1. Locations

Pylas Talaear

Town
Aerenal in Material Plane

The gateway to Aerenal, this port city is the primary point of contact between Aerenal and the outside world. In this city driven by commerce, almost all the dragonmarked houses have outposts here, and it includes vast markets, warehouses, and lumber yards.

This port city is the primary point of contact between Aerenal and the rest of Eberron. It includes outposts of all of the dragonmarked houses except for House Orien. The primary purpose of the city is commerce; it does have one mystical university, but Pylas is filled with lumber yards, warehouses, and marketplaces selling a wide variety of goods. The governor of Pylas Talaear, Syraen Melideth (LN female elf, wizard 13), is a beautiful elf with a fullsized skull tattooed on her face. Syraen took her post at the start of the Last War, and over the last century has come to view humans more sympathetically than most of her kind. However, she is ruthless when it comes to maintaining order within her city, and adventurers must watch their step in Pylas Talaear.

Foreigners enter Aerenal through this port, although most never go any deeper into the land of the elves. The dragon marked houses maintain facilities in the town, which serves as the primary trade center with foreign powers. The elves export limited quantities of elven goods, especially plants and lumber, and import small amounts of foreign commodities, including information about the outside world.

Few of the undying inhabit the city. The elves of Pylas Talaear are more accepting of nonelves than those of any other city in Aerenal. However, the city authorities maintain strict order with only slightly more tolerance than elsewhere.

Nightlife of the Walking Dead

Sharn Inquisitive reporting -

The port city of Pylas Talaear is a place of wonders. Stand on the steps of the Grand Temple and look down upon the High Street and you’ll see fountains of light casting shadows across buildings that have stood for over ten thousand years. Brilliant motes dance through the air—spectral messengers carrying words across the city. But the most remarkable feature of Pylas Talaear is the dead. If you know anything about Aerenal, you’ve surely heard of the Undying Court, the deathless cabinet that guides the nation. Only the grandest members of society win elevation to the Undying Court, but there are many forms of preservation. Go to the Dalaen Forge and you’ll see the ghost of Old Dalaen advising his descendants as they work wood and steel. Visit the Eidolon Tavern and you’ll see poltergeists mixing drinks, and you can get advice from a spectral bartender with thousands of years of wisdom to share. Visit Maer Crossing at midnight and you’ll see the spirit of Lady Jhaelian dance with a grace unmatched by any living elf.

Wondrous as it is, as a human visitor, I found it more than a little unnerving. There’s no escaping the past in Aerenal; it lingers all around you, whispering advice or warning you to avoid transgression. You never know when you’ll feel the tingle of spectral fingers against your skin or hear the whisper of an elf who’s older than human civilization. There are many wonders in Aerenal … just don’t get buried in the past.

November 29th, 2019