Exandria

**Exandria** is the name of the world on which Vox Machina originate. It has two moons, although one of them is small enough that it generally goes unnoticed. Exandria has tight connections to the other planes of existence, such as the portals to the elemental planes guarded by the Ashari.

## Continents

* **Gwessar:**  A northern continent. The kingdom of Tal'Dorei spans part of this continent, and although humans informally refer to the whole continent as "Tal'Dorei"
* **Issylra:**  A continent northwest of Tal'Dorei that features the region of Othanzia, which includes Vasselheim and Pyrah.
* **Marquet:**  A southern continent of mountains and approximately 70% desert, there are few bastions of civilization to be found aside from Ank'Harel.
* **Wildemount:**  Located to the North of Tal'Dorei, this continent is largely isolated and, outside of Draconia, has little contact and next to no trade with the outside world.

## History

Since the gods first came to Exandria, three distinct ages of the world have gone by: the Founding, the Age of Arcanum, and the Calamity. The chronicles of Vox Machina take place in the fourth age.

### **The Founding**

"*Long ago, this world was one of tumultuous and chaotic forces. Naught but unbridled fires, and churning, saw-like rock made up its substance. Through the ashen skies of Creation Primordial, the gods came from beyond the ether, new and formless. Looking upon this roiling realm, they saw potential for great beauty, great strength, and the chance to learn their own place in creation.*"
― The Myth of Exandria
**The Founding** was the first age of Exandria. During this time, the gods brought forth creatures to inhabit Exandria, before splitting into two factions in the war against the Primordial Titans: the Prime Deities and the Betrayer Gods. The age ended with the defeat of the Primordials, along with the Betrayer Gods, which made the world safe for civilization to flourish.

#### **The Protean Creators**

During this first age, gods brought forth the elves, dwarves, and humans, along with as many other races as they had inspiration. Because the world was still a dangerous place, ruled by elemental chaos, many of their children were killed in the earliest days.

Saddened by the loss of so many children, the gods gifted mortals with arcane magic so they might better defend themselves. The Dragons Metallic were created to aid in the defense of the Children of Creation. With the dragons' help, civilization began to flourish and mortals first offered worship (and purpose) to their creators.

**The Primordials**

These Elemental Titans had lain beneath the land since before the coming of the gods and now rose up to wreak havoc on the gods' creations. Their carnage invited the attention of demons from the Abyss, who came to feast on the remains.

**The Prime Deities vs. the Betrayer Gods**

As the Primordials devastated creation, two factions arose between the gods. The Prime Deities wished to stay and conquer the Primordials, leaving the land safe for their children. The Betrayer Gods, frustrated by their losses, gave up; some gave in to madness, and some began twisting their creations and joining forces with the Abyss.

The Prime Deities, with the help of their mortal champions, ultimately destroyed the Primordials and banished the Betrayer Gods from the Material Plane.

#### **The Earth Titan**

The fate of one of these defeated Primordials, an Earth titan, is known to Vox Machina. This titan was thrust feet-first into the earth, in the north of Issylra, raising a mountain range. It lay there for an eternity, its remains excavated by cannibal dwarves, until it was reanimated by Vecna.

#### **The Founding of Vasselheim**

With peace finally achieved, the first true civilization was able to take root. It was called Vasselheim, the "Dawn City", and the "Cradle of Creation."

### **The Age of Arcanum**

"*Over time, some of the peoples grew arrogant. Seeing their arcane gifts as proof the gods held no sway over their fate, some began to believe that, with enough understanding, they could become as powerful as the gods themselves.*"
― The Myth of Exandria
**The Age of Arcanum** was the second age of Exandria. It began over 1500 years prior to the events of Critical Role. During this time, mortals tested the limits of arcane power, challenged the gods who had created them, and brought about the escape of the once-defeated Betrayer Gods.

#### **Arcane Ambition**

Mortal mages grew ever more powerful, building entire castles in a day and even learning to create life-forms of their own. Driven by the quest for immortality, an unnamed mortal woman challenged and defeated the God of Death himself, ascending to take his place in the pantheon.

One man, Archmage Vespin Chloras, sought to harness the power of the Betrayer Gods. He broke open their prison, where they had been spawning hungry creations of their own, and released them back into the Material Plane.

#### **Ghor Dranas**

Driven by an urge for domination, the exiled gods came forth from their broken prisons, enthralled the mage who had freed them, and founded a kingdom of their own on the far end of the world. The kingdom was called Ghor Dranas.

#### **Assault on Vasselheim**

From Ghor Dranas, the Betrayer Gods spread their influence and eventually made an assault on the bastion of Vasselheim. The battle lasted twenty days and nights but, with the divine aid of the Prime Deities, Vasselheim and its inhabitants stood triumphant, if battered, at the end.

This assault left both mortals and gods alike shaken. Mortals turned their arcane powers to the forging of heroic weapons, and the gods prepared for war.

### **The Calamity**

"*No record remains of the terrible war that followed, but its effects are still felt today. The sheer magnitude of the energies unleashed in the ensuing battles of gods and mortals alike was enough to fray the boundaries holding back the elemental chaos, spilling unbridled destruction into the world. It completely rearranged the known flow of magical ley energy across Exandria.*"
― The Myth of Exandria
**The Calamity** was the third age of Exandria. The exact timeframe is uncertain, but it is known that Ioun, who was wounded during this age, has been recovering for at least 800 years.[8] This age encompasses the second war against the Betrayer Gods, which devastated civilization and in some cases rearranged the geography of the world. The age ends with the defeat of the Chained Oblivion and the construction of the Divine Gate.

#### **Divine Warfare**

Following the assault on Vasselheim, conflict against the Betrayer Gods was rejoined. Most cities that had sprung up during the Age of Arcanum were reduced to ash, leaving Vasselheim once again as the sole bastion of civilization. Historians estimate that no more than a third of the world's population survived this war.

To end the war, the Prime Deities sought to banish Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion. During their battle, Ioun, the Knowing Mistress, took a near-fatal blow, from which she is still recovering. However, the Rites of Prime Banishment were successfully enacted for the first (and, thus far, only) time in history, and Tharizdun was vanquished.

#### **A Long Recovery**

In the end, the kingdom of Ghor Dranas was defeated and the Betrayer Gods banished once more, but now with the knowledge and fear that they could return again. While the mortal world recovered slowly from the devastation it had endured, the Prime Deities were left to ponder how they might prevent a third divine war.

#### **The Divergence**

Hoping to seal away the Betrayer Gods for good, the Prime Deities retreated from the Material Plane. Behind themselves and their defeated brethren, they erected a barrier known as the Divine Gate, which would prevent any god from physically crossing over into mortal realms.

The departure of the gods from Exandria, and the diminishment of their influence, was an event that has since come to be known as "The Divergence."

### **Post-Divergence**

"*Much time has passed since, and the world has been reborn once again. The gods still exhibit their influence and guidance from beyond the Divine Gate, bestowing their knowledge and power to their most devout worshipers, but the path of mortals is now their own to make.*"
― The Myth of Exandria
The Chronicles of Vox Machina take place during the fourth age of Exandria. This timespan encompasses all of modern history since the Divergence.  Monks of the Cobalt Reserve and other historians label and number the years in the Calendar of Tal'Dorei as "PD", or "Post-Divergence".

#### **Influence of the Gods**

Though unable to physically cross over into Exandria, both the Prime Deities and the Betrayer Gods still grant boons from afar to their mortal followers. Vasselheim remains as the bastion city of the Prime Deities, where divine magic is common but arcane magic tightly regulated for its role in unleashing the Calamity.

#### **Vestiges of the Divergence**

Powerful relics from the war against the Betrayer Gods remain scattered throughout the planes of existence. Eight of these relics have been gathered together by a group of heroes known as Vox Machina, though more remain lost.

#### **Ascension of a New God**

The arch-lich Vecna once again pressed the limits of arcane power. ~~As of the events of "The Endless Atheneeum" (8x07)~~, and for only the second time in the history of the world, he, a mortal, attained the power of a god. Vecna sought then to gather worshippers and expand his power, while the Prime Deities sought to defeat him as the Betrayer Gods were once defeated.

Unlike during the last war, the Divine Gate now stands as a barrier between the Prime Deities and the newly ascended Vecna, who came to power on the mortal side of the gate. It seems that the responsibility for his banishment will therefore fall upon a select few mortal champions, bearing the gifts of their gods from across the Divine Gate.

Vox Machina, guided by blessings from Ioun, Pelor, Sarenrae, and the Raven Queen, took it upon themselves to confront and seal away Vecna. Atop his tower in the moving city of Entropis, as Vecna led yet another assault against Vasselheim, they confronted the new god. By enacting the same rites of banishment that were used to seal away the Chained Oblivion, they successfully exiled him from the Prime Material Plane.

As a young god who was not able to fully realize his power before being banished, it is unknown how much influence Vecna will now wield.

## Calendar

### Dates

An Exandrian years lasts 328 days over the course of 11 months. Each day is 24 hours in length and the days of the week are named Miresen, Grissen, Whelsen, Conthsen, Folsen, Yulisen, and Da'leysen. This particular calendar has elvish roots and is the one used throughout the continent of Tal'Dorei and most other civilized areas in the world.

### Season

* Spring begins early in the month of Dualahei, officially starting on the 13th with the Renewal Festival.
* Summer begins in the middle of Unndilar, officially starting on the 26th day known as the Zenith.
* Autumn begins early in Fessuran, marked by the Harvest's Close on the 3rd day.
* Winter begins on the 2nd day of Duscar, the Barren Eve, which is a night-time celebration and remembrance of those who fell in battle.

### Holidays

* **New Dawn**: The first day of the new year is also the holy day of the Changebringer, as the old year gives way to a new path.  Emon celebrates New Dawn with a grand midnight feast, which commonly features a short play celebrating the changes witnessed in the past year.

* **Day of Challenging:** The holy day of the Stormlord is one of the most raucous holidays in Emon.  Thousands of spectators attend the annual Godsbrawl, which is held in the fighting ring within the Temple of the Stormlord.  The people root for their deity's favored champion, and there is a fierce (yet friendly) rivalry between the Champion of the Stormlord and the Champion of the Platinum Dragon.  The winner earns the title of "Supreme Champion" for an entire year.

* **Wild's Grandeur:** Though the Archeart is the god of spring, the peak of the spring season is the holy day of the Wildmother.  The people in the southern wilds of Tal'Dorei celebrate the Wildmother's strength by journeying to a place of great natural beauty.  This could be the top of a mountainous waterfall, the center of a desert, or even an old and peaceful city park (such as Azalea Street Park in Emon).  Though Emon rarely celebrates Wild's Grandeur, the few who do will plant trees in observance of the holiday.

* **Deep Solace:** The holy day of the Allhammer is celebrated by especially devout followers in isolation.  They meditate on the meaning of family and how they may be better mothers, fathers, siblings, and children.  Dwarven communities, such as Kraghammer, celebrate with a full day of feasting and drinking.

* **Elvendawn (also known as "Midsummer"):** The holy day of the Archeart celebrates the first emergence of the Elves into Exandria from the Feywild.  In Syngorn, the Elves open small doorways into the Feywild and celebrate alongside the wild fey with uncharacteristic vigor.

* **Highsummer:** The holy day of the Dawnfather is the peak of the summer season.  Emon celebrates with an entire week of gift-giving and feasting, ending at midnight on the 21st of Sydenstar (the anniversary of the Battle of the Umbra Hills, where Zan Tal'Dorei dethroned Trist Drassig).  Whitestone (where the Dawnfather is the city's patron god) celebrates with gift-giving and a festival of lights around the Sun Tree.  Due to the Briarwood occupation, money is thin, so most Whitestone folk choose to recount the small things they are thankful for, rather than buy gifts.

* **Civilization's Dawn:** The holy day of the Lawbearer is the peak of the autumn season.  Emon celebrates with a great bonfire in the square of each neighborhood, around which each community dances and gives gifts.

* **Night of Ascension:** Though the actual date of her rise to divinity is unclear, the holy day of the Matron of Ravens is nonetheless celebrated as the day of her apotheosis.  Though most in Emon see this celebration of the dead as unnerving and macabre, the followers of the Matron of Ravens believe that the honored dead would prefer to be venerated with cheer, not misery.

* **Embertide:** The holy day of the Platinum Dragon is a day of remembrance.  Solemnity and respect are shown to those who have fallen in the defense of others.

* **Winter's Crest:** This day celebrates the freedom of Tal'Dorei from Errevon the Rimelord.  It is the peak of the winter season, so devout followers of the Matron of Ravens (as the goddess of winter) consider it to be one of her holy days.  However, in most of the land, people see Winter's Crest as a secular holiday, often celebrated with omnipresent music in public areas, lavish gift-giving to relatives and loved ones, and the cutting and decorating of trees placed indoors.  The Sun Tree in Whitestone is often decorated with lights and other baubles for Winter's Crest.  Winter's Crest is also when the barrier between planes is at its thinnest, as seen when Raishan was able to tear open the rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire and allow Thordak back into Exandria.

## Bodies of Water

* Lucidian Ocean
* Ozmit Sea
* Marrowglade Loch