Shadows, Steel, and Storyboards: Breathing Life into Valandor

The world of Valandor didn’t start with kingdoms or timelines, it began with a single question:

“What does a dream look like when it becomes a weapon?”

In the early drafts of Shadows of Valandor, I didn’t yet know where the story would lead, only that it would take place in a world both mythic and deeply flawed. A place where magic isn’t just power, but burden. Where kings wage war not over borders, but over belief.

The first scene I ever wrote? A cloaked figure standing on the edge of a cliff in Myranthia, watching a storm roll in over the black pines. That image still haunts me, and became the visual seed for Darian Blackthorn’s journey.

Since then, the world of Valandor has grown like a living tapestry:

• • Forests that breathe with magic

• • Kingdoms scarred by ancient wars

• • Dreamwalkers, assassins, and noble impostors (yes, Alistair fans, I see you)

I’ll be sharing more character deep-dives, location breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes lore here on the blog. If you’re interested in:

• • My writing process

• • The origins of the kingdoms

• • What didn’t make it into the book

• • Or how the Redbrands almost weren’t called Redbrands…

…you’re in the right place.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. Shadows are rising, and Valandor is only beginning to wake.

Until next time,
— B