During the damp nights that linger inside Erendorn’s jungle, the bays of hungry scavengers flood the air. At this time, long shadows prowl between the silhouette trees and sinister snarls leak from the bushes. At this time, the Drovals hunt. Brutal and feral, their use of skilful savagery precedes this race of humanoid jackals; but there is fierce competition in these lands, and the Drovals are struggling to secure their place on top.
A Race of Scavengers
Long ago, before Erendorn had been demarcated by settlements and outposts, a species of humanoid jackals emerged within the plains. No such creatures had ever been seen before that time: doglike and feral, with soulless black eyes that glinted menacingly, and sneering snouts that curled over gleaming fangs. This race soon became known as Drovals, tenacious scavengers that fed on discarded carrion and skulked in the shadows of Erendorn.
But their tendency to scavenge the lands does not diminish the threat that Drovals pose. Over many centuries, Drovals developed fearsome skills in combat. Already adept at lurking noiselessly in plain sight, they are a race of born hunters who possess great stealth and power. While Drovals are slender, solid muscles lie in armour-like plates beneath their matted hair and their speed is unfathomable.
Throughout their evolution, Drovals used these skills to survive the treacherous terrain of Erendorn. Living in packs, they were fearsome opponents to face on the mainland. Known for their untamed brutality, the sight of a Droval pack was enough to terrify even the mightiest of Knights. But as vicious as they were, their luck would not last.
Drovals and the Mantisars
Not so long ago in Erendorn’s past, a series of ferocious attacks plagued every settlement, mountain and dungeon. A race known as the Mantisars were the ones responsible for these deadly onslaughts. Telepathic with each other and highly dangerous, they would swarm unsuspecting villages or weary travellers until no heart was left beating.
Their targets random and always high in numbers, it was theorised by many of Erendorn’s greatest minds that the Mantisars were attempting to establish themselves as the dominant race by culling the population; and among the races targeted by the Mantisars, Drovals were one of their frequents. As the uprising of the Mantisars began increasing over the years, the Droval population could no longer withstand the constant attacks on their kind. Already a small race, their numbers took a big hit during the Mantisar terror and as a result, they were gradually forced to retreat southward towards the jungles.
Drovals in the Jungle
While Drovals have not evolved to be well-suited to jungle terrain, they have had to adapt to their new home following the terror that the Mantisars brought upon them. Now, they live in the outskirts of Erendorn’s jungles, where the air is thick with moisture and the shadows are never empty. Fierce competition is rife in the jungles of Erendorn and since their arrival, Drovals have become even more fierce and even more savage.
Drovals prowl through the jungles in packs and when they find what they’re looking for, be it a discarded cadaver or something to hunt, their baleful howls rise through the trees and a chilling stillness falls on the jungle. Their method of killing has also evolved since Drovals entered the jungles all those years ago. They have now become much more unforgiving in their attacks, delighting in the pain of their enemies as their claws tear skin and their teeth drip blood.
But this brutality is not reserved for other species. Drovals are hostile by nature, even towards their own kind. Conflicts between members of this race have often been known to result in savage mauls and fights to the death; and since they are opportunistic scavengers, cannibalism isn’t uncommon among the Drovals when one of them dies. Indeed, this species is feared for more than one reason. But their leader believes that there is more that awaits this race - more that they are capable of.
Sekhtish, the Scavenger King and Leader of Drovals
Sekhtish is highly respected among the Drovals for his wily survival skills and extremely cunning mind. Since this race values strength and proficiency in combat above all else, their leader is chosen according to these traits alone. As the strongest member of the species, possessing artful combat skills and physical prowess, it is no wonder why Sekhtish is the decided leader of the Drovals.
However, Sekhtish is not so feral in mind as his kinship. He wants to lead his kind into a better future, one where they can see their numbers grow and become a formidable force in Erendorn. Even though Drovals are wild in their savagery and possess little constraint, Sekhtish is confident that they will one day be able to abandon their lives in the jungle and reclaim their position in the mainland.
Skilled packs of Drovals are often sent by Sekhtish to scour the lands of Erendorn for territory, though with the increasing number of races populating the world, they rarely return with good news, if they return at all. Until the day they manage to return, Drovals continue to rain terror down upon the jungles, scavenging every corner and delighting in every kill.
As the struggle this race faces continues to unravel, many Drovals have turned towards Erendorn’s dungeons in the hope that they will find powerful objects to increase their strength and reclaim their position in Erendorn. Packs of Drovals have been sighted by many travellers, moving silently through the shadowed caves, their breath curling in clouds beneath their wet noses. Indeed, many adventurers have been attacked by these wild creatures and many more have died; so if you ever come face to face with a pack of Drovals in the dungeons, you had better hope your team is prepared.
