Page 56 - Critical Role: Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting

tal’dorei campaign guide

dangerouS contraband

There are a number of difficult-to-produce substances that have gained popularity for their mind-altering properties,
and while the creation and possession of these substances is considered highly illegal within civilized Tal’Dorei, they
have found private popularity within various levels of society across Exandria.

oloore root
Oloore Root began as a druidic ceremonial tool for vision quests and communion with nature, but has become sought
after by high society for its psychedelic properties. Drinking of the tea brewed from the root leads to heavy hallucina-
tions, and sometimes grants insight to the world around them.
The imbiber must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 14) or become poisoned for 1d4 hours. Upon a success, the
imbiber gains advantage on any Wisdom ability checks for 1 hour. On a saving throw of 19 or 20, the imbiber gains
supernatural distance seeing, as though they had cast a scrying spell. They may Concentrate on this for up to 1 minute.
(Valued at around 100 gp per dose.))

zeal
Zeal is distilled from the blood of captured or slain quaggoth deep from beneath the surface of Exandria. When brewed
properly, a thick, purple-colored liquid that tastes of ash remains.
Drinking zeal or applying liberally to exposed skin (requiring an action) forces the user to make a Constitution
saving throw (DC 12) or become paralyzed for 1d4 rounds as every muscle seizes up. With a success, the user deals
an additional 3 damage to any target it hits with a melee attack for 2d6 rounds. The user suffers 1 point of exhaustion
after the effect ends, regardless of saving throw success. (valued at around 150 gp per dose)
Suude
Suude is a dangerous, granular substance refined from magic residuum. Initially developed during the Age of Arca-
num by archmages as an incense burned to enhance long spell ritual casting, the secret was discovered and spread
among the spellcasting riffraff of Exandria. The varying forms of refinement are dangerous, and can produce one of
three different types of suude.
When burned and the fumes inhaled (requiring an action), the imbiber must make a Constitution saving throw
(DC 10) or become unconscious for 2d4 rounds. With a success, the user gains 1 Sorcery Point and access to one
Metamagic option (as per the Sorcerer class Font of Magic and Metamagic features) for 1 hour based on the type of
suude used. If more than one dose of suude is used within 1 hour of another, the DC of the Constitution saving throw
is increased by 3 per additional dose. If three or more doses are used within 1 hour of each other, failing the Constitu-
tion saving throw drops the user to 0 hit points. Brown suude grants the Extended Spell option, Blue suude grants the
Twinned Spell option, and Red suude grants the Distant Spell option. (valued at around 80 gp per dose)

geography wreckage and broken foundations of the town harbor only
ghosts and unsavory creatures drawn to places of such
Kymal is built on the rocky foothills of the Ironseat
dark history.
Ridge. Exploring beyond the glamorous city leads one
to nothing but a desolate expanse of boulders and scrub-
shadebarrow
brush. Truly intrepid explorers may find the sealed
entrances to the dried-up Kymal Gold Mines, but those
who venture inside will find more than just empty caves.
No one who has visited the Shadebarrow has ever come
back alive…nor do they come back entirely dead. The
the ruins of torthil Shadebarrow was once a monolithic henge used as a ritual
site for the hierophant druids known as the Dawn Circle,
but their shrine became their tomb during the iron rule
While traveling south of Kymal along the Wildwood of Drassig. After Trist Drassig’s death, the trade unions
Byway, just outside of the Ivyheart Thicket, travelers can of Westruun laid claim to the unowned land, and from
spot a mile-wide cluster of broken stone, salted earth, and a there the Dawn Circle’s abandoned and treasureless burial
single obsidian monument to the death of Warren Drassig, tunnels were purchased from the unions at great cost by an
one of the most infamous and terrible figures in Tal’Dorei eccentric Westruunian baron named Sevil Howthess. His
history. This scarred patch of land marks the ruins of the obsession with its history led him to be interred there upon
village of Torthil, which played an important role in the his passing, having the tomb outfitted with protections and,
Scattered War, and harbored the ambush that led to the supposedly, the remnants of his fortune.
death of King Warren Drassig. Destroyed out of ven- The exact location of the Shadebarrow has been for-
geance by Warren’s son Neminar, the now long-weathered gotten by all but the Baron Howthess’s few surviving

chapter 2: gazetteer of tal’dorei 55