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| | ====== Q'Barra ====== |
| | <WRAP box bggreen fgblack 400px left :en> |
| | <panel type="default" no-body="true"> |
| | {{ q_barra.jpg |}} |
| | ^ Capitale | [[:Nouveau-trône]] | |
| | ^ Government | Féodal | |
| | ^ Souverain | [[npc:Sebastes du Kesslan|Roi Sebastes du Kesslan]] | |
| | ^ Population | 300,000 | |
| | ^ Gentilé | Q’barrain | |
| | ^ Races | 40% [[Homme-lézards]]\\ 30% [[Humains]]\\ 08% [[Draconien]]\\ 07% [[Kobolds]]\\ 07% [[Hobbits]]\\ 03% [[Nains]]\\ 02% [[Demi-Elfes]]\\ 03% Autre | |
| | ^ Religions | [[Légion Souveraine]], [[Flamme d'Argent]] | |
| | ^ Exportation | [[Fragments d'Eberron]] | |
| | ^ Reconnue pour| Fragments d'Eberron, herbes rares, Race reptilienne| |
| | ^ Fondateur | xxx| |
| | ^ Devise nationale | xxx| |
| | ^ Climat | xxx | |
| | </panel> |
| | {{xxx |Carte}} |
| | </WRAP> |
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| | **Q'barra** est une jeune nation frontalière récemment reconnue par les [[Accords de Fort-du-trone]], une nation sauvage remplie de dangers et d'opportunités. Pendant l'âge d'or de Galifar, peu d'humains se sont donné la peine de traverser les [[:Montagnes de la Fin du Monde]] pour explorer la vaste jungle au-delà. Lorsque [[:La Dernière Guerre]] a éclaté, un flot de colons est venue s'installer à dans cette nouvelle nation fondée par le duc [[Ven du Kesslan]], un réfugié [[Cyre|Cyrien]]. Au fur et à mesure de l'expansion de cette colonie, les colons ont découvert des gisements massifs de [[:Fragments d'Eberron]]. Au cours de la dernière décennie, une vague de prospecteurs, de franc-casteurs, de réfugiés et de chercheurs d'or sont descendue sur Q'barra, ainsi que des brigands, des déserteurs de guerre et toutes sortes d'autres criminels et opportunistes. |
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| | À leur grande surprise, Q'barra abritait déjà un certain nombre d'anciennes civilisations dont les Humains ne savaient rien : les [[:Homme-lézards]] de la [[:Fédération du Froid Soleil]], les [[:Draconien]] de [[:Ka'rhashan]] et les [[:Homme-lézards]] de la confédération du [[:Crépuscule Venimeux]]. La plupart des colons les appellent collectivement des « reptiles ». Le roi [[npc:Sebastes du Kesslan]] de [[:Nouveau-trône]] a établi un traité avec la [[:Fédération du Froid Soleil]], mais la communication a été difficile et les prospecteurs respectent rarement les termes du traité. Les quelques colonies civilisées de Q'Barra continuent de lutter contre les tribus d'[[homme-lezard]], les bandes de guerre [[Valénar]], les pillards de [[ principautes_de_lhazaar|Lhazaar]] et les maraudeurs [[Kobold]]s des [[:Montagnes de la Fin du Monde]], sans parler des terres marécageuses criblées de maladies, des lézards et des dinosaures terribles et horribles. |
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| | ====== Géographie ====== |
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| | Isolé par les [[Montagnes de la Fin Du Monde]] et la longue étendue de [[La Mer des Dragons]], il est facile de comprendre pourquoi Q'barra est restée si longtemps à l'écart des colonies civilisées. Les jungles torrides et les marécages tentaculaires qui composent la majeure partie du paysage constituent un habitat parfait pour les animaux géants ainsi que pour les [[Dinosaure]]s. Cependant, ce petit morceau de terre n'est pas complètement inhospitalier, car une petite bande de terre fertile se trouve au sud-est et d'autres étendues ouvertes sortent de la jungle à certains endroits du pays. |
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| | ====== Société ====== |
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| | Parmi les races civilisées, il y a trois communautés distinctes dans la vallée de la Vipère de Q'barra. [[Néo-Galifar]], le dernier bastion de l'ancien empire, partage l'espace avec les réfugiés [[Cyre|Cyrien]] et de la [[Dernière Guerre]]. Les Néo-Galifariens sont gouvernés par le [[npc:Sebastes du Kesslan|Roi Sebastes du Kesslan]] avec l'aide d'une poignée de nobles seigneurs depuis la ville de [[:Nouveau-trône]]. Les réfugiés de La Dernière Guerre se sont retrouvés dans une région connue sous le nom de [[:Espérance]] située au sud-ouest de Q'Barra. Ici l'[[npc:Wedon Nevillom|Ancien Nevillom]], un vétéran de la [[Dernière Guerre]] agit en tant que chef symbolique sur la communauté de réfugiés. [[:Guette-Couleuvre]] est la ville la plus établie de cette région ayant existé pendant environ trois ans. La majorité des réfugiés Cyriens se taillent une place dans ces deux communautés. |
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| | En plus des races civilisées, il y a un grand contingent de tribus d'[[homme-lezard]] réparties à travers Q'barra. Les Homme-lézard Écailles-noirs sont hostiles aux races communes de Q'barra et intimident les autres tribus Homme-lézards de la nation. Ils résident dans les jungles autour de [[Haka'torvhak]] consacrées au dragon noir [[npc:rhashaak]]. Les Poisondusk Homme-lézards sont répartis dans les régions du nord de Q'barra et vénèrent également [[npc:rhashaak]], mais leur relation avec les Blackscales est plus un humble respect envers les guerriers choisis. Enfin, les Tribus du Froid Soleil sont une coalition de 24 tribus Homme-lézards qui vivent dans le nord et l'est du pays. Seules sept de ces tribus ont des territoires qui bordent les colonies civilisées. Leur relation avec les races civilisées varie d'une tribu à l'autre, certaines embrassant les colonies civilisées et d'autres vivant dans la peur d'elles. Les Tribus du Froid Soleil ont une haine intense pour les Homme-lézard Écailles-noirs, mais hésitent à entrer en guerre avec eux, cependant [[Les Seigneurs Des Cendres]] tentent d'attiser ces hostilités. |
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| | In addition to the civilized races there is a large contingent of [[homme-lezard]] tribes spread across Q'barra. The Homme-lézard Écailles-noirs are hostile to the Commun races in Q'barra and bully the other Homme-lézards tribes of the nation. They reside in the jungles around [[Haka'torvhak]] devoted to the black dragon [[npc:rhashaak]]. The Poisondusk Homme-lézards are spread throughout the northern regions of Q'barra and also revere [[npc:rhashaak]], however their relationship with the Blackscales is more a humbled respect to the chosen warriors. Lastly the Tribus du Froid Soleil are a coalition of 24 Homme-lézards tribes that live in the north and east of the nation. Only seven of these tribes have territories that border the civilized settlements. Their relationship with the civilized races varies from tribe to tribe some embracing the civilized settlements and others living in fear of them. The Tribus du Froid Soleil have an intense hatred for the Homme-lézard Écailles-noirs, but are wary of going to war with them, however [[Les Seigneurs Des Cendres]] are attempting to fan these hostilities into flame. |
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| | ===Relation des Humains avec les Indigènes=== |
| | <blockquote>Draconien. Homme-lézards. Kobolds. Troglodytes. Pour l'Humain typique de Q'barra, ils sont tous pareils... appelés avec dérision les reptiles. Même ceux qui savent qu'un Draconien et un Homme-lézards sont des espèces différentes s'en soucient rarement; au bout du compte, ce sont toujours des reptiles.</blockquote> |
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| | Les superstitions sur les reptiles sont aussi farfelus qu'infondées. Dans certains contes, les reptiles ont soif de chair humaine. Dans d'autres, ils consomment des Fragments de Dragon pour survivre, et c'est pourquoi ils attaquent les mineurs de [[:Tharashk]]. Il est de notoriété publique que les reptiles sacrifient leurs prisonniers; la seule question est de savoir si leurs autels sont dédiés aux [[:dragons]] ou aux [[:démons]]. Tout le monde sait que les reptiles sont des sauvages, et que ceux qui ont des outils en métal les ont échangés ou plus probablement volés aux [[:Humains]]. |
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| | Depuis le [[:jour du Deuil]], les reptiles sont de plus en plus agitée. Chaque mineur connaît l'histoire d'une caravane attaquée ou d'un village rasé. Les enfants se font peur les uns les autres avec des histoires sur le palais d'obsidienne dans la jungle profonde et l'armée qui est en train de s'y masser. |
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| | Pendant des décennies, la relation entre les colons et les reptiles était difficile mais stable. Le [[:Crépuscule Venimeux]] restait une menace constante, mais un équilibre avait été trouvé avec la [[:Fédération du Froid Soleil]], et un ancien des [[:Draconiens]] de [[:Ka'rhashan]] a accompagné le [[npc:Sebastes du Kesslan|Roi Sebastes]] à [[:Fort-du-trône]] en 996 AR. De nos jours, cette paix fragile commence à se rompre. Les [[:Homme-lézards]] du [[:Fédération du Froid Soleil|Froid Soleil]] attaque les mines de [[:Tharashk]]. Les attaques du [[:Crépuscule Venimeux]] sont pires que jamais. Et il y a des rumeurs d'armées de reptiles se massant dans la jungle, une force qui pourrait chasser les colons de cette terre. |
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| | Qu'est-ce qui a changé ces dernières années? Le [[npc:khalar_velderan_d_tharashk|Seigneur Khalar]] de la Maison [[:Tharashk]] blâme le [[:Deuil]], affirmant que les reptiles ont entendu parler du cataclysme et pense que les colons sont faibles. C'est un thème qui résonne chez les colons, qui sont aussi troublés que quiconque par la dévastation de [[:Cyre]]. Cependant, les actions récentes de [[:Tharashk]] ont eu un plus grand impact sur Q'barra que le Deuil. Au cours de la dernière décennie, [[:Tharashk]] a augmenté de façon exponentielle ses opérations d'extraction de [[:Fragments de Dragon]]. Khalar croit que les Homme-lézards sont des sauvages qui n'ont aucune idée des trésors qu'ils possèdent, et il ne voudrait rien de mieux que de rassembler une force d'[[:ogres]], de [[:trolls]] et d'[[:orcs]] pour chasser les [[:tribus du Froid Soleil]] de leurs terres. |
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| | Cette ignorance est dangereuse. Les Homme-lézards de la [[:Fédération du Froid Soleil]] ne sont pas des imbéciles superstitieux; ils se battent pour protéger Q'barra d'un mal plus ancien que l'Humanité. Trois cultures ont joué dans l'histoire de Q'barra. Trois forces menacent les colons de différentes manières. |
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| | ===== Groupes Influents ===== |
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| | * [[homme-lezard_ecailles-noirs]] |
| | * [[Tribus du Froid Soleil]] |
| | * [[The Rêve Obscur]] |
| | * [[Maison Tharashk]] |
| | * [[inspire|The Inspiré]] |
| | * [[Les Seigneurs Des Cendres]] |
| | * [[Néo-Galifar]] |
| | * [[Crépuscule Venimeux Homme-lézards]] |
| | * [[npc:rhashaak]] |
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| | ===== Histoire ===== |
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| | === L'Âge des Gobelins === |
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| | A l'époque de l'[[Empire Dhakaani]], les [[:Homme-lézards]] résidaient jusque dans les [[Plaines de Talenta]]. Les Gobelins les ont chassé à travers les Montagnes de la Fin du Monde et dans la zone inhabitée et sans nom de Q'barra. Les Homme-lézards commencèrent à vivre dans la région des [[:marais de Basura]], étroitement collés à la [[:rivière Torvia]]. Certains chercheurs pensent qu'il s'agissait des membres de ce qui est maintenant la [[:tribu du Froid Soleil]] et que les [[:Crépuscule Venimeux]] auraient leurs origines dans [[Xen'Drik]], ce qui pourrait expliquer les hostilités profondes entre ces deux sectes d'une même race, ainsi que leurs différences physiques. |
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| | ==== Sous Galifar ==== |
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| | During the reign of Galifar the region called Q'barra by the Lhazaar princes was mostly ignored. Seen as an inhospitable territory dominated by Homme-lézards and without any desirable resources many were content to leave Q'barra alone. During this time the Homme-lézards tribes spread across Q'barra and established their tenuous peace after many long decades of guerilla fighting. |
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| | ==== La Dernière Guerre ==== |
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| | When the [[Dernière Guerre]] began many who had put their loyalties in one united [[Galifar]] were psychologically shattered. Unwilling to profess their allegiance to one nation these patriots set out to found a new region that would hold to the old tennants of Galifar. Duke Ven du Kesslan petitioned for rights to settle the previously uninhabited region known as Q'barra. He was granted those rights and he took a flotilla of ships set out along the coastline to find a place to settle the first of what they believed would be many cities to come. The journey was doomed from the start. Rough seas and piracy thinned the number of flotillas down by nearly a third. Finally the beleagured caravan sojourned up Adder Bay and founded Port de la Vipère. |
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| | Over a decade [[Port de la Vipère]] slowly grew in size and the numbers of settlers swelled as more individuals, disenfranchised with La Dernière Guerre sought refuge. As [[Port de la Vipère]] grew it quickly outgrew it's territory and new settlements spread out into what the people believed to be uninhabited Q'barra. They soon found that they had traveled over sites sacred to the Homme-lézards tribes. In 969 after 41 years of relative peace the settlements were attacked by the Tribus du Froid Soleil. The battles were bloody and suddenly those who sought refuge from the neverending conflict of La Dernière Guerre found themselves thrown into an altogether new fight. Veterans of La Dernière Guerre took charge as field commanders and trained up militia. After a year of bloody conflict the settlers managed to repel the Homme-lézards with magical skills, advanced weapons and superior tactics. Five years after the [[marcheurs_du_crepuscule]], one of the Tribus du Froid Soleil, approached the capital city of Nouveau-trône and sat down with King Sebastes du Kesslan. At first the nobles were skeptical but after a long week of discussions the two parties had come to a tenuous accord known as the [[Vhak Za'shata]]. Since then the [[marcheurs_du_crepuscule]] have acted as a liason between the Humain settlements and Le Froid Soleil Homme-lézards tribes. |
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| | AFTERMATH OF La Dernière Guerre |
| | The influx of Cyran refugees promises to reshape Q'barra. Most of the settlers are peaceful people searching for a homes and opportunities, but some among them chose Q'barra over refugee camps because they refused to accept charity from former enemies. These "Mourners" rob and kill settlers from the nations that fought against Cyre. Hope also has its share of brigands and criminals, bandits who prey on Maison Tharashk convoys and settlers alike. |
| | The relationship between the settlers and the natives is another source of tension. Although King Sebastes forged a treaty with Le Froid Soleil Federation, the prospectors of Hope regularly violate this treaty. The Crépuscule Venimeux Homme-lézards are hostile to both the settlers and the Cold Sun Federation. Conflicts between settlers and scales have escalated over the last four years, and many fear that worse is yet to come. |
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| | ====== Villes et agglomérations ====== |
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| | Q'barra est divisé en trois régions principales. [[:Néo-Galifar]] est la colonie originelle, elle possède une structure féodale et conserve les lois du [[:Traité de Fort-du-trône]]. Au nord, [[:Espérance]] est un ensemble de petites villes minières. Dans [[:Espérance]], les lois ne sont respecter que dans la mesure où des personnes sont désireuses de les appliquées. Au-delà de ces régions humaines se trouvent les terres inexplorées des reptiles. |
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| | * [[:nouveau-trone]] : La capitale de [[:Néo-Galifar]] et le siège du roi Sébaste, Nouveau-trône est la plus grande ville et port de Q'barra. Une myriade de personnes de tout [[:Khorvaire]] se mêlent ici dans ses rues bondées. Les soldats prêtent peu d'attention à la criminalité endémique dans ces rues, la considérant plutôt comme faisant partie de la vie dans cette ville portuaire. |
| | * [[:Guette-Couleuvre]] : Une ville de prospection florissante d'[[:Espérance]], Guette-Couleuvre a été fondée par des réfugiés cyriens. Bien que beaucoup plus petite que [[:Nouvelle Cyre]] en [[:Brelande]], ses habitants sont fiers de ce qu'ils ont construit. Cette communauté indépendante est dirigée par l'[[npc:Wedon Nevillom|Ancien Nevillom]], un vétéran et évangéliste de la [[:Flamme d'Argent]]. Le courage et les sermons passionnés de Nevillom aident à soutenir les gens de Guette-Couleuvre dans les moments difficiles. |
| | * [[Port de la Vipère]] |
| | * [[Espérance]] |
| | * [[Ka'rhashan]] |
| | * [[Haute-Muraille]] |
| | * [[Blanchefalaise]] |
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| | ===== Autres sites notables ===== |
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| | * [[:Haka'Torvhak]] : Les explorateurs racontent l'histoire d'une ville cachée au plus profond de la jungle de Q'barra, une merveilleuse citadelle d'obsidienne et de cuivre. Selon ces contes, la ville serait remplie de trésors et gardée par un dragon fusionné avec un ancien démon. |
| | * [[Baie des Vipères]] |
| | * [[Marais de Basura]] |
| | * [[Rivière Pourpre]] |
| | * [[La Mer des Dragons]] |
| | * [[Montagnes de la Fin Du Monde]] |
| | * [[Rivière Torvia]] |
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| | <ifauth @admin><alert type="warning"> |
| | Masvirik: |
| | Le Froid Soleil |
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| | In the Age of Démon, the region now known as Q’barra was the domain of a fiendish overlord of terrifying power. He drew the light from the sky, and so his slaves called him Masvirik, “Le Froid Soleil,” cousin to Tiamat. Masvirik has power over creatures of scale and fang and venomous things that slither through Ombres. The dreaming priests of the Masvirik’Uala say that Le Froid Soleil formed kobolds and troglodytes from Homme-lézards stock, creating beasts that were more vulnerable to his power. The existence of these creatures in distant lands calls this into question, but kobolds and troglodytes make up a larger percentage of the Crépuscule Venimeux than any other race. |
| | Like many of the Maîtres Démoniaques, Masvirik’s arrogance was his undoing. The dragons and couatl freed the Homme-lézards from his influence, and they rose up against him. In time the Cold Sun was cast down, bound beneath his obsidian citadel, and trapped by the Flamme d'Argent. The couatl sacrificed their lives to kindle that flame, but the dragons remained. In time they dispatched the black dragon Rhashaak to watch over Q’barra. He was accompanied by a host of Draconien soldiers, hand-picked from the legions of the Lumière de Siberys. These sentinels established garrisons at various demonic sites across the region. The worst of these was the resting place of Masvirik, which they renamed Haka’torvhak. Rhashaak made his home there, with the best of his soldiers, and there they waited. |
| | For a thousand years the Draconien served with distinction. As their population grew, they spread across the region. Another thousand years passed, and the young grew frustrated. They were a race of warriors waiting for a battle that might never come. Their skills were wasted, and the dragon lord of Haka’torvhak had little interest in their doings. Rhashaak’s attention was confined to his city and to a spiritual battle no Draconien could understand. So the Draconien ventured across the Endworld Mountains and into the plains that lay beyond. There they encountered a worthy challenge in the Empire of Dhakaan. Another thousand years passed as the Draconien carved out their nation in the Désert des Lames and Plaines de Talenta, the tides of the Gobelin Wars waxing and waning. There were great triumphs and terrible defeats. It was a joyful time for a people who thrived in battle. But in building this new empire, they forgot the battle they’d been sent to fight, and this finally came back to haunt them. |
| | In Haka’torvhak, Rhashaak had been holding the fiend Masvirik at bay through sheer force of will, until he finally faltered. The wards around Haka’torvhak trapped Rhashaak himself. While the fallen guardian couldn’t leave the fortress, the influence of the Cold Sun spread across the land and the Crépuscule Venimeux was born. Kobolds, troglodytes, and the transformed Draconien of Haka’torvhak rose up in arms. Across the empire, young Draconien corrupted by Masvirik’s power turned on their kin. As the empire collapsed, the Draconien returned to Q’barra to face the source of the curse. |
| | The Draconien fought valiantly, but it wasn’t a battle that could be won with courage or skill at arms alone. To this day, the Draconien themselves don’t realize the true source of their salvation. The couatl that bound Masvirik left a failsafe in place. As the overlord’s power grew, a pulse of radiant energy flowed across the land, filling Fragments d'Eberron with the light of the Flamme d'Argent. This power weakened the influence of Masvirik and the Crépuscule Venimeux and woke ancient memories in the Homme-lézards. This was the creation of the dawn shards, and this web of light has kept the darkness at bay for thousands of years. Now Maison Tharashk is harvesting these shards in record numbers, and Masvirik’s power is growing once more. |
| | Masvirik has followers among the Seigneurs Des Cendres, but he doesn’t have a prakhutu on the Council of Ashtakala; Rhashaak is his voice, and the dragon is bound in Haka’torvhak. The Crépuscule Venimeux are his minions, and at the moment he has little influence beyond Q’barra. |
| | Masvirik has some overlap with Zehir, and a Dungeon Master who wishes to place Zehir in Eberron could use Le Froid Soleil for this purpose. Masvirik could easily share Zehir’s rivalry with his fellow overlord Tiamat. |
| | Information about Masvirik is extraordinarily scarce. Even the Draconien of Ka’rhashan remember little about this ancient fiend, having focused their attention on their battles against the Crépuscule Venimeux. The Homme-lézards are among the only people who know anything about the overlord, and so far they haven’t shared this lore with outsiders. |
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| | Backdrop Qbarra, Part 1 |
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| | Honorable lords and ladies, if you love your nation I urge you to heed my words. The scales pose an untenable threat to the operations of my house. Without the steady revenues my family brings to the crown, this little country of yours will wither and die. The facts speak for themselves. Attacks by the scales have increased tenfold in the last year. The Crépuscule Venimeux tribe accounts for the majority of these raids, but the documents before you hold proof of strikes by the Shining Claws and the Lingering Light. By now I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of the armies massing at Ka’rhashan. I know some among you believe we can live in harmony with these creatures. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case. Le Froid Soleil Federation is not our ally. Its members are scales, and at the end of the day we’ll always be softskins to them. We’ll always be the outsiders and invaders, and in the wake of the Mourning they see us as weak and vulnerable. Trust them too far and you will eventually wake up in a pool of your own blood. |
| | Nobles of Nouveau-trône. Lords of Q’barra. I don’t ask you to risk your own people in the battle that lies ahead. All I ask is that you untie my hands and let me assemble the troops I need to cleanse this land once and for all. Let me drive the scales into the ocean and give you the security you have always craved. |
| | —Khalar Velderan d’Tharashk, addressing the Lords of Nouveau-trône |
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| | In the Monde d'Eberron, Fragments de Dragon are the lifeblood of modern civilization. From the message stones of Maison Siri and the Aéronefs of Maison Lyrandar to the coldfire lanterns found on the streets of every city, Fragments de Dragon are an integral part of life in the Fort-du-trône nations. With every year the demand for shards grows. |
| | Humains came to Q’barra in search of sanctuary, not profit. Less than a decade ago, colonists in Pitchwall found a patch of Fragments d'Eberron while digging new wells. Drawn by the reports, Tharashk prospectors soon found that Q’barra had vast Eberron dragonshard deposits, including Eberron shards with qualities never before seen by the house. Combined with the end of La Dernière Guerre, this discovery has drawn a host of new forces to Q’barra. The shard rush is on, and this is threatening to destroy the delicate balance of power that exists between the Humains and the native races of the region . . . and potentially, to unleash horrors from the dawn of time |
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| | The Nature of the Trade |
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| | Fragments de Dragon are divided into three primary categories. Siberys shards fall from the sky. Khyber shards are found deep below the ground or are hidden in the roots of mountains. Eberron shards are found in the upper soil of the earth. The mineral wealth of Q’barra is primarily Eberron shards. The most Commun of the three classes, Eberron shards are the basic fuel of the magical economy. A single Eberron shard is far less valuable than a Khyber shard or Siberys shard, but a patch of shards can still make a lone miner rich. Since Eberron shards are found in the upper earth, mining operations don’t involve deep shafts. The largest mines are vast open pits blasted into the earth. Smaller operations involve miners combing through the soil or searching riverbeds. The process is long and tedious, and the greatest skill involved comes in picking a promising location for prospecting. Q’barra is rich in shards, but it can still take weeks to find a promising shard site, and the mining is slow work. A geode worth 25 gp is a fortune to a simple farmer, but adventurers can find more excitement and rewards by exploring the ancient ruins scattered across Q’barra. So, characters can find a better life than that of the shard miner—but the industry can still serve as the basis for many adventures. |
| | Many of the richest deposits of Fragments de Dragon are in regions inhabited by the native races of Q’barra. Heavy deposits of shards are found around ruins dating back to the Age of Démon. The Draconien treat these areas as sacred ground, and each Draconien clan defends a number of ruins. Other shard deposits are found in the lands of the more primitive Homme-lézards. Furthermore, Maison Tharashk has discovered that many tribes of Le Froid Soleil Federation have amassed large quantities of Fragments de Dragon. Although they appear to make no use of the shards aside from using them as decoration, the Homme-lézards refuse to part with these shards. |
| | King Sebastes has worked hard to earn the trust of Draconien and Homme-lézards leaders, and he has forbidden any shard mining in scale territory. Unfortunately, Sebastes’s reach is woefully limited, and what forces he has have been strained trying to protect his people from the increasingly aggressive actions of the Crépuscule Venimeux. On the surface, Maison Tharashk respects Sebastes’s edict, though Lord Khalar continues to lobby for a free hand in the region. Despite this, many independent prospectors—many of whom are secretly working for Tharashk—continue to cross into forbidden territory. Bandits from the Cinq Nations raid Homme-lézards caches and poorly guarded mining camps. The city of Hope has become a haven for bandit and rogue prospector alike, and the Tharashk enclave buys raw Fragments de Dragon with no questions asked. The scales have been quick to respond to these activities. The Draconien show no mercy to anyone caught in their holy sites. Homme-lézards have struck both independent and Tharashk mines, venturing into Humain-held territory to sabotage mining operations and steal shards. Shards caravans are frequently ambushed by forces of Le Froid Soleil Federation and the Crépuscule Venimeux, and bandits from Hope take advantage of this to cover their own attacks. The Crépuscule Venimeux has struck innocent farms and villages, stirring greater angelr against the scales. Greed and xenophobia have turned Q’barra into a tinderbox, and one good spark could ignite the fires of war. |
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| | The Value of DragonshardS |
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| | Fragments d'Eberron are a vital part of Khorvaire’s magical economy. But exactly what are they good for? What is their value on the open market, and is there anything else that makes them useful to adventurers? Beyond this, what are the unique types of Eberron Fragments de Dragon that are found only in Q’barra, and what makes them special? |
| | In the Eberron® campaign setting, Fragments d'Eberron are a required component of most Commun Objets Magiques. Approximately 25 percent of the cost of enchanting a magic item comes in the form of Fragments de Dragon. A character can create an item without Eberron shards, but it requires an exotic array of components that vary widely for each item, such as hydra blood, the hairs of a manticore’s mane, and similarly esoteric items. As such, the modern industry of enchantment has come to rely on Fragments de Dragon. Beyond this, Fragments d'Eberron are charged with raw magical energy that can be tapped for any form of complex magic. In this way, Fragments d'Eberron duplicate the effects of residuum. The market value of an Eberron dragonshard is its equivalent value in residuum; if a shard is used in a ritual that uses less than the full value of the shard, it partially melts away. Eberron shards are found in small geodes, typically containing 1d6 pure crystals worth 5 to 25 gp apiece. Rich fields such as those found in Q’barra and the Frontières de l'Ombre can yield larger shards that are the size of a Humain fist; these shards are worth up to 250 gp. Larger shards have correspondingly higher value but are rare. Higher grades of shards have greater concentrations of magical energy, translating to a greater market value. |
| | Q’barra is known for two unusual grades of Fragments d'Eberron. Dusk shards are a smoky gray with vivid red veins, and dawn shards are pale orangel with crimson threads. Both shards are worth five times as much as a standard shard of similar size, so the smallest dusk shard is worth 25 gp. Dusk and dawn shards also provide a +2 bonus to any skill check associated with rituals performed using the shards as the sole source of components. |
| | The miners have yet to discover the source of this unusual power. The truth is that the dawn shards are charged with the divine power of the Flamme d'Argent, and the dark shards are imbued with the essence of the immortal fiend Malsvirik. As a result, these shards or the residuum produced from them could have other remarkable effects, entirely of the DM’s choosing. For example, when a priest of the Flamme d'Argent uses a dawn shard in the détective’s Eyes ritual, the ritual might peer much further into the past than expected … or produce an effect that lasts for months or years instead of the usual 10 minutes, effectively locking the caster into visions of the past. Alternatively, someone using dusk shards for divination rituals could receive messages directly from Malsvirik, or misleading information that serves the purposes of the overlord. More information about Malsvirik will be provided in an upcoming article. |
| | Maison Tharashk doesn’t sell raw Fragments d'Eberron. Instead, Tharashk refineries process Fragments de Dragon to produce residuum. A shard processed by Tharashk refineries produces more residuum than its raw market value; this is how Tharashk makes its profit on the trade. |
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| | House Tharashk |
| | The dragonshard trade is the foundation of House Tharashk’s wealth and power. The Marque Du Dragon of Finding gives the house an unbeatable edge when it comes to prospecting. Shardfinders use mystical focus items that channel the power of the Marque Du Dragon to locate a specific class of object, allowing them to find the richest fields with ease. As a result, they can afford to bring vast resources to bear, since they know they will get a solid return for their mining. Tharashk mines are vast pits with dozens or hundreds of miners at work. Tharashk uses Lyrandar Aéronefs and Frégate Élémentaires to haul shards back to the Cinq Nations, but Aéronefs require docking towers and thus can’t reach most of the jungle mines. As a result, a steady stream of Tharashk caravans travels across Hope. These caravans are well-guarded, but bandits and the Crépuscule Venimeux are a constant threat. Tharashk’s operations in Q’barra are controlled by the Velderan clan. Lord Khalar Velderan is a cunning and ruthless man. In his youth he was an détective in Sharn, and he’s comfortable fighting with either words or steel. Khalar is Humain, but the majority of the Tharashk forces in the region are orcs or Demi-orcs. The house has also brought large numbers of monstrous mercenaries to Q’barra to serve as laborers and guards. Ogres and Minotaures are found at Tharashk sites, and Gargouilles and harpies serve as messengers and scouts. Repurposed Guerrier de Fer titans perform the heavy mining operations at the largest pits. However, there is always room for cheap labor at a Tharashk mine. |
| | Despite the success he has enjoyed so far, Lord Khalar is hungry to expand his operations and chafes at the restrictions imposed by King Sebastes. Although he is careful not to endanger the position of his house, he is secretly funding a number of teams that are operating in forbidden territory. He doesn’t care if independent miners enjoy limited success, but if a lucky prospector found a remarkably rich deposit, Khalar might try to buy out his or her claim . . . and failing that, employ bandits or others to drive the settler from his or her claim. The largest Tharashk mine is known as the Dragon’s Maw. Located east of Whitecliff, the Dragon’s Maw has an Aéronef docking tower of its own. Although the pit is beginning to run dry, the Maw serves as a hub for Tharashk caravans and is a thriving community in its own right. Far from Nouveau-trône, the Maw serves as a base of operations for Khalar’s covert operations, and when Khalar isn’t lobbying in Nouveau-trône, he stays here. Khalar is considering establishing a full refinery here to keep the Maw running when the shards finally run dry |
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| | Independent Prospectors |
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| | Many people lost their livelihoods, homes, or even their homeland in La Dernière Guerre. The stories of wealth waiting to be found in the soil of Q’barra are a beacon of hope for these people, and many seek to find a new beginning in Hope. Prospecting is one path to fortune, but others prosper off the rush itself, providing services in the new communities that spring up around shard deposits. |
| | A significant portion of this new wave of prospectors is made up of soldiers discharged following the La Dernière Guerre. National tensions still run hot in some places, and many times Thranes and Karrns have battled over a new find. One of the most infamous sites is Gray Ash Pit, also known as the Gap. Manned largely by Karrns who follow the faith of the Blood of Vol, the Gap was established by Durc Lurran, a necromancer who served with the Order of the Onyx Skull. A handful of zombies and skeletons man the pit; a few of these are made from the corpses of bandits who have attacked the Gap, serving as a grisly warning to others who might have the same idea. |
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| | Riedra |
| | Fragments d'Eberron are as useful to the psions of Riedra as they are to the Artificiers of Khorvaire, and such shards are extremely rare in Sarlona. As a result, the Riedrans are extremely interested in Q’barra. The Inspiré ambassador Jhakanath has provided King Sebastes with a garrison of troops to help defend his young nation, and a Riedran quarter has sprung up in the city of Nouveau-trône. Jhakanath is purchasing large quantities of shards from Maison Tharashk, but the Inspiré have also secured permission to start their own mining operations. Nonetheless, the richest shard deposits lie in the lands of the scales, and Sebastes won’t let the Riedrans threaten his relationship with the Homme-lézards or Draconien . . . yet. The Inspiré have ways of influencing people, and Sebastes might have dreams of the threat posed by the scales—dreams that encourage him to accept further aid from Riedra, and to build up an army strong enough to seize land from the Draconien and claim the kingdom his people deserve. Sebastes isn’t the only target for such influence; the Inspiré can also further this goal by planting dreams in the minds of the Draconien. Conflict in Q’barra serves the Inspiré well, since it increases Sebastes’s need for Riedran troops. |
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| | Where’s t he Adventure? |
| | The Eberron Campaign Guide includes a number of plot hooks for Q’barra, including the threat of Mishva the Conquérant. The dragonshard trade presents a number of new options. |
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| | Home Sweet Home |
| | In a handful of frontier villages, scales and settlers live side by side. This can be an excellent starting point for a new group of adventurers. A Draconien might be here trying to learn the ways of the softskins. A Cyran soldier could be searching for a new home. A Valénar Elfee might have abandoned her people after their betrayal of Cyre. A wandering Talentan bard could be collecting the stories of the jungle. A priest of the Flamme d'Argent might feel a strangel draw to this place. These are just a few examples; anyone could have a reason to leave the west and start anew. Think about the roles the characters might play in a small community. A cleric adventurer could be the village priest. A Siri gnome might be in charge of the message stone. A bard could be a beloved source of entertainment. How could the skills and abilities of the other characters be put to use in a small town? As adventurers work their way to the heroic tier, they must establish their village and help it grow. The Q’barran frontier is a lawless place, and the adventurers have to help maintain the peace. They might have to repel Crépuscule Venimeux attacks, maintain the uneasy peace with the Draconien clan, and expose Humain bandits trying to pin their crimes on the scales. Riedrans or Maison Tharashk might want to establish an outpost in the village—do the adventurers approve of these things? And what about the nearby demon ruins? When Démon or Mort-vivant menace the village, can the adventurers find the source and cleanse the taint? |
| | Moving into paragon, the adventurers could be faced with full-scale war. When King Sebastes gives Tharashk a free rein, the house moves into the region with a full force of monstrous mercenaries. The Draconien respond to this invasion with full Furie. Can the village survive the conflict? The epic tier can bring in the ancient history of the region: the dragon Rhashaak and the overlord Malsvirik. When the Cold Sun rises once more, can the adventurers overcome the ancient evil? If Nouveau-trône falls, could the humble village the characters helped found become the heart of the new kingdom? |
| | Although a Q’barran village could serve as an anchor point for a campaign, this doesn’t mean that the entire campaign would take place in Q’barra. Adventurers might go to the Cinq Nations to negotiate with patriarchs of the Draconien houses. They could venture east to Sarlona to pursue Riedran criminals, or up to Lhazaar as a result of pirate raids. Marauding aberrations could draw them down into the depths of Khyber, revealing horrors far beneath their village. A character’s former life could come back to haunt him or her, and perhaps he or she needs to return home to settle debts. When Malsvirik is rising, the key to facing the overlord could lie in the Les Désolations Démoniaques or distant Argonnessen. The village might be the heart of the campaign, but adventures could span the world and the planes. |
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| | Champions of Industry |
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| | The Cinq Nations need Fragments de Dragon, and the scales are standing in the way of progress. The superstitious beliefs of the Homme-lézards don’t put gold in an adventurer’s purse, and the fact of the matter is that these inHumain creatures have attacked citizens of a Fort-du-trône nation. A capable team of adventurers with ties to the Maisons Marquées Du Dragon are brought in to perform dirty jobs that King Sebastes won’t approve. Hunting down Homme-lézards saboteurs or sabotaging independent miners—it’s all in a day’s work. Now the ritual war of Ka’rhashan is approaching, which means the greatest warriors of the Draconien clans will be at the holy city . . . and the guard will be weak at the demonic ruins. Tharashk intelligence has determined that a massive cache of Fragments de Dragon is in one of these ancient ruins. The team has a week to get in, get the shards, and get out. Any Draconien that are encountered have to be eliminated: This undertaking cannot be traced back to the house. The life of a house mercenary can be a profitable one. If the adventurers learn about the reasons the Homme-lézards protect the shards, will they care? If their actions release Démon and rakshasa into Q’barra, will they clean up the mess or take their earnings back to the Cinq Nations? |
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| | Strikeforce: Sarlona |
| | The Riedrans have their own agenda in the jungles. People interested in exploring a different side of the action could play a team of special operatives from Riedra, sent to pursue the interests of the Inspiré. Férals, Humains, and changelins are all solid choices for a Riedran force. It makes sense for such a force to focus on psionic power, but there’s room for a Féral Ranger or fighter, or a cunning changelin rogue. Such a team could engage in the same sort of actions as mercenaries in service of a Marqué par le Dragon house, but they could also focus on intrigue in Nouveau-trône: coming up with ways to turn Sebastes against the scales, or strengthening Riedran influence in the city. Perhaps the Inspiré want to replace the local thieves’ guild with a smugglers’ order better suited to their purposes; the characters are the troubleshooters who step in and shift the balance of this mob war. |
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| | INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT Q'BARRA |
| | • Q'barra is one of the richest sources of Fragments d'Eberron in Khorvaire, drawing waves of settlers and prospectors to this young and growing nation on the edge of civilization. |
| | • Certain ruins in Q'barra appear connected to the Age of Démon. The settlers know little of the history of this region, but the Crépuscule Venimeux Homme-lézards have ties to fiendish powers. |
| | • Maison Tharashk has a strong presence in Q'barra. Tharashk is the primary buyer of Fragments d'Eberron and also runs large-scale mining operations here. |
| | Q'BARRAN C HARACTERS |
| | Q'barra tempts explorers from the west with the prospects of wealth and new lands to conquer-mostly Humains but including members of all races found in Khorvaire. Settlers, Draconien, and Homme-lézards characters who originate here should consider the following: Settlers. Q'barra is an excellent place to explore the traditional archetypes of the classic Western. As a paladin, you could be a lone sheriff seeking to protect your newly formed mining village. Your cleric could be the town preacher. As a sorcerer or bard with a criminal background, you could be a dashing franc-casteur looking for trouble and gold. |
| | Renegades and Regrets. Q'barra promises a land of opportunity and a place where you can leave your past behind. Are you a deserter? Were you convicted of a crime you didn't commit? Are you fleeing from a broken heart? Q'barra has also drawn Cyran refugees and newly freed Guerrier de Fer, both seeking a home in the wild east. |
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| | Homme-lézards. The Homme-lézards's primitive culture blends Druidique traditions with the beliefs of the Flamme d'Argent. You might have been sent to study the softskins-to learn about them and potentially serve as an envoy for your people. Alternatively, you could be following a spiritual vision. |
| | Draconien. The Draconien live amid the remnants of ancient glory. They have a proud martial tradition, and a number of Draconien venture west in search of worthy challenges. If you follow this path, you might have served as a mercenary in La Dernière Guerre. |
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