Thread of Souls

The World of Corventos



Corventos is divided up into five major territories. The Korventine Empire, the Eleste lands, the Southern Kingdoms, the Citadel, and the Iron Gauntlet. While each of these have their own unique way of life, even within each territory there is diverse geography, cities, cultures, and prime deities. Let’s give a basic overview of the way of life in each of these places! Consider this a beginner’s course in Corventos.



The Korventine Empire


The Capital City

An’Ock is the capital city of the Korventine Empire. It was once the seat of power for Humans that defended its borders strongly against all others. But time and peace have made the city largely diverse and the empirical titles have been switched to king and queen.

An’Ock is surrounded by farmland and its a city divided by large gates. These separate districts as well as classes. Some highlights of this city include its Divine Path that houses many holy temples, the sprawling Grand Bazaar, and the Proven Right that houses the coliseum and nightly fights.

The Doorway Mountains

The Doorway Mountains sit to the far northwest. They are a large and tall range, making it difficult for travelers who don’t stick to the roads. They house two towns on their borders. Somberdale and Skyview.

Somberdale is a small coastal town that rarely sees significant trade due to its remoteness from the rest of the Korventine Empire. Bordered by forests and mountains on one side and the sea on the other, it is a very beautiful and quiet location.

Skyview is an exceptionally small town on the far eastern side of the Doorway Mountains. Living a simple agriculture life, the residents of Skyview have unmatched views over the land.

The Korventine Plains

The Korventine Plains are crossed by the Great Divide River and lie between the Doorway and Black Reach Mountains. They mostly consist of farmland but have some rugged and wild areas.

The only real town of note is Lumera. The town sits close to the river and is not far from An’Ock, making it a great alternative for trade and those who do want to venture into the city, or those who don’t want to live too far from it.

The Firelit Forest

The Firelit Forest creates the border between the Korventine Empire and the Eleste lands. It is a huge and dense forest, and not easily crossed. It is so named because of the large amount of fireflies that light up the forest at night.

Druids often make the Firelit Forest their home, and it is speckled by huts and ruins of those who prefer to live close to nature.

The Black Reach Mountains

The Black Reach Mountains are the border between the Korventine Plains and the Expanse. A smaller, rocky range, they are so named because of the interesting color of their rocks.

There are two villages in the Black Reach Mountains. View Point is mostly a tribal area for nomads of the Korventine Empire. Vale is a sleepy, remote village that lives very apart from the rest of the world.

The Expanse

The Expanse is a large desert on the southern tip of the Korventine Empire. With rolling dunes, beautiful coasts, and rich desert life, it is quite the sight for anyone brave enough to cross. It was once the site of the wealthiest city in all of Corventos: Soleia. But now that city is only ruins.

However, Vonkai sits as a rich port on the southern edge of the Expanse. Colorful, vibrant, and happy, Vonkai experiences great trade and has a wonderful market where travelers can find anything they are looking for.



The Eleste Lands


The Capital City

Eleste’si is the capital of the Eleste Highlands and Lowlands and sits on the edge of the jewel-like Lake Eleste. It is a prosperous, beautiful, and ancient city. The Eleste lands have always been an Elven seat of power. While the centuries have passed and more diversity has been created, Eleste’si still remains very unwelcoming to anyone that is not a High Elf.

It is known as the City of Blossoms for its lovely cherry blossoms. In ancient history the city hopped between the Material Plane and the Wilds, which has created a deep love of nature and magic within the city.

The Snow Keep Mountains

The Snow Keep Mountains and the city within, North Pointe, are often considered the forgotten bit of the Eleste Highlands. Sitting on the border of the Korventine Empire, the population is more Human than Elven, and they often feel like an wanted child.

The weather is harsh and cold. But with ocean surrounding them, North Pointe has plenty of food and a steady way of life. They are a people deeply rooted in tradition and family name.

The Eleste Highlands

Cliffs, hills, boulders, and the long Amakiir River are what await travelers of the Eleste Highlands. As unforgiving as they are beautiful, the Highlands are not easy to cross if travelers stray from the roads. Small farming communities dot the land, but the largest town is Vesper.

Vesper sits right on the river and depends upon it for livelihood. This town cares little for the troubles of the rest of the world. The people are warm, simple, and always welcoming to weary travelers.

The Eleste Lowlands

The Eleste Lowlands are much easier to traverse than the Highlands. There is very little across them, and only one city brings travelers that far south. Oceala, the Gem of the Bay.

This gorgeous coastal city is mainly Elven but has frequent travelers that stay for extended periods. Sitting upon a crescent-shaped beach, the city is colorful and fun.

Black Fog Swamp

The Black Fog Swamp sits at the very end of the Firelit Forest and exactly on the border between the Korventine Empire and the Eleste Lowlands. That is likely why its town, Silvertongue Hollow, is able to operate with no oversight.

A den of thieves and crooks, Silvertongue Hollow is a lawless and dangerous place. Its activities gave the Bay of Thieves its name, and any reputable ships will sail far away to avoid pirates. The swamp is also known to be inhabited by ghosts that prey on the unprepared.



The Southern Kingdoms


The Five Cities

The Southern Kingdoms has little involvement with the rest of Corventos. A heavily forested area, it is known for its dire beasts. The Southern Kingdoms is a war-torn, restless area made up of five cities.

Gaea is the capital of the South and the largest city. Elkrun is mostly Elven and prides itself in its heritage. Amarok is farmland that is often attacked by dire wolves. Castor and Pollux are known as the Twin Cities and raise strong warriors, horsemen, and sailors.


The Iron Gauntlet


De Behl Marr

De Behl Marr is a volcano sitting towards the southern part of the Iron Guantlet. The primary powerhouse of this territory of Corventos, De Behl Marr is mainly inhabited by Dwarves.

The Dwarves of De Behl Marr played a critical role in the Day of Sealing by contributing their wealth, and their King Vicrum, to lay a trap for the dragons. After the trap’s success, De Behl Marr was forgotten about, leading to the Dwarves now rarely dealing with the outside world. And even more rarely letting anyone else in.

The Canyon of T’rizgrad

The Canyon of T’rizgrad is an arid location that borders on the Eleste Highlands. The canyon itself and the area surrounding it is home to many tribes of diverse races and cultures. They exist with uneasy relations, and there are often battles.

The Eastern Forest

The Eastern Forest sits near the Canyon of T’rizgrad. For centuries this forest has been avoided as there are frequent reports of hauntings within its depths.

The Iron Karsts

The Iron Karsts lie just north of De Behl Marr. There are a handful of small settlements, but mostly it is a wild, untamed area. Frequent monster sightings ensure only the bravest of travelers pass through here.

The Blue Hills

The Blue Hills lie to the south of De Behl Marr. So named because of the wide view of the skies above and overall sunny weather. The Blue Hills contain two towns within. Lily Valley and Thorn Thistle Villas.

Both Lily Valley and Thorn Thistles Villas have a predominant population of Gnomes and Halflings. Settled between De Behl Marr and the large city of Sunspire, these two towns enjoy easy wealth and plenty of trade.

Sunspire

The coastal city of Sunspire is the second powerhouse of the Iron Guantlet and is known as the City of Ensemble. It is a sprawling city focused on religion. While it is welcoming of all people with a creed of mercy and kindness, it does have strict rules in place.

Magic is forbidden unless with a writ of approval. And even then, those that practice divine magic are much more likely to get permission than any Wizard.

The Citadel

The Arcane Fangs

The Arcane Fangs is a mountain range that marks the border between the Citadel’s territory and the rest of Corventos. They are the tallest mountains in Corventos and are know as the Impassable Mountains. Covered in snow and ice most of the year, they act as the perfect defense for the Citadel.

The Citadel

The Citadel sits at the furthest northeastern edge of Corventos. It is a magical academy, a center of arcane research, and a ruler of magical law. It is highly protected and not even teleportation or divination spells can pass within its area.

A city known as Cita sits outside the Citadel and is home to members of the institution, their families, and guests.


The Deep Hollows


The Deep Hollows are not an official territory of Corventos. They are a series of caverns, tunnels, and underground cities deep below the ground. Many on the surface don’t even believe the Deep Hollows are a real place. Rural communities may not have even heard the term. But larger cities see any entry to the Deep Hollows, or its denizens, as a threat.

There exists large cities and tiny outposts all across the Deep Hollows. Some noted locations are Berenzia and Balum Guar. Berenzia is a massive city of Dark Elves that lies nearby to Eleste’si. Balum Guar is a large city of Dark Dwarves that lies near De Behl Marr. Conditions in the Deep Hollows are dangerous, and it produces hardy people that can survive even the toughest trials.



Thread of Souls

The Pantheon – Protector Gods

Earth Molder / Clay

Creation. Stoicism. Contribution.

The Earth Molder is frequently known by his name, Clay. His symbol is three brown mountains. He is worshipped by crafters and builders, as well as those with a profound sense of contributing to the community and respecting nature. He is often depicted as a humanoid figure shaping a pot. His colors are shades of brown.

Clay was instrumental in the design of the Material Plane before the gods’ creations were brought to life in it. Often a loner that did not actively seek worship, Clay supported the construction of the Gate of the Gods to bring peace to their creations.

Forge King / Thruumdar

Crafts. Fire. Blessings.

The Forge King is often referred to by his name, Thruumdar. He is most actively worshipped by Dwarves and Dark Dwarves, but crafters from other races will also worship him. Thruumdar advocates for the building of fine items, especially through the forge. His symbol is an iron anvil with a red glow behind it. He is often depicted as a stern Dwarven-like figure wreathed in fire.

When war came to their creations, Thruumdar taught the people near the volcano now known as De Behl Marr how to harness its power to craft armor and weapons to defend themselves. He also has crafted many divine and legendary items that are scattered throughout the land.

God of Creatures / T’rizgrad

Wilderness. Animals. Savagery.

T’rizgrad is sometimes referred to as the God of Creatures. T’rizgrad respects the cycle of life and death as it applies to nature, and champions hunting and survival. His symbol is the brown silhouette of a bull’s head, though he is said to take the form of a great minotaur. He is often the deity most worshipped by those that live in the wilds or races that have more animalistic connections in their physicality.

T’rizgrad often stayed apart from the other gods prior to the building of the Gate of the Gods, also known as the Sundering of the Divine. But any intrusion into his territory would draw his swift wrath.

Goddess of Death / Lady Raven / Sheldrana

Death. Healing. Natural Order.

The Goddess of Death is most commonly referred to as Lady Raven, and very rarely by her name, Sheldrana. Her symbol is a scythe surrounded by two raven wings. She is often depicted as a dark hooded and winged figure. She guards those that pass on and is actively opposed to necromancy, murder, and the perversion of death. Her Deathwalkers are an order of warriors that fight against the necromantic arts.

Lady Raven joined the pantheon much later after the previous god of death corrupted his duties. As such she is not strongly connected to the other gods and is seen as an outsider. She took part in a key battle during the Divine Wars and is still suffering from the loss.

Holy Dragon / Halathras

Honor. Loyalty. Truth.

The Holy Dragon is very rarely known by his name, Halathras. He is often depicted as a golden or platinum dragon, and his symbol is a golden eye. His followers tend to wear white and gold and advocate for the protection of others. He is often worshipped by valiant warriors, healers, Paladins, and leaders.

Halathras’ dragons were one of the first things the gods created. And their breath and power shaped parts of the Material Plane. One of his primary enemies is the Blight Dragon, who uses draconic powers for chaos and destruction. The Holy Dragon battled the Blight Dragon during the Divine Wars and came out victorious.

Lady of Light / Hope Bringer / Li’alda

Hope. Faith. Light.

Li’alda is often referred to by her name but sometimes as the Lady of Light or the Hope Bringer. Her symbol is a sun on a white background. She is often depicted as a blonde female in a white dress with a flower crown. She promotes hope for the oppressed and faith that bad times will pass. Many seek her out when going through troubling times, and her dedicated worshippers are those devoted to helping others.

Li’alda is the daugher of Naydrin and Thruumder and is the first true god born from the union of two other gods. Li’alda played a key role in the ending of the Divine Wars because she sought peace and happiness for their creations.

Life Giver / Naydrin

Birth. Care. Family.

The Life Giver is often referred to by her name, Naydrin. Her symbol is the form of a pregnant woman hooded in yellow. She is worshipped by midwives, caretakers of children, and often young parents. But she is often sought by distraught parents when a pregnancy or child is in danger.

Naydrin was the first god to propose that their creations should be able to procreate themselves and increase their population. She was also heavily involved in the first creations of life. The god Driphiss is a main enemy of hers as he whispered in their creations’ ears to encourage them to kill each other.

Lore Keeper / Lady of Wisdom / Vitandi

Knowledge. Wisdom. Progress.

The Lore Keeper is equally referred to as the Lady of Wisdom or by her name, Vitandi. Her symbol is a bronze hourglass on a backdrop of aqua. She is often depicted as a sphinx. She is worshipped by researchers, scholars, and teachers. There are orders dedicated to her and the pursuit of knowledge. As well as the safeguard against dangerous knowledge.

In the early days of creation Vitandi wanted information to be passed down from generation to generation so their creations could thrive and grow. She is a secret keeper for the gods, closely guarding information that should never be spoken again.

Magister / Naboris

Magic. Discovery. Order.

The Magister is often referred to by his name, Naboris. He is the patron god of those who practice magic and the sole deity of the Citadel. His symbol is a purple spark. He is often depicted as a bronze-skinned male wearing robes with arcane sigils. The Magister promotes research and discovery of the arcane as a way to progress society forward. But he also advocates for its control and using it only for good.

Naboris was the god who taught their creations magic. He played an extremely active role in the Divine Wars due to his assault by the Silk Weaver. He was one of the primary deities that advocated for the Gate of the Gods and had a key hand in its creation.

The Shepherd

Agriculture. Animals. Simplicity.

The Shepherd has only ever been known as this one title. He is the god of farmers and those who live far away from civilization. His symbol is a pair of brown animal horns wreathed in orange flowers. He is depicted as a hooded man in simple clothes carrying a crooked cane. He is often favored by Gnomes, Halflings, and Rangers.

The Shepherd taught their creations how to farm and live off of the land. He kept to himself and did not actively take part in the Divine Wars or the Sundering of the Divine. He advocates for a simple, quiet life.

Silver Dancer / Maiden of the Moon / Ellavar

Freedom. Serenity. Music.

The Silver Dancer is often referred to by her name, Ellavar, or sometimes as the Maiden of the Moon. She is the child of the Silk Weaver and the Magister. Her symbol is a silver sword across a silver, crescent-shaped harp. She’s depicted as a feminine form made out of moonlight. Her followers tend to be those who seek their own inner freedom.

There is very little of Ellavar recorded throughout history. Even during the prime age of the gods she kept to herself. She enjoyed playing music for their creations, but only so long as she couldn’t be seen. But violence in the Divine Wars drove her into hiding, and she has been missing ever since. Many believe her to be dead, and her base of followers has dwindled to nearly nothing.

Tamer and Dusk

Weather. Forests. Creatures.

The Tamer and Dusk are a sibling pair of deities. Their symbol is a sapling before a crescent moon. They encompass all aspects of nature, but particularly the weather and forest life. Their followers are often Druids and those that reject cities and the laws of people. They are often seen as more chaotic gods as they embrace all levels of nature, even the violence. They are often depicted as various nature spirits with no set look.

The Tamer and Dusk were close friends with Ellavar during the Prime Age of the Gods due to her association with the moon. They tend to be nocturnal gods and their followers feel most closely associated with them under a forest moon.

Tide Bringer / Ocea

Ocean. Sailing. Sea Life.

The Tide Bringer is also referred to by her name, Ocea. Her symbol is three blue waves arranged in a triangular formation. She is depicted as a dark-skinned woman with a serpent-like lower body. She is worshipped by sailors, pirates, and those that live off of the sea. She promotes a harmonious relationship with the water and she protects all life within it.

She is more of a neutral god and keeps to herself unless approached or provoked. When evil encroached onto her territory during the Divine Wars, she took part in a critical battle and was victorious.



Storytelling, Thread of Souls, TTRPGs

Turning a Tabletop Game into a Book

How we turned a 5+ year game into a fantasy series!


When we discovered tabletop gaming in 2015, I (Talia) did not understand it. How do you play? What do you mean there is no board? But as a lifelong lover of fantasy, my interest was piqued. And when Dorian ran his first game and only two friends showed up, I offered to play to help build out the group. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Tabletop gaming worked its way into all aspects of our life. Art, cosplay, decorations, conventions, video games, board games . . . anything related to rolling dice and telling stories we wanted as part of our lives. So when it came to writing, this just seemed like another natural progression.

I knew early on I wanted to turn our homebrew TTRPG story into a book series. I have written stories my whole life and was actively involved in fanfiction as a teenager. I actually won a few community awards for my fanfics including Best Romance, Best Adventure, and Story of the Year. I had published a middle grade fantasy fiction through Amazon before as my fist “official” book. But after years of playing the same storyline, the passion for it fully took hold. I just had to turn this into a book!

As an experienced writer (and an online journalist through sites like The Nerd Stash and The Drive) I felt up to the task of translating a homebrew TTRPG game into a book. And I wanted it to be as dark and gritty as the actual game, but with points of humor and fun. I wanted it to capture this sweeping homebrew world that was created as well as easily dive into the very personal struggles of each character.

So here is a look at what it takes to translate a game into your own story!


Don’t Lore Drop All at Once

As the GM, Dorian had fleshed out an incredible homebrew world. As Assistant to the DM, he consulted me for geographical tips, historical events, and overall world building. So from early on in the game it very much felt like our own creation. Players were all given a few pages detailing Corventos as well as a map and a calendar.

However, that kind of stuff doesn’t really work for a book. You can’t drop all the history of the world at the beginning. It has to be worked throughout the story, sometimes across a few books. One big tip is that things should be name-dropped or hinted at first before really getting into the details. This helps readers not feel overwhelmed when they get to the lore.


Extrapolating on Scenes & Dialogue

I kept detailed notes of our games after about a 1 – 2 years of playing. I even kept track of some impactful dialogue I could remember. But, games flow differently than a book. Some scenes are skipped over at the table for ease of telling the story and making adjustments for player changes. We had one player change out his class entirely. He did really good at trying to keep a roleplay reason for it, but in the end all other characters accepted the changes easily without too many questions. It just helps push the story forward.

But in a book, more detail and explanation are needed. Often I find myself creating entire scenes from scratch to fill in these “holes” and tell a smoother story. So you definitely need to know your world and your characters thoroughly to be able to deviate from what happened in-game and make it feel right in the book.


Copyrighted Stuffs

As it was a homebrew world, we already had many creations of our own. We even had alternative names for the gods as well as our own take on them and what they meant. We especially took the lore of the drow and duergar and made it our own, creating brand new backstories, societal systems, and our own take on their religion. But of course we used normal monster names and item names that were already in the books.

So we have had to make up our own names for these things, or even reinvent them entirely. For example, we fought beholders in the game. But beholders got a complete remake for the book, including abilities, appearance, and a name. Many magical items are ignored for the book unless they have a central point to the plot. Readers don’t care about a +1 magical dagger for our rogue. But a dagger that comes back to the hand thrown is important.

This has had the added benefit of enhancing our games more. Now we use pretty much entirely homebrewed creations.


Point of View

One of the biggest questions was what point of view was this story going to get told in? I had always used third person omniscient, but that just didn’t feel like enough. I wanted to really be able to dive into each character and explore their minds and perspective. We also had a larger cast of main characters, and I wanted to ensure no one got steamrolled over the other.

So I employed a strategy to vary whose point of view the chapter is told from. I kept it to third person limited and changed it out each chapter. That way I could pick whoever was best for that specific chapter, and also get to dive into their needs and wants without pushing out other characters.

I first saw this used as a teenager in Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimaeus books. I absolutely love those books and was fascinated how he would go back and forth between two characters in third person limited chapters. But also how he would use the first person perspective for Bartimaeus’ chapters. And with the chapter titles simply being their names, that shaped the young writer in me.


Telling a Story in Progress

The Thread of Souls series is based off our homebrew TTRPG game. But this campaign is not finished. So we are essentially telling a story in progress. I ensured I didn’t start writing until I was a few books ahead based upon my rough outlines. Currently I’m in the process of writing Book 3. But we are currently playing Book 7. This has impacted the way we play the games, but I think for the better all around. We are so committed to telling a great story, and delivering emotional roleplaying, that this has only enhanced our game.


Don’t be afraid to record your own games! It doesn’t have to be as a book. Maybe as art, or aesthetic boards, or story arc playlists. As we found out from our survey on players’ personality types, most of us that play are heavily creative and insightful. And the more ways we express our joys, the better.