stirring up the territorial inhabitants of the mountains.
Elven scouts report cyclops raiders and shamans conducting
strange rituals within the eyes of thunderstorms at night, and
hungry bulettes hunting beyond their normal domain, as if
guided by some unknown intelligence.DaGG erbay mountains aDventures
the ey e of the storM
For mid-level characters: Hill giants are migrating into the
mountains, leaving their foothill settlements empty of
warriors, civilians, and infirm alike. A half-elven scout
named Thunderchaser has caused a stir in the Emerald
Outpost by bringing back the lightning-charred corpse of
a hill giant with one eye ritually gouged out. What are the
cyclops stormcallers (see page 132) planning beneath the
concealing stormclouds of the Daggerbay Mountains?a Metal of MeMory
For high-level characters: The ancient molten beast that was
sundered beneath these rocky peaks left behind pockets
of an incredibly rare metal with mysterious properties
called “orichalcum” far below the surface. The sudden dis-
covery has sent local entrepreneurs into a frenzy, and the
ensuing rush has already sparked some violence. As they
dig deeper, they discover that some essence of the ancient
creature still lives, and it is seeking vengeance.Emerald Outpost
Small Town • Population: 1,456
(89% Elven, 6% Human, 3% Halfling, 2% Other)
Originally established by the elves of Syngorn as a
hidden outpost to keep watch over the growing empire
of Drassig, the Emerald Outpost fell out of use after the
Scattered War. Now it stands as a trade post between
Emon and Syngorn, and many day-to-day matters
between the alliance of cities are handled here within the
Emerald Chambers—previously the outpost’s war room.
The Outpost is neutral ground, but its elven majority
population and heavy Syngornian military presence occa-
sionally makes non-elven civilians and diplomats uneasy.
The outpost is governed by an agreed partnership between
two appointed captains, one by the Council of Tal’Dorei,
and the other by the Wardens of Syngorn. The Syngor-
nian captain Maina Rusalla has held a well-known rivalry
with the Council’s appointed captain Jorn Krastef, and
their bickering tends to hold up political negotiations. A
small military presence is still kept here by both Emon
and Syngorn as part of the arrangement, though mostly as
combat reserves.Emon, the City of Fellowship
Metropolis • Population: 287,550
(68% Human, 7% Dwarven, 6% Elven, 19% Other)
Emon stands defiantly against all who would threaten
Tal’Dorei and its people. It is the cultural heart of human
civilization on this continent, and as the republic’s capital,
Emon is a nexus of politics, justice, business, industry, and
education within the realm.
Encircled by 60-foot-high walls that stretch from the
eastern fields to the western shore, Emon is accessible only
through its heavily-patrolled gates and by skyship, the
denizens of the city are generally well protected from out-
side attackers and sieges. A well-trained force of guards
known as the Arms of Emon enforces the laws of the land
from the Military District. Dense farms and farm com-
munities surround the northeastern boundary of the city,
while large slums cap the northern and southern land-
scape outside of the city walls.Government
Emon is the seat of the Council of Tal’Dorei, the nation’s
highest governing body. Though the council originally
served under the Sovereign of Tal’Dorei, the nation’s final
Sovereign was killed when the Chroma Conclave attacked
Emon. Following the death of Thordak the Cinder King
and the rest of the Conclave, Emon was rebuilt and the
Council reformed as the backbone of the new Republic of
Tal’Dorei. The Council and its members are described in
detail on page 35.
One unintended consequence of relying on magic to
rapidly rebuild Emon is that the mages of Tal’Dorei now
hold incredible influence over the fledgling Council. Some
fear that without a Sovereign, the Council will be unable
to keep the arcanists in line, and Tal’Dorei will dissolve
into magocracy.soCiety
While classically the heart of a human empire, Emon
boasts a diverse populace, with citizens of nearly all races
from all of Exandria’s many nations, thriving on the new
innovations and ideas of its diverse citizenry. Tal’Dorei’s
tight alliances with the elven nation of Syngorn and the
dwarven hold of Kraghammer invited some of those
nations’ greatest artisans inside Emon’s walls, and their
friends and families soon followed until Emon was home
to a significant minority of elves and dwarves. Under the
rule of Zan Tal’Dorei, Emon developed into a city whose
people valued innovation and collaboration, especially
in small, cohesive groups—virtues that some historians
believe has given rise to the prominence of the modern
adventuring party.
While Emon is becoming more commercial and the
use of gold as currency has been ubiquitous throughout
Tal’Dorei’s history, many communities within the city are
still close-knit enough to use the barter system. During“ The Emerald Outpost is proof that we of Syngorn
should mistrust humans; not because of their
treachery, but because of their greed, and the way
grasping commerce seeps into the heart and spirit
like a slow, sweet poison.”
—Captain Maina Rusalla