18 CHAPTER 1 | IF IT EXISTS IN D&D, THERE’S A PLACE FOR IT IN EBERRON
Modern civilization is built on the bones of the
past, and these ancient mysteries may have a
dreadful impact on the future. Many of the
modern cities of Khorvaire are built on the
foundations of ancient goblin cities and fortresses,
and these may still hold aberrant threats from
the war that destroyed their civilization. Older
still are the ruins once inhabited by rakshasa
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and other treasures far beyond the capabilities
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past than treasures waiting to be found. Stories
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cold war in the shadows. These tales speak of
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that grant the power to shape the future. Hidden
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Prophecy, and player characters may be pawns
in this great game. As one of the heroes of the
age, you surely have a role in the Draconic
Prophecy. Will you be a tool of one of these
ancient forces, or will you master the game and
determine your own destiny?DARK FORCES
Dragons and demons are just a few of the
dangerous forces at work in the world. The
daelkyr came to Eberron from the Plane
of Madness. They came with armies of
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and bolstered by beholders. They shattered
civilizations and spread horrors across Khorvaire.
The daelkyr were ultimately bound in Khyber
by druidic magic. They linger in the darkness—
the Lord of Eyes, the Prince of Slime, Dyrrn
the Corruptor—creating new aberrations and
waiting for the day they can unleash their full
power on the world above.
While the daelkyr themselves can’t return to
the surface, their minions can. This leads to the
Cults of the Dragon Below, mad mortals who
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anywhere, as a seed of madness takes root in a
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As if dragons and demons aren’t trouble
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mortal dreams. According to these tales, the
Dreaming Dark is an alliance of nightmare
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feed on mortal fear and manipulate through
dreams. Some stories say the Dreaming Dark can
possess people through their dreams, while others
claim they have psychic agents hidden across
Khorvaire.
Beyond the enigmatic daelkyr and the
Dreaming Dark, other threats have arisen in
the past century, spinning out of the strife of the
Last War. The Lord of Blades is a warforged
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seeks vengeance against the humans who
created his people as weapons for their war. The
Aurum is a cabal drawn from the wealthy elite
who seek to turn gold into greater power. The
Emerald Claw was an elite military unit that
served Karrnath during the Last War. Disavowed
by their king, the Emerald Claw engages in
guerrilla strikes across Khorvaire, and includes
necromancers, vampires, and undead bound to
their service. Some say the Emerald Claw serve
an ancient lich known as the Queen of Death,
that their true goal is to place her on the throne
of Karrnath and the Five Nations.
These are just some of the dark forces working
in the shadows of Eberron. There are hungry
lycanthropes, clever doppelgangers, and cults
devoted to the Dark Six. There are stories of a
cabal of assassins with aberrant dragonmarks
and elves twisted into creatures of nightmare.
And that’s not to mention the mundane crime
and corruption that can be found in any major
city. It’s a dangerous world—hopefully you can
handle it!