Bearers of the Mark of Scribing, the gnomes of House Sivis are masters of communication. It is the arcane mark of a Sivis gnome that proves the veracity of a Kundarak letter of credit, and the speaking stones of Sivis that let a person in Sharn send a message to someone in Q’barra. Working as mediators, translators, and vessels for long-distance communication, the heirs of House Sivis have played an invaluable role in bringing people and nations together. They have maintained a reputation for absolute neutrality and confidentiality for nearly 3,000 years, a vital shield for a business that carries the messages of spies, criminals, and kings. Yet some wonder what secrets the house might have. Who was responsible for the death of King Jarot? Who destroyed the Glass Tower of Sharn? It’s possible that the answers lie hidden in the vaults of House Sivis.

House Sivis is divided into twelve families, including the Torralyns, Severins, Lyrrimans, Syrralans, Corralyns, and Santors. The gnomes of House Sivis love political intrigue, and although this penchant is rarely allowed to threaten the operations of the house, any heir might be drawn into the schemes of his or her family.

People often underestimate the value of a carefully chosen word, but not the gnomes of House Sivis. Language drives the wealth and power of this house, and Sivis has changed the shape of communication in the modern age. It is the arcane mark of a Sivis scribe that proves the worth of a Kundarak letter of credit, and the speaking stones of House Sivis that allow an Aundairian sage to contact his brother in Q’barra. Whether serving as translators, mediators, or conduits for long-distance communication, the heirs of House Sivis build bridges between people, nations, and cultures. House Sivis has long served as a stabilizing force among the dragonmarked houses, and has maintained its reputation for absolute neutrality for nearly three thousand years.

Symbol

The power of Sivis lies in words; thus, the a creature with a “deadly quill” seemed to be an appropriate choice.

History

The society of Zilargo has long revolved around houses: alliances of families wielding great social power. Sivis was an established house even before the Mark of Scribing appeared among its members. Though the mark originally manifested in only a few of the bloodlines within the house, it has since spread to all the Sivis families. The gnomes are a race touched by magic and driven by curiosity, and the bards and sages of Sivis worked quickly to unlock the mark’s full potential. Recognizing the risk of being ostracized for the power they held, the Sivis dragonmarked also sought to make themselves useful to Zil society, even as they distanced themselves from the politics of those they served. In this, they laid the foundation for what would become the standard for the dragonmarked houses: mercantile forces whose neutrality increased their commercial power.

Within a few centuries, House Sivis spread to other lands, where its heirs’ skills as translators and linguists proved invaluable to the young nations of Khorvaire. Many Sivis gnomes claim that their house was responsible for the refinement and spread of the Common tongue from the Old Common of the earliest Sarlonan migrants.

As House Sivis spread beyond Zilargo, it made contact with the leaders of the newly created dragonmarked houses, helping to establish the common traditions shared by the houses to this day. As time passed, Sivis would play a critical role in discovering new dragonmarked bloodlines and helping the younger houses establish a foothold in the world. Of all the houses, Sivis has historically had the most interest in the draconic Prophecy and the role of the dragonmarked houses within it. Ever since Alder d’Cannith’s assertion that twelve contemporary dragonmarks would one day be found in Eberron, the sages of Sivis searched for the missing marks.

Despite its influence, House Sivis has never sought to dominate the houses, instead working to be a friend and ally to all. Of course, the gnomes are a subtle people, and many dragonmarked wonder if the vaunted neutrality of House Sivis is not in fact a mask shrouding a far-reaching hidden agenda.

Though the sending ability of the Sivis heirs has always been treasured, the house’s greatest turning point was the development of the speaking stone (ECS 263) in 783 YK. Conceived by Tasker Torralyn d’Sivis and developed by the Twelve, the speaking stone allows Sivis heirs who carry the least mark of the house to transmit messages between stones. In 789 YK, the first Sivis message stations appeared in the capital cities of the Five Nations. Since that time, they have multiplied and spread across Khorvaire.

Today, the house continues as it always has, doing its part to stabilize a world torn apart by war. Though some are quick to write off the importance of a house of scribes, Sivis is an invaluable, integral part of modern civilization.

ECG

Zil society has long been dominated by influential clans, and the families within Clan Sivis were well established long before their mark appeared. To avoid the jealousy of rival clans, the Sivis gnomes made themselves as useful to their neighbors as possible, establishing the code of neutrality that they have upheld to this day. House Sivis has always been a sensible, impartial voice among the Twelve, and has often helped mediate disputes between the other dragon marked houses.

The greatest turning point in the history of the house came in 783 YK, when Tasker Torralyn d’Sivis invented the first speaking stones. Today, Sivis message stations are found in every major city in the Five Nations, carrying words swiftly across the continent.

The Last War: House Sivis prospered during the war, as generals and kings relied on it to transmit messages to officers in the field. House Sivis held fast to its neutral stance, and in those cases where messages were intercepted, it was never the fault of the house. This refusal to take sides resulted in record profits for the house, and Baron Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis has invested this gold in a new project— unlocking the secrets of the Draconic Prophecy

Members

House Sivis is one of the most insular of the dragonmarked houses, and it has been centuries since anyone outside a Sivis family was permitted to marry into it. Foundlings can rejoin the house, but Sivis has little interest in inducting strangers into its mysteries.

For nearly thirty centuries, your family has worked to maintain order. Communication is the cord that binds civilization together, and your ancestors have settled the disputes of kings and helped the dragonmarked houses find a place in the world. Few people realize the influence House Sivis has had on the shape of the modern age, just as few know how often a royal advisor holds more power than the king himself. Let Cannith and the others fight for fame and recognition. You know that the greatest work is done in silence.

Your upbringing has taught you to see life as an extended game. As an adventurer, you might be playing a long game, building influence only usable in years to come. On the other hand, you might simply enjoy the challenge of the moment, and the thrill of pitting your wits against the world as you unravel the most difficult puzzles. Your family has always found a way to cut through chaos and produce order, and you endeavor to do the same. Never reveal your full strength or your true goals. Always watch for ways to gain an advantage over your enemies.

Of course, not every member of your house follows these traditions. A number of excoriates in the annals of Sivis have taken joy in causing chaos and confusion, and this dark path might call to you more than you care to admit.

Advancement

Life within House Sivis is a constant struggle for rank and prestige. The house uses a system of titles and offices far more complicated than any other house. Some of these are tied to specific vocations, but others are simply honorifics passed from heir to heir. Within even the smallest message station, heirs compete for the position of Prime Stonekeeper, while hirelings might also fight for the title of Keeper of the Fifteenth Word.

Thankfully, this competition does not affect the operations of the house. It is a complex but highly civilized game—a form of entertainment, intended to keep an heir’s mind sharp. You face off against your fellows, but never to the extent of hurting them or threatening the stability of the house. Someone always wins, and someone always loses, but you can always set up the pieces for another game.

Though life as an adventurer removes you from the daily struggles of the workplace, any mission you undertake presents you with an opportunity to earn a new title or improve your standing in the house. At the same time, always be watchful for others seeking to steal your victories and claim your titles as their own. As an agent of House Sivis, your most prevalent enemies might well be other agents of House Sivis, especially those of different bloodlines. Such familial foes never act to threaten the interests of the house, but if they can do the job better than you, they will.

As an adventurer, you are in an excellent position to acquire information, whether the secrets of fallen empires or contemporary lore never seen by gnome eyes. There is nothing wrong with gold, but the greatest treasure of all is knowledge. As your adventures take you through the world, look for the wealth that others miss.

House Sivis does not seek to enforce its will on the world—at least not openly. As an agent of the house, gathering information is your most important duty. House Sivis seeks to maintain order among the dragonmarked houses. As such, you might be assigned to investigate the actions of another house or to resolve an ongoing conflict, either openly or through subtle action. The house always searches for ways to improve communication, including research into magic, psionics, and forgotten languages. While a Cannith expedition to Xen’drik covets lost schemas, you might tag along in search of an ancient tome on semantics.

House Sivis also has a great interest in the draconic Prophecy, particularly the dragonmarks that appear in the world at large. These symbols hold the key to the future, and if any mortals can unlock their significance, the masters of the Mark of Scribing will be the ones to do so.

House Sivis in the World

House Sivis goes to great lengths to preserve its position as an impartial force in the world. As a result, adventurers are more likely to encounter the house when they need its services, not because they have been caught up in its schemes. At the same time, the gnomes are driven by a thirst for knowledge, a desire for order, and their own maze of internal intrigues—any of which could draw House Sivis into an adventure.

House Sivis was instrumental in standardizing the system of viceroys, ministers, and seneschals that forms the backbone of dragonmarked hierarchy. Beneath this, the house employs a dizzying array of titles and offices that are largely cosmetic in nature. When two viceroys meet, the Bearer of the Thirteenth Word has a slight social advantage over the Bearer of the Fourteenth Word, but both are still viceroys. Some of these honors can be granted or transferred by a viceroy, some require the intervention of the matriarch, and some are based entirely on social custom. For example, any heir who invents a new idiom is entitled to the honorific “Wordsmith.”

House Sivis is composed of twelve families, including the Torralyns, Severins, Lyrrimans, Syrralans, Corralyns, and Santors. Political games can be found at all levels of the house, and even a house matriarch can be replaced if a sufficient number of viceroys stand against her. The stability of the house takes precedence over personal ambition, though, and the current matriarch, Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis (N female gnome, bard 6/dragonmark heir 4), has held her post ably for some ninety years.

In addition to the Speakers Guild and the Notaries Guild, a number of other important agencies operate within the house. Oversight is the security arm of house Sivis, and defends the house’s reputation for absolute confidentiality and impartiality. Oversight protects Sivis from spies and scrying eyes, but also polices the house membership, swiftly punishing those who threaten the stability of the organization. In addition to its own highly skilled operatives, Oversight often works with operatives of Phiarlan and Thuranni, House Kundarak, and the Trust, creating the tightest web of secrecy that gold can buy. As with Zilargo and the Trust, Oversight is allowed a great deal of latitude in its methods: Gnomes who leak house secrets have a tendency to simply disappear.

The Hidden Word is a division of the Notaries Guild that develops codes and code-breaking techniques, in addition to its work concealing information by magical means. It did a brisk business during the Last War.

Tasker’s Dream is a think tank. Though Tasker Torralyn d’Sivis worked within the Twelve when he invented the speaking stone, Tasker’s Dream is a private arm of House Sivis dedicated to the development of new forms of magical and linguistic communication. Though House Sivis remains a vital member of the Twelve, its current inhouse projects include dragonshard focus items designed to enhance the sending ability of the greater Mark of Scribing, and exploration of the potential of telepathy.

NPC Reactions

The strict neutrality of House Sivis means that it has few enemies; as such, most people have an indifferent reaction toward Sivis gnomes. House Kundarak is a notable exception. Because of the close ties between the Sivis scribes and the Kundarak banking empire, the Kundarak dwarves typically have a friendly attitude toward Sivis heirs.

Holdings

The oldest Sivis enclave is located in the city of Korranberg in Zilargo, and this remains the heart of the house in the present day. The regional viceroys coordinate efforts from enclaves in the capital cities of every nation of Khorvaire, including Droaam and Darguun. Though Sivis enclaves are designed to facilitate interaction with people of all races, the inner heart of an enclave is constructed for Small humanoids. As such, members of larger races find it difficult to infiltrate a Sivis citadel. Secrecy is of paramount importance to members of the house, and Oversight uses abjuration magic to shield critical areas from prying (or scrying) eyes.

House Sivis in the Game

Sivis heirs are typically polite, well spoken, and fi rmly committed to the neutrality of their house. Even when he has an agenda, a Sivis heir is more likely to direct actions subtly—making suggestions but allowing others to take the credit and glory when they act upon those suggestions. Though the house is unlikely to ever be front and center in an adventure, Sivis NPCs might be revealed as the instigators of that adventure when all is said and done.

Sivis PCs can forge ties to the house in many ways. Tasker’s Dream could serve as a patron for a party that contains an arcanist or psionic Sivis heir. Alternatively, the PCs might stumble into coded information not meant for them, then find themselves deputized by the Hidden Word agents pursuing it.

Mnemonic Training

House Sivis promises absolute secrecy to its clients, pledging that even torture cannot force its speakers to divulge any details of the messages they send. This intense mnemonic training is accessed through the Autohypnosis skill from Expanded Psionics Handbook. Just as Autohypnosis can be used to memorize text or phrases, it can be used to forget them. Each successful DC 15 Autohypnosis check allows a character to expunge a message he has read or heard (up to 800 words) from his memory. Multiple checks allow a character to forget longer conversations or documents. House Sivis experts take Autohypnosis as a class skill, while members of other classes can acquire a few ranks cross-class. After sending a message, a Sivis speaker simply drives it from his mind.

If you do not use Expanded Psionics Handbook in your game, characters can accomplish this task using the Concentration skill, but with +2 to all DCs.

Guilds

House Sivis controls both the Speakers Guild and the Notaries Guild. The guilds’ bookish reputations (and the insular nature of the house as a whole) means that many of those outside the other dragonmarked houses have little sense of where one begins and the other ends.