Chronicles of Astravara

Where gods whisper and empires rot.

---

GEOGRAPHY & CITADELS

Karath’Nul lies carved into the cliffs of the Black Ridge Mountains, where light seldom reaches and obsidian flows like frozen night. The region is both a citadel and a vast subterranean network, blending fortress, temple, and city.

• Velanthar – military citadel and magical academy
• Thar’Kalath – isolated sanctum for contemplative elites
• The Pillar of Twilight – a tower relic tied to Tenebris, shrouded in mist
• Obsidian Roads – enchanted paths that interconnect all Drellari strongholds

---

CULTURE & RELIGION

Cult of Tenebris Nocthian

The Drellari worship Tenebris, God of Shadows, Secrets and Mysteries. Their belief is not in domination, but in revelation through hidden knowledge and strength found in silence.

• Temples are built of obsidian, their halls lit by ever-shifting shadow flames
• Priests are both scholars and spies — known as Whispers
• The Veiled Sacrament is performed during lunar eclipses, when revelations from Tenebris are said to pass into the dreamworld
• Tenebris is feared and misunderstood by other races, fueling prejudice and isolation

---

Social Structure

The Drellari society values lineage, discipline, and spiritual strength:

• Noble Clans – guide politics, war, and economy
• Magistrates of the Flame – shadowmages, archivists, lorekeepers
• Artificers – crafters of obsidian weapons and relics
• Citizens – all trained in survival and service
• The Shadows of Tenebris – elite agents who renounce their names and become instruments of divine purpose

After their sacred mission, each Shadow begins a new lineage — a rebirth through obscurity.

---

MILITARY

• Shadows of Tenebris – assassins, infiltrators, and spies
• Obsidian Guard – heavy troops with enchanted armor and silent tactics
• Soulcallers – battle-mages who channel fear, confusion and shadowfire
• Gloomriders – elite mounted units trained in nocturnal ambush
• Runeveil Watch – protectors of sacred tunnels and internal order

---

ARCHITECTURE

• Entire cities sculpted from black stone using arcane and physical tools
• Structures grow like spires or claws from the mountain
• Interior corridors are lit with dim magical crystals that react to breath, presence, and oaths
• No banners, no colors — only inscribed runes and luminous sigils mark ownership and history

---

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Faction	Standing
Dwarves	Mutual respect, strong trade of obsidian and metalwork
Eldoria	Distrustful neutrality
Sylvaran	Deep ideological conflict — considered traitors
Caltheron	Enemies; Drellari are seen as heretics and monsters
Rakkesh Tribes	Occasional collaboration and shadow-market trade

---

NOTABLE LOCATIONS

• The Obsidian Throne – seat of the ruling clan in Karath’Nul
• Vault of Whispers – sanctuary of the highest Shadow-priests
• Velanthar Hall – center of magical military training
• Thar’Kalath Sanctum – deep cavern library and mind temple
• The Pillar of Twilight – ancient tower of unknown origin, tied to Tenebris
• Blackrun Markets – rare and forbidden artifacts sold under veiled pacts

---

---