The Great Crag
The Great Crag is the capital of Droaam and the seat of power of the The Daughters of Sora Kell. It is a fast-growing yet primitive city, though many hands work tirelessly day and night to ensure that one day it will be counted as one of the greatest settlements of Khorvaire. The order in the city is maintained by Sora Maenya elite troll guards, assisted by gnoll mercenaries.
The Great Crag is a large mountain jutting up from an otherwise flat landscape. During the Dhakaani Empire, Droaam was an important city and a gateway to the west of their empire. Legends say the mountain was pulled up through the ground during the Daelkyr War. House Tharashk is the only dragonmarked house in the city, and it is rumored it is a place of constant lawlessness and violence.
Location The Great Crag, as its name implies, is built inside of a vast mountain peak standing at the very center of Droaam. Ancient passages dating from the time of the Dhakaani Empire honeycomb the mountain, and Dhakaani ruins dot the fertile plains that surround it. The hags' court can be found mostly inside of the mountain proper; however, the Crag's population outstrips its size, and so many of its citizens have either moved into the ruins that surround it or have built barracks, houses, and hovels amid them. One trade route brings goods from Breland and Graywall into the city by road.
History It is believed that, before the Daelkyr War, a great Dhakaani metropolis occupied the plains surrounding the Great Crag, the ruins of which remain to this day. In that time, the mountain did not have its current form, and might not have been a mountain yet at all; according to legend, it was torn out of the ground during the war, when the Daelkyr turned the hobgoblins and goblins of the city to stone. The sight of the stone statues kept intelligent creatures away from the Great Crag for millennia, as rumors whispered that the vengeful spirits of the petrified still lurked within their stone bodies, eager to strike out at warm bodies and petrify them as well.
The Daughters of Sora Kell proved these rumors false when they appeared in 986 YK and made the mountain the base for their new capital of Droaam. Since then, the city has grown exponentially as monsters flock to the hags' banner, its total population now numbering among those of the other great metropolises.
Architecture The city is an intriguing mix of perfectly restored Dhakaani architecture, sophisticated medusa stonework, and rougher contributions by the various other monstrous races. Harpy roosts dot the mountainside, ogre laborers erect sturdy but rough structures and Znir Pact barracks stand side by side with the hovels housing thousands of goblin squatters. Much of the citizens do not live in permanent structures at all, instead using tents until more homes can be built for them. The Great Crag is thus a perfect analogy for Droaam as a whole: a mix of various different monstrous influences that somehow still work together.
Notable Locations Court of the Hags: The inside of the Great Crag is used mostly by the Daughters of Sora Kell, warlords staying at or visiting the court, foreign ambassadors, guards, and the servants who serve all of them. Most of Droaam's citizens can see in the dark, so there are no sources of light inside of the tunnel. Foreign dignitaries are dependent completely upon torches and guides to find their way, no doubt a tactic by the hags to put them ill at ease and so gain an advantage during negotiations. The chambers of the top warlords and the hags offer some comforts, but the rest of the rooms and tunnels are quite bare.
The Arena: The arena is the greatest source for spectacle and entertainment within the Great Crag. It is absolutely massive in order to best accommodate the Crag's large (in more ways than one) population. Races, gladiatorial combat, and blood sports of all kinds are performed here at almost all hours of the day and night. The arena also serves as an execution ground, as well as a training facility for Droaam's guards and mercenary forces.
The Ossuary: The statues of the city's original inhabitants have not been smashed, but have all been gathered in one ancient Dhakaani building: the Ossuary. Here the remains of an entire city (and, somehow, a hydra too big to fit through the gates) slumber, souls trapped in their petrified bodies. Even after thousands of years it is still possible to return one of the statues to life (provided it is whole and unbroken), but long, long years of imprisonment have twisted their minds so that few are willing to try.
House Tharashk Enclave: House Tharashk is the only foreign power to maintain an outpost within the town, though the one in Graywall is likely more important to their operations.
The Great Crag is a large mountain jutting up from an otherwise flat landscape. During the Dhakaani Empire, Droaam was an important city and a gateway to the west of their empire. Legends say the mountain was pulled up through the ground during the Daelkyr War. House Tharashk is the only dragonmarked house in the city, and it is rumored it is a place of constant lawlessness and violence.
Location The Great Crag, as its name implies, is built inside of a vast mountain peak standing at the very center of Droaam. Ancient passages dating from the time of the Dhakaani Empire honeycomb the mountain, and Dhakaani ruins dot the fertile plains that surround it. The hags' court can be found mostly inside of the mountain proper; however, the Crag's population outstrips its size, and so many of its citizens have either moved into the ruins that surround it or have built barracks, houses, and hovels amid them. One trade route brings goods from Breland and Graywall into the city by road.
History It is believed that, before the Daelkyr War, a great Dhakaani metropolis occupied the plains surrounding the Great Crag, the ruins of which remain to this day. In that time, the mountain did not have its current form, and might not have been a mountain yet at all; according to legend, it was torn out of the ground during the war, when the Daelkyr turned the hobgoblins and goblins of the city to stone. The sight of the stone statues kept intelligent creatures away from the Great Crag for millennia, as rumors whispered that the vengeful spirits of the petrified still lurked within their stone bodies, eager to strike out at warm bodies and petrify them as well.
The Daughters of Sora Kell proved these rumors false when they appeared in 986 YK and made the mountain the base for their new capital of Droaam. Since then, the city has grown exponentially as monsters flock to the hags' banner, its total population now numbering among those of the other great metropolises.
Architecture The city is an intriguing mix of perfectly restored Dhakaani architecture, sophisticated medusa stonework, and rougher contributions by the various other monstrous races. Harpy roosts dot the mountainside, ogre laborers erect sturdy but rough structures and Znir Pact barracks stand side by side with the hovels housing thousands of goblin squatters. Much of the citizens do not live in permanent structures at all, instead using tents until more homes can be built for them. The Great Crag is thus a perfect analogy for Droaam as a whole: a mix of various different monstrous influences that somehow still work together.
Notable Locations Court of the Hags: The inside of the Great Crag is used mostly by the Daughters of Sora Kell, warlords staying at or visiting the court, foreign ambassadors, guards, and the servants who serve all of them. Most of Droaam's citizens can see in the dark, so there are no sources of light inside of the tunnel. Foreign dignitaries are dependent completely upon torches and guides to find their way, no doubt a tactic by the hags to put them ill at ease and so gain an advantage during negotiations. The chambers of the top warlords and the hags offer some comforts, but the rest of the rooms and tunnels are quite bare.
The Arena: The arena is the greatest source for spectacle and entertainment within the Great Crag. It is absolutely massive in order to best accommodate the Crag's large (in more ways than one) population. Races, gladiatorial combat, and blood sports of all kinds are performed here at almost all hours of the day and night. The arena also serves as an execution ground, as well as a training facility for Droaam's guards and mercenary forces.
The Ossuary: The statues of the city's original inhabitants have not been smashed, but have all been gathered in one ancient Dhakaani building: the Ossuary. Here the remains of an entire city (and, somehow, a hydra too big to fit through the gates) slumber, souls trapped in their petrified bodies. Even after thousands of years it is still possible to return one of the statues to life (provided it is whole and unbroken), but long, long years of imprisonment have twisted their minds so that few are willing to try.
House Tharashk Enclave: House Tharashk is the only foreign power to maintain an outpost within the town, though the one in Graywall is likely more important to their operations.
Type
Large city
Included Locations
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
- "Melody" Valesnath
- Alepoison
- Alotel Dlarraithar
- Alys Writingham
- Arwel Aeraagamae
- Begulk
- Berhge Riverfoot
- Blesinde Bottomhill
- Chervian d'Ghallanda
- Cid Kevadirtinu
- Don Jon Raskin
- Door Slam
- Dravor Ferren
- Edea
- Elasha Petsalor
- Eliose Chaucer
- Elurir Eleneth
- Endell Lacey
- Endinwel Cromelon
- Fildaerae Krisxidor
- Fira Brookings
- Geoffrey Caskbow
- Ghyrryn Farnails
- Giles Brandywood
- Groodweabela Alebelt
- Hamhock
- Hra Dirtcast
- Hurda
- Inalo Flowerdream Thenalulane
- Inkwell
- Kharzug Rockbasher
- Kni Pebbleglob
- Letholdus Fenwick
- Lindsey Redstream
- Luri Brightmaker
- Mary Tallman
- Nimlenwe Orren
- Nofhug Axeblade
- Oliver Crewe
- Order
- Sora Katra
- Sora Maenya
- Sora Teraza
- Woglug Doommaul
- Xamyra Lilfyx Xyroqys Triniana
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