Tora (city)

"It is said that Tora was carved by magic from a marble mountain, & that it is all of a piece, without crack or seam... It is a very beautiful place - if cold, perfect, isolated splendour is to your taste."

- Doran

Tora is a large white city, the great sister city of Del, the capital of Amethyst territory and the home of the Toran tribe. Tora stands at the edge of a lake near the River Tor and to enter it, one must enter a magical tunnel which, as a protection, drains all evil and strong emotions, such as bitterness, anger and despair.

Everything in Tora, including the weather, is controlled by magic. The city is self-sufficient with magic supplying its food, drink and other comforts. Because food and drink are provided by magic, it disappears if taken out of the city. Tora mainly consists of broad white streets, marble buildings, sparkling fountains and masses of delicate flowers. As there are no shops or stalls in Tora, there is nothing to buy, for nothing in Tora is for sale.

Before construction
Before Tora was built, the members of the tribe lived in huts made of grass and branches, and they had a meeting house made of woven branches where they cast their fortune-telling stones.

Construction
It was said that Tora was carved out by magic from a single, marble mountain and is one piece without any seam or crack. After it was completed, the Torans moved into the city and placed the Amethyst on a marble table in the centre of a large square at the heart of the city.

Arrival of Malverlain
During a storm, as Malverlain arrived at Deltora's west coast, a shiver ran through Tora and the people awoke. They arose from their beds and moved to the city's centre where the Amethyst laid. Together, their minds met and they used a banishing spell on Malverlain. After the shadow and the sorcerer had left their territory, they were satisfied, as to where the shadow went after was to no concern of them.

Adin's quest
As Adin approached Tora, hoping to ask for their talisman, he found he could not and as the repelling force got stronger, a bannishing spell took hold of him and soon Tora was quickly out of sight.

Some time later, after Adin possessed every other talisman except for the amerthyst, he tried to approach Tora yet again. However, he found that he could easily enter and that they had, in fact, expected him. After some discussion, Adin was asked to leave the city without the Amethyst and eventually rode away.

During the Battle for Deltora, the Torans gave up the Amethyst and it was placed in the Belt of Deltora.

The oath stone
The oath stone was placed where the Amethyst once laid on the marble table in the square in Tora's centre as a pledge to their loyalty to Adin and all the blood that would follow him.

Cavern of The Fear
Lief travelled to Tora to find Marilen, many people believed that he wanted to marry her, but it was revealed at the end of the series that she was a descendant of Adin and a distant relative of Lief. As Lief travelled in the Shadowlands, the Belt's magic would kill him, as the Belt is unable to leave Deltora's borders. Thus, Marilen wore the Belt while he ventured into the Shadowlands.

The oath stone
All paths and roads in Tora lead to the large square at the city's centre. Before Adin, the Amethyst lay on a table in the centre. After Tora gave up its gem, they built the oath stone, as a sign of their oath to Adin and his heirs. As long as the Torans' vow to Adin is kept, the stone will remain intact and green, flickering flames covers it. If the vow is broken, however, the stone will crack and the Toran people will be driven from their home and become lost souls. This happened in King Endon's time. The king had sent after their help, but they ignored him because the royal family had ignored them for so long. When Lief reunited the seven tribes of Deltora and was revealed as the heir to the throne, he eventually forgave the Torans and they were allowed to return to their city. The stone and its power are presumably intact once again. The stone's magic is so powerful that it can be felt as soon as you enter the square. The words engraved on the stone are:

''We, the people of Tora, swear loyalty to Adin, King of Deltora & all his blood who follow him. If ever this vow is broken, may this rock, our city's heart, break also, & may we be swept away, forever to regret our dishonour. ''

Deltora Quest 1

 * The Maze of the Beast
 * The Valley of the Lost

Deltora Quest 2

 * Cavern of The Fear

Deltora Quest 3

 * Isle of the Dead

Supplementary books

 * Secrets of Deltora
 * Tales of Deltora

Trivia

 * Del, along with Tora, make up the country's name: Deltora. This further shows the significance of the two cities.
 * Tora is Del's 'sister' town.