Page 6 - Critical Role: Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting

chapter one

campaigns in tal’dorei

rom the noble leaders of society who guide the political future of Emon, to the simple farmers who harvest their
dinner, everyone has their own ideas about the origins of Tal’Dorei and the entire world. Many are jumbled misun-
Fderstandings of myths passed from father to daughter, or religious rewritings of historical texts that favor the
teachings of a chosen divinity. Others remain focused on the few existing truths, digging beneath the layers of dust
and decay that hide battles long past, texts long abandoned, and heroes long forgotten. The details are often debated, and
while the common folk may live their entire lives with little care for the question of where we all came from, the question
remains, consuming the curious, calling those hungry for purpose, and fueling the business of adventuring to delve into the
dangerous shadows of ancient ruins.
The History and Calamity of Tal’Dorei

The following information outlines what is known the gods’ own divinity, to walk the verdant lands and
within scholarly circles and historical archives, kept know the music of the blue skies. A second creation was
by the monks of the Cobalt Soul or the historians of wrought—the dwarves, a hearty people intent on taming
the Alabaster Lyceum. The learned student may begin the land, filled with the craft and invention of the divinity
their journey with seeds of this history to explore, while beyond the ashen void. A third people were given life: the
others uncover its truths as they wander along their path. humans, endowed with hearts of passion that burned as
Regardless, we all came from somewhere, and to learn brightly as their spans of life were short, filled with the
from history is to write a better destiny. celebration and laughter of the hands creating them.
Other creations followed as the many races of Exandria
the myth of exandria were given form from the boundless inspiration the protean
gods expressed. These Children of Creation walked the
land, and as their knowledge grew they attempted to build.
Life ever seeks to understand its inception. Every civ- But the land was fierce and treacherous, and the children
ilization has its own interpretation of where its story were largely dashed and consumed by the elements. Sorrow
began. Even within the world of Exandria, different filled the hearts of the gods while these first races contin-
cultures have creation myths that eventually converge ued to struggle against a land that did not want them. The
with history, but there is no known definitive story. Even Children looked to their creators for guidance and protec-
so, the ancient city of Vasselheim in Othanzia is largely tion. The gods gave to them gifts, lending their own power
considered the oldest surviving city, having endured a ter- to their children to create and shape the world around
rible war that wiped out most of civilization more than a them; these were the first divine magics.
thousand years ago. Vasselheim houses the earliest known Thus, the various peoples began to learn how to bend
temples to the gods, and the earliest known records of the angry earth to their will: to temper the fires that
history that survived this catastrophe. Widely accepted burst through, to tame the floods that threatened their
as the true record of the world’s origins, the myth of “The abundance, and to foster seedling into fruit and beast into
Founding” is the interpretation held and embraced within meal. Language became commonplace, culture was born,
most of Tal’Dorei, as well as the vast lands of Exandria. and governance replaced anarchy. The Protean Creators,
the divinity beyond the ashen skies, saw progress and saw
the founding that it was good, yet fragile and in need of guardians.
So were born the First Protectors: The Dragons Metallic.
Long ago, this world was one of tumultuous and chaotic
These Protectors watched over the fairer races. The
forces. Naught but unbridled fires, and churning, saw-
realm grew quieter, the people expanded, and new races
like rock made up its substance. Through the ashen skies
were given form and life. As culture grew, and the people
of Creation Primordial, the gods came from beyond the
further understood the world around them, they too
ether, new and formless. Looking upon this roiling realm,
looked up to their Creators and gave them worship, gave
they saw potential for great beauty, great strength, and the
them form, gave them title, and purpose.
chance to learn their own place in creation.
But this realm did not wish to be tamed. Quaking cliffs
Thus, divine hands formed the First Children, the
roared in defiance. Seas swelled and swallowed. Flames
elves, created with physical grace reflecting
erupted from underneath the lands. Beneath the elements,
unknown to the Creators beyond the ashen skies,

“…then, the vast empty heart of endless shadow befell the light of the Seeker. Cascading from the pits was the font
of life. The first moon formed the endless oceans. The second sun brought the lush soil. The third wind carried breath
of life. The fourth flame ignited the Heart of Exandria.”
—The Fourth Astural Scroll