An Introduction to the Magical World of Aruvalia

One piece of advice writers get early and often is to develop a ten second pitch for your book. This is one or two sentences you can rattle off in a hurry whenever anyone asks what you’re working on. Also known as ‘the elevator pitch.’

It’s a good idea to develop an elevator pitch for every series you write. Especially if you stream. So when someone asks you what your project is about, you don’t fumble to come up with an answer.

It sounds easy, but elevator pitches are hard. Distilling an idea you’ll spend hundreds of thousands of words developing into one or two sentences is difficult after you’ve finished the project. Let alone while you’re still in the process of assembling it. But when you get asked the question enough times, eventually a clear concept gels enough to be discussed coherently.

I’ve always referred to my Aruvalia Chronicles as a high fantasy epic that takes place in a modern world. But to better highlight that I add, think about if Middle Earth made it to the modern day.

The entire concept behind the Aruvalia Chronicles was to explore how a fantasy world might modernize when it started to develop technology such as the internet and cell phones. And from the earliest moments of its conception, magic and technology have been inextricably linked.

Imagine fighting epic fantasy creatures in Time Square. Then imagine wandering down the street to your local Starbucks where you can not only grab your favorite coffee but add a magical shot to provide you a little extra confidence. Or a tiny spark of luck. It’s a world where doctors often possess Healing magic. But magic can’t solve everything. (Even if Faeries do run the internet).

Here’s a proper introduction!

A Brief History of Aruvalia

The Aruvalia Chronicles takes place in a ‘secondary world.’ Which is a place entirely made up and unrelated to the world we live in. But “Aruvalia” is not the name of the entire world. Aruvalia is merely one of the many kingdoms that makes up the world it inhabits.

Aruvalia sits on the east coast of the continent on which it is located. And it stretches from the base of the North Pole mass to slightly below the planet’s equator. It spans three different time zones, and several smaller kingdoms border its western edge.

The reason for Aruvalia’s considerable size, especially when compared to its neighbors, is that it is made up of what was originally several smaller kingdoms. In its earliest days, Aruvalia was a place of runaways and rebels, a series of small towns made up of diverse populations generally considered unwelcome or prone to mistreatment in other places.

Aruvalia’s diverse background and open door policy made it an excellent hub for trade. As that drew an ever larger population to its shores, the localities steadily consolidated, eventually aligning themselves behind a royal family. As Aruvalia’s power and influence grew, the smaller kingdoms that huddled along its borders allowed themselves to be absorbed for various reasons – mostly trade and protection. Eventually they formed the vast stretch the kingdom now claims.

Aruvalia’s current ruling family is the Drathmores. Though they cannot claim an unbroken line of connection with Aruvalia’s original rulers, they have a reputation for being fair and just. The most recent queens have even begun to take power out of the hands of nobility and spread it more evenly among the common population.

The Mistborn

One of the kingdoms absorbed by Aruvalia during its development is a jungle country known as the Mistborn. (Which, incidentally, is the place where Domerin was born and raised.) Originally a kingdom of elves, the Mistborn still boasts a largely elven population. In fact, portions of the jungle are considered protected territory. They cannot be entered by outsiders without the direct permission of the Archmage Council, who still maintain a measure of control over their ancestral homelands.

The Mistborn is a jungle located in the north east portion of Aruvalia. The land on which the jungle grows is choked with ancient magic that runs deep in the land beneath the tree’s roots. That magic influences the plants that grow there. It also warps the development of the animals that live within the jungle, resulting in many dangerous magical mutations. Those that live in the Mistborn rely on the efforts of the Archmages to keep their homes and cities safe.

The cities of the Mistborn are built into and out of the trees of the jungle. Magic is used to gently shape the branches as they grow so that the trees – which are considered sacred by the elves that live there – need not be damaged in order to be inhabited. The cities are also powered by magic, rather than electricity. And much of that magic is tamed and directed by the Archmages.

In addition to taming the magic of the Mistborn and making the cities that inhabit it safe, the Archmages serve as keepers of the Mistborn’s history and culture. It is their job to understand why traditions are observed, and to determine whether or not a tradition should change.

Domerin’s mother is currently an active member of the Archmage council.

A Garden of Silver

The capital of Aruvalia is located in Silvergarden. No one is entirely sure why the city bears that name. It is suspected silver mines may have been located underneath or near the city at some point in the past. The royal palace located at the center of the city serves as the primary residence of the royal family and is known as “Silverwing.”

Unlike many more modern cities, Silvergarden did not get a lot of planning in its early stages. As a result, the city’s map looks something like a patchwork quilt. Districts were placed wherever they fit at the time they were needed. Most of the center of the city is now made up of government administrative buildings along with the protected historical district. Radiating outward from that are industrial, commercial and residential districts.

As a result of the patchwork nature of the city, it is often necessary to make use of the extensive roadways or public transit system to easily traverse the city. Silvergarden has also spilled over the walls designed to protect it at least twice in its history. Though the walls remain intact, the gates have been removed to allow for greater ease of travel. Currently, no walls protect the outer most regions of the city – which now melt into suburbs. But with the onset of the modern era, protective walls are no longer considered as necessary or efficient as they once were.

Silvergarden also houses the primary Headquarters of the Queen’s Division. Which is Aruvalia’s magic version of the FBI and the organization for which Domerin works. The Queen’s Division represents the most elite of Aruvalia’s warriors, and are considered to be the queen’s hand-picked protectors of her realm.

Where Magic Meets Technology

I had a lot of fun crafting this world. One of my favorite aspects is learning how various types of magic interact with technology. For instance, the Faeries have come together to form an extremely popular courier delivery service that makes use of cell phones. Every modern cell phone is equipped with a device known as a Fae portal. These allow Faeries to move easily between spaces. For a small fee, you can deliver almost anything almost instantly.

During the advent of the technological age, these same enterprising Faeries founded the internet. Though of course, in Aruvalia, it’s known as the “Feanet” instead, as it is operated and regulated by the Fae.

I mentioned before that you can also get magical shots at most coffee shops and bars. These small portions of potions are designed to offer temporary boosts. If you have a job interview, for example, you might ask for a shot of confidence or charm in your coffee to get you through the process. Those who face a particularly stressful day might ask for a shot of serenity or focus. And if you just want a little excitement in your day, you can ask for a shot of luck.

Of course sometimes these potions can have unexpected results. So it is strictly forbidden for members of the guard, Queen’s Division or military to make use of them while on active duty.

I also, briefly, toyed with the idea of forcing rogue wizards to serve out their prison sentences inside computers, but that particular idea never came to fruition. Still, it’s been fun to imagine the intersection of magic and technology and play around with it.

You can see these innovations, and more, in the first several books of the Aruvalia Chronicles – with more to come!