The Shroudspire Atlas
THE FLOATING ARCHIPELAGO & VHAL’KOR // INTERACTIVE CARTOGRAPHY
Frostgloom Fortress
📍 Volcanic Island Level // Blackwake Capital
Frostgloom is a severe meritocracy carved directly into sheer basalt cliffs. Powered entirely by geothermal heat vents, its fortresses use the Basalt Spine construction method, making them immune to earthquakes and nearly impossible to collapse.
The city's base contains The Maw—the firelit, cavernous warship port wreathed in shadow fog, completely invisible to mainland surveillance telescopes.
Frostgarde Sky City
📍 Floating Peak Level // Silent Weavers Capital
Frostgarde is a gorgeous, light-footed sky city spanning four massive floating islands suspended serenely above the storm clouds. It is characterized by tall Spire Houses rising like basalt fangs, tree-homes built in ancient pines, and sweeping floating courtyards.
Silent Weavers here reject the heavy, coercive architecture of the lower volcanic ports, choosing instead to tether their homes with invisible, resonant threads that hum in alignment with the sky.
Black Lantern University
📍 Lantern's Rest // Drifting Island
Carved entirely from razor-sharp, violet-sheened Skul'Kar (Night Shard) rock on its own isolated drifting island, Black Lantern University is Atheria's premier academy of dark academia.
Under the silent patronage of the goddess Serisyn, students here do not study flashy spells. Instead, they master the six philosophy houses (Iraleth, Thren, Vaelis, Eosarin, Aerin, and Grimveil) to seek absolute truth through shadow, silence, and self-alignment.
The Library of Whispers
📍 Floating Peak Level // Upper Caverns
Tucked deep into the stone chambers of the upper peaks, the Library of Whispers is the ultimate repository of the Silent Weavers' ancient secrets.
Unlike standard libraries, there are no paper books here. Knowledge is stored within the Ael'Theshal—Sound Tomes encased in shadow-silk scrolls and whisper-reliquaries that release their histories in layered, emotional vibrations only when activated by touch or breath.
The Frostwaste & Weeping Hill
📍 Vhal'Kor Edge // Sea Level
The Frostwaste is a barren, frozen expanse of black volcanic ash and jagged rock stretching out beyond the mapped borders of Vhal'Kor. It is considered highly cursed, and travelers claim they can hear the faint, whispering thrum of dead traitors in the icy wind.
Near its edge rises Weeping Widow's Hill, where the Blackwake historically carried out executions. For major crimes, the Moot still banishes the guilty to die or survive alone in this frozen wasteland.