Q'barra

Q'barra is a nation on the edge of Argones, an untamed frontier filled with danger and opportunity.  During the Third Age, few Human explorers bothered with that region of the Continent.  Its sprawling dense Jungles which pressed up close against the Dragonridge Mountains were quite the effective deterrent; after the Great Collide the native species of flora and fauna also added to the dangers of the area.  When the Last War broke out, however, a fleet of settlers came to Q'barra in search of a new home far from the war.  As this settlement expanded, the settlers discovered massive deposits of Dragonshards.  Over the past decade, a wave of prospectors, wandslingers, refugees, and fortune-seekers have descended on Q'barra, along with brigands, deserters from the war, and all manner of criminals and opportunists.  They have completely taken over the realm, driving the Goliath tribes that had resided in the area for millennia into the Dragonridge Mountains.

To the settlers' surprise, Q'barra was already home to a number of ancient civilizations the humans knew nothing about:  in addition to the oppressed goliaths, the Lizardfolk of the Cold Sun Federation, the Dragonborn of Ka'rhashan, and the Confederacy of the Poison Dusk Lizardfolk had all made Q'barra their home long before the human settlers arrived.  Most settlers refer to all but the goliaths as "scales."  King Sebastes ir'Kesslan of Newthrone has established a treaty with the Cold Sun Federation, but communication has been difficult and prospectors rarely abide by the terms of the treaty.

Q'barra is one of the richest sources of dragonshards in Argones, drawing waves of settlers and prospectors to this young and growing nation on the edge of civilization.

Certain ruins in Q'barra appear connected to the Age of Demons.  The settlers know little of the history of this region, but the Poison Dusk lizardfolk have ties to fiendish powers.

House Tharashk has a strong presence in Q'barra.  House Tharashk is the primary buyer of Dragonshards and also runs large-scale mining operations here.

Q'barra tempts explorers from the east with the prospects of wealth and new lands to conquer - mostly humans but including members of all races found in Argones.  A lone Paladin acts as a sheriff, seeking to protect a newly formed mining village; a cleric preaches in the town square; criminal bards and sorcerers play the part of dashing wandslingers looking for trouble and gold.

Q'barra promises a land of opportunity and a place where all can leave their pasts behind.  Deserters from the Last War, "innocent" convicted felons, freed Warforged, Verdunian refugees, even those fleeing from a broken heart can find solace in the area.

The lizardfolk's primitive culture blends Druidic traditions with the beliefs of the Suns of Pelor.  Some are sent to study "softskins" - to learn about them and potentially serve as an envoy for their people; others may be following a spiritual vision.

The dragonborn live amid the remnants of ancient glory.  They have a proud martial tradition, and a number of dragonborn venture east in search of worthy challenges, some of them even serving as mercenaries in the Last War.

Q'barra is split into three main regions.  New Galifar is the original colony; it has a feudal structure and holds to the laws of the Treaty of Thronehold.  The outer region, Hope, is a collection of small mining towns.  In Hope, the law goes only as far as the people willing to enforce it.  Beyond these human regions lie the unexplored lands of the scales.

The influx of Verdunian refugees promises to reshape Q'barra.  Most of the settlers are peaceful people searching for homes and opportunities, but some among them chose Q'barra over reugee camps because they refused to accept charity from former enemies.  These "Mourners" rob and kill settlers from the nations that fought against Verdun.  Hope also has its share of brigands and criminals, bandits who prey on House Tharashk convoys and settlers alike.

The relationship between the settlers and the natives is another source of tension.  Although King Sebastes forged a treaty with the Cold Sun Federations, the prospectors of Hope regularly violate this treaty.  The Poison Dusk lizardfolk are hostile to both the settlers and the Cold Sun Federation.  Conflicts between settlers and scales have escalated in the Aftermath of the Last War, and many fear far worse is yet to come.