Tal'Dorei Primer
This article contains information on important powers in Tal'Dorei as well as the historical context necessary for understanding Tal'Dorei today. A lot of names of people and places are thrown around, and there's no need to be familiar with all of them. This article and additional information as it becomes relevant will always be accessible to look back at as needed.
The continent of Tal’Dorei encompasses several nations and independent city-states, all of which are home to diverse peoples who view the world in ways influenced by their cultures and the lands they call home. The most significant nations of Tal’Dorei include:
The Republic of Tal’Dorei. From the great city of Emon in the west, across the vast Dividing Plains, and even as far as the isolated city-state of Whitestone in the northeast, the Republic of Tal’Dorei spans the breadth of the continent that bears its name. It is ruled by a council of elected representatives known as the Council of Tal'Dorei and is cordially allied with all other nations on the continent.
The Ashari. The elementally attuned Ashari people are reclusive and dedicated to their mission of safeguarding elemental rifts across the world. Two of the greatest rifts exist in Tal’Dorei, and the Earth Ashari of Terrah and the Air Ashari of Zephrah keep watch over them from their secluded homes.
The Deep Halls of Kraghammer. Deep beneath the Cliffkeep Mountains is Kraghammer, the ancestral home of Tal’Dorei’s dwarven people. Though Kraghammer is home to people other than dwarves, its dark and claustrophobic halls act as a deterrent to non-dwarven residents—as does the dwarf clans’ famous inhospitality.
The Verdant Enclave of Syngorn. In the heart of the trackless Verdant Expanse is a city of elves who hid in the Fey Realm from a war that nearly annihilated all life on Exandria. Syngorn is welcoming to all who brave the Verdant Expanse to reach them, though there is an expectation that those who visit take pains not to flaunt the strict and ancient rules of Syngornian society, lest their stay come to a swift and unceremonious end.
The Iron Authority. This imperial force rules the Beynsfal Plateau in the southernmost reaches of the continent. There they train legions of soldiers in an endless campaign to conquer the entire Rifenmist Peninsula. The other powers of Tal’Dorei are just beginning to take notice of the movements of the Iron Authority, but most of their knowledge is based in rumor. The Tal’Dorei Council has little interest in drawing the authority’s ire while it is preoccupied with its conquest of Rifenmist.
After infiltrating the Fire Ashari of Pyrah for nearly five years, Raishan finally unlocked the seal between the planes that bound Thordak and set him free. Thordak’s physical body was warped by the fiery energies of his prison. Now stronger than ever, he rallied his draconic allies, the Chroma Conclave, to destroy or conquer Tal’Dorei as they saw fit— starting with a retributive assault of catastrophic proportions on Emon. Nearly three centuries of Tal’Dorei rule in the realm ended under the rule of Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei II, his life cut short when much of Emon was reduced to rubble.
The attack not only killed the Sovereign Uriel, but also scattered the Council of Tal’Dorei, throwing the realm into chaos. The remnants of the civilized lands were divided up and taken as trophies by the Conclave, while the capital Emon was ruled by the Cinder King himself, with Raishan secretly manipulating the course of his rule from the shadows.
In steps the mighty heros of the story. One by one, the members of the Conclave fell to the might and cleverness of a band of misfit warriors known as Vox Machina. Vax'ildan Vessar, a half-elven rogue, and his twin sister, the ranger Vex'ahlia; Keyleth of the Air Ashari, a half-elven druid; Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, a human gunslinger; Grog Strongjaw, a half-giant barbarian; Pike Trickfoot, a gnomish cleric of the Everlight; and Scanlan Shorthalt, a gnome bard. With their might bolstered by a number of the lost Vestiges of Divergence, artifacts of incalculable power forged amidst the chaos of the Calamity, they were a force to be reckoned with. After many adventures, these heroes gathered their allies and stormed the capital of Emon, slaying Thordak the Cinder King and freeing its people. Upon discovering the machinations of the real mastermind, Raishan the Diseased Deceiver, with whom Vox Machina had held a tenuous alliance, they gave chase and finally slew this last standing member of the Chroma Conclave, ending their reign over the land and restoring rule once more to the Council of Tal’Dorei.
Recovery has been slow in both Tal’Dorei’s heartland and its most distant reaches. Even though cities like Kymal and Stilben were not direct targets of the dragons’ rampage, the age of unrest that followed made these small cities easy targets for ransacking by roving bandits and corrupt magistrates alike. Even today, outlying settlements are slow to trust the good intentions of the Tal’Dorei Council.
Major cities like Westruun and Emon have been the greatest beneficiaries of the Time of Regrowth, for even though they suffered the worst of the Conclave’s destruction, the dragons also kept their lairs close by, allowing vast amounts of plundered wealth from their treasure hoards to flow rapidly back into these cities’ coffers. Over the last twenty years, these cities have hired legions of arcanists to magically restore much of what was lost.
However, perhaps the one city that can say it directly benefited from the Chroma Conclave’s reign of chaos is Whitestone, a formerly independent city-state that is now a member of the republic. Whitestone took in countless refugees from Emon after the Conclave’s initial attack, and countless more in the aftermath. Sequestered in Tal’Dorei’s cold northeastern reaches, Whitestone is an isolated city, but it has rapidly become a powerhouse of political, cultural, artistic, and economic influence—to the chagrin of some traditionalists in Emon.
The landscape of Tal’Dorei has been forever scarred by the presence of the Conclave, especially the Cinder King. His hellfire left marks on the land that will never heal—magical wounds that bleed fire and ooze chaotic magic. Smaller cities beyond the reach of the council have begun to succumb to sinister influences. Demons and devils crawl into the world, summoned by occult powers answering fell voices from beyond the Divine Gate. The Betrayer Gods sense weakness within the world.
Yet despite these threats, the legendary heroes of Vox Machina have largely set down their blades, guns, and spells and taken up the mantle of leadership. More than twenty years have passed since their greatest adventures, and though the surviving members of Vox Machina are still canny rulers and cunning warriors, the Tal’Dorei Council can no longer rely upon their skills as readily as they once did. Rumors of the heroes’ permanent retirement swirl, inspiring fear and nostalgic sorrow in many of the people—but adventurers across the land see this as an opportunity to rise to the level of Vox Machina and beyond.
Tal’Dorei needs heroes—and this time, Vox Machina alone will not be enough.
Geography
The name Tal’Dorei refers to one of four major continents on the world of Exandria, as well as the Republic of Tal’Dorei, the largest nation on the continent.The continent of Tal’Dorei encompasses several nations and independent city-states, all of which are home to diverse peoples who view the world in ways influenced by their cultures and the lands they call home. The most significant nations of Tal’Dorei include:
The Republic of Tal’Dorei. From the great city of Emon in the west, across the vast Dividing Plains, and even as far as the isolated city-state of Whitestone in the northeast, the Republic of Tal’Dorei spans the breadth of the continent that bears its name. It is ruled by a council of elected representatives known as the Council of Tal'Dorei and is cordially allied with all other nations on the continent.
The Ashari. The elementally attuned Ashari people are reclusive and dedicated to their mission of safeguarding elemental rifts across the world. Two of the greatest rifts exist in Tal’Dorei, and the Earth Ashari of Terrah and the Air Ashari of Zephrah keep watch over them from their secluded homes.
The Deep Halls of Kraghammer. Deep beneath the Cliffkeep Mountains is Kraghammer, the ancestral home of Tal’Dorei’s dwarven people. Though Kraghammer is home to people other than dwarves, its dark and claustrophobic halls act as a deterrent to non-dwarven residents—as does the dwarf clans’ famous inhospitality.
The Verdant Enclave of Syngorn. In the heart of the trackless Verdant Expanse is a city of elves who hid in the Fey Realm from a war that nearly annihilated all life on Exandria. Syngorn is welcoming to all who brave the Verdant Expanse to reach them, though there is an expectation that those who visit take pains not to flaunt the strict and ancient rules of Syngornian society, lest their stay come to a swift and unceremonious end.
The Iron Authority. This imperial force rules the Beynsfal Plateau in the southernmost reaches of the continent. There they train legions of soldiers in an endless campaign to conquer the entire Rifenmist Peninsula. The other powers of Tal’Dorei are just beginning to take notice of the movements of the Iron Authority, but most of their knowledge is based in rumor. The Tal’Dorei Council has little interest in drawing the authority’s ire while it is preoccupied with its conquest of Rifenmist.
A History of Modern Tal'Dorei
Thordak, the Cinder King
In the year 795 PD, reports of a dragon reached the ears of the Council of Tal’Dorei. Upon investigation, it was found that a power-hungry red dragon named Thordak, who preferred the self-styled moniker of “the Cinder King”, had destroyed everything surrounding the Gladepools, including Port Udall and Byroden. An adventuring party led by Arcanist Allura Vysoren, who sits today upon the Tal’Dorei Council, cornered the Cinder King and defeated him—though his power was so great that they could not manage to kill the dragon outright. Instead, Allura and her companions used powerful magic to imprison Thordak within the Elemental Plane of Fire forever. The Fire Ashari of distant Issylra vowed to watch over Thordak’s prison until age could consume even him.The Chroma Conclave
Forever lasted a mere sixteen years. In that time, life returned to mundane quarrels over the price of bread and taxes. During this time of quietude, an old and unexpected ally of Thordak’s, a green dragon called Raishan the Diseased Deceiver, found Thordak and conspired to release him from his prison so he could conquer the land once again. Raishan formed a plan and forged an unprecedented alliance with three other power-hungry chromatic dragons: Umbrasyl the Hope Devourer, Brimscythe the Iron Storm, and Vorugal the Frigid Doom.After infiltrating the Fire Ashari of Pyrah for nearly five years, Raishan finally unlocked the seal between the planes that bound Thordak and set him free. Thordak’s physical body was warped by the fiery energies of his prison. Now stronger than ever, he rallied his draconic allies, the Chroma Conclave, to destroy or conquer Tal’Dorei as they saw fit— starting with a retributive assault of catastrophic proportions on Emon. Nearly three centuries of Tal’Dorei rule in the realm ended under the rule of Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei II, his life cut short when much of Emon was reduced to rubble.
The attack not only killed the Sovereign Uriel, but also scattered the Council of Tal’Dorei, throwing the realm into chaos. The remnants of the civilized lands were divided up and taken as trophies by the Conclave, while the capital Emon was ruled by the Cinder King himself, with Raishan secretly manipulating the course of his rule from the shadows.
In steps the mighty heros of the story. One by one, the members of the Conclave fell to the might and cleverness of a band of misfit warriors known as Vox Machina. Vax'ildan Vessar, a half-elven rogue, and his twin sister, the ranger Vex'ahlia; Keyleth of the Air Ashari, a half-elven druid; Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, a human gunslinger; Grog Strongjaw, a half-giant barbarian; Pike Trickfoot, a gnomish cleric of the Everlight; and Scanlan Shorthalt, a gnome bard. With their might bolstered by a number of the lost Vestiges of Divergence, artifacts of incalculable power forged amidst the chaos of the Calamity, they were a force to be reckoned with. After many adventures, these heroes gathered their allies and stormed the capital of Emon, slaying Thordak the Cinder King and freeing its people. Upon discovering the machinations of the real mastermind, Raishan the Diseased Deceiver, with whom Vox Machina had held a tenuous alliance, they gave chase and finally slew this last standing member of the Chroma Conclave, ending their reign over the land and restoring rule once more to the Council of Tal’Dorei.
Apotheosis Thwarted
The world was troubled by a disturbance on the continent of Issylra a year after the Chroma Conclave’s defeat, as a lich attempted to achieve godhood and crush the Dawn City of Vasselheim in one fell swoop. His success would have meant catastrophe for the Material Plane, leaving him the sole god on this side of the world’s impenetrable Divine Gate. The legendary heroes known as Vox Machina once again stepped in to save the world. However, beyond hearing news of Vox Machina’s involvement in this conflict, few in Tal’Dorei were concerned by rumblings on the other side of the world.A Fledgling Republic
The final act of Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei II’s life was to abdicate the throne and end the line of sovereigns—permanently. Uriel II’s last act as sovereign transformed his family’s imperial dynasty into the Republic of Tal’Dorei. The Tal’Dorei Council has guided the fate of the nation since Vox Machina slew the Cinder King. For most of the past two decades, the goal of the council has been to rebuild that which was lost—and to assure far-flung territories that the nascent republic is just as stable as the empire ever was.Recovery has been slow in both Tal’Dorei’s heartland and its most distant reaches. Even though cities like Kymal and Stilben were not direct targets of the dragons’ rampage, the age of unrest that followed made these small cities easy targets for ransacking by roving bandits and corrupt magistrates alike. Even today, outlying settlements are slow to trust the good intentions of the Tal’Dorei Council.
Major cities like Westruun and Emon have been the greatest beneficiaries of the Time of Regrowth, for even though they suffered the worst of the Conclave’s destruction, the dragons also kept their lairs close by, allowing vast amounts of plundered wealth from their treasure hoards to flow rapidly back into these cities’ coffers. Over the last twenty years, these cities have hired legions of arcanists to magically restore much of what was lost.
However, perhaps the one city that can say it directly benefited from the Chroma Conclave’s reign of chaos is Whitestone, a formerly independent city-state that is now a member of the republic. Whitestone took in countless refugees from Emon after the Conclave’s initial attack, and countless more in the aftermath. Sequestered in Tal’Dorei’s cold northeastern reaches, Whitestone is an isolated city, but it has rapidly become a powerhouse of political, cultural, artistic, and economic influence—to the chagrin of some traditionalists in Emon.
Seeds of Peril
A generation has passed in relative peace. Yet all who have studied history know that each age’s conflict sows the seeds of the next. The Republic of Tal’Dorei has proven it can prosper in peacetime, but it has yet to be tested by the pressures of war or a supernatural cataclysm.The landscape of Tal’Dorei has been forever scarred by the presence of the Conclave, especially the Cinder King. His hellfire left marks on the land that will never heal—magical wounds that bleed fire and ooze chaotic magic. Smaller cities beyond the reach of the council have begun to succumb to sinister influences. Demons and devils crawl into the world, summoned by occult powers answering fell voices from beyond the Divine Gate. The Betrayer Gods sense weakness within the world.
Yet despite these threats, the legendary heroes of Vox Machina have largely set down their blades, guns, and spells and taken up the mantle of leadership. More than twenty years have passed since their greatest adventures, and though the surviving members of Vox Machina are still canny rulers and cunning warriors, the Tal’Dorei Council can no longer rely upon their skills as readily as they once did. Rumors of the heroes’ permanent retirement swirl, inspiring fear and nostalgic sorrow in many of the people—but adventurers across the land see this as an opportunity to rise to the level of Vox Machina and beyond.
Tal’Dorei needs heroes—and this time, Vox Machina alone will not be enough.
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