From afar, Flamekeep resembles a gigantic fortress enclosed by high walls, its buildings perched atop a rocky plinth surrounded on all sides by a water-filled crevasse. Deep within this crevasse sits the city’s bustling harbor and more crowded districts. The magnificent Cathedral of the Silver Flame, its white alabaster walls agleam, surmounts the rocky plinth—a glorious beacon visible for miles in every direction. West of the Cathedral rise the slender spires of Thalingard, the ancestral home of Thrane’s kings. Unlike the Cathedral, the royal palace is sculpted from gray rock and looks somewhat glum by comparison.

Flamekeep is, in all respects, the heart of Thrane. Nearly half of the nation’s population lives here, both in the city and in outlying areas. Therefore, it should surprise no one that most of the cloak-and-dagger intrigue gripping the theocracy unfolds here.

Flamekeep sits along the western cliffs of Scions Sound. Most of the city rests atop a multitiered pedestal of rock. A water-filled channel surrounds the great plinth, enabling ships to move between Scions Sound and the city’s well-hidden and well-defended harbor.

On a clear day, one can stand on the highest parapets of the Cathedral and barely make out the distant island of Thronehold, seat of the Kingdom of Galifar, to the east.

Source: Five Nations


The Year of Blood and Fire began with an earthquake in the eastern reaches of Thrane. When the earthquake subsided, a terraced, rocky pillar remained, the earth surrounding this mile-wide platform having collapsed into Scions Sound. From this pillar rose a great crimson flame, and from this flame terrible demons spilled forth to consume the land in darkness. 

It was upon this pillar that Tira Miron confronted Bel Shalor, her final act to bury Kloijner in his body and send them both plunging into the chasm that had opened to release the overlord. The earth swallowed the duo, leaving only a silvery flame to mark their confrontation. 

Maliah Sharavaci, one of Tira’s companions, built a temple upon this site to commemorate her friend’s sacrifice and became the first Keeper of the Flame. Pilgrims flocked to this holy site, and merchants came to supply the pilgrims, over time building a village, town, and then city around the Cathedral of the Silver Flame. At the end of the seventh century, when a terrible flame consumed Daskaran, the seat of government formally moved to Flamekeep, cementing the city as the center of Thranish life.

Source: Cultures of Thrane

Built where the divine battle between the paladin Tira Miron and the abomination of darkness and shadow was fought, Flamekeep began as a small temple built around the purified fire. In time, a cathedral replaced the temple, and the church’s evolution from cult to religion brought people from all over the realm until a city took shape. The city bears the signs of its devotion in all things—icons, flame imagery, and stone placards bearing sacred texts adorn nearly every surface. Architects were commissioned to use light and soaring construction to capture the nation’s devotion to the Silver Flame, giving the city its distinctive look.

Flamekeep is Thrane’s spiritual and political center. Pilgrims descend on the city from all over the nation and beyond to behold its beauty, to enter the Cathedral of the Silver Flame, and, if they are lucky, to catch a glimpse of the miraculous flames within. Although the presence of the divine infuses the city, with statues and imagery devoted to the church wherever space allows, the city is also a hotbed of intrigue. Influential religious officials, foreign emissaries, and others meet to negotiate secret alliances and make backroom deals to advance their agendas and grow their power.

Most of the city rises from a tiered pedestal of land surrounded by a deep channel. The waterway leads all the way south from Scions Sound, enabling ships to sail in and dock at the low-lying western ports. Three bridges span the water, to the north, east, and south.

Source: Eberron Campaign Guide


The spiritual heart and capital of Thrane, Flamekeep is a massive fortress city. The Keeper of the Flame dwells in the great Cathedral of the Silver Flame, which holds the pillar of fire born when Tira Miron sacrificed herself to bind the demon Bel Shalor. The cathedral is the seat of the Council of Cardinals and the primary garrison of the templar order. Flamekeep is also home to Thalingard, the ancestral palace of the rulers of Thrane and current residence of Queen Diani ir’Wynarn.

Source: Rising from the Last War


Flamekeep grew as the Church of the Silver Flame gained prominence. Built around the impressive Cathedral of the Silver Flame, the city displays Flamic architecture at its grandest and most inspiring. As the capital of the nation’s secular and religious authorities, Flamekeep is a place of power and influence. 

Source: Eberron Campaign Setting

Governance

Flamekeep is directly managed by the Council of Cardinals; as the center of both the Church of the Silver Flame and the Thranish state, no lower ministry has been delegated authority for the city. As such, some of the city management decisions are made for national political posturing rather than the residents’ best interests. Each church within the city limits is responsible for its surrounding neighborhood, but even in Flamekeep local resources can be limited.

Source: Cultures of Thrane

Points of Interest

Source: Cultures of Thrane

Flamekeep is built around the rocky pillar upon which the Cathedral of the Silver Flame is constructed. Several bridges connect the city core to the surrounding area and the miles of urban sprawl that make up the eastern expanse of Thrane. While the permanent population of the city core is limited, over a million people reside in the surrounding region, making Flamekeep the second largest city in Khorvaire after Sharn. Flamekeep does not currently have any public transportation to help people get from one part of the city to another, but church officials have a network of stables they can freely use to conduct business.

A lesser-known fact about the city is that, in addition to housing the font of the Silver Flame, the city core is an Irian manifest zone. The manifest zone doesn’t provide any benefits to healing, but it does inspire a sense of hope and confidence in the future that contrasts with the other, glum and grim capitals of Khorvaire.

Long before the Year of Blood and Fire, wyverns roosted in the cliffs overlooking Scions Sound. Unlike their more bestial cousins in the Byeshk Mountains to the west or the Endworld Mountains far to the east, the wyverns of Thrane blur the lines between draconids and true dragons. In Thrane, the wyverns advance not just in size but intelligence with age. The ruling Elder Wyverns have humanoid-level intelligence and are on good terms with the rulers of Thrane; Last War battles between Aundair and Thrane often featured Aundairian dragonhawk riders facing off against Thranish wyverns for aerial superiority.
Prior to the arrival of humans, the wyverns had mixed relationships with goblins; some of the goblins were in conflict with the wyverns, while others utilized the techniques of Kech Ruuska to ally with them. The arrival of humans changed this balance, as all goblin kingdoms faced annihilation from an onslaught of human conquerors. The humans of Daskaran successfully struck a deal with the wyverns, promising that they would not settle next to the cliffs of Scion’s Sea in exchange for the wyverns abandoning the alliances they had with the already-losing goblins. This pact persisted through the coming of Galifar, where the area that is currently Flamekeep remained uninhabited. During the Year of Blood and Fire, this changed; not only were the wyverns displaced by the rise of Bel Shalor, but the fiendish overlord’s influence drove the paladins of Dol Arrah into conflict with the dragonkin. One of Tira’s many deeds was a new pact—an active alliance between humanoids and wyverns. On her final day, Tira rode into battle on the back of the elder wyvern Ashtarax. As Flamekeep has grown, the wyverns have grown permanently integrated into Thranish life. 

The Cloisters

Embedded within the city’s core is a honeycomb network of office and living spaces known as the Cloisters. These additional, underground halls are where much of the business of the Church is conducted, as well as holding the official residence of the Keeper of the Flame. 

The Docks

Built at the base of the rocky pillar that makes up the city core, a shockingly deep channel of water surrounds the city, allowing Flamekeep’s docks to service even seafaring vessels. The harbormaster is Verodin Imradi (they/them), a middle-aged human who's been on the job for the past decade. They know there are smuggling operations going on under their nose, but thus far haven't been able to root out those complicit.

The Illuminated Sculptuary

Throughout Thrane, wingwyrds— gargoyles blessed by the Silver Flame—act not just as guardians but as messengers. Almost all wingwyrds can trace the origin back to the holy workshops of the Illuminated Sculptuary, where Thranish artificers sculpt and then animate new Wingwyrds. 

Throughout the Last War Dolma Tarravan (she/her), a now-elderly dwarf of nearly two centuries, managed the Illuminated Sculptuary on behalf of the Order of Templars. During her tenure the church massively expanded the resources and expectations of the Sculptuary, growing from only needing to produce a handful of wingwyrds per year to attempts to mass produce them for the war effort. For better or for worse, these efforts ultimately failed, and Thrane instead embraced the use of warforged from House Cannith, with wingwyrds returning to their role as flying couriers and messengers. 

Lightmantle

The most recent additions to Flamekeep are Cyran refugees. While the Thranish state did not set aside new land for refugees as Breland did, the neighborhood of Lightmantle in the urban sprawl to the west of the city has become known as a Cyran neighborhood. The vast majority of its residents were already adherents of the church, allowing for them to smoothly transition to life in Thrane even if they didn’t agree with the theocracy. 

Like all diaspora communities, the Cyrans have had to find a niche in the city’s economy; there’s only so much capacity for Cyran fusion restaurants. The most prevalent choice has been to join the textiles industry, specifically dyeing, enchanting, and tailoring. Thrane and Cyre were always closely linked as two leaders in the textiles industry, but with the death of Cyre many surviving tailors have found employment in Thrane. Within Lightmantle, Shamila Ufayr (she/her) has been instrumental in leading the community, teaching fellow refugees critical job skills as well as mustering financial support so people can start their own businesses.