THE ARCHIVES OF LORE

Welcome to the World of Khayaal

Welcome seeker... Breach the threshold into the Codex of Ikleel.

Dive into the archived volumes of lore, wherein lie the records of the fascinating world of Ikleel: forgotten origins, ancient factions, and lost truths waiting to be unsealed...

CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Explore the world of Khayaal

In an age of strife and upheaval, discover the world of Ikleel; its people, places and cultures at stake, and the heroes and antagonists shaping the course of history.

PEOPLE

Characters

Get to know Conduits, assassins, Harbingers and wayfarers...

powers

Kha & Conduits

Discover the Source, the Elements and those able to wield its power.

PLACES

The World

Explore the empires, cities and hidden regions of Ikleel.

PAST

History & Legends

Delve into the ancient past to understand the unfolding present.

PEOPLE

Characters

Get to know the allegiances of Nurani & Dhulmi Conduits, Harbingers, Assassins and Wayfarers…

Learn about Kha, the Source, The Isthmus, Techno-Science, and the ancient battle being fought by Nurani forces and those of Dhulm, to define what it means to be human in a time of change …

Meet the Characters

Grand Conduit

Alifa

Alifa

Grand Conduit

A simple medical assistant in the army of Zanj. She is discovered by Zorar at the Battle of Dvin and joins his Nurani Conduits. She becomes a Grand Conduit during the time Urua is invaded and is chosen by the Heralds to fulfil a very special purpose.

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Nourisher
Threader
NURANI CALMER

Durayd

Durayd

NURANI CALMER

Gregarious proprietor of the Dallah Wala, kahwa shops, known for his jovial personality and sometimes mischievous behaviour. He is also a Calmer of great renown, having discreetly intervened in many potential conflicts. 

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Calmer
NURANI THREADER

Azadeh

Azadeh

NURANI THREADER

Whether gliding over treetops or rooftops, she is one of the foremost Threaders of her generation. She is also a skilled agronomist and with her husband runs a food forest, which with its surplus serves the needs of many local villages unable to fend for themselves.

Threader
SULTANA

Negin

Negin

SULTANA

Widowed ruler of Urua, southern capital of the Arön empire. She is a cousin to the emperor. Urua is steeped in culture and knowledge, and Negin is, unlike the emperor, a great supporter of Nurani Conduits.

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Azure

Identity, 2026

Final Standing

An identity for a fashion label, built on one blue and the shapes a body makes against it in stark light.

Oak

Web, 2025

Oak

A website for a forestry trust, paced like a slow walk under the trees.

Pump

Packaging, 2026

Pump

Packaging for a skincare line, reduced to a silhouette and a gradient that changes per scent.

Stallion

Campaign, 2026

Stallion

A launch campaign for a saddlery, shot in the studio against a single field of red.

Stem

Botanical, 2025

Stem

A visual language for a plant nursery, grown from the quiet detail of a single stem.

Drive

Campaign, 2025

Drive

A film and stills campaign for a heritage carmaker, cut into three thirty-second stories.

Prism

Product, 2026

Prism

Product photography for a glassworks, letting the light do the styling.

Tropic

Editorial, 2025

Tropic

An editorial story for a travel magazine, framed through the leaves of the places it visits.

Padel

Product, 2024

Padel

A product line for a padel brand, photographed close enough to feel the grip.

Blur

Motion, 2026

Blur

A motion identity for a music festival, where nothing ever holds still long enough to read.

Riviera

Campaign, 2026

Riviera

A summer campaign for a coastal hotel, shot from the terrace on a single afternoon.

PEOPLE

Kha & Conduits

Discover the Source, the Elements and those able to wield its power.

Uncover the secrets of the Isthmus, learn how the Elements channel the source of Kha and more…

POWERS

The Conduits of Kha

Heroes and villains who wield the primordial power of the Source, emanating from a Divine realm.

Conduits are individuals with a unique connection to the Source, a divine energy that resides in the metaphysical realm. .

These gifted individuals serve as Conduits for this power, wielding ‘Kha’ to perform extraordinary feats.

Nurani Conduits are noble guardians using their powers in service to the Creator and undertaking the role of stewards upon Ikleel. They are opposed by the Conduits of Dhulm, who corrupt the divine source, using it in misguided ways.

Dhulmi or Nurani, one thing is certain… The Conduits of Kha play a crucial role in the unfolding events on the planet Ikleel, shaping the course of history.

POWERS

Kha Abilities

Every conduit has access to one of the Kha abilities. Grand Conduits can master them all.

Conduits cannot access the Source directly but must harness it through an element. The Primary Kha Conduit abilities, and their corresponding elements are:

ELEMENT: OCHRE

Hefters

Tap into Kha to lift and shift heavy weights, taking on the work of several people. Helpful in a fight when outnumbered.

ELEMENT: SAND

Calmers
‍(Nurani Kha)

Tap into Kha to lift and shift heavy weights, taking on the work of several people. Helpful in a fight when outnumbered.

ELEMENT: SAND

Agitators (Dhulmi Kha)

Incite people to become aggressive and impulsive, rousing a sense of narcissism within them.

ELEMENT: SILICA

Clarifiers (Nurani Kha)

Remind people who they are and what is their purpose – souls on a journey back to the Creator.

ELEMENT: SILICA

Distractors (Dhulmi Kha)

Confuse and befuddle people so that they lose their focus and purpose and are stirred by the frivolous.

ELEMENT: CORALLITE

Threaders

Propel themselves or objects across short and longer distances. Near invisible white lines emanate from their fingertips which only Conduits can see, enabling them to tug or thrust.

ELEMENT: LIMESTONE

Nourishers
‍(Nurani Kha)

Regenerate living matter. Helpful in recovery from illnesses and wounds.

ELEMENT: LIMESTONE

Decayers (Dhulmi Kha)

Degenerate living matter that already has some decay within it. Where an illness or wound is detected they can cause this to worsen.

ELEMENT: OBSIDIAN

Imbuer

Infuse an inanimate object with memories, so when another Imbuer touches it, they can access the memory of what was left. Helpful for sending messages across time.

ELEMENT: VOLCANIC ASH

Revealer

Have the ability to perceive matters that are hidden. This may be as simple as a blueprint, traps, locks. More importantly to spot patterns which appear obscure.

THE WORLD

The Realm of Ikleel

Explore the horizons of the fascinating world of Ikleel. Interact with the map to learn more about the nations, cities and regions of Ikleel.

EXPLORE THE PAST

History & Legends

Delve into the ancient past to understand the unfolding present...

Study the ancient lore of Ikleel, where mythical races emerged, divine relics altered fate, and good and evil clashed in combat. Discover the epic prelude to Arön  and the realm's unravelling destiny.

Planet Ikleel

01

First Epoch

First Epoch

First Epoch

The divine history of Ikleel suggests that in the first epoch, there was a great rivalry between the Djüne, who resemble fiery demons and Vanimals, humanlike but with animalistic traits. Both the Djüne and Vanimals live very long lives.

The Djüne, Vanimals and Humans, it is said came to Ikleel at the time of the descent, which is said to be hundreds of thousands of years ago, possibly longer.

The Djüne occupied the land of Nar-as-Samum and Vanimals made Küor Araz, a territory north of Nar-as-Samum, their habitation. For thousands of years, they fought across their borders. Until one day, humans appeared in their territory. At first, they ignored such weak beings, but slowly humans spread into their lands, set up trading posts, and began to set down roots.

The arrival of the humans seemed to have caused the Djüne and the Vanimals to set aside their rivalry and unite to repel humans spreading in Ikleel. Under the leadership of Volgorok, ruler of the Djüne, the Djüne and Vanimals engaged humanity at the Battle of Rift on the western shores of Koemox. The humans rallied around the Heralds.

Yet even before the battle they knew they were outnumbered and did not possess the physical prowess of the Djüne and Vanimals, so a great quest was undertaken to recover the seven Vessels of Nur which also came down at the time of the descent. Many Heralds and other great heroes were lost in the quest for the Vessels. Yet find them they did and with the light of the Vessels the armies of the Heralds overcame Volgorok, who was driven back to the shadowlands of Nar-as-Samum. As for the Vanimals they retreated to Küor Araz, vowing to never engage with either Djüne or humans again.

02

Second Epoch

Second Epoch

Second Epoch

Historians label the period after the Battle of the Rift, the second epoch – the golden age of humanity, where under the guidance of the Heralds, humans spread to all corners of Ikleel. Trade routes were established, centres of education and learning built. Some of the greatest Heralds of the time came together to construct the Isthmus, a parallel realm to the physical world, to remind humans of their eventual return to the Gardens of Liyuün.

Yet deep in the shadowlands of Nar-as-Samum, Volgorok and his deputy Mörtan plotted and schemed. Their envy of humans knew no bounds. Having learned from their mistakes, Volgorok and Mörtan recruited men and women to their cause, through the promise of Dhulmi powers. Over the centuries their acolytes secretly rose to prominent positions and matters came to a head when their human helpers took control of several major cities, thereupon declaring fealty to Volgorok.

The humans rallied behind the Heralds. Volgorok was slain. Mörtan and the remaining Djüne escaped into the Isthmus. Unbeknown to the Heralds, Mörtan the Conjurer had created a Dhulmi part of the Isthmus, and corrupted the remainder of it as he descended deep into Dhulm.

03

Third Epoch

Third Epoch

Third Epoch

Book One, Aron, is set during the closing period of the third epoch. The last of the Heralds died several thousand years ago. The third epoch has been marked by a steady decline of the loss of sacred wisdom and knowledge, the fragmentation of society, and a distortion of the economic system.