"This, the 3rd day of Brae, and 950th year of Doz-re'alm Ajos (or as the Kenarians refer to as Betus Periodum - 2nd Age)...
We are in a season of renewal here in Pairlu. The gardens around the College of Natural Science, my home, are rapidly approaching their full splendor. The air is humid, but sweet. And society lingers outside longer, sipping Querum and discussing politics... about Balbo's idea of diplomatics with the Kenarians, no doubt. They consider him too cautious - to the point of cowardice, even. But they have hot tempers and little patience. Balbo will do what he considers best.
Listen to me talk thus... In my youth, I would have joined them, I suppose. I was not so different from them. Was I not a student, as they are now, with the same passion for knowledge and progression? Naye... I was more. My passion for knowledge tip-toed on the verge of lust. In truth, I was the steersman of those conversations.
That is, I dare say, why I am where I am today. Why I now sit alone at my window, merely viewing the evening activities. Why I now live each day, and each moment of each day, longing for her...my young wife.
Oh, the longing is enough to decay my soul! What I wouldn't give to have her back...!
But I did give, and now I live with the regret of that as well...
It is late now. My wandering mind makes it difficult for me to sleep anymore... I must put aside these thoughts again, and resume some level of sanity. There will be students at my door in too short of time."
At the center (and slightly right) of the TaeAra-map is the island of Keneroon {ken'err'oon}, which consists of two provinces of the I'landis Empire {eye'lann'diss}. The eastern half is Tesirea {tess'iir'ee'uh}, and the western half is Tebalea {teh'ball'ee'uh}. 
The large inlet into Tesirea is the Sea of Drucorr {druh'kor}, and at its furthest west point is our first location in the story. The Prologue drops you in on a scene of revelry at this location, and it is only visited in the Prologue and Epilogue. It is called Corsanis {kor'sann'iss}, and it is the capital of the province of Tesirea. It is an old and very large city, making it ideal for "underground" activites - such as the one taking place in the prologue. 
During the majority of the story you are taken through a small continent called Crune {kroon}, beginning at another port-city. This one is Empirica {em'peer'ih'kuh} - at the southernmost point of the northermost inlet. It is another capital, but not for the L'disians {luh'diss'ee'un} of I'landis. Rather, it is a growing city of importance for the L'disians' rivals, the Yuaelans {you'ell'un}. 
Then, just across the mountains to the west of Empirica is I'landis territory. And on the far west coast (centrally positioned) is Sharkara {shar'kar'uh}. This is where Vitrena is from. At the age of 17 she joins her father on a trip to Tandera (several months after her older brother's death) where she runs away into the Opal Mountains. It is there that she is captured during a raid on a settlement by men-at-arms working for the Yuaelan Viceroy of Empirica.
A significant amount of the story takes place at sea, between the locations of Yhevelta and the Keti-Orient. The waters here are traversed substancially by our characters. In Vitrena's case, it is not with the highest quality of company. But it is also not without its memorable impressions, because it is within these waters that that migration path of the majestic Evyhmrii {ev'im'ree} (fantastical species of whale) crosses.
The Keti-Orient... very rarely seen by "foreigners", it is a world of its own. Full of exotic creatures, and climates that encompass a wide variety, this land instills itself into Vitrena's soul. There is respect and honor to Ketimure that she has never experienced or felt before, and she will never be able to shake its effect on her.
