the north.

Drakna
Drakna may have a secret society in the Deadwood.

Whitetower
Whitetower is the capital city of Morella, full of decadent nobles.

Port Parnassus
Parnassus is a seaside city.

Undermount
Undermount exists within the boundaries of Morella, but humans have no jurisdiction over it. It operates as an autonomous city-state.

Flotilla
Flotilla is a floating city, which serves as the capital of the twelve orcish fleets' alliance. Ventra Tal Kaelen, queen of the united orc Clans, lives there.

Temple of Ellara
The Temple of Ellara is a sacred temple of the Church of Light.

Riverbend
Riverbend is a small town and the MC's hometown.

Cartesian Sea
The body of water between Port Parnassus and the Shimmering Isles is known as the Cartesian Sea.