Eliste is a very high level mage, the ruler of Wizard's Island, off the southern coast of Attellaria. Eliste herself looks to be human… or half-elf… or elf, changing from moment to moment. With charisma and comeliness well over 20, those speaking to her are essentially charmed, and realize they probably cannot do anything to harm her, and have a hard time even considering doing anything she wouldn’t like. She is very short – well under 5’ tall, and quite petite, has flaming red hair down to her hips. She wears a number of very powerful magic items, and those with true sight can see she apparently is affected by multiple Shapechange spells at once – an iron golem, a disenchanter, a titan, and a rust monster, among others not clearly seen. She has ruled this island for many years - some say centuries - and is known for sometimes inviting powerful mages to the island for training. This typically involves doing a favor for Eliste, as repayment. The island itself is two hexes, the northern being a clear area with a town in the middle, the southern being a forest. A group of tribesmen from the western continent were relocated there for their own protection in 1165; the elder of the tribe teaches Power Gemcrafting. Eliste has a number of powerful associates, who do most of the training for those who visit the island. They include:
Adhan – a middle aged human woman, who is actually a fighter / cleric of Anubis. She is above average in looks, radiates strong magic, and jokes with Gastonis about his combat abilities.
Gastonis – a young-looking dwarf male, who is a Paladin of Tyr. He feigns grumpiness at Adhan, but there is clearly a strong relationship between them.
Camarthen – a middle-aged elf male, a thief / illusionist. He will entertain with sleight of hand, making items vanish, even things like full glasses of wine.
Aurelius – an elderly, thin human male, looks grandfatherly, a ranger. It is noted that his dishes and chair are very sturdy; when he walks, it sounds like a heavy golem.
Nennius – a very young looking half-elf female, a druid – warrior specialization. She is of average height, but very bulky, and has a great deal of body hair.
Blaise – a human male, very average looking, quiet, people keep forgetting he is there.
Domhnall MacMhuirich – a male human, about fifty, is a bard. His singing and playing are amazing, even beyond anything Siobhan has ever played. His harp seems to be made of glass or some sort of crystal.
Her Major Domo is a man named Caledonensis, who showed the characters around the town and the island, and answered their questions. There are also guides, men and women in yellow robes whose job is to provide help finding whatever is needed on the island.
Other items of note
Of note is that there are no Barbarian classed people on the island, as Eliste doesn’t like them, and no monks, as they don’t like her.
It is not possible to teleport to or from the island, plane shift off of it, or the like, including Spire teleporting. There are a number of magical gates, that can be used to travel to any place known on the continent of Attellaria, unless to a place that is protected or private to others. (That is, you can’t use it to sneak into places you don’t belong.) Anyone may leave at any time, using such a portal, but you cannot return unless invited again.
There is a pool called the Pool of Aggonar, of some sort of viscous, purple liquid in the center of a small garden. Caledonensis will tell the party that it is a magical pool, which can remove one undesired magical effect from a person, unless it was put there directly by a greater god. Indirect enchants, such as those done by the Spire, can be removed. This can be done once in a person’s lifetime. This will not work on items.
The forest contains giant, ancient trees, the like of which none in the group have seen anywhere except at the Elven Towers. An amazing number of apparently wild creatures live there, and Nennius is sometimes seen in the forests, as an enormous bear, standing 25’ tall when upright. She will shift to human form if approached or hailed. There are many riding and hiking trails, and the hex seems to go on for many more miles than it should – at least half a dozen hexes of area somehow!
The forest also contains much edible food, and herbs of many kinds.