First Map of the Teardrop Sea

Despite its name, the First Map is unlikely to have been the first actual map of the Teardrop Sea region. However it is the earliest surviving work of cartography in the Mirror Lakes, and its impact in the region was phenomenal.   The map was commissioned by the Last King of Virisi at the end of the Age of the Stars. As far as historians can tell, the point of the commission was merely knowledge, but when the cartographers finished and presented it to the King, he announced he would use that knowledge to build an empire across the Teardrop Sea.   The map was not just incredibly accurate given the tools and resources of the time, but because it had been commissioned by the King, a great deal of artistic skill had been put into it: beautifully crafted with intricate detail, vibrant colours, embossed with real gold leaf and faux stardust. A popular tale exists that the beauty of the map is what lured the King into deciding to conquer the other islands. More likely, either his ambition had grown during the years it was being put together, or that had been his intention all along.   The original document can be viewed in Allkingdom Museum, and it is one of their most popular exhibits. A work of art in itself, it has to be kept behind glass in a room with carefully controlled light and temperature. Most of the colours have faded, though it is still possible to make out what they were if stood right up against the glass case. At around 19,000 years old, it is the oldest surviving document in the Mirror Lakes and a miracle of conservation.   While the King who commissioned it did not achieve his goal to conquer every island in the Teardrop Sea, his son and heir did. The First Emperor treated the First Map as a priceless work of art, to honour his father. The First Map was prominently displayed in the palace in Virisi, carefully tended to, throughout the duration of the Ancient Viri Empire. Right from the start it was placed behind protective glass, away from sunlight, to prolong its quality. Select staff were tasked with its care.   Over time, the map became more than a map or a piece of art; it became a sacred piece of their culture. Looking after it became a more important job than looking after the Emperor himself; for those whose responsibility it was, it trumped all other concerns. When Allshadow was executing the Last Viri Emperor in his personal temple, the First Map was rescued and hidden by the palace staff who had been charged with its care. Their actions prevented Allshadow from destroying it in his campaign to wipe out the Viri. The map was carefully stored in a secret vault buried deep beneath the palace; the staff, as was their duty, barricaded themselves in with the piece. Their remains were discovered with it there about 3,000 years later, and they are on display alongside the map.