Itharalis
| Itharalis | |
|---|---|
| Spirit | Glacian |
| Significance | A domain of stillness and preservation • where ice holds the past in its frozen embrace. |
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.
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.