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Dragonborn are not exactly unknown creatures, but they're not exactly as well-known as, say, the gnomes. They have communities in Khorvaire, but by far the largest settlement is in the shattered ruin of their empire in Xen'drik---Nerathor.
The dragonborn trace their lines back all the way to when the dragons were teaching the titans their knowledge of magic, and the giants were tame and infused with incredible arcane power.
The dragons were majestic creatures, that much the titans thought. That much people know. Now, as to WHY exactly the titans decided to create dragonborn, no one alive knows.
It is known that eventually, the titans were surprised at their biological creation. Not only were the dragonborn curious creatures, they also embrace noble and just traditions.
These weren't just some mindless expiriments. These were real creatures. Not unlike the elf and drow slaves. No, the dragonborn were something...else.
Thus, the titans decided to give the dragonborn their own empire in the west, just below the very western point of what is today Xen'drik's greatest desert. This empire was called Dral-cur.
The terrain Dral-cur was given was mostly mountains and ice, but this suited well to the dragonborn. "We do not want the luxury of the rolling, fertile plains of our fathers' lands to the west," Emperor Hiaxol "Blade" said, holding the first title of dragonborn Emperor, "for our senses are perfected, our determination iron, and such terrain will further harden us."
At first, Dral-cur was almost completely reliant on the titans for military supplies and its economy. As generations passed however, Dral-cur became increasingly independant and by the time the quori invaded Eberron, Dral-cur was completely stable and independent, and the titans beamed proudly, for their children had officially "grown up".
And so, when the quori invaded, Dral-cur was actually virtually untouched. It was official: after the titans drove away the quori with their continent-shattering magic, Dral-cur was officially more powerful than its former "parents".
The dragonborn were becoming increasingly worried that their creators were resorting to more barbaric magic, but they became more appreciative immediately, when the Light of Siberys launches its greatest military campaign yet. Dral-cur fiercely defended its borders, and actually put up a violent fight. Yet, the dragons were far more superior in almost anyway, and dragon casualties in the resulting dragonborn-dragon war were about light to moderate.
It was much different with the dragonborn. Less than 4 million survived out of the 13 million that initially inhabiated the empire. refugees fled Xen'drik, and rode to Sarlona or Khorvaire and tried to simply survive.
Dral-cur was gone. Yet, even today, a small shard of it exists: Nerathor, the dragonborn nation that almost no one, not even the dragons (seemingly) know about. Nerathor claims about 7 of the former mountain-cities of old Dral-cur and is populated by about 900,000 dragonborn. They continue to sulk in the remnants of their empire, long ago stopping trying to re-build their empire and just survive.
Dragonborn today, as a result, are deeply resentful of dragons. It was uncommon, but not rare, to see dragonborn serving in the Last War, and a few were hired as special tactics mercenaries by House Denieth.
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Well? Comments?
Rather then needing to have the dragons come back a second time to wipe out the Dragborn civilization, I would make it that the same magic that made it so the giants civilizations crumble effected the dragonborn in their nation. I have always seen it as a magic that warped the minds of the giants and made it so they couldn't work together nor form alliances, and eventually melted their brains so to speak. this same magic effects the drow today, and the Dragonbron, making it so that no more the a few families can ban together otherwise they risk the threat of a madness that will tear them apart.
So, when the Dragons went down with their civilization, so to did all the other civilizations on Xendrik, though only the giants got it so bad as to turn them into savages. For everyone else it just meant they couldn't have groupings larger then a town otherwise they went mad.
Eventually the dragonborn left Xendrik to find lands that were not cursed by the magic of the dragons.
In both scenarios the dragonborn can hate and distrust the dragons, but this way they don't have to be something that required the dragons personal attention( which should be reserved for things that are threatening the status quo)
:D
Why should Eberron have dragonborn?
Well, Keith Baker did say they're gonna be in it, as are tieflings, so, that's why.:D
You mean "Droaam"?
I always forget that damn "a"!
But Eberron always got Dragonborn. Or the like. It had the old Races of the Dragon races(?), as "everything that exists in D&D exists in Eberron in one way or another".
I think this is a great idea! Though here is what I would change:
Rather then needing to have the dragons come back a second time to wipe out the Dragborn civilization, I would make it that the same magic that made it so the giants civilizations crumble effected the dragonborn in their nation. I have always seen it as a magic that warped the minds of the giants and made it so they couldn't work together nor form alliances, and eventually melted their brains so to speak. this same magic effects the drow today, and the Dragonbron, making it so that no more the a few families can ban together otherwise they risk the threat of a madness that will tear them apart.
So, when the Dragons went down with their civilization, so to did all the other civilizations on Xendrik, though only the giants got it so bad as to turn them into savages. For everyone else it just meant they couldn't have groupings larger then a town otherwise they went mad.
Eventually the dragonborn left Xendrik to find lands that were not cursed by the magic of the dragons.
In both scenarios the dragonborn can hate and distrust the dragons, but this way they don't have to be something that required the dragons personal attention( which should be reserved for things that are threatening the status quo)
Yep.
Now, all we need is some insight from the Big Man (cough KEITH) himself...