See: Storm Giants, Vaasha, Luminous Peaks
Thal’orim is a ruined Storm Giant city located on the highest peaks of the Luminous Peaks. Founded approximately 18,974 years before the present era, it was the seat of Storm Giant civilization during the Age of Wonders and is widely regarded as the masterwork of their additive architectural tradition: a city of enchanted obsidian spires, towering halls, and labyrinthine corridors layered with ancient runes, placed atop the mountain range rather than carved from it. Following the sealing of the Stars of Power and the subsequent Exodus of the Storm Giants, Thal’orim stood empty for centuries. Its sole inhabitant is Vaasha, the last Storm Giant, who has maintained a solitary guardianship of the city and its surroundings. The reignition of the Stars of Power three years ago rekindled the city’s ancient runes and restored a measure of arcane vitality, and in the wake of this renewal the Arcane Pugilist’s Arena has established itself within Thal’orim’s walls, drawing spellcasters from across the world.
History
Thal’orim is also known to a select few as Vaasha’s Respite, a name used among the initiated such as the druid Samael. It pays homage to Vaasha, the last Storm Giant to inhabit the ancient city. A guardian of the Luminous Peaks and a caretaker of Silverswirl Glidewings, Vaasha is a living relic of a bygone era, her existence intertwined with the mysteries of the city she calls home.
The Exodus of the Storm Giants
The Storm Giants, once the undisputed masters of Thal’orim, have long since vanished from their ancestral home. The reasons for their departure are manifold and steeped in layers of myth and conjecture. Some say they left to explore other realms, their insatiable curiosity driving them to seek new frontiers of magic and knowledge. Others suggest that the sealing of the Stars of Power led to a decline in their civilization, forcing them to abandon Thal’orim in search of a new source of arcane sustenance. Yet another theory posits that the Storm Giants foresaw the return of magic to Rolara and chose to distance themselves, wary of the chaos it would inevitably bring. The full kindred-level treatment of the Exodus is in the Storm Giants article.
Vaasha: The Lone Sentinel
Vaasha, unlike her kin, chose to stay. Her reasons are as complex as the intricate patterns of the Luminous Peaks’ crystalline formations. Some say she remained out of a sense of duty, a guardian appointed to watch over the city’s ancient secrets. Others believe it is a form of self-imposed exile, a penance for some unknown transgression. What is known is that Vaasha has adapted to her solitude. She raises Silverswirl Glidewing chicks for sustenance, their iridescent forms nurtured under her watchful eye. At her side, a sporran houses her faithful War Kitten, a mountain lion whose fierce loyalty mirrors that of its giant mistress.
Profile
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Ruined Settlement |
| Founding Date | -18974 |
| Alternative Name(s) | Vaasha’s Respite |
| Type | City |
| Population | 1 |
| Location under | Vaasha |