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{{Realm Infobox |Realm Name=Itharalis |Image=[[File:Itharalis - General 01.jpg|center|frameless]] |Spirit=Glacian |Significance=A domain of stillness and preservation, where ice holds the past in its frozen embrace. }} {{Realm Sections |Introduction='''Itharalis''' is the realm of unbroken winter, where the world is held in stillness beneath endless layers of frost. Here, the breath of Glacian, the Spirit of Preservation, coats every surface in ice, freezing not only the land but the very memory of time. Mountains of ancient snow, glaciers the size of kingdoms, and crystalline wastelands stretch into the horizon without change or decay. To enter Itharalis is to step into the past—frozen ruins, buried relics, and long-forgotten beings lie entombed beneath its surface, perfectly preserved in silent slumber. It is a realm not of death, but of suspended life. Nothing rots. Nothing grows. Only the frost remains. |History=The recorded history of Itharalis is minimal due to the realm’s inhospitable climate and lack of long-term habitation. Most knowledge of its past is derived from preserved organic remains, fossilized structures, and elemental strata buried deep within the glacial layers. These findings indicate that Itharalis has remained geologically and climatically stable for tens of thousands of years, with few significant shifts in environmental conditions. Frozen relics unearthed near the margins of the realm suggest that ancient peoples may have attempted temporary settlement or passed through during periods of broader climatic migration. However, no evidence of permanent civilization has been verified within its interior. The preservation of flora, fauna, and early tools in glacial vaults has made Itharalis a subject of study among scholars interested in ancient biospheres and elemental preservation. Over time, certain spiritual orders and isolationist factions have established seasonal encampments near its periphery, drawn by the stillness and perceived purity of the land. These outposts rarely last more than a few generations, leaving minimal cultural impact on the region. |Geography=Itharalis is defined by its glacial topography, consisting primarily of icebound plateaus, frozen seas, and towering ice formations shaped by persistent sub-zero temperatures and minimal atmospheric disturbance. Its terrain is characterized by stability and geological inactivity, with little volcanic or tectonic movement recorded in recent eras. The central region, known as the Heartglacier, is a massive, continent-sized body of layered ice believed to be among the oldest continuously frozen formations in the world. Around its perimeter lie ridged ice valleys, crevasse fields, and permafrost cliffs, many of which remain unmapped due to hazardous conditions. To the east, the Silent Coast borders a frozen ocean shelf, marked by thick floes and isolated icebergs that drift without current or wind. In the far north, the Vaulted Spires—massive vertical ice formations—rise hundreds of meters, forming natural barriers that limit overland travel. The southern edge of the realm gradually descends into the Frosted Expanse, a flat, open plain of fine snow and wind-hardened ice sheets. Despite its uniform climate, Itharalis contains microenvironments within caves and crevasses where rare cryogenic flora and frozen relics are sometimes discovered. |Climate=Itharalis maintains a consistently cryogenic climate, with surface temperatures rarely rising above −40°C, and average lows reaching −80°C during prolonged dark periods. Solar illumination is minimal due to the realm’s high atmospheric albedo, as light reflects off ice and snow rather than being absorbed. The air is thin and dry, and precipitation occurs almost exclusively in the form of fine, crystalline snow that accumulates slowly over centuries. The realm experiences a long-duration light-dark cycle rather than distinct seasons. Periods of dim polar light alternate with extended darkness, influencing visibility and temperature gradients. Atmospheric pressure remains low, and winds are infrequent but capable of transporting ice shards across great distances when they occur. Glacial movements within the region are slow and almost imperceptible, contributing to the realm’s reputation for stasis and preservation. Ice structures remain intact for millennia, creating natural records of climatic history. The lack of thermal variation and biological activity makes Itharalis one of the most geothermally stable regions in [[Adaris]]. |Flora and Fauna=Life in Itharalis is rare, highly specialized, and often found beneath the ice or within geothermal fissures. The biological ecosystem functions at a glacial pace, with organisms capable of surviving in lightless, frigid environments for centuries without surface contact. ===Flora=== *Frostvine Mycelia – Subterranean fungal networks that spread slowly through permafrost layers, feeding on mineral-rich ice deposits. Though invisible from the surface, they emit faint thermal signatures detectable only to specialized fauna. *Glacilumen Spores – Luminous fungal growths found deep within ancient ice corridors. They emit a cold, blue bioluminescence and are often mistaken for distant starlight reflected through frost. *Shardblossoms – Rare crystalline plants that form in geothermal steam crevices. Their petals, composed of layered ice and mineral salts, refract light and are harvested by native species for unknown purposes. ===Fauna=== *Iskari – Large, solitary predators adapted to blend seamlessly with the ice. Their translucent hides and body temperatures near ambient allow them to pass unnoticed by prey and predator alike. *Vyrash Owls – Silent, flightless avians with heat-absorbing plumage. They hunt through vibration sensing and dwell in wind-carved caves, rarely vocalizing outside of their hatching rituals. *Thassari Swimmers – Blind, eel-like creatures that drift through subglacial lakes. Their bodies store thermal energy absorbed from volcanic vents, allowing them to remain active for years without feeding. *Cryphid Motes – Insect-sized, wingless arthropods that survive suspended in stasis, awakening only during seismic activity. Their populations are used as environmental indicators by certain inhabitants. Though the biosphere appears dormant, it sustains complex life systems adapted to conditions unseen elsewhere in Adaris. |Inhabitants=Itharalis is home to two known Sophant species, each shaped by the unique metaphysical and environmental extremes of the frozen realm: the Sarnathi, who exist out of time, and the Nykrathi, primal dwellers of the glacier’s body. === Sarnathi – The Time-Buried === Descendants of an ancient civilization thought lost to history, the [[Sarnathi]] were caught in a temporal collapse and preserved in stasis beneath the ice. Touched by the [[Primordial Spirit]] [[Kairos]], they exist partially out of phase with the present, awakening at irregular intervals when the boundaries of time weaken. Their bodies bear crystalline inclusions, and their minds drift between centuries, making them enigmatic and revered by other [[inhabitants of Adaris]]. The Sarnathi rarely intervene in the affairs of others, but their appearance is seen as an omen of repeating catastrophe or forgotten truths resurfacing. === Nykrathi – The Icebound Clans === The [[Nykrathi]] are a resilient, territorial people native to the glacial interior of Itharalis. Stocky and armored with naturally forming ice-plate exoskins, they molt with the shifting seasons. They communicate through vibratory resonance and ice-chime patterns formed with breath and movement. Nomadic by nature, the Nykrathi follow deep glacial currents, constructing shifting shelters from resonant ice and snow-bone. They see themselves not as rulers of the ice, but as its stewards—shards of Glacian’s will, moving with the flow of the frozen world. Ritualistic and survivalist, they maintain sacred “Echo Fields,” where the ice sings back the memories of their ancestors. |Native Spirits=The spirits of Itharalis are not chaotic forces of nature, but crystallized echoes of memory, stillness, and time. As with all realms touched by a Primordial, they exist in a hierarchy of spiritual evolution: Nascent, Mature, and Ancestral—each reflecting deeper [[attunement]] to Glacian, the Spirit of Ice. === Nascent Spirits === These spirits form from localized phenomena: frost forming on a forgotten relic, the momentary stillness of a snowfall, or the lingering breath of a dying traveler. They are brief and fragile, often appearing as: * '''Icewisps''' – Flickering motes that drift across frozen lakes, trailing light like starlight in snow. * '''Shardlings''' – Tiny crystalline forms that hum faintly in sub-zero caverns, drawn to preserved ruins. * '''Echobound''' – Flickering echoes of emotion trapped in permafrost, replaying fragments of speech, light, or motion in looping = === Mature Spirits === These spirits embody broader concepts of isolation, endurance, and preservation. They persist across centuries and often inhabit specific regions or artifacts. * '''Frostweavers''' – Spirits that form web-like veils over ancient ruins and glacial tombs, believed to bind memory into the ice itself. * '''Vault-Keepers''' – Guardians of sunken sanctuaries, manifesting in towering forms of mirrored frost or living glacier. * '''Hollow-Whispers''' – Wind-borne spirits that speak through cracks in ancient ice, rumored to echo forgotten truths or temporal distortions. === Ancestral Spirits === These rare and potent beings are said to be direct extensions of Glacian’s will, embodying entire epochs or frozen principles. * '''The Deep Chorus''' – A collective ancestral entity residing beneath the Pale Expanse, composed of countless souls sealed together in ancient ice. * '''The Pale Sleeper''' – A mythic presence said to slumber beneath the Glacier of Twelve Moons, whose awakening would halt time itself across the realm. * '''[[Kairos]]-Touched Echoes''' – Spirits believed to intersect with the domain of Kairos, the Spirit of Time, preserving not only memory but sequence—guarding the natural order of causality against unraveling. |Notable Settlements={{See also|[[Cities and Towns of Itharalis]]}} Despite its frozen isolation and inhospitable climate, Itharalis is home to numerous subterranean and glacial settlements, each shaped by the unique needs, philosophies, and adaptations of its native sophants. The Nykrathi and Sarnathi maintain distinct settlements with minimal overlap, unified only by their shared reverence for silence, resonance, and the enduring power of the cold. === Sarnathi Settlements === *Iskar-Thal – The first and largest Sarnathi city, constructed atop the Shardplain. Its crystalline towers emerge from a basin of glacial drift, encircling the Grand Archive—a semi-living vault that stores preserved memory through harmonic resonance. Considered the cultural heart of the Sarnathi Continuum. *Vauren-Voss – A citadel hollowed into a fault-glacier’s vertical face. It houses the Stillborn Circles, where Sarnathi in voluntary stasis serve as silent sentinels and temporal anchors. Access is limited and regulated by time-rhythm initiates. *Ysilin Hollow – Located beneath a high ridge of wind-shattered ice, this subterranean enclave hosts the Echo-Keepers, scholars who monitor vibration records and time-layer anomalies embedded in glacial formations. *Tharrask Vein – An outpost near the Fractured Scar, a region prone to temporal shifts. It functions as both a research and containment site, manned by a rotating cadre of Resonants and harmonic stabilizers. *Enclave of Varethis – A drifting settlement built atop a fractured coastal ice shelf that follows a seasonal circuit around Itharalis. Inhabited by itinerant scholars, dreamers, and unstable harmonics, it serves as a mobile sanctuary for those unable to remain rooted. === Nykrathi Settlements === *Tarskhel’Zuun – The oldest and most revered Nykrathi tunnelspire city, built around the legendary Echo-Pool. Carved within a submerged rift, its chambers echo with Glacian’s resonance. Reserved for the most spiritually attuned. *Vorr-Kaazhen – A fortified hive-city positioned along the volcanic corridor beneath the Black Scar Glacier. Known for its resonance defenders and frost-bound artisans who maintain ancient structural harmonics. *Krelekh Hollow – Situated in a bioluminescent under-ice basin, Krelekh Hollow cultivates deep fungi and maintains fluidic resonance archives. It is the spiritual center for the Dream-Scribes. *Shar’Molun – A minor outpost at the edge of a glacial faultline. Functions as a neutral contact zone for surface negotiations and as a seismic monitoring station. *The Ossuary Spires – A ceremonial necropolis where honored Nykrathi dead are calcified and enshrined in towering walls. Pilgrims come here to commune with ancestral echoes and the frozen memory of the deep. }}
