Westruun

Westruun is a central city in the kingdom of Tal'Dorei, approximately midway between Emon and Whitestone. With a population of around 26,205 people and a location pivotal for the movement of goods across Tal'Dorei, Westruun is a bustling city of most trades and intellectual pursuits. Built against the perimeter of the Bramblewood Forest near the base of the great Gatshadow Mountain, the city is easy to spot from quite a distance. Among the aged cobblestones and very busy roadways, the sounds of music from vagrant bards and nearby taverns mingles with the nearly ever-present winds. A city/ regional guard called the Shields of the Plains (or just "Shields" for short) keeps the peace in the city and its environs, and all arrests and social unrest are immediately brought before the Hall of Reason, a "beautiful courthouse in the High Elven Style". Westruun is divided into six wards:  Opal Ward, Residential Ward, Scholar Ward, Temple Ward, Market Ward, and Underwalk Ward.

Westruun was named after a person, Palest Westruun, not a direction. The town's iconic flower is the white iris, which grows around the western side of town.

Demographics
Westruun is a large city with a population of 26,205. Many races are represented among its citizens, including humans (65%), gnomes (10%), tieflings (7%), half-orcs (5%), gnolls (1%), and other races (12%).

Notable People
Since not all surnames are known, the following table is sorted by first name.

Factions

 * Brawler's League
 * The Clasp
 * Court of Avandra
 * Vistani

Points of Interest
The following notable locations may have changed dramatically after the events in Chapter 4, but this is the city as it was and may yet be again.

Opal Ward

 * Ironhand Trading Company Warehouse: One of the more powerful and well-known trade companies throughout Tal'Dorei, the Ironhand Company mainly works in construction materials, such as woods, metals, rope, and roofing. They are based out of Emon.
 * Margrave's Keep: The powers of law enforcement, executive administration, and military defense in Westruun are currently vested in the person of the Margrave, an essentially military office appointed by the Tal'Dorei Council. The Margrave's keep is a sturdy structure that serves as both an executive mansion and a military barracks for many of the Shields.
 * Hall of Reason: The courthouse, the Hall of Reason, is noted for the impressive statue of Bahamut on its front steps.
 * Public Forum: central to this public gathering area is another famous statue, that of the town's founder, Palest Westruun.

Residential Ward

 * Softsky Bakery: A very modest bakery that looks to have been family-run for a few generations, the Softsky Bakery is owned and run by Elowen Brist, who lives alone with her son, Simon Brist. The smell from outside the bakery is pleasant, although the size is small and the business slow.
 * The Sunkissed Tavern and Inn: A fair-sized tavern and inn, the Sunkissed Tavern largely houses local farmers after work hours and travelers that require cheap lodging. An attached stable makes for a convenient business for those passing through the city. A gruff half-orc barkeep named Ulf keeps his ears open for news and valuable information.

Scholar Ward

 * Cobalt Reserve: A grand dome of blue, polished stone, the Cobalt Reserve is a well-fortified library organized. The library is run and controlled by the monks of The Cobalt Soul, worshipers of Ioun who gather and retain information and knowledge. The Reserve's collection of knowledge is so vast that individuals travel from all over the world to study here. A monk is assigned to every person that seeks entry, both as a guide and as a security escort, as Quian was assigned to Vox Machina during their quest to remove the proto-phylactery from Grog's torso.
 * Greystone Tower: A looming spire of shimmering stone in the center of the Ward, Greystone Tower is a source of mystery and much rumor within the city. Home to the powerful archmage Realmseer Eskil Ryndarien and his servant-aide Jekt Wince, it's not uncommon to see strange colors and fumes flash from the windows throughout the evenings.
 * Yuminor Observatory: One tower on the edge of the Scholar Ward looms high above the nearby Westhall Academy. It looks forever skyward, the arcanists inside constantly charting the movements of heavens. A quasi-religious order of diviners and astromancers named the Scions of Yuminor study here.

Temple Ward

 * Bahamut's Rest: At the southern end of the Temple Terrace lies the alabaster and silver temple to the great platinum dragon Bahamut. Home to the great paladin Lady Kima of Vord, Bahamut's Rest welcomes the forgotten, the oppressed, and the hungry. Simar, Keeper of the Temple, oversees the temple and its services.

Market Ward

 * Beyond the Veil: A shop that specializes in magical relics and curiosities, Beyond the Veil has an unassuming, tent-like exterior that opens into a mystically larger interior.  Abjurist Noja owned this shop.
 * Gilmore's Glorious Goods: Shaun Gilmore was working to open his second Gilmore's Glorious Goods shop in Westruun throughout Chapter 3, which would likely have been located in the Market Ward.
 * Red House of Trickfoot: The family home of Wilhand Trickfoot and origin of Pike Trickfoot, this humble home also doubles as a small house of Sarenrae worship. Rarely without a warm hearth, it offers a welcome bit of respite from the harsh outside world.  The attack of the Chroma Conclave and Herd of Storms left the Trickfoot home badly damaged.

"Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Volume 2"
Arriving at Westruun Vox Machina continue their search for Grog. They discover that he used to live with two gnomes and are pointed to their home. They knock on the door and Pike opens the door and lets them in. They exchange stories and asks if the gnomes can help them, Pike then preforms a ritual to discover the location of Grog. She discovers that he has been drawn to the local cursed mountain, and decided to go after him. They arrive at the base of the mountain after an encounter with a giant spider.

Destruction and Rebuilding
In Chapter 4, Westruun was attacked by the Chroma Conclave, and although there was significant damage to some structures, the city remained mostly intact and livable. An ancient black dragon named Umbrasyl took up residence in the nearby Gatshadow Mountain, returning regularly to Westruun to collect his material offerings from the people—and, sometimes, to feed. Meanwhile, the Herd of Storms, bolstered by the absorbed members of the Rivermaw Tribe, took brutal control of Westruun. The population of Westruun dropped from approximately 4,170 to a couple hundred people. Although many citizens were killed by Umbrasyl and the Herd, many others fled to Kymal, other towns, and Foramere Basin.

Vox Machina managed to defeat Thunderlord Kevdak and worked toward liberating the townsfolk from the Herd of Storms, and an unsteady alliance between Vox Machina and the Herd was arranged to defeat Umbrasyl. Although the Herd suffered heavy losses in the battle, Vox Machina and Herd member Shale pursued Umbrasyl to Gatshadow's peak and slew the dragon in his lair. The twelve survivors from the Herd of Storms left Westruun to join the Rivermaw Tribe. Although danger of retaliation from the Chroma Conclave loomed over the ravaged city, Vox Machina's recent victories and construction of a fortified underground bunker encouraged the people of Westruun to begin the arduous process of returning to—and rebuilding—their town.