The Realm of Velherr (Vel-HAIR)

Home of the Goddess

Written by J. L. Gryphon

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Ambient sounds courtesy of tosha73 and EminYILDIRIM

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Greetings to those below. I am Death, though Azrael is the name . . . oh, never mind. It seems we are in an interesting predicament today. I had wanted to discuss Ssā, but that lazy snake is still . . . “busy.” So, to fix this little snag, I’ve come up with a new topic so Miss Cannibal has ample time to slither off her satin pillow.

Since we discussed Cazdaerni last time, it’s only fitting to discuss the Realm of Velherr this time. It is the place Cazdaerni is believed to have returned to on some grand and unknown quest for the goddess. It is the place believed to be Vānima the Veldriss’s original divine home before she descended to Orosta. But is that true?

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Truths & Beliefs

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by Nur Fajar from Pixabay

Well, this is a religious idea, those below. Who am I to say whether it is true or not?
Oh.
You’re saying I’m the perfect person to tell whether it is true or not? Because I am Death, I’m expected to know all, hmm? Well, I have discussed in the past how untrue that assumption is—ask any Cult of Azrael follower—but you’re right. I do travel from place to place, I collect as I am tasked to, and one would not be a fool to think in my many journeys to different lands—your land of elsewhere included—that, if it were true, I would have encountered the Realm of Velherr at some point.
Two problems with this theory, though:

1. The Realm of Velherr is said to be a divine realm, meaning everyone in it would be immortal. No “me” there to speak of. Nothing to collect. So it seems I most likely would have never traveled there, after all.
2. I think it quite spoils the fun to just tell you if it is true or not, real or not, sane or not. As with any religion, it is all about faith. It is about hope. It is about choice.

So, allow me to turn your question back to you, those below. Do you believe in the Realm of Velherr? Do you think it’s true?

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The Specifics

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I suppose that question would be easier for you to answer if you knew more about it. So then, allow me to be your neutral third party and explain the specifics. Once I have, you can make up your own mind.

Vānima's Design

by J. L. Gryphon via Artbreeder

What does the realm look like? Well, that’s the easy—uh, I mean, fun part. No one knows. In fact, the design changes depending on the going trends of public opinion.
I remember, though I did try to stay clear of the island of Rhye in those days, that the Realm of Velherr was originally believed to be an ashen wasteland. The theory was that after Vānima descended to Orosta, her divine spirit obviously went with her, leaving the world she had come from to shrivel and die. Some even theorized if Cazdaerni’s return was meant to restore the realm to its former beauty.
It is believed nowadays, though, that when a loyal follower of the Veldriss dies, their soul will return to the original home of the goddess. At least in spirit, they will be able to live with the goddess forever. Obviously with this belief gaining popularity, the realm’s physical descriptions got something of a facelift. Beautiful waterfalls, lush rainforests, all illuminated by a shining moon and twinkling stars that burn eternal.
Speaking of inhabitants, though . . .

Original Inhabitants

by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay - Modified by J. L. Gryphon

Home is where the heart is, some say, and where is the heart more present than with other people? There are several original inhabitants of the Realm of Velherr, of course those being the attending trinity, possibly Vānima’s two siblings—the Lost Prince and the Black Unicorn—and Vānima herself. But perhaps the most notable inhabitant is the realm’s namesake. It is believed within The Religion of Velherr that, before anyone else, the realm was the home of a divine dragon named Velherr.
Some say Velherr is the mother of all dragons, but that particular belief has always made made chuckle for the amount of hand-waving it requires. First comes the classic phrase, “We remember the dawn of the world because we were there,” which, should you ask any dragon in existence, curiously never mentions this supposed mother. Second, Velherr is believed to be a black dragon, and while black dragons are indeed majestic, powerful, and highly respected in the world of Orosta just as all dragons are, they are not . . . what’s a helpful land of elsewhere phrase? Black dragons are not . . . “top dog” . . . within the draconum hierarchy, and in fact they rank third behind red and gold dragons. You can imagine how much any real dragon would scoff at the claim Velherr was above even the ferocious reds. Indeed some dragons have scoffed at it, most notably Savanastra the Sun Dancer, a gold dragon currently engaged in an Invitation with Vānima.
Fortunately, Velherr doesn’t have a lot of development within the religion beyond this, so the potential problems she presents are often ignored. The Velherr Tenants make just two more references to her, the first being the night she gave birth to the goddess divine:

“Under the first moon at the dawn of the age, a dying wolf gave her last cry. A dragon enduring the pangs of motherhood heard the death, and she wept, speaking unto the heavens, ‘A life must replace a life, but as a wolf’s howl is both beauty and pain, so must this new life know both.’ And so the dragon gave birth to the goddess divine, and the Veldriss was dipped in the blood of a gigantes, an abomination, that she may understand both good and evil, yet overcome the evil.”

—The Velherr Tenants Vol I: Origins of the Goddess

Vānima the Veldriss was born to Velherr, at least spiritually, and so grew into the goddess the people of Orosta would soon come to know. But when Vānima descended to the world of Orosta with her attending trinity and so abandoned divine tradition, she left her spiritual mother behind. This, it was said, enraged Velherr, so in an effort to appease her and avoid yet another enemy like Vānima’s sister the Black Unicorn had become, Vānima named the religion after Velherr rather than herself. This marks the second and last time Velherr is mentioned in the sacred texts.

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A Little Tidbit

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by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Hmph. Appealing to a dragon’s vanity? Perhaps there is more realism to this belief than I thought. I will mention—since I think it’s prudent to do so—that there is a black dragon named Velherr living on the Altyman continent. Oh yes, she’s alive right now. She also just so happens to be the flesh and blood mother of Cazdaerni.
Hm? Oh, that’s it. Do with that little tidbit what you will. I remain your neutral third party . . . of course.

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A Final Thought

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by Corsiva from Pixabay

All this to say, we have reached the end of my knowledge at this point. My apologies I can’t be more informative. If you really want to be precise, the Realm of Velherr as a concept is about as detailed as any other belief about the heavens. Tales of golden-paved roads, each person owning his or her own mansion, amazing stories being told on every street corner, and a tamed black panther as a pet for anyone who wishes one. Things like that. Well, maybe those last two are more specific to my heavenly ideal, but I digress.
That said, if you are truly interested in knowing more, I’d advise visiting the Temple of Velherr and talking to one of the preaching vyash. They would be more than happy to fill you in on the latest theories; however, I think the primary thing they will tell you is, though the Realm of Velherr might be a divine dream that each worshipping soul of the Veldriss longs to see one day, the true miracle of the goddess is the fact she lives on Orosta now with those who still live. If you truly wish to learn about the goddess’s home, look no further than the world you are already in.
I suppose I can slightly agree with that. I at least agree with the sentiment that sometimes it is good to live in the present and appreciate what one has now rather than looking toward an idealized future, however real or not real that future may prove to be. Perhaps that is why Vānima didn’t put too much development into this particular religious idea. She wanted the people to focus on the world in front of them. Because, for better or worse, she does want to fix things here. Can’t do that if you’re off daydreaming about some place new.
Hmm. I did say Vānima the Veldriss is not as black and white as many might wish her to be. I think I just stumbled across another example of that.

Signed your contemplative narrator,
Azrael the Star of Death

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Book Information

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To learn more, hop on over to the books page OR hop on over to the teaser and get a sneak peek of Chapter 1! For more articles like this one, have a peek at my Worldbuilding Journal and explore Orosta.

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Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Religious Significance
Religious realm
Alternative Names
The Goddess's Realm
Realm of Dragons
Prominent Belief Locations
Rhye
Associated Religion
The Religion of Velherr
Associated Holy Order
The Black Enchantress
The Veldriss's Shadow
The Veldriss's Voice
Related Species
Elf
Jeenta
Undine
Hag
Hok
Rill
Gigantes
Related Ethnicities
Rhyonian
Zurrinaih
Sithuwaye
Related Locations
La Siella
The Morsus Swamp

Type

Dimensional plane

Related Myths

• The Black Unicorn
• The Morsus Swamp

The Veldriss
The Goddess's Banquet