198
THE VOICE OF��(LAND
BORANEL CEDES
WESTERN REACHES
In a shocking move, King Boranel has ordered that all
Brelish citizens who live west of the Graywall Mountains
must leave their homes and return to the eastern lands,
or else forfeit their claim to the king's protection. In
the face of a few withered hags and a ragtag "army" of
filthy ogres and mangy gnolls, King Boranel's legendary
courage has apparently faltered. We can only assume he
means to yield to Cyre next.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 Daugh
ters of Sora Kell, this land grows stronger with each
passing year.
Thanks to the guidance of the hags, the diverse inhab
itants of Droaam are learning to work together and find
ing 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 atten
tion 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 mon
sters 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 la
borers put their strength to practical use in many of the
continent's cities. Gargoyle couriers are in high demand.
Though monstrous workers of these sorts are still rare
in many nations, their numbers are growing.
Conversely, a visit to Droaam gives adventurers a
chance to explore a land untethered by the laws of theCHAPTER (^4) I BUILDING EBERRON ADVENTURES
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.
WARLORDS OF DROAAM
Droaam is home to a vast array of creatures. Many of
these races maintain isolated enclaves: the medusa
city of Cazhaak Draa!, the harpy flights of the Byeshk
Mountains, the scattered minotaur clans, the mysteri
ous changeling city known as Lost. But other creatures
have long been commingled. The ogres, ores, trolls, hill
giants, goblins, and kobolds of Droaam have never had
distinct cultures; they have always been blended. Al
though enclaves made up of a single kind of creature do
exist, most communities contain a mix of creatures.
In bygone days, many of these groups of creatures
lived in transient communities, ruled by the most pow
erful among them and constantly in conflict with neigh
boring forces. When the Daughters of Sora Kell rose to
power, they used force and persuasion to bring an end
to this violence. They recognized the most powerful
existing warlords as rulers of their domains, and they
appointed lieutenants-including oni and other powerful
and intelligent creatures-to govern other regions.
Within Droaam, any creature that commands the
loyalty of a band and has successfully claimed and held
territory can call itself a warlord, but only a small num
ber of such leaders wield significant power. A few of the
most notable warlords and factions are described below.
Cairngorm. A remarkably intelligent gargoyle, Cairn-
gorm is the lord of Grimstone Keep. He leads the
largest host of gargoyles in Droaam, and Grimstone is
also home to ores and other creatures.
The Dark Pack. An alliance of lycanthropes, worgs,
and other bestial creatures is led by an elf werewolf
named Zaeurl. The Dark Pack bears a deep hatred for
followers of the Silver Flame.
Gorodan Ashford. A fire giant exiled from Xen'drik has
earned the loyalty of a powerful force of ogres and hill
giants. Gorodan knows a great deal about Xen'drik
and could prove a valuable resource to adventurers.
Harpy Flights. The harpies have long dwelled in the
Byeshk Mountains. Several flights across the nation
including the Stormsinger, Last Dirge, and Rotwing
have pledged themselves to the Daughters of Sora
Kell. Other flights remain in isolation in the moun
tains. The largest of these is the Wind Howlers, whose
leader, Callain of the Bloody Word, despises the hags.
Kethelrax the Cunning. The kobold lord Kethelrax
has laid claim to Shaarat Kol in the south of Droaam
and leads host of kobolds and goblins-creatures that
have been traditionally enslaved and oppressed by the
larger and more powerful inhabitants of the region.
Though his epithet, "the Cunning," is used mockingly
by other warlords, Kethelrax has the favor of Sora Ka
tra and has proven to be clever in his own right. The
kobolds are thrilled to have their own territory and
are fiercely loyal to the Daughters, but many yearn for
revenge against their former masters.