The Flame
Beneath
Welcome to the world of The Flame Beneath.
Hidden within the mountains, Vael Noctis Academy has stood for centuries, training the heirs of six powerful houses. Behind its gothic walls, ancient traditions shape every student who passes through its gates—but some secrets were never meant to remain buried.
This page offers a glimpse into the places and inspirations behind my debut gothic romantasy novel, without revealing what waits beneath the surface.
Every story begins somewhere.
For The Flame Beneath, it begins at Vael Noctis Academy—a place where every corridor holds a secret, every house has its own history, and nothing is quite as it seems.
Vael Noctis Mood Board
Vael Noctis
When I first imagined Vael Noctis, I pictured the Concord—the academy’s central building—as dark, imposing and unmistakably gothic. Its walls seem to breathe, its corridors shift when no one is watching, and the lamps do not simply light the way—they lean toward you as you pass, almost as though the building itself is aware of your presence.
While the Concord is unsettling and steeped in shadow, the six house buildings surrounding it are vastly different, each shaped by its own magic, history and identity. More on those will be revealed soon.
Yet Vael Noctis is not entirely doom, gloom and haunted stone. One of my favourite places to imagine has always been the West Woods: beautiful, mysterious and holding secrets of its own.
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Thalorin
Mood Board
Thalorin
When I began imagining the different houses and kingdoms within The Flame Beneath, I knew one needed to embody growth, life and the enduring power of nature. That house became Thalorin.
Thalorin is rooted in the forests of Azeria—the plants and greenery, the animals that inhabit the land, and the waterways that nourish its flora and fauna. It is a house shaped by growth, resilience and the quiet strength found within the natural world.
At Vael Noctis, Thalorin is represented through deep forest greens, ancient trees and overgrown stone. Beyond the academy, however, the kingdom holds so much more than I have revealed so far.
I cannot wait to share the Thalorin mood boards created for Book Two. Join my newsletter for exclusive sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes discussions and early glimpses into where the series may travel next.
Nytheris
Mood Board
Nytheris
Nytheris is the House of Secrets and Concealment. When I imagine it, I see towering gothic castles with narrow windows, jagged spires and walls that seem to stretch too high into the sky. Everything feels slightly wrong there, as though the land itself is hiding something.
Even during the day, Nytheris remains wrapped in shadow. The sun never seems to shine quite brightly enough, leaving its stone halls, mist-covered grounds and surrounding forests trapped beneath a permanent gloom.
House Nytheris borders the West Woods, a place just as dark and unsettling. Ancient trees crowd together beneath a thick canopy, their twisted branches blocking what little light manages to reach the forest floor.
At Vael Noctis, Nytheris students wear cloaks of such deep purple they appear almost black. They move silently through the corridors, seeming to glide rather than walk. They are seen when they wish to be seen and disappear when they do not.
In Nytheris, secrets are guarded, traded and used as currency. Nothing is offered freely, and every shadow feels as though it is listening.
I look forward to exploring more of Nytheris in Book Two, when we will finally step beyond the academy and experience the kingdom hidden within its darkness.
Solarn Mood Board
Solarn
When I imagine House Solarn, I think of firelight, molten metal and the glow of something being brought to life.
Solarn is the House of Flame, but its magic is not simply about destruction. It is the fire of creation—heat used to shape, transform and forge something new.
Located in the southeastern province of Azeria, Solarn is a kingdom of forges, kilns and workshops. Its people are known as the makers, crafting nearly every important physical object used across the realm. Weapons, tools, glasswork and countless other creations begin in Solarn hands.
Its colours shift between gold and amber, changing depending on how the light catches them, much like flames moving through a fire. Everything within the kingdom seems to glow—from the heated furnaces and rivers of molten metal to the sparks that fill the air after dark.
At Vael Noctis, the Solarn grounds are warmer than anywhere else within the academy. Heat lingers in the stone, firelight flickers from the workshops and the air carries the faint scent of smoke and burning metal.
Solarn magic is fire that shapes and transforms. Its people do not simply wield flame—they control it, mould it and give it purpose.
Their motto is simple: We give it shape.