LA DOULEUR EXQUISE

( ━ FAIRYTALE RETELLING )

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THE ATLAS

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IMMORTALIS

( SOMETIMES, NOTHING LASTS FOREVER ━ NOT EVEN FOREVER )

LAND OF KINGS AND QUEENS & GODS AND MONSTERS

RULED BY KING CORVUS OF IMMORTALIS & QUEEN CASSIOPEIA OF IMMORTALIS

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( THE WEST OF IMMORTALIS )

━ THE LANDS OF RICHES & GOLD !

( RULED BY KING CORVUS & QUEEN CASSIOPEIA )

the kingdom of wealth and prosperity. it is reigned by king corvus and his beloved wife, queen cassiopeia. even though it is the king who sits on the throne and decides upon the fate of the realm, it is rumored that he is heavily influenced by his queen, for she is as wicked as she is beautiful.

━ VOLANTIS ( THE CAPITAL )

located in the west of immortalia, is VOLANTIS, the capital of the kingdom. apart from the PALACE OF IVORY, where the royal family resides, it is commonly known for its lively town square, where most of the citizens live ━ traders and merchants, as well as bakers, blacksmiths, carpenters and tailors. most commoners are well endowed, dressed in silken garments, their wavy hair decorated with flower crowns, while they happily walk along the streets, chatting friendly and smiling brightly. most faces seen here, are faces of contentment and happiness. there's always summer in VOLANTIS and the royal gardens are full of blooming flowers who spread their intoxicating scent through streets and alleys.

━ PALACE OF IVORY

this is the place where the noble family lives, including the king, his queen, his son and only heir, the royal council, as well as their knights and servants.

━ THE IVORY TOWER

since the king tends to be very paranoid and can't seem to trust anyone among the palace walls ━ not his son, not his wife and certainly not his council members, for they are as dishonest and unfaithful as one can be ━ THE IVORY TOWER watches over the PALACE OF IVORY at all times.

━ WIDOWS HILL

while most men fought in THE GREAT WAR, their wives formed the tradition of gathering on the hillside each day, as they were looking at the seas together, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their loved ones. but just a few ships returned after two months ━ most of the royal soldiers fallen in the battle between bloody swords and burnt cannon powder. while being a former place of hopefulness, WIDOWS HILL is now known for tragedy and desperation. some noble ladies are still visiting the hill at sunrise, grieving for the men they had lost a long time ago.

━ MAIDENS TOWER

situated near the royal chambers of the queen, the tower watches over the east of the capital.

━ THE GREAT CHURCH OF THE WEST

while there isn't as much as faith in immortalis, THE GREAT CHURCH OF THE WEST offers desperate souls a place where they can think about their life's choices, pray for their sins and be momentarily at peace. beneath the white floors also lies one of the biggest cemeteries ever found, where former kings and queens are buried along their royal family members.

━ WATCH TOWERS

along THE GREAT WALL are four watchtowers, carved from ivory stones, decorated with silver ornaments, seeing everything that happens inside the kingdom of wealth and prosperity.

━ THE GOLDEN DISTRICT

a collection of small towns, found near THE GREAT WALL, housing many of noble birth.

━ THE SACRED LAKE

calm waters, where most of the resources come from, located in the west of immortalia. THE SACRED LAKE has found its origin in THE NORTHERN SEA and is extremely important to the capitals survival.

━ DUNGEONS OF DARKNESS

hidden deep within the west range of THE MISTY MOUNTAINS lies a number of the most secure prison cells ever found, where criminals and traitors are left to rot, some of them awaiting their well deserved execution.

━ THE GREAT WALL

a giant wall, surrounding the whole kingdom and separating THE LANDS OF RICHES & GOLD from the dangers THE WILD LANDS surely hold. no one enters this kingdom without the king's permission ━ and no one leaves it.

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( THE EAST OF IMMORTALIS )

━ THE PLACE OF HAPPINESS & KINDNESS !

( RULED BY KING CORVUS & QUEEN CASSIOPEIA )

behind THE MISTY MOUNTAINS is a place where people are enjoying their lives in simplicity. they do not live in poverty here ━ but they are simple people, needing only the bare essentials of living. everybody has a work to do ━ they are farmers, tailors, bakers, hunters and gardeners. the people are kind there, valuing calmness and peace above everything else, and the land is a lush one, endowed with far extending forests and fields filled with wildflowers. the townspeople are subordinate to THE CAPITAL and must provide them with a quarter of their harvest earnings for half a year.

━ THE VILLAGE

the majority of people has built their homes in the east, near THE OLD FOREST. most houses look simple from the outside, some made of wood, some made of stone ━ some built within the hills or nestled into their sides, some with a roof of reed or straw, others are decorated with a lot of round windows ━ but there's one thing that they all have in common, namely, the gardens. every little house is surrounded by a luxurious garden ━ fruit trees are sighing constantly under the weight of apples, cherries and plums, while flowers are blooming everywhere you look, and animals have made their homes in the little vales you can find behind each house.

━ THE TOWN SQUARE

a place where the townspeople are mostly gathering. here, the markets are opened every second day ━ the people are kindly talking to their neighbours, tasting fruit cakes and buying flower bouquets, while they are strolling among the cobbled streets. occasionally, festivals are to be held on THE TOWN SQUARE, whenever the villagers can afford these luxuries.

━ THE OLD FOREST

a far extending forest, which begins at the gentle hillsides of THE MISTY MOUNTAINS. it is rumoured that there are multiple entrances into the FOREST OF THE DAMNED, but since nobody who found them, has ever returned to tell the tale, it's nothing more than a rumour ━ for now.

━ THE FOUNTAINS

located near the entrance to the FOREST OF THE DAMNED, THE FOUNTAINS are fed by little rivers that have found their origin in THE SOUTHERN SEAS. these springs are calm and refreshing ━ folk say that there's something in the water that can make the forest come alive ━ it is said to have healing powers, too.

━ THE MEADOW

a place where flowers bloom between golden straws of grass and birds are chirping in the trees. it is located near the eastern part of THE VILLAGE and can be found through various paths, extending from THE OLD FOREST. THE MEADOW is one of ODETTES favorite places, for she always is at peace here.

━ THE EASTERN ROAD

THE EASTERN ROAD leads over fields and meadows into the THE OLD FOREST and even crosses the borders of the FOREST OF THE DAMNED a few times. it is mostly known as a trade route the villagers are using to transport their goods to THE CAPITAL.

━ THE MISTY MOUNTAINS

towering high into the cerulean skies, THE MISTY MOUNTAINS are a border between THE LANDS OF RICHES & GOLD and THE VILLAGE. it is said that the mountain peaks are surrounded by fog all the time, and whoever tries to cross the borders illegally, will suffer a fate even more cruel than death itself.

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( THE EAST OF IMMORTALIS )

━ THE WILD LANDS !

( RULED BY THANATOS, THE GOD OF DEATH )

the kingdom of darkness and desperation, where the creatures of the night hide in the shadows and every light is soon to be erased. thanatos, the god of death, is reigning these lands, known for his impulse actions & immense cruelty.

━ FOREST OF THE DAMNED

did you hear that laugh? this is the land of the wicked ━ of sorcerers and witches, banshees and necromancers, faeries, devils and demons. FOREST OF THE DAMNED is a forest like any other ━ except that it is haunted by demonic spirits and leery skeletons. beware the toxic pollens, for they can cause hallucinations!

━ FORTRESS OF EVIL

sacred totems decorate the trees and demonic wolves guard the doors of the dreadful castle, where the god of death himself resides. strange things do happen in this place ━ dark spells are spoken, magical potions are brewed and war strategies are discussed, while the god of death is planning his revenge on all those who ever wronged him.

━ LURE RIVER

provided with toxic fumes and the hypnotic sound of whispers, the seemingly harmless river brought death above a hundred outlaws already.

━ WITCHS CAVE

the realm of the forest witch, better known as ODILE, the hauntingly beautiful but strangely terrifying daughter of the infamous THANATOS.

━ THE HOLLOW

located in the west of the forest, THE HOLLOW is the threshold to enter DEVILS PLAYGROUND & the residence of HERMES, son of the infamous THANATOS.

━ DEVILS PLAYGROUND

a city filled with monsters. criminals are common here, as are witches and wizards, necromancers, devils and demons. it is a place of madness, where people hide themselves behind masks, their ways twisted and immoral, and the only ally you will ever have is yourself.

━ THE WANDERING MERCHANTS

the place of merchants and traders, where shady people praise their goods on shaky market stalls and coins shine temptingly in the flickering light of torches. you can buy anything here, from natural medicinal herbs to rare sets of sparkling daggers, if you know where to look and whom to ask ━ and if you've got the right payment. THE WANDERING MERCHANTS are mostly held in DEVILS PLAYGROUND ━ but they are changing their exact location when the clock strikes midnight every day. beware of those you trade with there, for no one seems beyond wicked schemes and vicious acts of trickery.

━ THE HAUNTED GRAVEYARD

oh, you thaught of a real graveyard? no, THE HAUNTED GRAVEYARD is, indeed, just an inn. or, to be more precise, a place of pleasure. prostitutes and concubines are mostly present here, but so is everyone who wanders the dimly lit paths on the outskirts of DEVILS PLAYGROUND, looking for some thrills. it is claimed that night never leaves this area, and darkness looms over the inn at all times.

━ CITY OF BONES

a kingdom of darkness, where the dead can talk and the blind can see. skeletons happily stroll among the city's streets, witches with burned skin and wild hair are lurking behind walls carved with pagan marks, brewing magic potions inside their tarnished cauldrons, and it's not uncommon that ghosts suddenly appear out of nowhere, haunting visitors with their cackling laughter. be careful, for this may be the home where all your childhood stories live ...

━ BONES BRIDGE

a passage of darkness, located in the east of DEVILS PLAYGROUND. the only way to enter the CITY OF BONES ━ unless, of course, you are already dead.

━ PASSAGE OF DARKNESS

a dark road, beginning at the foothills of the FOREST OF THE DAMNED and leading into THE MISTY MOUNTAINS. none who venture there ever return. it's a spooky place, with paths that lead to BONES BRIDGE and DEVILS PLAYGROUND ━ and to even darker regions, none has ever heard of.

━ THE HANGING HILL

you probably don't need to guess what this place is about ━ THE HANGING HILL is well known as the refuge for desperate souls who want to flee their fates and escape the curse that ties them to the world of the living. one hundred years ago, criminals were hung on that exact hill to pay for the crimes they supposedly have committed.

━ THE DEAD MARSHES

an area of swampland near THE HAUNTED GRAVEYARD. the marsh lands stretch for miles and miles as far as one can see ━ they are known as one of the few partially undiscovered places within the realm. tales describe these lands as foggy ponds with hauntingly lit up candles and flickering flames ━ it is told that there are faces floating in the water, rotten and pale.

━ DEAD MANS BAY

just the most ruthless pirates will enter DEAD MANS BAY, for not everyone is as fearless ( or naive ) to make trades with the creatures of darkness. careful, visitors ━ not all who roam this harbour are from the living.

━ DEAD MANS CLIFF

the most deadly cliffs you will ever encounter. DEAD MANS CLIFF is the graveyard of countless sea people ━ it is rumored that every day, when the clock strikes midnight, their ghosts are haunting the seas, their minds full of grief and sorrow, leading pirate ships into the cliffs, till their victims suffer the same unfortunate fate they had to encounter so many years ago.

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( THE SOUTH OF IMMORTALIS )

━ THE LANDS OF LONELINESS !

( NO MAN'S LAND )

the lands of loneliness, where they know no ruler, for it is unknown, if there's even life there. no one knows how far the wastelands are extending ━ and no one wants to know.

━ RED VALLEY

part of THE DESERT OF DESPAIR where the ground is as red as blood and the air reeks of death and decay. certainly not a place you should go.

━ THE DESERT OF DESPAIR

you will find no quells or rivers or even streams in THE DESERT OF DESPAIR ━ it is a desolate wasteland, riddled with fire and ash, where sandstorms are no exception and starvation is a certainty. people who go there, have either lost all hope or are seeking a slow death.

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( THE OCEANS OF IMMORTALIS )

━ THE LAND OF FREEDOM & TREACHERY !

( PIRATE'S LAND )

for as long as it is known, pirates freely roam the seas ━ their loyalty wavering from one hour to another, their flags bearing symbols of violence and death, their ships wrecked by thunderous storms or the cannon fire of their enemies. pirates are ruthless people, most of them lacking all honor, valuing their own survival and the hunt for treasures above everything else. they belong to no one and are not to be trusted ━ even the royal navy has given up on hunting them down a long time ago. 

━ THE EASTERN SEA

located in the vicinity of DEAD MANS CLIFF lies THE EASTERN SEA ━ where the waters are lifeless and wild and full of dangerous creatures.

━ PLEASURE ISLAND

a small island, found in the middle of THE EASTERN SEA ━ a land built from temptation and madness, similar to DEVILS PLAYGROUND. the island can be easily reached through passages on pirate ships ━ but the amusement park can only be accessed by those who have a ticket, most people buying them from the shadiest of traders in DEAD MANS BAY. criminals are mostly common here, as are outlaws and thieves. but it's not rare that you can spot a few children shouting from the ferris wheel or grinning from out of the shadows, while holding red and white striped candy in their little hands.

━ THE SOUTHERN SEA

calm and fresh waters, where most of the resources come from. the ships that travel along THE SOUTHERN SEA are usually trading ships transporting goods from VOLANTIS to THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS and back.

━ THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS

small groups of land, connected by wooden bridges that are decorated with summer flowers. here, it is safe and warm, the air feels fresh and pure, and the queen who reigns these islands is fair and just.

━ THE NORTHERN SEA

water as cold as ice, deceptively quiet, illuminated only by the dim light of the moon. beware the alluring sirens who are known to live under the surface!

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━ LITTLE NOTE !

hello, lovelies! oh my god, i am so so relieved to ( finally ) be able to publish this chapter! it was so hard to write this outline ━ it took me nearly four months of constant desperation ━ and more so, frustration ━ because i just couldn't find the perfect words to describe the locations this map includes & there were a lot of days where i just thought i should give up and write this story in german instead, because i thought my english isn't as good as hoped it would be. but yeah, i kinda pushed through all the doubts and now i can finally present you a result i am quite satisfied with. this is actually my first completely thought out fantasy world ━ worldbuilding is definitely a hell of a ride, that's for sure. so ━ long story short, i really hope you liked this chapter!

also, i would love to have a world map, but somehow i had no clue how creating a map works. i will try to get my way into photoshop though, so if any of you know a tutorial about creating a world map, i would gladly appreciate the advice. plus, if i messed up any phrases, or if you find some serious grammar mistakes, i would love to know that, because i want to improve my writing. but yeah, that's all ━ for now. i really hope you liked the introduction! have a lovely sunday, everyone <3

( a special thank you goes to starryeyedturtle, plaindaisies, worIdsaway, -champagneroses, imweirdbutokay, -killerqxeen, binghams, dearlykhaotic, wildhxnt-s, Cherrymarselina, ROYALTEA- & TheDarkTemptation for their sweet support! )

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