The Feral Heart is a dark conspiracy within House Vadalis.[1][2]
Activities[]
It comprises a number of magebreeders who desire to unleash nature's full potential and breed living weapons, without regard for morality. To this end, they are rediscovering and advancing the banned practices of Vadalis's Seryan line, which includes making magebred humanoids. Moreover, they have even begun seeking out the tools of the daelkyr.[1] They combine animal husbandry with twisted magic to conduct experiments some would consider horrific. The creatures these spawn are monstrous and are more likely to attack their creators than anything else. The frequency of deaths of their magebreeders stops them being more successful or having a higher profile.[2]
History[]
In the late 800s YK, Perr Hanton, a gifted but cruel magebreeder and early member of the Feral Heart, made various magical items to aid them in controlling their monstrous creations, including the stern handler's wraps. The Feral Heart purchased, traded, and even stole large numbers of dragonshards to make countless sets of these wraps. But Perr was himself slain by one of his own creatures when it escaped. It marauded around the wilderness for some years until regular members of House Vadalis found it and put it down.[2]
The Feral Heart grew in power during the Last War.[1] Seeking a competitor to House Cannith's successful warforged, and motivated by the Feral Heart, the Cyran branch of House Vadalis under Venarl d'Vadalis conducted illicit experiments on sentient creatures, including humans, at their secret Clifftop laboratory.[3]
Now, Vadalis patriarch Dalin d'Vadalis is only just starting to discover the deeds of the Feral Heart.[1]
In 998 YK, a Vadalis facility in Fairhaven, Aundair, was raided by elite Aundairian forces led by Captain Allis, acting on a tip-off by the Royal Eyes. They discovered a cult among the Vadalis staff and, most disturbingly, an enormous heart pumping blood through veins embedded in the walls throughout the structure. The cultists claimed they were "creating the heart of Galifar", seeming to believe this could somehow reunite the Kingdom of Galifar. Dalin denied all knowledge and ties to those responsible when speaking to the Korranberg Chronicle, but vowed to investigate.[4] It is unknown if this has any relation to the Feral Heart.[note 1]
Base[]
The Feral Heart was formerly active in Cyre, particularly at the Clifftop laboratory north of Metrol.[3]
After the fall of Cyre in the Mourning, the Feral Heart has made its base in the ranch known as the Hearth outside of Wroat in Breland. The chief magebreeder there, Mazina d'Vadalis, is a key figure in the Feral Heart. Otherwise, the Feral Heart stays well outside the Eldeen Reaches, for the druids there would strongly oppose them if they but knew of them.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ While there is no known connection between the Feral Heart and the Fairhaven cult, the existence of a Vadalis cult and the heart theme is suggestive, so this is included here for context.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 234–235. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Eric Cagle (July 2009). “Bazaar of the Bizarre: Dragonshard Items” (PDF). Dragon #380 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 96–97. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Keith Baker, Jeremy Crawford, & James Wyatt (2019). Eberron: Rising from the Last War. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0786966890.