The Map

The fortress estate of Lady Seraphine Holloway in the Upper Circle. A place of cold elegance and ancient secrets. Her galleries display collected artifacts—and collected mages are stored elsewhere.

The factory where Tam Sterling works. Dangerous conditions, choking dust, and child workers coughing blood. Foreman Griff protects Tam when he can.

The public fighting venue where mages battle for wealth, fame, and survival. Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. The crowd cheers loudest when blood hits the sand.

The poorest district of Valdris. Cramped tenements, rotting buildings, and desperate lives. Where Eliana and Tam grew up, and where the forgotten scratch out survival beneath the notice of the wealthy.

A tavern in the Dregs where information flows as freely as cheap ale. The kind of place where nobody asks questions and everybody lies.

The commercial heart of Valdris. Shops, markets, and the betting parlors that fuel the arena economy. Where the middle class pretends not to smell the blood in their coin.

Underground fighting facility owned by Hadrian Cole. Training grounds, dormitories, and an infirmary for those who survive. Connects to ancient passages below that even Hadrian doesn't fully understand.

Noble district where the wealthy watch blood sport from gilded balconies. Mansions, gardens, and servants who know when to look away. The elite play games with lives that aren't their own.