Poison Dusk Lizardfolk

Regional Force

The overlord Masvirik’s mortal servants comprise the Poison Dusk. The softskinned colonists believe the Poison Dusk is just another savage group of scales that inhabit the region, failing to appreciate the deep and fundamental differences between it and the other factions.

Masvirik’s corrupting influence touches all the scales of the region. The lizardfolk are the least vulnerable of the groups, shielded by the Silver Flame and their shared dreams, but the Poison Dusk still counts lizardfolk amongst their numbers. The dragonborn are more vulnerable, and at the heights of his power Masvirik corrupted entire clans. The Irvhir kobolds and troglodytes are the most vulnerable—almost all the Q’barran members of each race are subjects of Masvirik.

Source: Scales of Q'barra

The settlers of Q’barra have never truly understood the Poison Dusk. The majority of settlers still believe that the Poison Dusk is one of the tribes of the Cold Sun federation and that the different species comprising it are all just different forms of lizardfolk—that the kobold, troglodyte, and blackscale lizardfolk share the same relationship as a goblin, hobgoblin, and bugbear.

Those who have studied the Dusk more closely recognize that it is an alliance of different species but have still drawn flawed conclusions. The most common among these is that the Poison Dusk are a cult that worship the dragon Rhashaak. It is true that Haka’torvhak is the stronghold of the Poison Dusk, and that they pay homage to the corrupted dragon, but this is because Rhashaak is the voice of the overlord Masvirik. The Poison Dusk is the harbinger of the Cold Sun.

Where do they come from? If the Poison Dusk is hated by both lizardfolk and dragonborn, how have they managed to survive?

Masvirik is immortal, and his essence pervades Q’barra. He has influence over all reptilian creatures. The web of dawn shards scattered across the land reduces his power but doesn’t block it completely. Touched by the Silver Flame, the Masvirik’Uala lizardfolk are the most resistant to his power, while the kobolds of the region are the most easily corrupted. Beneath the surface of Q’barra, he is served by a host of troglodytes. New dragonborn are drawn to his service with every generation. His power is strongest in Haka’torvhak itself. This is why the dragonborn have never been able to completely cleanse Masvirik’s stronghold. For generations they would raid the Haka’torvhak and slaughter all of Rhashaak’s soldiers, but in time, new servants are drawn to the city. All too often, these new agents of the Poison Dusk include the dragonborn assigned to watch over it.

The Poison Dusk are fanatically devoted to Rhashaak and Masvirik. They serve with the fervor of the demonically possessed—and some of them are. The majority of Rhashaak’s fiendish servants were bound along with the overlords. The dusk shards found across Q’barra hold fragments of these demonic beings, and this power can be transferred to agents of the Poison Dusk.

As a result, the Poison Dusk and lizardfolk have been battling over dragonshards for thousands of years. The Poison Dusk seeks to gather the dusk shards for their own purposes while reducing the areas covered by dawn shards. The lizardfolk wish to keep the dusk shards out of the hands of their enemies.

The arrival of House Tharashk has destroyed this balance of power. Thanks to the Mark of Finding, the dragonmarked house has recovered more dusk shards in the last ten years than the Poison Dusk has in the last thousand.

Thus, both the Masvirik’Uala and Poison Dusk attack Tharashk holdings. Where the lizardfolk do their best to cripple mining operations, the Poison Dusk take shards while otherwise leaving an operation intact. The Poison Dusk is happy to have Tharashk doing the work of prospecting and mining; they just want the shards.

Masvirik has no servants among the Lords of Dust. His fiendish agents are bound in dusk shards, and Rhashaak is his voice. He is a hateful being, filled with malice for all. For centuries he has simply sought to slaughter all those who will not serve him. It is only now, with the potential value he sees in House Tharashk, that Masvirik is trying more subtle schemes to attain his goals. One possible arc for a campaign would be to introduce yuan-ti to Q’barra, as humans newly transformed by the power of the Cold Sun. The Poison Dusk has never managed to destroy New Galifar by force … can it be corrupted from within?

Source: Dungeon 185

The Poison Dusk is the name the Cold Sun tribes give to the minions of Masvirik. The settlers of Q’barra have never really understood the difference, so most people in New Galifar think that the Poison Dusk is just a particularly aggressive tribe of lizardfolk. Those who are a little more knowledgeable believe that the Poison Dusk is more than a tribe of corrupted lizardfolk, but an alliance of several reptilian species, including dragonborn, lizardfolk, kobolds and troglodytes. On the outside, the Poison Dusk appears to be a cult that worships the black dragon Rhashaak. Those who have joined the Poison Dusk are corrupted by the overlord Masvirik, whose influence is felt throughout Q’barra. The Poison Dusk is the harbinger of Masvirik, the army of the Cold Sun, and is constantly clashing with the other inhabitants of the region.

The dragonborn of the Trothlorsvek and the lizardfolk of the Masvirik’uala destroy the Poison Dusk wherever they encounter them, but all reptilian creatures feel the insidious influence of the Cold Sun. The web of dawn shards throughout Q’barra provides some protection from Masvirik’s corruption, but it can’t block it completely. There is a steady supply of new recruits for the Poison Dusk, as any reptilian creature can become corrupted by Masvirik. The lizardfolk of the Masvirik’uala are the most resistant, owing to their close relationship with the Silver Flame, while the kobolds are the least able to resist.

The Poison Dusk are fanatically devoted to Masvirik, and by extension his speaker: Rhashaak. Many of them are possessed by Masvirik’s fiendish servants. The dusk shards in Q’barra contain the essence of these fiends and can be used to facilitate possession or otherwise empower the agents of the Poison Dusk. These dragonshards form one of the aspects of the conflict between the Poison Dusk and the Masvirik’uala. The Poison Dusk seek to recover dusk shards and destroy dawn shards, empowering themselves and weakening the Masvirik’s binding.

House Tharashk has recovered more dusk shards in the last decade than the Poison Dusk has managed in the last thousand years, upsetting the balance. The dragonshard mines in Hope are thus attacked by both the Masvirik’uala and the Poison Dusk, and the settlers see no difference between them, other than the Masvirik’uala destroying their tools while the Poison Dusk just steal the dragonshards.

Most of the members of the Poison Dusk are corrupted dragonborn, lizardfolk, or kobolds, and are chiefly driven by instinct. Those who have embedded a dusk shard in their flesh, strengthening their bond to Masvirik and altering their minds and bodies, act as the leaders and elite soldiers of the Poison Dusk and are much more intelligent.

A minority among the Poison Dusk are the fiendish vessels, those who are directly possessed by one of Masvirik’s fiendish servants. Their physical bodies are warped to resemble the fiend that is possessing them. Even killing the vessel doesn’t remove the threat, as the dusk shard can simply be embedded into another host. This is the reason for the shard pits in Masvirik’uala villages.

Source: Sarhain's Guide to the Silver Flame

These pygmy lizardfolk pose a considerable threat to the common races that inhabit the region. Living in small clans scattered throughout northern Q’barra, they are dedicated to Rhashaak and see the settlers as defi lers. Poison dusk lizardfolk (Small lizardfolk, HD 1d8+1, poisoned weapons, +5 racial bonus on Hide checks) prefer to avoid their Cold Sun cousins but respect the blackscales as the chosen warriors of Haka’torvhak.

Source: Eberron Campaign Setting

Keith

Do the Poison Dusk lizardfolk have any significant musical/artistic customs?

The first thing I imagine is the Hissing Chorus. This is a rhythmic, ululating pattern of hisses, at its band almost like the sound of wind... supplemented by body percussion, each participant using a single hand to tap claws against scales, or potentially to scrape claws against another surface -- essentially, like adding fingernails on a blackboard to a musical performance. The key to all of this is that the rhythm is seemingly random, assymetric and unpredictable, yet all participants work in perfect unison; it's an ecstatic experience driven by instinct, something that draws the musicians into communion with the Cold Sun. The Hissing Chorus is encountered in many ways and with varying intensity. A single Poison Dusk may effectively whistle while they work, hissing quietly to themself. A troop while hiss as they march, with greater force and intensity. And a mass of Poison Dusk will hiss together, guided by a dusk-shard imbued champion who voice is amplified by magic, potentially with instrumentalists using hide drums and scraping surfaces that send chills through anyone within range. But the PRINCIPLE is the same throughout, and crucially, the song is something that is constantly evolving; it's more like speaking in tongues than playing a treasured symphony. Because again, the Poison Dusk has no lengthy history; time and time again, they have been hunted down by the Trothslorsvek and the Masvirik'uala, only to rise again, hissing their eerie, endless song.

Source: April 2023 Questions Thread

Some servants of the Poison Dusk are undead and some aren’t, but those that are undead aren’t like Mabaran undead. Masvirik’s champions channel the overlord’s power, which can cause mutation. After death, that aspect of Masvirik can continue to animate the body, creating a form of undead. Keep in mind that when I say “aspect of Masvirik” that doesn’t mean he himself is consciously driving all these beings; like most overlords, Masvirik is essentially dreaming. Possession starts as just a general drive to serve the Poison Dusk. Physical mutation generally occurs as the spirit grows stronger and begins to edge out the mortal spirit; ultimately this can kill the vessel, leaving an undead being entirely driven by the evil within it.

Source: https://keith-baker.com/ifaq-qbarra/

April 12th, 2023 September 12th, 2023

The Poison Dusk in Battle

The Poison Dusk is comprised of kobolds, lizardfolk, troglodytes, and dragonborn. These come in three varieties.

Corrupted members of the Poison Dusk are driven by savage instinct. They are brutal and aggressive but rarely employ complex tactics unless under the leadership of a dusk shard cultist or fiendish vessel. Any existing creature of the appropriate race can be used with the Poison Dusk, though spellcasters are rarely found among them.

Dusk shard creatures can be identified by the sliver of dusk dragonshard embedded in their torso or forehead. The tiny shard strengthens their bond to Masvirik, and this in turn changes them in mind and body. Dusk shard creatures are innately more intelligent than lesser servants of the Poison Dusk, and any spellcasters serving the Poison Dusk will have dusk shards; their mystical knowledge is imparted through the shard. Dusk shard soldiers are better equipped than the base, corrupted masses, and they have the skill to use fine weapons and armor. Many are physically transformed so that they possess serpentine or draconic traits and specifically resemble a black dragon. These mutations can be reflected by using the Snaketongue Cultist or Red Hand of Tiamat themes from Dungeon Master’s Guide 2 or the Dragontouched Destroyer template. Where a choice is given, powers from templates or themes should be tied to poison or acid.

Fiendish vessels are the most powerful agents of the Poison Dusk. These bear larger shards and are hosts for the trapped servants of Masvirik. The vessel is completely dominated by the fiend and speaks with the voice of the ancient spirit. The power of the vessel depends on the size and purity of its embedded shard. A vessel with a smaller shard should use the base statistics of a reptilian creature enhanced with the Slithering Idol template from Dungeon Master’s Guide 2. A vessel with a larger shard is actually transformed into an avatar of the imprisoned spirit, and while it maintains the general appearance of the original host creature, you can use the statistics of the fiend or rakshasa associated with the shard. When the creature is slain, its body reverts to its original, natural shape.

The shards of a fiendish vessel or dusk shard cultist retain their power after the death of the bearer. This is the source of the shard pits in lizardfolk villages; shards are collected from fallen foes to keep them from being used again.

Normally it takes time for a shard to transform its bearer, but at the DM’s discretion, the shard of a fiendish vessel could be so strong that an ally could pluck it from the chest of the fallen vessel and become a new host. In this case, the new vessel begins with hit points equal to its bloodied value. Any limited use abilities already expended by the previous vessel remain expended. Only a handful of shards with this level of power exist, but they are virtually impossible to destroy. The Poison Dusk will go to great lengths to regain such a shard if it is lost.

Source: Dungeon 185

The corruption of Masvirik takes a few forms. For most members of the Poison Dusk, it is a corruption of the soul and twisting of the mind, drawing them into his dark service. These corrupted members tend to suffer reduced mental capabilities, which they make up for in reckless strength.

More potent forms of corruption require the infusion of fiendish energy from dusk shards, typically by embedding the shard in the head or chest of a creature. At first, the fiendish spirits enhance and guide the living host, but as the spirit gains power it smothers the mortal soul, taking control of the body. Once fully consumed, these creatures are undead—a pile of skin and bones animated by the spirit of Masvirik rather than the power of Mabar.

Source: Scales of Q'barra

July 1st, 2019 September 29th, 2023

MM3

The poison dusks are one of the three species of lizardfolk found in Q’barra. Smaller and weaker than the other breeds of lizardfolk, they are faster and more intelligent than their larger cousins. They are highly skilled trackers and hunters and have long used poison, nets, and other tricks to bring down larger prey.

The poison dusks present the greatest danger to the human population of Q’barra. After the better part of a century, they still hate the warmblooded invaders with a fiery passion. Alone among the lizardfolk, they have adapted their tactics and traditions since the arrival of humanity. While they still shun armor, they have adopted the use of swords and bows, which are superior to the clubs and javelins used by the Cold Sun Tribes and the blackscale lizardfolk.

While the poison dusks consider themselves to be the superior breed of lizardfolk, they are fanatically devoted to the dragon Rhashaak and acknowledge the authority of the blackscales as the chosen guardians of the great dragon. The poison dusks generally avoid other lizardfolk, except when they travel to Haka’torvhak for religious ceremonies or to offer tribute to the great dragon. They are nomadic by nature and rarely stay in one area for more than a few months. The areas inhabited by the humans of Q’barra include many of the lands once frequented by these traveling nomads, and this is a major cause of the friction between the two species.

January 19th, 2020 April 12th, 2023

Adventure Hooks

The Poison Dusk are active throughout Q’barra, raiding frontier settlements and dragonshard mines, and constantly warring with the Masvirik’uala and the Trothlorsvek. They seek to destroy dawn shards, gather what dusk shards they can, and create fiendish vessels.

Sulzrirtas, the Frigid Flame

A tribe of Poison Dusk lizardfolk have acquired a dusk shard from a House Tharashk mine which contains one of the more powerful servants of the Cold Sun: Sulzrirtas, the Frigid Flame. Sulzrirtas is a destructive passenger and needs a particularly tough host to possess. Thus far, every vessel that has consumed its dusk shard has died, freezing from within. With each failure, the Poison Dusk grow more determined to bring this fiend into the world.

Sulzrirtas specializes in sapping heat from the environment, turning flames cold and draining the heat from living creatures. It corrupts lizardfolk (and other reptilian creatures) by draining the heat from them and then offering them succor: Masvirik can keep you warm when the sun falls, and all is dark.

The last lizardfolk to attempt possession by Sulzrirtas somehow managed to contain the fiend. The Poison Dusk have begun hunting this lizardfolk down. They believe that if the host can be corrupted or killed, the fiend will be able to possess their corpse. No vessel has managed to survive so long with the demon so far, giving them hope.

One option for the current host of Sulzrirtas is a Masvirik’uala lizardfolk named Dax’Athla (female lizardfolk silver pyromancer, she/her) who has managed to regain control of herself after hearing the call of the Silver Flame. She has fled Q’barra, making her way to Thrane, where she has joined the Knights Templar as a member of the Order of the Radiant Flame. Drego Sarhain has taken her under his wing and trained her to channel the power of the Flame, in the hopes that it will help her to contain the demon until they can find a way to exorcise and bind it.

Source: Sarhain's Guide to the Silver Flame

September 12th, 2023 September 12th, 2023

Doom Sign: The Cold Sun

In a campaign that focuses upon Q’barra, Masvirik’s power can grow with the efforts of his servants. Over the course of such a campaign, Masvirik’s power gradually changes the laws of reality in Q’barra as it increases from Faint to Moderate, Strong, and eventually Overwhelming. Each stage has a bundle of properties that apply throughout the region. They also have a suggested level range indicating when they would first be appropriate to manifest, but these are just suggestions—the pacing of your campaign might mean they fit better elsewhere.

The Poison Dusk’s ultimate goal is to free Masvirik, which occurs at the Overwhelming stage. Most of their efforts toward this goal are focused on reclaiming dusk shards and disrupting the web of dawn shards that suppress his influence. While the Poison Dusk should be making steady progress in the entire region over the course of a campaign, actual advancements from one level to the next should involve dramatic moments where the Poison Dusk threatens overwhelming success, but the heroic adventurers are able to stop them— but not totally, advancing the sign from one stage to the next. An easy example of this would be the Poison Dusk succeeding in freeing an important lieutenant of Masvirik, but the adventurers then sealing this lieutenant, even as the overall influence and power of the Cold Sun grows.

None (Tier 1)

Masvirik’s influence is contained by the network of dawn shards.

Faint (Tier 2)

Masvirik’s influence spreads across the region, leading to increased Poison Dusk activity

Waning Flames. Natural fire gives off less heat and light. The radius of bright light given off by natural flame is halved. Saving throws against natural, non-magical fire are made with advantage.

A Chill in the Blood. Reptilian beasts and monstrosities become more aggressive and violent as they fall under Masvirik’s sway.

The Cold Edge of Daylight. Dusk and dawn last an hour longer, as if during winter. There is a noticeable chill in the air as the sun rises and sets.

Moderate (Tier 2-3)

Masvirik’s spirit is emboldened, perverting the natural world in his image.

A Cold, Dark Hearth. Natural flame only produces dim light and the heat it gives off is significantly reduced. Non-magical sources of fire deal half their normal damage.

A Venomous Chill. When a creature casts a spell of 1st level or higher that deals cold or poison damage, the spell takes effect as if it were cast using a spell slot one level higher than the spell slot expended.

Cold Sun Adaptation. Members of the Poison Dusk gain resistance to cold damage and poison damage if they did not already have these resistances.

Endless Winter. The affected region begins to cool, shifting into winter weather regardless of the month.

Strong (Tier 3)

The jungles of Q’barra darken as Masvirik’s influence becomes pervasive.

The Fading Light. Light during the day is weaker, providing only dim light instead of bright. The radius of illumination of all non-magical light sources is reduced by half.

Poison Dusk Ascendancy. Plants and reptiles can draw energy from Masvirik to survive without heat, but they become twisted in form. Sentient creatures that do so become part of the Poison Dusk. Members of the Poison Dusk gain immunity to cold damage and increasingly take on fiendish traits. Undead servants of Masvirik become more common.

Frozen Lands. The affected region experiences an unusual chill, colder than any other winter in the past century. (See Extreme Cold under Wilderness Survival in the DMG)

Overwhelming (Tier 4)

Masvirik’s influence is fully unleashed and consumes the jungles of Q’barra.

The Cold Sun Rises. The sun, Arrah, vanishes altogether for a day, before being replaced by a cold, dim imitation. Temperatures within the affected region drop substantially, nonmagical cold weather gear no longer protects creatures from extreme cold and saving throws against extreme cold or cold damage are made with disadvantage.

A Poison Dawn. When in the dim light given off by the Cold Sun, saving throws against poison have disadvantage and creatures without immunity to poison damage have vulnerability to poison damage.

The Jungle of Ice. Plant life flourishes as it draws sustenance from the Cold Sun, becoming corrupted and poisonous. Creatures of the Plant type, aligned with the Poison Dusk, become common.

The Scaled Legions. Reptilian creatures in the region that are unprotected by a dawn shard or similar magic are consumed by Masvirik’s influence and become members of the Poison Dusk, warped into fiendish or undead forms.

September 29th, 2023

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