House Cannith was born in Eston, and the house’s labors transformed the city into a place of wonders. Clockwork birds perched and sang in silvery trees covered in steel bark. Skycoaches carried smiths and magewrights from forge to forge, and an iridescent dome protected the city from storms and harsh winds. On the proving grounds of the Cannith creation forges, cadres of newborn warforged learned the combat skills that would prepare them for active duty.
Eston began as a successful mining settlement, extracting iron and rare ores from the nearby hills. Drawing on these resources, the Cannith artificers in Eston spent decades researching all sorts of artificial creatures, which eventually gave rise to the warforged.
Because of these wonders, Eston is an irresistible attraction for treasure hunters hoping to access the vaults of House Cannith. Reports suggest, however, that it has become a strange and deadly place. It’s said that the city is overrun by living spells. In addition to the remnants of damaging spells (see “Living Spells” in chapter 6), there are stranger phenomena: living continual flames that crawl along the streets, cling to lampposts, and flee from strangers, and living scrying spells that shift and shimmer, displaying distant scenes on their amorphous skin.
Eston was renowned for its clockwork menagerie and its steel gardens, a showcase that chronicles House Cannith’s centuries of work developing constructs and homunculi. These creatures have been twisted by the Mourning and have become deadly monsters. Stories tell of an enormous gorgon golem, of razor-winged swarms of silver songbirds, and many other equally strange things.
Parts of Eston have been shattered, their buildings crushed and tumbled by whatever force destroyed the nation. Other portions of the city escaped with superficial damage; aside from the absence of people and the shroud of mist that hangs over the area, it looks much as it did before Cyre fell. The days in Eston are quiet, but the nights bring a cacophony of chaos and violence to the streets — at night, misshapen monsters emerge from their lairs to prowl and wail as they hunt each other for food.
Eston is a war zone between all kinds of twisted factions including the Lord of Blades, the Emerald Claw, the Cult of the Dragon Below, independent branches of the Daask.
Karshak operates out of Eston on a track between Eston and Making.
