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| + | /* À compléter */ | ||
| + | ====== Droaam ====== | ||
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| + | <WRAP box bggreen fgblack 350px left :en> | ||
| + | <panel type=" | ||
| + | {{ :droaam??? |}} | ||
| + | ^ Capitale | ||
| + | ^ Gouvernement | ||
| + | ^ Souverain | ||
| + | ^ Population | ||
| + | ^ Gentilé | ||
| + | ^ Races | 20% [[: | ||
| + | ^ Religions | ||
| + | ^ Exportation| Minerai de [[: | ||
| + | </ | ||
| + | {{:Dcarte drooam |Map of Brelande}} | ||
| + | </ | ||
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| + | **Droaam** is a nation ruled by monsters, established by the [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Location ====== | ||
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| + | Droaam shares a tenuous border with [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Society ====== | ||
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| + | The [[: | ||
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| + | Most warlords see that the Sorcières are shaping Droaam into a greater power than any of them could have done alone, so they begrudgingly accept their rule. The nation remains volatile however, as the Sorcières do little to stop minor feuds, assassinations and coups from taking place. | ||
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| + | Due to [[: | ||
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| + | ===== Groupes Influents ===== | ||
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| + | [[: | ||
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| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
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| + | ====Seigneurs de Guerre==== | ||
| + | Le Droaam abrite une vaste gamme de créatures différentes. Beaucoup de ces races maintiennent des enclaves isolées : la ville [[: | ||
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| + | Lorsque les [[:Filles de Sora Kell]] sont arrivées au pouvoir, elles ont utilisé la force et la persuasion pour mettre fin à cette violence. Elles ont reconnu les plus puissants seigneurs de guerre existants comme dirigeants de leurs domaines, et elles ont nommé des lieutenants [[:oni]]s ou autres créatures intelligentes pour gouverner les autres régions. | ||
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| + | Au sein du Droaam, toute créature qui commande la loyauté d'une bande et qui a réussi à revendiquer et à conserver un territoire peut s' | ||
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| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
| + | * Les [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
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| + | ===== Religion ===== | ||
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| + | Droaam has no national religion, and the Sorcières show no interest in enforcing one. The only constant seems to be that the monsters of Droaam universally revile the [[: | ||
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| + | Individual communities do have religious customs of their own, and worship of [[: | ||
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| + | Some specific examples of worship include: | ||
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| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
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| + | ====== Histoire ====== | ||
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| + | ===== Under Galifar ===== | ||
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| + | Droaam was originally part of Breland. This was a polite fiction, as it has never been settled by Humains, Elfes, Nains or other civilized folk, instead remaining a land of savage monsters. Knights often entered Droaam to make a name for themselves by slaying monsters. Few returned. Despite this, the monsters never really worried the people to the east due to their lack of organization, | ||
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| + | ===== La Dernière Guerre ===== | ||
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| + | {{: | ||
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| + | ====== Cities and Settlements ====== | ||
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| + | {{page> | ||
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| + | CITIES AND SITES I n the past, particular creatures dominated the commu nities of Droaam. The Escadrilles d' | ||
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| + | Muraille-Grise Known as the Gateway to Droaam, this city sits on the border to Breland. Though dominated by monsters and ruled by a mind flayer, Muraille-Grise is both a center for trade and a haven for deserters and fugitives. The Maisons Marquées Du Dragon maintain outposts in Muraille-Grise, | ||
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| + | THE Grand Rocher Built atop ancient Gobelin ruins, the Crag is the seat of the Filles De Sora Kell. Few outsiders have seen this thriving city of monsters. Of the Marqué par le Dragon houses, only Maison Tharashk has a presence in the city. | ||
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| + | THE Domaine Empoisonné This hidden city i s ruled by families o f tiefling warlocks who wield powerful magic and craft dark wonders. If you're playing a tiefling or a warlock, you could have ties to the Domaine Empoisonné. | ||
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| + | ===== Autres Sites Notables ===== | ||
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| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[npc: | ||
| + | * [[:Domaine Empoisonné]] | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Foreign Relations ====== | ||
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| + | The Sorcières unsuccessfully petitioned to be included in the [[: | ||
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| + | [[: | ||
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| + | RISING : | ||
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| + | Droaam is a nation of monsters ruled by the Daughters of Sora Kell. Each of these three hags is a legend in her own right, the subjects of tales used to frighten children. Eleven years ago, they seized the lands west of the Gray wall Mountains and founded the nation of Droaam. Although Brelandelaid claim to these barren lands, Galifar had never tamed this wild region. Gnolls, ores, and Gobelins Communly sought haven here, as well as ogres, trolls, harpies, minotaurs, Méduses, tieflings, changelins, lycanthropes, | ||
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| + | INTERESTING TH INGS ABOUT DROAAM • | ||
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| + | Droaam uses the supernatural abilities of its citizens as tools, just as other nations of Khorvaire use magic. The Filles De Sora Kell keep their people fed with troll sausage and use Harpie' | ||
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| + | AFTERMATH OF THE La Dernière Guerre Droaam is barely a decade old. The treaty nations refuse to acknowledge its sovereignty; | ||
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| + | DROAAM | ||
| + | Once, Droaam was a wild frontier that marked the edge of civilized Khorvaire. Today, it is home to one of the strangest nations on the continent. In the streets of the Great Crag, ogres and minotaurs rub shoulders with gnolls and goblins. Gargoyles and wyverns circle in the sky, while harpies call work crews to the quarries with their songs. Under the rule of the enigmatic Daughters of Sora Kell, this land grows stronger with each passing year. | ||
| + | Thanks to the guidance of the hags, the diverse inhabitants of Droaam are learning to work together and finding ways to use their supernatural gifts to help build and sustain society. A medusa might use its petrifying gaze to preserve the life of an injured ally until medical attention can be obtained. Harpies in the taverns of Droaam use their hypnotic songs to entertain rather than to harm. When you bring creatures from Droaam into the campaign, consider how different monsters can work together in unusual ways and how their special abilities could be used outside combat. | ||
| + | Droaam offers a way to introduce monsters into any adventure, and for characters to encounter these monsters in untraditional ways. Droaam demonstrates that even monstrous creatures want the same things that members of other races do, more or less. | ||
| + | Droaamish monsters of a civilized bent could appear anywhere in Khorvaire. House Tharashk brokers the services of Droaamish monsters across the continent. Some of these monsters can appear in traditionally aggressive roles, as mercenary soldiers, a crime lord's bodyguards, or assassins in the shadows of Sharn. But Tharashk also provides less violent services. Ogre laborers put their strength to practical use in many of the continent' | ||
| + | Conversely, a visit to Droaam gives adventurers a chance to explore a land untethered by the laws of the treaty nations, a realm where they are the outsiders and the monsters are at home. Adventurers might have to pursue a fugitive or a war criminal into Droaam, or go there in search of unusual services or information found only in the land of monsters. | ||
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| + | Droaam | ||
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| + | De toutes les nouvelles nations issues de la [[: | ||
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| + | ===== Histoire ===== | ||
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| + | Depuis un millénaire, | ||
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| + | Lorsque [[: | ||
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| + | Au fil des siècles, les Brelons se sont lentement étendu vers l' | ||
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| + | ====Une Terre Ancienne==== | ||
| + | {{ : | ||
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| + | La terre connue sous le nom de Badlands est bien plus ancienne que [[: | ||
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| + | La région fut désormais dominée par l' | ||
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| + | The region was dominated by anarchy from then on—some believe this merely follows the natural instincts of the region’s inhabitants, | ||
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| + | ====La guerre commence==== | ||
| + | Au début de la dernière guerre, les harpies tenaient les montagnes Byeshk, où leurs vols se querellaient sans fin. Cazhaak Draal était entre les mains des méduses qui l'ont revendiquée des siècles plus tôt. Les créatures sages savaient qu'il fallait éviter les Watching Woods, qui abritent des worgs et pire encore. Dans les plaines, le chef le plus fort était le seigneur de guerre minotaure Rhesh Toraa ; autour de son donjon, d' | ||
| + | Les premiers jours de la Dernière Guerre conduisent à une réduction des forces à l' | ||
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| + | As the Last War began, the harpies held the Byeshk Mountains, where their flights endlessly feuded. Cazhaak Draal was in the hands of the medusas that claimed it centuries earlier. Wise creatures knew to avoid the Watching Woods, home to worgs and worse. In the plains, the strongest leader was the minotaur warlord Rhesh Toraa; around her keep, countless minor chibs fought one another more frequently than they struck the settlers. | ||
| + | The first days of the Last War led to a reduction of forces in the west of Breland; while it was a violent, unstable region, there were few settlers across the Graywall needing protection. Not all of the Westwind Riders were Brelon, and with Wroaan’s coronation, soldiers returned to serve their home nations, and Wroaan needed all the troops she could muster. She reduced the Westwind Riders to a minimal force—enough to patrol between the fortresses of Orcbone and Stubborn, but little more. | ||
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| + | Many Aundairians had been part of the Westwind Riders, and on receiving their reports, Spy Master ir’Galanatyr saw an opportunity. The Royal Eyes of Aundair worked with Rhesh Toraa and other chibs in the Badlands, providing equipment and training to support attacks against Graywall settlers and raids across the gap. With forces tied up to the east, it was up to the commanders of Orcbone and Stubborn to protect the west. But ultimately, the provocateurs from Aundair and Karrnath found the Badlands raiders undisciplined and impossible to unify, never posing the dire threat Breland’s enemies had hoped for. | ||
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| + | De nombreux Aundairians avaient fait partie des Westwind Riders, et après avoir reçu leurs rapports, le maître espion du Galanatyr a vu une opportunité. Les Royal Eyes of Aundair ont travaillé avec Rhesh Toraa et d' | ||
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| + | ====Les filles arrivent==== | ||
| + | La ville-forteresse de Stubborn a survécu à des décennies de raids et d' | ||
| + | "Dites à vos dirigeants qu'il y a un nouveau pouvoir à l' | ||
| + | Une fois que la nouvelle de la chute de Stubborn a atteint Orcbone, les Westwind Riders ont voyagé vers l' | ||
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| + | The fortress-town of Stubborn survived decades of raids and skirmishes, as the chibs of the Badlands had no patience for sieges and no weapons for breaking strong walls. Many lesser settlements and claims were overrun and lost, but Stubborn repelled countless attacks by goblins and minotaurs. However, it was utterly unprepared for the force that struck it in the last decade of the war. A typical band of raiders might include a single troll or a handful of ogres, but in 986 YK, the soldiers of Stubborn found themselves facing phalanxes of armored trolls fighting with deadly skill, and squads of ogres acting with discipline and coordination. Stubborn’s defenders leapt off the walls in pursuit of harpies’ songs, and the walls were shattered by hurled stones. Survivors were herded into the plains to face the leaders of the army; this was the first recorded encounter with the assembled Daughters of Sora Kell, three enigmatic hags discussed in depth later in this chapter. | ||
| + | “Tell your rulers there’s a new power in the west,” Sora Katra told the people of Stubborn. “What you’ve called the Badlands, we now name Droaam. The land beyond the Graywall and below the Byeshk belongs to our people. Withdraw yours quickly and respect our claim; next time, there will be no survivors.” | ||
| + | Once news of the fall of Stubborn reached Orcbone, the Westwind Riders traveled west in full force. But Sora Katra was true to her word; there were no survivors, nor any records of the last battle of the Westward Riders. A retaliatory strike from Droaam—merely a fraction of the forces at Stubborn—inflicted terrible damage on Orcbone itself. King Boranel swiftly deployed all the soldiers he could spare to this new front, reinforcing and fortifying Orcbone. In 987 YK, he formally ordered all Brelon citizens to withdraw from the lands west of Graywall, but he refused to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Daughters, and over the next decade, clashes continued. | ||
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| + | Building A Nation | ||
| + | To the people to the east of the Graywall Mountains, it seemed that the Daughters of Sora Kell appeared out of nowhere—and it felt much the same to the chibs of the Badlands. But evidence suggests that it was the culmination of years, or even decades, of planning. How long did it take to train the trolls and ogres now known as Maenya’s Fist? How did the Daughters acquire the armor and weapons wielded by this force? Some say that Sora Maenya assembled her troops in a forgotten Dhakaani fortress deep below the Byeshk Mountains, and that she oversaw the forging of their weapons in this ancient foundry. Sora Maenya calls the soldiers of Maenya’s Fist her children, and some scholars believe this might be literally true; both her war trolls and skullcrusher ogres are smarter and more capable than their common cousins. But how long would such an endeavor take? Melian Mit Davandi of the Library of Korranberg has advanced the theory that demiplanes may have been involved—that Maenya’s lair in Khyber could exist outside of the normal flow of time, allowing the schemes of the Daughters to be both a recent development and the work of generations. Sora Teraza approached the Queen of Stone and the lords of the Domaine Empoisonné in 985 YK, and the Daughters brokered the services of fully half of the Znir Pact mercenaries in this time. No one knows just how long the Daughters spent in preparation—but 986 YK is when they made their presence known. | ||
| + | Leading up to the attack on Stubborn, the Daughters spoke with—and dominated—the greatest powers of the Badlands. The chibs of the plains only understood force, and the Daughters displayed it; the scattered bands of raiders were forced to submit, and those who refused to bow to the Daughters of Sora Kell were executed in gruesome ways. | ||
| + | In 987 YK the Daughters of Sora Kell summoned the region’s most powerful leaders to the ruins now known as the Great Crag. There, Sora Katra presented the blueprint for the new nation, appointing warlords and specifying their responsibilities and regions. Work began on the greatest cities of this new nation: Graywall, the Great Crag, and the port city of Vralkek. The old fortress of Stubborn was repurposed and renamed Stonejaw. While some of the raider bands were left to follow their old ways, many were absorbed into the new nation. Thousands of goblins and kobolds were freed from their oppressive chibs and given opportunities in the new cities. This new order was maintained by gnoll peacekeepers of the Znir Pact. When that proved insufficient—when a chib refused to release their captive subjects or defied the Daughters—Maenya’s Fist would descend to destroy them. The message was simple: Change was coming. You could find your place in Droaam, or you could choose obliteration. | ||
| + | The Daughters’ ambitious plans were strengthened by an alliance with House Tharashk. For Tharashk, this provided access to the rich mineral resources of Droaam and the services of monstrous mercenaries, | ||
| + | The Present Situation | ||
| + | The Daughters of Sora Kell sent representatives to Thronehold for the treaty negotiations, | ||
| + | Most of the leaders of the Five Nations are convinced that Droaam won’t last—that it’s unstable, that these monsters will turn on each other any day now. They might be right; the Daughters have already had to crush a number of rebellious warlords and lesser chibs. But after eleven years, Droaam is stronger than ever. Its new cities are expanding. Dragonmarked houses are exploring their opportunities in the region. One important question still remains unanswered: What do the Daughters of Sora Kell want? Will they attack Breland in force if their demands aren’t soon met? Or is there some grander scheme, tied to the prophetic visions of Sora Teraza? | ||
| + | What Defines Droaam? | ||
| + | While all citizens of Droaam serve the Daughters of Sora Kell, each region is independently governed by a warlord in the name of the Daughters, and beneath them, chibs rule local communities. All citizens are expected to serve their nation when called upon, and to do whatever is asked of them. In exchange for loyalty and service, they receive sustenance, shelter, and pride—driven in part by the knowledge that they are defying the arrogant nations of the east. The people of Droaam are encouraged to believe that they are part of something glorious, something that has yet to be fully formed. “Today may be difficult, and tomorrow may be harder still. But look what we’ve done in one decade, and imagine what we’ll achieve in the next!” | ||
| + | Within Droaam, some citizens have concrete, defined jobs—miners, | ||
| + | While many outsiders may think Droaam’s system sounds oppressive, most of its citizens are sincerely committed to their new nation. Their lives before the Daughters were brutal and ugly. Now they have all the grist—ground meat made of troll flesh—that they can eat, a roof and a bed in the local hall, and most of all, a sense of purpose. A goblin may spend their day in the mines, but they know they’re building a great city, not just serving the crude whims of a crass ogre chief. Additionally, | ||
| + | Language | ||
| + | Droaam has several exotic languages, from the chattering of the Znir Pact gnolls to the medusas that communicate with each other through the hissing and weaving of their snakes. However, this region was once dominated by the Empire of Dhakaan and Goblin has long been the common language of trade. Almost every Droaamite speaks, or at least understands, | ||
| + | When using stat blocks for a Droaamish creature, you should generally substitute Goblin in place of Giant or Orc. The ogres and trolls of Droaam have no ties to Xen’drik, where the Giant language was spoken. The Orc language was largely eliminated from common use thousands of years ago, and it’s nearly extinct in Khorvaire today, though there could be a community of Gaa’ran orcs that still speak it. | ||
| + | Common is used as a trade language, and in modern times, many creatures speak it in addition to Goblin. Even before the arrival of the Daughters, the people of the eastern Badlands often knew a little Common from interacting with Brelon settlers and the Westwind Riders. Today, the Daughters are encouraging the spread of Common, and have even begun providing regular classes in the language in Graywall and the Great Crag, as understanding Common is useful for commerce and for creatures who could serve as Tharashk mercenaries. Ultimately, it’s up to the DM to decide if a particular creature should speak Common—and if so, just how much it speaks. It’s possible that an NPC may only know a few specific phrases in Common, or that a player character will have to make a Charisma (Performance) check to convey their meaning to a creature that understands little of the language. | ||
| + | Literacy is common in the more civilized regions of Droaam. Medusas, tieflings, and changelins are generally literate, as is anyone who works as a merchant or envoy. But at the moment, much of the general populace is illiterate, in contrast to the Five Nations, where education has long been considered a basic right. | ||
| + | While Droaamites speak Goblin, they aren’t dar like the Dhakaani discussed later in this chapter; they have no interest in muut or atcha, and don’t use many other words integral to Dhakaani culture. Notably, they don’t use the terms chaat’oor or gath’dar to refer to humans and their kin. Instead, they use aravaat—easterner—to refer to people of the Five Nations, and more generally, to refer to humans, halflings, dwarves, elves, and similar species. Most Droaamites don’t bother to learn the names of the different nations of Khorvaire. The West is the Shadow Marches, home to Tharashk and the former home of Sora Katra. The North is the Towering Wood, former home of Sora Maenya. Everything else is the East, and that’s all most people really care to know about it. | ||
| + | Political Structure | ||
| + | The nation of Droaam, which has only existed for eleven years, has a general structure established, | ||
| + | For now, each warlord has the power to rule their domain and organize their own army as they see fit. There is no standardized system for either bureaucrats or soldiers; in the former Badlands, the most powerful local official is still called the chib, though they may no longer be the largest or most physically menacing creature in the community. In the cities where multiple species live side by side, the common populace is divided between soldiers, skilled laborers, and the general labor force; these are organized by and under the direct authority of the local chib. Such cities have a grist mill (discussed later in this section) and a series of barracks, providing food and shared shelter for all workers. You won’t own property unless you have valuable skills or an impressive position, but you can find free food and shelter in any city— though as the cities are still expanding to meet capacity, in many places, that shelter is a bedroll in a tent. | ||
| + | Katra’s vision is that all creatures of Droaam would work together, part of the greater whole. Ideally, a laborer who works hard should have no fear of abuse—foremen shouldn’t beat (or eat) their crews on a whim, an improvement over life in the Badlands. Katra wants the workers to be respected for their efforts, much as the golin’dar are treated with respect among the Kech Dhakaan. But while the Daughters promote this ideal, it doesn’t always work out in practice; there are still lheshat that treat laborers cruelly. Even where workers are treated well, it’s balanced by the understanding that anyone who challenges the Daughters or the warlord will be crushed without mercy. In any given lheshat, the warlord governs their domain and the chibs beneath them lead each community. But there are three forces that operate outside this system, working directly for the Daughters and wielding authority throughout the land: The agents of Katra’s Voice are envoys and entertainers, | ||
| + | Law and Order | ||
| + | Droaam isn’t bound by the Code of Galifar, and there is no uniform code of justice. Justice is thus entirely in the hands of the local chib, unless Katra’s Voice overrides them. Every chib maintains their own force of guards. In a small village, this might be a handful of Gaa’aram orcs, but in a large city like Graywall, the guards are a versatile and significant force: orcs, minotaurs, and ogres with support from harpies and gargoyles. Any major community also has a garrison of Znir gnolls. These mercenaries serve as peacekeepers when needed, but they serve the Daughters directly, not the chib; in part, they are present to deter a chib from turning against the Daughters. Ultimately, Droaam is a wild frontier. For the most part, the law is simple: don’t mess with the chib or anything that belongs to the Daughters. The guards don’t care about random street brawls or bar fights. They don’t care if someone stole your purse. They aren’t interested in what laws a fugitive may have broken in some other land. However, they do care about significant damage to buildings, or about any situation that could result in the death of multiple laborers—anything that threatens the overall productivity of the community. So player characters can get away with a great deal in Droaam, as long as they are careful. The local guards won’t interfere when a Sentinel Marshal arrests a war criminal hiding out in Graywall—but they also won’t interfere when three trolls the criminal hired attack the marshal in return. First and foremost, the guards protect the town and the chib; personal rights and property mean little in Droaam for lesser citizens. If you want justice, you usually have to enact it yourself. In most communities, | ||
| + | There is one recourse for those who seek justice: Katra’s Voice includes magistrates who have the power to administer justice. Magistrates travel between smaller communities, | ||
| + | A few basic principles to keep in mind when considering law and order in Droaam: while the local guards generally don’t interfere in casual street fights, deadly violence isn’t as common as outsiders think. There’s an unspoken rule that larger creatures have the right of way; the goblins know to vacate the path of a troll. There are, of course, exceptions; everyone clears a path for a medusa. Beyond this, most of the Droaamites living in the large cities want to be part of Katra’s plan. The troll knows that the little goblins, annoying though they might be, are supposed to be her little brothers. She’ll give a little brother a smack if he pushes her—he needs to know better—but she won’t go out of her way to kill him, and she won’t eat him. If you antagonize a troll, it may slash you with a claw; but if you immediately show contrition, the conflict ends there. Conversely, if a group of easterners start picking fights, the Droaamites feel no such obligation to these outsiders; even if the guards don’t interfere, other citizens might, and a wise human keeps a low profile in a city of monsters. | ||
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| + | Cruel World | ||
| + | Mercy and compassion are alien concepts in Droaam, neither expected nor offered. There’s little difference between justice and revenge, and if you want either, you’ll likely have to seize it. The world is split into predators and prey—and it’s always better to be the predator. Surviving to the end of a day is a victory, and having shelter and food should be celebrated, not taken for granted. The people of Droaam are steadfast allies to those they count as friends, and fight to protect the things they love. But they care nothing about the fate of strangers: if protecting a friend means causing suffering to a stranger, so be it. | ||
| + | Bear this in mind when creating characters from Droaam. If you are cruel to strangers, it’s because you believe the world to be a cruel place. You may pursue noble goals and be the most reliable friend anyone could wish for, but you were born in a harsh world, and it’s the only life you’ve known. | ||
| + | This cruel world is changing. The Daughters dangle the dream of a better world; Katra urges Droaamites to think of all of their comrades as family. Serve the Daughters and you’ll have food and shelter. But that’s all balanced by the fact that if you challenge them, they will crush you without mercy. And to most Droaamites, that’s a perfectly reasonable arrangement. | ||
| + | The Economy | ||
| + | Droaam has no established currency; the standard reward for daily labor is sustenance and shelter. Most Droaamites rely on barter for goods, skilled labor, or luxuries. However, most merchants in major cities accept the coins of the East, as well as two secondary “currencies.” Miners often trade using slivers, small chunks of precious metal or gemstone shards. It’s also common to barter and gamble with bounty-marked teeth. The Daughters of Sora Kell (through the chibs) offer a bounty on certain dangerous animals, paid by the tooth. A Goblin symbol identifying the animal it’s from is carved on each tooth, but most merchants won’t accept teeth unless they personally recognize the tooth—so you can’t just carve “wyvern” on wolf teeth. While the DM could treat bounty-marked teeth as another form of coinage—”the old goblin offers three displacer beast teeth, worth 10 silver”—adventurers who kill a dangerous monstrosity might wonder what the bounty is for their teeth. The DM could roll on the Individual Treasure tables in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine the bounty offered for a creature of any CR. However, the tooth currency is based on the value the Daughters have placed on each bounty, and not every creature has a golden mouth. Some dangerous creatures might have a high value while others are worthless. The bounty is a way to encourage the elimination of threats, and if a creature doesn’t threaten the people of Droaam—or is perhaps even an ally—there won’t be a bounty on its teeth. | ||
| + | While bartering can be more time-consuming than dealing in coins, it’s also an opportunity to introduce interesting adventure hooks. Perhaps a goblin merchant can’t make change for a platinum piece, but she offers a scrap of vellum in exchange; it looks like a piece of a map, and she says it came from below the city. Dhakaani relics, odd remnants of the daelkyr war, an object pawned by a Brelon deserter—any of these could be worth little to the one offering it, but priceless to those who receive it. | ||
| + | Droaam’s main exports—brokered through House Tharashk—are byeshk and other ores from the mountains, Eberron shards from the plains, and the mercenary services of its people. But it’s also the source of unsavory goods that are often illegal in the Five Nations. Poison is a simple example, but there are other more exotic substances. Dragon’s blood is described in chapter 4 of Eberron: Rising from the Last War. Courage is a stimulant that grants a user advantage against saving throws to avoid being frightened; however, long-term use causes paranoia and can leave someone in a state of catatonic terror. Blood gin is a necrotic narcotic, distilled from berries from a Mabaran manifest zone that are fermented in the blood of someone who died by violence; it induces euphoria while replaying the final moments of the victim’s life, but frequent users can suffer dreadful nightmares. These are just a few examples, and Droaam is home to many unnatural goods that can’t be found anywhere else. It’s a source of organs and hides from exotic creatures, which may be critical components for creating a magic item; if you need the eyes of a luecrotta, the Graywall marketplace may be your best chance. The markets of Droaam also receive the spoils from bandits and odds and ends from deserters, war criminals, and renegades who come from the Five Nations. All in all, you never know what you might find in a goblin market! | ||
| + | In describing goods from Droaam, consider the vast range of styles and quality that can be found throughout the region, some of which are described on the Droaamish Artisanship table. The Badlands raiders had no smiths and fought with simple weapons of wood and stone, or with equipment supplied by Aundair or Karrnath. However, the Daughters have been working to improve the situation, and gnoll and medusa artisans can be found working in many of the more diverse cities. And the Domaine Empoisonné is a mystically advanced society; while they lack the industrial capacity of House Bombardier, they’re skilled in producing magecrafted treasures beyond those of the Five Nations. Most magic items used by Droaamites come from the demesne. | ||
| + | Droaamish Artisanship | ||
| + | d8 | ||
| + | Style | ||
| + | 1 | ||
| + | Badlands Primitive. The work of ogres and orcs, primitive and with no consistent style. Materials are stone, wood, and bone. | ||
| + | 2 | ||
| + | Znir Gnoll. Created by the artisans of the Znir Pact. Ugly to human eyes, but functional and very reliable. Excellent use of wood and leather; limited metalworking. | ||
| + | 3 | ||
| + | Cazhaak Draal. Made by skilled medusa artisans. More elegant than Znir or Badlands work, with smooth curves and engraved patterns. Reasonable metalwork, but they also work with stonewood, an exceptionally hard wood from the Stonelands. | ||
| + | 4 | ||
| + | Maenya’s Fist. Crafted for the elite soldiers of Sora Maenya. These include heavy armor and metal weapons. The metalwork is excellent; the style is brutalist in form, intended to intimidate. | ||
| + | 5 | ||
| + | Domaine Empoisonné. Magecrafted with superior arcane science. Fine metals and ceramics are common, and tools have colorful materials and enamels. Even simple items may have common magical properties. | ||
| + | 6 | ||
| + | Aravaat. Objects from the East—generally the Five Nations. These may be supplies given to Badlands raiders during the Last War, or brought in by traders or brigands in recent years. | ||
| + | 7 | ||
| + | Patchwork. Useful things scavenged and pieced together, a common practice among Droaamites—especially gnolls. A Dhakaani axe head could be on a haft of Znir design, or a suit of armor could be made from pieces of three different suits. | ||
| + | 8 | ||
| + | Ancient Dhakaan. Recovered from one of the Dhakaani ruins of the region. These goods are extremely ancient and may be well worn, but remain functional. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Religion | ||
| + | Droaam is a tapestry of many cultures with diverse beliefs. The minotaurs revere a being known as the Horned Prince, but each clan has its own private name for their patron. The harpies say they sing with the Fury’s voice, but believe the Fury was Eberron’s cry of pain when she gave birth to the world. The changelins of Lost believe themselves to be the chosen people of the Traveler. The gnolls of the Znir Pact refuse to bow to any god or fiend, while the warlock lords of the Venomous Domain believe that there is no difference between gods or fiends; there are only powers that can be bound or bargained with. | ||
| + | Despite this vast diversity, there is broad acknowledgment of the Dark Six throughout the region. While each different subculture has its own favored deities and personal twists, most people know the basic principles of the Cazhaak Creed—an interpretation of the Sovereigns and Six codified by the medusas of Cazhaak Draal. Every multicultural city in Droaam has a host of shrines and idols tied to the lesser paths, but the true temple is one of the Shadow, most likely tended by a medusa priest. | ||
| + | The Cazhaak Creed acknowledges that the Sovereigns exist, but portrays them as tyrants who make demands of their worshipers while giving nothing. By contrast, the Dark Six support freedom and fair exchange. Under the creed, the Shadow is the patron of all those considered “monsters” by the people of the East. Aureon and the Nine hoarded their power, whereas the Shadow gave its children wondrous gifts: the medusa’s gaze, the troll’s regeneration, | ||
| + | Overall, the Cazhaak Creed assigns the same values to the Dark Six as does the Pyrinean Creed of the Five Nations, but it sees these concepts as virtues. The Shadow is the Sovereign of ambition and helps you find your path to power, even if that means stepping on others on the way. The Fury is the Sovereign of instinct and if you embrace your emotions, she’ll guide you through them; she’s also the Sovereign of revenge, which is merely the other side of justice’s coin. The Mockery shows the path to victory in battle, even if that requires you to embrace treachery or fear; in Droaam, courage and honor take a back seat to victory and survival. The Devourer wields the power of the wilds; he winnows out the weak, but those who survive his tests grow strong. Priests of the Keeper perform funerary rites, which vary by species—from the medusas that petrify their infirm so they never die, to the trolls and ogres that eat their dead. The priests also act as healers, for disease and infection are tools of the Keeper, and a priest can remove them for a price. The Keeper is the Sovereign of wealth and greed, and his priests are always willing to help a petitioner propose a bargain. The Traveler is rarely worshiped directly by any but the changelins, but it is always acknowledged. | ||
| + | All these are echoed in Droaam in many minor ways. For example, revels are ecstatic celebrations devoted to the Fury, where participants are encouraged to abandon all restraint and embrace their emotions. In battle, many Droaamites dedicate a kill to the Keeper, hoping to earn favor by adding souls to the Sovereign’s hoard; likewise, it’s customary to sacrifice part of an unexpected windfall to the Keeper so he doesn’t grow jealous. | ||
| + | Droaamites are very indulgent of the beliefs of others, despite (or because of) the many different faiths and practices. The Znir gnolls despise demons, but don’t interfere with the practices of the minotaurs or tieflings. Harpies don’t argue with medusas over the nature of the Fury; they know the true answer, and that’s sufficient. Everybody generally honors the Shadow, even if that means different things to different people. This principle generally applies to easterners as well. Droaamites think worshiping the Sovereign Host is foolish, but aren’t upset if you invoke Aureon, and don’t care what kalashtar or elves believe. | ||
| + | There’s one exception to the religious tolerance of Droaam—the Church of the Silver Flame. The Church considers it their mission to defend the innocent from supernatural threats, and many of the inhabitants of Droaam are considered “supernatural threats.” The Silver Flame has led many raids and quests into the Badlands, and the Dark Pack won’t soon forget the Lycanthropic Purge. Anyone who openly wears symbols of the Silver Flame receives, at best, a hostile reaction from most Droaamites, and it’s wise to never wander off alone. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====Cuisine==== | ||
| + | Un des principaux facteurs qui a longtemps empêchés les habitants des Badlands de construire de grandes villes était l' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Alors que les [[:Filles de Sora Kell]] font respecter leur règne avec la voix de [[:Katra]] et le poing de [[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | Peu d' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Chaque grande ville a un « moulin à trolls », une cafétéria publique servant du hot-troll. Ces moulins comprennent des écuries remplies de trolls; certains y sont gardés comme sentence, tandis que les autres ont été élevés pour cette fin. Leur chair est lentement coupée, laissant toujours le temps à la créature de se régénérer en toute sécurité. La douleur de ce processus reste toutefois atroce. Les visiteurs trouvant le hot-troll aigre et désagréable, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Pour ceux qui ont de l' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====Wide Monster==== | ||
| + | The civilization of the Five Nations is based on the application of low-level arcane magic, which is deployed to solve the problems of society—communication, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The medusa’s gaze is a terrifying weapon, but petrification can also be used to preserve the critically injured or sick until they can be properly cared for. Using gargoyles as couriers and harpies as town criers are fairly obvious applications of their natural gifts, while the creation of grist is a more exotic application of troll regeneration. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Harpy Song. The people of the East know of the harpy as a monster whose voice can lure innocents to their death. But a gifted “songbird” can produce a far wider range of effects than just the irresistible lure. The song of a talented harpy can inspire hope or despair, instill joy or bring tears to the eyes of listeners. Harpies call the start of each work shift, drawing workers to their tasks. Every grist mill has a songbird whose magical voice soothes weary workers at the end of a shift. As harpies can project with supernatural volume, songbirds also call out the hour and serve as town criers, relaying important news across a community. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Medicine. The chirugeons of Droaam employ methods that are more gruesome than those of House Brunet, but these techniques are nonetheless effective. Broodworms are a form of maggot whose secretions help to both anesthetize a patient and cleanse infected wounds; tiny gelatinous cubes are also used as an unusual anesthetic. While it’s not yet in wide use, the Daughters have been experimenting with troll’s blood, a salve with remarkable healing properties that may in fact be exactly what it proclaims to be. Droaam is a harsh land, and most of the time when people suffer the answer is “suck it up,” but the Daughters have pledged to make a better world in days to come. If they manage to perfect and mass-produce troll’s blood, it could revolutionize public health. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Brute Force. With its many ogres and giants, Droaam has raw strength in great supply. Many tasks that would require specialized equipment or beasts of burden in the Five Nations are simply performed by a large and powerful humanoid. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====Les habitants du Droaam==== | ||
| + | La population du Droaam est incroyablement diversifiée. En plus des créatures intelligentes qui font partie de cette culture, la région abrite un nombre remarquable de monstruosités et de bêtes exotiques. Cela est dû en partie à l' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Bien qu'il existe des enclaves qui sont largement peuplées d'une seule espèce, telles que [[:Cazhaak Draal]] et le [[:Domaine Empoisonné]], | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | | ||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Humains]]** : La plupart des humains vivant à Droaam sont des habitants venant de l'Est, des brigands tentant d' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Méduses]]** : Il y a relativement peu de méduses au Droaam, mais leur intelligence et leur pouvoir magique en font un élément vital de cette nation en pleine croissance. Les architectes méduses dirigent la construction dans les grandes villes mixtes, jetant les bases de ce que deviendra la nation. Les méduses qui choisissent de servir de Voix de [[:Katra]] sont souvent appelées à résoudre des différends et à faire respecter la justice, car qui ose contester le jugement d'une méduse? [[:Cazhaak Draal]] est également le siège de la religion la plus organisée du Droaam, le culte des Sombres Six, et les prêtres les plus puissants des Six sont des méduses. Comparées à de nombreux habitants de la région, les méduses ont tendance à être calmes et rationnelles, | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Minotaures]]** : Les clans de minotaures du Droaam sont répartis dans les plaines. Ce sont de féroces barbares et guerriers qui dominaient les gobelins, kobolds, orcs et autres créatures à l' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Ogres]]** : Les ogres sont plus communs que leurs cousins les [[: | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Oni]]** : Les origines des onis sont un mystère. Certaines personnes croient que les oni sont la progéniture de sorcières et de géants, et que certains sont les enfants ou les petits-enfants des Filles elles-mêmes. D' | ||
| + | |||
| + | <ifauth @admin>< | ||
| + | Harpy Songbirds | ||
| + | A typical harpy songbird has an Intelligence of 10 (+0), a Wisdom of 12 (+1), and a Charisma of 14 (+2), along with the skills Performance +6 and Persuasion +4. A remarkable songbird might be able to cast spells from the bard spell list. The Byeshk harpies are also capable hunters renowned for their skills as archers; most harpies in Droaam are proficient with light armor and bows. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Skullcrusher Ogres | ||
| + | The skullcrusher ogres of Maenya’s Fist are a different subspecies from common ogres. They are devoted to their duties and don’t socialize with other creatures. A typical skullcrusher ogre has a Dexterity of 12 (+1), an Intelligence of 10 (+0), and a Wisdom of 10 (+0). They are proficient with heavy armor and martial weapons, and typically wear plate armor. Skullcrushers are well trained and act with military discipline. | ||
| + | |||
| + | War Trolls | ||
| + | Like the skullcrusher ogres, the war trolls of Maenya’s Fist are a unique subspecies that may be the result of magebreeding. They are utterly devoted to Sora Maenya and to Droaam. | ||
| + | A typical war troll has a Strength of 22 (+6), a Dexterity of 14 (+2), an Intelligence of 10 (+0), and a Wisdom of 12 (+1). They are proficient with heavy armor and martial weapons, and typically wear plate armor; a war troll could be granted additional features to reflect its considerable skill. | ||
| + | |||
| + | </ | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Orcs]] : Au cours d' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Ferals]]** : Il y a un nombre important de férals parmi la population du Droaam. Dans les anciens Badlands, ils étaient largement mélangés aux orcs Gaa' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Shifters. There are a significant number of shifters among the humanoid population of Droaam. In the former Badlands, shifters were largely mixed together with the Gaa’aram orcs, much the same way that the goblins and kobolds of Droaam have formed a collective culture. These orcs call shifters taarka’va—wolf brothers. Pairings between shifter and orc can produce offspring, but the resulting half-orcs are almost always sterile. | ||
| + | Another group of shifters are found in the Watching Woods. They call themselves Ur’haakar—First Panthers. These shifters shun civilization and take pride in their primal connection. Experts at stealth, they possess both Hunter rangers and Living Weapon monks. A few of the Ur’haakar have joined the Dark Pack and left the woods to serve the Daughters and Droaam, but most of the panthers prefer their isolation and consider the lycanthropes of the Dark Pack to be corrupted shifters. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Tieflings]]** : [[:Le Domaine Empoisonné]] se situe à l' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[Trolls]]** : Dans les Badlands, les trolls se sont souvent établis comme chef. Un troll intelligent rassemblait une bande d'orcs Gaa' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * **[[: | ||
| + | Avec le temps, Zaeurl a forgé une alliance entre les lycanthropes renégats et les worgs indigènes du Watching Wood, et ce lien - la meute noire - reste fort à ce jour. Cependant, tout comme il existe un petit nombre de lycanthropes sans lien avec la meute, il existe des meutes de worgs dispersées à travers Droaam. Les worgs s' | ||
| + | Ces dernières années, la puissance de la malédiction lycanthropique est revenue. Selon les règles de la cinquième édition, tous les lycanthropes peuvent propager la malédiction, | ||
| + | |||
| + | Worgs and Lycanthropes. | ||
| + | In the wake of the Lycanthropic Purge, many lycanthropes fled to Droaam. Most congregated in the Watching Wood under the leadership of the werewolf Zaeurl. However, there are a few independent lycanthropes scattered across the region. At the end of the Purge, the power of the curse of lycanthropy was weakened, and most of these survivors couldn’t spread the curse to others; they could only pass it to their offspring. Keen to avoid any chance of further persecution, | ||
| + | In time, Zaeurl forged an alliance between the renegade lycanthropes and the native worgs of the Watching Wood, and this bond—the Dark Pack—remains strong to this day. However, just as there are a small number of lycanthropes with no ties to the Pack, there are worg packs scattered across Droaam. Worgs would often ally with Badlands chibs, and gnolls of the Barrakas clan often form bonds to worg companions. In general, the people of Droaam are quite comfortable with the presence of large predators, and it’s polite to say ta kuur—You speak?—to a beast you’ve never met before. | ||
| + | In recent years, the potency of the lycanthropic curse has returned. Under the rules of fifth edition, all lycanthropes can spread the curse, but the Daughters and Zaeurl both wish to avoid spreading lycanthropy—at least for the moment. The Dark Pack follows strict instructions—don’t bite unless you intend to kill. As with trolls, most town guards understand this rule; if your friend picks a fight with a werewolf, sorry, it has to kill them after biting them; that’s just a matter of public safety. Sora Katra is studying the curse of lycanthropy and may develop ways to prevent accidental contagion . . . or instead, she might develop a program of carefully managed infection to create a new corps of lycanthrope soldiers. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Others. These are the common species of Droaam, but there are many more that could appear. Mordain the Fleshweaver unleashes strange things into the world. Manifest zones can create monstrosities. And in general, the creatures of Droaam haven’t been subject to the expansion of a great nation and their subsequent extermination, | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Daughters of Sora Kell | ||
| + | The destruction of Stubborn and the declaration of Droaam came as a terrible shock to the people of the Five Nations. This wasn’t the work of an upstart prince or an ogre chieftain. Both Sora Katra and Sora Maenya were known from countless tales—mostly terrifying ones in which things don’t end well for the heroes. To most people, the Daughters were legends, figures used to scare unruly children. The Daughters were the reason you were afraid of the darkness as a child; Sora Maenya could be lurking in the shadows, waiting to add your skull to her collection. Most people of the Five Nations know nothing of the daelkyr or of the Dreaming Dark, but they know the Daughters of Sora Kell. This is one reason the Five Nations have refused to acknowledge Droaam; at the end of the day, they can’t believe that it is real, and they hope that maybe they’ll wake up tomorrow and realize it was all just a bad dream. | ||
| + | In principle, the Daughters of Sora Kell are hags. Sora Katra is a green hag, cunning and charismatic. Sora Maenya is an annis hag, possessed of tremendous strength and hunger. And Sora Teraza is a dusk hag, who sees the tapestry of the future laid out before her. However, calling Sora Katra a green hag is like calling a legendary bard a “human.” It’s a foundation—a basic archetype to begin with. But all of the Daughters possess powers far beyond what’s normal for hags of their type. Their mother was Sora Kell, one of thirteen immortal night hags said to have been created by Eberron and Khyber at the dawn of time. Each had a different father; in some stories these were fiends, in others, giants. Regardless, they possess inherited power, which has only increased over centuries of schemes and adventures. While the Daughters are usually spoken of together, each is a legend in her own right; they each have their own goals and distinct personality, | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Les autres. Ce sont les espèces communes de Droaam, mais il y en a bien d' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Why Go to Droaam? | ||
| + | Droaam is a wild frontier filled with monsters. It stands outside the laws of the Five Nations. The common races of the East are outsiders here, and unloved. Why would sensible adventurers ever go to this dangerous place? The simplest answer is that it provides opportunities for stories you can’t tell anywhere else, precisely because it is beyond the laws of the Five Nations. It’s a place where you can interact with creatures that are found nowhere else in Khorvaire, a chance to explore what these creatures can do with their supernatural gifts when they aren’t just eating adventurers or sitting on piles of gold. It’s an opportunity to make bargains you couldn’t make anywhere else, and to find adventures that don’t exist elsewhere. | ||
| + | Patrons | ||
| + | The Daughters of Sora Kell could serve as a group patron for a party of adventurers, | ||
| + | As agents of Droaam, adventurers could be sent on personal missions for the Daughters: perhaps investigating a mystery that threatens to cause an uprising, dealing with a rebellious warlord, or recovering an important artifact from a Dhakaani ruin. Or they could act as envoys in the wider world, whether negotiating with possible allies or simply acting as goodwill ambassadors showing people that the nation of monsters need not be feared. | ||
| + | Peculiar Needs | ||
| + | There are many unusual items that can only be found in Droaam—perhaps an artificer needs basilisk eyes to complete their latest invention. Droaam is also the only source of a number of strange alchemical concoctions, | ||
| + | Peering Into The Past | ||
| + | Droaam contains a significant number of Dhakaani ruins, as yet untouched by the greedy hands of Morgrave explorers. In some cases, these ruins remain unspoiled because they’re haunted, infested with twisted aberrations, | ||
| + | The daelkyr Orlaask was active in this region, and there are passages to its demiplane prison beneath Cazhaak Draal and Suthar Draal. Dyrrn the Corruptor was also involved in ancient battles in this region. According to some accounts, it was here that Dyrrn released the contagious curse known as the Kapaa’vola (discussed later in this chapter), and this is why the region’s goblins are so different from the Darguuls and the Kech Dhakaan; could the key to undoing the curse be found here? | ||
| + | Politics | ||
| + | Breland is worried that Droaam is preparing for a major assault on its western border. Other nations—especially Aundair—might encourage such an action. The Daughters of Sora Kell could repeat their request for recognition; | ||
| + | Pursuit | ||
| + | Droaam—and Graywall in particular—is a common destination for dissidents, deserters, brigands, and war criminals. It’s a growing city that stands outside the laws of the Five Nations. While it’s is a city of monsters, it has a thriving foreign quarter, home to a major enclave of House Tharashk and a growing number of dragonmarked outposts. It’s the perfect place to hide out, and a group of adventurers could be hired to retrieve someone from Droaam, or have a more personal stake in things. | ||
| + | A villain whose scheme goes afoul in Sharn could flee to Graywall; how badly do the characters want revenge? Or the adventurers could learn the location of someone who plays a role in the more distant past: an old enemy from the Last War, someone responsible for the death of comrades-in-arms or the destruction of their home village. Are they seeking an Aundairian war mage responsible for countless civilian deaths, or a Brelon noble who tried to assassinate King Boranel? Alternatively, | ||
| + | |||
| + | ====== Dragonmarks 6/6: Droaam and the Daughters of Sora Kell ====== | ||
| + | |||
| + | I like thinking about the sort of things monsters could accomplish if they put their supernatural abilities to practical use (such as the troll-sausage Grist Mills that feed the masses of Droaam). | ||
| + | |||
| + | **//Who, exactly, is Sora Kell?// ** | ||
| + | |||
| + | She is an exceptionally powerful night hag. Bear in mind that in Eberron, night hags are native outsiders that are peers of the Lords of Dust; the 3.5 ECS says “//Night hags have been around since the Age of Demons, where they often served as ambassadors and messengers between the fiends and the dragons// | ||
| + | |||
| + | Sora Kell’s full powers and purpose are intentionally left unclear. However, she has been wandering the planes for tens of thousands of years, and is the best known of all of the night hags; she’s no one to be trifled with. Of course, she hasn’t been seen for at least a century. Is she trapped? Dead? Or sipping a cool drink in Risia? | ||
| + | |||
| + | **//What is the role of the Daughters of Sora Kell in Eberron? How have you used them?// ** | ||
| + | |||
| + | As with many things in Eberron, the Daughters are intentionally mysterious. Why have they founded Droaam? There are many possible answers. The second question is the critical one: what role do you want them to play in your game? Do you want them to be villains or enigmatic allies? Because their motives will be whatever you need to fit that role. So let’s look at a few possible roles the Daughters can play. | ||
| + | |||
| + | **KATRA WANTS A CROWN** | ||
| + | |||
| + | Why did the Daughters create a nation? The same reason any ruler creates a nation – to gain power and influence over others. And Droaam is only the beginning. There are more monsters in the world than anyone knows. Creatures hidden in high mountains and deep caves, things that have been long forgotten. Even as Daask builds its power in the cities of the Five Nations, emissaries of the Daughters are finding the scattered monsters of Khorvaire. And when the time is right, they will rise to challenge humanity. | ||
| + | |||
| + | If you go this route, there are a number of questions to consider. Does House Tharashk know about Katra’s ambitions, and do they support them? Is she a friend or enemy of the Daelkyr? We’ve already seen her allied with the anti-Daelkyr Xorchyllic, so she might be stealing other aberrant forces from Khyber. Does she want to conquer the Five Nations, or would she be content with a larger kingdom that claims the outer regions – uniting the Shadow Marches and Droaam into one entity, and seeking to absorb the Eldeen Reaches and Demon Wastes? | ||
| + | |||
| + | This is a good route if you just want the Daughters to be an aggressive force in the world; on the other hand, there’s certainly a lot of those to choose from. | ||
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| + | **AGENTS OF PROPHECY** | ||
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| + | Sora Teraza brought the Daughters together. One possibility – as described later in this post – is that Teraza is following her own agenda. Another is that all of the Daughters are united behind her. She may still be half-mad or bound to her visions, but there is a purpose behind it… a goal that all three of the Daughters believe to be worthwhile. A few possibilities to consider: | ||
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| + | * They want to save the world. They know about the Lords of Dust, the Quori, the Daelkyr, and whatever other world-ending threats are out there in your campaign. Through Teraza’s knowledge of the Prophecy, they know that they personally can’t defeat the great threat. But they can HELP defeat it – by battling its lesser forces when the time is right, and again by honing or advising the heroes who CAN defeat it. This is a good approach if you want the Daughters to occasionally help the players, and for them to find Daask fighting the Cults of the Dragon below or Lords of Dust. Of course, a key point here is that the Daughters aren’t doing this to help HUMANS. They’re doing it to save THEIR people. Which brings us to the next idea… | ||
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| + | **//Droaam has a large giant population (ogres, ogre-magi, etc) and speakers of Giantish. Is this a legacy of the age of Giants?// ** | ||
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| + | Personally, I consider Goblin to be the Common tongue of prehuman Khorvaire, spread across the continent by the Empire of Dhakaan. As a result, in my campaign I have orcs and most other monstrous species speak Goblin, reserving Giant for those with a direct connection to Xen’drik (like Gorodan Ashlord). Ogres and Ogre-Magi are technically immigrants from Sarlona. Of course, since that occurred many many centuries ago, I typically have them speaking Goblin, having abandoned their original languages over the course of generations; | ||
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| + | **//Have there ever been any other monstrous nations like modern-day Droaam? Considering that Khorvaire saw lots of empires before humans ever set foot on the continent, I think its only fair to assume that the Daughters of Sora Kell haven’t been the first monsters with ideas of a unified nation.// ** | ||
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| + | It depends how you define “unified nation.” To name just a few, gnolls, orcs, goblins, medusas, and sahuagin all have civilizations that predate Droaam – some by centuries, some by millennia. In some cases these rose to great heights and fell completely. In others, they simply remained self-contained. Neither the medusas nor gnolls ever sought to dominate others; however, they are both pre-existing political entities who allied with the Daughters, but who could easily return to their old ways if the Daughters fell. And while we’re discussing monstrous civilizations, | ||
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| + | **//With several demonic forces (i.e. Turakbar) in Droaam what is the status of druidic/ | ||
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| + | We’ve never discussed it. I see no reason not to have a primal faction among the Dark Pack, though I’d probably create an entirely new sect as opposed to drawing on one of the existing ones. There’s a significant orc population in Droaam, and some among them could follow the ways of the Gatekeepers or another sect. Heck, you could add a druidic sect to the medusas that communes with serpents and creatures of the deeps. With that said, when it comes to people-who-don’t-like-demons, | ||
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| + | //**Above and beyond the typical worship of the Six and the image of the Shadow as the Father of Monsters, are there any cults and sects of the Sovereigns and/or Six in Droaam? Do they have unique theological traditions (ala the masks of the Morin)?** // | ||
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| + | The Graywall Backdrop I linked to at the start of this post has a whole section on religion; here’s a brief quote. | ||
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| + | // | ||
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| + | **//Prior to The Last War and the creation of Droaam, would the aforementioned Gnoll and Medusa civilizations have had treaties with Galifar? Could some of them even have fought alongside Galifar himself in ages past?// ** | ||
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| + | The medusas only laid claim to Cazhaak Draal in 778 AR; prior to that their civilization was entirely subterranean and had no meaningful contact with the surface world. So unlikely on that front. Gnolls could be a possibility, | ||
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| + | //**Does Droaam have any allies amongst those Nations recognized by the Treaty of Fort-du-Trône? | ||
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| + | By canon, no. Their strongest political ally is House Tharashk. | ||
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| + | //**Does House Létourneau have any major stakes in operations based in Droaam?** // | ||
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| + | Not by canon, but it seems like something that would be interesting to develop. Létourneau would surely be interesting in things like wyvern breeding stock and the like, not to mention a chance to work with Cazhaak Draal’s basilisk wranglers. It’s mainly a question of what Létourneau would offer in return and how Tharashk would feel about it, since Tharashk has been a loyal ally. | ||
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| + | //**You remind us that Night Hags deal in dreams. How would this effect the opinion of them amongst other creatures that are tied to Dal Quor, such as the Kalashar and the Inspired? Are the competitors for domination of dreams? Are they allies in establishing the power of dreams over mortals or in free dreams in the turning of the age?** // | ||
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| + | The Quori are the native spirits of Dal Quor. They reign over the stable heart of the plane, which is defined by il-Lashtavar. However, that stable heart is surrounded by an ever-shifting borderland comprised of mortal dreamscapes. The Quori are powerful in these regions, because Dal Quor is their home. But they aren’t omniscient or omnipotent. They can’t monitor EVERY dream. The renegade quori hid out in these border realms for quite some time before they ran out of boltholes and merged with the kalashtar. //The Gates of Night // | ||
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| + | So the short form? The night hags generally walk in the border realms. They are interested in the dreams of individuals but as currently defined don’t seek to use dreams to manipulate the world; they’re more likely to distill a particular nightmare to use as an ingredient in a potion than to try to start an uprising in Breland. The hags are old and powerful, and described as often serving as mediators between powerful forces of different planes; as such, I would suspect that most of them have established treaties with the quori. They won’t approach the heart of the realm. They won’t interfere with any dream the Quori have marked as being of great import. And in return, the Quori will stay out of their way in other dreams. | ||
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| + | One point: The night hags are among the only entities who know all about the previous ages of Dal Quor. That information could be quite valuable to both kalashtar and Quori, if the hags care to share it. So that would be a good explanation for why the Dark would imprison Sora Kell, if you decide they have. | ||
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| + | //**You mentioned that the Night Hags deal with Dreams and served as messengers and ambassadors during the Age of Fiends. Could the Hags have allies in Sarlona (Possibly in the Horned Shadow) and how exactly do they Dream/ | ||
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| + | The Night Hags are native fiends of Eberron. The idea is that where the Couatl were the native celestials (good spirits) and the rakshasa were native fiends (evil), the Night Hags have always been essentially unaligned. I should call out the fact that in comparison to couatl and rakshasa, there are far, far fewer Night Hags; I might even limit them to a dozen… well, thirteen originally, but Sora Kell’s gone missing… {{https:// | ||
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| + | In any case: COULD a Night Hag have allies in Sarlona? Sure, if you want them to. But by canon, the idea is that the Night Hags aren’t schemers in the same way as the Lords of Dust or the Inspired. They are more interested in eldritch studies mortals can’t comprehend; in walking the planes and gathering wonders; or for that matter in studying the interplay between the great powers of the multiverse. Frankly, I could see a Night Hag still acting as a neutral envoy between the Devourer of Dreams and the Council of Ashtakala, or continuing to negotiate between dragon and fiend as she did at the dawn of time. The 3.5 ECS says this about Night Hags: | ||
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| + | //“Today, they remain as the impartial mediators, and adventurers who wish to deal with outsiders or other realms may wish to seek out a night hag—although they can be quite difficult to find. The motivations of the night nags remain mysterious and unclear. They may simply enjoy their role as ambassadors, | ||
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| + | As for how a Night Hag gets to Dal Quor, she doesn’t dream as mortals do. When a mortal dreams, their spirit goes to Dal Quor. A Night Hag simply goes there physically, stepping between the planar wall. Note that the Night Hags of Eberron are generally more powerful than the default night hag in the Monster Manual, as they are ancient. Like all fiends, they are immortal; if one is killed it will be reincarnated. So if you want a weak night hag, you can simply say that it’s a recent reincarnation and hasn’t yet rebuilt its skills and power. | ||
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| + | //**What did/do the Dragons and Rakshasa think of the Hags during and after the Age of Demons?** // | ||
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| + | The Night Hags were a neutral force that carried messages between the dragons, couatl, and rakshasa. I don’t see that anyone would have a changed opinion about them as a species; I could see there being strong opinions about individuals, | ||
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