Category: World Building

Champion of the Gods: Yar-del

When I began writing the series, I think the first ‘place’ I envisioned was Haven and the Plaines of Gharaha. Yar-del City, however, is probably my favorite place in the ‘world.’ When Honorus sent His servant to Ardus, the lord of the gods tasked Kel with creating a kingdom in the virtually unsettled lands. Legend has it that Honorus, in the guise of a white eagle, guided Kel to the spot where he’d build his ‘gleaming city by the sea.’ As a wizard whose lifespan would be measured in centuries, not decades, Kel took his time with the construction of his throne city. Unlike other cities, which grew up around something—a fortress, town, trade center—Kel laid out his city from …

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Holidays, Food and Culture of Nendor

I suppose it is somewhat obvious that when world building, one should give the inhabitants something uniquely their own, but it wasn’t to me. Although I like to cook, I’m hardly a foodie.  To me, reading a description of what the characters are eating is boring. Generally I skip over these parts, especially if there isn’t anything unique or important in the description.  Example of important food would be Lambas bread in the Lord of the Rings or Aliantha berries in Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant Chronicles.  Thus far, Nendor doesn’t boast any such miracle food. Like any other author, I bring to the table what interests me most. I really don’t care what people eat. The fact that characters eat is …

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Religion and Culture of Nendor

Religion and Culture of Nendor The world was created by the seven gods and goddesses of Nendor. Siblings, they are in order of age: Honorus – Lord of the gods; Lenore – Goddess of the earth; Neldin – Lord of the underworld; Arritisa – Lady of the ocean; Khron – God of war; Seritia – Goddess of love; and Falcron – God of wisdom. Each deity has it’s own temples, clerics, and followers.  Although there is no prohibition against following more than one, most people choose a specific god or goddess to primarily worship. Of course prayers are offered to different gods or goddesses depending on the need, no matter who a person follows. The seven gods worked together to …

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History and Politics of Nendor

The Seven Gods of Nendor created the world. After a time, Neldin – third eldest – decided to try to rise above his eldest brother Honorus and rule the world.  Neldin tricked the dwarves of Trellham to unleash the hordes of Neblor upon the world.  The other six gods rallied their followers and the two sides fought to a stand still. After a short but bitterly fought war, a young wizard from the island of Dumbarten, named Kel, followed the will of the gods and sealed off Neldin’s foot hold into the world and ended the war.  For the next three millennia, Neldin retreated to the underworld and was rarely heard from.

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Geography and Climate

The Last Grand Master  is set on the world of Nendor.  There are three main continents, Ardus, Erd and Loudria.  The island kingdom of Dumbarten is one of the largest kindgoms in the world, but set just of the western coast of Loudria, it is not considered it’s own continent. Ardus – Book One, takes place entirely on Ardus, the southern most and smallest of the three continents. There are Seven Major Kingdoms on Ardus, Yar-del, Zargon, Endor, Respital, Arvendia, Pelipan and Honal. Collectively, these nations are referred to as the Seven Kingdom. The Seven Kingdoms are bordered to the north by Spine of Khron, the highest mountains on the continent, and to the west by the Trellham Mountains. The Kessen Ocean lies …

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