ALTUS - THE SHINING LIGHT OF SPHAERA

Altus certainly is the shining light of Sphaera. It is a wondrous and enlightened kingdom. King Asir rules this land, sitting proudly upon the throne, the mighty sword Dhoradil by his side. I live there as well, observing and recording the histories of Sphaera from my laboratory.

How best to describe the indescribable? Let me start by saying the obvious. Altus is the grandest and most powerful kingdom on the entire planet of Sphaera. It sits twenty thousand feet up Mount Magna and is impossible to get to unless you know its secrets. I will reveal them to you in The Covetous Nature of Dragons, the story for sale in the store.

Zunhuin’s Palm is the massive rock outcropping in the form of a hand that Altus sits in. Both Zunhuin’s Palm and the kingdom of Altus reside on Mount Magna which is a part of the Dracomagnan Range. It sits northeast of the center point of Praeclara. Praeclara is the largest continent in Sphaera.

I will say a bit more about the occupants of Altus before I move onto your questions on Sphaera.

Altus is a magical place, surrounded by the strongest of charms that protect it from the outside elements and unwanted guests. King Asir, ruler of Altus, benefits from this magic, as well. The High King of Altus lives and rules for a very long time as age is an unknown concept to the King of the Mountain. The magic of the mountain protects it and the king, keeping both in a position of great power in perpetuity.

There are other powerful midlings that also live on Altus. Midling is a slang term that we use to define the race of men, elves, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and any half-breeds. These are the races that, in general, can procreate with one another. However, it is known that the mixing of halflings and the larger midlings often results in deformations.

There is a well-known group of midlings known as the Vedikir that live on Altus. Their home is here though most of their lives are spent on quests around Sphaera. To be a Vedikir is to be a part of a group of five interconnected beings with a single purpose. They are five of Sphaera’s most feared warriors and their purpose is to serve the will of the King of the Mountain who, in turn, serves the will of Vilagir, the God of the Balance. The Vedikir are always five different classes. Currently it is paladin, cleric, arch mage, master assassin, and monk. Their race is irrelevant, though currently it is three humans, a half-elf, and a halfling.

Belevus the paladin is the spokesman of the Vedikir in its current form. His closest friend and second member of the Vedikir is Errapel the cleric. The third member is the arch mage Novus. I have never seen a more powerful mage since the days of Levidion the Greater. She is feared, and to a much greater degree than the others. After all, how many mages fight arch devils and demons and win? Novus almost killed the next Vedikir as he tried to steal from her. His name is Narius. Previously, Narius the thief and once Narius the master assassin. Now, he is Narius, Master of Clandestine Services under King Asir. While still the best thief and assassin in the realm, Narius respects the Balance and uses his skill to defend it. Finally, and not at all the least of the group, Qiang Bai the monk is one of the greatest additions to the ranks of the Vedikir. Raised in a remote village on the continent of Shenmi, Qiang Bai was trained in all forms of martial arts at the little understood Ming Xing Shengdi temple. He has killed giants with but a single strike of his hand, but, in truth, Qiang Bai prefers quiet meditation over fighting. 

There you have it. These five are the Vedikir, and they will be so for the rest of their lives. No one has ever left the ranks in life. After the death of a member, another must always be found. It is the way of the Vedikir and has been since before recorded history. The Vedikir are an ancient sect, and one that should never be trifled with. Typically the Vedikir are sent on quests one member at a time. That is usually enough to bend a situation back into Balance. When more than one are sent, it is because something terrible is afoot. The only example of all five Vedikir being summoned to one cause has just recently happened. You can read all about it by purchasing the story The Covetous Nature of Dragons.

Now, what exactly is Sphaera and where is it relative to you? The answer is either simple, or not-so-simple depending on your awareness of the universe and its definitions.

Sphaera is a planet that sits in a relative dimension to Earth. We share a universal umbilical cord that attaches the three of us. Yes, I said three. The connection is between Earth, Sphaera, and a world of creation and light that you have caught glimpses of but find hard to define.  After all, if there wasn’t a connection between us, how would I be communicating to you right now?

Sphaera is my world and Earth is yours. My world is full of what you would consider to be strange and magical creatures. Dragons, giants, demons, and gods of incredible power call Sphaera home. Have you ever thought of why you earthlings create so many stories of fantastical creatures like the ones that roam Sphaera? It is because of the connection between our two realms.

Your world is one in which technology allows you to do amazing things. My world is full of an invisible source of energy of unlimited power and potential. I will call it magic because you do. That is a major difference between our worlds. Sphaera’s magic surrounds and fills us, allowing some to use its power to cast spells, and others to fly and do other amazing things. For those of us that do not know how to channel the magic, like clerics, the deities that they worship grant them the use of magic just the same.

That is all I will say for now. This website will be the lone repository of all information regarding Sphaera. I will provide you with maps in the gallery, as well as discussions and stories within the blog. In the store, all things purchasable will lie. The rules of your planet demand that I collect money in order to keep posting new, fantastical content. I hope you understand.

Leave your world and come visit Sphaera today!