Shores of Solace: Lord Cassius Sencen’s beachfront mansion was originally a property that he kept private and used as a place to escape to whenever he wanted space from his family. But since his wife’s involvement with the Neverseen was discovered, the Shores of Solace has become his primary residence (though he does still retain a somewhat secret apartment in Atlantis). The estate is a tranquil single-level beach home with mother-of-pearl walls and vine-draped arches, sunny patios, and stately rooms decorated in soothing tones of gray and blue. Keefe Sencen lives there for the moment—but not by choice—and he spends the majority of his time on a patio lined with cushioned swings, watching waves crash onto a black sand cove.

Alluveterre: Once a hideout for the Black Swan (and now abandoned, because the Neverseen have a crystal that could give them access), Alluveterre is an enormous underground cavern that contains a lush forest, as well as a subterranean river. Two of the largest trees have been crowned with clever tree houses connected by an arched bridge, and winding wooden staircases wrap around the trunks to provide access. During Sophie’s time residing in Alluveterre, she and her friends were separated into groups (Sophie, Biana, and Della in one treehouse, and Keefe, Dex, and Fitz in the other) and when Tam and Linh lived there, they each claimed a treehouse for themselves. The hideout was given to the Black Swan by the dwarven king—which is why the name comes from the dwarven language (meaning “the sands of dawn”)—and the dwarves view Alluveterre as a testimony of our planet’s power to re-create itself, since the land above lies desolate from human pollution and destruction, while below, a crack filtered the light in and allowed nature to thrive in peace.

Sanctuary: This special animal preserve was created because humans were hunting certain animals to extinction (particularly those believed to be “magical” or “mythical”), and the elves believe that every species exists for a reason and that the planet’s delicate balance would be forever altered if one disappeared. The dwarves helped hollow out the Himalayas, and the gnomes helped build a thriving ecosystem inside, and any creatures now under the elves’ protection are caught, rehabilitated (primarily to help them adjust to their vegetarian diet), and eventually moved into the Sanctuary. The lush interior includes every possible climate, comfort, and care the creatures might need, as well as a rainbow-shifting sky to provide the illusion of freedom. The Sanctuary is definitely not a zoo full of cages. It’s a haven where all creatures can thrive without danger—or it’s supposed to be. While the rare alicorns were housed inside, the Neverseen made numerous attempts to break into the Sanctuary, and Sophie Foster had to convince the Council that it would be safer to set the alicorns free.

Solreef: Given Sir Tiergan’s intense desire for privacy—particularly after what happened with Prentice Endal—few have visited his personal residence. Solreef is situated on a small island and protected by an intense level of security. The house itself is somewhat fortresslike, with extra high walls—and the only entrance is situated at the top of a long stone staircase. Inside, though, Tiergan has striven to make his home a warm, welcoming environment for his adopted son (Wylie Endal) and later for Tam and Linh Song, who reside in Wylie’s room (which is more like three rooms) now that Wylie lives with his recovering father.

Eternalia: The glittering elvin capital is hidden in a valley in the Himalayas, and it’s truly a sight to behold—and likely the source of human legends about Shangri-la. Eternalia is divided by a wide river lined with Pures (towering palmlike trees that filter the air), and one half of the city holds the twelve identical crystal castles that serve as offices (and residences) for the Councillors. The other half is a sparkling, jeweled metropolis, which includes—among numerous other buildings—Tribunal Hall (a tall domed building built from emeralds, which flies a blue flag when a Tribunal is in progress), the Council’s Seat of Eminence (a massive diamond palace with four towers, which only the nobility may enter), the Lost Cities’ primary (and largest) library, and a special memorial fountain to the late Councillor Kenric. A large portion of the city was destroyed in the same inferno of Everblaze that stole Kenric’s life, but Eternalia was quickly rebuilt with the help of the gnomes and dwarves. Buildings that survived the fire can be identified by their style (built from solid-color bricks of a single gemstone), as can the replacements (with walls that are elaborate, multicolored jeweled mosaics).

Foxfire: The Lost Cities’ most prestigious academy is more like a small city than a school. Foxfire’s main building contains six wings and six towers (each in the same color as the grade level that attends sessions there) and wraps around a five-story glass pyramid (which houses the principal’s office at the apex, as well as the cafeteria, the orientation room, and the rooms where detention is held). The campus also has the elite towers (comprised of the Silver Tower and the Gold Tower, which twist around each other), as well as a domed amphitheater and numerous other buildings and fields—plus a well-equipped Healing Center, which has been put to use quite extensively since Sophie Foster arrived in the Lost Cities.

Gateway to Exile: In truth, there are no striking geographic features to identify the Gateway to Exile amid the endless scorching desert—but given that it’s the first means of access to an underground prison where the worst criminals from all the intelligent species are kept, that’s largely the point. Those granted permission to enter Exile are provided with instructions for how to find the pool of quicksand that will allow them to sink to the Entrance to Exile, where dwarves will be waiting to make sure they have the required piece of magsidian before allowing them to continue down the long, winding flight of stairs to the center of the earth. The final step takes place in the Room Where Chances Are Lost, where magsidian is used to open the door into Exile, a spiraling prison that winds in on itself, filled with horrible sounds and horrible cells—though the worst part is the somnatorium (where the “hopeless cases” are permanently sedated).

Atlantis: This gleaming silver metropolis is hidden under the ocean beneath a dome of air—much like the human myths about Atlantis claim. The reason those legends are somewhat accurate is because Atlantis was designed to be a place where elves and humans united their cultures—and for a brief time, that’s exactly what it was. But then the humans planned an uprising and forced the elves to disappear (though recent evidence suggests there may be more to that story). Since light doesn’t reach Atlantis, visitors must begin their journey at a small rocky outcropping in the middle of the ocean and create a whirlpool that allows them to slide down the enormous swirling maelstrom into the city (landing on a giant sponge, which dries them off completely). Leaving is equally complicated and requires being encased in a giant bubble and launched out of the city by a geyser. Notable features of Atlantis include the glowing balefire spires (which provide soft blue-toned light), the starlight effect on the dome (which gives an appearance of night), the Unity Fountain (a remnant from the city’s human history), specialty shops of all kinds, an intricate system of bridges and canals—with fancy eurypterid-pulled carriages floating along the water—as well as numerous noble offices including the Registry, the Treasury, the Matchmaking Office, the Chief Mentalist, and many others.