Dark Brood

Dark Brood

(Organization)

Type

Social

Leader

Bodhjeva

Headquarters

Swamp of the Dark Brood

Goals

Expansion

Scope

Regional

Structure

Coalition of nests

Members

Zecui

Source: Tian Xia World Guide, pg(s). 236

The Dark Brood is a coalition of zecui that dominates the eponymous Swamp of the Dark Brood in the Valashmai Jungle.

History

The Dark Brood's origins date back millennia to before Earthfall as subjects and slaves of the domineering Valashai Empire. The zecui earned their freedom in a vicious insurgency that lasted multiple generations, burying the corpses and treasure of their enemies across the swamps. The coalition united under the leadership of one purportedly immortal brood mother, Bodhjeva, and her sorcerous sisters. The Dark Brood thrived once they reclaimed their autonomy, but Bodhjeva disappeared at the height of her power, leaving tales in her wake of a future return when she will lead the Dark Brood against the rest of Golarion.

Two centuries ago, a powerful zecui rose from the depths of the swamp and claimed to be Bodhjeva returned. She violently seized control of the Dark Brood and devoured those who opposed her, bringing with her ambitions of expansion. Whether or not she is the same Bodhjeva of the tales, she is the mightiest zecui of the Dark Brood, bears ancient scars, and lays larger broods than any of the Dark Brood's previous leaders.

Yet this Bodhjeva is also unstable, capricious, and spends more time slumbering—often for periods of several months or years—than she does awake. During these periods, she wakes only to terrorize the local lizardfolk populations or to slaughter anyone foolish enough to disturb her sleep. Zecui have begun to doubt whether this leader is good for the Dark Brood.

Relationships

The Dark Brood's chief enemies and quarries are the many local iruxi factions of the swamp, including the Black Tongue Biters, Blood Stingers, Red Brood, and Thickscales. These townships, bandits, and mercenaries war among each other but unite against the shared and growing zecui threat.

During the dreaded annual Brood Hunt, when Dark Brood spends a night abducting and hunting the lizardfolk, all fighting between these factions ceases. Instead, the iruxi shelter within their encampments as towns leave livestock outside the walls hoping not to be claimed by the brood. All the while, the screams of the zecui's victims echo across the swamp. This persistent yearly violence has increasingly encouraged the feuding iruxi to band together as they seek any and all help available.

Geography

The Dark Brood's territory is located in the center of the swamp, a region the iruxi stay clear of. The zecui's nests are often in the ancient Valashai ruins of the defeated Valashai Empire. In addition, at the center of the Dark Brood's territory is a mile-long hive carved from mud where Bodhjeva is based during her intervals of slumber.