| Just Surviving Valedon [The Cities of Stone] Copyright © 1999 by Rasgon Character: The people of Valedon are proud and mercantile, considering themselves to be masters of all planar trade and exploration. They decorate themselves with stone, and the particular stones they wear spell out both their personal names and their careers. The society is divided between nobles and commoners, but governing is generally considered to be just another career, worthy of respect but not exhalted; the Valans are an earthy folk, close to the stone they live with. Ruler: Valedon is ruled by the High Protector, who dwells in his stone-encrusted palace, covered with stones of every kind, from amethyst to limestone to zincrock. He is a big man, with supports of iron to keep himself from collapsing beneath his ornaments of office. He rolls about on wheels. Description: Valans are immediately recognizable; their eyes of polished stone immediately setting them apart, though they apparently see as well as the more common sort in others' sockets. The buildings in their city are stone as well, quarried from the local hills, designed to impress and most often square and festooned with towers. Valan merchant-adventurers travel the plane in powerful zeppelins and navigate the rivers in great barges, exploring the rest of the multiverse from their headquarters in Tradegate. Militia: Valedon is defended by the Protectoral soldiers, who march about with spears tipped with crystal that glows like fire. Services: Valans are traders, miners, weavers, and workers of all varieties of stone. Current Chant: Traders from Valedon have discovered the floating islands of Shora on Elysium's layer of Thalasia, and they hope to open it up to trade with their kingdom. Trade benefits everyone on Bytopia, so this discovery must mean happy times for everyone. | 
