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Vrondi are air elementals. They have played several important roles in Valdemar: serving the Truth Spell, guarding Valdemar from foreign mages (making people think "magic doesn't work in Valdemar") for centuries, and at the Founding of Valdemar, vrondi trapped in Doll bodies freely did all kinds of helpful work.

Truth Spell[]

The truth is nourishment for vrondi.[1] They are averse to the emotions that accompany falsehood. This makes them excellent lie detectors. The Truth Spell summons vrondi for this purpose.

"It pleases us to do that. The truth is important, and the more truth in the world, the more vrondi there are." - Star[1]

"Magic doesn't work in Valdemar"[]

Magic actually never stopped working in Valdemar, but the vrondi provided a complete deterrent. Vanyel arranged for the vrondi to watch for the use of magic in Valdemar.[2] He had intended for them to notify the nearest Herald-Mage, but when the Herald-Mages died out, the vrondi kept on watching. Mages who entered Valdemar complained about the sensation of many eyes watching them.[3] More and more vrondi would come to watch. The constant attention eventually drove mages mad if they tried to stay.[4][5]

No one but a mage would feel their scrutiny. It would be as if there was something constantly tapping the mage’s shoulder at irregular intervals, asking who he was.[6]

The old song "Vanyel's Eyes" was about the vrondi.[7]

The vrondi effectively kept mages out of the country during the centuries between Vanyel and Elspeth. Foreigners generally knew that magic "didn't work" in Valdemar. [8]

Dolls[]

While Kordas Valdemar was still in the Eastern Empire, he was horrified and outraged to discover that the Doll servants used throughout the capital were actually vrondi held captive in the Doll bodies. He pledged to free them. They became key participants in Kordas' plans to escape the Empire, telling him when he was being scryed, providing Gate keys, and more. He was able to liberate the vrondi from servitude in the Empire, but finding the magic to free their spirits locked into bodies would require research. The Dolls evacuated with Kordas to the lands that eventually became the nation of Valdemar. While awaiting freedom from their bodies, they willingly helped the settlers.[1]

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Beyond, The Founding of Valdemar series, volume 1
  2. See Web-Spell.
  3. The "eyes watching" effect appears in multiple Valdemar narratives when a Mage crosses the border from any other country, such as Karse. They usually beat a hasty retreat.
  4. Foundation, Chapter 17
  5. By the Sword, Chapter 21
  6. Magic's Price, Chapter 4
  7. No True Way, "A Wake of Vultures." The song may be the in-universe version of the song Vrondi's Eyes.
  8. The other contributor to this belief was imposed by the spirit of Vanyel at Stefen's request, because they could not convince people that Heralds were as good as the vanished Herald-Mages. His action made Valdemarans think that magic in Valdemar simply ended with Vanyel's death. They were unable to even think about magic for very long; a limitation of which they were unaware. The Companions knew and deliberately abetted human ignorance.
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