L'Aurore de Dolurrh [Eberronick]

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====== L'Aurore de Dolurrh ======
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name = Aurore de Dolurrh|population = 104|races = Mostly [[Humain]], but includes handful of [[Nains]], [[Elfes]], [[Gnomes]], and [[Orcs]].|size = Small Village|country = [[Droaam]]|source = [[Dragon Magazine]] 365, pg. 63-67|local ruler = Galifar Wynarn}}

**Aurore de Dolurrh** is a small village, with the primary population aged to the equivalent of Humains in their mid-to-late twenties. There are no village elders or children, and only one pregnancy. The people know nothing about the outside world, and the few who have set out in search of a greater civilization have never returned due the dangelrs of the [[Forest of Flesh]] or the environs of [[Droaam]].

The village is surrounded by a high stockade wall of sharp tree trunks, with access available by climbing roped, or through a pulley system for heavier loads.

====== Inhabitants ======
  * [[npc:galifar_ir_wynarn|Galifar Wynarn]] (male Humain warlord)
  * [[Ashalyn Vol]] (female Elfee cleric)
  * [[Aundair du Wynarn|Aundair Wynarn]] (good female Humain wizard)
  * [[Cael Vadallia]] (good male Elfee Ranger)
  * [[Dorius|Dorius Alyre Korran]] (evil male gnome wizard)
  * [[npc:kaius_ir_wynarn_i|Kaius Wynarn I]] (male Humain warlord)
  * [[karrn_le_conquerant|Karrn]] (evil male Humain warlord)
  * [[seigneur_kordran_morin|Kordran Morin]] (lawful good male Nain)
  * [[npc:roi_jarot_ir_wynarn|Jarot Wynarn]] (male Humain fighter)
  * [[Jhazalen Elorrenthi]] (female Elfee Ranger)
  * [[Lhazaar]] (evil female Humain rogue)
  * [[npc:malleon_le_ravageur|Malleon Kas]] (evil male Humain fighter)
  * [[Rasha'Toorn]] (good female orc)
  * [[Sasselassum]] (male hobbit rogue)
  * Talas Thorn (Male Humain)

A figure of dark legend, Mordain the
Fleshweaver was driven from Les Douzes after his
attempts to create new life went horribly awry, and
since then he has lingered in L'Ombres of Droaam.
“The Forest of Flesh” describes some of the terrors
that exist in Mordain’s domain. But the woods hold
wonders as well as horrors. The strangelst of these is
the village of Dolurrh’s Dawn, a bizarre point of light
deep within the Kingdom of Monsters.

 Dolurrh’s Dawn is a village of 104 people. The
origin of the village is a mystery even to those who
live there. On Dravago 11th, 996 AR, these people
awoke in their beds in the village. Each one of them
remembered his or her name and the name of the
village . . . and nothing else. Despite this amnesia,
each villager found that he or she could draw upon
talents lying beyond conscious memory—skills he or
she couldn’t remember learning. This last year has
been a struggle for survival in a very dangelrous land.
Working together, the people of Dolurrh’s Dawn have
crafted weapons, learned to hunt the vicious beasts
of the forest, and slowly created a life in this savage
land.

 A village of amnesiacs appearing from Nulle Part
is strangel enough, but the inhabitants of Dolurrh’s
Dawn haven’t even realized the true extent of the
mystery surrounding their little community. The
people of the village know their own names, but they
remember nothing about the past . . . and as such,
when they first awoke, they didn’t recognize any of
the other inhabitants of the village. But the first travelers who discover this village are in for a shock. A
Nain named Kordran serves as the town blacksmith.
His face might seem familiar to anyone who has been
to the Bastions de la Nation, and it shouldn’t take long to realize why: They’ve seen it carved into the side of the
Monts Ferreux, in a monument over a mile in
height. He is Seigneur Kordran Morin, the greatest king to
ever rule the realm beneath the mountains. The mudspattered huntress is Lhazaar, the explorer who led
Humainity to the shores of Khorvaire. Galifar I sits at
a table with Karrn the Conquérant and Jarot, the last
ruler of the kingdom Galifar founded. This is a village filled with heroes and legends—yet none of them
remember their heroic deeds, nor do they possess the
full skills spoken of in the stories. So what are they?
Has Mordain found a way to pull these ancient spirits back from the afterlife, in violation of the laws of
Dolurrh? Or are these people simulacrums created by
the Fleshweaver—clones with vestiges of the heroes’
memories, but no true trace of their souls? Either way,
what does Mordain have to gain from this experiment, and why has he chosen the subjects that he has?

===== The People of Dolurrh’s Dawn =====
At a glance, the inhabitants of Dolurrh’s Dawn can
fit into any village in the Cinq Nations. While mostly
Humain, the village has a scattering of other races,
including a handful of Nains, Elfes, gnomes, and 
even orcs, spread among the community. Most are
dressed in homespun clothing, and the calluses
and dirt on their skin tell the tale of their struggle
to survive. They are all roughly the same age, once
racial deviation is taken into account; the Humains
are in their mid- to late-twenties, with the other races
at an age that would bring them to a similar level
of maturity. But there are no village elders and no
children—and so far, only one pregnancy (that of Aundair Wynarn). The people know absolutely nothing
about the outside world. Those few who have set out
in search of a greater civilization have never returned;
presumably they fell prey to the many dangelrs of
the Forest of Flesh or the equally hostile environs of
Droaam. As a result, a number of theories are circulating around the village. Some believe that this is a
form of afterlife. Those who have memories of arcane
lore believe they have been transported to another
plane of existence—either the madness of Xoriat or a
sort of Quorienen dreamscape. In any case, all the villagers are surprised and thrilled to encounter travelers
from the outside world. Some might treat stRangers
with suspicion, fearing that this is a trick of the forest,
but the majority begs for tales of the world beyond
the woods and anything that can fill the gaps in
their memories.
Most of what the villagers know comes to them as
instinct. Aside from their names, most of them have
only vague memories of their former lives, glimpses
seen in half-remembered dreams. Malleon is a brutal
soldier, but he doesn’t remember how he learned to
use the greataxe; likewise, he remembers nothing
about Lhazaar, but he feels a basic loyalty toward
her. The Nains in the village have rallied around
Kordran Morin. The Wynarns know from their family
name and broad physical resemblance that they must
be related, but they don’t know exactly how; lacking
any evidence to the contrary, they’ve assumed that
they are all siblings or cousins. If the PCs reveal the
true relations between these people—including the
fact that Karrn is a distant ancestor of Galifar—it
could improve relations, or it could make them
much worse.
 Here are a few of the more remarkable inhabitants
of the village.
 Galifar Wynarn (male Humain warlord). This is
Galifar I, the man who united the Cinq Nations and
created a kingdom that lasted for a thousand years.
Even in this village of generals and kings, his charisma and ingenuity are truly remarkable. Galifar
brought order after the villagers first awoke, and he
coordinated the construction of the stockade wall.
He has become the de facto leader of Dolurrh’s
Dawn, but many envy his influence, especially Karrn,
Dorius, and Malleon.
 Ashalyn Vol (female Elfee cleric). An Aereni necromancer born five thousand years ago, Ashalyn laid
many of the cornerstones of the faith that has evolved
into the modern Le Sang Divin. While a cleric, she was
once also a wizard who possessed knowledge of a vast
array of rituals, especially those involving necromantic magic. Either she doesn’t remember her past . . . or
she’s choosing to hide it from her companions.
Aundair Wynarn (good female Humain wizard).
A daughter of Galifar Wynarn, Aundair was one
of the greatest wizards in Galifar’s army. Kind
and gentle by nature, she is working with Ashalyn
and Dorius to try to reconstruct their memories of
magical rituals. She and Cael Vadallia fell in love,
and Aundair is six months pregnant with Cael’s
child . . . which could be the first Demi-Elfe in
Dolurrh’s Dawn.
Cael Vadallia (good male Elfee Ranger). A legendary
Tairnadal archer from the Age of Géants, and a distant ancestor of the current high king of Valénar, Cael
Vadallia is also a skilled hunter. He has used his talents as a bowyer and fletcher to craft weapons for the
village. A noble soul, he instinctively despises cruelty
and tyranny and dislikes Karrn and Malleon.
Dorius Alyre Korran (evil male gnome wizard).
The founder of the Bibliothèque de Korranberg and a brillant scholar, Dorius plays the part of a kindly arcane
sage. However, behind this mask he is a greedy
schemer who seeks personal power. He won’t challenge Galifar openly, but he is quietly using Karrn
and Malleon to undermine Galifar’s influence.
Kaius Wynarn I (male Humain warlord). Kaius
is the son of Jarot Wynarn, and he is the leader who
rebelled against Mishann of Cyre and instituted the
harsh Code of Kaius in Karrnath. Some PCs might
know that Kaius I exists as a vampire in Khorvaire;
this reborn Kaius is drawn from the point the current
Kaius “died,” and he is neither as dark nor as ruthless
as his later sElfee. He is a proud man who cares deeply
about the safety of the people of the village, and he
has become the “innkeeper” of the Lever du soleil tavern,
where he tends to the daily needs of the villagers.
Currently he is a strong supporter of Galifar, but he
is growing closer to Ashalyn Vol. If Ashalyn recreates the rituals of the Le Sang Divin, perhaps Kaius will
become a vampire once more!
Karrn (evil male Humain warlord). The founder of
Karrnath, Karrn the Conquérant is a brillant tactical
warlord. His flaws are his cruelty and his ego, and
these have kept the other villagers from turning to
him for leadership. He is deeply jealous of Galifar, but
as a tactician he realizes that the village can’t afford
to lose such a skilled man. Nonetheless, he often challenges Galifar’s decisions, and this tension will only
grow over time.
Kordran Morin (lawful good male Nain).
Kordran is the greatest king of the Nain nation
that once lay below the Monts Ferreux—a nation
destroyed long ago by the daelkyr. Kordran is a calm,
wise person and has chosen to support Galifar. He is a
skilled smith and has created both weapons and tools 
for the community; now they are in desperate need
of ore.
Jarot Wynarn (male Humain fighter). The last
king of the united Galifar, Jarot is the weakest of the
Wynarns in all senses of the word. His greatest flaw is
his paranoia, and he will be the first to accuse PCs of
treachery or deception. He is a skilled siege engineer
and helps to maintain the village walls.
Jhazalaen Elorrenthi (female Elfee Ranger). An
ancestor of the Elfes who would eventually form
Maison Phiarlan, Jhazalaen is a battle dancer who supposedly blinded a king of the Géants with her graceful
motions and flashing blades. In addition to hunting
the beasts of the forest, Jhazalaen entertains the villagers with her dazzling performances.
Lhazaar (evil female Humain rogue). Lhazaar is
the explorer and pirate queen who led the first great
wave of Humainity to Khorvaire. The circumstances
of her death remain a mystery, since her flagship
disappeared in a great storm. Lhazaar is détective
and charismatic, with some of the talents of a warlord
supporting her deadly skill with her blades. She is
intrigued by Galifar and so far she has chosen not to
oppose him; however, this could easily changel. She
is one of the most active explorers in the villager and
knows much about the Forest of Flesh.
Malleon Kas (evil male Humain fighter). During
Lhazaar’s colonization of Khorvaire, Malleon earned
the sobriquet “the Reaver” due to his brutal slaughter of the native Gobelinoids. He is a Géant of a man,
possessing immense strength and a fearsome glare.
Though he lacks the memories of his past, he is
devoted to Lhazaar; however, she is more interested in
Galifar. Malleon would love to see Galifar slain and
Lhazaar in his place. Malleon is a vicious bigot and
despises all nonHumains.
Rasha’Torrn (good female orc). The Gatekeeper
druids brought an end to the incursion of Xoriat
into Eberron, and Rasha’Torrn brought the druids
together for that final ritual. She has yet to regain
access to her mystical powers, and many of the villagers distrust her because of her race. Nonetheless, she
is wise and a skilled healer, with great knowledge of
the natural world.
Sasselassum (male hobbit rogue). Born in the
Plaines de Talenta thousands of years ago, Sasselassum is
a trickster whose deeds are the stuff of hundreds of
Talentan folktales. Though clever and experienced in
the ways of the natural world, Sasselassum is impulsive; his curiosity and impetuous nature often get him
into trouble. 
Talas Thorn (male Humain). Talas is a priest of
the Légion Souveraine, born in Sharn in the year 687
AR. He is friendly enough and a talented healer, but
otherwise unremarkable—a man who left no mark on
history. However, many remarkable events occurred
during his lifetime . . . could it be that his role in them
was never discovered? Was he one of the worst serial
killers in Sharn’s history? Was he a secret servant of
Le Voyageur, or an agent of the Seigneurs Des Cendres? Or is he
just the kind priest he appears to be?
 These are just a few possibilities. Many other
historical figures could be interesting. Aeren, the
prophet who led the Elfes away from Xen’drik. Aaren
d’Bombardier, creator of the Guerrier de Fer. Tira Miron, the
founder of the modern Église de la Flamme d'Argent.
Halas Tarkanan, greatest leader of the aberrant forces
in La Guerre des Marques. Erandis d’Vol, last scion of
the Marque de la Mort. A lycanthrope from the time of
the Silver Purge. Beyond this, many other people
whose role in history is unknown, like Talas Thorn,
could be here. Another option is to have a few people
whose only real significance appears to be their
connection to the player characters. The wife of the
PC fighter, who was slain during La Dernière Guerre. The
party’s favorite innkeeper, who was killed during a
bar brawl with the enemies of the PCs. Why would
Mordain choose to resurrect a simple innkeeper? Is
this entire experiment being conducted for the benefit of the PCs? Or is there an important secret about
the innkeeper (he’s an Inspiré plant; an agent of the
Chambre; last member of an exotic bloodline) the
PCs never discovered?
<blockquote>Aside from their names, most villagers have only vague
memories of their former lives, glimpses seen in halfremembered dreams.</blockquote>

==== The Shape of the Village ====
Dolurrh’s Dawn is a village under siege. The surrounding forest is filled with monsters and threats
that stagger the imagination. Raging foulspawn,
hungry gricks, and lurking Tisserande de Peaus are just a few
of the horrors the villagers have to deal with on a regular basis. When the PCs approach Dolurrh’s Dawn,
the first thing that they see is the high stockade wall
surrounding it. Sharpened tree-trunks are lashed
together, and deep gashes in the wood suggest the
work of claws and acid. A half-dozen archers patrol
the walls at all hours, ready to raise the alarm at the
slightest sign of trouble. There are no gates in the wall.
Ropes are used by those agile enough to climb, while
a makeshift stretcher-and-pulley system allows larger
objects to be brought up and over the stockade.
 Inside, Dolurrh’s Dawn is a study in contrasts. A
number of ramshackle buildings constructed using
the same limited resources as the wall are within the 
village. But the heart of the village has a few structures of quarried stone, with windows of hardened
glass and all the amenities one would expect to find
in Beaurefuge or Wroat. These are the buildings the
villagers found themselves in when they first awoke.
These include a well of magically purified water and
a public latrine in the town square; a simple forge
contained in the building where Kordran Morin works;
and a few simple, solid cottages. The final structure is
a large tavern, bearing a trade sign marked with the
symbol of a sun rising over a black field. The locals
call this Lever du soleil, and it is both the town hall and
canteen for Dolurrh’s Dawn. The Wynarns have laid
claim to the living quarters in Lever du soleil, and Kaius has
taken over the maintenance of the building. In general, however, the villagers are living a hard frontier
life; whatever they need—including ore for the forge—
must be found in the wilds. Many of the villagers
would consider something as simple as paper and ink
to be a treasure; the mages of the village have been
using a variety of makeshift materials to produce a
book of rituals.
 The people of Dolurrh’s Dawn have little to offer
outsiders. However, the hunters and gatherers have
become adept at finding food in the deadly forest. The
crafters of the village are nonetheless masters of their
respective trades, and this might be an opportunity
for PCs: Kordran Morin might have limited resources,
but he’s still known as one of the greatest smiths in
the history of Khorvaire, and an axe forged by his
hands could have considerable power.

==== Using Dolurrh’s Dawn ====
Dolurrh’s Dawn can serve many different roles. To
begin with, it is an unexpected sanctuary in a dangelrous place. It’s not easy to find a safe haven in the
Forest of Flesh, and adventurers who have used their
last healing surges in a battle with Tisserande de Peaus might
be thrilled when they see the high walls and friendly
lights of this village. The DM needs to decide the 
degree to which the inhabitants of the village have
recovered their old skills (something which can vary
by individual). If the villagers are 1st-level characters,
then they might need the party’s help to survive the
deadly threats posed by the forest. On the other hand,
if the people of the village have regained their legendary skills, they might be powerful allies in a struggle
against an epic threat—or a source of unexpected treasure. While the weapon might not be pretty, an axe
forged by Kordran Morin or bow carved by Cael Vadallia could possess tremendous magical might.
 Another question is whether the villagers want
to leave Dolurrh’s Dawn. Getting a hundred people
across Droaam would be a challenge in its own right,
but the greater issue is the impact these people would
have on the world. If it can be proven that Galifar
truly is who he says he is and not a doppelganger or
demon, how would his return affect the Cinq Nations?
What would happen between the living Kaius and
the vampire? Might Karrn the Conquérant seize
Karrnath away from Kaius and start the war anew?
Upon learning about the fragile state of the world, 
Galifar might insist that all the villagers remain in
Dolurrh’s Dawn, refusing to let their return bring
chaos to a fragile world.
 In addition to serving as a backdrop for adventure,
Dolurrh’s Dawn could also serve as an origin for a
character. There’s no reason the villagers have to be
NPCs. If he wanted, a player could choose to play the
reborn Galifar, Karrn the Conquérant, or any other
figure from history. Reborn in Dolurrh’s Dawn, he
has made his way to the Cinq Nations—what happens
next? Does this reborn champion have an epic destiny
to fulfill, or is he Mordain’s idea of a cosmic joke?
 If its people resemble the heroes of the past but
have few of their powers or skills, Dolurrh’s Dawn
can be used as a strangel village in a surprising
location. If the villagers possess some of their old
talents, it can be a source of powerful allies or deadly
enemies. Either way, Dolurrh’s Dawn is a remarkable
place—and a disturbing sign of the power of Mordain
the Fleshweaver.
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{{tag>["Lieu"]}}
{{tag>["Géographie"]}}
{{tag>["Droaam"]}}
{{tag>["DM"]}}