Alchemised takes place in a world shaped by alchemy, industry and war. Its central setting is Paladia, but the story also refers to neighboring states, distant powers and the southern islands where Helena Marino was born. If you are trying to place these names while reading, this guide starts with the wider map and then takes you inside Paladia itself.
Spoiler note: The geographical overview is suitable for readers still finding their way through the book. Later sections mention how some locations are used during and after the war, without explaining the ending in detail.
Contents
The Alchemised World Map at a Glance
Paladia sits at the center of the novel’s political and alchemical conflicts. For a quick sense of direction, Hevgoss lies to the west, Novis to the east, Etras is a southern island chain, and the Eastern Empire lies farther east. These are distinct places, not districts of Paladia.
| Place | Where it is | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Paladia | A city-state around a river delta near the Novis Mountains | The main setting and the center of alchemical industry and the war |
| Hevgoss | West of Paladia | A militarized neighboring power with its own interests in Paladia’s instability |
| Novis | East of Paladia, across the river | An agrarian monarchy with historical ties to the Holdfasts |
| Etras | An island chain south of Paladia | Helena Marino’s place of origin |
| Eastern Empire | Far to the east | A guarded power that controls rare alchemical materials and knowledge |
To explore the story’s central city more closely, take a tour of Paladia in the video below.
What Is Paladia in Alchemised?
Paladia is a city-state, not the name of the entire world. It developed around a river delta and stretches across two islands and nearby mainland territory. Its towers, skybridges, factories and alchemical institutions make it feel very different from the more agricultural or maritime regions around it.
The original settlement became East Island. As Paladia grew, it added the larger, newer West Island. The city also extends onto the mainland toward the mountain tree line, where mines and farmland support its population and industry. For the fuller history and geography of the city, see our Paladia wiki guide.
East Island and the Alchemy Institute
East Island is Paladia’s older center. At the highest point of its northern plateau stands the Alchemy Tower, the historic core of the Alchemy Institute. The Institute was built around and within the Tower; they are parts of the same complex. Founded by the Holdfasts, it trains and certifies alchemists, while elevated bridges connect its buildings to the surrounding city.
During the war, the Institute becomes the Resistance’s headquarters. Its position and infrastructure make it a vital stronghold. After the war, the Undying seize and repurpose the Institute, renaming it Central. The Tower remains standing within the renamed complex. Knowing how these names relate makes the shifting timeline easier to follow.
West Island and the City Below
West Island is newer and larger, with interconnected buildings that rise high above the streets. Across Paladia, construction has pushed upward so dramatically that bridges can link entire neighborhoods many storeys above ground. Lower levels receive less light and are much less comfortable to live in.
The islands are not interchangeable in the wartime story: the Resistance is based at the Institute on East Island, while the Undying hold ground on West Island. You do not need to memorize every street to follow the conflict, but distinguishing the two islands helps explain why control of Paladia is contested.
Important Places Inside Paladia
Spirefell is the Ferron family’s iron-built estate, set apart from the dense urban core. After the war, Helena is brought there under Kaine Ferron’s authority. It is both an imposing family residence and a place of confinement, so it serves a very different purpose from the Institute.
The Factory Outpost stands in the river below Paladia’s hydroelectric dam. Once an industrial complex, it is badly damaged during the war and largely abandoned by the opposing forces. Its relative isolation later makes it the setting for meetings between Helena and Kaine.
Solis Splendour is the Bayard family’s residence on East Island’s upper plateau, near the Institute. During the war, its rooms are used to care for the wounded. It is one of the few freestanding houses that remain amid Paladia’s dense vertical development.
The Regions Beyond Paladia
Novis: The Eastern Neighbor
Novis is a monarchy to Paladia’s east, across the river. Its lowlands are associated with farming and sheep, offering a contrast to Paladia’s factories and institutional alchemy. The country has longstanding family and political ties to the Holdfasts, though that does not mean it can simply solve Paladia’s war for them.
The Novis Mountains appear in descriptions of Paladia’s geography; Novis the country is a neighboring state. The similar names can be confusing when you are first trying to picture the map.
Hevgoss: The Western Power
Hevgoss lies west of Paladia. It is a heavily militarized state whose prison system supplies labor and military manpower. Its proximity and history of intervention make it an external political threat as Paladia weakens. It is not part of Paladia or another name for the Undying.
Etras: Helena’s Southern Home
Etras is a chain of islands south of Paladia, between two continents. It has far less metal and alchemical infrastructure than Paladia, and everyday life is shaped more by the sea, agriculture and local traditions. Helena Marino comes from Etras; before arriving in Paladia, she studies in the Etrasi city of Khem.
That background matters to how Helena experiences Paladia. Its institutions and hierarchies are not simply the world she has always known.
The Eastern Empire: Restricted Knowledge
The Eastern Empire is a distant, guarded power to the east. It strictly controls access to its borders, alchemical research and rare materials. Among those materials is mo’lian’shi, which can suppress alchemical effects. The Empire’s significance becomes clearer as the book raises questions about how restricted materials reached people outside its borders.
Quick Answers About the Alchemised Map
Where does Alchemised take place?
Most of the story centers on Paladia, a river-delta city-state with two islands, mainland territory and a highly developed alchemical industry. Other locations matter to the political conflict and to the characters’ lives beyond the city.
Is Paladia a country or a city?
Paladia is a city-state. Its urban center spans East Island and West Island, and its territory also includes nearby mainland areas. It is not the name of the whole Alchemised world.
Where is Etras compared with Paladia?
Etras is an island chain south of Paladia. It is Helena’s place of origin.
Where are Novis and Hevgoss?
Novis is east of Paladia across the river, while Hevgoss is west. They are neighboring states with very different relationships to Paladia.
Explore the Alchemised Wiki
Use this page as your map, then follow the linked location guides whenever you want the history of a particular place. For the people moving through this world, read our Alchemised Characters Guide. If the terminology is what is slowing you down, the Alchemised Glossary explains the magic, factions and key terms.
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