Population: 1,600
Overview: Droaamite fortress, citadel of evil
Key NPCs: Rhesh Turakbar (male minotaur warlord), Byraka (female minotaur raider), Ghwyyr (male gnoll warlock), Haakar (female half-orc hunter)
Imagine a barren plain covered with shards of polished black stone. These fragments have edges sharper than knives, and they gleam when the lightning flashes—for there is always a storm looming over the plain. Look more closely, and consider the shapes of the stones; perhaps you can see the outline of a vast and terrible city built by fiends in a time long forgotten. This foul metropolis fell long before humanity rose, but one piece remains. Look from above, and you can see that this was surely the heart of the ancient city; a fortress tower, a spire of dark polished stone studded with blades and sharp edges. No mortal hand or mundane tool could shape such a thing. It is a vile relic of a forgotten age, the hand of an overlord raised in defiance. The Dhakaani named it t’Kaash, the Fist. They recognized it as a thing of evil, but even the power of the empire couldn’t destroy t’Kaash. Anything that dwells in this fortress will be corrupted by it, but it has never stood empty for long; those with evil in their hearts are drawn to it, yearning for the power it offers. It has known many masters, but today it is Turakbar’Kaash—Turakbar’s Fist.
Turakbar’s Fist lies north of the town of Graywall, almost dead center between the Graywall and Byeshk Mountains. It serves to guard the border of Droaam, but it is far older than the Daughters of Sora Kell. Anyone who’s spent time on the Western Frontier knows the stories. Turakbar’s Fist is a remnant of one of the first cities in Khorvaire—the citadel of an overlord that the Droaamites call the Horned King. Everyone knows stories of how the Sovereigns defeated the ancient fiends or how these dark powers are bound by the Silver Flame; it doesn’t take a Korranberg education to imagine that this Horned King may be bound beneath this spire. The people of the east often imagine the denizens of Droaam to be cruel, bloodthirsty monsters, and Turakbar’s Fist has long helped drive that image.
As soon as you approach the fortress, you can feel it drawing out the worst parts of you, driving mercy from your thoughts and whispering of the power you could wield if you have the strength to take it. Or perhaps you will feel courage and hope being burned away. For the Horned King is a spirit of tyranny, and if you aren’t ready to be a tyrant, it brands you as a victim.
Given the power of this place, some might wonder why the Daughters of Sora Kell didn’t claim it themselves. Why isn’t this the seat of power, instead of the Great Crag? The obvious answer is that this isn’t the vision they have for Droaam. However great the power in this place, it is a place of petty tyranny. Turakbar and his Fist are a useful tool for the Daughters, certainly, but the warlord of t’Kaash will always be driven to dominate through force and terror. It is better for the Daughters that he can terrorize the east, for driven by his demons, he will shed blood one way or another.
Turakbar’s Fist is a literal citadel of evil. It is a place you hear about in unpleasant stories, the source of the bloodthirsty reavers who ravage the Western Frontier. Should you ever go there, be sure you’re well-armed and prepared. The denizens of Turakbar’Kaash respect strength and cruelty, and if you show any signs of weakness, they will consume you.
Few easterners enter Turakbar’s Fist and live to tell the tale. But there are a few who have seen the inside: merchants, entertainers, escaped prisoners. The archives of Flamekeep have detailed maps made when the templars briefly seized the spire. What these stories share is the fact that the current inhabitants of the Fist didn’t build it. The disadvantage of having indestructible walls is that you can’t remove the obsidian impaling spikes or widen the halls. Turakbar may hang banners and mount trophies, but at the end of the day he and his warriors are squatting in a demon’s fortress.
Turakbar’s Fist is surrounded by a number of small villages and strongholds. These follow the old model of the Barrens; a chib (literally “big man”) dominates a community through fear and force. Often, these are minotaurs; the Kor’mur (“Blood Horn”) minotaurs hold Turakbar’s Fist, but the Red Hooves and Blade Breakers are lesser clans in the region. There are also a few trolls and ogres among the chibs. While the other minotaur clans have their grievances with the Blood Horns, all of them bend the knee to Turakbar as the Daughters’ appointed warlord.
The Blood Horn minotaurs rule Turakbar’s Fist, but they make up less than a quarter of its population. Many of Rhesh Turakbar’s soldiers are Gaa’aram orcs, along with a handful of worgs and feral shifters. These warriors are the ruling class, supported by a host of goblins, kobolds, and ogre servants. While there are a few rebellious spirits among these servants—the kobold warlord Kethelrax the Cunning was once bound in Turakbar’s Fist—most are trapped by their fear of Turakbar and the soul-crushing influence of the Fist itself. In addition to Rhesh Turakbar (who’s described later in this chapter), a few of his lieutenants are known throughout the frontier.
Byraka, the Bloody Ghost. This minotaur is a rising star among the Kor’mur clan. She is a fierce war leader whose reavers are responsible for some of the most terrifying raids of the last two years. Byraka has silver-white fur, though it is often stained with blood from her kills; survivors of her raids called her “a bloody ghost” and she has embraced the name. Rhesh Turakbar appreciates her skill and the terror she spreads in his name, but many believe he sees Byraka as a rival and hopes she will die in battle.
Ghwyyr. This gnoll was once a hwyri—a demon-hunting warden—of the Znir Pact. No one knows what led to his fall, but he went from hunting corrupted minotaurs to serving as the warlock-priest of the Horned King. Ghwyyr is a dangerous spellcaster who claims to commune with the Horned King. He advises Rhesh Turakbar and performs vile rituals and cruel sacrifices at Turakbar’s Fist. The gnolls of the Znir Pact despise Ghwyyr and have sworn to destroy him.
Haakar. Once a bounty hunter of House Tharashk, this half-orc left her house to follow the path of the Horned King. While she occasionally accompanies raiding parties, Haakar prefers to stalk her prey alone. While she will pursue any enemy of Rhesh Turakbar, she is infamous for hunting Sentinel Marshals; she’s known to have killed three so far, and wears their Deneith signet rings as trophies.