Velmara

(Dragan’s Paradise)

You didn’t mean to stay this long. But the tide knew better.

Velmara is not just an island. It’s a sensation. A memory that blooms before it begins.
West of Glanvaria’s southern tip, the shores of Dragan’s Paradise shimmer in hues of coral, copper, and dream.
Some travelers sail here seeking rest and relaxation. Some come for the fruit. And there are always a few who simply never leave.

The island doesn’t just welcome you—it remembers you. And if it hums your name when the tide comes in, you might never leave either.

What You’ll Find in Velmara

Silverlight Bay – The sunlit eastern stretch of Velmara. Known for its luxurious resorts, vibrant shell markets, fruit wine halls, and wandering musicians. This is where most visitors arrive… and often forget to leave.

The Hama’Ranu Grove – A glowing orchard believed to be planted by Dragan himself. The trees are the only ones of their kind and tended to by the Vekari.

Lomava – A quiet inland village at the center of Velmara’s spiritual life. Home to the Harmonium Temple and starting point of the Ember Path.

Nahvoro – A sacred island north of the main island, shrouded in mist, traversed exclusively by the Vekari. If you listen carefully in the dead of night, you may hear their songs.

Local Flavor

Signature Dishes

Velmaran Sorbet – Blossom-mist frozen dessert said to induce lucid dreams
Ember-Salt Skewers – Grilled over ancient flame altars, kissed by sea nectar
Hama Bowl – A layered bloom of rice, hama’ranu, and marinated seafood
Grovefruit Tartlets – Served after twilight rituals, glazed in gold and hama’ranu mist

Signature Drink

The Hama’s Embrace – Hama’ranu Juice. Rum. Blossom nectar. Sea mint. Served over ice with a ruby of frozen fruit inside. (In regions outside of Velmara, pomegranate juice is often substituted for hama’ranu)

Culture & Traditions

Common Phrases

“The tide knows your name.”
“Only silence can bear sweetness.”
“One bite, and the island remembers you.”

Traditional Attire

Flowing robes of copper, jade, and sun-washed sand. Ceremonial sea-thread garments woven from kelp roots and coral-thread.

Music

The Whisper Flute

A traditional Velmaran wind instrument, whisper flutes are known for their soft, layered tones and are often played during twilight ceremonies in the Hama’ranu Groves.

Greetings from Velmara

For a more contemporary feel of the music vibe of Velmara, don’t forget to check out the newest release from The Citizens of Glanvaria, Greetings from Velmara

Notable Folk

The Vekari

Silent druids of Velmara, guardians of the sacred Hama’ranu Groves. You don’t choose to become one—they choose you. Cloaked in copper and green, they walk the Ember Path barefoot, surrendering to its heat in a ritual of belonging. Those who endure are claimed by the grove, speaking only in the old tongue and moving to rhythms older than memory. If one ever looks into your eyes and says, “You’ve heard it too, haven’t you?”—they’re not wrong. The island remembers you.

Melinna of the Grove – Elder Vekari. She decided to travel to Velmara in the midst of a tumultuous break-up. What was initially slated to be a couple weeks to clear her mind changed one night when the whispers from the Hama’ranu Groves drew her in. It was here that she realized her true place among the Vekari.

Torvyn the Drifter – A merchant-turned-mystic, Torvyn wanders the Ember Path reciting grove-lore in rhyme. He claims to have once bartered with Dragan himself—offering his voice in exchange for understanding. Now, he speaks only in verse–sometimes slurred in a voice accompanied by the stench of too much hama’ranu wine. Those who follow him too long begin to dream in rhyme.

Mirava Sunbound – Once a High Sun performer, Mirava stayed after feeling the “sun within her” during the grove ritual. Her singing can coax blossoms from the hama’ranu trees days before they’re due. Locals believe she’s no longer entirely mortal—and that her presence signals the start of the festival’s true bloom.

Solina Maruva – A singer for the Citizens of Glanvaria and part-time inhabitant of Velmara, Solina was raised in the northern hills of Eldermere. But after visiting Velmara with her parents at age eight, something shifted. Even then, it felt like the wind knew her name. When she returned as an adult, she understood why. The pull of the groves, the taste of hama’ranu fruit—it had never left her. And now, neither has she.

A word from Solina from Greetings from Velmara

Lore & Legends

The Grove’s Glow

They say when twilight falls and the hama’ranu grove hums with golden light, someone destined to join the ranks of the Vekari has arrived in Velmara. These semi-rare moments are known as the Calling.

Whispers of Nahvoro

The mist around Nahvoro is said to carry voices—not echoes, but answers. It’s said that if you whisper a question at the northern tip of Sorvela at dusk, the island will whisper something back. But listen carefully – it will only reply once.

Travel to Velmara

The Branvaragh Ferry – Routes to Velmara run daily from the port of Branvaragh
Personal Sea Vessel – Fastest route is via sea passage aboard a personal vessel with a blessing from Dragan’s Temple
The Circumferential of Velmara – a coastal trail encircling the island, known for its sweeping views and slow, scenic travel. Though the Ember Path cuts through the interior, many prefer the Circumferential’s sea-bound route—walked by foot, hoof, or the occasional yak.

Farewell from Velmara

Leave with sand between your toes and sunlight still clinging to your skin. Some of you will go home, relaxed and refreshed. And few among you won’t stay gone for long—Velmara knows how to call you back. And next time, don’t be surprised if you find you can’t bring yourself to leave at all.

To the tide’s gentle pull—

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