The Silver Lands
Realm of Ruornil
Location: Outlands / Ringlands
In the heart of the Outlands lies a shrouded enigma of magic called Silver Lands—the divine realm of Ruornil, the god of magic, the moon, and the guardian of arcane forces. This realm, a mystical oasis in the Ringlands, defies the common rules that state magic weakens as one approaches the Spire. Instead, Ruornil has woven an intricate tapestry of enchantment that allows his domain to not only flourish with full strength magic, but also exist under the luminescence of an eternal moonlit night, making it a unique anomaly in the Outlands.
The Silver Lands are encased in a magic dead zone, a buffer that neutralises all magic for those who dare to approach. This serves as a test or a deterrent, separating the uninitiated from those truly seeking the wisdom and beauty of Ruornil’s domain. However, once within, visitors find themselves enveloped in an intensified magical environment where spells are not only possible but are enhanced [Heighten all spells cast by one level].
This realm is forever bathed in the silver glow of a moon that hangs low but casts no shadows, creating a silvery ever-twilight. The absence of shadows symbolises the purity and clarity of the realm, where magic is untainted by the ambitions and desires that often accompany its use in the mortal planes.
The Silver Lands are connected to the Marketplace Eternal through several well-used portals, which signifies both the marriage of Ruornil and Sera, and the intertwining of commerce and arcane knowledge that has resulted from their union. In the Silver Lands, magic itself is a form of currency and trade. While they’re hard to find, the Silver Lands are not isolated; they are a hub of mystical exchange, where arcane knowledge flows freely. Here, magical learning doesn’t stem from the diligent study of dusty tomes but from a deeper intuitive understanding of the multiverse, as if the very essence of magic is alive and whispering to those who walk its lands. Wizards here learn spells from astronomical observation; new spells are literally written in the stars here. Understanding them though requires careful study and precise measurements with astrolabe and etheroscope.
Petitioners and proxies in the Silver Lands are liberated from the need for sleep, a blessing given by Ruornil himself. Visitors, however, are not granted this boon and must contend with an increasing weariness, a reminder that this place, while welcoming, is not for the mortal to linger in indefinitely. The inevitable sleep that eventually overcomes the weary traveller marks a return to the day and the world outside, for the Silver Lands vanish for them with the dawn, elusive as the dreams of magic they offer.
The realm’s architecture and landscape are mesmerising, with structures that seem crafted from beams of silver moonlight itself, their elegant forms blending seamlessly with the eternal night. The Silver Lands are a sanctum for those who seek to understand magic’s true essence, away from the corrupting influences of power and greed. It’s a place where the moon’s silent vigil oversees an unending quest for knowledge and where the mysteries of magic await those brave enough to venture into the night.
Source: Jon Winter-Holt
