Dragonborn in Eberron
DRAGONBORN IN EBERRON -
In the dark, primordial ages of the world, before time was even measured; before there was the world that we know as Eberron, the world was one and the progenitor wyrms, the first and greatest of dragonkind, ruled all. The three most powerful --- Siberys, Eberron, and Khyber --- discovered (or created) the Prophecy (Wer Lorsvek, in the Draconic tongue). A world-shattering struggle followed, splitting the world into three parts and scattering the Prophecy across the width and breadth of existence. In the end, Siberys became the glowing ring that surrounds the world, Khyber was bound in the darkest depths, and Eberron healed the world between by becoming one with it. Siberys called forth the next generation of dragons, Eberron created all manner of other living things, and Khyber spat out the fiends.
It was during this time, in the mythic past, that the first of the dragonborn (the Shou'ara) appeared on the face of Eberron. While Siberys had created the next generation of true dragons, Eberron's first creation was a race given the form of the true dragons, but on a much smaller, more "mortal" scale. Possessed of many striking similarities to the dragons, including great physical strength and cunning, however, like the other common races which gentle Eberron scattered across the face of the world, the dragonborn were quite primitive, forming a clan-based society and hunting and foraging to survive.
Some hundred hundred-thousand years ago, the fiendish offspring of Khyber overran the surface of the world and created a nightmarish environment where rakshasas and night hags ruled supreme. During this dark time known as the Age of Demons, all of the world's races (including the mighty, true dragons) were enslaved by the dark ones. The dragonborn, because of their physical prowess and intellect, were particularly valued as slaves in the palaces and citadels of the rakshasas, many of them were raised from hatching to be overseers of the fiends’ slave camps or captains of their guards, a role for which they seemed quite suited. For eight-and-a-half hundred-thousand years, this was the way that life on Eberron existed. Then, after the astonishing discovery of the Prophecy, the true dragons rose up from their primitive state to oppose their demonic overlords, allying with other draconic species, including the couatls. Most of the common races, still in their primitive states, hid from the godlike combatants and found a way to survive. The dragonborn, however, were not so fortunate. Having been enslaved by the fiends for so long, and being key pawns in the power structure of the fiends, many of the dragonborn were forced to oppose the very race in whose image Eberron had created them. The true dragons, for their part, largely suspected that the dragonborn were, instead, a mockery of the progenitor wyrms, created by Khyber as an affront to Siberys and Eberron. The true dragons would wipe out nearly the entire dragonborn race in the titanic struggle between dragons and demons.
After the defeat of the fiends, thanks to the sacrifice of the couatls, the true dragons hunted down and exterminated most of the remaining servants of the fiends. It was during this "witch-hunt" that scholars amongst the true dragons discovered the true nature of the dragonborn was revealed in the Prophecy. The few surviving clans of dragonborn, most of which survived on the continent of Xen’drik and had escaped enslavement at the hands of the demons, were deemed to be beneath the further notice of the true dragons and were relegated to the same category as the rest of the "lesser races." The dragons then retreated to Argonnessen to contemplate the prophecy and step largely out of the affairs of the rest of the world. The dragonborn clans that remained were small, and few in number, wandering the continent of Xen’drik.
All that changed, in the days after the fall of the giant civilizations, when a rogue silver dragon named Mathanaxes re-discovered the dragonborn clans on Xen’drik and took it upon himself to educate them in the ways of magic and civilization. While the rest of the world watched (or participated in) the aftermath of the fall of the civilization of the giants, and the resultant devastation of Xen'drik; the establishment of the elven kingdom of Aerenal; the rise and fall of the goblinoid kingdoms; the dragonborn were learning at the foot of Mathanaxes, and growing more and more "civilized." The dragonborn society developed a strong sense of honor, duty, and loyalty (ironic, considering that their role model was a “rogue” dragon), as well as a strong sense of racial pride, seeing themselves as made in the image of the true dragons. When agents of the Light of Siberys discovered Mathanaxes and his new "progeny," they were shocked at the progress which the dragonborn race had made in the “civilized” arts, including magic. Understandably, the agents of the Light of Siberys were distressed that Mathanaxes had violated the dictum of the Conclave of Dragons forbidding the teaching of the arcane arts to “lesser races;” the dragons were not quick to forget the terrible havoc wrought upon the world by the actions of the giants, the first race that had been taught the secrets of magic by the dragons. Mathanaxes was placed under arrest by the Light of Siberys, and commanded to return to face judgment before the Conclave of Dragons on Argonnessen. Mathanaxes submitted to the agents and instructed the dragonborn not to resist the dragons. The agents of the Light of Siberys made it clear that the dragonborn were not worth their notice, refusing even to speak with them, directing their attention only to the rogue silver dragon.
This was the dragonborns' first experience, since the end of the Age of Demons, with any true dragon except for Mathanaxes. The dragonborn were awed by the majesty of the cadre of true dragons, despite the evident disdain which the dragons seem to harbor toward the dragonborn; and an entire group of dragonborn, in the months to come, took to worshiping the true dragons, developing a religion that viewed each individual true dragon as a fragment of a single divine entity, which they called Ofdio (a Draconic word meaning "Holy"). When the Light of Siberys took Mathanaxes back to face the judgment of the Conclave on Argonnessen, the dragonborn, using some of those very magics taught to them by Mathanaxes, learned of the existence of Argonnessen and how to reach the other continent over the ocean. The dragonborn witnessed the trial of Mathanaxes and subsequent planar imprisonment of the silver dragon by the Conclave. The Conclave ultimately decided, after carefully consulting the Prophecy, the dragonborn were meant to play a role in the ongoing history of the world of Eberron. Realizing that they were now on their own, the dragonborn decided to learn as much as they could about the true dragons and the Prophecy, as well as the role of the dragonborn in the days ahead as would be revealed in the Prophecy.
Over the next thirty-five thousand years, the dragonborn would make periodic pilgrimages to the mainland of Argonnessen to pay homage to the true dragons, viewing them as the pinnacle of creation, divine sparks made human. The gigantic totems along the (appropriately-named) Totem Beach were offered up by many of the clans of the dragonborn in honor of their dragon patrons of choice. Each clan would choose to emulate a particular breed of dragon’s general behaviors and choice of environment to inhabit. The dragons permitted the dragonborn to make their pilgrimages to the coastline of Argonnessen, but made a point to avoid contact with them, still holding onto the memory of the time the dragonborn spent in service to the fiends. The dragonborn, despite their heritage as the first of Eberron’s creations, are still, in the eyes of the true dragons, a “lesser race;” and, like the rest of the common races, only serve to further the Prophecy in Eberron. This, however, was also destined to change.
As far as the true dragons were concerned, a little over four millennia ago, history, as they knew it, was torn astonishingly askew when the first dragonmarks appeared amongst the “lesser races.” With a mixture of awe and horror, the dragons began to witness the unfolding and revelation of the Prophecy on, quite literally, the “lesser races.” The consternation of the dragons was considerable, as even the eldest and wisest amongst dragonkind could not explain the appearance of these new marks. Strangely absent from the list of races which would manifest the dragonmarks ever since, are both the true dragons and the dragonborn. The true dragons theorize that they are not manifesting the dragonmarks as they see themselves as the caretakers of the Prophecy, but they are at a loss to explain why the dragonborn do not manifest the dragonmarks. There are some amongst the younger dragons, particulary those that are members of the Chamber, who feel that the dragonborn and their role in the Prophecy needs to be more closely examined.
For the dragonborn, however, the issue of the dragonmarks is moot, being content to venerate the dragons and the Prophecy and their respective roles in the ongoing march of history. The dragonborn were content to live on their home continent of Xen’drik, a small, but robust, population organized into the clans of their ancestors. The dragonborn were more than content to allow the outside world to advance without their interaction. The few explorers from Khorvaire that dared to brave the interior of Xen’drik would occasionally return with tales of encounters with beings that resembled dragons, but these were largely dismissed as tales of madmen. It would not be until around the year 850 YK (in the timekeeping of the people of Khorvaire) that the dragonborn would step more largely onto the world stage.
In their sleek, powerful longships, a small fleet of dragonborn-crewed vessels entered the harbor of the growing port of Stormreach, on the northern peninsula of Xen’drik. Swiftly making it clear that they came peacefully, a delegation of the clan leaders of the dragonborn met with the governor of Stormreach. After several days of negotiation, the city’s leaders and the dragonborn reached an accord that guaranteed peace and trade between the city and the dragonborn clans. An embassy, of sorts, was established in the city and it would soon be a common sight to see troupes of dragonborn warriors wandering through the city streets, often looking for noble employ (preferably instances that would involve substantial amounts of honorable combat). The dragonborn would not travel to the mainland of Khorvaire for approximately another century.
Over the next century, the dragonborn had their first interactions with the dragonmarked houses and their scions. More than a few dragonborn would find employment with House Deneith, finding their particular talents quite suited to the mission of the house. It would, in fact, be the leaders of House Deneith that would ultimately persuade the dragonborn to start migrating to the mainland of Khorvaire. When the hobgoblins rebelled in 969 YK and formed their own nation of Darguun, House Deneith lost access to their main source of mercenaries to fulfill its contracts across Khorvaire. Implored by the leaders of the house and spurred by the promise of new, honorable challenges awaiting on the mainland, several contingents of dragonborn made the arduous journey across the Straits of Shargon and arrived in Sharn. From there, they have slowly wound their way through the rest of Khorvaire and most people, once they recover from their initial shock over the dragonborn’s appearance, discover that the dragonborn are a noble, honorable people that are tremendous to have at your side, whether in a battle fought with blades or words. The dragonborn claim no citizenship in the nations of Khorvaire, instead, they typically identify with House Deneith, which is responsible for their presence in Khorvaire; however, as it has been a generation since their arrival on Khorvaire, it is no longer unusual to find a dragonborn that has found a niche in one of the Five Nations other than as a mercenary fighting on behalf of House Deneith.
The Eight Great Clans of the Dragonborn (and their patron true dragons):
Translated from Draconic
The Clan of the All-Seeing Eye (Green)
The Clan of the Spring Zephyr (Silver)
The Clan of the Impenetrable Crucible (Blue)
The Clan of the Perfect Sculpture (Copper)
The Clan of the Consuming Flame (Red)
The Clan of the Forbidding Wasteland (Black)
The Clan of the Gentle Rain (Bronze)
The Clan of the Ineffable Mystery (Gold)
In the dark, primordial ages of the world, before time was even measured; before there was the world that we know as Eberron, the world was one and the progenitor wyrms, the first and greatest of dragonkind, ruled all. The three most powerful --- Siberys, Eberron, and Khyber --- discovered (or created) the Prophecy (Wer Lorsvek, in the Draconic tongue). A world-shattering struggle followed, splitting the world into three parts and scattering the Prophecy across the width and breadth of existence. In the end, Siberys became the glowing ring that surrounds the world, Khyber was bound in the darkest depths, and Eberron healed the world between by becoming one with it. Siberys called forth the next generation of dragons, Eberron created all manner of other living things, and Khyber spat out the fiends.
It was during this time, in the mythic past, that the first of the dragonborn (the Shou'ara) appeared on the face of Eberron. While Siberys had created the next generation of true dragons, Eberron's first creation was a race given the form of the true dragons, but on a much smaller, more "mortal" scale. Possessed of many striking similarities to the dragons, including great physical strength and cunning, however, like the other common races which gentle Eberron scattered across the face of the world, the dragonborn were quite primitive, forming a clan-based society and hunting and foraging to survive.
Some hundred hundred-thousand years ago, the fiendish offspring of Khyber overran the surface of the world and created a nightmarish environment where rakshasas and night hags ruled supreme. During this dark time known as the Age of Demons, all of the world's races (including the mighty, true dragons) were enslaved by the dark ones. The dragonborn, because of their physical prowess and intellect, were particularly valued as slaves in the palaces and citadels of the rakshasas, many of them were raised from hatching to be overseers of the fiends’ slave camps or captains of their guards, a role for which they seemed quite suited. For eight-and-a-half hundred-thousand years, this was the way that life on Eberron existed. Then, after the astonishing discovery of the Prophecy, the true dragons rose up from their primitive state to oppose their demonic overlords, allying with other draconic species, including the couatls. Most of the common races, still in their primitive states, hid from the godlike combatants and found a way to survive. The dragonborn, however, were not so fortunate. Having been enslaved by the fiends for so long, and being key pawns in the power structure of the fiends, many of the dragonborn were forced to oppose the very race in whose image Eberron had created them. The true dragons, for their part, largely suspected that the dragonborn were, instead, a mockery of the progenitor wyrms, created by Khyber as an affront to Siberys and Eberron. The true dragons would wipe out nearly the entire dragonborn race in the titanic struggle between dragons and demons.
After the defeat of the fiends, thanks to the sacrifice of the couatls, the true dragons hunted down and exterminated most of the remaining servants of the fiends. It was during this "witch-hunt" that scholars amongst the true dragons discovered the true nature of the dragonborn was revealed in the Prophecy. The few surviving clans of dragonborn, most of which survived on the continent of Xen’drik and had escaped enslavement at the hands of the demons, were deemed to be beneath the further notice of the true dragons and were relegated to the same category as the rest of the "lesser races." The dragons then retreated to Argonnessen to contemplate the prophecy and step largely out of the affairs of the rest of the world. The dragonborn clans that remained were small, and few in number, wandering the continent of Xen’drik.
All that changed, in the days after the fall of the giant civilizations, when a rogue silver dragon named Mathanaxes re-discovered the dragonborn clans on Xen’drik and took it upon himself to educate them in the ways of magic and civilization. While the rest of the world watched (or participated in) the aftermath of the fall of the civilization of the giants, and the resultant devastation of Xen'drik; the establishment of the elven kingdom of Aerenal; the rise and fall of the goblinoid kingdoms; the dragonborn were learning at the foot of Mathanaxes, and growing more and more "civilized." The dragonborn society developed a strong sense of honor, duty, and loyalty (ironic, considering that their role model was a “rogue” dragon), as well as a strong sense of racial pride, seeing themselves as made in the image of the true dragons. When agents of the Light of Siberys discovered Mathanaxes and his new "progeny," they were shocked at the progress which the dragonborn race had made in the “civilized” arts, including magic. Understandably, the agents of the Light of Siberys were distressed that Mathanaxes had violated the dictum of the Conclave of Dragons forbidding the teaching of the arcane arts to “lesser races;” the dragons were not quick to forget the terrible havoc wrought upon the world by the actions of the giants, the first race that had been taught the secrets of magic by the dragons. Mathanaxes was placed under arrest by the Light of Siberys, and commanded to return to face judgment before the Conclave of Dragons on Argonnessen. Mathanaxes submitted to the agents and instructed the dragonborn not to resist the dragons. The agents of the Light of Siberys made it clear that the dragonborn were not worth their notice, refusing even to speak with them, directing their attention only to the rogue silver dragon.
This was the dragonborns' first experience, since the end of the Age of Demons, with any true dragon except for Mathanaxes. The dragonborn were awed by the majesty of the cadre of true dragons, despite the evident disdain which the dragons seem to harbor toward the dragonborn; and an entire group of dragonborn, in the months to come, took to worshiping the true dragons, developing a religion that viewed each individual true dragon as a fragment of a single divine entity, which they called Ofdio (a Draconic word meaning "Holy"). When the Light of Siberys took Mathanaxes back to face the judgment of the Conclave on Argonnessen, the dragonborn, using some of those very magics taught to them by Mathanaxes, learned of the existence of Argonnessen and how to reach the other continent over the ocean. The dragonborn witnessed the trial of Mathanaxes and subsequent planar imprisonment of the silver dragon by the Conclave. The Conclave ultimately decided, after carefully consulting the Prophecy, the dragonborn were meant to play a role in the ongoing history of the world of Eberron. Realizing that they were now on their own, the dragonborn decided to learn as much as they could about the true dragons and the Prophecy, as well as the role of the dragonborn in the days ahead as would be revealed in the Prophecy.
Over the next thirty-five thousand years, the dragonborn would make periodic pilgrimages to the mainland of Argonnessen to pay homage to the true dragons, viewing them as the pinnacle of creation, divine sparks made human. The gigantic totems along the (appropriately-named) Totem Beach were offered up by many of the clans of the dragonborn in honor of their dragon patrons of choice. Each clan would choose to emulate a particular breed of dragon’s general behaviors and choice of environment to inhabit. The dragons permitted the dragonborn to make their pilgrimages to the coastline of Argonnessen, but made a point to avoid contact with them, still holding onto the memory of the time the dragonborn spent in service to the fiends. The dragonborn, despite their heritage as the first of Eberron’s creations, are still, in the eyes of the true dragons, a “lesser race;” and, like the rest of the common races, only serve to further the Prophecy in Eberron. This, however, was also destined to change.
As far as the true dragons were concerned, a little over four millennia ago, history, as they knew it, was torn astonishingly askew when the first dragonmarks appeared amongst the “lesser races.” With a mixture of awe and horror, the dragons began to witness the unfolding and revelation of the Prophecy on, quite literally, the “lesser races.” The consternation of the dragons was considerable, as even the eldest and wisest amongst dragonkind could not explain the appearance of these new marks. Strangely absent from the list of races which would manifest the dragonmarks ever since, are both the true dragons and the dragonborn. The true dragons theorize that they are not manifesting the dragonmarks as they see themselves as the caretakers of the Prophecy, but they are at a loss to explain why the dragonborn do not manifest the dragonmarks. There are some amongst the younger dragons, particulary those that are members of the Chamber, who feel that the dragonborn and their role in the Prophecy needs to be more closely examined.
For the dragonborn, however, the issue of the dragonmarks is moot, being content to venerate the dragons and the Prophecy and their respective roles in the ongoing march of history. The dragonborn were content to live on their home continent of Xen’drik, a small, but robust, population organized into the clans of their ancestors. The dragonborn were more than content to allow the outside world to advance without their interaction. The few explorers from Khorvaire that dared to brave the interior of Xen’drik would occasionally return with tales of encounters with beings that resembled dragons, but these were largely dismissed as tales of madmen. It would not be until around the year 850 YK (in the timekeeping of the people of Khorvaire) that the dragonborn would step more largely onto the world stage.
In their sleek, powerful longships, a small fleet of dragonborn-crewed vessels entered the harbor of the growing port of Stormreach, on the northern peninsula of Xen’drik. Swiftly making it clear that they came peacefully, a delegation of the clan leaders of the dragonborn met with the governor of Stormreach. After several days of negotiation, the city’s leaders and the dragonborn reached an accord that guaranteed peace and trade between the city and the dragonborn clans. An embassy, of sorts, was established in the city and it would soon be a common sight to see troupes of dragonborn warriors wandering through the city streets, often looking for noble employ (preferably instances that would involve substantial amounts of honorable combat). The dragonborn would not travel to the mainland of Khorvaire for approximately another century.
Over the next century, the dragonborn had their first interactions with the dragonmarked houses and their scions. More than a few dragonborn would find employment with House Deneith, finding their particular talents quite suited to the mission of the house. It would, in fact, be the leaders of House Deneith that would ultimately persuade the dragonborn to start migrating to the mainland of Khorvaire. When the hobgoblins rebelled in 969 YK and formed their own nation of Darguun, House Deneith lost access to their main source of mercenaries to fulfill its contracts across Khorvaire. Implored by the leaders of the house and spurred by the promise of new, honorable challenges awaiting on the mainland, several contingents of dragonborn made the arduous journey across the Straits of Shargon and arrived in Sharn. From there, they have slowly wound their way through the rest of Khorvaire and most people, once they recover from their initial shock over the dragonborn’s appearance, discover that the dragonborn are a noble, honorable people that are tremendous to have at your side, whether in a battle fought with blades or words. The dragonborn claim no citizenship in the nations of Khorvaire, instead, they typically identify with House Deneith, which is responsible for their presence in Khorvaire; however, as it has been a generation since their arrival on Khorvaire, it is no longer unusual to find a dragonborn that has found a niche in one of the Five Nations other than as a mercenary fighting on behalf of House Deneith.
The Eight Great Clans of the Dragonborn (and their patron true dragons):
Translated from Draconic
The Clan of the All-Seeing Eye (Green)
The Clan of the Spring Zephyr (Silver)
The Clan of the Impenetrable Crucible (Blue)
The Clan of the Perfect Sculpture (Copper)
The Clan of the Consuming Flame (Red)
The Clan of the Forbidding Wasteland (Black)
The Clan of the Gentle Rain (Bronze)
The Clan of the Ineffable Mystery (Gold)
*grins*
I will have to pick up those books!
Thanks,
Izzie
"Hey! The dragonborn empire was clearly in an isolated part of Xen'drik and now..."
Then I realized that throwing things into Xen'drik has become a dumping ground for anything even the slightest bit strange.
Instead they take the place of one of the many unnamed lizardfolk tribes in Q'Barra. They live far enough away from the coastline and main trading routes that no one had had any noticable contact with them, and thus they remained relatively untouched by the Last War (as did most of the rest of the area now known as Q'Barra).
However, recently the Wayfounder Foundation mounted an expedition to locate a lost city described on a tablet to be lit by a larger-than-human argent flame in the center square of the city. Intrigued by this seeming reference to the Silver Flame in the Q'Barra jungle, they set out and found the ruins.
While the flame has long since been extinguished (possible plot hook!) and its original inhabitants have long since died, a tribe of lizardfolk calling themselves Dragonborn (or literally translated "Those-Who-are-Born-of-the-Dragon") had taken residence in the area. The Wayfinders were initially disappointed, but when they found this race who could breathe fire, acid, lightning and even poison they knew their expedition had not been in vain.
That's how I'll run it. Once ECS 4E comes out, I may change it, but I think this is the most flavourful explanation.
Use at your own discretion, though. ;)
I just replaced the human barbarians of Argoness with the Dragonborn. I also call the Dragonborn, Draconians simply because Dragonborn sounds stupid. If your dragonborn you're a dragon not a humanoid reptile. Draconian sounds as if you have some dragon heritage but not a dragon.
Personally, I liked the Seren as they were and would mourn the loss if they were changed in such a manner, however to each his own.
I just replaced the human barbarians of Argoness with the Dragonborn. I also call the Dragonborn, Draconians simply because Dragonborn sounds stupid. If your dragonborn you're a dragon not a humanoid reptile. Draconian sounds as if you have some dragon heritage but not a dragon.
That's what I would do. Leave any human tribe your players have found as humans, but change many if not most of the other tribes.
Personally, I liked the Seren as they were and would mourn the loss if they were changed in such a manner, however to each his own.
My Group has never made it to Argoness or met any Seren so it was an easy transition. If they had been there or met any of the Seren I would keep just that group as one or only human tribe(s) there.
The second group are a group of Dragonborn that were taken from Argonessen to Khorvaire by the Emerald Claw (the original green dragon, not the organisation) to help during the Elf-Dragon wars and subsequent destruction of the Mark of Death. From this disparate group there exist two subgroups. There are those that remained on the continent proper, typically living in and around Karrnath. Many served Karrnath in the Last War with distinction. The second sub group live in and about Illmarrow Castle in the Lhazzar Principalities, maintaining their loyalty to Erandis d'Vol.
The final group are the twisted and evil followers of Tiamat, living in and about the Pit of Five Sorrows. These Dragonborn travel the length and breadth of Eberron in their never ceasing quest to release their dark queen. They can be intimately involved in the local machinations of the Lords of Dust or completely above/beyond such petty things. Whatever the case may be, they generally try to pass themselves off as a Dragonborn belonging to another branch and generally go undetected as they spread their evil.
How about reading James Wyatt's current trilogy? The first two books are out "Storm Dragon" and "Dragon Forge". Those might give you a bit of incite into Dragonborn in Ebberon.
*grins*
Does that trilogy have actual dragonborn characters in it or is it vague references? I haven't read them yet, but I have thought about it. I have been tied up in Drizzt books lately . . . working on my 5th one
Does that trilogy have actual dragonborn characters in it or is it vague references? I haven't read them yet, but I have thought about it. I have been tied up in Drizzt books lately . . . working on my 5th one
Straight from the interview with the man himself...
Wizards: Storm Dragon marked a big change for you in that it was the beginning of your first trilogy. Dragon Forge marks a big change for the Eberron setting, because we are in the midst of the D&D conversion from 3rd to 4th Edition. Are any of those changes reflected in the book?
James: Yes, though it's an interesting sort of transitional novel. There are a lot of ideas germinating in Dragon Forge that reflect my thinking on where Eberron might have gone if we had decided to heavily revise the setting for 4th Edition. I introduced dragonborn in this book (a new race in 4th Edition), and feature both a tiefling (a race with new prominence in 4th Edition) and a group of eladrin (a race that has been significantly recast). I'm writing another article for the website that talks a little more about the rules shift and its effect on these books.
Marruxialus Emberfoot
Dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut
I'd also make them extremely territorial, believing that no other race should get close enough to touch the bones. They'd be feared by the Talentan halflings, with only the bravest attempting to trade with or raid the "Bone Walkers." Adventuring ones would be very rare, and most of the outside world would assume they're just Q'barran lizardfolk.
Well, that's just one idea. I probably won't be using dragonborn, so it's all moot to me.
With their concerns all centered upon the War of Succession (now called the Last War), the people of the Five Nations couldn't spend too much time worrying over these newcomers' intentions. Now, scholars and conspiracy theorists worry that some or all of these Dragonborn are actually agents of the true Dragons sent out to chronicle and perhaps influence the Prophecy (and I'm sure some are just that).
The Dragonborn are far from the most populous race, but aren't any more uncommon in the cities of Khorvaire than Half-Orcs. They've integrated themselves pretty seamlessly into Khorvairean society, and can be found in virtually any role therein.
Religious Dragonborn are frequently devotees of the Sovereign Host (and often "Draconists", wholeheartedly holding that the Host are ascendant dragons). Some practice more ancient belief systems of true dragons, centered around the Draconic gods with which most humanoids are unfamiliar. [None of us here own Dragons of Eberron, and I assume that's the source material for most of the references I've seen to these gods in Eberron. I do have Secrets of Sarlona, and drew upon Spheres of Korrandar for this bit of fluff.] That said, Dragonborn can be found as devotees of most, if not all, of the existing belief-systems of Eberron.
The first Dragonborn to appear in our game
I'm currently the only player (of an uber-PC) in a solo 4E Xen'drik campaign. My PC is a drow Rogue/Ranger bent on avenging his tribe, but it quickly became apparent that a cohort of some sort would make things easier on my DM. The solution was initially a rotating cast of NPCs to whom I was generally serving as a guide (true NPCs, without levels in Character Classes), and eventually the addition of a Dragonborn Fighter that became a cohort/ally. I control him in combat, the DM outside of combat.
This Fighter was initially going to be a Half-Giant, apparently, but the Dragonborn tied in well with my backstory. My character believes himself directly blessed by the Great Spirits (Vulkoor, the Traveler, the Devourer, and the Keeper) in his quest for vengeance, and he was visited by a figure that could've been the Traveler itself.
But was the figure the Traveler, or was he a polymorphed dragon involved in the outworkings of the Prophecy (in which case, the true intentions of my Dragonborn ally come into question.) Or maybe the stranger was an agent of the Lords of Dust, the Dreaming Dark, or none of the above. Maybe my DM hasn't decided yet. I look forward to learning, though.
This Fighter was initially going to be a Half-Giant, apparently, but the Dragonborn tied in well with my backstory. My character believes himself directly blessed by the Great Spirits (Vulkoor, the Traveler, the Devourer, and the Keeper) in his quest for vengeance, and he was visited by a figure that could've been the Traveler itself.
But was the figure the Traveler, or was he a polymorphed dragon involved in the outworkings of the Prophecy (in which case, the true intentions of my Dragonborn ally come into question.) Or maybe the stranger was an agent of the Lords of Dust, the Dreaming Dark, or none of the above. Maybe my DM hasn't decided yet. I look forward to learning, though.
Their role in history for me at least has them having been a race once native to Khorvaire, having built an empire around the same time as the early Dhakaan empire. The two civilizations went to war and the Dragonborn lost... hard, it was a genocidal campaign, they were nearly wiped out as the goblinoids continued to expand their influence... of course like all things the Goblinoid empire too fell to ruin.
They've survived in isolated pockets, never in great numbers, developing a very clannish society. They were around when the humans came, they've always sorta been there. They're just another people of Khorvaire with no land to call their own, folding themselves into human society.
-Joni
Ian