| Type | Land of the mortals |
|---|---|
| Head | King of Stormside |
| Inhabitants | Mortals |
Contents
Location
Stormside is the land of the mortals and the world challengers leave behind when they enter Starside during the Questral. It contains several distinct regions and settlements, including Silverside, Nightfell, Helmspeak, and Brambleside. The Questral connects Stormside to Starside, allowing the mortals who survive the Culling to pass through the gates into the land of the immortals.
Description
Stormside contains very different communities and landscapes. Coastal settlements such as Brambleside exist alongside places like Nightfell and the mountainous region around Helmspeak. Mortals live without the natural immortality and power found among many of Starside’s inhabitants. For some, the Questral offers a rare chance to obtain magic and bring it back to Stormside.
The people who enter the Questral pursue very different goals. Some seek power or immortality, while others hope to use the magic to save their families or improve the lives of the people they leave behind.
Relevance
Stormside shapes the motivations of many of the mortals who enter the Questral. Aris Agron grows up in Silverside before losing her family and later making Nightfell her home with Stellan. Nightfell also hosts the selection for the Culling, where Aris begins her path into the Questral. Harlan Raker is born into a poor Stormside family and begins his life as a mortal before eventually becoming the God of Death. Zane Sterling comes from Helmspeak and plans to use the magic he claims during the Questral to help his homeland, while Kira leaves Brambleside hoping to save her younger sister Anise. The challengers carry these connections with them into Starside, making Stormside central to many of the goals that drive the Questral.
Notable Locations
| Silverside | Silverside is Aris Agron’s birthplace and childhood home. A goddess destroys her village when Aris is ten years old, killing her parents and younger sister. Stellan finds Aris in the ruins the following day and takes her away from Silverside. |
|---|---|
| Nightfell | Nightfell becomes Aris Agron’s home after Stellan takes her in following the destruction of her village. Stellan works there as a blacksmith and trains Aris in weaponsmithing and combat. Nightfell also hosts the selection for the Culling, making it an important starting point for Aris’s journey into the Questral. |
| Helmspeak | Helmspeak is Zane Sterling’s home and lies in the Bladelands. House Sterling controls the surrounding mountain and silver mines, which supply material to the king’s guard and Stormside blacksmiths. Zane enters the Questral hoping to bring magic back to his homeland. |
| Brambleside | Brambleside is a coastal town in western Stormside and the home of Kira and her younger sister Anise. Kira enters the Questral because Anise is seriously ill and needs magic. |
