Welcome to the Lands of Vaniya: A World 24 Years in the Making
A Quick Taste: What is this Blog About?
Step through the portal into the Lands of Vaniya, the mystical lands at the heart of The Jar of Dreams, an epic YA fantasy book. In this first deep dive into the world building, that has spanned the last twenty-four years of my life, I will guide you back in time to the Age of Dahara, a golden age that shaped much of Vaniya's history. I will also introduce you to the Age of Tzan, the age of illusion, where we join Tarun on his epic quest. I hope that you enjoy discovering the worlds, the spirit guides, portals and ancient traditions in these blogs and in The Jar of Dreams.
The Banquet Begins Here: Welcome to the Land of Vaniya
The Jar of Dreams, the first book in The Dream Chronicles, took me 24 years to create and write. From the moment that this tale arrived in a dream, halfway up a mountain in the Himalayas, I have fallen in love with the process of creating languages, cultures, food, ceremonies, geography, philosophy and myth. All of the things that you will find as you adventure with Tarun through the Lands of Vaniya and beyond.
I have lived in The Lands of Vaniya longer than I have lived in any one place on earth. For me now, they are real. Different, of course, to my everyday life, but no less real.
Map of The Lands of Vaniya that you will find in The Jar of Dreams
So where do you begin when you want to invite fantasy lovers to discover Xhadur, Hymez and the mystical lands beyond their wall?
You begin at the heart of it, and like all good tales, we should start at the beginning.
This world building blog series is for you if you love exploring fantasy worlds and want to discover the inspiration for the worlds and realms of The Dream Chronicles. If you know anyone else who loves fantasy novels, please feel free to share this link with them, as it really helps me with my dream of becoming a full-time author. Thank you!
Fantasy Worlds: My Happy Place
Since I was a young boy, the worlds of Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and many other Fantasy novelists were my happy place.
For some, these worlds may have been fantasy, but for me, they were real, alternate realities accessible via the portals created by the magical prose of these masters.
Each day, the excitement would rise inside me as the sun set, signalling that ‘reading time’ was drawing close. In the sanctuary of my bedroom, the walls between my world and Middle Earth or Narnia would dissolve, and I would adventure again alongside Bilbo, Frodo, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.
These worlds feel as though they have always existed. I imagine that Tolkien and Lewis didn't so much invent them, but rather that they lived in them and discovered them as the story unfolded.
This has been the magical experience that I have lived for the last 24 years since The Jar of Dreams appeared in a dream when I was halfway up a mountain in the Indian Himalayas. Each morning, I wake early before the working day, often before much of the world has stirred from their slumber. I step through a portal and adventure with Tarun and his friends, exploring The Lands of Vaniya, Naz-Djek, the Spirit Realm of Aanua and beyond.
Enough backstory? Let’s get into it.
The Lands of Vaniya: A Continent with a Soul
The Lands of Vaniya is a continent made up of two great landmasses, Ulebiin in the west and the vast island of Ufahl to the east, along with island chains, endless oceans and perilous waterways. Together, they form a place of staggering beauty and equally staggering danger.
To understand the history of Vaniya (I have had fun writing almost 100 years of prehistory before The Jar of Dreams is set), it is helpful to know the meaning embedded in its very name.
The word vaniya comes from Hehlan, the sacred language of the spirit guides known as the Hehlani. Vaniya means harmony in Helan. The name was given to the continent during the Age of Dahara, the Age of Harmony, when the peoples of these lands were united and at peace.
That peace is gone now.
The story of The Jar of Dreams takes place in the Age of Tzan, the Age of Illusion, a time of division, greed and growing darkness. The people of Vaniya have become disconnected from their natural world, from each other, and from the extraordinary cultures that once defined them.
For a select few, not lost to the illusion of greed, the name of their golden age has become a kind of ache: a reminder of everything they have lost.
Two Ages, One Story
Understanding the contrast between the Age of Dahara and the Age of Tzan is key to understanding The Jar of Dreams and the next chapters of The Dream Chronicles as a whole.
The Age of Dahara was an era of community, wisdom and deep connection. Pathika teachers wandered the lands, sharing ancient philosophies. Ceremonies like the Bunyasa brought all creatures together, human, animal and spirit, to speak their truth and maintain balance between all things. The sacred practice of safut, taking only what you need and nothing more, was widely observed. Children were taught to communicate through Gathu, a form of telepathic connection that every human being is capable of.
Then came the Age of Tzan. The dark djinn, Malazhiim, rose to power. Wars swept through the land. Entire cultures were destroyed. And slowly, the people of Vaniya forgot who they were.
What does it mean to live in an age of illusion? To be surrounded by noise and distraction so relentless that you can no longer hear your own soul? The Age of Tzan may be set in a fantasy world, but its lessons cut close to home.
This is the world into which Tarun is born, and the world we join The Dream Chronicles.
An Invitation
Over this series of posts, I am looking forward to going on a journey together, deep into the Lands of Vaniya, its cities, its creatures, its languages, its sacred traditions, its food and its mythology. We'll meet the Hehlani and the Pathika, walk the streets of Xhadur and Duzkah, cross the Ghunali Snowfields and peer into the mysteries of the Solis.
Join me. The worlds of The Jar of Dreams are waiting.
Get Your Limited-Edition Pre-Release Copy of The Jar of Dreams.
The Lands of Vaniya are calling, but not for long. A limited number of pre-release copies of The Jar of Dreams are available now, and once they're gone, they're gone. Don't miss the portal opening. Claim your copy, or gift one to a fantasy lover in your life before the window closes.
Store: https://www.thejarofdreams.com/collections/all
Next up: The Languages of Vaniya and What They Reveal About Its People
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is Fantasy World Building?
Worldbuilding is the process of creating the places, cultures, histories, languages, beliefs, landscapes and rules that make an imaginary world feel real. The strongest fantasy worlds extend far beyond the locations needed for the immediate story. In The Jar of Dreams, I spent 24 years developing the Lands of Vaniya, and the realms beyond, accessible by magical portals.
Q. What Makes a Fantasy World Feel Real?
A fantasy world begins to feel real when its different elements are interconnected. Geography can influence cultures; history can shape beliefs and conflicts; languages can reveal how people think; and traditions can show what societies value. In the Lands of Vaniya, its history, languages, spiritual traditions, geography and cultures interweave, creating a world that you can lose yourself in.
Q. How do Authors Create their Fantasy Worlds?
Fantasy authors build worlds in many different ways. Some begin with maps or magic systems, while others start with characters, cultures, history or a single place. The Lands of Vaniya began with a dream I had in the Indian Himalayas. From that initial image grew villages, cities, continents, languages, cultures, philosophies, creatures, spirit realms and almost a century of history preceding The Jar of Dreams. My tip is to start where it feels natural for you.
Q. What is an Example of World Building in an Epic Fantasy Novel?
One example is the Lands of Vaniya in The Jar of Dreams. Vaniya contains two major landmasses, Ulebiin and Ufahl, each with distinct cities, cultures, languages, spiritual traditions, creatures and realms. Its history stretches from the harmonious Age of Dahara to the darker Age of Tzan in which Tarun's adventure begins.
Q. Why are Maps Important to Fantasy World Building?
Fantasy maps help readers understand where characters are travelling and how different places relate to one another, but they can also reveal a world's history and geography. The map of the Lands of Vaniya shows the places Tarun encounters throughout The Jar of Dreams and helps readers build a mental picture of the larger world beyond his immediate journey.
