The Yamato tribes were the first to realize that there was a vast ocean beyond the Iron Belt. When they mapped the island of Jamphel Yeshe in 143 AID by circumnavigating it, they called it Kujirajima, 'Whale Island', due to its likeness to a whale's head. People still sometimes use that name to illustrate it as a place that swallows people whole and then slowly and painfully digests them.
The Five Sages traveled the Great Land for many centuries until valiant explorers crossed the Iron Belt and found there a great ocean to the south. They left their peoples and joined in silent meditation on the First Island, and they built a monastery where they taught those who came to hear their wisdom, calling it Jamphel Yeshe.
Avatar/Legend of Korra meets Lord of the Rings meets Eon. With countless short stories, a gripping novel, poetry, and endless lore articles, Aqualon offers something for both fantasy and scifi fans. Dive in and let the gears of destiny guide you to greatness! [container:wp_topleft][youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ps52KEla8] [/container] [container:wp_topright] Hello there, my name is Koray; welcome to my world! Since I've been a little boy, I have been enthralled with the written word, working my way up the reading ladder from children's books to proper novels as quickly as I could, sinking my teeth into the many scifi and fantasy novels in my father's collection. [spoiler]Having to commute from our little village all the way to Frankfurt Airport where he used to work before moving to Belgium several years ago, he would use his time on the train to read the newest novel he had gotten his hands on, and while some of it would trickle down to me via recommendation, often I'd just stare at the wall of often beautifully covered books in his bookshelf and take my pick. I learned reading and writing before elementary school and started writing crude poetry at the age of 7, fascinated by the harmony that rhyme and meter could evoke in the medium of language. Ever since, poetry and creative writing have been a constant factor in my life, and while I had those phases where I focused mostly on poetry, those where I focused on prose, and those where I focused on songwriting and composing, ever since I made my first attempt at 14, writing my very own novel has always been one of my greatest desires. While my initial attempts were crude and the world I envisioned went through many changes of the years, some concepts have endured. The name "Aqualon" came from the very first iteration of my novel, which featured a post-apocalyptic earth, covered in oceans after a severe impact event with the sole survivors of mankind being a cult that had discovered magic of sorts, and a handful of people that had survived by chance. The idea of the main character being a man capable of controlling water by use of a magic sword called Aalandra was a key concept even back then and that main character, though he has evolved over the years, is still based on the core characteristics I set out for him all those years ago. Several years back, during the final years of high school, I finally managed to pull myself together and write the whole novel, albeit a newer version set in a different world, which I still called "Aqualon", completing my manuscript. But as I worked on my college degree in Japanology thereafter, I felt less and less able to get back to my novel and editing it properly. I didn't know it at the time, but part of my growing lethargy at the time was not due to personal weakness as I thought but due to a thyroid disease, which luckily I could start treatment on after several years of decline. As I recovered, I regained some of my motivation for working on my novel, and around that time I found this service, World Anvil, and decided to use it as the starting point to properly flesh out my world and through that process kick-start the editing and proofreading of the novel, for which I acquired the invaluable assistance of my best friend and editor, DarkListener, who has applied his love for fantasy and action as well as his methodical mind to help me make great improvements in regards to spelling and grammar as well as internal consistency. Now, I am using this wonderful platform to create a vast encyclopedia of the world of Aqualon and the universe of the Great Clockwork, publishing new chapters of the finalized novel regularly and releasing short stories set in my world. One day, I hope, I will be able to fully dedicate my life to creating these stories. I hope you enjoy diving into my world. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me on the Aqualon Discord server linked below, or via email at Kentai92[at]gmail.com! Sincerely yours, Koray Birenheide |Read More[/spoiler] [/container] [container:socialmediatable] [img:179103|center|nolink] [img:179104|center|nolink] [img:179105|center|nolink] [/container] Tag Cloud [container:tagcloud]Short StoriesMagicWorld IntroductionMaps of AqualonMagusMagesSpell InkSpellblightcountriesnationsislandsCityCapitalMiddle LandsCorsic Ocean [/container] What is Aqualon? Fantasy, Science Fantasy, and Science Fiction; Aqualon intersects all parts of this spectrum, presenting itself as a world both rich in magic and advanced technology if you know where to look. But while the most powerful mages will boast of their might, the most advanced technocracies hide their superiority behind cautious isolation. [spoiler] [quote]A strange planet, forged out of nine floating asteroid worlds 7923 years ago by a powerful magus known only as the Faceless World Shaper now travels calmly around the sun. Tick tock. Long ago, he united the men of Midgard and Swartalbaheim against the Albenmannen, Jötunmen, and the Old Gods, beating them into submission and remaking the Old World into this new one with the help of Yilik the Wise and the five Grand Sages, who had opposed the Old Gods even before his arrival. Today, seventeen centuries since the Great War of the Age of Heroes when the Old Gods rose up once more in vain, the world has become prosperous: powerful magocracies in the Middle Lands are going through a magical industrial revolution and rich tapestries of cultures flourish in the Yamato Mountain Range and the Seventeen Yonder Islands. These lie in the Corsic Ocean of the Ocean Belt beyond the 150 kilometer band of iron, the Iron Belt, which rings the planet around its equator. And isolated from the rest: two technocracies so far beyond them that they could be thought to live in a world of their own. These are divided by their opposing views on integrating magic and technology, yet united in their quest for knowledge. But who would have thought that none of these would start the next great war?[/quote] This great war is the Glimmer War, and it is being set up in my first novel, "Aqualon, Rise of the Broken". Learn more about this world by delving into the many encyclopedia-like articles about its cultures, places, magic, and technology, or dive right into the novel and a plethora of exiting short stories, all here on this site!|Show Synopsis[/spoiler] Click Below to see Aqualon's World Map [img:222509|nolink] Aqualon Novels [container:synopsistable] [container:wp_riseofthebrokencover].[/container] [container:wp_johnajerichocover].[/container] [container:wp_arkamanthali].[/container] [/container] [quote]Synopses Rise of the Broken [spoiler]A dark wind is blowing over the Middle Lands. The Council of Five is broken, and all across the world old powers are rising up out of legend, lured by the threat of a strange yellow glimmer that corrupts the hearts of men and greedily grasps for the great clockwork that runs behind all things. Atlas Muundir, once the avatar of the world's waters, is cast out, broken, and forced to fight for a world he no longer feels part of, thrust on by new friends and old obligations. Meanwhile, all around Aqualon old warriors, young prodigies, and ancient orders rouse, sensing the scent of war around them. They come from amongst the broken, legends, and forgotten gods; and mages, technocrats and Null suddenly find age old enmities forgotten, when the very nature of their existence is at risk. It is easy to fight with your life on the line when you know your soul will be saved. But what would you do if it was the other way around?[/spoiler] Johna Jericho [spoiler]Facing the Keeper of Earth just as Fulgrath prepares to jump away, Balsibart finds herself in a fight more difficult than she had anticipated. To defeat the mighty Lord Sameth, she brings one of the souls within her back into the real world: Johna Jericho, a famous Black Priest of the Church of Pure souls, who spent his life hunting animancers and pirates. But who is Johna really, and how did he end up in Balsibart's conclave, even though Balsibart is the sworn enemy of the Church? And what will he do, once he is returned to the world of Aqualon?[/spoiler] The Second Sun of Arkamanthali [spoiler]With Midasmen and the Valkyrie at her side, Artemis finds herself in a position of power, but also in the midsts of an escalating war with the Keeper of Earth and his mighty city of Arda. However, with the mantle of the Great Paro in her grasp, her goal is all to clear, and from the unforgiving sands of the desert, a new empire shall arise to rival the ancient line of Arkamanthali. The black queen, wielder of Windfall, is marching to conquer her old home, and bring an Arkatrash into the new Great War that shall hit Sameth Gildorn and his armies of mages harder than he could ever have bargained for...[/spoiler] [/quote] Most Recent Publications [articleblock:bb11856d-1884-4e1e-9248-077c7e946c47][spoiler][articleblock:a037d092-d0ff-49a3-abda-7e80b3bd47e3][articleblock:d6762929-4964-492a-9c54-494760bf7707] [articleblock:75992ceb-ee42-48ae-922e-7236d39209b8][articleblock:da7aa8c7-7c85-4c92-b154-5c51c1c54492][articleblock:4fa9baa5-ff0f-41ca-a703-0f62ecb01c5b][articleblock:a931d0a5-6a29-4300-aee3-aa0582d8875a][youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqFKps8nQyU][youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbkSvuGq9Q][youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zYCCHK2IJo] |Show More[/spoiler] Author's Choice[articleblock:546908a1-eb09-4d5b-9dc6-56a46c4035f4][spoiler][articleblock:b56f002e-4905-4752-bf07-84b51995b74b][articleblock:6ddaab77-e7a6-415e-91f1-28ae46b8adfb][articleblock:0a7d071b-ddfb-40c3-8767-2aabb93cbcd0]|Show More[/spoiler] Choose your Guide [container:wp_chooseyourguide] [spoiler] [quote][articleblock:7f7a456c-b4cd-4cdb-9e11-a08fdce1e3df] Paxia is the only living (more or less) Weltenwandler on Aqualon. She originated from a past world that was destroyed and remade by the Great Clockwork that ticks behind the universe. As such, her tale about Aqualon begins somewhat before the world ever existed and while emotional and insightful, her introduction to the world is not going to be very down to earth. Still, there are merits in getting a machine's perspective... [/quote] [quote][articleblock:2a26fd2a-9185-408d-8d22-9f0f2a14e2a2] Thadeus Fletcher is the maverick reporter that won't hesitate to go above and beyond for you, the avid reader of his travel column for the HJT Gazette! Follow his many newspaper articles on his travels to the Great Land where the oldest and most powerful nations of the world reside, filled with adventure, discovery, and a touch of magic. [/quote] [quote][articleblock:2d0613ff-75c9-4905-96f4-d2a8b074bf38][articleblock:53665415-10d4-4499-af29-fd2ad5e1f8f5] Too prosaic for you? Perhaps you prefer easy-to-digest chunks of information. Well, Timothy Jargon, technocrat and collector of stories from the mighty Moving City, Miyako Fluxum, has got you covered! Delve into his first two anthologies of tiny facts about the world of Aqualon, gathered during conversations with interesting people and readings of obscure tomes from all over the planet.[/quote] [quote] [articleblock:168bc1d1-a213-4313-b57f-4aa102aa9847] And lastly, if you enjoy accounts of ancient times, perhaps you'd like to start all the way back before the world was reshaped? Instead of learning about the Aqualon of today first, instead explore what people believed in when the world was split into nine asteroid worlds: the Nine Realms. Learn about elemental titans and Old Gods that were still brand new way back when.[/quote] [/spoiler] [/container] [quote]Don't know where to start? Then click the image above! I have started a number of still continuing article series that can help you find your way into the world of Aqualon. These articles might be just the thing to start your journey.[/quote] Awards and Testemony [container:wp_awards] [spoiler] [quote][youtube:https://youtu.be/IarecEKsyiQ][/quote] [quote] [articleblock:0a7d071b-ddfb-40c3-8767-2aabb93cbcd0] This was such an enjoyable read! I feel like I have a complete understanding of her motives, personality, and choices that she has made. The details tying her involvement in your world were extremely well woven throughout this whole article. My favorite part of this article is the way you described her mental characteristics in paragraph form that explained more in-depth the series of events that occurred in Hestia's life. - [user:sai][/quote] [quote] [articleblock:546908a1-eb09-4d5b-9dc6-56a46c4035f4] I absolutely love the editing of the images in this entire article and how they were made to look like this was an entire chapter in an encyclopedia. This is incredibly detailed and leaves no questions to be asked, and I am honestly so pleased with how it's written with so much care. I especially like how ingrained the moths of Yamato are in the culture. The song is beautiful, and I can't even begin to describe everything I liked about it, but these things were the ones that stood out the most to me. You've put so much love into this article!! - [user:AmevelloBlue][/quote] [quote] [articleblock:581f7f78-05f2-4121-b609-c95e63a23c07] OH MA GOD THOSE POEMS ^^ Love them. Like seriously, you made a theatre piece from poems? You are an artist mate ;) - [user:Colombus] I love the poetic prose in these scenes! Gorgeous and I'm really enjoying the story. Also love the footnotes scattered throughout that give more information. - [user:therosepatch][/quote] [/spoiler] [/container] [quote]Check out what other people have been saying about Aqualon; here is a selection of comments on articles published in this world.[/quote] Aqualon Short Stories [container:wp_novels] [spoiler] Serialized [quote][articleblock:9af28634-577a-4116-9460-202fccba72b1] Patrons of Aqualon, January 2019 [/quote] [quote][articleblock:fb412b1c-a45a-484f-bdc1-0e8617670772] Tale #1: On the Signing of the Null Concord Tale #2: The Mighty Brammenwoods Tale #3: The Glade of Druith Tale #4: The Gate at the Mountaintop Tale #5: Keepers, Blades, and Elements Tale #6: Jump! Tale #7: Bits and Bytes, Allocate and Divide Tale #8: Dearest Vincent Tale #9: The Stacks of Fulgrath Tale #10: The Velvet Scholia Tale #11: Wisteria and Green-Leaf Jasmine Tale #12: The White Death Tale #13: The Second Deal Tale #14: Svalbrynd Chain Gang [container:MoA-plus_bare][articleblock:8a97c660-f002-4b3a-8d04-5ab823ae6aea][/container][/quote] [quote][articleblock:b77eefab-2865-40b7-97df-bbfb9250bfb3] A short story from the life of Lyn, the adopted child of two HJT Ferries, which operate from their office on Rastrowel, the highly religious birth place of the Church of Pure Souls. Faced with prejudice against mages every day, Lyn's winning personality and innocence keeps her well within the good graces of her peers, until a Black Priest, an inquisitor of the Church takes notice of her... [/quote] [quote][articleblock:43a7e241-2715-4627-bd07-8e0d79b03f12] Based on the adventures of the Waking the Animancer writing contest winners, this serialization documents the campaign from the point of view of Captain Elizabeth Keen; at least for the time being. Traveling aboard her pirate ship, the odd assortment of characters she has taken charge of become embroiled in the war for Jamphel Yeshe when the Birth of Balsibart comes to light and the pirates of the Corsic Ocean scramble to take possession of the then abandoned coca and poppy fields of the island... [/quote] Stand-alone Stories, Poetry, and Anthologies [quote][articleblock:581f7f78-05f2-4121-b609-c95e63a23c07] A famous Aqualonian book and theater play re-envisioning the Vinclav myth in the style of Goethe's Faust.[/quote] [quote][articleblock:7376b29e-9fb7-402c-b159-1a2db6e2a2a4] Drahoslav, one of the Grand Sages of yore, wrote this ballad to describe not only certain experiences in his life, but the shape his mind space had taken during his meditation. It is common for people that seek out their own soulscape to envision their mind space as a great vast emptiness, containing the Great Gate somewhere within.[/quote] [quote] [toc:4844a58f-d4ac-424e-acc7-4d732692b02f] Saxum is the largest written collection of Nordic myths, legends, stories, poems, and songs that has ever been printed. It gained quite some popularity in the Great Land during the current Age of Gears and Elements, inspiring much interest in the culture of the northern tribes.[/quote] [/spoiler] [quote]Click above to read numerous short stories, poems, and tiny tales set in the world of Aqualon![/quote] [/container] The Encyclopedia Aqualonia [container:wp_encyclopedialink] [img:454402|center|nolink] [/container] [quote]Here lies the potentially largest part of this World Anvil page: The table of contents listing the many articles I have written about the world of Aqualon! Browse in wonder, dear reader, and learn everything about this intricate world, be it about the spiritualistic Glade of Druith where Kaltani Schamani use their animancy magic to lead nomadic tribes across the fertile planes, or about the two laser interferometers (LIST and LINT) built by the technocrats of Borealis to detect gravitational waves.[/quote] Support Aqualon on Patreon [container:wp_patreon] [spoiler] [quote]I work many hours every day on Aqualon if I can at all manage to spare them, and being able to make the time is only going to become more difficult in the coming years, unless people like you help me make the project self-sustaining. That being said, supporting Aqualon for as little as 1$ a month can already make a huge difference and there are amazing rewards in it for you as well! Though much of my content is open to the public, I have many cool secrets tucked away for my patrons. Get access to exclusive blog posts on my Patreon page, early access to article and access to altogether exclusive articles. The same goes for my podcast series where I read short stories and lore articles from Aqualon: get to hear me read you a story before anyone else! And for more generous supporters, there are downloads for ebooks, podcast audio files, music, and access to extra secret author's audio commentary on articles! I am not looking to get rich off of Aqualon, but emotionally, this world is my child, and I want to take care of it and see it grow as much as possible. I don't need you to read my stories, my stories need you to read my stories. If I could, I would write stories every day all day for the rest of my life. Help me make this a reality. And if you can't afford or don't want to help out financially: I still very much appreciate you reading my work. Thank you![/quote] [quote][container:ptrank1].[/container] Become a Ferry Trainee by pledging 1$+ a month. The Hank & Jordan & Tenzer corporation controls the shipwright and logistics sector of the Corsic Ocean and is rivaled only by the West-Yamato Trading Company. They are most famous for their Ferries, ship's mages for hire, which can be found at local HJT offices, which command wind or water to ensure safe passage in a sea riddled with storms and powerful pirate houses. Get the first novel "Rise of the Broken" as a pdf once it is completed in early 2019. Early access to public articles. Get access to secret facts and little in-world stories nested in most encyclopedia articles on Aqualon. Get your own address in any mapped out village, town, or city of Aqualon, visible on the map on World Anvil! Behind-the-scenes sneak-peeks into in-progress articles, maps, and projects. [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank3].[/container] Become a Magus of the Academy by pledging 3$+ a month. The Grand Academy of Fulgrath is one of the highest institutes of learning in the Middle Lands , and whether you specialize in lightning magic, alchemy, or the sciences, you'll be sure to make it far in the city of boundless opportunity. Of course not all mages concur that the GAF reigns supreme in magical education, and in fact there are a total of five Magus Academies in the Middle Lands and two overseas. All "Ferry Trainee" rewards. Get the first novel "Rise of the Broken" as an ebook once it is completed in early 2019 and a proper ebook conversion has been completed. Access to exclusive short stories and the newest chapters of the "The Glimmer War" book series, which will continue the story of "Rise of the Broken". Access to the "Middle Lands" and "Great Land" discord categories. Access to "The Curling Unagi" voice channel on Discord, let's talk and be merry! Your name will be mentioned on the Aquaon World Anvil page, thank you very much! [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank5].[/container] Become a Brother/Sister of the Null by pledging 5$+ a month. The Brotherhood of the Null owns two great sanctums hewn from obsidian at either Walls of Weltenend (Eastern and Western) where they train in their strange art of nullifying magic while seeking enlightenment, ever ready to step in when magic is being used to the detriment of the human race. All "Magus of the Academy" rewards. Eligible for merchandise raffles on the weekly "Gates of Aqualon TV" live-stream. (Raffles will be limited to digital content until at least 5 "Brother/Sister of the Null" tier or higher contributors are available.) Shout-out on the weekly live-stream. Access to secret author's commentary audio recordings in many articles, be soothed by the audible chocolate that is my voice. Eligible for the "Worlds and Words of Interest" segment of the weekly live-stream. (Where I showcase worlds, poetry, writing, and artwork). Get the scoop on Aqualon Writing Contests one week early! [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank9].[/container] Become a Technocrat of Miyako Fluxum by pledging 9$+ a month. Going beyond technology driven research, the technocrats of Miyako Fluxum dare to do research in technamagix, the banned faculty of Borealis. Knowledge is the ultimate end in itself, so move ahead with me, all the way to the future! All "Magus of the Academy" rewards. Access to the "Miyako Fluxum, the moving City" category on Discord. Get a beautifully printed deed to a house or piece of land on Aqualon and a marker to your new property on one of Aqualon's interactive maps! Participate in character polls and World Anvil polls and actively influence the book and World Aanvil page! Get download links for the music of Aqualon, composed by yours truly. Get download links for my "Let Me Read You" and "Author's Commentary" mp3s so you can listen to me on the go. [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank15].[/container] Become an Angel Saxon Master Smith by pledging 15$+ a month. Mysterious and withdrawn, most of what people know about the Angel Saxons is from legends and hearsay. They are the great smiths of magical arms and armor that serve the Old Gods. All "Technocrats of Miyako Fluxum" rewards. Access to the "Realm of Angel Saxons" category on Discord. Get your own poetry, songs, music, articles, and artwork featured on Discord. Get a chance to have your work published in the "Gates of Aqualon Magazine". You will be prominently mentioned on the website and World Anvil page. [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank25].[/container] Become a Certified HJT Ferry by pledging 25$+ a month. The Ferries of HJT are people of renown. They command the winds or the sea and are the bulwark against the elements of the Ocean Belt. With their powers and official HJT licenses, they hire their skills out to ships that traverse the Corsic Ocean and beyond, doing battle with storms and thwarting pirate attacks. All "Angel Saxon Master Smith" rewards. Get occasional goodies such as magazine hard copies and merchandise from time to time. You may participate in an Aqualon chat RPG on Discord mastered by yours truly. I will write a short article about your character in Aqualon on the World Anvil page; be it yourself, your chat RPG character, or an original character you want in my setting. Once I have completed my character design course, I will also create artwork for your character! Your character may appear in articles, short stories, and possibly even the novel. [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank50].[/container] Become a member of the Greenhorn Family by pledging 50$+ a month. "The war horn blows green" is one of the most famous sayings to emerge from the Great War, when the Greenhorns, the first masters of technamagix created green, magical horns they wore as hats and that could be heard everywhere at once when blown. They tamed mighty moths and rode them into battle, and are still among the most renowned researchers in the field of ribogenetics today. All "Certified Ferry" rewards. This is the loot box tier! Get a monthly loot box with various goodies! Links to digital rewards may also be included. Whenever one of my Aqualon novels is complete, a printed, hard-cover copy will be included in your monthly loot box. [/quote] [quote][container:ptrank100].[/container] Become a member of the Hall of Heroes by pledging 100$+ a month. You want to travel with me? Well... I suppose the road is wide enough, and where it isn't, we'll make do! Yes, saddle your horse, pack your bag, we are going on an adventure! All "The Greenhorn Family" rewards. You may participate in a monthly video RPG session on Discord or Roll20, set in Aqualon and mastered by me. Your adventures will be epic and well recorded on the World Anvil page. Perhaps word will even reach the characters of the books. You may have your name on the website linked to your own site and add a short description or statement, and I will help you design a banner for this purpose, if you do not have your own. [/quote] [/spoiler] [quote]To publish the amount of articles I publish in the high standard of quality I try to maintain and churn out new chapters for the novels and short stories I write, I currently have to make great personal and professional sacrifices. While I am glad to make those for my world and my dear readers, the day may come where I will no longer be able to spend as much time on writing. Supporting Aqualon with even just one dollar a month will not only help towards my goal of being financially stable enough to make creative writing my main profession but also unlock cool rewards for you such as access to more stories and articles.[/quote] [/container] Aqualon Merchandise [container:wp_merch] [spoiler] [quote]Aqualon on Printerstudio Aqualon designs on Printerstudio are available on a variety of products and are shipped world wide. If you are interested in alternate sizes or want certain designs on certain types of products, contact me via email: Kentai92[at]gmail.com or on Discord. If you are interested in Aqualon merchandise, the Aqualon Discord Server is also a great place to stay up to date on sales and coupons. [container:wp_merchstore1].[/container] Go to Store. [/quote] [/spoiler] [/container] [quote]As I work on the world of Aqualon, I regularly come up with cool new in-world designs and maps, and some of them I try to make available on merchandise to further support this project. While sporadic, contributions via merchandise are great for reinvesting into equipment and in prizes for the writing and trivia contests I regularly hold for my readers.[/quote] Contests, Games, and Prizes[articleblock:fb475c08-dab7-4d7b-a324-21f70aa62528] Tabletop RPG Material [container:MoA-plus][articleblock:70241ca6-fe7c-4c8b-ab99-063af9af50d1][/container] Check out These People that Follow Aqualon on World Anvil [container:wp_followers].[/container] Special Thanks, Resources, and Shout-outs [articleblock:9ec3b6ce-d81a-4ef1-9428-eaa83750522b] [articleblock:e49ece77-cb1d-4173-abe7-7f4a3d5f1fd3]
