Eberron Rising From the Last War

(^134)
--THE--
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NIGHTLIFE OF THE
WALKING DEAD
The port city of Pylas Talaear is a place of wonders. Stand
on the steps of the Grand Temple and look down upon
the High Street and you'll see fountains of light cast-
ing shadows across buildings that have stood for over
ten thousand years. Brilliant motes dance through the
air-spectral messengers carrying words across the city.
But the most remarkable feature of Pylas Talaear is the
dead. If you know anything about Aerenal, you've surely
heard of the Undying Court, the deathless cabinet that
guides the nation. Only the grandest members of society
win elevation to the Undying Court, but there are many
forms of preservation. Go to the Dalaen Forge and you'll
see the ghost of Old Dalaen advising his descendants as
they work wood and steel. Visit the Eidolon Tavern and
you'll see poltergeists mixing drinks, and you can get
advice from a spectral bartender with thousands of years
of wisdom to share. Visit Maer Crossing at midnight and
you'll see the spirit of Lady Jhaelian dance with a grace
unmatched by any living elf.
Wondrous as it is, as a human visitor, I found it more
than a little unnerving. There's no escaping the past in
Aerenal; it lingers all around you, whispering advice or
warning you to avoid transgression. You never know
when you'll feel the tingle of spectral fingers against your
skin or hear the whisper of an elf who's older than hu­
man civilization. There are many wonders in Aerenal ...
just don't get buried in the past.
AERENA�S INFL UENCE IN
KHORVAIRE
In Khorvaire, you might ...

• Team up with an agent of the Undying Court to bring
  down a powerful vampire.


• Be summoned by a deathless sage who needs your
  help to fulfill an ancient prophecy.


• Bargain with a merchant offering rare magic items.
  Few Aereni elves are interested in the world beyond
  their island. The Aereni see Khorvaire as a primitive
  backwater, and humans as dangerously impulsive. Aer­
  eni who travel to Khorvaire have a concrete purpose for
  the journey, which could drive an adventure.
  The magewrights and artificers of Aerenal are more
  advanced than those of Khorvaire. Aereni artisans
  fashion rods, staffs, and wands, and other rare or even
  legendary items may come from Aerenal. However, the
  nation is less industrialized than Khorvaire. Legend­
  ary items aren't mass produced; some are personally
  crafted by members of the Undying Court.
  Aereni goods make use of exotic plants and woods.
  Bronzewood has the density and even some of the

CHAPTER 2 I KHORVAIRE GAZETIEER

properties of steel; an Aereni cleric might wear a

bronzewood breastplate, while a paladin of the Undying

Court could wear a suit of elaborated engraved bronze­

wood plate armor. Bronzewood leaves are remarkably

tough, and the Aereni craft "leaf weave" armor function­

ally equivalent to leather, studded leather, or chain mail.

Bronzewood can also be crafted into weapons, and Aer­

eni warriors use spears or swords made from a single

piece of bronzewood.

TRINKETS FROM AERENAL

d8 Trinket

A bronzewood ring inscribed with the Elvish word for

"hope"

2 A dried flower; if it's placed in water, it blooms

3 An ebony locket; when it's opened, an elven voice

whispers "Always"

4 A tiny skull carved from dark wood

(^5) A finger bone inscribed with an unknown sigil
6 An ivory flute which produces no sound
7 A small journal made from preserved leaves
8 A book of poetry written by undead elves

ARGONNESSEN

In Argonnessen, you could ...

• Clash with tribes of dragon-worshiping barbarians.


• Explore an ancient city of dragons.


• Discover mighty artifacts and long-lost spells.
  Argonnessen is home to the oldest civilization on Eber­
  ron. The dragons wield ancient magic, and they have
  shielded their homeland against divination and telepor­
  tation. Tribes of barbarians roam the Seren Islands and
  the coastlines of Argonnessen; these include members
  of almost every humanoid race, perhaps collected by
  dragons in ages past. The Seren barbarians worship the
  dragons and protect the coasts from invaders. To date,
  no one from Khorvaire has ventured into the interior of
  the continent and returned to speak of it.
  No one knows how many dragons live in Argonnes­
  sen, but stories tell of vast cavern complexes filled with
  the treasures of fallen civilizations, of prisons holding
  bound demons, of cities made from adamantine.
  To those of Khorvaire, Argonnessen is a mystery
  space on the map. Only the most powerful characters
  might visit Argonnessen and return to tell the tale.

ARGONNESSEN'S INFLUENCE IN

KHORVAIRE

In Khorvaire, you might ...

• Prevent a villain from acquiring a powerful artifact
  smuggled out of Argonnessen.


• Encounter a dragonborn barbarian born on the Seren
  islands, who shares tales of mighty wyrms.


• Battle a dragon who guards a hidden vault.
  Some say the mysterious dragons of Argonnessen
  hide in plain sight, that shapechanged dragons scat­
  tered across Khorvaire pull the strings of civilization.