5etools-mirror-2.github.io/data/book/book-tdcsr.json

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		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn",
			"page": 1,
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					"credit": "{@link Genel Jumalon|https://artstation.com/geneljumalon}",
					"altText": "The cover of the book titled: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn by Matthew Mercer, Hannah Rose, and James J. Haeck. The cover illustration shows the deck of an airship flying through the clouds above Tal'Dorei with an adranach attacking the helm of the ship, which is on fire from the adranach attack. Five adventurers on the deck of the airship face the adranach and rush to attack it, with a sixth adventurer leaping to attack the adranach. The adranach is a large, purple, luminescent winged creature with a silver mask, silver-taloned front paws, and stars glittering in its wings.",
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				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Preface",
					"page": 5,
					"entries": [
						"Inspiration can come from anywhere: a musician's song, the advice of a close friend, or just the trust that another being places in you. In my experience, few things can compare to the surge of joy and motivation that being inspired gives.",
						"I have often found inspiration in fantasy worlds and books of adventure, mystery, and magic. I grew up devouring every novel I was handed, seeking to lose myself in the words of another mind, channeling the images they evoked in my mind into my sketchbook. But it wasn't until I discovered tabletop roleplaying games that I felt truly empowered to create my own worlds, places like the ones that I so often found myself lost in. Even better, it let me share all the ideas in my head with my friends, and they could do the same with me. I was spellbound.",
						"It's been about twenty-five years since my first game. Since then, I've drawn endless inspiration from the imaginations of my friends and loved ones as we tell heroic stories around a table with dice and paper. I've found a circle of friends who share my love of dramatic storytelling, my belief that failure in games is just as exciting as success (maybe even more so), and my delight in being inspired by moments of improvisational brilliance. It's still surreal that we found a way to share that with the world; {@i Critical Role} has become a phenomenon that's surpassed my wildest dreams. Over the past few years, we've built the magical world of Exandria together, warts and all, and somehow it's become a world that millions of others have engaged with and invested their imaginations in. I hope it's inspired you to create your own adventures, stories, and joyful memories. Through Vox Machina's epic tale, the land of Tal'Dorei became a landscape rife with intrigue, conflict, and endless possibility... and we wanted to share it with you.",
						"Years ago, I had an opportunity to bring Tal'Dorei to the page and invite the world to tell their own stories in Exandria. The thrill of the opportunity was incredible, but the immense pressure and fear of failure (given my absolute lack of experience doing something like this) made it a strenuous journey on an incredibly short timeline. I was incredibly blessed to have become friends with the immeasurably brilliant James Haeck around that time, and I asked him to join me in this task. My good fortune found him agreeing, and with his help and inspiration, it somehow came together. With that, a limited run of the {@i Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting} went into the world.",
						"Time has passed, both in our world and within the world of Exandria. Vox Machina's greatest adventures came to a close. Looking two decades later (within Exandria), we embarked on a new adventure with the Mighty Nein in the land of Wildemount...but Vox Machina and Tal'Dorei remained deeply dear to my heart. The question arose: what would Tal'Dorei look like these two decades later? What changes would have taken place in the recovery following the Chroma Conclave and the ascension of the Whispered One? How would the legendary heroes of Vox Machina have adjusted to life after the end of their story? What dangers and threats, both old and new, would the next generation of heroes need to rise up against?",
						"Inspiration struck once more, and now that {@i Critical Role} had the means to do so...we needed to answer these questions for both ourselves and the numerous Critters who often conjectured as we did. \"{@book Who is on the Tal'Dorei Council?|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}\" Well, we can finally answer that! I immediately called James Haeck back to the fray, and we were joined this time by the extraordinary mind and talents of Hannah Rose to elevate these ideas into something better than I could have hoped. Between us, Tal'Dorei was Reborn. We invite you to get lost in this world, learn of its intricacies and secrets, and, I hope, be inspired to make this world yours as well.",
						"{@link Matthew Mercer|https://twitter.com/matthewmercer},",
						"Game Master of {@i Critical Role}",
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					"id": "001"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
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							"type": "gallery",
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								{
									"type": "image",
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										"path": "book/TDCSR/Cover-Internal.webp"
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									"credit": "{@link GenelJumalon|https://artstation.com/geneljumalon}",
									"altText": "The deck of an airship flying through the clouds above Tal'Dorei with an adranach attacking the helm of the ship, which is on fire from the adranach attack. Five adventurers on the deck of the airship face the adranach and rush to attack it, with a sixth adventurer leaping to attack the adranach. The adranach is a large, purple, luminescent winged creature with a silver mask, silver-taloned front paws, and stars glittering in its wings.",
									"width": 1280,
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									"altText": "The deck of an airship flying through the clouds above Tal'Dorei with an adranach attacking the helm of the ship, which is on fire from the adranach attack. Five adventurers on the deck of the airship face the adranach and rush to attack it, with a sixth adventurer leaping to attack the adranach. The adranach is a large, purple, luminescent winged creature with a silver mask, silver-taloned front paws, and stars glittering in its wings.",
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					],
					"id": "002"
				}
			],
			"id": "000"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 1: Welcome to Tal'Dorei",
			"page": 7,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
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					"credit": "{@link Lea Bichlmaier|https://artstation.com/jeleynai}",
					"altText": "Two opposing sides of a battlefield fiercely clash, a starry night sky in the background. Zan Tal'Dorei, a human woman with long brown hair wearing elvish armor, wields a mighty longsword as she leaps toward a blond man, King Trist Drassig, who wears half-plate armor and wields a bloody greatsword.",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1655
				},
				"Tal'Dorei is a land of epic adventure, filled with heroes who do great deeds for love, for justice, and\u2014maybe more often than not\u2014for gold and their own egos. Villains are draped in shadow and draw upon the power of cruel gods\u2014but they are just as motivated by love, their own twisted concepts of justice, and their hunger for gold, power, and glory.",
				"Tal'Dorei is a land created by Matthew Mercer to introduce his friends to fantasy roleplaying games, and he filled it with the greatest high fantasy tropes and played them to the hilt\u2014and then twisted them, defying his own clichés when it would hit the hardest.",
				"This book is for Game Masters who wish to run fantasy roleplaying game campaigns set on the continent of {@i Critical Role's} first campaign, and for the players who will create characters for those games. The game mechanics in this book use \"fifth edition rules,\" but it also includes enough lore about the world to form the foundation for a game using the rules of any fantasy RPG.",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"page": 7,
					"name": "Lands of Tal'Dorei",
					"entries": [
						"The name Tal'Dorei refers to three things throughout this book. Most often, Tal'Dorei means the continent that is home to all of the people, locations, monsters, magic items, and more within these pages. It is one of four major continents on the world of Exandria. Tal'Dorei can also mean the Republic of Tal'Dorei, the largest nation on the continent. And finally, Tal'Dorei was first the surname of a mighty hero who lent her name to the land that she helped liberate from evil.",
						"See \"{@book A History of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|A History of Tal'Dorei}\" later in this chapter for more details about the heroic {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, the land she founded, and her descendants.",
						"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:",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"page": 7,
											"name": "The Republic of Tal'Dorei",
											"entries": [
												"From the great city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} in the west, across the vast {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, and even as far as the isolated city-state of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|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 and is cordially allied with all other nations on the continent."
											],
											"id": "007"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Ashari",
											"page": 7,
											"entries": [
												"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 {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} and the Air Ashari of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} keep watch over them from their secluded homes."
											],
											"id": "008"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Deep Halls of Kraghammer",
											"page": 7,
											"entries": [
												"Deep beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} is {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, the ancestral home of Tal'Dorei's dwarven people. Though {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} is home to people other than {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, its dark and claustrophobic halls act as a deterrent to non-dwarven residents\u2014as does the dwarf clans' famous inhospitality."
											],
											"id": "009"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Verdant Enclave of Syngorn",
											"page": 7,
											"entries": [
												"In the heart of the trackless {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} is a city of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who hid in the Fey Realm from a war that nearly annihilated all life on Exandria. {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is welcoming to all who brave the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|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 {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} society, lest their stay come to a swift and unceremonious end."
											],
											"id": "00a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Iron Authority",
											"page": 7,
											"entries": [
												"This imperial force rules the {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} in the southernmost reaches of the continent. There they train legions of soldiers in an endless campaign to conquer the entire {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}. The other powers of Tal'Dorei are just beginning to take notice of the movements of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, but most of their knowledge is based in rumor. The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} has little interest in drawing the authority's ire while it is preoccupied with its conquest of {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}."
											],
											"id": "00b"
										}
									],
									"id": "006"
								}
							],
							"id": "005"
						}
					],
					"id": "004"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "What's in This Book?",
					"page": 7,
					"entries": [
						"{@book Chapter 1|TDCSR|1} is an introduction to Tal'Dorei's lands and history. It also describes certain fundamental details about the world of Exandria as a whole, including its calendar, the planes, and the cosmos. Finally, this chapter provides an overview of Tal'Dorei's society today\u2014and the brewing tensions and secrets that Game Masters can use to plot their own campaigns.",
						"{@book Chapter 2|TDCSR|2} describes the allegiances player characters and non-player characters (NPCs) may have to deepen their connection to the world. Their allegiances may be to factions, such as governments or guilds, or to the gods. These divine beings can only affect the Material Plane through their mortal followers, or occasionally supernatural messengers like celestials or fiends.",
						"{@book Chapter 3|TDCSR|3} is the Tal'Dorei Gazetteer, a detailed look at all of Tal'Dorei's regions and cities, their points of interest, the people who reside within them, and the quests that heroic adventurers might undertake there.",
						"{@book Chapter 4|TDCSR|4} contains new options that players can use to build their characters, including story descriptions of the different ancestries; new subclasses, backgrounds, and feats; and a handful of optional rules for the whole table.",
						"{@book Chapter 5|TDCSR|5} contains advice to help Game Masters create exciting and compelling campaigns in Tal'Dorei, and magic items that you can give your players as treasure during their perilous adventures\u2014including the unstoppably powerful {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}.",
						"{@book Chapter 6|TDCSR|6} presents game statistics for monsters and NPCs that you can use to challenge your characters or aid them in a pinch. Among them are the legendary heroes Vox Machina, some twenty years after the conclusion of their greatest adventures."
					],
					"id": "00c"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Calendar, Time, and the Cosmos",
					"page": 8,
					"entries": [
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
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							"credit": "{@link Ameera Sheikh|https://mikandii.com/}",
							"altText": "An elven woman adorned in a pale gown stands with her back to us, her wavy, brown hair blowing in the wind. She looks up at a starry night sky with a large white crescent moon and a smaller, full red moon.",
							"width": 715,
							"height": 1697
						},
						"The world of Exandria is a planet with regular seasons and a wide variety of climes, ranging from frigid ice caps to arid deserts, temperate forests, windswept plains, sweltering jungles, and storm-tossed oceans. It orbits a single sun, is orbited in turn by two moons, and is surrounded by distant stars that twinkle in the evening skies.",
						"The ancient people of Exandria told time by these celestial bodies, and the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} created a calendar based on their movements.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Calendar",
							"page": 8,
							"entries": [
								"The calendar year of Exandria runs a total of 328 days, grouped into seven-day weeks over the course of eleven months. These months are outlined below in the order of their arrival within the calendar year, along with their respective number of days and holidays common throughout Tal'Dorei (many of which are detailed within the \"{@book Pantheon of Exandria|TDCSR|2|Pantheon of Exandria}\" section in {@book chapter 2|TDCSR|2}).",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Counting Years",
									"page": 8,
									"entries": [
										"In Exandria, the years are most commonly counted by a reckoning known as \"{@book Post Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence},\" with year 0 being the fateful year that the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} ended the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} by sealing all the gods behind the Divine Gate. This book describes the world as it is in the year 836 P.D. If you're familiar with the {@i Critical Role} campaigns, this year is twenty-four years after the end of Campaign 1 (Vox Machina) and toward the end of Campaign 2 (The Mighty Nein)."
									],
									"id": "00f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Months and Seasons",
									"page": 9,
									"entries": [
										"The names of the months and days of the week vary between cultures, but the elven calendar described here is the standard means of reckoning dates in Tal'Dorei\u2014as well as in most nations around the world, for ease of international trade and diplomacy.",
										"Just as in our world, there are four seasons, and the year ends and begins just after the winter solstice.",
										"The first blush of spring in Tal'Dorei is felt as new flowers bloom on Wild's Grandeur, a holy day on the 20th of Dualahei. The official start of the season, however, is observed a week earlier and celebrated with games, music, and just-ripened food at the Renewal Festival. Summer brings hotter days toward the middle of Unndilar. The noonday sun of the 26th day is called the Zenith, and this solstice is considered the first true moment of the summer.",
										"The colors change and winds cool as autumn begins in the early days of the month of Fessuran, marked by the Harvest's Close on the 3rd day. The chill of winter arrives to bring longer nights and cleansing snow on Barren Eve, the 2nd of Duscar, a nighttime celebration and remembrance of those who fell in battle.",
										"The seven days of the week are named Miresen, Grissen, Whelsen, Conthsen, Folsen, Yulisen, and Da'leysen. Each day is 24 hours long, and most city-dwellers in the Republic of Tal'Dorei are expected to work eight hours of that day\u2014except for Yulisen and Da'leysen, which comprise the weekend, and on holidays.",
										"These social rules don't necessarily apply to cultures where sleeping patterns are different (such as in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, where most of its people are {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who trance a mere four hours of the day), or to people outside of cities\u2014such as farmers, who rise with the sun, and traveling merchants and adventurers, who work highly unusual hours."
									],
									"id": "010"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Using a Calendar",
									"page": 9,
									"entries": [
										"The Exandrian calendar is intentionally quite different from our own. The creation of calendars is a messy and often illogical process, with strange artifacts of their making that linger on only because of tradition\u2014and because it would be too much of a hassle to get the entire world to change their way of counting time and days.",
										"You don't need to bother with the Exandrian calendar in your home game. It's perfectly reasonable for you to use a nice, simple seven-day week, thirty-day month, and twelve-month year. You may even use our names for the months and the days of the week so that when an NPC tells the party to meet them at noon on \"Grissen, Misuthar 7th,\" they're basically talking about \"Tuesday, February 7th.\"",
										"However, if you want to immerse your players in the fantasy world of Exandria, using this unfamiliar calendar may help you on your quest.",
										{
											"type": "table",
											"caption": "Exandrian Calendar",
											"colLabels": [
												"Month",
												"Day",
												"Holidays"
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												[
													"Horisal",
													"29",
													{
														"type": "entries",
														"entries": [
															"New Dawn (1st)",
															"Hillsgold (27th)"
														],
														"id": "012"
													}
												],
												[
													"Misuthar",
													"30",
													"Day of Challenging (7th)"
												],
												[
													"Dualahei",
													"30",
													{
														"type": "entries",
														"entries": [
															"Renewal Festival (13th)",
															"Wild's Grandeur (20th)"
														],
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												],
												[
													"Thunsheer",
													"31",
													{
														"type": "entries",
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															"Harvest's Rise (11th)",
															"Merryfrond's Day (31st)"
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												],
												[
													"Unndilar",
													"28",
													{
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															"Deep Solace (8th)",
															"Zenith (26th)"
														],
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												[
													"Brussendar",
													"31",
													{
														"type": "entries",
														"entries": [
															"Artisan's Faire (15th)",
															"Elvendawn or Midsummer (20th)"
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														"id": "016"
													}
												],
												[
													"Sydenstar",
													"32",
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														"type": "entries",
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															"Highsummer (7th)",
															"Morn of Largesse (14th)"
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												[
													"Fessuran",
													"29",
													"Harvest's Close (3rd)"
												],
												[
													"Quen'pillar",
													"27",
													{
														"type": "entries",
														"entries": [
															"The Hazel Festival (10th)",
															"Civilization's Dawn (22nd)"
														],
														"id": "018"
													}
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												[
													"Cuersaar",
													"29",
													{
														"type": "entries",
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															"Night of Ascension (13th)",
															"Zan's Cup (21st)"
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														"id": "019"
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													"Duscar",
													"32",
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														"type": "entries",
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															"Barren Eve (2nd)",
															"Embertide (5th)",
															"Winter's Crest (20th)"
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														"id": "01a"
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												]
											]
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									"id": "011"
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						},
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							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Catha and Ruidus",
							"page": 9,
							"entries": [
								"When the people of Tal'Dorei gaze into the morning sky, they see the sun, a blazing disc the size of a gold piece, looking back at them. It is the domain of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, a god of life and light honored politely by nearly all the realm's denizens.",
								"At night, the skies are filled with countless distant stars, a gleaming silver-white moon called Catha, and occasionally, a dim, ruddy moon called Ruidus that is nearly half Catha's size. Both moons are the domain of the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, a capricious god of trickery and illusions, but there are sects throughout the world that believe only Catha represents the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} cunning and grace. Catha's pearly glow is said to bless the just with cunning and caution, and to make hidden the goodhearted when they require stealth and subtlety.",
								"Ruidus, on the other hand, is so surrounded by disquieting rumors and folkloric tales of misfortune that some believe another unknown god or power rules this small, reddish-brown moon. Cultures around the world tell countless legends of prideful rulers who made grand plans or attempted deeds under the moon's full light\u2014when it shines a brilliant vermilion rather than its usual ruddy color\u2014and were forced to watch in horror as their endeavors fell to unforeseen misfortune. It is said those who fall afoul of Ruidus failed to give it the deference it is due\u2014and so superstitious folk rarely dare to make plans while the full light of Ruidus shines above, let alone enact them.",
								"Worse yet, some tales forebode dark fortunes for those born under the light of a full Ruidus, a curse of ill luck that will follow them throughout their lives. Though the cruel practice of moon-sacrifice is no longer permitted in any of Tal'Dorei's cities, some far-flung settlements still secretly sacrifice children born under a full Ruidus to \"save\" them from a cursed life, and to appease the dark and unknowable appetites of the red moon.",
								"Fortunately for the superstitious, Ruidus is rarely full. While its cousin, Catha, completes a full cycle approximately once a month, Ruidus's haunting, half-year orbit, combined with its eerie and unexplainable tendency to simply not appear in the sky on certain nights or glow with unknown light, creating an unexpected full moon, has only added to its mythic reputation as an omen of ill fortune.",
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"name": "Prologue to the Song of Alyxian",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"O Ruidus, grant humble chorus leave",
												"To sing the song which hails the zenith of",
												"Your accurséd, thrice-blessed Apotheon;",
												"Remember'd best by deeds in war, and yet",
												"Whose acts were driven oft by fate most foul.",
												"\u00A0",
												"His kindly brow bore gifts from gods of change,",
												"And art, and moon, yet in his soul was pain,",
												"The suffering of your vermilion light",
												"Drove the Paragon to a desert realm",
												"Bestrewn with blades and drenched in crimson blood.",
												"\u00A0",
												"So hear, O moon of curséd deeds and fates!",
												"The song of he who rose above your great",
												"And mighty pow'r, to save Exandria.",
												"From flames of war fanned by the Ruiner's blade."
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "01c"
								}
							],
							"id": "01b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Planes",
							"page": 10,
							"entries": [
								"Though this book concerns itself mostly with the world of Exandria, and specifically the continent of Tal'Dorei, high-level adventurers may eventually gain magic that allows them to travel to other planes of existence beyond the material world in which Exandria resides.",
								"The planes surrounding Exandria are similar to the planes presented in fifth edition lore. Below are brief descriptions of some of the planes that a party of powerful adventurers may travel to. These planes go by many poetic and fanciful names.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Material Plane",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										"The Material Plane is a land where natural laws work as we expect. It is a place of all four elements, and of plants, animals, and minerals. Exandria is but one of many worlds on the Material Plane\u2014though none but the most accomplished astronomers have become aware of this fact, much less devised a way of traveling between material worlds."
									],
									"id": "01e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Elemental Planes",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										"When the Protean Gods discovered Exandria, it was like a barren ship adrift in a sea of churning, chaotic elements. As a part of their creation, the elements were thrust away from the world. Some theorize that the Elemental Planes were created from this banished chaos, while others believe the elemental chaos seeped into the Material Plane from tears in the fabric of the planes.",
										"The latter may be more likely, as rifts between the Elemental Planes can be found across Exandria. The largest of these rifts are tended to by the four Ashari civilizations, and any who gaze within find wild wastelands of pure elemental power: roiling seas of fire, towering mountains of gnashing stone, infinite skies filled with cloud-top settlements, and endless, stormy oceans of water."
									],
									"id": "01f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Faerie, Shadow, and Ether",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										"Parallel to Exandria are odd reflections of its reality. The Fey Realm is a plane of natural beauty and ferocity, inhabited by fey folk. The Plane of Shadow is a dour, sinister mirror of the world that is. And the Ethereal Plane is a hazy film across the material world, as if it were viewed through an old, cloudy mirror, inhabited not only by restless spirits, but also by predators that target those who cling to the world of the living."
									],
									"id": "020"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Astral Plane",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										"All the prior planes exist directly adjacent to the Material Plane, buttressing and occasionally co-mingling with its inhabitants. All the planes that follow are separated from the material world by a vast sea of starlight, barren asteroids, and misty nebulae of unpredictable magic. In the ancient past, arcanists had to craft vessels to sail the treacherous sea of stars to travel between their home plane and the mysterious Outer Planes.",
										"These days, magic such as the plane shift spell has allowed planar travelers to bypass these methods, but there are still a number of strange creatures and forgotten, imprisoned demigods who float eternally through the Cosmic Sea."
									],
									"id": "021"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Outer Planes",
									"page": 10,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} imprisoned the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} in prison planes after the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}, and retired to planes of their own creation after the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}. Over time, the divine beings on these planes reshaped their new homes in their own image, creating places where natural laws don't function as one native to the Material Plane might expect.",
										"All of these planes are strongly aligned to one or more cosmic principles of good, evil, law, and chaos, based on the divine powers that reside there. Because of the Divine Gate established after the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, no divine powers can depart these planes, for the sake of all Creation. The gods' supernatural creations can pass through the Divine Gate, though the more powerful they grow\u2014and thus, the closer they come to divinity\u2014the harder it is for them to pass through. However, mortals and lesser supernatural beings who possess magic to travel between the planes can travel to and from Outer Planes like the Hells, the Abyss, Elysium, and Pandemonium unhindered by the Divine Gate.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter1-Planes.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Linda Lithén|https://lindalithenart.com/}",
											"altText": "An older, white woman with short grey hair stands in a study, pages flying around her. One hand summons a runic circle. The other she holds before her, opening a magic, red portal where we see a dark tower and four winged creatures flying about it. She is dressed in blue, white and gold embroidered clothing with a purple sash and scrolls hanging from her belt.",
											"width": 1280,
											"height": 941
										}
									],
									"id": "022"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Realms Beyond",
									"page": 11,
									"entries": [
										"Far beyond even the divine Outer Planes is a realm where all laws of nature break down completely. Mortal senses have no way of properly perceiving the nature of these far-distant realms, and most minds that try to comprehend them snap under the strain of so much unfamiliar stimulus. These maddening realities and the alien horrors that live within them are mercifully kept away from the known multiverse by the unimaginable distance of space.",
										"Some creatures of the beyond have lurked on the Material Plane since ancient times, perhaps at the invitation of the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion} itself, or because the divine powers unleashed in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} punched holes in time and space that allowed such aberrations to slither into Exandria unimpeded.",
										"Major known locations of aberrant activity in Tal'Dorei include {@book Yug'Voril|TDCSR|3|Yug'Voril} beneath {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns} beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and the realm of {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak} beneath the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}."
									],
									"id": "023"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Demiplanes",
									"page": 11,
									"entries": [
										"Massive, infinite spaces such as the Material, Elemental, and Outer Planes are not the only types of reality. Through the use of powerful magic, arcanists can create stable demiplanes\u2014finite pockets of extraplanar reality that they can shape to their whims. These \"pocket dimensions\" exist as bubbles of floating color within the Cosmic Sea, and can only be traced or penetrated by extremely powerful, lost magical arts."
									],
									"id": "024"
								}
							],
							"id": "01d"
						}
					],
					"id": "00d"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "A History of Tal'Dorei",
					"page": 12,
					"entries": [
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 12,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "quote",
									"from": "The Fourth Astural Scroll",
									"entries": [
										"...then, the vast empty heart of endless shadow befell the light of the Seeker. Cascading from the pits was the font of life. The first moon formed the endless oceans. The second sun brought the lush soil. The third wind carried breath of life. The fourth flame ignited the Heart of Exandria."
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "026"
						},
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter1-Creation.webp"
							},
							"credit": "{@link Cyarna Trim|https://artstation.com/cyarna}",
							"altText": "A view of a valley between two large mountain peaks. Green terraced fields ascend up the mountain on the left and a small hut sits at the top of it. A second terraced field sits at the base of the mountain on the right. A golden dragon flies between the mountains in the distance overhead.",
							"width": 682,
							"height": 920
						},
						"Where did Tal'Dorei come from? The origin of this land is a time-shrouded question that everyone has pondered in some way, from the most exalted, world-traveling hero to the common farmer who has never traveled three miles beyond their village. Everyone has their own ideas on where Tal'Dorei, and all of the wide world of Exandria, came from. These varied thoughts all have some things in common, since they are all born of jumbled misunderstandings of ancient myths told orally from bard to bard, then passed from father to daughter, and eventually codified into religious re-writings of history that favor the teachings of a given deity.",
						"To speak a full and accurate truth of Tal'Dorei is an impossible task, yet Tal'Dorei is known for creating folk who regularly do the impossible. What follows is the Myth of Exandria, an account based on the investigations and best efforts of Tal'Dorei's foremost scholars\u2014the homegrown {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and the international knowledge-seekers and anti-propagandists of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul}. These two organizations have assembled this history by digging beneath the layers of dust and decay that hide battles long past, unearthing texts long thought burned and censored, and exhuming historical treasures from tombs of heroes long forgotten. The details are often debated, for the question of the land's origin remains\u2014consuming the curious, calling those hungry for purpose, and fueling the business of adventuring to delve into the tantalizing unknown places of the world.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Myth of Exandria",
							"page": 12,
							"entries": [
								"Before the history of the lands of Tal'Dorei can be explored, its context in the history of Exandria itself must be thoroughly established. The world of Exandria is home to four major continents, dozens of nations, and untold tiny pockets of civilization amid a wondrous, dangerous wilderness. Every civilization, from the largest empire to the tiniest nomadic clan, has its own interpretation of where its story began. Even within the world of Exandria, different cultures have creation myths that eventually converge with history, but there is no known definitive story.",
								"Even so, life ever seeks to understand its inception. In this report, the collected minds of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} and {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} can say, with only the most trivial of doubts, that the city of Vasselheim in {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} truly deserves its title of the \"Dawn City.\" It is here, to our researchers' best understanding, where the stories of all mortal peoples begin. Vasselheim became Exandria's oldest surviving city by virtue of not just being built long ago, but by enduring the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} (which shall be elucidated presently), a miraculous feat that few other charted settlements can claim to have accomplished.",
								"In short, Vasselheim houses the earliest known temples to the gods, and the earliest known records of history that survived this catastrophe. It is these sources that this joint research initiative treats as its primary documents, though great effort has been made to corroborate their claims through later sources. It is in the chronicles of Vasselheim that the earliest account of the myth of the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding} is recorded\u2014and indeed, this history is the most commonly accepted origin of the world in the Republic of Tal'Dorei. Though countless regional variations muddy the historical record, the broad strokes of this mythic history are undeniable.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Founding",
									"page": 13,
									"entries": [
										"Long ago, this world was one of tumultuous and chaotic forces, naught but unbridled fire, seething oceans, and churning, gnashing rock. Through the ashen skies of Primordial Creation, the gods arrived from an unknown realm located beyond the ether. These ambitious divinities\u2014young and still formless\u2014looked down upon this roiling realm and saw potential for great strength and outstanding beauty, and the chance to learn their own place in creation.",
										"From the divine hands of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} sprung forth the First Children, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}. It is thought that they were made in their creator's image, yet it is just as likely that the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}, and all the gods who shared their ideas with them, actually adopted forms inspired by the image of their creations. The First Children walked the lush Green and gazed upon the heavenly Blue as the gods tamed Primordial Creation around them.",
										"Not long after, in the scale of the cosmos, a second mortal creation was wrought by the divine {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}: the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, a hearty people imbued with the desire to continue the gods' work\u2014taming a primordial world filled with the craft and invention of the divinity that lay beyond the ashen void. In their turn, a third people were given life by the passionate lovers of Order and Chaos, the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} and the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}. Their children were the {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, endowed with hearts of passion to bring meaning to the world as it assumed an orderly form. Yet in their hearts burned a spark of chaos, cursing them with short life just as it blessed them with the unquenchable ambitions, mirth, and curiosities of the gods that crafted them.",
										"As a note from the High Curator of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} Cobalt Reserve, the chronicle of Vasselheim states that the gods were given form and name only when the peoples of Exandria began to worship them\u2014yet many of the various races of the world ascribe their creation to a single god or group of gods. It would be remiss to not at least conjecture that while the Protean Gods lacked distinct form, they still had unique thoughts, emotions, and motivations that were later codified through the worship of the people.",
										"As inspiration flowed from the Protean Gods, other creations followed, giving life to Exandria's many peoples. Here the mythic record of Vasselheim grows unclear, for while the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, and {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} were undeniably Exandria's first races, the identities of the many Children of Creation that followed were left unrecorded by the Dawn City's chroniclers.",
										"These myriad young races explored their freshly founded world. As their knowledge grew, they attempted to build. But the land was fierce and treacherous, and the lives of the children were extinguished mercilessly by the still-chaotic world. Sorrow is said to have filled the hearts of the gods as they watched their children struggle against a land that rebuked them. The gods ultimately lent their children tiny fragments of their own power, gifts with which they might shape the world around them.",
										"This small mercy of the gods was the birth of magic, and with it the people of Exandria learned to bend the angry earth to their will, to temper the wrath of its explosive mountains, to tame its unyielding floods, and to make the hard earth soft and bountiful. Wandering peoples settled, language became commonplace, survival gave way to art, and governance replaced anarchy. The Protean Creators, the divinity beyond the ashen skies, saw progress and saw that it was good\u2014but fragile, and in need of guardians.",
										"Thus were born the First Protectors: the Dragons Metallic of Tal'Dorei. These Protectors pledged themselves to defend the weak against tyrants. It is here that the mythic tales connect to the oldest, most fragmented passages of recorded history as civilization's reach stretched across the world. The people praised the gods for their newfound safety, and their prayers gave them forms, names, and purpose."
									],
									"id": "028"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Wrath of the Primordials",
									"page": 13,
									"entries": [
										"Yet the realm refused to be tamed. Quaking cliffs roared in defiance of mortalkind's magical gifts. Seas swelled and seethed. Flames erupted from below with greater intensity than any had seen before. Beneath the elements, unknown to the Creators beyond the ashen skies, lived ancient beings who were born in the primeval chaos of the world the gods had found: the Primordials. These elemental titans that once dwelt deep within the land now rose from their unseen domain to sunder it once more. The gods watched as their children were crushed between gnashing rocks and fed to formless terrors unleashed in the wake of the destruction. Thus were the seeds of Exandria's greatest cataclysm set into motion.",
										"Some gods were so full of grief and anger that they wished to abandon this world for another. They tried to convince their divine kindred to join the Primordials in reclaiming the realm for chaos, so that they could move on to start anew. Others wished to prove they could tame the world for their beloved children. This caused a divide among the gods. The schismatic deities, known today as the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods}, joined their songs and swords to those of chaos and destruction, taking and twisting their children into the image of their intent.",
										"The cosmos itself seemed to recognize the magnitude of the battle on Exandria, and beings of Order and Chaos spilled forth from the still-young multiverse. Creatures of chaos emerged from a formless void that Exandria's peoples came to call the Abyss.",
										"These demons fed upon the suffering of the wounded and the dying, and grew cruel. Sentinels of order emerged from a distant realm of celestial harmony. The {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} beseeched these celestials to aid them. In turn, the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} forced order upon the demons and made them devils, perfectly lawful soldiers who lived only to cause harm.",
										"As the clash of gods and Primordials spiraled out of control, the desperate mortal races sought their own way to defend themselves from the rebellious elements. Seeing that their creations still suffered, the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} taught them the secrets of making magic themselves. The most intelligent and inquisitive mortal minds followed the path the gods had revealed to them, and created incantations and formulae to create new spells on their own terms, without the aid of divine power. These people called themselves arcanists, for they were masters of the arcane secrets of magic.",
										"With their potent new magics, these resourceful mortals subdued the Primordials long enough for the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} to banish their traitorous kin to secluded prison planes. With the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} locked away, the gods were overjoyed to see the resourcefulness of their children. The defeated Primordials were destroyed, and from their ever-enduring essences, the gods channeled their wild and destructive powers into the Elemental Planes that surround the material world of Exandria.",
										"For the first time since the Creation, Exandria finally settled into an idyllic peace. From this peace was born the first enduring mortal civilization, the heart of which was a grand city called Vasselheim, the Cradle of Creation and the Dawn City.",
										"Culture developed anew, the races ventured beyond to explore and discover their own lands, and great music filled the air to give name to this world once and for all: Exandria."
									],
									"id": "029"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Age of Arcanum",
									"page": 14,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "insetReadaloud",
											"page": 14,
											"entries": [
												{
													"type": "quote",
													"entries": [
														"The foremost scholars of our day would make it seem an indisputable fact that the gods created Exandria. That they blessed us with the bounty that all peoples of the world now make use of. So too, they say, was magic their gift to us. But such zealots ignore the fact that there is another likelihood: that the gods did not create mortals, and their world\u2014but the opposite. That the dreams of mortals mingled in the wild magic of the young world, and gave that magic form and order: divinity. Of course, the dogmatic zealots of our day will dismiss such ideas as heresy\u2014but not you, reader! The avid mind feeds not on dogma, but on new ideas!"
													],
													"by": "Anonymous",
													"from": "Fragment of a scholarly essay on divinity dating back to ancient Vasselheim"
												}
											],
											"id": "02b"
										},
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter1-Arcanum.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Cyarna Trim|https://artstation.com/cyarna}",
											"altText": "Two large pieces of land float in the sky among the clouds, with each piece of land connected by arcane, purple chains. Underneath each land mass are blue crystals\u2014it's these that cause the land to float. Upon each piece of land is a large colorful city consisting of many towers, parapets, and domes.",
											"width": 700,
											"height": 979
										},
										"Ages passed, and society flourished. Great kingdoms sprung up. Castles were built in a day, accelerated by the arcanists' newfound power. Even though magic could be used to complete the most difficult tasks with hitherto unknown speed, magic-users strove always to innovate. As mages practiced and perfected their powers of creation, they soon unlocked the secrets of life itself, giving birth to wondrous, dangerous new forms of life and power.",
										"Yet, with the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that the very magic which allowed mortalkind to prosper also instilled a deep rot within their civilizations. The arcanists of the world grew arrogant. They came to see their arcane gifts as proof that the gods held no sway over their fate, and that with a sophisticated enough command of magic, they could become as powerful as the gods themselves. Though this hurt and surprised the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} who had imprisoned their kin for the sake of their children, they sought to sympathize with the willfulness of their creations, remaining out of love and hoping that the mortals would learn the error of their ways.",
										"The advent of the arcane seemed to be the key to a bountiful age of plenty, but also proved to threaten it, as prosperity soon gave way to greed. Rather than universal goodwill and comfort for all, the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} came to be defined by endless petty squabbles over wealth and power among the elite, while those without magic hunted for their scraps. Tantalizing rumors of a path to immortality slithered through the most decadent circles of magi and nobility. One mortal mage, her name lost and presumed to be struck from history, crafted now-forbidden rites to challenge the God of Death, felling him and taking his place among the pantheon, making of her the first and only living mortal to ascend. The name of this original death god was likewise lost to history. Only the title of his now-godly successor, the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, survives.",
										"Her victory over divinity was a catalyst for many of the horrors of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. An archmage named Vespin Chloras, renowned throughout ancient Vasselheim for his wealth, skill, and cruelty, was inspired by this display. He sought the guidance and power of the banished gods, rending open the gates of their prisons and releasing the Betrayers into the mortal world.",
										"In their imprisonment, these Gods of Hatred and Despair had warped their prisons into reflections of their depravity. The Abyss, once a formless place of chaos, a byproduct of the gods' Creation, was twisted into a place of evil. Countless other planes of cruelty were born from the {@book Betrayer Gods'|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} hatred, and those realms' evil depths endlessly churned forth horrors that lived only to transform peace into suffering, and righteousness into arrogance and greed.",
										"Released unto the mortal world once more, the {@book Betrayer Gods'|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} urge to ruin was supplanted by the desire to dominate, and they turned their sights first to the archmage who had freed them, making Vespin the first of their many mortal thralls. Records of diabolical texts safeguarded within the libraries of the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} suggest that Vespin, now long dead, serves the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} to this day\u2014now as a devil at the left hand of the {@deity The Lord of the Hells|Exandria|TDCSR|Lord of the Hells}. These corrupt gods sought out the shattered remnants of the devils they had crafted and the demons they conscripted, and secretly created with them a fearsome new kingdom on the far end of the world, the capital of which was named Ghor Dranas, the Gathering of Shadows.",
										"In this land, where the twisted power of the {@book Betrayer Gods'|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} corrupted planes seeped into the world, the lords of evil welcomed mortals whose heartlessness and lust for power made them susceptible to the gods' grand promises. The most fertile soil of all for these noxious seeds lay in mortal hearts obsessed with the infinite power of the arcane. With a legion of the damned behind them, the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} soon made their presence known to the world with a surprise assault on Vasselheim itself.",
										"Though much of the city was reduced to rubble, Vasselheim weathered the initial assault, saved by the intervention of their protectors, the metallic dragons, and even a number of the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} themselves. The creators descended to trade blows with their former brethren. The battle, which pitted gods against mortals and heroes against demons, raged ceaselessly for twenty days and nights, until the dark forces were forced to retreat, their surprise attack thwarted.",
										"Yet this victory was a tainted one. Evil had been repulsed momentarily, but the revelation of such a terrible foe incited an arcane arms race. Trust was shattered indefinitely: if mortals could fall under the sway of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods}, who could be true allies? If ruin like this could be unleashed under the watchful eyes of divinity, what value did mortal lives hold? Fearing all powers but their own, the most self-interested and singular human arcanists warped their greatest creations, magical instruments of prosperity and joy, into arms and armor of horrific power. The {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} fascination with rock and earth turned toward isolation as they burrowed further into the mountains, using their divine gifts to animate legions of autonomous golems to protect their ancestral halls. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} used their understanding of creation's beauty and intricacies to weave spells of unimaginable destructive force, the likes of which Exandria had never before seen.",
										"For the first time since the awakening of the Primordials, the focus of magic was warfare. The gods themselves agreed to join their children on the field of battle, descending from the heavens to take up arms once more for the war now referred to as the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}."
									],
									"id": "02a"
								}
							],
							"id": "027"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Calamity",
							"page": 15,
							"entries": [
								"Few records remain of the terrible war that followed, but its effects are still felt today. Most tales that remain are of great champions who the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} blessed with their power. Some deities created warriors of their own from light and holy fire. Others imbued fragments of their power into the weapons now called {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}. More still bestowed blessings upon mortals and called them champions. One tale even tells of a champion blessed by three of the gods in their times of greatest need. Now all but forgotten, this Apotheon was forced by fate into terrible battles across the world.",
								"The sheer magnitude of the energies unleashed in the ensuing battles of gods and mortals frayed the boundaries holding back the elemental chaos, spilling unbridled destruction into the world and bringing utter annihilation. Even the ley lines that direct the flow of magic across Exandria like veins direct blood through the body show signs of being warped by the raw power that the Calamity unleashed. Some well-preserved ruins of the ancient civilizations remain, such as the Drowned City of Cael Morrow in the lands of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}, but for the most part, all traces of the old world were erased from the face of Exandria.",
								"So great was the loss of life during the war that even liberal estimates suggest no more than a third of Exandria's population survived it. This unthinkable devastation inspired some civilizations to flee Exandria entirely and seek refuge on other planes, scattering the Children of Creation across the multiverse. By the war's end, the only bastion of civilization left on the face of Exandria was the Dawn City itself: Vasselheim."
							],
							"id": "02c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Divergence",
							"page": 16,
							"entries": [
								"In the wake of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, the victorious {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} once more banished their traitorous kin to their realms of deception and hate. The world entered a long, dark period of recovery, as history had to be recovered and purpose restored, and the threat of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} still loomed heavily upon the minds of all. Even the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} felt guilt for their role in the conflict, for it was the unrestrained clash of divine power that had unleashed such horror upon the world.",
								"The records of the Scalebearers assert that the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} and the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} descended upon Vasselheim and spoke a decision: the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} would depart from the world and establish a Divine Gate that would forever prevent any god from ever acting directly upon Exandria again. This proclamation shocked the other {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} and the beleaguered survivors of the war in equal measure, but while mortals railed against this announcement, the other gods quickly realized that the decision of the two most dutiful and self-sacrificing of their number was unimpeachable and just.",
								"Thus, in hopes of ensuring such ruin would not befall Exandria again, they left their children to rebuild civilization anew within the walls of Vasselheim and beyond. The Creators returned to their own realms, sealing all divine powers behind their newly constructed Divine Gate. Only in this way could they prevent their corrupted brethren from physically returning to the Material Plane.",
								"Much time has passed since, and the world has been reborn once again. The gods still exhibit their influence and guidance from beyond the Divine Gate, bestowing their knowledge and power to their most devout worshipers, but the path of mortals is now their own to make. New cities, kingdoms, and cultures have retaken the world, building over the ashes of the old. New songs fill the air, and the hope of a brighter future drives people day after day, while buried ruins and forgotten relics remind all people of a darker time\u2014and of mistakes that should never be repeated.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"page": 16,
									"name": "Names of the Divergence",
									"entries": [
										"Of these many formative events, the tale of the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence} is the most oft-told among the many faiths and civilizations of the world. When seeking the truth of this event, the researchers of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} found that it was called by many titles around the world, for many different reasons.",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"items": [
												"{@b The Second Spark.} This name is most often used by those who study the arcane, for it was the gods giving them a second chance to use magic for the betterment of the world.",
												"{@b The Penance.} Priests, clerics, and religious scholars across Exandria refer to the departure of the gods by this name, for they see it as a self-imposed atonement for the gods' role in the ravaging of the world.",
												"{@b The Divergence.} The most common name for this event, the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, is used by people of all classes and creeds. This descriptive name simply refers to the gods' final act of divergence from the mortal world."
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "02e"
								}
							],
							"id": "02d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Origins of Tal'Dorei",
							"page": 16,
							"entries": [
								"Following the creation, and subsequent razing, of Exandria, a {@book post-Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence} world was now left to rise from the ashes and begin a new era. While every region had its own rebirth following the terrible destruction of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, the continent that now bears the name of this setting shall remain the focus. The modern calendar began in the year 0 P.D. ({@book Post-Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}), over eight hundred years before the writing of this text. Though the modern nation-state of Tal'Dorei did not emerge for some time after year 0, the history of Tal'Dorei truly began with the founding of {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gwessar",
									"page": 16,
									"entries": [
										"At the dawning of modern history, what is now known as the continent of Tal'Dorei housed the germinating seeds of civilization. It was the hardy, dependable {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who best weathered the war between gods and mortals, beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. Dozens of dwarven redoubts rose and fell in the tumult of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} and the uncertain era that followed it. For many years, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} lived in the tunnels beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, leaderless and chaotic, until the various clans unified to form the subterranean city of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. Proud of their grand new home, the dwarf clans were content to remain beneath the earth. They saw the war-scarred surface world as a source of naught but misery and death, and their new underground domain as a place of undiscovered prosperity. This city was dug underneath the mountains, and its deep roots, though young, survived where more ancient ancestral halls were annihilated. Clan Jaggenstrike were the architects of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} hardy, unassailable redoubts, and easily became the first ruling clan of the {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}.",
										"While the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} busied themselves excavating the world below, a group of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} appeared suddenly in the south. At the outset of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, a society of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} used a powerful, obscure ritual to transport many of their people to safety on another plane: the Fey Realm, a plane of primordial beauty where elven legend says the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} lovingly fashioned their people before placing them upon the face of Exandria. They returned at the turning of the ages under the guidance of an elven sorceress named Yenlara Alderwreath.",
										"The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} rallied around her both for her defiant strength and for her compassion in the face of adversity. It was under Yenlara's wise rule that elven society once again began to reform. Upon returning to Exandria, Yenlara led her people westward to the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, an untamed forest born from the residual elemental power that lingered after the end of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}.",
										"So beautiful was the forest they settled in that Yenlara's people were the first {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} known to bear the now-widespread name of syn'alfen\u2014wood {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, in Common parlance. Likewise, the beauty of their forest home inspired the name of their first settlement: {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, the great elvenhome that stands proud within the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} to this very day.",
										"As Yenlara's people began to explore beyond the forest, they found vast fields of grass emerging from the ash-darkened ground, with tall, snowcapped mountains visible on the horizon. Overwhelmed by the beauty of the restored world, the syn'alfen called their new land {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, the Fields of Joy, a name by which {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} (and those enamored with elven culture) still call the continent of Tal'Dorei to this day.",
										{
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											"altText": "The back of a young elven boy wearing a white tunic stands in a bush of pink and purple flowers under a forest grove. He looks out onto a golden plain bathed in sunlight at the base of a mountain range in the horizon.",
											"width": 1291,
											"height": 1095
										},
										"The {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} and {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are long-lived people, and when they struggled to rebuild their civilizations, there were those among them who still remembered the world that was. Humanity was not so fortunate. Human histories, written by wasteland warlords in fading ink on waterlogged parchment and vellum, did not survive the years. Yet, somehow, humanity endured. Several centuries after the Jaggenstrike {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} began this period of renewal, a clan of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} braved the angry Ozmit Sea and sailed to {@book Gwessar's|TDCSR|1|Gwessar} western coast from the continent of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, though whether or not they came from Vasselheim itself is unknown.",
										"These people had the sea in their blood, and leapt from island to island for generations, but something called them to {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}. The ruins of their first settlement\u2014the port city of {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)}\u2014still stand today. From {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)} the seafarers expanded outward, until all of the western shores flew their banner. In the north, they found fertile fields protected from the salt of the sea, and an inlet unmarred by looming rocks and dangerous reefs, and they began to build. They did not know their city would become the heart of a great empire. They did not know the glory and sorrow that would surround the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}."
									],
									"id": "030"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Iron Rule of Drassig",
									"page": 18,
									"entries": [
										"The rise of human colonies irritated the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Forests that had stood for centuries fell under the axes of rash, short-lived beings who sought to exploit, expand, and propagate thoughtlessly. These tensions did not build to war, for long were the memories of the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, but humanity remained a thorn in the side of elfkind, chafing at their hard-won efforts to protect their society and threatening to encroach upon their sacred woodlands.",
										"As the first human civilization on this part of the world after the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} gave rise to a handful of self-entitled noble houses who went on to establish civilization in the name of the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}\u2014but those who wrote the game stacked the deck in their favor. Corruption spread through the upper echelons of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and power-hungry politicians seized each new and valuable resource that was discovered in their bountiful new kingdom. They turned their citizens against each other, forcing them to fight for scraps while they hoarded the lion's share.",
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was a political war zone, and the greatest warrior of them all was a loudmouthed braggart and cunning oligarch named Warren Drassig. The chaos and mistrust in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} allowed Drassig and his agents to seize power and transform the realm into the Kingdom of Drassig, with Warren himself as its supreme monarch. Drassig was quick to sever any remaining connections with the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and make new alliances with the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, marrying Drassig's autocratic power with the {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} immense material wealth.",
										"The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} were furious, but the ambassador from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, an idealistic grandson of the still-living Yenlara, hoped to resolve this diplomatically. Upon arrival, he was apprehended, tortured, and slain. This final act of treachery drove {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to arms, and the continent erupted into a terrible, protracted war between Yenlara's kin and Drassig's bloodline known as the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}.",
										{
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											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
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											"altText": "King Warren Drassig, with grey hair and beard, wears a golden crown and silver plate armor. He sits atop an ornate, wooden throne. With his arms crossed, he leans on the ruby-inlaid hilt of his long sword, which stands before him, between his legs.",
											"width": 660,
											"height": 1694
										}
									],
									"id": "031"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Scattered War",
									"page": 19,
									"entries": [
										"The Scattered War lasted for thirty-two years, and is recalled in bard-song as the Time of Shrouds. The war spanned the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} and parts of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, with the human colonies spread throughout the soon-to-be-warring territories. {@book King Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} encountered little resistance as he conquered each village, town, and city in turn, giving these isolated settlements no way of warning one another of the warlord's advance.",
										"No common warmonger, {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} was a cunning, heartless master of psychological warfare. Weeks in advance of his armies, he seeded spies throughout the land. They traveled swiftly through the secret dwarf-tunnels that crisscrossed the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, and infiltrated settlements throughout the region, turning the people of each settlement against their own leaders, eating at them from within, poisoning them against one another. By the time {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} armies reached their targets, they were already poised to fall. The lights of human towns and elven groves were snuffed out with equal savagery.",
										"Yet, a mere nine years after the war began, King Warren Drassig died.",
										"It happened at {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil}, an abandoned village in {@book Gwessar's|TDCSR|1|Gwessar} heartlands. For years, rumors had grown that {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil} was a haven for war refugees. The king and his soldiers fell upon the village with a vengeance, seeking survivors to slaughter. As they regrouped in the town square, {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} stood among them, blade raised, eyes wild, and voice booming, to rally their bloodthirsty spirits. It was at the height of his wicked speech that the first arrow struck, followed shortly by a volley that clouded the sky. After nine years of suffering, Yenlara's wood {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and the rebellious {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} of the scattered colonies had joined forces and formed an alliance against their common enemy.",
										"After Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} fell, he was succeeded by his eldest son, Neminar {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}. Neminar shunned the crude, brutal methods of his father, instead finding his interests in more sinister powers. He became known as \"Neminar the Black-Fingered,\" as his forays into necromancy left one arm withered and tainted. Nevertheless, his weaponization of forbidden magic elevated the threat of {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} war machine. King Neminar, bent on bloody-minded vengeance, led his army back to {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil}, where the corpses of the elven and human traitors were piled high upon the outer walls. Their pyres ignited the night as the entire city was reduced to rubble. And so the Scattered War continued, unabated by the death of Warren Drassig.",
										"The rule of Neminar marked the darkest days of the war. He introduced tactics and magic that drove his soldiers beyond human limits, leaving their bodies altered and mutated by foul necromancy. Their warped minds craved bloodshed and domination, and their bodies needed no sustenance to fuel their bloodlust. {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} forces became the perfect weapons of war, their ranks blessed by the divine touch of the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}\u2014the first {@book Betrayer God|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} to extend his power to mortals beyond the Divine Gate. All the gods soon learned that though they could not walk upon Exandria themselves, they could still grant magic to their faithful.",
										"In the face of such terrible power, the alliance of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} bolstered their ranks with vengeful orphans and eager heroes of all ancestries who suffered under {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} tyranny. One such hero who came to be instrumental in the coming conflict was {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}. A human who rose from the harried streets of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, Zan quickly showed her mettle as both a warrior and an inspirational leader. Rallying the broken ranks of the resistance, Zan lured Neminar and his lead forces into the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}.",
										"Neminar's undoing was an arrogant attack upon the {@book Shifting Keep|TDCSR|3|Shifting Keep}, a {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} outpost protected by the slippery magic of the Fey Realm. The illusory fortress vanished, leaving the {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} army without a target and vulnerable to ambush. The forest itself seemed to lend its fury to the weapons of Zan's warriors, and Neminar and his blighted soldiers were crushed in one swift stroke.",
										"Word of Neminar's defeat and death spread like wildfire across {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, and the banner of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei's|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} rebel army became a symbol of hope for all of the oppressed peoples of the realm.",
										"Even so, the last years of fighting were still ahead of them, for the late King Warren Drassig's youngest son still stood to take power, and swore to avenge his family."
									],
									"id": "032"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Battle of the Umbra Hills",
									"page": 19,
									"entries": [
										"{@book King Trist Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, second-born son of the despotic Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, took the throne with unearned confidence. So enamored was he with arrogant visions of victory that he ignored the truth of his tenuous rule: he was neither as brilliant nor as charismatic as his father, his armies were stretched thin, and his people rioted. The rebels, led by the young warrior {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, won battle after battle, and before long, King Trist found his army backed against the imposing base of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}.",
										"In the wake of certain victory, Zan and her rebels, allied with the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, pursued {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} to this valley, but were met with fiends amidst the ranks of their enemy. King Trist had a secret weapon\u2014through his family's dealings with the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, the spawn of the Betrayers had returned to the world. They spilled into the battlefield like a river of nightmares, and in minutes, the surrounding hills ran dark with blood and ichor, and the bodies of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and demons alike littered the battlefield. Yet, despite all odds, the hero Zan defeated King Trist, ending the {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} bloodline\u2014and with it, the demonic pact the {@book Drassigs|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} had made. It is said that the grass and flowers of the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills} grow black and burnt as an echo of this battle, their sap coursing with the fiendish blood that was spilled that day."
									],
									"id": "033"
								}
							],
							"id": "02f"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tal'Dorei Ascendant",
							"page": 20,
							"entries": [
								"Society had all but collapsed once more amidst the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}. Within the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, the triumphant rebels assembled a council of trusted and proven minds, but the people were accustomed to a singular leader, a king. In the hearts of the people, it was not the crown that had failed them, but the bloody-minded family that wore it. The council assented to the will of their people, and nominated the war hero Zan Tal'Dorei to take the throne. She humbly accepted the role, but refused to take the title of king or queen. Her name, she asserted, was Zan. After some debate, she eventually relented to being called Sovereign Tal'Dorei, if such formality was required.",
								"Again in spite of Zan's protestations, the council unanimously agreed the realm should be renamed Tal'Dorei in her honor. Power was divided between the sovereign and the council, both of whom ruled from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. From there, {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} leaders expunged any remnants of {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} reign from their city, while the allied armies of Tal'Dorei and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} did the same throughout the realm. The leading clans of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} pleaded for clemency, claiming they were coerced to serve {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}. They spent many years paying reparations and making amends, but the fractured trust between {@book Gwessar's|TDCSR|1|Gwessar} peoples took generations to heal.",
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 20,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"A king should not stand apart from their people. A ruler must know sacrifice, for how else are they to know those who till the fields, who tend to the cattle, and who raise our children? A ruler should know pain and sorrow, for war is bloody and cruel. A ruler who asks their people to fight is one who asks them to die, and no person should die for a selfish king or an unjust cause. A ruler should know justice, but also mercy, for not all crimes are committed with evil intent, but rather in grief and shame. I am no king. I am the peasant in the fields. I am the painter at the easel. I am the young soldier donning their father's rusted armor. You will not find me sitting upon a bejeweled throne disdaining my supplicants, but working beside your mothers and fathers, fighting beside your valorous children, and aiding those who have suffered in the name of unjust kings.",
												"Henceforth, Tal'Dorei shall not be just a name: it is a principle. From this day, Tal'Dorei is a principle that stands for honor, an everlasting honor that binds its people. A principle that is a beacon for the lost, the helpless, and the forgotten. Tal'Dorei is a principle that you should declare with honor as you stand side-by-side with the people of Tal'Dorei as kin. Tal'Dorei is not a name; it is to be proud, it is to have honor, it is to be loyal, and loving, and kind. Tal'Dorei is not a name; it is a people. And you are the people of Tal'Dorei! I refuse the title of king. If you wish me to rule, I shall do so as a sovereign of the people\u2014and if you permit me, if you accept me as such, the Sovereign of Tal'Dorei! For the Honor of Tal'Dorei!"
											],
											"from": "Acceptance speech of Sovereign Zan Tal'Dorei to her people"
										}
									],
									"id": "035"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Icelost Years",
									"page": 20,
									"entries": [
										"Not two years into Sovereign Zan's reign, a cataclysmic evil tested her mettle and the skill of the council. A creature from the Elemental Plane of Ice slunk into the Material Plane through a hitherto unknown rift between the planes. It appeared in a mystical forest of eternal winter known today as the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald}. From its hibernal abode, this elemental spirit spied upon the untested realm of Tal'Dorei and saw an opportunity. The spirit dove back to its extraplanar home and informed its master of a land ripe for conquest. Errevon the Rimelord, a cruel elemental so mighty that he is speculated to have been a scion of the Primordials, one that escaped the gods' wrath in the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}, seized this opportunity.",
										"On the next winter solstice, Errevon tore wide the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald} rift and commanded the endless blizzards of his home plane to ravage the prosperous land around it. Tal'Dorei's southern reaches, thus weakened, were easy pickings for the Algid Legion, a mighty army of frost giants and animate blizzards led by the Rimelord himself. Their relentless advance covered all they touched in snow and death.",
										"Countless brave warriors and civilians alike fell to the invaders' gelid weapons, for they were unprepared for such an onslaught so soon after the {@book Drassigs'|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} protracted war. The storm of ice widened year by year, consuming the Tal'Dorei heartland as Errevon claimed all lands that fell beneath the ice as his own. North of the rift, he built a towering citadel of frost, forcing those he conquered to swear fealty in exchange for warmth and liquid water. The Rimelord's tyranny lasted for three long years as the nascent {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} struggled to convince {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} to ally for the sake of the realm. This monumental diplomatic mission completed, the combined might of Tal'Dorei, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} assaulted Errevon's Citadel and forced the Rimelord back to the rift from whence he came. It was in this time of need that the druidic Ashari people first revealed themselves to the people of Tal'Dorei, and used their unrivaled elemental magic to seal the rift once and for all. The snow began to melt, the fortress toppled into the nearby {@book Foramere Basin|TDCSR|3|Foramere Basin}, and the people celebrated their freedom from the oppressive cold. This victory is now celebrated annually throughout Tal'Dorei as the Winter's Crest festival."
									],
									"id": "036"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Thordak, the Cinder King",
									"page": 21,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} passed peacefully after a long and happy rule, and was succeeded by a long line of her descendants. Many generations of peace ensued, and the Tal'Dorei Empire formed as dozens of tiny city-states across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} flocked to the stable rule and heroic reputation of Tal'Dorei in the wake of the {@book Icelost Years|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years}.",
										"The adroit statecraft of the {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} maintained cordial alliances with both {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, but, despite their best efforts, couldn't keep the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} from regressing to hostility over ancient quarrels. In the time of Sovereign Odellan Tal'Dorei, word of a shadow in the south came to the ears of the council. Contact with numerous outlying townships at the edges of the empire halted abruptly, and traders that made circuits from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to the {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} in the south vanished without a trace. The council was slow to act in defense of territories that routinely flaunted imperial law, but were finally driven to action when allied villages south of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} begged for protection against a \"nightmare of fire and malice.\" The dour Sovereign Odellan blocked the council's relief efforts, claiming the economic cost of sending a regiment that far south to outsider communities was a misuse of resources, especially without proof of a threat. It wasn't until two years later, when reports of a powerful red dragon reached the ears of the sovereign, that the {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} was able to act.",
										"By then, much of the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} had been reduced to ash by a self-obsessed and power-hungry red dragon named {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}, who preferred the self-styled moniker of \"the Cinder King.\" According to {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} records from the Temple of the Mentor in the lands of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}, the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} was presumed dead nearly two hundred years prior, killed by the brass dragon Devo'ssa\u2014yet it could not be denied that {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} survived, and that he sought new peoples to enslave, ones with fewer defenses.",
										"The mighty armies of Tal'Dorei marched finally south, but morale was low. They marched toward fiery, painful death, and soldiers grumbled of a heartless sovereign who luxuriated in his castle in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} while his people put their lives on the line for the realm. They finally clashed with {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and his mercenary armies south of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}, but the forces of Tal'Dorei were soon forced into a panicked, disorganized retreat as the rocky, exposed terrain worked to the advantage of their airborne foe.",
										"The valiant soldiers of Tal'Dorei would surely have been brought to utter ruin were it not for the heroic intervention of a band of young\u2014yet able\u2014adventurers. Led by {@book Arcanist Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren}, who sits today upon the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, they cornered the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} alone and defeated him\u2014though his power was so great that they could not manage to kill the dragon outright. Instead, {@book Allura|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} and her companions used powerful magic to imprison {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} within the Elemental Plane of Fire forever. The Fire Ashari of distant {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} vowed to watch over {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} prison until age could consume even him."
									],
									"id": "037"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Chroma Conclave",
									"page": 21,
									"entries": [
										"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 {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}, a green dragon called Raishan the Diseased Deceiver, found {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and conspired to release him from his prison so he could conquer the land that had once rebuked him. 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 {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and set him free. {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} 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\u2014starting with a retributive assault of catastrophic proportions on {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. 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 {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was reduced to rubble.",
										"The attack not only killed the Sovereign Uriel, but also scattered the {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, throwing the realm into chaos. The remnants of the civilized lands were divided up and taken as trophies by the Conclave, while the capital {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was ruled by the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} himself, with Raishan secretly manipulating the course of his rule from the shadows.",
										"The {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} need hardly introduce the heroes of this 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, their might bolstered by a number of the lost {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}, artifacts of incalculable power forged amidst the chaos of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. After many adventures, these heroes gathered their allies and stormed the capital of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, slaying {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|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 {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}.",
										{
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											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter1-Thordak.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
											"altText": "Thordak, an ancient red dragon, sitting atop a molten lava and fire throne constructed on top of the wreckage of the city of Emon. Large fiery balls are erupting from the throne onto the surrounding landscape.",
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									],
									"id": "038"
								}
							],
							"id": "034"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "A Fledgling Republic",
							"page": 22,
							"entries": [
								"The final act of Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II's life was to abdicate the throne and end the line of sovereigns\u2014permanently. To analyze the historic Last Sovereign's final acts is the duty of biographers, not chroniclers, yet it can readily be surmised that he saw flaws inherent to his station. Uriel was the son of Odellan Tal'Dorei, the sovereign who singlehandedly prevented the council from swiftly handling the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} when first he rose in the wilderness south of the empire.",
								"How could the Last Sovereign not feel that it was his office's immense power to overrule the council that ultimately cost thousands of loyal citizens their lives? How could he not compare the singular power of the sovereign to the abuses of power committed by {@book King Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} in ancient times?",
								"Regardless of his private feelings, Uriel II's last act as sovereign transformed his family's imperial dynasty into the Republic of Tal'Dorei. {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} was reluctant to accept the singular role of rulership at the dawning of the nation, an ideal she had to compromise upon to ensure stability for her fledgling nation. Uriel's relinquishment of power is seen today as a fulfillment of that ideal. It will be the duty of future historians to judge if his decision stood the test of time.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "The Time of Regrowth",
									"page": 22,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} has guided the fate of the nation since Vox Machina slew the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. For most of the past two decades, the goal of the council has been to rebuild that which was lost\u2014and 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 {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} and {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|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 {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}.",
										"Major cities like {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} and {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} have been the greatest beneficiaries of the Time of Regrowth, for even though they suffered the worst of the {@book Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} 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 {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} reign of chaos is {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, a formerly independent city-state that is now a member of the republic. {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} took in countless refugees from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} after the {@book Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} initial attack, and countless more in the aftermath. Sequestered in Tal'Dorei's cold northeastern reaches, {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} is an isolated city, but it has rapidly become a powerhouse of political, cultural, artistic, and economic influence\u2014to the chagrin of some traditionalists in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}."
									],
									"id": "03a"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Apotheosis Thwarted",
									"page": 23,
									"entries": [
										"The world was troubled by a disturbance in {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} a year after the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} 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. 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.",
										"Though the lich's defeat confined him to a remote demiplane, there is no way to strip him of his stolen divinity. Occult worshipers yet scurry throughout Tal'Dorei's darkest corners, seeking the favor of a lich-god known as {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}."
									],
									"id": "03b"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Seeds of Peril",
									"page": 23,
									"entries": [
										"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.",
										"After two decades of expensive reconstruction and princely investments in {@item skyship|TDCSR} moorings, the Republic of Tal'Dorei is deeply indebted to arcanists across the land. Chief among them is the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, a consortium of thaumaturgists who have claimed untold fortunes from reconstruction bounties all over the country.",
										"The simple fact is that the cost of rebuilding Tal'Dorei was far more than the council or local leaders could afford to pay. Far be it from the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} to cast aspersions on so beneficial an organization, but there are fears among the Tal'Dorei people that the league has already begun to collect on what they are owed in forms other than gold, as more and more league mages receive preferential treatment from local margraves and even members of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} itself.",
										"Beyond {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, the landscape of Tal'Dorei has been forever scarred by the presence of the {@book Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, especially the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. His hellfire left marks on the land that will never heal\u2014magical 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 {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} sense weakness within the world. The entropic fury of the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion} churns beneath {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}. The {@item Graz'tchar, the decadent end|TDCSR|lost blade of Neminar the Black-Fingered} calls from the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills} for a new master. The {@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent} raises armies south of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Cults of the now-divine {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR|Whispered One} spread like poison through the veins of Tal'Dorei's cities.",
										"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 {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|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\u2014but adventurers across the land see this as an opportunity to rise to the level of Vox Machina and beyond.",
										"Tal'Dorei needs heroes\u2014and this time, Vox Machina alone will not be enough."
									],
									"id": "03c"
								}
							],
							"id": "039"
						}
					],
					"id": "025"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Running a Tal'Dorei Campaign",
					"page": 23,
					"entries": [
						"Tal'Dorei is more than just its history; do not treat this book as an encyclopedia, nor as shackles that bind you to portray its characters and environments with perfect fidelity. As you read this manual, consider why you want to run an RPG campaign set in Tal'Dorei, and in the larger world of Exandria. What about {@i Critical Role} inspires you as a Game Master? You might cherish the bonds of family and love between its many heroic characters. Perhaps you are drawn to the various factions that vie for power over Tal'Dorei's peoples. Or perhaps it's the way that evils from Exandria's mythic past inevitably rear their ugly heads, always when circumstances are already at their most dire, that most captures your attention.",
						"No matter the initial spark that led you here, hold tight to it as you read, and search for ways to feed your personal flame of imagination. And when you are done, create. Create boldly, using these words as a launching point for your own tales.",
						"This section is for Game Masters' eyes only, though GMs are welcome to share tidbits with their players to set the stage for the campaign, or to inspire them to create characters that will dovetail with the GM's story ideas.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Secrets of Tal'Dorei",
							"page": 24,
							"entries": [
								"The world of Exandria is steeped in familiar fantasy themes, with all the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, and wizards you might expect from a fantasy roleplaying game. But it also holds secrets that will challenge your expectations, and you may enjoy putting your own twists on these great mysteries of the world. Each of these secrets can form the backbone of an entire campaign, or can serve as flavor to create the impression of a world that is larger than just the player characters' story.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "All-Powerful, Imprisoned Gods",
									"page": 24,
									"entries": [
										"Tal'Dorei was nearly destroyed when the gods fought one another in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. Now, the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} are sealed in otherworldly prison planes, and the victorious {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} live in self-imposed exile. An unbreakable barrier stands between the mortal and immortal realms. At best, a deity can grant their most skilled devotees a small measure of divine power to enact their will upon Exandria.",
										"However, there are a number of cults who yearn to circumvent this barrier and summon their dark patron onto the Material Plane. Others still seek to unravel the forgotten rites of ascension, just as the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens} did in ancient times\u2014just as {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} did in living memory. What would happen if an omnipotent deity somehow managed to arise on the mortal side of the Divine Gate? Or even simply managed to fool the gods into thinking they had done so? Would the gods of good be forced to unleash their powers as one to break the Gate, unleashing another {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} upon the world?"
									],
									"id": "03f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Dawn of a Republic",
									"page": 24,
									"entries": [
										"It was the dying decree of Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II that the continent-spanning Tal'Dorei Empire be reborn as the Republic of Tal'Dorei. No more would a sovereign rule the myriad peoples of this land, but instead the wise {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} would enact the will of the people and protect them from the dangers of the world. But things don't always go according to plan. The nascent Republic of Tal'Dorei is suffering growing pains, and unless some heroes are able to help, the realm may fall into anarchy and chaos.",
										"While fantasy politics isn't every gamer's cup of tea, the struggles of the fledgling republic can serve several purposes. Players looking for fantasy intrigue can meddle in the internal politics of the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and root out corruption within the council, which may have been planted by any number of this land's power-hungry factions, from the invasive crime syndicate known as the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} to the shadowy mages within the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} who splintered off into a new schismatic faction, the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}.",
										"Game Masters can also use political elements to flavor or provide a backdrop for their otherwise action-focused games. On a smaller scale, corrupt margraves may hire bandits to pillage their own villages, requiring heroes to step in. On a broader scale, a threat to the stability of the Republic of Tal'Dorei itself may force the characters to stop a megalomaniac bent on conquering the republic from within."
									],
									"id": "040"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Criminal Shadow War",
									"page": 24,
									"entries": [
										"A criminal syndicate known as the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has lurked in Tal'Dorei's underworld since the foundation of the old Tal'Dorei Empire. It's almost become a cliché, for people across the land know the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} as the stereotypical face of organized crime. Novels romanticizing their allure have been adapted into stage plays and bard-song in all corners of the republic.",
										"And perhaps the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has bought its own good publicity. After the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} famous conquest of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} some twenty years ago, it was the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} that saved countless innocent people and led them to safety through their extensive network of smuggling tunnels beneath the city. It was the organized action of criminals, just as much as Vox Machina's heroic power, which saved Tal'Dorei\u2014and the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} knows it. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has gone mainstream.",
										"However, the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is under threat from the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad}, another criminal syndicate from the nearby continent of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} sees Tal'Dorei's slow legitimization of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} as an opportunity to seize power in the nation's criminal underground. Violence is on the rise in Tal'Dorei's cities as the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} uses local gangs as pawns in their bid to dethrone the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}."
									],
									"id": "041"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "A Land Thrice-Destroyed",
									"page": 24,
									"entries": [
										"First there was the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, and the palaces of the gods were devoured by the earth. Then came the wars of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, and his defeat at the hands of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}. And then came {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. The {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} shook the very foundations of Tal'Dorei. {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} \"merely\" reduced the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to slag, but through fear, panic, and malice, the flames of destruction were spread across the continent by mortal hands. Today, a generation after the dawning of the Republic of Tal'Dorei, the ruins of three civilizations lie buried beneath your feet, and some secrets long to be unearthed."
									],
									"id": "042"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Mother of Invention",
									"page": 25,
									"entries": [
										"{@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III}\u2014{@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percy}, to his friends\u2014wanted to take the secrets of his inventions to his grave, especially the deadly power of his firearms. Unfortunately, because of his now-deceased archenemy Anna Ripley, the secret of gunpowder has begun to spread across Tal'Dorei. Now, isolated groups of tinkerers, both noble and unscrupulous are working to develop new technologies from {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival's} research, and other black powder technologies from {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. Some of these modern marvels will no doubt help the people of Exandria\u2014but others, if placed in the wrong hands, are sure to enable the deaths of thousands.",
										"Renaissance technologies, especially firearms, are not common in Tal'Dorei. If you want to keep your fantasy purely medieval, it's a simple matter to ignore the tinkerers, gunsmiths, and budding industrialists scattered across the continent."
									],
									"id": "043"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Uncharted Territory",
									"page": 25,
									"entries": [
										"The corners of Tal'Dorei's maps are not all filled in. North of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, the trackless {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields} push up against the northern edge of the map. South of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} is the {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}, where vast jungles and the brutal forces of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} prevent any explorer from filling in the map's southern tips.",
										"To help you create stories that feel at home in Tal'Dorei, {@book chapter 3|TDCSR|3} of this book contains a number of story hooks throughout its description of Tal'Dorei's landscape and settlements. See \"{@book Creating Adventures|TDCSR|5|Creating Adventures}\" for more information on how to turn these plot seeds into full adventures that you can run for your gaming group.",
										"While this book gives insight to one version of Exandria, its lore exists to serve you, not the other way around. Your campaign is your own creation\u2014if you delight in adhering to {@i Critical Role} canon and delving into its lore, then by all means, dig deeper! If you like subverting expectations, revealing that things believed to be true were nothing but myth and rumor all along, tell that story! And, if you love characters and places from {@i Critical Role}, but want your stories to go to brand-new lands of your own creation, take inspiration from this book and steer your campaign in whatever direction you see fit. Never forget that you are the creator of your own version of Tal'Dorei. No matter who is playing at your table, even if it's Matthew Mercer himself, no one can tell you that your vision of the world is inaccurate\u2014because it's yours now.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter1-YourTable.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Adrián Ibarra Lugo|https://www.ailustrar.com/}",
											"altText": "A street view of the idyllic, bustling city of Emon, filled with colorful flowers, lines of clothing and cloth canopies connecting the buildings on either side. In the foreground, there are three adventurers conversing with Lady Kima of Vord at a table outside of the Laughing Lamia Inn.",
											"width": 1298,
											"height": 897
										}
									],
									"id": "044"
								}
							],
							"id": "03e"
						}
					],
					"id": "03d"
				}
			],
			"id": "003"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 2: Allegiances of Tal'Dorei",
			"page": 27,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter2-WildmotherAndLawbearer.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Zuzanna Wuzyk|https://www.artstation.com/zuzartii}",
					"altText": "Two goddesses, the Wildmother and the Lawbearer, stand large over a beautiful scene - a pastoral landscape on the left, a gleaming marble city on the right. The Wildmother is a black woman with long, vibrant red hair, a flower crown upon her head and a sleeveless white gown growing out of the nature around her. The Lawbearer is a white woman in dark blue robes and a breastplate of silver and gold. Their hands are lovingly intertwined.",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1655
				},
				"The lands of Tal'Dorei are governed not just by their history, but by factions and faiths striving to achieve myriad goals, fighting for conflicting ideals, and vying for the power to come out on top. The gods of Exandria may be barred from walking upon the land in material form, but they can still put their thumbs on the scales of history through their mortal followers. Such followers include clerics with the power to cast mighty spells, paladins who wield blades alight with idealistic verve, and untold thousands of common folk whose voices can affect the decisions of even the most powerful leaders of the land.",
				"A number of factions hold just as much sway over the daily lives of the people as the gods and their clergy\u2014perhaps even more. These factions range in might and influence from the greatest of the great to the smallest of the small. The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} institutes political policies that affect everyone in grand, sweeping, and often inscrutable ways, while the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} is a group of folk heroes who seek to subvert evil across the land. Whether these factions are governments or just tiny organizations, they can add depth and conflict to your Tal'Dorei campaign.",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Pantheon of Exandria",
					"page": 27,
					"entries": [
						"During the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} created a powerful barrier between the Material Plane and the supernatural realms of the Outer Planes. This gate sealed all gods, including the evil {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods}, within their respective domains. If the Divine Gate were to be destroyed by the unanimous effort of the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities}, all powers would be unleashed, threatening armageddon. Thus, the gods patiently watch their creations from beyond the veil, aiding their faithful with what small power they can send through the barrier.",
						"Some lesser idols, such as archdevils, demon lords, fiends and celestials of near-divine power, as well as a number of unaccounted-for demigods reside among the planes. They are affected by the Divine Gate, preventing them from crossing it of their own volition, yet are not so bound by it that they cannot be summoned by mortal magic.",
						"The following gods are recommended as the existing Exandrian pantheon, but they are only a recommendation. As long as the GM and the players agree, you are welcome to tailor, alter, or completely change the gods in your Tal'Dorei campaign to fit your needs. The domains listed are the likely choices for followers of that deity, but these are not the only options.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Divine Domains",
							"page": 27,
							"entries": [
								"Most clerics can gain their magic from a single god, or even from a number of gods that share domains or divine provinces. Ultimately, how your cleric serves the gods or their core religious philosophies is for you and your Game Master to discuss. Each god in this chapter has two or three Divine Domains from which many of their clerics are granted power.",
								"Nevertheless, almost all deities can have clerics who gain the power of any domain, if you and your Game Master agree."
							],
							"id": "047"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Prime Deities",
							"page": 27,
							"entries": [
								"The Prime Deities are the leaders and luminary creators that battled the Primordial Titans and instigated the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}, forging the mortal races of Exandria. They hold sway over powers that represent a spectrum of sunlight, truth, moonlight, benevolent concealment, protection, love, death, and all other facets of freedom and life in the world. While these gods may disagree and squabble, they are united in an alliance dedicated to ensuring the survival of their creations.",
								{
									"type": "table",
									"caption": "Prime Deities",
									"colLabels": [
										"Deity",
										"Alignment",
										"Province"
									],
									"colStyles": [
										"col-4",
										"col-4",
										"col-4"
									],
									"rows": [
										[
											"{@deity The Changebringer|Exandria|TDCSR|Changebringer}",
											"Chaotic good",
											"Change, freedom, luck"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}",
											"Lawful good",
											"Honor, justice"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}",
											"Chaotic good",
											"Art, beauty, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}",
											"Lawful neutral",
											"Civilization, law, peace"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}",
											"Neutral",
											"Knowledge, learning, teaching"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}",
											"Chaotic neutral",
											"Battle, competition, storms"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}",
											"Neutral",
											"Seas, wilderness"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}",
											"Lawful good",
											"Craft, creation"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}",
											"Neutral good",
											"Healing, sun"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Everlight|Exandria|TDCSR|Everlight}",
											"Neutral good",
											"Atonement, compassion"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}",
											"Lawful neutral",
											"Death, fate, winter"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}",
											"Chaotic good",
											"Illusion, moonlight, night"
										]
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "048"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Betrayer Gods",
							"page": 34,
							"entries": [
								"The {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} are the deities who strayed from the ideals of the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding} and embraced the destructive chaos of the Primordials. The {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} rarely work together, for they see one another as threats to their own goals. This very weakness allowed the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} to defeat and banish them, ending the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}.",
								{
									"type": "table",
									"caption": "Betrayer Gods",
									"colLabels": [
										"Deity",
										"Alignment",
										"Province"
									],
									"colStyles": [
										"col-4",
										"col-4",
										"col-4"
									],
									"rows": [
										[
											"{@deity The Lord of the Hells|Exandria|TDCSR|Lord of the Hells}",
											"Lawful evil",
											"God of devils and the Hells"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}",
											"Lawful evil",
											"Conquest, tyranny"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Slaughter, warfare"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Deceit, spiders"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Darkness, destruction"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant}",
											"Lawful evil",
											"Dragon god of evil"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Crawling King|Exandria|TDCSR|Crawling King}",
											"Neutral evil",
											"Enslavement, torture"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR|Whispered One}",
											"Neutral evil",
											"Necromancy, secrets"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Assassins, poison, snakes"
										]
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Betrayer Curses",
									"page": 39,
									"entries": [
										"The malign powers of some {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} linger in Exandria, both as myth and reality.",
										"{@note This book adds the following curses:}",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"style": "list-no-bullets",
											"columns": 2,
											"items": [
												"{@reward Curse of Strife|TDCSR}",
												{
													"type": "statblock",
													"name": "Curse of Strife",
													"source": "TDCSR",
													"page": 39,
													"tag": "reward"
												},
												"{@reward Curse of Ruin|TDCSR}",
												{
													"type": "statblock",
													"name": "Curse of Ruin",
													"source": "TDCSR",
													"page": 39,
													"tag": "reward"
												}
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "04a"
								}
							],
							"id": "049"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Lesser Idols",
							"page": 39,
							"entries": [
								"Though the gods still make their wills known upon the world by granting power to mortal clerics and by delivering edicts through their celestial or fiendish servitors, the Divine Gate inhibits them from exercising their full powers over the fate of Exandria. The same is not true for the lesser idols, beings of demi-godly power that have, in the absence of true gods, used their splendid and profane forms to amass their own cult followings.",
								"Dozens of these powers are worshiped in relative secret across Exandria. Some are supernatural beings like archfey or archfiends that have taken up near-permanent residence on the Material Plane. Others are unknown fragments of the power of primordial Creation, given form. Most are mortal champions that have gained near-divine power through magic, the blessings of the gods, or through mythic effort and training. In all of these cases, the worship of mortals elevates these beings to something greater than they were before, imbuing them with fragments of divine power\u2014and allowing them to grant scraps of that power back to the mortals in whom they take an interest.",
								{
									"type": "table",
									"caption": "Lesser Idols",
									"colLabels": [
										"Deity",
										"Alignment",
										"Province"
									],
									"colStyles": [
										"col-4",
										"col-4",
										"col-4"
									],
									"rows": [
										[
											"{@deity Azgrah|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Lawful neutral",
											"Undying"
										],
										[
											"{@deity Galdric|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Lawful good",
											"Celestial, Undying"
										],
										[
											"{@deity Graz'tchar|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Fiend, Hexblade"
										],
										[
											"{@deity Khedive Xundi|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Chaotic neutral",
											"Genie"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Lost Beacon}",
											"Neutral",
											"Celestial"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Observer|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Neutral good",
											"Archfey, Celestial"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Sightless|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Chaotic evil",
											"Great Old One"
										],
										[
											"{@deity The Traveler|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Chaotic neutral",
											"Archfey"
										],
										[
											"{@deity Vesh|Exandria|TDCSR}",
											"Neutral evil",
											"Archfey, Undying"
										]
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Other Secluded Champions",
									"page": 40,
									"entries": [
										"A handful of other mortals exist in Tal'Dorei who have risen to nearly divine power through destiny or sheer will. Much like {@deity Azgrah|Exandria|TDCSR}, the vast majority of these champions live out their lives in seclusion\u2014and perhaps it is their seclusion that grants them the ability to lend their powers to others, while they await the day that their full strength is at last needed to defend their people.",
										"All have their own stories, but no matter their tales, whether they are honored or despised by their kinsfolk, they are all mythic iconoclasts. Other secluded champions of Tal'Dorei that you may wish to develop into idols of your own include:",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"items": [
												"Flavia, Queen of Unending Storms ({@creature cloud giant})",
												"Suthine, Eternal Princess of Vulkanon ({@creature fire giant})",
												"Valdemar, Draugr-Jarl of Farborg ({@creature frost giant})",
												"Ghaladron, Traitor to the Iron Crown ({@creature hobgoblin})",
												"Tevrosk, Whose Axe Was Wreathed in Flowers ({@creature orc})",
												"The First Favored Champion ({@creature stone giant})",
												"Typhoe, the Dreaming Shark ({@creature storm giant})"
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "04c"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "deities/TDCSR/Traveler.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Clara Daly|https://tinyraptors.com/}",
									"altText": "An arch covered in emerald green vines with purple and orange flowers. Through the arch is a winding dirt path leading through a valley into a sunrise on the horizon.",
									"width": 572,
									"height": 726
								}
							],
							"id": "04b"
						}
					],
					"id": "046"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Factions and Societies",
					"page": 42,
					"entries": [
						"While the dominant cultures of the continent have molded structure and law from the rough clay left beyond the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, these very cultures are comprised of a number of smaller factions that together create the whole. Whether they be a union of opportunists, ever-vigilant to reap the benefits of an exploitable populace, or bands of like-minded politicians, striving to maintain control in a land beset by chaos and danger, each faction seeks to drive and manipulate the social and political direction of Tal'Dorei. The alliances and tensions that can arise between the following societies can guide your adventurers' destiny across the spectrum of heroism and villainy.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter2-RebuildingEmon.webp"
							},
							"credit": "{@link Wesley Griffith|https://artstation.com/wesleygriffith}",
							"altText": "A castle is in the midst of reconstruction by a spellwright and her adranach - a purple, manticore-like purple beast of pure magical energy. The adranach flies upwards, carrying a large stone brick in its talons. In the background, directing from the ground is the spellwright, their magic staff held aloft to control the adranach.",
							"width": 1277,
							"height": 879
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tal'Dorei Council",
							"page": 42,
							"entries": [
								"When the new reign of Tal'Dorei was established three centuries ago, {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} deposed a brutal tyrant. Though she was beloved by the people, she did not wish to be given unchecked or un-counseled rule over the realm. Nevertheless, her inner circle obeyed the will of the people and crowned her Sovereign of Tal'Dorei. She took to her new role well and swiftly expanded her council by appointing some of her trusted allies\u2014and even some dissenting voices\u2014to form an assembly of scholars, generals, and philosophers to govern at her side. This {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} worked alongside their sovereign to rebuild the realm following the end of {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} line, and were instrumental in the following prosperity of the nascent Tal'Dorei Empire.",
								"Twenty-six years ago, Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II, the latest and last of the Tal'Dorei line, publicly ended the monarchy and passed power over to the council, formally divesting his line of power. Tragically, this ceremony was interrupted by the arrival of the four ancient dragons known as the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. The dragons destroyed the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and the man who had until moments ago been sovereign was one of the first casualties. Uriel Tal'Dorei is survived by his wife Salda, and three children\u2014{@book Odessa|TDCSR|2|Seeker Odessa Tal'Dorei}, Illiya, and Gren\u2014who have used their family's still considerable wealth and power to become well-known public figures in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. {@book Odessa|TDCSR|2|Seeker Odessa Tal'Dorei} herself won a seat on the council in a landslide victory.",
								"In the generation since the fall of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, the council has risen to the challenge of rebuilding and governing their new republic. This state's power is highly decentralized; each individual city-state in Tal'Dorei largely acts according to its own interests, with the council in place to ensure that pursuing those interests benefits the common good. Some critics of the republic say that the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} is little more than a glorified city council for {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, though it is just as often praised for governing lightly as a rule, and for using the spy network helmed by the council's Master of Law to root out corruption as needed.",
								"In addition to the historical Six Masters whose positions have existed on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} since Zan's time, a variable number of delegates also cast votes in matters of state. Each settlement in Tal'Dorei whose population numbers at least five thousand is offered the option to elect delegates to the council if they wish to engage in national politics. The settlement is permitted one delegate per five thousand people, and the means of their election is left to the settlement's local government. Additionally, any settlement with a population of over twenty thousand can appoint an ambassador to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}; these ambassadors also sit on the council and have voting power. Once in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, each township's delegation is expected to negotiate with one another and find agreement. If an accord can't be reached, they must go through the slow process of drafting proposals to be voted on by seated members of the council.",
								"Though {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} remain sovereign city-states, the invasion of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} convinced lawmakers that even tighter alliances between the peoples of Tal'Dorei were necessary. One ambassador each from both {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} now also holds a seat with voting power on the council. Each city-state has likewise sent a delegation to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to vouch for their interests.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-TalDoreiCouncil.webp"
									},
									"title": "Heraldry of the Tal'Dorei Council",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The symbol of the Tal'Dorei Council which is outlined, first in gold, then sapphire blue. Inside is a field of emerald green with a golden phoenix atop a silver center. The phoenix hovers over ruby red and yellow flames. Eight five-pointed silver stars surround the phoenix.",
									"width": 338,
									"height": 517
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 44,
									"entries": [
										"Following {@book Zan Tal'Dorei's|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} coronation, the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} existed to aid and inform the sovereign on how best to execute their duties. The council has evolved to manage the affairs of the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and provide a private forum for delegates from across the land to shape the future of Tal'Dorei. The council is made up of six masters, whose roles have existed since the time of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, and a variable number of ambassadors from all city-states across the continent who wish to participate in the coalition of power that is the Republic of Tal'Dorei.",
										"The Six Masters are elected by a popular vote of all city-states who have sent an ambassador to the council. These masters are each beholden to a domain of responsibility, and they either inherit the existing infrastructure of civil servants, or restructure with the approval of the rest of the council. The domains are divided as such: Development, Arcana, Law, Commerce, Information, and Defense. Additionally, the first business of the council upon delivering or receiving a declaration of war is to elect a Seventh Master: the Master of War, who is appointed to the council by a vote of all sitting masters, ambassadors, and delegates. The council members are responsible for these domains throughout the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and work closely with community leaders in other cities to maintain order.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"entries": [
												"{@b The Master of Development} works with the masonry and carpentry guilds to oversee all major infrastructure projects within {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, as well as allocating resources to projects needed in settlements that have a delegation in the council. In the past two decades, the current Master of Development has added an unprecedented eight Lieutenant Masters of Development to his staff to serve the reconstruction needs of each city in the republic.",
												"{@b The Master of Arcana} keeps vigil over the lawful use of magics within Tal'Dorei, informs the council on matters beyond the mundane, and occasionally works with the {@book Alabaster Lyceum's|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} Headmaster. This council member is currently embroiled in debates over the danger that the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} poses to organizations like the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}.",
												"{@b The Master of Commerce} works with all major merchant guilds and trading networks within {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and beyond. They are to maintain healthy trade at home and abroad, especially between squabbling delegates, and establish the government's annual budget.",
												"{@b The Master of Information} manages foreign diplomacy, and also serves as the head of a network of spies that, these days, is supplemented by the skilled eyes of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}. Their work as spymaster and chief diplomat seeks to root out threats to the republic from within and without.",
												"{@b The Master of Defense} is head of the {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} Guard, High Commander of {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio}, and manages the allocation of federal resources to city guard groups throughout Tal'Dorei. They work closely with the Master of Law to mobilize armed troops throughout the country if supernatural or nonmilitary threats arise during peacetime.",
												"{@b The Master of War} is a temporary position only instated during times of open or impending warfare. As Tal'Dorei has only a small standing army, this newly appointed master then assembles a military from city guards and town militias across the nation, mobilizing the elite warriors of {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} as needed. When peace is declared, the position is dissolved until it is called for again."
											],
											"id": "050"
										}
									],
									"id": "04f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 45,
									"entries": [
										"The council maintains free travel, free trade, and free communication between its constituent settlements, and between the republic and its allies\u2014both on Tal'Dorei and abroad. The incursion of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} has united the oft-feuding city-states of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} like never before, and all of Tal'Dorei now enjoys free trade and open borders between even its most remote enclaves. Thanks to the actions of Vox Machina, the previously solitary city-state of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has joined the republic, to the benefit of both.",
										"The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} was once considered a serious threat to the council's rule, but times have changed. These days, {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} Spirelings in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} frequently make public appearances before the council on behalf of their own organization and their often unscrupulous business partners. This is to say nothing of the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} deep involvement in the Master of Information's spy ring.",
										"The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} has comfortable trade and diplomatic agreements between the realm of {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} in {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} and the loosely federated cities of the Clovis Concord in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. The recent conclusion of a bloody war between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} has given the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} cause to send ambassadors to both nations to establish embassies, in hopes of creating an historic arrangement with all of the sovereign nations of that oft-maligned continent. On the continent of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} to the southwest, the great city of {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} has been friendly and open when it comes to trade and commerce, but has shown no interest in any political relationships beyond that."
									],
									"id": "051"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 45,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Guardian Tofor Brotoras",
											"page": 45,
											"entries": [
												"{@i {@book Dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} Master of Defense}",
												"Stern, honorable, and quick to anger, Tofor is proud to serve on the council. After losing many friends (and one of her own arms) in the struggles against the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, she took the vulnerability of the city to heart, swearing never to allow such a thing to happen again. She is a beloved hero of the war against the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} and has served on the council since before the death of the Last Sovereign. Most folk in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} suspect she'll win reelection until the day she dies."
											],
											"id": "053"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Seeker Odessa Tal'Dorei",
											"page": 45,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Master of Information}",
												"When the eldest daughter of the Last Sovereign campaigned for the Master of Information's seat, its current holder was Seeker Assum Emring, a loyal servant of her father's. He bowed out of the race, and his blithe quote made headlines in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}: \"I taught her everything she knows.\" She won in a landslide. Odessa wields the dual blades of Assum's spy network and the mercenary agents of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} with practiced finesse. Nevertheless, her name and the legacy of her father's martyrdom weigh heavily upon her. As Seeker, Odessa is calm, methodical, and laconic, but she carries a dignified sorrow."
											],
											"id": "054"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Arcanist Allura Vysoren",
											"page": 45,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Master of Arcana}",
												"{@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} has held the position of Master of Arcana since before the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} attack, and is held in the esteem of Tal'Dorei's people\u2014mages and common folk alike. As a member of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, she is also increasingly worried as more and more of Tal'Dorei's politicians fall in debt to the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. After decades of investigating supernatural abnormalities herself, age has finally forced her to limit her adventuresome excursions. She now is one of the council's foremost employers of adventurers.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter2-AlluraVysoren.webp"
													},
													"title": "Arcanist Allura Vysoren",
													"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
													"altText": "Allura Vysoren is an older white woman with long, greying hair worn in a braid, a golden circlet upon her head. She is draped in indigo robes with golden flower embroidery on the hem. In one hand she holds a long scroll. The other hand manipulates a purple mage hand, which holds a book as an enchanted quill writes within it.",
													"width": 477,
													"height": 672
												}
											],
											"id": "055"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Arbiter Brom Goldhand",
											"page": 45,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Master of Law}",
												"A stone-faced, gray-haired, flame-scarred cleric of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}, Brom is as mysterious as he is proficient with law. One thing is clear: he is dedicated to keeping the realm just and orderly, and there are few who would dare challenge his judgement."
											],
											"id": "056"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Hearthmaker Edelbern Cleareyes",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Goliath Master of Development}",
												"As a goliath of the {@book Rivermaw nomads|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd}, no one expected Edelbern to have an interest in civic architecture. Yet, after growing up in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} while it was occupied by the Herd of Storms some twenty years ago, he found that he preferred the beauty of stone towers to towering pines. He also possessed a remarkable gift of mathematical acuity, and used his skills to set {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}\u2014and eventually all of Tal'Dorei\u2014on the path of reconstruction. Edelbern is also idealistic to a fault, and has, in his dedication to restoration, been manipulated into handing numerous lucrative contracts to the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, allowing them to amass greater and greater power."
											],
											"id": "057"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Coinmistress Vex'ahlia de Rolo",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf Master of Commerce}",
												"As a member of Vox Machina and hero of the realm, {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR} could help Tal'Dorei in any number of ways. She already held a ceremonial title in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} as {@book Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt|TDCSR|2|Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt}. Yet when she and her husband pushed for {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} to be formally recognized as a constituent city of the Republic of Tal'Dorei, all who knew her name (and her legendary financial savvy) clamored for her to be elected to the council as Coinmistress. She took to the duty with aplomb, and fights hard to ensure that {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} never gets the bad end of a deal when gold is involved."
											],
											"id": "058"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ambassador Syldor Vessa",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf ambassador from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"{@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia's} elven father has served as his city's ambassador to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} for well over a century, and requested to be appointed a seated ambassador as soon as the office was created. Though he is otherwise a staunch traditionalist, Syldor was inspired by his brave children to move past his old racial prejudices and drive his homeland to be less bigoted and xenophobic\u2014learning from his own mistakes as a father to two half-elven children. His relationship with his elder daughter is still strained, and it is a newsworthy occasion when they vote in accord."
											],
											"id": "059"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ambassador Deirdrik Greyspine",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf ambassador from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}}",
												"The youngest son of the ruling House Greyspine of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, Deirdrik has little hope of being elected Ironkeeper. Instead, this ambitious young dwarf\u2014a scant seventy years old\u2014left his home to win political renown in the national arena. He is a romantic idealist at heart and always votes for bold new policies, but doesn't always think through the consequences of his actions."
											],
											"id": "05a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ambassador Keyleth of the Ashari",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf ambassador from {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}}",
												"A legendary archdruid and member of Vox Machina, {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} is both leader of the Air Ashari and ambassador for all Tal'Dorei's {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} peoples. She despises politics, and is focused entirely on improving the wellbeing of as many people as possible\u2014as well as involving {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} on the national stage. She spends most of her time in {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}, with her people\u2014including her father, Korrin, and her newly returned mother, Vilya\u2014but she can and will arrive in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} at the drop of a hat, if {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex} asks it of her."
											],
											"id": "05b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Delegate Kel'jaia Uloeh",
											"page": 46,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Gnome delegate from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"Kel'jaia is a confident gnome with incredible strength and resilience\u2014both physical and emotional. She is thought by all to be the council's first choice for Master of War, should the time ever call for it. She was born in the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} and grew up amidst mercenaries who fought against the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}. After her commander was killed in battle, she traveled north to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to seek aid in her fight. She dreams of forging bonds of unity between her homeland and Tal'Dorei."
											],
											"id": "05c"
										}
									],
									"id": "052"
								}
							],
							"id": "04e"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Arcana Pansophical",
							"page": 46,
							"entries": [
								"All of Tal'Dorei's greatest mages fought at the {@book Battle of the Umbra Hills|TDCSR|1|Battle of the Umbra Hills}. They saw the incursion of demons and devils firsthand, and were rightly terrified that the spawn of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} could ever return to the world. It was clear that the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence} had not wholly prevented supernatural evil from infringing upon the world, and that the mages of Exandria must prevent future \"surprises\" of this nature. The mistakes of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} must never be repeated. In light of this, {@book Yurek Windkeeper|TDCSR|Enchanter Yurek Windkeeper}, high enchanter of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and a well-respected arcanist, reached out to the realm's most trusted and capable mages, and together they formed a private society called the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-ArcanaPansophical.webp"
									},
									"title": "Crest of the Arcana Pansophical",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A golden rhombus with a blue eye in its centre atop an oblong blue and purple magical holy symbol.",
									"width": 204,
									"height": 485
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 47,
									"entries": [
										"The chief priority of this fellowship of powerful arcane specialists is to maintain the Truth of Magic, a strict code enacted to never again allow the rampant misuse of magic seen in the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. General members are referred to as Guides, while the higher circle of members who deal in judgment and oversight are called Makers. At least one member is established at each place of arcane learning.",
										"Membership is largely kept secret unless out of necessity, though the existence of the order is relatively common knowledge. Anyone found to be practicing magic is logged and routinely checked up on, as misuse of magic is grounds for arrest, judgment by the Makers, and punishment outside of the local law. Even so, the reach and sight of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} are not without limits, and many dark and terrible dealings manage to escape their notice.",
										{
											"type": "inset",
											"name": "The Truth of Magic",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Pansophical's|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} myriad rules on the use and misuse of magic are innumerable\u2014detailed at length in centuries of amendments made to the full text of the Truth of Magic. Though the Truth's bizarre intricacies are left up to the GM, the Truth's preamble establishes three unbreakable edicts:",
												{
													"type": "quote",
													"entries": [
														"In the Eternal interest of the Preservation of Harmony within the realm of Exandria, we the Arcana Pansophical establish the Truth of Magic, and three Edicts from which none shall stray. Those Arcanists found in gross violation of the Truth will be punished by the full extent of this Order\u2014outside of any local law.",
														"Though the school of Necromancy shall be restricted to none, in the interest of magical study and Understanding, the animation of the dead is a Violation of the Truth.",
														"The Arcane is a tool to be wielded for the good of the People. To use its Power in the pursuit of wanton Destruction or unjust Murder is a Violation of the Truth.",
														"In addition, though the Jurisdiction of the Pansophical supersedes the power of local laws, a mage who willfully breaks the laws of the land is in Violation of the Truth."
													]
												}
											],
											"id": "05f"
										}
									],
									"id": "05e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 47,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} is respected, if somewhat feared, throughout the Republic of Tal'Dorei. {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and other elf-founded settlements see the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} as allies, as the roots of the society began within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} itself. The people of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} are suspicious of the {@book Pansophical's|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} legalistic Truth of Magic, and they fear that its members hold more loyalty to the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} than to their homeland.",
										"Recently, a group of profit-driven arcanists splintered from the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} to form the self-styled {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. Their involvement in the for-profit reconstruction of Tal'Dorei has made them popular among mages who see the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} as a stodgy, elitist institution. The {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, however, sees the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} as a distasteful upstart that will soon buckle under its own ambition."
									],
									"id": "060"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 47,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up your own NPCs.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Enchanter Yurek Windkeeper",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf wizard (enchanter) and Maker}",
												"Founder of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, the ancient archmage Yurek generally stays within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, acting as the nexus of the order and a consultant to the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}."
											],
											"id": "062"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Alchemist Oz Gruude",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Halfling alchemist and Maker}",
												"Gruude is an ornery old halfling who is more interested in traveling the world to study plants and minerals with latent magical properties than doing alchemical lab work. He is rarely seen in the halls of the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}."
											],
											"id": "063"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Seer Gloria Ios",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human wizard (diviner) and Maker}",
												"Gloria is one of the great diviners of the age, and her duties have sent her to Vasselheim, where she acts as a foreign outreach for the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}."
											],
											"id": "064"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Magus Seanor Wiles",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human wizard (enchanter), Maker, and tutor}",
												"A humble-looking traveler, Wiles delights in finding fresh and emerging talent and helping his new students refine their arcane gifts."
											],
											"id": "065"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Planerider Ryn",
											"page": 47,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Tiefling wizard (conjurer), Maker, and planar studies specialist}",
												"This former pupil of {@book Yurek Windkeeper|TDCSR|Enchanter Yurek Windkeeper} has grown into a master of planar travel. She likewise has taken an interest in the flow of magic across the world by means of ley lines. She's constantly on the move, traveling from plane to plane to conduct her research."
											],
											"id": "066"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tinkerer Quash Dentdruggle",
											"page": 48,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Gnome construct specialist and Guide}",
												"Obsessed with the development of autonomous and living arcane constructs, Quash is usually holed up in his laboratory within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}."
											],
											"id": "067"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Arcanist Allura Vysoren",
											"page": 48,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human wizard (abjurer) and Guide}",
												"As a member of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} and a retired adventurer, {@book Allura|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} has helped maintain the political significance of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} within {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Even among her colleagues in the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, her unpretentious strength commands great respect."
											],
											"id": "068"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Elementalist Drake Thunderbrand",
											"page": 48,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf wizard (evoker) and Guide}",
												"Driven to bind the physical elements of the chaotic planes to his will, Drake is a prodigy of new incantations in the field. He and {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} are lifelong friends, and together they're renowned for achieving the impossible."
											],
											"id": "069"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien",
											"page": 48,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human archmage and Maker emeritus}",
												"Though he was a Maker for most of his life, Realmseer Ryndarien grew frustrated with the politics and limitations of the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, eventually retiring to {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} to pursue his own interests. These days, he has found a way to rejuvenate his aged body and is now renowned as a handsome and aloof man about town\u2014much to the annoyance of all who formerly knew him."
											],
											"id": "06a"
										}
									],
									"id": "061"
								}
							],
							"id": "05d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Ashari",
							"page": 48,
							"entries": [
								"The Material Plane is surrounded on all sides by the churning chaos of the elements. This elemental power is invisible to most, but in some places, the veil between this world and the Elemental Planes grows thin\u2014and sometimes is torn entirely asunder. These places where the Elemental Planes bleed into the world are called rifts, and they first appeared on a long-ago Celestial Solstice when the planes aligned. That day, elemental rifts of untold proportions burst open across Exandria. Wildfires, tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes ravaged the lands, and the people of the world struggled to combat the elemental beings that poured forth from the rifts. The tide of rampaging elementals was eventually stemmed, but the world was gripped by fear\u2014what would happen on the next solstice?",
								"In the wake of the planar disturbance, a society of druids called the Ashari made a covenant to divide and form four separate orders to seal and watch over the sources of these unleashed energies. Most of the lesser rifts that opened in that time have been healed, but one rift to each of the four Elemental Planes remains in Exandria. The four orders of the Ashari settled near these rifts, watching over them and soothing them when they grow volatile. Of these orders, two are in Tal'Dorei, where they watch over the rift of earth and the rift of air. A dozen generations later, the Ashari still hold watch over these tumultuous locations.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ashari Culture",
									"page": 48,
									"entries": [
										"Though the Ashari began as a single group of elementalists, their individual orders have each developed their own ways of living over the centuries.",
										"The people of Pyrah value reactivity and coolness under pressure, for panic is death during an eruption. The Ashari of Vesrah have a close relationship with the marine life that surrounds their rift, and their actions always prioritize the health of Exandria's waters. {@book Zephrah's|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} culture values the freedom of the open sky, and balances their sense of duty with a free-spirited sense of play. Finally, the society of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} is rooted in planning for the future, and fixing what is broken with patience and humility."
									],
									"id": "06c"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Ashari.webp"
									},
									"title": "Symbol of the Ashari",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A holy symbol of four intersecting triangles stacked on each other to form an hourglass shape. The top triangles are both upside-down, with the top most green and the second light-blue. The bottommost triangle is dark blue, with a red one on top of that.",
									"width": 295,
									"height": 451
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 48,
									"entries": [
										"Each Ashari order guards their respective rift between one of the elemental planes and Exandria. Here, they strive to understand, master, and ultimately subdue the ever-escaping elemental forces. They attempt to bring balance to the surrounding lands and heal the rift over time, though recurring cosmic events tend to reopen these wounds.",
										"{@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of Pyrah oversee the Fire Elemental Rift in the valley caldera of the Sunderpeak Mountain range in {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, upon the continent of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}. {@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of Vesrah watch over the Water Elemental Rift on the Islands of Anamn, within the Ozmit Sea. On the southwest edge of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} stand vigilant over the Earth Elemental Rift, while high atop the windy mountaintops of the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks}, {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} keep the Air Elemental Rift. The Air Ashari also watch over the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald}, where a being of elemental ice once broke through to cause untold destruction.",
										"Due to their isolation, {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} go to great lengths to maintain contact with their kin. Each order is led by a single elemental master, a title that is passed on by blood or honor for generations. In every new generation that comes of age, the young leader-to-be must embark upon an Aramente. This \"noble odyssey\" sends them across the world to meet with the other Ashari leaders and train until they have earned both the respect and an understanding of their hosts.",
										"Upon returning, they ascend to the head of their order, while the elder retires. This journey often takes years, and should one such Ashari not return within a reasonable period of time, a next-of-kin or a suitable elemental adept is chosen to take up the Aramente."
									],
									"id": "06d"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 49,
									"entries": [
										"{@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} maintain peaceful, if sometimes strained, relationships between the orders, though inner conflict occasionally arises within them. Beyond this, much of life within {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} is hidden from outsiders' prying eyes. In recent years, however, {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} of the {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} has taken steps to unite {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} with the rest of the people of Tal'Dorei. She has gone so far as to become an ambassador for {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} people on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Part of this work has been expanding the crisis orbs system, which {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} used to contact their distant kin in times of peril, to connect cities across Tal'Dorei in the event of another crisis on the level of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}.",
										"{@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} nurture a seed of disrespect and mistrust for {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, whose miners constantly disregard their warnings against reckless mining. This arrogance caused countless deaths in the most recent eruption of the {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} Rift\u2014and led to the collapse of an entire mountain.",
										"Each Ashari culture has its own favored deities. Many Ashari of Pyrah venerate the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, for his flames give life to Exandria. Many in Vesrah worship the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, for her work controls the tides. In {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}, the faith of the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} is predominant, for her freedom is like that of the wind. And the people of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} hold the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer} in great respect for his association with creation and the earth. There are many Ashari, as well, who prefer to revere the elements themselves, forgoing the worship of gods."
									],
									"id": "06e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 49,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Pa'tice, Heart of the Mountain",
											"page": 49,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human leader of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah}}",
												"Elderly leader of the Earth Ashari, Pa'tice still shows vigor and strength to resist his age, having led his people through many very tough challenges. His stubbornness is legendary, and it's said even death has been forced to wait until Pa'tice sees it his proper time. Many believe that his druidic training will keep him alive until he himself chooses to let go of this mortal coil."
											],
											"id": "070"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Korrin of Zephrah",
											"page": 49,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf elder of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}}",
												"His wife Vilya was lost while she undertook the Aramente, and when the previous Voice of the Tempest died of illness, Korrin was called upon to act as Voice until his daughter {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} came of age and completed her Aramente. Korrin was shocked when Vilya suddenly returned, and now spends his days in disbelieving bliss, reunited with his long-lost wife. He is gentle with those who show honor, and merciless to those who threaten his people."
											],
											"id": "071"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Vilya, Who Escaped Death",
											"page": 49,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf elder of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}}",
												"Vilya disappeared on her Aramente nearly thirty years ago, and was presumed dead. Her daughter, {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth}, took up her own Aramente ten years after Vilya left, and discovered from the Water Ashari of Vesrah that Vilya was killed by a {@creature kraken}, and only her leg was able to be recovered. Less than a year ago, Vilya suddenly strode out of a tree in {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}, her leg replaced with a druidic prosthetic of her own creation, shocking all\u2014though none were more overwhelmed with emotion than her daughter and husband. Though Vilya never earned the title of Voice of the Tempest, she now aids her daughter in leading her people without the faintest trace of jealousy."
											],
											"id": "072"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest",
											"page": 49,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf leader of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}}",
												"Hero of Tal'Dorei and member of Vox Machina, {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} completed her Aramente and took leadership among her people following the destruction of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. She seems to have not aged a day since Vox Machina's victory over {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}. Since her beloved's death, she has kept busy to fill the void in her heart. From expanding the crisis orb network across the realm and building beautiful windmills in the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks} with {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percy's} aid to training Air Ashari heroes at home, she has never allowed herself a free moment. She has rarely left {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} in the months since her mother's emotional return."
											],
											"id": "073"
										}
									],
									"id": "06f"
								}
							],
							"id": "06b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Brawler's League",
							"page": 50,
							"entries": [
								"The brutal blood sports of the Brawler's League began, unsurprisingly, during the vicious {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} Dynasty. In that cruel era, many of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} affluent and indolent social elite used their wealth to engage in entertainment of a more \"visceral\" variety. The kingdom's poor were already fighting each other for scraps; why not pay them to literally fight to the death for their amusement?",
								"Some strong, charismatic ruffians used this opportunity to gain social power for themselves, and chief among them was a rough-and-tumble entrepreneur from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} named Bruel Sunderchin. Reaching out to his network of lowlifes and cutthroats, Sunderchin became ringleader of an annual gladiatorial tournament that caters expressly to Exandria's wealthiest elite.",
								"Those who have become invested members of the league's events are anonymously delivered a golden coin bearing their symbol in the weeks leading up to an event. These coins are required for entry into the events, and those who wish to join, whether as a patron or participant, require a coin of their own.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 50,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Brawler's League|TDCSR|2|Brawler's League} is always in search of hidden and well-guarded locations around Tal'Dorei (and sometimes other realms) to establish their semi-annual event. A combatant or team is required to have a known and cleared sponsor or manager to enter the event. There are two tiers of bouts; one tier has teams of six battling via single elimination until a victor is declared. The other features single combatants fighting one-on-one, single-elimination, until a victor is declared. Killing your opponents isn't encouraged, but isn't explicitly discouraged, either. Bets are placed in person at the event, or remotely (via arcane messages and {@item sending stones}) from all around Exandria."
									],
									"id": "075"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Brawlers.webp"
									},
									"title": "Crest of the Brawler's League",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A black circle outlined in silver that appears like a shield, embossed in silver.",
									"width": 309,
									"height": 323
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 50,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Brawler's League|TDCSR|2|Brawler's League} is extremely illegal in all major cities across Tal'Dorei. Should law-keepers of any nation discover the location of the semiannual event, the venue would find itself swiftly strangled by the long arm of the law. As such, magical protections and sentinels are placed throughout the event to prevent any unapproved entry, or to wipe the memory of those that do infiltrate.",
										"A common rumor states that numerous political figures who publicly decry the event secretly partake in the gambling, and that the location of the event is concealed not only by magic, but also impenetrable layers of bureaucracy. {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} has hosted the event a number of times, with most local guards and great houses turning a blind eye.",
										"The {@book Brawler's League|TDCSR|2|Brawler's League} frequently hires local {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} agents (or {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} operatives, in a pinch) to spread word of their next event through the criminal underground. If all goes well, they get hired at the event itself to provide protection, run interference, and make money on the side by providing loans and taking bets."
									],
									"id": "076"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 50,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Brawler's League|TDCSR|2|Brawler's League} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Oben \"Broadstaff\" Sunderchin",
											"page": 50,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf organizer and head of {@book Brawler's League|TDCSR|2|Brawler's League}}",
												"Descendant of Bruel and inheritor of the league's top position, Oben secretly goes by the name Broadstaff and doesn't directly appear at events, as he avoids public connection with the league."
											],
											"id": "078"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Kradin Grimthorne",
											"page": 50,
											"entries": [
												"Dwarf fight manager",
												"A previously disgraced dwarf, exiled from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} for murder, Grimthorne is the foremost brawler talent scout in Tal'Dorei."
											],
											"id": "079"
										}
									],
									"id": "077"
								}
							],
							"id": "074"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Chamber of Whitestone",
							"page": 50,
							"entries": [
								"Generations ago, a team of intrepid explorers and fortune-seekers sailed from Port Damali in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} to northeastern Tal'Dorei through the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel}, but wrecked upon the {@book Alabaster Sierras'|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} rocky cliffs. The expedition was led by the de Rolo family, and these brave {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} led the survivors to safety after the wreck. They took refuge in a valley within the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, and there they discovered the holy {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree}, a radiant tree blessed by the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}. A community grew around the {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree}, and the respected and beloved de Rolos were asked by their shipwrecked allies to be the leaders of this new settlement. Pressed against the chalky cliffs of the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, their new homeland was dubbed {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}.",
								"The sovereign city-state of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} enjoyed peace for many generations, secluded from the rest of Tal'Dorei and {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. This serenity was destroyed when Lord Sylas and Lady Delilah Briarwood arrived in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} and murdered most of the de Rolo family. Lady Delilah, a necromancer of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} and a disgraced member of the Cerberus Assembly in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, and her husband, a power-hungry {@creature vampire}, transformed the quiet city-state into a realm of death. They attempted to take control of all of Tal'Dorei by puppeteering the Last Sovereign, Uriel Tal'Dorei II, but were thwarted by Vox Machina.",
								"Thirty years after {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} fall, the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods} and their sepulchral master are defeated, and {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has returned to the blessed peace of its past. Nevertheless, much has changed. The surviving de Rolo siblings, {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} and Cassandra, reclaimed the city with the aid of Vox Machina. With the tyrants dethroned, {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} established a council titled the Chamber of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} to rule in his frequent absence, and the city now sends a delegation to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} to help safeguard the republic against evil.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Whitestone.webp"
									},
									"title": "Heraldry of the Chamber of Whitestone",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The Whitestone heraldry outlined, first in gold, then blue. In the center of the interior is a large golden tree, a solid canopy of green above it and a light purple below, composing the ground. Under it are six eight-pointed stars. Above the tree is a yellow sun with eight orange rays emanating from it.",
									"width": 249,
									"height": 389
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 51,
									"entries": [
										"Under the watch of Lady Cassandra de Rolo, the chamber handles and surveys all aspects of political life in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}. Its members are appointed by the head of the chamber, who is likely to be a scion of the de Rolo family for generations to come. The head can also add or remove members from the council. This system is new and untested by a ruler less noble than {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} or Cassandra. In many ways, this system of government is another one of {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percy's} tinkering projects.",
										"Members of the Chamber are granted distinct areas of responsibility to the realm.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"entries": [
												"{@b The Guardian of Woven Stone} is the title given to the central figure on the council, responsible for higher civil justice, community unification, and oversight of internal government.",
												"{@b The Steward of Sunblessed Gifts} is responsible for local farming and goods, overseeing distribution between citizens and exportation.",
												"{@b The Curator of Fortune's Bounty} is responsible for all major commerce and economic business, both locally and with allied and foreign entities.",
												"{@b The Keeper of Divine Virtue} is responsible for religious organization and spiritual guidance regarding multiple faiths within the region, both as a religious leader and a protector of practices.",
												"{@b The Commissioner of Wardship} is responsible for the enforcement of local law, the organization of the Paleguard, acting as judge on smaller matters of civil justice, and defense of the city during times of war.",
												"{@b The Architect of Enlightened Progress} is responsible for the construction and infrastructure of the city and castle.",
												"{@b The Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt} is responsible for diplomatic relations and for rooting out dangers beyond the city's walls."
											],
											"id": "07c"
										}
									],
									"id": "07b"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 51,
									"entries": [
										"Despite its benefits, {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} previous solitary existence left it without allies in its time of need. The Chamber of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has sent a delegation to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} for the betterment of both. These days, trade caravans are a common sight along the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway}, transporting goods from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} to {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, and ultimately {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. The most expensive goods travel via {@item skyship|TDCSR|skyships}, which land at {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} brand-new skyport."
									],
									"id": "07d"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 51,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lady Cassandra Johanna de Rolo, Guardian of Woven Stone",
											"page": 51,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human head of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}}",
												"Cassandra is {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival's} younger sister, thought dead until he discovered her in the thrall of the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods}. She now manages {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} most pressing matters, with daily briefings from other members of the chamber. She is beloved throughout the city for her resilience and her decisive leadership."
											],
											"id": "07f"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lord Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, Architect of Enlightened Progress",
											"page": 52,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human member of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}}",
												"{@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} is Cassandra's older brother, thought dead until Vox Machina discovered him in a prison cell. His life was filled with countless joys and regrets. He has taken well to retirement from adventuring, and is renowned across Tal'Dorei for his creations."
											],
											"id": "080"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt",
											"page": 52,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-Elf Member of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}}",
												"{@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia} is the Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt, a title she has held since before she married {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival}. Over the past twenty-four years, she has become a talented and respected leader of the {@book Grey Hunters|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}. And though the hunters use guns inspired by her husband's own designs, she still prefers to wield her trusty bow."
											],
											"id": "081"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Grog Strongjaw, Grand Poobah de Doink, In Charge of All This-and-That",
											"page": 52,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Goliath friend}",
												"The noble, if simple, warrior of Vox Machina, no one really knows if {@creature Grog Strongjaw|TDCSR|Grog's} title is a real title at all, or if {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percy} was just joking when he gave it to him. {@creature Grog Strongjaw|TDCSR|Grog} likes it, and that's good enough for most people."
											],
											"id": "082"
										}
									],
									"id": "07e"
								}
							],
							"id": "07a"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Claret Orders",
							"page": 52,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 52,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"As blood flows through and invigorates the body, so faith flows through and invigorates the soul. Ever remember this: your blood and your faith are one and the same. Spill not your blood nor that of another heedlessly, but do not hesitate to spill either when the cause is just."
											],
											"by": "From The Crimson Canon",
											"from": "a holy text of the Claret Orders"
										}
									],
									"id": "084"
								},
								"Hundreds of years ago, a fell power exerted its dark will over {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, corrupting its outlying townships and spreading chaos among its people. Undeath washed over gravesites like a plague, shadowed beasts stalked the midnight woods, and the influence of fiends befouled even {@book Wildemount's|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} purest souls.",
								"In the eleventh hour, a priest of the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens} named Trence Orman prayed for a way to protect his flock. The {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron's} inspiration came in the form of long-hidden knowledge: the secrets to blood magic. Taking his gifts, Trence trained his most trusted warriors in these techniques, giving a portion of their humanity in exchange for the power to defend their people. This marked the origin of the {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders}, and the first {@book Blood Clerics|TDCSR|4|Alasterre de Vitrevos}, {@book Blood Mages|TDCSR|4|Honor Kinnabari}, and Blood Hunters.",
								"The {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} work in relative secrecy, as the nature of their abilities is largely misunderstood, which often leads to persecution. Their numbers are small, as the price is great and the {@book Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} only accept those who are strong of heart and have little to lose. Small sects of the {@book Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} have begun work far enough West to wander the lands of Tal'Dorei in recent years, keeping out of the public eye and remaining vigilant to the signs of familiar darkness undermining the region.",
								"Despite the {@book Claret Orders'|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} best attempts at secrecy, the esoteric art of blood magic has escaped their clutches. Though rare, rogue blood mages and blood hunters have spread across both {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} and Tal'Dorei, unbound by the tenets and strictures of the {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 52,
									"entries": [
										"The Creed of the {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} asks that its followers commit their lives to the hunt of entities and creatures that threaten the sanctity of life and joy. While the sacrifice is great, the reward is the continued existence of purity and good in the world. The {@book Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} strive to protect those who cannot protect themselves from the shadows, taking no credit for their services beyond the means to live and travel. Some have strayed, focusing on building a fortune for themselves, but should word of such intent make it back to the heads of the {@book Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders}, and their actions begin to threaten the innocents they've sworn to protect, they may find themselves among the hunted."
									],
									"id": "085"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 52,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} have no alliance with\u2014nor allegiance to\u2014any standing government or group. Solitary in action and discreet in display, they've not drawn the attention of many factions in Tal'Dorei as of yet. However, it is only a matter of time before curious eyes begin to seek answers to questions about these dark guardians and their true nature."
									],
									"id": "086"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-ClaretOrders.webp"
									},
									"title": "Symbol of the Claret Orders",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A symbol composed of one lone, bloodred teardrop on the bottom, with a grey dagger on top.",
									"width": 256,
									"height": 464
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 53,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Claret Director Alasterre de Vitrevos",
											"page": 53,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Blood Domain cleric of Ravens}",
												"Calm and sanguine to a fault, {@book Alasterre de Vitrevos|TDCSR|4|Alasterre de Vitrevos} is the youngest-ever director of Tal'Dorei's {@book Claret Order|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders}. He sees his position as one he deserves without question, and is willing to use his command more boldly than his mentor, director emeritus Teresa Dulamar. He is frequently seen in the field, working with various adventuring parties and his own blood hunters to wipe out monsters wherever they emerge. The combination of his relaxed personality and his aggressive strategy may seem a contradiction at first glance, but those who know him see the truth of the immense self-assurance that lets him make hard decisions without hesitation. This quality is a strength when cool-headed leadership is needed in the thick of battle, but it can make him challenging to work with as an equal."
											],
											"id": "088"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Director Emeritus Teresa Dulamar",
											"page": 53,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf Blood Domain cleric of Ravens}",
												"The former head of Tal'Dorei's {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} retired ten years ago after suffering a traumatic death in combat. Her soul accepted resurrection, but she took her defeat as a sign to let younger, fresher blood take her place. She remains a part of the {@book Claret Orders|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} to advise the current director on matters he is too young to have experienced himself. Though she displays a chilly demeanor, she simply keeps her compassionate side hidden from the untrusted riffraff."
											],
											"id": "089"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Hunter Jorick LaMensh",
											"page": 53,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human blood hunter}",
												"Once among the greatest of all blood hunters, Jorick is now Director Emeritus Teresa Dulamar's personal bodyguard. He is still a capable member of the Order of the Profane Soul, and urges immediate, decisive action to destroy demons and devils whenever their occult activity is discovered."
											],
											"id": "08a"
										}
									],
									"id": "087"
								}
							],
							"id": "083"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Clasp",
							"page": 53,
							"entries": [
								"The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is a well-established secret organization consisting of spies, thieves, fences, assassins, saboteurs, and smugglers. It was built upon the ruins of the Winksman Thieves' Guild, an organization that flourished during the reign of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, but crumbled under the rule of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}. Based largely in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}\u2014and under it, via a network of subterranean tunnels\u2014the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} also runs smaller outfits in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}, and {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. Members are branded with the guild's symbol on their mid-back, signifying allegiance and commitment. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} operates like a business-minded family or mafia, celebrating loyalty and an ability to keep one's word. A member pays their debts, keeps their promises, and always seeks opportunity for the betterment of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}.",
								"Leaders of a {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} sect bear the title of Spireling, and they oversee assigned elements of the organization's functions. Spirelings hold equal power within a sect, and there is always an odd number acting within that location to break any disagreements over business ventures and actions.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 53,
									"entries": [
										"While most common folk assume that the {@book The Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is merely interested in profit at any cost (and that is a merit of the {@book The Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}), they also wish to preserve the function and prosperity of civilization. It is commonly held that a thriving city is a profitable one, and an enemy of civilization is a foe of the {@book The Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}. They largely consider themselves a necessary dark underbelly, willing to do the under-the-table deeds that more wealthy and powerful citizens cannot commit with their own hands. On the other hand, less scrupulous Spirelings also understand that discontent breeds profit, and have occasionally kindled the flames of unrest to keep things tense and profitable.",
										"Were it not for the branch of the {@book The Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} attack would likely have destroyed the city's culture entirely. However, thanks to the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} role as a \"shadow civilization,\" the people of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} were able to maintain their foothold at home, even under the watchful eye of {@book Thordak, the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}."
									],
									"id": "08c"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Clasp.webp"
									},
									"title": "Symbol of the Clasp",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The symbol of the Clasp: A stylized dark-red dagger entwined with the letter 'C'.",
									"width": 718,
									"height": 854
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 54,
									"entries": [
										"A generation ago, the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} was considered by most to be an uncouth cesspool of cutthroats and criminals. These days, thousands of people know the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} as the roguish heroes who saved their lives, or the lives of their parents, from the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. Nowhere is this truer than in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, where its Spirelings make public appearances and even, on occasion, deal openly with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Nevertheless, {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} agents outside of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} keep their wits about them, for most local governments still view them as underhanded scoundrels\u2014and not without reason. Most guards and town militias will arrest known {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} members on sight; however, most {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} members know well enough to have a friend on the force that will help them escape.",
										"The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} frowns upon dogmatic religion or cultish behavior, as it has conflicted with the organization's business in the past, and always ended messily.",
										"Since the arrival of the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} within Tal'Dorei from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has been on extremely high alert, seeking information on them and any means of banishing this new competition. Gang warfare has broken out sporadically between the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} in cities from {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} over the past twenty years, and though the rival organizations are currently at peace, everyone knows the whole thing is just one poached client away from reigniting."
									],
									"id": "08d"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 54,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Shenn",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Spireling of Secrets ({@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship})}",
												"A powerful illusionist, Shenn runs a far-reaching network of spies and informants. In his younger days, he was a canny negotiator who sought to spread the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} beyond Tal'Dorei. The arrival of the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} forced the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} onto the defensive, and he will never forgive them for souring his ambitions."
											],
											"id": "08f"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Warren",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-orc Spireling of Blades ({@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship})}",
												"Deadly duelist turned master assassin of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}, Warren handles all contracts that involve kidnapping, assassination, and intimidation. He hates public appearances."
											],
											"id": "090"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Zilloa",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf Spireling of Shadows ({@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship})}",
												"An accomplished burglar, Zilloa has risen to the head of all thieving, smuggling, and black-market dealings within the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. She plays a dangerous game by enjoying folk-hero status as the public liaison between the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}."
											],
											"id": "091"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Gholesh",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human Spireling of Shadows ({@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun})}",
												"A crass and ambitious man, Gholesh's appearance is a mystery as his face is always hidden behind a leather mask that resembles an ogre. He has secretly thrown in his lot with the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} and, with their backing, he aspires to take over the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and enjoy all its wealth and prestige."
											],
											"id": "092"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Melchior",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Tiefling Spireling of Blades ({@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun})}",
												"This clean-faced, curly-haired tiefling with pale blue skin and stubby horns may have a soft, babyish visage, but it belies their powerful physique. They are equally skilled with a sword, axe, or bow, and made their name in underground brawling rings before joining the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}."
											],
											"id": "093"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Spireling Fetch",
											"page": 54,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Halfling Spireling of Secrets ({@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun})}",
												"Creepy and unkempt in appearance, Fetch's gaunt face only distracts from his cunning and skills of keen manipulation."
											],
											"id": "094"
										}
									],
									"id": "08e"
								}
							],
							"id": "08b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Golden Grin",
							"page": 54,
							"entries": [
								"In dark times, entertainment and good cheer are just as vital as resistance. During the despotic rule of King Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} and his sons, a group of bards, dancers, and storytellers united to subvert his rule and inspire the people to rise against him. This band took the name \"the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin}\" and traveled across the realm to offer escapism and entertainment, all while planting the seeds of discontent, rebellion, and heroism.",
								"Since the fall of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} has been ever-present, using song, comedy, and theatrics to inspire the people of Tal'Dorei to endure hardship and fight back against evil. These \"Grinners\" include among their ranks spiritual leaders, artists, musicians, innkeepers, and dozens of retired adventurers who still want to do good outside the public eye. Little is publicly known about the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin}, other than myths and rumors, and the Grinners gladly perpetuate these tall tales.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-GoldenGrin.webp"
									},
									"title": "Crest of the Golden Grin",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A dusty-gold diamond crest. Its interior bears a golden curved, crescent shape with a golden circle on top and a golden, upside-down triangle below it.",
									"width": 379,
									"height": 409
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 55,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} (or simply \"the Grin\") exists to enlighten and inspire, keeping ears and eyes out for the murmurs of tyranny and cruelty. The Grin's core philosophy is that each and every person is capable of great things alone, and even greater things together. Rather than taking direct action themselves, most Grinners use songs and tales of great heroes to galvanize people to action."
									],
									"id": "096"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 55,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} claims no formal allies, nor do members reveal their secret affiliation to outsiders unless circumstances are dire indeed. They use their covert, grassroots power to empower local freedom fighters and activists. Some Grinners do occasionally find their way into government, granting them a higher vantage point and platform to disseminate the ideals behind their cause\u2014but even these members of the Grin take a dim view of the slowly turning gears of bureaucracy.",
										"Enemies of the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} are those that oppress and abuse freedom of expression and living. The Grin likewise mistrusts people and institutions that control or regulate the populace too heavily, even if they seem to have the best of intentions."
									],
									"id": "097"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 55,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Theona Balmhand",
											"page": 55,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Gnome cleric of the Lawbearer}",
												"A wandering healer hailing from {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, Theona lives by donation and perpetually travels from place to place, seeking to aid who she can and to learn whatever the people whisper."
											],
											"id": "099"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Doctor Dranzel",
											"page": 55,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-orc traveling bard}",
												"A jovial and lackadaisical violinist and frontman for Doctor Dranzel's Traveling Troupe, the renowned Doctor Dranzel exaggerates his stage persona for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to make him seem like a preening fool\u2014the perfect cover for a master spy of the Grin."
											],
											"id": "09a"
										}
									],
									"id": "098"
								}
							],
							"id": "095"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Houses of Kraghammer",
							"page": 55,
							"entries": [
								"The fortified, subterranean city-state of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} was carved out of the bedrock of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} in the years following the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}. It is the ancestral home of the native {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of Tal'Dorei, and the five major bloodlines that founded the city in ages past still rule to this day. The ruling families are Houses Greyspine, Zuurthom, Bronzegrip, Thunderbrand, and Glorendar. These Great Houses elect an official to the office of Ironkeeper every ten years to keep the alliances between houses just and healthy.",
								"Though the culture of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} is highly traditional and as stoic as the stone it was carved from, it is not without unrest. It seems every dwarven generation has its own great social movement where disenfranchised workers or greedy, lesser noble houses attempt to unseat the ruling five. Yet for good or for ill, the Great Houses have time and time again shown that they can put aside their differences to preserve their mutual rulership.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 55,
									"entries": [
										"Each ruling house has a specialty and holds responsibility over that domain within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. House Greyspine maintains the largest mine under {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, as well as the Pools of Solace. House Zuurthom trains the chief architects of the city, and most masonry and building is organized through them. House Bronzegrip funds the smithing guilds and maintains the Bronzegrip Metalworks, {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} largest blast furnace and ore refinery. House Thunderbrand prides itself on training {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} foremost scholars and premiere arcanists. House Glorendar maintains the law and delivers punishment."
									],
									"id": "09c"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Kraghammer.webp"
									},
									"title": "Heraldry of the Houses of Kraghammer",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A symbol of two hammers crossing one another atop a large red diamond. The large red diamond is buttressed on both of its lower sides by two stone-grey triangles.",
									"width": 556,
									"height": 376
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 55,
									"entries": [
										"Almost every dwarf living in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} can remember a time when, \"Kraghammer for the dwarves!\" was a common cheer at the pubs. And when they said, \"for the dwarves,\" they meant just the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} born in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. Times have changed. The prevailing opinion is that a unified Tal'Dorei is best for all. Those {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} whose traditionalism is just a veil for bigotry have found that they aren't welcome in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}\u2014they've subsequently retreated to make their own isolated enclaves in the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}.",
										"The {@book Houses of Kraghammer|TDCSR|2|Houses of Kraghammer} facilitate a healthy trade of metals, weapons, and armor with {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}. These bonds of commerce and communication have only grown stronger since an ambassador from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} has taken a seat on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}.",
										"Many members of House Thunderbrand also have ties to the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}. However, lesser clans with aspirations of supplanting the renowned Thunderbrands have thrown their lot in with the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, hoping to become the new masters of the arcane. They have been wooed by to this upstart faction with promises of disrupting the old ways of commerce and prestige, establishing something new."
									],
									"id": "09d"
								},
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 56,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"Five the fingers that grasp hammer or blade,",
												"Five Houses of Kraghammer rightly made:",
												"Greyspine delves 'neath dwarven halls,",
												"Zuurthom raises stony walls,",
												"Bronzegrip masters of metal wrought,",
												"Thunderbrand uncovers secrets sought.",
												"And Glorenthal to judgements hear\u2014",
												"In Kraghammer, dwarf-folk need never fear."
											],
											"from": "A child's learning rhyme from Kraghammer"
										}
									],
									"id": "09e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 56,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Houses of Kraghammer|TDCSR|2|Houses of Kraghammer} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ironkeeper Palluda Zuurthom",
											"page": 56,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf Ironkeeper of House Zuurthom}",
												"Even after weathering the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, uniting {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} squabbling houses in support of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} was no mean feat. Ironkeeper Palluda of House Zuurthom proved up to the task. They made a name for themself by taking control of a trade deal that ultimately sold tens of thousands of gold pieces' worth of quarried stone to the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, which began the reconstruction of Tal'Dorei in earnest. Palluda became a hero of the working dwarf within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. They are a master at getting all sides to agree to a compromise, and do so with an iron-edged smile."
											],
											"id": "0a0"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lord Nostoc Greyspine",
											"page": 56,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Dwarf overseer of House Greyspine}",
												"The dour executive of dozens of quarries across the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, Nostoc makes up for his unpleasant personality by being a formidable businessman. In recent years, he has become fabulously wealthy as the reconstruction of cities across Tal'Dorei devoured thousands of tons of stone. House Thunderbrand and the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} made it possible to transport it all with teleportation spells."
											],
											"id": "0a1"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Elementalist Drake Thunderbrand",
											"page": 56,
											"entries": [
												"One of the eldest of his House, Drake is known for his surprising empathy and fierce temper. He is also a member of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}. His friendship with {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} made him a popular choice for {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} ambassador to the council, but he politely refused, claiming it was a younger dwarf's duty."
											],
											"id": "0a2"
										}
									],
									"id": "09f"
								}
							],
							"id": "09b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "League of Miracles",
							"page": 56,
							"entries": [
								"\"Magic isn't cheap, but miracles are priceless.\" Such is the credo of the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}, the mysterious thaumaturge whose words inspire and guide the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. This company of mercenary magi is the reason why Tal'Dorei has recovered so rapidly from the near-apocalyptic destruction of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} and {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} rose from rubble to the height of their former glory in a matter of months.",
								"The people of Tal'Dorei adore the league. Their mighty spellwrought {@creature adranach|TDCSR|adranachs} can be seen lifting thousand-pound bricks of limestone high into the sky to rebuild walls, towers, and even castles in a matter of days. Many of the league's spellwrights have become folk heroes and celebrities for their miraculous acts, which range from healing those maimed in the {@book Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} attack to transmuting raw timber, mud, and straw into full-fledged houses in minutes.",
								"For most of Tal'Dorei's elite, the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} is likewise a great ally. Trade and travel have resumed stronger than before, for the league has eagerly subcontracted their talented mages out as guards for caravans and persons of interest.",
								"Yet, not everyone sees the league as an ally. In the early aftermath of {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} defeat, the new and untested {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} put out thousands of bounties on reconstruction projects to get their towns and cities back on their feet, and local mayors and margraves across the nation agreed to these subsidies to reduce the cost of reconstruction for their already devastated populace. They expected Tal'Dorei's rebirth to be a multi-generational undertaking\u2014yet the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} snapped up these bounties like candy, and the league does not work their miracles cheaply. Bills for hundreds of thousands of gold pieces' worth of bounties found their way to the desks of local leaders and to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} by the end of the year. Such vast wealth for thirty years' worth of rebuilding in three years' time simply did not exist.",
								"But this was all part of the {@book Wonderworker's|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker} plan, and their spellwrights executed it flawlessly. The league needs money to purchase their expensive spell components and to pay their talented mercenary membership, of course, but their true goal is the priceless currency of power, in the form of political favors from leaders ranging from small-town mayors, to city-ruling margraves, and even delegates to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Rumors even swirl that one or more of the members of the council itself are in the league's pocket.",
								"The league's members are delineated into a simple hierarchy.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"entries": [
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Mercenary Mage",
													"page": 57,
													"entries": [
														"Spellcasters drawn from across Tal'Dorei form the backbone of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. The league works as an agency, handing mercenaries lucrative jobs, collecting the payment themselves, and paying out in a timely fashion\u2014minus twenty percent. These mercenaries come from all walks of life. Some are aspiring adventurers seeking a less life-threatening first gig, while others are skilled arcanists with shady pasts, including {@creature Remnant cultist|TDCSR|Remnant cultists} and double-dipping {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} agents with a talent for magic."
													],
													"id": "0a6"
												},
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Spellwright",
													"page": 57,
													"entries": [
														"The most talented (or best-connected) members of the league are awarded the title of spellwright. Only two dozen such masters of the arcane exist across Tal'Dorei. These spellwrights know the secrets of how to create {@creature adranach|TDCSR|adranachs}, mighty constructs of magical energy that were used publicly to rebuild Tal'Dorei's ravaged infrastructure\u2014and are also used in secret as hunter-destroyers of the league's enemies. These spellwrights sign a blood pact that connects their minds to the mysterious communications of the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}, which all spellwrights are blood-bound to interpret and enact."
													],
													"id": "0a7"
												},
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Grand Thaumaturge",
													"page": 57,
													"entries": [
														"The official title of the league's shadowy master is the Grand Thaumaturge, though most colloquially refer to them as the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}. None know their true identity, or their ultimate goal. The spellwrights understand that the Grand Thaumaturge has a master plan that must be followed. Only these spellwrights have the privilege of hearing their master's psychic messages. Over the years, they have interpreted them to mean that the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} must become the secret puppet-masters of all Tal'Dorei."
													],
													"id": "0a8"
												}
											],
											"id": "0a5"
										}
									],
									"id": "0a4"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Miracles.webp"
									},
									"title": "Symbol of the League of Miracles",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The symbol of the League of Miracles: a pale stone castle tower encircled by two ethereal purple hands.",
									"width": 449,
									"height": 451
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 57,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} is comprised mostly of mercenary magi pulled from all corners of Tal'Dorei, with some even coming from abroad as news of the league's reputation spreads across Exandria. For most of these arcanists, their goal is simple: to make money. The goals of the league's spellwrights are more elaborate. They listen for the cryptic words of the mysterious Grand Thaumaturge and dedicate themselves to deciphering and enacting their grand design. The spellwrights' current aim is one of total control\u2014once all of Tal'Dorei's social and political elite are in their pockets, they can shape the land as they see fit, all to the cheering adoration of the fawning people of Tal'Dorei."
									],
									"id": "0a9"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 57,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} tries to keep cordial, if distant, relationships with every major power on Tal'Dorei. Their public image is shiny and unimpeachable. Many members of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} are already in their pocket and cast votes that further the league's self-interest. The {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}\u2014especially {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren}, who also sits on the council\u2014are deeply distrustful of this unregulated, uncommonly powerful organization.",
										"The {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} has a tense relationship with the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}, as they have long sought access to the {@item residuum|TDCSR} unique to that territory. The spellwrights fear outright hostility with the legendary heroes of Vox Machina, and have supposedly abandoned their quest to mine {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} naturally occurring {@item residuum|TDCSR}.",
										"As \"no questions asked\" employers of mages, the league is in the good graces of many less scrupulous arcane factions, including the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants}. Necromancers, blood mages, Ruidus cultists, and other unsavory magi now exist under the league's protection."
									],
									"id": "0aa"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 58,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Wonderworker",
											"page": 58,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Mysterious enactor of true miracles}",
												"All spellwrights hear the authoritative\u2014yet enigmatically distorted\u2014voice of the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}. The {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker} has supposedly appeared in the flesh only three times throughout the league's twenty-four-year history, as a humanoid draped in robes of starlight and wearing a mithral mask. In those moments, they have produced true miracles\u2014raising a castle from the ground in a matter of seconds, halting the rampaging silver dragon Saldarthoryn in her tracks and healing her twisted mind, and stopping the Center Slab of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} from collapsing into the Pits in a catastrophic mining accident that would have cost countless lives. These legendary acts inspired utmost awe and faith in all who witnessed them, leading the spellwrights to create {@creature adranach|TDCSR|adranachs} in the {@book Wonderworker's|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker} image and enact their cryptic will."
											],
											"id": "0ac"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Blaine Kraverrogg",
											"page": 58,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-halfling mercenary necromancer}",
												"Short and brimming with a malign lust for power, Blaine appears to be a short, skeletally skinny human who hides his lack of stature in billowing black-and-gold robes. He is a member of the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants}, but pays his bills by doing undercover grave-robbing for the league. He longs to reach the bottom of {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow}, a mysterious crypt somewhere on the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. His obsession with {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} stems from a hunger for the power of the Demon Prince of Undeath."
											],
											"id": "0ad"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Honor Kinnabari",
											"page": 58,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Tiefling blood mage and novice spellwright}",
												"As the newest spellwright in the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, {@book Honor Kinnabari|TDCSR|4|Honor Kinnabari} has a lot to prove. She was granted a chance to prove her quality in the eyes of the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker} when the league was contracted to rebuild the Market Ward of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} after it was devastated by a herd of {@creature magma landshark|TDCSR|magma landsharks} that descended from the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. Her red eyes and sheet-white skin and horns complement a traditional red-and-white mage's robe from the reclusive dwarven clans of the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}. She is fully dedicated to the league, but she is as honorable as her name implies; her fellow spellwrights fear that she could turn traitor, should the unsavory truth of the league be laid plain before her."
											],
											"id": "0ae"
										}
									],
									"id": "0ab"
								}
							],
							"id": "0a3"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Library of the Cobalt Soul",
							"page": 58,
							"entries": [
								"The Cobalt Reserve in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} is home to a monastic order so old, enduring, and tirelessly dedicated to the preservation of knowledge that most people in Tal'Dorei simply take it for granted. Just as birds have always flown and grass has always grown, the Library of the Cobalt Soul has always sent its agents across the world, taking minutes at public trials, archiving broadsheets, exploring ancient ruins, and copying scrolls. To all but the most dedicated scholars, the work of the Cobalt Soul seems like dreary, banal stuff.",
								"Nothing could be further from the truth. Beneath the veneer of being a dopey order of bookish monks, the Cobalt Soul is one of the most dogged espionage organizations in the world. The secret agents of the Cobalt Soul, its expositors, are spies who wield the truth as a weapon more potent than any blade. The Cobalt Soul was born in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, just after the end of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, when the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor} was maimed by an evil god. Her most loyal followers went into hiding and vowed to continue her divine work in knowing all there is to be known\u2014and most importantly, to use the truth as a holy weapon against lies and propaganda.",
								"Each archive of the Cobalt Soul has a common hierarchy, and higher-ranking members of the Cobalt Soul can command their lower-ranking comrades from another archive.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"entries": [
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Monk",
													"page": 58,
													"entries": [
														"The monks of the Cobalt Soul are their most visible members, for they travel the land in search of knowledge both modern and archaic. Not all monks are engaged in fieldwork, especially new recruits. Those who work entirely within an archive aid in the organization and preservation of information. Few know that these monks are dedicated to the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}; the common opinion in Tal'Dorei is that they are ascetics, obsessively dedicated to the chronicling of knowledge, not devotees of an obscure god."
													],
													"id": "0b2"
												},
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Expositor",
													"page": 59,
													"entries": [
														"Trained in the art of espionage, the expositors of the Cobalt Soul use their infiltration expertise to uncover the secrets of governments, world leaders, and obscure cults. In times of great crisis, undercover expositors have even incited revolutions by sharing the knowledge they discovered with people toiling under evil regimes. This true mission of the expositors is a secret even to low-ranking monks, who see them simply as well-trained field agents."
													],
													"id": "0b3"
												},
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Archivist",
													"page": 59,
													"entries": [
														"Though they are not involved in field work, archivists play the vital role of organizing the overwhelming flow of information that the monks and expositors return to their archive. They also train new monks and perform administrative tasks, like negotiating with sellers of artifacts and with government officials to ensure the stability of their archive."
													],
													"id": "0b4"
												},
												{
													"type": "entries",
													"name": "Curator",
													"page": 59,
													"entries": [
														"A small group of three to five curators manage the top-level operations of each archive. One of their number is given the special designation of High Curator, to whom all other members of their archive must ultimately answer."
													],
													"id": "0b5"
												}
											],
											"id": "0b1"
										}
									],
									"id": "0b0"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-CobaltSoul.webp"
									},
									"title": "Sigil of the Cobalt Soul",
									"credit": "{@link De La Rosa Design, LLC|https://delarosadesign.com/}",
									"altText": "A circle of inlaid black and teal marble with silver designs of three circles, one on each point of a triangle, and writing in an unknown language. Around the top half of the outer circle are the words \"From the Archives of the Cobalt Soul.\"",
									"width": 430,
									"height": 430
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-CobaltSoulMinimal.webp"
									},
									"title": "Sigil of the Cobalt Soul: Watermark",
									"credit": "{@link De La Rosa Design, LLC|https://delarosadesign.com/}",
									"width": 796,
									"height": 796
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 59,
									"entries": [
										"The public mission statement of the Cobalt Soul is to archive knowledge for the betterment of all peoples of Exandria. The secret mission of the Cobalt Soul is to use their accumulated knowledge to root out tyranny and ensure the freedom of all people.",
										"As instructed by their reclusive god, the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}, the Cobalt Soul in Tal'Dorei makes their archives available to everyone, so that knowledge can be used to improve and enrich the lives of all. Despite this, the curators of the Cobalt Reserve privately determine what knowledge is too volatile to be freely disseminated. Typically, this privileged information is magical in nature, but it also includes secrets recovered by expositors that must be strategically employed as a weapon against unjust leaders, cults, and power-hungry factions.",
										"The Cobalt Soul itself is not immune to corruption and complacency. Nowhere is this truer than in the Cobalt Soul's birthplace of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, where it must work hand-in-hand with the authoritarian Dwendalian Empire. Its highest officials say that the Cobalt Soul has outlasted every tyrant on Exandria, and that they must be content with small acts of insurrection\u2014subtly subverting propaganda and sharing the truth with any who will listen\u2014while waiting for the right moment to strike a fatal blow. Nevertheless, this mantra of patience has caused some of its more radical members to abandon the order entirely. Typically, deserters of the Cobalt Soul are expositors, who see the ugliest side of the world firsthand again and again."
									],
									"id": "0b6"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 59,
									"entries": [
										"The Cobalt Soul is an international organization with archives in the Dwendalian Empire and Clovis Concord of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, the Republic of Tal'Dorei, the Dawn City of Vasselheim on {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, and the great city of {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} on {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. Each of these archives acts independently under the orders of their commanding High Curator, though they must ultimately answer to the joint leadership of the Cobalt Soul: the High Curators of the Rexxentrum and Vasselheim archives.",
										"Though Tal'Dorei is a freer society than the Dwendalian Empire, the Cobalt Soul knows better than to think that means it is free of corruption. From the Cobalt Reserve, their archive in the city of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, the Cobalt Soul keeps close tabs on members of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, the leaders of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, and other powerful individuals across the land.",
										"The Cobalt Soul actively opposes the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants}\u2014followers of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}, a tyrannical god of secrets who is diametrically opposed to the goals of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}. They are also concerned by the meteoric rise of a guild of arcanists called the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, whose political maneuverings have made puppets of dozens of delegates to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} and political leaders across the land. This worry has only deepened as rumors reach them of the league filling their ranks with {@creature Remnant cultist|TDCSR|Remnant cultists} who seek to dominate Tal'Dorei."
									],
									"id": "0b7"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 59,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Library of the Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "High Curator Greisalda Cassios",
											"page": 59,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-{@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} leader of the Cobalt Reserve}",
												"The High Curator of the {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} archive of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} is a high-cheekboned, bald woman who would appear fully human if not for her slitted, silver eyes and the silver scales that run across her head, neck, and upper arms. She is regarded as one of the fastest minds in Tal'Dorei, for she has the rare gift of perfect recall. Monks tremble when her clear, unpretentious voice rings through an archive chamber, for Greisalda remembers acts of justice and personal slights with equal intensity, making her a powerful ally and a furious enemy. She is concerned that corruption is spreading throughout the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}."
											],
											"id": "0b9"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cressida Holt",
											"page": 60,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Orc expositor of the Cobalt Reserve}",
												"The name {@book Cressida Holt|TDCSR|4|Cressida Holt} is synonymous with style and effortless charisma\u2014and also a blunt, merciless coldness. {@book Cressida|TDCSR|4|Cressida Holt} is nonbinary, and uses both she and they pronouns interchangeably. Though she's fresh blood to the expositors of the Cobalt Reserve, she has already taken advantage of her license to kill on her espionage missions. They are slim for an orc, but still more muscular than many of their human colleagues. Their assignments take them across Tal'Dorei in search of political corruption. She is currently stationed in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to observe a person of interest on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, where she alternates between lurking on rooftops and striding through ballrooms in fine suits."
											],
											"id": "0ba"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Archivist Salomane Rothtree",
											"page": 60,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf archivist of the Cobalt Reserve}",
												"A haggard, overworked administrator, Archivist Rothtree is known throughout the Cobalt Reserve as someone who tries too hard to prove himself and constantly bites off more than he can chew. Half-orc and half-elf, he has said that he hopes to accomplish as much in his lifetime as an elf could in theirs. He often is tasked with helping adventurers find information. Though he resents the task, he may slowly open up to heroes who treat him well."
											],
											"id": "0bb"
										}
									],
									"id": "0b8"
								}
							],
							"id": "0af"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Myriad",
							"page": 60,
							"entries": [
								"{@book Wildemount's|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} greatest organized crime ring is now becoming known throughout Tal'Dorei, but it came from humble beginnings. The Myriad began in the Dwendalian city of Yrrosa, as a small shipping company specializing in exotic goods and services, exploiting and selling curiosities from the distant continents of {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} and {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. Over time, as legal trading became more difficult, the Myriad's illegal occupations became their best business. Through years establishing underworld contacts and tactical blackmail, the Myriad evolved into a powerful, well-veiled criminal faction. Over the past two decades, the Myriad's aspirations have spread beyond {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, and they are now deeply entrenched in Tal'Dorei's criminal underworld.",
								"Known for displays of opulence and social grace, this misdirection enables the Myriad to seduce and control the lives and wills of whomever is deemed valuable to their plans. Dozens of truly amoral cutthroats and thieves noticed when the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} began to work hand-in-hand with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. They felt the dagger of accountability pressed against their backs, and broke with their former guild. Now, the Myriad has filled the vacuum of truly lawless criminality that the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} left in its wake.",
								"The Myriad operates as a loose network of gangs whose bosses run their own localized sects, without direct oversight from the mysterious heads of the society. Tithes and information are expected to be delivered to the leadership at a steady rate from each satellite of the organization, and should the success slow, threats of enslavement or destruction soon follow.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Myriad.webp"
									},
									"title": "Sigil of the Myriad",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "A sigil of five curved, dusty gold blades and five smaller, curved blades of onyx, emanating from one red ruby pentagon in the middle - a golden circle directly in the center.",
									"width": 475,
									"height": 467
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 60,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} seeks wealth in hideous excess. The means are unimportant, as long as they're lucrative. No trade is too abhorrent, from bloody theft to kidnapping and slavery. And though they lack the political capital to bribe and puppeteer politicians the way they did in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} are confident that they can get even the supposedly noble {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} in their pocket.",
										"Most fronts for the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} are businesses that publicly deal in antiquities and exotic textiles. Behind these masks is a ruthlessly efficient black market of slaves, magical beasts, weapons, and illicit substances. Overt violence tends to draw unwanted attention, and the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} avoid it when possible, preferring to discredit, blackmail, or frame those who cross them. Should that fail, however, kidnapping or assassination can be a quick and traceless final alternative."
									],
									"id": "0bd"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 60,
									"entries": [
										"Though they are relative newcomers to the criminal underworld of Tal'Dorei, the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} is well-versed in the covert art of making money by any means necessary. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is well aware of their presence in the broadest sense, and the two thieves' guilds have spilled blood in the streets of every city in Tal'Dorei at some point in the past twenty years. These days, the bloodshed has subsided into a cold war of espionage and counter-espionage, as each organization tries to sabotage the other.",
										"The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} has only been routed from cities a number of times\u2014they no longer have any presence in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} or {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}\u2014and each time, it has been by a concentrated citizens' uprising. In both instances, when they sought the source, {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} leaders were furious to discover an empty safe house containing only a single gold coin, marked by a grinning face: the calling card of the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin}. Even across the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}, the old enmity between the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} and the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin} remains today."
									],
									"id": "0be"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 61,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lustran \"the Backstabber\" Zeth",
											"page": 61,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human boss of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}}",
												"Lustran was one of the first {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} members to turn double agent. By the time anyone realized his betrayal, he had granted the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} their foothold in Tal'Dorei in the swampy port city of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}. His lean, hungry face and graying hair give him a handsome, intimidating appearance. All {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} agents in Tal'Dorei respect him, and all members of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} hate him. He revels in his bad reputation as the renowned Backstabber of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}."
											],
											"id": "0c0"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tully \"the Conclave of One\" Dezzeram",
											"page": 61,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Gold {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} boss of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}}",
												"Tully's distasteful nickname delights her inner circle in {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} underground. The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} boss of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is a position that usually changes hands by the season, thanks to the diligent efforts of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}, but Tully has evaded capture for three years, and grown rich and powerful in her reign of smuggling, trafficking, and grand burglary."
											],
											"id": "0c1"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Sylker \"the Millionaire\" Uttolot",
											"page": 61,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Half-elf boss of {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}}",
												"This gold-eyed half-elf, a former underling of the crime families of Shady Creek Run in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, joined the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} and became the first individual on that continent to hoard one million gold pieces. He has a masterful mind for money, and spearheaded the {@book Myriad's|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} infiltration of {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. \"Gold is a disease,\" he often says, \"and I'm bloody sick.\""
											],
											"id": "0c2"
										}
									],
									"id": "0bf"
								}
							],
							"id": "0bc"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Remnants",
							"page": 61,
							"entries": [
								"In a time long past, an archmage of unparalleled power known as {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} attempted to ascend to godhood by conducting the Ritual of Seeding from high atop the citadel of Thar Ampala within the Plane of Shadow. {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} surrounded himself with a cult of fanatical mages and empowered murderers to protect him during his apotheosis. Despite these protections, he failed. His cult, however, survived, and helped him return to power centuries later, after the defeat of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. He succeeded in his bid for godhood, but was kept from utterly dominating the Material Plane at the last second by Vox Machina, who banished him beyond the Divine Gate, where he was shackled by all the same limitations as the other gods.",
								"His cult, the Remnants, went into hiding once again. Their fanatical ranks, bolstered by his true apotheosis, now seethe in secret, convinced that there is a way to grant their god the ultimate power he sought. Many of them have wormed their way into positions of power within Tal'Dorei's political institutions, churches, arcane organizations, and criminal outfits. Many more have joined up with the dubiously moral, profit-driven arcanists of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. They exist in shadows, lurking, waiting, longing for a new dark prophet to lead them to glory.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Remnants.webp"
									},
									"title": "Crest of the Remnants",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The crest is composed of of a circle on the bottom with four jagged spikes sprouting from the top of it.",
									"width": 375,
									"height": 452
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 62,
									"entries": [
										"{@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} achieved an incomplete victory over twenty years ago, and now his cult is building a new generation of faithful to make his megalomaniacal dreams a reality. The cult's leadership believes that reuniting these malign artifacts will give them greater power to commune with their god and let them begin their quest in earnest to reach him through the Divine Gate. This leadership is known as the Circle of the Dismembered. Each cult leader in the circle commands a branch of the cult, named for a part of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR|The Whispered One's} body. These factions are:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Unveiled Sight",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"Members of this cult are tasked with scouring the planes for arcane lore that could restore their master to the Material Plane."
											],
											"id": "0c5"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Mordant Voice",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"Members of this cult serve their master by infiltrating other factions across Tal'Dorei and subverting their purposes with subtle propaganda."
											],
											"id": "0c6"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Devouring Blood",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"Members of this cult specialize in the art of silent death. They train in stealth and necromancy to become truly horrific assassins."
											],
											"id": "0c7"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Unseen Touch",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"Members of this cult are trained in magic that corrupts the mind and perverts the will, making them vile puppet-masters that prepare the world for their god's return."
											],
											"id": "0c8"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Insatiable Heart",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"Members of this cult do the vital ground-level work of seeking out new blood. They are trained to exploit the emotional weaknesses of their targets to convert them to the cult, without the need of magic."
											],
											"id": "0c9"
										}
									],
									"id": "0c4"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 62,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants} remain largely unknown, even after their master's grand ascension, and wish to keep it that way. Those who are aware of their presence are either cult members or people who have uncovered their insidious existence and wish to stamp it out wherever it may appear. Thus, there are rarely any alliances made by or with the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants}."
									],
									"id": "0ca"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 62,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Quinton Puck",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Human jeweler, Master of the Unveiled Sight}",
												"While he runs a middling jewelry business within {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, Quinton is secretly the leader of the Unveiled Sight. He is a master of creating and piercing illusions, deciphering ancient script, and all things to do with the magical arts of obscurement and unveiling. He can be recognized by his blood-red spectacles."
											],
											"id": "0cc"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ixrattu Khar",
											"page": 62,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Tiefling vampire, Master of the Devouring Blood}",
												"This escapee from the {@book Black Bastille|TDCSR|3|11. The Black Bastille} prison in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is Tal'Dorei's most infamous mass murderer, who once slaughtered and consumed hundreds of innocents on a deadly killing spree from {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. During her imprisonment, Ixrattu was plagued by shadowy visions of a woman beckoning to her from beyond the bars. The visions pointed her towards weaknesses within the {@book Black Bastille's|TDCSR|3|11. The Black Bastille} guard, and helped her achieve the unthinkable: escape. Once free, she vanished for a year as she scoured the countryside, puzzling over the cryptic whispers of her continuing visions.",
												"At the end of her quest was a fateful discovery: within a lightless underground passage, she found the venomous crossbow {@item Condemner|TDCSR}, a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}. Now she lurks in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, where she trains a network of elite assassins who gleefully dispatch anyone the Unveiled Sight identifies as an enemy of the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants}.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter2-IxrattuKhar.webp"
													},
													"title": "Ixrattu Khar",
													"credit": "{@link Elisa Serio|https://elisaserioart.com/}",
													"altText": "Ixrattu Khar is a grey-skinned tiefling with long, black hair slicked back between her horns, each of which are adorned by silver chains. She bears a large patch over her left eye, her right eye a solid red. She wears an oil-black leather coat and corset over a blood red shirt. Her left hand brandishes a magical crossbow with an ethereal green string.",
													"width": 548,
													"height": 756
												}
											],
											"id": "0cd"
										}
									],
									"id": "0cb"
								}
							],
							"id": "0c3"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Wardens of Syngorn",
							"page": 63,
							"entries": [
								"The elven city-state of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} was established in the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} by the sorceress Yenlara, the wood {@book elves'|TDCSR|4|elves} first leader after the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}. Today, the physical and cultural wellbeing of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is safeguarded by the three offices of elders called {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}, united by the High Warden. Their primary duty is to protect the city and the surrounding lands from intrusion.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goals",
									"page": 63,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} believe that preserving the ancient culture of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is of utmost importance. Even as their fate grows ever more closely tied to the fate of all Tal'Dorei, the traditions that make {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} unique must be conserved. The three offices of the {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} are the Verdant Lord, the {@book Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory}, and the Guildrunner. The office of Verdant Lord commands {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} formidable military, which is maintained and scattered throughout the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, ready to be called to {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} defense at a moment's notice. As preservers of culture, the {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} also encourage public respect for the arts, including the art of magic. It's not uncommon for a {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to rise in social status after being publicly praised by a warden for a masterful artistic creation or performance."
									],
									"id": "0cf"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/faction-Syngorn.webp"
									},
									"title": "Heraldry of the Wardens of Syngorn",
									"credit": "{@link Conceptopolis, LLC|https://conceptopolis.com/}",
									"altText": "The symbol of the Wardens of Syngorn is composed of two trees growing from a sapphire blue circle and interlaced with each other - one is silver with green leaves, the other is green with silver leaves. Woven around them is a blue crescent moon.",
									"width": 443,
									"height": 515
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Relationships",
									"page": 63,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} has long been an isolationist society. As a mostly elven enclave, they have often been criticized as xenophobic, or even racist, toward outsiders. There is truth to these claims. Nevertheless, the rise and fall of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} has goaded even some of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} most conservative voices into strengthening the bonds of trade, travel, and kinship with the other free peoples of Tal'Dorei. Even the people of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, who many {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} still remember siding with the tyrant {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} in centuries past, have been welcomed as friends and allies for the loyalty and courage they displayed in the battle against {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}."
									],
									"id": "0d0"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Figures of Interest",
									"page": 63,
									"entries": [
										"These figures are major members of the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} that you can use as NPCs in your game. You should also take inspiration from these figures to make up new NPCs for your own campaign.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "High Warden Tirelda",
											"page": 63,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf Warden of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"Though she is in her twilight years, even by elven standards, High Warden Tirelda is a trusted descendent of Yenlara, founder of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. She is skilled with magic and blessed with calm wisdom. Thus, she was entrusted with the highest level of responsibility amongst the {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}\u2014to maintain law, guide society, and preside over all other {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}."
											],
											"id": "0d2"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Verdant Lord Celindar",
											"page": 63,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf Warden of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"Head of the Verdant Guard of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and an accomplished warrior in their own right, Celindar handles all military strategy and instruction within the forest's bounds. They only return to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} when called by their fellow wardens, and can otherwise constantly be found prowling the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}. They use any pronouns, and have relinquished any sort of gender presentation after receiving a vision from the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}."
											],
											"id": "0d3"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ouestra, the Voice of Memory",
											"page": 63,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf Warden of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"A renowned historian and a beloved vocalist, Ouestra is charged with the preservation of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} history and culture. It's said her most magical songs can control moonlight and bring light even to the Abyss itself. These days, she has grown somewhat unpopular by also singing songs of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} darker days, for she says true greatness can only be inspired by learning from failure."
											],
											"id": "0d4"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Guildrunner Rawndel",
											"page": 63,
											"entries": [
												"{@i Elf Warden of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}}",
												"One of the oldest living {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, Rawndel is more cunning and insightful than most, allowing him to be a very effective head of commerce, business, and the treasury."
											],
											"id": "0d5"
										}
									],
									"id": "0d1"
								}
							],
							"id": "0ce"
						}
					],
					"id": "04d"
				}
			],
			"id": "045"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 3: Tal'Dorei Gazetteer",
			"page": 64,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-Splash.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
					"altText": "A colorful village lit at night by soft, warm light. It lies within a swamp-like forest on a marshy waterfront with several ships ported, a mountain range can be seen in the background.",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1655
				},
				{
					"type": "insetReadaloud",
					"page": 65,
					"entries": [
						{
							"type": "quote",
							"entries": [
								"I've wandered over many a shore and plain in my journeys, and my mind still finds itself drawn back to Tal'Dorei. Ain't no place in this world more vibrant; the land feels young. Unscarred. Mind you, that sort of calm causes my old bones to itch, too. Folk in that land are kind and honest, and its vistas are second to none, yet...well, I'll just say that cities are cities, and the wilds are the wilds. Tal'Dorei's got plenty of both. Keep a sword or a wand with you wherever you go, adventurer."
							],
							"by": "Norad Firth",
							"from": "Captain of the Brazen Beast"
						}
					],
					"id": "0d7"
				},
				"This chapter contains a wealth of information about the lands of Tal'Dorei, the adventures to be found therein, and the many centers of civilization to be found across its vast wilds. Consider this chapter a compilation of a wide variety of assorted notes, research, and scattered publications of historians of the {@book Library of the Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} and the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}.",
				"Boundless possibilities await eager adventurers of all kinds who explore Tal'Dorei, from the vast fields of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} to the treacherous crags of Tal'Dorei's many mountains, from the storm-wracked {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} to the immemorial depths of the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}. Countless nomadic civilizations exist within these realms of magic and monsters, as do dozens of tiny villages, thriving towns, and bustling cities. The people of Tal'Dorei do what they can to survive, and share the tales of treasures and adventure with any who will listen.  Consider this gazetteer a compilation of tales and fragmented histories, passed down from bards and scholars. Your campaign can follow its descriptions to the letter, or diverge as wildly as you see fit.",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Settlements",
					"page": 65,
					"entries": [
						"Every permanent settlement in Tal'Dorei has a few basic statistics that impart a top-level impression of that place. This includes what type of settlement it is\u2014typically a village, town, or city\u2014its population, and its rough demographics. Don't feel restricted by these demographics if you want your character to come from a specific location but you don't see their race listed there. People of all races can be found in just about every community in Tal'Dorei, and your character can come from anywhere.",
						"Additionally, cities and large towns often have a number of small rural communities outside their fortified walls and population center. The population numbers of these larger settlements include the people in the outlying areas. On the other hand, the official populations of a village or other small settlement just includes the people living in the village itself.",
						"In fact, though there are a few villages and small settlements listed in this gazetteer, Tal'Dorei is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny settlements too small to detail or place on the map. The Game Master can make up any number of villages or other communities wherever they wish in Tal'Dorei without changing any of the lore presented in this gazetteer. And of course, the GM can also create large settlements unique to their version of Tal'Dorei\u2014the only difference is that they should be prepared to think about how their version of Tal'Dorei is different, now that they've added another hub of population, trade, politics, and culture."
					],
					"id": "0d8"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Story Hooks",
					"page": 65,
					"entries": [
						"This chapter contains a variety of story hooks that you can use as a starting point for Tal'Dorei adventures of your own creation. {@book Chapter 5|TDCSR|5} of this book contains advice for expanding these hooks into full adventures, and even more advice for creating RPG stories can be found in the fifth edition core rules.",
						"These plot hooks are tied to specific locations, and all have a level range. These level recommendations aren't strictly mandated, but have generally been chosen either because of the monsters involved, because of the narrative weight of the location or characters involved, or to indicate how epic and world-affecting the adventure should be.",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"items": [
								"For low-level characters: 1st to 4th level",
								"For mid-level characters: 5th to 10th level",
								"For high-level characters: 11th to 16th level",
								"For epic-level characters: 17th to 20th level"
							]
						},
						"{@note For more information about adventure levels see {@quickref Tiers of Play|PHB}.}",
						"Additionally, some plot hooks are marked as \"any level.\" These hooks present stories broad enough to suit characters of any level, anywhere in their party's story. These hooks generally don't suggest specific monsters to use as villains. When creating adventures based off of these hooks, use the encounter-building advice in the fifth edition core rules to choose appropriate foes for your players."
					],
					"id": "0d9"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Lucidian Coast",
					"page": 66,
					"entries": [
						"The stormy Lucidian Ocean crashes furiously against the rocky coasts of eastern Tal'Dorei, chewing inlets into the coastline and spurring vast banks of impenetrable fog across the waters. Most ships rightly avoid the volatile northern waters, instead docking at southern ports like {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}. Adventurous folk leave their seafaring vessels behind and brave the {@book Mooren River Run|TDCSR|3|Mooren River Run} to {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna}. Yet even there, the Lucidian Coast is not without its dangers; vicious wildlife stalks the wilderness, and flocks of {@creature harpy|MM|harpies} have harried the shores since time immemorial, drawing lost sailors to their doom upon the rocks.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-LucidianCoastMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Lucidian Coast",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Lucidian Coast with a mountainous landscape surrounded by a bay of water. On the southern tip is the city of Stilben. To the north is the Mooren River Run.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Lucidian Coast",
							"width": 850,
							"height": 914,
							"id": "2cd"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 65,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Changebringer|Exandria|TDCSR|Changebringer}, {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Livestock, lumber"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"{@creature Fish|GoS}, {@filter ships|vehicles|Vehicle Type=Ship|Source=GoS}, grain, {@item iron|PHB}, {@item silver|PHB}, {@item gold|PHB}, {@quickref trade goods|PHB|1|0} from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "0db"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Drynna",
							"page": 66,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 2,765 (75% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 8% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 8% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 4% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 5% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Along the shore of {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake} rests the sleepy town of Drynna. The community thrives on the bountiful wildlife around the lake, and the Drynna fisherfolk are responsible for most of eastern Tal'Dorei's freshwater fish supply. The social guidance of the city revolves around the Sunrise Lodge (or simply \"the Lodge\"), a membership of community leaders who meet to discuss and vote on important social and legal matters. The Lodge has also sent a variety of increasingly frustrated petitions to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, since their community's small size means they have traditionally lacked a delegate of their own on the council. However, the recent surge in prospectors has increased their population enough for a member of the Lodge to attend council sessions, and the Lodge is doing everything it can to make sure the boom lasts as long as possible before it falls into bust.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Boomtown",
									"page": 66,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna} has a small militia to protect the town from wild beasts and roving monsters, and to capture horse thieves and other petty criminals. This militia is presently overwhelmed by hundreds of prospectors who have swept into town over the past three years after hearing rumors that chunks of {@item whitestone|TDCSR} have been found in {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake}, washed down the river from the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}.",
										"Given the high price of {@item residuum|TDCSR}, this new occurrence has made {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna} into something of a boomtown. Thousands of small homesteads now surround the town center, and burglary and banditry are both on the rise."
									],
									"id": "0dd"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Drynna Adventures",
									"page": 66,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Unfriendly Waters (mid-level)",
											"page": 66,
											"entries": [
												"Recently, {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna} has suffered a number of losses, with prospectors and fisherfolk being attacked. Worse still, the supply of fish itself seems to be declining rapidly; without this local food staple, villages across eastern Tal'Dorei will certainly starve. The party hears the call for mercenaries reaching as far as {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} and {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}. The culprit is a {@creature hydra} within the lake that has gained intelligence by living for so long in the {@item residuum|TDCSR}-infused waters. It has an Intelligence score of 12 (+1), can speak Common, and commands a tribe of {@creature lizardfolk}.",
												"{@note Use the {@creature Drynna Hydra|TDCSR} statblock for this adventure.}"
											],
											"id": "0df"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Bleak Inheritance (any level)",
											"page": 66,
											"entries": [
												"Last year, Hareth Val Bardo, a younger member of the Sunrise Lodge, made a pact with the Moon Mistress (see \"{@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake},\" below). Hareth's elder brother, Pauvren, died in his sleep shortly thereafter, leaving the entire Val Bardo family fortune to Hareth, the only surviving heir. However, nightmares now haunt Hareth every night, and violent urges surge through his mind. The Lodge, having noticed Hareth's paranoid eyes and twitchy hands, calls upon outsiders to investigate."
											],
											"id": "0e0"
										}
									],
									"id": "0de"
								}
							],
							"id": "0dc"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "K'Tawl Swamp",
							"page": 67,
							"entries": [
								"The sprawling swamplands of {@book K'Tawl|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} cover much of the southern {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}, enveloping {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} and the K'Tawl Bay. The saltwater swamp is thick with cypress and tupelo trees reaching up from muddy waters that range, in places, from one to ten feet deep\u2014or more. The hot, muggy air and thick, sludge-covered landscape host all manner of terrible beasts, including venomous {@creature flying snake|MM|flying snakes} and man-eating {@creature giant frog|MM|giant frogs}.",
								"Bands of frog-headed humanoids harry the edges of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} from their deep-marsh encampments, while a vicious school of {@creature sahuagin} called the Ghormauth command the shoreline of {@book K'Tawl|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}. The bloodthirsty {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} use the forested edges of the swamp to ambush prey\u2014as do countless bandits and petty thieves. As such, caravans and messengers must remain on constant alert for the possibility of an ambush. With such dangers lurking in the swamp, travel to and from {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} is rarely made without an armed escort.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "K'Tawl Swamp Adventures",
									"page": 67,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "They Shamble (mid-level)",
											"page": 67,
											"entries": [
												"People have been disappearing from the isolated swamp-burghs within the {@book K'Tawl|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}. The characters, perhaps en route to {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}, spend the night in the village of Dunghill. After hearing tales of the disappearances, the characters awaken the next morning to screams\u2014as a terrified human is carried off within the rotting orifice of a {@creature shambling mound} of swamp vegetation."
											],
											"id": "0e3"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Monolith of the Hells (high-level)",
											"page": 67,
											"entries": [
												"Why have members of the Torchraiser herd been found dead, their hearts exploded and their teeth plucked from their mouths? Why have the stagnant {@book K'Tawl|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} waters suddenly begun to flow toward the dismal center of the swamp? A divine messenger of the {@deity The Everlight|Exandria|TDCSR|Everlight} visits the characters, its celestial form torn and wavering, and dies before it can impart its request. On the angel's lips is a single dying phrase: \"Destroy K'Tawl's Heart.\""
											],
											"id": "0e4"
										}
									],
									"id": "0e2"
								}
							],
							"id": "0e1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Mooren Lake",
							"page": 67,
							"entries": [
								"North of the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks} is a shimmering lake fed by the snowmelt from the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} by the {@book Mooren River Run|TDCSR|3|Mooren River Run}. {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake} is surrounded both by bountiful wildlife and the frightful creatures attracted to such a thriving ecosystem, including roving {@creature lizardfolk}, flocks of {@creature harpy|MM|harpies}, and several {@creature hydra|MM|hyrdas}\u2014{@note including the {@creature Drynna Hydra|TDCSR}\u2014}that lurk in the lake's depths.",
								"Centuries of {@item whitestone|TDCSR} runoff from the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} have allowed deposits of {@item residuum|TDCSR} to collect at the bottom of the lake\u2014and the {@item residuum|TDCSR} has formed into a thrumming organ of raw magical energy, beginning to gain sentience. The twin islands in the center of the lake are blanketed by an ever-present mist, and folk tales tell of a beautiful, ageless woman, known only as the Moon Mistress, who watches over the island shores. It's said that any mortal who seeks an audience is judged by her, and is either granted a favor, a boon of unveiled knowledge, or a swift and terrible end.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Mooren Lake Adventures",
									"page": 67,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Renew the Mists (mid-level)",
											"page": 67,
											"entries": [
												"The Moon Mistress, a {@creature night hag} who takes the guise of a water nymph, uses the fading mists to shroud her location from a blood hunter named Perron Brill, a woman dedicated to hunting the Mistress down out of vengeance. The mists require a blasphemous mortal sacrifice to renew, and the Mistress is willing to reward those who would aid her in retrieving a victim\u2014willing or otherwise. Perron Brill resides in nearby {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna}, and though she is no saint herself, more honorable characters may think it best to help the hunter find her prey in {@book Rootgarden Marsh|TDCSR|3|Rootgarden Marsh}."
											],
											"id": "0e7"
										}
									],
									"id": "0e6"
								}
							],
							"id": "0e5"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Rootgarden Marsh",
							"page": 67,
							"entries": [
								"The shallows of {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake} leak into the tender soil of the lake-bed and spread eastward, creating the cold and desolate {@book Rootgarden Marsh|TDCSR|3|Rootgarden Marsh}. Tall, thin trees lift five or more feet above the muck upon stilt-like roots, like freshwater mangroves. Their sparse placement gives them the appearance of a village of scattered huts. The fresh water mingles with salt here, leaving only adapted vegetation. The smell of moss and rot fills the air, while strange, feral creatures leap from tree to tree, or patiently wait from within their dome-like tree-root dens to snatch wary travelers. An organized group of gnoll marauders called the Moonsteeth keep their cavern hideout here, striking out at easy targets outside of {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna} and {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake}.",
								"Since the region is populated almost entirely by monsters, most humanoids avoid it whenever possible. Those few who explore the deadly marsh do so only out of necessity, either because they need to unlock Rootgarden's many secrets, or because \"civilization\" is even more dangerous to them than the primal dangers found within.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Rootgarden Marsh Adventures",
									"page": 67,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Rootgarden Marsh|TDCSR|3|Rootgarden Marsh} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Ley-Knot (mid-level)",
											"page": 67,
											"entries": [
												"Without warning, arcane magic stops functioning within a hundred-mile radius of {@book Rootgarden Marsh|TDCSR|3|Rootgarden Marsh}. As panic spreads across northeastern Tal'Dorei, the characters or a patron of theirs discover that a major ley line, the source of arcane power in this part of the world, has been twisted and tied into a knot at the center of the marsh. This knot has been tied by High Moonspeaker Luneskon of the Moonsteeth {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls}. Her ambitions are small, but whatever method she used to tangle the ley lines must be erased from history\u2014knowledge of its existence could bring disaster to all of Tal'Dorei."
											],
											"id": "0ea"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Death's Garden (any level)",
											"page": 68,
											"entries": [
												"Rootgarden's strange ecology has produced many distinctive and powerful forms of plant life. During the course of a campaign, a group of adventurers may need to create a unique potion requiring the essence of manawort, a sentient mushroom found only within Rootgarden. The manawort mushroom is fearful of being harvested, and has made close friends with a black dragon named Thardraxxus, who keeps the mushroom and its sporelings safe. This dragon can be of any age, depending on what level the characters are."
											],
											"id": "0eb"
										}
									],
									"id": "0e9"
								}
							],
							"id": "0e8"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Stilben",
							"page": 68,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Large Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 10,660 (67% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 11% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 11% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 5% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 6% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Stilben stinks to high heaven. Most sailors who pass through it\u2014be they honest traders of the Clovis Concord in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} or pirates seeking their next conquest\u2014call this dismal burgh the Rotted Lot. The stink and the crime that run through this town make the name an apt one, but things aren't all bad in Stilben. The largest port on this coast of Tal'Dorei, Stilben is the focal point of international trade with {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. Even though Stilben's permanent population is a scant ten thousand, its more transient population of sailors who stay for a few days or weeks at a time is just as large, and fully triples Stilben's total population in the summer months.",
								"Predictably, the vast majority of Stilben's business caters to folk who won't stay for long. There are brothels aplenty, at least one inn and one tavern each on every street, and countless other comforts for the weary traveler. The town is nestled in the sticky depths of the {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}, and its putrescent stink mingles with the humidity and the ever-present buzz of insects to produce an air of misery around Stilben's outer districts. Pushed out of Stilben's cozy, cosmopolitan heart, its poor and disenfranchised citizens\u2014derisively called muckdwellers by the town's bigshots\u2014struggle to eke out a living in the {@book K'Tawl's|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} murky waters.",
								"Central Stilben houses most of its businesses, residences, and attractions. Those living in Stilben's heart like to present a clean, \"civilized\" view of their town, maintaining it as a thriving commercial hub. The cross-continental {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} leads from Stilben all the way to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and its robust trade of rare goods, textiles, and spices has given rise to a formidable merchant ruling class. Though the aging Margrave Wendle Truss is Stilben's ruler in name, it is the guilds that hold true power. Their vast wealth and sizeable \"protection\" force have impelled the bombastic-yet-ineffectual margrave to acquiesce to the guilds' will in order to maintain peace, as well as to preserve his own station within the city.",
								"Order is kept by the Waterwatch, Stilben's official constabulary, but corruption is common within their ranks. The past few decades have been hard for the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} in Stilben. Though the local Spireling has kept a tight grip on the margrave and the Waterwatch, the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} has used bribes, intimidation, and every dirty trick in the book to winnow away the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} power. Now, Stilben is little more than a crucible for the power struggle between the two criminal organizations.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Origins of Vox Machina",
									"page": 68,
									"entries": [
										"The citizens of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} do not know that some of Exandria's greatest heroes, Vox Machina, first met in their humble city and went on their first adventure in the muck of the {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}. Back then, even the exalted Vox Machina were just two-copper adventurers, quickly forgotten by {@book Stilben's|TDCSR|3|Stilben} haughty elite. One dwarf named Heinrich Runescribe, a junior member of the {@book Alabaster Lyceum's|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} revered Lorekeeper Society, practically worships the heroes that defeated the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, and has made it his mission to record all of their travels. He has found a wealth of evidence that the heroes of Vox Machina first gathered in {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} under inauspicious circumstances and were dragged into an unexpected battle against the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad}."
									],
									"id": "0ed"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Stilben Adventures",
									"page": 68,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Lost Below (low-level)",
											"page": 68,
											"entries": [
												"A {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} guild known as the Relic Seekers partnered with the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} to smuggle a hoard of stolen {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} artifacts through the heart of the {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} to the port of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}. The smugglers were last seen by a {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} agent watching a bridge in the western swamp, but two weeks have passed since their last contact. They should have arrived by now. The characters are approached by one of several groups: an agent of the Relic Seekers in search of the relics, one of the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} seeking to find their smugglers, or a {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} taskmaster who seeks to undermine the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}. Their first contact: the bridge guard, a hulking tiefling {@creature Clasp enforcer|TDCSR} named L'Arkhelle."
											],
											"id": "0ef"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ashari Agitator (mid-level)",
											"page": 69,
											"entries": [
												"Gang warfare between the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} has been a daily affair in {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} for the past thirty years, but something is changing. A cruel {@creature Ashari waverider|TDCSR} named Galessi has joined the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} and is using her elemental magic to turn the tide of this gang war. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp}, the Waterwatch, and even the Air Ashari of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} want to see Galessi laid low, but she has a secret base within the swamp, protected by a {@condition charmed} {@creature giant crocodile} and putrid {@creature water elemental|MM|water elementals}."
											],
											"id": "0f0"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Demonblood Vengeance (high-level)",
											"page": 69,
											"entries": [
												"A {@creature marilith} demon using the guise of a blonde human named Iselda has been lurking on the outskirts of {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} since her defeat at the hands of Vox Machina decades ago. Her demonic ichor has spawned a brood of {@creature demonfeed spider|TDCSR|demonfeed spiders} that now view her as their mother. Iselda, sensing an opportunity, dedicated herself to the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} and attracted a small legion of dark elf fanatics to her side. Aided by all these evil creatures, she plans on conquering {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}, not for the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad}, but for herself and her evil god."
											],
											"id": "0f1"
										},
										{
											"type": "gallery",
											"images": [
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-StilbenMap.webp"
													},
													"title": "Stilben: The Rotted Lot",
													"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
													"altText": "A map of Stilben displaying the coastal city surrounded by water and swampland.",
													"imageType": "map",
													"grid": {
														"type": "none"
													},
													"mapName": "Stilben",
													"width": 2550,
													"height": 1731,
													"id": "2c7"
												},
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-StilbenMapPlayer.webp"
													},
													"title": "Player Version",
													"imageType": "mapPlayer",
													"grid": {
														"type": "none"
													},
													"mapName": "Player Version",
													"width": 2550,
													"height": 1731,
													"mapParent": {
														"id": "2c7"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}"
												}
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "0ee"
								}
							],
							"id": "0ec"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Summit Peaks",
							"page": 69,
							"entries": [
								"The Summit Peaks loom over the southeastern plains of Tal'Dorei, like great spires of rock reaching for the sky. The tall, thin mountains burst so aggressively from the surrounding fields and swampland that even travelers from distant lands recognize them as a landmark of eastern Tal'Dorei. They are a welcome sight for any ship's crew making their way to shore. The mountain valleys recess into marshy gorges that house all manner of creatures migrating from the {@book K'Tawl|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}. Reclusive {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} and {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants} also make their homes in the marshy valleys. As the mountains rise higher, strong winds blow across the battered rock, leaving strangely smooth peaks that harbor {@creature griffon} lairs, {@creature harpy} dens, and convocations of {@creature giant eagle|MM|giant eagles} hunting the lower lands.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-ZephrahSplash.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
									"altText": "The landscape of Zephrah: A village among the clouds on grassy, spiralling mountain peaks. There is a tall, purple leafed tree in the foreground with the druid Keyleth and her mother Vilya holding staffs, conversing underneath it as they look at the village. Two individuals on skysails fly overhead.",
									"width": 1278,
									"height": 1655
								}
							],
							"id": "0f2"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Zephrah",
							"page": 69,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Small Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 1,310 (62% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 12% {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry}, 10% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 9% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 5% {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, 2% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"High atop a mountain aerie within the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks} sits Zephrah, the tribal home of the Air Ashari people, keeping vigil over a gate into the Elemental Plane of Air. {@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} people worship and live by the balance of the natural world, and the people of Zephrah have adapted to life among the clouds. Most of the tribe consists of skilled hunters and climbers who hunt {@creature mountain goat|IDRotF|mountain goats}, large birds, and other cliff-dwelling creatures, along with subsisting on high-elevation vegetation. Utilizing the proximity of powerful elemental magic, the druidic masters of the Air Ashari craft {@item skysail|TDCSR|skysails} to ride the ever-present winds, allowing their people to traverse the sheer cliffs of the mountains. The leader of Zephrah is called the Voice of the Tempest; they oversee all travel through the rift, all major druidic rituals, and any visiting outsiders.",
								"Though it's still a small settlement, Zephrah has grown greatly in the past several years. Many people with an innate connection to the element of air have petitioned the current {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Voice of the Tempest} for her permission to live here among {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}. Likewise, a number of {@creature druid|MM|druids} and other spellcasters who wish to learn the ways of the Air Ashari have come to live in relative isolation here\u2014after they have proven their good intentions and respect for the sanctity of the skies.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Diplomacy and Developments",
									"page": 71,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} has grown in more than just population. The close friendship shared between {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest}, and the genius inventor {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR} of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has led to a number of modern technologies being adopted in {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}. Windmills now dot the cliffsides, milling grain purchased from farms on the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} continues to work with {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} to improve the lives of her people through technology and innovation. The operation of two of these mills is also kept private from the rest of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}, and they're used to refine {@item whitestone|TDCSR} into {@item residuum|TDCSR} for the construction of magic items to arm the {@creature Ashari skydancer|TDCSR|Ashari skydancers}.",
										"{@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth's} confident leadership has also guided her to make further diplomatic ties between her people and the rest of Tal'Dorei. These attempts at breaking down the traditional isolationism of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} have been met with skepticism from within, slowing the process to a crawl. Allowing any outsiders into {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} at all has been seen as a huge step. Beyond this, {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} has pushed for greater economic and political involvement, so that the needs of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} can be heard in the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Resistance toward political integration has mostly been internal within {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}, but {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} considers any progress at all a good start."
									],
									"id": "0f4"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Defense",
									"page": 71,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} has never maintained a formal army, though past Voices of the Tempest have trained martial forces and druidic warriors to defend their home against the monsters of the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks}. As {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} attempts to build bonds between her people and the rest of Tal'Dorei, she has expanded the training of new {@creature ashari skydancer|TDCSR|skydancers} and created a unit of druidic warriors capable of responding to any emergency across Tal'Dorei. If a threat like the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} were to rise again in Tal'Dorei, the {@creature ashari skydancer|TDCSR|skydancers} of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} would be there to help save the nation's people.",
										"Thanks to {@book Zephrah's|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} mountainous terrain, {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} enclave has never fallen under siege. Because of the dangerous beasts that lurk in the mountains, most Zephran adults have learned how to wield a {@item spear|PHB} or a {@item staff|PHB} to defend themselves. Roughly one-in-ten people have undergone a small amount of elemental training\u2014enough to be able to cast the {@spell gust of wind} spell a number of times per day equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum of once).",
										"Were {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} to fall under attack, the {@creature ashari skydancer|TDCSR|skydancers} would defend the town and its elemental rift for as long as possible while the rest of its people evacuated to hidden retreats in the mountain caves."
									],
									"id": "0f5"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Zephrah Adventures",
									"page": 71,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Poached Eggs (low-level)",
											"page": 71,
											"entries": [
												"The local Ashari have noticed a terrible trend of poachers climbing the peaks to steal entire {@creature griffon} nests full of eggs, leaving the parents slain. The efficiency, brutality, and growing rate of these attacks suggest the hunters are dangerous professionals, and {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} are seeking aid in finding and punishing those responsible before the locally endangered creatures are all dead or taken. The culprits, human poachers (use {@creature scout} statistics) led by a {@creature quasit} demon named Ryzzix, are fencing the stolen eggs on the {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} black market."
											],
											"id": "0f7"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "A Welcome Overstayed (mid-level)",
											"page": 71,
											"entries": [
												"Shaktia, an overbearing {@creature djinni} soldier from the Plane of Air, has recently discovered and come through the elemental rift into {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}. However, the {@creature djinni} refuses to leave, instead choosing to bother the people with pranks, debates, and invitations to become his well-paid servants. The {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Voice of the Tempest}, at the end of her patience, seeks adventurers to capture Shaktia and return him through the rift to the Elemental Plane of Air. However, when the adventurers learn what caused the {@creature djinni} to leave his home plane in the first place, they may find it hard to force him to leave."
											],
											"id": "0f8"
										}
									],
									"id": "0f6"
								}
							],
							"id": "0f3"
						}
					],
					"id": "0da"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Alabaster Sierras",
					"page": 72,
					"entries": [
						"In the northeastern reaches of the continent, where the waters of the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} break between the rocky shores of Tal'Dorei, a lush treeline fills the valleys between the chalk-white bluffs of the Alabaster Sierras. This gelid northern territory has for decades been beyond the reach of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, and fallen under the rule of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}. However, over twenty years ago, thousands of {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} refugees fled to Whitestone to ride out the devastation of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. These refugees included the bereaved family of the Last Sovereign. Since those dark days, the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone} has enjoyed a close relationship with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Lady {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia de Rolo}, a member of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}, also sits on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} itself, further strengthening the bonds of unity between this once-isolated land and the rest of the realm.",
						"Beyond {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, the region's vibrant-yet-gothic urban center, the Alabaster Sierras are framed by dangerously windy shoreside cliffs and dry, desolate mountains swarming with {@creature harpy|MM|harpies}, cold-adapted {@creature wyvern|MM|wyverns}, and other hungry monstrosities. Beneath the peaks, the valley opens into the thickly wooded pine forest known as the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}. This dense, temperate rainforest is beautiful and lush, but many shadowed threats loom in the dark of the wood.",
						"The northern center of the valley marks a single clearing, where the humble city of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} stands as the source of rule and law in this land. The people here have been hardened through strife and exalted through freedom, enough to know honor and appreciate loyalty like few other civilizations do.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-AlabasterSierrasMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Alabaster Sierras",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Alabaster Sierras showing a heavily forested landscape with snow-peaked mountains at its northern tip near the marked city of Whitestone. To the north and west is the Lucidian Ocean, to the east is the Shearing Channel.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Alabaster Sierras",
							"width": 1700,
							"height": 1315,
							"id": "2ce"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 72,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Industrial and precious metals, cloth, livestock, grain"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Granite, limestone, {@item whitestone|TDCSR}"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "0fa"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Mooren River Run",
							"page": 72,
							"entries": [
								"While many smaller streams and rivers run through the {@book Parchwood Timberland|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}, gathering rain and snow runoff from the nearby mountains, they nearly all empty into the massive Mooren River Run. A powerful river that tears through the heavy forests of the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, the Mooren River Run flows fiercely southward, out of the woods and into {@book Mooren Lake|TDCSR|3|Mooren Lake}, near the {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}. Freshwater fish are in ready supply along the river's path, and {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} maintains a well-guarded dock for their fishermen to feed their people.",
								"The small town surrounding the dock is simply called Mooren, and seasonally is home to some five thousand people of various ancestries in the spring and summer. When conditions grow too cold, mages from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} are called to place {@spell arcane lock|PHB|arcane locks} upon all establishments and to place the empty town in lockdown until next season.",
								"Due to the plentiful nature of the river, many denizens of the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} wander its banks to reap its bounty, or to seek bounty from those who frequent it.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Mooren River Run Adventures",
									"page": 73,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Mooren River Run|TDCSR|3|Mooren River Run} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Bear of the White River (low-level)",
											"page": 73,
											"entries": [
												"While traveling near {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} or through the {@book Parchwood Timberland|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}, the characters find the corpse of half-orc forester; a successful {@dc 10} Intelligence ({@skill Nature}) check reveals that he was savaged by a large bear. This half-orc's forester clothing marks her as a cleric of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} and a member of the {@book Rivermaw herd|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd}, a long way from the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. Investigating the scene shows that bear tracks in the mud lead westward, toward the {@book Mooren River Run|TDCSR|3|Mooren River Run}. These tracks, when followed, soon fade into the bare footprints of a humanoid\u2014the killer was a {@creature werebear}, but who could it be?"
											],
											"id": "0fd"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Off-Season Suspicion (mid-level)",
											"page": 73,
											"entries": [
												"The cold nights of autumn and winter force even the most stalwart fisherfolk away from Mooren. Some Mooren residents who have returned to {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} for the off-season have seen lights in the abandoned town, and are spreading rumors that some of the mages contracted to \"lock up\" after everyone has left town are actually agents of the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad}. The truth is that these mages are mercenaries hired by the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} to secretly conduct experiments on {@creature cold snap spirit|TDCSR|cold snap spirits} to transform them into loyal elemental warriors."
											],
											"id": "0fe"
										}
									],
									"id": "0fc"
								}
							],
							"id": "0fb"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Parchwood Timberlands",
							"page": 73,
							"entries": [
								"Dark, dense, and often assailed by snow and cold winds, the Parchwood Timberlands consume most of the valleys within the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} with pine trees and heavily overgrown pathways. The grim and forbidding interior of the Parchwood is home to many grim inhabitants, from the spectral remains of unlucky travelers past to wandering blights spawned by corrupt trees that consume the life around them. Howls can be heard in the darkest of nights, giving rumor to {@creature werewolf} hunting parties that stalk the wood. A handful of nearby farmers swear they've encountered a community of territorial {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} in the southern region of the Parchwood, though such tales are largely met with derision. It's common knowledge that if you intend to travel through the thick fog of the Parchwood Timberlands, you stick to the roads, you bring some muscle, and you pray to whatever gods bring you comfort.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Parchwood Timberlands Adventures",
									"page": 73,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Parchwood Timberlands|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Headless Horse-Man (mid-level)",
											"page": 73,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} of the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} are no myth, and many are succumbing to a curse of undeath. One among them, a headless stallion-lord named Ichabarr, now leads the Herd of the Damned across the valleys of the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}. Several small settlements outside {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} have told the {@book Chamber|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone} that these skeletal monsters have been spiriting away eligible young bachelors, and soon no men will be left in the Timberlands. These marauders are {@creature centaur skeleton|TDCSR|centaur skeletons}. Their leader Ichabarr uses the same statistics, and can also use the optional Spirit Away feature."
											],
											"id": "101"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "They Seek Only Rest (high-level)",
											"page": 73,
											"entries": [
												"Those who travel the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} sometimes hear thunder roll through the valley, accompanied by the cracking of timbers, but no storm follows. Over twenty years ago, the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods} slaughtered and reanimated an entire clan of giants native to the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}. Some of these zombie giants survived the fall of the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods}. Most of these giants have been destroyed by the {@book Grey Hunters|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}, but a few still remain. However, their mindless actions are not without purpose: each giant is tormented by being denied the halls of their ancestors, and quietly weeps for their lost afterlife as they roam.",
												"Zombie giants can be represented by changing {@filter any giant's|bestiary|type=Giant|source=null} type to undead, decreasing its AC to 8, giving it resistance to bludgeoning damage from nonmagical attacks, and giving it immunity to poison damage and the {@condition poisoned} condition. This does not affect its challenge rating."
											],
											"id": "102"
										}
									],
									"id": "100"
								}
							],
							"id": "0ff"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Salted Bluffs",
							"page": 73,
							"entries": [
								"The tumultuous waters of the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} that encompass the northeast edge of Tal'Dorei end at the towering seaside cliffs called the Salted Bluffs. These cliffs mark the coastal boundary of the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} and are home to seemingly infinite cliffside caverns that overlook the ocean, sometimes hundreds of feet up. The waters along the base are rocky and dangerous to traverse by boat, and only the most skilled of captains even consider sailing through these treacherous waters. These factors make the Salted Bluffs an ideal hideaway for pirates, who have taken to these bluffs to hide away their riches or build a base of operations.",
								"However, these outlaws must also deal with the colonies of {@creature harpy|MM|harpies} native to the region. They can never be too sure if a cave they're holing up in for the evening is abandoned\u2014or if it's home to a beast of alluring song and shredding talons. Even empty caves house the remains of these {@creature harpy|MM|harpies'} brutal kills, for they sweep up unsuspecting creatures and dash them against the cliffs and rocks, recovering the broken corpses to feed upon safely.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Salted Bluffs Adventures",
									"page": 74,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure on the Salted Bluffs can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Crow's Nest (low-level)",
											"page": 74,
											"entries": [
												"The Ashwing {@creature harpy} tribe that roost among the Salted Bluffs have recently commandeered the {@vehicle galley} owned by the group of penitent corsairs and started raiding coastal villages. They are led by Captain Silvercomb, an arrogant, dashing, and well-spoken {@creature harpy matriarch|GoS|harpy grandmother}. The other {@creature harpy|MM|harpies} are just pillaging for fun, but Silvercomb seems to be searching for something, and she always wears a pendant with a black feather around her neck. What could it be?"
											],
											"id": "105"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Start Believing in Ghost Stories (low-level)",
											"page": 74,
											"entries": [
												"Pirates are one thing. Undead pirates are another. A group of {@creature swashbuckler|VGM|swashbucklers} have willingly turned themselves in to the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}, begging for absolution from the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} for their crimes. They refuse to return to the cove where they kept their stolen treasure since it's guarded by the {@creature zombie|MM|zombies} and {@creature skeleton|MM|skeletons} of their risen comrades\u2014as well as the {@creature wight} that killed them. Perhaps a group of adventurers can save the day?"
											],
											"id": "106"
										}
									],
									"id": "104"
								}
							],
							"id": "103"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Shearing Channel",
							"page": 74,
							"entries": [
								"Long ago, a land bridge once connected the landmasses of Tal'Dorei and {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. However, the catastrophic forces of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} blasted it apart, leaving in its place a deathly strait of jagged rock and gale-force winds. Numerous ships have been ruined against the tides of the channel, and sea creatures that thrive on wreckage have taken up residence beneath the waters. It's said that no honest sailor knows a safe passage through the channel, but rumors abound of hidden coves and unknown routes that the Revelry pirates of {@book Wildemount's|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} Menagerie Coast use to safely traverse these deadly waters.",
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 74,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"Amidst fluted white bones, serenaded by siren's call.",
												"'Twas there did I bury my treasures, one and all.",
												"But deaf and blind must the finder be,",
												"Lest a briny death be that which ye truly seek."
											],
											"from": "From a fragment of a treasure map"
										}
									],
									"id": "108"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-ShearingChannelMap.webp"
									},
									"title": "The Shearing Channel",
									"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
									"altText": "A map of the Shearing Channel, a narrow waterway between the northeastern coast of Tal'Dorei and the northwestern edge of Wildemount.",
									"imageType": "map",
									"grid": {
										"type": "none"
									},
									"mapName": "The Shearing Channel",
									"width": 850,
									"height": 1121,
									"id": "2cf"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Shearing Channel Adventures",
									"page": 74,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Scion of Oblivion (epic-level)",
											"page": 74,
											"entries": [
												"The {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion} has no physical form, but some residue of its power was cast into the ocean when the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} pursued it from the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} to {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}. This seed of evil has had eons to gestate undisturbed in the tempestuous channel\u2014and now it rises. A {@creature kraken}, mutated by the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Oblivion's} aberrant power, explodes from the water. Its mere presence causes the flesh and minds of sailors to fuse to their ships, sea creatures to hideously mutate into humanoid abominations, and the clouds above to rain thick, ichorous black droplets. A storm now lingers permanently over the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel}, and forces from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} and the Menagerie Coast of western {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} relay frantic messages, seeking to somehow halt this evil. It seems to be building an army here for some larger attack. What is it planning?"
											],
											"id": "10a"
										}
									],
									"id": "109"
								}
							],
							"id": "107"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Whitestone",
							"page": 75,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Small City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 17,710 (78% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 7% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 6% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 4% {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, 5% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Over two hundred years ago, the de Rolo family helmed an expedition from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} to the shores of Tal'Dorei. When their vessel wrecked upon the stones of the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel}, the de Rolos and their remaining crew survived for weeks in the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, despite the tempestuous weather and slavering beasts. After a time, the survivors found a clearing containing a single tree that glowed with the radiance of the sun itself. They called it the {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree}\u2014a literal blessing of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} himself\u2014and built their home around it.",
								"Since then, the de Rolos' pioneering settlement has grown into a robust, if isolated, city. The sights of the city range from the gothic majesty of {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone} to the radiant glory of the {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree}, and from the quaint townhouses of the city center to the humble homesteads of its outlying townships. Because Whitestone is limited in fertile farmland, locally grown produce is scarce, leading to the necessity to develop a good trade relationship with the rural communities of the {@book Turst Fields|TDCSR|3|Turst Fields}.",
								"Though the region's scarcity of vital resources made for a harrowing first few years, the de Rolo family stumbled upon a miraculous mineral they called {@item whitestone|TDCSR}. This geological marvel both gave their city its name and quickly became its most important and most sought-after export. Before long, the de Rolos' sale of {@item whitestone|TDCSR} allowed them to quickly amass a significant fortune and construct a princely keep within their city.",
								"The city is constantly improved (and unsettled) by the brilliant tinkering of {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR}. His greatest creation, the {@book Heart of Whitestone|TDCSR|3|4. The Heart of Whitestone}, overlooks the city. Most prominent these days, however, is a rudimentary electric light grid. Using acid pits in the relatively unexplored caverns beneath the city as a sort of battery, six dozen electric lamps throughout the city are given just enough power to gently illuminate the streets, the watch posts on the castle, and the city walls with a soft, greenish glow all through the night.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Scars of the Briarwoods",
									"page": 75,
									"entries": [
										"Lady Delilah and Lord Sylas Briarwood, former cult leaders of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}, were ousted from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} over twenty years ago. Though they are no more, the evil they committed still lingers. The nearly six years they ruled {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} sapped life and hope from its people. Though homes have been rebuilt and the Briarwoods' undead monstrosities have been eradicated, the trauma of the vampires' reign of terror will linger for generations. Some people of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} were so deeply affected that they turned to necromancy and vampirism themselves, and have fled into the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras} to learn the secrets of the Briarwoods' foul magic\u2014and to emulate their takeover of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}. The enigmatic {@book Grey Hunters|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}, the secretive elite warriors of the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}, have worked tirelessly to pull out the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants} by their roots, but permanently eliminating them seems an impossible task."
									],
									"id": "10c"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "An Enchanting Export",
									"page": 75,
									"entries": [
										"One of the climactic battles of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} was a clash between the stalwart {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} and the engine of callous destruction known as the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}. This battle came to a dramatic and explosive conclusion in the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}. The unstable arcane forces unleashed in their battle created the valley that now houses the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}, thrusting the surrounding mountains upward and infusing them with incredible amounts of {@item residuum|TDCSR}\u2014the physical residue of arcane energy.",
										"The sheer amount of leftover arcane power within the {@item whitestone|TDCSR} of the mountains is incredibly receptive to enchantment. Magic items that incorporate at least an ounce of {@item whitestone|TDCSR} into their construction require only one-quarter the creation time of other magic items. Some alchemists in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} have discovered that dissolving {@item whitestone|TDCSR} with specific acids can leave behind pure {@item residuum|TDCSR}, which can substitute for expensive spell components when such materials are not readily available.",
										"If a spell has a component cost that consumes the component, its caster can substitute the required component for an amount of {@item residuum|TDCSR} of an equal value. One pound of pure {@item residuum|TDCSR} is worth approximately 500 gp in most markets, though it becomes extremely expensive and difficult to find outside of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} or the city of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} itself.",
										"{@item Residuum|TDCSR} can also be heated and blown into glass, forming a shimmering, greenish surface. Residuum slates or orbs can be used in stationary enchanting tables. Archmages willing to pay exorbitant rates\u2014easily 20,000 gp or more\u2014may acquire an {@item Residuum enchanting slate|TDCSR|enchanting slate} that can be used to expedite the creation of all magic items. Using such a table allows anyone crafting a magic item to do so in one-quarter of the usual time."
									],
									"id": "10d"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 75,
									"entries": [
										"For many years, the de Rolo family ruled {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} with dignity and justice. Their noble rule was broken by Delilah Briarwood, an exiled necromancer of the Cerberus Assembly from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, and her {@creature vampire} husband, Sylas. Together, they slaughtered the family, took over {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, and plunged the city into despair.",
										"Nearly six years later, Vox Machina returned with {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival}, the only known de Rolo heir, and discovered that his sister Cassandra also still lived. The heroes defeated the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods} and expunged their evil from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, and the de Rolo siblings founded a new system of governance: the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}.",
										"This council consists of members appointed by the Guardian of Woven Stone, who is to remain a member of the de Rolo bloodline as long as it exists, or until the rest of the Chamber unanimously agrees there are no suitable de Rolos to accept the position."
									],
									"id": "10e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Defense",
									"page": 76,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} first line of defense is made up of the obelisk wards. Hastily constructed during the time of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} to avoid detection by their roving {@creature wyvern} armies, five {@item whitestone|TDCSR} obelisks mark the perimeter of the city and castle grounds. These obelisks form a dome of illusory magic when powered by an arcane spellcaster, hiding the city under the guise of continued, undeveloped {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}, and shielding everything within from arcane detection. The obelisks haven't been used since the attack of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} and are beginning to be covered by graffiti and overgrowth.",
										"For each spell slot that is syphoned into an obelisk, two hours of illusion is powered per spell level sacrificed, and the cover of the illusion barrier is incomplete unless all five obelisks are powered simultaneously. This siphoning is a taxing experience, and for every 30 spell levels sacrificed within a 24-hour period, the caster gains 1 level of exhaustion.",
										"In addition to this rarely used magical ward, three groups of defensive personnel protect {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} from both within and without.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Pale Guard",
											"page": 76,
											"entries": [
												"The people of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} rely upon the Pale Guard to resolve any (admittedly rare) crimes and disturbances of the peace. The Pale Guard are a force of sentinels who answer to the Pale Lord of Wardship. Since criminal activity is fairly low these days, most of the Pale Guard are given other civic tasks to help {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} people.",
												"These tasks range from helping newcomers navigate the city streets to escorting visiting dignitaries to diplomatic functions. While performing a duty that requires it, members of the Pale Guard are permitted to carry simple, three-barrel pepperbox revolvers."
											],
											"id": "110"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Whitestone Rifle Corps",
											"page": 76,
											"entries": [
												"The defense of the city from outside invaders and threats from the darkened boughs of the {@book Parchwood Timberlands|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} is attended to by the {@book Whitestone Rifle Corps|TDCSR|3|Whitestone Rifle Corps}, who are trained in the deadly long-range rifles created by {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR}. They are only permitted to wield the weapons while patrolling the city walls or castle battlements\u2014except in times of emergency, or when granted special permission by the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}."
											],
											"id": "111"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Grey Hunters",
											"page": 76,
											"entries": [
												"An elite force called the Grey Hunters makes up the most secret of {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} defenses. Trained in the arts of hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, espionage, and etiquette, the Hunters have a reach that extends across all Tal'Dorei, but they exist only as a rumor in the eyes of the public\u2014and they answer only to the {@book Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt|TDCSR|2|Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt}.",
												"The firearms wielded by members of the Grey Hunters are custom-made and named by their owner. Their rifles' stocks are made of {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} inlaid with {@item whitestone|TDCSR} and enchanted against wear with {@item residuum|TDCSR}. The lock mechanism bears the {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} crest. Hunters are trained to meticulously care for their weapons, and many learn enough to make personal modifications, or even build one from scratch. A Hunter must never lose their weapon. If they cannot prove it was destroyed, they aren't permitted to return to {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} until it is recovered\u2014although they may request help from other Hunters in retrieving it. If they come across a weapon of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} in the wrong hands, they are honor-bound to return it to the city.",
												"This covert organization is headquartered in the ruins of a failed city expansion deep beneath the eastern {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}. This base is used for training, for weapon storage, and as a repository for their mission logs, so that a complete record of every Hunter and their weapons can forever be kept. As with many of his inventions, {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR} fears that the Hunters are a powerful\u2014and even necessary\u2014tool in the hands of the righteous, but a terrible weapon, should they be perverted to suit evil."
											],
											"id": "112"
										}
									],
									"id": "10f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 76,
									"entries": [
										"The community of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has endured much hardship, from its shipwrecked beginnings to the bloody reign of the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods}. Its hardy people are generally more concerned with personal duty, small comforts, and the creation of new art and technologies than with the pursuit of easy profit. The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} has tried several times to gain a foothold in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, but they've been foiled time and again by the consistent counterespionage efforts of the {@book Grey Hunters|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}. Nevertheless, they continue to try, and their presence has inspired petty theft throughout the city.",
										"The altruistic Lord {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} and Lady {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia} of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} prefer to address crime at the source\u2014poverty and suffering\u2014rather than punishing criminals. Likewise, most petty criminals are seen in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} as worthy of rehabilitation, not punishment."
									],
									"id": "113"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography",
									"page": 76,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} was originally constructed around the newly discovered {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree}, and has slowly expanded outward ever since. {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone} was built atop a small hill overlooking the city to the north. Over the years, farmers and homesteaders have cleared more and more of the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} to the south of the city. Even today, as {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} population has swelled, the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} remains defiant, dark, and threatening. It is in little danger of being overrun by mortals, and its eerie creatures strike back whenever the people of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} press against it too greedily. The {@book Grey Hunt|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters} was formed to keep the deadly denizens of the woods at bay, though now their purview reaches farther than just the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}.",
										"Dawnfather Square is the central district of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}. The square surrounds a small hill, and the golden glow of the revered {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree} that sits atop it can be seen throughout the city. Many of {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} original settlers already worshiped the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, and the discovery of the {@book Sun Tree|TDCSR|3|2. The Sun Tree} was seen as a sign. Today, Dawnfather Square is filled with quaint, bustling shops and small town-homes."
									],
									"id": "114"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-SunTree.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
									"altText": "A gigantic tree in the centre of a city, its trunk and branches thick and twisting, its leaves amber, red, and glowing with divine sunlight. The trunk of the tree is surrounded by a stone column platform and a staircase leading up to the tree. A sun with a face made of stone is carved above the staircase.",
									"width": 1278,
									"height": 795
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Points of Interest",
									"page": 77,
									"entries": [
										"The City of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} has a number of famous landmarks. They are keyed to the map of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}.",
										{
											"type": "gallery",
											"images": [
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-WhitestoneMap.webp"
													},
													"title": "The City of Whitestone",
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
													"altText": "A map of the city of Whitestone, with Castle Whitestone at the northernmost point of the city. The outer walls of Whitestone surrounded by forest.",
													"imageType": "map",
													"grid": {
														"type": "none"
													},
													"mapName": "The City of Whitestone",
													"width": 2164,
													"height": 3188,
													"id": "2c8",
													"mapRegions": [
														{
															"area": "1. Castle Whitestone",
															"points": [
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																	371
																],
																[
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																	288
																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																	585
																],
																[
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																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "10. Galdric's Gate",
															"points": [
																[
																	343,
																	838
																],
																[
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																],
																[
																	438,
																	838
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "9. Lord Trinket's Public Park",
															"points": [
																[
																	194,
																	1337
																],
																[
																	204,
																	1246
																],
																[
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																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																[
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																[
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																	1004
																],
																[
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																],
																[
																	549,
																	1137
																],
																[
																	564,
																	1166
																],
																[
																	518,
																	1198
																],
																[
																	482,
																	1225
																],
																[
																	476,
																	1257
																],
																[
																	421,
																	1282
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																[
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																[
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																	1341
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																],
																[
																	202,
																	1364
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "4. The Heart of Whitestone",
															"points": [
																[
																	1048,
																	939
																],
																[
																	1198,
																	958
																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
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																	989
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "2. The Sun Tree",
															"points": [
																[
																	1571,
																	977
																],
																[
																	1571,
																	1118
																],
																[
																	1716,
																	1118
																],
																[
																	1716,
																	977
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "3. Temples and the Greyfield",
															"points": [
																[
																	1693,
																	1476
																],
																[
																	1741,
																	1375
																],
																[
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																	1337
																],
																[
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																	1309
																],
																[
																	2008,
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																],
																[
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										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "1. Castle Whitestone",
											"id": "1. Castle Whitestone",
											"page": 77,
											"entries": [
												"This gothic fortress was erected not long after the city's founding, and has long been the seat of power for the sovereign de Rolo family. {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} and Cassandra de Rolo have opted to end their absolute power over the city by sharing it with the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone}\u2014on which they each hold a seat.",
												"The castle's interior has a certain stark regality to it. While the hunting trophies and tapestries that decorate its walls are clear signs of the de Rolos' ancestral wealth, there is a solemn, beautiful hollowness to its corridors. Cassandra de Rolo says that something of her brother's melancholy seeped into its {@item whitestone|TDCSR} walls, and the castle will always carry the weight of his sorrow\u2014and of the {@book Briarwoods'|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods} evil.",
												"The castle itself is generally off-limits to the public, but its grounds are more accessible. The {@book Whitestone Rifle Corps|TDCSR|3|Whitestone Rifle Corps} train in a firing yard behind the castle, and many people of the town flock to watch\u2014only to be politely rebuffed by the {@book Pale Guard|TDCSR|3|Pale Guard}. Open to all, however, are the gardens\u2014except for {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival de Rolo's} latest project, the Widow's Garden. This walled garden was named for Lady Melanie de Rolo, who originally cultivated its deadly blooms to slowly murder her husband. The Widow's Garden used to be a macabre menagerie of poisonous plants from across {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. It fell fallow during the reign of the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods}, but {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} has resurrected it with {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth's} horticultural aid."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "2. The Sun Tree",
											"id": "2. The Sun Tree",
											"page": 77,
											"entries": [
												"After the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion} nearly consumed the Knowing Mistress during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, a furious and vengeful {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} pursued the fleeing {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Oblivion} across the mountaintops and over the sea, to the peak of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}, where the mad god was eventually defeated and imprisoned once again. The land wept with pain as the two wrathful gods laid waste to Tal'Dorei.",
												"After his victory, the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} returned to {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} and placed a single seed into the ground where the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor} was nearly destroyed. The god wept, and from the seed grew a symbol of protection\u2014a tree with radiant orange foliage and a golden glow that surrounds it when in bloom. The Sun Tree became a beacon of light within the dark forest that enclosed it. While the extent of the tree's divine power remains a mystery, it stands as an emblem of unity and hope, both within the city of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, and upon its official crest."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "3. Temples and the Greyfield",
											"id": "3. Temples and the Greyfield",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"A patch of land outside the eastern wall of the city sees generations of {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} dead interred within a graveyard known as the Greyfield. Custody of this cemetery is shared by the Temple of the Dawn and the Altar of the Raven, sanctuaries maintained by the clergy of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} and the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, respectively. Since most people in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} consider the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} their patron deity, the Temple of the Dawn is the largest of these shrines. The smaller Altar of the Raven is right next door, and most well-to-do devotees of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} look upon the dour, dark-robed clerics of the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens} with a mixture of awe and unease.",
												"The temples' grounds also house a number of mausoleums containing the remains of long-forgotten noble families, though the last generation of lost de Rolos were not recovered following the rule of the {@book Briarwoods|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods}. Traces of the {@book Briarwoods'|TDCSR|3|Scars of the Briarwoods} defiling magic still linger within the Greyfield, and the {@book Pale Guard|TDCSR|3|Pale Guard} are posted here at night to quell the restless dead that occasionally claw their way to the surface."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "4. The Heart of Whitestone",
											"id": "4. The Heart of Whitestone",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"A majestic clock tower called the Heart of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} stands proud and tall over the city. It is {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival de Rolo's} favorite invention, one he dedicated much of the past two decades to constructing to honor his loyal friends, their sacrifices, and the trials they endured together. The area around it is known as Forlington Square, named for one of the first families to settle in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}. This bustling courtyard is lined with shops and street performers that attract locals and tourists alike.",
												"The clock tower's construction was completed five years ago, but {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} continues to tinker with it, adding both functionality and self-indulgent embellishments. The tower has individual movements for {@book most major holidays|TDCSR|1|Using a Calendar}, including depictions of famous moments and persons from {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} history. The clock tracks the movements of the moons, stars, and spheres. The mechanics of the clock are only truly understood by {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percy} himself, though small clubs of scholars and esotericists take great joy in unraveling its mysteries. Further, it has long been rumored that {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} secreted a vault within the tower's innards to safeguard his most dangerous inventions."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "5. Snowdrop Memorial Trail",
											"id": "5. Snowdrop Memorial Trail",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"In the east of the city, winding between the {@book Grey Hunt Estate|TDCSR|3|6. Grey Hunt Manor} and the temple to the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, is a private trail through the woods. Only locals know of this trail, and even among them, few know that the path was made by {@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR|Keyleth} of {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah} on one of her many visits to the city. Countless snowdrop flowers line this secluded track, and they are tended to by Lady {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia} when she has time away from her duties to both the {@book Chamber of Whitestone|TDCSR|2|Chamber of Whitestone} and the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. The significance of this memorial garden isn't listed on any plaque, but most in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} have an inkling that it's dedicated to a beloved {@creature champion of ravens|TDCSR|champion of the god of death}."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "6. Grey Hunt Manor",
											"id": "6. Grey Hunt Manor",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"The estate of the {@book Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt|TDCSR|2|Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt} is rarely used by the current holder of that title these days, as all her nights not spent away on {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} business are passed with her family in {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone}. Members of the {@book Grey Hunt|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters} still use it as a formal meeting place\u2014though meetings of true import take place in their secret lair in the eastern ruins ({@area 11|11. Eastern Ruins})."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "7. House of the Lawbearer",
											"id": "7. House of the Lawbearer",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"This temple is both a place of worship and a stately courthouse. All who enter are sworn to tell the truth by the vigilant clerics of the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}\u2014for the entire building is under the protection of a vast, permanent {@spell zone of truth} spell. This protection is fallible, but it sends a clear message to all who enter."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "8. Slayer's Cake Bakery",
											"id": "8. Slayer's Cake Bakery",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"Founded by members of Vox Machina, the Slayer's Cake has quickly become one of the most beloved bakeries in Tal'Dorei, and it has a satellite shop in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. It ships bread and pastries to Nicodranas in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} via {@spell teleportation circle} weekly, and the bakery's owners are thinking of expanding."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "9. Lord Trinket's Public Park",
											"id": "9. Lord Trinket's Public Park",
											"page": 78,
											"entries": [
												"A section of the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} to the west of the city was cleared in the aftermath of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR|The Whispered One's} defeat in anticipation of a major expansion. However, more of the {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} refugees left the city than anticipated, leaving these plans untenable, but the forest already cleared. At the request of {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia}, Grand Mistress of the {@book Grey Hunt|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}, the space was transformed into a public park that she uses to play with her now-venerable brown bear, {@creature Trinket|TDCSR}\u2014and a lifelike marble statue of that same bear, clad in magnificent armor, stands in its center.",
												"Portions of this city expansion did eventually come to pass, and now several manor houses have been built near the edge of the park to house visiting dignitaries."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "10. Galdric's Gate",
											"id": "10. Galdric's Gate",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"The new, northwestern gate of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} opens onto the Timberland Trail, which grants hunters easy access to the city when they return from expeditions into the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands}."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "11. Eastern Ruins",
											"id": "11. Eastern Ruins",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} first expansion in recent times happened just after the fall of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}, to accommodate the city's large refugee population. However, a mix of social unrest and monstrous incursions from the {@book Parchwood|TDCSR|3|Parchwood Timberlands} stymied the project, and the bones of the expansion were left to fall into ruin. No attempt has been made to reclaim the ruins, but the {@book Grey Hunt|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters} have made a secret base of operations in the basement of a magnificent temple not yet dedicated to any god."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "12. Hearth of the Everlight",
											"id": "12. Hearth of the Everlight",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"Established by {@creature Pike Trickfoot|TDCSR} in the years following Vox Machina's victory over {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}, this humble temple stands as a bastion of welcoming light and shelter to those seeking solace and direction. Within its stone walls, the faithful of the {@deity The Everlight|Exandria|TDCSR|Everlight} study her philosophy of compassion and fierce protection. Still, the temple is far from tranquil\u2014the congregation also hosts monthly fêtes and revels as a part of their worship in the image of their exuberant founder."
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "115"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Whitestone Adventures",
									"page": 80,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dad Scientist (any level)",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"{@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR} doesn't usually involve outsiders in his creative process. However, when his youngest daughter Gwendolyn takes one of his latest creations and disappears into the dungeons of {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone}, he has no choice but to rally all adventurers in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} to join him, {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia}, and the city's elite warriors in scouring the dungeons for his missing girl."
											],
											"id": "117"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Matter of Some Importance (low-level)",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone} library recently acquired a new book containing unprecedented knowledge about the Outer Planes, but opening the tome also opens an infernal portal that summons a steady stream of {@creature imp|MM|imps}. The characters are hired by Head Librarian JB Trickfoot to keep the {@creature imp|MM|imps} out of her hair\u2014and out of the library, please\u2014while she scours the tome for information."
											],
											"id": "118"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Grey Hunt (high-level)",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"The characters have been recommended to the {@book Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt|TDCSR|2|Lady Vex'ahlia de Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt} as formidable adventurers by an unknown ally\u2014or adversary. {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR|Vex'ahlia} de Rolo considers them cautiously, but offers them the chance to prove themselves worthy of the title of {@book Grey Hunter|TDCSR|3|Grey Hunters}. She sets them a task to be completed within the next three months: track down a legendary {@creature ember roc|TDCSR} in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} and claim its head as a trophy. Of course, she knows that this quest is more than just a hunt; the question is, will the characters realize it takes more than just skill to join the hunters?"
											],
											"id": "119"
										}
									],
									"id": "116"
								}
							],
							"id": "10b"
						}
					],
					"id": "0f9"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Dividing Plains",
					"page": 80,
					"entries": [
						"Tal'Dorei's vast heartland, framed by the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} in the southwest, the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} in the north, and the {@book Summit Peaks|TDCSR|3|Summit Peaks} in the south, contains miles and miles of rolling hills, tall-grass prairies, sky-blue rivers, and fertile farmlands. Within these plains, the hardworking people of the realm tend to their fields and businesses while adventurers and village militias battle back the wild beasts and wandering bandits of the region. The safest way to avoid being beset by monsters is to travel the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway}, which slices through the endless plains, connects the coasts, and shepherds caravans between them. Of course, the roads are coursing with highwaymen and bandits, so which route is safer is entirely up to the traveler to decide. Cults of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} also prey upon the people of the plains. The most fearsome of these death cults are the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers}, a bloody band of warriors exiled from cities and nomadic clans alike. All people of the plains fear the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers}, and even the smallest villages train people old enough to hold a spear how to defend their homes. Beyond the grassy plains, {@creature owlbear|MM|owlbears} and other monstrosities stalk the forests and foothills that dot the plains and border it on many sides. Packs of {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} also gallop across the open plains, delivering the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart's} justice as they see fit.",
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							},
							"title": "The Dividing Plains",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Dividing Plains showing cross-sections of mountain, forest, and plains-like terrain. The larger cities of Westruun and Kymal are marked on either end of the map.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
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							"mapName": "The Dividing Plains",
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							"id": "2d0"
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							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 81,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, {@deity The Everlight|Exandria|TDCSR|Everlight}, {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}, {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"{@creature Fish|GoS}, {@item gold|PHB}, {@item diamond|DMG|diamonds}, spell components"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Lumber, grain, produce, cobalt, {@item iron|PHB}, {@item silver|PHB}, livestock"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "11b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Bramblewood",
							"page": 80,
							"entries": [
								"Surrounding the base of the southernmost stretch of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} is the Bramblewood, a dark and tangled forest named for its jagged, thorny-barked trees. The Bramblewood's impenetrable canopy and thick, gnarled roots give it an ominous appearance, but its eerie boughs are populated with countless deadly beasts. It's a grim warning to all who would dare approach {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}, the mountain of despair: come no closer if you value your life.",
								"Yet despite this, without the abundant game and plentiful timber of the Bramblewood, the nearby city of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} would likely not exist. A trade city with nothing to trade rarely lasts long, and the Bramblewood ensures that local carpenters, artisans, and tradesfolk always have plentiful resources. For those brave enough to venture into the Bramblewood, a pair of well-tread paths have resisted its overgrowth; one leads to the iron-rich Murdoon Mines at the base of the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, while the other winds upward to {@book Gatshadow's|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} storm-wreathed peak.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Bramblewood Adventures",
									"page": 80,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Haunted Road (mid-level)",
											"page": 80,
											"entries": [
												"Local folklore speaks of a spectral young woman sometimes appearing along the road through the forest, sobbing and leading men deeper into the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} to never be seen again. While these tales are generally considered childish ghost stories, a mining crew was recently found dead near the fabled spot, unwounded and with looks of terror stretched across their lifeless faces. A {@creature banshee}, aided by the {@creature specter|MM|specters} of those she has slain, hungers for the sweet taste of another adventurer's dying breaths."
											],
											"id": "11e"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Blood of the Ruiner (high-level)",
											"page": 81,
											"entries": [
												"The Shields, {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} beleaguered soldiery, have tracked a cell of {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} to a base in the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood}. They have conducted a foul ritual to the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner} to turn their cult master, an elf named Kalydria Darkeye, into a {@creature Ravager slaughter lord|TDCSR}. They have also transformed a number of the {@creature giant spider|MM|giant spiders} endemic to the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} into hideous {@creature demonfeed spider|TDCSR|demonfeed spiders} through the same bloody ritual. The {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} have created a makeshift fortification, and the Shields need to know what their next move is\u2014an infiltration mission only powerful adventurers are capable of completing."
											],
											"id": "11f"
										}
									],
									"id": "11d"
								}
							],
							"id": "11c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Foramere Basin",
							"page": 81,
							"entries": [
								"This great lake was once the ice fortress of {@book Errevon the Rimelord|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years}, the elemental behemoth that nearly toppled the fledgling realm of Tal'Dorei just two years after its founding. It was here that the combined forces of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, Tal'Dorei, and {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} hurled the Rimelord back into the Elemental Plane of Ice and brought an end to the {@book Icelost Years|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years}. The massive lake left behind by {@book Errevon's'|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years} melted citadel is now the largest source of fresh water in central Tal'Dorei.",
								"Foramere Basin's shores are peppered with tiny huts and fishing communities that trade with {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}. The great lake is fed by three rivers that give life to the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}: the Byhills, the Tundrun, and the Wildpath. After especially hard winters, these rivers run hard and fast, and the overflows spill into the Foramere Waterway, which flows into Owlset Bay, near {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}.",
								"Some of these fishing villages are home to the descendants of the fighters that warred against the Rimelord's tyranny. Even in times when {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} were bitter rivals, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} here took no part in their homelands' hatred.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Foramere Basin Adventures",
									"page": 82,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Foramere Basin|TDCSR|3|Foramere Basin} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Nightmare Before Winter's Crest (mid-level)",
											"page": 82,
											"entries": [
												"The festival of Winter's Crest celebrates the anniversary of the Rimelord's defeat and the fall of Foramere Citadel. The characters, far from home on the holiday, are not only witness to the fishing communities on the banks of the basin gathering to celebrate Winter's Crest, but to the grim sight of Foramere's waters surging upward from the basin. The water has begun to freeze into towers of ice\u2014someone or something is recreating the domain of {@book Errevon the Rimelord|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years} and will not stop until all of Tal'Dorei is buried in ice.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-Foramere.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link John Anthony di Giovanni|https://artstation.com/jad}",
													"altText": "A dock in a winter storm with terrified sailors looking out and an older, weathered man pointing toward a tall, jagged shard of ice erupting from the water just off shore.",
													"width": 1278,
													"height": 792
												}
											],
											"id": "122"
										}
									],
									"id": "121"
								}
							],
							"id": "120"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ironseat Ridge",
							"page": 82,
							"entries": [
								"The {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} and hillsfolk of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} say the crooked, angular mountain that juts out of the plains and foothills was once the throne of a titan. From a distance, {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge} does resemble a crooked chair. Whether or not this legend is true hardly matters; the tales of {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge} permeate the folklore of the plains.",
								"The mountains surrounding Ironseat itself have been hollowed out over the centuries, and other legends say that the ruins of an abandoned dwarven redoubt called Inverspire can be found by explorers savvy enough to navigate the labyrinthine tunnels\u2014and that it's surely filled with monsters and vast riches. Legends aside, countless abandoned mineshafts do snake through the stone like the veins of a dead titan. When the winds grow strong, you can sometimes hear a terrible, growling moan from the air pressing through the empty channels. People from {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} rarely venture close enough to the mountains to hear the noise, but sometimes on clear, silent nights, the monstrous sound echoes through {@book Kymal's|TDCSR|3|Kymal} brightly lit streets.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ironseat Ridge Adventures",
									"page": 82,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Beast Below (any level)",
											"page": 82,
											"entries": [
												"It's one of those still nights where the howls of the Ironseat echo across the plains. The next time the characters spend a night in town, whether in {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} or any small village of the plains, they learn of disappearances\u2014explorers that went into the caves, never to return\u2014and of the hefty reward their grieving families are offering for their return. What could be making that awful wailing in the caves? {@creature werewolf|MM|Werewolves}? Kidnappers using the echoing caverns?"
											],
											"id": "125"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dead Fires of Inverspire (epic-level)",
											"page": 83,
											"entries": [
												"The mythic redoubt of Inverspire contains a legendary creation of the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}: a {@creature forge guardian|TDCSR}. It was placed here by the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer} during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} to watch over a forge with the power to create arms and armor fit only for a war between gods and mortals. Over twenty years ago, the elemental power of the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} somehow ignited this divine creation's ashen heart and filled it with elemental life. It has turned to the forge it was made to guard, and has begun creating beings of steel and flame that will tear Tal'Dorei apart stone by stone in order to find its missing father, the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}. Only definitive proof of the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer's} imprisonment beyond the Divine Gate can quench the guardian's anguished flames."
											],
											"id": "126"
										}
									],
									"id": "124"
								}
							],
							"id": "123"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ivyheart Thicket",
							"page": 83,
							"entries": [
								"Clustered at the western side of the {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge}, this thicket contains the ruins of an ancient civilization that remains under study by the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}. Among scattered relics and the rubble of forgotten villages lie references to the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}: the first age of the world. The excavation pushes onward under the watch of the {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, with the promise of discovery looming, but very little understanding of what may be found beneath.",
								"The western edges of these ruins are the most dangerous\u2014and the most alluring\u2014part of the Ivyheart Thicket. A vast, well decorated with ivy-crept marble pillars, burns with eternal fire. Explorers in the employ of the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} say that this place has become a hotbed of activity. {@creature Azer} have flocked to it from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and have made it their home, forging beautiful bronze weapons, armor, and {@i objets d'art}. The {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} reports that elemental activity within the nearby redoubt of Inverspire is somehow related to this elemental incursion\u2014and that it may be connected to the mythic fire giant stronghold of {@book Vulkanon|TDCSR|6|Fire Giants}."
							],
							"id": "127"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Kymal",
							"page": 83,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Small City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 29,440 (63% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 24% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 13% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Glitzy. Gilded. Grimy. The city of Kymal stands as the grumbling ghost of a gold-rush boomtown. These days, it's a haven for gamblers and criminals: a city of gold built atop a mountain of mud.",
								"Over two centuries before, the discovery of rich gold veins within the {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge} sent a rush of eager folk to its base. Kymal began life as their base camp, and over the next century it grew into a lively, booming city. {@item Gold|PHB} and minerals came out of Kymal, and all the pleasures of home followed. Music, theater, sex, food, liquor, drugs, trinkets\u2014if you could want it, you could find it in Kymal. Anything you could spend money on was there, and people spent money like the world was ending. The rich binged anything they could get their hands on to pretend they were important, and poor folk indulged in whatever comfort they could find from their wretched existence in a town where money meant everything.",
								"In time, of course, the veins ran dry. Ten years after Kymal boomed into being, it went bust. The miners packed up and left. Not many of them had struck it rich; in fact, most folk were worse off than they had been before. In the intervening centuries, Kymal has gone through too many cycles of boom and bust to count. New veins of gold or mithral or adamantine have been found in the mountains, and people rush in to claim it. Or a cunning entrepreneur comes up with a scheme to put Kymal on the map\u2014and it works, for a few years, before the con runs its course and people are right back to where they were before.",
								"Most folk here make a modest living in rural villages surrounding Kymal's city center, or trawling the nearby {@book Foramere Basin|TDCSR|3|Foramere Basin} for fish, and are trying to build interest as a trade center like {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, though without much luck. Kymal's most recent change of fortune, however, has yet to run dry. Some seventy years ago, an entrepreneur from {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} named Calis Krishtan opened a small casino called \"The Maiden's Wish.\" It started something of a gold rush of its own, one that continues to this day.",
								"The city has grown over the past seventy years, becoming a hub of entertainment and games of chance in Tal'Dorei. So great was Calis's revival of Kymal that the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} appointed his son (and heir to the Maiden's Wish), Jaktur Krishtan, the Margrave of Kymal.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 83,
									"entries": [
										"Now entering old age, Margrave Jaktur Krishtan is desperately trying to maintain the boom that his father created, while grooming his son to take over his gambling empire. Krishtan has recently made headlines across Tal'Dorei by relinquishing his position as margrave. It's an open secret that Jaktur Krishtan has never had a head for governance, simply enjoying the lavish, gold-plated life his casinos' profits bring him. He could easily have allowed his advisors to continue running {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} for him while he continued to throw magnificent galas, make nightly appearances at the Maiden's Wish, and put his stamp of approval on glitzy parades down the city's main street.",
										"Investigators have flocked to {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} to uncover the truth of Margrave Krishtan's sudden change of heart. All suspect that the truth is a salacious secret, one which would shake {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} to its foundations. Krishtan himself seems unperturbed. He continues to live large as he always has, his detractors don't disparage him any more than usual, and the public that loves him hasn't changed their tune.",
										"Jaktur's former majordomo, an austere tiefling woman named Khavasta \"Prudence\" Almiji, has taken up the mantle of Acting Margrave with quiet satisfaction. It is, after all, the title that she should have had for the past thirty years, and she hopes that the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} will see fit to appoint her margrave permanently in very short order."
									],
									"id": "129"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Defense",
									"page": 84,
									"entries": [
										"The acting margrave commands a force of about one thousand armed guards called the Public Defense. Despite the name, they are most often seen stationed around the casinos owned by ex-Margrave Krishtan, or working as bodyguards for {@book Kymal's|TDCSR|3|Kymal} politicians and wealthy cardsharps. Gold can buy anything in {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, even the personal protection of the Public Defense."
									],
									"id": "12a"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 84,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} is no longer the den of crime it once was, but there is still scum beneath its glitzy and imperfect façade. Small-time cutpurses lurk in the shadows, waiting to make off with the small fortunes won by the casinos' luckiest patrons. The war between the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} smolders within {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} as well, but Acting Margrave Almiji has played her cards carefully and intelligently. Through an intricate web of bribes, promises, and threats, she has managed to suppress even the faintest trace of gang violence within her city.",
										"Of course, crime still occurs in {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. It's just not public and bloody. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} both own casinos in town\u2014named the Wishing Well and the Dragon's Hoard, respectively. Not many know of these casinos' less-than-savory proprietorship. Even those who do fail to realize just how deeply rigged its tables are\u2014or how many pickpockets and swindlers hide in plain sight in their gilded halls.",
										"Moreover, the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} alike have immense illicit drug operations within {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. The {@book Public Defense|TDCSR|3|Defense|2} is technically bound to arrest anyone caught selling or possessing these substances, but the bulk of these arrests fall on small-time crooks working for these criminal organizations, almost never the high-ranking members."
									],
									"id": "12b"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"name": "Illegal Drugs",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"page": 85,
									"tag": "variantrule"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography",
									"page": 84,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} is built on the rocky foothills of the {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge}. Exploring beyond the glamorous city leads one to nothing but a desolate expanse of boulders and scrub-brush."
									],
									"id": "12c"
								}
							],
							"id": "128"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ruins of Torthil",
							"page": 84,
							"entries": [
								"While traveling south of {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal} along the {@book Wildwood Byway|TDCSR|3|Wildwood Byway}, just outside of the Ivyheart Thicket, travelers can spot a mile-wide cluster of broken stone, salted earth, and a single obsidian monument to the death of Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, one of the most infamous and terrible figures in Tal'Dorei history. This scarred patch of land marks the ruins of the village of Torthil, which was the site of a pivotal battle of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}\u2014one in which King Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} was ambushed and slain by a rebel army.",
								"The city was destroyed in an act of vengeance by Warren's eldest son Neminar over two centuries ago. Now, its ruins harbor only memories\u2014and occasionally outlaws and cultists who use the ghost stories that surround it to avoid suspicion. The now long-weathered wreckage and broken foundations of the town harbor only ghosts and unsavory creatures drawn to places of such dark history.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ruins of Torthil Adventures",
									"page": 84,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Ruins of {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Forgotten War Machine (high-level)",
											"page": 84,
											"entries": [
												"The Ruins of {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil} hold one lost secret. Buried beneath a landslide in one of the nearby hills is a {@creature platinum golem|TDCSR}. Any crests that may have indicated who it fought for\u2014Tal'Dorei's rebels, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, or {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} legions\u2014have been scoured away by time. The characters are drawn to {@book Torthil|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Torthil} when exiles and criminals living in the ruins flood into {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, saying that a greedy treasure hunter awakened a metallic monster that laid waste to the already ruined town\u2014and is now making its way steadily toward {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}!"
											],
											"id": "12f"
										}
									],
									"id": "12e"
								}
							],
							"id": "12d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Shadebarrow",
							"page": 84,
							"entries": [
								"No one who has visited the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} has ever returned alive\u2014but neither do they come back entirely dead. The {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} was once a monolithic henge used as a ritual site for sun-worshiping druids known as the Dawn Circle, but their shrine became their tomb after {@book Trist Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} slew them for aiding {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} in the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, centuries ago.",
								"After {@book Trist Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} death, the trade guilds of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} laid claim to the unowned land, and from there, the Dawn Circle's abandoned and treasure-less burial tunnels were purchased from the unions at great cost by an eccentric {@book Westruunian|TDCSR|3|Westruun} baron named Sevil Howthess. His obsession with its history led him to be interred there upon his passing, the tomb outfitted with protections and, supposedly, the remnants of his fortune.",
								"The exact location of the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} has been forgotten by all but the Baron Howthess's few surviving grandchildren, and they deny any involvement with the forgotten crypt. The surviving descendants of Sevil Howthess, Camilla Tenver and Buddleia Austan, live in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, but have changed their names through marriage. Only searching through the public records in {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} {@book Hall of Reason|TDCSR|3|6. Hall of Reason} or seeking lore about the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} in the {@book Cobalt Reserve|TDCSR|3|1. Cobalt Reserve} will turn up their names.",
								"Despite the barrow's location being lost to time, treasure hunters and historians still seek out\u2014and occasionally find\u2014the infamous crypt. If they ever return to civilization, it is as a wailing spirit, cursed to eternally torment whoever they thought of in their final moments, or as a shambling corpse focused only on murdering their loved ones.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Shadebarrow Adventures",
									"page": 85,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} is a crypt that you can turn into a dungeon of any size in your campaign. It may have only a single layer filled with {@creature ghost|MM|ghosts}, and perhaps a plot-important item. Or it could be a multi-level dungeon with interconnected passages and a mighty reward at the bottom, like a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} guarded by a terrible monster.",
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} can also use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Forsaken Monolith (low-level)",
											"page": 86,
											"entries": [
												"While traveling across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, the characters stumble upon the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow}. The ancient druidic henges stand regally atop the grassy hill, and all seems peaceful\u2014until the {@creature specter|MM|specters} of dead explorers rise from the ground. They wail an incessant curse as they try to kill or scare intruders away: \"Defiler! Howthess!\""
											],
											"id": "132"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Undeath Unbound (epic-level)",
											"page": 86,
											"entries": [
												"The Demon Prince of Undeath is one of the foul princes of the Abyss and a mighty servant of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods}. The cruelty shown at the Dawn Circle so long ago drew his loathsome gaze, and for centuries he has bided his time, waiting for a mortal to disturb this nest of hate and undeath. Ever since Baron Howthess disturbed the {@book Shadebarrow's|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} seal, this prince of evil has rallied an army of undeath in the accursed depths of this crypt. Now, the time has come for him to spill his plague of undeath across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. The undead are spreading to all corners of Tal'Dorei, and the characters must find the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow} and reach its deepest sanctum to halt their spread for good."
											],
											"id": "133"
										},
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-Shadebarrow.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Adrián Ibarra Lugo|https://ailustrar.com/}",
											"altText": "A brown female firbolg with long, curly brown-red hair adorned with pink and red flowers. She wears a pink and white skirt as she sits frightened on a wooden floor, holding a staff of pink and red flowers with leaves falling from it. Behind her is a wraith, their fanged mouth wide open, its two large skeletal hands reaching for her on both sides.",
											"width": 663,
											"height": 1133
										}
									],
									"id": "131"
								}
							],
							"id": "130"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Silvercut Roadway",
							"page": 86,
							"entries": [
								"Named for the shimmer of endless fields of windswept, sunlit grasses that accompany the way, the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} connects the heart of Tal'Dorei\u2014{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}\u2014to its distant extremities, affording traders and travelers some measure of safety against the wilds. Parts of this ancient road predate the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, and it now runs from the {@book Bladeshimmer Shoreline|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline} to the {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}, connecting most major hubs of civilization across the country.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Silvercut Crossroads",
									"page": 86,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} and the {@book Wildwood Byway|TDCSR|3|Wildwood Byway} meet in the shadow of the {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge}. During the rule of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, many innocents and war heroes were executed by hanging at a massive gallows that once stood at the crossroads, with bodies hung from signs as a warning to dissenters. The gallows were destroyed by {@book Zan Tal'Dorei's|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} rebel army, and the rebels created a stone monument with an inscription to commemorate all who lost their lives to tyranny:",
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"The standard-bearers of revolution honor the innocent dead. Vengeance will not restore the lives of the lost, nor will it appease their spirits. We vow you will receive justice, for justice will ensure that no more guiltless blood shall be shed."
											],
											"skipMarks": true
										},
										"Most travelers choose not to camp too closely to the site, for there are countless urban legends about hauntings that surround this grim monument."
									],
									"id": "135"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Silvercut Roadway Adventures",
									"page": 86,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure on the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Road Warriors (low-level)",
											"page": 86,
											"entries": [
												"While traveling across the Silvercut, the characters come across the smoking wreckage of a massive wagon train, and investigation shows that it has been ransacked after a fierce battle. A team of mercenaries called the Road Warriors spring upon the characters, blaming them for the attack. Investigating the wreckage turns up unholy symbols of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}, suggesting that the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} were responsible for the massacre, allowing the characters to easily clear their names.",
												"But is it really that simple? Further investigation reveals that this convoy had a number of mercenary mages in their midst, and many of them had contracts from the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}."
											],
											"id": "137"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Shard of the Shadebarrow (mid-level)",
											"page": 87,
											"entries": [
												"A {@creature wraith} calling herself the spirit of Archdruid Avandros has animated an army of {@creature ghoul|MM|ghouls} and {@creature ghast|MM|ghasts} from the graveyard. The undead have taken over the {@book Silvercut Crossroads|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Crossroads}, and they must be dealt with before a national trade crisis emerges. But what is the spirit of an archdruid of the Dawn Circle doing in this mass grave? Sneaking into the graveyard reveals a human skull with sinister amethyst growths protruding from the bone, and Avandros's spirit is desperate to protect it."
											],
											"id": "138"
										}
									],
									"id": "136"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-ForestParty.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Biago D'Alessandro|https://artstation.com/blas-t }",
									"altText": "A marshy forest with thick, dark trees, their trunks covered in red mushrooms. Three adventurers stand, weapons drawn, each in blue tunics under silver armor. The man in the back holds a glowing polearm and the man in front aims a longbow as the woman in the middle wields a sword, her right foot illuminated by a glowing white circle of Will-O'-Wisps.",
									"width": 1276,
									"height": 809
								}
							],
							"id": "134"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Throne of the Arch Heart",
							"page": 87,
							"entries": [
								"In the foothills of the {@book Ironseat Ridge|TDCSR|3|Ironseat Ridge} is a small rise known as the Throne of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}: a gathering place for the many nomadic {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} who ride across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. The {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} were first born when the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} showed mercy to a tribe of elven horse riders who gave their lives serving their god during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. For centuries, the {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} have all returned to the Throne of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} once per decade to gather in a Herdsmeet to discuss the state of the herds, and to pay homage to their deity on the very hill where the first {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} were created. This event causes great chaos in the eastern plains; the massive migration of the centaur herds disrupts trade and stirs the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} to acts of terrible vengeance against the creations of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}\u2014the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner's} divine nemesis.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Throne of the Arch Heart Adventures",
									"page": 87,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Throne of the Arch Heart can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Fist of the Ruiner (mid-level)",
											"page": 87,
											"entries": [
												"Many {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} call this rise the Fist of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}, for they too were created here in the image of their god. Legend tells that {@creature orc|MM|orcs} and {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} were both created at this rise in the aftermath of a battle between the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} and the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}. {@book Orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} with a deep appreciation for ancient myths from across Tal'Dorei make a pilgrimage at the time of the Herdsmeet. Some are long-time friends of the {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs}, and they pay homage to the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} together in thanks for spilling the blood that created them. Other {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} join with the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} to lay siege to the Herdsmeet\u2014and the {@book Ravagers'|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} bloodthirsty power is so great that {@creature orc|MM|orcs} and {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs} alike have begun hiring humanoid mercenaries to defend the herds and pilgrims as they attempt to worship the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} in peace."
											],
											"id": "13b"
										}
									],
									"id": "13a"
								}
							],
							"id": "139"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Torian Forest",
							"page": 88,
							"entries": [
								"Cradling the southwestern edge of the Cliffkeep Mountain range, the Torian Forest supplies much of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} timber, as well as {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} firewood. Though its locals proudly proclaim the Torian to be the \"most welcoming\" and \"least haunted\" of Tal'Dorei's forests, this is more of a myth than people realize. The forest is welcoming and bright at its edges, with a beautiful wetland at its northern end, but within its deep and unexplored heart are spirits not understood since the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}\u2014and a cruel and hungry {@creature wraithroot tree|TDCSR} guarding a magical artifact likewise not seen since time immemorial.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Rivermaw Herd",
									"page": 88,
									"entries": [
										"Born from the wild peoples of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, free folk who shunned the constraints of society, the Rivermaw is the greatest of the {@book Dividing Plains'|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} herds. It now boasts a membership of nearly ten thousand, along with a number of satellite herds that owe their allegiance to the Rivermaw.",
										"Though the Rivermaw is now a mighty force for good on the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, they had humble beginnings. Just two generations ago, they numbered little more than three hundred {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls}, {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, and nomads of other races that made their home in the Torian Forest.",
										"It wasn't until they were conquered by the Herd of Storms, helmed by the tyrannical goliath Kevdak, that a more violent way of life was forced upon them for a number of years. Once Kevdak was slain, the remaining members of both the Rivermaw and the Herd of Storms recanted his brutal ways and become the {@book Rivermaw herd|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd} known across Tal'Dorei today. It is led by two {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}: Zanroar, son of Kevdak, and Skyhaal, daughter of Zanroar."
									],
									"id": "13d"
								}
							],
							"id": "13c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Turst Fields",
							"page": 88,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 2,420 (40% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 38% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 15% {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls}, 8% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"To the northwest of {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna}, not far from the Dawnmist Pines, the farming community of Turst Fields toils over extremely fertile land fed by the {@book Mooren River Run|TDCSR|3|Mooren River Run}. Providing much of Tal'Dorei and {@book Whitestone's|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} grown food and produce, the community must import most all other commodities outside of wood, making it a lucrative stop for trade caravans traveling along the Parchwood Way to {@book Drynna|TDCSR|3|Drynna}\u2014and an easy target for swindlers. As such, nearly two hundred Shields from {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} are permanently stationed here to keep the peace and prevent unlawful activity. Nearly as common as the arrival of a trader's wagon is an armored carriage transporting brigands, grifters, and horse thieves back to {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} for trial.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gnoll Mercy",
									"page": 88,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Turst Fields|TDCSR|3|Turst Fields} has a significant {@creature gnoll|MM} population. As mutant beings created by demonic rituals, {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} are shunned as monsters in most humanoid settlements on the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. Nevertheless, without the Dustpaw {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls}, Turst would not have survived its first summer. When the village was founded, it was easy prey for the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers}. Their leader sought blood tribute from the people of Turst, but the villagers refused to offer a sacrifice. This cell of {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} had recently sought the favor of the Demon Lord of Slaughter, transforming a number of the plains-dwelling hyenas into {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} in that pursuit.",
										"When the villagers of Turst refused to give up their own, the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} unleashed the {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} upon them. But something unusual happened. After the {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} first drew blood, one of them began to weep. Then another, until all of the {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} were howling in sorrow and fury. These beings, though infused with demon ichor, turned against their creators to defend their helpless prey.",
										"To this day, the Dustpaw {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} have lingered in Turst, slowly becoming trusted members of their community. Their unsettling fangs and canine faces upset many who travel to this village, but any who deride the {@creature gnoll|MM|gnolls} do so at their own risk. Not at the risk of mauling from a {@creature gnoll|MM}\u2014though any humanoid being will fight back if pushed too far\u2014but because hateful agitators will soon find themselves surrounded by the spears of the Turst militia."
									],
									"id": "13f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Turst Fields Adventures",
									"page": 88,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Turst Fields|TDCSR|3|Turst Fields} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Herd Mentality (mid-level)",
											"page": 88,
											"entries": [
												"A half-elf, half-{@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} {@creature Ravager slaughter lord|TDCSR} calling herself Grud the Great has taken control of an arm of the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers}. Her highly organized regiment worships the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}. Now, they march on Turst to take an easy foothold in the northern plains. The army is too large to be stopped by just the characters, but a Dustpaw {@creature gnoll|MM} warrior named Akaksa knows of a number of nomadic groups wandering nearby that could help defend the town, if properly persuaded. The characters can seek out the Dawnmist Herd, led by a goliath {@creature Rivermaw stormborn|TDCSR} named Gardessk, and convince him to aid the people of Turst."
											],
											"id": "141"
										}
									],
									"id": "140"
								}
							],
							"id": "13e"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Westruun",
							"page": 89,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 51,980 (61% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 10% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 7% {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, 5% {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, 4% {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, 1% {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls}, 12% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"The city of Westruun is the center of Tal'Dorei, a crossroads of culture along the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} that welcomes adventurers, traders, and vagabonds of all kinds. Despite its name, Westruun is more east than west, and was in fact named after Palest Westruun, the trader and philosopher who founded the city. Westruun suffered under the rule of the goliath tyrant Kevdak's Herd of Storms. Worse, its outlying towns and great stone buildings were ravaged by the acidic breath of Umbrasyl the Hope Devourer, an {@creature ancient black dragon} of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} who exacted tribute from his lair in the eerie mountain of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}. Despite the damage inflicted by its evil rulers, Westruun was one of the first cities in Tal'Dorei to recover from the {@book Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. Though its government is deeply in debt to both the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} and a number of adventuring parties, the city has long since reclaimed its place of importance as an economic, academic, and political power within Tal'Dorei.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 89,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} underwent a political revolution in the wake of the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} defeat. The former margrave, Brandon Zimmerset, was a tyrant who claimed absolute power for himself following Kevdak's defeat at the hands of Vox Machina. The title of margrave is a holdover from the authoritarian rule of Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} centuries ago, and those who hold that office are appointed for life by the council. A group of local idealists called the Retrievers banded with adventurers and mercenaries to overthrow Zimmerset a decade after he took power, and instated their leader as the lord mayor instead. Elections for the position of Lord Mayor of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} are held every five years, with no term limits. All adult citizens of the city who have lived there for at least five years have a vote, though only a fraction of the people actually use it.",
										"The Retrievers continue to be a political force in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, and several of {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} delegates to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} are members of this faction. They are campaigning to abolish the office of margrave from all settlements in Tal'Dorei. Though they have broad support in the council, the council doesn't have the authority to unilaterally demand its constituent city-states to change their system of government. The revolution-minded Retrievers are somewhat stifled by the need to compromise with other cities.",
										"Lord Mayor Lysandra Kallos is a middle-aged goliath and former leader of the Retrievers. She has never lost a vote for re-election, and holds executive power over the city's defenses, along with the ability to dissolve any business or guild, and to exile any person or group of up to ten people from the city at her discretion. She rules {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} with the aid of a council of ten advisors."
									],
									"id": "143"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Defense",
									"page": 89,
									"entries": [
										"The lord mayor commands a city guard of about 1,200 trained soldiers known as the Shields of the Plain, though most folk just call them the Shields. {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} soldiery is spread thin across the walls of the city itself, stationed at the gates of the dozens of outlying settlements and conducting raids against small cells of {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} across the plains.",
										"Many people in town would like to gather their forces and put an end to the {@book Ravagers'|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} death cult once and for all, but the Shields are spread too thin to mount an effective offensive. Even in their current state, dozens\u2014if not hundreds\u2014of mercenaries, bounty hunters, and adventurers pass through {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} every year in search of bloody work that the Shields are too beleaguered to handle themselves."
									],
									"id": "144"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Debt",
									"page": 89,
									"entries": [
										"Before he was ousted, Margrave Brandon Zimmerset authorized hundreds of reconstruction bounties\u2014offers of gold to anyone who could rebuild the immense damage the city suffered during Umbrasyl's attack and the Herd of Storms' occupation of the city. Bounties were placed on the city's siege-breaking stone walls, majestic towers and parapets, and even its iconic post-and-beam houses, many of which were razed completely during the attack.",
										"The margrave expected these bounties to be slowly completed over decades, but they were all snapped up and completed in a few short years by mercenary mages serving a group called the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. The margrave was saddled with a crushing debt, one that he was both unwilling and unable to pay before being ousted by the Retrievers. As his successor, Lord Mayor Lysandra Kallos inherited Zimmerset's immense debt to the {@book League|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, and is constantly seeking to find ways to alleviate their pressure\u2014especially as the league continues to use the debt as leverage to buy the allegiance of her advisory council."
									],
									"id": "145"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 89,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has become a major and public force in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} since the criminal organization's dubiously virtuous makeover following the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} defeat in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Many {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} agents enjoy the reputation of folk heroes across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, and make public appearances in taverns and town squares throughout {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}.",
										"Nevertheless, the fact remains that the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is still a criminal organization. They have controlled and efficiently run their shadowy trades for decades right under the Shields' noses. Their network of fences runs from coast to coast, {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Their hideout changes every few years, when the Shields manage to track them down. Their current hideout is secreted away behind the storefront of the Saddled Plainscow, a popular tavern owned and operated by {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} agents.",
										"Folk in search of real folk heroes often seek the covert agents of the {@book Golden Grin|TDCSR|2|Golden Grin}, who tend to wait and watch in local taverns. The Grin sometimes gets a bad reputation in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, since people need help every day, but the Grinners prefer to wait for just the right moment to reveal themselves and strike against evil."
									],
									"id": "146"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography",
									"page": 90,
									"entries": [
										"Miles of farmland and fields surround {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} towering stone walls\u2014except to the west, where the city is bordered by the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} and dwarfed by the mist-shrouded peak of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}. Nearly two dozen villages and towns surround the city's walls.",
										"The city's interior is divided into six wards:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Scholar Ward",
											"page": 90,
											"entries": [
												"The city's small southern ward is replete with major temples to the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} and homes for their clergy. The most important gods of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} are the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}, and it's made obvious by their huge, resplendent sanctuaries in the Temple Ward. The greatest temples here are the First Bastion, the Wild Arbor, and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon's} Rest."
											],
											"id": "148"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Opal Ward",
											"page": 90,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} central district is also its municipal heart. The ward has no residential housing, but is home to the Lord Mayor's Residence, the {@book Hall of Reason|TDCSR|3|6. Hall of Reason}, and the public square."
											],
											"id": "149"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Residential Ward",
											"page": 90,
											"entries": [
												"The northeastern section of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} is the city's most densely populated ward, housing over two-thirds of its population. There are no major landmarks in this ward, though every neighborhood in the ward has its own unique culture. Even though tourists might not visit the landmarks here, there are countless local bakeries, shops, and pubs beloved by its residents.",
												"This ward is rife with crime. {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} poorest citizens are pressed together in tight quarters, sometimes as little as a single city block away from the city's wealthiest manor houses. The {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} prey upon the poor and affluent alike, often stoking the tensions affecting the city's downtrodden to create chaos that masks their crimes. The Shields are stretched too thin to properly deal with these agitators. Unlike in the Temple Ward, free expression of religion is not a guaranteed right here, even within the privacy of one's own home. Though the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} are all benevolent deities, many of their {@book Westruunian|TDCSR|3|Westruun} followers are not particularly tolerant of other faiths."
											],
											"id": "14a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Market Ward",
											"page": 90,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} southwestern ward contains the majority of its businesses, trade stands, and production warehouses. Some of these businesses are historic fixtures of the city, rebuilt by the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} in years past, but many sell overpriced wares to cater to tourists, adventurers, and the city's wealthy elite.",
												"It's currently in fashion for store owners to live in a second story above their shops, though less scrupulous businesspeople have turned their residences into gambling dens, black markets, and illegal brothels. The most significant building in this ward is the Exandrian Exchange, a marble-walled auction house where hundreds of vendors hawk rare and unusual items from across Tal'Dorei. A satellite location of {@book Gilmore's Glorious Goods|TDCSR|3|14. Gilmore's Glorious Goods}, a famed magic item shop in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, is a beloved attraction of this district."
											],
											"id": "14b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Underwalk Ward",
											"page": 90,
											"entries": [
												"The city's newest ward is underground. It's an extension of the residential sprawl built from repurposed sections of the sewers, underground military bunkers, and the wine cellars of mansions annihilated by Umbrasyl and the Herd of Storms.",
												"The Underwalk was frantically excavated during the invasion of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} in hopes of keeping the populace hidden. It has been largely abandoned for the past twenty-four years, save for those too poor to return even to the Residential Ward, but an effort has been made in the past two years to create a unique and vibrant ecosystem in the Underwalk. The optimistic entrepreneurs trying to popularize Underwalk housing hire adventurers in great quantities, for every day, new and unsettling rumors of many-headed monstrosities prowling the Underwalk's shadowed roads spread to the surface. The best-known entrance to this tangle of tunnels is the Underwalk Gates, a forty-foot-wide staircase in the Residential Ward that descends into a gaping opening lit only by torchlight. Another entrance known mostly to the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} is a single unassuming manhole in the Opal Ward, topped with a metal cover emblazoned with the crest of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}."
											],
											"id": "14c"
										}
									],
									"id": "147"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Points of Interest",
									"page": 91,
									"entries": [
										"The City of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} has a number of noteworthy landmarks. They are keyed to the map of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}.",
										{
											"type": "gallery",
											"images": [
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-WestruunMap.webp"
													},
													"title": "The City of Westruun",
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
													"altText": "A map of the city of Westruun, showing a cross-section of the city at the edge of a forest as well as a smaller map of the Underwalk Ward.",
													"imageType": "map",
													"grid": {
														"type": "none"
													},
													"mapName": "The City of Westruun",
													"width": 2550,
													"height": 1730,
													"id": "2c9",
													"mapRegions": [
														{
															"area": "1. Cobalt Reserve",
															"points": [
																[
																	712,
																	461
																],
																[
																	712,
																	535
																],
																[
																	781,
																	535
																],
																[
																	781,
																	461
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "3. Yuminor Observatory",
															"points": [
																[
																	1025,
																	522
																],
																[
																	1025,
																	583
																],
																[
																	1101,
																	583
																],
																[
																	1101,
																	522
																]
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														},
														{
															"area": "2. Westhall Academy",
															"points": [
																[
																	998,
																	602
																],
																[
																	998,
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																],
																[
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																],
																[
																	1059,
																	602
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "14. Gilmore's Glorious Goods",
															"points": [
																[
																	901,
																	764
																],
																[
																	901,
																	842
																],
																[
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																[
																	968,
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														},
														{
															"area": "4. First Bastion",
															"points": [
																[
																	1139,
																	1027
																],
																[
																	1139,
																	1097
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																[
																	1211,
																	1097
																],
																[
																	1211,
																	1027
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "7. The Black King",
															"points": [
																[
																	1234,
																	724
																],
																[
																	1234,
																	800
																],
																[
																	1297,
																	800
																],
																[
																	1297,
																	724
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "6. Hall of Reason",
															"points": [
																[
																	1425,
																	493
																],
																[
																	1425,
																	564
																],
																[
																	1486,
																	564
																],
																[
																	1486,
																	493
																]
															]
														},
														{
															"area": "6. Hall of Reason",
															"points": [
																[
																	1364,
																	705
																],
																[
																	1364,
																	796
																],
																[
																	1448,
																	796
																],
																[
																	1448,
																	705
																]
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														}
													],
													"hrefThumbnail": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/thumbnail/Chapter3-WestruunMap.webp"
													}
												},
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-WestruunMapPlayer.webp"
													},
													"title": "Player Version",
													"imageType": "mapPlayer",
													"grid": {
														"type": "none"
													},
													"mapName": "Player Version",
													"width": 2550,
													"height": 1730,
													"mapParent": {
														"id": "2c9"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}"
												}
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "1. Cobalt Reserve",
											"id": "1. Cobalt Reserve",
											"page": 91,
											"entries": [
												"This vast repository looks more like a house of worship than a library. Nevertheless, this landmark of the Scholar Ward is Tal'Dorei's largest house of knowledge, and it is maintained and fiercely defended by the monks of the {@book Library of the Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul}.",
												"A character who spends 1 hour in the public section of the Cobalt Reserve can make a {@dc 15} Intelligence ({@skill History}) check, discovering any piece of common knowledge in Tal'Dorei. On a failure, this check can be repeated after another hour of study. The GM can decide that the knowledge the character seeks can only be found in the restricted archives, which only members of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul}, or characters in the {@book Cobalt Soul's|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} good graces, can access."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "2. Westhall Academy",
											"id": "2. Westhall Academy",
											"page": 91,
											"entries": [
												"No university in Tal'Dorei can hope to compete with the prestige of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, but the Westhall Academy does its best. Its sand-colored stone walls and copper-patina dome are an unmistakable landmark of the Scholar Ward. They imply a stately and refined institution with an unpretentious, workaday attitude. Most of the Westhall Academy's students come from humble backgrounds, and the lord mayor does her level best to ensure that the academy is funded enough to let anyone from the plains who shows great promise attend, free of cost. Mages, architects, poets, artists, agriculturalists, and people of all disciplines can find an education at Westhall."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "3. Yuminor Observatory",
											"id": "3. Yuminor Observatory",
											"page": 91,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} is a fairly flat city, and one tower on the edge of the Scholar Ward looms high above the nearby {@book Westhall Academy in Westruun|TDCSR|3|2. Westhall Academy}. It looks forever skyward, the arcanists inside constantly charting the movements of the heavens. A quasi-religious order of diviners and astromancers named the Scions of Yuminor study here, supported by the academy's headmistress, Estella Ladimar, who is herself a blood descendant of the heroic wizard Atz Yuminor. The observatory is open to all, and the diviners here will gladly give a star reading for 10 gp, once per day. Receiving this reading allows you to roll {@dice 1d20}. Note the result\u2014you can exchange it for any {@dice d20} roll made by a creature you can see. This divination fades after 24 hours. Despite the Scions of Yuminor's affability, something seems odd about them, like they have stared into the stars just a bit too long and seen something they wish they could forget.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-YuminorObservatory.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
													"altText": "A red cloaked individual looks toward a massive, tall tower with a golden spherical observatory affixed to it's top, consisting of an intricate telescope housed in a gyroscopic apparatus. Behind the tower loom large, snowy mountains in a purple, dusky sky.",
													"width": 640,
													"height": 1655
												}
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "4. First Bastion",
											"id": "4. First Bastion",
											"page": 91,
											"entries": [
												"The most magnificent of the temples within {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} Temple Ward is the First Bastion. Dedicated to the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, this opulent sanctuary is a common attraction for visiting folk of all faiths. Its magnificent, even decadent, gold-and-marble exterior is a sight most people can't imagine exists upon the Material Plane\u2014it seems like nothing less than a building from the realm of the gods themselves. The First Bastion was a secret home for refugees during Kevdak's occupation, and many {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} survivors have turned to the faith of the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} after being protected by her grace."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "5. Lord Mayor's Residence",
											"id": "5. Lord Mayor's Residence",
											"page": 92,
											"entries": [
												"The Lord Mayor's Residence is a squat manor in the Opal Ward. It was originally named the Margrave's Keep, and as such, it is a defensible and highly fortified compound buttressed against military barracks. The interior has been livened up significantly by the lord mayor, but the exterior is still a spare, military edifice."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "6. Hall of Reason",
											"id": "6. Hall of Reason",
											"page": 92,
											"entries": [
												"This beautiful courthouse in the Opal Ward is constructed in sweeping Lyrengornian style and bears a marble statue of the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} above its steps. The square before the courtroom steps is a forum for public gatherings and bears a fountain depicting Palest Westruun, the founder of the city, atop an onyx horse."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "7. The Black King",
											"id": "7. The Black King",
											"page": 92,
											"entries": [
												"Palest Westruun was not a king, but his new statue in the Opal Ward is often called the {@creature Black King|TDCSR}, a subtle jab at the city's previous \"Black King,\" the tyrannical dragon Umbrasyl. The high priest of the First Bastion blessed both the {@creature Black King|TDCSR} and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} itself when the statue was unveiled on the anniversary of {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} reclamation, saying, \"May the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} grant us all strength of spirit when chaos next threatens our peaceful civilization. When that time comes, may the {@creature Black King|TDCSR} unsheathe his sword to rally our people and lead {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} to victory.\"",
												"When the safety of all of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} is threatened, the {@creature Black King|TDCSR} will animate and defend its people, becoming a {@creature Black King|TDCSR|stone golem with a speed of 60 feet, Charisma and Intelligence scores of 18 (+4), and the ability to speak Common}. Its personality is dour but determined\u2014regal and single-minded in its desire to protect its city and its people."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "8. Survivors' Legacy",
											"id": "8. Survivors' Legacy",
											"page": 92,
											"entries": [
												"The names of all those in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} who survived the reign of Kevdak and Umbrasyl are carved on a wall in the first chamber of the Underwalk. Legend has it that the memorial was created by {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR} when the people of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} first hid here from the wrath of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} after Umbrasyl's death, but it has been expanded in the years since, now including the names of all who perished in the struggle as well.",
												"The Survivors' Legacy is a symbol of hope, warding away the sorrow and evil of the Underwalk beneath, and to this day common, folk make trips here to honor their lost loved ones. Some of the more generous folk give aid to the homeless living here as well, and some more adventurous travelers make prayers to the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} and the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens} here before delving into the Underwalk's deeper reaches.",
												"Once per week, a character related to one of the people named on the Survivors' Legacy can pray there and gain {@quickref Advantage and Disadvantage|PHB|2|0|advantage} on death {@quickref saving throws|PHB|2|1} for the next 24 hours."
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "14d"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Westruun Adventures",
									"page": 93,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "They Can't Have Flown Away (low-level)",
											"page": 93,
											"entries": [
												"Over the past week, over four dozen {@creature plainscow|TDCSR|plainscows}, exceptional livestock and beasts of burden, have disappeared from {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} outlying villages. Left in their place were nothing but a series of five-foot holes in the ground and traces of acid scarring. Farmers and caravanners alike are frightened and confused; these recurring attacks threaten to destroy {@book Westruun's|TDCSR|3|Westruun} agriculture and disrupt commerce. Jeremiah Sook, head of the regional Rancher's Guild, is willing to pay a hefty bounty for the culprits."
											],
											"id": "14f"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "An Assistant's Plight (mid-level)",
											"page": 93,
											"entries": [
												"Just outside {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} is Slaterock Tower, the abode of renowned archmage {@book Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien|TDCSR|2|Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien}. Normally, none are invited to the tower, but the characters, wherever they may be, receive a missive from the Realmseer's assistant, Jekt. The letter claims the Realmseer has gone missing within the tower, and the building itself now bars Jekt's entry\u2014and apparently, the Realmseer's exit. Upon arrival, and confirmation of Jekt's request, the tower seems to constantly shift its interior structure, almost acting like a sentient entity. Challenge after deadly challenge is thrown at the party as they traverse the labyrinthine paths of the tower, only to find that the Realmseer himself is actually trying to keep something far more dangerous imprisoned within."
											],
											"id": "150"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Stuff of Nightmares (mid-level)",
											"page": 93,
											"entries": [
												"Reports of missing children rise once again within {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, with a seemingly unrelated scourge of nightmares plaguing people old and young alike. Mystic expertise is sought to acquire information regarding either issue, but the sadistic {@creature oni}, secretly responsible for both, is deft at erasing its tracks. Nyx and Vryll, twin tiefling mages with only a single horn each, have also recently opened a dream-reading stall, and their business is booming. Are they responsible, or is their exploitative business just a red herring?"
											],
											"id": "151"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Down Below (high-level)",
											"page": 93,
											"entries": [
												"A massive sinkhole has emerged beneath the First Bastion, taking a portion of the temple into the darkness of the Underwalk Ward. With the depth seemingly bottomless, and initial investigators going missing, high priest Umentu Helmdoff seeks the assistance of brave and able-bodied adventurers to find answers and save the people still in the temple when it vanished. Only one thing is certain when descending into the unknown below\u2014the terror only grows as the light from above fades."
											],
											"id": "152"
										}
									],
									"id": "14e"
								}
							],
							"id": "142"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Wildwood Byway",
							"page": 93,
							"entries": [
								"Known as the oldest road in Tal'Dorei, this path linked the adolescent cities of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} before the landfall of humankind. During the reign of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} intersected with this ancient road. Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} built countless fortifications along this road to defend his holdings against {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, a move that made him many allies within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}.",
								"While traveling the Wildwood in broad daylight isn't any more dangerous than riding along the Silvercut, it's common knowledge that the forest at the northern end of this road is fraught with danger. Wild beasts, cultists, and bandits make the Wildwood their home."
							],
							"id": "153"
						}
					],
					"id": "11a"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Cliffkeep Mountains",
					"page": 93,
					"entries": [
						"Spanning the northern reaches of Tal'Dorei, the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} are an impenetrable barrier between the Republic of Tal'Dorei and the frozen {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}. The southern foothills are dotted with forests and pockets of civilization, standing resolute against the unwelcoming topography. Deep within the earth itself, the dwarven stronghold of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} flourishes and expands, just a few scant leagues above ancient caverns that plunge into a domain of unknowable horrors.",
						"The {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} are the largest mountain range in all of Tal'Dorei, and innumerable types of beings make their homes upon the crags, in mountainside caves, and in the miles upon miles of tunnels that descend into the earth below them. {@book Dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, {@book goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, and kobolds are the best-known peoples of the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, but the mountains are also home to the fire giants of {@book Vulkanon|TDCSR|6|Fire Giants}, wandering {@creature ettin|MM|ettins} and {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants}, hungry {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes}, {@creature frost giant} marauders from the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}, and cave-dwelling {@creature troll|MM|trolls}.",
						"Near the earth elemental rift and {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} village of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah}, the mountains themselves seem to rise up in defense as {@creature earth elemental|MM|earth elementals} spring from the living stones. Northward, peaks reach higher and winds grow colder as snow and ice take the lands to become the frozen waste of the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}. These challenges keep the common folk at bay, the secrets and spoils held within these crags calling to the brave, the clever, and the foolhardy.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-CliffkeepMountainsMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Cliffkeep Mountains",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Cliffkeep Mountains",
							"width": 1700,
							"height": 994,
							"id": "2d1"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 94,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}, {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}, {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, {@deity The Lord of the Hells|Exandria|TDCSR|Lord of the Hells}, {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Lumber, spices, {@creature fish|GoS}, grain, livestock"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Precious gems, industrial metals, {@item quartz}, granite, {@item gold|PHB}, {@item silver|PHB}, {@item platinum|PHB}, mithral, cobalt, jewelry, fungal produce, weapons, armor"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "155"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Fort Daxio",
							"page": 93,
							"entries": [
								"Nestled within the {@book Othendin Pass|TDCSR|3|Othendin Pass}, north of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} is a massive stronghold and series of military structures that, under the rule of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, trains Tal'Dorei's most elite warriors. The fortress was constructed following the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} as a strategic bulwark against opportunistic humanoid and giant bandit forces in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, and as a hidden reserve of military might in the event that {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was ever threatened.",
								"Though Tal'Dorei doesn't maintain a standing army\u2014rather, it assembles one in times of strife from mercenaries, adventurers, and local militias\u2014the forces of {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} are an exception. The legendary Daxio Outriders are a corps of cavaliers some four thousand strong. Half their forces remain stationed in {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} and its surroundings at any given time, serving as a historic barrier between {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and the bandits and creatures of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. The other two thousand Outriders are spread across the continent, typically in battalions of up to one hundred riders, safeguarding villages, patrolling the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway}, putting pressure on the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, or protecting traveling diplomats.",
								"{@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} itself is led by General Elle Gorgofon, a dour but diplomatic tactician. She served faithfully under the fort's previous leader, Warmaster Mikael Daxio, for nearly thirty-five years before he was killed at the hands of a {@creature vampire} hoping to throw the fort into chaos. Daxio was resurrected, but is enjoying an extended holiday in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} rather than returning to arms.",
								"The Daxio Outriders are divided into four different regiments: The Dusk Regiment, the Gale Regiment, the Aegis Regiment, and the Tide Regiment. Each regiment is led by their own assigned general, all answering directly to General Gorgofon (who in turn answers to the Master of War on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} in times of conflict).",
								"The Dusk Regiment is responsible for covert operations across the country and is led by General Fei Yujian, a cheerful, affable man. The Gale Regiment is trained in skyborne combat in addition to horse-riding; after the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} was defeated, {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} trained a variety of {@creature griffon|MM|griffons}, {@creature hippogriff|MM|hippogriffs}, and {@creature wyvern|MM|wyverns} to ward against airborne threats. It is led by General Jillian Sylph, a calm, tactical human with air {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry}. The Aegis Regiment is charged with remaining in {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} to protect {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and is led by General Elle Gorgofon herself. The Tide Regiment is trained in spellcasting and ship-to-ship combat, in case {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is ever threatened from the western seas. This final regiment is led by General Kay Clearsight, a half-elf trained in the arcane arts at the renowned Soltryce Academy in the Dwendalian Empire of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Fort Daxio Adventures",
									"page": 95,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Vampire Hunters (high-level)",
											"page": 95,
											"entries": [
												"Years ago, Warmaster Mikael Daxio was killed by a {@creature vampire} named Vrylaska Fellbranch. She disappeared without a trace, and the Daxio Outriders have been searching fruitlessly for her for years. While the characters are in {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio}, a scout returns with breathless news of vampire attacks in remote settlements in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. General Elle Gorgofon suspects a trap, but has no choice but to mobilize the Aegis Regiment\u2014and the characters, if they accept her offer of 5,000 gp\u2014to hunt the monster down.",
												"Little do they know that, while the Aegis Regiment is away, the vampire's minions hidden in {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} will come out to play."
											],
											"id": "158"
										}
									],
									"id": "157"
								}
							],
							"id": "156"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Gatshadow",
							"page": 95,
							"entries": [
								"The mighty mountain known as {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} is a spire of death that looms over the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} sees it always upon the horizon, and the most vicious monsters of the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} grow cruel in its fell shadow. Folkloric tales about the evil powers within {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} are told in all cultures of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}: stories of {@creature giant spider|MM|giant spiders} in the forest, of beings of pure shadow that dwell within the mountain's tunnels, and of the tunnels themselves, which are so labyrinthine and shifting that no one who enters will ever escape. These days, most of these stories are told to keep children from wandering into the forest alone\u2014but they are far from simply children's tales.",
								"{@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} was transformed into a place of evil in the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. Acek Orattim, a priest of the Betrayer God known as the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}, made the mountain his seat of power. The {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Oblivion's} inexorable might corrupted the mountain, stretching its stone-like putty until it was a jagged needle that towered over all other mountains, and etching a mind-bending labyrinth of twisting passages into the mountain's heart.",
								"Acek spread the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|The Chained Oblivion} nihilistic despair across the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} and the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} below. All bowed before their influence their minds lost to unfathomable contemplation of the end of all things. Untold thousands died at the hands of Acek and his god, willingly entering {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}\u2014which then became their tomb.",
								"The bitter cold of oblivion threatened to consume the land, but it was repulsed by the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} and his warriors of light. The {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} struck a telling blow against the Oblivion, and doggedly pursued as it retreated to {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}. He shackled and banished the god of the end within {@book Gatshadow's|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} depths. It was said that Acek's mind and spirit were so saturated with his master's essence that the god's banishment tore his body asunder. Today, only the empty maze of deadly chambers and traps remain beneath the mountain, forgotten and awaiting discovery.",
								"The high bluffs of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} have in recent years been the home of many a villain, most recently Umbrasyl the Hope Devourer, the black dragon of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. Legend says that {@book Gatshadow's|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} interior tunnels spiral infinitely downwards, into a void of utter darkness. Immortal, white-eyed devotees of the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Oblivion} pace endlessly into {@book Gatshadow's|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} tunnels, carrying lightless torches, whispering that the secret to freeing their god from the Divine Gate is sealed in the depths below. The stone doors that bar entrance to {@book Gatshadow's|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} lowest reaches are sealed by magic so great, even the most inquisitive of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} can't breach them\u2014and it is well that they cannot, for who knows what terror would be unleashed if they were opened.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gatshadow Adventures",
									"page": 95,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Blood of the Dragon (high-level)",
											"page": 95,
											"entries": [
												"The body of the {@creature ancient black dragon} Umbrasyl was never recovered. Some think that's a waste of a perfectly good business opportunity\u2014after all, a black dragon's bones are a potent alchemical reagent, and its scales stronger than any steel.",
												"However, there's a reason no one has dared to recover the Hope Devourer's corpse. When Umbrasyl died, the caustic acid and magical blood within his body seeped through the caverns of Upper {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}, devouring stone and transforming the mountain's upper levels into a vitriolic maze teeming with oozes, half-black dragon warriors, and the restless spirits of {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} from the Herd of Storms that failed to kill the dragon."
											],
											"id": "15b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "No Lights in the Darkness (epic-level)",
											"page": 95,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} were banished to their planes of eternal imprisonment, but something has upset the laws of the planes. A being called the Nameless\u2014supposedly a cultist of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}\u2014has stolen her master's secret knowledge and fled to {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} in search of the tortured spirit of Acek Orattim. Agents of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} have sensed that the lower gates of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} have been breached, and frantically call for Tal'Dorei's greatest heroes to rush to the evil mountain. As the characters hurry to the bottom of the mind-sundering labyrinth within, they discover that they race against not only the new Herald of Oblivion, but also the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants} she betrayed."
											],
											"id": "15c"
										}
									],
									"id": "15a"
								}
							],
							"id": "159"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Jorenn Village",
							"page": 96,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Large Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 2,480 (64% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 9% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 7% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 7% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 13% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"For many years, Jorenn Village was just a tiny pioneer town trying to profit from the shadegrass of the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills}. Over the past century, the village has exploded in size and population, after plentiful silver veins were discovered within the nearby rocky hills.",
								"Hardworking common folk and opportunistic prospectors alike flocked to Jorenn, despite its unsettling proximity to the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills}. Jorenn is far enough away from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} that the influence of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} rarely touches it, giving opportunists and outlaws freedom to subvert and control both the village government and the local economy. Thirty years ago, a small circle of vigilantes and mercenaries declared themselves protectors of Jorenn, and took the name Shadewatch, hunting and slaying creeping dangers in the night and returning to great fanfare. Over the past three decades, others seeking fame and glory joined the ranks of the Shadewatch, and the group ballooned into the unofficial town law enforcement.",
								"The Shadewatch is deeply corrupt, and it has been almost since its first year. The vigilantes personally stoke the fires of fear, all while demanding increasingly galling tribute for their services\u2014and breaking kneecaps if they don't get it. Today, the people of Jorenn are just as afraid of the Shadewatch as they are of the creatures the watch keeps at bay.",
								"The Shadewatch is a minor organization in the grand scheme of things, but Shademaster Arhanna Lewyn has grand ambitions. She has sent messages to every faction in Tal'Dorei, from the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} to the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, with an interest in cruel subterfuge. It's clear that she's planning something: every night, she consults a ball of polished white quartz, and every week she sends a trio of her agents to the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills}\u2014or to the base of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Jorenn Village Adventures",
									"page": 96,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in Jorenn Village can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "An Offer You Can't Refuse (low-level)",
											"page": 96,
											"entries": [
												"The characters are attacked by a group of {@creature worg|MM|worgs}, and more just keep coming. Just as they're about to be completely overwhelmed, they're saved by a sudden volley of black-feathered bolts! Six thugs join the battle and \"rescue\" the characters by driving off the remaining {@creature worg|MM|worgs}. These Shadewatch \"officers\" ask for the characters' names first, then brusquely declare that they like their moxie. They offer the characters a position in their force back in Jorenn, with unbelievable pay: 50 gp a day each.",
												"If this deal sounds too good to be true, that's because it is: the Shademaster needs strong-willed sacrifices if she's to open the gates of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}, a feat she can accomplish by teleporting up to twelve creatures into the depths of the mountain with her whispering quartz orb."
											],
											"id": "15f"
										}
									],
									"id": "15e"
								}
							],
							"id": "15d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Kraghammer",
							"page": 96,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 73,550 (73% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 8% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 5% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 14% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Dozens of dwarven redoubts rose and fell in the tunnels beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, and in the uncertain years that followed it. Legend holds that a great civilization called Uthtor once reigned supreme in the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, and that all of the deep settlements are fragments of Uthtor's glory, fractured by the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. Over the centuries, these fragments divided and coalesced dozens of times until, finally, those who remained came together to create Kraghammer.",
								"Clan Jaggenstrike united thousands of {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, and other dwellers of the deep halls in the creation of Kraghammer. Having quietly died out centuries ago, the clan now holds a position of mythic reverence within the city. Kraghammer's founding was dedicated to the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}, divine creator of the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} and patron of creation and ingenuity. This god's industrious spirit filled the people of Kraghammer and blessed them with rich veins of {@item platinum|PHB}, mithral, adamantine, and other precious metals that have sustained them since the city's founding.",
								"An ominous walk of a thousand stairs climbs the side of the mountain to the gates of the city\u2014carved from the mountain itself, just wide enough for two {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} to walk abreast. With the path too steep and treacherous for carts or common beasts of burden to traverse, traders and trappers use {@creature giant goat|MM|giant goats} to transport their goods to and from market, while wealthy dwarven merchant lords employ serfs and laborers to carry their goods. Kraghammer's impenetrable adamantine gates stand at the end of a perilous bridge overlooking a hundred-foot chasm, guarded by three watchtowers carved directly into the mountain.",
								"Within those gates, the massive stronghold is made up of three cylindrical levels called \"slabs\" that descend deep beneath the mountains. Kraghammer's granite walls are lit by roaring fires, enchanted torches, and shimmering candlerock, which glows with internal fire. Even when the evening fires are extinguished, the amber light of the Bronzegrip Metalworks at the base of the city bathes Kraghammer in its warm glow.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 96,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} law is written by a consortium of the five most powerful houses within the city, each appointing a delegate to serve on their behalf. That tenuous union of houses is kept by the city's executive officer, the Ironkeeper. The Ironkeeper is elected by the houses and carries a term of ten years, with no term limit, though most Ironkeepers contain their rule to three to five terms.",
										"The current sitting Ironkeeper is {@book Palluda of House Zuurthom|TDCSR|2|Ironkeeper Palluda Zuurthom}. She rose to prominence advocating for the rights of workers in the wake of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, and is a strong advocate for uniting with the Republic of Tal'Dorei to strengthen their might against future supernatural threats. She is sitting comfortably in the midst of her second term and enjoys strong support from members of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} working class\u2014and staunch opposition from traditionalists, who cling to the city's fading culture of {@book isolationism|TDCSR|3|Isolation of Kraghammer}.",
										"The laws of the city are enforced by a military class of elite warriors called Carvers that act as guards, soldiers, and jailers under the guidance of the Ironkeeper. Becoming a Carver is a lengthy, rigorous, and taxing pursuit, and many who choose to join fail to complete their training.",
										"Most who join the Carvers are {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} from families with centuries of history within the Carvers. This isn't just because of the pressure to uphold their family's honor. Most hopefuls are also those who value {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} ancient traditions and rigid social order\u2014a set of beliefs largely held by dwarven clans with long family histories. Once officially named, a Carver is given a homestead built into the center slab of the city, a set of immaculate armor and weapons, and a steady income.",
										"In the years following the defeat of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, the famously {@book isolationist|TDCSR|3|Isolation of Kraghammer} and xenophobic houses conceded to formally make an alliance with the Republic of Tal'Dorei. An ambassador from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} now sits on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, and rumors are beginning to circulate within the city that the heads of the Great {@book Houses of Kraghammer|TDCSR|2|Houses of Kraghammer} are in talks with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} to make {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} an official constituent city-state of the republic."
									],
									"id": "161"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-KraghammerMap.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
									"altText": "A cross-sectioned map of Kraghammer showing the underground network of dwarfish tunnels beneath the mountain. On top is The Arch, the middle is The Heart, the bottom is The Pit, with Keenstone Quarry below that. Much further down are the Emberhold and Yug'voril.",
									"imageType": "map",
									"grid": {
										"type": "none"
									},
									"mapName": "The City of Kraghammer",
									"width": 850,
									"height": 2307,
									"id": "2d2"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Isolation of Kraghammer",
									"page": 97,
									"entries": [
										"It's not easy being an outsider. {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} has long been a city of {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, for {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, and anyone else within the city is an interloper. Some traditionalists within the city still think that surface-born folk should spend as little time in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} as possible, so as not to dilute the ancient splendor of their culture.",
										"Yet times are changing. A coalition of people, ranging from {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} to {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} to traditionally surface-dwelling people who have made {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} their home, have demanded that the Great Houses amend the city's most xenophobic laws. Despite the angry protestations of the city's most bigoted {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, the Great Houses have acquiesced to the requests of their people. This is due in no small part to these protestors having the support of the current Ironkeeper\u2014{@book Palluda Zuurthrom|TDCSR|2|Ironkeeper Palluda Zuurthom} has long been a proponent of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} entering the Republic of Tal'Dorei and ending their centuries of relative isolation.",
										"No non-dwarf has ever served as a delegate of the houses, let alone the Ironkeeper. Progress is slow, especially in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, but it is happening. The most despicable of the city's xenophobes have left of their own volition, creating other dwarven settlements throughout the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} where they can keep to themselves and \"their own kind\" in peace."
									],
									"id": "162"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 98,
									"entries": [
										"Citizens of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} who visit {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} often marvel at how lawful and organized the dwarven enclave is. Crime is ostensibly low within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} thanks to the Carvers' protection, but this peace comes at a cost. Crime is low because the courts of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} almost always reach a guilty verdict. As a long-lived and durable people, most {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, particularly those with a family reputation to uphold, would rather plead guilty and endure years, even decades, of hard labor than disturb the fabric of their society by fighting conviction.",
										"Beyond this, corruption is rife within the Carvers, and they are able to brutalize even innocent people with relative impunity. This corruption is shielded from public scrutiny by the vast wealth and political influence of House Glorendar, their patron house. Because of Glorendar's close ties with the Carvers (and the mutual benefits thereof), corruption has been hard to uncover within either organization.",
										"Over twenty years ago, however, a gnomish journalist named Ida Mudrake uncovered something damning within the vaults of House Glorendar, bringing some hope that change may yet move steadily forward. She has been forced to flee the city and now lives with a security detail in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, but she works tirelessly to bring the crimes of House Glorendar to light. Many in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} hope that this evidence, whatever it is, will shake both Glorendar and the Carvers to their foundations. Many more fear that even true justice is not worth the chaos that bringing Glorendar's misdeeds to light will cause."
									],
									"id": "163"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography and Climate",
									"page": 98,
									"entries": [
										"Though the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} themselves are blanketed in thick snow, the bone-piercing chill does not extend into {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} itself. Heat from the Bronzegrip Metalworks and the other blast furnaces in the Bottom Slab rises and permeates the entire city, though the Top Slab still grows cold in the winter. The city itself is carved out of the granite core of Mount {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}; though the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} rarely see the night sky, the inner walls still sparkle like starlight in the amber glow of the furnaces.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Top Slab",
											"page": 98,
											"entries": [
												"Also called the Arch, this uppermost tier is the entry level of the city, built on a massive ring. Like a hub with many spokes, countless neighborhoods and tunnels spread out from the Top Slab. A fine layer of soot tends to coat much of this slab, due to imperfect ventilation from the industrious center slab; despite this, this level is where most people make their homes, with thousands of stone-built abodes dotting the walls, while popular taverns like the trendy Firebrook Inn and the historic but austere Ironhearth Tavern fill alcoves pushed into the rock. For hundreds of years, most non-dwarves within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} were relegated to living in a Top Slab neighborhood called the \"Otherwalk.\" These days, non-dwarves live all over the city, and the Otherwalk has been renamed the Cavernwalk. It's still mostly inhabited by non-dwarves, and it has a vibrant culture all its own.",
												"As members of the {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} working class, \"Topslabbers\" either make the long commute to labor in the Bottom Slab or work in the Toppers' farms above the mountain. Others are indentured servants to wealthy {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} in the Middle Slab, and only return to their families on the Top Slab on their monthly day of rest."
											],
											"id": "165"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Center Slab",
											"page": 98,
											"entries": [
												"Also referred to as the Heart, this middle tier is the widest and most varied rung on the journey through {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. It is stratified between the residences of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} old money (its long-established noble houses), and the new (the wealthy merchant class). At the exact center of the slab is the Pyrethrone, seat of the Ironkeeper. The geometric symbolism of the Pyrethrone being at the dead center of the city is a fact most visitors to {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} hear ad nauseum. Radiating out from the Pyrethrone are the various fortress-manors of the dwarven noble houses, with several Carver barracks in easy reach.",
												"Below, the outer rings of the Center Slab are occupied by most of the city's non-mining businesses, from smithies, breweries, and jewelers, to tailors, butchers, and tinkerers like the {@book Cracksackle Union|TDCSR|3|Cracksackle Guildhall (Middle Slab)}. The Hunter's Club is also well known as the chief provider for non-imported meats to the city, sending parties into the mountains or the nearby {@book Torian Forest|TDCSR|3|Torian Forest} for wild game. The extravagant marble temple known as {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer's Will} stands on the center slab of the city, the grandest of all shrines to the most worshipped deity under the mountain. Enormous in size and impeccable in both detail and architectural design, this hall calls to artisans and crafters throughout the city for inspiration.",
												"Of the five noble houses, only two conduct their affairs entirely in the Center Slab. The magically talented Lord Steddos Thunderbrand and his family are known to rarely leave their mansion, except on business with the Ironkeeper. Wallera Glorendar used to oversee the combat training of all Carvers within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, but hasn't been seen in public for twenty years. Her daughter, Kazya, runs all her affairs within the public eye."
											],
											"id": "166"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Bottom Slab",
											"page": 99,
											"entries": [
												"Best known as the Pit, this tier is the industrious powerhouse of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, boasting the most forges per square mile of any location in Tal'Dorei, courtesy of the Bronzegrip Metalworks and their competitors. Most of these forges are potent, highly industrialized, and mechanized blast furnaces. The expansive {@book Keenstone Quarry|TDCSR|3|Keenstone Quarry (Bottom Slab)} is chief among the numerous mining operations that have tunneled through the depths of the mountains\u2014depths whose true dangers are obscured by centuries of legend, and therefore not fully understood.",
												"A network of fungus-farming paths called the Glowgrove works its way around this level, passing through all sorts of caverns. The mushrooms are harvested by the Toppers, the dwarven agricultural league that got their name from the small topside farms they tend above the city.",
												"Three of the five dwarven houses have business interests in the Bottom Slab, though they direct its operations from the next tier up. {@book Nostoc Greyspine|TDCSR|2|Lord Nostoc Greyspine} is the grim overseer of {@book Keenstone Quarry|TDCSR|3|Keenstone Quarry (Bottom Slab)}. Haddi Bronzegrip is the foredwarf of the Bronzegrip Metalworks; she claims to be the wealthiest dwarf in the North, a claim no one has ever been able to successfully dispute. Blenton Zuurthom is an architectural savant, and one of the older and kinder noble {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}; he tries his best to oversee every major construction project in the Bottom Slab.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-KraghammerForge.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Brian Syme|https://artstation.com/bryansyme}",
													"altText": "Two individuals hammer on an anvil at the base of a large, black forge which looms over them. The glow of flames emanate from four faces carved into the designs of the forge and several vents.",
													"width": 608,
													"height": 1655
												}
											],
											"id": "167"
										}
									],
									"id": "164"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Points of Interest",
									"page": 99,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} has a number of famous landmarks, as well as a few mythic locations said to exist in the caverns beneath the city, as depicted on its map.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Starshrine (Top Slab)",
											"page": 99,
											"entries": [
												"Most {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} worship the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer}, and his teachings of community and ancestral piety have been all but completely subsumed into {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} culture at large. For outlanders with different faiths, however, the monolithic religious culture can feel inescapable. Shrines to all the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} have spread throughout {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} since the fall of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, but the Starshrine was the first.",
												"When the world trembled at the might of {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}, tremors rocked the upper layers of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, causing certain caverns to collapse\u2014and in some cases, to reveal places of great beauty. The Starshrine is a vast grotto whose granite walls mysteriously sparkle with a perfect replica of the stars in the night sky. It can be found within the Top Slab's culturally diverse Cavernwalk district. Once per year, when a character prays to one of the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} here, there is a {@chance 1||Starshrine Prayer|Your prayer is answered!|Your prayer goes unanswered.} chance per character level that their prayer is answered, as the cleric's {@classFeature Divine Intervention|Cleric|PHB|10|PHB} class feature."
											],
											"id": "169"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cracksackle Guildhall (Middle Slab)",
											"page": 100,
											"entries": [
												"The headquarters of the Cracksackle Union looks unlike anything in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. It's made of a dozen glistening steel domes, like sleek, metal igloos, and the light of unusual experiments flicker through its slitted windows at all hours of the night. Most within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} consider the building an eyesore, but all interested in technological tinkering and ingenuity love it for its uniqueness. If nothing else, it plainly displays the oft-baffling ingenuity of its tinkerers.",
												"The Cracksackle Union was founded by gnomish refugees from {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} nearly four hundred years ago. While intrinsically tied to the Bronzegrip Metalworks for resources, contacts, and distribution, the Cracksacklers have made themselves indispensable to the dwarven elite with their inventive contributions to mining and masonry technology.",
												"On any working day, a dozen tinkerers, many of them {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, will set up shop in the courtyard, selling strange and untested devices they have made in their workshops. The GM determines which non-magical curiosities can be purchased here, but some include:",
												{
													"type": "table",
													"caption": "Cracksackle Wares",
													"colLabels": [
														"Item",
														"Cost",
														"Description"
													],
													"colStyles": [
														"col-3",
														"col-2",
														"col-7"
													],
													"rows": [
														[
															"{@item Dynamite|TDCSR}",
															"100gp",
															"This bundle of explosives can be lit and thrown up to 30 feet as an action. It explodes at the start of your next turn. Creatures and objects within 20 feet of it must make a {@dc 12} Dexterity {@quickref saving throws|PHB|2|1|saving throw}, taking {@damage 6d6} fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one."
														],
														[
															"{@item Gluebomb|TDCSR}",
															"50gp",
															"This unique explosive can be primed and thrown up to 30 feet as an action. It explodes on impact. Creatures within 20 feet of it must make a {@dc 12} Dexterity {@quickref saving throws|PHB|2|1|saving throw} or be {@condition restrained} for 1 minute. A {@condition restrained} creature can make a {@dc 12} Strength check as an action, escaping on a success."
														],
														[
															"{@item Stink bomb|TDCSR}",
															"25gp",
															"This smelly explosive can be primed and thrown up to 30 feet as an action. It explodes at the start of your next turn. Creatures within 20 feet of it must make a {@dc 12} Constitution {@quickref saving throws|PHB|2|1|saving throw} or be {@condition poisoned} for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success."
														]
													]
												}
											],
											"id": "16a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Keenstone Quarry (Bottom Slab)",
											"page": 100,
											"entries": [
												"Despite all of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} wondrous crafts and goods, its most significant export is raw stone\u2014most of which is excavated from Keenstone Quarry, making the quarry's overseer, {@book Nostoc Greyspine|TDCSR|2|Lord Nostoc Greyspine}, a very rich dwarf indeed. As the legend of Vox Machina spread across Tal'Dorei, {@book Overseer Greyspine|TDCSR|2|Lord Nostoc Greyspine} got an idea: open the quarry to adventurers. Vox Machina famously entered the vast network of dangerous tunnels beneath {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} from a fissure at the depths of the quarry, and countless imitators have tried to follow in their footsteps\u2014some emerging with fabulous treasure, but most never returning at all.",
												"To take advantage of this opportunity, {@book Greyspine|TDCSR|2|Lord Nostoc Greyspine} has advertised the quarry far and wide as the \"Gateway to the Depths,\" and posted an entrance fee of 25 gp per adventurer. Of course, neither {@book Greyspine|TDCSR|2|Lord Nostoc Greyspine} nor the staff of the quarry bears any liability for death, dismemberment, or emotional trauma sustained with the depths."
											],
											"id": "16b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Hall of Burning Mushrooms",
											"page": 100,
											"entries": [
												"The Bronzegrip Metalworks just carved deeper into the mountain to expand their furnaces, only to discover the most magnificent cavern: a mile-wide cave filled with bioluminescent purple mushrooms. Industry had to move in, and the Bronzegrips hired Wyrmhide Thunderbrand and his pyromancer brigade to torch the cavern. The mushrooms never stopped burning, and the {@creature myconid adult|MM|myconids} that lived in the fungal forest never stopped fighting. Characters known within {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} may be requested by House Bronzegrip or Thunderbrand to cut through the inferno and destroy the {@creature myconid Sovereign|MM|myconid monarch}."
											],
											"id": "16c"
										}
									],
									"id": "168"
								}
							],
							"id": "160"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Emberhold",
							"page": 100,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 21,180 (73% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 15% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 12% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"A passage from the {@book Keenstone Quarry|TDCSR|3|Keenstone Quarry (Bottom Slab)} in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} leads below the earth. Deep. Deeper. Until the light of day is entirely gone, and then deeper still. Across chasms miles-deep and full of magma, beneath great hanging gardens of glowing {@item malachite}, lies the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold}. It stares imperiously over an underground kingdom of the {@creature duergar}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who long ago broke away from the rule of the Great {@book Houses of Kraghammer|TDCSR|2|Houses of Kraghammer}.",
								"Millennia of fear and superstition have turned the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} into bitter, fearful enemies of their estranged kin. Untold dozens of duergar villages span the glassy lava-plains that the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} is built upon, with mighty armies constantly coming and going, sometimes returning with just a few bloody survivors, other times returning with captives in chains\u2014and other times returning not at all.",
								"The {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} rarely rise to the surface; they have lived so long in the darkest depths of the earth that the light of the sun sears their eyes and prickles their skin. Few ever arise even to {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, for they are taught that only death awaits them there. Nevertheless, many duergar doubt the narrative that has been fed to them since birth, and make attempts to escape to the surface. Those duergar that have left the ways of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} behind and learned of the outside world have remarked how unbelievable it is that their people were so misled by lies about the barbaric cruelty of surface-dwellers.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 101,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} and the towns that serve as its vassals are ruled by an absolute monarch. The current King of Embers is the wrathful King Thangrul II. He rules through fear and conquest, spreading his armies to the farthest corners of Tal'Dorei's underground caverns in the name of the {@deity The Crawling King|Exandria|TDCSR|Crawling King}.",
										"Thangrul's rule is supported by a contingent of {@creature drow|MM|dark elves} from their decadent, alien domain of {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak}. Most in Thangrul's court know well enough to mistrust these ambassadors of the far-flung caverns, for their minds have been twisted by the influence of not just the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}, but also the aberrations with whom they have made strange alliances in order to sustain their power. Thangrul himself cares little for his advisors' mistrust of his elven allies and openly declares that he will make use of them as long as they are useful.",
										"Vox Machina's assault of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} over twenty years ago cost the duergar their king and queen, but rumors of a lost princess of Ember have begun to circulate through the realm, and the survivors of Vox Machina's raid have rebuilt their hierarchy and continued their endless war of conquest throughout the depths."
									],
									"id": "16e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography",
									"page": 101,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} itself is a fortress built of black stone and {@item obsidian}, framed by rivers of molten rock and surrounded by a massive city of ramshackle dwellings and towers that mark the boundaries of its peoples' domain."
									],
									"id": "16f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Emberhold Adventures",
									"page": 101,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Lost Heir (mid-level)",
											"page": 101,
											"entries": [
												"King Murghol of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} was killed in combat by {@creature Scanlan Shorthalt|TDCSR}, gnome bard of Vox Machina, and his wife, Queen Ulara, was slain by the aberrant tyrant K'Varn. All of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} knows that the King and Queen had a young daughter\u2014only six years old at the time of their death\u2014but none seem interested in seeking {@book Emberhold's|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} missing heir. The new king, Thangrul II, grows particularly fiery whenever anyone mentions her name in his presence."
											],
											"id": "171"
										}
									],
									"id": "170"
								}
							],
							"id": "16d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Yug'Voril",
							"page": 101,
							"entries": [
								"Where the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} whisper fearful words of the {@creature duergar}, so too do the {@creature duergar} whisper of Yug'Voril. Beneath the deep {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} fiery kingdom, ever deeper into the heart of Exandria, there is a miles-wide grotto coated in glowing crystal. A lake fills the grotto, its surface so smooth and placid it seems like a {@item jade} mirror, perfectly reflecting the light of the crystals around it. In the middle of the lake is an island, atop which loom the grand, austere towers of Yug'Voril.",
								"The clean lines and beautiful facade of the city belie its current, abominable denizens.",
								"Thousands of years old, the builders and previous occupants have long vanished, leaving the unspoiled ruins to become home to a host of {@creature mind flayer|MM|psychic, mind-eating creatures} from a plane beyond the boundaries of reality. The tyrannical society of these alien creatures flourishes here, far from their cosmic pursuers, giving them the freedom to build a legion of thralls: mind-slaves whose delicious brains are allowed to remain in their bodies...until those bodies fall apart from toil.",
								"Yug'Voril and {@creature mind flayer|MM|its inhabitants} fell recently under the control of the extraplanar aberration called K'Varn, before he was slain by Vox Machina. Now that the {@creature mind flayer|MM|alien mind-eaters} have been freed from K'Varn's tyranny, they have reclaimed Yug'Voril as their own and have continued work on their strange and terrible plots.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Yug'Voril Adventures",
									"page": 101,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Yug'Voril|TDCSR|3|Yug'Voril} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste (high-level)",
											"page": 101,
											"entries": [
												"Four of the foremost minds at {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} have disappeared without a trace. All vanished on the same night, and there have been no confirmed sightings since. Investigations have been underway for several months, and some {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} have recently reported seeing four figures that could be the missing scholars entering the lower passages of the {@book Keenstone Mine|TDCSR|3|Keenstone Quarry (Bottom Slab)} under cover of night.",
												"Something has mentally dominated these scholars. The alien inhabitants of {@book Yug'Voril|TDCSR|3|Yug'Voril} hunger for a specific morsel of powerful knowledge within their brilliant minds."
											],
											"id": "174"
										}
									],
									"id": "173"
								}
							],
							"id": "172"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Lyrengorn, the Elvenpeaks",
							"page": 101,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 5,430 (93% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 3% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 2% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 2% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Every year, dozens of travelers from across Tal'Dorei travel past the far northern reaches of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} to see the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} Ribbons twist around the Elvenpeaks, pulled through the sky by those mysterious figures on {@creature wyvern|MM|wyvernback}. The Elvenpeaks are a single mountain split perfectly in the center, with ice-sheeted forests topping both peaks. While the exterior of these forest canopies appears frozen and without life, the interior is instead a warm and humid wood, blooming with flowers of all colors and roamed by living plants and wild game. In the boughs of these thick tropical trees also lives a society of wood {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, some of those wild folk who broke away from Yenlara's pact and the city of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Their city of Lyrengorn\u2014{@i lyren'gorn} literally meaning \"mountain city\" in Elvish\u2014is the last bastion of safety before crossing into the endless ice of the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields} to the north.",
								"These lyren'alfen\u2014\"high {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}\"\u2014call themselves friends of none and enemies of fewer; they welcome all who manage to make it to their home, provided they come in peace, and take no sides in any conflict. In ages past, they were highly sought-after as mercenaries because their warriors had learned the rare art of {@creature wyvern|MM} riding. When Warren {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} legions marched to conquer Tal'Dorei, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of Lyrengorn refused to die for anyone else's war, retreating instead to their mountaintops and lush forests.",
								"Today, few of the lyren'alfen are actually warriors, though many among them are hunters. In the intervening centuries, {@creature wyvern|MM} riding has transformed from a martial art into a ceremonial one; great athletes called skyswimmers train year-round for the annual coming of the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} Ribbons, great streaks of multicolored light that illuminate the northern sky on the winter solstice. The skyswimmers and their {@creature wyvern|MM} {@quickref Mounts and Vehicles|PHB|1|0|mounts} seize the strands of light on their spears and paint radiant, esoteric portraits in the wintry sky, drawing intrepid outsiders from across Tal'Dorei to camp on remote mountains and marvel at their visual poetry.",
								"Beyond the ceremony's artistic merit, it's also a ritual to the goddess known as the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, chief deity of these {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}. The high priestess of the moon claims that the annual rite purifies Lyrengorn and gives the wild {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} long life.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-MoonweaverRibbons.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
									"altText": "A jagged, icy mountain peak looms over a barren, frozen valley as a beautiful, glowing borealis of purple, blue and green twists around itself. In the foreground, a figure in shadow rides a wyvern, twisting the borealis behind them like playing with ribbon.",
									"width": 1278,
									"height": 880
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Lyrengorn Adventures",
									"page": 102,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in Lyrengorn can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Impossible Art (low-level)",
											"page": 102,
											"entries": [
												"While traveling through the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, the cold becomes too much for the characters to bear, and they pass out in the snow. When they awaken, they find themselves being tended to by a trio of Lyrengorn {@creature wyvern|MM} riders, but their roles are suddenly reversed when a massive band of raiders, most of them {@creature goblin|MM|goblins} and human thugs, pincushions the riders in mid-flight. When the characters crash in the snowfields, they find their saviors dead, and must try to learn the impossible art of {@creature wyvern|MM} riding before they are claimed by the blizzard."
											],
											"id": "177"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Incorruptible Light (high-level)",
											"page": 103,
											"entries": [
												"While the characters are in Lyrengorn, they discover a small community of dark elf refugees. They fled here from a monstrous, nameless source of aberrant corruption that has been devouring their society for centuries. The dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} hope that the skyswimmers' ceremony will cleanse them of the corruption and fits of sadistic cruelty that still plague them from their days under the abberrations' terrible thrall. Strange accidents conspire to kill the skyswimmers and the priestesses, and on the day of the solstice, a pair of {@creature beholder|MM|many-eyed aberrations} rise from the depths of the earth and try to bend the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} Ribbons to their evil purposes."
											],
											"id": "178"
										}
									],
									"id": "176"
								}
							],
							"id": "175"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Neverfields",
							"page": 103,
							"entries": [
								"The farther north one goes into the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, the taller the peaks grow and the colder the weather becomes, until the snowstorms are so thick that no human unprepared for their chill can survive. The spiky peaks grow shallow, trading treacherous rock for glacial ice and the untempered fury of endless blizzards. No bastions of living society exist this far north, though some brave, foolish warriors endure the elements here to hunt rare and powerful game or to seek lost relics from before the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}.",
								"Legends tell of a time when this region was green and temperate, when trees and joyous elven enclaves covered the land. Moreover, these tales say that relics of this elysian era are still buried deep beneath the icy wastes. Many that go seeking answers to these rumors never return. The few that do, however, occasionally emerge with artifacts of intense power and mystery, reigniting interest in the region and sending further generations to their doom among the ancient, ice-rimed ruins and plains of endless glacial wasteland.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Neverfields Adventures",
									"page": 103,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Seed of Life (mid-level)",
											"page": 103,
											"entries": [
												"Heroes of Tal'Dorei who have made themselves known to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} may suddenly find themselves contacted by {@book Verdant Lord Celindar|TDCSR|2|Verdant Lord Celindar}, leader of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} armies. His report is grim: the warding trees of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} no longer protect the city; in fact, some have turned against it. The {@creature treant|MM|treants} that once defended the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} have grown pale and sickly, and are now attacking the elvenguard. {@book Celindar|TDCSR|2|Verdant Lord Celindar} beseeches the characters to meet with his counterpart in Lyrengorn, Skyblade Hali Instralidar, who has been surveying the ice fields of the north for centuries. Why? Because elven legend speaks of the Seed of Life, the last bloom of an ancient {@creature treant} named Cedargaunt, which may restore the withered treants' senses. The Seed of Life is worn on the neck of a {@creature frost giant|MM} jarl's pet {@creature remorhaz} within the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}."
											],
											"id": "17b"
										}
									],
									"id": "17a"
								}
							],
							"id": "179"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Othendin Pass",
							"page": 103,
							"entries": [
								"This massive valley carved into the southwest section of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} was, in ancient times, the territory of {@creature stone giant} clans that warred with the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. After the arrival of humanity on Tal'Dorei's shores, the people of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and the new settlers of {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)} banded together and pushed deep into the mineral-rich valley.",
								"The {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants} fought back, but they were overwhelmed by the might of their combined foe. They retreated to their caves higher into the mountains to the northeast, and have rarely been seen by humanoids in the centuries since. This allowed the forces of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to claim the resources and land of the Othendin Pass for its people, establishing {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} to defend it.",
								"However, the population of deadly landsharks\u2014creatures called {@creature bulette|MM|bulettes}\u2014native to the region has been on the rise. Some say it's because the giants who hunted them were driven away, but since the giants have been gone for a century, few can understand why the landsharks are only taking over now. The miners, gatherers, and passing travelers do their best to cull the {@creature bulette} population both on their own and with the help of hired adventurers, but they can only ever hope to keep the deadly monsters at bay.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Othendin Pass Adventures",
									"page": 103,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Othendin Pass|TDCSR|3|Othendin Pass} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Bite the Bulette (mid-level)",
											"page": 103,
											"entries": [
												"A druidic order called the Stoneherders, made up mostly of {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants} and {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, have taken up residence in an important choke point of the {@book Othendin Pass|TDCSR|3|Othendin Pass}. They claim that they are the Stoneherders, a great druidic order that keeps the balance between civilization and nature in the north. {@book Fort Daxio's|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} military presence in the pass has kept them away for several generations, but an unusual rise in the {@creature bulette} population has forced them to return.",
												"The Stoneherders' plan to thin the {@creature bulette} herd requires the characters' aid in rounding up the deadly creatures; once they have been assembled, the Stoneherders will tame as many as they can and move them elsewhere in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. Those that can't be tamed will be relocated to other parts of the mountains, where they can be hunted again."
											],
											"id": "17e"
										}
									],
									"id": "17d"
								}
							],
							"id": "17c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Palace of Wonder",
							"page": 104,
							"entries": [
								"In the desolate and uninhabited northwestern reaches of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} stands a ruined citadel. All that remains of it are crumbling walls, half-beaten to dust by the unrelenting winds of the mountains, and one forlorn tower, its turret torn asunder to reveal the mildewed, rain-fattened wooden beams within. This ruin, a relic of the early days of {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} settlement and a panoply of forgotten wars, is all but forgotten by the people of Tal'Dorei. Few explorers travel these wind-scarred peaks, or the storm-beaten northwestern coast of Tal'Dorei. The citadel itself is wracked by the elements, while the shoreline and the mountains beyond it are prowled by territorial elementals that brook no intrusions.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Secrets of the Citadel",
									"page": 104,
									"entries": [
										"The ruined citadel that overlooks this treacherous landscape is far more than meets the eye. In truth, it is the headquarters of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. The power-hungry spellwrights who make up the league's upper echelons call this castle the Palace of Wonder. A crumbling but entirely illusory edifice has replaced the derelict fortress, maintained by the league to deter curiosity and avoid notice.",
										"Beneath this arcane façade, the Palace of Wonder truly lives up to its name. The palace is made up of five wings, each of which has a dedicated {@spell teleportation circle}:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Halls of Splendor",
											"page": 104,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} is in the business of good first impressions. Though the Palace of Wonder is a secret to the people of Tal'Dorei, the spellwrights occasionally teleport particularly powerful mercenary mages to their home base in order to dazzle them with the castle's splendors. The palace's ground floor is made of a number of interconnected grand halls, awash in a tide of splendid, vibrant colors\u2014bordering on garish\u2014that crashes over all who enter.",
												"These many grand dining, entertaining, and performance halls are gleaming spectacles of white marble, decorated by sparkling globes of magical light, and festooned with self-indulgent tapestries of the spellwrights' many dubious achievements. Any intruders here without the express permission of at least one spellwright will find themselves beset by a small army of {@creature animated armor|MM|animated armors} and other constructs\u2014including a {@creature platinum golem|TDCSR} that watches over the front entrance."
											],
											"id": "181"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Bowers of Recovery",
											"page": 104,
											"entries": [
												"The second floor of the palace is a verdant paradise, with vibrant plants curling around the castle's stately stone architecture. Most spellwrights have their quarters in this wing, which is protected by powerful enchantments that give life to the plants. All who enter here without a spellwright escort are viewed by the living plants as a tasty snack.",
												"This wing of the palace also includes a three-tiered conference chamber where all twenty-four spellwrights can gather to discuss matters of import. In the center of the chamber is a pedestal, upon which sits a humanoid mask of gleaming mithral. When the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}, the league's mysterious leader, wishes to deliver a proclamation to the spellwrights, their voice emanates from this mask."
											],
											"id": "182"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Towers of Farsight",
											"page": 104,
											"entries": [
												"The pinnacle of the palace is made up of four sky-scraping towers that gaze out over the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}\u2014and all of Exandria. These private studies are the personal quarters of four of the league's chief spellwrights, and they are equipped with all manner of {@spell scrying} crystals and tools of clairvoyance, clairaudience, and far-speech."
											],
											"id": "183"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dungeons of Despair",
											"page": 104,
											"entries": [
												"Woe betide the prisoners of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, who are left to rot in the cells beneath their palace. The warden of this dungeon is an infallible {@creature mage hunter golem|TDCSR}, and each cell is equipped with shackles that inhibit the spellcasting capabilities of anyone in their grasp. Instruments of unspeakable arcane torture litter these dungeons, capable of instilling endless pain, and even extracting the very soul from one's body. The shackled spirits of those who have died by this last vile torment serve eternally as the guardians of the palace dungeons."
											],
											"id": "184"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cradle of the Adranach",
											"page": 104,
											"entries": [
												"Winding about the palace dungeons are a network of twisting passages illuminated by glaring, magical lights. These forking tunnels shift daily, and the secret to navigating them is a mark visible only under the power of a {@spell true seeing} spell. Within these passages are a dozen laboratories stocked with the tools needed for the spellwrights to dream up new potions and spells. Some they sell at extravagant cost to the governments and militias of towns and cities across Tal'Dorei\u2014but the best they keep for themselves, to wield against the factions they manipulate from the shadows, should they ever grow unruly.",
												"At the deepest point of the tunnels is the Cradle of the Adranach, a unique arcane laboratory where all spellwrights are initiated. Here, they craft an {@creature adranach|TDCSR}, a construct of mithral and astral energy that serves as a loyal servant\u2014and that unmistakably marks its creator as a spellwright of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}."
											],
											"id": "185"
										}
									],
									"id": "180"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gathering the Spellwrights",
									"page": 104,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Palace of Wonder|TDCSR|3|Palace of Wonder} is almost never empty, for at least one of its twenty-four spellwrights must always remain within its walls to protect it. Many more spellwrights frequently return by means of the palace's {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|teleportation circles}, or upon the back of their personal {@creature adranach|TDCSR|adranachs}, to take advantage of its magical equipment and nigh-impenetrable defenses.",
										"At times, all spellwrights are requested to return to the palace at the behest of one of the four chief spellwrights, but unless one's presence is demanded by name, these summons are not mandatory. The one summon which cannot be refused, however, is the annual calling of the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker}. The nameless, faceless leader of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} holds a near-prophetic sway over the spellwrights that cannot be understated. When all twenty-four spellwrights are gathered within the conference chamber, the {@book Wonderworker|TDCSR|2|The Wonderworker} intones a slew of cryptic yet unquestionable commandments that all of their followers must interpret and obey to the best of their ability."
									],
									"id": "186"
								}
							],
							"id": "17f"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Pools of Wittebak",
							"page": 105,
							"entries": [
								"Wittebak was once a peaceful city of three thousand or more rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, a safe haven for the small ones that was built into the mountain rock and heated by a series of geothermal pools. The Wittebak {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} weathered great wars by not getting involved, investing in contraptions and laughter rather than wars and empires. They found joy in inventing complicated ways to simplify their daily lives. Yet, for all their efforts, trouble eventually came to them.",
								"Around four hundred years ago, a displaced band of {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} found and luxuriated within Wittebak's hot springs and made a homestead on their banks. It is said that Wittebak was founded underneath the full light of Ruidus, for by pure misfortune, a flaw in the stonework of the gnomish city cracked under the force of the giants frolicking within the pools. Worse still, the cave-in did more than simply crush a few buildings beneath. The seismic force of thousands of tons of rock collapsed into the caverns, cracking open buried pockets of volcanic gas.",
								"Over a thousand {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} suffocated that night, or were incinerated in isolated gas explosions. The survivors fled into the mountains, assailed by hungry giants as they ran. The {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} have found unlikely refuge in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, but Wittebak has been abandoned entirely, choked by caustic gas and locked in a terrible moment in time. The ten-times great-grandchildren of the giants that caused the {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} to flee now call the hot springs their ancestral home. To them, it is named Gundergrunch, and they flourish within their unchallenged territory.",
								"Beneath them, the ruins of Wittebak are stratified into three distinct tiers of death and despair.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tinkerer's Tier",
											"page": 105,
											"entries": [
												"This level is relatively unharmed, and the full glory of {@book Wittebak's|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} tinkering shops can be seen here; some even include marvels of technology unseen for centuries. Creatures that need to breathe can survive the gases in the widest, uppermost level for a number of hours equal to their Constitution modifier, and take 3 ({@damage 1d6}) poison damage each minute after that time. The {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} that live within have adapted to the gas and do not fear it."
											],
											"id": "189"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Homesteads",
											"page": 105,
											"entries": [
												"The air in the middle level is heavy with gas, and the quaint gnomish homes on this level are filled with the decomposed remains of those too slow to escape. The entire area is lightly obscured with clouds of gas, and tiny streams of hot water leak from the walls, tumbling into the level below."
											],
											"id": "18a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Engine Core",
											"page": 105,
											"entries": [
												"The bottommost tier is a mechanical marvel, a titanic wheel of rusted iron and shining steel with no known purpose. This level is completely flooded and filled with merrow. It is also the lair of a {@creature sea hag} named Mauvlettir."
											],
											"id": "18b"
										}
									],
									"id": "188"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Pools of Wittebak Adventures",
									"page": 105,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Getting into Gundergrunch (mid-level)",
											"page": 105,
											"entries": [
												"Just getting into {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} is an adventure unto itself. It's nearly impossible to fight through the hundreds of {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} in the hot springs and the Tinkerer's Tier\u2014and even if it weren't, such a fight would be a callous slaughter of countless innocents. Stealth is an option, for the giants take little heed of folk smaller than them. Diplomacy is another option; Gondalorr, prince of the giants, has a tender heart and loves the idea of repatriating {@book Wittebak's|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}. His sister Gondabrau, on the other hand, is cruel, and would like nothing more than to pop wriggling {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} into her mouth as a snack. Cunning adventurers could sneak in with Gondalorr's aid, or even cause chaos in the giant town by playing the siblings against each other."
											],
											"id": "18d"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Truth of the Disaster (mid-level)",
											"page": 105,
											"entries": [
												"Was it truly just by chance that {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} was destroyed? Perhaps there is truth to the rumors that Ruidus, the Moon of Ill Omen, shone brightly above {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} on the night of its founding. The {@creature merrow} that lurk in the Engine Core know nothing, but the {@creature sea hag} who lairs there has an inkling. Delve deeper, and the {@creature aboleth} and its aberrant servitors know more still\u2014a secret that dates back to the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding} itself."
											],
											"id": "18e"
										}
									],
									"id": "18c"
								}
							],
							"id": "187"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Reaching Bluff",
							"page": 105,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 324 (53% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 27% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 3% dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 3% earth {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry}, 14% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"In a small, fertile valley in the northwest of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} is a small village founded by Tal'Dorei homesteaders just ten years ago. This simple settlement is inhabited by hardy folk seeking new places to mine {@item gold|PHB} and {@item iron|PHB} from the earth. Many unpleasant exiles from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} have joined them, so while this village has a charming, rustic atmosphere, few travelers stay for long. The hostility toward outsiders is palpable to all.",
								"This insular attitude has only grown more hostile following the discovery of a gleaming dodecahedron about the size of a human head. One of the miners who unearthed it found that her pickaxe barely scratched its surface\u2014and when struck, it began emanating a radiant, internal golden glow. This mystical object was returned to the village foredwarf, and before the day was out, all the villagers had learned of it. The people of Reaching Bluff call it the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR}, and worship it as a god.",
								"The settlers protect their mysterious beacon with cultish fervor, and Foredwarf Daz, a deceitful dwarf {@creature veteran} with earth {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry}, is willing to murder anyone who tries to probe into their business."
							],
							"id": "18f"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Serpent's Head",
							"page": 106,
							"entries": [
								"{@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} only flew to the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} once during his occupation of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. No one living knows why the nearly invincible {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} left his prized city to attack a single, isolated mountaintop village, but the ruins of {@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head} prove that he did.",
								"{@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head} is a squat mountain in the southern reaches of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. Its people were mostly {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} and {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, miners and farmers. They had no militia to speak of, and most had already evacuated to {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} when news of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} fall reached them\u2014but not everyone.",
								"The village that surrounds {@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head} Mountain is an ashen ruin. The immolated corpses of its people still lay buried beneath a thick layer of ash, and the mountain itself was transformed into a small volcano by {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} magic.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Serpent's Head Adventures",
									"page": 106,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Factions of Flame (any level)",
											"page": 106,
											"entries": [
												"Characters who wish to plumb the depths of {@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head} for treasure\u2014or perhaps to find an item or character connected to the greater story of your campaign\u2014must contend with the creatures that have made it their home. Mindless {@creature cinderslag elemental|TDCSR|cinderslag elementals} prowl the shattered battlements of the fortress that once stood atop the mountain. Earth tremors have cracked the keep's foundation, revealing deep magma caverns filled with diamonds\u2014precious and infused with chaotic magic. Occasionally, tiny rifts to the Elemental Plane of Fire flash open within the depths, allowing groups of {@creature azer} and {@creature salamander|MM|salamanders} to wriggle through. The two factions have made camp in the lower caverns, and both struggle for a foothold in the Material Plane."
											],
											"id": "192"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Hot-Headed Wanderers (high-level)",
											"page": 106,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} incursion into Tal'Dorei attracted elementally infused monsters from deep beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} to the surface. {@creature Magma landshark|TDCSR|Magma landsharks} and their {@creature young magma landshark|TDCSR|young} are the worst of these monsters, and even decades after the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} defeat, they continue to prowl the mountains from their nests beneath {@book Serpent's Head|TDCSR|3|Serpent's Head}, devouring entire villages unless brave adventurers stand in their way."
											],
											"id": "193"
										}
									],
									"id": "191"
								}
							],
							"id": "190"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Terrah",
							"page": 106,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 838 (61% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 19% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 5% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 15% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Sheltered within a cauldron-like valley, miles deep into the northern mountain range, lies the home of the Earth {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}. The people of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} have long stood watch over the exposed rift to the Elemental Plane of Earth, protecting the ever-quaking ground of this crumbling valley. Those without druidic power dig long trenches around their village to protect their people against rockslides that roll off the mountains, while a handful of mighty druids use their magic to reshape the valley and rebuild damaged structures.",
								"Living off hunted game and scavenged fungi, the {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} people are stocky warriors of stubborn mind and immense pride and loyalty. Jewelry made of precious gemstones is regarded as a sign of station and respect. The Earth {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} supply {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} with precious and semi-precious stones from the rift in exchange for essential goods and, occasionally, protection from the creatures of the mountains.",
								"The peaks that surround the rift frequently seem to shake with rage, and from their angry slopes rise creatures of living stone, imbued with life by elemental spirits from the rift. The people of {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} sleep in shifts to keep watch for any sudden changes in seismic activity, lest the fury of the mountains undo all that {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} have created.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 106,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} is governed by an {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} archdruid given the honored title of Heart of the Mountain. This archdruid has completed their {@book Aramente|TDCSR|2|Ashari Culture} and earned the respect of the four elemental enclaves of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}. Pa'tice, the current Heart of the Mountain, is a human man well over one hundred years old. Though tenacious and ornery, he is a venerable warrior with boundless appreciation and support for those who prove themselves honorable and self-reliant. Rumor has it that Pa'tice is seeking a worthy druid who can undertake the Aramente and succeed him as Heart of the Mountain."
									],
									"id": "195"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Terrah Adventures",
									"page": 107,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Pestering Pa'tice (any level)",
											"page": 107,
											"entries": [
												"Rumor has spread throughout the {@book Cliffkeeps|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} that the Earth {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} are seeking a new Heart of the Mountain. In response, dozens of upstart druids with delusions of grandeur have flocked to {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah}, seeking to impress the current leader of the Earth {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}. Pa'tice can't be bothered with this pageantry, and quietly hires a group of adventurers\u2014the characters\u2014to disperse these druids. If there is a druid in the party, perhaps their actions will impress the Heart of the Mountain and set them on the path of the Aramente."
											],
											"id": "197"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dependable as Stone (high-level)",
											"page": 107,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} people are insular and dutiful, and rarely take sides in any conflict. However, sometimes times of great peril require that even {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} go to war. Whatever the conflict, the characters must convince the {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} to join their cause. Pa'tice meets with them and grimly states that the {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah} cannot aid them because a terrible new threat has come through the portal. The Stonesight Council, four {@creature medusa|MM|medusas} aided by two {@creature gorgon|MM|gorgons}, now command the {@creature earth elemental|MM|earth elementals} descending from the peaks around {@book Terrah|TDCSR|3|Terrah}. Pa'tice is a practical leader\u2014he cannot lead his people to fight a threat to the outside world while danger lurks on their doorstep. \"Eliminate this threat to Terrah,\" Pa'tice says, \"and perhaps we can join your cause.\""
											],
											"id": "198"
										}
									],
									"id": "196"
								}
							],
							"id": "194"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Umbra Hills",
							"page": 107,
							"entries": [
								"The {@book Battle of the Umbra Hills|TDCSR|1|Battle of the Umbra Hills}, the climactic battle of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} and the death knell of the Kingdom of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, transformed the floral, sun-dappled Emerald Highlands into a blasted wasteland. A tide of demonic blood spilled across the highlands like fire, cursing the land forever. Generations have passed, but the heather that once grew on these hills is as black and burnt as the day of the battle. No animals live here, and the only plant that grows in the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills} now is shadegrass. Its ash-gray stalks are dry and unfilling, but its unique, acrid flavor has drawn the interest of spice traders worldwide, propelling wealthy merchants to hire armed escorts for their spice-pickers.",
								"Though no animals live here, danger still lurks within the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills}. Undead soldiers rise from the grass when the silvery moon Catha is high, and the ruins of ancient {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} war camps seem to draw demons of all types, still bound by the contract between {@book Trist Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} and the Demon Prince of Indulgence. Pathetic {@creature dretch|MM|dretches} gambol about in the ruins' long shadows, and rumors say that, on nights when the moon Ruidus is full, even mighty {@creature balor} demons prowl the hills in search of mighty souls to corrupt.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Umbra Hills Adventures",
									"page": 107,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Sword of the Demon Prince (high-level)",
											"page": 107,
											"entries": [
												"In a dream, a skilled warrior within the party continually sees visions of a noble, kingly sword embedded in the ground, surrounded by shadows and demons. \"Free me,\" it whispers. \"I need your help...I am in the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills}.\" The sword is not as it appears; though the Demon Prince of Indulgence was defeated at the {@book Battle of the Umbra Hills|TDCSR|1|Battle of the Umbra Hills} and banished to the Abyss, his accursed greatsword still lingers. The last shard of his malevolence in this world, {@item Graz'tchar, the Decadent End|TDCSR} rests in the center of the valley, its tip embedded in the earth. The alluring, androgynous {@creature marilith} demons that guard it pretend to be the ghosts of great knights, protecting the blade of a lost Sovereign of Tal'Dorei.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-UmbraSword.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Cyarna Trim|https://artstation.com/cyarna}",
													"altText": "Sun light breaks through dark, stormy clouds overtop a rocky terrain. In the foreground, a sword is embedded in the ground with dark vines twisting around the blade and hilt.",
													"width": 652,
													"height": 911
												}
											],
											"id": "19b"
										}
									],
									"id": "19a"
								}
							],
							"id": "199"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Grey Valley",
							"page": 107,
							"entries": [
								"North of the {@book Umbra Hills|TDCSR|3|Umbra Hills} lies a wide valley of ill omen and dark history, named for the forest of petrified trees that fill the majority of the valley's forest floor. During the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, {@book Trist Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} obsessed over the possibility of losing and pledged his service to the Demon Prince of Indulgence in exchange for power to smite his foes.",
								"The bargain accepted, the demon prince sent his forces to this valley to aid Trist in the {@book Battle of the Umbra Hills|TDCSR|1|Battle of the Umbra Hills}, but ultimately both fell to the incredible strength of the rebelling forces. The release of terrible energies exploded across the battlefield. Now left cursed and lifeless, the valley remains a warning against dealing with demons\u2014and a dangerous locus of darker entities that are drawn to the ruined place.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Grey Valley Adventures",
									"page": 108,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Grey Valley|TDCSR|3|Grey Valley} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Heart of the Wraithroot (high-level)",
											"page": 108,
											"entries": [
												"At the dead center of the {@book Grey Valley|TDCSR|3|Grey Valley} is a petrified tree unlike any other. Knots in its stony bark gaze like eyes at its withered domain. This {@creature wraithroot tree|TDCSR} is the eternal guardian of a dark treasure. Rumors abound about what could be secreted away behind this vile guardian\u2014a relic of a demon prince, the crown of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, or an artifact of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} unknown to mortal minds? The true nature of this artifact is up to the Game Master, but whatever it is, rumors of its existence have lured countless adventurers to their deaths."
											],
											"id": "19e"
										}
									],
									"id": "19d"
								}
							],
							"id": "19c"
						}
					],
					"id": "154"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Stormcrest Mountains",
					"page": 108,
					"entries": [
						"Spanning Tal'Dorei's southern reaches, buttressed against the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, stand the massive {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}. The winds of the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} wail through the storm-battered peaks, and few dare make these treacherous mountains their home. The few who do live amidst the Stormcrests are ferocious monstrosities and the {@book giantkin|TDCSR|6|Giantkin} strong enough to defeat them\u2014and those few peoples cunning enough to evade storm, monster, and giant alike. The only friendly towns anywhere near these forsaken peaks lie in the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} pushing along the Stormpoint range, far beyond the influence of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. These rugged folk are used to fending for themselves and scoff at the thought of returning to so-called \"civilization,\" preferring life among the swamps and shadowed forests of their homeland.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-StormcrestMountainsMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Stormcrest Mountains",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Stormcrest Mountains, a mountainous terrain along a bay coastline. To the northeast is the city of Stilben. In the midst of the mountain range is the city of Syngorn. The Frostweald lies directly to the north.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Stormcrest Mountains",
							"width": 1700,
							"height": 889,
							"id": "2d3"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 108,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}, {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}, {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant}, {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Livestock, lumber, grain, {@item silver|PHB}, spell components"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Lumber, {@item gold|PHB}, grain, granite, {@item quartz}, {@item iron|PHB}"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "1a0"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ashen Gorge",
							"page": 108,
							"entries": [
								"One mountain stands out among the Stormcrests. Its twin peaks rumble with fury, breathing fire and smoke into the sky to mingle with the storm clouds that surround the mountains. Lightning tears through the ashen clouds with giddy excitement, making it clear to all who behold it that this is a place of supernatural power. Cartographers in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} call this crater the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge}, but the people of the low valleys call it the Dragon's Throne, for they know what creature once lived atop the mountain. They remember when they too were under the dominion of {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}.",
								"Today, several tenuous alliances of {@creature lizardfolk}, {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood}, {@creature kobold|MM|kobolds}, and even a few young dragons trying to expand their treasure hoards battle for dominion over this ruined vale. When the mountain was the lair of the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} during his first incursion into Tal'Dorei, the {@creature lizardfolk} and {@creature kobold|MM|kobolds} flocked to his side, worshiping his might and cruelty. Though {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} is slain, his influence yet lingers, and his legend draws treasure hunters and would-be tyrants to this place. Gold, jewels, and magic items from all ages of the world lie in wait within the dozen or more secret vaults of the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} lair. When the king of dragons still held dominion here, he had thousands of loyal scaled minions at his beck and call, moving invaluable treasures into deeper and deeper holds. Beyond the main cavern of the lair, even the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} himself had to magically take humanoid form to traverse the winding tunnels his servants carved through the rock.",
								"The descendants of {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} servitors now fight an endless war over his treasure. Every year, it seems a petty new \"Cinder King\" rises to power within the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge}, but they are always dethroned before their minions can enter the ancient vaults, still locked after all this time. To steal {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} greatest treasures, an adventuring party would have to either broker a peace between the warring clans or somehow sneak into the mountain undetected.",
								"The following major factions fight for control over the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge}. They make and break their alliances with one faction or another, and then break their new alliances just as readily. You can use these factions to inspire adventures set in the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Scions of Flame",
											"page": 108,
											"entries": [
												"This cult of black-scaled {@creature lizardfolk} claim to have been {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} elite guard in ancient times, and are the current rulers of the gorge. They're led by a five-hundred-year-old druid named Burning Oak, and while his awesome magic keeps the other tribes at bay, his frailty makes him vulnerable to attack\u2014and the other tribes know it.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-AshenGorgeWarriors.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Svetoslav Petrov|https://artstation.com/svetoslavpetrov}",
													"altText": "Two green lizardfolk warriors crouch down in rocky terrain with a mountain behind them. Each one holds a long spear, with one of them bearing a leather-bound shield.",
													"width": 1278,
													"height": 705
												}
											],
											"id": "1a3"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tinysoot",
											"page": 108,
											"entries": [
												"Every ten years brings a new generation of {@creature kobold|MM|kobolds}, and while the Tinysoot tribe's warriors are not the mightiest, their overwhelming numbers have allowed them to overwhelm even the greatest of the Flame Scions' champions. The Tinysoots' leader, a stubborn young Queen of Soot named Yabber Tinysoot XIX, wears around her neck the key to Everflame Crevasse, {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} deepest treasure vault."
											],
											"id": "1a4"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Black Snow",
											"page": 108,
											"entries": [
												"When {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} ally, Umbrasyl, was slain atop {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow}, his caustic blood seeped into the corpses of a dozen goliath scouts from the Herd of Storms. The black dragons' magic, combined with the foul power of {@book Gatshadow|TDCSR|3|Gatshadow} itself, transformed the {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} into a squadron of undead black {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} warriors. Skeletal wings sprouted from their backs, and the Black Snow tribe flew instinctively to the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge}. They were drawn to the Ruby of Oblivion, a pitch-black ruby of immense unholy power\u2014now stored in the Obsidian Geode, a treasure vault guarded by a legion of golems and elementals. This squadron of hateful revenants is small, but each one of them wields the strength of twenty lesser warriors."
											],
											"id": "1a5"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tatterwing Kin",
											"page": 108,
											"entries": [
												"Toxoshuul, Chloroxodon, and Snagglefang, a trio of {@creature young green dragon|MM|young green dragons}, long to plunder {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} lost vaults for their own hoards, and demand tribute from the other factions of the {@book Ashen Gorge|TDCSR|3|Ashen Gorge} in exchange for their aid in battle. All three are the children of Tatterwing, a feared dragon of the Kirmont Valley, and even if they find themselves on opposite sides of a skirmish, they never fight one another, only annihilating the pathetic humanoids beneath them with their toxic breath and razor-sharp talons."
											],
											"id": "1a6"
										}
									],
									"id": "1a2"
								}
							],
							"id": "1a1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Dreamseep Marshlands",
							"page": 110,
							"entries": [
								"East of the Stormcrest Range, within the Kirmont Valley, is the sprawling, fetid Dreamseep Marsh. The perpetual rain rolling off the Stormcrests' enchanted slopes has transformed this once-lush forest into a morass of rotting vegetation, sulfurous mud, and gnarled, weeping trees. So many cruel murders have been committed within the Dreamseep that the very land is cursed, forsaken by the gods. Negative energy pools there like water, and the dead drink deep of it. The marsh is populated by more than just the walking zombies of killers and their victims\u2014awful amalgamations of dozens of bodies, both humanoid and bestial, are birthed within the Dreamseep's putrid womb.",
								"Somewhere in the middle of this accursed realm is a sinkhole that plunges deep beneath the earth. At its deepest point is the Tomb of Udah, a fabled necropolis of countless chambers, littered with traps and treasures that have claimed the lives and imaginations of untold hundreds. Every death within Udah's accursed walls only adds to the legions at its dread master's command; characters who explore its tunnels face not only undead warriors in armor from a bygone millennium, but steely warriors in armor from every epoch in Tal'Dorei history.",
								"The small community of Bronbog holds the only lights of civilization within the shadows here, and those that continue to thrive against the oppressive swamp are hearty and stubborn folk..",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Dreamseep Marshlands Adventures",
									"page": 110,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Dreamseep Marshlands can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Skull of Udah (epic-level)",
											"page": 110,
											"entries": [
												"Two rumors persist of the Tomb of Udah. First, it is said that within the tomb's deepest sanctum is a three-eyed golden skull, and that in each socket is inlaid a ruby that can grant any wish. Second, the locals say that, unlike the mindless undead of the {@book Dreamseep|TDCSR|3|Dreamseep Marshlands} above, the abominations in the necropolis below are commanded by a hideous master. Little do these rumor-spreaders know that the skull and the master are one and the same. Udah the Undying is a {@creature lich} of tremendous power, devouring the souls of all who die within the {@book Dreamseep|TDCSR|3|Dreamseep Marshlands}. His disembodied spirit controls the dungeon itself, and only retreats into the skull\u2014the last remnant of his physical form\u2014when it is in danger."
											],
											"id": "1a9"
										}
									],
									"id": "1a8"
								}
							],
							"id": "1a7"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Bronbog",
							"page": 110,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 683 (53% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 18% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 11% {@book goblinkin|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 9% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 9% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"If there ever was a civilization that called the {@book Dreamseep|TDCSR|3|Dreamseep Marshlands} home, Bronbog is all that remains of it. Its buildings are made from planks of waterlogged bogwood, and the only sign of its previous greatness is the ring of stone pillars that once supported the Temple of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}. Even though the temple to their patron god has crumbled, the people of Bronbog keep the faith; their belief in the sun god's afterlife is their greatest comfort against their meager lives. Yet, for all the gloom that surrounds the {@book Dreamseep Marshlands|TDCSR|3|Dreamseep Marshlands}, the Bronboggi maintain a determinedly optimistic disposition. There's a saying in the village: \"If you don't feel the storm, you can't know there ain't sun.\"",
								"The only reason anyone north of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} knows of Bronbog is because of queenscap, a rare swamp fungus that serves as a reagent in creating potent potions of superior healing. It's been harvested almost to extinction in the more accessible {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp}, and Tal'Dorei's alchemists will pay good money for a shipment.",
								"The biggest building in Bronbog is its tavern, the Queen's Knight, which has about six beds in drafty rooms to accommodate the town's very few visitors.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Bronbog Adventures",
									"page": 110,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in Bronbog can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Morning Glory (mid-level)",
											"page": 110,
											"entries": [
												"On a queenscap-gathering expedition to Bronbog, an unusual storm forces the characters to stay the night. As they spend time in the swamp town, vine-choked stone obelisks slowly emerge from the murky waters, emanating an unearthly light. Some villagers immediately fall under the obelisks' sway, claiming they are \"heralds of the Dawnfather, the rising sun,\" but all others are disturbed by their neighbors' feverish worship of the stones.",
												"The true power behind these obelisks is a misguided {@creature deva} that calls himself Eclipse. He seeks to create a brainwashed, perfectly loyal Army of the Dawn to fight against the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather's} enemies. He is posing as Father Larkylai, the town's affable priest of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, and conducts services from within the town's tavern."
											],
											"id": "1ac"
										}
									],
									"id": "1ab"
								}
							],
							"id": "1aa"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Frostweald",
							"page": 110,
							"entries": [
								"Along the northern base of the Stormcrests is a forest locked in perpetual winter, cursed to eternal cold by the invasion of {@book Errevon the Rimelord|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years} during the {@book Icelost Years|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years}. Within the forest, ponds magically freeze into perfect mirrors, reflecting the snowy sky above, and the snow-draped trees shelter families of fey hiding from enemies in the Fey Realm. At first, the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald} seems a wonderland of crisp snow and aromatic pines and firs, yet the serene landscape belies sinister danger. Herds of {@creature basilisk|MM|basilisks} roam the woods, and travelers who encounter mysterious snow-covered statuaries or copses of petrified trees must think fast or join this grisly statuary\u2014permanently.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Frostweald Inhabitants",
									"page": 111,
									"entries": [
										"The only humanoid peoples who live within the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald} are hunter-gatherers called the Shivergut. Many of their people are {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} who have lived within the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald} for generations, but their ranks also include {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who adopted their ways centuries ago during the {@book Icelost Years|TDCSR|1|The Icelost Years}. Most are helpful to travelers, if reserved. Others, however, are dour, selfish isolationists who have been apart from other folk for so long that they care more for the thrill of bloodshed than a warm conversation over a crackling fire.",
										"The {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald} is also home to a host of benevolent fey, most of them pixies or dryads, using the forest as a safe haven away from the Fey Realm. If pressed for answers on why they left the Fey Realm, their answers are cryptic and dissatisfactory, but always ominously suggest a \"Great Shadow\" has descended upon their lands\u2014perhaps even a host of warriors from the Plane of Shadow? A nymph named Arethusa watches over a cluster of three mirror-like pools that form a pathway into the Fey Realm, each to a different Archfey's forest. She is suspicious of all mortals, and both her trust and a favor are required to gain passage."
									],
									"id": "1ae"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ruins of the Frostweald",
									"page": 111,
									"entries": [
										"Many forgotten obelisks of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor} rest secretly beneath the ice and snow. These lost beacons were created to guide the faithful of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor} to the {@book Cavern of Axiom|TDCSR|3|Cavern of Axiom}, a sacred place guarded since time immemorial by a {@creature androsphinx|MM|sphinx} dedicated to the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Mentor}. If any living creature knows why these ancient monoliths reside here when no other ruins of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor} have been discovered, they have kept the knowledge secret from the other scholars of the world. Over thirty years ago, the half-orc {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} archaeologist Jorlund Vohr discovered a cache of {@item Ioun stone|DMG|Ioun stones} buried here and brought them to the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, but his research and findings were stolen the week after he returned. Vohr has since stated he \"got over it,\" and is back to work on new research on {@book Visa Isle|TDCSR|3|Visa Isle}.",
										{
											"type": "inset",
											"name": "The Silver Tablet",
											"page": 111,
											"entries": [
												{
													"type": "quote",
													"entries": [
														"Ye who seek my boundless wisdom,",
														"Pass into the white trees' kingdom.",
														"Return to the shrine Mentor's eyes,",
														"And follow the light in the skies.",
														"I am the Beast of the Heavens;",
														"Thou shalt kneel before my presence,",
														"Lest the wisdom thou seekest",
														"Be lost to the cowardice of your weakest."
													],
													"skipMarks": true
												},
												"This poem was discovered by Jorlund Vohr on his first expedition to the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald}, on a silver tablet written in flowing {@language Celestial} script. Upon examination, scholars at the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} discovered the language of the heavens is so sublime that its poetry rhymes even when translated into any language. The tablet was stolen later that week, along with the rest of Vohr's findings, but Jorlund keeps a parchment-and-charcoal copy of the tablet in a chest beneath his bed in {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} {@book Erudite Quarter|TDCSR|3|Erudite Quarter}."
											],
											"id": "1b0"
										}
									],
									"id": "1af"
								}
							],
							"id": "1ad"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Cavern of Axiom",
							"page": 111,
							"entries": [
								"The Cavern of Axiom is a lost shrine to the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}, spoken of only in riddles. Hidden by ever-shifting illusions, the entrance to this cavern opens only to those who are expected by fate. Its entrance looks different to every group that finds it, from the imperious to the humble, but it appears simply as a heavy snowdrift to those not fated to open its doors. Within its shifting facade are dangerous trials designed to test the will and mettle of those who seek the infinite knowledge of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}. The chambers plunge deeper into the rock beneath the mountain, while half-eroded murals and strange puzzles evaluate any wanderer who seeks an audience with the keeper of the cavern, an ageless {@creature androsphinx} named Kamaljiori. The final challenges presented by the {@creature androsphinx|MM|sphinx} alter from subject to subject, and failure banishes the petitioners from the cavern, barred from ever returning."
							],
							"id": "1b1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ruhn-Shak",
							"page": 111,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Small City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 6,670 (80% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 12% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 5% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 3% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"If you find carved arches and steel gates in the mountain slopes, do not rest there, no matter the cold. There are no grand dwarf-halls among these forsaken peaks.",
								"Deep below the surface world, countless caverns and tunnels wind into regions where light finds no purchase. It is here, beneath the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}, that the largest subterranean society of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} devotees maintains its tyranny. Hidden entrances and tunnels riddle not just the mountain range, but the edges of the {@book Dreamseep|TDCSR|3|Dreamseep Marshlands}, as well as darker regions of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, granting raiding parties quick and easy access to the surface under cover of night\u2014slaughtering many, capturing the rest, and taking the spoils as gifts to the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}.",
								"These tunnels, in their twisted network, are easily collapsed and reopened through the use of \"Pit Witches,\" druids who master the art of rock and dirt manipulation, making it near impossible to give chase. The {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} are ever seeking a way to find and destroy this heart of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} power in Tal'Dorei, but the sly and cunning {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of Ruhn-Shak have yet to meet their match.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ruhn-Shak Adventures",
									"page": 112,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in Ruhn-Shak can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dynastic Intervention (any level)",
											"page": 112,
											"entries": [
												"While in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, the characters are called by {@book Ouestra, Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory}, to meet with guests from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. They are emissaries of the Kryn Dynasty, a society founded by dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who fled the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} grip and now live on the surface. These Kryn envoys seek to undertake an expedition into {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak}, to try to use the radiant power of their mysterious god, the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon}, to free their kin from the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} evil influence. The characters are offered a fine reward by the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} to protect these Kryn priests on their mission."
											],
											"id": "1b4"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "A Plea from the Dark (mid-level)",
											"page": 112,
											"entries": [
												"The characters are drawn into the underground tunnels around {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak} by a psychic message: \"I have displeased the Spider Queen; there is nothing I can do but beg for salvation\u2014can anyone hear me?\" The message comes from Ry'denyan, a {@creature drow} of {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak} granted telepathic powers by an unknown aberration. This unexpected gift allowed him to break free of his society's brainwashing. He tried to escape, and was exiled into the tunnels, where he will surely be devoured by {@creature drider|MM|driders} unless the characters save him."
											],
											"id": "1b5"
										}
									],
									"id": "1b3"
								}
							],
							"id": "1b2"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Wrettis",
							"page": 112,
							"entries": [
								"A relic of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, Wrettis is the ruined tower of a powerful mage, one who was driven mad by the seductive whispers of beings from the beyond. What few legends survive of the mage of Wrettis say he was known as Clemain Astural, the Sight Shephard, and that he was a powerful arcanist who peered into a realm beyond the planes in search of power to end the war that ravaged his world. He found it, and thought it would serve him.",
								"He was wrong. Astural's sanity crumbled, but his power only grew, fueled by an entity he called the {@deity The Sightless|Exandria|TDCSR|Sightless One}. As devastation crept across southeastern Tal'Dorei, heroes of the land rode to Wrettis to end Astural's chaotic reign, destroy his tower, and bury his corpse in the rubble. Wrettis is now a moss-coated ruin, but some chambers within and below the tower still hold secrets of the mad mage, as well as some of his creations.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "The Astural Scrolls",
									"page": 112,
									"entries": [
										"Clemain Astural covered thousands of pages of parchment with his writings, ranging from alchemical formulas to powerful spells to esoteric star charts...but his later notes descend into paranoid, half-crazed ramblings. One of the heroes that killed Astural, a wizard named Atz Yuminor, took as many of the scrolls as he could find and brought them back to his house in the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. Yuminor's bloodline continues in Estella Ladimar, headmistress of the {@book Westhall Academy in Westruun|TDCSR|3|2. Westhall Academy} in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, and many of the Astural Scrolls are kept secretly by the {@book Scions of Yuminor in the academy's observatory|TDCSR|3|3. Yuminor Observatory}.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-AsturalScrolls.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Clara Daly|https://tinyraptors.com/}",
											"altText": "A partially unfurled parchment scroll with faded script. Three purple and clear crystals sit atop the scroll, and several more scrolls lie in the background.",
											"width": 589,
											"height": 412
										}
									],
									"id": "1b7"
								}
							],
							"id": "1b6"
						}
					],
					"id": "19f"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Rifenmist Peninsula",
					"page": 112,
					"entries": [
						"South of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} and the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} are a number of autonomous communities that live outside the influence of the Republic of Tal'Dorei and its constituent city-states. A number of plans to expand into {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} have been brought to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, but strong opposition from the {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} delegation and the Master of Defense have consistently buried these plans before they can come to fruition.",
						"A number of communities exist on the {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}. Some are lost remnants of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} that chose to flee {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} rule to the isolated and unpopulated {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} rather than fight against his tyranny. These are the communities that some {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} merchants wish to bring into the fold of Tal'Dorei proper. Farther to the south (and occasionally roaming north into Mornset) are the {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}, a collection of nomadic tribes. The {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} and the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} see one another as family, and the {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} delegation refuses to allow the council to interfere with their cousins' way of life.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-RifenmistPeninsulaMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Rifenmist Peninsula",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Rifenmist Peninsula with the Beynsfal Plateu hugging the coastline. Jungle terrain lies to the north of the mountains. The city of Tz'arrm is at the southernmost tip, with the city of Niirdal-Poc north, in the jungle.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Rifenmist Peninsula",
							"width": 1700,
							"height": 794,
							"id": "2d4"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 113,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Changebringer|Exandria|TDCSR|Changebringer}, {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, {@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent}, {@deity The Lord of the Hells|Exandria|TDCSR|Lord of the Hells}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Arms, armor, stone, masonry, spell components"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Spell components, produce, rare metals"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "1b9"
						},
						"Beyond the Mornset people and the {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} are a number of other small, individualistic settlements that live in fear of the imperial power that commands Rifenmist: the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}. Tal'Dorei's Master of Defense warns the council of provoking this slumbering empire, for they are preoccupied with their unholy conquest of the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} in the name of their patron deity, the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}. A number of {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} and other people of {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} long for {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} aid in breaking the grip of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, but fear that allowing the Republic of Tal'Dorei to gain a military foothold in {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} would simply be trading one imperial master for another.",
						"Beyond the political struggles of this realm are terrors only true heroes can survive. Enormous, ancient beasts stalk the vine-twisted paths of the jungle that consumes the majority of the peninsula's coastline. An expanding morass of fungus spreads from a mysterious, corrupt source along the eastern depths of the underbrush, while a secret society of naga-worshippers bring bloody offerings to their snake-queen.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Beynsfal Plateau",
							"page": 113,
							"entries": [
								"Where below there is life and freedom, above there is naught but death and tyranny. In the high, southern plateaus of {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}, verdant jungle gives way to a cracked, volcanic landscape, its basalt fields interrupted only by towering structures of black iron. This hellish place is the home of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, and one of the last battlegrounds of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}.",
								"It is here that the Betrayer God known as the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, aided by his legions of brainwashed goblinkin, clashed with the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} and her Free Children. Though the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} was victorious and the goblinkin were freed, the site of the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor's} defeat was reduced to rock and ash, a place where plants would never again grow.",
								"Most of the goblinkin who survived the battle vanished into the jungle and traveled north into the rest of Tal'Dorei, leaving the shame of their connection to the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor} behind. Centuries later, however, a number of goblinkin still remained among the towering iron of the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor's} fallen armor. One platoon of {@creature hobgoblin|MM|hobgoblins}, the Iron Regiment, devoted themselves wholly to the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, and pledged to revive his glorious legacy of conquest. They press-ganged as many of their kin as they could into armies and created the seed of an empire\u2014one which they watered with blood.",
								"When the Iron Regiment brought all of the Beyensfal Plateau under their rule and transformed themselves into the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, their empire only continued to grow. The Iron Tide never broke, and within a decade, it had engulfed all the other kingdoms along {@book Rifenmist's|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} southern coast. They were united under the cruel banner of Tz'Jarr, the Iron Emperor.",
								"While the entirety of Beynsfal is firmly controlled by the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, the empire is still reaching, now locked in a decades-long war to subjugate the native inhabitants of the jungles below: the {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}.",
								"Five major city-states comprise the core of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, though all swear fealty to the Iron Emperor in its capital of {@book Tz'Arrm|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, the southernmost city of the plateau. From south to north, the other imperial city-states are Rybad-Kol, city of the Forge Lords; Hdar-Fye, the necropolis of Prince Hdar; Ezordam-Haar, eyrie of the red pegasi; and Ortem-Vellak, the petrified elventree.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Beynsfal Plateau Adventures",
									"page": 114,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure on the {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} and the surrounding mountains can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Wayward Bloodline (mid-level)",
											"page": 114,
											"entries": [
												"Tz'Jarr has a single heir to his throne: his {@creature hobgoblin} child Zuun'dak, nearly of age and currently being groomed to become a great general. However, Zuun'dak has grown up with trepidation regarding the brutality of his society, and after being briefly captured by an outlying {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} scouting party and learning of the gentler world abroad, he's begun to long for escape and reformation. When the party stumbles upon a disguised and fleeing Zuun'dak, they must decide whether to turn over such a valuable bargaining tool to the {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}, or aid and groom the defecting heir as a rebellious force against his father."
											],
											"id": "1bc"
										}
									],
									"id": "1bb"
								}
							],
							"id": "1ba"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Mornset Countryside",
							"page": 114,
							"entries": [
								"After a long journey south from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, or north from the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}, thick foliage gives way to rolling hills and winding rivers. No great cities are to be seen here, only an untouched wilderness pockmarked by fortified towns. The Mornset Countryside is home to many people whose ancestors fled the rule of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}. Most of these people value their privacy\u2014especially from {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} landscape painters who enrich themselves by romanticizing and exoticizing their idyllic way of life.",
								"The Free Folk of Mornset, as they call themselves, include a wide variety of people who have spurned the ways of their forebears. The bulk of these people are the descendants of refugees from a long-ago war, but a number of Tal'Dorei people who long for freedom from the pressure of modern life have uprooted their lives and journeyed to Mornset to start anew. Likewise, some {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} who dislike the nomadic lifestyle find homes in the small communities of Mornset.",
								"Beyond those who follow their hearts to this realm, Mornset is also home to a number of criminals fleeing persecution. Most Free Folk don't ask questions about newcomers' pasts, and welcome them regardless. However, if these particular outlanders don't leave their past behind and continue to harm others, or bring bounty hunters (or worse) in their wake, every village in Mornset has a well-trained militia that will eagerly remove dangerous folk from their midst.",
								"Bound by the necessity of survival, the people of this land share a common code of honor called the Fundaments. This code holds all to a baseline of respect for all travelers and outcasts, and codifies ancient principles of hospitality. Each denizen of the countryside looks out for their neighbor, and if a person in need arrives upon one's doorstep, the hospitality of food and shelter must be provided.",
								"It is understood that the Fundaments may be taken advantage of by ruffians and power-hungry upstarts. Nevertheless, this code of honor has served the Free Folk well for centuries, and anyone who scorns it is looked upon with disdain and mistrust. Most of the Mornset Free Folk are humanoids, but many free settlements have alliances with the local {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants}, {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes}, and {@creature ogre|MM|ogres} that help protect them against the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} to the south.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Mornset Adventures",
									"page": 114,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in Mornset can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Anger Everburning (low-level)",
											"page": 114,
											"entries": [
												"A number of residents of the uncharted village of Heldenfaire have been unexpectedly\u2014and suddenly\u2014flying into a rage both mindless and destructive. Many within the village are confused, fearing a plague of violent madness, and they seek adventurers (especially parties with clerics or skilled healers) to save them. Investigation by the party reveals that each individual driven to these fits is connected to the town alchemist's dark past and a failed herbalism experiment from ten years ago, when she lived in {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. If the characters wish to find an antidote, they must explore the alchemist's sinister laboratory in the hills."
											],
											"id": "1bf"
										}
									],
									"id": "1be"
								}
							],
							"id": "1bd"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Byroden",
							"page": 114,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 8,050 (45% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 21% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 12% {@book goblinkin|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 8% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 8% {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, 6% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"The northernmost and largest town in the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside}, {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} borders the {@book Gladepools|TDCSR|3|The Gladepools} and marks the first stop for any traveler on their way to the {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}. It's also a hub of trade for the entire {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside}, and even some trappers and artisans of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}. The town has a dense town center surrounded by palisades and tall wooden walls, but most of the community lives in homesteads and farmhouses spread across the surrounding fields. {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} is mostly self-sufficient, and has a wealth of farmers, fishers, artisans, and miners, giving them everything they need to survive. Trade provides the opportunity for some luxuries, with raw materials serving as their primary currency.",
								"While pleasant and welcoming on the outside, this lifestyle is protected by a fierce and intense drive to defend the community's way of life at the first sign of threat or danger. Most citizens are armed at all times, trained to rise as a communal militia at a moment's notice from the war ringer, a sentinel charged with the town's protection.",
								"Despite (or perhaps because of) the ever-present dangers that threaten {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden}, the town holds frequent festivals, feasts, and fairs, including the highly anticipated Gem of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} pageant and the midsummer Peachiest Pie bake-off. On festival days, small children roam freely within the protective town walls as their parents enjoy the chance to let loose and celebrate life in all its ephemeral glory.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Hillmaw Chasm",
									"page": 115,
									"entries": [
										"A few miles north of the center of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} is a gaping chasm. An earthquake thirty years ago split open Deercrest Hill. The chasm is referred to officially as Deercrest Ravine, but is known to most superstitious folk in town as Hillmaw Chasm. After the earthquake, locals stayed as far away from the chasm as they could\u2014until four years later, when a group of adventurers found vast veins of precious {@item gold|PHB} and sturdy {@item iron|PHB} within. Soon, all people of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} strong enough to swing a pick or lift a shovel made their way into the chasm.",
										"Most miners hire an armed escort because the chasm is known to be home to grumpy {@creature earth elemental|MM|earth elementals}, as well as unpleasant, slimy creatures of the dark. Most serious beliefs about the chasm being haunted have dissipated over the past thirty years. Still, rumors persist, and as folklore becomes myth, some say that myth can become reality."
									],
									"id": "1c1"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Advent of the Cinder King",
									"page": 115,
									"entries": [
										"About forty years ago, {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} was brought to its knees by {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. This incursion was about two decades before the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} destruction of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and it was stopped by an adventuring party led by {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren}, now a senior member of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. Many in {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} still see {@book Allura|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren}, Lady Kima of Vord, and {@book Drake Thunderbrand|TDCSR|2|Elementalist Drake Thunderbrand} as heroes. The graves of the companions they lost in that fight, Sirus Kaldrem, Dohla Lorian, and Ghenn Talevesh, hold places of honor in the town cemetery.",
										"While {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} has long-since been built anew, the terror of that day still lives on in its elders and adults. All but the youngest generation of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} takes great caution against another such monstrous attack\u2014as well as against any attack by the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} to the south."
									],
									"id": "1c2"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Byroden Adventures",
									"page": 115,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ironbound Scouts (low-level)",
											"page": 115,
											"entries": [
												"All are awoken in {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} by the ringing of the town's alarm bell, including the characters. As the town militia is armed for battle, the characters overhear that {@creature goblin} and {@creature hobgoblin} scouts of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} have been spotted twenty miles south of town\u2014closer than they've been seen in nearly two decades.",
												"Worried that this scouting party is an omen of invasion, the town's war ringer deputizes the characters and offers them a handsome sum of money to investigate the scouting camp. Their goal is simple: learn the interlopers' mission, either by interrogating their commander or by finding a written command note. And, if the characters can capture or eliminate the scouts before the town's upcoming festival, the locals will celebrate their success with all the free food and drink they can stomach."
											],
											"id": "1c4"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Dreamgate (mid-level)",
											"page": 115,
											"entries": [
												"After a mining expedition goes missing deep within the Hillmaw Chasm, locals begin to report vivid, communal dreams involving members of the missing party pleading for help. A half dozen mercenaries have been hired to investigate\u2014only for them to disappear as well. Just a day before the characters are asked for help, the townsfolk of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} discovered with horror that the vanished mercenaries have also appeared in their dreams. The adventurers are asked to delve into this unearthed pathway and to find both answers and the missing people."
											],
											"id": "1c5"
										}
									],
									"id": "1c3"
								}
							],
							"id": "1c0"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Niirdal-Poc",
							"page": 115,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 15,442 (18% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 17% {@book goblinkin|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 12% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 12% {@race Loxodon|GGR|elephantines}, 10% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 7% {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry}, 24% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Long before the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, a great civilization called the Qoniira made {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} their home. During the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, the Qoniira Tetrarchy grew from a loose coalition of towns led by arcanists, clerics of the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, and druids who spoke with the jungle around them. These towns were inhabited by {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and the animal-bodied humanoids of the jungle. The first stones of the Qoniiran heart-city Niirdal-Poc were laid by the broad, towering {@race Loxodon|GGR|elephantine people}, and places for new settlements were scouted out by {@book Catfolk|TDCSR|6|Catfolk} seers whose eyes glistened with starlight.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Surviving the Calamity",
									"page": 115,
									"entries": [
										"In time, the Qoniira civilization grew into a Tetrarchy, with four great satellite cities and the central heart-city of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}. The tetrarchs established their cities with mathematical precision. A constellation of the night sky guided them\u2014Surrac's Shield, a four-starred diamond with a fifth star in its center. The constellation still shines over {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} and southern Exandria today. The four outer cities of Qoniira match the points of Surrac's shield precisely, and {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} is aligned with its center star.",
										"The {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} struck at the peak of Qoniiran civilization, yet rather than take up arms against gods and mortals, the tetrarchs opted to remove themselves from the world\u2014not unlike the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to the north. Something happened in {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}, some sort of magic that even the Qoniirans of today do not understand."
									],
									"id": "1c7"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography",
									"page": 116,
									"entries": [
										"Today, only the heart-city of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} survives. Its satellites are little more than crumbling ruins. Something shifted in the magic of the jungle when the Qoniirans chose not to fight in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. The {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} closed its boughs against the world, shielding the city. When the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor} died on the {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} to the south, the Qoniirans knew nothing of it. All the tumult of the world passed them by.",
										"The {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} sunk {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} into a deep basin, and its thick canopies shield it from above, while its intertwining boughs hold the heart-city tightly in its embrace. Few are permitted by the protective, ancient magic of the Qoniirans to enter the city. Its people live contentedly within {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}, only occasionally traveling outside their basin to trade with {@book Orroyen nomads|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} or, in mythically rare instances, with the town of {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden}.",
										"The four ruins which surround {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} are:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Niirdal-Gan",
											"page": 116,
											"entries": [
												"This outer city to the north of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} was the agricultural hub of Qoniira. Some farmers have opted to live outside the basin and tend to these still-fertile lands. They are few, for magic is able to supply food for most people of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}."
											],
											"id": "1c9"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Niirdal-Teek",
											"page": 116,
											"entries": [
												"This outer city, east of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}, was an academic center of the Qoniiran civilization. Most of the city is one vast university that once was populated by over 30,000 people. Some explorers venture into these ruins to find lost knowledge."
											],
											"id": "1ca"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Niirdal-Sarqet",
											"page": 117,
											"entries": [
												"Located south of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}, this outer city was a center of faith for the Qoniirans. All that remains of the sacred city is a vast, floating cube called the Hexahedron of Sarqet. It is adorned with statues of the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} and the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} alike, and none living know what is inside its unbreachable walls. Even today, modern Qoniiran priests teach that balance is the true way of the world, telling their people to invoke the names of the {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} for blessings, and of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} for curses."
											],
											"id": "1cb"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Niirdal-Hup",
											"page": 117,
											"entries": [
												"Precious little remains of this fortress-city, the heart of the Qoniiran military. A common parable reminds those who hear it to not fight fate\u2014for of all the ruined cities, only the city of warriors was reduced to dust."
											],
											"id": "1cc"
										},
										"All of these ruins are filled with statues from the height of the Qoniiran Tetrarchy. Some statues have been known to move under the light of the stars, illuminating hidden runes upon their bodies as they patrol like sentinels of antiquity.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-NiirdalPoc.webp"
											},
											"credit": "{@link Clara Daly|https://tinyraptors.com/}",
											"altText": "A large statue of the Observer stands in the middle of a beautiful, jungle city. The Observer is a feminine humanoid figure, with a cat-like face. Two sets of wings unfurl behind her, her hand outstretched with a star hovering right above it. She is dressed in a long tunic, with a glowing halo behind her.",
											"width": 1278,
											"height": 1091
										}
									],
									"id": "1c8"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 117,
									"entries": [
										"The Tetrarchy of Qoniira, in ages past, was ruled by four tetrarchs, each of whom ruled one of the civilization's four outer cities. In times where the fate of Qoniira was at a crossroads, they gathered within the heart-city to guide the course of their civilization together.",
										"The relative autonomy of the four outer cities and the looseness of the coalition that bound them seems at odds with the perfect precision with which the cities were built, so precisely matching the stars in the sky. The Qoniirans have always been an easygoing people who typically follow the flow of fate, rather than fight against it.",
										"Today, the tetrarchy survives, even though the four outer cities are in ruins. They gather daily in the Hakredic Dome, an architecturally magnificent granite rotunda adorned with an outer layer of grayish-purple porphyry stone and lifelike, reddish porphyry statues. There, the tetrarchs and their advisors work to keep life simple and content for their people.",
										"The tetrarchy is a hereditary office, but citywide elections are held between eligible heirs to determine which heir should take up their parent's mantle. Elections are also held when a tetrarch's line ends without heirs\u2014often giving advisors a chance to gain power by virtue of their service to the city."
									],
									"id": "1cd"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Magic Beyond Reckoning",
									"page": 117,
									"entries": [
										"Magic suffuses the city of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}. Its magic is something older than the gods, or the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, or anything wielded by mortals today. However, the mortal mages of {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} wield the same arcane force gifted by the gods, and its druids and clerics touch upon the power of the gods behind the Divine Gate, just as Exandria's other mortal peoples do.",
										"Both ancient and modern magic mingle in {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc}, for the patterns of the ancient powers are mysterious, and its methods are unknowable. Some call it the Light of Fate, others the Blessing of the Stars. The most common name is simply \"the Gift.\" It was the Gift that protected {@book Niirdal-Poc|TDCSR|3|Niirdal-Poc} in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. It is the Gift that causes miracles to occur, like a person surviving a fall from the heights of Vedrim's Pinnacle to the streets of the city. It is the Gift that causes the Hexahedron of Sarqet to hover mysteriously; it is the Gift that surrounds the Statue of {@deity The Observer|Exandria|TDCSR|the Observer}, a four-winged feline humanoid figure in the city's center, with a broken halo of ashen-gold light\u2014and that causes that same light to flicker within the lamps of the city."
									],
									"id": "1ce"
								}
							],
							"id": "1c6"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Orroyen Tribes",
							"page": 117,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Nomadic Tribes:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 11,850 (64% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 12% {@book half-elves|TDCSR|4|Mixed Ancestry}, 10% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 14% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 117,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"Storms bring death, but rain brings life. Storms are power, the power of the distant gods, on display for all to see. Climb into the Stormpoints, young one, and shout your fury into the relentless wind and booming thunder. Your prayers may not be answered by the gods, but you will feel them echo in your heart."
											],
											"by": "Cloudwriter Ix",
											"from": "Eghruy of the Orroyen",
											"skipMarks": true
										}
									],
									"id": "1d0"
								},
								"Born from a wandering colony fleeing the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, these wood {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} have not just survived within the jungles of {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}\u2014they have flourished. Learning the dangers of the surrounding lands, refining their hunting techniques, and maintaining a healthy arms-length relationship with outsiders, the Orroyen call the jungle their domain and protect it furiously.",
								"The Orroyen tribes have no central government, and their membership shifts as different clans move through the region and encounter other tribes, sometimes trading members as they go. Elders are given the most oversight and respect among a traveling tribe, the eldest given the title of dura, and the duty of leading their tribe. Each nomadic group maintains a population of anywhere between a hundred and a thousand people. Temporary lodging is constructed at each resting point, called a {@i tomenda}.",
								"Most Orroyen groups remain at a tomenda they've constructed for about two years, before depletion of resources or the arrival of dangerous creatures or soldiers forces them to move on. Countless abandoned tomenda can be found throughout the jungle, and Orroyen clans will frequently make camp in old tomenda made by a different tribe\u2014it is considered a gift from the jungle.",
								"To come into prominence within the tribe, or request admittance into the tribes as an ally or member, a hopeful entrant must complete a series of ceremonial trials. These trials change from dura to dura, but are designed to test strength of body and mind. It is not uncommon for those who attempt these trials to return maimed, or to not return at all, and many elders bear the marks and scars of their trials long past. Few outlanders from the north, known as orfindes to the Orroyen, have been allowed into any of the dozens of Orroyen tribes, and the elders have little intention of changing this, for they have heard distant tales of the ancient tyranny of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} and the supernatural horrors the people of northern {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar} invite upon themselves.",
								"Nevertheless, the Orroyen are practical, not prideful. They trade often with the Free Folk of Mornset, and sometimes even travel as far north as {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} to trade rare goods. There, some Orroyen meet people from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} or beyond and share stories of their lands. Love can bloom in these meetings of separate worlds, and sometime results in an orfinde being brought into an Orroyen clan. And sometimes curious Orroyen leave simply to see the world beyond the jungle."
							],
							"id": "1cf"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Rifenmist Jungle",
							"page": 118,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-JungleTemple.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
									"altText": "In the midst of a thick, overgrown jungle canopy lies the ruins of a keyhole shaped entrance set in a triangular-peaked temple.",
									"width": 664,
									"height": 891
								},
								"The jungles that cover Tal'Dorei's southern expanses are a vast wilderness. Many {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} call this lush landscape their home, particularly those of the nomadic {@book Orroyen Tribes|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}. There is no doubt that this jungle is as magical and mysterious as Tal'Dorei's temperate forests, for the jungle's greenery is home to countless mystical spirits, ferocious monsters, and arcane mysteries. The vine-strangled floors of the jungle are clustered with swollen trunks, spine-laden ferns, and carnivorous plant life that waits for the unknowing wanderer to make an incorrect step.",
								"The sweltering heat of the sun-baked peninsula grows even more oppressive beneath the jungle's humid canopy. Clusters of venomous insects buzz through the mist-shrouded trees, alongside large lizards, and wild beasts in search of carrion. Sunken valleys lead to pockets of marshland or quicksand pit traps, while others are wrought with a dire, spreading fungus. Those who have lived all their lives in this environment know its dangers well and have hundreds of years of precautions to take against them. On the other hand, those who venture into the jungle from northern Tal'Dorei rarely return, and those that do warn others to never make the same mistake.",
								"The farther south one travels into {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}, the denser the jungle grows. Though some {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} of northern Tal'Dorei have attempted to colonize the jungles for their vast resources in decades past, they were quickly rebuffed by the {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} of the jungle. Their message is clear: no cities are to be built south of the jungle's edge\u2014and if the northern jungles are cleared or burned, the trees' vengeance will be swift and just. The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} reacted quickly as well\u2014the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of the jungle are to be heeded. The few settlers who have joined the Free Folk of the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} are deeply superstitious about the southern jungles, and rarely travel deeper than they need to in order to parley with their {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} allies.",
								"Even the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, who has been at war with the trees of the jungle itself for decades, has not managed to destroy their foe. The {@book Orroyen nomads|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} fear the conquerors of {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} and the massive armies supplied to them by their authoritarian leaders. Their raids ebb and flow as imperial leaders rise and fall. Each new era begins with a bold and cruel warlord rallying their people against their age-old enemy. War is waged, and countless innocents and Authority soldiers perish in a senseless fight. And then resources run low, morale dips, and the legions return to the {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} to lick their wounds.",
								"Legend holds that the jungle will never die, so long as even one of the {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} lives within it. So far, history has only proved the jungle's enduring strength.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Rifenmist Jungle Adventures",
									"page": 119,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Insatiable Sanctuary (mid-level)",
											"page": 119,
											"entries": [
												"Long have rumors stirred regarding a vine-obscured temple from an epoch long past, but reports have mapped it at many different locations, with returning expeditions finding it missing. This temple has seemed to reveal itself once more in the northern region of the {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}, its shadowed passages and secret bounties ripe for the plucking. It isn't until a venturing band delves deeper into the structure that signs begin to reveal the shrine itself to be a living entity, and the treasure a lure to draw in prey."
											],
											"id": "1d3"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Seed of Immolation (high-level)",
											"page": 119,
											"entries": [
												"Deep beneath the twisted floors of the jungle lies a long-slumbering relic from before the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}: an unborn primordial titan seed, its energy responsible for the fertile landscape and extreme overgrowth of the jungle. The {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} and their power-hungry clerics of the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor} have tampered with the seed and unleashed powers beyond their control. The titan has begun to develop and wake from its eons-long slumber. If the process isn't halted, it will fully awaken and terrorize the continent. However, if the seed is destroyed, vast swathes of jungle may wither and die without its magical essence."
											],
											"id": "1d4"
										}
									],
									"id": "1d2"
								}
							],
							"id": "1d1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Stormpoint Mountains",
							"page": 119,
							"entries": [
								"The southern offshoot of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}, the Stormpoint Mountains push deep into {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} itself. These steep peaks are shrouded in low-sitting clouds and fog for most of the year, their rocky surface hidden from view by lush overgrowth that's fed by the near-perpetual rain.",
								"This region is beautiful, and in spring, thousands of waterfalls spray mist and cast gorgeous rainbows across the crags. However, due to its distance from most of Tal'Dorei's population centers, few but adventurers and treasure hunters come here\u2014seeking wealth, not beauty. Some Free Folk from the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} and pilgrims of the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} do take great pains to travel here and revel in the Stormpoint Mountains' natural splendor.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Stormpoint Mountains Adventures",
									"page": 119,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Stormpoint Mountains can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Allies of the Storm (high-level)",
											"page": 119,
											"entries": [
												"The people of the {@book Mornset Countryside|TDCSR|3|Mornset Countryside} and the free people of the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} long for an end to the tyranny of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}. A group of freedom fighters who have heard of the characters' legendary feats of heroism contact them with a request: help. They lack the funds to request the characters fight the Authority themselves, but they wish for the characters to recruit a clan of {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes} that live in the Stormpoint Mountains, including the mighty {@creature cyclops stormcaller|TDCSR|cyclops stormcallers} that lead their people. Once there, the characters learn that their clan is beset by demons who have possessed their {@creature cyclops stormcaller|TDCSR|stormcallers} and are using their mighty powers to conjure a deadly storm to keep the rest of the {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes} in submission. Only exorcising the demons and saving the {@creature cyclops stormcaller|TDCSR|stormcallers} will earn the characters their aid."
											],
											"id": "1d7"
										}
									],
									"id": "1d6"
								}
							],
							"id": "1d5"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor",
							"page": 119,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 47,400 (70% {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 10% {@book goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 20% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Content Warning: Slavery",
									"page": 119,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} is a despicable society that embodies all the evils of ruthless authoritarianism. This includes the subjugation of innocents, racial supremacy, poverty, and slavery. People at your gaming table may be more sensitive to this type of realistic evil than villains who simply wish to destroy the world. It's worth discussing with your players in a {@book session zero|TDCSR|4|Session Zero} if everyone will still have fun (and be comfortable) if the game contains this type of evil before introducing the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} as a villain in your campaign.",
										"If you and your players want to use the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} in your game, but don't feel comfortable with the depth of its evil, you can strip out these elements. What remains is a classic \"evil empire\" that wants to conquer Tal'Dorei. Its conquest can serve as a backdrop to the other adventures that your players want to go on."
									],
									"id": "1d9"
								},
								"When the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor} fought the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, he took the form of a giant of unimaginable size, clad from head to toe in armor of pitted iron. When he was defeated and cast back into his planar prison, his immense, divine armor remained and crashed to the ground. Centuries have passed, and the thirty-foot tall Helm of Strife is now the palace of the Iron Emperor. The rest of their imprisoned god's armor fuels the unstoppable war machine of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}, melted down to create walls, weapons, and worse.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 120,
									"entries": [
										"The armies of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} are strictly regimented, and its society is no less ruthlessly structured. Every {@creature goblin}, {@creature hobgoblin}, and {@creature bugbear} knows their place within the imperial hierarchy. And every being of other races, including a number of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who have betrayed the {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} in hopes of gaining power within the Authority, know their place beneath the goblinkin. Iron Emperor Tz'Jarr is the supreme military commander of the empire, loyally served by the four royal generals that rule the empire's individual city-states. Tz'Jarr is unimaginably old, and it is said that his clerics have used blood magic granted to them by their god to sustain him beyond his years.",
										"The military government of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} is headquartered in Tz'Arrm. Its cultish generals are doggedly focused on maintaining the Authority's war machine\u2014and their own personal power. Beneath these generals are innumerable propagandists, military officials, slave-owning nobles, and their cronies, all of whom ravenously seek a way to climb the ladder of power. No elections are held; positions are only vacated in the event of death or promotion, and all leaders are appointed by the emperor or an immediate superior."
									],
									"id": "1da"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Society",
									"page": 120,
									"entries": [
										"As the capital of an empire with an insatiable appetite for expansion and conquest, Tz'Arrm is awash with propaganda and crawling with secret police. In addition to being the headquarters of the military, Tz'Arrm is also the center of operations for the Gauntlet, the empire's intelligence and espionage division. As the children of the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor}, loyal goblinkin are seen as the supreme citizens of the empire. The upper echelons of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} are filled almost exclusively by {@creature hobgoblin|MM|hobgoblins}, for the Iron Emperor has declared them the strongest and most worthy children of their god. By the same token, goblinkin who betray the empire are seen as the ultimate traitors, and suffer a fate worse than death.",
										"Those with wealth and status within the empire are constantly paranoid about falling out of favor. Even great generals see all those around them as hungry wolves waiting to gobble them up. At the bottom rungs of society are the serving class, who eke out a meager existence as indentured servants for the elite, or as merchants who are bound to whatever master owns their shop. Beneath even them are slaves, most of whom are prisoners of war."
									],
									"id": "1db"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Slavery",
									"page": 120,
									"entries": [
										"The armies of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} have captured tens of thousands of slaves during their wars of conquest across {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula}. The slaves of Tz'Arrm are mostly used as laborers, sent to chisel iron scraps from the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor's} fallen armor, or to venture back into the lower jungles to forage for food. The elite of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} sometimes play at benevolence by granting comfortable jobs indoors to slaves skilled in the arts\u2014such as personal portrait-painters, musicians, or sculptors. Such kindnesses are rarely a sign of true mercy; they are more likely a simple (and meager) expression of guilt.",
										"Groups of slaves that pass in and out of the city to labor in the armor yards or furnaces are escorted by a military detachment whose primary purpose is to discourage escape. The powerful people of the city prize their elven slaves above all others, passing them down like heirlooms from generation to generation. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are treasured possessions by the Authority's despicable elite, not just because of their beauty and long life, but because of how difficult it is to procure slaves from the sheltering boughs of the jungle."
									],
									"id": "1dc"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography and Climate",
									"page": 120,
									"entries": [
										"Tz'Arrm is hellishly hot. The black stone of the {@book Beynsfal Plateau|TDCSR|3|Beynsfal Plateau} and the iron walls of the city trap the heat of the relentless {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} sun. The imperial elite enjoy spells that cool their homes and shelter them from the sun, but those who toil under the sun pay a heavy price. The Authority's {@creature hobgoblin} elite are well suited to such a climate, but their {@creature goblin} and {@creature bugbear} slaves suffer as they toil\u2014as do the {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}, whose life in the shady, humid boughs of the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle} has left them unprepared for the blistering heat of the plateau."
									],
									"id": "1dd"
								}
							],
							"id": "1d8"
						}
					],
					"id": "1b8"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Verdant Expanse",
					"page": 120,
					"entries": [
						"East of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}, hundreds of miles of massive, unbridled forest shroud the landscape in mystery and shadow. This dense greenwood was for centuries traversed by few but the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of Tal'Dorei, for it was known to be their domain, and theirs alone. Even in the time of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, when her rebels and their elven allies saved the realm from tyranny, it was understood that the coasts were humanity's domain, and the woods were that of elvenkind. Times have changed, however. The alliances formed to oppose {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} united virtually all of Tal'Dorei's disparate peoples, and many more than simply {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} now walk the shaded paths of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}. Even so, much of the Expanse is protected by the watchful eyes of the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}, as it has been for hundreds of years.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-VerdantExpanseMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Verdant Expanse",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Verdant Expanse showing a wooded coastline on the Ozmit Sea. To the east of the Verdant Expanse lie the Stormcrest Mountains, with the city of Syngorn at the base of the mountain range.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Verdant Expanse",
							"width": 1700,
							"height": 823,
							"id": "2d5"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 121,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}, {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}, {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, {@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent}, {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Precious gems, grain, {@item gold|PHB}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Lumber, elvish goods, weapons, jewelry, meat and vegetables, enchantments"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "1df"
						},
						"Merchants travel from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} along roads sanctioned for trade, hunters both human and elven alike seek glory in tracking the wild beasts that roam the untamed wilderness, and bands of dark elf raiders from {@book Ruhn-Shak|TDCSR|3|Ruhn-Shak} prowl the forest under cover of night. This enchanted wood holds the decay of the seasons at bay, and its trees are green year-round.",
						"The {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} is sustained by a massive confluence of ley lines\u2014rivers of magical power that flow through the earth\u2014after the devastation of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} shifted the flow of magic across the world. The region is saturated with magic. Magical creatures flock to the forest's supernaturally vibrant boughs, including wayward fey, {@creature unicorn|MM|unicorns}, unusual arcane monstrosities like {@creature owlbear|MM|owlbears}, and displaced aberrations that call the darker groves their home.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Gladepools",
							"page": 121,
							"entries": [
								"Surrounding the southern edges of the Expanse lies a cluster of broken ponds and lakes that ever draw fresh water from the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} to the east, along with saltwater from the Ozmit Sea to the west. The strange mix of habitats across this somewhat marshy grassland has led to unusual ecosystems and odd, dangerous denizens, which in turn has drawn the attention of many fishermen from the {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} region, and of {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} hunters from within the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}.",
								"The clay and silt gathered along the shores of the saltwater lakes can be refined into fine ceramics and simple constructs that fetch fair prices in northern Tal'Dorei. {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} tradition tells of an oracle's spirit that is bound to the lakes, and when given sufficient offering and respect, the oracle will emerge to grant sufficiently reverent supplicants a cryptic prophecy.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gladepools Adventures",
									"page": 121,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Gladepools|TDCSR|3|The Gladepools} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "No Basis for a System of Government (any level)",
											"page": 121,
											"entries": [
												"While traveling along the edge of the {@book Gladepools|TDCSR|3|The Gladepools}, an elf character, or a character with elven ancestry, notices a gleaming {@item longsword|PHB} embedded in the bank of the lake. No one but that character can see it until they draw it from the mud. Flowing elven script upon the blade reads, \"Whosoever draws this blade bears the mantle of the true scion of Yenlara.\"",
												"Attempts to appraise the sword and discover if it's a true ancient {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} artifact plunge the characters into a dark conspiracy that lurks at the heart of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}: The High Warden may be wise and just, but she is not the rightful ruler\u2014at least, she is not Yenlara's heir. Centuries ago, someone strove to subvert Yenlara's bloodline. Why? And, if the High Warden is truly a good ruler, does the bloodline deserve to be restored?"
											],
											"id": "1e2"
										}
									],
									"id": "1e1"
								},
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-Gladepools.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Brian Syme|https://artstation.com/bryansyme}",
									"altText": "A city composed of glowing towers and domes surrounds a lake of water at the base of a mountain. A starry night and crescent moon are seen overhead and reflected in the water.",
									"width": 1278,
									"height": 838
								}
							],
							"id": "1e0"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Mirescar",
							"page": 121,
							"entries": [
								"Deep within the western reaches of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} is a region where the trees grow so close together that sunlight is barely permitted to pass through their boughs. These ancient trees cluster and twist into a labyrinth of knotted roots and branches, while a tangled canopy of drooping foliage and gray moss blocks the sky from view. Strange powers dwell within the Mirescar, and beasts and travelers that wander into its depths often emerge with their hearts and flesh touched by a deep and corrupting evil\u2014if they emerge at all. The woodlands surrounding the Mirescar are rife with dire beasts, cruel fey, and many-eyed aberrations.",
								"The Mirescar is the subject of countless {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} folk tales, many of which purport to tell the true story of how it was formed. Some say it contains the bones of a titan. Others say that a meteor from Ruidus itself landed in the forest. Another, that the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} cursed it during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. Any one of the tales may be true\u2014or none of them. Only adventurers of great courage and skill have the power to penetrate deep enough into the Mirescar to learn the truth and retain their humanity.",
								"More often than not, these tales serve to frighten the people of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden} away from the region altogether.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Mirescar Adventures",
									"page": 122,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Mirescar can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "A Sickness Spreads (mid-level)",
											"page": 122,
											"entries": [
												"A plague has begun to spread from the Mirescar. People living in the woods around this evil realm are suffering as they fall blind, with milky-white eyes; or their bodies are wracked by fevers; or they are struck by a number of other mysterious symptoms. All are aware that the vile Mirescar is the source of the {@spell contagion}. The characters are hired to delve into its boughs and find a cure, or to at least stem the flow of disease.",
												"In ancient times, the Mirescar was called the Heartwood. It was the domain of a wise and kindly {@creature guardian naga} named {@creature Sagacitous Erusaire|TDCSR}, who welcomed all with good hearts to share their bounty or receive alms. However, this {@creature Sagacitous Erusaire|TDCSR|naga} has been corrupted into a cruel shadow of his former self. He and his {@creature diseased grick|TDCSR} minions have been twisted into hideous, pus-oozing spreaders of disease\u2014and spreading it is now the only thought in their minds. The {@creature Sagacitous Erusaire|TDCSR|naga} can cast {@spell contagion} at will, and his {@creature diseased grick|TDCSR} minions can do so once per day. Is it possible to save the mind of this corrupted guardian?",
												"{@note Use the {@creature Sagacitous Erusaire|TDCSR} and {@creature diseased grick|TDCSR} statblocks for this adventure hook.}"
											],
											"id": "1e5"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tree of Scarred Knowledge (high-level)",
											"page": 122,
											"entries": [
												"A {@creature wraithroot tree|TDCSR} dwells at the heart of the Mirescar. It is covered with deep gouges, all of which open and close like eyes and mouths as it watches and, on occasion, speaks in a hissing voice to its surroundings. It stands atop a fell artifact\u2014the very thing that turned the Mirescar to evil in ancient times\u2014and has drunk deep of this artifact's forbidden knowledge and its cruelty.",
												"The tree is excited to bargain with any creature that meets it, trading secrets of unknowable origin for the memories held most dear. It fears no attack, for it is protected by a small legion of {@creature invisible stalker|MM|invisible stalkers} that enact its will throughout the Mirescar."
											],
											"id": "1e6"
										}
									],
									"id": "1e4"
								}
							],
							"id": "1e3"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Shifting Keep",
							"page": 123,
							"entries": [
								"The Verdant Guard has a secondary base of operations, beyond {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} walls, called the {@book Shifting Keep|TDCSR|3|Shifting Keep}. It is built within and around a cluster of massive, living trees that form the heart of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, and enchanted with the most powerful illusion magic that could be mustered by {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} military arcanists and their guild of Spellbenders. Enchantments woven into the keep's foundations allow it to cloak its presence, seemingly vanishing and reappearing elsewhere within the forest at will.",
								"The {@book Shifting Keep|TDCSR|3|Shifting Keep} can't teleport, but it can turn {@condition invisible} and project an illusion of itself to any point within a mile of its true location. This remarkable enchantment has made it almost impossible for invaders to besiege the keep, and it played a major role in {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} victory against Neminar {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} in the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}\u2014tales of the unassailable {@book Shifting Keep|TDCSR|3|Shifting Keep} are told in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to this day. Nearly a thousand trained elven warriors, hunters, and spies call the {@book Shifting Keep|TDCSR|3|Shifting Keep} their home, though many spend their time patrolling and exploring the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}. These rangers are vigilant, seeking signs of whatever foolish invaders would dare trifle with the might of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}."
							],
							"id": "1e7"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Syngorn",
							"page": 123,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "City:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 38,540 (85% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 9% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 3% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 3% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Founded by the sorceress Yenlara in the wake of the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} became the heart of elven civilization on Tal'Dorei following its calamitous destruction. The remnants of the fallen Court of Ullusa fled to the Fey Realm for a generation following the end of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, returning only when Yenlara found the realm safe to return. These four hundred survivors built a new home, taking inspiration from their temporary home among the fey, and formed the foundations of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Though {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} have spread all across Tal'Dorei, even as far as the frigid {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}, there was once a time where nearly all of them resided in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}.",
								"This beautiful city of curving stone is built in harmony with the trees of the {@book Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} and sits against the western base of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}. It is all but impervious to external assault\u2014not simply because of its 40-foot-high walls of ivy-covered {@item jade}, and not only because it's also surrounded by living trees of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} and beacons of detection that keep constant vigil for intruders. No, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is virtually unassailable because every entrance to the city is warded by a series of threshold crests: massive emblems of a crescent moon, flanked by two trees, over a deep cerulean stone. These enchanted stones act as an anchor to the Fey Realm, where {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} founders once recovered, allowing the city itself to vanish tracelessly into the Fey Realm as a final act of preservation.",
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 123,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"All here will say to you that Syngorn is a city without equal on Exandria. Its towers and bowers are impeccable, yes. Its cloisters and arches so graceful and fine they make your heart ache, yes, it has been said. But our dreams and memories are the most precious treasure here. They flicker like fireflies through the night, and they are heard in the laughter of the youngest elven child, and in the reminiscing groans of the eldest of our kind."
											],
											"by": "Ouestra",
											"from": "the Voice of Memory",
											"skipMarks": true
										}
									],
									"id": "1e9"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 123,
									"entries": [
										"The city has been governed since its inception by the {@book High Warden|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}, a hereditary monarch who appoints proven individuals to three other offices alongside them as the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}. Each Warden carries a title and bears a responsibility to guide the city toward safety and prosperity. The Verdant Lord is the head of the city guard, though they delegate this responsibility to a Vice Protector when leading the armies of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to war abroad.",
										"The Guildrunner manages the city's treasury and oversees commerce within {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} borders. The {@book Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory} is a heralded keeper of history and culture, and is often seen interacting with the elven people, gathering new memories for the archives. The High Warden has always been of Yenlara's bloodline, and is responsible for keeping order within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and its territories, as well as within the {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} themselves."
									],
									"id": "1ea"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Society",
									"page": 123,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is steeped in elven tradition that dates back to before the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}. The arts are lauded and revered, the pursuit of knowledge is respected and encouraged, and some training in refined martial techniques is culturally expected. The idea of trade between other cities and nations is understood to be both healthy and beneficial, but most foreign trade and travel is relegated to outer areas of the city.",
										"There was a time that few foreigners ever saw {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} innermost reaches, but that time has passed. {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} gates are open to travelers from across Tal'Dorei\u2014though all who visit the city are bound by {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} strict cultural laws to respect their millennia-old traditions. Any who disrespect the ways of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} are warned but once, and are thrown out of the city thereafter. Delicate crafts by {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} hands are sought after by collectors around the world, so many {@book Syngornians|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} take up the trade for both profit and honor.",
										"In a populace made up of people who are extraordinarily long-lived, having children is a rare and highly-regulated process. Prospective parents must gain approval from the office of the {@book Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory} to procreate, and any unapproved children are sent out of the city to be raised in outposts or foreign cities. All {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} call such an occasion \"regrettable,\" and truly do treat it with sorrow\u2014but the laws of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} are clear on this point, and few {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are willing to speak out against rulings which have stood for a thousand years."
									],
									"id": "1eb"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 124,
									"entries": [
										"If {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} appears free of crime, it's because elven criminals have hundreds of years of experience at lurking in the shadows. A thriving market for illegal goods runs invisibly through the city's guilds. Though time often seems to stand still in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, crime moves with the same celerity as it does in other cities\u2014it must, if the criminal underbelly wants to stay one step ahead of the {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}.",
										"The most common contraband to pass through {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} are shipments of {@item suude|TDCSR}, stolen goods, and dwarven trinkets. Many come to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to purchase these goods for a low price on the black market, but those unwilling to make a journey and risk being stopped by the Verdant Guard can wait for these goods to make their way up to {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, where they can be purchased at an outrageous markup of five times their cost in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}.",
										"Most people in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} have their basic needs taken care of by the city's government, to ensure the wellbeing of their people. Nevertheless, some people still fall into poverty, and these destitute individuals are often preyed upon by pickpockets, swindlers, and smugglers who seek to use them as patsies for a paltry sum of gold."
									],
									"id": "1ec"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography and Climate",
									"page": 124,
									"entries": [
										"The perpetual shade of the thick, green canopy of the forest maintains cooler weather throughout the summer months, while this far south, the ice and snow of winter is present, but minimal.",
										"{@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is broken up into six main districts and has a variety of neighborhoods:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Memory Ward",
											"page": 124,
											"entries": [
												"The mind of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is contained within a ring of marble walls in {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} northeast reaches. A winding stair, the One Thousand Steps, leads up to its lofty gate. Standing in the center of its grand court is the mystical Sequoia of Remembrance, a three-hundred-foot-tall redwood within which are stored the lives and memories of every elf in Tal'Dorei. At least, those whose bodies are brought before the sequoia and are granted the Rite of Remembrance, as performed by the {@book Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory} and her disciples, have their memories preserved and added to the collective. Nearly all {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} receive this rite, and a vast number of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who live elsewhere write into their wills that they must be subject to the rite after their death.",
												"Wisps of violet light flit about the sequoia's ancient boughs, and those who look closely into their centers have been known to catch glimpses of eras past, troubles present, and things that yet may be. The great redwood and its spirits are watched and tended to by the Dreamweavers, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who have dedicated their waking and sleeping lives to the protection of their heritage. About five hundred Dreamweavers and five thousand scholars, merchants, and other {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} call this district their home.",
												"The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are a culture obsessed with tradition and the past. As such, the Dreamweavers are among the most well-respected factions within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Their leader, {@book Ouestra, the Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory}, is likewise the most revered and socially powerful of the {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}."
											],
											"id": "1ee"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Beryl Keep",
											"page": 124,
											"entries": [
												"This fortress-district houses the martial might of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. Situated on a hill in the northwest of the city, thick walls of leaf-green beryl separate the district from the rest of the city. Within these walls are rows of barracks, archery ranges, trance chambers, forges, mess halls, and all the other necessities to train an army of long-lived {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}. At the far northwest of the district is the Beryl Keep itself. The near-unassailable fortress proves the saying that even the most utilitarian of elven things are beautiful to mortal eyes. Six eucalyptus trees of unknown age mark the boundaries of the keep, and between them grows a thick curtain of ironbark. A dense canopy of impenetrable steelfern forms its roof. Legend says that when {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} need is greatest, the six ancient eucalyptus trees that guard the keep will uproot and march as mighty {@creature treant|MM|treants} to defend the city.",
												"Beryl Keep is commanded by {@book Verdant Lord Celindar|TDCSR|2|Verdant Lord Celindar}, {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} master strategist. He possesses a {@item crystal ball} of {@spell true seeing} within his war room, which he can use to {@spell scrying|PHB|scry} upon any part of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} and to pierce any illusion. From this vantage point, he commands his forces like a chess master, always one step ahead of the threats within the enchanted forest. So far, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} remains safe because its enemies are wild and disorganized. Were they to unify, the might of the Verdant Guard would truly be put to the test.",
												"The armies of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} are about five thousand {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} strong, though only about three thousand are within this district at any time. The rest are stationed at outposts within the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} and the Fey Realm."
											],
											"id": "1ef"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tarn Ward",
											"page": 124,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} central ward is a peaceful commerce district surrounding Lake Ywynnlas and split by the channels that feed it. From sunrise to sunset, no business is conducted here, save for food service at public houses and beds at inns. During the daylight hours, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} socialize, play, sing songs, write poetry, paint great works of art, and meditate here. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are long-lived, and if half the day is not spent in peace and self-improvement, it is thought that the day was truly wasted, no matter how productive one might have been in matters of business.",
												"At nightfall, however, the Tarn Ward changes. The Tarn Thoroughfare opens at moonrise, lit only by the heavens and by magical, floating lanterns. The streets are silent but for the ethereal elvensong that guides those who know how to listen through the streets. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and half-elves raised in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} know this musical language, but those unfamiliar with it must use a {@spell comprehend languages} spell to follow the melody. When the river of sound guides a customer to a vendor, they speak in hushed {@language Elvish}, like an audience whispering at the theatre.",
												"Most shops along the Tarn Thoroughfare are affiliated with one of three guilds\u2014the Spellbenders' Guild, the Elvencraft Alliance, or the Mithral Fellowship\u2014and the sly {@book Guildrunner Rawndel|TDCSR|2|Guildrunner Rawndel} sits at the head of all three. The Warden of this district, Rawndel lives in a permanent {@spell Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion|PHB|magnificent mansion} with a façade adorned with splendid fey grotesques, and is respected by elven merchants and nobles alike. The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} don't seem to mind his monopoly on Thoroughfare trade, as their lives haven't been affected much, but {@book High Warden Tirelda|TDCSR|2|High Warden Tirelda} worries of the long-term consequences of Rawndel's power-hungry behavior."
											],
											"id": "1f0"
										},
										{
											"type": "inset",
											"name": "Syngornian Goods",
											"page": 125,
											"entries": [
												"Any basic goods can be purchased in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} at twice their usual cost. These goods, however, are of fine elven make. {@item +1 weapon|DMG|Weapons have a +1 bonus to damage rolls}, {@filter horses and other mounts|items|source=null|Type=Mount} increase their movement speed by 10 feet, and other items are possessed of unearthly beauty and preternatural durability. All common magic items can be easily found here, and any uncommon magic item has a {@chance 50||Uncommon Item|You find the item!|The item is nowhere to be found.} chance of being found here in the ward's many market stalls. Finding magic items of greater rarity requires a character to make a {@dc 21} Charisma ({@skill Investigation}) check to find a rare item, or a {@dc 25} ({@skill Investigation}) check to find a very rare item. These items are rarely for sale, and can only be bartered for\u2014typically by completing a dangerous quest for the person who possesses them."
											],
											"id": "1f1"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Emerald Citadel",
											"page": 125,
											"entries": [
												"The great palace of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} looms high over the north of the city\u2014a mighty castle of faded white marble, now covered with climbing ivy and sprouting plants. As the highest point in the gradually sloping city, its emerald-tipped spires can be seen from anywhere below. Visitors to the citadel first climb a grand set of stairs, curved like a flowing river of marble, before reaching its brass gates. The Verdant Guard aggressively protects the castle's main entrance, rejecting any commoner who does not have an invitation to the palace marked with the High Warden's seal. {@book High Warden Tirelda's|TDCSR|2|High Warden Tirelda} monocled majordomo, a silver-haired elf named Ibbimas, screens all of the High Warden's supplicants.",
												"The palace's high, vaulted ceilings are supported by pillars of gleaming marble carved in the image of tall elm trees, such that the ceilings are a canopy of polished stone. Beautiful portraits and busts of past {@book Wardens|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn} line the walls, along with opulent tapestries of Yenlara and the creation of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. The citadel is made up of four main levels. The basement levels hold the castle dungeons, as well as grand vaults containing fabulous treasure, historical artifacts, and overwrought gifts\u2014the latter given by emissaries uncertain of how to present a gift fine enough for an elven monarch. The first floor holds lush quarters for ambassadors and visiting dignitaries. The second floor's chambers are dedicated to business of state, including the High Warden's throne room. The towers above the citadel contain studies and quarters for the High Warden and her family.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-EmeraldCitadel.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
													"altText": "An emerald peaked stone citadel stands grandly above a beautiful, sylvan stone path. It is surrounded by a grand white and gold gate within a thick forest canopy, several cloaked individuals guard the gate as another figure approaches.",
													"width": 668,
													"height": 900
												}
											],
											"id": "1f2"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Feygrove",
											"page": 125,
											"entries": [
												"A once-splendid manor house in southern {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is now completely overgrown with plant life. Massive mulberry trees sprout at odd angles out of windows and through gables, and fairy lights dance around the house at all hours of the day. When {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} returned from the Fey Realm after the {@book Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} defeat, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} unintentionally brought a little of the Fey Realm with them. A number of fey creatures slipped through a gate from the Fey Realm to Exandria, then wriggled through {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} defenses and made their home in the mansion of an elven noblewoman named Lady Ladri Il'shavfa. She has tried for years to reclaim her home, but even the patience of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} wears thin; the fey are simply too numerous and too tenacious to be kicked out for good.",
												"The fey interlopers, however, are having the time of their lives. Far from merely throwing nightly parties\u2014though they do that, too\u2014they have made Il'shavfa Manor a place for them to experiment with wild new magic. Their leader, a {@creature pixie} prince named Windybranch, has found great pleasure in planting strange fey plants in the house and watching as they integrate with the mansion. The house is now a living, breathing, thinking thing\u2014a new friend for the fey! It keeps the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} out and it's a great conversationalist! To the fey, this arrangement has no downsides! The fairies have named this manor after the Archfey who first allowed them into the city. To them, their new home is Artagan's Lodge (and it's said that the {@deity The Traveler|Exandria|TDCSR|Archfey Artagan} occasionally stays within its walls when he visits Tal'Dorei).",
												"Since the Feygrove was first \"founded\" over twenty years ago, the fey have spilled out of Il'shavfa Manor and made an entire district of the city into their home. By this point, only the most stubborn of elven nobility still gripe about \"the fey menace\" within their midst. Most of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} residents are delighted to have a district filled with the fey, even if it causes the southern end of the city to be a little more chaotic than usual. The fey here seem to have kind hearts, and their chaos rarely crosses the line from churlish pranks into cruelty."
											],
											"id": "1f3"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Reverie Walks",
											"page": 126,
											"entries": [
												"The artistic and spiritual center of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is a winding labyrinth of living trees and stones. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who seek a day-long (or days-long) journey of meditation may wander the Reverie Walks, entering a trance-like state as they do so. Those who seek true enlightenment may dedicate years of their near-immortal lives to wandering the ever-shifting labyrinth, finding peace in isolation or in search of the Stone of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} in the labyrinth's center. An elven monk named Lyssev Sorveline has walked the labyrinth for five hundred years, seeking answers to questions even the gods do not know. Some {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} leave gifts of food for the Wanderer within the labyrinth, allowing them to continue their eternal meditation in peace.",
												"No Warden holds sway over the Reverie Walks. Legend holds that the living stones and trees that shift the labyrinth are devotees of the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} that swore to be their god's eternal wardens."
											],
											"id": "1f4"
										}
									],
									"id": "1ed"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Points of Interest",
									"page": 127,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} has a number of famous landmarks. They are keyed to the map of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-SyngornMap.webp"
											},
											"title": "The City of Syngorn",
											"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
											"altText": "A map of the elven city of Syngorn showing the neighborhoods and wards that surround Lake Ywnnlas.",
											"imageType": "map",
											"grid": {
												"type": "none"
											},
											"mapName": "The City of Syngorn",
											"width": 1700,
											"height": 1153,
											"id": "2d6"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "1. Elvencraft Alliance Guildhall",
											"id": "1. Elvencraft Alliance Guildhall",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"The Elvencraft Alliance is supposedly the oldest guild in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. They are entrusted with creating works of art that spread the culture of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} far and wide across Tal'Dorei. The front rooms of their guildhall are a museum of fine elven crafts from ages past, and they're open to all who wish to appreciate {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} cultural heritage."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "2. Guildrunner's Mansion",
											"id": "2. Guildrunner's Mansion",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Guildrunner Rawndel|TDCSR|2|Guildrunner Rawndel}, Warden of the Tarn Ward, makes his home within a permanent {@spell Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion|PHB|magnificent mansion}. Its exterior is a magnificent façade of stone and leering fey statues, yet if one were to look inside, they would find it completely empty. The door, which is constantly locked to all but the Guildrunner and his guests, is actually a portal to an extradimensional space containing a manor of supernatural beauty and luxury."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "3. Mithral Fellowship Guildhall",
											"id": "3. Mithral Fellowship Guildhall",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"The master metallurgists and smiths of the Mithral Fellowship are tasked with arming the Verdant Guard and the armies of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. In peacetime, they turn their talents to creating things of beauty from metal and jewels, sometimes in tandem with the artists of the Elvencraft Alliance. Due to their military involvement, none but authorized members of the fellowship are allowed within their guildhall."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "4. One Thousand Steps",
											"id": "4. One Thousand Steps",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"This winding stair is the only way in or out of the {@book Memory Ward|TDCSR|3|Memory Ward}. Each step is inscribed with an ancient elven idiom, aphorism, or impossible philosophical question. Anyone who enters the {@book Memory Ward|TDCSR|3|Memory Ward} is told to read the aphorism upon the first step and ponder it the entire time they are climbing the stairway. If they find peace in their answer, they are to read the inscription of the second step on their next journey, and so on. There are few, even among the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, who have pondered the inscriptions of all of the steps to their satisfaction."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "5. Spires of Yurek",
											"id": "5. Spires of Yurek",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"Roads lined with dormitories and vendors radiate out from the branches of the Sequoia of Remembrance to the walls of the {@book Memory Ward|TDCSR|3|Memory Ward}, providing essentials for not only the Dreamweavers, but the elven scholars who teach, study, and experiment with magic within the Spires of Yurek. This academy was named for {@book Yurek Windkeeper|TDCSR|Enchanter Yurek Windkeeper}, founder of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} and personal counselor to the {@book Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory} herself. The school is small compared to {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} magnificent {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, but its seven marble towers are no less awe-inspiring. Characters who visit the Spires of Yurek can learn any historical fact by studying its tomes for one hour and then making a successful {@dc 20} Intelligence ({@skill History}) check. They can even uncover hints toward long-lost secrets by completing a day's study and then succeeding on a {@dc 25} Intelligence ({@skill History}) check. New spells are constantly being invented here, and countless tomes filled with ancient spells can be found within the libraries."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "6. Tower of Moonlight",
											"id": "6. Tower of Moonlight",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"Most visitors to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} doubt that {@book Ouestra, the Voice of Memory|TDCSR|2|Ouestra, the Voice of Memory}, truly dwells in a tower of moonlight. It is the truth. Her tower does not exist under the light of the sun, and then appears as a semi-solid pillar of Catha's silvery glow, occasionally veined by lines of Ruidus's ruddy light when the smaller moon is full. Its inside has supposedly never been seen by any but the other {@book Wardens of Syngorn|TDCSR|2|Wardens of Syngorn}, and a thousand rumors circulate throughout the realm of the magical and divine marvels that must be contained within."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "7. Spellbenders' Guildhall",
											"id": "7. Spellbenders' Guildhall",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} is saturated with magic. The ley energies that suffuse the greenwood make it easy for arcanists to create works of spellcraft by themselves, when it might take a half-dozen mages working in concert in other lands. Many of {@book Syngorn's|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} most trustworthy magi are members of the Spellbenders, a guild dedicated to creating new spells and using them to create works of art, defend their homeland, and improve their peoples' lives. Their guildhall is only accessible to those with the express permission of {@book Guildrunner Rawndel|TDCSR|2|Guildrunner Rawndel}."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "8. Stone of the Arch Heart",
											"id": "8. Stone of the Arch Heart",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"In the heart of the Reverie Walks is a column of pure diamond, carved in the radiant likeness of an androgynous elf. Though the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} is worshiped throughout Tal'Dorei as a god of magic and art, they are something more to the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}: a progenitor of their people, a deity of fatherhood and motherhood, yet also of neither\u2014a liminal god that by their very nature both embraces and destroys binaries. {@book Elves|TDCSR|4|elves} that are \"born of the Arch Heart\" are honored within {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and many who seek that honor wander the Reverie Ward in search of the Stone, longing for physical transformation, social power, or arcane might. Some search for centuries and never find it, but in times of peril, the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} always makes their wisdom known to those who truly need it."
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "1f5"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Syngorn Adventures",
									"page": 127,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The River Does Not Run Through It (low-level)",
											"page": 127,
											"entries": [
												"Word arrives from Verdant Scouts that the Feshun River has stopped emptying into the Ozmit Sea without warning. The powerful flow from the {@book Tormor Falls|TDCSR|3|Tormor Falls} shows no signs of dwindling river flow, so the party is sent to investigate, only to find a sudden sinkhole that has consumed a small section of the {@book Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, causing the river to pour into this massive, underground cavern. The rock and earth below appears to be crumbling at an accelerated pace, and the air below smells of decay. What could be the source of this rapid destruction, and how can it be remedied?"
											],
											"id": "1f7"
										}
									],
									"id": "1f6"
								}
							],
							"id": "1e8"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tormor Falls",
							"page": 128,
							"entries": [
								"Feeding the mouth of the rushing Feshun River that carves through the body of the {@book Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, Tormor Falls is an incredible multi-level series of waterfalls that cascade down the eastern side of Orencleft Mountain for hundreds of feet. Swelling with every major rainfall, and beautiful to behold at all times of the year, Tormor Falls is also host to a number of caves that hide beneath the mist and spray, leading beyond the forest and under the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}.",
								"A squad of Verdant Guard patrols the base of the falls, and many have explored the caverns in the past. Some return with nothing; others discover old relics and trinkets from the earliest days of Tal'Dorei, or even from the time of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. It's rare for a patrol to fail to return, but when they do, no search party has ever been able to make contact with survivors, or to reclaim their remains. The guard has begun to whisper that the cave entrances move, shifting with each rising sun. The superstitions surrounding the caves around Tormor Falls have grown so great that expeditions which fail to return are no longer searched for at all, and no patrols go inside the caves without a critically important reason.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Tormor Falls Adventures",
									"page": 128,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Tormor Falls|TDCSR|3|Tormor Falls} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "This Cave Was Made for Me! (mid-level)",
											"page": 128,
											"entries": [
												"Characters that travel the edge of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} hear distressing news that people from small villages, and even from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, have disappeared in the night\u2014and now, a friend of the party has joined the ranks of the missing. What they don't know is that these people are leaving the village themselves, hypnotically drawn to the caves behind {@book Tormor Falls|TDCSR|3|Tormor Falls} by an {@creature aboleth} living within a pool deep inside the cave system. The beings that emerge from those caves are no longer humanoid, but nightmarish mockeries of life."
											],
											"id": "1fa"
										}
									],
									"id": "1f9"
								}
							],
							"id": "1f8"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Vues'dal Waters",
							"page": 128,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Scattered Villages:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 2,420 (52% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 28% {@book goblinkin|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, 12% {@book lizardfolk|TDCSR|6|lizardfolk}, 5% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 3% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"The volcano known as Mt. Vues'dal erupted for the last time in the early days of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. Its explosion shook the earth so terribly that the mountain itself was swallowed, creating the Vues'dal Basin at the edge of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains}. Today, the basin has been completely filled by the Feshun River, and the land around the Vues'dal Basin is among the most fertile farmland in southern Tal'Dorei. The villages of the Vues'dal Waters are known for their prize produce, exporting tomatoes, cherries, pumpkins, lentils, sweet potatoes, and dozens of other foods, both staples and luxuries, to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}\u2014and from there, to the rest of Tal'Dorei.",
								"The people of the Vues'dal Waters are mostly {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, but over the years they've been joined by some of the local {@creature lizardfolk} that have dwelt in the marshes, as well as goblinkin fleeing the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} to the south. All of these various people have banded together to create something beautiful around the caldera of this long-dead volcano\u2014and to repel bandits and monsters from the nearby marshes. The {@creature lizardfolk} hate fighting their kin, but human and {@creature lizardfolk} bandits alike have made the wetlands their home, and prey upon these honest farmers from encampments that shift from week to week.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Vues'dal Adventures",
									"page": 128,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Vues'dal Waters can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Legions of the Reptile God (mid-level)",
											"page": 128,
											"entries": [
												"The people of Vues'dal have unwittingly been skirmishing with the vanguard of a force that wishes to bring {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to its knees. The {@creature spirit naga} Maledicta Hexos has come from below the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} to rally the {@creature lizardfolk} tribe in the name of the {@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent}. Vues'dal will soon be overrun, and the Verdant Guard has called for {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} aid in driving back the legions of this monster with delusions of godhood.",
												"Maledicta's armies contain not just countless {@creature lizardfolk}, but also several {@creature hydra|MM|hydras}, and a {@creature night hag} that serves as her lieutenant. Maledicta is also in possession of one of the {@book Astural Scrolls|TDCSR|3|The Astural Scrolls}, an artifact looted from {@book Wrettis|TDCSR|3|Wrettis} that grants her uncanny cosmic powers."
											],
											"id": "1fd"
										}
									],
									"id": "1fc"
								}
							],
							"id": "1fb"
						}
					],
					"id": "1de"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Bladeshimmer Shoreline",
					"page": 129,
					"entries": [
						"The Bladeshimmer Shoreline, named for the distant glimmering of sun across the Ozmit Sea, stretches across the central western coast of Tal'Dorei. This coast is where {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, and {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} first set foot on the continent of Tal'Dorei, and it bears the marks of their first steps on this land. It's also home to the present heart of the Republic of Tal'Dorei.",
						"The shoreline is a hub of international trade, for the western coast of Tal'Dorei is closest to the continents of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} and {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. Dozens of tallmasted trading {@filter ships|vehicles|Vehicle Type=Ship|Source=GoS} set sail to and from its calm shores each day\u2014as well as the majestic {@item skyship|TDCSR|skyships} that daily soar in and out of the resplendent capital city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}.",
						"Inland Bladeshimmer is mostly temperate grassland, intercut by cool, winding rivers. The bulk of western Tal'Dorei's produce comes from farms here, blessed with clean water and non-salinated soil, despite the ocean's proximity. {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} presence lends the region stability. Nevertheless, the yeomen living beyond the city's walls struggle to defend their small plots from burrowing {@creature ankheg|MM|ankhegs}, corrupting fiends, and the various folkloric spirits and monsters that lurk in the shadows of their minds.",
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-BladeshimmerShorelineMap.webp"
							},
							"title": "The Bladeshimmer Shoreline",
							"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
							"altText": "A map of the Bladeshimmer Shoreline showing the western coastline of Tal'Dorei. To its northern end, upon the coast is the city of Emon. Northeast of Emon are the Cliffkeep Mountains and the dwarven city of Kraghammer.",
							"imageType": "map",
							"grid": {
								"type": "none"
							},
							"mapName": "The Bladeshimmer Shoreline",
							"width": 850,
							"height": 2289,
							"id": "2d7"
						},
						{
							"type": "insetReadaloud",
							"page": 129,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Majority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer}, {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Minority Faiths:",
											"entries": [
												"{@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}, {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, {@deity The Lord of the Hells|Exandria|TDCSR|Lord of the Hells}, {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant}"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Imports:",
											"entries": [
												"Precious and industrial metals, lumber"
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Exports:",
											"entries": [
												"Stone, lumber, {@filter ships|vehicles|Vehicle Type=Ship|Source=GoS}, {@creature fish|GoS}, grain, produce, cobalt, {@item gold|PHB}, livestock"
											]
										}
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "1ff"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Daggerbay",
							"page": 129,
							"entries": [
								"Daggerbay, so named for the jagged Slumber Reef that flanks the bay, was where the first human colonists of Tal'Dorei made landfall. In that bygone time, it was a bustling port for the human city of Port {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)}. It has since fallen into disuse after the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} and the destruction of {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)}. Centuries later, the bay is now naught but a haunting reminder of darker days. It is home to hundreds of sunken ships and the bodies of their lost crew, deep below the depths of the reef. Those who know of their history say that the waters are cursed, and the nearby settlers spread rumors of ghost ships and {@creature siren|TftYP|sirens} calling looters to their grave should they wander too close to the ominous waves.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Daggerbay Adventures",
									"page": 129,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Daggerbay|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Stormbringers (mid-level)",
											"page": 129,
											"entries": [
												"A society of banished {@creature merfolk} have claimed {@book Daggerbay|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay} as their domain. They harass any treasure hunters that seek to loot the wreckage at the bottom of the bay. While the characters are traveling nearby, a terrible storm forces them to take shelter in the ruins of {@book Daggerbay|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay}.",
												"In truth, the storm was caused by the renegade {@creature merfolk}. Some weeks ago, they discovered a relic of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} with the power to summon and direct storms. The coast is now shrouded in an endless maelstrom. That night, when the characters take shelter in the ruins, they're assailed by the {@creature merfolk|MM|merfolks'} land-dwelling humanoid thugs. These brutes attempt to capture the characters and deliver them to their leaders."
											],
											"id": "202"
										}
									],
									"id": "201"
								}
							],
							"id": "200"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Daggerbay Mountains",
							"page": 130,
							"entries": [
								"The pages of history do not remember the Molten Titan, or when this fierce entity of liquid metal was felled by primordial {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} at the end of the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}. The entity was sealed within and consumed by the earth, giving birth to a range of mountains that has stood for the ages since. Jutting upward against the northwestern border of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} and stretching to the Ozmit Sea, these stormy peaks functioned as the first boundary between the long-established {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and the burgeoning human colonies on Tal'Dorei during their arrival.",
								"For most of history, the {@book Daggerbay Mountains|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay Mountains}, or the lyren'alsi in Elvish, were known to be desolate and devoid of material worth. Prospectors from {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)} came home empty-handed, if they came back at all. The survivors returned with tales of bands of bloodthirsty, one-eyed giants that roamed the peaks: {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes}. {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} settlers and {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} both learned to leave the lyren'alsi well enough alone.",
								"Decades later, the {@book Emerald Outpost|TDCSR|3|Emerald Outpost} was established as a major trading post for the people of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. With such a valuable settlement nearby, the {@book Daggerbay's|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay Mountains} hazardous peaks suddenly garnered the interest of adventurers and fortune-seekers. Small hunts for undiscovered riches grew into vast expeditions. These incursions into the mountains aggravated the mountains' territorial inhabitants; elven scouts reported {@creature cyclops} raiders and {@creature cyclops stormcaller|TDCSR|cyclops stormcallers} conducting strange rituals within the eyes of thunderstorms at night, and hungry {@creature bulette|MM|bulettes} hunting beyond their normal domain, as if guided by some unknown intelligence.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Daggerbay Mountains Adventures",
									"page": 130,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Daggerbay Mountains|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay Mountains} can use these plot hooks for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Eye of the Storm (mid-level)",
											"page": 130,
											"entries": [
												"Groups of {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} are migrating into the mountains, leaving their foothill settlements empty of warriors, civilians, and the infirm alike. A half-elf {@creature scout} named Thunderchaser has caused a stir in the {@book Emerald Outpost|TDCSR|3|Emerald Outpost} by bringing back the lightning-charred corpse of a {@creature hill giant} with one eye ritually gouged out. What are the {@creature cyclops stormcaller|TDCSR|cyclops stormcallers} planning beneath the concealing stormclouds of the {@book Daggerbay Mountains|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay Mountains}?"
											],
											"id": "205"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "A Metal of Memory (high-level)",
											"page": 130,
											"entries": [
												"The ancient molten beast that was sundered beneath these rocky peaks left behind pockets, located far below the surface, of an incredibly rare metal with mysterious properties, called orichalcum. The sudden discovery has sent local entrepreneurs into a frenzy, and the ensuing rush has already sparked violence among the bands of treasure hunters. As the adventuring parties dig deeper, they discover that some essence of the ancient creature still lives, and it is seeking vengeance."
											],
											"id": "206"
										}
									],
									"id": "204"
								}
							],
							"id": "203"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Emerald Outpost",
							"page": 130,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Town:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 1,470 (76% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 19% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 3% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 2% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"Originally established by the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} as a hidden outpost to protect their homeland from the growing empire of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, the {@book Emerald Outpost|TDCSR|3|Emerald Outpost} fell out of use after the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}. This former military outpost is now an intermediary trading post and a place for merchants traveling between {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} to rest. The Emerald Chambers, once used as a war room, and more recently used as a diplomatic chamber for the allied governments of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, have these days been converted into a stylish bazaar, in which {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} traders can sell their wares without making the full journey to either city."
							],
							"id": "207"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Emon, the City of Fellowship",
							"page": 130,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Metropolis:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 365,026 (63% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 8% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 7% {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, 22% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} stands defiantly against all who would threaten Tal'Dorei and its people. It is the cultural and political heart of the Republic of Tal'Dorei, as well as a nexus of commerce, entertainment, travel, education, and adventure.",
								"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is accessible only through its heavily patrolled gates and by {@item skyship|TDCSR}. The denizens of the city are generally well protected from outside attackers and sieges.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Government",
									"page": 130,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is the seat of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, 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 {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} attacked {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Following the death of {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and the rest of the {@book Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was rebuilt and the council reformed as the backbone of the new Republic of Tal'Dorei. The council and its members are {@book described in detail starting on page 42.|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}",
										"One unintended consequence of relying on magic to rapidly rebuild {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} 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."
									],
									"id": "209"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Current Events",
									"page": 131,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} is best known for their policies that affect the whole of Tal'Dorei. It is often ignored that the council also governs {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and resolves the day-to-day issues of the city. These are some current events both great and small affecting {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} today; these topics can add flavor to the discussions and rumors the characters hear around town, and could even inspire new adventures for them to take on.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Elemental Disturbances",
											"page": 131,
											"entries": [
												"Over twenty years have passed since {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} was killed in the caverns beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. His wreckage in the {@book Cloudtop District|TDCSR|3|Cloudtop District}, as well as the {@book Scar of the Cinder King|TDCSR|3|Scar of the Cinder King}, a swath of elemental destruction outside the city walls, have been tended to by members of the Fire {@book Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}, gradually healing the stubborn wounds of his influence. Yet the primordial fires that seeped from his body continue to linger in the caverns beneath the city where he died. Every year or two, an incursion of wild fire and hateful {@creature cinderslag elemental|TDCSR|cinderslag elementals} burst through the city streets, causing mass chaos, expensive damages, and life-or-death battles for the city guard."
											],
											"id": "20b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Mercenary Mages",
											"page": 131,
											"entries": [
												"A generation ago, the fledgling {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} hired hundreds, if not thousands, of mercenary mages to aid in the reconstruction of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and other cities across Tal'Dorei. These days, Tal'Dorei is rebuilt, and the few infrastructure problems aren't enough to employ all the mercenaries left behind by the league. These out-of-work mercenaries now linger around dismal dive bars and make trouble for the locals. Most people would rather see them gone, but it's hard not to feel sorry for their situation."
											],
											"id": "20c"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Walls and Slums",
											"page": 131,
											"entries": [
												"The city's outer walls have fallen under heavy criticism from politicians and civilians alike in recent years. Many people are concerned that the walls' true purpose these days is to separate the slums outside the walls from the \"respectable\" districts within them. Popular opinion is now that the great {@book City of Fellowship|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} should do more to help its less fortunate, but council politicians continue to stall. In private, Master of Commerce {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR} de Rolo fumes that she wants to help, but can't cut through political red tape with her {@item Fenthras|TDCSR|legendary bow} and arrow."
											],
											"id": "20d"
										}
									],
									"id": "20a"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Society",
									"page": 131,
									"entries": [
										"While in antiquity {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was the heart of a human empire, the city has grown to encompass people from all over Tal'Dorei, and all over the world. Its citizens include people of nearly all known races from Exandria's many nations, thriving on the new innovations and ideas of its citizenry. It has been this way since the sovereignty of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, when the alliances she formed invited dozens of displaced {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, and {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} into her city. Since then, {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} has developed into a city whose people valued innovation and collaboration, especially in small, cohesive groups\u2014virtues that some historians within the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} believe have given rise to the prominence of the modern adventuring party.",
										"While {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is becoming more commercial and the use of {@item gold|PHB} 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 reign of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, the {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} adopted a dwarven oath called rudraz, an intimate promise between two people to repay a deed or trade. Though the rudraz is not a contract, the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} believed that an oathbreaker would be forever barred from passing beyond the Brightguard Gates of Hilmaire, the gates that allow {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} to pass to the afterlife. {@book Humans|TDCSR|4|humans} in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} treat the rudraz more lightly, often using it to seal matters of business or politics rather than personal promises, but breaking this oath still carries massive social repercussions. Few look kindly upon a person with the epithet \"Oathbreaker\"."
									],
									"id": "20e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Rebirth",
									"page": 131,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} has mostly recovered from its destruction at the talons of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} and {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} subsequent occupation. A number of Tal'Dorei's most significant factions played a role in {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} rebirth, and their members enjoy positions of prominence throughout the city. {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} was rapidly rebuilt to its former glory, due to the expensive but effective intervention of mercenary mages serving the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. Thanks also to the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} underground networks and established hierarchies, {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} society and culture was able to bounce back more swiftly than any other major settlement in Tal'Dorei.",
										"And the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, formerly an advisory council to the sovereign, is now the ruling council of the land. Folk heroes and career politicians alike sit on the council. Over the past two decades, the council has, with many missteps, enacted the will of the people\u2014allowing Tal'Dorei to transition from a monarchical power to a republic without war or insurrection.",
										"However, the swiftness of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} rebirth has put the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} in a precarious position. Not only are they socially indebted to a criminal faction\u2014one whose members now command immense celebrity among the common folk\u2014the council now owes vast amounts of gold to mages of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. League conjurers created thousands of tons of stone and steel, and each one of their transmuters rebuilt everything from taverns to townhouses and sewers to stately manors as quickly as a hundred laborers. {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} hoard of plundered wealth has dwindled to nothing, repaying the league, and they have done the same in cities across the land. Some members of the council have already caved to pressure from factions within the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, and subsequently turn a blind eye to the crime and magical abuse that run rampant throughout the city. Barely a single human generation old, the young republic is already struggling under the weight of ruling in a just and noble manner."
									],
									"id": "20f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Defenses",
									"page": 132,
									"entries": [
										"The Republic of Tal'Dorei has no standing army, and doesn't elect a Master of War\u2014a military commander-in-chief\u2014to its council outside of wartime. In peacetime, the Master of Defense is responsible for the acquisition of mercenaries and adventurers for tasks which require the use of force. They also have the ability to conscript existing militias and town guards into military service and call them to {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} defense at any time, though typically only while the Master of War is being elected.",
										"The only standing forces pledged exclusively to the defense of the realm are the elite forces of {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio}. Mobilizing the armies of {@book Fort Daxio|TDCSR|3|Fort Daxio} to {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} aid generally requires the city to withstand a week-long siege. However, in case of internal strife, there are stables positioned every fifteen miles along the Othen Trail, allowing Daxio's legendary outriders to arrive at {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} in a mere two days' time by switching out their exhausted steeds.",
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is encircled by 60-foot-high stone walls that stretch from the eastern fields to the western shore\u2014though a number of discussions in the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} have revolved around the strategic irrelevance of great stone walls. They didn't protect {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} against the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} over twenty years ago, and they wouldn't have done much against an army of {@creature cultist|MM|cultists} and winged {@creature gloomstalker|EGW|gloomstalkers} had {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} led an army against Tal'Dorei. As {@item skyship|TDCSR|skyships} grow more popular and affordable around the world, even the council's Master of Defense is considering demolishing the city's walls\u2014making the strange case that such fortifications are prized more for their historic and cultural value than for their strategic importance.",
										"These walls are patrolled by lightly armed and armored members of the Arms of Emon, the city's official watch and constabulary. They are divided unofficially into the Arms upon the Wall and the Arms on the Streets, the latter of which are assigned to patrol the city streets to dissuade petty criminals and respond to violent crime."
									],
									"id": "210"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crime",
									"page": 132,
									"entries": [
										"Hundreds of miles of tunnels of varied provenance run beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Most are the forgotten remnants of paved-over neighborhoods and secret passageways made by thieves' guilds during the reign of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}. Others are the lairs of tunneling monsters. The origins of others still are lost forever, for they have already long since been turned into sewer passages to whisk away the refuse of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} citizens.",
										"The vast majority of the tunnels closer to the surface are known to the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} and used to rapidly move about the city unseen. Somewhere deep in this network of unlabeled roads is the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} secret headquarters, where all manner of thieves, {@creature clasp cutthroat|TDCSR|cutthroats}, fences, and spies gather beneath their banner. Though the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} operates in major cities across Tal'Dorei, {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} has always been their home, and saving their neighbors from {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} reign of terror gave the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} the dubious benefit of a heroic reputation.",
										"However, the {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} crime syndicate from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} has spent over two decades relentlessly clawing their way into the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} territory across Tal'Dorei\u2014dismantling their networks, poaching their clients, and assassinating their informants. The {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} hasn't managed to completely eliminate the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} hold in any of the cities they've targeted, but that hasn't stopped them from bringing the ongoing power struggle to the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} doorstep. {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} agents bargain in shadowed alleys, gamble in upscale taverns, and lurk in the very tunnels that the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} relies on, waiting for their chance to unseat the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} once and for all."
									],
									"id": "211"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Geography and Climate",
									"page": 132,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is not a tourist destination for its climate\u2014the city is known for sudden, pounding rainstorms just as much as for its beautiful, sunny days. The city is blessed with cool summers and warm winters, thanks to its proximity to the cool Ozmit Sea. Though snow rarely falls on the city itself, it relies on springtime snowmelt from the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} to fill its reservoirs throughout the year.",
										"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is made up of the following districts:",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Abdar's Promenade",
											"page": 132,
											"entries": [
												"The Promenade is an open marketplace district and massive bazaar that dominates eastern {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, named for the legendary spicemonger from {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} who helped fund the construction of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. To this day, the name of Abdar is synonymous with both generosity and business savvy. Nearly everything a person could want can be found within the tents, carts, warehouses, and shops of the promenade. Its intertwining roads stretch for miles, and it has dozens of tiny neighborhoods, each with their own distinct cultures and identities. The promenade is heavily patrolled by the Arms of Emon, for its sunny reputation is shrouded by an equally significant reputation for literal back-alley criminal deals."
											],
											"id": "213"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Central District",
											"page": 133,
											"entries": [
												"This is the largest residential district within {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} walls. It houses most of the city's merchant class, including traveling traders, ship captains, and guild journeymen. The Central District is a patchwork of thousands of personal homes, tenements, and guildhalls of all shapes and sizes, peppered with small taverns and inns on nearly every street corner.",
												"These neighborhoods lay clustered together among tightly set streets, occasionally broken up by park grasses or the Ozmit Waterways that snake through the region between the promenade and the port. Visitors to the Central District are advised not to go out at night; the wide disparity of wealth from home to home here has seen a recent rise in crime, and the city watch seems reluctant to find a constructive solution. Residents who know the lay of the land have an easier time at night and can help visitors avoid the most dangerous streets."
											],
											"id": "214"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cloudtop District",
											"page": 133,
											"entries": [
												"Out of all of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} districts, the Cloudtop has, in some ways, changed the most over the decades. In {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} time, a monstrous fortress loomed over the manors of his sycophants. In the age of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei's|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} descendants, countless mages transfigured that decadent citadel into a sleek, elegant palace. By the time the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} came, decadence had once more crept up on {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and though the Palace of the Sovereign remained much the same, the Cloudtop District was once again a nest of luxury and the throne of the social elite. The latest additions in that era were {@item skyship|TDCSR} platforms, so that the wealthiest and most connected in Tal'Dorei could travel in exclusive luxury\u2014soaring through the skies rather than enduring arduous journeys over land or sea.",
												"All of that was reduced to slag by the advent of the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} made the Cloudtop District his home, and the palace itself his throne. His very presence caused magma to surge from the caverns beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, where previously no fires burned. {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} ruled there for only a matter of months, but those few months were enough to annihilate unknown millions of gold pieces' worth of art and creations of untold value\u2014though the greedy dragon took care to command his minions to save the most beautiful works for his treasure hoard.",
												"Today, the Cloudtop District is rebuilt, though the most stubborn elemental influences of the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} linger in {@book Thordak's Crater|TDCSR|3|7. Thordak's Crater}. A new castle called {@book Cloudwatch Palace|TDCSR|3|6. Cloudwatch Palace} has been built atop the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, and it contains the chambers of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, as well as grand dining halls and guest quarters for visiting dignitaries. Much of the castle is a museum, displaying what regalia and objets d'art survived the wrath of the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King}. The private chambers of the palace also contain a number of {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|teleportation circles} that leading councilmembers can use to return to their homes at night\u2014particularly if they live in far-off cities such as {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}."
											],
											"id": "215"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Temple District",
											"page": 134,
											"entries": [
												"Some say that this northern district contains more temples than in the rest of Tal'Dorei's cities combined. This is a flagrant exaggeration, but at first glance, most people believe it. {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is a city of many people, from many different places, with many different faiths. Even folk who worship the same gods worship them differently, and have built their own temples. Legend has it that shrines and temples used to be built all across {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} (and there are still some small sanctuaries elsewhere in the city), but a cleric of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} declared her temple the greatest in all {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Her boast was met with scorn from a nearby church of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}. Their clerics, always eager to rise to a challenge, built an even greater temple across the street, and soon, people of all faiths were building the most magnificent structures they could, all in one tiny corner of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}.",
												"Today, cathedrals to the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} stand at apex among smaller temples to the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather}, the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}, and the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}. All {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities} have at least a moderately sized house of worship here, and even some of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} are worshiped in secrecy.",
												"Anyone who seeks shelter here, be they rich or poor, can find sanctuary in the Temple District. Even the faithful of gods of strength, such as the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon}, have mercy for those who need the aid of others to help them stand on their own.",
												"Travelers and sailors come to leave tokens and gifts at shrines to bless their journeys, while people of all walks of life seek the graces of the {@deity The Changebringer|Exandria|TDCSR|Changebringer} before undertaking risky endeavors. The meek search for wisdom in the great halls of the {@deity The Knowing Mentor|Exandria|TDCSR|Knowing Mentor}, as the artists and wistful folk give praise to the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}. However, not all folk are drawn toward religion, nor trusting of it, and temples past have been exposed as frauds\u2014or worse, cults who venerate power.",
												"Recently, an off-kilter faith to a lesser idol called the {@deity The Traveler|Exandria|TDCSR|Traveler} has found purchase in the Temple Ward\u2014primarily in the form of puerile graffiti in back alleys. Other quasi-religious spiritual entities have small cult followings in the Temple Ward. They are generally allowed to flourish to whatever degree they can, so long as their beliefs don't advocate for any behavior that would break the laws of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}."
											],
											"id": "216"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Erudite Quarter",
											"page": 134,
											"entries": [
												"This district is home to members of the educated upper-middle class and destitute academics alike. Several institutions of higher learning have their stately campuses here, ranging from well-to-do boarding schools to Tal'Dorei's most premiere academic and arcane institutions.",
												"Beautiful towers in ancient {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} style stretch to the sky across a cityscape of centuries-old halls of learning and student boardinghouses. Here, the finest schools and colleges draw the wealthy, the gifted, and the brilliant\u2014and none more so than the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, often lauded as the largest and most accomplished institute of arcane study on the continent. Though the district's walls were shattered and its libraries crushed during the invasion of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, the Erudite Quarter has thankfully been mostly reconstructed, thanks to the efforts of the {@book Lyceum's|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} staff and students.",
												"Members of the {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, under the direction of Headmaster Thurmond Adlam, performed the reconstruction themselves not simply because they sought to project an image of good work ethic and self-sufficiency, but because the heads of their colleges distrust the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. Their motives and sources of funding are, in the eyes of the {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, too opaque to be trusted. Their suspicion has often been derided either as elitism over the diverse array of mercenary mages the league hires, or as sour grapes over losing out on countless lucrative reconstruction contracts."
											],
											"id": "217"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Military District",
											"page": 134,
											"entries": [
												"Since {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} has no standing army, the Military District is one of the city's smallest wards. Nevertheless, it has the capacity to house and train a vast number of soldiers if an army needs to be levied from the people of Tal'Dorei. The Military District is mostly filled with several prisons and jails, including the infamous {@book Black Bastille|TDCSR|3|11. The Black Bastille}, as well as tightly locked barracks and instructional facilities for the Arms of Emon."
											],
											"id": "218"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cemetery District",
											"page": 134,
											"entries": [
												"This smaller section of the city is filled with graveyards and small religious sanctuaries so that people with means to purchase a gravesite or a mausoleum can bury their dead in whatever luxury they can afford. Countless gravestones line the rolling hills of the district. They are sectioned off from the roads by tall iron fences, with mausoleums of more affluent families dotting the grassy hillsides. As surface space grew limited in centuries past, the city excavated a network of catacombs called the Undervaults. Upkeep, expansion, and general safeguarding of the sites are all overseen by the Gravewatchers, a guild of gravekeepers that have held political and social hegemony over the district for generations.",
												"Their attempts to expand the Undervaults have had mixed results over the centuries. Most new excavations meet without incident (likely because the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} has learned to keep their tunnels far from this district). However, excavations in recent decades have broken into the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns}, an eerie cave system filled with mind-bending inscriptions and horrific beings. The breach was promptly sealed off.",
												"Yet the sealing of the caverns did not stop some members of the Gravewatchers from seeing an opportunity to gain fame and glory. Most who ventured into the caverns were never seen again, and those who have returned shudder unspeakably of the horrors they escaped. Still, passage is occasionally granted to the {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} or adventurers willing to pay the Gravewatchers for entry to the dangerous realm below."
											],
											"id": "219"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Port of Emon",
											"page": 135,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} is bordered on the west by the Ozmit Sea and is generally sheltered from the worst of its storms. The vast {@book Port of Emon|TDCSR|3|Port of Emon} allows hundreds of thousands of gold pieces' worth of goods to flow through the city every single day. Well over a hundred ships fill this port at any given time, and the dock crews are ever working, carrying crates and goods away to {@book Abdar's Promenade|TDCSR|3|Abdar's Promenade}, or to empty vessels for exportation. The northern sector of the Port is mostly allocated to the Everline, a powerful fisherfolk's guild. They frequently feud with the Onyx Banner, {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} most powerful shipping guild, over which docks they are permitted to use. Both guilds keep their hands clean, but it's an open secret that both hire adventurers and mercenaries to trash the other's ships and warehouses to intimidate them. Adventurers in need of fast cash who don't mind dodging the Arms of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} can find good work as muscle for either of these two guilds.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-PortofEmon.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
													"altText": "The Port of Emon where several ships on the water approach the gleaming, colorful city in the distance. A beautiful, tall castle stands far in the background, overlooking the city.",
													"width": 1278,
													"height": 791
												}
											],
											"id": "21a"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Outwall",
											"page": 135,
											"entries": [
												"During the reign of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, a massive city of tents and hovels grew outside of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, filled with those too poor to pay {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} extortative taxes. By the end of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, the slum had grown to a third of the city's size, and nearly half its population. Even during the reign of {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}, these slums continued to grow, as refugees of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} tried to earn enough money to find stability within {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} walls.",
												"Though their conditions were still meager when the magnanimous {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} ended {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} iron rule, the city's denizens chose to remain, having created a community with its own culture of inexpensive living and brotherhood in poverty, away from the bustle of the city's inner streets. A microcosm of {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} society now exists within the city of Outwall, including its own trade square, shrines for worship, and makeshift farms on the outskirts. As early as two decades ago, Outwall was called the Upper Slums\u2014a derogatory name given to it by {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} Cloudtop elite. People within Outwall tried to transform the term \"Upper Slums\" into a symbol of civic pride, but it never stuck. The name Outwall eventually emerged after community leaders demanded an audience with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} in an event that came to be called the Outer Wall Debates\u2014for they demanded the council convene in the slums' own town square.",
												"These days, Outwall is becoming a trendy place to live, thanks to its vibrant culture and relatively inexpensive housing. Its locals are fighting hard to keep young people with money to burn from the {@book Central District|TDCSR|3|Central District} from gentrifying their home. It hasn't come to violence yet, but the angrier members of the Outwall community clandestinely meet with adventurers to burn down the stylish houses and mansions that are driving out local residents and businesses."
											],
											"id": "21b"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Southgate Farms",
											"page": 135,
											"entries": [
												"Inspired by the civic action of the people of {@book Outwall|TDCSR|3|Outwall}, the farmers of Southgate were able to break from the ugly name of \"slum\" in the past decade. This community of farmers and ranchers, formerly known as the Lower Slum, exists outside {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} southern gates. It first formed when a large refugee band from {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} was barred entry into the city in the midst of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}. Instead of dispersing, they decided to lay down roots while {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} armies were out fighting a losing battle against {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant}. These squatters eventually formed a community of farmers who petitioned {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} for land in exchange for providing produce and grown goods to the people of the city.",
												"Thanks to the aid of the First Sovereign, the descendants of those {@book Othanzian|TDCSR|3|Issylra} refugees have become one of the most significant sources of fresh food for the people of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Frustrated by being saddled with the name of \"slum,\" and inspired by the Outer Wall Debates, the leading families of the Lower Slums demanded recognition by the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} as well. They were met with little debate, and these humble farmers are now a respectable part of {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} society\u2014even if they live outside the city's defensive walls.",
												"This southern region of the city is also home to a famous site of modern history: Greyskull Keep, the former base of operations for Vox Machina in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. This fortress was gifted to them by the Last Sovereign as thanks for saving his life. The various heroes of Vox Machina have moved on to other homes (and now typically gather in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} for holidays), and they allowed the keep to be turned into a museum of their heroic exploits."
											],
											"id": "21c"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Shoreline Farms",
											"page": 135,
											"entries": [
												"Less respectable than the {@book Southgate Farms|TDCSR|3|Southgate Farms} are the communities along a stretch of murky shore north of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. These people of {@book Outwall|TDCSR|3|Outwall} have tried for decades to turn terrible, salty land into effective farmland, to mixed results. They have successfully cultivated the few vegetables that grow in saltwater-soaked soil, leading to bountiful harvests of savory quattet gourds and the hard-to-grow brineroot. However, the farms' distance from the city gives them little protection from dangers that city folk think little of. Adventurers are always wanted to protect the farms from petty criminals and wandering monsters, but the farmers have little to pay. Generally, only utterly novice adventurers find their start in a place like the Shoreline Farms\u2014but all heroes have to start somewhere."
											],
											"id": "21d"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "The Grotto",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"This sprawling series of underground chambers composes the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} headquarters beneath the city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. It's rumored that over a dozen entrances to the Grotto are concealed amidst the labyrinthine tunnels, which are both naturally occurring and a part of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} sewers. That doesn't even begin to get into the hundreds of other entrances and access shafts abandoned and filled in for fear of discovery. The very nature of the {@book Clasp's|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} business is to keep shifting out of sight, and as such, the actual core of the organization moves from base to base between multiple subterranean structures, ever building further underground, or repurposing a long-abandoned hideout whenever necessary."
											],
											"id": "21e"
										}
									],
									"id": "212"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Points of Interest",
									"page": 136,
									"entries": [
										"A number of both popular and historically significant landmarks can be found in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. They are keyed to the map of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-EmonMap.webp"
											},
											"title": "Emon, The City of Fellowship",
											"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
											"altText": "A map of Emon: The City of Fellowship along the Ozmit Sea coastline, detailing the city's many districts, with the port on the Ozmit Sea to the west and its castle directly in the middle of the city. Channels and waterways wind throughout the city, circling towards the north.",
											"imageType": "map",
											"grid": {
												"type": "none"
											},
											"mapName": "Emon, The City of Fellowship",
											"width": 1700,
											"height": 2307,
											"id": "2d8"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "1. Laughing Lamia Inn",
											"id": "1. Laughing Lamia Inn",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"While the city is home to countless taverns and inns for the weary traveler or practiced performer, few are as grand and well known as the Laughing Lamia. Almost as old as the city itself, this fine establishment has traded hands numerous times over the years, and has expanded with each transition, leaving the massive, four-story institution a hodgepodge mass of odd rooms and themes, all centered around a raucous central tavern room filled with dozens of tables. Currently under the ownership of a brash and cheerful lass called Luthania Wells, this hot spot for traveling traders and adventurers alike rarely sees an hour in the day (or night) where there isn't something interesting going on within."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "2. Azalea Street Park",
											"id": "2. Azalea Street Park",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"Azalea Street, within {@book Abdar's Promenade|TDCSR|3|Abdar's Promenade}, is one of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} oldest neighborhoods, and is full to bursting with small businesses, quaint homes, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, such as the {@book Laughing Lamia|TDCSR|3|1. Laughing Lamia Inn}. Amidst the chaos of daily life, Azalea Street is also home to a peaceful park overlooking the Ozmit Waterways. When the stress of constant battles becomes too much to bear, adventurers in the know take a moment to visit the Azalea Street Park and recover, maybe even swapping stories with other relaxing heroes. Legend has it that heroes who meditate among the flowers and drink in the sea air return invigorated by the spirit of the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother}. A statue of the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} and {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} dancing together graces a fountain in the center of the park. Once per week, a character can gain {@variantrule inspiration|PHB} ({@variantrule inspiration|DMG|as described in the fifth edition rules}) by taking a {@quickref resting|PHB|2|0|short rest} in Azalea Street Park."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "3. Anvilgate",
											"id": "3. Anvilgate",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"Made of stark black stone and adorned with intricate brass metalwork, this grand blacksmithy is one of the most striking buildings in {@book Abdar's Promenade|TDCSR|3|Abdar's Promenade}. Decades ago, a restless craftsman from {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} of the name Grahf Tiltkettle grew weary of solitary pursuits and worried that interest in blacksmithing would give way to the emerging trend of mass-production. Tiltkettle retired in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and dedicated his respectable fortune to ignite the spark of inspiration in those who wished to learn the ways of the hammer and anvil, hoping to instill the joy of the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer} in a new generation. He funded the creation of Anvilgate, a massive, public blacksmithy where any folk who wished to try their hand at the smithing of metals could do so under the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer's} guidance.",
												"Cheaper ores and materials were often donated by friends of Tiltkettle to aid the volunteer mentors in teaching their craft to the less fortunate, while folks who wished to bring their own ingots were welcome to do so. The location has become popular enough to begin expanding its facility to include kilns for ceramics and looms for weaving. While the tools are open for anyone to use on the premises, all are warned of the curse that will beset any wanton thief who steals from under the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer's} gaze."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "4. Traverse Junction",
											"id": "4. Traverse Junction",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"The most magically active structure in Tal'Dorei shines like a pyramid of pure sapphire in the bustling center of the {@book Erudite Quarter|TDCSR|3|Erudite Quarter}, its walls thrumming with arcane energy. It is the Traverse Junction, and all visitors to the {@book Erudite Quarter|TDCSR|3|Erudite Quarter} stop to see it when they visit.",
												"In nearly every major Exandrian city, there are {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|teleportation circles} that link mages to other such {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|circles} around the world. Each and every one of these major {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|circles} has a twin in the Traverse Junction, a travel nexus for approved mages and world leaders. Any characters renowned in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} or honored by the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} may make use of the Junction (for 50 gp, if they can't cast {@spell teleportation circle}), allowing them to travel to major cities such as {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, and {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone} in Tal'Dorei; Port Damali and Rexxentrum in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}; {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} in {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}; and Vasselheim in {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}.",
												"The telemagi who curate the {@spell teleportation circle|PHB|circles} are always in search of new teleportation sigils to different lands; they are willing to pay a handsome sum for the services of powerful and magically skilled adventurers willing to seek out and catalog new circle sigils for their records."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "5. Alabaster Lyceum",
											"id": "5. Alabaster Lyceum",
											"page": 136,
											"entries": [
												"The gleaming white halls and elaborate gardens of the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} signal to all who see them that they gaze upon the greatest institute of higher learning in Tal'Dorei\u2014though numerous scholars in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} would heatedly dispute that claim. Regardless, this place is the heart of homegrown academia in the Republic of Tal'Dorei, boldly striving to make a name for itself alongside the ancient scholarly traditions of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}, and {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. The {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} (for those who can afford the impressive tuition) is an unparalleled center for study and research of history, economics, alchemy, art, and\u2014most of all\u2014magic and the arcane. Many of Tal'Dorei's greatest scholars and bards paid their dues in these halls, and the history of the {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} and its graduates are featured in all manner of superstitions and folktales."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "6. Cloudwatch Palace",
											"id": "6. Cloudwatch Palace",
											"page": 137,
											"entries": [
												"In the wake of the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} destruction of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, the towering palace that stood as home to the sovereign and the center of governance within the city fell to fire and ruin. In the decades since, construction began with the aid of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} to construct a new palace to help house the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} and be a symbolic center for all major political affairs within the region. The Cloudwatch Palace now sits atop the once-smoldering hill where {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} once claimed his roost, a symbol of {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} enduring will and optimistic hope for the future. Within these high-arched halls, countless chambers hold space for diplomats, meetings, and in the case of holidays, grandiose celebrations that draw the attention of powerful figures all across Exandria."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "7. Thordak's Crater",
											"id": "7. Thordak's Crater",
											"page": 137,
											"entries": [
												"One last unsettling element of the {@book Cloudtop District|TDCSR|3|Cloudtop District} is the elementally scarred remains of {@book Thordak's Crater|TDCSR|3|7. Thordak's Crater}. Even after two decades of healing from {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of Pyrah, {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} fires still burn beneath the Cloudtop. The smoldering entrance to the caverns remains cordoned off from the public because of its unsightly appearance and sulfurous stench, and because fiery creatures occasionally try to claw their way out into the fresh air. The crater is often forgotten, but every few months an adventuring party makes their way inside to seek treasure or glory within the volatile caverns\u2014and such expeditions are a favorite topic of conversation (and clandestine betting) among the politicians, political aides, remaining city nobility, and nouveau riche of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}.",
												"Why {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} magic lingers enough to create these mindless {@creature cinderslag elemental|TDCSR|cinderslag elementals} is a mystery; but it seems to be limited to the crater, as the elementals cannot go beyond it without collapsing into inert slurry."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "8. Emon Skyport",
											"id": "8. Emon Skyport",
											"page": 138,
											"entries": [
												"This elevated port is complete with docking platforms solely for the use of skyfaring vessels. The original {@book Emon Skyport|TDCSR|3|8. Emon Skyport} was the first of its kind in Tal'Dorei, and its successor is every bit as revolutionary as the original.",
												"The {@book Emon Skyport|TDCSR|3|8. Emon Skyport} was destroyed when the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} claimed the {@book Cloudtop District|TDCSR|3|Cloudtop District} as his fiery throne, but like so much of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, it has since been rebuilt. Unlike other parts of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, this reconstruction was a joint venture between the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} and the Alsfarin Union, a {@book Marquesian|TDCSR|3|Marquet} guild responsible for the engineering and distribution of all {@item skyship|TDCSR|skyships} in Exandria.",
												"Booking passage on a {@item skyship|TDCSR} isn't cheap (see the \"{@variantrule Skyships|TDCSR}\" sidebar), but the privilege is available to everyone that can pay. Generally, one passenger {@item skyship|TDCSR} leaves {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} per week to each of the following locations:",
												{
													"type": "list",
													"items": [
														"Vasselheim, {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} (passenger ticket costs 2,500 gp)",
														"{@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, Tal'Dorei (passenger ticket costs 900 gp)",
														"Port Damali, {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} (layover in {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}; passenger ticket costs 2,000 gp)",
														"Ank'Harel, {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} (passenger ticket costs 2,500 gp)"
													]
												},
												"Members of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} can also usually pull strings to grant adventurers they hire free passage when on vital business.",
												{
													"type": "statblock",
													"name": "Skyships",
													"source": "TDCSR",
													"page": 137,
													"tag": "variantrule"
												}
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "9. Tomb of the Last Sovereign",
											"id": "9. Tomb of the Last Sovereign",
											"page": 138,
											"entries": [
												"Uriel Tal'Dorei II, the Last Sovereign, was slain by the noxious breath of the green dragon Raishan during the attack of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. Uriel's wife, Salda, survived him and petitioned the reformed {@book Council of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} to build their last sovereign a tomb befitting his benevolence and magnanimity. They complied, and the monumental Tomb of the Last Sovereign is now home to not just Uriel's ashes, but to tribute from all who loved him. Those with wealth gave gold, while those whose hearts outweighed their purses gave more personal tribute.",
												"Over twenty years ago, the Gravewatchers closed the tomb to all, supposedly to prevent vandalism, but have not reopened it after more than two decades. The Last Sovereign's eldest daughter, {@book Odessa Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|2|Seeker Odessa Tal'Dorei}, is furious. Despite her position of power on the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, she is unable to dispute the act because of the power the Gravewatchers have as keepers of the dead. It has come to the point where she seeks to secretly employ adventurers to uncover the Gravewatchers' true intentions\u2014which involve the psychic influence of an aberrant creature of the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns}."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "10. Godsbrawl Ring",
											"id": "10. Godsbrawl Ring",
											"page": 138,
											"entries": [
												"Though the Temple of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} always has a fighting ring in its center, the annual Godsbrawl transforms the earthen, torchlit sanctum into one of Tal'Dorei's most unusual tournament grounds. On the Day of Challenging, the god of athleticism's holy day, the brawny priests of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} invite warriors and worshipers of the entire pantheon to the Godsbrawl, asking that each temple offer forth their greatest warrior to act as their god's proxy in the tournament. The clergy of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} and the {@deity The Lawbearer|Exandria|TDCSR|Lawbearer} send their champions, but rarely take it seriously, for they scorn the storm-priests' notion of \"might makes right.\" Conversely, the champions of the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord} and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} have a fierce\u2014though friendly\u2014rivalry, trading the title of Supreme Champion back and forth each year after a bloody (but rarely fatal) final round."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "11. The Black Bastille",
											"id": "11. The Black Bastille",
											"page": 138,
											"entries": [
												"Named for its ash-blackened walls, the ominous Black Bastille is a single-story prison within the {@book Military District|TDCSR|3|Military District} that holds Tal'Dorei's most dangerous and irredeemable criminals. The compound has no windows, no open courtyards, and only one entrance: two imposing steel doors, flanked by watchtowers. During the reign of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, the prison was one of the first buildings attacked, setting hundreds of Tal'Dorei's worst criminals loose to sow chaos across {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. The Black Bastille has since been rebuilt, but dozens of its most deplorable inmates still run free, and the Arms of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} are eager to recover them. Some include the human demon-summoner Felrinn Derevar, betrayer of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}; the half-elf pyromancer Illaman Falconsong, exile of the Fire Ashari; and the vampiric tiefling {@book Ixrattu Khar|TDCSR|2|Ixrattu Khar}, cultist of {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR} and Tal'Dorei's foulest mass murderer."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "12. Walls of Tribute",
											"id": "12. Walls of Tribute",
											"page": 138,
											"entries": [
												"Anyone who wishes to uphold justice and keep the peace can apply to join the Arms of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. But before a recruit is given their armor and takes a vow to protect the city and its people, they must endure a grueling training regimen within the tall, featureless stone barricades of the Walls of Tribute, referred to wryly by recruits as the Quarry. There, they are trained in the physical aspects of peacekeeping, instructed on the habits of the city's criminal underbelly, and drilled in the laws and ideals of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "13. House of Discipline",
											"id": "13. House of Discipline",
											"page": 140,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} does not have a standing army of its own. The skills imparted to the Arms of Emon are sufficient to maintain a rowdy populace, but they are carefully trained to use nonlethal force to restrain, rather than kill, all those whom they apprehend. Thus, when war comes to Tal'Dorei, the council appoints a Master of War and levies an army from the Arms of Emon, as well as the militias of its constituent settlements. They must report to the House of Discipline, where they are taught martial combat alongside the harsh realities of warfare. Those who endure their time in the House of Discipline are forged into an army ready to protect {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and the rest of Tal'Dorei from the greater dangers of Exandria."
											]
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "14. Gilmore's Glorious Goods",
											"id": "14. Gilmore's Glorious Goods",
											"page": 140,
											"entries": [
												"The broad, single-story façade of Shaun Gilmore's wondrous magical emporium belies the extravagance of its interior. Within, the air is thick with a dozen competing perfumes, each more pungent than the last. The interior is impossibly large\u2014certainly larger than its exterior walls would have you believe\u2014and filled with seemingly endless rows of arcane curiosities and artifacts, many of whose cryptic functions have been lost to time. Everburning candles in an array of unnatural colors light the shop, casting tantalizing shadows over every bubbling phial and mystical orb. Those who enter the shop are first met by Gilmore's long-time assistant Sherri, a half-elf draped in deep purple robes. If they are lucky, or particularly convincing, they may even meet the hero Gilmore himself.",
												"Even rarer a sight than Sherri or Gilmore is the latter's husband, a handsome elf named Darius. He is shy in public, a perfect counterbalance to Gilmore's bombast, but is said to have a singing voice and skill with the {@item lyre|PHB} that can make any mortal weep. Whether or not his husband is present, Gilmore is ever eager to recount his part in the fall of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}, often winkingly embellishing his role in the final battle with {@book Thordak|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} himself.",
												"Gilmore's Glorious Goods sells all manner of magic items. Its stock varies, but typically includes magic items of very rare rarity and lower for the price range listed in the fifth edition core rules. Additionally, there are always unidentified items in Gilmore's vast back-room storage that he says he'll \"get to eventually;\" these may include one or two long-lost legendary items. Artifact-quality items are beyond even Shaun Gilmore's usual fare, but he might know clues to a specific artifact's location, whether through his own extensive knowledge or his rumored relationship with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} as an expert consultant on matters of arcane objects. Magic items are expensive, and those strapped for cash may inquire about sponsorships and quests done in Gilmore's service.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-Gilmore'sGloriousGoods.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Isabel Gibney|https://isabelgibney.com/}",
													"altText": "Glorious Gilmore himself stands smiling outside of the door to his shop, motioning towards his sign. He is a dark-skinned man dressed in purple and indigo silk robes and adorned with golden jewelry. He has dark hair and a well-trimmed beard. Behind him stands his husband Darius, an elven man with blonde hair.",
													"width": 1278,
													"height": 882
												}
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "21f"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Emon Adventures",
									"page": 141,
									"entries": [
										"Every district, point of interest, and scrap of current events described earlier in this section could be a plot seed you can turn into an adventure. In addition to those, you can use these adventure hooks to involve your players in an {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} adventure.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Primordial Children (any level)",
											"page": 141,
											"entries": [
												"Rumors of terrible creatures of fire and teeth stalking the sewers spread throughout {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} taverns. Such mutterings have gone largely ignored; however, an investigator has recovered what looks to be the broken remains of a large, leathery red egg, not far from a collapsed tunnel beneath the Cloudtop. It seems one of {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} primordial dragon spawn survived its father's demise and is lurking in the city's tunnels."
											],
											"id": "221"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Council Business (any level)",
											"page": 141,
											"entries": [
												"The {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}\u2014particularly {@book Tofor Brotoras|TDCSR|2|Guardian Tofor Brotoras}, Master of Defense, and {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren}, Master of Arcana\u2014frequently hire adventurers to undertake dangerous quests for the benefit of the realm. Once the characters do a deed great enough to catch the council's attention, they are contacted the next time they're in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to undertake a quest; choose from any of the other story hooks in this book or make a new one of your own. The council offers a reward equal to 1,000 gp × the average character level of the party."
											],
											"id": "222"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Miraculous Escape (high-level)",
											"page": 141,
											"entries": [
												"Master of Arcana {@book Allura Vysoren|TDCSR|2|Arcanist Allura Vysoren} covertly contacts the characters with a worrisome claim. In the middle of the night, a former {@creature Remnant cultist|TDCSR} named Hammond Kraith escaped the {@book Black Bastille|TDCSR|3|11. The Black Bastille}, apparently with the aid of an invisible monster. She provides the party with the magic-inhibiting manacles he wore within the prison, in hopes that they can use them to follow his trail. What she doesn't know is that the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles} broke Kraith out of prison using an invisible {@creature master adranach|TDCSR}. He is hiding out on an island in the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}, aided by a number of {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} mercenaries and a captured {@creature mage hunter golem|TDCSR} he has reprogrammed to serve him."
											],
											"id": "223"
										}
									],
									"id": "220"
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "The Sisters Grast",
									"page": 141,
									"entries": [
										"Mythic tales of a pair of ancient hags swirl through learned circles within {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, typically to frighten {@book Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} students off of wandering forbidden vaults at night. Some folk, however, take these whispers seriously. A number of explorers and treasure seekers wandering the subterranean ruins of {@book Crystalfen|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns} have encountered one, or both, of these wretched witches, returning with tales of fright, dark dealings, and unholy pacts.",
										"In reality, these creatures are elven scholars who stumbled upon the {@book Ruins of Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar} long, long ago. Their discovery and research of the profoundly magical location twisted their minds and bodies, infused them with power, extended their lives, and granted a glimmer of knowledge of some immense, unknowable purpose to the lost city. They've become obsessed with the mysteries of the ruins. The elder, Trysta, remains below to continue to excavate and study, while her sister Forscythia travels back and forth from {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} under the veil of a half-dozen illusions to acquire goods and gold in exchange for her unsettlingly insightful fortune-telling. Anyone who seeks the sisters with ill intent is rarely seen again, but those who stumble upon them often find themselves temporarily in service to them, a pact made out of fear and self-preservation."
									],
									"id": "224"
								}
							],
							"id": "208"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Crystalfen Caverns",
							"page": 141,
							"entries": [
								"Deep beneath the {@book Bladeshimmer Coast|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline} is a sprawling network of natural caverns and rivers that predate the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. These tunnels reach even below the ocean, and have roots in early colonization by denizens of the Realms Beyond.",
								"An ancient society of psychically powerful {@book aboleths|TDCSR|6|aboleths} and other aberrations sprung up from a door between worlds and conquered this subterranean web, drove their slaves to construct {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar}, the Unseeable City, and slowly pressed upward toward the surface. Their plot was unintentionally ended when the final battle of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} sent powerful waves of magical force throughout Exandria, causing much of the underground caverns to collapse and the aboleth civilization to fall under rock and rubble. Fragments of the City Which Eyes Cannot See still remain, however, with surviving terrors slowly rebuilding from the dust within their once-great capital.",
								"The ruins of this sprawling city are now known as the Crystalfen Caverns. These caves are home to scattered veins of {@item azuremite|TDCSR}, a gorgeous blue crystal that formed from millennia of psychic energies existing near element deposits. Curious explorers who discovered the veins found that, when mined and refined into a fine dust, the {@item azuremite|TDCSR} powder is a strong mind-altering agent and induces temporary visions and other psychic phenomena.",
								"While a number of small, isolated entrances to this labyrinth of tunnels have been discovered and adventuring parties have attempted to chart the mines, the caverns are so vast and deep that either they gave up for fear of becoming lost, or they were assailed by the terrible denizens of the caverns, never to return. Most who now brave the caverns are foolish treasure hunters or criminals seeking to mine more {@item azuremite|TDCSR} to sell on the black market.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Crystalfen Caverns Adventures",
									"page": 142,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Mining The Past (any level)",
											"page": 142,
											"entries": [
												"When the characters finish a {@quickref resting|PHB|2|0|short rest} in the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns}, they must each make a {@dc 15} Wisdom {@quickref saving throws|PHB|2|1|saving throw}. On a failure, a woman's voice fills their minds, saying, \"I sense someone...are you truly here, too? Please...I am lost, and alone in the dark.\" The voice guides them down the twisting caves to a 120-foot-deep mine shaft. The stones at the bottom shimmer with faint azure light. Should they descend into the {@item azuremite|TDCSR} mine, they travel through an uncharted tunnel and find a lone, dying {@creature aboleth} with five levels of {@condition exhaustion} that has wandered too far from its ruined domain.",
												"The {@creature aboleth} doesn't seek to kill them\u2014yet. Its only priority is self-preservation, and it needs help fending off the {@creature kobold|MM|kobolds} that have made the mine their home in order to reach a subterranean lake where it can recover. Do the characters kill it or save it? If it reaches the lake, or dies, they are rewarded with a haunting premonition of the {@book Ruins of Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar}, and a murky vision revealing the depths and expanse of the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns}.",
												{
													"type": "image",
													"href": {
														"type": "internal",
														"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter3-CrystalfenCaverns.webp"
													},
													"credit": "{@link Andrey Vasilchenko|https://artstation.com/artmage}",
													"altText": "In the midst of a musky miasma in a dark cavern sits a monstrous, reddish worm-like creature with two eyes stacked on top of each other. Tentacles expand from either side, it's toothy maw open. A green lizardfolk warrior sits, attentively listening.",
													"width": 1278,
													"height": 823
												}
											],
											"id": "227"
										}
									],
									"id": "226"
								}
							],
							"id": "225"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ruins of Salar",
							"page": 142,
							"entries": [
								"In the lightless nadir of the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns}, directly beneath the splendid {@book Port of Emon|TDCSR|3|Port of Emon}, rest the eternally slumbering ruins of Salar. No mortal has beheld these ruins\u2014once the capital of a mighty {@creature aboleth} dominion\u2014and returned to the surface with wits to tell the tale. Salar is known only in myth and legend as the Unseeable City, because mortal eyes cannot look upon its alien architecture without destroying their fragile minds. Salar is treated as an urban legend by {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} scholars and archeologists. Nevertheless, many believe in its existence, for numerous scholars have returned from expeditions into the deep caverns with their minds shattered by otherworldly power.",
								"Those who have returned from Salar brought back journals filled with increasingly crazed notes. The most intelligible of their writings indicate that all that survives of the ruined city are emerald marble structures of unfathomable design, seeming to 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 claimed to have visions of Salar, describing a subterranean city with twisting pillars that stretched higher than any tower, kissing the seat of the surface world from the bedrock of the earth. At the peak of the central pillar floats a giant pearlescent disc. This so-called Moon Disc bathes the entire city in unsettling, milky light that refracts eerily through the emerald spires.",
								"Karaline von Ethro is long since dead, and her journal\u2014by far the most coherent record of the Unseeable City\u2014is an apocryphal artifact. The {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} kept it in a closely guarded vault, which only added to its mystique. However, the journal was stolen long ago, and since then, dozens of manuscripts said to be the Von Ethro Journal have been sold in black markets across Tal'Dorei. Anyone lucky\u2014or unlucky\u2014enough to find the genuine journal would learn a terrible secret that the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} has held onto in silence for decades: dozens, perhaps hundreds, of {@book aboleths|TDCSR|6|aboleths} survive within Salar. Their master, Durrom of the Emerald Eyes, lives on in secrecy while expanding its army of thralls and learning all it can about the ignorant surface dwellers. Durrom's ultimate goal is to shatter the forgotten Pillars of the Earth beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and cause the city to collapse into its subterranean domain.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Karaline von Ethro",
									"page": 143,
									"entries": [
										"Archeologist, anthropologist, and explorer extraordinaire; 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 rotate in all directions\u2014a very useful tool when exploring subterranean territory. However, despite her discoveries and inventions, she is most remembered for going mad after allegedly having visions of the Ruins of Salar. Karaline's madness eventually led to her tragic demise at the young age of 37."
									],
									"id": "229"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ruins of Salar Adventures",
									"page": 143,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Ruins of Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Secrets Within Secrets (mid-level)",
											"page": 143,
											"entries": [
												"The characters are approached by Jomen Tash, an earnest half-elf mage of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, who claims to have obtained pages from the lost Von Ethro Journal. He shares his research with the characters and hires them to accompany him into the ruins, promising that he will guard their minds from any alien influence. But in truth, though Jomen was once a member of the {@book Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical}, he has recently aligned his interests with the mysterious goals of the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}. Is he leading the characters into danger with only counterfeit scrawlings to guide them, or does he actually hold part of Karaline von Ethro's description of {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar} and its dangers?"
											],
											"id": "22b"
										}
									],
									"id": "22a"
								}
							],
							"id": "228"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Scar of the Cinder King",
							"page": 143,
							"entries": [
								"It was thought that the lands surrounding {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} would never fully recover from {@book Thordak's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} overwhelming elemental power. His presence not only incinerated his enemies\u2014it wounded the land itself. After the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} defeat, the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} beseeched the Fire Ashari to travel from the distant lands of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and lend their wisdom.",
								"The frightful {@book Scar of the Cinder King|TDCSR|3|Scar of the Cinder King} and {@book Thordak's Crater|TDCSR|3|7. Thordak's Crater}, both twisted by the red dragon's cancerous, fiery magic, were healed by the druids of the Fire Ashari over the course of about fifteen years\u2014an act that the brightest minds of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} thought would take an epoch to achieve. Clouds of white ash still occasionally blow across the fields surrounding {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, but the last lingering reminders of the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} terror are beginning to vanish.",
								"Nevertheless, the Fire Ashari left behind a group of four druids, led by a female half-orc named Lorkathar. They dwell in a small stone fortress known as Flamereach Outpost\u2014a defensive fortification used when the scar was still spawning beings of flame and hatred. They vehemently warn all who enter to avoid using elemental magic of any sort\u2014especially fire magic\u2014as these evocations could cause the still tender division between the Material Plane and the Elemental Plane of Fire to resonate and tear.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Scar of the Cinder King Adventures",
									"page": 143,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the {@book Scar of the Cinder King|TDCSR|3|Scar of the Cinder King} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Reopening Wounds (any level)",
											"page": 143,
											"entries": [
												"{@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} of Pyrah have claimed that the {@book Scar of the Cinder King|TDCSR|3|Scar of the Cinder King} is healed\u2014yet rumors have spread through {@book Emon's|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} {@book Erudite Quarter|TDCSR|3|Erudite Quarter} that a representative of Pyrah has been seeking counsel with the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} regarding the scar. While the characters travel through the once-scarred lands east of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} to find their next adventure, they are shocked by a sudden earthquake, as the ground erupts with a serpentine, fiery crack. Magma and {@creature cinderslag elemental|TDCSR|cinderslag elementals} slowly seep from the crevasse, turning all they touch to ash."
											],
											"id": "22e"
										}
									],
									"id": "22d"
								}
							],
							"id": "22c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)",
							"page": 144,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population: 310 (83% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 17% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"The first human colonizers of Tal'Dorei journeyed across the Ozmit Sea, weathering terrible storms and deadly waves, and made landfall in {@book Daggerbay|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay}. From there, they founded the port city of O'Noa, and though the city quickly grew in wealth and influence, the early settlers were greeted with mistrust by the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}. When King Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} took the throne of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, no city suffered greater devastation than the contested region of O'Noa. It was the site of one of the {@book Scattered War's|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} bloodiest battles, and the arcane energies unleashed reduced the city to ruins and permanently scarred the land. Built within a cursed bay, and deprived of fertile land, it was agreed after the war that neither the new nation of Tal'Dorei nor {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} would attempt to rebuild the city, instead letting it stand as a reminder of the horrors of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}.",
								"Over centuries of dereliction, the ruins became a haven for outlaws and exiles, who named their refuge New O'Noa. They took this place of destitution and dust and made it into a refuge for all rejected by society. Though some of New O'Noa's people were exiled from their homes due to fear and prejudice\u2014like people of ill fate born under the {@book full light of Ruidus|TDCSR|1|Catha and Ruidus}\u2014most are thieves and delinquents. New O'Noa is ruled by a charismatic tiefling called Waken, who rose to prominence through honeyed words and selective murders.",
								"New O'Noa still appears abandoned to the eyes of outsiders. Its inhabitants live and hide away from prying eyes, amidst ancient stone ruins and their catacombs. Those who venture too deeply into the ruins are rarely seen or heard from again\u2014unless their loved ones can offer up a princely ransom.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ruins of O'Noa Adventures",
									"page": 144,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Ruins of {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "This Too Solid Flesh (mid-level)",
											"page": 144,
											"entries": [
												"New {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)} is a seedy town filled with strange magic. A {@item suude|TDCSR} dealer named Shef Silverleaf is in major debt to Waken, the leader of the outlaw village. The characters enter the picture when Waken surreptitiously hires them to collect on his debt\u2014perhaps under false pretenses to hide his illegal operation.",
												"When the party tracks down Shef, they find more than they bargained for: his body has been turned to solid {@item silver|PHB}. A {@creature Remnant cultist|TDCSR} lurks in the shadows of New {@book O'Noa|TDCSR|3|Ruins of O'Noa (New O'Noa)}, and has been purchasing {@item suude|TDCSR} from Shef for nearly three months. Shef uncovered his secret identity and confronted him\u2014but the mage's magic, made chaotic by the {@item suude|TDCSR}, transformed Shef into solid {@item silver|PHB}. Waken will take Shef's solid {@item silver|PHB} corpse as payment\u2014but what if the silver-skinned man were still alive and able to magically walk away? And what of the cultist who transformed him?"
											],
											"id": "231"
										}
									],
									"id": "230"
								}
							],
							"id": "22f"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Seashale Mountains",
							"page": 144,
							"entries": [
								"A curious range of mountains runs along the {@book Bladeshimmer Shoreline|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline} north of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. The Seashale Mountains are named for their unique shape, akin to a tidal wave about to crash on the inland territories, frozen in dynamic stone.",
								"Crashing waves and salty sea breezes have carved miles of twisted valleys between these jagged peaks, creating an unusual home for the creatures lurking within the cavernous rock, shoreside pools, and towering bluffs. High tide leads the briny waters into the Nightwash, 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 valuable bevy of deep-sea fish on occasion, which gave birth to the fishing community of the Shalesteps. The mountains' strange peaks are decorated by copses of scraggly trees, stunted by the gravelly soil and stripped nearly bare by salty ocean breezes."
							],
							"id": "232"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Shalesteps",
							"page": 144,
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-hang",
									"items": [
										{
											"type": "item",
											"name": "Village:",
											"entries": [
												"Population 770 (40% {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, 35% {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}, 32% {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, 3% {@book other races|TDCSR|4|Other Races})"
											]
										}
									]
								},
								"The Shalesteps are a series of small, allied villages whose inhabitants chose to live a more simple life outside of the bustle of the capital city, but close enough to enjoy 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 peaks for avian quarry and other sources of meat and natural resources. Those who live here are sturdy and ready to defend themselves against the dangerous wilds surrounding them\u2014and against the occasional monstrosity that washes in with the tide.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Shalesteps Adventures",
									"page": 144,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in the Shalesteps can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "From Hell's Heart (low-level)",
											"page": 144,
											"entries": [
												"The Shalestep village of Puddlefoot has never had anything remarkable happen to it. People there are quiet and simple, with no interest in tales of grand heroics. No great adventures have ever come to their rocky shore\u2014until the whale. The dead whale, bloated with corruption, its white hide covered in oozing green lesions, is a source of fear for the nearby townsfolk. What happened to this behemoth? And why is Rill the Hermit ranting about seeing tall shadows spying on Puddlefoot from the mountain peaks?"
											],
											"id": "235"
										}
									],
									"id": "234"
								}
							],
							"id": "233"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Visa Isle",
							"page": 145,
							"entries": [
								"Forty miles off the coast of the {@book Bladeshimmer Shoreline|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline}, west of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, two islands belch clouds of black smoke into the open sky. {@book Visa Isle|TDCSR|3|Visa Isle} and its smaller sister island have been surrounded by rumors and sailors' legends since the dawn of civilization. Some say that every night, the island burns to ash\u2014giving it a distinctive orange glow\u2014and that every day new trees grow to maturity by sundown. It is an island of fire and death.",
								"Those who have explored its dense jungles and returned claim only to have found common wild pigs and\u2014at worst\u2014unusually large fire beetles and mantises. They were the lucky ones. They didn't wander unprepared into the Ruins of Vos'sykriss, and did not encounter the serpentine spirits that haunt its elder halls. The only expedition to have ventured into the Ruins of Vos'sykriss and lived to speak of it returned to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} just as the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} descended upon the city. Their leader, a half-orc archaeologist and spiritspeaker named Jorlund Vohr, survived the destruction of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, but all his notes and the artifacts he recovered were stolen. Decades later, the aging professor is still hard at work creating endless proposals for expeditions to {@book Visa Isle|TDCSR|3|Visa Isle}.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Visa Isle Adventures",
									"page": 145,
									"entries": [
										"Game Masters who set their adventure in {@book Visa Isle|TDCSR|3|Visa Isle} can use this plot hook for inspiration.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Awakening the Sleepers (mid-level)",
											"page": 145,
											"entries": [
												"In ancient times, Vos'sykriss was the seat of a serpentfolk empire that dominated southern Tal'Dorei. Before the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, their seers had visions of the coming destruction and desperately sought a way to survive it. The serpents constructed a magical stasis field beneath their city and chose their strongest and most powerful to slumber and rebuild the empire when the danger had passed.",
												"They are now awoken. The {@creature Vos'skyriss serpentfolk|TDCSR} now prowl the island, being prepared by the lingering {@creature Vos'skyriss serpentfolk ghost|TDCSR|Vos'skyriss serpentfolk ghosts} to claim the world for their own. When Jorlund Vohr's expedition delved into Vos'sykriss's deepest sanctum, they unwittingly ended the serpents' ancient spell and awakened the Sleepers. Soon, a people long thought extinct will return to claim the world as their own."
											],
											"id": "238"
										}
									],
									"id": "237"
								}
							],
							"id": "236"
						}
					],
					"id": "1fe"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Other Lands of Exandria",
					"page": 145,
					"entries": [
						"The land of {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, now known far and wide as the young nation of Tal'Dorei, is a sprawling, curious land full of adventure, danger, and glory. Though Tal'Dorei is a land rife with grand tales, the world of Exandria is far larger and more ancient than just the lands between the {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} and the {@book Bladeshimmer Shoreline|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline}. Many of the people who live here either descend from or are immigrants to this realm.",
						"Some of these other lands have been explored by Vox Machina and the Mighty Nein in {@i Critical Role}, but are beyond the scope of this book. You can populate these lands with dungeons, cities, characters, and stories of your own creation\u2014or be inspired by the history of Exandria in {@book chapter 1|TDCSR|1} of this book, and the stories in the campaigns of {@i Critical Role}, to create a version of Exandria entirely your own.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Issylra",
							"page": 145,
							"entries": [
								"Northwest of Tal'Dorei, across the freezing waters of the Ozmit Sea, lies Issylra, home to Vasselheim, commonly called the oldest surviving city on Exandria. Issylra is considered by most to be the land where all civilization emerged and spread in the time of the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}, making it the religious core for many, and the focal point of historical study for others. It was also where most of the flying cities of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} first rose from the ground. Its people rose high\u2014and fell hard from those dizzying heights, and to this day, many there still hate and fear the power of arcane magic.",
								"The territory known as {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} encompasses a majority of the continent's developed regions, keeping most domains protected and governed by the might of the theocracy of Vasselheim. Nestled among eastern taiga forests of the Vesper Timberland, the city of Vasselheim stands as the oldest known seed of civilization and religion, and the only city to withstand every catastrophe that has rocked Exandria since the gods brought life to it. As the spiritual center of most of the world, Vasselheim is ruled by a coalition of high priests of the many {@book Prime Deities|TDCSR|2|Prime Deities}. These hierophants are viewed by their people as the defenders of their virtuous society, and of all of {@book Othanzian|TDCSR|3|Issylra} culture.",
								"Beyond Vasselheim's ancient walls are frigid, untamed wilds, some of which are untouched since the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding} itself. These lands are populated by ancient monsters and dire beasts. Smaller camps, communities, and townships are scattered across the surrounding snowy plains, and those who call {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra} home have become hardy and self-sufficient.",
								"Elsewhere in {@book Othanzia|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, the lands of Issylra are sparsely populated by scattered republics of varying morality. Traveling between these city-states is difficult, due to the lingering beasts of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} that stalk the lands beyond Vasselheim."
							],
							"id": "23a"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Marquet",
							"page": 145,
							"entries": [
								"Following the winds and waves to the southwest of Tal'Dorei across the Ozmit Sea eventually leads one to the chain of islands called the Hespet Archipelago and to the shores of the continent of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. The pebble beaches of the Bay of Gifts greet travelers with the charming sights of untouched nature, and the port city of Shamal invites all to engage in the pleasures of civilization, with beautiful ballrooms and gilded gambling halls.",
								"Beyond the port of Shamal lies the rocky edge of the Aggrad Mountains, whose canyons and caverns house untold numbers of predatory creatures, before giving way to the immense Marquesian Desert. This sandy wasteland is rumored to have once been verdant jungle brought to ruin by the spear of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner} in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. Some stories tell of a great hero that sacrificed himself to save {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} from utter annihilation, but only scattered fragments of this tale endure.",
								"Near the center of this intense desert, surrounded by a sprawling network of small villages, is the grand city of {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet}, known as the Jewel of Hope. This city, built atop the Drowned City of Cael Morrow, is the center of culture, history, and power for all of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}. Ruled by the mysteriously undying J'mon Sa Ord, {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} is a magnificent haven of music and culture. It's not without its dangers, but it is a paradise compared to the monster-infested sands that surround it.",
								"The Hands of Ord, the city's guards, also protect nearby villages and townships within the desert, but they can only reach so far. Further south, beyond the reach of {@book Ank'Harel|TDCSR|3|Marquet} and the Hands of Ord, the sands give way to scrubland and marshes tangled with the volatile mountains surrounding the smoking Suuthan Volcano and the dangerous clans that worship it. Westward, beyond the arid desert, lies a vibrant landscape of verdant jungles, craggy mountains, and magical mysteries that the people of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} have spent eons unraveling. Within the jungles of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet} are dozens of cultures, some nomadic, some seafaring, and some with great cities of their own. One such city, founded by orcish survivors of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner's} wrath during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, is known across Exandria for its mathematically immaculate architecture. This realm welcomes scholars and travelers from across Exandria, who are eager to learn from the minds of some of the greatest architects the world has ever seen.",
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							"id": "23b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "The Shattered Teeth",
							"page": 146,
							"entries": [
								"Few sail into the dangerous waters southeast of Tal'Dorei, past the ever-present fog bank called the Fool's Curtain, and into the Shattered Teeth. This cluster of broken lands is made up of forty-three islands, varying in size from small, mile-wide reef-toppers to the large, city-holding isles like Ruukva. Two societies dwell within the Shattered Teeth. The first is the Ossended Host, a vast fishing culture that values their independence\u2014even to the point of isolationism\u2014and self-empowerment through the worship of the power of dreams and nightmares. The second is the Wanderman Assembly, a centuries-old trade company that, upon being stranded across the Shattered Teeth after losing their way in a typhoon, grew into a brutal, ruthless society dedicated to gaining profit at all costs. It masquerades poorly under the banner of honor and brotherhood.",
								"This tension has led to bloodshed in recent years, and each group is paranoid that the other is bent on destroying their way of life. What brims beneath the surface of this conflict is the nature and source of the dreams the Ossended Host have been harnessing for generations, and what that answer may mean for the struggles of the people of the Shattered Teeth."
							],
							"id": "23c"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Wildemount",
							"page": 146,
							"entries": [
								"Due east of Tal'Dorei, the lands of Wildemount are highly geologically varied, from the tropical Menagerie Coast, to the dour and rainy valleys of Western Wynandir, to the blasted wastes of Eastern Wynandir\u2014better known as Xhorhas. The people of Tal'Dorei trade frequently with Wildemount, though the waters of the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} are prowled by pirates, sea monsters, and forgotten aquatic demigods. Such a journey leads to the Clovis Concord, a federation of city-states that govern the Menagerie Coast, where a lively culture of trade, entertainment, and the arts flourishes amidst the illicit activities of local smugglers and the ever-present {@book Myriad|TDCSR|2|The Myriad} syndicate.",
								"The Dwendalian Empire, an authoritarian power that seeks to expand its reach across all of Wildemount, reigns over the center of the continent. The empire is ruled by King Bertrand Dwendal, but tensions boil between the Crown and the Cerberus Assembly, the empire's league of arcanists and covert operatives. Though the assembly's power waxes and wanes, they are constantly maneuvering to become the true, shadowy power behind the Dwendalian Crown.",
								"The empire's control over the resource-rich valleys in the center of Wildemount has helped make it a military superpower. Likewise, the natural defenses of the surrounding mountains make their lands easily defensible. For centuries, the idea that the empire is invincible has fueled recruitment propaganda for its military, the sanctimoniously titled Righteous Brand. King Dwendal's edicts have created a highly nationalistic society\u2014one which permits only the worship of Crown-approved deities, submits to mandatory military service, and jingoistically endures immense taxes to support the Crown's wars.",
								"Across the mountains east of the Dwendalian Empire are the wastes of Xhorhas, ruled by the Kryn Dynasty. This society was founded by dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who escaped the grasp of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} through the grace of a supernatural being of light called the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon} that granted them the ability to reincarnate into new bodies, life after life. Those who are reincarnated seek to broaden the knowledge of the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon} by living bold lives and gaining new experiences. Today, the Kryn Dynasty is filled with not just dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, but goblinkin, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, ogres, kobolds, and all manner of other peoples considered to be \"monsters\" by the Dwendalian Empire.",
								"Beyond the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire, and the tensions that burn between them, are the lands of the Miskath Strand and the islands of Eiselcross. Both are realms twisted by forbidden magic, and inhabited by eldritch abominations and other creatures that are anthema to mortal life. Yet, despite the danger, the most courageous adventurers of Wildemount\u2014and indeed, all of Exandria\u2014see exploration as the pinnacle of heroism. At the fringes of the known world, where monsters from the edge of reality lurk...this is where true adventure begins.",
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							],
							"id": "23d"
						}
					],
					"id": "239"
				}
			],
			"id": "0d6"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 4: Character Options",
			"page": 148,
			"entries": [
				{
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					"altText": "A portrait of three mages. A bronze dragonborn sorcerer, a masked moon cleric, and a white tiefling blood mage in white-and-red robes.  All three are summoning different forms of magic.",
					"width": 1280,
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				},
				"The sprawling lands and endless challenges of Exandria forge heroes and villains of curious vocations and abilities. The dangers of the chaotic world urge stalwart heroes to defend innocents in need of protection, while uncovered fragments of forgotten powers inspire power-hungry villains to seek new ways to bend reality to their will. The material in this chapter offers a number of new options for characters to define who they are and what they wish to become in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Playing in a Tal'Dorei Campaign",
					"page": 149,
					"entries": [
						"This section is for players creating characters for a Tal'Dorei campaign that another player is running as the Game Master. It suggests a number of tips and tricks for how to create a character, and how to make that character's story fit smoothly into the world of Exandria.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Standard Procedure",
							"page": 149,
							"entries": [
								"Start by creating a character as you normally would for any fifth edition RPG campaign. This process typically involves choosing your character's race, lineage, or ancestry; selecting your class, background, starting equipment, and spells (if applicable); and giving the character a name and backstory. If your Game Master has any house rules or special requests that change this process, they'll let you know.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ancestries",
									"page": 149,
									"entries": [
										"All of the fantasy peoples commonly found in Tal'Dorei, including {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, and {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood}, are described in this chapter. These descriptions don't include game statistics, which can be found in the fifth edition rules, but rather detail the lore of each of these ancestries and how characters of those ancestries fit into the tapestry of Exandrian life."
									],
									"id": "241"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Classes",
									"page": 149,
									"entries": [
										"All the classes in the fifth edition core rules are fair game in Tal'Dorei, and classes and subclasses found in other supplements might be available with your Game Master's permission. This book also contains the following new subclasses, all detailed in this chapter:",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"columns": 3,
											"items": [
												"{@class barbarian|PHB|Barbarian: Path of the Juggernaut|Juggernaut|TDCSR}",
												"{@class bard|PHB|Bard: College of Tragedy|Tragedy|TDCSR}",
												"{@class cleric|PHB|Cleric: Blood Domain|Blood|TDCSR}",
												"{@class cleric|PHB|Cleric: Moon Domain|Moon|TDCSR}",
												"{@class Druid|PHB|Druid: Circle of the Blighted|Blighted|TDCSR}",
												"{@class monk|PHB|Monk: Way of the Cobalt Soul|Cobalt Soul|TDCSR}",
												"{@class paladin|PHB|Paladin: Oath of the Open Sea|Open Sea|TDCSR}",
												"{@class sorcerer|PHB|Sorcerer: Runechild sorcerous origin|Runechild|TDCSR}",
												"{@class wizard|PHB|Wizard: Blood Magic arcane tradition|Blood Magic|TDCSR}"
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "242"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Backgrounds",
									"page": 149,
									"entries": [
										"The backgrounds found in the fifth edition core rules are all well suited to life in Tal'Dorei. This fantasy realm is teeming with {@background soldier|PHB|soldiers}, {@background Guild Artisan|PHB|guild artisans}, {@background sailor|PHB|sailors}, and {@background noble|PHB|nobles}, all of whom might make interesting adventurers. This book also presents six new backgrounds, detailed later in this chapter:",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"columns": 3,
											"items": [
												"{@background Ashari|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Clasp Member|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Variant Clasp Member (Myriad Operative)|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Lyceum Scholar|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Reformed Cultist|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Whitestone Rifle Corps|TDCSR}",
												"{@background Variant Whitestone Rifle Corps (Grey Hunter)|TDCSR}"
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "243"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Session Zero",
									"page": 149,
									"entries": [
										"The cast of {@i Critical Role} creates great stories by communicating openly with their Game Master before the campaign begins, and maintaining that communication between game sessions. Doing so ensures that everyone's stories are being told in a fun way, and that everyone is having fun at the table. To get that same experience, be sure to talk with your Game Master about what's important to you while you build your character and flesh out their backstory. That way, your GM will be able to build a story that centers you and your allies as main characters, rather than just bystanders.",
										"Session zero is a catchall term for a pregame meetup between the players (including the GM), where everyone can lay out expectations and boundaries for the campaign. Lots of guides designed to give your campaign a strong start with session zero can be found on the {@link internet|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqGzwhnRAk0} and in other fifth edition books. Session zero often includes discussions of the following:",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"items": [
												"What each player and the GM like about fifth edition campaigns, and what they're hoping for in this campaign.",
												"Likewise, what aspects of play people dislike or are uncomfortable with, or simply want to avoid in this campaign for any reason.",
												"If this campaign were a movie, what would its rating be? PG? PG-13? R?",
												"Which topics are fun to explore in game, which are absolutely off-limits due to personal discomfort, and which are okay in moderation? Everyone should clearly agree to playing a game that includes topics like extreme violence; romantic or sexual situations; any gender-, race-, disability-, or age-based discrimination or violence; or themes that involve real-life politics or religion.",
												"What amount of combat, exploration, and social encounters the players want to experience.",
												"What kind of character each player wants to create, and how the characters might fit together into a cohesive party.",
												"What type of story everyone wants to experience together, whether that's a meandering episodic tale or a lengthy epic, and whether the story will be driven by player actions and their consequences or by GM-directed plot events."
											]
										},
										"Additionally, after each game, many people find it helpful to check in with each other and discuss what everyone enjoyed, wants less of, or wants more of, so the GM and players can prepare to bring more of what worked to the next session, and less of what didn't."
									],
									"id": "244"
								}
							],
							"id": "240"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Flavorful Details",
							"page": 150,
							"entries": [
								"In addition to discussing your character's backstory with your GM and the other players in your group, you can think about other flavorful details to help ground your character in the world of Exandria.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Gods",
									"page": 150,
									"entries": [
										"A vast pantheon of deities created Exandria in primeval times. Which of these deities does your character worship, if any? Do they worship an obscure god, or one commonly venerated throughout Tal'Dorei? How devout are they in their faith?",
										"The gods of Exandria are described in more detail in {@book chapter 2|TDCSR|2}, though your GM might want to keep some of the details of those gods secret."
									],
									"id": "246"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Factions",
									"page": 150,
									"entries": [
										"The politics of Tal'Dorei are influenced by a number of factions. Not all are actively hostile toward each other, and many are actually allies.",
										"But all jockey constantly for power\u2014and frequently come into conflict as a result. Do you belong to one of these factions? Are you a card-carrying member? Do you simply sympathize with their cause, or perhaps have friends or family who are part of the faction? Are there factions you actively despise, perhaps because of some slight they committed against you or those close to you in the past?",
										"Tal'Dorei's factions are described in more detail in {@book chapter 2|TDCSR|2}, though your GM might want to keep some of the details of those factions secret."
									],
									"id": "247"
								}
							],
							"id": "245"
						}
					],
					"id": "23f"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Races and Cultures",
					"page": 150,
					"entries": [
						"Tal'Dorei is home to manifold humanoid peoples, from the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who emerged from the Fey Realm into the untouched lands of {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar} in the wake of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, to the {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} who first came to Tal'Dorei on stout ships from the distant shores of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}. The familiar fantasy races of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, and {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings} are the most populous beings on Tal'Dorei, but they are far from the only peoples to make their mark in city and wilderness alike.",
						"Over the past thousand years of history, the peoples described in this chapter have left an indelible mark on the world. And though many of these races appear monolithic at first glance, all are incredibly varied. A first-time visitor to Tal'Dorei might initially perceive all {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} as haughty and fascinated with heritage, because that's the dominant culture in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, the largest elf-majority city on the continent. However, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} living in villages and cities across the land are often exceptions to that apparent rule, and it's dangerous\u2014not to mention rude\u2014for travelers to assume that any of Tal'Dorei's varied peoples fit into simple boxes.",
						"This section is a resource for you to use to inspire your character's backstory\u2014or to inspire your NPCs if you're a Game Master. Whether you enjoy leaning into fantasy archetypes, intentionally breaking them, or ignoring them entirely, this section has something for you. The game statistics of each of the races of Tal'Dorei are identical to those in the fifth edition rules.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "People and Monsters",
							"page": 150,
							"entries": [
								"For generations of roleplaying gamers in many different RPG campaign settings, certain of the fantasy peoples in the world of Exandria have long been considered \"monsters\" or \"evil races.\" {@book Goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, and {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are examples of peoples whose very nature was supposedly tainted by inherent evil, and were thus morally unambiguous targets for adventurers to kill and loot. This mindset treats these people as no different from monsters like {@creature basilisk|MM|basilisks} or {@creature giant spider|MM|giant spiders}.",
								"The humanoid people of Tal'Dorei aren't set up that way. Any creature with the humanoid type is a thinking, feeling person. Creatures with the dragon, giant, or fey type are also unambiguously sapient, and thus can have any alignment. It's just as likely for a human to be a neutral evil {@creature bandit} as it is for an orc to be a chaotic good {@creature swashbuckler|VGM}, or for a {@creature hobgoblin} to be a lawful good {@creature knight}. And if you like, you can take this even further in your games and say that any fantasy creature with an Intelligence score of 6 or higher is capable of free thought, and should have just as wide a range of alignments as other sapient beings.",
								"The stories in {@i Critical Role} are filled with shades of moral gray, but Tal'Dorei still has plenty of unambiguously evil creatures. Most demons, devils, and undead are suffused with cosmic evil, and always try to subvert righteousness. Likewise, unthinking creatures such as oozes and constructs, and creatures of instinctual intelligence such as beasts, many monstrosities, and plant creatures, all make morally unambiguous foes.",
								"Likewise, there are plenty of evil humanoids in the world. Cultists of evil gods, including the {@book Remnants|TDCSR|2|The Remnants} who worship {@deity The Whispered One|Exandria|TDCSR}, and merciless, blood-soaked bandits such as the {@book Ravagers|TDCSR|4|Ravagers} are clear and immediate threats to both the safety of the player characters and all free peoples of Tal'Dorei. Depending on the tone of your story, the characters might cut such foes down without mercy\u2014or they might try to rehabilitate them. The difference is that these villains' choices, not their ancestries, determine whether or not they are evil."
							],
							"id": "249"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Cultures across Tal'Dorei",
							"page": 151,
							"entries": [
								"The various peoples of Tal'Dorei don't have racial cultures. Rather, someone's culture is based on the cities and regions in which they spend their formative years. For most of Tal'Dorei's history, members of the different fantasy races lived in largely monolithic enclaves. However, the more recent past has instilled in people the need to break down old barriers, work together, and live together.",
								"All cities and large towns have a majority population of certain races, typically based on the peoples who founded those settlements. This includes such notable sites as the elf-majority city-state of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and the dwarf-majority city-state of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. Some people in Tal'Dorei might assume that certain races have common cultural traits that unite them, but many others know that this isn't the whole truth. A dwarf raised in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and a dwarf raised in {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben} are likely to have very different attitudes about family, food, faith, and all the other factors that make up a culture.",
								"Even when people of the same race gather in neighborhoods within a city, those people don't necessarily share the common culture of their best-known homelands. In many neighborhoods in the great city of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, for example, {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and half-elves are a majority. But since not all those elf-kin come from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, they don't all share a monolithic {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} \"elf culture.\"",
								"That said, beings with distinctly magical traits often form cultures that include their unique abilities. This includes folk such as {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood}, with their ability to channel elemental power. And because {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} are known for their powerful, muscular bodies, goliath-majority societies often worship the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord}, god of strength, and engage in festivals that center around feats of athleticism."
							],
							"id": "24a"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Dragonblood",
							"page": 151,
							"entries": [
								"The dragonblood of Exandria are a people of unknown origin, and countless myths surround their ancestral creation. One particularly pervasive tale states that dragonblood were created by the {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant} and the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, serving as loyal soldiers who eventually earned their freedom. Regardless of how they came into being, though, the dragonblood lived for many centuries in relative isolation in the southern wastes of Xhorhas, on the continent of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}.",
								"Today, dragonblood live all over Exandria, though they remain a scarcer sight in Tal'Dorei than in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. Their spread across the world was hastened by the assault against the free peoples of Exandria by the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave}. During that conflict, the ancient white dragon known as Vorugal the Frigid Doom destroyed the magical city-state of Draconia, the ancestral homeland of most dragonblood.",
								"The destruction of Draconia and the loss of many of its people was a tragedy. But to roughly half the dragonblood of Exandria, it also marked the end of an oppressive regime. Dragonblood of Exandria can either be born with a tail or without. In Draconia, those with tails were called draconians or draconbloods, for they were seen as closer in form and power to true dragons. Those without tails were given the name of ravenites and enslaved. Their blood and toil built the mighty towers of Draconia, yet the ravenites enjoyed none of their city's splendor.",
								"The ruin of Draconia thus marked the start of an era of freedom and self-determination for the ravenites. In Tal'Dorei, it's apparent that any differences between the ravenites and the draconians have nothing to do with bloodline or draconic power. Those differences are cultural, and rooted in a past whose conflicts still haven't been resolved. The oppression that existed in Draconia remains largely unknown within Tal'Dorei to this day, and outside of major cities such as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, dragonblood can go for months, even years, without seeing another of their kind.",
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									"altText": "A bronze dragonblood holding a spear and a glaive, a taller, silver dragonblood stands behind them casting a magical light spell between their hands.",
									"width": 678,
									"height": 846
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Draconians",
									"page": 152,
									"entries": [
										"The tail-bearing draconians who survived the destruction of Draconia have been scattered across the world. In the time that's passed since the fall of the {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} city-state, a generation of draconbloods have grown up in Tal'Dorei's towns and cities, disconnected from their parents' privileged upbringing. Only a scant few draconians\u2014typically ones able to teleport away from Vorugal's attack\u2014escaped with any sort of wealth. Most other refugees were lucky simply to escape with their lives.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Clinging to the Past",
											"page": 152,
											"entries": [
												"A social divide continues to grow between draconians who have wealth and those who don't. Many of those with wealth greedily cling to the shadows of their former tyrannical glory, but other draconians seek instead to bury the past and create their own destiny, on their own merits."
											],
											"id": "24d"
										}
									],
									"id": "24c"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Ravenites",
									"page": 152,
									"entries": [
										"Following the end of the Draconian order, the ravenites ventured into the world eager to make the most of their newfound freedom. In the generation since, many have formed a new homeland in Xhorhas known as Xarzith Kitril, content to reclaim the lands of their birth. Those ravenites who departed {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} have found a new home in the cities and the icy north of Tal'Dorei, where they enjoy the freedom and privileges of equality that this land provides.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Rebuilding from Scratch",
											"page": 152,
											"entries": [
												"Most ravenite children grew up poor, either in slum towns at the edges of cities like {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, or helping their parents laboriously carve out rural lives in the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} or {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}."
											],
											"id": "24f"
										}
									],
									"id": "24e"
								}
							],
							"id": "24b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Dwarves",
							"page": 152,
							"entries": [
								"When the world was nearly rent asunder by the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of Tal'Dorei disappeared underground to wait out the worst of the conflict. Many dwarven citadels once dotted the subterranean world, but over the centuries, they dwindled, either merging together or falling into decadence and ruin. In the centuries following the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, these dwarf clans, isolated beneath the surface of Exandria, gathered into a single, steadfast redoubt: {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. In one way or another, just about every dwarf in Tal'Dorei can trace their family back to that great city-state.",
								"The mountainous stronghold still stands as the heart of settlement in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, and many {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} consider it a place all their folk should visit at least once a decade. {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} legendary status gives it a highly conservative, unchanging culture, but even so, the dwarf people are far from monolithic.",
								"Some {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} like to distinguish themselves as hill or mountain {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, based on whether or not they grew up outside or inside of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. Gurdhe, a Dwarvish word translated into Common as \"hill,\" colloquially means \"beyond the mountains\" in most Dwarvish dialects. And many {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, even the so-called mountain-dwellers renowned for living their entire lives underground, make journeys out into the \"hills\" of Tal'Dorei to trade, gain artistic inspiration, or visit the children of long-dead friends they bonded with decades or centuries prior.",
								{
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									"href": {
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									},
									"title": "Left: Kraghammer Dwarf, Middle: Duergar of Emberhold, Right: Hill Traveler",
									"credit": "{@link Ariana Orner|https://ornerine.tumblr.com/}",
									"altText": "Three dwarves stand together. On the left is a Kraghammer dwarf clad in heavy, bronze armor,  bearing a polearm. On the right is a Hill Traveler with red braids in her hair, leaning on a warhammer. Between them is a Duergar with spiked white hair and bearing a battleaxe.",
									"width": 991,
									"height": 685
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Kraghammer Dwarves",
									"page": 152,
									"entries": [
										"The culture of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} is one of isolationism and tradition\u2014even to the point of xenophobia. As a common saying goes: \"Those who live beneath the mountain are as unmoving as the mountain itself.\" Whether they're {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, or folk of other ancestries, the people who dwell in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} typically embody this stubborn, dogmatic stoicism.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Tradition",
											"page": 152,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} society is steeped in a culture of {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} protecting their own, and those {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} traditions of meticulous chronicling, geometrically precise artistry, dynastic great houses, and resilience against even the greatest of threats has proved itself a central pillar of their society. For long centuries, new peoples and new ideas in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} meant potential danger, threatening the death of monarchs and incursion by nefarious subterranean infiltrators. The first time that {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} proudly opened its gates to a new people, the oligarch Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} led all of Tal'Dorei into the greatest war since the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. The city's relative safety during the assault of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} only cemented its people's belief that isolation is strength."
											],
											"id": "252"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Change",
											"page": 152,
											"entries": [
												"In the present day, many of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} residents feel stifled by its dominant culture, which continues to be insular and suspicious of outsiders and new ideas. In the past few decades, a tide of refugees fleeing crises such as the {@book Wittebak disaster|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} and the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} attack on {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} have brought new voices and perspectives to the formerly unyielding halls of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. These people now call the {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} ancestral realm their home, and many of {@book Kraghammer's|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} have seen the innovation and transformation that new residents can bring. Change comes slowly in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, but it does come in time."
											],
											"id": "253"
										}
									],
									"id": "251"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Hill Travelers",
									"page": 153,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} might leave their underground realm for myriad reasons, with many making homesteads in the foothills of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains} or venturing even farther afield. Hill {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who left the mountain themselves, or who had parents or more distant ancestors who did so, have a certain shared camaraderie in their connection to the open sky above, the sun and wind around them, and the soft loam beneath their feet.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Exploration",
											"page": 153,
											"entries": [
												"It's common for {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who live upon the hills and fields of Tal'Dorei to wander throughout their lives, never putting down roots for more than a decade or two at a time out of their centuries-long lives. {@book Dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} with tanned skin and sun-bleached hair are so common a sight in taverns across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} that the Dwarvish word gurdheledr, translated as \"hill travelers,\" has come to mean \"mercenary\" or \"bounty hunter\" as commonly as it refers to simple wanderers."
											],
											"id": "255"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Community",
											"page": 153,
											"entries": [
												"{@book Dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} are a common sight in cities such as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, and even in smaller towns across central Tal'Dorei. Not unlike mountain-dwelling {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, these city dwellers are often as unmoving as a granite boulder on a rock shelf\u2014unable to be budged unless given a tremendous push. {@book Dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} typically adopt the culture of wherever they live, though their long lives sometimes make them more resistant to social change than shorter-lived peoples."
											],
											"id": "256"
										}
									],
									"id": "254"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Duergar of Emberhold",
									"page": 153,
									"entries": [
										"Deep beneath Tal'Dorei is an underground realm lit only by magelight, magma flows, luminescent creatures and fungi, and the roaring fires of duergar forges. It is thought that a group of {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} delved far into the depths of Exandria countless centuries ago, predating even the chronicles of {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. Whether by choice or by necessity, they made a home in the caverns they explored there. Something about the magic that suffuses their eerie realm changed the deep {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}\u2014who are called the duergar now. That name was originally an epithet, bestowed by the mountain {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who rediscovered and battled those deep {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, but the duergar now wear it with pride.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Survival",
											"page": 153,
											"entries": [
												"The deep caverns of Tal'Dorei are an inhospitable place, filled with creatures whose aberrant forms defy imagination and whose alien minds reject mortal morality. The duergar became hardened by their struggle for survival, and their rejection at the hands of the {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} hardened their hearts forever. The smiths of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} do not forge art or works of beauty\u2014only weapons and armor to turn back the onslaught of those who wish to see them dead."
											],
											"id": "258"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Alliance",
											"page": 153,
											"entries": [
												"The duergar have suffered alone for so long, hating all and hated by all. Nevertheless, in the undercurrents of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold}, the idea spreads that there must be more to life than fire and death. Many duergar nurture a secret hope of finding some way to ally with their other dwarf kin\u2014if only someone were brave enough to reach out a hand without fear of it being cut off."
											],
											"id": "259"
										}
									],
									"id": "257"
								}
							],
							"id": "250"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Elemental Ancestry",
							"page": 154,
							"entries": [
								"Exandria's lands are rife with elemental power. Primordial energy constantly flows into the world from elemental rifts, and such primal power inevitably alters its surroundings. This is also true of peoples who spend long years in proximity to such sources of power, and of those who travel the planes long enough to find the seed of elemental power take root within their blood. Such folk are the beginning of an elemental ancestry, harboring the potential to give birth to children who are suffused with latent magic.",
								"Children of an elemental ancestry bear the features of their parents' ancestry, but have clearly become something new. Their appearance is altered by their power, granting them skin that shines like the sun on the surface of the sea, hair that crackles like flame, or eyes that glitter like gemstones. Then comes the manifestation of elemental powers, which can make a child the envy of their peers\u2014or someone to be feared.",
								"While people of elemental ancestry are rare in Tal'Dorei, they are most common among {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} due to the elemental affinity of that folk. Some possessed of elemental power enjoy the attention their uniqueness garners them. But for others, even the most benign interest draws painful attention to their otherness.",
								{
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									"title": "Elemental Ancestry",
									"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
									"altText": "An older woman wearing a blacksmith's apron holds a sword she is crafting. She has fiery streaks in her long, white hair. The sword glows orange, heated by her elemental magic.",
									"width": 551,
									"height": 713
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Belonging",
									"page": 154,
									"entries": [
										"People with an elemental bloodline are often raised by parents in a regular community, and so grow up with all the aspirations and prejudices inherent to their culture. For many such people, the traits that make them unique also make them a pillar of their community\u2014for example, a baker who instinctually understands the will of her oven's fire. Within superstitious lands and cultures, however, a person's elemental powers might make them the target of scrutiny, fearmongering, or jealousy, eventually driving them to strike out into the world to seek a place where they truly belong."
									],
									"id": "25b"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Called to the Ashari",
									"page": 154,
									"entries": [
										"Those elemental-touched people who leave their communities often seek out {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}, the isolated keepers of rifts to the Elemental Planes. Elementally attuned children are born with great frequency to {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}, who understand the utmost importance of giving those children the education and training that will let them understand their gifts.",
										"All people of {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry} are welcome among {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}, including the Air Ashari and Earth Ashari found in Tal'Dorei. However, even those whose {@book elemental ancestry|TDCSR|4|Elemental Ancestry} connects them to water or fire can seek out Tal'Dorei's Ashari peoples to help them on their journeys of discovery. In time, such a journey might lead them to the Fire Ashari on the continent of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, to the Water Ashari on the Islands of Anamn in the Ozmit Sea, or to Ashari who have journeyed from those lands to Tal'Dorei.",
										"Elementally attuned folk who don't seek or can't find {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} might instead find their way to the reclusive {@book giants of Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|6|Giantkin}. Though the giants do their best to keep their distance from the lives and problems of humanoids, they have been known to take a shine to people whose shared elemental affinities give them common ground."
									],
									"id": "25c"
								}
							],
							"id": "25a"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Elves",
							"page": 154,
							"entries": [
								"When the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} threatened to annihilate all life on Tal'Dorei, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of this land gathered in their last remaining city, {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and used long-forgotten magic to transport themselves into the Fey Realm. Time runs strangely in that realm, and for an unknown stretch of history, the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} lived with their fey kindred in peace. When they eventually returned to Exandria, they found a land devoid of all but animals and the grandeur of nature. The rotten majesty of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, burned away by the wrath of the gods, had given way to new growth.",
								"To the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, the lands of Tal'Dorei are still called {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, and {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who dwell here are called the gwes'alfen\u2014the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of the Fields of Joy. For centuries, this folk watched with delight as other peoples populated {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, beginning with {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, then {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} from across the sea, and so on. Then they looked on in horror as mortal ambition was perverted into greed, and war followed in its wake.",
								"{@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} that surrounds it are the ancestral homeland of Tal'Dorei's {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, many of whom never venture beyond that homeland. Young {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are most likely to journey afield to see what else the world has to offer, and while most of them return to {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, some make new homes in the many towns and cities of Tal'Dorei\u2014or they become hermits, their status as mystical beings with a thousand-year life span commanding an almost mythic reverence from other folk.",
								"The {@book elves'|TDCSR|4|elves} tendency to focus on the past has given rise to many stereotypes of those folk being haughty, aloof, and unconcerned with the day-to-day joys and sorrows of the shorter-lived races. But though this is certainly true for some {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, it's hard for other folk to consider the perspective of an elf who has personally witnessed whole cultures and civilizations rise and fall. Most {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are born with the same passion for life as any other being. But as centuries pass, life becomes a stream of historic events to be witnessed and contemplated, and not to be interfered with unless absolutely necessary.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
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									},
									"title": "Left: Lyrengorn Elf, Middle: Syngorn Elf, Right: Dark Elf.",
									"credit": "{@link Claudia Ianniciello|https://artstation.com/claudiasg}",
									"altText": "Three elves stand together. On left is a Lyrengorn elf woman ornately dressed in a beautiful silken ivory gown. On right is a dark elf in rich purple and black robes. She has white hair and casts a spell with a faint, green glow. Between them is a Syngorn elf archer dressed in green robes. He bears a drawn bow and arrow.",
									"width": 638,
									"height": 812
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Syngorn Elves",
									"page": 155,
									"entries": [
										"The syn'alfen, as the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse} call themselves, almost universally revere the ancient history of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and the story of how its escape to the Fey Realm saved their culture from extinction. No elf who lives in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} can forget this past, and {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} culture can sometimes feel overbearing to those who see it only from the outside. More than a few woodland {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} also feel stifled by their homeland's unrelenting focus on history, magic, the fey, and the preservation of elvenkind. Such {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are most likely to leave {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and make their homes in other parts of Tal'Dorei.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Departure",
											"page": 155,
											"entries": [
												"Many {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who leave {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} (or who had parents who left) still consider themselves syn'alfen, whether they live in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} or other cities, or even the ancestral homes of other folk, such as {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. The cultural imprint of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} is hard to escape, and most of these expatriate wood {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} hold a certain amount of love for their home even as part of a complicated relationship."
											],
											"id": "25f"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Reunited Family",
											"page": 155,
											"entries": [
												"South of the {@book Stormcrest Mountains|TDCSR|3|Stormcrest Mountains} lies the massive jungle of {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}, home to the nomadic elf {@book Orroyen tribes|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}. The {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} believe that they split off from the {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} centuries ago, with both peoples meeting each other again only within the past century. Though initially suspicious, both elf lines soon came to see one another as longlost family.",
												"The onslaught of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} disrupted communication with the {@book Orroyen elves|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes}, and news from the south has grown more dire since. {@book Orroyen|TDCSR|3|Orroyen Tribes} refugees continue to flow into {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, fleeing the tyrannical {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} that rules {@book Rifenmist|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}."
											],
											"id": "260"
										}
									],
									"id": "25e"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Lyrengorn Elves",
									"page": 155,
									"entries": [
										"The lyren'alfen, known alternately as Lyrengorn {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} or high {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, are a people who broke off from {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} long ago, and who journeyed from southern Tal'Dorei to settle in the frigid {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}, north of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. The city of Lyrengorn that they founded is every bit as majestic as {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} in the south, but for better or worse, Lyrengorn lacks its sister city's millennia of culture\u2014and its cultural baggage.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Art and Expression",
											"page": 155,
											"entries": [
												"Lyrengorn is nestled in the spires of the {@book Elvenpeaks|TDCSR|3|Lyrengorn, the Elvenpeaks}, spreading under the mysterious northern lights known as the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} Ribbons. The city is always aglow with magical light, and its people are taught spellcraft from a young age, for magic is the foundation upon which Lyrengorn was built. The spells of heat and comfort woven into its residents' clothing and architecture are essential to living comfortably in such relentlessly cold lands.",
												"The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who make their home within the pines of the {@book Elvenpeaks|TDCSR|3|Lyrengorn, the Elvenpeaks} are best known for riding through the wintry skies on {@creature wyvern|MM|wyverns}. Every year, people from across Tal'Dorei travel to the {@book Elvenpeaks|TDCSR|3|Lyrengorn, the Elvenpeaks} to watch skyswimmers, elite {@creature wyvern|MM} riders who shape the glow of the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} Ribbons from the air."
											],
											"id": "262"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Magic and Transformation",
											"page": 155,
											"entries": [
												"High elf culture values magical prowess above almost all else, but the high {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} lack the dogma of many of their {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} cousins. Their society encourages experimentation, both in terms of magic and self-expression. Likewise, lyren'alfen who become adventurers often do so in pursuit of inspiration or self-discovery. High elf societies are filled with elf magi who use magic to transform their bodies, exploring different gender expressions and social roles\u2014and they encourage all who visit Lyrengorn to join them in discovering all the different facets of one's self.",
												"Many high {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} become religious sorcerers, exploring their latent powers through their faith. Others develop their arcane skill by seeking admission to the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum} in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, where they study the theory of magic with the best minds from across Tal'Dorei."
											],
											"id": "263"
										}
									],
									"id": "261"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Dark Elves",
									"page": 156,
									"entries": [
										"The myrk'alfen, also known as drow or dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, have a complicated relationship with the other elven societies of Tal'Dorei. Though the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are one people by heritage, the dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} refused to join with the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, instead escaping into the trackless caverns that stretched beneath Tal'Dorei. There, they became the unwitting prey of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}, a Betrayer God of immense cruelty.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Betrayed by the Gods",
											"page": 156,
											"entries": [
												"In times long past, the drow were a wise, beautiful folk with long, silvery hair and radiant ashen or violet skin. But their underground enclaves grew decadent and cruel, and their leaders fell to the alluring whispers of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}. The myrk'alfen allied with their venomous goddess against the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} and their {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. When the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} was defeated, the myrk'alfen of Tal'Dorei were exiled permanently from the surface world, confined to their imperious realm within the earth."
											],
											"id": "265"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Struggle to Survive",
											"page": 156,
											"entries": [
												"More evil powers than just the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} lurk beneath the surface of the world. With the drow in exile, the whispers of the {@deity The Crawling King|Exandria|TDCSR|Crawling King} and the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion} first reached the ears of their nobility as the dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} struggled to stave away the aberrations that encircled their cities. Now, generations later, the dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} are a people seemingly on the brink of annihilation. Neighbors slaughter one another in the streets as they succumb to paranoia. For when aberrations can take or shape any form, who can be trusted? Unable to stop their citizens from rioting, the drow elite have grown ever more authoritarian, commanding their royal guards to keep order by violently suppressing their people.",
												"Against this ongoing chaos, some dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who fall deep into the abominable thrall of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} become truly monstrous, their skin and eyes turning deathly pale as they become little more than puppets for their tormenting goddess. Others willingly offer themselves to the aberrations to end their suffering, and are transformed into shapeshifting {@creature doppelganger|MM|doppelgangers}. And the most power-hungry drow nobles often succumb entirely to their devotion to the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen}, willingly drinking her abyssal blood to become {@creature drider|MM|driders} in her service."
											],
											"id": "266"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "New Light for the Shadow",
											"page": 156,
											"entries": [
												"The people of Tal'Dorei have recently received emissaries from dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who live in the eastern reaches of {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, in a nation called the Kryn Dynasty. Their Bright Queen, Leylas Kryn, broke free of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} corrupting influence and led her people to glory and self-determination in the distant lands of Xhorhas. This rebellion was inspired by the discovery of the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon}, a mysterious being of light and rebirth that the Kryn drow worship as a god.",
												"Though the dark {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of the Kryn Dynasty have problems enough of their own, some of the Kryn seek the aid of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and Lyrengorn on expeditions into the depths beneath Tal'Dorei. Their goals are noble, but none can deny that these are missionary expeditions in search of new followers\u2014and in search of new {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon} beacons, the scattered fragments of that new drow god.",
												"Many adventuring drow harbor a violent hatred of aberrations, and have abandoned the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} faith to become paladins in service of the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} or the {@deity The Lost Beacon of Unknown Light|Exandria|TDCSR|Luxon}, setting aside their affinity for the shadow to search for hope in the light of the sun."
											],
											"id": "267"
										}
									],
									"id": "264"
								}
							],
							"id": "25d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Firbolgs",
							"page": 156,
							"entries": [
								"Fur-covered folk with floppy ears, flat noses, and long faces, firbolgs are a humanoid people with a unique, somewhat bovine appearance. They aren't insular by nature, but they feel most at ease when surrounded by the natural world, leading the vast majority of firbolgs to never leave their forest homes except under circumstances beyond their control. As a result, many folk in Tal'Dorei don't even know that firbolgs exist. Those firbolgs who do live in the realm's cosmopolitan cities either grow annoyed or accepting of people constantly questioning who\u2014or what\u2014they are.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Firbolg.webp"
									},
									"title": "Firbolg",
									"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
									"altText": "A firbolg with long white hair wearing a simple tunic, a multicoloured flower crown, and holding a large bouquet of colourful flowers in their left arm. They are holding a single red rose in their right hand.",
									"width": 468,
									"height": 685
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Dwellers of Cold Forests",
									"page": 156,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Firbolgs'|TDCSR|4|firbolgs} fuzzy bodies are acclimated to cold weather, and they often overheat in warm climes. They are most commonly seen in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, {@book Zephrah|TDCSR|3|Zephrah}, {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}, and {@book Stilben|TDCSR|3|Stilben}, both as residents and as traveling bards and merchants. But they are otherwise a rare sight south of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, though some {@book firbolgs|TDCSR|4|firbolgs} enjoy a comfortable life in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} after learning a few handy spells to keep cool in the summer.",
										"The largest and densest population of {@book firbolgs|TDCSR|4|firbolgs} in Tal'Dorei is found in the eternally winter-bound forest of the {@book Frostweald|TDCSR|3|The Frostweald}. These {@book firbolgs|TDCSR|4|firbolgs} have a friendly but cautious relationship with the capricious fey who also dwell there."
									],
									"id": "269"
								}
							],
							"id": "268"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Gnomes",
							"page": 157,
							"entries": [
								"Gnomes and gnomish culture are relatively uncommon in Tal'Dorei, for although {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and rock gnomes both hail from {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, relatively few gnomes have the chance or the desire to leave their homeland. Moreover, their short stature has often proved a social hindrance in the lands of taller folk. But where they have settled, gnomes easily prove their mettle through deed and humor, becoming welcome members of the settlements where they choose to make their homes.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Gnomes.webp"
									},
									"title": "Left: Forest Gnome, Right: Rock Gnome",
									"credit": "{@link Zuzanna Wuzyk|https://artstation.com/zuzartii}",
									"altText": "Two gnomes stand together. On right is a forest gnome. He wears a green cloak over a green tunic and has a magical glow emitting from between his hands. On right is a rock gnome. She is a tinkerer dressed in leather apron, bronze pauldron and bearing some clockwork mechanism in her hands.",
									"width": 483,
									"height": 437
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Rock Gnomes",
									"page": 157,
									"entries": [
										"The first {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} to enter Tal'Dorei migrated from {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} during the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, and endured the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} within the deep caverns of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. These folk called themselves rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, and founded a marvelous settlement called {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak}. Their society prized cleverness above all other things, eschewing the arts of magic for a focus on tinkering and an understanding of natural phenomena.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Dizzying Heights",
											"page": 157,
											"entries": [
												"By the end of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, the city of {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} was the most technologically advanced place in all of Tal'Dorei, even as the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} were emerging from their isolation. However, such greatness could not last. The rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} boasted of their superiority to the \"ignorant\" stone giants who also called the mountains home, and incurred their elemental wrath. In the earthquakes that followed, {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} and most of its people were destroyed."
											],
											"id": "26c"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Eyes Ahead",
											"page": 157,
											"entries": [
												"Most of those who survived the {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} disaster made their way to {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}, relying upon the generosity of the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} to survive. A few others traveled to {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, and helped build those cities in their earliest days. To this day, most {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} with any connection to the heady era of {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} still call themselves rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} in its honor. These {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} carry a certain cultural memory of their city's fall from grace, which drives many of them to strive constantly toward greatness."
											],
											"id": "26d"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Eyes Behind",
											"page": 157,
											"entries": [
												"A fair few rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} dwelling in {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}\u2014elders in particular\u2014take a different view of their people's fall from grace and glory. These {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} work bitterly and tirelessly, fueled by spite and pride, with the intention of either reclaiming {@book Wittebak|TDCSR|3|Pools of Wittebak} or proving that the city's lost technology is superior to any magic or other force on Exandria."
											],
											"id": "26e"
										}
									],
									"id": "26b"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Forest Gnomes",
									"page": 157,
									"entries": [
										"Forest {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} are not native to Tal'Dorei, but unlike rock {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes}, they are believed to hail from the Fey Realm, much like the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}. A half dozen small forest gnome communities can be found in the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, hidden from the prying eyes of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and human explorers alike. But how {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} ended up in the Fey Realm to begin with is a mystery that even they can't begin to answer.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Magic, Not Tech",
											"page": 158,
											"entries": [
												"The biggest difference between the {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} of the forest and their rock gnome cousins are their philosophies toward magic and technology. After spending untold centuries in the Fey Realm, forest {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} have a great respect for magic, especially capricious, unpredictable magic like that of the fey. Forest gnome culture sees technology as predictable and boring, even if its usefulness must be conceded from time to time.",
												"Forest {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} respect the rock {@book gnomes'|TDCSR|4|gnomes} dedication to science, and are more than happy to help their kin in their search to understand how nature works and how to manipulate it. But in the end, knowledge is not as important as canniness in forest gnome enclaves."
											],
											"id": "270"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Worldly Explorers",
											"page": 158,
											"entries": [
												"Not all forest {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} are as close to their fey identity as the {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} of the {@book Verdant Expanse|TDCSR|3|Verdant Expanse}, and a number of more worldly clans have spread to other forests across Tal'Dorei. Most notably, a number of families, including the Trickfoot clan, have made the {@book Bramblewood|TDCSR|3|The Bramblewood} outside of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} their home for generations. These clans are more practical than their fey kin and less uptight than their distant rock gnome cousins, giving these {@book gnomes|TDCSR|4|gnomes} a curious personality perfect for the life of a traveling adventurer."
											],
											"id": "271"
										}
									],
									"id": "26f"
								}
							],
							"id": "26a"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Goblinkin",
							"page": 158,
							"entries": [
								"{@book Goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, and {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are three distinct races with a united past. They live across Tal'Dorei, most often in isolated communities, though many people in the realm have become used to the sight of goblin children playing catch in the street, hobgoblin mercenaries hanging around job boards, and bugbear apothecaries running shops in the hills.",
								"The origin of the goblinkin is shrouded in myth and legend, but it's generally accepted that these peoples were created by the {@deity The Strife Emperor|Exandria|TDCSR|Strife Emperor} during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} to be his perfect soldiers. The few records of that time hint that the goblinkin were once a single folk called the dranassar, a humanoid people of golden skin and green, violet, or yellow eyes who lived in eastern {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}. They dwelled in great numbers in the city of Ghor Dranas, which came to be the seat of the {@book Betrayer Gods'|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods} power in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}.",
								"For centuries, goblinkin were viewed as monsters by most other people of Tal'Dorei\u2014particularly explorers and adventurers who regularly invaded and destroyed goblinkin settlements. But this ugly sentiment has undergone a radical shift in the past generation, during which countless {@book goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin}, and {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} have fought alongside the other folk of Tal'Dorei in defense of their homeland against the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} and other threats. Today, goblinkin are a welcome sight in Tal'Dorei's cities, and those folk who nurture old hostilities are invariably taken to task by the people around them.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Goblinkin.webp"
									},
									"title": "Left: Hobgoblin, Middle: Bugbear, Right: Goblin",
									"credit": "{@link Nguyen Hieu|https://artstation.com/wthieu153}",
									"altText": "Three goblinkin. The hobgoblin on the left has black hair pulled back, red skin, and is wearing full armour, has a sword on her back, and a shield on her right forearm. The bugbear in the centre has dark fur, is wearing green cloth holding a scythe in one hand and a bundle of greenery in his other hand. On the right is a smaller goblin with green skin wearing brown and white clothes, wrapping a white bandage around her forearm.",
									"width": 820,
									"height": 653
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Goblins",
									"page": 158,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are a green-skinned people, short of stature and typically having thin, dexterous fingers and strong, nimble legs. They fit easily into settlements with significant gnome or halfling populations, whose residences and furniture are already appropriately sized. With long traditions of living in isolated family units in forests and mountain caves, many city-dwelling {@book goblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} dwell in large houses holding at least three generations of family and many different branches of their family tree."
									],
									"id": "273"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Hobgoblins",
									"page": 159,
									"entries": [
										"Most {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are alike in stature to {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and have similar variations in build, ranging from thin and scrawny to broad shouldered and muscular. Their large ears, gleaming yellow eyes, and powerful incisors give them a vaguely feline appearance.",
										"{@book Hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are often stereotyped as having a warlike, martial nature\u2014a sentiment that arose from rumors surrounding the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor} in the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}. That empire is majority {@creature hobgoblin}, and its cruel leaders have press-ganged the land's entire population into compulsory military service. In ages past, most {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} that became known to the other peoples of Tal'Dorei were scouts or captured legionnaires of the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}. Today, though, many escapees from the authority's influence live in cities such as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, or {@book Byroden|TDCSR|3|Byroden}. Most of these free {@book hobgoblins|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} know only their parents' stories of that distant empire, and are able to live happily free of its influence."
									],
									"id": "274"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Bugbears",
									"page": 159,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are tall humanoids covered with brown, black, or blue-gray fur, which combines with large ears and yellow eyes to give them an even more feline appearance than their {@creature hobgoblin} cousins. Though {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are tall, their posture is generally stooped, so that their heads are still roughly at human height.",
										"Many {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} are solitary folk, living in forests and mountains where their thick fur protects them against the cold. They typically gather in large groups one to three times a year to socialize and play games with friends, reunite with family, and find love\u2014a tradition that has been reworked by those who live in permanent communities. Such {@book bugbears|TDCSR|4|goblinkin} often live with a number of romantic partners under the same roof, or \"adopt\" {@creature goblin} families and dwell in their loving, chaotic, multigenerational households."
									],
									"id": "275"
								}
							],
							"id": "272"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Half-Giants",
							"page": 159,
							"entries": [
								"Four peoples were known to exist on Tal'Dorei when the world was reborn out of the ashes of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, who emerged from the Fey Realm. The {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, who emerged from the earth. The {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, who endured the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} through strength and determination. And the half-giants, who safely rode out that war in mountaintop retreats before eventually descending to the windswept plains below.",
								"Averaging seven feet tall, with hairless, craggy bodies and skin tough as stone, half-giants are often colloquially known as stoneborn or {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}. Descended from {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants}, these folk have long been viewed as exemplars of rugged endurance and individualism. They are found in settlements across Tal'Dorei, where they are known for their innate strength and their commonly held belief\u2014passed down from the giants of old\u2014that all must take fate into their own hands.",
								"In ancient times, {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} and {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} lived off the same land, and their nomadic clans frequently warred and intermingled in equal measure. As such, it is common for {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} and {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} of Tal'Dorei to discover common ancestors somewhere in their family trees.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-HalfGiants.webp"
									},
									"title": "Half-Giant",
									"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
									"altText": "A pale-skinned half-giant sits on a chair backwards, leaning on the chairback. She is a bit too large for the chair. She wears a yellow tunic, green pants and has black tattoos down her arms and on her head.",
									"width": 622,
									"height": 776
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Nomadic Herds",
									"page": 159,
									"entries": [
										"Stone giants believe that physical perfection is the world's greatest virtue, and this belief has been passed down culturally to the {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} who live in the mountains and upon the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. These plains-dwelling {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} call their clans \"herds,\" and unite behind the stone giants' philosophy of \"might makes right.\" Though at one time these herds were mostly made up of stoneborn almost exclusively, recent generations have come to include {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, and even physically diminutive people such as {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings}\u2014as long as they agree with the philosophy of strength above all.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Rivermaw",
											"page": 160,
											"entries": [
												"The greatest of the half-giant herds is the {@book Rivermaw|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd}, whose members use their strength of arms and political cunning to protect their ancestral lands from incursion. The {@book Rivermaw herd|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd} includes many {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} from the now-broken Herd of Storms, whose folk suffered at the hands of the tyrant Kevdak many years ago, and who now seek to protect others from ever suffering as they did."
											],
											"id": "278"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Ravagers",
											"page": 160,
											"entries": [
												"Opposing the {@book Rivermaw|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd} are the Ravagers\u2014a group that the {@book Rivermaw|TDCSR|3|Rivermaw Herd} have stripped of the title of \"herd\" in disgust. The Ravagers are more a death cult dedicated to the Betrayer God called the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner} than a true clan. Just like the contemporary Rivermaw, the ranks of the Ravagers are filled with people of many different ancestries, from {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} to {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} to bloody-minded {@book firbolgs|TDCSR|4|firbolgs}\u2014all of them rejecting order to embrace slaughter and cruelty."
											],
											"id": "279"
										}
									],
									"id": "277"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Towers of Stone",
									"page": 160,
									"entries": [
										"Tal'Dorei's most famous goliath, the legendary hero {@creature Grog Strongjaw|TDCSR}, is renowned for being a warrior first and a thinker second. But {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} are no less intelligent or canny than Tal'Dorei's other peoples. Despite being known as nomadic folk, many {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} understand that stone is sturdiest when formed into towers, walls, and bridges, and cities such as {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer} and {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} have long been filled with the works of goliath masons and architects not given the historical recognition they deserved.",
										"Great advances in mathematics and civil engineering have been made by other city-dwelling stoneborn, and scholars of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} are working to confirm which of the beloved {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} and {@book Westruunian|TDCSR|3|Westruun} structures that survived the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} are actually the result of pioneering goliath minds. {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} has long been home to vast numbers of {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} dwelling there to be close to their former herds, but many others have set down more recent roots after the Battle of {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, helping rebuild in the wake of the destruction wrought by the dragon Umbrasyl and the Herd of Storms."
									],
									"id": "27a"
								}
							],
							"id": "276"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Halflings",
							"page": 160,
							"entries": [
								"No one really knows how halflings appeared on Exandria, nor is it known how they first arrived in Tal'Dorei. Some halfling scholars are eager to trace the origin of their people, but many of those who live out in the countryside are more keen on inventing increasingly tall tales regarding the roots of their ancestry. One popular creation myth is that when the {@deity The All-Hammer|Exandria|TDCSR|All-Hammer} made the {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, a little bit of leftover clay slipped from his hands and landed on the rolling fields beyond the {@book dwarves'|TDCSR|4|dwarves} mountains, where it became the first halflings. Though most people dismiss this story as nothing more than folklore, a sense of the halflings having humble beginnings fits with the place they've found for themselves in Tal'Dorei.",
								"The historical records of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} assert that halflings journeyed across the Ozmit Sea from {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} with Tal'Dorei's first {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans}, with both peoples coexisting in peaceful harmony in this realm's earliest cities and idyllic agrarian towns. {@book Humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and halflings likewise fought together\u2014and against each other\u2014when the Iron Rule of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} swept across the land.",
								"The {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War} divided halflings across the continent in two ways. Thousands of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and halflings were impressed by {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} strength and joined his armies, even as many of those who refused to join turned away from their old allegiances. One group of halflings decided that {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} had betrayed them and that Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} was emblematic of all humanity's evils, and formed the Stoutheart Clan in response. They stockpiled weapons and began a campaign of guerilla warfare against {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} armies\u2014even battalions that held former friends and family among their ranks.",
								"Another clan, the Lightfoots, asserted that all {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} couldn't be condemned for the evil actions of one king, and pointed to the thousands of halflings and other non-humans who had allied themselves with {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} evil regime as proof. The Lightfoots advocated protecting as many people as possible while waiting the war out. In the end, it became clear to both halfling clans that in a conflict against a tyrant such as {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, neutrality was not an option. They banded together behind {@book Zan Tal'Dorei's|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} banner of rebellion.",
								"These two clans dissolved after the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, but many contemporary halfling families can trace their genealogies back to one or the other, and proudly proclaim that their great-grandparents were there when history was being made. Most halflings treat this sense of history only as idle fun, though, and few feel any real animosity over old ills and grudges.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Halflings.webp"
									},
									"title": "Left: Stoutheart Halfling, Right: Lightfoot Halfling",
									"credit": "{@link Azra Wheeler|https://artstation.com/azraelion}",
									"altText": "Two halflings stand together. Both are barefoot. On left is a Stoutheart halfling bearing a sword in one hand and a music sheet in the other. On right is a Lightfoot halfling bard, dressed in a green tunic and bearing a violin and bow.",
									"width": 499,
									"height": 616
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Lightfoot Clan",
									"page": 161,
									"entries": [
										"The Lightfoot Clan dissolved into its many component families after the war, but the spirit that created the clan still survives. Those {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings} who strongly identify with their Lightfoot identity look out for number one first, and are more likely to try to evade conflict than to meet an oncoming storm head-on. Yet a contradiction lingers within the Lightfoot spirit, for despite all their love of the comforts of home, many Lightfoot {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings} feel a certain unquenchable hunger to explore. Many adventuring {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings} are Lightfoots who have given in to this compulsion."
									],
									"id": "27c"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Stoutheart Clan",
									"page": 161,
									"entries": [
										"The Stoutheart Clan also dissolved in the wake of the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, but its ideals and identity still endure. Brashness and courage even in the face of absurd odds embodies the Stoutheart spirit. Recalling the guerilla army that stood against the legions of {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig}, any halfling with the fortitude to stand up to a warrior three times their size has more than earned the honor of calling themself a Stoutheart\u2014even if their family tree doesn't have true roots in that historic clan.",
										"Stouthearts often surprise other people who know of {@book halflings|TDCSR|4|halflings} only from experiences with more laidback Lightfoot folk\u2014and many use this surprise to their advantage to become truly cunning diplomats. The proud Stoutheart named Assum Emring, a former member of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, once boisterously claimed that he was so rude, so brash and so defiant in his first meeting with the late Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II, that he was very nearly arrested\u2014before being offered a position on the sovereign's staff the very next day!"
									],
									"id": "27d"
								}
							],
							"id": "27b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Humans",
							"page": 161,
							"entries": [
								"Humans are the most populous race in Tal'Dorei today, though at one point in this land's history, all of humankind's holdings were naught but a speck on the western coastline.",
								"If {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} ever lived upon Tal'Dorei in the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, they were wiped out entirely by the end of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. But after the world had begun to recover from the devastation wrought by that war of gods and mortals, an expedition of human explorers departed from Vasselheim in {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, thought to be the only bastion of humanoid culture on the surface of Exandria to survive the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. Sailing eastward, they reached the land that would eventually come to be called Tal'Dorei, and were shocked to find {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, and {@book half-giants|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} already living there\u2014shattering their belief that the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} had washed away all mortal life except the people of Vasselheim.",
								"Over the years, {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} and their ambition have been responsible for bloody wars, weapons of unimaginable devastation, and spells that have reduced entire cultures to ruin. Yet {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} have also driven great advances in art, music, poetry, and theater, and have shown love and compassion to the other mortal peoples of the world. The course of human history is never straight, and can turn at any time. After all, {@book humans'|TDCSR|4|humans} lives are short and their minds are chaotic\u2014a fact that troubles many of the long-lived {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} of Tal'Dorei. Still, despite these weaknesses\u2014or perhaps because of them\u2014{@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} have produced some of the most innovative and forward-thinking figures Tal'Dorei has ever known.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Humans.webp"
									},
									"title": "Humans",
									"credit": "{@link Azra Wheeler|https://artstation.com/azraelion}",
									"altText": "Two humans stand together, poised to fight. On left is an older white woman with long grey hair. She holds a silver sword with a golden hilt, and wears full chain and plate armor. The other human is a brown man wearing a purple and blue tunic atop light armor, he is holding a wooden staff.",
									"width": 552,
									"height": 883
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "A Far-Reaching People",
									"page": 161,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Humans|TDCSR|4|humans} can hail from anywhere in Tal'Dorei, for although their presence on the continent began as a small colony in the west, that presence quickly spread. {@book Humans|TDCSR|4|humans} were eager to trade, to forge alliances, and to find love with the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, and {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} of Tal'Dorei. Their lands quickly grew in size and power. But then a human despot by the name of Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} broke the peace of trade and coalition in favor of conquest.",
										"{@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} betrayal nearly condemned humankind to an eternal reputation for villainy. However, one human rebel named {@book Zan Tal'Dorei|TDCSR|1|Tal'Dorei Ascendant} forged alliances of renewed trust between her rebellious faction and the other beleaguered peoples of {@book Drassig's|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} kingdom. Her forthright idealism and steadfast determination won the {@book Scattered War|TDCSR|1|The Scattered War}, and laid the foundations for a new society that enshrined the alliances she created.",
										"Though human adventurers can hail from anywhere in Tal'Dorei, {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} are most commonly found in the lands connected by the {@book Silvercut Roadway|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway}: the {@book Bladeshimmer Shoreline|TDCSR|3|Bladeshimmer Shoreline} in the west, the {@book Lucidian Coast|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast} in the east, and the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} that separate them. A number of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} from {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} also sailed across the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel} long ago and settled in the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, where they founded the city-state of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}.",
										"{@book Humans|TDCSR|4|humans} living along the {@book Silvercut|TDCSR|3|Silvercut Roadway} provide the infrastructure for trade across the continent, and as such are often involved in some form of craft, business, or production. Human-dominated cities in Tal'Dorei are typically highly diverse, because they were founded with the aid of many allies of other ancestries. Today, members of all Exandria's other peoples come together in great cities such as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, even as {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} from the distant continents of {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra}, {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}, and {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} travel to exchange goods and ideas with the vast and bountiful lands of Tal'Dorei. Beyond the cities, dozens of humanfounded outposts spread along the fringes of lands better known by Tal'Dorei's older ancestries\u2014the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, and even the reclusive {@book giants|TDCSR|6|Giantkin}. Outlanders, explorers, and hermits take refuge here from the hectic pace of city life, but still find danger enough in the wilderness to keep them on their toes.",
										"Many {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} likewise live in settlements founded by non-humans, ranging in size from tiny gnome-majority villages in {@book Torian Forest|TDCSR|3|Torian Forest} to the ancient and stately cities of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} and {@book Kraghammer|TDCSR|3|Kraghammer}. These {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} absorb the cultures of their homes, just as people of other ancestries raised in cities such as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} can grow up with a distinctly human outlook on life."
									],
									"id": "27f"
								}
							],
							"id": "27e"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Orcs",
							"page": 162,
							"entries": [
								"Orcs survived on Tal'Dorei during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} through sheer determination and strength. Unlike the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} and {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves} who hid in their secret retreats, and the {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} who watched the destruction from their mountaintops, great clans of orcs fought endless bloody battles on the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} as the gods and their loyal minions clashed, wielding magic sufficient to rip the world asunder. And the orcs endured\u2014perhaps in part because of the divine power behind that people's creation.",
								"The myth surrounding the orcs' origin is a grim one. It is said that they were created by accident when the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}, god of the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, shot out the eye of the war god known as the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}. The {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner's} blood poured from his wound and rained upon the armies of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} who served the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart}\u2014and those unsuspecting mortals were transformed. Their muscles bulged, tusks grew from their jaws, and their minds burned with a thirst for blood.",
								"Yet after that battle's end, the fury within these new humanoids burned away, and the orcs survived as a hardy, physically powerful people. In the early days of {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, orc clans warred with anyone who invaded their territory, especially the {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} who descended from the mountains to the plains, and who rivaled the orcs in both strength and stature. But once more, fury cooled in time, and reasonable voices won out over those of even the most passionate warmongers.",
								"Today, orcs and other folk with orcish heritage can be found all across Tal'Dorei. Many orcs find their natural athleticism an asset in specific trades, but they can be found in every guild and profession. Though orcs and {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} have an ancient legacy of conflict that lives on in a prejudiced few, the realm is filled with people who denounce and ostracize any who discriminate against their orc neighbors.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Orcs.webp"
									},
									"title": "Orc",
									"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
									"altText": "A green orc with short black hair wearing a faded tunic and blue pants, holding a shepherd's crook in their left hand and a white sheep under their right arm.",
									"width": 547,
									"height": 797
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "From Near and Far",
									"page": 163,
									"entries": [
										"Though many of Tal'Dorei's {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} are related to clans that have lived nomadically on the continent since time immemorial, the major cities of the land are also home to {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} who've traveled to Tal'Dorei from across the sea. Many of those {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} originated in the lands of Xhorhas, in {@book Wildemount|TDCSR|3|Wildemount}, and the continent of {@book Marquet|TDCSR|3|Marquet}\u2014places where {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} have never been denied the opportunity to become great scholars or leaders."
									],
									"id": "281"
								}
							],
							"id": "280"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tieflings",
							"page": 163,
							"entries": [
								"Though Tal'Dorei was once awash with fell legends claiming to detail the evil origin of {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, the more progressive parts of the realm have long since stomped out such ugly myths. Still, many folk can't help but show surprise the first time they see a person with horns curling from their brow, gleaming eyes of a single solid color, and lustrous, brightly hued skin of red, purple, or blue.",
								"Scholars have scoured thousands of years of {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} history in search of the origin of {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings}, to little avail. The most complete extant records suggest that during the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, a cabal of power-hungry {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} warlocks consorted with extraplanar entities, and that many of these unions resulted in children who shared the qualities of human and fiend. These progeny of the Lower Planes eventually came to break away from that origin to become a people unto themselves.",
								"The first {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} to walk on Tal'Dorei sailed from {@book Issylra|TDCSR|3|Issylra} during the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, fleeing religious zealots who believed their very existence was an abomination. Many {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} in Tal'Dorei refused to fight during the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, embracing a nihilism which said that if the world could reject their kind, perhaps it was better to just let it burn. Yet the world and the {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} survived.",
								"In the centuries after the {@book Divergence|TDCSR|1|The Divergence}, {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} who had grown weary of gods and demons rejoiced, feeling that the gods' imprisonment had effectively freed them from their cursed past. As such, when Warren {@book Drassig|TDCSR|1|The Iron Rule of Drassig} and his sons conquered the elven lands of {@book Gwessar|TDCSR|1|Gwessar}, countless {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} rose in rebellion against the tyrant. They had seen his kind before, they knew his methods, and they knew others would suffer as they once had.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Tieflings.webp"
									},
									"title": "Tiefling",
									"credit": "{@link Azra Wheeler|https://artstation.com/azraelion}",
									"altText": "A light blue-skinned tiefling with two tall horns and dark blue long hair. They wear dark blue mage's robes with silver filigree. He holds a leather spellbook, which emits magical blue smoke.",
									"width": 414,
									"height": 805
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Tiefling Children",
									"page": 163,
									"entries": [
										"{@book Tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} who form a union always have tiefling children, and most {@book tieflings|TDCSR|4|tieflings} belong firmly to that ancient ancestry. Yet to this day, any humanoid\u2014whether famous hero or common farmer\u2014who makes a deal with fiends might give rise to children, grandchildren, or even more distant descendants born with the horns, eyes, and colorful skin of a tiefling.",
										"Perhaps the most famous tiefling born in the past generation is Gwendolyn de Rolo, the youngest daughter of the renowned heroes {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} and {@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR} de Rolo of {@book Whitestone|TDCSR|3|Whitestone}. It is an open secret in the city-state that {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival} had dealings with fiends as a young man. Yet though none of the rumors have precisely pinpointed the nature of {@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR|Percival's} supernatural bargain, all who know Gwendolyn agree that she is the sweetest and most innocent de Rolo to roam the halls of {@book Castle Whitestone|TDCSR|3|1. Castle Whitestone} in many years."
									],
									"id": "283"
								}
							],
							"id": "282"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Mixed Ancestry",
							"page": 163,
							"entries": [
								"Even the oldest records of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} are unclear as to whether the ancestries of {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}, {@book dwarves|TDCSR|4|dwarves}, {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, and {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants} routinely mixed before the arrival of humankind on Tal'Dorei's shores. But it's easy to assume that explorers and ambassadors would inevitably find love or companionship among the folk of unfamiliar lands\u2014and it is well known that the arrival of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} changed Tal'Dorei forever.",
								"From the earliest days of human exploration on the continent, love and passion began to blossom between all of Tal'Dorei's people. The children that spring from the unions of folk of different heritage bear the traits of each of their parents, so that a human child might gain patches of scales and reptilian eyes from a {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} parent, or an orc and a dwarf might raise a child of squat, stout stature and olive-green skin, and bearing wisps of a coppery beard even as an infant.",
								"In the modern age, love unites all folk. People of mixed ancestry can be found all across Tal'Dorei, though they are most common in the realm's cosmopolitan cities. Some ancestries are biologically improbable (such as a goliath and a gnome having a child), but sufficient application of magic makes even those unions possible. However, money can be a limiting factor in such things, as having a skilled mage on hand during conception and childbirth is an expensive process.",
								"Non-humanoid creatures with the magical ability to assume humanoid size and form, such as dragons, can also sire or give birth to mixed-ancestry children.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-MixedAncestry.webp"
									},
									"title": "Left: Elf-Dragonblood, Right: Orc-Dwarf",
									"credit": "{@link Nikki Dawes|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}",
									"altText": "An orc-dwarf with green skin and braided beard wears silver plate armor. Behind him stands an elf-dragonborn woman with lizard-like eyes and dark brown dragon scales. She holds a sword.",
									"width": 1119,
									"height": 764
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"name": "Mixed Ancestry Statistics",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"page": 164,
									"tag": "variantrule"
								}
							],
							"id": "284"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Other Races",
							"page": 164,
							"entries": [
								"In addition to humanoids, countless other sapient beings walk the lands of Tal'Dorei. Many of these are rare creatures, never building communities of folk who share their appearance and abilities. Some are wholly unique creations of unpredictable magical effects. Others are mighty beings such as dragons and giants, who can take on the role of hero or villain with equal ease but who intentionally separate themselves from the affairs of Tal'Dorei's other mortal peoples."
							],
							"id": "285"
						}
					],
					"id": "248"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Hemocraft",
					"page": 165,
					"entries": [
						{
							"type": "statblock",
							"name": "Hemocraft",
							"source": "TDCSR",
							"page": 165,
							"tag": "variantrule"
						}
					],
					"id": "286"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Subclasses",
					"page": 165,
					"entries": [
						"This section features new subclass options for some of the familiar fifth edition character classes. These subclasses grant you new options not available to all members of your class. Information on your full class features, as well as other subclasses, can be found in the fifth edition rules.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Barbarian",
							"page": 165,
							"entries": [
								"You are a wild warrior whose emotions and instincts guide you in combat far more than logic or tactics. When your barbarian character chooses a primal path at 3rd level, the {@class barbarian|PHB|Path of the Juggernaut|Juggernaut|TDCSR} is a new option for use in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Kel'jaia Uloeh",
									"page": 166,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Female gnome Path of the Juggernaut barbarian}",
										"When Kel'jaia sets her eyes on something, nothing can stop her from achieving it. Her small size has no bearing on her unbelievable strength, which can overpower creatures many times her size. She came to Tal'Dorei after the village on the {@book Rifenmist Peninsula|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Peninsula} she was defending was razed by the {@book Iron Authority|TDCSR|3|Tz'Arrm, Helm of the Emperor}. She first arrived in {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn}, and through the connections and friendships she made there, was chosen to be a {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} delegate to the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}. She strongly believes that Tal'Dorei should take a stand against the cruelty of the Authority. Should strife come to Tal'Dorei, Kel'jaia is thought by all to be the council's first choice for the Master of War, due to her valor, tactical cunning, and battle prowess.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Juggernaut.webp"
											},
											"title": "Kel'jaia Uloeh",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A Black gnome with long dreadlocks. Her forehead is painted red and bears white markings on her face and shoulders. She wears colourful necklaces and a tunic, and bears an oversized axe wrapped in colourful ribbon behind their back.",
											"width": 613,
											"height": 644
										}
									],
									"id": "289"
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Rules Tip: Forced Movement",
									"page": 166,
									"entries": [
										"Usually when one creature moves out of a hostile creature's reach, the hostile creature can use its reaction to make an {@action opportunity attack|PHB}. However, forced movement\u2014such as being pushed by a Path of the Juggernaut barbarian's {@subclassFeature Thunderous Blows|Barbarian|PHB|Juggernaut|TDCSR|3} feature\u2014doesn't provoke {@action opportunity attack|PHB|opportunity attacks}.",
										"Likewise, a juggernaut barbarian's {@subclassFeature Hurricane Strike|Barbarian|PHB|Juggernaut|TDCSR|10} feature allows an ally to make a melee weapon attack as a reaction only if the foe ends its forced movement within 5 feet of the ally. If a foe is pushed through other spaces within 5 feet of your allies, those allies can't make normal {@action opportunity attack|PHB|opportunity attacks} against the foe."
									],
									"id": "28a"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Juggernaut",
									"page": 165,
									"className": "Barbarian",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "288"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Bard",
							"page": 167,
							"entries": [
								"You are a charming performer whose wit and words can inspire heroism in your allies and a rising sense of dread in your foes. When your bard character chooses a bard college at 3rd level, the {@class bard|PHB|College of Tragedy|Tragedy|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Balthasar Bleakskull",
									"page": 167,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Male half-giant College of Tragedy bard}",
										"Born in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} and raised by two loving goliath parents\u2014a towering warrior and an equally massive astronomer of the {@book Yuminor Observatory|TDCSR|3|3. Yuminor Observatory}\u2014Balthasar Bleakskull was exposed to the adventuring lifestyle and academia from an early age. He tumbled into the art of theater when he was but a child, and followed his passion for drama into adulthood\u2014when he was entangled in a bloodcurdling academic conspiracy that left eight dead, including his dramatic mentor and his lover. Since then, he has devoted his dramatic skill to the art of tragedy, to grant his audiences the catharsis that he one day hopes to give himself.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Tragedy.webp"
											},
											"title": "Balthasar Bleakskull",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A bald, skull-white man reclines on a rock. He is dressed in dark grey and maroon finery. A grey and red lyre lies next to him. He bears a skull in his hand, speaking with it.",
											"width": 648,
											"height": 747
										}
									],
									"id": "28c"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Tragedy",
									"page": 167,
									"className": "Bard",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "28b"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Cleric",
							"page": 168,
							"entries": [
								"You are a wise disciple of one or more of Exandria's gods, whose divine hands can no longer shape the world on their own. When your cleric character chooses a divine domain at 1st level, you can consult your god's entry in chapter 2 for suggestions on which domains they might grant. The {@class cleric|PHB|Blood Domain|Blood|TDCSR} and {@class cleric|PHB|Moon Domain|Moon|TDCSR} are new options available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Alasterre de Vitrevos",
									"page": 168,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Male human Blood Domain cleric}",
										"The director of Tal'Dorei's {@book Claret Order|TDCSR|2|Claret Orders} is a meticulous, orderly man. He believes that he deserves all the good that comes to him in the world\u2014and, in fairness, all the bad as well. He wields the unsettling magic of {@variantrule hemocraft|TDCSR} created by his order in service of both his organization's interests, and the divine interests of the {@deity The Matron of Ravens|Exandria|TDCSR|Matron of Ravens}. His goals are simple: purge the world of undead, particularly {@creature vampire|MM|vampires}, and make his name one sung across Exandria in the process.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-BloodCleric.webp"
											},
											"title": "Alasterre de Vitrevos",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A pale human blood cleric leans coolly against a rock. He wears a lean blue tunic with a red cloak draped over his shoulder and a winged pauldron on his right shoulder. He balances a knife on his left finger.",
											"width": 667,
											"height": 976
										}
									],
									"id": "28e"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Blood",
									"page": 168,
									"className": "Cleric",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Nalys Ildareth",
									"page": 170,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Nonbinary (they/them) elf Moon Domain cleric}",
										"The moons of Exandria show their faces for all to see, yet hide a secret face from the world. Nalys Ildareth, leader of an obscure {@book Syngornian|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} sect of the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver}, believes that true reverence requires all faithful to have a face they show to the world\u2014represented by a mask of silver they never remove\u2014and one they keep to themselves, beneath the mask. Nalys believes that it is their duty to enact the {@deity The Moonweaver|Exandria|TDCSR|Moonweaver's} will upon Exandria, and keep the world safe within the balance of Catha's calm order and the ill-fated chaos of Ruidus. They are thoughtful and calculating, seeming an impassive observer while they wait for the proper moment to strike, but then transforming into a furious avenger when that moment arrives.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-MoonCleric.webp"
											},
											"title": "Nalys Ildareth",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "An elven moon cleric with long, dark hair stands valiantly upon a rock. They wear a skull-like mask with horns on their face and are dressed in dark grey and white tunic, with red lining. In one hand is a round blade, in the other, a moon-like magic hovers over their hand.",
											"width": 590,
											"height": 796
										}
									],
									"id": "28f"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Moon",
									"page": 170,
									"className": "Cleric",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "28d"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Druid",
							"page": 171,
							"entries": [
								"As a druid, you are a keeper of the old ways, attuned to nature and channeling power that grants you spells and allows you to transform your body. When your druid character chooses a druid circle at 2nd level, the {@class Druid|PHB|Circle of the Blighted|Blighted|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Camellia Springshower",
									"page": 171,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Female firbolg Circle of the Blighted druid}",
										"Life was beautiful under the light of the sun for Camellia Springshower. The sun caused her flowers to flourish, and the rains nourished them so they could grow when next the sun arose. One day, however, she wandered too far from her family while they traveled the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}, and tumbled into the bleak depths of {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow}, a forgotten, accursed tomb. She ran for the light, but a specter reached out from the walls and touched a ghastly finger to her chest. She felt her blood run cold, and the flowers within her basket wither away. Though she escaped the {@book Shadebarrow|TDCSR|3|Shadebarrow}, she was never able to find her family again, and she now wanders the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} like an untethered shadow\u2014hoping to use the blighted powers granted to her by the shade to do some semblance of good in the world, even if all life seems to wither beneath her touch.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Blighted.webp"
											},
											"title": "Camellia Springshower",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A firbolg with long, bushy auburn hair stands staring out with dead eyes. They are dressed in a tattered, patchwork drerss and bear a crooked staff with withered flowers wrapped within it.",
											"width": 524,
											"height": 819
										}
									],
									"id": "291"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Blighted",
									"page": 171,
									"className": "Druid",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								},
								"{@note The Blighted Druid also introduces the {@creature Blighted Sapling|TDCSR} statblock below.}",
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"name": "Blighted Sapling",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"page": 172,
									"tag": "creature",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "290"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Monk",
							"page": 173,
							"entries": [
								"You are a canny martial artist whose connection to the unseen energy of life grants you supernatural insights and the ability to manipulate your foes. When your monk character chooses a monastic tradition at 3rd level, the {@class monk|PHB|Way of the Cobalt Soul|Cobalt Soul|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Cressida Holt",
									"page": 173,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Nonbinary (she/they) orc Way of the Cobalt Soul monk}",
										"A freshly titled expositor of the {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul}, Cressida Holt has already made a name for themself as a suave, stylish secret agent. Their assignments as an expositor take them across Tal'Dorei, though they are most often seen in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}, and {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, where they infiltrate political galas, high-stakes games of two-card, and other dens of high-society corruption.",
										"Though most {@book Cobalt Soul|TDCSR|2|Library of the Cobalt Soul} expositors are expected to keep a low profile and gather intelligence, Cressida has found success with a flashier method. She strides into a room in a fine cobalt-blue suit, makes sensual eye contact with the most beautiful person in the room, and casually makes herself someone from whom no one can keep a secret.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-CobaltSoul.webp"
											},
											"title": "Cressida Holt",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A half-orc monk with small tusks and green skin stands poised to fight, bearing an ornate, golden rope dart drawn tautly between their hands. They wear a dark and light blue tunic with golden sash.",
											"width": 478,
											"height": 954
										}
									],
									"id": "293"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Cobalt Soul",
									"page": 173,
									"className": "Monk",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "292"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Paladin",
							"page": 174,
							"entries": [
								"You are an honorable warrior whose devotion to a cause or ideal empowers you with righteous magic. When your paladin character chooses a sacred oath at 3rd level, the {@class paladin|PHB|Oath of the Open Sea|Open Sea|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Shirkuh Marín",
									"page": 174,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Male human Oath of the Open Sea paladin}",
										"Though he is only in his early 30s, famed sailor Shirkuh Marín is well on the way to having his life become an epic sung in taverns all over the Lucidean Ocean. Born a girl to Marquesian immigrant parents in Nicodranas on {@book Wildemount's|TDCSR|3|Wildemount} Menagerie Coast, Shirkuh took his present name from his great-granduncle, an infamous Marquesian pirate. He swore to wear that name with pride, and has followed his own code of honor and ethics ever since. He has worked hand-in-hand with both honest sailors and pirates of the Revelry\u2014and clashed swords with both, too.",
										"Of the many tales that surround Shirkuh, it's unclear which are true\u2014if he truly outran a {@creature juvenile kraken|GoS} in the {@book Shearing Channel|TDCSR|3|Shearing Channel}, if he indeed cheated the Plank King in a game of two-card and lived to tell the tale, and if he actually managed to steal the heart of a {@book Clasp|TDCSR|2|The Clasp} Spireling in {@book Kymal|TDCSR|3|Kymal}. But most agree that even if the stories are made up, he possesses both the talent and the recklessness to have accomplished them if he set his mind to it.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-OpenSea.webp"
											},
											"title": "Shirkuh Marín",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A brown-skinned paladin dressed in a light blue coat, red pants and with leather armor bits. He bears a cutlass in one hand and leans away from a post, evoking the feeling of a sailor on the open seas.",
											"width": 833,
											"height": 1110
										}
									],
									"id": "295"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Open Sea",
									"page": 174,
									"className": "Paladin",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Oath of the Open Sea Spells",
									"page": 176,
									"entries": [
										"Paladins of the {@class paladin|PHB|Oath of the Open Sea|Open Sea|TDCSR} automatically gain two new spells through their {@subclassFeature Oath Spells|Paladin|PHB|Open Sea|TDCSR|3|TDCSR|Oath Spells feature}. These spells can also be learned by druids, rangers, and sorcerers of the appropriate level, at the GM's discretion.",
										"{@note This book adds the following new spells:}",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"style": "list-no-bullets",
											"columns": 2,
											"items": [
												"{@spell Freedom of the Waves|TDCSR}",
												{
													"type": "statblock",
													"name": "Freedom of the Waves",
													"source": "TDCSR",
													"page": 176,
													"tag": "spell"
												},
												"{@spell Freedom of the Winds|TDCSR}",
												{
													"type": "statblock",
													"name": "Freedom of the Winds",
													"source": "TDCSR",
													"page": 176,
													"tag": "spell"
												}
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "296"
								},
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Rules Tip: Visibility",
									"page": 175,
									"entries": [
										"Fog and other effects can obscure vision for you, your enemies, and your allies. When you heavily obscure an area using your {@subclassFeature Channel Divinity|Paladin|PHB|Open Sea|TDCSR|3|TDCSR|Marine Layer Channel Divinity} option, all creatures within the area have their vision completely blocked, and creatures outside the area can't see in. Creatures that can't see automatically fail {@quickref ability checks|PHB|2|0} that require sight. Also, attack rolls against creatures that can't see have {@quickref Advantage and Disadvantage|PHB|2|0|advantage}, and their own attack rolls have {@quickref Advantage and Disadvantage|PHB|2|0|disadvantage}.",
										"Creatures in a lightly obscured area have {@quickref Advantage and Disadvantage|PHB|2|0|disadvantage} only on Wisdom ({@skill Perception}) checks that rely on sight. The rules for when your vision is obscured are described completely in the fifth edition core rules."
									],
									"id": "297"
								}
							],
							"id": "294"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Sorcerer",
							"page": 176,
							"entries": [
								"You are a spellcaster to whom magic comes as naturally as breathing, possessing an instinctive grasp of its power\u2014for that power flows through your very veins. When your sorcerer character chooses a sorcerous origin at 1st level, the {@class sorcerer|PHB|Runechild origin|Runechild|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Karzadrawn \"Karzy\" Sunscale",
									"page": 177,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Male brass {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} Runechild sorcerer}",
										"When you're a model in a city as big as {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, you've got to find a way to stand out. Being a broad-shouldered, heavyset {@book dragonblood|TDCSR|4|dragonblood} with brass scales that twinkle in the sun is a good start, but Karzy Sunscale has another ace up his sleeve: he's a runechild. Ever since he was an infant, he has manifested strange magical abilities, and when he expresses intense emotions through his magic, mysterious runes flare to life upon his scales. All of these traits have always made Karzy the center of attention, and he basks in other peoples' interest like a lizard in the sun. He goes out of his way to dress in outrageous fashions and emote as vividly as he can. He works as a fashion model in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, but the idea has worked its way into his head that he could make an even bigger splash if he were to also become a celebrity adventurer by completing a truly monumental quest.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Runechild.webp"
											},
											"title": "Karzadrawn 'Karzy' Sunscale",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A chubby bronze dragonblood with illuminated runes on his body. He wears colorful, flashy clothes that are open at the torso and has a gold ringed belt around his waist.",
											"width": 499,
											"height": 745
										}
									],
									"id": "299"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Runechild",
									"page": 177,
									"className": "Sorcerer",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "298"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Wizard",
							"page": 178,
							"entries": [
								"You are a studious spellcaster who has earned your influence over arcane power through long hours of rigorous learning. When your wizard character chooses an arcane tradition at 2nd level, {@class wizard|PHB|Blood Magic|Blood Magic|TDCSR} is a new option available in a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
								{
									"type": "inset",
									"name": "Honor Kinnabari",
									"page": 179,
									"entries": [
										"{@i Female tiefling Blood Magic wizard}",
										"It's not easy being the youngest spellwright in the {@book League of Miracles|TDCSR|2|League of Miracles}, especially when you've got a conscience. Honor Kinnabari was enamored with the league since she was a child in {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun}, when she saw the spellwrights and their {@creature adranach|TDCSR} constructs rebuild the entire Market Ward in a matter of days after it was reduced to a slag pit by a hoard of {@creature magma landshark|TDCSR|magma landsharks}. She was raised by dwarf parents from the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, and wears wizardly robes in the style of their clan in honor of them. Honor has just constructed an {@creature adranach|TDCSR} of her own, and has begun leading small-scale operations for the league, but she's starting to worry that something cultish and sinister lurks beneath her compatriots' practiced smiles.",
										{
											"type": "image",
											"href": {
												"type": "internal",
												"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-BloodWizard.webp"
											},
											"title": "Honor Kinnabari",
											"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
											"altText": "A pale white tiefling blood magic wizard stands posed for battle. She wears white robes with red trim, bearing a white wizard staff in one hand and a magical blood shield in the other.",
											"width": 570,
											"height": 809
										}
									],
									"id": "29b"
								},
								{
									"type": "statblock",
									"prop": "subclass",
									"source": "TDCSR",
									"name": "Blood Magic",
									"page": 178,
									"className": "Wizard",
									"classSource": "PHB",
									"collapsed": true
								}
							],
							"id": "29a"
						}
					],
					"id": "287"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Backgrounds",
					"page": 180,
					"entries": [
						"Every player character in a fifth edition fantasy roleplaying game has a background. While your class represents your role in an adventuring party, your background represents who you were and what you learned before you began your adventuring career. Your background doesn't necessarily have to be confined to the past, though, as the way it marks your connections to the world might involve ongoing commitments to an organization or even an entire people.",
						"The new backgrounds in this section each grant your character new proficiencies, languages, and equipment, as well as a unique background feature. Tables of characteristics can also help you quickly generate personality traits, ideals, character flaws, and bonds to tie your character to the people, places, and causes of a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
						"{@note This book adds the following new backgrounds:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@background Ashari|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Clasp Member|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Variant Clasp Member (Myriad Operative)|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Lyceum Scholar|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Reformed Cultist|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Whitestone Rifle Corps|TDCSR}",
								"{@background Variant Whitestone Rifle Corps (Grey Hunter)|TDCSR}"
							]
						}
					],
					"id": "29c"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Supernatural Blessing: Fate-Touched",
					"page": 189,
					"entries": [
						"Most lives and souls find their ways easily along the paths of fate and destiny, oblivious and eager to be a part of the history meant for them. Some souls, however, carry themselves with mysterious influence, the golden threads of their fate subtly guiding history as they pass. Events both magnificent and catastrophic often follow such souls, which take the form of great rulers and terrible tyrants, powerful mages, religious leaders, and legendary heroes. These are the fate-touched.",
						"Few fate-touched ever become aware of their prominent nature. Without the confirmation of the gods themselves, few can know for certain that they bear this blessing. And this is as it should be, for people of renown and power grow easily jealous of those whose gifts outstrip their own. The surviving chronicles of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} are filled with tales of magical hierarchs who enslaved those they took for fate-touched\u2014or worse, attempted to extract the essence of fate from them by the most horrid means. Being touched by fate can be a blessing or a curse. It is most often those who bear the blessings of fortune who are remembered by history, while those cursed by fate are forgotten. Most cultures of Exandria have legends of those marked by ill fate simply by being born under the full light of Ruidus, the vermilion moon around which countless fell legends swirl.",
						"Player characters and NPCs gain this blessing by having the GM grant it to them, gaining the {@reward Fortune's Grace|TDCSR} feature as a result. A character might receive the blessing as a gift from the gods, or as a temporary and surprising phenomenon when the campaign shifts into a story arc focused on that character. An NPC ally might bear this blessing to help them survive as the characters protect them from a terrible threat. A previously benign NPC might even become a power-hungry villain as they test the limits of their fate-touched gift.",
						"{@note This book adds the following new blessing:} {@reward Fortune's Grace|TDCSR}",
						{
							"type": "statblock",
							"name": "Fortune's Grace",
							"source": "TDCSR",
							"page": 190,
							"tag": "reward"
						}
					],
					"id": "29d"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "New Feats",
					"page": 190,
					"entries": [
						"The following feats are appropriate for a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
						"{@note This book adds the following new feats:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@feat Cruel|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Flash Recall|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Mystic Conflux|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Remarkable Recovery|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Spelldriver|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Thrown Arms Master|TDCSR}",
								"{@feat Vital Sacrifice|TDCSR}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "image",
							"href": {
								"type": "internal",
								"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter4-Padding.webp"
							},
							"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
							"altText": "Vox Machina sits around a campfire in a dense woodland. On left, Percy and Vex snuggle up against a sleeping Trinket. On right, Keyleth and Vax recline against a large fallen tree. Between them, PIke watches Scanlan play his lute.",
							"width": 1277,
							"height": 797
						}
					],
					"id": "29e"
				}
			],
			"id": "23e"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 5: Game Master's Toolkit",
			"page": 192,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter5-Splash.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Svetoslav Petrov|https://artstation.com/svetoslavpetrov}",
					"altText": "In an inky, dark cavern, a gigantic, dark worm, it's tooth-rimmed maw agape, hurtles towards a cleric clad in golden armor, bearing a fiery maul. Their head glows with radiant light.",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1655
				},
				"Game Masters can make use of many different tools to run enjoyable games. A GM is the starting point of the storytelling process, coming up with narratively compelling adventure frameworks that they and the players then turn into a campaign. To do so, a GM works up locations and scenarios that their players will have fun with. They stock adventures with loot and magic items to reward daring characters, villains and monsters to defend those valuable treasures, and NPCs of all kinds who can give clues, help as allies, or oppose the characters in their goals.",
				"This chapter contains storytelling advice for GMs running campaigns in Tal'Dorei. It also contains a number of new magic items, including the legendary {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}, plus {@filter optional rules|variantrules|Source=TDCSR} that GMs can use to fine-tune the tone of a Tal'Dorei campaign. ({@book Chapter 6|TDCSR|6} of this book presents {@filter monsters and NPCs unique to the world of Exandria|bestiary|source=TDCSR|Miscellaneous=null}, which can likewise help give a campaign a distinctly {@i Critical Role} feeling.)",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Creating Adventures",
					"page": 193,
					"entries": [
						"Before reading this section, you should familiarize yourself with \"{@book Running a Tal'Dorei Campaign|TDCSR|1|Running a Tal'Dorei Campaign}\" in {@book chapter 1|TDCSR|1}, which provides information about Tal'Dorei's lore and conflicts that are for the Game Master's eyes only. {@book Chapter 3|TDCSR|3} of this book also contains dozens of specific story hooks, many of which tie into the big-picture secrets introduced in {@book chapter 1|TDCSR|1}. Some hooks are simple, giving you just enough to inspire your next game session. Some are more complex, and can cascade into an entire campaign's worth of story.",
						"You'll notice that these story hooks present a beginning, and sometimes a hint of a middle, but never a conclusion. That's because they're designed to spark your imagination, but in a way that still leaves you to fill out the rest of the story framework in your own way. The goal of this book is to provide the building blocks with which you can create your own Tal'Dorei, and these open-ended plot seeds will help you set up adventures that feel right at home in the world of {@i Critical Role}\u2014whether you're a longtime fan of the show or are brand-new to Tal'Dorei.",
						"If you're an experienced GM, you might already have your own approach to creating adventures from story hooks. But especially if you're a beginning GM, this section presents a straightforward approach you can try out for expanding hooks into full adventures. And even as an experienced GM, if you ever feel stuck while planning an adventure, it can help to create a \"fill-in-the-blanks\" outline of your narrative. Start by dividing a page of your GM journal (whether it's a physical page or a digital one) into three sections labeled \"Beginning,\" \"Middle,\" and \"End.\" Then think about what happens in each of those parts of your adventure as a means of opening up your creative process.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Beginning an Adventure",
							"page": 193,
							"entries": [
								"The beginning of most adventures comes when the characters receive a quest or are plunged headfirst into an unexpected scenario. In the Beginning section of your GM journal, write one sentence about how you want the characters to learn of the adventure. For example: \"A member of the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council} posts an urgent notice about a dangerous creature in every tavern in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, promising a 1,000 gp reward.\" Then write down little notes about other things you want in the beginning scene. Where is this opening scene set? What other NPCs are there? Are there environmental notes or clues you want to communicate to the players?"
							],
							"id": "2a1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Creating Conflict in the Middle",
							"page": 193,
							"entries": [
								"The middle of an adventure is filled with conflict, whether episodic events during travel, a dungeon exploration filled with deadly traps and territorial monsters, or intense diplomatic negotiations. In the Middle section, write down notes about what sort of conflict you want your adventure to have. Most story hooks in this book contain a clear antagonist or threat\u2014so start by writing down that antagonist and then brainstorming secondary threats that will challenge the characters on their way to facing their main foe. In addition to the monsters in {@book chapter 6|TDCSR|6} of this book, the fifth edition rules are filled with useful monsters that are perfectly at home in Exandria."
							],
							"id": "2a2"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "End with a Reward",
							"page": 193,
							"entries": [
								"The end of an adventure is where the characters gain their reward and return to safety. In the Ending section of your journal, write down ideas for treasure or other rewards that you want to give the characters. You can make use of the new treasures featured in this book, as well as the {@5etools varied rewards described in the fifth edition rules|lootgen.html}.",
								"Remember that treasure doesn't have to be gold or magic items, and it doesn't have to be found in a dungeon. When the characters return to town carrying the head of the monster they've slain, their quest-giver might grant them an audience with the {@book Tal'Dorei Council|TDCSR|2|Tal'Dorei Council}, give them special use of the {@book Traverse Junction|TDCSR|3|4. Traverse Junction} or some other magical marvel of the {@book Alabaster Lyceum|TDCSR|3|5. Alabaster Lyceum}, or bestow any number of other immaterial rewards."
							],
							"id": "2a3"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Going with the Flow",
							"page": 194,
							"entries": [
								"Don't worry if your plans go awry\u2014they will. No RPG session ever goes totally as planned. The most important skill for any GM is the ability to improvise, because you can never predict everything your players will do. Make your plans loose and variable, and be willing to have fun and change course. Your players are surprised by every challenge you throw at them\u2014so give yourself a chance for the same experience! It can be fun to be surprised, especially when you're the GM who supposedly holds all the important story cards."
							],
							"id": "2a4"
						}
					],
					"id": "2a0"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Tal'Dorei Treasures",
					"page": 194,
					"entries": [
						"This section presents magic items for use in your Tal'Dorei campaign, including specific items used by {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} people of Exandria, and the legendary {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Magic Items",
							"page": 194,
							"entries": [
								"Tal'Dorei is a land awash with magic. Numerous magical organizations, both stately and shadowy, create enchanted items to aid their members in mysterious quests. Shops in major cities, including {@book Gilmore's Glorious Goods|TDCSR|3|14. Gilmore's Glorious Goods} in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, openly sell magic items to anyone with the gold to pay their extravagant (some might say exorbitant) fees.",
								"GMs can use the magic items in this section\u2014some of which have appeared in {@i Critical Role} before; some of which are all new\u2014as treasure to reward the characters during their adventures. Unless otherwise stated, these items abide by the magic item rules laid down in the fifth edition core rules.",
								"{@note This section of the book adds the following new magical items:}",
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"columns": 3,
									"items": [
										"{@item Boots of Haste|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Boots of the Vigilant|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Cataclysm Bolts|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Coat of the Crest|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Corecut Dagger|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Dagger of Denial|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Doublet of Dramatic Demise|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Echo Stone|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Graz'tchar, the Decadent End|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Inescapable Lash|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Magician's Judge|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Mirror of Infinite Transpondence|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Raven's Slumber|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Rod of Mercurial Form|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Stormrider Boots|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Summer's Dance|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Tinkertop Boltblaster 1000|TDCSR}"
									]
								},
								"{@note Furthermore, the following items\u2014magical and mundane\u2014have been created from material presented in the rest of the book:}",
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"columns": 3,
									"items": [
										"{@item +2 Ring of Protection|TDCSR}",
										"{@item +2 Studded Leather Armor of Acid Resistance|TDCSR}",
										"{@item +2 Studded White Dragon Leather Armor of Cold Resistance|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Azuremite|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Circlet of Wisdom|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Dynamite|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Gluebomb|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Oloore Root Teabag|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Plainscow|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Residuum|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Residuum Enchanting Slate|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Skyship|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Stink Bomb|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Sunbeam Compass|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Suude|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Suude (Blue)|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Suude (Brown)|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Suude (Red)|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Whitestone|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Writing Kit|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Zeal|TDCSR}"
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "2a6"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Tools of the Ashari",
							"page": 198,
							"entries": [
								"{@book The Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} people have long used their connection and attunement to elemental power to create unique magic items, helping them in their quest to further understand and control the elements. These items are kept secret by their creators and are rarely given to people not of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}. As such, they can be acquired only as a gift from an Ashari for rendering their people a great service, from the body of a dead Ashari explorer, or for an exorbitant price from someone who has acquired the item through dubious means.",
								"At the GM's discretion, the unique nature of these items might mean that a character not of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} and unfamiliar with elemental magic can't automatically attune to them. Such characters can attune to one of the tools of {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari} with 24 hours worth of special training from an Ashari familiar with the item's use.",
								"{@note This section of the book adds the following new items used by {@book the Ashari|TDCSR|2|The Ashari}:}",
								{
									"type": "list",
									"style": "list-no-bullets",
									"columns": 2,
									"items": [
										"{@item Earthboard|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Flamefriend Lantern|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Oceanic Weapon|TDCSR}",
										"{@item Skysail|TDCSR}"
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "2a7"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Vestiges of Divergence",
							"page": 200,
							"entries": [
								"During the wars of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, destruction rained across the world. Fragmented chronicles of this time recount battles between gods that leveled mountains and sank whole civilizations beneath the waves. Chosen heroes rose up to accept weapons, armor, and other magic items blessed by their patron gods to staunch the inexorable tide of death. Powerful archmages wove the overflowing arcane powers of the war into legendary magic items that could both thwart death and mete it out in equal measure.",
								"These relics of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} armed mortals with god-like powers, and escalated the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} to a fever pitch. Soon after, the war climaxed in a wave of total destruction that left much of Exandria in ruins. Thousands of years of history were reduced to ash\u2014and in that ash were buried many of these selfsame relics. Some of those not lost were passed down through bloodlines for generations, becoming potent symbols of authority and rulership. Others were sealed away by those who feared their power. These mighty echoes of the war that nearly shattered Exandria and the divine banishment that followed are known as the Vestiges of Divergence.",
								"The Vestiges of Divergence are unique even among legendary magic items, for each one touches the defiant soul of its wielder and grows in power alongside them. The base state of a Vestige of Divergence is its dormant state, which the item returns to if sealed away or otherwise kept from being attuned by a worthy individual for a long period of time. A dormant state still imbues a modicum of power to an attuned wielder. But with time, perseverance, and personal growth, the Vestige of Divergence can regain access to some of its lost power in its awakened state. Eventually, if its bearer overcomes personal hardship and transforms their own soul, a Vestige of Divergence reaches its full potential in its exalted state. This shows the true power of the item, as it was when first utilized in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity} against gods armed for war.",
								"The point at which a character finds a Vestige of Divergence, as well as the point at which that item starts to unlock its full power, is entirely in the hands of the Game Master\u2014though it is a topic that players and GMs can discuss and mutually scheme over between game sessions. The acquisition of such an item\u2014or the discovery of its true identity\u2014has the potential to be a scene of momentous narrative weight. Those who bear a Vestige of Divergence are respected and feared by those who understand these items' true power. But such an honor can also paint a target on the bearer's back, for many covet such power, and would do anything to obtain it.",
								"Many of the Vestiges of Divergence detailed in this section can currently be found in Tal'Dorei, while others are scattered elsewhere throughout Exandria. Some of these relics remain lost to time, waiting for someone to find them among the dust and rubble. Others might be in use by powerful heroes ready to pass the item's power onto a worthy successor who fights for the proper cause. Still others might be in the hands of twisted souls using them to terrorize the weak and defenseless. The Vestiges of Divergence are both magic items and narrative devices, and it's the GM's choice as to where any one of them might be found or earned.",
								{
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										"type": "internal",
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									},
									"credit": "{@link Kent Davis|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}",
									"altText": "A vibrantly colorful painting of the seven members of Vox Machina leap into battle, each bearing their Vestiges of Divergence. Left to right - Scanlan surfs on Bigby's Hand, Mythcarver held aloft with a blue glow. Keyleth casts runic magic from her Spire of Conflux. Flying behind her is Vax in his Deathwalker's Ward armor and bearing Whisper. Beneath him is Vex, the longbow Fenthras glowing with green magic. Percy runs beside her, his pepperbox pistol drawn and wearing Cabal's Ruin. Grog smashes his Titanstone Knuckles together as Pike in her Plate of the Dawnmartyr flies overhead with fiery wings.",
									"width": 1278,
									"height": 796
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Advancement of a Vestige of Divergence",
									"page": 201,
									"entries": [
										"The conditions by which a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} progresses to its next level of power can vary, and often revolve around the nature of the specific item and its magic. An attuned bearer of a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} must often symbolically progress to a new state of self-discovery or accomplishment. Alternatively, a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} might bequeath new power to a character in a state of extreme personal duress or desperation.",
										"Such triggering moments are entirely up to the Game Master to identify and unveil, and as such, will likely manifest in unexpected ways. Players should allow the organic narrative moments that they feel might exemplify such an advancement to occur, and GMs should tailor the triggering moment accordingly to be important, impactful, and memorable.",
										"Examples of the kinds of moments that can trigger the advancement of a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} include the following:",
										{
											"type": "list",
											"items": [
												"A character finally surmounts one of their greatest fears, bravely overcoming a traumatic event to save a party member.",
												"A character is mercilessly defeated by a long-hated foe, and in the face of such defeat, they feel a deep, dormant strength grow from within.",
												"A character loses a close ally in battle, and the anguish and fury stirs the power within their {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence}.",
												"A character discovers a facet of their destiny that calls their actions toward a dangerous cause\u2014and against their own fear, they accept their fate and responsibility.",
												"A character claims vengeance against a rival who has tormented them for ages.",
												"A character known for restraint gives in to the amoral violence that the relic they bear was dedicated to."
											]
										},
										"If you want to keep the Vestiges \"balanced,\" in addition to being narratively significant, then characters may find a dormant Vestige before 11th level\u2014perhaps unaware that it's even a Vestige! That dormant Vestige is awakened somewhere between 11th and 17th level, and is exalted at any time after that. Even using these level ranges as a rule of thumb, you shouldn't rely too heavily on those mechanical benchmarks. A {@book Vestige of Divergence's|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} advancement is triggered by character development, not simply by leveling up."
									],
									"id": "2a9"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "To Suit the Wielder",
									"page": 201,
									"entries": [
										"The {@book Vestiges of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} were all created by humanoids or gifted by the gods to their humanoid champions. As such, all of these legendary magic items are sized to suit Medium creatures. However, the mighty magic that thrums within each item allows it to grow or shrink in size to suit the creature attuned to it.",
										"The game statistics of a {@book Vestige of Divergence|TDCSR|5|Vestiges of Divergence} don't change when it resizes unless the item is a weapon. When a Large or larger creature makes an attack with such a weapon, the weapon deals one additional damage die for each size category its wielder is larger than Medium. For example, if {@item Fenthras|TDCSR} is used by a Large fey, attacks made using the longbow deal {@damage 2d8} piercing damage. If {@item Pyremaul|TDCSR} is used by a Huge giant, attacks made using the maul deal {@damage 4d6} bludgeoning damage."
									],
									"id": "2aa"
								},
								{
									"type": "insetReadaloud",
									"page": 201,
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "quote",
											"entries": [
												"When the god-war spread across Exandria, no creature was safe, no matter how small and insignificant, no matter how mighty and powerful. For the battles between gods, would-be gods, and their divine monstrosities took place on such a scale that mountains were sundered and whole cities perished. How could any mortal hope to sway the fate of their own world?",
												"The answer\u2014perhaps ironically, given how the arcane arts and a hunger for godhood brought about the Calamity\u2014lay in magic of both arcane and divine provenance. Not paltry charms or trinkets, but the kind of magic that suffuses the ley lines of this world and plucks at the very fabric of reality. True, a mortal army may be naught but a cloud of gnats to the gods, but a singular hero\u2014or villain\u2014wielding an artifact imbued with magic beyond reckoning...such a champion could bring their strength and cunning to bear amidst the devastation of the god-war.",
												"Thus, the gods and even the greatest mortal mages wrought relics of a might never seen before, nor, I think, since. Moreover, the full potential of these items could only used by those with souls worthy of wielding such legendary power...."
											],
											"by": "Monograph on the Vestiges of Divergence from the Cobalt Reserve archives circa 547 P.D., attrib. High Curator Jorum Irrelios",
											"skipMarks": true
										}
									],
									"id": "2ab"
								},
								"{@note This section of the book adds the following Vestiges of Divergence:}",
								{
									"type": "table",
									"caption": "Vestiges of Divergence by Advancement",
									"colLabels": [
										"Item Group",
										"Dormant",
										"Awakened",
										"Exalted"
									],
									"colStyles": [
										"col-3 text-left",
										"col-3 text-right",
										"col-3 text-right",
										"col-3 text-right"
									],
									"rows": [
										[
											"{@item Agony|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Agony (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Agony (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Agony (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Armor of the Valiant Soul|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Armor of the Valiant Soul (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Armor of the Valiant Soul (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Armor of the Valiant Soul (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Cabal's Ruin|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Cabal's Ruin (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Cabal's Ruin (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Cabal's Ruin (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Circlet of Barbed Vision|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Circlet of Barbed Vision (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Circlet of Barbed Vision (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Circlet of Barbed Vision (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Condemner|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Condemner (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Condemner (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Condemner (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Deathwalker's Ward|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Deathwalker's Ward (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Deathwalker's Ward (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Deathwalker's Ward (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Fenthras|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Fenthras (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Fenthras (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Fenthras (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Honor's Last Stand|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Honor's Last Stand (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Honor's Last Stand (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Honor's Last Stand (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Kiss of the Changebringer|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Kiss of the Changebringer (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Kiss of the Changebringer (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Kiss of the Changebringer (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Mythcarver|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Mythcarver (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Mythcarver (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Mythcarver (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Plate of the Dawnmartyr|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Plate of the Dawnmartyr (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Plate of the Dawnmartyr (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Plate of the Dawnmartyr (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Pyremaul|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Pyremaul (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Pyremaul (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Pyremaul (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Spire of Conflux|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Spire of Conflux (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Spire of Conflux (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Spire of Conflux (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Star Razor|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Star Razor (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Star Razor (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Star Razor (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Titanstone Knuckles|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Titanstone Knuckles (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Titanstone Knuckles (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Titanstone Knuckles (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Whisper|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Whisper (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Whisper (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Whisper (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										],
										[
											"{@item Wraps of Dyamak|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Wraps of Dyamak (Dormant)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Wraps of Dyamak (Awakened)|TDCSR}",
											"{@item Wraps of Dyamak (Exalted)|TDCSR}"
										]
									]
								}
							],
							"id": "2a8"
						}
					],
					"id": "2a5"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Optional Campaign Rules",
					"page": 212,
					"entries": [
						"Every campaign embarks on its heroic tale in its own way. Simple beginnings for a ragtag lot of sellswords. Students of the world falling in with the wrong crowd. Unwitting pawns of destiny thrust into plots much larger than themselves. However you wish to formulate your story and world\u2014whether as player or GM\u2014the rules of the game can help set a clear vision of how to run a campaign with consistency and intended design.",
						"That being said, sometimes the experienced group wishes to add some new flavor to the existing structure of the gaming world. You can bring in new options for old rules, or adjust to a more advanced level of difficulty in a mystical world where danger\u2014and even death\u2014can be easily circumvented. This section outlines a number of homebrew rules and guidelines that any campaign can adopt to further customize the gaming experience, and which can fit in especially well with a Tal'Dorei campaign.",
						"As with any homebrew or nonstandard rules and options, any of the options presented here that appeal to the players should be approved and implemented by the Game Master. Likewise, Game Masters should {@book discuss the possible inclusion of any of these options with players beforehand|TDCSR|4|Session Zero}, to ensure that everyone will have fun with the intended changes. Talk these options over and make sure everyone is aware of and fully understands the new rules.",
						"{@note This section of the book adds the following new house rules:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@variantrule Accelerated Rests|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Rapid Quaffing|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Alternative Resurrection Rules: Harrowing Return|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Alternative Resurrection Rules: Fading Spirits|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Alternative Resurrection Rules: Taxing Return|TDCSR}"
							]
						},
						"{@note Additionally other areas of the book introduce the following additional rules content:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@variantrule Illegal Drugs|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Mixed Ancestry Statistics|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Hemocraft|TDCSR}",
								"{@variantrule Skyships|TDCSR}"
							]
						}
					],
					"id": "2ac"
				}
			],
			"id": "29f"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Chapter 6: Allies and Adversaries of Tal'Dorei",
			"page": 217,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter6-Splash.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Aaron J. Riley|https://aaronjriley.com/}",
					"altText": "Six members of Vox Machina face off against Raishan, an ancient green dragon. Left to right, Percy aims his pepperbox pistol, Pike rushes into battle with mace drawn, Keyleth prepares a spell, Grog lunges at the maw - greataxe drawn. Vax preps three daggers and Vex draws back on her bow.",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1655
				},
				"The lands of Tal'Dorei are filled with people and monsters prepared to ambush adventurers, barter with entrepreneurial explorers, and forge alliances with charismatic characters\u2014or at least with those willing to pay.",
				"The first part of this chapter is a discussion of just some of the many types of creatures a GM might use as NPCs in a Tal'Dorei campaign (including creatures of the races presented in {@book chapter 4|TDCSR|4}). The second part of the chapter is a bestiary with game statistics for new NPCs and monsters unique to Tal'Dorei and other parts of Exandria.",
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "Nonplayer Creatures",
					"page": 217,
					"entries": [
						"Tal'Dorei is filled with non-humanoid beings that leave their mark on the world even if they typically don't go on adventures in dungeons or journey across the world on epic quests. The types of creatures in this section are those who the player characters can encounter on their adventures as either friends or foes. Many of these creatures are fully described in the fifth edition rules. The lore here simply covers how they function in the world of Exandria.",
						"The creatures in this section include many not meant to be used as player characters in a typical campaign, including those with non-humanoid physiology (such as {@book centaurs|TDCSR|6|centaurs}), large size (including {@book giants|TDCSR|6|Giantkin}), or alien minds ({@book aboleths|TDCSR|6|aboleths} and the like). But many other creatures of Exandria are suitable for player character use even if they don't have statistics in the fifth edition core rules. Creatures such as minotaurs, {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls}, and the many humanoids with animal-like traits ranging from eagles to {@race Loxodon|GGR|elephants} can be used as player characters if players and Game Masters are willing to put in the effort to make them work in a campaign. The same is technically true for creatures like dragons, fey, and giants, but their size and innate powers can make it difficult for them to be members of a balanced adventuring party.",
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Aboleths",
							"page": 217,
							"entries": [
								"Vile, intelligent, and imbued with corrupting psychic abilities, {@creature aboleth|MM|aboleths} are three-eyed piscine beings that lurk in watery grottos deep beneath the surface of Exandria. These aberrations are irredeemably evil, and all who attempt diplomacy with an {@creature aboleth} end up as their food\u2014or worse, their mindless thralls. Most {@creature aboleth|MM|aboleths} grandiloquently claim that they have no notion of morality, but only an inexorable sense of purpose that is utterly inscrutable to the lesser minds of humanoid creatures. But even such \"lesser minds\" can understand that an {@creature aboleth|MM|aboleth's} purpose is the psychic domination of all life, for the lives of other creatures have no value to it.",
								"{@creature aboleth|MM|Aboleths} can be found throughout the underground waterways of Tal'Dorei, typically living in isolation with only their thralls for company. These aberrations are loath to work together, for their perfect memories never permit them to forget a grudge. It is fortunate that these arrogant creatures are all but incapable of cooperation, for if their genius-level intellects were united, they might well be unstoppable.",
								"During the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, an {@creature aboleth} empire covered the length and breadth of Tal'Dorei's subterranean world. This dominion's heart was {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar}, the Unseeable City. Though {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar} is naught but a ruin in the {@book Crystalfen Caverns|TDCSR|3|Crystalfen Caverns} beneath {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} now, {@creature aboleth|MM|aboleths} still journey there in hopes of finding some remnant of their lost glory. {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar} is little more than legend to the world above\u2014but even though few have seen it and survived, the Unseeable City is no myth. Some arcanists even speculate that the lingering psychic footprint of the ruined city is what drew the first {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} settlers to the area, and what inspired them to build {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} above it."
							],
							"id": "2af"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Catfolk",
							"page": 217,
							"entries": [
								"The {@race tabaxi|MPMM|catfolk} of Tal'Dorei are as widespread and as variable in shape and color as the cats they resemble. They usually live solitary lives, claiming small territories to call their own, though some catfolk live as small family units with little conflict. Moreover, their feline instinct for solitude doesn't get in the way of catfolk interacting with other people around them. Indeed, many catfolk are highly social around others, safe in the knowledge that they can retreat to a solitude promising safety and calm whenever they need to.",
								"No consistent creation myth exists for these people, who can be found living as cave dwellers in the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}, as city folk with their own private flats in {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}, as cunning trackers and community builders in the {@book Rifenmist Jungle|TDCSR|3|Rifenmist Jungle}, and more. Generally, catfolk believe that their kind were all once normal animals, transformed by incredible magic in the ancient past. This transformation might have been a gift from the gods when magic washed over the world during the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}, or when Exandria trembled beneath the divine powers unleashed in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}."
							],
							"id": "2b0"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Centaurs",
							"page": 218,
							"entries": [
								"During the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, many {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} fled into the Fey Realm to escape that terrible war. One elven tribe that remained on Exandria to fight alongside their gods were known as the Horselords of Laphithas. The {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of Laphithas rode alongside the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} against the mortal servants of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}, but the entire tribe was slain in a burst of chaotic magic when the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} stabbed the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner} through one eye. The overflowing power of the wounded god merged these {@book elves'|TDCSR|4|elves} mortal bodies with the bodies of their steeds even as they died.",
								"The {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} rewarded the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of Laphithas by reviving them as {@creature centaur|MM|centaurs}, who would ride across the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} forever free of war. {@creature centaur|MM|Centaurs} have long since diverged from their elven ancestry, viewing themselves as a people all their own. Still, some {@creature centaur|MM|centaurs} throw their arms wide to the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} of {@book Syngorn|TDCSR|3|Syngorn} as long-lost cousins, even as others nurture an ancient grudge against them for fleeing when their people's need was greatest. Many of the centaur herds of the plains are incredibly faithful, worshiping the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} with a fervor unknown even among the {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves}.",
								"{@creature centaur|MM|Centaurs} share an origin with {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs}, who were also originally {@book elves|TDCSR|4|elves} before being changed by the conflict between the {@deity The Arch Heart|Exandria|TDCSR|Arch Heart} and the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner}. Many {@creature centaur|MM|centaurs} and {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} see one another as kindred, but just as with real family, this bond can engender feelings of intense affection or equally intense hatred\u2014or simply indifference. The circumstances of their lives determine the way {@book orcs|TDCSR|4|orcs} and {@creature centaur|MM|centaurs} feel about one another, though their kinship brings them into frequent contact either way."
							],
							"id": "2b1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Dragons",
							"page": 218,
							"entries": [
								"Dragons have existed in Tal'Dorei since the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}, when these mighty beings were created by the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} and the {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant} to protect their interests on the Material Plane. All folk of Tal'Dorei know the power of dragons, and many people have witnessed it firsthand. Even the youngest humanoid victims of the {@book Chroma Conclave's|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} attack on {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} are old enough now to be parents, and to have passed down tales of the terror that filled the city's streets as doom rained down from above.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Metallic Dragons",
									"page": 218,
									"entries": [
										"Though countless popular stories tell of heroic warriors slaying evil, greedy, and monstrous dragons, the oldest legends of dragonkind speak of their roles as benevolent protectors of the weak. In the time of the world's beginning, the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon} created beings in his image, with scales of shining metal and kindly hearts. Those metallic dragons helped the mortal people of Exandria survive the turbulence of the {@book Founding|TDCSR|1|The Founding}. But since those days, most metallic dragons have vanished from the world, leaving their kindness and virtue to linger on in myth and legend rather than the chronicles of history.",
										"On clear days, a lucky traveler might look up to the blue skies of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} and feel their heart thump faster at the sight of sun glinting off silvery wings high above the world. For the most part, though, those metallic dragons who remain in the world use their shapechanging magic to live among humanoids, watching quietly from the background and gently nudging people in the direction of prosperity. After all, the {@deity The Platinum Dragon|Exandria|TDCSR|Platinum Dragon's} creations still look upon mortals as their charges\u2014but times have changed. Mortals are now too numerous for the scant remaining metallic dragons to guide them as they once did. But a watchful observer can see the ills of society and whisper a word of caution into the ear of a mortal who might do something about it.",
										"Lest any forget, the metallic dragons are not all friends to mortalkind. For some of these protectors of the small, time has caused them to grow selfish and disillusioned with their creator's commandment. These venal metallic dragons use their silver tongues and sterling reputations to manipulate mortals."
									],
									"id": "2b3"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Chromatic Dragons",
									"page": 218,
									"entries": [
										"Fire, acid, poison, ice, and lightning rained devastation upon the world when the Betrayer God known as the {@deity The Scaled Tyrant|Exandria|TDCSR|Scaled Tyrant} created the unparalleled warriors that would serve her whims. The greed and malice of chromatic dragons are the stuff of countless legends\u2014as are the mountains of gold and other treasures amassed within their lairs.",
										"Dozens of cruel chromatic dragons lurk in the darkest depths of the forests, the highest mountain peaks, and the most arid, barren wastelands of Tal'Dorei. Though the devastation of the {@book Chroma Conclave|TDCSR|1|The Chroma Conclave} is not yet three decades past, scores of adventurers have chosen to forget the horror of seeing flesh melt from bone beneath Umbrasyl's acid breath, or beholding scores choke in Raishan's poison fumes. Those adventurers now seek glory by hunting young and ambitious chromatic dragons, and claiming their nascent treasure hoards.",
										"At the same time, not all chromatic dragons cling to the ways of their creator. A number of such dragons witnessed the horrors unleashed by the {@book Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} and his minions, and recoiled in disgust. Tales are told of how {@book Westruun|TDCSR|3|Westruun} was the beneficiary of a donation of over fifty thousand gold pieces from a mysterious young red dragon who supposedly admired the {@book Cinder King's|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} ambition, but was appalled by his flagrant disregard for life."
									],
									"id": "2b4"
								}
							],
							"id": "2b2"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Driders",
							"page": 219,
							"entries": [
								"The Betrayer God known as the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} was one of the first casualties of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}\u2014impaled by the {@deity The Stormlord|Exandria|TDCSR|Stormlord's} thunderspear before her dark elf soldiers ever saw battle. Her blood, thick and silvery, seeped into the earth and pooled in the sunless caverns beneath Exandria. In the centuries that followed her defeat, these pools of divine blood were discovered by the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen's} most loyal dark elf servants, and they drank deeply.",
								"The blood of the {@deity The Spider Queen|Exandria|TDCSR|Spider Queen} granted these drow the goddess's terrible power, and warped their bodies into forms that are half-spider, half-elf. Called {@creature drider|MM|driders}, these beings grew in number as more and more drow accepted this gift. In time, the pools of divine blood began to run dry, and the {@creature drider|MM|driders} found themselves tormented by its absence. They now roam the caverns and tunnels beneath Exandria, desperately searching for hidden pools of the silver nectar."
							],
							"id": "2b5"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Fey",
							"page": 219,
							"entries": [
								"People don't discover the fey; rather, the fey discover people. Though enchanted forests are their favored domain, fey folk can be found wherever the power of nature is strong\u2014even a flower garden in the middle of {@book Emon|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship}. Of course, {@book Emonian|TDCSR|3|Emon, the City of Fellowship} scholars endlessly debate whether the fey typically come to an enchanted forest because of its magic, or whether the magic of such sites blooms because of the fey. The answers to such mysteries are known to the Archfey, of course\u2014but they don't like spilling secrets.",
								"The Fey Realm is a place of intense emotion. There, happiness becomes elation, anger becomes fury, and passions become obsessions. The very shapes of the fey are defined by their innermost feelings, and even fey siblings can take different forms based on what they feel most strongly about. Two daughters of {@creature pixie} parents are just as likely to be a {@creature sprite} and a {@creature satyr} if one sister is drawn to war and the other to revelry. And though uncommon, it is not unheard of for a fey to completely and spontaneously change form after a life-altering event. Since most fey live for upward of three centuries, a particularly unstable fey might take a dozen forms over the course of their life, wildly changing their physical form, voice, gender, likes and dislikes, and more.",
								"Though the fey are beings of chaos and change, one immutable factor of fey life is that all are beholden to the Archfey. The immortal and imperious rulers of feykind, the Archfey rarely travel to Exandria, instead spending their time scheming against each other and plotting elaborate political intrigues. When mortals enter their realm, the Archfey take notice and often spy on them in person, using clever disguises and misdirection to keep those mortals from disrupting the Archfey's own maneuvering. Vox Machina was once pursued by Lord Artagan of the Morncrown, a jovial Archfey who finds the incursions of mortals more amusing than distressing. And there are rumors that Artagan has made his presence known on the Material Plane as well, as a mysterious being known as the {@deity The Traveler|Exandria|TDCSR|Traveler}.",
								"The mages of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} have confirmed the identities of three other Archfey, though little else is known about them. They include Lord Saundor the Forsaken, the reportedly deceased Master of the Shademurk; Lady Elmenore the Unforgiving, High Warqueen of the Burning Vale and Matriarch of the Seelie Court; and Potentate Sammanar, They-Who-Walk-Unseen, keeper of the Sun's Shadow and Master of the Unseelie Court. Additionally, a spy of the {@book Arcana Pansophical|TDCSR|2|Arcana Pansophical} traveling in the Fey Realm is said to have uncovered rumors of the existence of an Archfey known as the Keeper of the Moontides, or simply the Keeper. Since delivering her first report, however, this spy has not been heard from again.",
								{
									"type": "image",
									"href": {
										"type": "internal",
										"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter6-FeyGiant.webp"
									},
									"credit": "{@link Brian Syme|https://artstation.com/bryansyme}",
									"altText": "A slender, white satyr with curling horns and golden, goat-like legs, kneels upon a boulder, pouring wine into the mouth of a drunk, happy, two-headed giant of muscular build and wearing nothing but a loincloth.",
									"width": 603,
									"height": 1655
								}
							],
							"id": "2b6"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Giantkin",
							"page": 220,
							"entries": [
								"Some {@book Issylran|TDCSR|3|Issylra} myths and legend speak of the giants as the precursors to humanity, calling them the gods' failed attempts to create what would become humankind. Other tales suggest that the giants are what became of {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} who tried to ascend to godhood, making bargains with fiends and imbibing the elemental essences of primordial spirits.",
								"Regardless of their connection to humanoids, giants have longed dwelled far from humanoid cities and settlements. The so-called highborn giantkin stay isolated because they believe humanoids to be warlike, foolish, and untrustworthy. The lowborn giants who hold a place below the highborn are reclusive because humanoid legends paint them as terrible monsters to be hunted and slain.",
								"Giants have a natural life span of about 300 years, though lives of hardship and toil mean that lowborn giants rarely live past 200 years. Highborn giants in their isolated and idyllic cities usually live full lives and die of old age more than any other cause\u2014though highborn politics can be cutthroat, and assassination has ended the long life of many a giant over the centuries.",
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Lowborn Giants",
									"page": 220,
									"entries": [
										"{@creature ogre|MM|Ogres}, {@creature cyclops|MM|cyclopes}, and {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} occupy the lowest rungs of giant society. The highborn keep them at arm's length, using them as a sort of barrier between humanoid and giant civilizations. The lowborn band together, forming tight-knit social groups that must fight and forage to survive. {@creature cyclops|MM|Cyclopes} typically rule lowborn settlements, and some {@creature hill giant} warriors ritualistically tear out one eye to emulate their rulers. Zealous {@creature hill giant} worshipers of the {@deity The Ruiner|Exandria|TDCSR|Ruiner} sometimes do the same, with that god granting them power to survive in exchange for ever-increasing sacrifices.",
										"{@creature cyclops|MM|Cyclopes}, ogres, and {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} who turn to corrupting magic to help them survive lives of hunger and exile sometimes tumble into a cycle of cruelty and devotion to evil powers from which there is no escape. Their minds and bodies are warped beyond recognition, turning them into {@creature troll|MM|trolls} or {@creature oni}. These giants gain tremendous power but lose any sense of compassion. Such corrupted giants typically live selfishly, and try to transform lowborn enclaves into their own personal armies of conquest."
									],
									"id": "2b8"
								},
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "Highborn Giants",
									"page": 220,
									"entries": [
										"The humanoid peoples of Tal'Dorei divide the highborn giants into five types: {@creature cloud giant|MM|cloud}, {@creature fire giant|MM|fire}, {@creature frost giant|MM|frost}, {@creature stone giant|MM|stone}, and {@creature storm giant|MM|storm}. These giants are considered one people divided into different cultures, having adopted different magics, fighting styles, and codes of ethics and law. Highborn giants are proud of their ability to look their kin in the eye as equals, making it ironic how few of them acknowledge the caste divide between highborn and lowborn.",
										"The {@creature hill giant|MM|hill giants} were once considered highborn, but were stripped of their nobility and exiled by the {@book Council of Seven Scepters|TDCSR|6|Council of Seven Scepters}, and their culture has long since fallen into ruin.",
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Cloud Giants",
											"page": 220,
											"entries": [
												"These lofty giants are denizens of Jovatthon, the Castle of Thunder. This mighty citystate flies invisibly above Tal'Dorei, enshrouded in thick storm clouds and tracing a clockwise circular route around the continent that avoids its cloudless, arid heartland. The cloud giants are ruled by two wedded monarchs, currently a City-King in charge of domestic affairs, and a War-King tasked with the defense of Jovatthon against dragons and other highborn giants. The current City-King is a stern, fearsome ruler named Ardokles, while the War-King is a much more charismatic and beloved general named Vasilios."
											],
											"id": "2ba"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Fire Giants",
											"page": 220,
											"entries": [
												"These subterranean giants dwell in the same tunnels as {@creature drow} and {@creature duergar}, typically beneath volcanically active mountain ranges whose natural magma fuels their forges. The heart of fire giant civilization is the city-state of Vulkanon, located within the deep magma tubes beneath the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. Though their citadels are spacious and vast, many {@creature fire giant|MM|fire giants} have a perpetually stooped posture due to the low clearance of their underground homes. They are masters of the forge, and have been known to occasionally ally with the {@creature duergar} of the {@book Emberhold|TDCSR|3|Emberhold} to produce some of the finest arms ever seen in Tal'Dorei. Weapons of Vulkanon steel are prized by mercenaries across the continent, as much for their value as status symbols as their worth in combat.",
												"The ruler of Vulkanon, the Grand Legate Phaestor, has long dreamed of expanding his empire, and the {@creature fire giant|MM|fire giants'} {@creature duergar} allies have granted them a strategic foothold in Tal'Dorei's darkest depths. {@creature fire giant|MM|Fire giants} might prove to be a dangerous enemy to the folk of the surface world\u2014but they might also be a fierce ally in the fight against the aberrations lurking in the depths, including the {@book aboleths|TDCSR|6|aboleths} of {@book Salar|TDCSR|3|Ruins of Salar}."
											],
											"id": "2bb"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Frost Giants",
											"page": 221,
											"entries": [
												"Few beings can survive the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}, the frozen wasteland north of the {@book Cliffkeep Mountains|TDCSR|3|Cliffkeep Mountains}. But the {@creature frost giant|MM|frost giants}, riding on the backs of chitinous {@creature remorhaz} and {@creature mammoth|MM|woolly mammoths}, have risen to be the undisputed rulers of this frigid land. Though their people are mostly nomadic reavers led by petty jarls, they all swear fealty to High King Jorskymmar, who rules from the fortress-city of Jotunborg.",
												"The {@creature frost giant|MM|frost giants} of Jotunborg are renowned for their ability to tame the fearsome beasts of the {@book Neverfields|TDCSR|3|The Neverfields}\u2014including the white dragons that haunt the skies of that land. This skill and their knack for surviving in an inhospitable realm has made the giants of Jotunborg a pious people, and most pray to the {@deity The Wildmother|Exandria|TDCSR|Wildmother} for safety before crossing the ice fields. Some giants who have suffered near-death experiences, whether being trapped beneath an icy lake or smothered by an avalanche, clandestinely join one of the cults of the {@deity The Chained Oblivion|Exandria|TDCSR|Chained Oblivion}, seeking solace in the inevitability of eternal cold."
											],
											"id": "2bc"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Stone Giants",
											"page": 221,
											"entries": [
												"Few things are more striking than the sight of a {@creature stone giant} atop a mountain peak, silhouetted against the sun. Some mountain climbers fortunate enough to see such a sight become convinced that they have gazed upon the {@deity The Dawnfather|Exandria|TDCSR|Dawnfather} himself. {@creature stone giant|MM|Stone giants} are happy to encourage such rumors, for it makes their existence seem more like myth than fact. These reclusive highborn giantkin live in fortresses carved from the peaks of mountains. Their greatest stronghold is Skyanchor Citadel, a city hidden within a peak of the {@book Alabaster Sierras|TDCSR|3|Alabaster Sierras}, its halls winding from the mountain's deepest roots to its highest summit.",
												"{@creature Stone giant} culture holds physical perfection as the greatest of all virtues, and {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants} are obsessed with physical appearance and feats of strength. But unlike the lowborn giantkin who have grown strong and resilient out of struggle, {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants} see physical power as an abstract virtue, best used in sporting events. A quadrennial tournament of prowess called the Sky Queen's Favor is held in coliseums atop Skyanchor, and highborn giants from across Tal'Dorei gather there to compete in tests of strength, agility, and endurance. Even the {@creature stone giant|MM|stone giants'} humanoid kin, the half-giant {@book goliaths|TDCSR|4|Half-Giants}, are occasionally present at the Sky Queen's Favor."
											],
											"id": "2bd"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Storm Giants",
											"page": 221,
											"entries": [
												"The most mysterious of all the highborn, the {@creature storm giant|MM|storm giants} are rarely seen even by other giantkin. Their flying city-state of Tempestar was destroyed by an unknown force centuries ago, and all the glories of their realm were cast into the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}, hundreds of miles off the coast. {@creature storm giant|MM|Storm giants} now live solitary lives, calling no other giants their neighbors, and caring only for themselves and their families.",
												"Centuries have passed since Tempestar was last the seat of the {@book Council of Seven Scepters|TDCSR|6|Council of Seven Scepters}, yet the otherwise-reclusive {@creature storm giant} leader, Sea Dreamer Galadawna, has never missed a meeting of the council. Though she takes little interest in the day-to-day minutiae of highborn society, she ensures that the other giant leaders never forget about her people\u2014or the thunderous might of their sorcerers."
											],
											"id": "2be"
										},
										{
											"type": "entries",
											"name": "Council of Seven Scepters",
											"page": 221,
											"entries": [
												"The highborn are united by a democratic council that convenes annually for one week in the tallest spire of Jovatthon, the {@creature cloud giant} citadel. The ruler of each giant civilization\u2014including the two rulers of the {@creature cloud giant|MM|cloud giants}\u2014have a seat on the council, though that seat is sometimes taken by a highly placed ambassador or representative of the ruler. When the council meets, its members deliberate on how best to maintain peace and prosperity. For even as they do their best to maintain a safe distance from the humanoid peoples of Tal'Dorei, the last thing the highborn giants desire is infighting among themselves.",
												"Two of the seven thrones of the council have remained empty for generations. Hillqueen Ovam'mura refused to relinquish her scepter when her {@creature hill giant} people were banished from the ranks of the highborn, and the Scepter of Wodensdottr has gathered dust in Jovatthon's vaults since Woden, demigod of the storm, abandoned the {@creature storm giant|MM|storm giants} after the fall of Tempestar. Though the Sea Dreamer of Tempestar has never missed a gathering of the council, she has thus far refused to reclaim her throne or scepter, and the responsibilities that come with both."
											],
											"id": "2bf"
										}
									],
									"id": "2b9"
								}
							],
							"id": "2b7"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Gnolls",
							"page": 221,
							"entries": [
								"As their canine appearance suggests, {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls} are descended from {@creature hyena|MM|hyenas} that once roamed the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains}. A pack of these creatures was caught in the divine eminence of a Demon Prince that did battle in the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}. When the nimbus of that demon's unholy power faded, the beasts were transformed.",
								"Today, most {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls} are nomadic groups led by a matriarch and her mate. Many people of the {@book Dividing Plains|TDCSR|3|Dividing Plains} see {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls} as demonic monsters, and are driven to acts of cruelty against them by their fear. Nevertheless, many {@creature gnoll} clans live side by side with the other humanoid peoples of Tal'Dorei in small towns across the plains, including the Dustpaw {@book gnolls|TDCSR|6|gnolls} and the people of {@book Turst Fields|TDCSR|3|Turst Fields}."
							],
							"id": "2c0"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Lizardfolk",
							"page": 222,
							"entries": [
								"The {@creature lizardfolk} of Tal'Dorei emerged from the {@book K'Tawl Swamp|TDCSR|3|K'Tawl Swamp} in the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. Mages from an unnamed flying city descended into the swamp and conducted intense magical experiments on the local fauna. Some mutated into {@creature giant lizard|MM|giant lizards}, others into slithering swamp serpents\u2014and others into humanoid beings. The mages took a few of these {@creature lizardfolk} as specimens, and left the other fruits of their experiments behind.",
								"In time, these abandoned {@creature lizardfolk} used their cunning minds and skilled hands to create tools. They called themselves the Kuul'tevir\u2014noble masters of the earth and water. These folk advanced rapidly, and though they never matched the heights of the flying cities of the magi who created them, they built magnificent domains filled with towering spires and glimmering magical waterfalls.",
								"When the decadence of the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum} gave way to the chaos of the {@book Calamity|TDCSR|1|The Calamity}, the Kuul'tevir delved deep into corrupting magic to save their grandeur. For a time, their people prospered, bolstered by the magic of demons and evil gods. But in the end, the desire to survive at any cost turned the Kuul'tevir's rulers against one another. Cabals of petty warlocks tore the {@creature lizardfolk|MM|lizardfolk's} magnificent societies apart, and the evil magic they wielded began to devour even the magic that the ancient mages had used to turn them from simple reptiles into a majestic people.",
								"Today, the majesty of the Kuul'tevir is little more than distant myth. Most {@creature lizardfolk} live in small communities in swamps, jungles, and fiery mountains across Tal'Dorei. Some live in cities, especially those with hot, humid climates, but no {@creature lizardfolk} today possess the supernatural poise and power that they did in the {@book Age of Arcanum|TDCSR|1|Age of Arcanum}. Today, the {@creature lizardfolk} are a people like any other\u2014just trying to survive in modest comfort. But many still cling to the mythic memory of their ancient civilization and have allied themselves with terrible tyrants such as {@book Thordak the Cinder King|TDCSR|1|Thordak, the Cinder King} in an attempt to resurrect their lost glory.",
								"The {@creature Vos'skyriss Serpentfolk|TDCSR|serpentfolk of Vos'skyriss} still dwell on {@book Visa Isle|TDCSR|3|Visa Isle}, south of {@book Daggerbay|TDCSR|3|Daggerbay}. They are more serpentine than lizard-like, but it is suspected that their origins are similar to that of the {@creature lizardfolk}."
							],
							"id": "2c1"
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"name": "Sahuagin",
							"page": 222,
							"entries": [
								"Known by sailors as \"sea devils,\" the shark-like {@creature sahuagin} are both enemy and ally to {@book humans|TDCSR|4|humans} who ride the waves, and are rumored to have spawned from a bottomless trench in the ocean floor. Pods of {@creature sahuagin} have no de facto leader, and usually have no more than six members. However, several pods might band together and collaborate on tasks they could not accomplish alone, forming schools. These schools follow the will of the majority, and disobedience is rare.",
								"The few sea devils who dominate multiple schools through personal strength are known as {@creature sahuagin baron|MM|barons}, who are as feared as they are revered. {@creature Sahuagin} schools that fall under the sway of a {@creature sahuagin baron|MM|baron} often become known for their piracy and hunger for slaughter, as the members of the school are directed to steal treasure to appease their tyrant's greed. Other schools might offer their services as mercenaries, aiding those humanoids willing to pay for their ferocity.",
								"{@creature Sahuagin} pods sometimes fall under the corrupting influence of {@book aboleths|TDCSR|6|aboleths} or other aquatic aberrations, with these aberrations taking on roles as demigods and the {@creature sahuagin} who obey them becoming cultists. Instead of plundering ships for treasure, these {@creature sahuagin} engineer shipwrecks and drag the survivors before their cruel overlord, who adds those humanoids to the ranks of their brainwashed thralls. The most feared of all these unholy figures is one that truly is the progeny of one of the {@book Betrayer Gods|TDCSR|2|Betrayer Gods}: Uk'otoa, a many-eyed {@creature leviathan|MTF} spawn of the {@deity The Cloaked Serpent|Exandria|TDCSR|Cloaked Serpent} that is supposedly imprisoned deep beneath the {@book Lucidian Ocean|TDCSR|3|Lucidian Coast}."
							],
							"id": "2c2"
						}
					],
					"id": "2ae"
				},
				{
					"type": "section",
					"name": "New Creatures",
					"page": 222,
					"entries": [
						"Tal'Dorei is filled with wondrous creatures and characters. Whether they prove to be allies or enemies to the heroes, these beings' game statistics are provided here. These creatures are designed to supplement the monsters found in the fifth edition core rules, not replace them. Tal'Dorei is also filled with countless classic monsters, and adventures here will incorporate both familiar mythic creatures and the unique creatures of Exandria.",
						{
							"type": "inset",
							"name": "Magic Items in Stat Blocks",
							"page": 222,
							"entries": [
								"Some creatures and NPCs in this section wear or wield magic items that increase their power, or that give them unique traits usable in or out of combat. New magic items are identified as such, and can be found in {@book chapter 5|TDCSR|5} of this book. All other magic items can be found in the fifth edition core rules."
							],
							"id": "2c4"
						},
						"{@note This section of the book adds the following new creatures and NPCs:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"name": "New Creatures",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@creature Adranach|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Master Adranach|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ashari Firetamer|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ashari Skydancer|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ashari Stoneguard|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ashari Waverider|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Cinderslag Elemental|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Clasp Cutthroat|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Clasp Enforcer|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Cold Snap Spirit|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Cyclops Stormcaller|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Demonfeed Spider|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Demonfeed Spiderling|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ember Roc|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Cobalt Golem|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Forge Guardian|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Mage Hunter Golem|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Platinum Golem|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Jourrael, the Caedogeist|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Kraghammer Goat-Knight|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Goat-Knight Steed|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Magma Landshark|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Young Magma Landshark|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Plainscow|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ravager Slaughter Lord|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Ravager Stabby-Stabber|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Remnant Chosen|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Remnant Cultist|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Rivermaw Brawler|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Rivermaw Stormborn|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Centaur Skeleton|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Flaming Skeleton|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Vos'skyriss Serpentfolk|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Vos'skyriss Serpentfolk Ghost|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Wraithroot Tree|TDCSR}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"name": "Vox Machina:",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@creature Grog Strongjaw|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Keyleth, Voice of the Tempest|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Percival de Rolo|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Trinket|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Vex'ahlia|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Pike Trickfoot|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Scanlan Shorthalt|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Doty X|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Taryon Darrington|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Champion of Ravens|TDCSR}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"name": "Adventure Hook NPCs:",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@creature Drynna Hydra|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Black King|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Diseased Grick|TDCSR}",
								"{@creature Sagacitous Erusaire|TDCSR}"
							]
						},
						"{@note Additionally the summonable Blighted Sapling supports the new {@class druid|PHB|Blighted Druid Subclass|Blighted|TDCSR}:}",
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-no-bullets",
							"columns": 3,
							"items": [
								"{@creature Blighted Sapling|TDCSR}"
							]
						}
					],
					"id": "2c3"
				}
			],
			"id": "2ad"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Index of Artists",
			"page": 278,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter7-ArtistFirbolg.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
					"altText": "Concept art with three variations of a firbolg druid in drab browns and greens, carrying a staff.",
					"width": 852,
					"height": 623
				},
				{
					"type": "list",
					"style": "list-no-bullets",
					"columns": 3,
					"items": [
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"216",
								"{@b Aaron J. Riley}",
								"{@link aaronjriley.com|https://aaronjriley.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"17, 25, 86",
								"{@b Adrián Ibarra Lugo}",
								"{@link @Ailustrar|https://twitter.com/ailustrar}",
								"{@link ailustrar.com|https://ailustrar.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"235, 247",
								"{@b Allie Briggs}",
								"{@link @AllieBriggsArt|https://twitter.com/alliebriggsart}",
								"{@link alliebriggs.com|https://alliebriggs.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"8, 146, 187\u2013189, 234",
								"{@b Ameera Sheikh}",
								"{@link @Mikandii|https://twitter.com/mikandii}",
								"{@link mikandii.com|https://mikandii.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"5, 142",
								"{@b Andrey Vasilchenko}",
								"{@link artstation.com/artmage|https://artstation.com/artmage}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"66, 69, 72, 74, 79, 81, 92, 94, 97, 108, 113, 121, 126, 139",
								"{@b Andy Law}",
								"{@link @Hapimeses|https://www.twuko.com/Hapimeses}",
								"{@link artstation.com/andylaw1|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"226\u2013227, 229\u2013230",
								"{@b Anna Grinenko}",
								"{@link @tshortik|https://twitter.com/tshortik}",
								"{@link annagrin.squarespace.com|https://annagrin.squarespace.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"153",
								"{@b Ariana Orner}",
								"{@link @ornerine|https://twitter.com/ornerine}",
								"{@link ornerine.tumblr.com|https://ornerine.tumblr.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"160\u2013161, 163",
								"{@b Azra Wheeler}",
								"{@link @Azraillu|https://twitter.com/azraillu/}",
								"{@link artstation.com/azraelion|https://artstation.com/azraelion}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"87, 252",
								"{@b Biago D'Alessandro}",
								"{@link artstation.com/blas-t|https://artstation.com/blas-t}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"99, 122, 219, 256",
								"{@b Brian Syme}",
								"{@link artstation.com/bryansyme|https://artstation.com/bryansyme}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"240, 242\u2013243",
								"{@b Caio Santos}",
								"{@link @BlackSalander|https://twitter.com/blacksalander}",
								"{@link artstation.com/caiosantos|https://artstation.com/caiosantos}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"42, 112, 116, 195, 197",
								"{@b Clara Daly}",
								"{@link @EldritchBlep|https://twitter.com/eldritchblep}",
								"{@link tinyraptors.com|https://tinyraptors.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"18, 155, 184, 199, 253",
								"{@b Claudia Ianniciello}",
								"{@link @ClaudiaSG4|https://twitter.com/claudiasg4}",
								"{@link artstation.com/claudiasg|https://artstation.com/claudiasg}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"28\u201338, 44, 46, 48, 50\u201355, 57, 60-61, 63",
								"{@b Conceptopolis, LLC}",
								"{@link conceptopolis.com|https://conceptopolis.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"12, 14, 107",
								"{@b Cyarna Trim}",
								"{@link @Cyarna|https://twitter.com/cyarna}",
								"{@link artstation.com/cyarna|https://artstation.com/cyarna}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"58, 261",
								"{@b De La Rosa Design, LLC}",
								"{@link delarosadesign.com|https://delarosadesign.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"62, 236, 238, 249, 259",
								"{@b Elisa Serio}",
								"{@link @ellinainthesky|https://twitter.com/ellinainthesky}",
								"{@link elisaserioart.com|https://elisaserioart.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"272, 274",
								"{@b Elliott Berggren}",
								"{@link @planarbindings|https://twitter.com/planarbindings}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"cover, 3, 224\u2013225",
								"{@b Genel Jumalon}",
								"{@link @GenelJumalon|https://twitter.com/geneljumalon}",
								"{@link artstation.com/geneljumalon|https://artstation.com/geneljumalon}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"244",
								"{@b Hunter Bonyun}",
								"{@link @deerlordhunter|https://twitter.com/deerlordhunter}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"246",
								"{@b Ilich Henriquez}",
								"{@link deviantart.com/ilacha|https://deviantart.com/ilacha}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"140",
								"{@b Isabel Gibney}",
								"{@link @greyopals|https://twitter.com/greyopals}",
								"{@link isabelgibney.com|https://isabelgibney.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"1, 202\u2013212",
								"{@b Jessica Nguyen}",
								"{@link @Jessketchin|https://twitter.com/jessketchin}",
								"{@link jessketchin.com|https://jessketchin.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"265",
								"{@b Jessica Scates}",
								"{@link @jessmightwork|https://twitter.com/jessmightwork}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"82, 182, 223, 255",
								"{@b John Anthony di Giovanni}",
								"{@link @jadillustrated|https://www.instagram.com/jadillustrated/}",
								"{@link artstation.com/jad|https://artstation.com/jad}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"262, 268, 270",
								"{@b Jonah Baumann}",
								"{@link @GalacticJonah|https://twitter.com/galacticjonah}",
								"{@link galacticjonah.com|https://galacticjonah.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"261",
								"{@b Kennef Riggles}",
								"{@link @kennefriggles|https://twitter.com/kennefriggles}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"22, 64, 70, 77, 91, 102, 118, 125, 133, 147, 191, 200",
								"{@b Kent Davis}",
								"{@link @iDrawBagman|https://twitter.com/idrawbagman}",
								"{@link artstation.com/idrawbagman|https://artstation.com/idrawbagman}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"166\u2013168, 170\u2013171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 242, 278\u2013279",
								"{@b Lauren Walsh}",
								"{@link @LaurenWalshArt|https://twitter.com/laurenwalshart}",
								"{@link laurenwalshart.com|https://laurenwalshart.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"6",
								"{@b Lea Bichlmaier}",
								"{@link @Jeleynai|https://twitter.com/jeleynai}",
								"{@link artstation.com/jeleynai|https://artstation.com/jeleynai}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"11, 148",
								"{@b Linda Lithén}",
								"{@link @LindaLithen|https://twitter.com/lindalithen}",
								"{@link lindalithenart.com|https://lindalithenart.com/}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"158, 241, 257",
								"{@b Nguyen Hieu}",
								"{@link @wth153|https://twitter.com/wth153}",
								"{@link artstation.com/wthieu153|https://artstation.com/wthieu153}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"45, 154, 157, 159, 162, 164",
								"{@b Nikki Dawes}",
								"{@link @nikkidawesdraws|https://twitter.com/nikkidawesdraws}",
								"{@link nikkidawes.artstation.com|https://nikkidawes.artstation.com/}"
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						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"109, 137, 151, 192, 231",
								"{@b Svetoslav Petrov}",
								"{@link artstation.com/svetoslavpetrov|https://artstation.com/svetoslavpetrov}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"195",
								"{@b Stanislav Dikolenko}",
								"{@link artstation.com/stsdklnk|https://artstation.com/stsdklnk}"
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"42, 223, 260",
								"{@b Wesley Griffith}",
								"{@link @justwesley|https://twitter.com/justwesley}",
								"{@link artstation.com/wesleygriffith|https://artstation.com/wesleygriffith}"
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						},
						{
							"type": "item",
							"entries": [
								"26, 157",
								"{@b Zuzanna Wuzyk}",
								"{@link @Zuzartii|https://twitter.com/zuzartii}",
								"{@link artstation.com/zuzartii|https://artstation.com/zuzartii}"
							]
						}
					]
				},
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/Chapter7-ArtistDragonblood.webp"
					},
					"credit": "{@link Lauren Walsh|https://laurenwalshart.com/}",
					"altText": "Concept art with three variations of a brass dragonblood sorcerer in colorful clothes with intricate patterns and embellishments.",
					"width": 1131,
					"height": 636
				}
			],
			"id": "2c5"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Continent Map",
			"page": 281,
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/ContinentMap.webp"
					},
					"title": "Realm of Tal'Dorei",
					"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1}",
					"altText": "A continent map of Tal'Dorei, betwee the Ozmit Sea in the west and the Lucidian Ocean in the east.",
					"imageType": "map",
					"grid": {
						"type": "none"
					},
					"mapName": "Realm of Tal'Dorei",
					"width": 1280,
					"height": 1651,
					"id": "2d9"
				},
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/ContinentMap-Watermarked.webp"
					},
					"title": "Realm of Tal'Dorei",
					"credit": "{@link Andy Law|https://artstation.com/andylaw1} (Large, Watermarked)",
					"altText": "A continent map of Tal'Dorei, betwee the Ozmit Sea in the west and the Lucidian Ocean in the east. (Larger, Watermarked)",
					"imageType": "map",
					"grid": {
						"type": "none"
					},
					"mapName": "Realm of Tal'Dorei\u2014Large Watermarked",
					"width": 2000,
					"height": 2556,
					"id": "2da"
				}
			],
			"id": "2c6"
		},
		{
			"type": "section",
			"name": "Credits",
			"entries": [
				{
					"type": "list",
					"style": "list-hang-notitle",
					"columns": 2,
					"items": [
						{
							"type": "list",
							"style": "list-hang-notitle",
							"items": [
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Exandria Created By",
									"entries": [
										"Matthew Mercer"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Lead Designers",
									"entries": [
										"James J. Haeck, Matthew Mercer, Hannah Rose"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Additional Design",
									"entries": [
										"John Stavropoulos"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Additional Contributions by Critical Role Cast",
									"entries": [
										"Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Travis Willingham"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Additional Worldbuilding",
									"entries": [
										"Aabria Iyengar"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Managing Editor",
									"entries": [
										"Hannah Rose"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Editors",
									"entries": [
										"Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Marcie Wood"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Proofreader",
									"entries": [
										"Matt Walloch-Key"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Lore Keeper",
									"entries": [
										"Dani Carr"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Cultural Consultant",
									"entries": [
										"Basheer Ghouse"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Safety Consultant",
									"entries": [
										"John Stavropoulos"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Accessibility Consultants",
									"entries": [
										"Accessible Games, Chris Hopper, Deven Rue"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Layout and Graphic Design",
									"entries": [
										"Christopher J. De La Rosa, Gordon McAlpin"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Art Directors",
									"entries": [
										"James J. Haeck, Hannah Rose"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Producers",
									"entries": [
										"James J. Haeck, Hannah Rose, Ivan Van Norman"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Cover Illustrator",
									"entries": [
										"Genel Jumalon"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Lead Character Illustrator",
									"entries": [
										"Lauren Walsh"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Cartographer",
									"entries": [
										"Andy Law"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Illustrators",
									"entries": [
										"Jonah Baumann, Elliott Berggren, Lea Bichlmaier, Hunter Bonyun, Allie Briggs, Conceptopolis, Clara Daly, Kent Davis, Nikki Dawes, Biagio D'Alessandro, Stanislav Dikolenko, Isabel Gibney, Anna Grinenko, John Anthony di Giovanni, Wesley Griffith, Ilich Henriquez, Claudia Ianniciello, Genel Jumalon, Linda Lithén, Adrián Ibarra Lugo, Nguyen Hieu, Jessica Nguyen, Ariana Orner, Svetoslav Petrov, Kennef Riggles, Aaron J. Riley, Caio Santos, Jessica Scates, Elisa Serio, Ameera Sheikh, Cyarna Trim, Andrey Vasilchenko, Lauren Walsh, Azra Wheeler, Zuzanna Wuzyk"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Digital Edition Alt Text",
									"entries": [
										"Mysty Vander"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Head of Darrington Press",
									"entries": [
										"Ivan Van Norman"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Creative Director",
									"entries": [
										"Matthew Mercer"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Head of Business Development",
									"entries": [
										"Ben Van Der Fluit"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Marketing Manager",
									"entries": [
										"Darcy L. Ross"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Playtest Coordinator",
									"entries": [
										"Christina Farber"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Director of Retail Partnerships",
									"entries": [
										"Brittany Walloch-Key"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Special Thanks",
									"entries": [
										"CritRoleStats, Ajit George, James Introcaso, Arthur Loftis, Sadie Lowry, F. Wesley Schneider"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Playtesters",
									"entries": [
										"Michelle Nguyen Bradley, Dani Carr, Adrienne Cho, Shaunette DeTie, Dominique Dickey, Christina Farber, Matthew Gilbert, Mark Hulmes, LaTia Jacquise, Taliesin Jaffe, Matt Walloch-Key, Christopher Lockey, Sadie Lowry, Carlos Luna, Surena Marie, Stevie Morley, Caroline Pitt, Darcy L. Ross, Kyle Shire, Lauren Walsh, Marcie Wood, Critical Role Community"
									]
								},
								{
									"type": "item",
									"name": "Critical Role Team",
									"entries": [
										"Stephanie Benjamin, Diana Jeanne Calalo, Sarah Marie Campbell, Dani Carr, Niki Chi, Adrienne Cho, Shaunette DeTie, Nadia Dilbert, Steve Failows, Christina Farber, Maxwell James, Will Lamborn, Sarah Leeper, Tal Levitas, Christopher Lockey, Ed Lopez, Surena Marie, Aaron Monroy, Khoa Nguyen, Jeremiah Rivas, Rachel Romero, Max Schapiro, Vinnie Singh, Kyle Shire, Spenser Starke, Jordyn Torrence"
									]
								}
							]
						},
						{
							"type": "entries",
							"entries": [
								{
									"type": "entries",
									"name": "First Edition Credits",
									"entries": [
										{
											"type": "list",
											"style": "list-hang-notitle",
											"items": [
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Publisher",
													"entries": [
														"Green Ronin Publishing"
													]
												},
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Writing and Design",
													"entries": [
														"Matthew Mercer and James Haeck"
													]
												},
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Additional Development",
													"entries": [
														"Joseph Carriker and Steve Kenson"
													]
												},
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Editing",
													"entries": [
														"Jennifer Lawrence and Evan Sass"
													]
												},
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Proofreading",
													"entries": [
														"Caroline Pitt"
													]
												},
												{
													"type": "item",
													"name": "Art Direction and Graphic Design",
													"entries": [
														"Hal Mangold"
													]
												}
											]
										}
									],
									"id": "2cc"
								}
							],
							"id": "2cb"
						}
					]
				},
				{
					"type": "image",
					"href": {
						"type": "internal",
						"path": "book/TDCSR/credits.webp"
					},
					"width": 850,
					"height": 1119
				}
			],
			"id": "2ca"
		}
	]
}