From the introduction:
The wild Talenta Plains remain an untamed frontier on the continent of Khorvaire. Travelers can wander for days without seeing another living creature, but must remain ever wary of packs of predatory dinosaurs or suspicious halfling warriors.
...
"The four figures behind you have been following you for miles, and it appears they are growing closer. There can be little doubt that they seek the same thing you do—an Eberron dragonshard that will bring you a fortune if you return it to the city of Sharn. One of the city’s wealthier citizens, Tophran Damilek, hired you a week ago to retrieve the shard, and you’re so close now you can almost feel the gold in your hands. In any event, it’s best to play it safe out here, where wild dinosaurs, tribal halflings, and raiding elves from Valenar are roughly equal threats.
"For days, you have been following your crude map through the wilds of the Talenta Plains. At last, you have reached the small, dark lake on your map, so the cave you seek must be nearby. This is an area of more rugged terrain than the vast, open plains, with a lonely hill jutting up beside the lake. It might be the ideal place to let your pursuers catch up to you. In the rocky crags on the hillside, you could probably find a place to hide, and either stage a successful ambush or let them pass you right by. With nightfall fast approaching, it is probably best to do something now so that you can avoid being attacked during the night."