Dragonbond Valerna An Introduction

Valerna:
An Introduction
Felipe Ramos Sant' Anna (Order #36428082)

A world without gods, without good or evil.
A world of high adventure, mighty magic, and dark forces.
A world of mortals and dragons.

Based on the universe created by Daniel Servitje
DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL THANKS

Additional worldbuilding: Tom Babbey, JC Alvarez, To all our Kickstarter backers and Tribers who have
Bernardo Alvarez, Rubén Bañuelos, Daniel Ehrli. supported us in all our endeavors since 2018.
Publisher: Draco Studios
Writing: Mark A. Latham © 2022 Draco Gaming Inc. DRAGONBOND and
Narrative Design: George Mann their respective logos Great Wyrms of Drakha, Battles
of Valerna, Onslaught, Lords of Vaala, are trademarks
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R
haava is a young world—a primal world, shaped by the innate magic that flows
through all things: Vaala. Through the threefold power of Dream, Will, and
Source, Vaala provides the potential for all things to evolve, to change. Driven by
Vaala, empires rise and fall, monsters rampage through wondrous landscapes, and armies
march to war beneath a tumultuous sky.
Valerna, the largest continent on Rhaava, is contested by its greatest realms. From their high
towers, the half-elves of Allaria command legions of highly trained Oathguard to do their bid-
ding, the ground shaking beneath their steel-shod boots. From Tyveria, the vampiric maghyri
control hordes of warriors with the power of blood magic. In the wilds, the bestial forces of the
Nahuac Coalition fight with nature itself on their side. From the frozen north, pious Ysvalian
knights bring the power of their Light to an ever darker world. Across several kingdoms, hu-
mans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, orcs, beasts and monsters make war upon their rivals.
Sorcerers bombard their foes with pyrotechnic cavalcades, sky-ships rain fire upon foot soldiers,
and giants hurl rocks against besieged fortifications. From the fey realm of the Fell, capricious
creatures mock the petty struggles of mortals, while in the eternal dark of the Hollowdepths lurk
noisome, dangerous things, awaiting their chance to claim the world for their own.
And then, once every twenty-seven years, the Red Moon rises, and the dragons descend upon the
world of mortals…
In the face of the draconic threat, the squabbles of mortals are nothing. Only the mightiest
heroes can stand against them. And those heroes, when circumstances are right, can win the re-
spect of their dragon adversaries like no other. When this happens, the two become as one—dual
beings, known as Dragonbonded.
The Dragonbonded are needed now more than ever. For a dark power awakens—a power
that poses the ultimate threat to mortal and dragon alike. The Null, the antithesis of Vaala,
seeps into the world. Where once it was sealed away by the mightiest champions of
Valerna, now the seals are breaking. If the Null bleeds into the domain of mortals, all
magic, all potential, will be gone forever—washed away, leaving only infinite emptiness
and stagnation.
Into this world, you must carve your own legacy. Whether for Rhaava or for the Red Moon
Drakha, you must answer the call.
Your story begins here—if you have the Dream, the Source, and the Will to write it…

IN THE BEGINNING...
T
he world of Rhaava is a mighty, primal world, the THE AGE OF PROTOGONS
creation of which dates back only a few millennia. Rhaava was at first populated only by powerful immortals,
Born not by the hands of gods but by the very and the first among these were the Protogons. These
manifestation of Vaala, it is a world in constant motion, colossal beings of immeasurable power bestrode the world
where empires rise and fall as part of the natural order, with neither design nor desire. Vaala had given them
where destruction makes way for regrowth, and where sentience, and they knew only that they were the force that
magic is a way of life. would set things in motion and that that motion would
give birth to something new. Where the mighty Protogons
trod, new life would form from the fabric of reality while
Vaala
lesser things shriveled and died. The very presence of a
Protogon created change in the world. This was their
nature, to embody the will of Vaala.
Vaala is a primal force that exists within all things,
its strands connecting everything from stardust to Some Protogons had a greater sense of self than others
seedlings, from the tiniest insect to the mightiest and even gave themselves names. Kadmos, the Primordial
dragon. It is a force of change and perpetual motion, Dragon, was among these. Kadmos questioned the
an energy that some might call magic but that the Unwritten Rule—the only rule of existence—that the
very wise would call potential. Vaala cannot be Protogons must not create others like themselves. After
destroyed, but it can be transformed through all, if the very essence of Vaala is change, momentum, and
action, the ebb and flow of Vaala shifting with potential, surely bringing more Protogons into the world
every conscious deed. The more extreme the could only create greater potential. Unique amongst their
action, the greater the transformation, but there kind, Kadmos examined their own existence and began to
always must be change. desire more.
Vaala has three aspects. These are the three paths
to truth, for those with eyes to see:
Fai, the Dream, which holds imagination and
creativity.
K’aab, the Source, which guides life and death.
Id, the Will, which begets power and transformation.
The people of Valerna instinctively know how to
manipulate Vaala in subtle ways through these
aspects, yet the very wise might harness its power to
instigate growth, renewal, or destruction. Through
their embodiment of the aspects of Vaala, a sorcerer
might wield powers terrible to behold. And yet
no such magic is considered good or evil; magic is
simply the acceleration of inevitable change.
As surely as the cosmos must remain in motion,
all things must change.

the auna—the builders—whose toil and industry slowly
THE AGE OF DRAGONS began to tame the land. Seeing Rhaava transformed, an
From the start, Kadmos had a curious mind. They unnamed Protogon harnessed the Vaala to create the
wondered about the past and the future, about the droda, a long-lived people tasked with protecting the
secrets of Vaala. The First Dragon understood that the earth and stone.
way of Vaala was a cycle of change, that all creation was
an act of repetition. These things and more did Kadmos As the auna spread, they grew independent of the
ponder until they became consumed by questions, and in Protogons and developed language and culture of their
turn the questions became justifications for breaking the own. They called themselves human, and they renamed
rule. And thus, did the First Dragon replicate themselves, all the noble peoples, beasts, and plants of the world
creating beings that were not lesser to Kadmos but equal in their own tongues. Therefore, the ellari became
to them, equal to the Protogons. They named these new known as elves, the godao were gnomes, and the droda
beings dragons, and through them Kadmos’s powers were dwarves. These peoples spread across Rhaava to
multiplied a hundredfold. find purpose of their own. Their will was strong, their
dreams vast, and Vaala followed in their steps. And
Appalled at Kadmos’s disregard for the natural order, as they inherited Rhaava, the Protogons diminished
the Protogons waged war on the dragons. It was a long further still, not painfully but willingly, for they saw
and costly conflict. Thousands of Kadmos’s progeny their role as complete. Some were transformed into new
were slaughtered, and even Protogons fell in battle, and unexpected forms, while others faded from history
proving that the first beings could indeed be killed. completely. The mortals, it seemed, would have to find
Sobered by this realization, the Protogons united their their own way in the world.
powers and exiled all dragons, Kadmos included, to
Drakha, the distant Red Moon. This act of banishment The mortals fought among themselves, for they were
not only tore the dragons from Rhaava but severed their different, and difference breeds conflict. The ellari
ties with Vaala. This unthinkable punishment became wanted the godao to join their dance. The godao wanted
known as Kadmos’s Curse, for it made the Primordial their caves and tunnels to be barred to outsiders. And
Dragon and its progeny less than Protogons. Without the humans always wanted more territory and resources.
Vaala to twist and change and remake all around them, All this led to war, but war cannot last forever. The ellari
the dragons were doomed to grow old and die. learned to stand clear of godao labyrinths, and the first
human tribes learned to respect the boundaries of the
Though crippled by the Protogons’ curse, Kadmos was droda. And so it went, until at last there was peace.
not so easily defeated. During the final battle, even
as Kadmos was cast from the surface of Rhaava, the But peace, like war, never lasts.
Primordial Dragon tore out their own eye and placed it
in the night sky. The Eye of Kadmos, now fixed among
the stars, became a great celestial rift—a pathway
between Rhaava and Drakha. Every twenty-seven
years, the Eye blinks, and through it the dragons make
incursions into the world to sate themselves on Vaala.
Thus, a new balance of sorts was reached, with dragons
making desperate forays into the world to drink of
Vaala, prolonging their lives, but ultimately being
doomed to return to confinement upon the Red Moon,
where they would be forced to remain for all time.
THE AGE OF MORTALS

The Protogons never fully recovered from the war against
the dragons, and as their powers diminished, the mortal
peoples of Rhaava, who had for so long existed only as
the vagaries of the Protogons’ powers had allowed, began
to flourish, becoming wiser and more resourceful with
every passing era. Already, the snake-like boaab and other
saurians had gained footholds across Rhaava. But so too
rose the ellari, masters of invention and creation, and
the godao, lovers of order and crafts. Much later came

The Dragonbond
In the first centuries of the Age of Mortals, dubbed their way out from the inside, were forever changed by
by some to be the Primal Age, life was a struggle. A the primal Vaala within the towering immortal.
few Protogons still walked the world, absentmindedly
bringing devastation in their wake. The saurians, a Whatever the truth, this first bond was unstable,
line of mortals born after Kadmos’s curse, became requiring Teryane and Abraxas to seek out Kadmos so
powerful, subjugating other peoples in preparation that the Primordial Dragon could cement the magic
for incursions by their draconic masters every twenty- of their union. Soon afterward, other Dragonbonded
seven years. When the dragons came, they wrought appeared throughout the world whenever a mortal of
utter destruction and returned to the Red Moon with great prowess would acknowledge a dragon as something
slaves picked from the strongest and wisest mortals they other than monstrous and whenever the dragon, in
could find. Those left behind fought among themselves kind, would see the mortal as something more than
for scant resources in an endless war for survival. prey. In this instant, if the circumstances were right,
the two would form a bond that transcended life and
All of that changed with the rise of the death and would became two hearts beating as one. The
Dragonbonded. mortal partner is gifted a dragon’s power, and the dragon
receives a connection to Vaala that their kind has not
A Dragonbonded is a dual being: a dragon and a enjoyed since Kadmos’s Curse. But the power involved
mortal, bound together. The first occurred eons ago, is often too much to endure, requiring a pilgrimage to a
and accounts of how it transpired conflict. The best- sacred temple, or even to the Red Moon itself, to stabilize
known story recounts how the dragon Abraxas fought the magic, lest the bond kill the bonded.
a Protogon and found unlikely aid in the form of the
elven wizard Teryane. Other sources claim Teryane fell Together, these dragons and mortals rose up against the
in love with Abraxas while the dragon had taken elven Protogons themselves. The ensuing centuries saw a long,
shape, and their bond was a kind of marriage. Some three-sided battle between the dragons of the Red Moon,
versions of the legend suggest Teryane and Abraxas mortal armies led by Dragonbonded heroes, and the few
were both devoured by a Protogon and, having fought remaining Protogons. And the Protogons lost.

THE NULL In Nahuac, a thousand willing volunteers swore fealty
to the xibac necromancers, becoming the first deathless
Beyond Vaala, beyond magic, is the Null. tribe. They severed themselves from Vaala, knowing
that in doing so they embraced a fate worse than death.
The Null is nothing. It is the absence of drive, of magic, The xibac took this gift of Vaala, and with this power
of being. It is the force of not-being, the great denier of forged the first seal. Next, the blood
will, the infinite silence after the noise of existence. If sorceress Tyveris slew the love of her
Vaala is potential, the Null is stagnation: two forces, in life, the Tyverian hero Mannai and his
total opposition and, yet, intrinsically linked. bonded dragon, Vystra, closing the
second seal while condemning her
The Null is a state beyond states, an experience beyond line for all time with a blood curse.
experiences, and as such, cannot exist in the material Finally, the Dragonbonded Arn Zai
universe. Or so it was believed. of Allaria, brother to Mannai, swore
a binding oath that his people would
When some of the first Dragonbonded sought to protect the seals for eternity, an oath
harness raw Vaala, without the limitations of mortal so powerful that it not only repelled
intentions and perceptions, they inadvertently created the Null from the world, but
a manifestation of the Null in the material world. The somehow also ended the
Null took physical forms, warped and debased, insults ritual bond between
to Vaala. Misshapen, discolored masses of matter dragon and
vaguely imitating flesh tore into the world from a place mortal.
beyond, malformed tendrils grasping for solid matter,
corrupting and infecting everything from air and water
to flesh and blood. The Null spread across the world,
the very antithesis of life on Rhaava. It was the greatest From that day, Arn
threat that reality had ever known… Zai became known as Qan
Zai, the first Dragon King
THE FIRST NULL WAR of Allaria, whose oath had
The emergence of the Null divided the Dragonbonded. saved the world but at
Some believed the Null could be harnessed as the great cost.
ultimate weapon, protecting Rhaava from the predation
of the dragons once and for all. Others believed the But that which
Null to be an abomination and forbade the use of does not exist cannot truly
Null magic entirely. When a contingent of the former be defeated. And beyond
group sacrificed themselves to bring forth more Null- the seals, the Null endured,
born entities into the world, Rhaava was consumed by waiting for the day when the
a desperate war the likes of which had not been seen seals would be broken by the folly
since dragons and Protogons had vied for supremacy. and petty ambitions of mortals…
Cities fell; kingdoms crumbled. With the great loss of

life came a hopelessness that the Null might end all
things. Ellari civilization was all but destroyed as the
Null invaded their dreams, using their own Fai magic
against them to birth ravening creatures into the world.
All seemed lost.
But the remaining Dragonbonded rallied, uniting to

face the darkness, the power of their bond the only
surety against the Null-born monstrosities. As it was
a sacrifice of the Dragonbonded that brought the
Null into the world, so would a sacrifice return the
Null to that lightless place whence it had come. The
Dragonbonded used their powers to create three great
seals, objects of immense power that would trap the
Null in its empty void, closing the paths back to the
material world forever. But such power comes at a price.

8

Valerna
The largest continent in the world, Valerna is bordered by the Frozen Wastes to the north and stretches
between the Valernian Sea to the west, and the Greater Unsailed to the east. The Turning Tide encircles
its southernmost landmass. Valerna is divided by the massive Primalian mountain range, which runs
like a scar from the Jeweled Desert to the shores of the Dreamsea.
It is a diverse land of magic and wonder, war and hardship, and adventure and treachery. The greatest
civilizations of the known world exist here, powerful realms formed from coalitions of long-forgotten
tribes or rising from the ruins of their forebears. The story of Valerna is built upon the deeds of great
heroes, and that story is still being woven. For in this land, the Dragonbonded first rose, and it is they
who dictate the course of history to this day.

ALLARIA
“Honor your dream.”
T
he Dragon Kingdom of Allaria is one of the controlled the kingdom ever since. By restricting rule
mightiest realms in Valerna, ruled by an ancestral to the allai, both the Ellari Kingdoms and the human
dynasty of half-elven kings that base their power warlords were held at bay, and Allaria grew stronger than
on a rigid system of laws, castes, and hierarchies. It both.
is a marvelous realm of dualities, of artistry and rigid
discipline. The realm contains the greatest spellcasters, When the old Ellari Kingdoms were destroyed by a
artists, and inventors of Valerna, with a culture built upon terrible magical cataclysm known as the Dreambleed,
the assumption that half-elves, called the allai (honor many of the ellari (silver elves) sought refuge in Allaria.
elves), are wiser than either elves or humans and are, The elves were increasingly discriminated against in their
therefore, uniquely suited to rule. Only recently have new home, becoming second-class citizens beneath the
Allarians begun to challenge this dogma, leading to an human and half-elf populace and still further beneath
ongoing, and sometimes violent, overhaul of their society. the imperious gaze of the ruling houses. Recently, the
newly crowned Dragon Queen Elyse has overturned the
The kingdom was born from an alliance between human old laws, granting equal rights to all citizens of Allaria,
states and the Ellari Kingdoms of the Westerlands. regardless of heritage. But old habits and festering
Tradition records that they joined forces to defeat a enmities die hard. Despite the many social changes of
legendary hydra, now immortalized on the Allarian coat Qan Elyse’s reign, Allaria remains a proud realm, with
of arms. After the alliance, the greatest of the human ancestral institutions and deeply ingrained traditions that
hunters married ellari king, begetting the first half- are not easily challenged. Its half-elves still behave like
elven line. The elves and humans who have followed noble elites, and its recently freed castes struggle to find
in their footsteps gave birth to the first generations of their place in a changing structure.
honor elves, making up Allaria’s ruling class, who have
10

THE ELIADU
Allaria remains a kingdom of honored tradition,
virtuous nobility, strict rules, proud righteousness, and
ancestral philosophy. Rich and poor alike are taught to
respect the hierarchy of the Eliadu, the Sacred Law of
the Realm. According to the Eliadu, social order is the
cornerstone of Allaria’s endurance, vital for the realm
to function and for everyone to prosper. Although
class differences are still pronounced, particularly in
the largest cities, honor and law are so ingrained in
Allarian culture that their society remains stable despite
inequalities that a foreigner may perceive as injustice.
THE DREAMLESS TREATMENT

Perhaps the best-known legacy of Allaria is also its
most controversial practice. It’s the dark consequence
of a culture born of conflicting ideologies, but it’s
also what has led the kingdom to its current status as
a world power. Called the Dreamless Treatment, this
practice grew from the fear of the cataclysm that had
so destroyed the silver elves’ civilization. To avoid such
a thing ever happening again, the first Dragon King
of Allaria, Qan Zai, decreed that every silver elf in the
kingdom must imbibe an alchemical formula daily to
sever their ties to the Fai, effectively outlawing Dream
magic across the realm.
Of course, such authoritarian measures only increased

resentment of the ellari, who were blamed for the
Dreambleed, and it was not until the Dragonbonded
Qan Elyse rose to power centuries later that the
Dreamless Treatment decree was repealed. The new
Allarian motto, “Honor your dream,” blends the high
aspirations of the Eliadu with the right of every citizen
to shape the world they desire in their minds and to
make it a reality through honor and duty. Thus does
Elyse seek to unite traditionalists and radicals under
one banner, maintaining order while making restitution
for centuries of injustice.
11

ARMIES OF ALLARIA
The Allarian army is known for its elite training Fai Hydras
and unparalleled discipline. Its armies are often
outnumbered but rarely outclassed. Allarian soldiers If the monsters of Allaria are born out of the
never break formation and focus on patience and on Fai from the dreams of mortals, hydras are a
knowing when and where to strike, relying on elite, manifestation of unbridled nightmares. Dating
well-trained soldiers renowned for keeping their cool in from the most primal age of Valerna, hydras are
battle. terrifying, unnatural creatures of enormous size,
improbable anatomy, and insatiable appetite.
The mainstay of an Allarian army is the Oathguard.
These elite men-at-arms fight in well-drilled formations, A hulking reptilian creature with many heads—
excelling at defensive tactics and forming an impassable ranging from five to a dozen, or even more—atop
wall of steel against which wave after wave of enemy just as many long, serpentine necks, a hydra is all
soldiers crash. but indestructible. Only by destroying all of its
heads can a hydra be felled—a gargantuan task,
Supporting these doughty warriors are the qirin riders, for to battle such a beast is akin to fighting a
specialist cavalry that use the qirin’s intelligence to dozen monsters at once.
perform advanced maneuvers beyond the abilities of a
regular mount. Alongside the qirin riders, bucentaur Legends tell that the realm of Allaria was founded
cavalry constitute the most fearsome element of the by the blood of a Fai hydra, when the human
Allarian military. These mighty creatures more than huntress, Karra, and the elf king, Arn Zai, united
compensate for their lack of discipline with their to battle the most powerful hydra ever seen. The
ferocity and zest for battle. thirteen-headed abomination threatened to lay
waste to the land, and Zai decreed that whichever
Since Qan Elyse ascended the throne, the armies of them could claim the most heads would rule the
of Allaria have included an increasing number of city of Taessai. In a lengthy battle, the two heroes
Dreamshapers amongst their ranks. Freed from the claimed six heads apiece, and took the thirteenth
tyranny of the Dreamless Treatment, these combat together. In that moment, Zai saw a worthy bride
wizards have learned to focus their connection with in Karra and proclaimed his devotion. The first elf–
the Fai into a skillful art of warfare. Master strategists, human marriage took place, and from their union
Dreamshapers use their magic to transport Allarian the first honor elves were born.
units to where they are most needed or to confuse
enemy troops with powerful illusions.
12

Elyse & Ferellon
Qan Elyse I was born of the ruling dynasty and
is a silver elf who lived in oppression until she
rose to the throne of Allaria. Bucking convention
in every sense, she is idealistic and skilled in
Dream magic.
Elyse is bonded to Ferellon Fulgen, a noble,
haughty, and ambitious dragon, who believes
in bringing order to both the dragon and mortal
worlds. Like Elyse, Ferellon belongs to his people’s
ruling class, making him the oldest and proudest of
Dragonbond heroes.
13

TYVERIA
“Unleash your legacy.”
A
t the center of Valerna lies the Blood Empire of eponymous empire outlasted her, it was weakened over
Tyveria. As corrupt as it is powerful, Tyveria is the subsequent centuries thanks to the petty ambition
the continent’s political, cultural, and military and corruption of her successors. Despite its size
core, and the only rival to Allaria for dominance and potential, it was only after centuries of stagnant,
over the other realms. Ruled over by the haughty, decadent despotism that the realm rose to its current
enigmatic maghyri, blood sorcerers with the vampiric glory when Adrael, a distant descendant of Tyveris,
ability to consume and manipulate the blood of other swept away the power held by the petty warlords and
creatures, Tyveria is a conflicted empire of the greatest became Blood Emperor, turning the empire into a
individual freedoms and the cruelest tyrannies. As the single force under his absolute control.
great maghyr houses rule the empire, their ennobled
enforcers, the vampyri, control the majority human Tyveria’s rise to dominance under Adrael’s rule
populace. Tyverians are famed for their ruthlessness, has been awe-inspiring, as rivals fell into line and
their thirst for power, and their disregard for what other swore fealty to him, and the self-indulgence of the
peoples know as tact or diplomacy. Tyverian nobility was reforged into steely purpose.
Nevertheless, the Blood Emperor’s reforms have also
The Blood Empire was founded in the aftermath of bred enmity and resentment, and many would like to
war, when the great blood sorceress Tyveris gathered see Adrael’s reign fail.
orc, human, and halfling tribes scattered throughout
the land and forged them into an empire through
strength, guile, and force of will. Though Tyveris’s
14

THE SANGUINE LEGACY
In Tyveria, blood is power. Through blood sorcery, the
maghyri imbue a blood tithe—preferably given willingly
—with magical properties. This awakened blood is then
used as currency, for its value to the ruling echelons of
Tyverian society is immeasurable.
Such is the power of blood in Tyverian society that a

maghyr’s entire legacy–their deeds, magic, and will –
permeates every drop of precious ichor within them.
The more a maghyr imposes their will upon the world
during their life, the stronger the imprint upon their
blood. When a maghyr noble dies, their essence lives on
in their blood, leaving their body in a shimmering cloud
of red mist—the manifest embodiment of their power
in life—which must be claimed by their surviving heirs
by means of an intricate ritual. This sanguine legacy is
passed on only to those who prove themselves worthy.
The inheritor of such a great boon gains all the power of
their forebears, strengthening their own bloodline so that
each subsequent generation becomes more powerful than
the last.
Not all maghyri succeed in claiming the sanguine legacy.

Some even die during the ritual, understanding the true Manticoras
nature of their dark inheritance only at the very end.
Only those who eschew humility and conduct the ritual Manticoras are lesser relatives of sphinxes, smaller
with confidence and determination to bend the power to and more ferocious than their wiser kin. Despite
their own indomitable will, can be found worthy. Thus, their intelligence and cunning, manticoras are bestial
the famed maghyr arrogance and callous disregard for creatures that live to kill. They will eat almost any
tradition lives on through each generation. living prey, bones and all, leaving no trace. It is not
unknown for manticoras to hunt in packs, allowing
There is a terrible side-effect to this sanguine legacy, them to take on much larger and more powerful prey;
however. The use of blood sorcery creates kadhah spirits, such packs have even been known to attack columns
dark wraiths that stalk and harass the magic’s wielder. of heavily armored soldiers, leaving nothing behind
Every maghyr has its own kadhah, but a few dented helmets.
which grows in strength
A manticora resembles a massive lion, covered in
and skill every time the
large, spiny protrusions, with a barbed tail and a
maghyr uses their powers
disturbingly human-like face. While its massive
and lives on through their
claws and armor-piercing fangs
ancestral blood. Thus, each
present the most obvious threat,
generation of maghyri breeds
its tail lash is truly devastating; few
a stronger kadhah than the
creatures can take the brunt of such
last, presenting an ever greater
an attack and survive.
danger to their house. The
maghyri see themselves as And yet, not all peoples live in
tragic heroes, cursed to fear of manticoras. When the
be defeated by their own Zumari nwoda exiled themselves
power. All maghyri live to Tyveria, they somehow persuaded
in certainty of their the manticoras to serve as bodyguards
doom, and aspire to for their ships, in exchange for their
make their ultimate pick of the captives. This alliance of
end as glorious as convenience has made the Zumari
possible. clan rightly feared across Tyveria.
15

ARMIES OF TYVERIA
In battle, Tyverian armies are feared not for their skill
and tactics but for their swift and relentless waves of
attack. As halfling shevs disrupt and terrorize enemy
lines with exploding flasks of poison gas, hordes of
expendable troops are driven forward against the
enemy, throwing themselves against shield walls
without a thought for their own safety. The blood of
the fallen only serves to empower the vampyr captains
and maghyr sorcerers, increasing the army’s strength the
longer a battle rages.
The bulk of Tyverian infantry is formed of blooded

soldiers, humans plucked from the hardest districts
of the empire, or forged in the fires of the gladiatorial
arenas, and trained to fight without fear. These troops
are supported by hulking ogerrons, Tyverian orcs whose
martial skill is as formidable as their brute strength.
Supporting the hordes of foot soldiers are some of the

most fearsome cavalry in Valerna: vampyr warriors
whose mounts are terrifying creatures mutated by blood
magic and trained for war. Horrific skorpikons, giant
Oriashi skorpikons, scuttle toward enemy lines, with
poisoned stings and claws that can snap a person in
twain. Overhead, the wasp-like vespidae swoop down
upon their prey, disrupting enemy lines and sowing fear
wherever they strike.
Blood Husks
Blood Husks are much-feared creatures, not for any particular power they might wield but for the sheer affront
they represent to Vaala. They are neither alive nor dead, instead existing in a state of undeath: never changing,
never thinking, merely existing to feed on the living.
A shameful secret of Tyveria, blood husks are born when a vampyr or blood sorcerer
drains too much blood from a donor, leaving the victim in a diseased, incurable,
subhuman state. Their skin shrivels and grays, their face becoming a skull-like grimace,
and their hands become gnarled and claw-like. The blood husk’s lack of blood instills in
them an insatiable thirst, which cannot be sated, no matter how many victims they feed
upon. A blood husk will attack any living creature to drink its blood and
eat its flesh, to seek a fleeting respite to its unending thirst. They attack
with abandon, for they feel no pain, shed barely a drop of blood, and can
withstand wounds that would kill a mortal ten times over.
When a blood husk deteriorates further still, they almost become walking
skeletons, known commonly as “blood leeches,” due
to the reddish hue their desiccated flesh adopts. These
creatures are highly prized by blood sorcerers, for their
complete lack of will makes them as easy to control as
servants or foot soldiers.
16

Adrael & Nagasha
Blood Emperor Adrael id Tyverianes is a dashing, fearless, and
manipulative maghyr, a near-immortal ruler of the Tyverian Empire.
Many laud Adrael as a liberator who wrested the realm from
a feudal regime based on excess and hedonism. Others
whisper in the shadows that he is nothing more than a
dictator, whose populist rule is, in its own way, just
as bad as his forebears’.
Adrael’s bonded is Nagasha Magnifex, an artist

among dragons as vain as she is cunning and as
beautiful as she is scheming.
17

NAHUAC
“Weave a worthy life.”
T
he oldest realm of Valerna, Nahuac is a vast Nahuac is a land rich in diversity, with hills, mountains,
coalition of free states, finding commonality thick forests, misty jungles, plains, roaring rivers, and
in their deep respect for nature, life, and arid deserts, all harboring a staggering array of life. Its
death. The Náhuinn people believe in upholding their northern border is marked by the Snaking Sea—the
proud traditions, and they observe a philosophy of largest ocean strait in Valerna. The people of Nahuac
cooperation, working in harmony with each other and sustain themselves by hunting, foraging, fishing, and
the forces of nature that surround them. farming but never take from the land more than it
can afford to give. Even Nahuac’s cities are carefully
The humans of Nahuac are the oldest lineage in constructed to be one with the land, growing almost
existence, tracing their forebears directly from the organically out of the hills and jungles, their stepped
ancient Altanesi Empire. For this reason, the Náhuinn pyramids rising majestically above lush gardens and
refer to themselves as Ándaidd (the First Free Ones). winding rivers. The Náhuinn thrive through careful
Indeed, Nahuac has survived two great ages of history study of nature and a common philosophy based
and four major wars with its structures and institutions on respect for the land and the magic inherent in all
all but intact, and its people look to the past for lessons things, living and nonliving. Despite its relative lack of
on how to face the future. industrial and economic development, Nahuac is one of
the most powerful and prosperous nations in Valerna,
with a simple yet unshakable culture and enviable
magical and military might.
18

THE FOUR QUARTERS
Nahuac’s scattered peoples are distributed between
four great nations, named Nahu Általid (the Four
Quadrants), each with its own strong identity, culture,
and practices adapted from the unique landscape
around them. They are ruled by their own mahau
(monarchs), who all have a voice in the fate of Nahuac.
Mígtal, the North Quarter: Bordering the Sea of

Nahuac, Mígtal is the domain of the Nine Human States
of the Coalition. It is a cold, dark land—a realm of
strong magic and ancient knowledge. The Nine Lords of
Death, the quarter’s rulers, are powerful undead sorcerers
and among the greatest wizards in Valerna.
The Mígtainn are regarded with mistrust because

of their practice of xibac magic, which most other
Náhuinn consider a perversion of Vaala. But the
Nine Human States are as loyal and dedicated to the
ideals of Náhuinn culture as anyone else, and they
retain their place in the council despite a catalog of
misunderstandings and conflicts with their more
orthodox peers.
Ad’tal, the South Quarter: Located in the Cipác

Peninsula, the lands of Ad’tal alternate between humid
swamps, thick jungles, and barren wasteland. And the
bendavee, the stoic lizardfolk of Nahuac, are equally at
home in all of these territories.
The South Quarter contains seven states, spearheaded

by the strongest bendavee tribes, known collectively
as the Seven Thunders. These tribes contain the most
ferocious warriors in Nahuac—the strong-arm of the
realm’s military.
Tlátal, the East Quarter: The largest and most powerful

region of Nahuac, Tlátal is the domain of the Kaabac, so-
called Source-gifted humans, whose attunement to Vaala
enables them to take the form of beasts. Among Tlátal’s
states are the four Ocelinn Lordships, which oversee
the lands of the jaguar people, plus the free states of the
munkisuut (bat-kin), maame (deer-kin), and cuhinn
peoples (wolf-kin).
However, in a council of equals, the four ccelinn lords

are more equal than others, and their voices always
carry authority and command respect. The great
city-state of Nahuacáinn, the unofficial capital of the
Coalition, is one of the Ocelinn Lordships and the
strongest state in Nahuac.
19

Iltal, the West Quarter: The oldest quarter of Nahuac, ARMIES OF THE NAHUAC COALITION
Iltal was settled when the early bendavee nations and It is said that to fight the Náhuinn is to fight the very
those of the avian buunkun became independent states. environment, and that is not far from the truth. At the
Later, when the Altanesi Empire fell, the buunkun behest of Nahuac’s sorcerers, forests spring to life, rivers
brought their human allies to the region, creating the swell, the ground trembles, and the skies open. Where
Nahuac Coalition. the armies of Nahuac march, nature itself marches also.
Iltal is a coastal region, windswept and mountainous, The bestial savagery of Nahuac is reflected by its
where the buunkun build their aeries, sanctum cities disparate beast-kin regiments. Elite jaguar-like ocelinn
located far above the ground. The quarter contains launch assaults as swift as any cavalry, supported by
thirteen states, the rulers of which, the Thirteen Flying rugged, iron-scaled bendavee warriors. Overhead the
Sages, serve as senior members of the Coalition, not as bat-like mun kisuut scout the lay of the land, while
leaders but as mentors to the other rulers. While the Buunkun sorcerers swoop across the field, incanting the
Thirteen can’t match the power of the ocelinn states, makaab weave to turn nature itself against the foe.
they more than make up for it with their wisdom, to
which even the ocelinn bow. When disagreements arise And yet even these ferocious forces of nature often pale
within the Council of Speakers, it falls to the sages of in comparison to the coteries of xibac sorcerers who
Iltal to mediate and restore harmony. march alongside them. These once-human necromancers
are devious and underhanded, wielding the forbidden
arts to weaken their targets or, even, raise the dead…
Fai Goblins
The most common fey in the Fell Courts, Fai
goblins are small, winged humanoids with manes
of abundant hair. Mischievous and cunning, Fai
goblins love nothing more than to scout the forest
hills, looking for unsuspecting travelers to take
back to their court. Despite their diminutive
stature, their keen intellect and capricious
natures make them more than a match for
most cumbersome mortals. Many a wanderer
has underestimated the Fai goblins only to find
themselves entranced, cursed to wander the Fell
Courts for the rest of their days.
Quick-witted and possessed of a bawdy sense of

humor, their love of intricate riddles often leads
them to toy with their prey, offering desperate
mortals a chance to return to their own realm while
secretly stacking the odds against them. They like to
lie in ambush at hidden routes and secluded groves,
blending into the undergrowth to the point of being
undetectable, until a hapless traveler stumbles into
their trap. The goblins spring magical
snares or loose volleys of enchanted
arrows; if their prey fights back, the
goblins simply melt away into the
wilds, leaving no trace behind but the
sound of maniacal, cackling laughter on
the breeze.
20

Eirándi & Tetzcoatl
Trained to kill from an early age, Eirándi was a child soldier willing
to die for the glory of Nahuac. A no-nonsense warrior and stalker
with a penchant for gallows humor, Eirándi is sworn to protect the
natural order, by any means necessary.
Eirándi’s bonded is Tetzcoatl, of the feathered Coatl dragon brood.

He is possessed of great knowledge and insatiable curiosity.
A positive and uplifting force, Tetzcoatl is the perfect foil for
Eirándi’s grim demeanor.
21

YSVAL
“Kindle the light together.”
A
hardy, pious community, the Holy Alliance of been underestimated and, as a result, has stolen victory
Ysval is a light in the darkness of the snow-swept from several enemies, even Tyveria itself. The Ysvalians
north. But this strong-hearted community would say that they win because they fight for their
had the darkest of beginnings. The youngest realm of people, for their homes and families, and most of all,
Valerna, Ysval was formed only a few decades after the they fight with faith in the Galadyan Light.
First Null War, when the defeated acolytes of the Null
took refuge in the northern wilds. Their broken forces Ysval would not have prospered so were it not for
repented their dark ways, turning to worshipping the its alliance with the Hmyr giants and the púka
Light, finding renewed purpose in the frozen tundra halflings. Púka in particular complement the humans’
and dark forests. determination and industriousness with their skilled
craftsmanship, good humor, and legendary culinary
The Holy Alliance is organized into dukedoms, of skills. Through a sense of community and hard work,
which Ysval is the first and the most important, but the Ysvalian settlers forged alliances that would slowly
they all share roughly the same power, authority, and transform harsh tundra into fertile farmlands—in fact,
rights. Ysval remains a small realm of scattered rural the richest soil in Valerna—and the bleak northern
settlements and rough-hewn watchtowers, but the nights into townships full of light and warmth. It is not
people are spirited and stalwart in their resistance without cause that the people of Ysval see themselves as
against Tyverian annexation. It is the least powerful of a light in the darkness, a warm fire in the freezing night,
Valernian realms, though its military has repeatedly and a helping hand in a lonely, unforgiving world.
22

THE GALADYAN TEMPLE OF LIGHT
The only widespread organized religion in all Valerna, the
Temple of Light rose after the First Null War when the
surviving Null cultists and their families fled the forces of
the Dragonbonded and hid in the bleak North.
Lost and defeated, eschewed by all allies, without the
power of the Dragonbond, and with no Null magic
to draw upon, these desperate refugees rejected their
former faith, seeing in the bleak, dangerous shadow
of their new home all the darkness that the Null
represented. Facing death from cold and starvation,
these huddled survivors clung to the idea of a new life,
to light a fire in the dark that would summon like-
minded believers in fellowship. This is remembered as
the Kindling, the moment when the last Null cultists
turned to the path of righteousness and lit the flame of
community to survive the winter nights.
With renewed purpose and commitment to toil, the
first Ysvalians built farmsteads, then villages, then
towns, and finally small, crude walled cities. Many
died in the hard winters, but eventually they prospered.
Lights blazed in windows, fires crackled in hearths,
and songs of praise and thankfulness were sung in the
frozen north for the first time in history. The fire had
been kindled, and with it came the light.
It was decades later that the first temple was founded. A

whaler named Galadyn, his boat sunk by a monstrous
sea creature, somehow delivered himself and his four
crewmen safely to shore from the frozen seas, without
a scratch. They claimed that the “Light had saved
them.” They are still remembered as the Delivered Five,
and to this day the Five Cities of the Holy Alliance
commemorate their rescue. Thereafter, Galadyn became
a prophet of sorts. Wherever he went, frozen tundra
became fertile, the sick were healed, and what was
broken was mended. The Light had taken residence
in him and, through him, manifested in the physical
world. Soon, the Delivered Five came together to record
their experiences in the Book of Galadyn, now a sacred
text, and founded the Temple of Light, which would
forevermore be the driving force of Ysvalian civilization.
In every settlement, a great fire was lit—a beacon that
must never be extinguished, a symbol of the Galadyan
Light that blazes in the hearts of all Ysvalians.
While many believe this divine spark is a manifestation

of all three aspects of Vaala, there are those in Valerna
who believe another source is responsible for the
Ysvalian’s power. For that which the Null touches it does
not so easily relinquish…
23

And yet, even with these formidable forces, the
ARMIES OF YSVAL Ysvalians are often outnumbered. Thus, it falls to their
More than strength, discipline, or loyalty, the Ysvalian most powerful allies to redress the balance: the mighty
army is built on cooperation and fellowship. Its Galadyan Hmyr giants of the Bonewood. The giant clans are not
priests turn bands of brutal warriors into single cohesive aligned with the Light at all but have sworn kinship
units, joined by the power of the Light, lending strength with the Ysvalians who have shown them nothing but
to the whole far greater than the sum of its parts. kindness over the years, an unshakeable loyalty that
spells doom for the enemies of Ysval.
The human warriors of Ysval are drawn primarily from
the knightly orders, heavily armored paladins whose
faith in the Light is unshakeable and whose oaths make
it nigh impossible to forsake the realm when battle calls.
Galadyan Knights fight on foot, while their brethren of Fataara
the Griffon and Reinknight orders ride into battle on
ferocious griffons and heavily muscled tundra reindeer, The thugs of the Fai Woods, fataara are burly,
respectively. Trundling alongside these powerful warriors, humanoid fey the size of ogres, with wide eyes
halflings bring their púka carts to war, distributing and large tusks, horns, or antlers. Their muscular
their delicious potions and brews to embattled soldiers, bodies are covered in vividly colored hair, usually
instilling the weary with renewed vigor. red, blue, or green. Their hands are clawed, their
feet hoofed, and they decorate their bodies with
jewelry and battle trophies.
Fataara are usually found in raucous gangs, which

stalk and harass other fey, particularly hamanimi
and Fai goblins. They behave as little more than
bandits, often robbing their neighbors of their
treasures. When they tire of bullying other fey,
fataara are wont to turn their attention to mortals,
launching raids on remote villages and farmsteads.
Fataara fight with large, two-handed weapons,

such as falchions or maces, compensating for
a lack of finesse with sheer brute strength and
savagery. However, they are not merely bruisers.
Like all fey, they are magical creatures, and their
innate link to Vaala affords them limited but
effective spellcasting abilities in battle.
24

Oryan & Rakzor
Oryan Yssan is a good-hearted bear of a
man, a burly warrior and a pious knight. He
renounced the throne of Ysval to lead the
Dragonbonded Covenant, but he still
cares for his people and is faithful to the
Galadyan Light.
Rakzor Exor is the opposite of Oryan in many senses. He
is a ruthless hunter, with no ambition other than to kill and
feed, and has little respect for mortals. It was hard for Oryan
and Rakzor to come to an understanding, and although their
partnership is difficult to understand, their bond is now as
strong as any.
25

OTHER REALMS
Outside the four great realms, many other peoples inhabit Valerna. Some live in harmony with the kingdoms
around them, while others seek to ascend to power themselves. As is the way on Rhaava, civilizations rise and fall,
and old orders give way to new.
SIKARIA THE SHIELD CLANS OF ENKHARA

Along the northwestern coast lies the Arkane Dominion of Sometimes, the casual observer of the skies might catch
Sikaria, a magocracy ruled by the enigmatic and capricious a glimpse of a strange, glittering vessel gliding past the
blue elves, the sikari. This wild region is inhabited by clouds. These are the famous shard-ships of the nwoda,
some of the strangest creatures on Rhaava, mutated by the the sky dwarves. These skilled navigators travel the
changeling powers of the elves, themselves living testament world as traders, merchants, explorers, mercenaries, and
to their own experimentations with the forces of nature. sometimes pirates.
Using their power of zoethurgy, the sikari cut themselves The sky dwarves hail from the Jeweled Desert, the name
off from the Fai, thus escaping the ignominious fate of which derives from the bizarre formations of floating
of their kin, the ellari. As a culture, Sikarians are gems that hover there majestically, defying gravity. The
curious, inquisitive, and… confrontational. They largest of these are nwoda birthstones, or una’jawahm,
embrace clashing ideas and aesthetics, accept unusual floating fortresses of vast size. Beneath the birthstones,
experiences, and challenge preconceptions. Their the desert springs to life, forming huge oases and verdant
openness to new ideas and states of being makes them at plains stretching for leagues in all directions. Within this
times hedonistic and reckless, and as a result, their realm lush circle, great “shield-cities” have risen under a powerful
is a wonder to behold, a place where the only limit to alliance of humans, dwarves, elves, sphinxes, and the
creation is the boundless imagination of the elves. mysterious Shaba Watu. Calling themselves the Shield
Clans of Enkhara, they are a protectorate, sworn to bring
their ideals of order to the lawlessness of the desert.
THE SCOURGE TRIUMVIRATE
When the world still gasped for breath and the trees
stopped walking, rooting themselves to the land, the boaab
snakefolk, the first people, roamed Valerna. Admirers and
worshippers of dragons, the boaab paid fealty to the great
wyrms of Drakha. Then came other peoples, children
compared to the boaab. Among them were the humans,
with their endless ambition and shifting purpose, and
the world was forever changed, plunged into the chaos
known today.
Deposed from their position of power by the greedy
humans, the boaab retreated to the Citadel Uur, the first
and greatest fortress-city of Valerna, to live by the old
true ways. They built three other citadels, and persisted
there in isolation. Their culture thrived, and their lands
expanded. Soon the obakkar orcs and the mysterious djaat
rallied to the boaab, forming what is now known as the
Scourge Triumvirate in the region of Sabaar, an ancient
Bakkai word meaning “scouring flame.” Now, bound
by a centuries-old alliance, the Scourge is ready to take
vengeance upon the world of humans and reclaim their
rightful place as rulers of Valerna.
26

THE FELL COURTS GELLANOR
Deep in the enchanted forests and magical regions A small but powerful military coalition confined to
created by the Dreambleed, where the Fai is strongest the ice wastes of the polar seas, the Gellanor League,
in Valerna, there are realms that are not realms and also called the Frost Horde, is less a realm than a
a people that is not quite a people. These are the Fell wandering horde, intent on conquering all before
Courts, the fey realm of the faari, or dream elves. The them. Determined to fight their way from their frozen
elven archmages that caused the Dreambleed were confinement, they eye the beacon fires of Ysval greedily
consumed by the devastation; all that remained of these and covet still more the wealth and power of Tyveria.
great elves was their memory, which the Fai shaped into
dream-like entities—alive, but not truly, and composed The Frost Horde arose when the Ysvalian Raven
of pure Dream magic. These elves are now known as Knights refused to worship the Light of the Galadyan
the fell. Temple and, as punishment, were exiled to the
Northern Wastes. There, the knights’ grudges festered
No sooner were the Fell born than they set up an until, at last, they drew other tribes from the frozen
imaginary realm in the depths of the forest, a mockery of lands to their cause with promises of plunder and
the great elven nations of yore. Myriad sylvan creatures victory. Now, with the help of snow orcs, the orcs’
flocked to this new haven of Fai magic—goblins, giants, mighty broodmothers known as the Winter Witches,
forest spirits, and beast-kin—along with foolhardy and a stout army of mammoth-riding frost dwarves,
humans who find themselves lost in the dream-like woods, the Raven Knights are poised to wreak vengeance on
wandering for an eternity in this shifting realm until they everything south of their border.
become one with the Fell Courts. Few mortals believe the
Fell Courts exist, but for those ill-fated travelers who stray
too close to the dark forests, the sinister sound of hunting THE ALTANESI ASCENDANCY
horns on the wind and the cold, musical laughter of the Thousands of years ago, the first humans crawled out
elves heralds a danger all too real… from under the oppression of the boaab and united all
mortal tribes under a single banner. This became the
Altanesi Empire, a realm of unparalleled knowledge
and power whose armies marched at the behest of
sorcerer-kings and flew the Altanesi colors from one
end of Valerna to the other. But almost as suddenly
as it had risen, the empire fell, although its legacy
shaped the story of every other civilized realm. The
Altanesi themselves, the descendants of those lost
dynasties, retired to the Primalian Mountains, where
they still live. They remain a mighty people, blessed
with magical bloodlines but reduced to a collection of
scattered tribal states.
Today, a warlord has come, claiming to be the last

scion of the Altanesi lineages. The ancient allies of
the Lost Empire have flocked to the warlord’s banner,
eager to restore the glory of their pasts. At first it
seemed like an impossible dream, but gradually the
Risen Altanesi have grown in power such that the
great realms of Valerna have begun to take note. The
Altanesi muster for war, their growing host of tribal
warriors, tiger-kin, and jade gnomes eager to reclaim
what they see as rightfully theirs. They call themselves
the Ascendancy, and they intend to conquer the world.
27

HOLLOWDEPTHS
F
ar below Valerna extends an underground realm, THE ENDLESS CAVES
filled with dark continents and lightless seas. Its
The Hollowdepths are a maze of chasms, caverns,
rulers are the Daimoi, nine entities of immense
and tunnels, of dark paths that always go deeper and
power who have absorbed Vaala into themselves to the
grottoes so vast that a nwoda skyship can get lost in
point of becoming nearly immortal.
the skyline. Each of the Depths comprises unique
Evolving as a dark mirror of the surface world, the environments, with resplendent vaults, magma pools,
Hollowdepths are a counterpoint to mortal excess. But bioluminescent jungles, fungal forests, level after level
this is no imaginary netherworld. The Hollowdepths of ancestral ruins, mountains, crystal forests, and
are very real, a place of eternal darkness awaiting both unfathomably vast caverns.
the living and the dead…
And whether in the bizarre wilds of this twilight realm
or in the great walled cities studded throughout the
darkness, the Hollowdepths are home to thousands
upon thousands of living creatures, from the bizarre
and twisted to the cold-hearted and cruel.
28

THE DAIMOI
Each level of the Hollowdepths is ruled by one of the nine Daimoi, entities
once mortal but who gorged on the essence of fallen Protogons, becoming
eternal beings fascinated with power. Their single-minded obsessions and
incalculable might make them living embodiments of different aspects
of Vaala, twisted by an existence in darkness and an insatiable hunger.
Daimoi use Vaala to grow in power and unnaturally extend their lives. This
corruption of Vaala taints not only the Daimoi themselves but everything
around them, shaping their domains according to their nature, power, and
desires, and twisting their followers into grotesque, sycophantic servants.
Within these realms, mortals both willing and enslaved worship their
masters in eternal sacrifice. The Daimoi have grown to be godlike entities
in the realms they rule, their essences deeply entwined with those of the
realm itself and its inhabitants.
THE INCARNI
When a mortal shows exceptional power and promise
by a Daimos’s standards, they may become touched
by their power, becoming a physical and magical
extension of the Daimos’s nature. These entities are
known as Dai Incarni, or simply Incarni, and they
abound in the domains of each Daimos.
Incarni are no longer mortal, their existence instead

becoming tied to that of the Daimos who corrupted
them. They can still be killed, though mundane
weapons harm them little. Their appearance changes
to match their Daimos’s nature: sometimes imposing,
sometimes malformed, sometimes beautiful, and
sometimes terrifying but always monstrous and
inhuman. Each Daimos has hundreds of Incarni in
their service, willing vessels of the Depths sent out to
corrupt mortals into service of their Daimos or to lead
the terrifying armies of the Hollowdepths against the
surface-dwellers.
THE WAADA CARTEL

The most widespread power of the Hollowdepths, after the Daimoi, are the
waada, a species of frog-like beings with brains so large they overflow their
craniums. The waada are possessed of vast intellect and strange mental
powers, which they use for illusion and deceit. To feed their power,
they devour the brains of other creatures, feasting on thoughts and
memories.
The waada are lords of the underworld, whose agents

control intricate networks of crime syndicates
on the surface while the vast dungeons of their
swamp palaces echo with the cries of innumerable
prisoners: a living buffet for the devourers of
consciousness.
29

PEOPLES OF
VALERNA
Sky Dwarf Gnome Guild Enforcer
Cave Dwarf Glowshot
Gnome Guild Genius
Humans are the most widespread mortals in Valerna, DWARVES

but they are not the only sentient beings in the world.
The descendants of the droda, dwarves are short, stout,
Valernian tradition recognizes any race that fulfils the
nomadic creatures, often with a deep affinity for earthy
Three States as a people—free citizens of the land, with
crafts such as fieldwork, gardening or gem-cutting.
rights and responsibilities over their territory.
Their inner connection to Vaala is strong, so much so
that it manifests in their physical form, giving each
THE THREE STATES dwarf bloodline a unique appearance seemingly linked
The State of Speech is the basic prerequisite to presume to their environment. Thus, sky dwarves from the
that a kind of creature collectively forms a people. It is the Jeweled Desert are upright and majestic, while cave
quality of being able to think and express their thoughts dwarves are hunched and earthy, and frost dwarves are
through words and other complex communication. pale and dour. Dwarves of all kinds are clannish by
nature but are often filled with individualistic ambition
The State of Shelter marks a kind of creature able to and a powerful wanderlust that sees them all travel the
build from the environment, creating settlements and world to some extent during their lifetime.
modifying nature to suit its needs.
As opposed to other mortals, who came about
The State of Song is fulfilled by those creatures that spontaneously from the essence of Protogons, dwarves
can record their history, invent myths, weave tales, and were made (forged, they would say) by an unknown
create art. Protogon that survived into the Age of Mortals. The
purpose of their creation is unknown, though most
dwarves believe they were made to be stewards of the
land once the Protogons were gone.
30

Dream Elf Fell Crown Blue Elf
Honor Elf Fai Hunter
Honor Elf Dreamshaper
ELVES GNOMES
Though mortal, elves are the most long-lived peoples. Dubbed “the people from below,” gnomes are short
Born from the dreams of Protogons during the earliest humanoids of keen intellect. Scholars often comment
ages of history, the first elves ruled western Valerna upon the similarities between gnomes and dwarves. But
from their fabled Ellari Kingdoms, enchanted realms where dwarves are dour, gnomes are cheerful; where
where wizard-lords wrote reality as they saw fit through dwarfs keep to their own kind, gnomes embrace life in all
their ancient art of Dreamshaping. For millennia these its forms; and where dwarves painstakingly keep tradition
realms withstood dragon incursions, human invasions, alive, gnomes are inventive and forward-thinking. Their
and monster attacks, until a magical cataclysm known underground realms are of complex construction, with
as the Dreambleed destroyed the ancient world and storied halls filled with laughter and song.
elven civilization with it.
Though not as innately magical as the elves, gnomes share
After the Dreambleed, many elves escaped Valerna by a strong understanding of Fai magic, which they call “the
sea, or by the dark paths of the Depths, and were lost to spark in the dark.” Almost anything a gnome can imagine,
history. The few surviving ellari kingdoms were forced they can build through a combination of Dreamworking
to strike a truce with their human neighbors, founding and focused concentration, and thus they are sought after
the states that would become the Kingdom of Allaria. across Valerna. The godao (gold gnomes) are unsurpassed
Today, no large-scale elven nations remain on Valerna engineers, whose war machines and alchemical weapons
outside of Allaria in the Westerlands, ruled by half-elves, are the pride of Allaria; the iko’ob (jade gnomes) are
and the Arkane Dominion of mutated blue elves in the master architects, whose ancestors built the great Altanesi
North Sea, but elves can be found everywhere as artisans, cities; and the mysterious ikini (bone gnomes) are
explorers, scholars, and mighty wizards. physicians of great renown.
31

Ogerron Chieftain
Púka Bard
Shev Alchemist
Obakkar Suitor
HALFLINGS What magic halflings possess is used either for

Halflings are a common sight everywhere in Valerna, often entertaining conjuring tricks or guile and subterfuge,
as an integral, near-symbiotic part of human cultures. as halflings rely on their enemies underestimating
Shorter even than gnomes, halflings are characterised them—a mistake usually only made once…
by pointed ears and large eyes, and are almost always
entirely hairless. They have little true culture of their own, ORCS
instead quickly becoming fully integrated into whatever The orcs once had a thriving civilization before the rise
society they adopt. Thus, the púka, or bright halflings of of the first human realms, which was eventually wiped
Ysval are lovers of life’s comforts, whose culinary skills out by the Altanesi Empire. The word “orc” is often
and gifts of song are legend; the shev or shadow halflings misattributed to several related peoples from the east of
of Tyveria, by contrast, are sly and cruel, with a predilection Valerna. Orcs have no single name, instead identifying
for poison-craft; while the qillu, or keen halflings—the as one of three major lineages: the obakkar, the orlar,
smallest of the halfling peoples—are renowned for their and the ogerron.
organizational skills and calculating minds, making them
an administrative class of sorts in many human settlements.
Orcs are tall, strong, and cunning, skilled in wildcraft,
hunting, and battle. Some breeds are roughly man-
One legend maintains that halflings came about when sized, while others are hulking, giant-sized brutes.
thousands of orphaned human, dwarven, and gnomish They band together into self-sufficient clans with
youths across Valerna were touched by the Dreambleed, well-structured hierarchies and practice ancient rituals
giving them the wonder of childhood, and its size designed to lend them strength and courage in battle.
limitations, forever. Like children, most halflings are
curious and playful—even the bleakies behave more
like juvenile bullies than rational adults.
32

Siren Enchantress
Bucentaur Bowpath Deadeye

Ocelinn Swiftcharger
Ocelinn Shadowstalker Tyverian Bloodclaw
ENHANCED HUMANS Val’Id, the Will-Chosen: Very few Val’Id were touched
by the power of Id at birth. Instead, their awakening
Across Valerna, there are those humans who manifest comes almost always from their own will or that of
power beyond the ken of their fellows, and become another. This awakening bestows improved physical and
closely attuned to one of the three aspects of Vaala. mental attributes and the ability to command others,
These people become something more than human. In making them feared among lesser mortals.
some societies they are seen as blessed, but in others,
cursed. Some adore them; some fear them. But all
respect them. THE CHIMERIC PEOPLES
Not all peoples of Valerna are human-like, or even
Aufai, the Dream-Touched: These humans are humanoid. The chimeric peoples are many and varied,
touched by Fai magic at birth, giving them an ethereal mostly remnants of earlier ages, whose once-great
quality that some mistake for madness. All Aufai kingdoms have long been usurped by humans.
possess supernatural senses, and at least some ability to
detect and manipulate raw magic.
Beastfolk
Kaabal, the Source-Gifted: When these humans come A number of hardy, bestial races sprung from the
of age, so too does their mastery of K’aab increase, and powers of the Protogons in ages past, when animals of
their affinity with nature grows. Their powers vary, the land, sea, and air were transformed into civilized
from the ability to shapeshift into a totemic beast, to peoples. Collectively known as beastfolk, these races
the use of healing magic drawing upon the world’s include the mighty bucentauri, oxen-like quadrupeds
natural energy. with humanoid torsos; the uutabai, enormous, tusked,
bear-like humanoids that are much-feared in battle; and
the merfolk, fish-like creatures who can swim in both
air and water and are skilled in K’aab magic.
33

Boar-Clan Hmyr
Sharkfolk Makao Fisher
Djaat Flamezealot
Saurians the boaab used humans as slaves, and many of their

The term “saurian” encompasses a great variety of kind would see the thrice-cursed human race bent
peoples with lizard-like or avian features, mostly located beneath the boaab yoke once more…
in the southern and western lands, such as Nahuac.
While there are countless saurian breeds in the world,
very few have been documented, and fewer still have Djaat
built durable civilizations. No two saurian peoples are Creatures of elemental power, the djaat are believed to
alike. Some are haughty and magical like elves; some have been created from pure energy in the wake of the
are brutish and brave like orcs. And yet others are small Protogons. Djaat are born from the elemental source
and skittering like halflings. From the brave bendavee from which they spring—the magma of a volcano,
to the wise buunkun, saurians are still widespread the mist of a valley, the mud of a pit—and each djaat
throughout Valerna, despite their old kingdoms having returns there when they die. When they joined the
long since fallen. world of mortals, the djaat shaped their storms and
flames into buildings, their vapours into a semblance of
The most ancient and powerful breed of saurians are clothing, and their sparks into tools. With the energy at
the snake-like boaab. These cunning creatures once their disposal, they build twisting structures of shaped
ruled Valerna before the rise of humans, and some elements. Here they are forced to dwell, longing to
boaab even claim their kind were the first mortals on return to their formless, primordial state but forever
Rhaava. Indeed, before the rise of the Altanesi Empire, bound to the physical realm.
34

Buunkun Glyphblade
Bendavee Shadescale
Uutabai Marauder
Mun Kisuut Shrieker
Fell Knights
Known among the Fell Courts as “Dreamrunners,” the Fell Knights
are a warrior caste of dream elves, charged with commanding the
armies of the Fai Woods. They are distinguished by their ornate
suits of Faiglass armor, which shimmer like cut glass and,
although light as silk, are as strong as tempered steel.
Each Dreamrunner is brought into existence by Fai magic,

and they adopt unique heraldry, titles, and mottoes based
on the concept that dreamed them into being. Thus will an
elf become known evermore as the Knight of Frogs, the Knight
of Roses, the Knight of Stars, and so on. A Dreamrunner’s title all
but replaces their birth name, and over the long centuries of their
magically extended lives, they lose their sense of identity, eventually
becoming little more than avatars of their dream-concept: faceless
warriors encased within beautifully wrought armor, fighting beneath a
banner that represents their only ties to individuality.
In battle, the Fell Knights fight with spear and sword, their movements
practiced and mechanical yet graceful. Many ride to war atop large,
multi-tailed fell foxes, which race through the forests in great leaps and
bounds, bringing swift death to the enemies of the Fell.
35

DRAGONS OF
THE RED MOON
C
ircling Rhaava, is the Red Moon of Drakha, home to the exiled
dragons. Every twenty-seven years, when the Red Moon rises, the
various dragon broods launch brief but deadly raids on Valerna. For
millennia, the history of the mortal realms has been shaped by the wax and
wane of the Red Moon.
Each dragon brood has a single ruler, an azhurma (progenitor). The plots and
schemes of the azhurma span several mortal lifetimes as they vie for supremacy
against the other broods and plan their eventual return to Valerna.
BROOD FULGEN
Fulgen dragons are the proudest and most arrogant of their kin, which is
saying a lot when speaking of the great wyrms. Dragons of this brood are
covered in gleaming metallic scales and breathe golden fire. Their eyes shine
like nuggets of gold ore, possessed of majesty.
All Fulgen dragons can communicate in mortal tongues and use at least one
form of magic, although they prefer spells that enchant and control. They are
convinced of their right to lead and believe themselves destined to be the true
rulers of all other creatures. A Fulgen dragon looks upon its prey as though it
has been blessed, for what greater honor is there than to be devoured by one
of the golden wyrms?
Aureus Fulgen, His Radiant Majesty

The Lord of Radiant Dragons is one of the oldest living beings in existence.
He remembers the rise and fall of Kadmos and was there when the Primordial
Dragon fell at the hands of the Dragonbonded.
The greatest strategist and politician of Drakha, Aureus is also the most
tolerant to mortals. For, like everything else, mortals have a place in
Aureus’s grand plan. So it is that the wisest and greatest of mortals might
be given a chance to live as servants in the Golden City, transcending
the role of mere slaves, if only by a matter of degrees—that is, until their
usefulness to His Radiant Majesty has expired.
36

BROOD COATL
Inhabiting a secluded territory far from their brethren, the feathered Coatl dragons are the most mysterious brood
of Drakha. They spend their lives in patient study, devoting themselves to increasing their arcane knowledge.
Coatl dragons are insatiably curious about all forms of Vaala, even that within creatures unable to use magic,
and universally regard other beings—even dragons of rival broods—as test subjects to be observed, studied, and
sometimes dissected.
Dragons of this brood have become so steeped in magical power that they have all but transcended physical activity.
In battle, they remain airborne as much as possible, eschewing physical combat, preferring instead to bombard their
foes with magical invocations.
Kuxcoatl, Arcane of Power

The azhurma of Brood Coatl, Kuxcoatl is arguably the greatest wizard in all
the worlds. Unusually, Kuxcoatl was born a dragon-kin, one of the lesser
ancestries of dragon-like beings that inhabit Drakha. Through relentless
arcane study, Kuxcoatl awakened his true magical potential, challenging and
defeating the previous azhurma in a sorcerous duel and transforming himself
into a pureblooded dragon in the process.
Kuxcoatl values knowledge above all else and is driven by a desire to uncover
every secret of Vaala, to improve his mind and amass true power. To
Kuxcoatl, nothing is forbidden; the world is full of unknown possibilities,
hidden behind the questions that others fear to ask, down the paths others
are scared to tread.
BROOD MAGNIFEX
Magnifex dragons are as beautiful as they are self-serving and are impulsively attracted to the most exquisite treasures
and works of art. Their mountain homes of Paradis are packed with storied galleries with works of art and glittering
hordes of gold and gems that are the envy of all other living creatures. When the Red Moon rises and the dragons
descend upon the mortal realm, dragons of Brood Magnifex select only the most artistic, graceful, and skilled prey,
refusing to sully themselves on base creatures.
In battle, a Magnifex is a breathtaking sight, light reflecting off its shimmering scales as they encircle their prey.
Valernians call this the dancing death, for rarely have these creatures been bested in combat.
Sivax Magnifex, Prince of Perfect Ecstacsy

Sivax, the azhurma of Brood Magnifex, takes the greatest pleasure in beauty
and sensations of any form. He sees artistry in excess and, over the centuries,
has become numb to all but the strongest experiences. He now finds pleasure
in agony and music in the tortured screams of lesser beings. To be taken prey
by Sivax is to face an eternity of exquisite pain.
Sivax considers himself Drakha’s greatest artist and will experiment on
everything and anything to achieve perfection in his pursuit of pleasure.
37

BROOD EXOR
The greatest hunters of the Red Moon, Brood Exor are savage and ruthless. They move effortlessly beneath the
Shrilling Sands, the deadliest desert of Drakha, burrowing unseen until the time comes to spring their deadly
ambushes. Exors delight in stalking lesser prey; they toy with their victims for as long as possible, savoring the
thrill of the hunt before closing in for the kill.
Exor dragons, like to pick fights, and they have been known to challenge and defeat even the mighty Fulgen
dragons for the slightest of insults.
Rawraxxa, Apex Huntress

Rawraxxa, azhurma of Brood Exor, is known as the mightiest predator
of the Red Moon—and with good reason. A cruel stalker and hunter,
Rawraxxa cares little for lesser life-forms, seeing the weak only as prey. For
a mortal, to be taken captive by Rawraxxa is to face certain death in the
Shrilling Sands.
Her disdain for the weak has led to her brood becoming ever stronger.
The weak are hunted, and the strong survive. Exor bloodlines thus thrive,
with only the mightiest or most cunning hunters surviving to impress their
hunt-mistress.
BROOD EHRLYA
Ehrlya dragons are accomplished smiths and crafters, spending most of their long lives at their vast forges within
the heart of an active volcano. Master artisans, their weapons and armor are the most sought-after treasures on
both Drakha and Valerna, and mortals would go to war merely to possess an Ehrlya-crafted artifact.
Lean, wiry, and muscular, Ehrlya dragons see the pursuit of both pleasure and power as frivolous, placing stock
only in the products of their labor. It is said that, even away from their volcanic home, their scales still reflect the
glow of the magma forges, and the air around them shimmers with heat, thick with the smell of sulfur.
Dehrilya, the Forge Queen

The greatest of Ehrlya artificers, Dehrilya is believed to have reforged
her own body at the heart of her volcanic home, thus herself becoming
the brood’s most triumphant masterpiece. A living weapon, Dehrilya
epitomizes the brood’s ideals, and her kin labor relentlessly in the hope to
impress her or, better yet, learn the secrets that will allow them to become
like her.
For Dehrilya, function comes before form. If she creates a weapon, it must
be the perfect instrument of death. If she creates armor, it must be nigh
impervious. Her standards are often seen as impossible to meet, and her
creations amongst the most powerful artiefacts in all the worlds.
38

BROOD NIX
Nix dragons are hated and feared by all other Drakhans, for they have cheated death itself and have become undead.
Their powers of necromancy make them unique among dragons and anathema to the tenets that the others of
their kind live by. Worse, their inability to reproduce naturally drives them out into rival territories, stealing the
eggs of other broods to raise as their own and slaying the hatchlings to transform them into cold-hearted undead.
Brood Exor has suffered the most at the hands of the Nix, and the two have become sworn enemies
The Nix resemble gaunt, near-skeletal dragon carcasses with an unnatural glow in their empty eye sockets. Their
noxious breath drains their victim’s life force, extracting souls to add to the dragon’s power.
Nixis, the Veil Breaker

More so than all other broods, Nix dragons depend on their azhurma, Nixis,
whose immense power sustains the entire brood.
Once frail and weak, Nixis unlocked the secrets of death itself, seeing it as just
another state that can be magically manipulated and controlled. Returning
from the dead stronger than ever before, she alone has the power to bind a
dragon’s consciousness to their skeletal forms, creating a brood that endures
endlessly and fears nothing.
BAASTHEROX, THE MIGHTIEST

Baastherox is the mightiest dragon on the Red Moon. It was he
who challenged Kadmos to single combat. Though he lost the duel,
Baastherox held his own and survived when any other would surely
have perished. All dragon-kind remember this deed, and many have
tried to prove their own worth by challenging Baastherox. All have
failed. Few now would dare face his might, and Baastherox remains
unmatched.
A curse on his bloodline leaves him unable to sire offspring, and thus
Baastherox stands alone, a brood of one. He is a creature of great
focus, and it is believed that, should he so desire, he could topple
entire broods. But his life is one of introspection. He no longer seeks
destruction but, instead, waits patiently for the next challenger to find
him, for he has nothing left to prove.
39

Kadhah absorbing a maghyr’s lifeforce. 40

41

Dragonbond Valerna An Introduction

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Valerna:

Felipe Ramos Sant' Anna (Order #36428082)

A world of high adventure, mighty magic, and dark forces.

A world of mortals and dragons.

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DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL THANKS

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THE AGE OF MORTALS

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Cities fell; kingdoms crumbled. With the great loss of

But the remaining Dragonbonded rallied, uniting to

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THE DREAMLESS TREATMENT

Of course, such authoritarian measures only increased

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Such is the power of blood in Tyverian society that a

Not all maghyri succeed in claiming the sanguine legacy.

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The bulk of Tyverian infantry is formed of blooded

Supporting the hordes of foot soldiers are some of the

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Adrael’s bonded is Nagasha Magnifex, an artist

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Mígtal, the North Quarter: Bordering the Sea of

The Mígtainn are regarded with mistrust because

Ad’tal, the South Quarter: Located in the Cipác

The South Quarter contains seven states, spearheaded

Tlátal, the East Quarter: The largest and most powerful

However, in a council of equals, the four ccelinn lords

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Quick-witted and possessed of a bawdy sense of

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Eirándi’s bonded is Tetzcoatl, of the feathered Coatl dragon brood.

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It was decades later that the first temple was founded. A

While many believe this divine spark is a manifestation

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Fataara are usually found in raucous gangs, which

Fataara fight with large, two-handed weapons,

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SIKARIA THE SHIELD CLANS OF ENKHARA

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Today, a warlord has come, claiming to be the last

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Incarni are no longer mortal, their existence instead

THE WAADA CARTEL

The waada are lords of the underworld, whose agents

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Gnome Guild Genius

Humans are the most widespread mortals in Valerna, DWARVES