Page 90 - Critical Role: Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting

tal’dorei campaign guide

the reign of Drassig, the humans of Emon adopted a rebirth
dwarven oath called rudraz, an intimate promise between
Emon is still recovering from its destruction at the talons
two people to repay a deed or trade. Though the rudraz is
of the Chroma Conclave and Thordak’s subsequent
not a contract, the dwarves believed that an oathbreaker
occupation, rebuilding the districts most marred from
would be forever barred from passing beyond the Bright-
the short-lived reign of the Cinder King. Thanks to the
guard Gates of Hilmaire (hill-MORE-uh); the gates that
Clasp’s underground networks and established hierar-
allow dwarves to pass to the afterlife. Humans in Emon
chies, Emonian society and culture was able to bounce
treat the rudraz more lightly, often using it to seal matters
back more swiftly than any other major settlement in
of business or politics rather than personal promises, but
Tal’Dorei. Because the last Sovereign relinquished his
breaking this oath still carries massive social repercus-
power, without heirs, before he was killed by Thordak, the
sions—few look kindly upon a person with the epithet
Council of Tal’Dorei was able to transition their nation
“Oathbreaker.”
from an imperial power to a republic without war or
preJudice insurrection.
However, the swiftness of Emon’s rebirth has put the
Though the people of Emon have come a long way since Council of Emon in a precarious position. Not only are
the human supremacy of Drassig’s rule, prejudice and they socially indebted to a criminal faction, the Council
discrimination still burns like a lingering fever. Overt now owes vast amounts of gold to mages in the service of
racism is most common in the Upper and Lower Slums, the Alabaster Lyceum. These Lyceum conjurers created
where gentrification threatens to eradicate the culture thousands of tons of stone and steel, and each of their
of one of Emon’s oldest immigrant districts. The schol- transmuters rebuilt at the rate of one hundred labor-
arly elite of the Erudite Quarter and the nobility of the ers—and the Council cannot afford to pay them for their
Cloudtop District like to pretend they are too enlight- service, even with Thordak’s reclaimed treasure hoard.
ened to succumb to bigotry, their wealth and power Some members of the Council have already caved to
allows them to leave their own prejudices unexamined. pressure from factions within the Clasp and the Lyceum,
While elves and dwarves are fully welcomed into human and turn a blind eye to the crime and magical abuse
society for their stereotypical characteristics (elven that run rampant throughout the city. The fragile new
beauty and arcane talent, dwarven honesty and metallur- republic already threatens to collapse under the cost of
gical prowess), tieflings, half-orcs, and dragonborn rarely its creation.
rise to Emon’s highest societal ranks.

chapter 2: gazetteer of tal’dorei 89