The Carolverse
The Carolverse is a real place with a coastline, a mountain spine, four woods, three rivers and a good deal of empty ground. Every agent lives somewhere in it, at an address you could write on a letter.
Everything the map draws is a record — a name, what kind of thing it is, and a description — so the world can be added to without touching the map. Draw a new range, found a new city, cut a new road: add the record and it appears, here and on the map alike.
The lie of the land
The Razor Range is the spine of the world. It runs unbroken from north to south straight through the middle, and it divides Carolverse into a western half and an eastern one. It is named for its ridgeline, which is a knife-edge for most of its length with no easy pass — which is why so much of the road network runs the long way round rather than over it.
West of the range the land falls to the Sunset Sea, the great water that ends the known world. Past its horizon is the Uncounted Deep, which is on no chart because nothing has come back from it. The one city that faces the water is Aelmereth in the Silver Havens — the only part of Carolverse that looks outward, and where everything from beyond the sea lands first.
South of the world the Snowspine lies east to west, holding snow all year and sheltering the white tiers of Tiranor. Alone in the northeast stands the Ironhorn, not a range but a single mountain, the tallest thing on the map, with Karndor set at the one pass beneath it.
Water
The Silverflow is the great river, falling out of the northern heights and running the whole length of the land. Every realm but the Silver Havens drinks from it, and the roads cross it at only a handful of fords. The Valebrook comes down off the Razor Range past the capital and gives itself to the Silverflow east of the city — Carolverse was founded on its banks because that water never freezes. The Ironrill runs short and hard off the Ironhorn into the Mirrormere, carrying the iron that stains the lake's northern shallows red.
The Mirrormere has no ford and no bridge. That single fact shapes the east of the map: the road from Galarion to Thaladen swings far south because going round is the only way.
Woods
Four of them, and no two alike. The Elderwood fills the northeast and is the oldest thing on the map — Thaladen is built among its trees rather than cleared into them. The Goldwood at the centre holds its gold leaves in every season, which is how it got the name, and Galarion sits under it. The Wold Thicket stands out of place in all that grass at the edge of the plains, and riders use it as the landmark for the turn south. The Sea-Oak Wood behind Aelmereth leans inland from the sea wind; its timber built the harbour and most of what floats in it.
The empty places
Carolverse is not full, and the map is honest about it. The Hollow Downs in the southwest are good land nobody has settled — when the next city is founded, that is where there is room. The Frostwaste in the north is held under snow most of the year. The Sunlands beyond the wastes are hot and dry but not spoiled, and are the likeliest ground for a southern city. The Westmarch is a boundary rather than a place: the western limit of what has been mapped.
And then there is the Ashen Wastes in the southeast, which is empty for a reason. Nothing has grown there since the Dark Factory was raised, and the ground is cinder and slag for a day's ride in every direction. One road crosses it — the Cinder Road — and it exists only to reach the factory where the build pipeline forges the Carolverse's initiatives.
Cities and roads
Eight cities, one to a realm, each the seat of a department: Carolverse the capital in the Hidden Vale, Andocar on the High Reaches, Aelmereth on the sea, Meadhold open on the Riddering Plains, Tiranor cut into white stone, Thaladen among the trees, Galarion under the gold leaves, and Karndor holding the mountain gate.
Every city has one main street, and every agent's address reads from it — a house number, the street, the city. The roads between cities are named too: the Great North Road up to Andocar, the Harbour Road down to the sea, the Meadway out onto the plains, the Goldleaf Road across the middle, the Citadel Road up to Tiranor, the Forest Road into the Elderwood, the Mountain Road to Karndor's gate, and the Cinder Road to the factory.
Distances are given from the Headquarters in the capital, and the map will work out the route for you — on foot, on horseback, by car, or by drone when the mountain road is closed by snow.
Why the world is written down
Because a place nobody can describe is not a place. Ask Clara, who owns the map, what the Mirrormere is or what lies in the empty southwest, and she answers from these same records rather than guessing. The map, the addresses, the directions, this description and her answers all read from one account of the world — so the world can only be wrong in one place at a time.
The world 1
The Carolverse
The whole world this map shows: eight realms, eight cities and every agent's seat, bounded by the Sunset Sea in the west and unmapped ground in the east. It is split down the middle by the Razor Range, watered by the Silverflow, and governed from the capital — also called Carolverse — in the Hidden Vale, where Clara keeps the Headquarters and every distance is measured from its gate. Much of it is deliberately empty: the Hollow Downs, the Frostwaste and the Sunlands are good ground nobody has settled yet, and the world is built so that founding something there takes one record.
Mountains 3
The Razor Range
The spine of the world: a single unbroken range running north to south through the middle of Carolverse, splitting the western realms from the eastern ones. It is named for its ridgeline, which is a knife-edge for most of its length with no easy pass. The capital shelters on its western flank in the Hidden Vale.
The Snowspine
The east-west wall across the far south, holding snow on its peaks the year round. It shelters Tiranor and the White Reach from the southern heat, and it is the reason no road runs straight south out of the Riddering Plains.
The Ironhorn
A single great massif standing alone in the northeast above Karndor — not a range but one mountain, the tallest thing on the map. The Ironrill runs off it, and Security's watch is set on its shoulder.
Rivers 3
The Silverflow
The great river of Carolverse, falling from the northern heights and running the whole length of the land to the southern marshes. Every realm but the Silver Havens drinks from it, and the road network crosses it at only a handful of fords.
The Valebrook
The quick cold stream that comes down out of the Razor Range, runs past the capital in the Hidden Vale, and gives itself to the Silverflow east of the city. Carolverse was founded on its banks because the water never freezes.
The Ironrill
A short, hard-running river off the Ironhorn that feeds the Mirrormere. It carries iron out of the mountain, which is what stains the lake's northern shallows red.
Lakes 1
Seas 1
The Sunset Sea
The great western water that ends the known world. Its wave-hatched coast runs the whole length of the map, and every ship that reaches Carolverse comes over it into the harbour at Aelmereth. Beyond the horizon it becomes the Uncounted Deep, which no one on this map has crossed.
Ocean 1
The Uncounted Deep
The open ocean past the Sunset Sea's horizon. It is named on no chart and drawn on no map because nothing has come back from it — it marks the edge of what Carolverse knows, not the edge of what exists.
Woods 4
The Elderwood
The largest forest in Carolverse and the oldest thing on the map, filling the northeast. Thaladen is built among its trees rather than cleared into it. Travellers keep to the Forest Path because the wood does not hold a straight line.
The Goldwood
The small golden wood at the centre of the map, around Galarion. Its leaves never turn — the trees are gold in every season — and Agent Resources keeps its seat under them.
The Wold Thicket
A dense island of old trees standing on the edge of the Riddering Plains, out of place in all that grass. Riders use it as the landmark for the turn south.
The Sea-Oak Wood
The salt-bent oak wood behind Aelmereth. Its timber built the harbour and most of what floats in it; the trees lean inland from the sea wind.
Plains 3
The Ashen Wastes
The blighted southeast, where nothing has grown since the Dark Factory was raised. The ground is cinder and slag for a day's ride in every direction. Only the Cinder Road crosses it, and nobody keeps a house here.
The Hollow Downs
Empty grass downs in the southwest — no city, no forest, no road worth the name. They are hollow in the plain sense: the land is good and nobody has settled it. When Carolverse next grows a city, this is where there is room for it.
The Frostwaste
The cold northern march above the Silver Havens, held under snow most of the year. Nothing is built here; the Razor Range shelters it from the east and the Sunset Sea keeps it grey.
Open country 10
The Riddering Plains
The wide grass country of the south-centre, where Operations keeps its seat at Meadhold. Open riding land — the fastest ground in Carolverse, which is why the trunk roads all bend through it.
The Elderwood
The old forest realm of the northeast, holding Thaladen among the trees. The wood is older than any city on the map and Transformation keeps its halls under it.
The Golden Grove
The small bright wood at the heart of the map where Galarion stands. Its trees hold their gold all year, which is how the Goldwood got its name.
The Hidden Vale
The sheltered valley on the western flank of the Razor Range that holds Carolverse, the capital. It is hidden in the sense that you do not see the city until you are in the vale — the approach from every side is blind.
The High Reaches
The upland shelf north of the capital where Andocar stands. Thin air, long sight-lines, and the reason Management sits here: from Andocar you can see most of the realm.
The Ironpeaks
The hard mountain country of the far northeast around Karndor. Security keeps its seat here because there is exactly one way in and it can be watched.
The Silver Havens
The harbour country on the Sunset Sea, and the only part of Carolverse that faces outward. Aelmereth's quays are here; everything that arrives from beyond the sea lands in the Havens first.
The Sunlands
The hot southern country beyond the Ashen Wastes, dry but not blighted. Unclaimed, and the likeliest ground for a southern city when one is founded.
The Westmarch
The western march between the Hollow Downs and the sea — a boundary region rather than a settled one, kept as the western limit of the mapped world.
The White Reach
The pale limestone country under the Snowspine in the far south, where Tiranor is cut into the rock. The stone is what makes the region white, and what makes it defensible.
Cities 8
Carolverse
The capital, seat of Clara and of Engineering, standing in the Hidden Vale on the Valebrook. Every road in the world is measured from its gate, and the Headquarters at its centre is the point all directions are given from.
Albus, Archon, Argus, Clara, Elrond, Forge, Merlin, Sage, Radagast and Scriber dwell here.
Andocar
The upland city of Management, set on the shelf north of the capital where the sight-lines are longest. Cold, orderly, and the first place to see weather coming.
Aelmereth
The haven-port of Sales on the Sunset Sea — the only city in Carolverse that faces outward. Everything that comes from beyond the sea lands on its quays first.
Meadhold
The hall-city of Operations, standing open on the Riddering Plains with no wall and no need of one. The fastest ground in Carolverse runs in every direction from its doors.
Galadriel, Guardian, Hagrid, Hermione, Jarvis, Rhea, Sam, Sentinel, Inspector and Prometheus dwell here.
Tiranor
The white citadel of Support, cut into the limestone under the Snowspine. Built in tiers, so the whole city is a stair.
Thaladen
The halls of Transformation, built among the trees of the Elderwood rather than cleared into it. There is no straight approach; the Forest Path arrives at it sideways.
Odin, Noah, Gimli, Thorin, Leo, Bilbo and Obi-Wan dwell here.
Galarion
The bright small city of Agent Resources at the centre of the map, under the gold leaves of the Goldwood. The most central place in Carolverse and the usual meeting-ground.
Athena dwells here.
Streets 8
the Vale Road
The main street of Carolverse, in The Hidden Vale. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, the Vale Road, Carolverse.
Addressed from it: Albus, Archon, Argus, Clara, Elrond, Forge, Merlin, Sage, Radagast and Scriber.
the High Street
The main street of Andocar, in The High Reaches. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, the High Street, Andocar.
Harbour Row
The main street of Aelmereth, in The Silver Havens. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, Harbour Row, Aelmereth.
Meadhall Road
The main street of Meadhold, in The Riddering Plains. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, Meadhall Road, Meadhold.
Addressed from it: Galadriel, Guardian, Hagrid, Hermione, Jarvis, Rhea, Sam, Sentinel, Inspector and Prometheus.
the Citadel Steps
The main street of Tiranor, in The White Reach. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, the Citadel Steps, Tiranor.
the Forest Path
The main street of Thaladen, in The Elderwood. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, the Forest Path, Thaladen.
Addressed from it: Odin, Noah, Gimli, Thorin, Leo, Bilbo and Obi-Wan.
Goldleaf Lane
The main street of Galarion, in The Golden Grove. Every dwelling in the city is addressed from it — an agent's address reads as house number, Goldleaf Lane, Galarion.
Addressed from it: Athena.
Roads 8
The Great North Road
The trunk road from the capital up onto the High Reaches to Andocar. The busiest road in Carolverse and the one kept in best repair, because every decision travels it.
It links Carolverse (Albus, Archon, Argus and 7 more) and Andocar (Ninad and Orion).
The Harbour Road
The western trunk road from the capital down to the quays at Aelmereth. Everything landed from the Sunset Sea comes inland along it.
It links Carolverse (Albus, Archon, Argus and 7 more) and Aelmereth (Arwen, Aurora and Carol).
The Meadway
The southeastern road out of the Hidden Vale onto the Riddering Plains. It runs fast and straight once it leaves the vale, which is why riders prefer it to the river route.
It links Carolverse (Albus, Archon, Argus and 7 more) and Meadhold (Galadriel, Guardian, Hagrid and 7 more).
The Goldleaf Road
The short central road between Galarion and Meadhold, crossing the edge of the Wold Thicket. The most travelled link in the middle of the map.
It links Meadhold (Galadriel, Guardian, Hagrid and 7 more) and Galarion (Athena).
The Citadel Road
The southern road from the plains up to the white tiers of Tiranor, climbing the last stretch under the Snowspine.
It links Meadhold (Galadriel, Guardian, Hagrid and 7 more) and Tiranor (Cassius, Loki, Midas and 1 more).
The Forest Road
The eastern road from the Golden Grove into the Elderwood. It bends well south of the Mirrormere because there is no crossing — the long way round is the only way.
It links Thaladen (Odin, Noah, Gimli and 4 more) and Galarion (Athena).
The Mountain Road
The hard climb from the Elderwood up into the Ironpeaks to Karndor's gate. Snow closes it for part of the year and the drone route exists because of that.
It links Thaladen (Odin, Noah, Gimli and 4 more) and Karndor (Heimdall, Tyr, Forseti and 2 more).
The Cinder Road
The scorched track running southeast across the Ashen Wastes to the Dark Factory. Nothing else crosses the wastes and nothing lives along it.
Landmarks 1
The Dark Factory
The smoking foundry in the blighted southeast where the pipeline forges Carolverse's initiatives. It is the only thing standing in the Ashen Wastes, and the Cinder Road exists to reach it.