Fan-made map of Eiselcross, by West Haberlein
Eiselcross lies north of the Greying Wildlands of Wildemount in the Frigid Depths. It is a group of imposing icy islands, known collectively with the Wildlands as the "Biting North". The site of the crash of the Pre-Calamity floating city-state of Aeor,[1] it is the location of multiple strange artifacts and powerful beasts.[2]
Contents
Description[edit | edit source]
Fan art of sunrise in Eiselcross, by @hierothraxs.[art 1]
Eiselcross is considered part of Wildemount overall, but it is a frozen arctic area separated from the mainland by the Frigid Depths.[3] Most of its islands are open snowy tundra, blizzard-scarred landscapes, and snowy mountains of grey and white stone.[4]
Transporting to Eiselcross by magical means is hazardous, so visitors tend to travel by sea.[5] While the shortest sea route between the Empire and Foren would be via Icehaven or Bysaes Tyl, the Frigid Depths there are extremely dangerous, and therefore most people prefer to go through Palebank Village in Uthodurn.[6]
The ballista used in Bazzoxan was partially constructed from "something" recovered in Eiselcross.[7]
Geography[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross contains two very small ice fishing villages that are expansions of the Dwendalian Empire. Aside from those, it is mostly uninhabited and unvisited.[8] It consists of a collection of eight icy islands, some of which have small, snow-covered mountains ranges:[9]
Beissel[edit | edit source]
The third largest island, it is also the farthest north, and the home of white dragons.[9]
Dampfkan[edit | edit source]
The location of an active volcano.[9]
Foren[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross's largest island and the site of the ruins of Aeor, it is a magnet for treasure seekers.[9] For that reason, mages of the Cerberus Assembly maintain a fort there called Balenpost,[10][11] and mercenary explorers of Uthodurn populate the small settlement of Syrinlya.[12][13] One of the Aeorian artifacts was responsible for transforming a frost giant castle into the Fortress of the Dead Jarl around 635 PD.[14]
Vess DeRogna stated that Aeor's presence has continued to weave unchecked magical oddities and wild magic in the area,[15] such as the perpetually flowing river of lava that bisects the island. Teleportation to the area is disrupted as well.[16] The river arises near the center of the island at the "flow change" and flows both northward and southward from that point.[17]
Frostbogen[edit | edit source]
Little is known of this island save that it is incredibly dangerous.[9]
Gelier[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross's second-largest island, it holds the body of Quajath the Undermaw, and its wormkins.[9]
Kaltsel[edit | edit source]
The smallest of the islands, located southeast of Foren.[9]
Schneescel[edit | edit source]
This small island lies southwest of Foren.[9]
Taergoss[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross's second smallest island is a favorite spot for fishing vessels to anchor overnight.[9]
Fauna[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross holds many creatures that have spent a millennia or more living there and are extremely dangerous.[18]
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History[edit | edit source]
Eiselcross remained mostly unpopulated because of its near-polar location, having only a small Uthodurnian fishing village named Syrinlya on the largest island of Foren. Over the past half-century, however, strange small artifacts began to be found in the ice there and be traded south, and this drew the attention of the Dwendalian Empire. They created the outpost of Balenpost to further their explorations for what they believed could be the lost ruins of Aeor.[27]
Many nations have become interested in the potential wealth of knowledge and power that would be contained within Aeor, and tensions have been and remain high there between Empire and Kryn Dynasty representatives.[28]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 121.
- ↑ See "A Storm of Memories" (2x46) from 1:12:46 through 1:14:24.
- ↑ See "A Storm of Memories" (2x46) at 1:13:10.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:33:45.
- ↑ See "Frigid Propositions" (2x109) at 3:42:44.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:35:29.
- ↑ See "Causatum" (2x70) at 1:21:41.
- ↑ See "A Storm of Memories" (2x46) at 1:13:29.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 123.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 126.
- ↑ See "Frigid Propositions" (2x109) at 3:44:13.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:34:29.
- ↑ Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 129.
- ↑ Two centuries ago, as of 835 PD. Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 128.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:35:57.
- ↑ See "Frigid Propositions" (2x109) at 3:41:49.
- ↑ See "The Tortoise and The Dare" (2x117) at 1:23:16.
- ↑ See "A Storm of Memories" (2x46) at 1:13:45.
- ↑ See "Fetching Fables & Frosty Friends" (2x115) at 12:30.
- ↑ See "The Tortoise and The Dare" (2x117) at 13:47. Matt confirms that the oozes the party encountered in the previous episode were black puddings.
- ↑ See "The Tortoise and The Dare" (2x117) at 3:15:16.
- ↑ See "The Tortoise and The Dare" (2x117) at 0:13:28. Matt calls the ice crystal creatures from the previous episode "frozen elementals".
- ↑ See "Fetching Fables & Frosty Friends" (2x115) at 3:25:33.
- ↑ See "Fetching Fables & Frosty Friends" (2x115) at 12:23.
- ↑ See "Fetching Fables & Frosty Friends" (2x115) at 12:26.
- ↑ See "Fetching Fables & Frosty Friends" (2x115) at 2:11:12.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:35:21.
- ↑ See "Dinner with the Devil" (2x110) at 1:37:01.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of sunrise in Eiselcross, by @hierothraxs (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of the entrance to A5, by Leo Ramos (source). Used with permission.
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