ADM should consider whether the mystery of the
Mourning can be solved and what the consequences
would be. Right now, fear of the Mourning holds war at
bay. If it's confirmed that the Mourning is no longer a
threat-or if one nation manages to harness its power
war could begin again.
THE DRACONIC PROPHECY
There are patterns hidden in the world. Secrets lie in
the conjunctions of the planes and moons, in strange
symbols formed by the flowing lava of a volcanic erup
tion or the fissures caused by an earthquake. Carved in
the walls of ancient citadels and on primeval megaliths,
knot patterns appear to have meaning that only the con
templative mind can hope to comprehend. To those who
can read them, these myriad events and signs form a
map of possible futures, a map that can be used to shape
the course of history.
Scholars call this map the Draconic Prophecy, attrib
uting it to the Progenitor Dragons: Eberron, Siberys,
and Khyber. The Prophecy is vast and complex, its signs
scattered across the world. Few humans or even elves
have the time or resources to unravel its secrets. The
foremost students of the Prophecy are ancient dragons,
immortal fiends, and others who have devoted thou
sands of years to this work.
What makes the Prophecy especially complex is that
it doesn't define a singular path for the future. Rather,the Prophecy is a map that shows many possible fu
tures, along with the steps that must occur to make that
future a reality. A fragment of the Prophecy might say,
"If the Bear King is slain by a sorrowful assassin in the
Shadow of the Mourning, the Crown will fall from his
nation." The "Bear King" could refer to King Boranel of
Breland, since the bear is Breland's heraldic beast. The
"Shadow of the Mourning" could mean that Boranel
must be slain in the Mournland, or it could mean that
the assassination must occur on the anniversary of the
Mourning. This passage doesn't say that Boranel will
be assassinated or that the Brelish monarchy will fa ll; it
suggests that if Boran el is assassinated under these con
ditions, then the monarchy will surely fall. But it could
also be fulfilled in different ways, if the terms of the
Prophecy are interpreted differently. Other fragments of
the Prophecy might cover what happens if Boranel is as
sassinated under other circumstances, or what happens
if he dies of natural causes.
As an adventurer, you could be hired by a scholar
trying to piece together a fragment of the Prophecy
and clash with a secret society along the way. Or you
could discover that your family plays a pivotal role in
a fragment of the Prophecy. Will you embrace this or
fight your potential destiny? Will you dedicate your life
to interpreting the Prophecy or ignore it as just a bunch
of mystical nonsense? And might the Prophecy hold the
answer to the Mourning itself?WELCOME TO EBERRON 1
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