96 Chapter 2: Gazetteer of tal’Dorei
the snowember fiel Ds
The Snowember Fields are the widest, most barren por-
tion of the Scar. This patch of ruined farmland is lifeless
and coated by a thick layer of white ash, interrupted
occasionally by the immolated remains of a windmill. The
destruction looks peaceful from afar, like freshly fallen
snow, but no one who wishes to live travels here, for to
disturb the ash is to invite death. Living embers lurk
beneath the snow-white ash—for every 5 feet a creature
travels, a pyromaniacal magmin flares from below. And
the deeper one travels to the heart of the Snowember, the
greater the danger grows.Grey sKull Keep
Built outside the city walls, beyond the southern most
region of the southern slums, is the homestead of Emon’s
own heroes: Vox Machina. Designed by Theadorn Krazz
and constructed as a gift for saving the lives of the late
Sovereign’s family, this respectable stone fortress stands
as home and the base of operations for the members of
Vox Machina who have business within Emon itself.
As the various adventurers are usually scattered to their
own responsibilities across the lands, the entire band of
warriors is rarely assembled within the Keep outside of
holidays, political meets, or times of danger.Ruins of Salar
In the deepest depths of the Crystalfen Caverns, directly
under the prized city of Emon, lay the ancient ruins of
Salar, capital of a time-lost subterrestrial aboleth empire.
The aboleths know Salar as the Unseeable City, because
mortal eyes cannot look upon its alien architecture without
destroying their fragile minds. Salar is nothing more than
a rumor to Emon’s scholars and archaeologists—no sane
person has ever verified its existence—but their crazed
scribbling indicate all that survives of the ruined city are
emerald marble structures of unfathomable design, seemingto shift and shimmer as the eye tries to comprehend,
moving through time as they remain static in space.
The once-renowned archaeologist Karaline von Ethro
has claimed to have visions of Salar, described a subter-
ranean city with twisting pillars that stretched higher
than any tower, kissing the seat of our land from the
bedrock of the earth. At the tallest height of the central
pillar floats a giant pearlescent disc, which she labeled
the Moon Disc, that acts as the central light source of
the city. In Karaline’s journal, she recorded hearing
whispers and voices; however, most believe her journal to
be nothing more than the diary of a madwoman, and any
inquiry of regarding her findings are generally laughed
upon by scholars. Laugh as they might, the surviving
aboleth brood, helmed by Overseer Durrom, lives on
in secrecy while expanding their army of thralls and
learning all they can about the ignorant surface dwellers.
Durrom’s ultimate goal is to shatter the forgotten Pillars
of the Earth and cause the surface of Tal’Dorei to col-
lapse into his subterranean domain.Seashale Mountains
Northwest of Emon along the coast runs the curious range
of mountains known as the Seashale. The name “Seashale”
comes from their unique shape; appearing to looking like
a tidal wave about to crash on the inland territories, frozen
in dynamic stone within the few, broken bursts of forest
that dot the perimeter of the mountain range.
Crashing waves and salty sea breezes have carved miles
of twisted valleys between its jagged peaks, creating an
unusual home for the many coastal creatures lurking
within the cavernous rock, shoreside pools, and towering
bluffs. High tide leads the briny waters into the Night-
wash, a miles-long lagoon that wends its way through the
base of the bluffs, carrying hosts of dangerous ocean life
with each pass. Conversely, the tidal phenomenon also
brings a bevy of deep sea fish on occasion, which gave
birth to the fishing community of the Shalesteps within
these mountains.The Shalesteps
Small Town • Population: 456
(40% Human, 30% Halfling, 30% Dwarf )
The Shalesteps is a series of small, allied villages that
choose to live a more simple life outside of the bustle of
the capital city, but close enough to enjoy ready imports
and protection should the need arise. Most of their food
is sourced from the ocean and the Nightwash tide, while
a small hunting community wanders the higher peaks
for avian quarry and other sources of meat and resources.
While no known adventurers have ever been known to
come from the Seashale Mountains, those who live there
are sturdy and ready to defend themselves against the
dangerous wilds surrounding them, and the occasional
monstrosity that washes in with their nets.karaline Von eThroArchaeologist, Anthropologist, and Explorer Extraor-
dinaire; Karaline von Ethro was a human adventurer
and inventor. It was her designs that created the
Sunbeam Compass, a device that always directs the
user to the Sun by emitting a small light at the tip of
the needle in a glass orb, allowing it to rotating in all
directions; very useful when exploring subterranean
territory. She had also recovered several relics from the
battles that occurred in O’Noa, early civilizations from
Daggerbay Mountains, and predicted civilizations on
the Visa Isle. However, despite her discoveries she is
most remembered for going mad after allegedly having
visions of the Ruins of Salar. Karaline’s madness even-
tually led to her demise at the young age of 37.