Eberron Rising From the Last War

Dragonmarks

A halfiing healer touches a dying man; the mark on her

forehead blazes with blue fire as his wounds close and

vanish. A half-ore bounty hunter reaches out with the

power of his mark to find his prey. A human artificer

touches a creation forge, and the symbol on her hand

flares as the eldritch machine rumbles to life. Each of

these people possesses a dragonmark, a symbol etched

on the skin in colors more vivid than any tattoo, magical

power made flesh.

A dragonmark enhances the user's ability to perform

certain tasks. For example, the Mark of Making guides

the hands of the smith, while the Mark of Shadows

helps its bearer avoid enemies. The power of a dragon­

mark can also manifest in more dramatic ways. The

Mark of Storms can scatter enemies with a blast of

wind, while the Mark of Shadows can weave illusions.

You can't buy or choose to develop a dragonmark;

each mark is tied to bloodlines within specific species,

as sμmmarized in the Dragonmarks and Their Houses

table. A dragonmark appears on a person around ado­

lescence, though not every heir manifests the mark.

Long ago, the fa milies that carry the marks joined

together to form the dragonmarked h�:mses. Over the

course of centuries, these houses have used their gifts

to establish powerful monopolies. For example, only

House Lyrandar heirs with the Mark of Storms can

pilot airships. This control over vital services gives the

houses tremendous power.

In the past, the dragonmarked houses were held

in check by the united kingdom of Galifar. But in the

wake of the Last War, people wonder if ?ny nation has

the power to enforce its wishes on the houses.

ALL ABOUT THE HOUSES

Every dragonmarked house has traditions and secrets.

Here's a few fa cts that apply to most of the houses:

Enclaves. Most dragonmarked houses maintain en­

claves in major cities. These serve as strongholds and

hubs for house businesses. A city may also have any

number of businesses tied to the house, but these are

simply providing services and don't have any direct

connection to house leadership.

DRAGON MARKS AND THEIR HOUSES

Names and Ranks. Any heir of the house who develops

a dragonmark is allowed to add the d' prefix to the

house name: for example, Merrix d'Cannith. Despite

the Korth Edicts' proscription against house mem­

bers holding noble titles, regional leaders within

the houses are called barons. Most houses are led

by a matriarch or patriarch, though some are led by

a council.

Emblems. Each dragonmarked house has an emblem,

a distinctive symbol that fe atures on their heraldry, of­

ficial seals, crafted goods, and anything else that war­

rants the house's stamp of authenticity. Each house's

emblem appears along with the related dragonmark

on the following pages.

The Twelve. The Twelve is an organization that facili­

tates cooperation among the dragonmarked houses.

Excoriates. Excoriates are dragonmarked heirs who

have been cut off from their houses.

Foundlings. Foundlings are people who have a dragon­

mark yet have no tie to a dragonmarked house.

Test ofSiberys. Dragonmarks manifest around adoles­

cence. Each house puts its heirs through a trial called

the Test of Siberys. The specific trials vary by house,

but they place the heir in circumstances where they

are likely to manifest the mark, if they have it. About

half of the members of a bloodline manifest the mark.

Korth Edicts. The Korth Edicts prevent the houses

from owning land, holding noble titles, or maintaining

military fo rces (with an exception for Deneith). The

edicts were established when the Five Nations were

united. Today, many in the houses fe el the edicts have

become obsolete in the wake of the Last War.

CREATING A

DRAGONMARKED CHARACTER

Dragonmarks manifest on certain members of a few

species, represented in the rules by variant race options:

• For humans and half-ores, a dragonmark is a variant
  race that replaces traits associated with those races.


• For half-elves, a dragonmark is a variant race that lets
  you keep some half-elf traits and replace others with
  the traits associated with your mark.


• For dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halftings, the
  dragonmark replaces your subrace.

Dragon mark House Race

Half-elf

Guild Specialties

Detection Medani

Finding Tharashk

Handling Vada I is

Healing jorasco

Hospitality Ghallan9a

Making Cannith

Passage Ori en

Scribing Sivis

Sentinel Deneith

Shadow Phiarlan

Thuranni

Storm Lyrandar

Warding Kundarak

Human, half-ore

Human

Halfling

Halfling

Human

Human

Gnome

Human

Elf

Elf

Half-elf

Dwarf

Bodyguards, investigation, risk management

Bounty hunting, investigation, prospecting

Animal training and breeding

Healing

Food, lodging, urban information

Manufacturing

Land transportation

Communication, translation, verification

Bodyguards, mercenaries

Entertainment, espionage

Entertainment, assassination

Air and sea transportation

Banking, storage, prisons

CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION

37