The Village of Stormwind Cove

A small Ledaal dominion on the shores of the Southern Threshold, one hundred miles southwest of Yane, the village of Stormwind Cove began life in the High First Age as a modest port-of-call for Unexalted ship captains and traders. Its stormy name quickly became ironic as Essence Shields protected the small harbor against the ferocious storms that had once named the cove and life continued with little change for millennia.

With the coming of the Usurpation, Stormwind Cove lost its usefulness as a 'quaint' harbor for mortal sailors pushed out of the larger trading cities by the Exalted. Over time, the city lost even more of its usefulness as the Stormwind Shields were no longer foolproof against every coming storm. Traders gradually began to seek safer ports, and with no strategic value the Stormwind Shields became more and more difficult to maintain.

Today Stormwind Cove is little more than a fishing village and safe haven for ships blown there by the storm winds. The ruins of the once greater city lie mostly untouched, lacking relics or resources that can be scavenged. Rarely having been graced by the corrupting touch of the Anathema, neither Immaculate Monks nor Scavenger Lords have reason to come scouting the city. Only the Stormwind Shields are of interest, and even those are immobile and of use only to the village itself.

Stormwind Cove exports fish products in the form of provisions for passing caravans and rare, exotic poisons to interested buyers. In addition, trinkets, talismans, and keepsakes from the Priory of the Elemental Dragoons are also sold at market.

Stormwind Cove imports flotsam, jetsam, lost ships, and drunken seadogs who ramble about buried treasure.

The Priory of the Elemental Dragoons

To the southwest of the village, where the beach gives way to rainforest, an ancient priory stood long abandoned by the simple people of the village. When Ledaal Dynasts came to claim the village as a domain and foothold in the Southern Threshold, Ledaal Tarvek volunteered to explore the ruins and quickly claimed them as his own.

Realizing the ruins were ancient manses sitting atop still-active demenses, Tarvek had his servants clear the ruins and reactivated the three small manses. Discovering stone murals depicting Terrestrial Exalted riding what appeared to be dragons into battle, Tarvek used his Ledaal heritage to puzzle out the rituals and rites that had once been used to secure the dragons' loyalty.

Heedless of the danger, Tarvek strode into the jungles to the south. Ten days passed, and his fellow Dynasts were just preparing to take over the manses for themselves when Tarvek reappeared--on the back of a winged, reptilian giant seventy meters tall and nearly a hundred meters long. Tarvek declared the ruins the Priory of the Elemental Dragoons and began a recruitment campaign to draw Terrestrial Exalted, Godblooded, and Mortal alike to serve in the order.

Though only Terrestrials can ride the dragons, any mortal or Godblood seeking squire or man-at-arms status will receive a yearly stipend and basic arms and armor in addition to housing. The Priory Grounds feature Essence Shields similar to those that once protected Stormwind Cove, and so are protected from the storms that frequent the land. The Priory currently houses only a few dozen monks, knights, men-at-arms, squires, and servant staff. Currently Tarvek is the only one to have tamed a wild dragon.