Les Méduses sont des Humanoïdes monstrueuses écailleuses avec des serpents pour cheveux et redoutés pour leur regard pétrifiant.

La légende des Gardiens dit que les Méduse ont été créés par le Daelkyr Orlassk, le Seigneur de la Pierre et ont servi de ses troupes lors de leur invasion. Les Méduses contestent ce récit et attribuent leur création à L'Ombre des Sombres Six.

En 778 AR, une force de Méduses émergea de Khyber et s'empara de la métropole gobeline abandonnée de Cazhaak Draal. Pendant plus de deux cents ans, les Méduses ont pris les ruines et ses dangereux habitants et les ont utilisés pour construire leur propre royaume isolé.

For the most part the Méduses were content in their tiny kingdom: Cazhaak Draal was far larger than their numbers required, and many treasures and wonders existed in the ancient city. Explorers who ventured into the Stonelands rarely returned, but the Méduses had little interest in the outside world.

This changeld in 985 AR, when a mysterious visitor came to speak to the Queen of Stone: a gray-robed Sorcière, who met the Méduse's gaze without fear. Sora Teraza spoke with Queen Sheshka from sunrise to sunset, and after the Sorcière departed, Sheshka spent the evening in silent contemplation. The next day she told her people to prepare for great changel. Over the course of the next year she brought together a corps of Méduses, preparing them for service in foreign lands. When the Filles De Sora Kell assumed power in 986 AR, representatives of Cazhaak Draal were quickly dispatched to the Grand Rocher. Today Méduse architects direct the ongoing construction of Droaam's capital. Méduses hold many positions of power, both in Droaam and in the monstrous communities that have since spread across Khorvaire; in Sharn, the Méduse Kasslak maintains order in the dangelrous district of Porte de Malleon, while a Méduse named Harash is the second-in-command of Sharn's Daask cell. The deadly power of a Méduse commands respect, but in a nation of Ogres, Minotaures, and harpies, the keen intellect of the Méduse is often more useful than its petrifying gaze.

The people of Cazhaak Draal have prospered since the rise of the Sorcières, and for the moment, the Queen of Stone is content to serve. The Filles De Sora Kell are formidable enemies, and Sheshka does not have the power to challenge them. But the Méduse queen is ambitious and cunning, and she is always searching for ways to increase her influence.

Pour la plupart, les Médus étaient satisfaits de leur minuscule royaume: Cazhaak Draal était bien plus grand que leur nombre ne l'exigeait, et de nombreux trésors et merveilles existaient dans l'ancienne ville. Les explorateurs qui s'aventuraient dans les Stonelands revenaient rarement, mais les Médus ne s'intéressaient guère au monde extérieur.

Cela changea en 985 AR, lorsqu'un visiteur mystérieux vint parler à la reine de pierre: une sorcière en robe grise, qui rencontra le regard de la Méduse sans crainte. Sora Teraza a parlé avec Reine Sheshka du lever au coucher du soleil, et après le départ de la Sorcière, Sheshka a passé la soirée dans une contemplation silencieuse. Le lendemain, elle a dit à son peuple de se préparer pour un grand changel. Au cours de l'année suivante, elle a réuni un corps de Méduses, les préparant au service en terres étrangères. Lorsque les Filles De Sora Kell prirent le pouvoir en 986 AR, des représentants de Cazhaak Draal furent rapidement envoyés sur le Grand Rocher. Aujourd'hui, les architectes de Méduse dirigent la construction en cours de la capitale de Droaam. Les Méduses occupent de nombreuses positions de pouvoir, à la fois dans Droaam et dans les communautés monstrueuses qui se sont depuis répandues à travers Khorvaire; à Sharn, le Méduse Kasslak maintient l'ordre dans le quartier sombre de la Porte de Malleon, tandis qu'un Méduse nommé Harash est le commandant en second de la cellule Daask de Sharn. Le pouvoir mortel d'un Méduse commande le respect, mais dans une nation de Ogre s, Minotaure s et harpies, l'intellect aigu du Méduse est souvent plus utile que son pétrifiant regard.

Les habitants de Cazhaak Draal ont prospéré depuis la montée des Sorcières, et pour le moment, la reine de pierre se contente de servir. Les Filles De Sora Kell sont de redoutables ennemis et Sheshka n'a pas le pouvoir de les défier. Mais la reine Méduse est ambitieuse et rusée, et elle est toujours à la recherche de moyens d'accroître son influence.

The Gardiens claim that Méduses were created by the Daelkyr Orlassk, but the Méduse priests of Cazhaak Draal offer their devotions to L'Ombre. They claim that L'Ombre shaped many of the creatures Humains see as monsters, giving the Harpie her deadly voice, hiding the displacer beast from its foes, and healing the wounds of the Troll. These priests view the deities of the Légion Souveraine as the true evil, comparing the exile of L'Ombre to the fear with which many Humains respond to Méduses and other monsters.

Of course, some Méduses do earn their evil reputation. Several revel in their powers and petrify lesser creatures for sport. But a Méduse who calls this sort of attention to hersElfee won't last long in one of the great cities of Khorvaire. Those Méduses chosen to represent Droaam in the wider world are carefully vetted by Sheshka and officials of Maison Tharashk.

The average Méduse is more intelligent and cunning than the average Humain, and she understands the need to control her behavior among the soft people of Khorvaire. In Sharn, a Méduse may move unfettered in the lawless districts, but if she enters a respectable neighborhood, she must wear eyeblinders, a metal visor secured with straps around forehead and chin; otherwise she may be attacked by the Blackened Book, Bataillon des Capes Rouges, or other agents of the law. Eyeblinders require a full minute to don or remove; in some cities, a Méduse must have the blinders secured with a lock for the duration of her stay.

Despite their worship of L'Ombre, Méduses are no more inherently evil than Humains or Elfes. Some are arrogant and proud, believing that their deadly gaze places them above mundane creatures. Others respond to the fear they encounter every day by despising those who fear them, a path that often leads to evil alignments. But many enjoy the same pleasures that Humains do, and seek out song, good company, and the satisfaction of hard work. The Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have a strong tradition of stonework, both architecture and purely aesthetic sculpture. In recent years, Councilor Kilk of Sharn has sought permission to bring in Méduse architects and masons to perform work in Northedge, although to date the other councilors have refused to use city funds to pay for the services of monsters.

The gaze of a Méduse can petrify even an ally, and as a result, a Méduse does not meet the gaze of a person with whom it is conversing. Where she directs her eyes indicates her esteem for the person. She drops her eyes toward the ground to show respect, or looks up and over the person if she wishes to indicate disdain; when speaking to an equal, she glances to the left or right. If she wishes to show trust, she directs her gaze to the person, but closes her eyes.

While this may seem inconvenient to a Humain, it has little impact on a Méduse. If a Méduse concentrates, she can receive limited visual impressions from the serpents that make up her hair; as a result, though she seems to look elsewhere, she's actually looking through the eyes of her serpents. She can even use her serpents to see when she is blindfolded or has her eyes closed. However, she can still “see” in only one direction in this way; her serpents may look all around her, but she can't process the information from all of them at once. If a Méduse is relying solely on the visual input from her serpents, she suffers a -2 penalty on Spot and Search checks.

A Méduse uses its living mane for many purposes. In addition to serving as weapons and a supplemental form of eyesight, a Méduse's serpents also help her communicate. The motions of the serpents often reflect a Méduse's mood. The Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have developed a simple language called Serpentine, which is based on the motions and hissing of their snakes. Serpentine has no written aspect and can be spoken only by a Méduse, but any creature can use Speak Language to learn to understand it. A Méduse must learn Serpentine normally, but it is available to her as a bonus language.

The gaze of a Méduse is a powerful weapon, but most Méduses don't think of it as deadly. A petrified victim can be restored to life, after all; within their own society, Méduses often use petrification as a way to preserve mortally wounded kin, so they can be restored at a later time when healing magic is available. Likewise, Méduses dying of old age often choose to be petrified before they fully pass on; Cazhaak Draal contains a great catacomb filled with the stone remnants of respected Méduse elders. This ties to the love of stonework Commun in the culture; when a Méduse looks at a statue, she sees the life it represents.

While some Méduses take an interest in archery, in general the Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have little interest in physical combat; they prefer to win their battles with magic or cunning. Sorcerers, rogues, and experts are all Commun among the citizens of Cazhaak Draal; the city of stone is also home to smaller numbers of clerics, adepts, Rangers, and fighters, with the latter specializing in rangeld combat.

Méduse originally hail from an unknown realm in Khyber.

The largest community of Méduses known on Eberron is Cazhaak Draal, their kingdom at the foothills of the Montagnes de Byeshk ruled by Sheshka, the Queen of Stone.

Méduse are known to reside in many cities in Eberron. At least three Méduse reside in Zarash'ak in the Frontières de l'Ombre, and this trio serves as personal bodyguards of each of the Triumvir of Maison Tharashk.

As one of the most individually dangelrous inhabitants of Droaam there are many Méduses in Eberron that have been sent out from Cazhaak Draal to interact with the outside world of Khorvaire.

• Sheshka, the Queen of Stone: Sheshka is a Warlord of Droaam and one of the most famous Méduses in Khorvaire. She is the ruler of the Méduses of Cazhaak Draal and a major power in Droaam. She has basilisks and cockatrices at her side ready to defend her along with her own Méduse honor guard. She is a major character in the novel The Queen of Stone by Keith Baker.
• Zerasha: Zerasha is a black-scaled priestess of L'Ombre who resides in the temple known as the Eye of L'Ombre in the Street of Ombres in Muraille-Grise. She is loyal to the Filles De Sora Kell and is almost as influential as Xor'chylic in the city, but she foremost serves her queen Sheshka.
• Kasslak: Kasslak is a member of the Daask cell in Sharn and the de-facto authority figure in the Lower Dura district of Porte de Malleon. He prefers to use his power sparingly within the majority Gobelinoid district, but some statues on the streets are a public display of his power.
• Harash: Harash is the second-in-command to Cavallah of the Daask cell in Sharn. He acts as the diplomat of the organization, and maintains morale when he can.
• Karyale: Karyale is a member of the Daask cell in Sharn.
• Ashkora: Ashkora is the leader of the Daask cell in Wroat.

The Méduses of Droaam

Eberron is a world of magic. Many forms of life have been shaped by magical forces. This can be seen in the minor illusion-weaving ability of the gnomes, the teleporting blink dog, or the petrifying gaze of the Méduse. The deadly power of a Méduse can certainly inspire terror, and thinking of this creature as a simple monster is easy. But Méduses are not savage predators, roaming the wastes in search of prey. The Méduses of Cazhaak Draal are, on average, more intelligent than most Humains, and they have a proud city-state in the midst of Droaam. The power of the Méduses is a potent weapon in the arsenal of Droaam. But what role do Méduses play in the monster nation? How are they seen in the outside world? And what can you expect when dealing with them?

The Kingdom of Stone

The Méduses were born in Khyber, and no one on the surface knows the extent of their subterranean civilization. In 778 AR, a force of Méduses emerged from the underworld and laid claim to the city of Cazhaak Draal, an ancient Gobelin metropolis that had been abandoned since the daelkyr incursion. Over the course of the last two hundred years, the Méduses renovated Cazhaak Draal, repairing the ruins and domesticating many of the dangelrous creatures found in the region. For the most part the Méduses were content in their tiny kingdom: Cazhaak Draal was far larger than their numbers required, and many treasures and wonders existed in the ancient city. Explorers who ventured into the Stonelands rarely returned, but the Méduses had little interest in the outside world.

This changeld in 985 AR, when a mysterious visitor came to speak to the Queen of Stone: a gray-robed Sorcière, who met the Méduse's gaze without fear. Sora Teraza spoke with Queen Sheshka from sunrise to sunset, and after the Sorcière departed, Sheshka spent the evening in silent contemplation. The next day she told her people to prepare for great changel. Over the course of the next year she brought together a corps of Méduses, preparing them for service in foreign lands. When the Filles De Sora Kell assumed power in 986 AR, representatives of Cazhaak Draal were quickly dispatched to the Grand Rocher. Today Méduse architects direct the ongoing construction of Droaam's capital. Méduses hold many positions of power, both in Droaam and in the monstrous communities that have since spread across Khorvaire; in Sharn, the Méduse Kasslak maintains order in the dangelrous district of Porte de Malleon, while a Méduse named Harash is the second-in-command of Sharn's Daask cell. The deadly power of a Méduse commands respect, but in a nation of ogres, Minotaures, and harpies, the keen intellect of the Méduse is often more useful than its petrifying gaze.

The people of Cazhaak Draal have prospered since the rise of the Sorcières, and for the moment, the Queen of Stone is content to serve. The Filles De Sora Kell are formidable enemies, and Sheshka does not have the power to challenge them. But the Méduse queen is ambitious and cunning, and she is always searching for ways to increase her influence.

Children of Stone and Ombre

The Gardiens claim that Méduses were created by the daelkyr Orlassk, but the Méduse priests of Cazhaak Draal offer their devotions to L'Ombre. They claim that L'Ombre shaped many of the creatures Humains see as monsters, giving the Harpie her deadly voice, hiding the displacer beast from its foes, and healing the wounds of the troll. These priests view the deities of the Légion Souveraine as the true evil, comparing the exile of L'Ombre to the fear with which many Humains respond to Méduses and other monsters.

Of course, some Méduses do earn their evil reputation. Several revel in their powers and petrify lesser creatures for sport. But a Méduse who calls this sort of attention to hersElfee won't last long in one of the great cities of Khorvaire. Those Méduses chosen to represent Droaam in the wider world are carefully vetted by Sheshka and officials of Maison Tharashk. The average Méduse is more intelligent and cunning than the average Humain, and she understands the need to control her behavior among the soft people of Khorvaire. In Sharn, a Méduse may move unfettered in the lawless districts, but if she enters a respectable neighborhood, she must wear eyeblinders, a metal visor secured with straps around forehead and chin; otherwise she may be attacked by the Blackened Book, Redcloak Battalion, or other agents of the law. Eyeblinders require a full minute to don or remove; in some cities, a Méduse must have the blinders secured with a lock for the duration of her stay.

Despite their worship of L'Ombre, Méduses are no more inherently evil than Humains or Elfes. Some are arrogant and proud, believing that their deadly gaze places them above mundane creatures. Others respond to the fear they encounter every day by despising those who fear them, a path that often leads to evil alignments. But many enjoy the same pleasures that Humains do, and seek out song, good company, and the satisfaction of hard work. The Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have a strong tradition of stonework, both architecture and purely aesthetic sculpture. In recent years, Councilor Kilk of Sharn has sought permission to bring in Méduse architects and masons to perform work in Northedge, although to date the other councilors have refused to use city funds to pay for the services of monsters.

Méduse Customs

The gaze of a Méduse can petrify even an ally, and as a result, a Méduse does not meet the gaze of a person with whom it is conversing. Where she directs her eyes indicates her esteem for the person. She drops her eyes toward the ground to show respect, or looks up and over the person if she wishes to indicate disdain; when speaking to an equal, she glances to the left or right. If she wishes to show trust, she directs her gaze to the person, but closes her eyes.

While this may seem inconvenient to a Humain, it has little impact on a Méduse. If a Méduse concentrates, she can receive limited visual impressions from the serpents that make up her hair; as a result, though she seems to look elsewhere, she's actually looking through the eyes of her serpents. She can even use her serpents to see when she is blindfolded or has her eyes closed. However, she can still “see” in only one direction in this way; her serpents may look all around her, but she can't process the information from all of them at once. If a Méduse is relying solely on the visual input from her serpents, she suffers a -2 penalty on Spot and Search checks.

A Méduse uses its living mane for many purposes. In addition to serving as weapons and a supplemental form of eyesight, a Méduse's serpents also help her communicate. The motions of the serpents often reflect a Méduse's mood, and a DM should consider the state of a Méduse's mane when describing her actions. The Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have developed a simple language called Serpentine, which is based on the motions and hissing of their snakes. Serpentine has no written aspect and can be spoken only by a Méduse, but any creature can use Speak Language to learn to understand it. A Méduse must learn Serpentine normally, but it is available to her as a bonus language.

The gaze of a Méduse is a powerful weapon, but most Méduses don't think of it as deadly. A petrified victim can be restored to life, after all; within their own society, Méduses often use petrification as a way to preserve mortally wounded kin, so they can be restored at a later time when healing magic is available. Likewise, Méduses dying of old age often choose to be petrified before they fully pass on; Cazhaak Draal contains a great catacomb filled with the stone remnants of respected Méduse elders. This ties to the love of stonework Commun in the culture; when a Méduse looks at a statue, she sees the life it represents.

While some Méduses take an interest in archery, in general the Méduses of Cazhaak Draal have little interest in physical combat; they prefer to win their battles with magic or cunning. Sorcerers, rogues, and experts are all Commun among the citizens of Cazhaak Draal; the city of stone is also home to smaller numbers of clerics, adepts, Rangers, and fighters, with the latter specializing in rangeld combat.