Tales of Elesmera: Player Encylopedia!

The grand capital of Paltera, structured in three concentric rings:

• Inner Ring: The Emperor’s Castle, Twin Archmage Towers, the Church of the Pale Blood Cathedral, Mage Academy.
• Middle Ring (Cloudtop District): Noble Estates (Halls, Hexums, Brutanish Tower), Maxwell’s Glorious Goods, The Goat’s Tit Tavern, Agatha’s Apothecary.
• Outer Ring: Slums, Farmlands, Silver Shroud thieves’ guild, Splintered Creed safehouses.

Teleportation is heavily restricted; illusions dispelled at gates. Secret tunnels run under the city, used by thieves, rebels, and the desperate.

Stonebend sits on the southernmost edge of Imperial-controlled territory, pressed hard against the vast deserts where orc clans roam. It is less a city and more a living, breathing fortress — a town made entirely of hardened soldiers, scarred mercenaries, and the families who wait anxiously for them to return from the frontier.

• Primary Purpose: The military heart of the Empire. Supplies, trains, and rotates the troops fighting border wars against the orc clans and desert raiders.
• Government: No formal regent. Instead, the town is administered by a council of senior generals and battlefield commanders. Authority shifts by necessity, not by vote or bloodline.
• Economy: Horses, weapons, rations, mercenary contracts, and bulk armor and gear. The forges of Stonebend prioritize function over form — nothing made here is pretty, but all of it endures.
• Culture: Practical, blunt, and fiercely loyal to comrades. Outsiders are respected if proven useful, but soft hands and soft hearts are often mocked. Most celebrations revolve around military honors, promotions, or mourning fallen heroes.
• Magic: Very little — Stonebend relies on steel, not sorcery. What few enchanters exist mainly focus on practical battlefield items (warding stones, waterproof satchels, anti-poison charms).

Notable Features:

• The Bastion Fields: Endless rows of training grounds, barracks, and combat arenas where soldiers hone their skills daily.
• The Ironway: Main road leading north, lined with smithies, stables, and arms dealers. Caravans to and from the front lines flow through here constantly.
• Hall of Veterans: A somber memorial and public meeting house where the greatest warriors of Stonebend are honored. Tales of valor are carved into stone walls here.
• The Broken Banner: Most infamous tavern in town — a place where soldiers drink hard, settle grudges with fists, and sometimes forge lifelong bonds.

Eiselcroft stands as the Emperor’s shadow arm — a city ruled not by generals, merchants, or priests, but by sanctioned mages whose loyalty is absolute. Brutality cloaked in official robes defines the air of the place. Their brutal magical policing ensures order, at the cost of freedom and compassion.

• Primary Purpose: The Emperor’s enforcement and intelligence arm. Suppresses uprisings, roots out rebellion, and "re-educates" troublesome provinces.
• Government: Administered by the Imperial Arcane Council — a secretive cabal of wizards, enchanters, and diviners.
• Economy: Magic-enforced taxation, artifact crafting, production of enchanted restraints and prison devices for the Empire.

Notable Features:

• The Gray Spire: Central seat of the Arcane Council. No windows; rumored to be dimensionally anchored to the Astral Plane itself.
• The Enchanted Barracks: Military-mage training complex. Produces battle-ready wizards loyal to the Empire's harsh ideals.

A rugged mining city carved into the base of the Embermount Peaks. Originally a Dwarven hold, the Dwarves of Ylldian mysteriously disappeared nearly eighty years ago, leaving the fortified halls to be seized by human settlers. Now ruled by Duke Tyrol Asinthew, a rare noble who values compassion as much as duty.

• Primary Exports: Magical enhancement gems (vital for enchanting across the Empire), metals, stonecraft.
• Culture: Pragmatic and tight-knit. Deep-seated unease regarding the Church of the Pale Blood's growing influence. Strong Dwarven architectural remains blend with newer Imperial constructions.
• Secrets: Abandoned tunnels beneath the city still echo with whispers. Fey spiders, kuo-toa, and stranger things lurk deep below. The sudden disappearance of the Dwarves remains an open wound — no true explanation has ever been found.
• Recent Events: The assassination attempt on Duke Tyrol during the Festival of Binding. Saved through the party’s intervention; his daughter Emily was slain but later revived. Public distrust of the Church is growing rapidly.