The Merithayan's Guide To Eonalon Part 1

Today is the second of the May posts promised last time - an overview of the continent of Eonalon. (I strongly suspect the third might have to wait and sneak into June, as alas work and life have been busier than expected...)

If you've been a follower of the blog for a while (thank you very much!) you may remember some of the earliest posts I did were on creating a continent in a world called Merithaya. I then decided to stop documenting the creation process, and instead I started publishing homebrew and locations from the world I was playing in with my current Daggerheart campaign, which I've been doing ever since!

However, the eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed that the world I started to build on this blog is in fact the one that my group is now exploring in their own adventure! We've already explored the jungles of Veridia and are now making our way into wider Eonalon, and so I thought it was time to reintroduce the whole continent, along with its key places and history! The eventual plan is to compile all the content here and in my GM notes into a campaign setting folks can use both in Daggerheart and other TTRPGs, so consider this an introduction to that project too - watch this space for updates!

With all that said, let's (re)introduce the continent of Eonalon!

A Brief History Of Eonalon

Eonalon is a continent on the world of Merithaya (a world set in a wider universe of places connected by a plane of doors and corridors, but that's a tale for another time). It is a large landmass that is set around an inland sea (The Cauldron Sea) that is connected by two channels to a wider ocean, splitting the main continent into two halves. The north is split between the Kingdoms of Juthilyl and Preyalor, once one country Luminion that long ago broke apart into two. The south is more varied, with the vast rainforest of Veridia alongside the desert of Aespy'ar and the barren wastes of Estin. In the centre of the Cauldron Sea is the island of Nythfalion, almost entirely covered with a city of the same name. These 6 kingdoms make up the Lustrous Kingdoms, and along with the island of Snowcrest in the north, and the Autumn Isles archipelago in the south, make up the whole of the continent.

We can (and will!) get into the specifics of the locations another time, but for now it is enough to know that these countries are currently in a fragile peace with each other. However, this is hard won - the entire continent is left with the scars from a violent magical war called The Lustre War that raged for many years, until it ended in a series of magical disasters and a treaty approximately 100 years ago. The magical and environmental fallout of the war was so severe that all the countries of Eonalon agreed to monitor magical use from then on, and signed The Dawn Treaty limiting magic users to low level spells. This treaty is policed by The Assembly Of Miracles from their headquarters at the Towers of Enphyra, an organisation of magic users and representatives from all countries in the continent. Of course, as often happens with these sort of things, all countries have agreed on the surface to follow the requirements of the treaty, but behind the scenes they scheme and avoid it wherever possible...

The landscape of Eonalon has been drastically changed as a result of the war. The most apparent examples are the continents of Estin and Veridia, both irrevocably changed by the magical disasters towards the end of the war. However, there are many other effects - most notably the hotspots of magical energy that flare in places, causing all manner of strange elemental phenomena (the water foxes of Foxwater Lake being a prime example). Mountain ranges where they shouldn't be, enchanted glaciers, stone forests - all formed during particularly key battles of that long ago war. The devastation was so intense that much of the knowledge of the times before the war has been lost, and many of the civilisations have only recently begun to resemble a hint of their former glory.

In the current era, things are finely balanced. Political intrigue in the island nation of Nythfalion threatens to have consequences throughout the continent. The King of Juthilyl looks longingly at his neighbour Preyalor and wonders about reuniting old Luminion, and there is rumblings of a threat in Aespy'ar encroaching from the Estin border...

Lots to explore, if you start a campaign in Eonalon!

A Quick Tour Of The Kingdoms

There is not time today to do a deep dive into each of the countries of Eonalon - expect more on that in the posts in the months to come! But for now, here is a quick summary of each so when they come up you have some background!

Veridia

A once bountiful empire that was transformed into a wild dangerous magical rainforest towards the end of the Lustre War due to the vengeful spell of the druidic Brightwing Empress herself. The remnants of that great civilisation still fly the Butterfly Banner at their settlement in Monarch Camp, sending out rangers into the forest to gather remains of their lost culture, using their connection with the special Leipidoptoraptors (butterfly/moth/dinosaur hybrids) to help them survive the wilds they now live in.

Aespy'ar

A wide expanse of desert in the south-east of Eonalon. Sparesly populated, the Desert King rules from the river cities on the Tortoise River - and trades in the enchanted gems that are so readily mined from the desert rocks. Recently, they have come under threat from the north, as a mysterious affliction is spreading from the ruined country of Estin.

Estin

Not much remains of the former country of Estin - it is rumored that the cataclysmic spell that shattered the land and brought fire and ruin was the catalyst for the signing of the Dawn Treaty that ended the Lustre War. Now a place of haunted forests and fiery volcanos, the only known inhabitants are the Gandhdrumhlir, dwarves that have been twisted by the magical backlash to have flaming eyes and even more fiery tempers who forge obsidian weapons in the volcanic forge cities they have built to survive the dangers of their country.

Snowcrest

An island to the north of mainland Eonalon. For the most part independent of the main continent's political intrigues, they are nevertheless a key player in the economics of Eonalon due to the presence of Chillstone, a magical substance key for several artificers' creations. This substance was heavily fought over during the war and the island was occupied several times, leading to the forests of Snowcrest becoming a particularly perilous place to explore for outsiders due to the shades and ghosts that lurk there.

Juthilyl

The largest country in Eonalon, Juthilyl is famous for two things - its military might, and its Thrumulin Golems. These compensate for its lack of other magical practitioners, and the mechanical creatures are seen all over the kingdom - from farms to towns to noblefolks' homes. The artificers of Juthilyl are renowned for their skill in maintaining the constructs, although much was lost during the war. The country is a mix of all terrains - from mountains to murky swamps and large clear lakes. The King of Juthilyl is very aware that the country is but one half of Luminion, and seeks to reunite with what he believes is his country's wayward sibling...

Preyalor

The majority of Preyalor is made up of rugged mountains and large forests. Spiritual magic is particularly strong here, and the residents of Preyalor are skilled at shepherding and working with the local spirit creatures to achieve their goals. The different communities within Preyalor are unique and independent, and while there is nominally a ruling council in the port city of Az-Zaden, for the most part the individual areas rule themselves. The list of cultures here is varied - the fey fairy cities of Springvale, the orcish towns of the north, the Mycetian forests in west, the witches of Mournstead, and many others all manage to coexist together, mostly by ignoring each other wherever possible...

The Autumn Isles

The Autumn Isles are an archipelago in the south of Eonalon. Blessed by the god Atumryn to exist in a state of perpetual Autumn, they have become a sacred place for the deity and their followers. The isles are a theocracy with the priests of Atumryn ruling, however this rule is only gently enforced. Here on the slopes of Mount Russet are the great temples and stores of knowledge that make up much of the religion of The Steward Of Autumn's Song, and the beautiful red and gold trees that cover the islands are a sight that folks from around Eonalon flock to see.

Nythfalion

The final stop on our quick tour of Eonalon is Nythfalion - a city that takes up the majority of the island of the same name in the centre of the Cauldron Sea. Nythfalion is ruled on a basis of magical strength - the more powerful its sorcerers, the higher ranking a family stands in the order of things, until you reach the Sorcerer King of Nythfalion at the top of the social standing. Power struggles and political intrigues are common, and while the high density of skilled magical users makes life easy for many, there is always the risk of an arcane assassin in the night to keep residents here on their toes. Recently, the Heavenseye Family has been planning political maneuvers, with the other families plotting to stop them - the future of the island and wider continent will be decided in these struggles...

The Plan For The Future

I hope you enjoyed this quick tour of Eonalon! There will be plenty more detail on all the locations here coming in the future weeks and months as I build up to the completion of my campaign location guide - I hope you'll follow along with me! The next post will feature an environment and stat blocks for the Sky Shoal of Lake Clarandwell - given how busy life is I expect to finish this next month some time, but subscribe now to hear the moment it's ready! Thanks for reading!