The Dustlands and Volcanic Plains of Valdera
This barren expanse, often referred to as the Dustlands, is a hostile and foreboding place. The sky is perpetually overcast, with thick clouds of ash and sulfur drifting lazily across the landscape. The ground is a parched, cracked terrain of fine gray dust, interspersed with jagged outcroppings of volcanic rock. Scattered across this wasteland are the remnants of ancient lava flows, their hardened surfaces etched with scars of past eruptions. There is no vegetation here—no trees, no grass, not even the most resilient scrub brush. The air is heavy with a metallic taste, and the wind, when it blows, carries a stinging spray of ash that cuts at exposed skin.
Massive volcanoes loom over the horizon, their peaks shrouded in black smoke and glowing with the ominous orange light of molten lava seething within. Periodic eruptions send tremors through the ground, and rivers of lava snake down the slopes, leaving behind a trail of charred earth and choking fumes. It is said that no creature can survive here for long, and the only sounds that break the oppressive silence are the rumblings of the earth and the distant roar of volcanic eruptions.
Yet, despite the overwhelming bleakness, there are whispers among Valdera’s explorers that something stirs within the Dustlands. Strange shadows seen flitting through the clouds of ash, faint glowing eyes glimpsed in the darkness of deep crevices—these sightings suggest that the Dustlands are not as empty as they seem. But whatever creatures might inhabit this forsaken place, they remain elusive and are known only through the fleeting, fearful accounts of those few brave (or foolish) enough to venture into the heart of the wasteland.
The Lush Jungles of Kelyra, the First Sister Moon
In stark contrast to the Dustlands, the first of Valdera’s sister moons, Kelyra, is a verdant paradise. Covered in dense, tropical jungles and threaded with sparkling rivers and waterfalls, Kelyra is a place where life thrives in every form and color imaginable. The air is warm and humid, filled with the heady scent of blooming flowers and the sounds of countless creatures calling to one another through the foliage.
The trees of Kelyra are massive, their trunks wrapped in vines and moss, their canopies stretching high into the sky. Leaves of every imaginable shape and hue create a patchwork of color, from deep emerald greens to fiery reds and vibrant purples. Luminescent plants dot the forest floor, casting a soft, ethereal glow that illuminates the underbrush even in the deepest night. It is a place of staggering beauty, where the boundaries between plant and animal seem to blur, and even the flowers move with a strange, graceful fluidity, as if swaying to some unseen melody.
The creatures of Kelyra are as varied as they are wondrous. Delicate, winged insects flit from blossom to blossom, their wings shimmering with iridescent colors. Small, feathered reptiles scurry up tree trunks, their bright plumage standing out against the dark bark. The Miststalkers—large, feline-like predators with fur that changes color to blend seamlessly with their surroundings—prowl the shadows, hunting the smaller herbivores that graze on the lush foliage.
Traveling through Kelyra’s jungles is a sensory overload, every step revealing new wonders and hidden dangers. Despite its beauty, the moon can be treacherous. The thick vegetation hides pitfalls and venomous creatures, and sudden storms can turn tranquil rivers into raging torrents. Yet, for all its perils, Kelyra is a place that draws explorers and naturalists alike, eager to uncover its secrets and document its unparalleled biodiversity.
The Frozen Tundras of Karael, the Second Sister Moon
The second of Valdera’s sister moons, Karael, is a stark, frozen wasteland—an ice-bound world of endless tundras and towering glaciers. Karael’s landscape is one of stark beauty, where the sun casts long shadows over fields of unbroken snow and ice. The sky is a brilliant, crystalline blue during the day, and at night, it comes alive with the shimmering lights of the auroras, casting the world below in hues of green, blue, and purple.
Life on Karael is hard, but it endures. The tundras are home to herds of Frosthorns, massive, shaggy beasts with thick, woolly coats and curved, ivory horns that can pierce through solid ice. These creatures roam the frozen plains, scraping away snow and ice to uncover the sparse, hardy mosses and lichens that grow in the sheltered crevices. Predatory Snow Phantoms—sleek, white-furred creatures with piercing blue eyes and silent, padded feet—stalk the Frosthorns, using their natural camouflage and keen senses to ambush their prey.
Karael’s ice caves, formed by millennia of shifting glaciers, harbor even stranger creatures. The Glacier Eels, sinuous, translucent beings that swim through the icy waters beneath the ice sheets, are among the most unusual. Their bodies emit a faint bioluminescence, casting eerie, shifting patterns on the ice above. Despite their ethereal appearance, Glacier Eels are deadly predators, capable of launching themselves from the water to snatch unsuspecting prey from the edge of the ice.
