CREDITS Lead Writer: Matthew Mercer Writers: James J. Haeck, James lntrocaso, Chris Lockey Developers: Jeremy Crawford, Dan Dillon, Ben Petrisor, Kate Welch Managing Editor: Christopher Perkins Editors: Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Hannah Rose, F. Wesley Schneider Art Director: Kate Irwin Graphic Designers: Trish Yochum, Trystan Falcone Cover Illustrator: Karl Kersch! Interior Illustrators: Even Amundsen, Jonah Baumann, Mark Behm, Eric Belisle, Dan Bittencourt, Zoltan Boros, Wesley Burt, Clint Cearley, Jedd Chevrier, Chippy, David Rene Christensen, CoupleOfKooks, Joma Cueto, Alayna Danner, Kent Davis, Nikki Dawes, Axel Defois, Olga Drebas, Lars Grant-West, Julian Kok, Linda Lithen, Jessica Mahon, Andrew Mar, Marcela Medeiros, Robson Michel, Gani Montes, Irina Nordsol, Stephen Oakley, Robin Olausson, Claudio Pozas, Livia Prima, Jenn Ravenna, Nick Robles, Caio E Santos, David Sladek, Brian Valeza, Anna Veltkamp, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood, Zuzanna Wuzyk, Anna Zee Cartographer: Deven Rue 620C72 70000001 EN ISBN: 978-0 - 7869-6691-2 First Printing: March 2020 98 7 65432 1 CE Producers: Bill Benham, Lea Heleotis, Dan Tovar Product Engineer: Cynda Callaway Imaging Technicians: Sven Bolen, Carmen Cheung, Kevin Yee Art Administrator: David Gershman Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunlap Franchise&. Global Brand Strategy: Nathan Stewart Director of Licensing&. Publishing: Liz Schuh Licensing Manager: Hilary Ross Marketing and Communications: Bart Carroll, Pelham Greene, Chris Lindsay, Shauna Narciso, Emi Tanji, Greg T ito, Anna Vo D&.D IP Development: Adam Lee, Ari Levitch, Mike Mearls, Richard Whitters, Shawn Wood Brand Manager: Shelly Mazzanoble Playtest Coordinator: Bill Benham Critical Role Team: Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Rachel Romero, Ben Van Der Flu it, Travis Willingham Special Thanks: Ashly Burch, Mica Burton, Matt Colville, Tanya DePass, Brian Foster, Will Friedle, Todd Kenreck, Matthew Key, Sumalee Montano, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Khary Payton, Brittany Walloch, Deborah Ann Woll Thanks to the many, many groups of playtesters who helped us get the character options and adventures into their final form. We couldn't have made this book without you! ON THE COVER Illustrator Karl Kersch I captures the stern visages of two sovereigns with a Luxon beacon between them. Bright Queen Leylas Kryn of the Kryn Dynasty and King Bertrand Dwendal of the Dwendalian Empire have never seen eye to eye-and their conflict will shape the futures and destinies of all life on the war-torn continent of Wildemount. Disclaimer: The continent ofWildemount and all peoples within are fictional and primarily exist to invite you and your friends into a world of exploration, imagination, and deep emotional catharsis through epic struggles and victories. We advise you to embrace failure as much as success, sadness as much as joy, and to remain vigilant when taking care of pets or animals you acquire on your adventures. Wizards of the Coast and Critical Role are not responsible for any mental trauma suffered by animal companions or domesticated fey creatures resufting from persistent danger and deadly challenges, nor are we responsi· ble for whatever lack of passive Perception might lead to a failure to notice the animals' rapid escape. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&O, Wizards of the Coast, the dragon ampersand, Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. The world ofExandria, its groups of individuals, its elements, its distinctive characters, and its locations are the sole property of Critical Role. All rights reserved. All other characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. The ma· terials described in this statement are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America and around the world under international intellectual property treaties. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the materials contained herein or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast or Critical Role as applicable. Represented by Hasbro Printed in the USA. ©2020 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boechat 31. 2800 Delemont. CH. Europe 4 The Square Stockley Park LJxbrjdge Mjddlesex lJBJJ 1 ET UK
CONTENTS Preface .......................................................... 4 Welcome to Wildemount ......................... 5 A New D&D Setting .................................... 5 Nations ofWildemount .............................. 5 What's in This Book? .................................. 6 War! ................................................................. 6 Calendar and Time ...................................... 8 Moons of Exandria ...................................... 9 Daily Life in Wildemount ........................... 9 Ch. 1: Story ofWildemount ................... 11 History ofWildemount ............................. 11 Wildemount after the Calamity .............. 14 Pantheon of Exandria ............................... 20 Prime Deities ......................................... 20 Betrayer Gods ........................................ 26 Lesser Idols ............................................ 30 Ch. 2: Factions and Societies ............... 35 Dwendalian Empire .................................. 35 Kryn Dynasty ............................................. 38 Cerberus Assembly ................................... 41 Clovis Concord ........................................... 43 The Myriad .................................................. 45 Children ofMalice ..................................... 46 Diarchy of Uthodurn ................................. 48 Tribes of Shadycreek Run ....................... 50 Library of the Cobalt Soul... .................... 52 Scars of Scale and Tooth ......................... 53 Claret Orders .............................................. 54 Golden Grin ................................................ 56 The Revelry ................................................. 56 Ch. 3: Wildemount Gazetteer ............... 59 Menagerie Coast... ..................................... 59 Marrow Valley ............................................ 78 Zemni Fields ............................................... 95 Greying Wildlands .................................. 111 Eiselcross .................................................. 121 Wastes of Xhorhas .................................. 132 Blightshore ................................................ 149 Distant Lands of Exandria .................... 158 Ch. 4: Character Options ..................... 161 Races .......................................................... 161 Dwarves ................................................ 162 Elves ....................................................... 162 Halflings ...................................... .......... 164 Humans ................................................. 164 Gearkeeper Construct ............................ 290 Aarakocra ............................................. 165 Gloomstalker ............................................ 291 Aasimar ................................................. 166 Horizon back Tortoise ............................. 292 Dragon born .......................................... 168 Husk Zombie ............................................ 293 Firbolgs ................................................. 169 Merrow Shallowpriest ........................... 294 Genasi .................................................... 170 Moorbounders .......................................... 295 Gnomes ................................................. 173 Nergaliid (Devil Toad) ............................ 296 Goblinkin .............................................. 173 Sahuagin Warlock of Uk'otoa ............... 297 Goliaths ................................................. 175 Sea Fury .................................................... 298 Half-Elves .............................................. 176 Shadowghast ............................................ 299 Kenku ..................................................... 176 Swavain Basilisk .................................... 300 Ores and Half-Orcs ............................. 177 Udaak ......................................................... 301 Tabaxi .................................................... 178 G l ossary ................................................... . 302 Tieflings ................................................. 179 Tortles .................................................... 180 Index ......................................................... 304 Hollow One ............................................... 181 Maps Subclasses ................................................ 182 Continent of Wildemount .......................... 7 Fighter: Echo Knight .......................... 183 Map 3.1: Menagerie Coast... .................... 61 Wizard: Chronurgy Magic ................ 184 Map 3.2: Port Damali ............................... 73 Wizard: Graviturgy Magic ................. 185 Map 3.3: Marrow Valley ........................... 79 Dunamancy Spells .................................. 186 Map 3.4: Zemni Fields .............................. 97 Heroic Chronicle ...................................... 190 Map 3.5: Rexxentrum ............................. 105 Backgrounds ............................................ 200 Map 3.6: GreyingWildlands ................. 111 Grinner ................................................. 200 Map 3.7: Eiselcross ................................. 123 Volstrucker Agent ............................... 202 Map 3.8: Wastes of Xhorhas ................. 137 Adapting Backgrounds ...................... 203 Map 3.9: Rosohna .................................... 143 Ch. 5: Adventures in Wildemount .... 205 Map 3.10: Blightshore ............................ 150 Using These Adventures ........................ 205 Tide of Retribution ................................. 206 Map 5.1: Palma Flora ............................. 209 Map 5.2: Wavechaser .............................. 210 Dangerous Designs ................................. 217 Frozen Sick ............................................... 235 Map 5.3: Ruined Palma Flora .............. 215 Map 5.4: Lower Hupperdook ................ 219 Unwelcome Spirits .................................. 250 Ch. 6: Wildemount Treasures ............ 265 Magic Items ofWildemount... ............... 265 Vestiges of Divergence ........................... 270 Arms of the Betrayers ............................ 274 Map 5.5: Ironlot Streets ......................... 220 Map 5.6: Nima Cinnarid's House ......... 224 Map 5.7: Silver Falls Cavern ................. 227 Map 5.8: Stahlmast's Lair. .................... 229 Map 5.9: Croaker Cave ........................... 239 Map 5.10: Salsvault... .............................. 245 Ch. 7: Wildemount Bestiary ................ 281 Map 5.11: Brokenveil Marsh ................. 254 Stat Blocks by Creature Type ............... 281 Map 5.12: Fort Venture .......................... 259 Wildemount NPCs .................................. 281 Aeorian Hunters ...................................... 282 Blood Hunter ........................................... 284 Core Spawn .............................................. 285 Frost Giant Zombie ................................ 288 Frost Worm ............................................... 289
---. J G maginatiottis a strange 8J-' WonGerfu tJ:Ung. Imagination drives innovation and inspires communal creation. For this geeky theater kid, imagination was my solace. Since before my granny began reading me to sleep with The Lord of the Rings and Piers Anthony at the age of seven, I found myself simultaneously lost in, and empowered by, imagination. From playing make-believe with my brother in our rainy, Florida yard as children, to mowing through video game RPG after RPG, I found myself drawn into stories, especially those I could shape alongside my friends. It wasn't until I was introduced to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS during my freshman year of high school that I found an experience that entwined everything I loved about storytelling, collaboration, theater, and creativity. I began building worlds for my friends to play in and filling notebooks with strange ideas, quirky NPCs, and mediocre story threads (hey, everyone has to start somewhere). I had found my favorite pastime, one that continues to lift me up and shape who I am today. All these years later, through a magical series of circ*mstances, a group of gaming friends and I began streaming our home game of D&D on the internet under the name Critical Role, expecting little to no interest after spending nearly a decade in web media being told anything longer than five minutes has little value to the "ADHD generation." These myths were rapidly proven wrong, and our home game swelled into a community, then into an unanticipated phenomenon that has become something so deeply wonderful and important to me, and it seems, many others across the world. It is through the original campaign following the exploits of the adventuring party Vox Machina, with myself helming the narrative as the Dungeon Master, that I began crafting the continent of Tal'Dorei and the world of Exandria for my friends to explore. Expanding this world with each heroic venture my friends took on, each unique facet of their characters' stories enriching this realm that otherwise existed entirely in my head, Exandria began to grow and mature, feeling at times like it was taking on a life of its own. By the end of that journey, as the heroes ofVox Machina completed their majestic tale, we all knew we had created something special. However, that was but the first of many tales we w-anted to weave. A second campaign began shortly thereafter, this time taking place in the neighboring continent of Wildemount, a land bound by dark history, political struggle, and dangerous secrets simmering beneath the surface of everyday life. Now knowing the complexity my players were willing to engage with, I developed Wildemount on a scale and level of intricacy I had not previously attempted. I excitedly watched as this region of Exandria took shape, and it was here the Mighty Nein (as they came to be called) began their adventures, which they currently continue to the day of my writing this foreword. Wildemount expanded into a vast, complex, and delightful setting that I continued to grow more and more proud of. Then the incredible opportunity arose to collaborate with Wizards of the Coast to bring this setting to you in printed form. I have been nothing short of humbled and ecstatic at this chance to be a part of something so important to me. It has been a profound honor to bring our world into the D&D multiverse and invite you to come play and create in it. Exandria continues to be one of my proudest achievements, with Wildemount my most accomplished aspect of this world to date. This continent is ripe with adventure and mystery. To work with such talented people to make this campaign source book a reality is a joy I never thought I'd get to experience. Wildemount began with Critical Role, but this book is an invitation for you and your friends to make this world your own. I invite you all to come to Wildemount. Wander the dangerous valleys of Western Wynandir, sail up and down the Menagerie Coast, brave the wastes of Xhorhas's scarred lands, and explore the ancient secrets in the regions beyond these war-embroiled realms. Follow the paths of the Mighty Nein or blaze your own trail. This is your Wildemount now. Matthew Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role
WELCOME TO WILDEMOUNT WO ARMIES CLASH ON A FOG-SHROUDED battlefield, heralded by the sound of trumpets and drums on one side, and by an eerie, chirping whistle like countless thousands of wailing crickets on the other. A raven, its ebon feathers spattered with blood, alights on one of the fallen corpses and gently raps its beak on the soldier's helmet. The raven looks up, curious, and flies into the slry. A land embroiled in war expands beneath it, and yet, within the shroud of conflict, the raven sees twinkling pockets of light. The raven sees souls that shine bright with courage, kindness, and determination. It sees souls lustrous with greed, fear, and anger. And most of all, it sees souls radiating with a desire to discover their place in the world. The raven sees Wildemount. A NEW D&D SETTING Wildemount is a new setting for your DUNGEONS & DRAGONS campaign, originally created by Matthew Mercer as the setting for the second campaign of the hit series Critical Role. Though it's just one continent in the larger world of Exandria, Wildemount is teeming with varied cultures, locales, peoples, and monsters. It is home to both avatars of evil and paragons of good, but it is defined by the common people who exist in between these two ideals. This book is for D&D players and Dungeon Masters of all experience levels. It is for newcomers and for hardcore fans of Critical Role alike. If you've watched every episode of Critical Role to date, this book will still contain surprises for you, as there are corners of Wildemount that even the Mighty Nein weren't able to explore in their adventures. If you're a Dungeon Master, this book will help you create a D&D campaign set in a land of war, intrigue, and swashbuckling adventure. You could set your campaign entirely within one of Wildemount's four regions, or you could follow the example set by Critical Role and create a campaign with a constantly evolving tone as the adventurers journey across the continent. You will also find brand-new monsters and introductory adventures that can help you start a campaign in any of Wildemount's four regions. If you're a player, this book contains new options that will help your character fit in perfectly with this strange new land. You can use the heroic chronicle system to create a backstory that firmly roots your character in the lands ofWildemount. You'll also find new subclasses as well as new magic items that will help you attain greater and greater power as you travel the continent. NATIONS OF WILDEMOUNT Wildemount's various regions are described in greater detail in chapter 3. Here's a quick overview of the major civilizations of Wildemount. DWENDALIAN EMPIRE The raven soars over a massive city, sprawling outward from a somber, monolithic palace. Soldiers and war machines pour from the city, stretching across the land like innumerable grasping arms, greedily encircling the continent. The raven notes this hungry behemoth and alters course. The Dwendalian Empire is a young, ambitious state borne from decades of strife in Western Wynandir-the heartland of Wildemount. Its austere lands are dotted with tiny villages, ruins of ancient civilizations, and pockets of uncharted wilderness. Campaigns set in the Dwendalian Empire are bound to involve elements of war and political intrigue. The empire is at war with the Kryn Dynasty, a nation of surface-dwelling drow which occupies Eastern Wynandir and the wastes of Xhorhas. This war allows various Dwendalian factions, such as the power-hungry Cerberus Assembly, to vie for political dominance. CLOVIS C ONCORD Westward flies the herald of the Raven Queen. It bursts through the clouds above the western mountains and emerges into a land blessed by sun. A sea of lush jungle stretches out beneath the raven, until eventually green gives way to golden sand, and then to a boundless, sapphire sea. Ships swarm on that sea like a cloud of gnats, engulfed by flames and the sound of cannon fire. They fight for freedom. WELCOME TO WILDEMOUNT 5
6 The Clovis Concord is a republic of city-states lining the Menagerie Coast, the westernmost shore of Wildemount. This tropical region is rich with history and known for a lively, free-spirited culture that contrasts sharply with Wildemount's other, politically narrow-minded nations. Campaigns set on the Menagerie Coast are often nautical, exploring the conflict between the law of the Clovis Concord and the chaos of the Revelry pirates. They can also investigate the jungles that line the coast and the ancient ruins hidden within their verdant boughs. TRIBES OF SHADYCREEK RUN The raven, battered by ice and snow; sees petty warlords lead bands of slavers across the snowfields and understands that no Jaw but power rules the north. It sees smugglers and thieves flee beyond the grasp of civilization and into the unknown. It sees the vast, roiling wilderness act with a fell will of its own, claiming the Jives of those who dare attempt to grasp power beyond their ken. They fight for survival, glory, and greed. The Tribes of Shadycreek Run are a fragmented coalition of thieves, slavers, and scoundrels who managed to amass power in the frigid backwater of Shadycreek Run. While they struggle to enrich themselves through crime, however, they fail to realize that malign, primordial powers are creeping into the north underneath their noses. Campaigns set in the Biting North often involve morally gray characters butting heads with equally amoral organizations in a struggle to survive-and then explode into chaos as forces beyond mortal imagination make all these petty conflicts seem insignificant by comparison. KRYN DYNASTY Finally, the raven flies east. It sees beings that would be slain on sight in the other civilized nations of Wildemount, walking side-by-side with humans and grayskinned elves. The raven sees that these people have a light within them-and it sees that, far to the east, there is a mighty fortress that contains a light unseen since the dawning of the world. Here, they fight for the revelation of the end of the world. The Kryn Dynasty is an empire made up of dark elves (drow) and other humanoids typically considered to be monsters by the other nations of Wildemount, such as minotaurs, goblinkin, and gnolls. The Kryn Dynasty rules over the wastes of Xhorhas, a land once blighted by the rule of the Betrayer Gods when immortals still walked the land. The Kryn safeguard a secret; if your players haven't seen any of Critical Role, revealing this secret could mark the turning point of a campaign. A campaign set in Xhorhas will doubtless involve the war between the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire, but it can also include traditional dungeon crawls, political intrigue within the courts of the dynasty, or even wilderness exploration that could unearth secrets lost since the fall of the Betrayer Gods. WELCOME TO WILD EMOUNT WHAT'S IN THIS BooK? Chapter 1 of this book introduces the big ideas you'll need to know before creating a campaign in Wildemount: its history and its gods. Chapter 2 presents the major political players that shape daily life in Wildemount: its factions and societies. Depending on the choices made by your party of adventurers, these organizations might become their allies or their enemies. Some characters might begin play with a history of involvement with one of these factions, and several backgrounds are included later on to represent this allegiance. Chapter 3 contains the Wildemount gazetteer, which details the cities and points of interest in each of the continent's regions. The gazetteer includes NPCs, background information, and even plot hooks that you can use as the seeds of your own adventures. It also gives a brief overview of the other lands of Exandria beyond Wildemount. Chapter 4 is for players first and foremost; combined with the Player's Handbook, it contains everything you need to create a character for a Wildemount campaign. The final chapters of this book, chapters 5 through 7, give DMs starting adventures they can use to kick off their campaigns as well as new magic items and monsters to include in adventures of their own design. WAR! The continent of Wildemount is a powder keg about to explode. Tensions between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty have just erupted into open war, and everyone in Wildemount, including the adventurers, must contend with the fallout of the conflict between the continent's two imperial superpowers. THE WAR OF ASH AND LIGHT The war is only as important as you make it. If you place either the battles of the war or their consequences front and center, the war will be of chief concern to your players. If you keep the war and its consequences distant, then the characters will be free to interact with or ignore the war as they see fit. With a little bit of creative tweaking of the setting, you could create a Wildemount campaign where the war has been called off or never even happened! If you want the war to be an important part of your campaign, you need to give your players a reason for their characters to care about it. The easiest way to get buy-in from your players is to discuss out-of-character how big of a factor they want war to be in this campaign. You can even dial the importance of the war up and down over the course of the campaign, depending on how you and your players feel over time. BRING IT ON! If you and your players find war to be dramatic and compelling, urge your players to create characters with strong ties to the conflict. For example, patriotic (or even jingoistic) characters will always fight for king or
� i --r i-- 1 I IHl FRIGID DEPTHS I I CONTINENT OF W1LDEMOUNT f queen and country. Likewise, greedy characters will fight for profit and glory. Once they've given you their reasons, turn those motivations into plot points in your campaign. IN THE BACKGROUND The adventurers don't have to be active combatants for the war to affect their lives. See below for a list of adventure options that touch on the consequences of war without directly involving mass warfare. No WAR, PLEASE If you want the war to be completely absent, simply dial the timeline back by a year, or even just a few months. All the political tensions between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty still exist, but now they're just simmering instead of at a full boil. ADVENTURING OPTIONS Not all campaigns set in Wildemount need to deal with the war directly. That is, the characters aren't expected to conscript with one army or another, or even serve as mercenaries. The effects of war are far-reaching and multifarious, and loose-cannon adventurers are the perfect people to get involved in the countless conflicts sparked by war. These schemes could include: Crime. In times of war, criminals and smugglers take advantage of lax law enforcement. Petty criminals and -+ w E s -----+-- ,::; crime syndicates like the Myriad will need help moving illicit goods in and out of Dwendalian and Xhorhasian cities, and Revelry pirates will need loyal crew members to raid unprotected towns. Disaster. When a town is destroyed by advancing armies, or by a landslide caused by artillery, the common folk need help escaping. This could involve escorting noncombatants through no-man's-land to a nearby town, or carving out a new settlement from the wilds. Law. When officers of the law are conscripted as soldiers, local lawmasters suddenly find themselves in need of mercenary aid. Lawful characters might find great adventure in flushing criminals out of cities and busting their wilderness hideaways. Military. Obviously, characters can choose to join up with one of the sides in this conflict to embark on missions and take orders from a commanding officer. This is a good option if you want to run an episodic campaign, where most game sessions begin with a stated mission that the players must accomplish and ends with a reward and another mission. Upheaval. The explosions of artillery and the pounding of boots against the plains can spook monsters, and invasions can cause even powerful monsters such as giants and dragons to flee their lairs. Whenever an upheaval occurs, soldiers and commoners alike find their lives in danger-and only adventurers can deal with the threat. WELCOME TO WILDE MOUNT 7
8 Trade. Like the crime syndicates, opportunistic traders know that war is a chance to become rich. Adventurers are the perfect pawns for trade barons looking to sell high-value goods, especially if they have to cross dangerous land to reach their buyers. How TO RuN A WAR CAMPAIGN If there's one thing D&D adventurers hate, it's being told what to do, but serving in an army is all about following orders. It's up to the Dungeon Master to make sure the characters are aware of what they're getting into if they decide to enlist. Similarly, if you force your players to join a military unit and then discover that the characters actually want to go on self-directed adventures without a commanding officer ordering them around, you and your players should talk out-of-game to figure out a way to turn the campaign around. Since D&D is primarily a game about a small group of characters going on adventurers alone, it can be difficult to simulate massive battles using D&D combat rules. Because of this, it's generally best to keep the characters away from mass battles. However, huge conflicts with thousands of combatants are a cornerstone of epic fantasy, and your players might be disappointed if your war campaign doesn't have at least one climactic battle. To solve this problem, you can break down your mass combat into manageable chunks. Find a significant location that the characters can either defend or conquer with minimal reinforcements, like an overrun citadel. Then, have the major battle proceed in waves that guide the characters from one cinematic encounter to another. You can think of these encounters like rooms in a dungeon; some rooms have multiple doors that the characters can choose from, while others only have a single passage. For example, after capturing the ruined fortress, the characters learn that a garrison of soldiers has arrived to help hold onto the fort, and the characters are needed elsewhere on the battlefield. You could present them with just a single urgent target, such as an enemy warlord, or you could offer them options, such as three different allied battalions under attack. If you need to depict a lot of both allied and hostile NPCs battling in the same encounter as the players, you can simplify the encounter by ignoring dice rolls entirely WHEN DOES THIS BOOK TAKE PLACE? This book is set in a certain moment in the history of Wildemou nt, and thus setting a campaign in a different era-or even in a different decade-could make some information in the gazetteer invalid. The present year is 835 PD ("Post-Divergence"). The history ofWi ldemount is described in more detail in chapter 1. From a real-world perspective, this book is set at a certain point during the adventures of the M ighty Nein in Critical Role's second campaign. Thus, the point at which the adventu res you create using this book diverge from canon is at episode SO of campaign 2. That's okay! Look at it another way: by creating your own Wildemount adventures, you are boldly creating your own canon, from which all the events of Critical Role diverge into myth and rumor. WELCOME TO WILDEMOUNT and deciding when a creature dies based on your own instinct. This can work once in a while, but try to avoid doing this all the time, since seeing you simply decide the result of combat without dice can damage the believability of your game world. CALENDAR AND TIME Keeping track of time using the Exandrian calendar can make your game world seem more realistic. It can also allow you to align game sessions with important ingame dates, such as holidays. A monster attack on a rural village is a horrible and thrilling event, but the stakes are much higher if that monster attacks on the day of the Harvest's Close festival, causing previously joyful commoners to grab their children and flee to safety. The Exandrian calendar year is divided into 328 days, grouped into seven-day weeks over the course of eleven months. This calendar was originally established by the elves in an ancient age, and their names for the months and days of the week have stood the test of time. The names of the seven days of the week are Miresen, Grissen, Whelsen, Conthsen, Folsen, Yulisen, and Da'leysen. Each day is 24 hours long. EXAN DRIAN CALENDAR Month Days Holidays Horisal 29 New Dawn (1 st), Hil lsgold (27th) Misuthar 30 Day of Challenging (7th) Dualahei 30 Renewal Festival (1 3th), Wild's G randeur (20th) Thunsheer 31 Harvest's Rise (11th), Merryfrond's Day (31 st) U n ndilar 28 Deep Solace (8th), Zenith (26th) Brussendar 31 Artisan's Faire (1 5th), Elvendawn (20th) Syd en star 32 H ighsummer (7th), Morn of Largesse (14th) Fessuran 29 Harvest's Close (3rd) Q uen'pi llar 27 Hazel Festival (10th), Civi lization's Dawn (22nd) Cuersaar 29 N ight of Ascension (1 3th) Du scar 32 Barren Eve (2nd), Embertide (5th) SEASONS Wildemount is a chilly continent-with the exception of the sunny, tropical Menagerie Coast-and each of the regions experiences the passing of the seasons differently. Western Wynandir suffers from dismal, rainy springs and bitter winters. The Menagerie Coast enjoys a long, balmy summer, but must endure a vicious, typhoon-rich winter. The Biting North is always blanketed by snow, but temperatures drop to deadly lows in the winter, then let up for a rainy, relatively mild summer. Finally, Eastern Wynandir enjoys level, temperate weather all year long across its lowland regions, save for the cutting winds that rip across the plains in spring and autumn.
HOLIDAYS The different nations of Wildemount celebrate different holidays, though some of the gods' holy days are consistent across the land. Notably, the Dwendalian Empire has banned the worship of certain gods within its borders, and thus only celebrates the holidays of legal gods. These holy days are listed in chapter 1 of this book, along with the gods they celebrate. Holidays unrelated to the gods celebrated across the continent in some form include the following: Zenith. Summer begins at high noon on the 26th of Unndilar and is celebrated with games, displays of magic, and black powder fireworks. Harvest's Close. Autumn begins on the 3rd of Fessuran and is typically celebrated with feasting in rural regions and with carnivals in the cities. Barren Eve. Winter's longest night, the 2nd of Duscar, is a day of mourning for those lost in war. Come victory or ruin in the war between the Dwendalians and the Kryn, countless candles will be lit on the next Barren Eve. MOONS OF EXANDRIA Exandria has two known moons that orbit the planet. Catha, the larger and closer of the moons, is the herald of night travel and shines a bright white when visible in the sky. Catha is considered to be intrinsically tied to Sehanine, the Moon Weaver, and is regarded by some as a creation of the Moon Weaver to watch over the just and hide those who require obfuscation. Ruidus, the second moon of Exandria, is much smaller and farther away. With a slower rotation around the world and dark redbrown coloring, Ruidus is often difficult to see among the stars of the night sky and nearly impossible to spot during the day. Little is known of Ruidis, though older cultures and texts speak of it as an omen of ill tidings, or even a remnant of a Betrayer God plot left abandoned and unrealized. DAILY LIFE IN WILDEMOUNT Certain aspects of daily life in Wildemount remain the same across nearly all cultures. Any character native to Wildemount would be familiar with their nation's currency, languages, and relationship to technology. CURRENCY The nations of Wildemount all mint their own coins, and though some slight regional differences exist between currencies, all regions readily accept gold, silver, and copper coins. Spending money of Dwendalian mint in the Kryn Dynasty might turn heads, but a gold coin is still a gold coin. Platinum and electrum coins are rarely minted by modern nations, but enough of both of these currencies survived the Age of Arcanum that both are considered valid tender across the land. All the typical languages found in the Player's Handbook and the Monster Manual are fair game in Wildemount. While Common is used across the continent and typically associated with human empires, it is not the language that most humans spoke in Wildemount before the rise of Dwendalian Empire three centuries ago. This setting has three languages unique to the human cultures ofWildemount: Zemnian, Marquesian, and Naush. A human character can learn one of these languages instead of a skill or tool proficiency granted by their background, class, or variant racial traits. Each of these languages is described below: Zemnian. This ancient language was spoken by the people of Zemniaz in the Age of Arcanum. That ancient culture has long since crumbled, but its language and its people live on in the Dwendalian Empire. Many ancient scrolls were written in Zemnian, but it is a language now largely spoken by farmers, as Common is the default language of the empire. Marquesian. The Menagerie Coast was settled by colonists from the arid land of Marquet, and their language now holds an unusual position in the Clovis Concord. It is the language of high society, as many Clovis elite are descended from Marquesians, but it is also the language of piracy, since countless lower-class Marquesians defected from the Concord and formed the Revelry pirates. Naush. Originally spoken by the Ki'Nau islanders native to the Menagerie Coast, Naush is a thriving language within the multicultural cities of the Clovis Concord. Even sailors who only speak Common incorporate dozens of Naush words into their nautical jargon. TECHNOLOGY The level of technology in Wildemount is generally consistent with the technologies found in the Player's Handbook. However, Dwendalian scientists in Hupperdook and Concordian tinkerers in Port Zoon have made incredible advances in black powder technology. Cannons, mobile war engines, and even handheld pistols and muskets have begun to be used as weapons of war. Black powder weapons are not common, nor are they available to the general public. Only military engineers and special regiments within the Dwendalian armies and the Concordian navy have access to these powerful weapons, though some aspects of these designs are now finding their way into the Xhorhasian military. Statistics for weapons such as black powder barrels, pistols, and rifles are provided in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. All items listed as "Renaissance Items" on the Firearms and Explosives tables exist in some form in Wildemount. Since these items can't be purchased in a normal store, characters can only obtain them through theft, military service, or a quest of your own devising. WELCOME TO WTLDEMOUNT 9
G(;haoter 1 STORY OF WILDEMOUNT ORN FROM NOTHING, THERE WAS SOMETHING. Light, then thought, then life and fire. We who are born of the will of the gods keep these records to preserve their deeds, their design, and their lessons. We who live by our own will shall keep these records to know where we walk and where not to tread. We who look to our inevitable end keep these records to teach those who succeed our footsteps how to be better than we could. -Archivist Adia Shu of the Cobalt Soul HISTORY OF WILDEMOUNT The continent of Wildemount has undergone many ages of discovery, conflict, and renewal. These bygone eras are more than ancient history. Whether the people ofWildemount know it or not, the struggles they face in their daily lives were set in motion by the turbulent events of past ages. This section explores this history and the major figures whose actions shaped the physical and cultural landscape of Wildemount. MYTH OF EXANDRIA Life ever seeks to understand its inception. Every civilization has its own interpretation of where its story began. Even within the world of Exandria, different cultures have creation myths that eventually converge with recorded history, but there is no universally accepted story. Even so, the ancient city ofVasselheim on the distant continent of Othanzia is largely considered to be the oldest surviving city, having endured a terrible war that wiped out most of civilization nearly a thousand years ago. Vasselheim houses the earliest known temples to the gods, as well as the earliest known records of history that survived this catastrophic war. The most widely accepted tale of the world's origins is the myth of the Founding. This is the interpretation held and embraced within most of Wildemount, as well as the vast lands of Exandria as a whole. THE FOUNDING Long ago, this world was one of tumultuous and chaotic forces, naught but unbridled fires and churning, jagged rock. Through the ashen skies of Creation Primordial, the gods came from beyond the ether, new and formless. Looking on this roiling realm, they saw potential for great beauty, great strength, and the chance to learn their own place in creation. Thus, divine hands birthed the First Children, the elves, who embodied beauty and grace, to walk the verdant Green and know the music of the Blue. A second creation was wrought: the dwarves, a hearty people intent on taming the land, filled with the craft and invention of the divinity beyond the ashen void. A third people were given life: the humans, endowed with hearts of passion that burned as brightly as their spans of life were short, and infused with the need to celebrate and laugh. Other creations followed as the many races of Exandria were given form from the boundless inspiration the of the protean gods. These Children of Creation walked the land and, as their knowledge grew, attempted to build on it. But the land was fierce and treacherous, and the children were dashed on the rocks and consumed by the elements. Sorrow filled the hearts of the gods as these first races struggled against a land that did not want them, and the children looked to their creators for guidance and protection. Thus, the gods gave to them gifts, lending their own power to their children to create and shape the world around them; these were the first divine magics. With these magics, the various peoples learned to bend the angry earth to their will: to temper the flames that burst through the ground, to tame the floods that threatened their abundance, and to turn seedling into fruit and beast into meal. Language became commonplace, culture was born, and governance replaced anarchy. The protean creators, the divinity beyond the ashen skies, saw progress and saw that it was good, yet fragile and in need of guardians. Thus were born the First Protectors: the Dragons Metallic of Exandria, who safeguarded the gentler races. The realm grew quieter, the people multiplied, and new beings were given form and life. As culture grew, and the people further understood the world around them, they also looked up to their creators and gave them worship, gave them form, gave them title and purpose. But this realm did not wish to be tamed. Quaking cliffs roared in defiance. Seas swelled and swallowed. Flames erupted from the land. Beneath the elements, CHAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT II
I2 unknown to the Creators beyond the ashen skies, lived ancient beings who had already claimed this world as their home: the Primordials. These great elemental titans that once dwelt deep within the world now rose from their unseen domain to sunder the land once more. The gods watched as their children, their joy, were flung against the broken rocks or fed to formless terrors unleashed by the destruction. Demonic entities spilled from the umbra of the Abyss to feast on the carnage, called forth by the violence and released to pick the carrion clean. Some gods were so full of grief and anger that they wished to leave this world behind and start anew. They tried to convince their divine kindred to join with the Primordials, allowing chaos to reclaim the realm. Other gods wished to remain and subdue the Primordials, to tame the land for the sake of their creations. Thus was created a divide among the gods. Celestial sentinels once dedicated to battling the chaotic forces of the Abyss now fell to hate and tyranny, forging new hells under a fallen angel now claiming lordship over all the realms of sulfur and brimstone. The Creators that remained, wishing to salvage their home, their creations, and their realized selves, were forced to take up arms and learn to protect that which they valued most. They organized their followers and taught them how to draw from the powers of creation on their own: to build, to change, and to destroy, all without the aid of divine power. Mortals learned to defend themselves through practices such as alchemy or by bending the very fabrics of existence, though on a smaller scale than that of their creators. This gift was the knowledge of arcane magic, which the good children used to drive away their traitorous kin, banish the turned Creators to their own prison-like planes, and ultimately destroy the Primordials, scattering the chaotic elements to their own planes of existence. The world was at peace for the first time since its creation, and the first real civilization took root and grew into a grand city called Vasselheim. The Cradle of Creation. The Dawn City. Culture developed anew, the races ventured forth to discover and explore their own lands, and great music filled the air to give a name to this world once and for all: Exandria. AGE OF ARCANUM Over time, some of the people of Exandria grew arrogant. Seeing their arcane gifts as proof that the gods held no sway over their fate, a belief developed that, with enough understanding, they too could become as powerful as the gods. Many began to shun faith in favor of their own pursuits. Though this hurt and surprised the Creators, they understood the willfulness of their children and endured out of love and hope for redemption. Great kingdoms sprung up across Exandria. Castles were built in a day, accelerated by the arcanists' newfound power. Erudite cities hovered and drifted through the skies, shifting under the direction of scholarly magi to wherever their interests took them. Even though magic could be used to complete the most difficult tasks with hitherto unknown speed, magic-users strove CHAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT 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 creatures and power. Powerful archmages such as Vecna the Whispered One and Halas Lutagran began to carve their paths into history during this era of unbridled magical experimentation. 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. Petty squabbles erupted over resources and wealth among the elite, while the rumor of immortality through perfected arcanum began to drive the greatest mages wild with a lust for unending power. One mortal mage, her name either lost or struck from history, crafted now-forbidden rites to challenge the God of Death, felling him and taking his place among the pantheon, making her the first and only mortal to ascend to godhood. The archmage Vespin Chloras was inspired by this display. Driven by his hunger, 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. During their imprisonment, these gods of hatred and despair twisted their prison into their own image, spawning unthinkable horrors that lived only to transform peace into suffering, and righteousness into arrogance and greed. The Nine Hells and the Abyss began to push their way into Creation. The Betrayer Gods and their hateful children discovered a world unspoiled, save for the avarice of mortals. The urge to ruin was now replaced with the desire to dominate, and the Betrayer Gods began by turning on the mage who freed them, making Archmage Vespin their first thrall. This corrupted divinity sought out the remnants of their offspring, scattered across the world, and created a mighty and terrible new kingdom on the plains ofXhorhas, at the far end of the world from Vasselheim-Ghor Dranas. In this land of evil, where the twisted power of the lower planes seeped into Exandria, the lords of darkness tainted the minds of mortals, hungrily welcoming those who had lost their way, and offering great promises and boons to hearts easily swayed. These poisonous seeds found fertile ground in the hearts of mortals obsessed with the unlimited power of the arcane. With a legion of the damned behind them, the Betrayer Gods soon made their presence known to the world with an assault on Vasselheim itself. Though much of the city was reduced to rubble, Vasselheim weathered the initial assault, saved by the intervention of the Prime Deities themselves, who descended to trade blows with their former brethren. The battle between divinity and mortals, between heroes and demons, raged ceaselessly for twenty days and nights until the dark forces, their surprise attack thwarted, were finally forced to retreat. Evil was repulsed momentarily, but with the revelation of such a terrible foe, a dangerous arcane arms race began. Trust was shattered indefinitely: if mortals could fall under the sway of the Betrayer Gods, who was an ally? If ruin like this could be unleashed under the watchful eyes of the gods, how were they relevant? Not trusting any but themselves, the self-interested and
singular humans reforged their instruments of celebration into instruments of incredible power-artifacts that could be wielded by worthy heroes. The dwarves' fascination with rock and earth turned toward isolation as they burrowed deeper into the mountains, using their divine gifts to animate legions of autonomous golems to protect their ancestral halls. Elves used their understanding of creation's beauty and intricacies to weave spells of unimaginable destructive force, the likes of which Exandria had never seen before. For the first time since the Primordials were destroyed, 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 Calamity. THE CALAMITY The battlefields of the catastrophic showdowns of the Calamity were scattered across Exandria, but it was Wynandir that suffered the full destructive powers of the gods. Divided by the Ashkeeper Peaks, the fields of Wynandir were once home to several powerful ruling houses, squabbling over their own goals before being drawn into either side of the conflict of the gods, or abstaining for their own reasons. The immensity of power wielded by the Prime Deities and Betrayer Gods was enough to wound the landscape for eons, and the irresponsible use of arcane knowledge developed by the mortals ensured the ruin of their own legacy. Little record remains of the terrible war, but its effects are still felt today. The sheer magnitude of the energies unleashed in the ensuing battles by gods and mortals alike was enough to fray the boundaries holding back the elemental chaos, spilling unbridled destruction into the world. It completely rearranged the known flow of magical ley energy across Exandria. The dark kingdom of Ghor Dranas was reduced to ash, but the conflict devastated Exandria's peoples, razing entire cities and inspiring in many a desire to flee from this plane of existence entirely. So great was the loss of life during the war that historians believe no more than a third of Exandria's population survived, leaving only one remaining bastion of civilization: the Dawn City, Vasselheim. The world entered a long, dark period of regrowth. The Betrayer Gods were banished once more to their realms of deception and hate, but the threat of their return weighed heavily on the world. The Prime Deities felt that their involvement in mortal conflict was to blame for the cataclysmic damage inflicted on Exandria. They knew that while the divine gateways were left open, the prison planes that held the banished Betrayers would remain imperfect and temporary. Thus, hoping to ensure that such ruin would not befall Exandria again, they left their children to fend for themselves. The Creators returned to their own realms, dragging both Betrayer and abomination with them and sealing the pathways to the mortal realm behind them with the Divine Gate. Only in this way could they prevent their corrupted brethren from physically returning C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILD EMOUNT
14 to the material plane. Sadly, for the Prime Deities, this action also carried with it a self-imposed sentence of exile. The Creators would henceforth never be allowed to visit their creation. The disappearance of the gods is known by many names: the Second Spark for those who study the arcane, and the Penance for those who seek closeness to their gods. The most common name for this time of warfare and divine separation is the Divergence, and it marked the end of the Age of Arcanum. Much time has passed since, and the world has been reborn once again. The gods still influence and guide from beyond the Divine Gate, bestowing knowledge and power on their 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 ancient relics remind all people of a darker time of mistakes that should never be repeated. WILDEMOUNT AFTER THE CALAMITY In the wake of the vast destruction of the Calamity and the exile of the pantheon in the Divergence, the survivors began to emerge from the ash and shadows to reclaim and rebuild Exandria. Across the continents, many took the pieces of their cultures and sought a place to forge a new age. This tome focuses on the rebirth of the deeply scarred land now known as Wildemount, the site of the most terrible conflicts of the Calamity, where the echoes of those deadly battles linger to this day. IN THE WAKE OF THE GODS After the Calamity, the lands of Wildemount became wild and perilous, filled with monstrosities and beasts that prowled its broken fields and shattered mountains. The land's new denizens reclaimed the newly untamed realm, hunting any mortals not clever enough to hide. The masterless creations of the Betrayer Gods ruled their own territories, establishing themselves as a new pantheon. As the dust settled, surviving mortals grasped at what they could from their bygone lives and hid away in fear of what would come next. Those of faith dealt with their sense of failure and abandonment, while enlightened scribes mourned the loss of their research and the great magical secrets that had enabled the previous age to rise to such prominence. Others picked up what they could from the ruins and chose to start anew, hoping that their descendants would learn from their mistakes. Over those early centuries, the scattered survivors fought back the terrors that stalked the abandoned lands ofWildemount, continuing to endure and build new societies, civilizations that eventually reclaimed Wildemount and brought the world to this modern age. C HAPTER l I STORY OF WJLDEMOUNT WESTERN WYNANDIR The lands of Western Wynandir were the epicenter of the Calamity's destruction. Rocky ranges of mountains were sundered, entire landscapes burned, and hovering seats of power crashed down from the sky, their floating cities consumed beneath the hungry earth. GRIMGOLIR The dwarven clan of Grimgol that once helped hold the center of the Ashkeeper Peaks was nearly wiped out during the Calamity. The surviving families and warriors burrowed deep beneath the surface of Exandria to wait out the chaos. Collapsing nearly every established tunnel used in the wars above, the clan found themselves cut off from the rest of Exandria. For centuries, the dwarves of Clan Grimgol endured the darkness alone, defending against the dregs of the Betrayer Gods' forces and adapting themselves into a hardy and stalwart people. Half-remembered tales and myths of their forgotten history, mingled with worship of Morad in, began to stir an eagerness to return to their ancestral home and build anew. With new purpose, they carved their way back toward the surface, only to find the mountains of their home reduced to dust and pebbles. Not easily dissuaded, the dwarves returned to the surface for the first time in generations, finding the once-ruined world now recovering with renewed life and color. The resilient clan made their way north along the Brokenveil Bluffs and found a massive mountain to house their new city. They built their stronghold into this monolith among the Dunrock Mountains, and gave their new home the name of Grimgolir. RISE OF THE jULOUS DOMINION In the Marrow Valley, the numerous decades following the Divergence left the landscape blackened and inhospitable. The remaining people struggled for food and shelter as they wandered the rocky hills for centuries, avoiding the colder weather of the north. Nomadic sects of humans and halflings defended themselves against the hungry beasts and lingering evils threatening their homesteads, and fought with each other over fertile land. Small civilizations began to form amid the chaos, but it wasn't until the central township of Zadash was established as a safe outpost that the unification of the Marrow Valley began. Helmed by the Julous family, supposedly of noble blood from before the Calamity, a guarded community with an organized military force was built in the center of the valley around four hundred years ago. It became both a haven for the struggling masses and a center for agricultural expansion. Increasing their strength with each generation, this movement guided by the julous family became known as thejulous Dominion, stretching across the south end of Western Wynandir. Not all agreed to join the Julous Dominion, however. Some outliers rejected theJulous interests, founding their own village of Kamordah on the boiling earth of the hills in the southwest Marrow Valley. In time, the people of Kamordah came to worship a
A FLOATING CITY FROM A BYGONE AGE being of primordial fire that lives beneath the mountains and speaks to them in dreams and visions. FOUNDING OF THE DWENDALIAN EMPIRE In the frigid fields north of the Marrow Valley, the survivors of the Arcanum city of Zemniaz scraped by in the snow for centuries, clutching their surviving scrolls and fragments of cultural history. They established the dour outposts of lcehaven and Yrrosa, but it wasn't until the Zemnian people wandered east to the Pearlbow Wilderness that they found fields that were fertile enough to nurture a new society. Founded atop the ruins of an ancient temple to the Dawn Father, the city of Rexxentrum rose to become the hub of Zemnian culture. Now that the Zemnian people no longer had to struggle for survival amid the harsh elements, their leaders argued over how to establish a centralized government. Some wished for a republic, while others sought a theocracy under the priests that shepherded the people into this new age. Eckhardt Dwendal, a well-respected merchant and tremendous force behind the development of Rexxentrum, wished to institute a monarchy and place his son Manfried on the throne. Debate spun wildly for over three years, while Eckhardt privately made deals with the heads of the emerging guilds, using promises or blackmail to secure their cooperation. With the resounding support of the flourishing guild heads, the throne was established. In the year 539 of the post-Divergence era, Manfried became the first emperor of the Dwendalian Empire. THE MARROW WAR It wasn't long before the expanding borders of the Dwendalian Empire began to push up against the growing Julous Dominion. An agreement was brokered to avoid conflict as long as favorable trade could be established and maintained. Even so, the resource-rich center of Western Wynandir was split between the two states, with both factions eager to discover the other's weaknesses. Rumors of the discovery of a massive platinum mine within thejulous Dominion further increased the empire's desire to conquer their neighbor. At this time, religious leaders throughout the Dwendalian Empire rebelled against the emperor's religious restrictions. After his coronation, Emperor Manfried Dwendal enacted laws limiting worship and prayer to subjects concerning the power, profit, and expansion of the empire. In the year 544 PD, internal strife and insurgent action turned bloody when the zealous leaders of varying faiths attempted, and failed, to usurp the throne for their council. An angered Emperor Manfried Dwendal had the rebellious priests executed-an event that came to be known as the Admonition. The emperor spoke of abolishing all worship within his boundaries. This caused further uproar among the populace, but then Emperor Manfried's spies discovered that the seeds of the uprising had been sown by Julous interests. Publicly exposing the plot, the emperor outlawed only select faiths that he felt threatened civilized life. He redirected much of the people's fury by also proclaiming the Julous Dominion an enemy of the C HAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT r5
16 empire later that year and declaring war on the neighboring nation. Meanwhile, thejulous Dominion was dealing with the refusal of the outlying villages near Kamordah to accept their rule in this time of brewing hostility. They eventually drove the independent villagers back into the Cyrios Mountains, just in time to hear the horns of war blaring from the empire to the north. The violent conflict known as the Marrow War lasted over sixteen months and cost the lives of many soldiers and innocents on both sides of the Marrow Valley. TheJulous Dominion lacked the unified military force of the empire. When a major military push left the capital city of Zadash occupied by the empire, Baron Inock Julous and Baroness TessandraJulous met with Emperor Manfried to negotiate a peace. During this meeting, the baron and baroness were unceremoniously executed. Their bodies were displayed publicly along with the narrative that they had attempted an assassination on the emperor during the peace talks. Disheartened and bereft of leadership, theJulous Dominion immediately came to an end, as did the war. To prove his benevolence to the people of the newly conqueredJulous Dominion, and to help avoid future uprisings, Emperor Manfried declared that all citizens of the dominion would keep their lands and homesteads. No soldiers would stand trial or be punished for their previous allegiance. Life would continue as it had, except for the implementation of imperial taxes, laws, and oversight across the valley under the new emperor. Outlawed religious iconography was destroyed, crops and goods were redistributed according to the needs of the empire, and life slowly returned to normal for the Zemnian people. A KING ls CROWNED With citizens of the former Julous Dominion tense beneath their new rule and a growing sentiment of frustration with imperial leadership building, Emperor Manfried sought a way to reform the nation under his banner. The propagandist minds who fought the social war with the Julous Dominion recommended a shift in public image and title, one that could command more respect within Western Wynandir while casting aside the oppressive connotations of the title of emperor. Still riding high on the victory against the Dominion, Emperor Manfried harkened back to the halcyon lore of the Age of Arcanum, recalling the beloved kings and queens of old. It was decided that the people would no longer have an emperor, but a king. Crowning himself the first of the line of Dwendalian kings, King Manfried insisted on maintaining the now-ominous national title of the Dwendalian Empire, famously proclaiming, "I am the Dwendalian king to my people, beloved and open to their wishes. To our enemies, we remain resolute and unstoppable. We are the Dwendalian Empire." THE EVE OF CRIMSON MIDNIGHT ot a quarter century after the Marrow War ended and the line of kings was established, a smaller, internal conflicc rocked the capital city of Rexxentrum. A number of noble houses with a strong history of studying arcane CHAPTER 1 / STORY OF WILDEMOUNT pursuits began to compete with other high-born magic practitioners from theJulous Dominion. Throughout the lands of the newly expanded empire, these houses escalated their subterfuge and espionage against one another, until the rivalry finally erupted into an all-out magical conflict in the streets of the capital itself. The events of the Eve of Crimson Midnight destroyed numerous buildings and maimed a number of innocents caught in the crossfire. The struggle ended with all involved shackled and brought before the king. After days of deliberation, an agreement was drawn up that would absolve those involved of the usual punishment in exchange for direct subservience to the Crown and the goals of the empire. Establishing themselves as the Cerberus Assembly, this council of mages became a powerful tool for the empire to maintain its position as the dominant force of Wildemount. MODERN DWENDALIAN EMPIRE For three hundred years, the empire has expanded and prospered under the rule of the Dwendalian line of kings. King Alfwin Dwendal increased the empire's military power by establishing the stronghold of Bladegarden and assimilating Grimgolir into the empire, seeking to hold back the savage creatures of Xhorhas. King Theoderich Dwendal's benevolent nature brokered the partnership with the Clovis Concord of the Menagerie Coast without bloodshed and ushered in new opportunities for trade with the rest of Exandria. King Willamar Dwendal established the initial prominence of House Truscan and granted them oversight of the Truscan Vale, to the displeasure of the other noble houses. Other kings have come and gone, but few have made as immediate and lasting a mark as King Bertrand Dwendal. On assuming the throne in 790 PD, King Bertrand immediately demonstrated his love of spectacle and social manipulation by instituting town criers across the empire to disseminate Crown-approved messages. With the aid of Master Ikithon Trent of the Cerberus Assembly, he captured the imagination of the masses with well-crafted tales of his deeds, proclaimed by the criers in every town square. Seeking to bury any dissent against the Crown, King Dwendal began to use the empire's spy network to seek out sources of unrest in the public and punish those who sowed thoughts of rebellion. Public holidays and celebrations were given greater funding to quell the masses and distract the people from the increase in taxation implemented across the valley. This allowed King Bertrand Dwendal to rise in popularity while also ruling with a far more ruthless and self-serving agenda than most kings before him. King Bertrand maintains the isolationist world view of his predecessors, even in times of need. By ignoring political alliances from distant nations, preventing the construction of any skyship docks within the empire, and ignoring calls for aid-such as the fight against the rising threat ofVecna two decades before-the King believes he has made the empire stronger than it's ever been. However, the king's focus on isolationism fades as tensions with Xhorhas grow. Worry about his legacy mingles with the new and deadly threat of the Kryn
Dynasty, now emboldened and pushing into his kingdom with strange magics and dangerous warriors. He mistrusts the very Cerberus Assembly that grants him so much influence and arcane might to combat the ever-darker world that barks at the borders of the empire. Public approval of his rule wanes with growing economic disparity, and the whisper of Myriad power returning under his nose only heightens his paranoia. When the Kryn orchestrated an attack on the Halls of Erudition in Zadash, the Cerberus Assembly pushed for a display of military power to rally the people and bring unity to the national identity of the empire. The king declared war on the Kryn Dynasty and the people of Xhorhas, embroiling the region in this new full-scale conflict, with the hope that, as history has proven, people are easier to unite against a common enemy. THE MENAGERIE COAST While destruction came to the farthest reaches of the world during the divine conflicts of the Calamity, the islands of the Lucidian Ocean off the western coast of Wildemount thought they might fare better than most. But though they were far removed from the central fury of the magics unleashed in the final battles, the region's civilizations were instead wiped out by massive floods. Immense tidal surges left the coast drowned and empty, the islands consumed by the raging ocean, leaving behind only the most accomplished of sailors. Eventually, the waters settled once more, and nature swiftly reclaimed the lands with lush green jungles. UK'OTOA ASSAULTS UNWELCOME SHIPS ON THE LUCI OIAN 0cEAN. THE K1'NAU The few scattered survivors of the floods found shelter among the higher jungles of the Swavain Islands, gifted with the bounty of a more plentiful and tropical environment. These seafaring people rebuilt among the islands and took the name Ki'Nau, meaning "the Water Children" in their language of Naush. Though the terrible floods of the Calamity had passed, the deadly seas and flourishing horrors of the wilds were still a persistent threat to the Ki'Nau. Each generation struggled to survive the elements that sunk their boats and the predators of the jungles and ocean depths. Over time, an older mind began to call from the waters and entered their dreams. This powerful being, a leviathan creation abandoned by his creator Zehir in the Divergence, called himself Uk'otoa. He spoke of his divinity and promised protection to the Ki'Nau people in exchange for their worship. The Ki'Nau accepted the persuasive entity as an ally and protector, allowing Uk'otoa to rise up as the guardian of the islands and help the Ki'Nau become a proud society of warriors, establishing dominance over the region for centuries. THE MARQUESIAN ALLIANCE Around the year 400 PD, an exploration vessel from the distant land of Marquet was nearing the end of its provisions when it reached the Swavain Islands. Discovered and captured by the ever-watchful Ki'Nau, the desperate explorers made trade offerings of foreign gold, spices, and fine silks. This diplomatic approach won over the I
._ leaders of the Ki'Nau, and an alliance was made with the Marquesian travelers to return with trade goods and establish a Marquesian outpost, which was to be named Damali. During this time, a cruel seafaring culture called the Vukan discovered the Ki'Nau and coveted their lush homesteads and rich, sea-gathered jewelry. These Vukan began a series of coordinated assaults on the Ki'Nau, killing and kidnapping a number of them under the shadow of night. The Marquesian guilds who had sent the exploration ship agreed to offer naval support to combat these attacks, but it was Uk'otoa whose fury ultimately annihilated the Vukan at their home villages and erased them from Exandria. Having lost a portion of their fleet in these fights, the surviving Marquesian naval ships remained to build small settlements along the coast to aid in their trade with the Ki'Nau. The Ki'Nau leader Tauan kept a tentative peace with the foreign sailors, but Uk'otoa wanted to dominate the new arrivals who refused to renounce their old gods and bow to him. These tensions came to a head when a secret sect of Marquesian worshipers of the Cloaked Serpent Zehir were given a task by their enraged god from beyond the Divine Gate: to destroy Uk'otoa for his insolence. With the aid of a powerful cult leader within an archeological guild known as the Allegiance of Allsight, a series of temples built to Uk'otoa were corrupted with Zehir's influence and used to seal Uk'otoa deep beneath the rock of the ocean floor, robbing the Ki'Nau of their patron. BIRTH OF THE CLOVIS CONCORD At this time, the city of Ank'Harel in Marquet had just named the mysterious ]'mon Sa Ord as their new emperor. In the transition, the Marquesian colonists now living along the coast demanded independence from Marquet to begin building their own society and identity alongside the Ki'Nau. Ord eventually accepted the request, and the emancipated Marquesians allied themselves with the Ki'Nau to build a new civilization. Over the following centuries, numerous port towns sprung up and grew into city states, trade routes expanded along what is now known as the Menagerie Coast, and the emerging guilds consolidated enough power to become the region's ruling class: the Clovis Concord. The concord works together to keep the surrounding Lucidian Ocean under their watch and rule, setting trade laws and guiding the fortunes of those who sail on the open waters. The blend of cultures that forms the Menagerie Coast creates a diverse community where the arts are lauded and coin is king. However, the shadow of the Myriad syndicate continues to infiltrate the streets, while the pirate alliance known as the Revelry has risen to harry the trade routes and rebel against the concord. Tensions are further escalated by the threat of expanding war to the northeast between the Dwendalian Empire and the Kryn Dynasty. THE GREYING WILDLANDS The fierce powers released in the conflicts of the Calamity tore through the heavily forested region now known as the Greying Wildlands, setting ablaze a slow-burning C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT arcane forest fire that smoldered for nearly a century, burning through the hearty trees of the region like a plague of embers. The northern realm was left desolate, ashes and dirt blown into dust and sand as the chill northern winds transformed the rolling hills into a desert of ice and pebbles. Fleeing remnants of the Grimgol dwarves delved into the snow-hooded Flotket Alps, many freezing to death in the wind-battered valleys before finding safety in the natural caverns hiding deep in the mountain range. Within these icy depths, the dwarves cultivated fiery hearths and brought warmth to the heart of the mountain, establishing the new dwarven city of Uthodurn. MOLAESMYR Amid the charred remains of the burning forest that filled the sky with smoke for over a hundred years, one section of the woods defied the flames and held against the embers that battered it. This small patch of idyllic green endured, a sanctuary for the surviving wood elves that held fast and hoped for a miracle. Sensing that the blessings of Melora and Corellon had kept the heart of this forest alive until the fires burned out, the elves began to build a new home among the ancient trees and groves. This region became the Veluthil Forest, and from this verdant sanctuary, the elves would build the stunningly beautiful city of Molaesmyr. From the surrounding ashes, the fey magics ofVeluthil brought forth new life and leaf, expanding the boundaries of the forest over centuries to eventually reclaim much of the Wildlands. Druidic forces and powerful fey enchantments were laid throughout the twisting paths of the forest to protect the elves of Molaesmyr as they expanded their towering city, the central trees reaching magically enhanced heights as homes and halls extended high into the boughs. The elven city stood as the height of reborn civilization on Wildemount. THE CORRUPTION It is still unclear what triggered the event. Whether some knowledge-hungry researcher or arrogant sorcerer was delving in forgotten vaults between the planes, or some terrible power lying dormant beneath the forest was awakened, the source of the corruption is unknown. What is known is that in the year 585 PD, suddenly and without warning, a wave of purple-gray shadow rapidly crept from the center of Molaesmyr to engulf the entire city. Many elves choked and died on toxic fumes, while others were twisted and driven mad, transforming into terrifying fey abominations. Trees bent and warped, leaves withered and turned a sickly purple, and strange, unknown bramble growths reclaimed the forest floor. This corruption slowly spread throughout the entire Veluthil Forest, decimating the home of the elves. Some survivors fled as fast as they could to the northwest, across the Frigid Depths, eventually settling the township of Bysaes Tyl in the Pearl bow Wilderness. Others escaped to the northeast, seeking refuge in the Flotket Alps, freezing in the snowy mountains until they stumbled on the dwarves of Uthodurn.
Taking pity on the survivors, the dwarves took in the elven refugees and offered them a home. This act of kindness changed the course of Uthodurn's history, eventually forming a unique union of dwarven and elven culture that has endured for nearly three centuries. Craftsmanship within Uthodurn is second to none, but nothing is traded beyond the borders of the city, aside from the odd stolen artifact. Small excavation parties are often sent to the corrupted Veluthil Forest-now called the Savalirwood-to search the ruins of Molaesmyr, attempting to piece together what caused the corruption and determine if the forest can be recovered. Unfortunately, a township of criminals and outlaws has sprung up on the southern edge of the Savalirwood, just beyond the Dwendalian Empire. In addition to the dangerous denizens of this wretched thicket, which is known as Shadycreek Run, there are numerous raiders and thieves seeking relics from the ruins of the forest, escalating conflict throughout the region. EASTERN WYNANDIR The once thickly forested landscape of Xhorhas was the site of the final battleground of the Calamity. It was subjugated to such intense destruction at the hands of the warring gods that when the dust of the Divergence cleared, Eastern Wynandir was naught but a cracked, ashen wasteland. Ghor Dranas, the citadel of the Betrayer Gods, lay broken, cursed, and abandoned, while lingering demons and monstrosities fled to the surrounding jagged cliffs and blackened marshlands. Discarded abominations seeped from beneath the ruined earth of Xhorhas's eastern shores, climbing past the Penumbra Range where the forgotten creations of the Betrayers were locked away. Throughout this wasteland, scattered bands of aimless men, beasts, and goblinkin battled for shelter and sustenance. These tribes were confined to their desolate home by the Ki'Nau leviathan who guarded the waters past the southern shores and the surviving dwarves of Grimgolir, who prevented any Xhorhasians from moving farther west. The nomadic, warring clans fought against the harsh conditions of the valley for centuries, only able to develop small bastions of civilization within the harsh wilderness. THE KRYN DYNASTY Beneath the ruins of Ghor Dranas, a group of scavenging drow turned from Lolth, their primary deity for centuries, finding renewed faith in an esoteric entity they called the Luxon. Guided by the light of their new deity, the drow survived their ascent from deep within the Underdark and reclaimed the halls of Ghor Dranas for themselves, naming their new home Rosohna, or "Rebirth." The leading house of Kryn helped build a new nation of dark elves who sought the surface as part of their worship, and slowly began to reach out to the nearby nomads to unite under the light of the Luxon. As the first nation of post-Calamity Xhorhas, the Kryn Dynasty worked to expand its reach throughout the wasteland and bring unity to the ravaging hordes. C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT 19
20 Dormant evils continued to rise from beneath the marshes and badlands of Xhorhas, spreading chaos and battling with the warriors who called the desolate valley their home. The struggle to convert the denizens of Eastern Wynandir to the light of the Luxon continues to this day, while the agents of Lolth seek to spite and destroy her once-chosen for their arrogance. Meanwhile, the dragonborn have begun to reach out to Exandria's sprawling political world, wishing to exchange knowledge and trade their gold and jewels for powerful magics to better their standing. DRACO NIA After the Calamity, a shard of the destroyed dragonkin city of Kethesk came to rest within the southern Dreemoth Ravine. The surviving dragonborn took advantage of the ravine's defensible layout to build a new city and made an alliance with the cave-dwelling, indigenous dragonborn they called ravenites, beginning the reformation of civilized dragonborn society. With the ravenites as a labor force, the dragonborn harvested the massive brumestone crystals that had once held their city aloft, and the new city of Draconia began to take shape as a series of floating islands within the heart of the chasm. Calling themselves draconbloods, they spent hundreds of years slowly reconstructing their nation in seclusion, focusing entirely on their own enlightenment and pursuits. They eventually enslaved the ravenites to mine the ravine's gold and gemstones, and to ensure draconblood dominance in the region, leaving their minds free to focus on internal politics and arcane advancement. THE CHROMA CONCLAVE In the year 815 PD, an unexpected assault on Draconia came in the form of a group of ancient chromatic dragons calling themselves the Chroma Conclave. The mighty city of Draconia was immediately destroyed and left to crumble in the Dreemoth Ravine. A powerful white dragon called Vorugal, the Frigid Doom, claimed the ravine as its new domain, while the rest of the dragons sought conquest elsewhere in Exandria. These events shook the nations of Wildemount, sending the Clovis Concord and the Dwendalian Empire into a state of alert, while the Kryn Dynasty temporarily withdrew to Rosohna, fearing another attack. As time passed, Vorugal and the entire Chroma Conclave were slain and the danger seemed to have dissipated. With Draconia sundered, the no-longer enslaved ravenites greatly outnumbered their previous masters; they claimed their freedom and punished the surviving draconbloods. A handful of draconian nobles fled to the Menagerie Coast or the Dwendalian Empire to seek asylum, leaving the ravenites to rebuild Wildemount dragonborn society on the ruins of their oppressors. THE WAR OF THE ASH AND LIGHT In the past century, the Dwendalian Empire has clashed with the Kryn Dynasty. Small skirmishes and slain soldiers on both sides deter expansion beyond the Ashkeeper Peaks, with each faction keeping a close eye on the other. C HAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT Recently, the empire's interest in growing Kryn influence has led to increasing curiosity about the source of the Kryn's mysterious arcane capabilities. Dwendalian spies successfully stole two of four artifacts known as "beacons," which seemed to be powerful sources of the unique magical energy called dunamis. The Bright Queen Leylas Kryn began an initiative steal back the beacons and assault Dwendalian strongholds until these sacred relics are returned. Now, in 835 PD, the resulting skirmishes have escalated into all-out war. A fifth beacon has been recently uncovered by the Cerberus Assembly, and the violence threatens to grow past the Ashkeeper Peaks and embroil other denizens of Wildemount in the conflict. PANTHEON OF EXANDRIA The Divine Gate, established during the Divergence, is a powerful barrier between the Material Plane and the divine realms. The Divine Gate sealed away both the Betrayer Gods and the Prime Deities within their respective domains in hopes of salvaging the new age and preventing another Calamity. If the Divine Gate were to be destroyed by the unanimous effort of the Prime Deities, all powers would be unleashed, threatening armageddon. Thus, the gods patiently watch their creations from beyond the veil, lending what small power they can send through the gate to aid the goals of their faithful. In the absence of the gods, lesser entities seek to gain power and influence, making pacts with mortals and offering their own gifts in exchange for favor, worship, or deeds done in their name. The following gods, patrons, and titles are recommended as the existing pantheon, but they are only a recommendation. You are welcome to alter, supplement, or completely change the gods in your Wildemount campaign to fit your needs. The domains and pacts listed are the likely choices for clerics, warlocks, and followers of each entity, but these are not the only options, and many other domains can be attributed to your preferred deity. Talk with your DM about how best to dress your domain or pact choice to fit within the philosophies and commandments of your patron deity. PRIME DEITIES The circle of Prime Deities includes the leaders and luminary creators that battled the Primordials and instigated the Founding, forging the mortal races of Exandria. They represent a spectrum of light, protection, love, death, and all other facets of freedom and life in the world. While some gods may disagree and squabble, they exist in a subtle alliance to maintain the sanctity of life and their respective creations. AVANDRA, THE CHANGE BRINGER Also known as "She Who Makes the Path," Avandra champions freedom, travel, trade, and adventure across the lands. Her will heralds open frontiers, and her call beckons her followers to discover that which awaits them beyond the known. There are few urban temples dedicated to the Change Bringer, but her shrines are often found along well-traveled roads and off the beaten
path. Her worship is common among merchants, free spirits, and adventurers, and tavern cheers celebrate her as a bringer of luck and fortune. Avandra calls no domain in the planes her residence, instead eternally wandering through the Outer Planes where serenity can be found, distantly watching over the potential of mortals. Depiction. The Change Bringer is often depicted as a young woman of dark complexion and long, light brown hair that cascades to form the road left behind her. Most art shows her in constant motion, ever leading into the unknown. Holy Day. Avandra's holy day, called New Dawn, takes place on the first day of the first month, when the old year gives way to the new. On the Menagerie Coast, people celebrate by having a feast on the shore at dusk to watch the sunset. They feast and discuss their hopes for the new year until the sun rises. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF AVANDRA • Luck favors the bold. Your fate is your o w n t o grasp, and to do so is to have the Chan ge Bringer behind you. • Change is inevitable. The righteous can ensure that such change is for the better. • Rise against tyran ny. Fight for the freedom of yourself and others when you can, and inspire others to fight when you cannot. PR IME DEITIES Deity Alignment Province Avandra CG Change, freedom, luck Bahamut LG Honor, justice Corel Ion CG Art, beauty, elves Erath is LN Civil ization, law, peace loun N Knowledge, learning, teaching Ko rd CN Battle, competition, storms Melora N Seas, wilderness Moradin LG Craft, creation Pel or NG Healing, sun Raei NG Atonement, compassion The Raven Q ueen LN Death, fate, winter Sehanine CG Il lusion, moonl ight, night * The Order domain appears in Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica. *'' The Arcana domain appears in Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. BAHAMUT, THE PLATINUM DRAGON The pillar of justice, protection, nobility, and honor, Bahamut is a beacon to paladins of order and good, and is revered by most metallic dragons as the first of their kind. The crest of the Platinum Dragon adorns many halls of high leadership and justice, invoking his will in all matters of justice. To follow him is to look after those who cannot look after themselves. When not wandering the Outer Planes, Bahamut resides within his magnificent, glittering palace of gold, platinum, and mithril hidden among the winds of the Seven Heavens of Celestia. Depiction. The Platinum Dragon is often seen emblazoned on shields and armor, both functional and decorative, in the form of a brilliant dragon head in profile. Temples and works of art depict a massive, glittering dragon with vibrant platinum scales and seemingly endless wingspan. Holy Day. Bahamut's holy day is called Embertide, and is celebrated on the fifth day of Duscar. This is a day of remembrance, solemnity, and respect for those who have fallen in the defense of others . CO M M ANDM ENTS OF BAHA M UT • Sta nd as a paragon of honor and justice. • Smite evil wherever it is found, yet show compassion to those who have strayed from the path of righteousness. • Defend the weak, bring freedom to the persecuted, and protect the ideals of justice and o rder. Suggested Domains Common Symbol Nature, Trickery Woman's profile embossed on a gold coin or pendant Life, Order? War Si lver dragon's head in profile Arcana,** Light Two crescent moons faci ng each other atop a four-pointed star Knowledge, Order* Double-headed axe i nset with a pattern of scales Arcana,'"' Knowledge Pair of open eyes crowned with a third open eye Tempest, War Four bolts of lightning rad iati ng from the center of a shield Life, Nature, Tempest Wreath of grass and grain affixed to a crook Forge,'°"°'* Knowledge, War Hammer with ends carved in the likeness of dwarven heads Life, Light, Nature Bright, eight-pointed star Life, Light Humanoid, feminine phoenix Death, Grave'""' Wh ite, humanoid mask framed in black feathers Arcana,*;' Nature, Trickery Crescent moon turned upward, strung like a bow ;"'"' The Forge and G rave domains appear in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT 21
'2'2 BAHAMUT, THE PLATINUM D RAGON CoRELLON, THE ARCH liEART AvANDRA, THE C HANGE BRINGER E R A T H I S , THE LAW BEARER CORELLON, THE ARCH HEART Guardian of spring, beauty, and the arts, Corellon is the patron of arcane magic and the fey. The Founding inspired them to wander the twisted lands, seeding them with the first arcane magics and raising the most ancient of forests. It was by the Arch Heart's hand that the first elves wandered from the Feywild, and for this reason they are considered the Mother and Father of all elves. Those who seek art in all their work, whether magical or mundane, often worship at the altar of Corellon. They loathe the Spider Queen and her priestesses for leading the drow astray. Corellon watches the business of mortals and gods from within the palace of Crescent Grove in the beautiful realm of Arborea, surrounded by towering white trees and pillars of marble. Depiction. Most modern tapestries and tomes depict the Arch Heart as an elven being of impossible grace and beauty, androgynous and alluring, framed by long, wavy, golden hair. They were the inspiration for many early elven art pieces, and elements of their visage or symbol are included in most elven architecture. Holy Day. Corellon's holy day is called Elvendawn, or Midsummer. It is celebrated on the twentieth day of the sixth month, and commemorates the elves' first emergence from the Feywild. Though the Dwendalian Empire doesn't promote the worship of the Arch Heart, the elves of Bysaes Tyl quietly celebrate in private by opening small doors to the Feywild and having a little more wine than usual. CO M MANDM ENTS OF (O RELLON • Create, inspire, and find beauty in all that you do. Follow the echoes of lost magics, forgotten sites, and ancient art, for within these l ie the Arch H eart's fi rst works. • Combat the followers of Lolth wherever they m ight be. ERATHIS, THE LAW BEARER The inspiration behind many great inventions, the creation of vast cities, and law and order within society, Erathis claims dominion over civilization. Judges and rulers pay respect at her temples, which are central structures in many cities across Exandria. Peace and order through structure and law guides the will of her devout followers. The Law Bearer has a tempestuous romance with Melora the Wild Mother, a furious love that is tempered only when civilization and nature are in balance. Erathis resides within the glorious divine metropolis of Hestavar, the Bright City. This glowing oasis coasts through the Astral Plane, as the Law Bearer watches over the denizens bathed in the endless daytime that illuminates the busy streets. Depiction. Erathis is shown in most texts and statues as a hooded, armored woman sitting atop a throne of pillars. Her face is generally obscured or depicted without expression, giving her presence an impartial yet imposing nature. Holy Day. The Law Bearer's holy day is Civilization's Dawn, which is celebrated on the autumnal equinox, usually the twenty-second day of the ninth month. In the Dwendalian Empire, people celebrate by having feasts
in honor of the laws of the Dwendal bloodline. One seat at every table is left open for the king, who eats in spirit with the people he rules. CO M MANDM ENTS OF ERATHIS • Util ize the company a n d a i d of others. The efforts of the individual often pale against the capabilities of the community. • Strive to tame the wilds in the name of civil ization, and defend the points of light and order against the chaos of d arkness. • U phold and revere the spirit of i nvention. Create new settlements, build where inspiration strikes, and expand the edicts of the Law Bearer. IouN, THE KNOWING MENTOR Revered by seers, sages, and teachers of all walks of life, Ioun guided the growth of civilization throughout the Age of Arcanum like sunlight guides the branches of a tree. Grievously wounded by the Chained Oblivion during the Calamity, her followers are now hunted by agents of her ancient foes as she recovers. Her devout now worship in private, spreading knowledge, philosophy, and lore anonymously through traceless channels. Ioun sits among the infinite library that fills the hidden realm of the Endless Athenaeum, her celestial servants cataloging all known things as she inspires those who pray for her insight and guidance. Depiction. Common representations show the Knowing Mentor as a graying, mature woman with a welcoming, matronly smile, swathed in billowing robes and scarves that fan into books and scrolls. Some colloquially refer to Ioun as the Knowing Mistress, revering her as a headmistress of knowledge among the gods. Holy Day. Ioun has no public holy day, for her public worship was shattered during the Calamity, and she has since fallen into half-remembered myth. Only in the monasteries of the Cobalt Soul has the Knowing Mentor's faith been resurrected-though her worship by the intellectuals of the city bears little resemblance to that of the knowledge-seekers of old. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF IOUN • U nmask those who would d estroy loun. Learn their secrets and u nveil them to the world. • Uphold and teach the importance of reason, perception, and truth in guiding one's emotions and path. • Condemn those who lie without moral cause, for evil folk gain power when their followers obscure the truth. Never stoop to the level of selfish l iars. KORD, THE STORM LORD Where thunder booms and conflict rises, prayers to the Storm Lord are shouted into the maelstrom. Reveling in all tests of strength, Kord blesses those who prove themselves on the battlefield. Worshiped by athletes and warriors all across Exandria, he exalts those whose force of spirit and desire for victory call his attention. He brings tumultuous storms over land and sea, and those who wish for clearer skies offer their praises and prayers to appease him. Kord dwells among the roving settlements and battlefields within the rugged and glorious realm ofYsgard, where struggle, victory, and celebration shape the landscape and those who reside there. Depiction. Within his temples, Kord is shown as a quintessential warrior, often nude with a beard and short, curled hair. As the epitome of muscle and strength, most art depicts the Storm Lord in a stance of dominance, and perhaps wrestling a terrible beast. Holy Day. Kord's holy day is the Day of Challenging, which is celebrated on the seventh day of the second month. The Day of Challenging is one of the most raucous holidays in Port Damali, and thousands of spectators attend the annual Godsbrawl held in the Temple of Kord to root for their favored deity's champion, particularly the chosen champions of the Storm Lord and the All-Hammer. CO M MANDM ENTS OF KO RD B ravery above all. There is no glory in cowa rdice. • Strength is the path to greatness, but greatness is the responsible use of strength. • The glory of the Storm Lord l ives through your own glory on the battlefield. MELORA, THE WILD MOTHER The realm of Melora extends to wherever the seas shift and the land grows wild. As the keeper of the wilderness, Melora represents the wild creatures of nature, the rush of the angry rapids, and the heat-heavy stillness of the desert. Elves worship her, as do hunters, accepting her guidance to exist harmoniously within savage lands. Those seeking safe passage across dangerous waters pray to her to guide them. Followers of the Raven Queen also show respect to the Wild Mother as the caretaker of what remains when the Matron of Death's work is done. Those of Ki'Nau descent often make offerings to Melora, considering her a collective entity that represents their ancient nature gods within a singular feminine form. Druids of Melora the Wild Mother and clerics of her lover, Erathis the Law Bearer, work together to preserve the balance of nature and civilization. However, worship of Melora was outlawed in the Dwendalian Empire, causing disagreement between clerics of Erathis within Western Wynandir, where many blame poor weather and natural disasters on the ire of their deity's partner. Eschewing a permanent realm, Melora prefers to wander the planes to oversee natural life. She is often found among the unearthly beauty of Arvandor's infinite expanse of deep woods, hunting unnatural things that corrupt the wilds. Depiction. Immortalized through wooden reliefs and carved idols in hidden, overgrown groves and rural shrines, the Wild Mother is shown as a beautiful woman with green skin nearly swallowed by a wild, tangled wreath of hair, leaves, and vines that dwarf her lithe form. Holy Day. Melora's holy day is Wild's Grandeur, which is celebrated on the vernal equinox, usually the twentieth day of the third month. The people of the Menagerie Coast set aside this day to sail for no reason other than the pleasure of observing the natural beauty of their surroundings. Those who still partake in elements of C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT 23
Ki'Nau culture take this day to appreciate the fruits and foods granted by the sea, leaving offerings of delicacies and small handmade crafts at temporary altars of twisted roots and grasses. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF MELO RA • Protect the u ntamed wi lderness from exploitation and destruction. • S lay abominations and other mockeries of nature. • E mbrace and respect the savage nature of the world. Exist in harmony with it. MORADIN, THE ALL-HAMMER Moradin is worshiped by smiths, artisans, and miners alike, granting inspiration in exchange for respect and prayer. He shaped the mountains from the chaos of the Founding, and stands as the patron protector of home and family. The devotion to the All-Hammer is strongest in dwarven communities, and many temples to Moradin mark the center of a mighty dwarven stronghold. Moradin lords over the soul forges within the massive tunneled mansion of Erackinor, deep beneath the slopes of Solania on the plane of Celestia. Depiction. Many guild halls and workshops contain images of Moradin, a faceless, stout dwarven being of immense strength, hunched over a flaming heart clasped within his massive hands. Holy Day. Moradin's holy day is Deep Solace, which is celebrated on the eighteenth day of the fifth month. Especially devout followers of the All-Hammer spend the day in isolation, meditating on the meaning of family and how they may be better mothers, fathers, siblings, and children. The dwarven community in Grimgolir celebrates with a full day of feasting and drinking. CO M MANDM ENTS OF MORADIN • Remain stoic and tenacious in the face of catastrophe. • U phold and promote loyalty to your fami ly, loyalty to your clan, and loyalty to your people. • Legacy is paramount. To create something that lasts is to change the world for the better. PELOR, THE DAWN FATHER Pelor rules over sun and summer, his vigil encircling the ages as the keeper of time. As lord of agriculture and harbinger of the harvest, he is worshiped by farmers and most common folk, and his priests are welcomed in many lands. Supporter of the needy and destroyer of evil, the Dawn Father is often the patron of paladins and rangers who follow a similar creed. He is also known for his defeat of the Chained Oblivion and is revered by those who hunt aberrations. Pelor is often found within the Fortress of the Sun, a shining, golden citadel that brings vibrant life to the limitless orchards of the Blessed Fields of Elysium. Depictions. Tapestries of old match early texts describing Pelor as a paternal figure in silver and gold armor, his head a beacon of light and fire so bright that his face can barely be seen. Many statues in holy places use the head as a brazier, lit with each dawn and extinguished at dusk. Holy Day. Pelor's holy day is called Highsummer, and takes place on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. C HAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT While other parts of Exandria feast, the Dwendalian Empire uses this day as an opportunity to enlist more soldiers in its army. The military holds great feasts and hands out toy soldiers and other propaganda, encouraging people to enlist and help fight against the evil that threatens the king. CO M MANDM ENTS OF PELOR • Be ever vigilant for evil. People a re q uick to forget the lessons of the past. • Help relieve the suffering of the innocent. • Del iver the light of Pelor where d arkness dwel ls, with kindness, compassion, and mercy. RAEI, THE EVERLIGHT God of atonement and compassion, Raei spreads the message of understanding and optimism in even the darkest of places. She believes that the corrupt can be redeemed, a mindset that led to a betrayal by the Lord of the Nine Hells, who decimated her followers during the Calamity. This misplaced trust caused many priests to strike her name from historical records, leaving her title and faith scattered to obscurity for much of the recent age. Only recently has her faith been rediscovered and her temples returned to prominence. The Everlight's followers are often rural healers and community philosophers, offering a voice of reason and empathy in angry and cynical times. Raei guides her people from within her temple beside the crystal beaches of the Island of Renewal, a hidden sanctuary of flame alongside the Blessed Fields of Elysium. Depiction. Those who bring the Everlight's words back to the light unearth her image from ruined temples, or create new art to inspire others with her message. Raei is represented as a beautiful, strong woman with dark skin and light hair, rising betwixt a set of angelic ivory wings. Holy Day. The Everlight's holy day has been long forgotten, and her followers have yet to decide when her festival should be held and what the festivities should be. The debate has gone on for years, and no great miracles have yet been performed to unify the squabbling clerics. CO M MANDMENTS OF RAEi • Lead with mercy, patience, and compassion. I nspire others to u nite in fel lowship. • Aid those who are without guidance. H eal those who are without hope. • Those who are beyond redemption, who revel in s laughter and remorseless evi l, must be dispatched with swift j ustice. THE RAVEN QUEEN' MATRON OF DEATH Master of the skein of fate and the mistress of winter, the Raven Queen is the god of death. Her gaze follows and marks the end of each mortal life, watching over the border between life and death and ensuring the natural transition is undefiled. Many funerals ask her blessing to protect the deceased from the terrible curse of undeath. Those who study ancient lore believe that the Matron of Death was once mortal herself and is the only known
mortal to have ascended to godhood. Her rise instantly obliterated the previous, now-forgotten god of death, and the other gods quickly and fearfully destroyed the secrets to the rites of ascension. The Raven Queen tugs at the threads of fate from her stronghold of black ice within the frozen realm of Letherna, nestled in a frigid corner of the Shadowfell. Depiction. Few existing visual depictions of the Raven Queen exist; many temples merely use the raven as a symbol of her blessing. The few illustrations of her portray a tall, pale woman wrapped in dangling black linens, with her face obscured by a white porcelain mask and her onyx-black hair straight and neverending. Holy Day. The Raven Queen's holy day is called the Night of Ascension, celebrating her apotheosis. The actual date of the her rise to divinity is unclear, but the Night of Ascension is celebrated on the thirteenth day of the tenth month. What was once a night of cheery celebration of the dead in the Dwendalian Empire has recently become an occasion to burn effigies and decry the Kryn Dynasty for their unnatural relationship with death. CO M MANDM E NTS OF THE RAVEN QUEEN Death is the natu ral end of life. There is no pity for those who have fallen. • The path of Fate is sacrosanct. Those who pridefully attempt to cast off their destiny must be p unished. • Undeath is an atrocity. Those who would pervert the transition of the soul must be brought d own. SEHANINE, THE MOON WEAVER Sehanine is the god of moonlight and the autumn season, as well as the patron of illusions and misdirection. Widely worshiped in halfling and elven cultures, she is considered to be the deity of love, protecting the trysts of lovers with shadows of her own making. Those who work in darkness and trickery often ask for her blessing. Sehanine is found among the verdant tangles of the realm of Arborea, watching over the elven courts, or wandering among the colorful fields of the Feywild. Depiction. The Moon Weaver's depictions are as numerous as the myths and stories of her meddling with the unions of mortals. She is most often painted as a young girl with light-blue skin and white hair, her body and limbs merely wavy silk strands of silver moonlight that caress and create the edges of the shadows around her. Holy Day. Sehanine has no holy day but is celebrated by the elves on the night of the decade's largest full moon. Elven astronomers track the moon's phases and how it grows closer and farther to Exandria to predict these days with great accuracy. Many haughty elves use this festival as an excuse to be sly and mischievous, while younger elves use costumes and illusions to prank their peers. Some elves of Bysaes Tyl hold a secret festival in the Pearlbow Wilderness during the full moon, since the Dwendalian Empire doesn't allow worship of the Moon Weaver. IouN, KoRD, THE STORM LORD MELORll, THE WILD MOTHER MoR11D1N, THE A LL· liAMMER
RAEi, THE EvERLIGHT PELOR, THE DAWN FATHER II THE RAVEN QUEEN, MATRON OF DEATH CO MMAND M ENTS OF SEHANINE • Seize your own destiny by pursuing you r passions. • Let the shadows protect you from the burning l ight of fanatical good and the absol ute darkness of evi l. Walk unbridled and untethered, forging new memori es and experiences. BETRAYER GODS The Betrayer Gods are the deities who strayed from the ideals of the Founding and embraced the destructive chaos of the Primordials or grew selfish of their own creations. The Betrayer Gods rarely work together, since they see each other as threats to their own plots and goals. This very weakness allowed the Prime Deities to defeat and banish them, ending the Calamity. ASMODEUS, THE LORD OF THE NINE HELLS The devil god of the Hells is the master of tyranny and domination. His words are honeyed and carefully crafted, soothing and corrupting the mortal heart. Asmodeus rules his domain with an iron fist, and the punishments awaiting those that cross him are the basis of nightmares. Evil entities pay him tribute alongside his devils, and many warlocks are drawn to his power. Asmodeus lords over his fiendish hordes from within his fortress of Nalsheem, nestled in the depths of Nessus, the ninth and deepest of the Nine Hells. Depiction. A twisted image of the celestial blood that once bore him, the Lord of the Nine Hells is revealed in many tomes and murals as a handsome humanoid with deep, red skin and long, black hair. Two curling horns rise from his brow, and his lips bear an eternal, knowing grin. Enemies. Asmodeus's enemies are numerous, even among the Betrayer Gods, many of whom only follow the archdevil for fear of his immense power. His archnemesis is Avandra, the Change Bringer, whose mischief and cunning has vexed him throughout the eons. It was she who defeated him in the Calamity by tricking his fiendish armies into attacking one another. The Devil Lord's greatest triumph during the Calamity was fooling and betraying the Everlight and slaughtering all her followers in one fell stroke-an act that has united the followers of Raei and Avandra in a bond of unbreakable fellowship ever since. CO M MANDM ENTS OF ASMODEUS • Assert dominance and power over others. Show your strength of will in the i mage of the Asmodeus. • Repay cruelty done u nto you with fu rther evi l. If others show you kindness, exploit it. • As you ascend to power, do not pity or show mercy to those you climb over to get there. Compassion is for the weak. BANE, THE STRIFE EMPEROR Blood-drenched armies of brutal warriors oft crush their foes in the name of Bane, the evil patron of war and conquest. To serve his will is to accept the call to conflict, seeking lesser people to break and subjugate. Warmongering nations and goblinoid tribes worship the Strife Emperor as they strike out at the world to bend it
beneath them. Bane twists all living things to his iron will, forcing even nature itself to bow to his whims. Bane plots his conquest of the planes from within the bastion of Banehold, towering among the blood-soaked battlefields of Acheron. Depiction. Bane is often depicted as a brutish, ogrelike man clad from head to toe in jagged black armor. Heads dangle from his belt, and the shadows that obscure his helmeted face do not hide his yellow eyes. Enemies. The Strife Emperor's greatest enemy is Melora, who defeated him at Rifenmist during the Calamity. The Strife Emperor grew his armies by corrupting noble creatures into monsters and destroying the wilds to fuel his terrible engines of conflict, and the two deities clashed many times during the war before his defeat at Beynsfal Plateau. CO M M ANDM E NTS OF BANE • Fear is your ally. Conquer your fear and i nspire it in your foes. • Disorder and rebellion a re to be punished severely. • Combat is the greatest gift, and perfecting your skills to master it is the greatest pursuit. GRUUMSH, THE RUINER Gruumsh commands hordes of barbaric marauders to destroy, pillage, and slaughter for the sheer joy of it. Orderless and without honor, the creeds of the evil hordemaster urge savage creatures to devour the world around them, giving in to the chaotic and selfish nature of the predator. A number of violent clans of humanoids and beasts across Xhorhas pay homage to Gruumsh, asking him to bless their hunts and gift them with spoils worth ruining. Gruumsh rules the barren plains of Nishrek in the chaotic realm of Acheron, where he stokes the fury of his twisted armies and prepares to wage a violent war across the planes. Depiction. Primitive clay representations in barbaric communities of his followers show the Ruiner as a hulkBETRAYER Goos Deity Asmodeus Bane Gruumsh Lo Ith Tharizdun Tiamat Torog Veen a Zehir Alignment Province LE God of the Nine Hells LE Conquest, tyranny CE Slaughter, warfare CE Deceit, spiders CE Darkness, destruction LE Dragon god of evil NE Enslavement, torture NE Necromancy, secrets CE Assassins, poison, snakes ing, bulbous behemoth of an ore. His missing eye has shifted, and the prominent eye is now centered in his face, like a nightmarish cyclops. Enemies. Corellon shot out Gruumsh's right eye during the Calamity, and the god of slaughter longs for the day he can return the favor twofold. Those who serve the Ruiner are sometimes hypnotized by his hateful rage from across the Divine Gate and fall into a strange bloodlust, longing to slaughter elves and those who worship magic at the altar of the Arch Heart. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF GRUU MSH • Ruin. Conquer. Kill. • The weak exist to be crushed by the strong. Be the strong. • There are no emotions but fury and joy. The rest a re weakness. LOLTH, THE SPIDER QUEEN The evil god of deceit, shadows, and spiders, Lolth weaves a complicated web of schemes and treachery through her worshipers, deceiving allies and enemies alike to gain power. It is said that the Spider Queen can see through the eyes of all spiders, and that she is truly all-knowing. Lolth's worship is entwined with the society of dark elves across much of Exandria, but she has lost her influence in Wildemount since the Calamity, when her drow rejected her in favor of the ancient entity known as the Luxon. This slight has drawn her venomous hatred, and she now seeks vengeance against those who betrayed her. Lolth sends forth her corrupting poisons and whispers from her realm of the Demonweb, which is tethered to the Abyss and home to her many spider children. Depiction. Many Lolthite icons and idols show an alluring woman with dark purple skin and silver hair, her abdomen swelling into the terrifying body of a monstrous spider. Enemies. Lolth holds a searing grudge against Kord, the Storm Lord, for with one throw of his mighty thunderspear he impaled her against a cliffside, leaving Suggested Domains Trickery, War Forge,* Order,'"'" War Death, Tempest, War Knowledge, Trickery Death, Grave,* Trickery Order,'°"" Trickery, War Death, Trickery Arcana,>"*'" Death, Grave,'" Knowledge Nature, Trickery Common Symbol Crown of spiked onyx and cu rved horns Flail of chains, each ending in shackles Single, unblinking eye that bleeds Jeweled spider Crooked, seven-pointed star made of chains Taloned dragon claw Three pale arms clawing from a dark void Desiccated hand with an eye in the palm Coi led serpent �' The Forge and G rave domains appear in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. '"'" The Order domain appears in Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica. '"'H' The Arcana domain appears in Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. C HAPTER I I STORY OF WJLD EMOUNT 2 7
'2.8 her drow armies leaderless during the Calamity. Lolth and Gruumsh also share a burning hatred for Corellon, whom she claims drove her children below the earth, and Lolth often manipulates Gruumsh's followers into attacking her enemies so that the drow may remain safe. While Lolth cannot sense the will or power of the Luxon, the entity that is now worshiped by the dark elves of Xhorhas, she is bent entirely toward the destruction of its followers and their memory. CO M MANDM E NTS OF LOLTH • It is better to be loved than feared, but you may certainly try to be both. • Misdirection, slander, and shadowed steps have more fu n ction than direct conflict. • Death to the elves who live u nder the sun, and death to all their allies! THARIZDUN, THE CHAINED OBLIVION It is darkness unending, less like a god and more like another world. Life and death do not exist within Tharizdun, only utter destruction and madness. Even the other Betrayer Gods treat this mad god with caution. In its endless imprisonment, Tharizdun dreams the infinite depths of the Abyss into reality, along with all its demonic legions. The Prime Deities had thought it locked away during the Founding until it nearly returned to ruin the world during the conflicts of the Calamity. Now, its chaotic mind has fallen into more frightful dreams, imagining nightmarish aberrations into existence deep beneath Exandria. The Chained Oblivion's demented cultists work without word from their twisted patron, awaiting the Epoch of Ends, when its freedom will be attained and all beings shall be consumed in deathlessness unending. Tharizdun is believed to be chained in the deepest pits of the Abyss, bound by divine shackles that slowly weaken, leaking its madness into the planes. Depiction. Few visual attempts to depict Tharizdun exist, but the texts speak of a creature of rolling, hungry ink and darkness, a spreading cloud of lightless destruction born from a thousand ravenous mouths. Current references show the nightmare constrained by chains of gold and black, barely keeping the dark at bay. Enemies. The few remaining followers of Ioun are dedicated to ensuring that Tharizdun is never again unchained. Ioun led the charge against the all-consuming destroyer god's reemergence, and her bravery allowed the other Prime Deities to shackle their enemy, though the victory nearly cost her immortal life. Some say Ioun can only be fully restored if the Chained Oblivion is destroyed for good. CO M MANDM E NTS OF THA R IZDUN • Offer and siphon power to Tharizdun until h is l iberation comes . • Uncover, restore, and exalt forgotten shrines and relics in his honor. • Ruin and raze the realms to prepare for the Epoch of Ends. C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDE MOUNT TIAMAT, THE SCALED TYRANT The evil queen of dragons is a fearsome god of greed, envy, and hoarded wealth. While chromatic dragons are her foremost worshipers, Tiamat accepts the worship of any who crave wealth. All chromatic dragons have a fearful reverence for their tyrannical queen, but many dragons of near-deific power and ambition chafe under her rule. Tiamat remains imprisoned in Avernus, the first of the Nine Hells, influencing the souls of chromatic dragons across the planes and seeking the means to free herself. Depiction. Most representations of Tiamat exist as warnings within sanctuaries of the Platinum Dragon Bahamut. She is shown as a drake of frightful size, with massive leathery wings spreading clouds of poisonous mist, while she shouts from five vicious dragon heads, each one a chromatic color of her evil children. Enemies. The Scaled Tyrant's hatred for Bahamut is as old as the Founding, and her cults are ever hunted by his justice. For centuries, the zealous paladins of Bahamut have limited her worship to the chromatic dragons, but a rise in cult activity in the underbelly of Dwendalian society has priests of the Platinum Dragon on edge. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF TIAMAT • Amass wealth, but spend l ittle. The gold-and the power that comes with it-is sufficient reward in itself. Do not forgive nor forget an indign ity to yourself. Let no affront go unpunished. • Take what you covet. Those without the strength to defend their dominion are not worthy to have one. TOROG, THE C RAWLING KING The dark god of the endless tunnels and caverns beneath Exandria, Torog is the patron of torturers, slavers, and jailers across the realms. His violent tears carved the pathways under the world, and his realm of imprisonment is a network of deadly caves and manacles from which few return. Creatures that wander the desolation of Carceri often construct prisons in his image. Those who rob others of their freedom offer prayers to him in cellars and other subterranean domains, and many creatures who live in the darkness below worship him and seek his guidance. Torog remains banished within an unknown sliver of the Far Realm that now borders the deepest pits of the Underdark, where the boundaries between worlds grow thin and birth terrible abominations bent on subjugation. Depiction. The Crawling King is rendered as a swollen, malformed worm that slithers through the dark below, with a screaming, hairless human head at the helm and three arms carving through the lightless rock. Enemies. Pelor and Raei defeated Torog during the Calamity by luring their nemesis above ground. Pelor pierced Torog's tenebrous body with ten thousand lances of sunlight, and the Everlight imprisoned him beyond the boundaries of Exandria. The tears of pain and anger the Crawling King shed burned through Exandria, and his faithful fled into these tunnels to escape their enemies' holy light.
CO M M ANDM ENTS OF TOROC • Seek and exalt p laces where no l ight touches. Revel in the pain you i nflict on others, and relish the pain you suffer you rself as an offering to Torog. • I m prison those who cannot resist you, and d rag all life i nto the darkness. VECNA, THE WHISPERED ONE The lich lord Vecna presides over villainous mages, conspiring politicians, and envious servants as the dark god of necromancy, undeath, and secrets. Once a dangerously clever and powerful archmage-turned-lich, his hunger for dominion over all mysteries and obsession with conquering the pantheon led to his own dissolution, leaving behind only his left hand and eye. His enduring spirit reformed through the ages and managed to reconstruct the Raven Queen's rites of ascension to become the newest of gods to walk Exandria. Defeated by the legendary heroes Vox Machina and sealed behind the Divine Gate, the Whispered One now quietly rules over that which is not meant to be known. Vecna calls no place among the planes his home, instead wandering in search of powerful artifacts and secrets to further his unknowable plots. Depiction. Those who claim to have looked on Vecna's form speak of a tall, skeletal lich swathed in tattered robes and enchanted jewels, missing both his left hand and left eye. Enemies. While Vecna loathes all other gods and wishes to destroy them and become the sole divine power in the planes, he has a particular hatred for Ioun. Ioun seeks to share with the world the same secrets Vecna guards for himself, and his followers work diligently to undermine and destroy the Library of the Cobalt Soul and any others who follow her path. The Raven Queen also despises Vecna, and sees his presence as a mighty affront to her purpose. CO M M ANDM ENTS OF VECNA • Learn all y o u c a n , and keep hidden that which you know. Reveal what p ieces you must, but never the whole. • Express and cu ltivate the evi l within you rself, and in doing so, recognize it in others to exploit them for your own benefit. • Seed the ruin of all who worship other deities, until only those who kneel before Vecna remain. ZEHIR, THE CLOAKED SERPENT A wanderer in the shadows and the creator of snakes and serpentkin, Zehir is the evil god of poisons, assassins, and darkness. The ancient serpentkin worship him over all other deities, dragging screaming offerings to their temples in his honor. Most of the Cloaked Serpent's worshipers were annihilated during the Calamity, and the rest are either suspended in self-induced stasis or hunted for sport by the servants of Lolth and Torog. But perhaps Zehir is merely biding his time, waiting for the proper moment to unleash his hidden armies on the world once more. Zehir subverts and poisons Exandria from the shadowed Towers of Night, hidden among the ever-shifting winds of the Astral Plane. BANE, THE STR IFE EMPEROR L O LT H , THE SPIDER QUEEN THAR l?:DUN, THE CHAINED OBLIVION 29
ToROG , THE C RAWL ING KING TIAMAT, THE SCALED TYRANT VECNA, THE WHISPERED ONE ZEHIR, THE C L O A K E D S E R P E N T Depiction. Many forgotten temples were once built to the Cloaked Serpent, and within these chambers his image was embedded within much of the architecture. He is shown as a human body with six arms and a gargantuan serpentine head, fanged and frilled in aggression. Strands of thick, dark hair that sprout from his scaled body form layers of swirling shadow, obscuring his form. Enemies. Zehir loathes Erathis and Melora, for he despises life, order, and love above all things. His surviving worshipers use poison and fire to undermine civilization and consume nature, hoping to infuriate both gods and cast Exandria into chaos. CO MMANDM ENTS OF ZEHI R • Keep your acts obfuscated and secret. The n ight is your greatest ally. • Strike q ui ckly and without reason. Blind the target with their own confusion. • Kill slowly. Agonizingly. Or worse, make them enjoy it. LESSER IDOLS After the banishment of the pantheon in the Divergence, the mortal realm was left to its own devices. Beyond the trickle of divine assistance allowed by the Divine Gate, mortal creatures are now the keepers of the future of Exandria. This vacuum of influence has given rise to a number of powerful entities who may not rival the gods in their abilities or influence, but now unchallenged, can amass a modest following of their own. These idols present themselves in many different ways, some as honorable guardians of the helpless, and others as the tyrannical gods they aspire to be. Many of these beings have ambitions they wish to fulfill and can offer great power to mortals in exchange for their servitude. ARMS OF THE BETRAYERS Before the Calamity, eight of the Betrayer Gods each forged a sentient weapon using the life force of a greater fiend and gave the weapon to a chosen champion in the kingdom of Ghor Dranas. The Calamity flung these weapons across Wildemount, burying them in mountains, forests, fields, and underground. Several of these weapons have been recovered, but a few have never been found and are highly sought-after. The weaponsor more properly, the fiends bound inside them-attract their own followings of mortal worshipers. When an Arm of the Betrayers is found, it grants its wielder some of the power of the Betrayer Gods and the wisdom of the fiend within. The bound fiends know that their war was lost long ago, but they still desire to be used in battle, win victories, and spill blood in the hands of skilled warriors. As a weapon's wielder becomes more powerful, so too does the weapon, which in turn is able to lend even more magic to the wielder. Whenever a weapon's wielder dies, the weapon disappears and reappears elsewhere. The Betrayer Gods made the following weapons, which are described in more detail in chapter 6: Blade of Broken Mirrors. This stone dagger ofTharizdun has yet to be found after the Calamity. It has the power to warp reality around its wielder. The life
force of a glabrezu named Ragazuu was used to forge the weapon. Grovelthrash. This obsidian warhammer carries the tortured will of Torog and can raze whole structures with a single strike. The life force of an ultroloth named Ciria was used to forge the weapon. Lash of Shadows. This Zehir-touched whip ends in five serpent heads that pump poisons of varying effects into the wielder's foes. The life force of a marilith named Sizlifeth was used to forge the weapon. Mace of the Black Crown. This mace with a fiend's head of ruby carries the boon of Asmodeus, capable of summoning devils for the wielder to command and burning hot enough to melt steel. The life force of an erinyes named Xartaza was used to forge the weapon. Ruin's Wake. This Gruumsh-blessed ivory spear can effortlessly pierce armor and transforms into lightning when hurled. The life force of a balor named Yarrowish was used to forge the weapon. Silken Spite. This rapier has a blade forged from spider silk that gives the wielder Lolth's blessing. The life force of a yochlol named Sinnafex was used to forge the weapon. The Bloody End. This adamantine morningstar bears the boon of Bane, and has yet to be found after the Calamity. It has the power to subjugate the wielder's enemies. The life force of a pit fiend named Izeelzee was used to forge the weapon. Will of the Talon. This war pick bears the mark of Tiamat and makes the wielder impervious to the elements and grants them the power of dragon breath. The life force of an bone devil named Ashtyrlon was used to forge the weapon. CERATOS A being that slipped from the Far Realm into Exandria before the Founding, Ceratos is one of the oldest creatures in the world. A single creature of many minds, Ceratos reveled in chaos. When the Elemental Chaos LESSER I DO LS Deity Alignment Warlock Patron Arms of the NE The Fiend, the H exblade* Betrayers Ceratos CN The G reat Old One Desi rat LE The Fiend, the U ndyi ng;'* Naviask NG The Archfey Quajath CN The Fiend, the G reat Old One The Hag Mother NE The Fiend The Luxon N The Traveler CN The Archfey Uk'otoa NE The G reat Old One, the Hexblade''' Ve sh NE The Archfey, the Undying'"'' Xalicas LG The Archfey, the Celestial'' was divided into four planes, Ceratos retreated underground, their minds unraveling as they entered a nightmarish slumber. The digging of the Crawling King woke Ceratos a long time after. Though their minds were scattered, each desired the return of chaos to unite themselves. So Ceratos sent thoughts to the surface, offering magic to those who could create chaos in the land above, so that they might one day regain their full power. Ceratos tells their followers that chaos brings clarity and destruction begets rebirth. Appearance. Ceratos is thought to be a massive skinless sphere of flesh covered in mismatched eyes, mouths, and tentacles. They can project their minds' thoughts into other creatures, especially those who desire to bring chaos to the world. DESIRAT, THE TWILIGHT PHOENIX Desirat was the companion and mount of Asmodeus during the great wars of the Calamity. Before the Divergence, she was torn from her master by the remnants of the original Cerberus Assembly, who wished to study and harvest the phoenix's fiendish form for their own purposes. After the assembly was destroyed in the war and the pantheon was banished from Exandria, the phoenix remained chained beneath the Cyrios Mountains. Her shadowed flames have scalded and scarred the realm above for centuries, giving birth to the thermal phenomena surrounding Mount Metiri in Western Wynandir. Desirat's sanity has fractured in isolation, lending to delusions of divinity, which she perpetuates in the hearts of those who carry a seed of fiery vengeance by reaching out to them through dreams and visions. Though she once amassed a following with the aid of Uk'otoa's worshipers, who nearly dug deep enough to free her, her followers were then subjugated and scattered when theJulous Dominion took power in the Marrow Valley. She now speaks to the minds of those Suggested Domains Common Symbol Death, War Blade thrust downward through an eight-eyed skull Knowledge, Tempest Three mismatched eyes su rrou nded by teeth Light, Trickery Burning purple feather Life, Nature Wreath of flowers shaped into demon horns Nature, War Ring of teeth Knowledge, Trickery Single red horn Arcana.'"'' Light Hol low dodecahedron Nature, Trickery Arched doorway over a road that vanishes into the distance Knowledge, Tempest Yellow, slitted eye Death, Life Crimson ring hanging from a chain Life, Light Si ngle blackened wing * The Celestial and Hexblade warlock patrons appear in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. ,,,., The U ndying warlock patron and the Arcana domain appear in Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. C HAPTER I I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT
3'2 who lie spurned and angry at night, calling them to unlock their inner flame and let Desirat aid them in their vengeance. Appearance. Desirat is depicted as a giant phoenix of dark purple down, wreathed in purple-black flames. Her sword-like beak is pointed and smooth, while her three onyx eyes peer from beneath bright, burning lids. NAVIASK Once a powerful balor pursuing total annihilation of the Feywild, Naviask was transformed into a fey spirit by Queen Titania of the Summer Court after falling into one of her traps. Titania's magic changed Naviask's mission to destroy into a quest to heal scarred lands with nature. After the Calamity, Naviask was drawn to Exandria, where he currently remains, seeking to heal the devastation and ruin that still plague the world. Naviask's followers say that the strange demonturned-fey wanders the wastes of Xhorhas but is only glimpsed by those he wishes to see him. He aims to heal the land, but the magics that destroyed Ghor Dranas do not easily fade. He searches for those of similar heart and offers to share his power, so that the land might finally be healed. Appearance. Naviask retains his balor shape, but his demonic profile is softened by a verdant hue, and the flowers and vines that adorn his body. The former demon's inner fire has been replaced with sunlight, and he wields a whip made of pure radiance. QUAJATH, THE UNDERMAW The mystery of whether Quajath is a creation or the direct progeny of Torog is unknown, but the deranged, gargantuan worm creature that scouted the Crawling King's advances in the Calamity was thought to have been slain in the ferocious final battles. Leaving a sizable portion of its wounded body behind, a slimy fragment of Quajath burrowed deep beneath the surface and slumbered in the cold earth beneath Eiselcross to recover and regrow. When the Undermaw attempted to rise once more, the elemental ice of Eiselcross proved too strong, and Quajath remains entombed within the frozen north to this day. Some of the wildfolk of Eiselcross have discovered an exposed segment of the Tomb of the Worm, and after generations of feeding on its eternally regrowing flesh, the will of the Undermaw has suffused their minds. Some of these wormkin now wander the world as vessels of Quajath's primal drive and alien mind, helping him psychically reach those whose shattered minds can find purpose in following Quajath, taking its gifts of raw magic and fractured secrets. They seek to one day return and free it from its icy prison. Appearance. Quajath's recovered body resembles a monstrous, muscular worm of folded, bulbous skin covered in tooth-like scales. Its jagged mouth is surrounded by a ring of pointed teeth, with a thrice-forked tongue bearing its three ivory eyes. THE HAG MOTHER Rumored to be the oldest hag and progenitor of all other hags in Exandria, the Hag Mother arrived in the world just after the Founding. She has a soft spot for C HAPTER l I STORY OF WILD EM OUNT humanoids in peril that caused her original coven to exile and bind her to Exandria with a magical curse. She wanders the land, making deals with people in dire straits, offering the power to save themselves in return for their service. The tasks the Hag Mother asks of those who accept her deals are always dangerous and sometimes grotesque and cruel. Some of these quests save lives, while others end them. Others still result in the creation of more hags. Many of the missions seem to serve no purpose, but the Hag Mother always has a plan. Whether her endgame is to destroy her enemies, break her curse, or rule Exandria is known only to the Hag Mother herself. Appearance. The Hag Mother can take any female humanoid form she chooses and often travels in disguise, but her true form is that of a gnarled, purple-skinned crone with stringy black hair, yellow eyes, and red ram's horns that curl back from her forehead. THE LUXON, THE FIRST RADIANCE Very few throughout Exandria have heard of the Luxon, and fewer still believe they even exist. The Luxon is the central deity of the Kryn Dynasty and their way of life, but study of the Luxon beyond the borders of Xhorhas has only recently begun-and such study is mostly motivated by the Dwendalian Empire's desire to gain an advantage in the war. The Luxon doesn't have an active consciousness or personality. The worship of them is largely a system of pure faith, backed by scientific and metaphysical truths that stem from the discovery of the beacons and the Umavi who interpret their meaning (see "Kryn Dynasty" in chapter 2). Priests of the Luxon often study dunamis and its primal arcane nature, while others are born with dunamantic gifts granted by the reality-bending powers of the beacons. Those that do call on the rarer threads of divinity use the beacons themselves as a source of magic. Appearance. By all accounts, the Luxon's original form is believed to be a colossal, shapeless body of impossibly bright light, like a burning star. Followers of the Luxon carry small, often hollow, dodecahedrons as a symbol of their faith. THE TRAVELER This powerful archfey of selfish and anarchic intent, who was once known by the name Artagan, drew the ire of Corellon a millennium ago when his prank-like dabblings on the Material Plane left an entire nascent elven culture worshipping a whale carcass. Banished to the Feywild and barred from the mortal realm, Artagan wandered his home plane for hundreds of years, sowing chaos for his own enjoyment-until he struck a deal with the heroes of Vox Machina that enabled him to return to the Material Plane. There, he embarked on his latest plot of dubious divinity under a new identity: the Traveler. Eccentric, fickle, and prone to whimsy and impulse, the Traveler wanders Exandria, seeking allies and followers who entertain him. Lending his powerful fey magics in the guise of divine boons and weaving a spreading myth surrounding his secretive purpose, the
Traveler appears when least expected and leaves when least preferred. Those who hear of his tenets are prone to disbelief, but the occasional "miracle" serves to reinforce his influence. Does he wish to become a new god, or is this all still just a game? Appearance. The Traveler is often depicted as a tall elf man hidden within a billowing green cloak, the hood obscuring his face except for his knowing grin. UK'OTOA, THE LEVIATHAN LORD Uk'otoa was created by Zehir and terrorized the seas of Wildemount until the Divergence left the leviathan without master or purpose. The surviving indigenous people of the Swavain Islands, the Ki'Nau, took Uk'otoa as their guide and god to rule the waters and bring them prosperity. The leviathan elevated the Ki'Nau to conquer the southern coasts of the continent until the jealous will of Zehir reached beyond the Divine Gate and discovered the insolence of his creation, commanding his followers to seal away Uk'otoa in the bedrock beneath the Lucidian Ocean. Uk'otoa now reaches out to the dreams of nautical wanderers and shipwrecked sailors, lending his power to those who wish to rule the sea as he once did, beckoning them to free him from his suboceanic prison with promises of arcane gifts and the blessing of the blade known as the Sword of Fathoms, an extension of Uk'otoa's will and influence. His consciousness has found the minds of Desirat and Quajath, and the three have a tenuous accord to convince mortals to find and free them from their binds. Appearance. Uk'otoa takes the form of an incredibly massive sea serpent. His coiled and twisting length is covered with fins, scales, and amber eyes, with a head ending in a pointed, fanged jaw and a face of three amber eyes. VESH, THE BLOODY SIREN None know whether Vesh is a witch or a demigod, but she has walked Exandria for centuries, seducing those who pry into forbidden magics and drawing them to her as possible suitors. Acolytes cultivate sects of worshipers who engage in ritualistic orgies and masoch*stic rites, these hedonistic rituals culminating with her selection of a mate. Vesh feeds on the unchosen in a bloody massacre before laying with her selected survivor and vanishing to her realm. Their essences intertwined, she then lends her strength to her mate, watching over them for life. A being with conflicting duality, Vesh has moods that demand sacrifice and pain, and others that ask for benevolence and mercy. Because Vesh's whims are truly unknown, many who wish to gain her favor and attention commit terrible acts. While she has many partners, she is a jealous patron who demands the true heart of her chosen. Those who stray are never heard from again. Appearance. Vesh resembles a nude woman with faintly glowing gray skin, long purple hair, and unnaturally long arms and fingers that end in claw-like nails. Her eyes are pale white with no iris, and her expression varies from alluring to monstrous depending on her mood. XALICAS The Calamity took the lives of mortals and immortals alike. Many angels that fought with the Prime Deities were slain, and most that survived were wounded. The solar Xalicas, the right hand of the Arch Heart, was so injured that even the magic of the gods cannot help the angel regain the ability to see, fly, or leave Exandria. For over a century, Xalicas lay broken and blinded in the Greying Wildlands, moss and plants covering her body, until she had the strength to move, blaming herself for the small part she played in the Calamity. Now Xalicas wanders Wildemount to make up for the sins of the Calamity and prevent another devastating war. Her followers attempt to heal war-scarred lands and repair the natural world. Xalicas knows that alone and in her injured state she cannot stop all the evils in the world, so the angel lends her power to those she finds worthy: creatures who wish to stop unnecessary war, stand up to tyranny, and defend the innocent. Appearance. Xalicas is a silver-skinned solar who wears a clean white bandage around her eyes. Her body is covered in scars, and one of her wings is blackened and burned. ORIGINS OF THE LUXON According to the teachings of the Kryn and the Umavi who scribe their faith, it is believed that long before the gods of Exandria came to shape this world, there was a time when a single Light came from the dark noth ingness. Other lights came i nto being around them, settling as the stars in the cosmos. This one Light, however, resisted the force that beckoned them to burn like their star-fated brethren. This one Light wanted to understand what they were and chose to wander alone, choosing a different path. This choice led to endless stretches of lonely dark, the voices of the stars silent to the Light that walked away. Lonely, they wandered until they found a cold, dark rock: a world. The Light grew fond of this rock, seeing it as lonely as they were, and embraced it. They sparked a fi re within, cracking the surface and giving fiery life to the cold world. From within the fiery core, the Light began to watch the world change and turn, the chaos giving birth to the first souls: the Primordials. Amazed with their children, the Light wanted to guide them to learn of themselves, which in turn would help the Light discover their own pu rposebut the chi ldren warred amongst themselves and killed one another, their souls born of the Light becoming lost to the dark beyond. Confused but determi ned, the Light decided that a time of learning was required, and that a cycle of trial and error mu st be enacted for their chi ldren of chaos to better themselves. Sacrificing a majority of their own essence, the Light created beacons of their own self, crystals of great power that enacted a cycle of rebirth for those who were bound to the Light. This act exhausted the Light, and they fell into a deep slumber within the core of the world, awaiting a time where the chi ldren of their own mind would learn from life to life, through eons of struggle and self-reflection, until the knowledge had matu red enough to reassemble them, awaken them, and the chi ldren could grant the answer to the question the Light had sought from the very beginning: what are they and what was their pu rpose? This Light is now referred to by the mortal followers of the Kryn as the Luxon. C HAPTER 1 I STORY OF WILDEMOUNT 33
�haptcr 2 FACTIONS A ND SOCIETIES UEENS, KINGS, EMPERORS, NOBLES ... BENEATH the rhetoric, it's all the same. They say they fight to protect your families. They say they fight to enforce your beliefs, your honor. Fight for a better tomorrow. Fight for virtue, for prosperity. Bottom line, it's all about fighting, and it's you that diesfighting for their cause. -Unknown soldier, Collected Tales of the Marrow War From the ashes of a land devastated by the Calamity grew the civilizations of a new age. The survivors claimed land across the continent, forged alliances, and made enemies as they fought for power and influence. Wildemount is shaped by the ideals and interests of its factions, from powerful governments to covert societies. This war-torn continent is a fertile landscape for adventurers on a quest for greatness. DWENDALIAN EMPIRE The Dwendalian Empire has reigned over Western Wynandir for over twelve generations. Imperial rule is maintained through its powerful military, its policy of religious restriction, and the support of the secretive Cerberus Assembly. Though these institutions nominally exist to ensure the safety of the populace from foreign threats, terrible dangers that wander the wilds, and lingering evils that seep from the scars of the Calamity, they also allow the empire to maintain strict social order within its territories. King Bertrand Dwendal is now two months past his sixty-eighth birthday, and his iron will has not wavered with age. A tall, powerful man, King Dwendal rewards loyalty and swiftly punishes insolence and failure. His family has developed a totalitarian rule that reaps heavy taxes and looms over society with a military presence that only grows stronger with proximity to the capital city of Rexxentrum. While civic unrest does rise beyond mere mutterings from time to time, reminders of the dangerous creatures that live beyond the guarded borders of each city and the protections offered within the empire generally keep the populace in line. Those that rebel often find themselves in chains or forgotten in a dungeon. Dwendalian society has a rigid caste system, in which denizens who have mastery over the arcane are considered elite members of society. Many Dwendalian ladies and lords came from a sorcerous bloodline or studied the arcane arts within the walls of the Soltryce Academy. Those who especially excel in their magics or were born into prominent families can come to hold power as a member of the Cerberus Assembly, a council of extremely powerful mages that works directly with King Dwendal and his councilors to develop and enforce laws throughout Western Wynandir. However, distrust between the king and the Cerberus Assembly runs deep, for they both wish to eliminate the other and enjoy uncontested power. Most cities and townships throughout the empire are ruled by a local government under the leadership of a starosta, usually a native baron appointed by the Crown and the Cerberus Assembly. Reporting directly to the king's council, the starosta is given absolute control over local government, appointing and maintaining responsibility for the heads of the city guard (watch master), the regional military (warmaster), local commerce (coinmaster), infrastructure (pithmaster), religious practices (idolmaster), and the courts of law (lawmaster). Twice a year, tithe collectors (nicknamed "Reapers") visit each imperial city to inspect households for records and proof of income, collecting a percentage of their earnings in coin as determined by the tithe collector. The empire's military force currently stands at around 35,300 Righteous Brand soldiers across all regiments, and 5,200 Crownsguard across all cities. The majority of the Righteous Brand forces were deployed to fortifications along the Xhorhasian border at the onset of the current war. Soon after the Dwendalian bloodline came into power, there was a short-lived rebellion helmed by religious civilians. It was swiftly quelled and the rebel leaders were executed in an event known as the Admonition. The ruling class has regarded religion with suspicion ever since, believing that faith inspires the unworthy to rise above their station and spark fruitless rebellion. Instead of abolishing all religious practices, the empire regulates worship within its boundaries. All temples are owned and run by the government, and must be dedicated to deities approved by the Crown. Priests and clerics are on the Crown's payroll to preach only approved religious texts. Keeping private shrines or worshiping C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 35
DwENDALIAN EMPIRE CREST outside official temples is punishable by fines or imprisonment. The only deities that are approved by the empire are Erathis the Law Bearer, Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, Moradin the All-Hammer, Pelor the Dawn Father, Ioun the Knowing Mentor, and the Raven Queen, Matron of Death. GOALS The empire uses the plentiful resources of the Marrow Valley and sizable tithes gathered from citizens to protect their people and maintain control over Western Wynandir, while keeping a keen eye out for opportunities to expand their influence across the continent. The empire's religious proscriptions are proving more and more difficult to enforce in this time of conflict. Theolocrat Kon Bruda is helming a new directive to align religious texts with less oppressive terminology, in an attempt to redirect discontent away from the Crown and onto the heretics beyond the borders. Now that tensions with Xhorhas have erupted into allout war with the Kryn Dynasty, the Crown is spreading propaganda through all aspects of daily life to unite the people of the empire against their common enemy. They hope to garner support for the war by reinforcing rumors about the kidnapping of Dwendalian children and the Kryn's violent and cannibalistic nature. RELATIONSHIPS Though many citizens gripe about the empire's restrictive laws, the majority have grown accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle under imperial protection. Fear C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES of the evils that stalk the edges of civilization generally outweighs any frustrations about civil liberties, and the relative peace provided within the confines of Western Wynandir is welcomed. However, dissidents have begun to speak loudly of their discontent, and the growing trend of uproar is making King Dwendal quite irritable. Landlocked and reliant on the trade avenues of the Menagerie Coast, the Dwendalian Empire maintains a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with the Clovis Concord. Agents of both nations watch the borders, and an occasional political gesture of good faith satisfies those in power. Still, the empire doesn't trust the concord by any stretch of the imagination, and a secret world of subterfuge is alive and well. Historically, the Cerberus Assembly has been responsible for much of the empire's acquisition and retention of power, but the royal bloodline has always harbored a paranoid dislike of the council of mages. Handshakes and smiles hide distrust, and the king correctly assumes that the assembly is merely biding their time to attempt to challenge his power. The King and his chamber ignore most foreign powers. Requests for alliances from the Council of Tal'Dorei and the distant city of Ank'Harel have been met with indifference, and efforts to install a skyport in Rexxentrum to enable easier foreign travel have been continuously shut down. FIGURES OF I NTEREST A number of personages maintain the power and influence of the empire, some working to expand its power, while others seek to redeem their country. KING BERTRAND DwENDAL Lawful neutral, male human King Bertrand was raised with the strict beliefs of the Dwendalian royal family, and his mounting responsibilities as the leader of one of Exandria's greatest nations weighs heavily on him. Bertrand is a dark, clever, and often paranoid king-and a lonely one since his wife Duvia passed away nearly ten years ago. Fiercely nationalistic and proud of his heritage, the king harbors a disdain for outsiders and their challenges to imperial rule; he often has emissaries thrown from the borders or imprisoned until a replacement is sent to barter for their release. Bertrand does genuinely wish to protect the lives of his people and be remembered as the best of his bloodline. However, civil unrest is brewing, and his frustrations with the Cerberus Assembly only intensify his forceful demeanor. His only living son, Eidys, has been unable to produce an heir, and King Bertrand fears that his family line will come to an end, an obsession which drives him to seek out a way to prolong his life. CHAMBERLAIN QUESELIA VIR Neutral good, female elf Chamberlain to the previous king and now to Bertrand, Queselia handles all affairs regarding the management of the house of Dwendal. Trusted deeply by the king, Queselia refuses to give into the brooding tendencies of
her monarch and hopes to guide him toward a more just rule. Although she is unable to protect him from his own unreasonable impulses, she hopes to find a way to curb his self-destructive behavior. PRINCE EIDYS DWENDAL Neutral good, male human Heir to the throne of the empire, Eidys has shown great strength in physical combat and war games, but little cunning in social or political matters. Though he was once eager to please his father, the consistent lack of approval has left Eidys jaded. Happy to live an extravagant life free from crushing responsibility, he's been eager to produce a child to whom he could abdicate should his father pass. However, he and his wife, Princess Suria Dwendal, have been unable to conceive. The king has all but given up on his son, leaving the prince dejected and bitter. PRINCESS SURIA DWENDAL Chaotic neutral, female human Wed into the royal family from her own noble house of Saugiss, Suria was filled with pride to bring honor to her family. Unfortunately, the unexpected difficulty in producing an heir has put her and her husband out of favor with the king. Unwilling to give up, Suria is seeking to remedy the situation by any means necessary, no matter how unnatural. PRIME ARBITER SYDNOCK TRUSCAN Lawful evil, male human The Truscan family are longtime allies of the Dwendalian bloodline, and Sydnock managed to advance his family's influence within the empire above most other noble houses. Rising to become the Prime Arbiter of Rexxentrum, Sydnock has final say on all matters of law that do not require the king's attention. A brutal man with a grudge against religious empowerment, Sydnock is constantly attempting to sniff out corruption within the approved structure of worship within the empire. His estranged daughter Lydia disagrees with his ruthless methods and now lives in Zadash as an advocate for civilian rights. CROWN MARSHAL HAYDEN DAMURAG Lawful neutral, nonbinary human As a decorated veteran of the imperial military who has served for nearly twenty years, Hayden is a highly respected soldier and clever tactician who is instrumental in the campaign against the Kryn Dynasty. Known to be stern but adaptable in the face of adversity, they've risen through the ranks and now directly advise the king on all major military actions. Hayden prefers to avoid court life, especially as their practicality often clashes with Sydnock Truscan's cold cynicism. Currently assigned to oversee the defense of the besieged eastern front at the Rockguard Garrison, the Crown Marshal is doing their best to keep their soldiers safe and the enemy at bay. EXCHEQUER AETHIA D ROOZE Lawful neutral, female dwarf Aethia is in charge of the tithes from the various cities within the empire and is the overseer of the biannual collections by her tithe collectors. She absolutely loves numbers and wealth, taking joy in squeezing every copper she can from those who are legally obliged to pay. Obsessed with efficiency and intolerant of sloppy work, Aethia will even comb through the ledgers of her subordinates late into the night in order to achieve numerical perfection. GUILDMASTER KAI ARNESS Lawful evil, male human Kai came to prominence within Rexxentrum through the Arness family's illustrious connections within the merchant guilds of the empire. He earned the nickname "Goldfang" for his penchant for sneaking missing profit from the pockets of businesses unable to pay membership fees and taxes. Respected and feared for ruthlessly governing the many guilds and organizations that drive the Dwendalian economy, his private worship of Asmodeus guides his ambition to mingle with dangerous figures in the empire. The guildmaster often works with Exchequer Drooze to maintain the proper flow of gold into the coffers of the empire. ARGONOMIST JUNE WISTON Chaotic good, female half-elf June is seen as a studious spitfire, and she has unexpectedly proven to also be a masterful bureaucrat with a talent for exploiting legal loopholes. Driven by a youth in poverty, she swore to help repair a broken system of agricultural distribution. By making the right moves and the right friends-and making a loud fuss when necessary-she eventually became a folk hero to the underprivileged. Hoping to watch her eat her words and collapse under the pressure of imperial politics, the Crown offered her chief management over all agriculture in the position of Argonomist. Much to their chagrin, she's proven both driven and capable, pushing for advanced change in the empire. Unable to discard someone so high profile during a time of general unrest, the Crown instead endures her work while attempting to bury her in red tape. THEOLOCRAT KON BRUDA Lawful neutral, male human Once a monk of the Cobalt Soul, Kon Bruda's faith in the Knowing Mentor has waned since accepting the office of Theolocrat. Kon is a specialist in the historical and social workings of modern religion. When the previous Theolocrat passed away, he accepted the post out of a sense of duty, then became accustomed to the lavish lifestyle afforded by his position. He helps the Crown alter existing religious texts and write approved sermons and prayers for distribution throughout the empire. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 3 7
EMISSARY LORD ZEDDAN GRAF Neutral good, male human A beloved noble and socialite from the House of Graf, Zeddan showed prowess in gathering rumors for his own entertainment. The cunning Sydnock Truscan saw promise in Zeddan's talents and recommended him to the king to become the empire's lead emissary. Now acting as the diplomatic contact to the world beyond the empire's boundaries, Zeddan is eager to do the Crown's bidding while rooting out gossip that may prove politically expedient. In his travels, Lord Zeddan often crosses paths with Lord Athesias Uludan of the Cerberus Assembly, and the pair loathe each other deeply. Zeddan is desperately trying to convince the king to install a Skyship Tower in Rexxentrum to make his travels easier. OLIVER SCHREIBER, RETAINER TO THE CROWN Lawful neutral, male gnome Most know Oliver as the immediate head servant to the king and the royal family for nearly three generations, but Oliver is also the secret head of the Augen Trust, the Crown's elite spy network. The Augen Trust uses extreme secrecy, false identities, and infiltration into allied and opposing societies to acquire information and inform the Crown of any threats to its goals. As one of the most trusted members of King Bertrand Dwendal's circle, Oliver holds more power than his compatriots would believe. LAWS OF THE OWEN DALIAN EMPIRE As judged by the eyes of the local lawmaster, appointed hands of that lawmaster, or the Law Bearer herself, any criminals discovered and/or convicted of crimes with in local halls of judgment throughout the empire are subject to punishments befitting the crime. All fi nes and punishments for crimes agai nst a Crownsguard member, Righteous Brand soldier, or noble are doubled. All fines and punishments regarding crimes against an imperial official or associate of the Cerberus Assembly are tripled. Theft: 5-1 0 days incarceration and/or a fine of twice the worth of the stolen goods. Worship of non-empire gods: 30 days incarceration and a fine of 250 gp. Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: 1 2-20 months incarceration and a fine of 1 ,800 gp. Trespassing: 12 days incarceration and/or a fine of 21 5 gp. Failure to pay taxes to the Crown: 5-30 days i ncarceration and a repossession of property equal to the amount owed. Damage to private property: 5-1 5 days incarceration or a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed. Damage to Crown property: l 5-60 days incarceration and a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed. Kidnapping: 60 days incarceration and/or a fine of 800 gp. Assault with intent to injure: 30 days incarceration and/or a fi ne of 350 gp. Assault with intent to kill: 250 days incarceration and/or a fine of 1 ,800 gp, or execution. Murder: 8-1 5 years i ncarceration and/or a fine of 6,000 gp, or execution. Treason: execution. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES KRYN DYNASTY The Kryn Dynasty rules the northern wastes of Xhorhas, and has only revealed itself to the wider world within the past century. Centered around-and underthe ruins of Ghor Dranas in Eastern Wynandir, the dynasty governs many townships and small villages where the Kryn have helped establish a modicum of civilized living among the nomadic wastefolk. They believe that beings not yet beyond redemption can be turned to the light of the Luxon, and often struggle with the unruly denizens of the wastes, hoping to gain converts to their cause and faith. Those that do accept the dynasty often do so because they seek protection from the dregs of the Calamity that wander the wastes, as well as the scouts of the Dwendalian Empire. Dark elves are the most populous race within the Kryn Dynasty. The drow were the first people to uncover the first buried Luxon beacon many ages ago, in a time before they turned from Lolth and escaped enslavement from the Betrayer Gods. The dark elves claimed the dread citadel of Ghor Dranas as their own, as well as the massive network of underground caverns that make up the Underdark ofWildemount. The Kryn are stealthily becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Kryn drow who emerged from the shadowed depths of the caverns beneath Xhorhas now endure periods of sunlight as part of their worship, though their cities are shaded by umbra! magic during daylight hours. When hunting, or in times of conflict, the warriors of the Kryn don their signature chitinous armor. A series of small airways woven through this armor can be opened to emit a loud, clicking buzz to intimidate their foes as they charge. This noise has inspired outsiders to call the Kryn "cricks," referring to this cricket-like din. Artifacts left behind by the Luxon that hold its essence are known as Luxon beacons and are coveted by the Kryn Dynasty as central to their civilization. If a proven soul is ritualistically bound to a Luxon beacon, they can enter a process called the consecution: when a mortal bound to the Luxon dies within a hundred miles of a beacon, the beacon ensnares their soul from its intended afterlife and prepares it to be reborn in a new child within that same vicinity. When that child then matures into adolescence, they begin to recall subtle knowledge from their past life's experiences, a process called anamnesis. Through meditation with a guide, they can unlock the memories of their past lives and become a more complete being. When a soul has cycled enough to believe they are ready to greet the Luxon, they are called an Umavi, or "perfect soul," and are revered within the Kryn society. Some beings that naturally reincarnate, such as the phoenix, are considered holy creatures that carry a shard of the Luxon within themselves. If a life continues long enough to achieve a state of clarity called achess, where they believe that they've learned all they can learn from their current life, they can choose to partake in a ritualistic termination of their current life, assisted by an Umavi in proximity to a beacon, thereby setting them on the path to a new birth. While considered an honor within the Kryn Dynasty, this practice is misunderstood and seen as barbaric outside their culture.
The Kryn Dynasty is a society restructured from the Lolthite history they rejected. The people of the dynasty stand under the first Umavi, known as Bright Queen Leylas Kryn. Beneath the first Umavi, there are twelve noble Dens that mark families of souls who have lived together through generations: Dens Kryn, Mirimm, Thelyss, Hythenos, Icozrin, Biylan, Tasithar, Duendalos, Daev'yana, Omrifar, Beltune, and Zolaed. When someone is believed to be experiencing anamnesis, they submit to a deep meditation with a guide trained in the ways of consecution. This process helps restore memories of the past life, which then mingle with current memories. The awakened soul is then reunited with their Den. Dens do grow as new souls enter the consecution and join their ranks, and new Dens are established with each generation. The oldest Dens, especially those helmed by an Umavi, are held in the highest esteem, and generally answer directly to the Bright Queen. The older the soul, the more prestige it holds in the dynasty. Beneath the Dens of Rosohna, guilds and Den representatives govern the other cities of the dynasty that stretch across Xhorhas, spreading the faith of the Luxon and watching over all Xhorhasians who seek the safety of civilization. This seemingly benevolent societal structure does have a dark side. A closely guarded secret of the highest Umavi is a challenge in the consecution called typhros: some souls that have undergone multiple cycles of the consecution are driven mad when their minds cannot reconcile the memories of many lifetimes. Those who fall to typhros are quietly removed from the dynasty and either left in the wastes or mercifully slain away from the beacons. Signs of madness are beginning to show in the Bright Queen herself, but those closest to her do all they can to shield others from such portents. It is believed that the Luxon cherishes unity in community, but also values free choice and the power of the individual mind. For each soul to carve a unique path is the best way for a soul to learn about the world. Casting off the teachings of Fate and Destiny taught by some of the current pantheon, the followers of the Luxon are taught that the real power of the universe comes from the power of choice. Many possible futures all await your path, and the universe trembles with anticipatory power as you approach every decision. This power is called dunamis, the energy of potentiality, and the coalescing architecture of the multiple futures leading into each moment is released when an outcome is brought to reality. It is the energy that suffuses every Luxon beacon to prepare the lives to come, and it is the basis of the Kryn's unique divine crafts and arcane abilities. The Kryn Dynasty has uncovered four beacons and is certain that more remain to be discovered. It is believed that once all the beacons are brought together, the Luxon will be summoned from their slumber to ask their children the great question and impart the truth. It is said that at this time, the Luxon will take those who entered the consecution and abandon this lesser world to start a new world elsewhere. KRYN DYNASTY CREST The Aurora Watch legionnaires of the Kryn currently number around 2 1,600 in total. Around 1 3,200 Aurora Watch are divided among the cities under the dynasty's protection, with another 3,300 Aurora Watch stationed in and around the capital of Rosohna-formerly known as Ghor Dranas-to keep the peace and defend the region. Approximately 5,100 soldiers are scattered throughout the Underdark beneath Wildemount at different locations of interest, many employing magically controlled purple worms to allow elite units to navigate the caverns quickly. The remainder of the watch is stationed along the border of Western Wynandir to prevent the empire's incursions-and to seize land from the empire as they advance. GOALS The primary objective of the Kryn Dynasty is to seek out and recover the Luxon beacons presumed to be scattered across Exandria. Not only does each beacon bring them closer to the eventual rebirth of the Luxon, they also help broaden the boundaries of the Kryn society as a new center of the consecution, allowing expansion into new lands and the continued conversion of others. With two of their four beacons now missing, the Bright Queen and her people are desperate to discover more of these sacred artifacts. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOC IETIES 39
40 The Bright Queen and her fellow Umavi see the strength dormant in the roving beastfolk and goblinoids of Xhorhas, and have taken to teaching these nomadic peoples their ways, helping them build villages under the banner of the dynasty, and converting them to their faith. Even so, not all ruling Dens like the idea of introducing what they consider lesser creatures into the consecution, leading to tensions between the people of Rosohna and the scattered villages in the Xhorhasian wilds. With some beacons stolen by operatives of the Dwendalian Empire, the entire Kryn Dynasty has mobilized to retaliate. They are gathering armies to assault Western Wynandir while sending assassins and spies through the subterranean paths of the Underdark, hoping to recover the beacons and simultaneously weaken the evil and blasphemous empire. The Kryn Dynasty has spent a generation training and preparing a select group of volunteers to gather information on their enemies and find routes through both political and physical borders. These agents are collectively known as the Lens, a network of spies and infiltrators who can bypass boundaries and assimilate into foreign nations to gather intelligence, help the Bright Queen protect their people, and seek out beacons across Exandria. RELATIONSHIPS Open war has recently broken out between the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire-a conflict that neither nation can afford to lose. Those bearing the colors of the enemy are subdued and questioned before LAWS OF THE KRYN DYNASTY Within the sight of the Luxon, the Umavi, and the Dens who protect the lands ofXhorhas and its people, any who are presented for judgement before the presiding officials entrusted with the wisdom of the Bright Queen are to have their sentence carried our accordingly. All fi nes and punishments for crimes against an Aurora Watch soldier or noble are dou bled. All fines and punishments regarding crimes against a Den official or member of the Bright Queen's council are tripled. Theft: 2-5 days incarceration and a fi ne equal to the worth stolen. Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: 1 0-20 months i ncarceration and a fi ne of 1 , 500 gp. Trespassing: 5 days incarceration and a fine of 1 20 gp. Damage to private property: 5-20 days incarceration or a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed. Damage to dynasty property: 1 2-50 days incarceration and a fi ne of twice the worth of property destroyed. Kidnapping: 60 days incarceration and/or a fine of 800 gp. Worship of Betrayer Gods: 1 50 days incarceration, or execution. Assault with intent to injure: 12 days i ncarceration and a fine of 200 gp. Assault with intent to kill: 200 days i ncarceration and a fi ne of 1 ,200 gp, or execution. Murder: 5-10 years incarceration and/or a fine of 4,000 gp, or execution. Treason: execution. CHAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCI ETIES being punished and sometimes executed. Judgment is swift against the perceived imperial oppressors, and the forces of Rosohna will continue to push until their foes yield the stolen relics. Though the Kryn have remained fairly isolated throughout their history, they are now reaching out to other factions in the hopes of making alliances against the Dwendalian Empire. The Kryn Dynasty has begun hiring mercenaries through the Tribes of Shadycreek Run and purchasing dangerous weapons of war from the Myriad. Rumors of strange magics and powerful relics in northern Eiselcross have reached the dynasty's ears, and they are willing to seek out any potential advantage over their Dwendalian foes. There are many humanoid tribes that roam the southern reaches of Xhorhas that have declined to ally themselves with the Kryn-or to be assimilated by them. While the Bright Queen has allowed them to continue their neutrality for the time being, she watches them closely, lest they be courted by the empire's coin and empty promises. FIGURES OF INTEREST There are many powerful figures that guide the faith of the Luxon and the expansion of the Kryn Dynasty's power and influence. BRIGHT QUEEN LEYLAS KRYN Lawful neutral, female dark elf Leylas was present when the first beacon was found a millennium ago, and has lived eight lifetimes of intense struggle and self-discovery since. She built the dynasty around her journey, spearheaded the recovery of the four beacons known to the Kryn, and died numerous times in the defense of her people. Leylas Kryn is deeply revered and respected as a mighty warrior, an empathic leader, and the elder Umavi who guides her people in the light of the Luxon. Her behavior has grown erratic at times, worrying her trusted inner circle, but she is far too driven to acknowledge such weakness in a time of war. DUSK CAPTAIN QUANA KRYN Neutral good, female dark elf An extremely powerful echo knight and general of the forces of Rosohna, Quana has been Leylas's partner for three of her lifetimes, and five of Leylas's. She is wholly devoted to her people-and her queen. Quana holds a private hope that the Kryn might one day leave the inhospitable wastes of Xhorhas and find a proper place in the world among the other peoples of Exandria. The Bright Queen was once receptive to her ideas, but Ley las Kryn has no time for idealism in this age of war. Quana is disappointed, but she is more worried by the strange shifts in her partner's usually wise and controlled demeanor.
SHADOWHAND EssEK THELYSS Neutral evil, male dark elf Just over a hundred and twenty years old and still within his first life, Essek is a prodigy who displays an unprecedented talent for the manipulation of dunamis energy. Essek is both respected and feared for his intelligence and cunning, and he carefully plots each step he takes to further his and his Den's climb up the hierarchy of the dynasty. Essek is more interested in dunamancy magic than worshiping the Luxon, and he is strangely excited for the war with the empire. He is eager to use the conflict as an excuse to practice the deadlier aspects of dunamancy, and also curious to see what the powerful minds of the Cerberus Assembly may have gleaned from their research into the beacon they stole. SUNBREAKER 0LOMON Neutral, male minotaur Having lived a number of lifetimes as an early follower of Leylas, Olomon has settled into this recent life as a massive minotaur, embracing the abilities granted to him on the battlefield and taking his place as a champion on the front lines. His presence inspires his fellow warriors, and his cunning has led the armies of the Kryn to many victories against the empire. TASKHAND VERIN THELYSS Lawful good, male dark elf An acclaimed soldier and talented leader, Verin Thelyss is the younger brother of Essek and the youngest soul of Den Thelyss. Verin lacks his older brother's ambition but possesses a keen sense of justice and honor. Recently given command of Kryn forces in Bazzoxan, Verin hopes to bring about a victory for the dynasty that will grant him respect and acceptance from his accomplished family. SKYSYBIL ABRIANNA MIRIMM Lawful neutral, female goblin Seen by many within the dynasty as a talented diviner and voice of reason, Abrianna is an Umavi nearly as old as the Bright Queen herself. The beloved Skysybil has spent her current lifetime as a goblin, a fact that has drawn both ire and jests from the Bright Queen's court for decades. This experience has given Abrianna a new perspective on the wastefolk under the dynasty's banner; she is now one of the few councilors in the Lucid Bastion who bother to vouch for the goblinkin. PROFESSOR Tuss WAccoH Neutral, female half--orc A scatterbrained scholar whose subtle brilliance has increased the effectiveness of the dynasty warmachines, Professor Waccoh usually oversees a number of academic programs and private research projects at the Marble Tomes Conservatory within the Firmaments of Rosohna. Recently obsessed with the desolate, cursed lands of Blightshore and the mysteries that lie hidden within, Tuss is actively seeking allies and mercenaries to send into the dangerous lands to recover information, relics, and specimens for further study. CERBERUS AS SEMBLY The Cerberus Assembly was established nearly three hundred years ago, when strife and competition between warring mage lords threatened to unravel the social order of the Dwendalian Empire. The house leaders of this conflict nearly destroyed one another in what was called the Eve of Crimson Midnight, an arcane battle within the capital of Rexxentrum that leveled two wards of the city, killing hundreds of civilians. At the peak of the violence, a parlay was called, and the mage lords decided to put aside their differences and avoid mutually assured destruction, instead joining as a unified conclave. When brought before the king for judgment of their crimes, they offered an accord to instead officially instate the conclave and submit entirely to king's rule. Taking the name the Cerberus Assembly, a reference to a powerful, historical union of mages during the Age of Arcanum, the mages took the empire to new heights of power and expansion. In the centuries since, the Cerberus Assembly has subtly ingrained itself within most facets of the empire's government, becoming a force of political and military power that many say could rival the king himself. This reality is not lost on the royal council, and tensions often simmer between the assembly and the Crown. The mages of the assembly are known for their extravagant lifestyles and intimidating history of political and economic control, and much of the populace mistrusts them, though no one dares to cross them or the king. There are eight ruling positions within the assembly, and the families of each member are appointed as lesser members without responsibility, called "annexes." Mages of the assembly wander throughout the empire with little fear of argument or resistance. Members are elevated into one of the eight major offices on the death of a member that leaves an office vacant, or when a standing member abdicates their position. The remaining members then recommend replacements and vote on the mage to fill the newly open office. GOALS The assembly plays the long game, working to subtly increase its power across the empire and beyond. Popular decisions are often publicly presented as the will of the assembly, while conflicted issues are tailored to seem purely the "will of the Crown," driving a wedge between the two bodies. The assembly seeks to write history to favor its members as the architects of modern law and culture, with the eventual goal of subverting the power of the king, turning him into yet another puppet of the assembly's goals. Assembly mages believe that only they have the knowledge and talents to truly guide the empire into greatness. Aside from political matters, the assembly is focused on locating and excavating powerful relics and magic lost to the Age of Arcanum. Its members believe that their original namesake was the apex of society across all history, and they seek to reclaim their place as paragons of mortal rule. Thus, all salvaged texts and artifacts of power from that era are to be recovered at all costs. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES
4'2 The curious discovery of the power behind the Kryn Dynasty has recently drawn much of the assembly's attention. The mysterious, primal force known as dunamis could change the world's understanding of magic itself-and could even be the key to placing the assembly above all other rulers and nations. In pursuit of this goal, agents of the assembly stole two Luxon beacons from the Kryn Dynasty, though they subsequently lost one to a band of adventurers called the Mighty Nein. The assembly has dedicated immense effort to studying and exploiting this new form of magic, knowing full well that stealing the beacons is what caused the current war in the first place. RELATIONSHIPS The assembly has worked directly with the king and his chamber for so long that the two factions have become deeply intertwined, frustrating both of them. Though they rely heavily on each other, every smile and agreement barely conceals an undercurrent of venomous loathing. Some members of the assembly feel that it is far too soon to overtly challenge the Crown, while others believe it would be foolish to miss the opportunity the war is creating. The assembly has established itself as the more forward-thinking face of the empire to the outside world, with Lord Athesias Uludan going out of his way to upstage the Crown at every diplomatic opportunity, all "in the name of the king." Most foreign officials happily deal with the assembly instead of the Crown, especially those of the empire's closest trade partner, the Clovis Concord. The assembly ensures that such meetings are recounted to the king with embellished tales of their diplomatic success. The acquisition of a Luxon beacon and the hunger among assembly mages to unlock its powers have drawn the animosity of the Kryn Dynasty, triggering their attacks on the empire. FIGURES OF I NTEREST The mysterious minds of the Cerberus Assembly often quarrel over goals and methods, but ultimately these eight mages are united by their heritage and a shared thirst for knowledge. MASTER TRENT I KITH ON, ARCHMAGE OF C IVIC INFLUENCE Chaotic evil, male human Trent is respected as the acclaimed Propagandist of the empire and the third oldest member of the assembly. Once an instructor at the Soltryce Academy, he only returns every few years to collect young students for his experiments in the mental conditioning that he calls "awakening." Many of these students go mad and are locked away, but those who endure become zealots for the assembly and join the Volstrucker, an elite group of arcane thugs commonly known as Scourgers, who perform the assembly's dirtiest work under Trent's direction. C HAPTER 2 \ FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES MARTINET LUDINUS DA'LETH, ARCHMAGE OF DOMESTIC PROTECTIONS Lawful evil, male elf Ludinus is the oldest and only original member of the assembly, as well as the master of warfare and conflict. Charged with overhauling the military structure of the Dwendalian Empire, Ludinus directed the construction of the garrisons on the Xhorhasian border and often oversees their maintenance. He was one of the mages who survived the destruction of Molaesmyr and fled to Bysaes Tyl, but he saw the opportunity to achieve greatness within the empire and left his culture behind to continue his arcane pursuits. Wise, if emotionless, he bears a deep hatred for the Kryn Dynasty and spares no effort gathering information on their weaknesses and secrets. Ludinus spends most of his time developing arcane weapons of war and shoring up the military might of the empire, while subtly challenging the leadership of Crown Marshal Damurag. BARONESS JENNA IRESOR, ARCHMAGE OF INDUSTRY Neutral doppelganger One of the younger members of the assembly, Jenna is known for her business acumen and her extravagant lifestyle. By hiding her nature as a doppelganger and using memory-altering magics at a young age to fabricate a false past, Jenna constructed her human persona from the ground up, leveraging her powers of deception to essentially write herself into history as a Clovis Concord expatriate. She helps oversee central guild business in Rexxentrum under Guildmaster Kai Arness, and helps Exchequer Aethia Drooze organize the collection of tithes through starostas across the empire. MASTER DOOLAN TVERSKY, ARCHMAGE OF DYSOLOGY Chaotic neutral, female gnome The second-oldest member of the assembly, Doolan is in charge of the study and understanding of abnormal creatures and deviants of arcane creation that might threaten the empire's way of life. She is an absentminded yet brilliant gnome who is obsessed with all beasts, aberrations, and creatures of legend. Doolan imports creatures from around the world to study, disassemble, and use in her attempts to revolutionize magical practices. She resents the Library of the Cobalt Soul, as her reputation has caused them to bar her from their facilities. She wishes to catalog the unstudied horrors of Xhorhas and has covertly obtained the services of the Myriad to retrieve new specimens. LORD ATHESIAS ULUDAN, ARCHMAGE OF D IPLOMATIC UNION Neutral good, male human Athesias's charm and bombastic personality serve him well as a diplomat. His duty is to foster a positive relationship with people of power both within and beyond the borders of the empire. He was originally one of the most effective instructors at the Soltryce Academy, but his penchant for spectacle and his rampant narcissism
made him a difficult ally to trust with state secrets. When the office of Diplomatic Union opened, he was quickly and quietly reassigned. Athesias finds great pleasure in ruining or usurping the plans of his counterpart in the Crown's employ, Emissary Lord Zeddan Graf. LADY VESS DE ROG NA, ARCHMAGE OF ANTIQUITY Neutral evil, female half-elf A public recluse for most of her life, Vess is both a brilliant mage and dedicated historian. She assumed this post after replacing her criminal predecessor, Lady Delilah Briarwood. As an instructor at the Soltryce Academy for over two decades, Vess has studied and unraveled a number of historical mysteries and pre-Calamity riddles-and hoarded some of the spoils for herself. Always eager to pursue forgotten lore and artifacts of eons past, Vess has been known to quietly vanish to Xhorhas for weeks at a time, returning with fewer guards and more uncovered secrets. HEADMASTER ZIVAN MARGOLIN, ARCHMAGE OF CONSCRIPTION Lawful neutral, male human Zivan Margolin inherited the position of headmaster from his father, the latejorma Margolin. Zivan has been the headmaster of the Soltryce Academy in Rexxentrum for nearly twenty years. Calm, patient, and quietly imposing, Zivan walks the halls of the Academy with a keen eye for talent. He is in charge of the curriculum and also watches for any latent powers that may be worth grooming as future allies of the assembly, dangers to be monitored, or prospective minds for Ikithon to conscribe into the Volstrucker. Zivan has rarely had the opportunity to demonstrate his full power, for he is typically busied with keeping the peace between the feuding members of the assembly. Those who have witnessed his true might, however, now know that his words are backed by some of the most powerful magics within the Cerberus Assembly. HEADMASTER 0REMID HASS, ARCHMAGE OF CULTIVATION Lawful neutral, male earth genasi The current headmaster of the Hall of Erudition in Zadash, Oremid is tasked with watching and grooming the next generation of mages and arcane specialists outside Rexxentrum. While he himself is a gentle soul who adores animals, he puts on the fa<;ade of a strict man with no sense of humor, which is further enhanced by the elemental influence of his earth genasi blood. He teaches students that failure is not an option, and that emotion is a barrier to one's true ability. Equally feared, respected, and privately loathed by the students (and some instructors), Oremid personally dismisses those who break under his school's curriculum and heaps joyous praise on those who endure their training. CLOVIS C ONCORD Nearly four hundred years ago, an alliance of the Ki'Nau islanders and foreign Marquesian traders founded a new nation on the tropical Menagerie Coast. The Clovis Concord is a democratic nation that enforces law and order, and regulates commerce along the length of the coast. The nation is composed of eight independent citystates, each ruled by its own marquis, which operate as one union under the banner of the Clovis Concord. This arrangement ensures uniform laws, regulation of trade, and mutual protection between the city-states. These eight cities are Port Damali, Port Zoon, Gwardan, Tussoa, Othe, Feolinn, Nicodranas, and Brokenbank. Open shipping lanes and inviting tropical scenery have made the domain of the Clovis Concord a cultural melting pot and a popular place to live or visit. Knowing this, the respective marquises uphold a long tradition of welcoming all weary travelers and providing an atmosphere of color and delight. If there is gold to be spent, the concord is eager for you to spend it within their cities. Between the venues for entertainment and vice, and the ample business opportunities, the concord hopes to convince those with wealth to spend it here, outside the gates of the Dwendalian Empire. Internally, each marquis of the Clovis Concord keeps a tight grip on the shipping and trade that comes though their cities, overseeing all guilds that organize imports and exports and managing a handful of guildmasters that form the backbone of local commerce. When a marquis dies or is impeached by the other members of the concord, the remaining members choose a successor. Warriors who prove their might through gladiatorial bouts during times of celebration and ceremony are asked to join the Zhelezo, a well-paid guard force that works for the governing marquis to enforce the laws. Cities have one or more magistrates that oversee judgment on legal matters and criminal punishment. While the cities do work together for the good of the concord, they are also each in silent competition with each other, flaunting their affluence and clientele at every opportunity. When a prominent figure from the far reaches of Exandria finds their way to the Menagerie Coast, it's not uncommon for them to be courted by multiple marquises in an attempt to convince the personage to stay as a guest of their city. In recent times, the Myriad has subtly infiltrated the Clovis Concord, often with the unwitting aid of greedy local politicians. Rumors of criminal collusion have raised suspicion amid members of the concord. Sooner or later, the tension will have to break-and the fallout won't be pretty. Despite the concord's cordial relationship with the Dwendalian Empire, their proximity to the imperial power is a lingering source of unease. Currently, the concord maintains a standing military of 7,800 Shore Warden soldiers across the coast, a nautical fleet of 370 ships, and 5,200 Zhelezo divided between the cities. Some of the Shore Wardens are posted inland, scattered around and within the Cyrios Mountains, where they maintain forts along the border with Western Wynandir and the Dwendalian Empire. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 43
CLOVIS CONCORD CREST GOALS The Clovis Concord is concerned with maintaining the trade and commerce that ensures their continued influence, both in Wildemount and the rest of Exandria. Anything that might jeopardize business is viewed as a major threat to the sanctity of life along the Menagerie Coast. Faced with the hazards of dangerous creatures that lurk in the nearby jungles and beneath the waves, as well as piracy on the open waters, the concord is employing substantial numbers of adventurers and mercenaries. Forty years ago, when the concord worked to enforce rising taxation on independent merchant companies operating within the Menagerie Coast, the outrage led a small union of angry enterprises to turn to piracy, calling themselves the Revelry. These pirates have claimed the island of Darktow and terrorized the shipping lanes for four decades, all while deftly avoiding pursuit and naval retribution. The concord is eager to destroy the Revelry in its entirety, and have put massive bounties on the heads of the so-called scourges of the ocean. RELATIONSHIPS After the fall of the Julous Dominion and the rise of the Dwendalian Empire, the concord was eager to reach a diplomatic arrangement with the victorious empire. The empire recognized the difficulty of conquering the Clovis Concord and the challenge of managing their immense network of international trade, and acquiesced CHAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AN D SOCIETIES to a treaty. This loose alliance has been mutually beneficial for many generations, and the concord city of Nicodranas acts as a common ground for people of both nations. Both imperial Crownsguard and local Zhelezo keep the peace in Nicodranas, and both imperial and concord laws hold sway within the city. While this arrangement occasionally causes strain between the two governments, the marquises of the concord are happy to have the buffer of the empire between them and the ravenous wastes of Xhorhas. As the war between the empire and Xhorhas continues to grow, the concord is determined to stay neutral. This has caused some tension with the empire, but nothing the concord worries will overshadow their long-standing treaty. FIGURES OF INTEREST Though the marquises of the Clovis Concord outwardly embrace the spirit of cooperation on which their nation was founded, most scheme and conspire against one another to attain ever-greater power. OLESYA LAPIDUS, MARQUIS OF PORT DAMALI Neutral good, female human The Lapidus family's work in protecting and continuing the prosperity of the city for four generations has kept a Lapidus as Marquis of Port Damali for just as long. Olesya was raised as a boy, but quickly discovered that she identified as female and transitioned in her youth. As the fourth and current leader of Port Damali, Olesya takes pride in her charge and is respected by the rest of the concord. However, with the growing distraction of the Revelry, Olesya failed to notice the infestation of Myriad agents throughout her city and the guilds beneath her. Now realizing the dangerous web surrounding her and the interests of her city, she is seeking a way to turn the tide. ZHAFE ULUDAN, MARQUIS OF NICODRANAS Lawful neutral, male human Zhafe is a distant relative of Lord Athesias Uludan of the Cerberus Assembly; his placement within the concord was primarily a diplomatic concession to maintain a positive relationship with the empire. However, Zhafe shuns this notion, insisting that he earned his role on his own merits, and eagerly organizing small galas and parades to ensure his popularity among the citizens of Nicodranas. Even so, he secretly fears the assembly and bows to Athesias's requests whenever they meet, making him a useful pawn. ALAMADS HAnnou, MARQUIS OF PORT ZooN Neutral good, male dwarf The old, crotchety, and honorable leader of the industrial city of Port Zoon, and head of the Silverbone Smithing Guild that operates all along the coast, Alamads is widely known for his insurmountable will and strong sense of duty to his people. As a former Shore Warden and a legendary ironsmith, his skill with a hammerboth on and off the battlefield-has earned him great respect, as well as the whispered nickname of "Ironpuss."
VASAN ATRITH, MARQUIS OF GWARDAN Lawful good, female elf Unflappable and driven to protect the people of her city, Vasan is a bit of an outsider among the other marquises of the Clovis Conchord for her standoffish nature and the way she unapologetically prioritizes the wellbeing of her city over that of the whole coast. Though Vasan presents herself as aloof and uninformed, much of her political persona is intended to sow underestimation of how informed and clever she may be. PORTCALLER MAZIN "FAT FISH" FAHREED Neutral, male tabaxi Tough as nails and quick to bite back, Mazin is an honorable tabaxi and dependable leader in times of trouble. This led to his rise as the Portcaller of the island village of Broken bank, the first major trade junction along the Menagerie Coast. Though the village is small, Mazin deals with a perpetual string of smugglers and pirates while also organizing the incoming and outgoing shipping lanes for much of the coast. Even so, Mazin is rarely included in major concord business, to his obvious and public frustration. THE MYRIAD Any civilized society will turn the people it has failed into criminals, and the societies of Wildemount are no exception. The continent's largest criminal organization took shape about eighty years ago, when a shipping company in the Dwendalian city of Yrrosa turned to smuggling contraband to make ends meet. This tightknit group of clever smugglers soon began to bargain with their competitors, employing blackmail and offering membership to their organization as an alternative to elimination. The syndicate grew with alarming speed, infiltrating the criminal underbelly of every major city in Western Wynandir. Masquerading as purveyors of antiquities and foreign textiles, the Myriad focuses on providing their clients with exotic goods, such as illicit substances and magical beasts, or supplying hired muscle to intimidate their clients' rivals. The worst of the Myriad even deal in human merchandise. Originally centered in Yrrosa, the Myriad now operates across the continent as a loose network of gang bosses who run their own local sects without direct oversight from the mysterious heads of the syndicate. Each satellite group is expected to regularly deliver information and a cut of their profits to the leadership. Those who fail to pay up receive quiet threats of enslavement or assassination-and the Myriad always makes good on its threats. Members of the Myriad are sworn to keep their syndicate secret by pretending that their chapter is still just another local gang. This has given the Myriad a sinister and enigmatic reputation, which further obfuscates its activities from the authorities. Since members of the the Myriad prefer coercion to public displays of violence, officers of the law often fail to recognize Myriad activity until it's too late. The empire scored a major victory fifteen years ago when they discovered and raided the central Myriad stronghold in Yrrosa, forcing the surviving leadership to scatter across the continent. The Myriad has emphasized the narrative of its own fall in order to keep a low profile, though in fact it has retained most of its power. Its influence has stretched to the distant corners ofWildemount as it bide its time and waits to reinstate its control within the empire. Shifting tactics, the Myriad has now begun seeding major factions with double agents, who turn the most foolish or corrupt of their colleagues into the Myriad's unwitting pawns. GOALS The loss of their headquarters taught the surviving Myriad leaders to temper their arrogance with caution. Now a decentralized network of allies and informants, the Myriad is reconnecting with their temporarily dormant contacts, not all of whom are happy to see their cruel masters return. Beyond the borders of the Dwendalian Empire, the Myriad has deftly utilized the chaos of the Revelry's decades-long reign of piracy to infiltrate the guilds of the Clovis Concord. Between the war in the east and the distractions on the western waters, there has never been a better time for the Myriad to strike. LAWS OF THE CLOVIS CONCORD All who are found by the esteemed Zhelezo to have broken the fair laws of the Clovis Concord are judged and sentenced by the local magistrate and are subject to punishments befitting the crime. Al l fi nes and punishments for crimes against a Zhelezo official or a noble are doubled. All fines and punishments for crimes against a Clovis Concord official are tripled. Permits must be purchased and owned to do business for more than 15 days in Menagerie Coast cities. Per mits are approved and purchased from the Compass Lodge instal lations. All religions are legal to practice in private, but public worship of Betrayer Gods is considered dangerous to public discourse and is strictly forbidden. Theft: 3-10 days incarceration and/or a fine of twice the worth stolen. Public worship of Betrayer Gods: 10 days incarceration and/or a fi ne of 300 gp. Ownership of another intelligent humanoid creature: 6-1 2 months incarceration and/or a fine of 1 ,000 gp. Trespassing: 7 days incarceration, and/or a fine of 1 00 gp. Failure to pay taxes to the Clovis Concord: 3-1 5 days i ncarceration and a repossession of property equal to the amount owed. Damage to private property: 5-1 5 days incarceration or a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed. Damage to concord property: 30-60 days incarceration and a fine of twice the worth of property destroyed. Kidnapping: 30 days i ncarceration and/or a fine of 500 gp. Assault with intent to injure: 15 days incarceration and/or a fine of 250 gp. Assault with intent to kill: 1 70 days incarceration and/or a fine of 1 ,000 gp. Murder: 5-1 0 years incarceration and/or a fine of 5,000 gp. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 45
RELATIONSHIPS Merely mentioning Myriad activity within the Dwendalian Empire or the Menagerie Coast is enough to draw unwanted attention; members of the local law enforcement might investigate the rumors-and the person who started them. Those involved with the Myriad often vanish into the darkest prisons, or worse. Though the Myriad has apparently scattered since the raid on their base in Yrrosa, the authorities still keep an eye open for cell activity. Twenty years ago, the Myriad established satellite cells in the distant lands of Tal'Dorei and Marquet. Since their headquarters in Wildemount was destroyed, some have suggested sending agents across the oceans to reinforce their foreign operatives. If the network can quickly regain its former strength, there will eventually be little chance of stopping the spread of its power and influence. In the supposed absence of the Myriad, the Tribes of Shadycreek Run have begun to push into the empire to stake their claim in Myriad territory. The leaders of the Myriad watch from the shadows and plot ways to conscript (or, if necessary, to destroy) the prideful families of Shadycreek Run. FIGURES OF INTEREST The dangerous aspirations of the Myriad are driven by a curiously scattered collective of intelligent liars. IRIS BETHELAS Lawful evil, female human This lovely, elderly woman is deeply respected and beloved for her wise, spiritual guidance and seemingly gentle demeanor. This persona kept her safe in Yrrosa, and now in Rexxentrum, where she is one of the masterminds planning the return of the Myriad. Insightful, clever, and unhesitating in her cruelty, Iris has long been considered the driving force behind the Myriad's success. DOCTOR WALDORF PERIFEATHER Lawful evil, male halfling A talented physician and healer, Waldorf often travels between Port Damali and Zadash, tending to affluent patients with rare diseases. His proximity to powerful figures in their most vulnerable moments grants the good doctor a source of highly sensitive information and a reputation as a savior. This combination of influence and access makes him a key information broker for the Myriad. THE GENTLEMAN Neutral evil, male water genasi The Gentleman has held a position of influence in the shadows of Zadash for nearly two decades, using his charm and connections throughout the city to carve a sizeable niche for himself in the Underworks beneath the city. These days, he's respected as a suave crime lord with dozens of reliable cutthroats and thieves at his beck and call. C HAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES KORSHAD SEDDIKI Neutral evil, male human A patient and intimidating figure in the underground of Deastok for over forty years, Korshad is often known as the "debtkeeper." He sends agents and missives to individuals throughout the empire who fall behind on their payments to the Myriad. Korshad is a mysterious figure by his own design, and he shrouds himself in illusion magic for his own protection and prestige, feeding the whispered myths about him that are legendary in unscrupulous circles. CHESSIA WAKIAM Lawful neutral, female elf A talented songstress and dancer renowned throughout the Menagerie Coast for her sweet voice and enchanting allure, Chessia is a popular performer in many opulent social circles across Port Damali. Chessia uses her charming persona to deflect suspicion as she weaves her way into the lives of politicians and guild masters to steer them toward Myriad interests. CHILDREN OF MALICE In the echoing stillness that followed the Divergence, the ruined lands of the surface retained remnants of civilizations trying to rebuild their world from the ashes. Below, however, the surviving children of Lolth could feel her presence fade with her banishment. The chains she held over her drow were weakened, and those who had found renewed faith and purpose in the discovery of the Luxon abandoned their terrible mistress and slowly climbed their way to the surface to reclaim Ghor Dranas and be rid of their spiteful god for eternity. Still reeling from her banishment to the Abyss, Lolth felt a rapid shift in her influence as these drow turned from her. Her fury burned with a poisonous hate, and she seethed in her webs as she plotted vengeance on her ungrateful and treasonous progeny. As time passed and her dark divinity gradually recovered, the Spider Queen set aside her pride in favor of her wish to punish; she began seducing the minds of goblinoids, beastfolk, and the wayward people of the wastes, creeping into their dreams and convincing them to love her, bending them to join in her violent hate for the rising Kryn Dynasty. She found drow who felt spurned by the Dens of the dynasty and preyed on their fears and insecurities, amplifying their xenophobia as the dynasty recruited more and more outsiders to their cause. Gradually, Lolth developed a new network of scattered worshipers, spies, and assassins. She calls them her Children of Malice, and they will gladly serve as the instruments of her revenge. The Children of Malice aren't numerous, but they are clever, driven, and directed by a god of pure hatred. They established hidden cabals throughout the fringes of Xhorhasian society, forming motley bands of Lolthite bugbears and hobgoblins who raid outlying Kryn settlements. Drow agents of Lolth have infiltrated even the highest echelons of Kryn society, slowly poisoning the dynasty both metaphorically and literally. The true extent of this infiltration is only now being uncovered
within Rosohna, spreading fear throughout the dynasty as the war against the Dwendalian Empire continues to divide the attention of the Bright Queen between the enemy outside and the enemy within. GOALS The primary goal of the Children of Malice is to subjugate and dismantle the flourishing, Luxon-worshiping dark elf society in Xhorhas. They wish to raze everything the Kryn have built, crush their will, ruin the holy implements of the Luxon, and drag these broken, traitorous drow back under Lolth's influence and command. To achieve this goal, Lolth and her children know well the necessary tenets of secrecy, lies, and patience. Most of their spies are sleeper agents who wait in the shadows, quietly gaining converts while worming their way into the heart of Rosohna and awaiting the order to strike. RELATIONSHIPS The Children of Malice have no formal alliances; they prefer to infiltrate other factions as part of their design to undermine the dynasty. Keeping their true nature hidden, members of the Children trade with outlying camps and townships across the Wastes for supplies and information. Thus, their informants are usually unaware they are informants as they trade gossip for goods and conversation, unwittingly feeding the enemy. FIGURES OF INT������������- EREST The Children of Malice vary dramatically in both appearance and methods. ZYN DAEV'YANA Lawful evil, male dark elf Zyn was born in squalor in the Coronas of Rosohna. Lolth found him at his nadir and showed him how to refine himself into a true liar. He's since risen to become one of the more even-tempered members of Den Daev'yana, climbing the ranks as a respected strategist and writer. Using his position to sew discord and doubt amongst the Dens, he privately communes with the Spider Queen as one of her most trusted operatives. ERELDRA lCOZRIN Neutral evil, gender-fluid dark elf A talented harpist lauded throughout Rosohna for their musical gifts, Ereldra worshiped the Luxon before they were betrayed by their own brother, who sabotaged their marriage to their wife. Lolth found Ereldra in their despair and molded them into a valuable spy. Ereldra weakens in the social foundation of the Dens by spreading rumors and telling lies. A DwENDALIAN FARMER, A TRADER OF THE KRYN DYNASTY, ANO A FISH ERMAN OF THE CLOV IS CONCORD CHAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 47
lRONEYE jAGLORD BRUKK Lawful evil, male hobgoblin A feared warlord who guides a nomadic band of Lolthite hobgoblin warriors, Jaglord honed the skills of his marauders in the broken lands of the Barbed Fields, where they brazenly attacked Kryn trade caravans and supply wagons before vanishing into the deadly fields. As his war band grew larger and more capable, he boldly led them farther south, eventually coming to rest within the Ghostlands outside Rosohna, where they now patiently await further orders from the Spider Queen. HEAD MATRON VIVURK TONN Neutral evil, female dark elf Vivurk commands the drow houses and the hobgoblin horde that claim the mountainside stronghold of Dumaran. She rules with a bloody, iron fist in the image of her god to impose the same love and fear that characterized the drow societies of old. Ruthless and demanding, Head Matron Vivurk builds, trains, and prepares her forces to one day help Lolth strike down the Kryn Dynasty with delicious brutality. CHAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AN D SOCIETIES ARISTOCRATS ANO NOBLES FROM THE DwENDALIAN EMPIRE, THE KRYN DYNASTY, ANO THE CLOVIS CONCORD DIARCHY OF UTHODURN When the elven city of Molaesmyr unearthed a terrible curse that ruined the Savalirwood, many survivors fled to the north. They endured the blizzards and dangers of the Flotket Alps, clinging to the hope that the withdrawn dwarves of Uthodurn would find enough mercy to aid them. Though many perished in the harsh elements, the elven refugees finally located the iron doors of the subterranean stronghold and requested asylum. It was with only mild hesitation that the dwarves accepted their desperate guests, taking them into the warm halls of their city and giving them a place to stay. Many years passed, with little information on the cause of the cataclysm that shattered the elven homeland, and everyone gradually realized that their new situation was permanent. Social tensions rose as cultural differences and forced proximity placed the denizens of Uthodurn into rising discomfort. This growing divide worried Judessa Fruunast, the queen of the dwarves of Uthodurn. She met with the throneless elven king, Imathan Talviel, and unexpectedly offered to instate a diarchy within the city. Months of deliberation followed as the monarchs discussed how best to establish social harmony, where new homes would be built, and how to expand the discs of the city to fit a more permanent populace. Eventually, the two came to an agreement that the majority of both dwarves and elves felt was fair and tolerable.
A DwENDllLlllN CROWNSGUllRD, RIGHTEOUS BRAND SOLDIER, II CLOV IS CONCORD ZHELE"lO, /IND II SHORE W11RDEN SOLDIER The process of restructuring the stubborn societies of this new Uthodurn forged a long partnership and deep friendship between the two leaders until Queen Judessa's death in 794 PD. Judessa's daughter, Simone Fruunast, took up her mother's mantle, and the bonds of friendship forged in her mother's time flourish under her rule. The benefits that were uncovered through the unity of these disparate cultures birthed new prosperity throughout the city, and the new dual society has grown into a synergistic civilization over the centuries. Now spreading beyond the underground halls of Uthodurn, the people under the Dual Monarchs seek to build a brighter future, and perhaps even resolve the mysteries of their past. GOALS Many historians and prominent members of both halves of Uthodurn's society are investigating the source of the corruption that persists in the Savalirwood, hoping to one day heal the forest and reclaim the homeland of the elves. Shreds of evidence have been recovered by scouting parties sent into the deadly thicket surrounding the ruins of Molaesmyr to uncover signs of the curse and its origins. However, looters and thieves from Shadycreek Run have discovered the ruins as well, stealing relics and selling them to private interests. These thefts, coupled with recent research indicating that the corruption is slowly spreading, have accelerated the need to find answers to the mystery of the Savalirwood. The growing population of the city has a constant need for more resources, so the diarchy agreed on the need to expand beyond the mountain pass. The village of Uraliss was founded using experimental magic designed to thaw snowfields, with the goal of developing sections of the Rime Plains into farmland. Unfortunately, the ground beneath the snow turned out to be untillable rock, so the settlement was abandoned. The dual monarchs then established the northern fishing village of Palebank, which supplies new goods and a coastal outpost in spite of the grueling cold. Small vessels built to withstand the icy waters of the Frigid Depths began to explore the shores surrounding the region, discovering the lands of Eiselcross. In these frozen wastes, the settlers of Uthodurn uncovered signs of scattered arcana from a pre-Calamity era buried beneath the snow. These discoveries have piqued the interest of Molaesmyr researchers and Uthodurn's monarchs alike. As the conflict in the south escalates, the leaders of Uthodurn are eager to gain whatever power or protection might be gained from the secrets hidden in the treacherous tundra of Eiselcross. RELATIONSHIPS Uthodurn has little affiliation with other factions across Wildemount. Aside from the occasional explorers and adventurers who pose no threat, most people who come to Uthodurn are met with skepticism and avoided. The locals want nothing to do with the war in the south. CHAPTER 2 I FACTIONS AND SOCIETIES 49
