D'Or

"D'Or is almost like a single, beautiful sculpture. Every part of it fits so perfectly with every other part."

- Doran

D'Or is a large city in Ruby territory of Deltora located on a vast piece of grassland. The city features many fountains and tall, golden buildings, built by the Ralads. The city was described by Doran as being extremely beautiful.

The first people of D'Or came to Deltora from the town of Fleet on the island of Dorne about 1,000 years ago, during the reign of Queen Adina of Deltora, after escaping the tyranny of Chieftain Annoltis in Dorne, who at the time had recently begun carrying out a recurring magical ritual called the Gifting in which seven young people were captured from around Dorne and unwillingly sacrificed in cold blood, so that Chieftain Annoltis could drain them of their lifeforce and preserve himself, practially making him immortal. The people of Fleet, whose chiefs, Ethena and Juste D'Or had been slain in the first Gifting, escaped their town shorly before the second Gifting. Travelling to Deltora's north east, they settled in Ruby territory and formed D'Or, which was built by for them by the neighbouring Ralad people.

History
Originally from the island of Dorne, the people of D'Or lived in the town of Fleet in the countryside on the Western side of the island. They were victims of Chieftain Olt's tyranny and sought freedom, but did not know how to fight for it. Thinking the safest path was to flee Dorne and make a new home in Deltora, the people of Fleet fled, save for Faene, who they believed dead in one of Annoltis' sorceries. Travelling to the north east coast of Deltora in Ruby territory, the people of Fleet were kindly accepted by the Ralads. The Ralads helped construct the buildings of D'Or. The people of Fleet are the ancestors of the people that exist in D'Or today.

Secrets of Deltora
Doran stayed in D'Or during his travels around Deltora. He stayed in the Light-on-Water Inn and bought his horse, Pearl, at D'Or's stables. He wrote about the city and the surrounding area in his book, Secrets of Deltora, meant for Prince Gareth.

The Lake of Tears
100 years before the quest for the gems of Deltora, the evil Thaegan came to the Ralad wilds with her thirteen monstrous children, and took over the territory. She cast a curse upon the city, turning D'Or into what became known as the Lake of Tears, enslaving several people. She turned Nanion, the leader of the city, into the giant green lake monster Soldeen, and his wife, Ethena, into a rock in the centre of the lake, shaped like a bowing, crying figure. Here, Soldeen was to guard the Ruby of the magic Belt of Deltora, which Thaegan had informed them would be broken as part of the Shadow Lord's plans.

Lief, Barda and Jasmine sought the Ruby and defeated Thaegan, breaking and reversing all curses she had placed. When all her curses were gone, D'Or returned to its former glory and all the creatures beneath the water turned back into their former forms as the people of D'Or. Nanion and Ethena were restored to their earlier forms as leaders.

Culture
The people of D'Or became famous for the same traits that they became known for in Dorne, including the fastest horses and their kindness. Everyone in D'Or is honest and kind and consider it a crime to hurt humans and animals. Shopkeepers regard cheating of customers as dishonourable.

Horse stables
Located near the horse fields on the city's western side is the famous D'Or horse stables. D'Or horses are available for sale here.

Orchards
Many fresh fruits are grown here. Doran ate some of these fruits during his stay in D'Or.

Trivia

 * "D'Or", in fact, means "golden" in French. This is likely an obvious reference to the city being gold. Furthermore, the name bears a strong phonetic similarity to the word, "door". The people of the town of Fleet on the island of Dorne, whom the D'Or folk are directly descended from, were introduced in The Golden Door. The main characters, Rye, Sonia, as well as Rye's brother Dirk, came to Fleet through a magical Door of gold (referred to as the "golden Door") that transports people about 1,000 years into the past, to the time of Queen Adina.
 * It is possible that the name "D'Or" was used for the new town in remembrance of the former chiefs of Fleet, Ethena and Juste D'Or and their daughter, Faene D'Or. Ethena and Juste were slain cruelly in a sacrifice during the first magical Gifting ritual carried out by Dorne's chieftain at the time, the sorcerer Annoltis, so that their life-force could strengthen him and cause him to live longer. Because of this, the people of Fleet imortalised them with a gravestone memorial in a garden in Fleet.