Velgarth

Velgarth is a fictional continent, set on an as-yet-unnamed planet, created by author Mercedes Lackey, and is the setting for all novels thus far published in the Valdemar Saga, so-named as most novels in some way pertain to, take place in or otherwise involve that country. The planet is first named in the novel "Arrow's Flight," and is it rarely referenced thereafter. According to Mercedes Lackey's personal website [http://www.mercedeslackey.com/text/1biblio2.shtml official bibliography] , there are 26 novels and 3 short story collections set in Velgarth as of 2005-06-09. As with any fantasy setting, certain conventions regarding the setting hold true throughout the series.

Supernatural Abilities

Velgarth's supernatural abilities can be classified into two main categories called "Magic" and "Mind-Magic"; though a number of abilities fall outside of either description.

Magic

Magic, in Velgarth, refers to the ability to use a normally-invisible form of energy to produce fantastic results. This energy, also referred to as "Mage-power", is present both in living beings and the environment. Powerful streams of energy, known as "ley-lines", may be utilized by some mages; and only the most skilled "Adept-level" mages can control and use the powerful "nodes", or reservoirs, where two or more ley-lines meet. These lines and nodes can occur naturally, or can be created by extremely skilled mages. From these nodes, the energy is slowly siphoned into a desolate nether plane called the "Void"; and later returned to the world ("Storm Warning"). Magic is said to act much in the same way that water does. It is present in nature everywhere, and slowly drains into the ley-lines (which are like rivers). The ley-lines then flow into nodes, just like a river flowing to a lake. After the final cataclysm is averted ("Storm Breaking"), all magic was taken from the earth and now falls like rain back down upon it. It is believed that, given time, magic will once again begin to behave the way it did before. ("Owlflight")

Magic in Velgarth is accessed in a number of ways. Anyone with the ability to see magic ("Magesight") can manipulate it; the difference in power levels being that of skill, patience, and natural ability of the user. Various means of achieving the desired results are mentioned throughout the novels, including:
* Spontaneous Direct Manipulation. This type of magic is taught by the Tayledras mages, and by some of the original Herald-Mages.
* Extraplanar Proxy. Explained by Kethryveris in the Vows and Honor trilogy, the White Winds School of magic often requests the aid of beings from different planes of existence to facilitate the use of magic.
* Artifice. Characters have been shown to use both magical diagrams, ceremonies ("Oathbreakers"), and devices ("Black Gryphon", "Storm Breaking") to trigger specific magical effects.
* Divine Magic. Never fully explained in detail, Divine Magic is the magic of the priest and shaman. In "By the Sword", Captain Kerowyn notes that it is sufficiently different from other types of magic to have captured war spoils examined by both mage and priest.
* Blood Magic. A taboo form of magic that allows the practitioner to gain power by causing pain and death. Unlike the others in the list, this is a source of power, as opposed to a technique or school. The power can be channeled through the other forms of magic. Notable Blood Mages in the series include Leareth ("Magic's Price"), King Ancar of Hardorn, and Mornelith Falconsbane ("Mage Winds" trilogy). Typically the users are evil, but there are exceptions. For example, Shin'a'in shamans have been known to commit self-sacrifice for the good of their clans ("Mage Winds" trilogy). It could also be argued that the "last ditch" method of taking out an enemy by magic known as Final Strike is a form of Blood Magic. To use Final Strike, the caster suicides using all their power and the power of their own blood magic to attack their enemy; not even the highest Adepts can survive Final Strike and there is normally no trace of the caster left apart from a pile of ash. Herald-Mage Vanyel in Magic's Price calls down Final Strike on Leareth.

Psychic Abilities

Psychic abilities, called alternately "mind-magic", "Gifts" (usually capitalized), or "Herald's Magic", are encouraged in Valdemar and presumably the little-discussed southern nation of Ceejay. The Empire had no tradition of mind-magic, and (until faced with Valdemar) assumed Gifts were charlatan's tricks. Before the reign of Solaris, the people of Karse rejected mind-magic, and often burned the Gifted alive.

Gifts are accessed by sending energy through "channels" in the mind ("Magic's Pawn"). These channels are dormant in most people; those who manifest Gifts have active or open channels. This is the same energy used by Mages, though those without the "Mage Gift" can only use the natural power within themselves except in rare cases where Companions can feed power from themselves to their Herald. Due to this limitation, those who over-use their gift quickly collapse or die when they overspend their own natural energy.

The most common of these channels allow for Mind-Hearing , and the corresponding Mindspeech. Other abilities include Farsight, Foresight, Fetching, Empathy and Firestarting and Magesight (Mage Gift). Gifts can be strengthened to a point by repeated use; but pushing a person beyond their usual abilities can result in a debilitating "reaction headache" or worse.

Healing

Healers use "healing energy" on a small scale to "encourage a person's body to do quickly what it would do anyway." For the recipient, this results in the near-instantaneous healing of minor injuries. Major injuries, such as those received by Queen's Own Herald Talia ("Arrow's Fall"), may take months of Healing sessions, depending on the power of the Healer.

Healing energy can repair damages due to injury or illness, but cannot replace a missing limb or reverse birth defects. Healing energy only speeds natural recovery. Scarring may be reduced by the use of magical Healing but not eliminated.

A specific type of Healing called Mind-Healing focuses on the maladies of the mind and emotions, rather than the physical well-being of the patient.

Bardic Magic

Bardic Magic in Velgarth seems to be related to other Gifts, especially Empathy. The use of Bardic Gift is usually embedded in performing music. "Talented" Bards, those with the Gift as opposed to extremely talented musicians, can influence people's emotions or behavior with their music; letting them experience the song.

Earthsense

A rare form of additional perception, Earthsense is the ability that allows one to "see" or "feel" the condition of the land around him. Examples of this are Herald-Prince Darenthalis ("By The Sword"), King Tremane ("Storm Breaking"), and Firesong K'Treva ("Mage Winds" and "Mage Storms" trilogies). Traditionally, the monarch of Hardorn is required to possess Earthsense in potential, which can then be awakened by ritual. Also, all Tayledras Healer-Mage Adepts have Earthsense as well, which allows them to sense hurts in the land and use their mage gifts to help heal them.

Divine Intervention and Religious Sects

Deities are real and take an interest in the Velgarth setting; this interest can range from granting abilities to their priests to large-scale protection like the Iftel border and shielding of Iftel and Karse by Vkandis Sunlord and the Dhorisha Plain by Kal'enel after the Mage Wars and again during the Mage Storm trilogy.

Other, less proactive deities and their sects are occasionally mentioned in the story. Most notable is the small sect of female mage-warriors to which Need belonged during her human life. Baron Valdemar prayed to "every deity he had heard of" in the Grove on the night the first Companions were born, which may explain in part Valdemar's historical tolerance for all religions.

Non-Human Races

Companions

Companions are highly intelligent magical creatures who look like (but are not) white horses with silver hooves and blue eyes. Each Herald has such a Companion. Companions "Choose" Heralds in the trainee or apprentice stage; the exact nature of the "Companion's Choice" is not stated explicitly in the novels. Various Choices have been described as "being weighed and measured," "falling into [the Companion's] blue eyes," and "finding something I didn't know I was missing." The Choice bonds Companions to their Heralds into a mutual relationship, and the bond can affect both parties' spiritual and physical well-being. The Companion becomes a loving friend who guides, supports, and sometimes augments a Herald's abilities; the relationship between the two is very similar to the Pernese dragons' with their riders. The joining is known to strengthen the Herald's Gifts, especially Mindspeech. The Choice is, for the most part, permanent; it can be broken while in its early stages, although doing so will physically and emotionally scar both parties. After the initial phase, however, the bond becomes so important that the loss of either Herald or Companion is followed by depression and almost always death. The defining factor of one's Choosing seems to rely on the individual's moral fiber and where applicable, their ability to provide something that is needed by Valdemar, at the time.

The Companions first appeared from a grove near the palace in Haven, seemingly in response to King Valdemar's prayer (see History of Valdemar). Though the first companions were all Grove-Born, later generations were born in the manner of normal horses. In "Present-Day" Valdemar (Reign of Queen Selenay), only three Companions are revealed to be Grove-born: Gwena (Companion of Herald Elspeth), Rolan (Companion of Talamir and later Talia), and Rolan's predecessor Taver (Companion of Talamir).

Though the true nature of the Companions has not been fully revealed, it is inferred they are both the returned spirits of departed Heralds and Companions, as well as divine agents or "avatars" of the gods. In the novel "Oathbreakers", the Shin'a'in goddess specifically refers to a Companion as the " [child] of my other Selves." That being said, Companions take great pains to reveal that they are both fallible and mortal. When a Companion or Herald dies, he or she is sent to a "resting place" where they can recover from their recent life. After a time they are given the choice of returning as a Companion, with all memory of their past life intact, or to lose all of their old memories and become a human baby destined to become a Herald. Not all Heralds are returned from previous lifetimes, many are "new souls" who are then judged/weighed by the Companions to join the ranks of the Heralds.

These spirits are not allowed to return as Companions within the lifetime of the people they knew to avoid emotional entanglements such as Choosing their own child, or revealing themselves to their former lover. When they return as Companions they often use some variation of their former human name (for instance, a Herald-Mage called Savil might use the name Sayvel as a Companion).

The Companion to the Monarch's Own Herald is always a Grove-Born Stallion, and is considered the leader of the Companions. This Companion, currently Rolan, has the ability to bond with a second Herald if the Monarch's Own dies; as Rolan has Chosen both Talamir and Talia ("Arrows of the Queen"). The Monarch's Own is also subject to this; if his or her Companion dies, it is possible for the Herald to bond to a newly-arrived Grove-Born Companion. Also, presumptive Monarch's Own who are also Heralds are only temporarily bonded to their first Companion; though the exact nature of "this" bonding is not explored ("Magic's Promise"). The Monarch's Own Companion is not a reborn Herald, They may be a true Avatar. There seem to be several who take turns. Rolan was Monarch's Own Companion during Brightly Burning, two hundred years later Taver has replaced him, and Rolan returns when Taver is killed in battle.

The only Grove-Born mare since the time of King Valdemar is Gwena, who seems to have been "newly created" for the purpose of being the Companion to the first Herald-Mage in several hundred years.

Firecats

Firecats are similar to the Companions in that they are the returned spirits of the Sons of the Sun, the head of the church of Karse, effectively the head of the country. Because there are far fewer Sons of the Sun, there are fewer Firecats. Firecats do not make any attempt to hide their nature and use the name they were known as when they were Son of the Sun.

Firecats are assigned (presumably by V'kandis) to accompany a human, usually to designate a new Son of the Sun, and to advise the Son of the Sun as a direct representative of the sun god. Firecats will also accompany and advise individuals whom V'kandis believes to be figures who are likely to be central in coming events that the Sunlord wishes to influence.

Firecats resemble very, very large Siamese cats with red markings instead of brown, and blue eyes. They have the ability to appear as a common cat, become invisible and to transport themselves long distances by teleportation. They can also transport a human, although the extra "load" tires them greatly. Like Companions, Firecats are mortal, must eat and sleep and grieve.

Only three Firecats are seen in the canon stories, Altra, Firecat to Karal, Karsite Ambassador to Valdemar, and Hansa, Solaris' Firecat. The third is Kharr, seen in the story The Cat Who Came To Dinner, a short story by Nancy Asire, which appears in the official Valdemar short story compilation, Sun In Glory. Kharr is the Firecat companion of Reulan, a country priest who makes a trip with him to Sunhame, and is there crowned as the new Son of the Sun, on Summer Solstice.

Gryphons

The gryphons are a race of primary avian/secondary feline-based creatures created by the Mage Urtho (also known as the Mage of Silence) in the time before the Mage War trilogy. Gryphons, which are quadrupedal, winged, sentient beings, have the ability to fly and the potential for both magic and mind-magic. Urtho considered the gryphons both his children and his greatest accomplishment.

Gryphons give birth to living young (often twins), can grow rather old and come in various shapes, depending to a large part on the avian influence. Examples of the early generations are the hawklike Broadwings and the unique Gryfalcon-female Zhaneel. Obviously, later generations are larger then their progenitors, they reach at least the size of a heavy warhorse (Treyvan, Hydona). Usually, all four legs of a gryphon end in taloned feet of great strength. In some cases the forefeet are more handlike and useful for fine manipulations. Their heads appear very similar to those of raptors, just broader and topped by a set of feathered ears. Gryphon tails are feathered and sometimes end in tufts, not unlike those of lions.

Gryphons are deadly fighters and, save for a Cold Drake, there seems to be no creature that is a match for them without the aid of ranged weaponry, magic, a surprise tactic or a large dose of sheer luck. They also work as scouts and messengers, using their superior senses and speed. Two gryphons together (or a single one, supported by weight-reduction magic) are able to carry a harness or a sled with a human for several hours.

Gryphons, being created creatures, have unusual physiologies often requiring the presence of specially trained healers known as "trondi'irn". One very interesting aspect of gryphons is a built-in birth control system, designed by Urtho to prevent undesired gryphlets after he witnessed too many unloved children born as a result of one night stands ("The Black Gryphon"). The "condition" was originally overcome by a fictional "fertility ritual" designed by Urtho. Skandranon, the legendary Black Gryphon, learned the secret of the ritual near the end of the Mage Wars, and it was swiftly distributed through the ranks of the gryphons. Another is the fact that their flight is magical in nature, rather than physical (as stated in Larry Dixon's "Transmutation"), and is made possible by the fact that their physical structure is designed to channel magic. In "Present-Day" Velgarth, gryphons reside primarily in Iftel and as members of k'Leshya, as well as in the wild.

Kyree

The kyree are a race of wolf-like creatures that are found in the Pelagirs region and elsewhere. Kyree have a natural talent for mind-magic, and have the distinction of coming in three genders: male, female, and neuter. Warrl, the kyree companion of Tarma and Kethry in the Vows and Honor trilogy, is neuter. A den of kyree is also mentioned in Magic's Price known as the Hot Springs Clan which is within a few days traveling distance from the Ice Wall Mountains during the Last Herald-Mage trilogy. The kyree not only have powerful mind-magic but also produce among their numbers kyree born with the ability to become Mages, Healers, Shaman, and God-Touched.

In description the kyree have "rather blunt, wolf-like heads and bodies like a cheetah, with tails and coats like wolves." and they live for "about as long as humans."

Hertasi

This is a race of short lizardlike people allegedly created by accident by one of Urtho's predecessors ("The Black Gryphon"). The race is known for friendly relations with the Tayledras, as well as making up a substantial part of the population of k'Leshya. The race as a whole has a compulsion to serve, such as cooking and serving of meals and the cleaning and repairing of clothing, pathways, or housing. They are not subservient in this, more along the lines of down-to-earth friends who realize the great mages will forget to eat, sleep, and change their socks if it weren't for these little allies. Hertasi can be extremely timid, but Ayshen ("Owlflight") is very friendly, and isn't shy whatsoever. There are also clans of Hertasi that live out of the Tayledras Vales, usually in marshes or caves.

Hertasi farm crops such as rice and also do extensive fishing. They are proficient in the use of fishing spears and small hooked daggers, and can swim well. They are able to use Mind Magic, and some of them become Healers and Mages as well. Hertasi are active in the summer, and if they do not live in a Vale, they get sluggish in winter like all other cold-blooded animals. During the cold months they sleep as well as craft, making wooden carvings, clothing, and other utilitarian and decorative objects. If it gets too cold, Hertasi can get very sick, and sometimes die.

A Hertasi ("Gervase, the Lizard Wizard," as mentioned in "The Oathbound") is credited with the expansion of the White Winds School of magic.

The Hertasi motto is "We can do this." It is mentioned in The Black Gryphon.

Bond Birds

The bond birds of the Hawkbrothers are similar to Companions in that the birds choose the human that they wish to bond with. They bond only with Tayledras or those adopted into a Tayledras clan. All Tayledras are able to speak with their bond birds mind-to-mind, however, this is done in a more rudimentary fashion than the way Heralds speak to their Companions. Thoughts must sometimes be portrayed through feelings or simple phrases rather than through conversation. Unlike Companions, many bond birds may choose to bond to the same human at the same time. This happens most often with flocks of crows.

The Tayledras cultivate a bond bird breeding stock. Bond birds are allowed to live as wild birds if they wish, but most choose to bond. Bond birds are generally anywhere from 3 to 10 times the size of their wild counterparts.

Other Races

Tervardi are a race of flightless, anthropomorphic bird people. Known Tervardi settlements are found among the Tayledras and as members of k'Leshya. They are said to be beautiful singers and musicians. They were once traded as slaves because of their unique and enchanting voices, but the slave trade has stopped since they came under the protection of the Tayledras.

Dyheli are a race of stag-like creatures with a talent for offensive mind-magic. Dyheli herds are led by the male with the strongest mind; and in times of crisis the leader can and will psychically control the entire herd. Dyheli herds can be found near Tayledras vales and as part of k'Leshya.

Notable Countries

Valdemar

Valdemar is named after the country's first King. The country was founded when Baron Valdemar fled from the oppression of the Empire. After finally reaching beyond the Emperor's vast reach, he settled his people in what is now Haven. After some extremely tough times, Valdemar (now the elected King of the country) prayed to the gods for assistance. This is how the Companions came into existence. Haven is the nation's capital, as well as home to the three Collegia; a boarding school for Bards (Bardic Collegium), Healers (Healer's Collegium), and Heralds (Herald's Collegium). The country is ruled by a monarch with the advice of a council consisting of representatives from various areas of the country, guilds, and the Heralds. Only a Chosen Herald of the royal blood can become the King or Queen of Valdemar. If no one of the royal family is Chosen, then the closest of kin that is Chosen becomes the next monarch. The Heralds hold a special position in the government: they act as arbitrators, spies, militia trainers, and at times executioners. The reigning monarch is required to be a Herald, as are any named heirs.

Karse

Though a monarchy in technicality, Karse is a theocracy in function, being ruled by the Church of V'Kandis Sunlord. The Church of V'Kandis is led by a figure known as The Son of the Sun, called the embodiment of the Sunlord in the world.

The Son of the Sun was originally marked by being accompanied by a Firecat. However, since the time of Herald-Mage Vanyel, no Firecats have been recorded. Since around the same time, the Son of the Sun has been chosen by a council of high priests.

The current Son of the Sun is the High Priest Solaris, the first female Son of the Sun, and the first to be accompanied by a Firecat since the time of Herald-Mage Vanyel. Solaris has taken the unprecedented step of making peace with both Hardorn and Valdemar.

The Karsite culture is vaguely analogous to the Ottoman Empire, but with a decidedly Old German/Holy Roman Empire twist and a dash of medieval Russia.

Rethwellan

The Monarch of Rethwellan is traditionally chosen from the current Monarch's children by a magical sword. However, the sword was stolen and considered a legend until the events in "Oathbreakers".

King Faramentha took the crown during Selenay's reign, depending on the source either shortly before ("Exile's Valor") or shortly after ("By the Sword") his brother Karathanalan's death. Faram installed his brother Darenthalis as the Lord Marshall of his army. Daren was Chosen during Valdemar's second war with Ancar ("By the Sword"), and married Queen Selenay of Valdemar. He is Prince-consort and the father of twins Lyra and Kris, the current Heirs-presumptive.

Hardorn

Sharing a border with Valdemar, Hardorn was for many years ruled by Alessandar and was peaceful. Alessandar was murdered by his power-hungry son, Ancar, in "Arrow's Fall". Ancar waged a long and devastating war against Valdemar ("By the Sword", The Mage Winds Trilogy), holding a personal grudge against Queen Selenay and her daughter Elspeth. It was discovered that Ancar was being manipulated by agents of the Eastern Empire with the purpose of weakening Hardorn and making it ready for Eastern conquest. At the death of Ancar by Elspeth, the Eastern Empire began conquest (The Mage Storms Trilogy). The conquest was headed by Tremane, the heir presumptive of the Empire as a task to show his worthiness to rule. Mired down by bad weather and hit-and-run attacks from the Hardornens who remember Alessandar and being free and further disorganized by the arrival of the Mage Storms, Tremane fortified his position. By making himself popular with the locals he eventually was named King of Hardorn. His honesty sealed by a curse of truth set by Solaris using Divine Magic and by his bonding to Hardorn with Earthsense, Tremane allied himself with the kingdoms of the west and severed his ties with the Empire.

The Kaled'a'in "Cousins"

Three groups of people in "modern-day" Velgarth are descended from a nomadic people called the Kaled'a'in. Shortly after the Mage Wars ended, all the Kaled'a'in except for k'Leshya (Spirit Clan) gathered at the edge of the crater now called the Dhorisha Plains. k'Leshya were thought lost, and the remaining clans split along ideological lines. The clans which shunned magic became the Shin'a'in, and the clans which accepted it became the Tayledras. k'Leshya settled at White Gryphon, a fortified city built into the side of a cliff, and allied themselves with the "Black Kings."

The Shin'a'in, the Guardians of the Plains, have no true organization above that of a clan. However, each clan has a number of elders that deal with other clans. Shin'a'in are known by their name and clan; for example Tarma shena Tale'sedrin is Tarma of the Clan Tale'sedrin. The Shin'a'in guard the Dhorisha Plains, and are known as shrewd traders and excellent horsemen.

The Shin'a'in are strongly analogous to the native Plains peoples of the United States, such as the Apache, Comanche and Sioux.

The Tayledras, also called Tale'edras, or Hawkbrothers, their most common name, have little organization above that of their Vale. Vales are villages built around a Heartstone, a melding of the physical world and a magical node. The Heartstone is used to power a number of set spells; most important of these is the Veil, a weather-shield surrounding the entire Vale. The five Vales are set in the remnants of an old forest devastated and poisoned by the Mage-Wars, and a principle function of the Heartstone is healing magic to restore the forest to its previous condition; after a region is cleared, the Clan moves its Heartstone to a new center and the original location reopens to settlement. Over the course of its history -- and with few people aware of what was really happening -- Valdemar expanded significantly westward into former Tale'edras lands.

Vales are "ruled" by a council of elders, which consists of representatives of various trades, Mages, and Scouts. Tayledras are known for their bondbirds, who are larger and have enhanced intelligence (compared to normal birds) and limited Mindspeech.

The Tayledras are strongly analogous to the native peoples of the more wooded Eastern United States, such as the Mohawks.

The Eastern Empire

Founded by a group of stranded mercenaries in the years following the Mage Wars, the Empire is a military and magical powerhouse stretching from the eastern borders of Hardorn and Iftel to an undefined sea. Ruled by the Emperor, the Iron Throne is passed to the Emperor-elect in the final years of an Emperor's reign. Administrations can last upwards of a hundred years, for the Emperor must be a mage of at least Master-class, and as such has access to life-extending magics.

Until the Mage Storms, the Empire was known for their prolific use of magical Portals. The Mage Storm effectively eliminated the use of these portals, causing massive chaos throughout the Empire.

This group is culturally similar to and vaguely analogous to the Roman Empire.

The Northern Tribes

The Northern Tribes live in and beyond the Northern Barrier Mountains, the northern border of Valdemar, and are the same people who were repelled by Vanyel in his final stand in the northern mountains. In Vanyel's time, the Northern Tribes were united, mostly by force, by an evil mage whom is presumed to have been one of Ma'ar's reincarnations.

In the Owl trilogy the Northern Tribes return, this time as refugees into Valdemar. The Mage Storms have torn apart their land and structure, and illness has weakened them. There is not one culture or language, but many, differing by small regional tribal affiliations. They are vaguely analogous to the far northern Earth tribes such as the Inuit peoples of Siberia and far northern North America and the Lapps of northern Europe.

Notable Professions

Heralds

Heralds are exclusive to Valdemar, possess the highest quality of moral fiber and exist only by virtue of being Chosen by a Companion. Each Companion is destined to Choose someone, and most do so well in advance of reaching ten years age, though occasionally the wait can be quite long. Yfandes was ten years of age when she Chose Vanyel Ashkevron, shortly after the death of his Lifebonded, Tylendel.

Heralds are Chosen because they have the ability to contribute to Valdemar, or on occasion, because they have exact skills which are desperately needed by the kingdom at the time. When Chosen, one is brought by their Companion to Haven, and is enrolled in Herald's Collegium as a Herald-Trainee, and learns all of the fundamental skills that a Herald requires. Past Herald-Trainees are noted (in Take A Thief) as including assassins, spies, foreign agents or military personnel including officers, and a host of other unexpected things, and in Take A Thief, Skif becomes the first Herald-Trainee to have been a thief.

Heralds are held to an extraordinarily high moral standard, however. If a Herald or Herald-Trainee does not abide by this moral standard, they will be hounded by their Companion until they do abide by it and one who does unforgivable acts, will generally be "repudiated" by their Companion. This will usually be followed up by the Companion's suicide in some manner or another. The result for the repudiated Herald or Herald-Trainee is generally a wound so deep that it may mar the soul, though that is not assured, but it will also quite commonly leave the victim catatonic as a result, blankly nonresponsive. Those who are responsive, are typically insane to the point that they are unable to use any Gifts that they might possess. However, repudiation does not necessarily mean that one is relieved of their Herald status, as when Tylendel was repudiated, the Death Bell tolled for him, indicating that he was accepted by the Companions as a full Herald and should be buried with Herald's honors. One can assume that Tylendel was given this distinction because his repudiation and the terrible act perpetrated causing it were caused by severe psychological trauma.

It is implied that being connected, mind-to-mind, by way of Mindspeech, with another person at the moment of their death is an extraordinarily traumatic moment for anyone, but in the case of Tylendel, he was connected mind-to-mind with his twin and felt the murder of his twin firsthand. For this reason, one can assume that Tylendel's experience was far more traumatic than being connected to someone one does not know, and it is implied that even the act of killing an enemy by the use of Mindspeech (which is possible for those strong enough to do so) is highly traumatic on the individual who uses Mindspeech to kill, since the individual is still mind-to-mind connected to the individual at the moment of their death. It is important to note that Vanyel once had occasion to need to kill an enemy using his own Mindspeech as the weapon of necessity, and that in the aftermath of it he decided it was an experience he did not wish to ever have again and would avoid having to repeat the act at all costs.

Mages

There are two Mage Gifts: Mage-Sight, where the bearer is able to see magic itself, in ley-lines, nodes and other forms, and the Mage Gift itself. Generally speaking, the Mage Gift is required for someone to pass the level of an Apprentice or Journeyman. As with Healers, herb witches and hedgewizards are very common as almost anyone can use magic, when taught how to do so, just as anyone can heal if taught how, but only those who possess the Gift can generally reach any great level. Also, Mage Sight seems to be a major requirement for someone to reach Master Mage or Mage-Adept, as they need to be able to find some greater source of energy. However, one does not necessarily NEED to have Mage-Sight. The Mage Kethryveris attains Mage-Adept, but she is a White Winds sorceress and they teach the art of Extraplanar Proxy, which allows her an alternative source of power through whence to attain Master Rank.

Mage-Adepts possess extraordinary power, nearly limitless magical resources of energy and things that even for a Master-rank took a notable amount of energy take nearly no energy at all for an Adept, and moreover, Mage-Adepts have a new responsibility (or threat):

If a Mage-Adept issues a challenge to another Mage-Adept, the opposing Mage-Adept cannot decline. If they do, they lose their Adept status and drop back down to Master-rank, ostensibly busted by the gods themselves for denying the challenge, which seems to hold as much ritual significance as mundane. An engagement between Mage-Adepts can as easily kill both Adepts, particularly if both are skilled, or if one cheats, and it is rare for one to survive, though those who survive are not typically wounded past all chance of healing or repair (although they will most likely need Healing), but recovery will most likely be time-consuming. It is implied in the Mage Wars Trilogy that there are levels even inside of Adeptclass amongst Mages, as Urtho and Ma'ar are both implied to be extraordinarily powerful Adepts.

Mage ranks are as follows, after hedgewizard or herb witch:

Apprentice - Journeyman - Master - Adept

One either is, or is not, of this rank. It is not one that is simply given by someone who outranks the individual. It is earned, and when an individual has attained the rank, they simply know they have.

Healers

Those who possess the Gifts of Healing or Mind-Healing (or both) are commonly taken into Healer's Collegium, when found, and given proper training to become a Healer. Healers come in certain levels, which determine the power of the individual based on what level they are, but this level is not one given to them as in the case of Bards (see below), but rather earned and self-determining in nature.

Healers and Mages function on the same system. As there are hedgewizards & herb witches in Mages, there are similarly hedgewizards and herb witches in Healers. These are markedly more common, but in the case of these, what is uncommon is for them to realize their limitations and exact skills, and capitalize on them, but when they do capitalize on their own abilities and accept their own limitations, hedgewizards and herb witches can be extraordinarily useful. Of those more powerful than this, however, the order is much the same, again, as for

Apprentice - Journeyman - Master - Adept

Healer-Adepts are extraordinarily rare. They are far less common than Mage-Adepts, comparatively, and the sheer scope of what they can do makes them exceptionally valuable. Mind-Healers are even rarer as Mind-Healing is a rarer Gift than normal Healing, and therefore a Mind-Healer-Adept is valued higher, still, than a Healer-Adept. However, a Mind-Healer-Adept is also of exceptionally limited scope of use, but there's nearly nothing of mental disorder and trauma that a Mind-Healer-Adept could not repair.

Bards

Bards in Velgarth are fairly common, though outside of Valdemar, it is unknown if they receive much in the way of quality, focused training. However, inside of Valdemar, they are chosen based on the basis of whether they have "two of the three" gifts that are pertinent to Bards: Creativity, Talent, Gift. To become a Bard-Trainee, an individual must have two of the following three things: the Bardic Gift, the talent for playing one or more musical instruments, or the creativity required to compose original works. In Valdemar, one who possesses at least two of these three will be taken to Haven and enrolled, usually at no cost to the student or family, in the Bardic Collegium and will become a Bard-Trainee.

Bards wear scarlet, and are required to have weapons training. They have the following ranking system:Apprentice Bard - Journeyman Bard - Master Bard - Full Bard

Each level has certain requirements on it before you can be allowed to attain it. Graduation comes when you reach Master status, though some gain Full Bard status by the time of their graduation, but that is a rare occasion.

Mercenaries

In Velgarth, the Mercenaries Guild is something to be taken very seriously. Most of the time a company of mercenaries will not be hired unless they are associated with the Mercenaries Guild and have paid up their dues. There are rules which govern mercenary behavior, rules that the Guild enforces, and doesn't allow mercenary guildmembers to engage in - switching sides during a war, looting conquered lands unless expressly permitted by their employer, among other things. Mercenaries are held to a certain honor-code that is often underestimated outside of the Mercenary Guild, itself, but they do have a code of honor that they are held to by the Guild and they are punished by the Guild if they do not abide by it, as the Guild does not like to be misrepresented or given a poor image.

The Books

(In chronological order of events according to the Valdemar timeline)

"The Mage Wars Trilogy"

The Black Gryphon
The White Gryphon
The Silver Gryphon

"The Last Herald Mage Trilogy"

Magic's Pawn
Magic's Promise
Magic's Price

"The Collegium Chronicles"

Foundation

"The Story of Lavan Firestorm"

Brightly Burning

"Vows and Honor Trilogy"

The Oathbound
Oathbreakers
Oathblood

"The Story of Herald Alberich"

Exile's Honor
Exile's Valor

"The Story of Herald Skif"

Take A Thief

"The Story of Herald-Captain Kerowyn"

By The Sword

"The Heralds of Valdemar Trilogy"

Arrows of the Queen
Arrow's Flight
Arrow's Fall

"The Mage Winds Trilogy"

Winds of Fate
Winds of Change
Winds of Fury

"The Mage Storms Trilogy"

Storm Warning
Storm Rising
Storm Breaking

"The Owl Mage Trilogy"

Owlflight
Owlsight
Owlknight

"Short Story Compilations"

Sun In Glory - And Other Tales of Valdemar
Sword of Ice - And Other Tales of Valdemar