Atlas

Imarel Travel Guide - by T.A. Saunders ©2010 v1.2

Kingdom of Vyss The Shalzaari Portal (formerly the Forgotten Portal)

A name that was applicable until 50 years ago, the Forgotten Portal's proper name is the Ring of the Prince. It is a giant ring that springs from the ground and rises high enough into the sky that its apex disappears in the clouds and is covered in ancient Sivanoshei runes of magic that empower it. The Ring was the means that allowed the first Elves and Humans to arrive on Imarel, from the moon of Ishaela. A matching ring exists in the city of Am-Shei, where it is heavily guarded by Sivanoshei who carefully monitor the traffic in and out, since its recent activation by the vampire, Ko. How she was able to re-activate a portal the Prince himself closed was left to much speculation, till recently when her diary was recovered from her airship, The Falling Orchid.

The Prince trusted me; a point which I find pleasing to the point that I find myself giggling occasionally as I return to this place. I remember all the pomp and circumstance he put in handing over the runestone that will breath life into this portal for me once more. Pompous swine. "Destroy it," he had said. "Destroy it and let the evil that has betrayed us forever be stranded where it cannot follow." If he had any sense at all, he would have destroyed it himself. So I obliged him with the notion I destroyed it, a bag of enchanted stone dust was enough to convince him of that. All that remains is securing the Blade of Shadowed Rites and all things will be as they should be. I wonder if my sire will be very happy to see me after all these centuries?

Since the Forgotten Portal's re-opening, it has served as a bridge between the city of Am-Shei and those few they have audience with. Commonly this includes emissaries from the Windsong Republic, the Grand Duchy of Brookshire, the Kingdom of Farwind and a handful of times, a Quar`Vess diplomat representing the Shar`Vaire has been allowed passage, since no Shar`Vaire has yet been given leave by His Majesty Greenthorn to set foot on Am-Shei, on pain of death. Strangely absent from this list of diplomatic ties is the Kingdom of Vyss itself. The Shadow Elves hold a great deal of umbrage towards the Sivanoshei, who they felt allowed their wayward kin to die at the hands of the Shar`Vaire. As such, they consider the Sivanoshei 'dead' and do not recognize them openly, despite the fact they allow use of the Portal without restriction, save to guard it from destruction.