ember isle lore

Ember Isle

Forgotten tropics

On a far-flung island, the Kelari kingdom lies abandoned, vines choking the wreckage of grand cities. Ancient spirits whisper from rocks and trees and water, slowly succumbing to corruption, and stalwart watchers fall back before hordes of fanatics come to free an elder evil.

On Ember Isle, where Maelforge writhes in his molten prison, the Ascended must stand against fire and stone.

Rich in spirit

A volcanic island twice the size of Stillmoor, Ember Isle is home to an array of powerful spirits found nowhere else in Telara. Drawn or given life by the island’s unusual concentration of sourcestone, these spirits forged pacts with the Kelari, helping the elves build a magical kingdom to rival and outlast the Eth Empire.

With the Kelari gone, the spirits haunt the marble ruins and lurk between the trees. Many have become feral or embittered, easy prey to the rage of Maelforge.

Watchmen at the fiery prison

During the Age of Dragons, Maelforge claimed Ember Isle, flying out daily to devastate Telara’s coasts. At last, mortal heroes imprisoned the dragon in the volcano that had been his stronghold, founding an order of Kelari and Dwarven monks called the Keepers of the Flame to ensure he never escaped.

The Keepers fulfilled their charge for ages, but the rifts have set the world off-balance, cracking the foundations of Maelforge’s prison. Now, his thrashings cause earthquakes, and the volcano spews ash and smoke over the emerald jungles. Maelforge calls enraged fire spirits to his side and summons the Wanton Maw to lay waste to the island. Unless the Ascended stop him soon, his apocalyptic release is assured.

War for the Sourcewells

The unbridled energies of the planar nexus seep up through fissures in Ember Isle. The Kelari were able to tame and harness these “Sourcewells,” erecting powerful protective weapons.

Now cultists race for the Sourcewells, as do the Guardians and Defiant. Ascended can harness spiritual power from slain enemies and use it to empower the defenses of any Sourcewell their faction controls. Whoever rules the Sourcewells will have the power to suppress or free Maelforge, so Ascended and riftspawn alike will swarm their enemies’ holdings, creating nerve-centers of blazing battle.

For home and for Farhall

For every Kelari, the return to Ember Isle is a deeply personal journey. Each will walk the streets of tumbled Atia, seeing not vine-choked stones but a hall where they once practiced magic, or a balcony where someone rocked them to sleep. Ember Isle was their home for millennia, and with help from their Eth and Bahmi allies, the Kelari will reclaim the land and realign with the spirits—even if they must face the horrific, fallen Pyrkari.

Yet the Defiant do not stake the only claim to Ember Isle. Long ago, a clan of Dwarves heard the song of their kinswoman Karine and journeyed to the island. There, they carved out a delve called Farhall, and clashed for years with the Kelari. These “Farclan” Dwarves are now more at home in the sweltering jungle than their native tunnels, and Borrin Gammult seeks to re-establish contact between the Guardians and his long-lost cousins.

Down the Wanton Maw

For all its riches and beauty, Ember Isle offers danger beyond compare. Even Ascended who can confront Greenscale and Akylios had best be well-armed before they journey through the Travel Stones. Elite Wanton Maw forces seek the Sourcewells through mountain and jungle and ruin. All-new colossi wait to be unleashed upon the island, and hostile spirits spew their elemental wrath. All of Telara will tumble and burn if the Ascended cannot save Ember Isle.