Eberron Rising From the Last War

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

302


Overlords

In the first days of the world, the children of Khyber rose
from the darkness to reign over Eberron. The greatest
among them were the overlords, who held dominion
over a world of fe ar, war, and death until the children of
Eberron and Siberys rose up against them. Armies of
dragons fought against the fiends of Khyber. And though
the overlords couldn't be destroyed, the couatl sacrificed
their lives to build a prison of celestial light: a silver
flame that bound the overlords in Khyber once more.
These bonds have held for countless generations, but
the overlords still yearn to break free and reclaim the
world above.
As long as the overlords are bound by the Silver
Flame, they can't physically manifest in the world. But
each overlord embodies a particular aspect of evil,
which grows in strength as their servants-the fiends
known as the Lords of Dust-scheme to unleash their
ancient masters. The overlords gain strength when mor­
tals embrace the dark paths laid down for them. And as
they grow stronger, they gain more influence.
Some thirty overlords are bound in Khyber. Tw o are
described here: Rak Tulkhesh and Sul Khatesh, both of
whom remain imprisoned and can't take physical form.
The stat blocks provided here reflect the powers they
would wield if they were ever unleashed upon the world.
Immortal Nature. An overlord doesn't require air,
food, drink or sleep. It also can't die permanently. Upon
its death, it reforms elsewhere in the multiverse and be­
comes active again at a time set by the DM.

CHAPTER 6 I FRIENDS AND FOES

RAK TULKHESH
Called the Rage of War, Rak Tulkhesh is the incarnation
of impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear,
greed, hatred-these are seeds that the Rage of War
sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest.
Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely
draconic creature twisted by demonic rage. Covered
in iron spikes protruding from his bleeding flesh, this
overlord looms fifteen feet high at the shoulders, and his
wings span over forty fe et. While in combat, Rak Tulk­
hesh roars in rage as new weapons are spawned from
his body, called forth by the Rage of War to slaughter all
who dare stand before him.
Khyber Shards. Rak Tu lkhesh's soul is divided
among a group of Khyber shards spread through the un­
derworld and is confined to those shards by the light of
the Silver Flame. While shattered and bound, the Rage
of Wa r can't bring his full power to bear on the world.
But he can influence events in the vicinity of any of his
shards, drawing power from acts of violence.
The Last War was a boon that allowed Rak Tulkhesh
to darken the hearts of soldiers and civilians alike,
whose actions then weakened the overlord's bonds to
give him even greater sway over the regions surround­
ing his shards. The violence seen in Thaliost and other
occupied cities, the hatred against warforged and Cyran
refugees, the calls for a return to war-all these things
bear the mark of Rak Tulkhesh's malign influence.
Minions of Rak Tulkhesh. Any organization that
fosters hatred unwittingly serves Rak Tu lkhesh, and
countless soldiers in the Five Nations are devoted to
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