Glorianna

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Glorianna (or Gloriana) is the fictional world in which the hybrid role-playing/adventure computer games designed by Corey and Lori Ann Cole, Quest for Glory, takes place.

Contents 1 History 2 Canon Locations 2.1 Locations in which the games take place 2.2 Locations mentioned 3 Fanon Locations 3.1 Locations created by the Quest for Glory Project 3.2 Locations created by other writers 4 Glorianna or Gloriana? 5 External links

[edit] History

A force wave hit Earth during 1 BC which split the world in two parallel realities. While our part evolved according to 'real' history, time on the parallel Earth did not advance at an even rate, which explains the anachronisms found in the games.

Due to the uneven flow of time, the civilisations in Glorianna advanced at different rates: some remained in ancient times (Marete), Middle Ages (Spielburg), while others evolved into Victorian times (Mordavia); all civilisations co-existed together, with flavours of modern anachronisms. The Force wave also influenced some animals that rapidly started to evolve into sentient species, such as the Katta and the Liontaur.

The world of Glorianna is, essentially, a mirror of our own world. Many of the kingdoms and locations mentioned in the game series are representative of real-world locations. Spielburg, for example, represents a small, medieval Germanic town; while Marete is Glorianna's version of the Greco-Mediterranean islands in the Aegean Sea.

In Trial by Fire, we see different constellations (eg the Saurus, Dragon and Hand constellation), while the names of the planets Xenon, Ortega, Pestulon, Phleebhut, and Uranus (an injoke about Space Quest 3), hints that Glorianna is in a different planetary system. The division occurs only as 'background' information and is never mentioned in the course of the series.

[edit] Canon Locations

Despite the various locations that are mentioned in Quest for Glory fanfiction, the only locations that can be considered canon are those locations in which the games occur, as well as those locations that are mentioned by characters within the five games or in the game manuals.

[edit] Locations in which the games take place

The following are a list of the locations in which the games take place, as well as their corresponding locations in the real world.

• Fricana (Africa)
• Marete (islands in the Aegean Sea)
• Mordavia (Transylvania; possibly a portmanteau of Moravia and Moldavia)
• Raseir (Middle East; anagram of 'Sierra')
• Shapeir (Middle East)
• Silmaria (City in Marete; derived from latin roots sil- 'wood' and mare 'sea')
• Spielburg (Germany; meaning 'Game Castle' in German)
• Tarna (east African country)

[edit] Locations mentioned

The following list compiles locations not seen in the games, but mentioned in dialogues or texts. Their known or assumed corresponding locations in the real world are also given.

• Gaul (France)
• Egypt (Egypt; referenced in a manual, the only homonymous location)
• Gramarye (Great Britain)
• Hesparia (Italy)
• Inja (India)
• Falworth
• Jotunheim (Scandinavia)
• Nova Roma (Italy)
• Petalumeir (Middle East)
• Punjabi (Nepal)
• Siana (Asia)
• Surria (Russia)
• Vespucciland (North America)
• Zurich (Switzerland)

Unsure and speculative locations:

• Aidendale; extrapolated from the character's name, Devon Aidendale. Its formation suggests it's a surname mentioning origin, therefore a placename. Could be a province of Willowsby or vice versa.
• Andromeda (A reference to the Sierra series Space Quest, possibly not a location on the world, but a galaxy)
• Fredonia (Unknown; reference to the Marx Brothers)
• Willowsby (Mentioned as the hometown of the Hero in the Quest for Glory strategy guide book written by Paula Spiese)

[edit] Fanon Locations

Fanon locations are those that have been developed by the Quest for Glory community, and mostly by writers of fanfiction based upon the series. Of those locations that can be considered fanon, most have been developed by, or in pseudo-collaboration with, the Quest for Glory Project.

The Quest for Glory Project is also notable for taking all of the canon and non-canon locations and placing them onto a world map. Though the map is certainly not canon, it can be considered fanon; it is generally, though not completely, accepted by the Quest for Glory community. Even if fanfiction writers in the Quest for Glory community do not rely solely upon the locations it designates, the map is often used as a reference.

The webmaster of the Quest for Glory Project, Ad Avis, has recognized this, as well as some criticism for its being based directly upon the real world, by stating that it is meant to work exclusively for his own fanfiction, while at the same time accommodating for the fanfictions of other writers in the Quest for Glory community.

[edit] Locations created by the Quest for Glory Project

This list includes those locations created by the Quest for Glory Project. It does not include the various cities or miscellaneous locations (mountains, rivers, etc.) that have been created, only the kingdoms. (As with the locations above, their corresponding locations in the real world are given.)

• Britanya (England)
• Caledonia (Scotland)
• Denya (Western Europe to France)
• Ghana (West Africa)
• Harmeir (Middle East)
• Honshū (Japan)
• La Tere (Ireland)
• Lao (China, Laos, Thailand, Korea, etc.)
• Macedonia (Greece)
• Marid (Spain)
• Masaneir (Middle East, specifically Mecca)
• Masr (Egypt, Israel, Iraq, etc.)
• Sidonia (North Africa)

[edit] Locations created by other writers

As with the above, the locations are listed with their corresponding real world locations (either given by the Quest for Glory Project or the creator).

• Ancazi (Cape Verde)
• Castellia (Portugal)
• Mandrake (Orkney Islands)
• Mariunia (Unknown)
• Nusand (Eastern Libya)
• Tilurian (Limnos)

[edit] Glorianna or Gloriana?

One thing that is worthy of note, is that there is some dispute in the Quest for Glory fan community as to the correct form of the name (whether it is Glorianna or Gloriana). Various individuals on either side of the debate claim to know definitively based upon comments attributed to Lori Ann Cole. The general assertion, regardless of which form is correct, is that the name "Glorianna" or "Gloriana" is a composite of "Glory" and "Lori Ann".

The dispute over which of the two forms is correct was seemingly put to rest within the last two years on the message boards of the fansite Quest for More Glory. In a thread on the message boards, Mishell Baker, who is working with Lori Ann Cole on a novelized adaptation of the Quest for Glory series, stated that the correct form was indeed "Glorianna".

Despite this, the dispute continues. Note that Gloriana is a title of an opera.

[edit] External links

• The Official Quest for Glory Message Board
• How to Be a Hero - The official site for the book project between Lori Cole and Mishell Baker
• Transolar Games - Jim Katic, Lori Ann and Corey Cole's website
• Quest for More Glory - Includes a petition to continue the Quest for Glory series
• The Quest for Glory Project - Quest for Glory Fanfiction Archive
• Coromandel Coast - Home of QG fanfiction by Almirena and Sciefyr
• Matt's QFG Page - A QG fansite on Quest for Heroes
• Non-fanon article discussing Glorianna's geography based on information of the games