Republic of Tal'Dorei

This article is about the nation. For the continent, see Tal'Dorei.

Republic of Tal'Dorei
Official art of the Tal'Dorei Council symbol, by Conceptopolis from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn pg. 44.
Official art of the Tal'Dorei Council symbol, by Conceptopolis from Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting pg. 35.
General Information
Full name	Republic of Tal'Dorei
Also known as	Tal'Dorei Empire (formerly)
Type	Democratic Republic
Head of state	Sovereign (formerly)
Legislative branch	Tal'Dorei Council
Military	Daxio Outriders
Societal Information
Plane	Material Plane (Exandria)
Continent	Tal'Dorei
Capital	Emon
Official holiday	Highsummer Sydenstar 21st
Historical Information
Formed from	Kingdom of Drassig
Established	Approximately 536 PD
Fragmented	Chroma Crisis, 810 - 811 PD
Reorganized	811 PD
Affiliations
Affiliation	Syngorn Kraghammer

Tal'Dorei is not a name, it is to be proud, it is to have honor, it is to be loyal, and loving, and kind. Tal'Dorei is not a name; it is a people. And you are the people of Tal'Dorei!

— Excerpt of Sovereign Zan Tal'Dorei's acceptance speech

The Republic of Tal'Dorei, also known simply as simply Tal'Dorei, is a republic in Exandria on the continent of the same name. It is governed by the Tal'Dorei Council.

Formed from the Kingdom of Drassig, it was formerly known as the Tal'Dorei Empire and was ruled by a sovereign, the first one being Sovereign Zan Tal'Dorei. The last sovereign, Uriel Tal'Dorei II, chose to step down at the end of 810 PD in favor of rule by the council alone, transforming the empire into a republic.

Geography

Bladeshimmer Shoreline

The shoreline stretches along the central western coast of Tal'Dorei, framed by the Dividing Plains to the East, the Cliffkeep Mountains to the north, the Ozmit Sea to the west, and the Verdant Expanse to the south.

• Emerald Outpost: Garrison and town under military governance shared by Syngorn and the Republic of Tal'Dorei. A trade post between Syngorn and Emon.
• Emon: Capital of the Republic; home of Vox Machina, Shaun Gilmore, and Allura Vysoren; site of Greyskull Keep (former home of Vox Machina) and the original Gilmore's Glorious Goods.
• Shalesteps: Small villages located in the Seashale Mountains, just northwest of Emon.

Lucidian Coast

• Drynna: Town located where Mooren River Run meets Mooren Lake. Drynna is a leading supplier of freshwater fish and also holds residuum deposits.
• Stilben: Small port city on the Lucidian Coast where Vox Machina met.

Dividing Plains

• Foramere villages: A collection of small villages built around the Foramere Basin.
• Kymal: Hometown of Kaylie; accommodated some refugees from the Chroma Conclave's assault on Westruun.
• Turst Fields: Farming community located northeast of Westruun and south of the Parchwood Timberlands. Hometown to Dariax Zaveon.
• Westruun: Site of the Cobalt Reserve, a collection of some of the oldest known records of civilization; home to the under-development second Gilmore's Glorious Goods shop (before the Chroma Conclave attacked).

Parchwood Timberlands

• Whitestone: City located on the northeastern edge of Tal'Dorei in the Alabaster Sierras mountain range and surrounded by trees of the Parchwood Timberlands. The city is ruled by Chamber of Whitestone from Whitestone Castle, the home of the De Rolo family after it was reclaimed from the Briarwoods. Formerly an independent city-state, Whitestone joined the newly reorganized Republic of Tal'Dorei following the Chroma Crisis in 811 PD.
• Mooren: Small fishing town built in the banks of the Mooren River Run, established after Whitestone joined the Republic.

Cliffkeep Mountains

• Jorenn Village: Small town in close proximity to the Umbra Hills in the Black Valley north of Westruun in the eastern part of the Cliffkeep Mountains.

Othendin Pass

• Fort Daxio: Key military stronghold of the republic, located on the western side of the Cliffkeep Mountains, north of Emon, and west of Kraghammer.

History

Official map of Tal'Dorei, by Andy Law.

Formation

Main article: Scattered War

The Empire of Tal'Dorei was formed in the aftermath of the Scattered War — a series of violent conflicts between the primarily human Kingdom of Drassig and the primarily elven Syngorn. The war began in approximately 504 PD following growing tensions between the elves and humans of west-central Tal'Dorei (called Gwessar at the time), and lasted for 32 years, ultimately ending in approximately 536 PD with the the Drassig's defeat and Zan Tal'Dorei founding of the Tal'Dorei Empire.

Icelost Years

Main article: Icelost Years

Following the long and devastating Scattered War, Tal'Dorei was significantly enfeebled. As the borders between planes weakened during the celestial solstice in approximately 537 PD, the white dragon Skysunder took the opportunity to help Errevon the Rimelord, an elemental behemoth of the Frostfell, pass through the rift and conquer the continent of Tal'Dorei. In approximately 840 PD, after three years of Errevon's rule, the Tal'Dorei Council convinced Syngorn and Kraghammer to join with them in an alliance against Errevon, and together their forces battled him back through the rift, which the Ashari druids sealed shut. The victory was later celebrated annually in Tal'Dorei as the Winter's Crest festival.

Demonic influence

Shortly after their arrival in Emon, Vox Machina was asked by Syldor Vessar to investigate the disappearance of one of the members of the council, Sir Gregory Fince. He disappeared in the wake of an assassination attempt on the life of Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei II, and Syldor's diplomatic mission was suffering in his absence. Vox Machina investigated, finding demons and the tortured corpse of Sir Gregory.

However, they also found Sir Gregory's notes about the recent assassination attempt. The notes raised suspicions regarding both the Sovereign's family and General Krieg, who was said to have thwarted the assassination. Vax'ildan forged a letter in order to gain an audience with General Krieg. The meeting raised more questions than it answered, and after allying with Allura Vysoren, another member of the Tal'Dorei council, they utilized a scrying spell to discover that the Tal'Dorei family was under the influence of a demonic force.

After continuing their investigation, Vox Machina gained entrance into General Krieg's house, discovering that he was actually a blue dragon named Brimscythe.

After defeating the dragon, Vox Machina rejoined Allura to strike against the demonic powers at work. During the conflict, the mastermind behind the corruption, a treachery demon (glabrezu) called Juurezel, revealed himself and attacked the group. After defeating the demon and restoring the souls of the Tal'Dorei family, Sovereign Uriel rewarded Vox Machina with seats on the council, a parade in their honor, and the construction of a keep. Vox Machina accepted and named their new home Greyskull Keep.

Fallout from Whitestone

During the Briarwoods' diplomatic visit to Emon, both Sovereign Uriel and Seeker Assum were charmed by Sylas Briarwood. Keyleth dispelled the charm on Assum through the use of Greater Restoration, but Sovereign Uriel, still under the charm, removed Vox Machina from the council pending further investigation.

Vox Machina, in an effort to clear the group's name, journeyed to Whitestone to gather evidence and/or eliminate the threat posed by the Briarwoods. Their efforts culminated in the deaths of several enemies, including Lord and Lady Briarwood, as well as the discovery of letters linking Lord Riskel Daxio to the Briarwoods.

Upon returning to Emon with the letters, Vox Machina discovered that the charm had lifted from Sovereign Uriel, and the group was restored to the council. Uriel ordered that Lord Riskel Daxio be arrested. Vox Machina tracked him to the Clasp's headquarters, subdued him, and brought him before Uriel, where he was executed by Grog after a brief interrogation.

Chroma Crisis

Main article: Chroma Crisis

A group of chromatic dragons called the Chroma Conclave attacked Tal'Dorei and other parts of Exandria at the end of 810 PD. Sovereign Uriel in the initial attack. Emon and Westruun were severely damaged by the dragons, then further damaged by looters and opportunists, such as the people stealing from Gilmore's Glorious Goods in Emon and the Herd of Storms that sacked Westruun.

Refugees from Westruun were accepted by Kymal and villages nearby, with many of the remaining refugees forming a small tent city in the Foramere Basin. Whitestone was not attacked in the initial assault, so Vox Machina transported refugees from Emon and Westruun to the relative safety of Whitestone using Keyleth's Transport via Plants spell.

After the initial attack on Emon, Vox Machina began to search the city for Gilmore and other survivors. They arrived at the ruins of Gilmore's Glorious Goods and found a secret underground bunker where Sherri, Empresses Salda Tal'Dorei, the Tal'Dorei children, and a wounded Gilmore were hiding. Empress Salda said that she believed Uriel died during the attack, but that Gilmore was able to save her and her children.

After Pike healed him, Gilmore told the story of how he was able to save Salda, her children, Seeker Assum, and Tofor Brotoras; however, Uriel stayed behind to help others to safety. When Gilmore went back to retrieve the sovereign, he found Uriel's dead body. He also recounted that Arbiter Brom Goldhand met his end during the attack, along with the majority of the palace guard and Cloudtop District denizens.

Society

Politics

Tal'Dorei Council

Main article: Tal'Dorei Council

In the aftermath of the defeat of the Chroma Conclave, the Republic of Tal'Dorei is ruled solely by a standing council. That council is made up of seven members that each have responsibilities over one particular sphere of public life:

• Master of Development
• Master of Arcana
• Master of Law
• Master of Commerce
• Master of Information
• Master of Defense
• Master of War

Law enforcement

• Arms of Emon: Well-trained force that maintains law, order and basic security in Emon and the immediately surrounding area. It operates out of Emon's Military District, but trains separately from military recruits. They serve as both a garrison manning the walls and outposts and as a law enforcement arm, patrolling the streets and making arrests. A palace guard, whose relationship to the Arms of Emon is not specified, protects Emon's leadership.
• Shields of the Plain: Since Westruun is under martial law, this military unit serves also as law enforcement (as well as the law enforcement), though they are ineffective against the Clasp. While Westruun is a much smaller city than Emon and requires fewer men patrolling it, the Shields of the Plain are also tasked with patrolling much of the central portion of the realm. About 150 of these "Shields" are permanently stationed as a detachment in the small town of Turst Fields to enforce the laws and protect it from roaming Ravagers.
• Pale Guard: Keep peace within the city of Whitestone, by 836 PD, incorporated into the Republic of Tal'Dorei.

Military

• Daxio Outriders: The realm's only standing army during peacetime is mobile reserve of regiments located at Fort Daxio, north of Emon in the Cliffkeep Mountains, close to the borderlands from which the most common threats to the peace and security of the realm have come.
• Whitestone Rifle Corps: Protectors of the city of Whitestone and its castle.

Covert organizations

The Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt controls a secret, elite unit trained in espionage, counter-espionage, and limited combat. Based in the Parchwood Timberlands, the Grey Hunt's reach extends across Tal'Dorei.

Drugs

There are two illegal drugs in Tal'Dorei. Oloore root is a heavy psychedelic originally used by druidic cultures, and suude is refined from arcane residuum, causes head rush, and enhances senses/magic. Trafficking oloore root is a major source of income for the Clasp.

References

Art: