Every world has its crown — the place where history, destiny, and power converge. In Eldoria, that place is Gallandor. Known as the First Kingdom, Gallandor was born out of victory in the First Sundering, and for a thousand years it has stood as the guardian of prophecy, the jewel of Arathia, and the seat of the High King and Queen.
It is more than a kingdom. It is the beating heart of Eldoria.
The Land of Arathia
Gallandor lies in Arathia, the fertile heartland of Eldoria. Its rolling plains are rich with crops, its rivers glimmer like silver threads, and its roads carry travelers from all corners of the realm. Yet at the center of this abundance rises something far greater — Ashrathal, called Emberhold in bardic songs.
This mountain was not born of nature alone. It rose from the scar of the First Sundering, a peak forged in ash and fire when Malakaroth, the Dread King, was defeated. To the lords of Gallandor, it is Ashrathal, the Throne of Ash. To the common folk, it is Emberhold, the Keeper of Embers. Both names are true. Both carry weight.
Upon its slopes and around its base, Gallandor was built — a kingdom of stone and memory. But beneath the mountain lies a darker truth.
The mountain itself is a tomb.
At its core rests the chained body of Malakaroth. Gallandor is both protector of the world and reminder of its greatest wound. To live in Gallandor is to live in the shadow of vigilance, knowing that peace is not guaranteed but guarded every day.
The City of Arathia
At the mountain’s foot sprawls Arathia City, Gallandor’s capital and the jewel of Eldoria. Its white-stone walls gleam in the sun, its spires rise toward the heavens, and its streets hum with knights, scholars, merchants, and pilgrims.
Notable Landmarks
- Caer Thalion – Royal citadel of House Galanor, where the High King and Queen sit the throne. Its banners fly high above the city.
- The Great Library of Eldoria – Vault of prophecy and history, where the Whispering Stones are kept under guard of the Keepers.
- The Hall of the Dragon Riders – Monument to Gallandor’s proud order of dragon riders, now faded but never forgotten.
- The Spindelum Vault – Hidden deep beneath the city, where the Spindelum of Time was once locked away.
- The Whispering Stair – Tower where seers climb to glimpse visions. Its steps echo with voices not of this world.
Arathia City is not only the seat of kings. It is the memory of the First Sundering, the guardian of prophecy, and the heartbeat of Eldoria itself.
House Galanor: Blood of Kings
At the center of Gallandor’s story stands House Galanor, the ruling family whose line stretches back to the Age of Ashes.
- King Alric Galanor – A wise and battle-hardened High King, patron of the Keepers and defender of prophecy.
- Queen Elenara Galanor – Regal and compassionate; scarred forever when Morgathra, sister of the Dread King, attacked her during pregnancy.
- The Brothers Three – Torin, Kael, and Eadric. Triplets born in a single breath of fate, scarred in the womb by Morgathra’s curse. Each bears a fragment of shadow, and each is bound to destiny.
- Galen Galanor – Brother to Alric, a retired general and secret leader of the Keepers, sworn to guard the Spindelum of Time.
House Galanor is not just a royal bloodline. They are guardians of the world’s hope. The fate of Eldoria itself is tied to their scars.
The Burden of the Crown
Gallandor’s rulers carry more than crowns — they carry the weight of a tomb. Every monarch of House Galanor swears the same oath:
“As long as Gallandor stands, the tomb remains sealed.”
It is their glory, but also their curse. To be High King or Queen is to watch over the wound of the world, never free of the shadow it conceals.
The Culture of Gallandor
Gallandor’s people are proud and resilient, shaped by both plenty and vigilance.
- Farmers tend the fertile fields of Arathia, their harvests feeding much of Eldoria.
- Knights uphold ancient codes of chivalry, carrying lances and banners that trace their lineage to the First Sundering.
- Scholars of the Great Library dedicate their lives to understanding prophecy and recording the lore of the past.
- Common folk live with quiet pride, knowing their kingdom is the shield of Eldoria.
Gallandor is also haunted by memory. Every festival, every song, every monument whispers of the war that shaped the world. Its people live with hope, but also with scars.
Legacy of the Dragon Riders
Gallandor was once home to the legendary dragon riders, warriors who forged bonds with dragons and carried fire into battle against Malakaroth’s legions. Their order has all but vanished, but their spirit remains.
The Hall of the Riders is lined with statues. Songs still tell of Riven and the others who rode flame across the skies. Some believe their bond is not gone — that when the world needs them most, dragons and riders will rise again.
Gallandor in the Brothers Three
For the Brothers Three, Gallandor is not only their birthplace. It is their burden.
Born in Caer Thalion, beneath the banners of House Galanor and above the tomb of Malakaroth, their scars tie them to Gallandor’s destiny. Their journey stretches far across Eldoria, but all paths lead back to Ashrathal — to Emberhold — the mountain that holds both ash and ember, ruin and hope.
If Gallandor falls, all Eldoria falls with it.
“The crown of Gallandor guards the tomb,
If the crown should fall, the world is doomed.”
Behind the Writing
Gallandor has always been one of my favorite creations. From the beginning, I knew I wanted a kingdom that felt both majestic and haunted — a place of light and glory, but one forever built upon scars.
Tolkien’s Gondor inspired me, but Gallandor became something heavier. Not just a city of stone, but a city built on a tomb. Not just a line of kings, but a bloodline bound to prophecy. For me, Gallandor embodies the tension of fantasy itself: light built over shadow, hope born of ruin.
Crafting Gallandor has been my escape — a place to explore, to build, to return to when life demanded too much. It’s been years of sketches, notes, maps, and songs. And now, opening its gates here is a joy, letting you step into the world that has lived in my head for so long.
Until Next Time…
Gallandor is the First Kingdom, but it is only the beginning. Soon, we’ll step into Silvermoon — the hidden realm of elves — and Greenwood — the torchlit dominion of druids and forest spirits. We’ll descend into Ironclad’s glowing forges, sail with Stormwatch’s storm-driven fleets, march across Durhaven’s frozen plains, and walk the haunted halls of Barakthûn.
But it begins here, in Gallandor.
The First Kingdom. The guardian of the tomb. The heart of Eldoria.
If the crown of Gallandor falters, so too does the world.
A Hobbits Journey 