Chapter 2: Gazetteer of tal’Dorei 49the Alabaster Sierras to learn the secrets of the Briarwoods’
foul magic and emulate their takeover of Whitestone. There
are even whispers of escaped vampiric spawn from the Bri-
arwoods’ rule that wander the outskirts of the city, seeking
to spread their influence and their curse.
an enChantinG export
During the conflicts of the Calamity, a climactic battle
between the stalwart Dawnfather and the engine of mad
destruction known as Chained Oblivion came to a dramatic
and explosive conclusion in the Alabaster Sierras. The unsta-
ble arcane forces unleashed in their battle created the valley
that now houses the Parchwood, thrusting the surround-
ing mountains upward and infusing them with incredible
amounts of residuum—the residue of arcane energy.
The sheer amount of leftover arcane power within
the so-called whitestone of the mountains is incredibly
receptive to enchantment. Anyone enchanting a piece
of whitestone, or an item infused with whitestone dust,
reduces the time required to enchant the item by 75%.
Some alchemists in Emon have discovered that dissolving
whitestone with specific acids can leave behind pure resid-
uum, which can substitute for expensive spell components
when such materials are not readily available.
If a spell has a component cost that consumes the com-
ponent, its caster can substitute the required component
for an amount of residuum of an equal value. One pound
of pure residuum is worth approximately 500 gp in most
Tal’Dorei markets, though difficult to come by the further
from Whitestone or Emon one travels.
This same residuum, if heated into a green glass-
like state, can expedite localized enchantment rituals.
Enchantment Altars using this residuum glass as a pri-
mary construction component are extremely expensive
to produce and generally only found at places of higher
arcane learning or homesteads of powerful archmages.