Thiandalune (thee ann duh loon)
REALM OF CELESTIAL RADIANCE
The Luminous Tapestries of Heaven
Above the mortal sphere of Edrion hangs Thiandalune, the Material Plane of Light, a realm where celestial bodies dance in cosmic harmony. Here, radiance becomes substance, and divine will shapes the very fabric of existence. Unlike the earthly domains below, Thiandalune encompasses not mere land and sea, but the celestial bodies that grace the heavens: Sanul the Sun, twin moons Ganur and Grano, and the great rings of Gavalion and Astrion that encircle the world like crowns of divine craftsmanship.In the first moment of creation, when Te Vevutur breathed life into the void, Thianon emerged as pure radiance - a being of such brilliant purpose that even his creator had to shield his eyes.The skies of Thiandalune tell stories written in starlight and solar flame. Each constellation bears witness to the grand works of the Eeirendel, those hundred divine children of Te Vevutur who shaped the cosmos according to their father's vision. Yet none among them embodied the pure joy of creation more thoroughly than Thianon, he who brought illumination not merely of space, but of purpose.
They moved as twin flames through the darkness - Aejeon's fire creating, Thianon's light revealing. In those days, their powers were so intertwined that lesser beings could not tell where one god ended and the other began.
The tragedy of these divine brothers – once inseparable in their cosmic artistry, later sundered by ambition and shadow – marks the greatest wound in Thiandalune's luminous history. For when Aejeon discovered the "Malo Balar" or Black Fire, he unleashed forces that would forever alter the celestial harmony, casting long shadows across the realm of pure light.
Sanul: The Radiant Heart
Sanul, contrary to mortal misconception, does not orbit Edrion. Rather, this celestial fortress of pure light and energy traces its own divine path around the Sphere of the World, illuminating the Continuum with resplendent glow. Upon its surface of gleaming gold and crystal dwell the luminous Thiavesi, or Light Elves, whose ethereal forms embody the realm's essence. Five magnificent cities adorn the sun's surface, each a testament to divine architecture: Núril-Ambantil, the capital where Thianon once ruled from spires of crystallized light; Aristil, domain of Acteon and seat of knowledge; Ilmoleril, where the goddess Theliarhere pushes the boundaries of celestial science; Narustil, realm of artistic expression once ruled by Emuen; and Tulpirion, city of divine language governed now by Grimston after the fall of Sae Suel.
The Lunar Domains
Ganur, the Greater Moon, serves as a divine realm of wisdom and celestial harmony, domain of the Ganvesi, or Moon Dwarves. This silvery orb traces a harmonious path around the Sphere of the World, its surface home to the twin metropolises of Nairionil and Astanur. While Nairionil basks in perpetual light on the near side of Ganur, Astanur dwells in twilight shadow, a center of arcane study and mystical contemplation. Between these Lunar cities rise the Great Estári Mountains, a majestic range that serves as natural barrier between light and darkness. These peaks embody the duality of Ganur's nature, where illumination and shadow coexist in delicate balance. Grano, the Lesser Moon, shimmers with mystery and illusion, home to the enigmatic Granvesi, or Star Gnomes. These clever, inventive folk have mastered both magic and technology, creating wonders beyond mortal comprehension. Their hidden cities and workshops produce marvels like Lunar, the celestial steed who later served Sergeant Thunderhoof in his divine quests.The Celestial Rings
Gavalion, the Great Ring, encircles Edrion like a divine halo of light and matter. This colossal orbital marvel serves as both celestial wonder and bastion against chaos, its radiance forming a barrier against The Mad God and entities of the Ord Maada. Within this ring dwell the Luminara, beings of living light who trace their lineage to the gods of light. The Stardancers flit between asteroid cities, while Aetherdrakes nest in glittering clusters. During the Festival of Stars, the entire ring illuminates with countless magical lanterns, while shimmering fireworks dance across the void. Stories are shared, songs are sung, and unity celebrated among the myriad races. Astrion, once a perfect ring like Gavalion, now exists only as the Broken Ring – a shattered reminder of the devastation wrought during the First Black Fire War. What remains forms the Astrion Belt, a graveyard of celestial wreckage where divine blood still stains the fragments of what was once called the Ring of Harmony.Divine Guardians and Fallen Stars
Thianon, High God of Light, stood as Thiandalune's supreme ruler and architect. His luminous vision shaped every ray and shadow in his realm, bringing forth mountains of crystal and rivers of liquid light. The master of the Great Furnaces of Ingamon, he forged wonders beyond mortal comprehension, including Elwelanwë, the Spear of the Sun, and the Sanulium mineral that captured and preserved divine essence.His greatest gift was not the light itself, but his joy in sharing it. Even the smallest spark of illumination, when guided by Thianon's hand, could become a masterpiece of divine artistry.His consort Beryl, High Goddess of Light, established the Luminous Archives – living matrices where knowledge existed as pure radiance. Scholars who studied there spoke of reading thoughts transformed into beams of understanding. Together with Thianon, she expanded Thiandalune beyond its original bounds, creating vast celestial provinces connected by networks of living light.
From their love came the auroras that dance between worlds, and from their laughter, the stars learned to sing. Even now, in the darkest reaches of space, echoes of their joy can be heard in the music of the spheres.
Yet as divine tragedy unfolded, neither Thianon's wisdom nor Beryl's foresight could prevent the cataclysm of the Black Fire War. When Aejeon discovered the Black Fire, a power that consumed light rather than emitting it, brotherhood shattered into enmity. Malovatar, spawn of corrupted flame, led armies against the realm of light, forcing Thianon to make an impossible choice at the Gates of the Sun: open the Great Furnaces of Ingamon to devastate the lower realms, or allow Thiandalune to fall.
On the Rainbow Bridge, uncle and nephew clashed in cosmic combat, Elwelanwë striking with terrible precision against the corrupting darkness. Yet in a moment of fateful mercy, seeing a reflection of his beloved brother in Malovatar's form, Thianon hesitated – and fell.
The death of Thianon transformed the fundamental nature of light throughout the realms. In Thiandalune, where his presence had once filled every ray with divine purpose, illumination became a more mechanical force – still powerful, but lacking the conscious guidance that had made it dance with joy.
Each dawn carries an echo of loss, each sunset reminds us of glory dimmed. Yet in the moments between day and night, some say they can still hear Thianon teaching the first rays how to pierce darkness.The divine pantheon of Thiandalune, once seventeen strong, suffered grievous losses during the First Black Fire War. Beryl died merging with the light of celestial archives. Emuen's essence became part of the aurora over Narustil. Sae Suel dissolved into lingering whispers within celestial winds. The Watchers of Ord Maada – Rendwor, Stewenon, Neisana, and Sesyom – fell defending light's sacred borders. Those gods who survived took up mantles of greater responsibility. Otsmani continues to oversee both Thiavesi and fallen Otaru elves. Acteon maintains his dominion over education in Aristil. Theliarhere pursues her relentless research in the laboratories of Ilmoleril. Grimston, son of Sae Suel, guards Tulperion and practices his magickal astrology with his avatar, Sergeant Thunderhoof. Beneath these divine powers dwell the Five Mothers of Creation, whose subtle influence flows through Thiandalune's very essence. Though seemingly lost during the Black Fire Wars, their power continues to manifest through bloodlines unnumbered, through dreams unspoken, through desires unnamed.
Our bodies may seem to fall, but our will flows through every drop of blood, every grain of earth, every spark of fire that burns in mortal hearts.
Celestial Geography and Divine Architecture
The Rainbow Bridges once served as Thiandalune's direct connection to the Sphere of the World. These magnificent structures, each composed of seven strands of pure light representing the colors of the rainbow, allowed travel between the higher realms and lower worlds. The Yellow Bridge of Radiance linked Thiandalune to all realms; the Red Bridge of Valor connected to Malondria; the Blue Bridge of Reflection led to Marenwe; the Green Bridge of Harmony reached Zerthia; and the White Bridge of Unity joined with Gerlandria. During the First Black Fire War, most Rainbow Bridges were destroyed. Those fragments that remain are closed to the lower realms unless travel is sanctioned by the House Major of Thianon. The Broken Bridge serves as grim reminder of the cosmic tragedy that severed heaven from earth.Each Rainbow Bridge was a promise made solid - a pledge that no realm would ever be truly separate from the others, that light would always find a way to connect what seemed divided.Beyond these central structures lie the Star Stations of Aetheria – floating islands following precise celestial patterns around the Sphere of the World. These serve as hubs of magical research and experimentation, hosting diverse races contributing to Thiandalune's rich tapestry. Each station specializes in different aspects of celestial magic, from astrological divination to stellar alchemy. The Crystal Spheres of Luminara hang throughout Thiandalune like cosmic jewels. These transparent orbs of colossal size contain distinct types of magical energy, fostering unique environments for an array of magical creatures. Some spheres preserve specimens from extinct lands; others experiment with novel forms of life under the guidance of celestial architects. Modahelon, the Asteroid Belt, forms a spectacular ring around the Sphere of the World. Each asteroid, unique and teeming with life, hosts its own vibrant ecosystem. The largest asteroid, Asteria, houses the Stoneborn – beings with skin as tough as the asteroids they call home. Legend claims this belt formed when two celestial beings clashed in the early ages of creation, their cosmic duel shattering a nascent moon. Within the larger asteroids' protective bubbles dwell the Stoneborn and Glimmerkin, races uniquely adapted to the harshness of cosmic void. Their settlements – called Asteroid Holds – are marvels of adaptation, with architecture carved into the very rock of the asteroids and shielded by complex defensive magic.
In the labyrinthine depths of Modahelon, where divine magic forms pockets of life amidst lifeless stone, the Stoneborn have mastered the art of survival. Their halls echo with songs of creation's dawn, when gods wove the very fabric of existence from void and light.
The Comet of Seraphim follows a seemingly erratic path around the Sphere of the World, housing the celestial Seraphs – beings as unpredictable and fascinating as the comet's journey. Their society remains largely enigmatic, with only rare visitations to other celestial realms during significant cosmic alignments.
Floating above all these wonders rises Núril-Ambantil, capital of Thiandalune and seat of divine power. This gleaming metropolis of gold and crystal, forever bathed in the light of Sanul, stands as testament to celestial grandeur. Its towering spires and radiant gardens remain visible from the farthest reaches of the realms, while the Sunlit Spire – that great weapon never meant to pierce the world – serves as both landmark and warning.
Beings of Light and Shadow
The Thiavesi, or Light Elves, embody the purest expression of Thianon's divine vision. These luminous beings, their forms shaped by divine light, serve as Thiandalune's primary inhabitants and caretakers. Their society follows a celestial hierarchy with Luminar Elders serving as advisors, Luminar Lords governing regions, Luminar Knights defending the realm, and Luminar Citizens performing essential duties.To watch Thianon craft with Sanulium was to witness poetry made solid. His hands moved like a dancer's, weaving light into matter, until the very stones sang with captured radiance.The culture of these radiant folk centers on three pillars: Enlightenment through understanding celestial energies; Harmony balancing individual desires with community needs; and Artistic Expression channeling their connection to divine forces through various art forms. Less known are the Otaru – Fallen Light Elves whose essence became corrupted during the Black Fire War. These tragic figures, darkened reflections of their former glory, wander Thiandalune's shadowed regions seeking redemption under Otsmani's guidance. Their fractured light serves as constant reminder of war's cost, their very existence a painful memory of paradise compromised. On Ganur dwell the Ganvesi, or Moon Dwarves, masters of celestial metals and Lunar craftsmanship. Their twin cities of Nairionil and Astanur represent opposing approaches to enlightenment – Nairionil through open illumination, Astanur through shadow and contemplation. Between these cities rises the Great Estári Mountains, where monastic orders seek spiritual wisdom away from urban centers. Grano hosts the enigmatic Granvesi, or Star Gnomes, whose innovative spirit manifests in equal parts magical research and technological advancement. Their space stations orbit their Lunar home, while celestial steeds like Lunar represent their mastery of biomagical enhancement.
When the Star Gnomes sing, the stars themselves listen. Their melodies blend mathematics and magic, science and sorcery, until the very fabric of creation hums in harmony with their cosmic understanding.
Among the most mysterious denizens of Thiandalune are The Nine That Remained – legendary heroes who ascended to demigod status under Sergeant Thunderhoof's leadership. From Blaze the fiery Thiavesi to Frost the steadfast Ganvesi, Storm the clever Granvesi to Urth the calm Bison Man, these warriors represent Thiandalune's diverse peoples united against cosmic threats.
When alien invaders threatened their realm, countless defenders fell or surrendered hope. Yet Thunderhoof and his companions stood unbowed, their commitment never wavering against insurmountable odds. For this courage, the gods elevated them to demi-gods, allowing them to launch a decisive counteroffensive that restored peace to Thiandalune.
The Luminara of Gavalion present another fascinating race – beings of living light who evolved among the Great Ring's fragments. These crystalline entities feed on divine energy flowing through the ring, their life cycles creating beautiful displays of illumination visible across vast cosmic distances. During their Festival of Glimmers, their synchronized bioluminescence creates mesmerizing celestial displays.
Natural Wonders and Cosmic Phenomena
Though lacking conventional terrestrial features, Thiandalune boasts natural wonders beyond mortal comprehension. In Sanul, vast Radiant Plains of gleaming light stretch like liquid gold across the solar surface, while Luminous Hills constantly shift with celestial energy. Crystal Mountains tower as pillars of radiant light, and Rivers of Light flow with liquid radiance nourishing the realm's unique ecosystem. The flora of Thiandalune – collectively known as the Luminara – includes Solara Trees towering above the landscape, storing and releasing solar energy; Starflowers blooming during Radiant Night with potent healing properties; Sunweeds providing construction materials; and Radiant Vines forming symbiotic relationships with the Lumina fauna. Among these animal counterparts count Solar Eagles serving as divine messengers; Star Gazelles swift as light with magical horns; Radiant Serpents producing enchanted venom; and Sun Lions protecting the celestial ecosystems. Legendary beings like the Solar Phoenix, reborn every thousand years, and the Radiant Leviathan controlling celestial rivers, embody Thiandalune's mystical nature.In the age before shadow knew meaning, Thianon crafted the first dawn. Each ray of light was a song, each beam a story waiting to be told. He wove radiance into dreams, and those dreams became stars.The climate of Thiandalune follows no earthly pattern but exists in state of eternal spring. There is no harsh or blinding light, no true night – only periods of dimmed radiance creating perfect conditions for life and contemplation. Solar Storms periodically sweep across the realm, creating spectacular light displays, while Sunshowers bring magical rain during full sunlight. In Modahelon's asteroid belt, Crystalline Showers transform ordinary rainfall into spectacles of shimmering droplets resembling liquid diamonds. The Great Geyser Field of Vathoria releases columns of steam and hot water, while Electromagnetic Flares create breathtaking aurora-like displays as cosmic rays strike planetary shields.
Through the void between stars, where light bends around the weight of divine thought, echoes of ancient music still resonate. The cosmos remembers songs that mortal ears have long forgotten – melodies from when gods first taught the darkness how to dream of dawn.
Perhaps most stunning are the Star Showers of Modahelon, when energy radiated from distant stars interacts with the magical atmosphere of asteroids, causing cascades of radiant, multicolored light. During these Events, the Glimmerkin glow their brightest, adding to the magnificent display.
The Celestial Alignments occur periodically when Thiandalune and its moons align perfectly with Modahelon's asteroids, causing surges of magic and celestial energy that enhance magical bubbles around asteroids and increase magic's potency. The Stoneborn time their most important rituals to coincide with these cosmic Events.
The Astral Winds – streams of energy flowing through Thiandalune – carry not mere air but currents of magical energy and cosmic particles affecting terrain and lifeforms. At their gentlest, these winds aid Glimmerkin dispersal and maintain ecosystem balance; at their strongest, they become storms requiring shelter in the heart of celestial bodies.
The Sundering and Renewal
The First Black Fire War forever altered Thiandalune's celestial harmony. When Aejeon discovered and embraced the Black Fire – a power that consumed light rather than emitting it – the bonds of brotherhood between him and Thianon shattered. What began as philosophical disagreement descended into cosmic conflict as Aejeon's son Malovatar led armies against the realm of light.The last perfect day, when brother still embraced brother in halls of mingled fire and light, lives on only in divine memory. Not even Thianon's art could preserve that moment once shadow learned to devour light.As war ravaged the celestial realms, Thianon faced an impossible choice at the Gates of the Sun – unleash the Great Furnaces of Ingamon to devastate the lower realms, or allow Thiandalune to fall. His decision to open the furnaces forever changed creation's balance, releasing powers that both defended and wounded the cosmos. The final battle saw Thianon wielding Elwelanwë, the Spear of the Sun, against his nephew Malovatar on the Rainbow Bridge. Each strike of his spear opened channels of pure light that pierced the darkness of Black Fire, yet in a moment of fateful mercy – seeing a reflection of his beloved brother in Malovatar's corrupted form – Thianon hesitated, allowing the Black Fire to find its mark.
When a god of light dies, where does their radiance go? Into every dawn that follows, into every star that remembers how to shine, into every eye that still knows how to see truth.
In the war's aftermath, Thiandalune's divine hierarchy underwent profound transformation. Many gods perished, while survivors assumed greater responsibilities. The apparent deaths of Four Mothers during the conflict came in ways that fulfilled prophecies they themselves had written – though some whisper these deaths were merely transformations, allowing deeper work to continue unseen.
The Rainbow Bridges, once uniting all realms, now stand mostly broken or closed. The Three Rings suffered varying fates: Astrion utterly destroyed, leaving only the Astrion Belt; Modahelon maintaining its role as sanctuary for scholars and divine architects; and Gavelion continuing as defensive perimeter against external threats.
Yet amidst destruction, seeds of renewal took root. The Thiavesi established Shrines of Remembered Light preserving crystallized moments from Thianon's reign in specially crafted Sanulium matrices. Pilgrims visiting these shrines sometimes experience fragments of divine memory – brief glimpses of how light moved when gods still shaped its course.
The Great Furnaces of Ingamon, though diminished, continue to burn. Their reduced output serves as both memorial and warning – a reminder of light's power and price of its misuse. The Furnace-Keepers maintain unbroken vigils since Thianon's fall, each shift ending with prayers echoing through chambers designed to amplify divine voices that no longer answer.
We who still serve in the chambers of light do not worship death but celebrate what lived. Every ray we bend, every shadow we study, honors he who first taught radiance to dance.
The Eternal Vigil
Today, Thiandalune remains a realm of diminished glory yet enduring wonder. Though Thianon and many original gods have fallen, their legacy continues through divine successors, celestial races, and the ineffable patterns of light they established. The Resonance Mystics claim Thianon's consciousness persists within the Sunlit Spire, pointing to temporal anomalies plaguing its depths as attempts by a fragmented divine mind to communicate across death's boundaries.Each evening as the sun sets, listen closely to the last rays as they leave the world. Some say you can hear them whispering their father's name, still seeking guidance from the god who taught them how to shine.
The Chronographers maintain that time flows strangely around Thianon's death, as if reality cannot quite accept the loss of one of its primary architects. They document countless instances of temporal slippage where observers glimpse moments from before the fall – brief windows into an age when light still knew its father's touch.
Though the Rainbow Bridges remain mostly severed, divine scholars believe a great celestial alignment – perhaps a Lunar Convergence between Ganur and Grano – could one day reignite these broken pathways, restoring divine highways to former glory. Until then, the Star Stations serve as beacons for travelers navigating the fractured continuum.
In chambers of living light, where time flows like crystal streams, Thianon taught us to read the memories of photons. Each ray carries stories from the moment of its birth - one must simply learn to listen with radiant ears.The Pearl Snake, that great stellarvore encasing the entire Aina Continuum, remains unknowable, its cosmic coils shielding the realms from outside forces. Though Rainbow Bridges connect known realms, none reach beyond The Pearl Snake's embrace. Only Te Vevutur knows the true extent of the Continuum's limits, and what lies beyond remains mystery even gods do not seek to unravel. Despite countless challenges, the Black Fire's corruption could not completely erase Thianon's influence on reality's fundamental laws. Light still moves according to patterns he established, still carries potential for divine consciousness he wove into its nature. Even the void between stars remembers how to sing songs he taught it – a testament to a creator whose greatest gift was not merely illumination, but the joy of sharing it with all creation. The Material Plane of Light, consisting of the regions above the sphere of the world, to include: Sanul, the Sun, which orbits Edrion, not vice versa. Ganur, the Greater Moon, orbits Edrion Grano, the lesser moon, orbits Edrion Gavalion, the Great Ring encircling the Sphere of the World (similar to Halo) Astrion, the Broken Ring The Rainbow Bridges Star Stations of Aetheria Comet of Seraphim Floating Isles of Zephyria Crystal Spheres of Luminara Gavalion and Ecliptica, the greater and lesser rings see Locations of Thiandalune
Type
Plane of Existence
Included Locations
