1. Organizations

Sulatar

Not all drow are tribal savages. The Sulatar have clung to traditions of magic dating back to the Age of Giants— specifically, an ancient form of elemental binding. The Sulatar (“firebinders” in the Giant language) are masters of fire in all forms. Their champions wear burning armor and bind elementals to their blades, while Sulatar master crafters create magic items that even the gnomes of Zilargo have yet to perfect (see page 146).

The firebinders remained loyal to the giants throughout the elf uprising and, even after forty thousand years, have held to the teachings of their ancient masters. The Sulatar believe that their devotion will eventually grant them access to a promised land of fire, where they will gain immortality and power and lead an army that will sweep across the world. Scholars speculate that the promised land is the plane of Fernia, but so far the legends remain just that.

Few explorers have encountered the Sulatar, for the firebinders have little interest in other cultures. To the Sulatar, all will fall when the Gates of the Promise open; until then, they have no need to deal with inferior creatures. In addition to this isolationist attitude, the Sulatar have long fought the followers of Vulkoor, and this has kept their population in check. The firebinders consider the scorpion tribes to be savages and traitors, while the children of Vulkoor hate the Sulatar for their continuing loyalty to the giants.

In the end, the DM must decide on how many Sulatar live in Xen’drik and the significance of their presence. It might be that only a single enclave of Sulatar exists—the legendary Obsidian City, deep in the Xen’drik jungles. Alternatively, hundreds of thousands of firebinders might inhabit the south of the continent—an army that could pose a deadly threat to Stormreach and to Khorvaire if the Sulatar chose to emerge from hiding.

The Sulatar have a strong martial tradition, with more fighters than rangers. All Sulatar are proficient with the short sword and hand crossbow, and they treat the two-bladed sword as a martial weapon instead of an exotic weapon. These replace the standard drow weapon proficiencies. Sulatar forge their armor and weapons from an unusual form of mithral that has the appearance of bronze, and they typically incorporate fiery patterns and designs into their equipment.

Sulatar clerics and adepts are devoted to an abstract force called the Promise of Fire. This power is neutral evil, and its worshipers can choose from among the Destruction, Evil, and Fire domains. Its favored weapon is the two-bladed sword. Sulatar wizards focus on evocation, conjuration, and abjuration, and no tradition of necromancy or enchantment exists among them.

The firebinders tattoo patterns of flames across their skin, believing that these grant mystical protection. Although the tattoos do not actually confer any benefit, a combination of mystical heritage and long training allows the Sulatar to exercise great control over bound fire elementals. When dealing with an elemental item that normally responds only to characters possessing a dragonmark, a Sulatar can control the item as if she had the required mark.

Sulatar Materials

The Sulatar drow make use of two special materials when crafting their equipment. Currently, these materials are unknown beyond Xen’drik, and a smith would have to study Sulatar techniques to develop weapons or armor using these materials.

Firebrass is an alloy that is identical to mithral in form and function, but it has a golden-bronze color instead of a silvery sheen.

Blood glass is dark volcanic glass, similar in appearance to obsidian but with a hint of crimson. It is formed when magma mixes with deposits of Khyber dragonshards. The Khyber resonance in the resulting fusion is strong enough that minor elementals can be bound into blood glass without the need for an actual dragonshard.

Blood glass can be used to create exceptionally sharp blades. Piercing or slashing weapons crafted from blood glass grant the wielder a +1 bonus on damage rolls. However, blood glass only has hardness 5 and 10 hit points per inch of thickness, so that weapons made of it are easily broken. Blood glass items are vulnerable to shatter spells and similar effects, but always receive a saving throw. A group of small items (a quiver of bolts tipped with blood glass, for example) saves as a single item. A blood glass item weighs 10% less than the same item made of metal.

September 8th, 2019

A Sulatar Speaks

This world was born in fire, and in fire it shall end. Our future lies in the Land of the Promise, from whence all fire flows.

In the first days, the mighty learned to bind the flames of the far lands, drawing fire from the air and blending it with blood and iron. But the clumsy hands of the giants could not weave the fine threads of true fire, and the deepest secrets seared their minds and left them mad. And so the wisest among them sought our ancestors, seeking those with the power to truly embody the flame and to find the path to the Land of the Promise. They bound the fire to our blood, where it burned our skin as black as basalt. They taught us the ways of the fire and the secret knowledge of the Promise. And when they fell to the madness, we laid claim to the cities of glass. Many of our kindred fell to the madness and now roam the wilds, worshiping vermin and picking at ruins. But we hold destiny in our hands. We hold the secrets of the fire. One day we shall open the Gates of the Promise and spread our flames across all lands. For this world was born in fire, and in fire it shall end.

September 7th, 2019

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