Royal Lands In and Near Ormas
from Parkstone’s The History of Damensea
The three major royal lands in and near Ormas are all exquisite, yet most people residing in Ormas have never visited any of them since they require permission from the king or queen to visit.
The only royal land inside of Ormas and not a natural area, the palace is the royal land most are at familiar with even if they have never visited. Home to Calatini’s kings since the kingdom’s founding, the sprawling castle of white limestone is at the center of Ormas. The palace is adorned with elaborate turrets and countless window, and the white limestone glows in the light, so the palace is stunning even from the outside. The palace grounds are extensive and filled with many types of beautiful gardens that awe visitors.
The inside of the palace is filled with exquisite art and tapestries, and rooms themselves are dazzling. The elegant ballroom at the heart of the palace is enormous and perfect for hosting balls for the entire court. Yet the throne room is even more impressive—the white limestone walls and massive pillars as well as the green and gold tapestries glow in the sunlight and the enormous witchlight chandeliers that light the throne room. A green and gold carpet that matches the tapestries leads to a dais just large enough for the two thrones in white marble and gold. And behind the thrones, a white velvet curtain conceals the perilous Mirror of Wisdom.
An hour and a half hour ride north of Ormas, the royal bay is a large bay with enormous, cerulean waves and soft, golden sand surrounded by steep yet verdant slate cliffs. The picturesque bay was converted to a royal land by King Blair, who adored the sea and sailing. (And once his sister Princess Treasa became a dragon, they would meet there rather than in Ormas.) The royal bay is glorious in any season, but the waves are fiercer in the autumn and winter.
A two-hour ride ride east of Ormas, the royal forest is a vast and ancient hardwood forest that was created by King Calator to protect the melissae hive of his mentor Esme the Great. Because the stings of the large, bee-like melissae can be deadly, ’tis especially difficult to receive royal permission to ride in the royal forest. However, the small clearing at the heart of the royal forest is an otherworldly and spellbinding sight with the melissae buzzing about their ancient cottage surrounded by the fragrant and often-flowering melissa plants.
Real World Inspirations
- Palace = all fairytale castles
- Royal Bay = Watergate Bay Beach, Cornwall, UK
- Royal Forest = Oak-Beech Forests + honey bees