Riedra

Every city has at least one huge monolith. A monolith is a holy site for the Path of Inspiration, a center of power for the Inspired, and an energy conduit for powering psionic conveniences.

Riedrans enjoy conveniences powered by psionics through towering monoliths of crystal and metal that cover the land. Many of these benefits resemble the everyday magic of Khorvaire. The monoliths also broadcast telepathic messages, providing news, encouragement, and instruction to the populace. 

The monoliths seem to be focal points for the psionic powers of the Inspired and the Chosen. A Chosen is one who can be a vessel for an enlightened soul, becoming one of the Inspired when such a soul enters his or her body.

The monoliths also allow the Inspired to control emotions, influence thoughts, and shape dreams.

The massive monoliths of Riedra serve many purposes. They draw on the emotions of the nearby populace and transform these thoughts into psychic energy, which is used to power many systems in nearby communities. More important, they allow the quori to shape the dreams of masses of humans, and in so doing, to prevent change in Dal Quor. Most important, the hanbalani are slowly bringing Dal Quor into alignment with Eberron, repairing the damage inflicted by the giants ages ago. Already, the quori are able to possess willing humans. As more monoliths are built, quori might be able to possess other willing creatures, and manifest zones tied to Dal Quor could appear across the world. Eventually, the quori should be able to physically manifest on Eberron.

Along with the functions detailed in the Monolith Features section below, these are the known functions of the hanbalani, but they could just be the beginning. The monoliths might be physically transforming Eberron into a replica of Dal Quor or granting quori the ability to regenerate power points in every round. Certainly, if the quori build eldritch machines (ECS 273), they would draw power from the monoliths.

Getting the PCs Involved: The Arcane Congress and the Twelve know of the hanbalani, but they have little idea what these massive structures do. Explorers might be sent to study a monolith, to try determine what its purpose is. Once this information is known, PCs might find that shutting down a monolith is a vital step in any sort of plan involving a Riedran city. Alternatively, PCs could join a group of Akiak or kalashtar commandos on a mission to destroy as many hanbalani as possible.

Shell Monoliths vary in size and shape, but they are usually egglike, approximately 300 feet tall and 100 feet wide. When hanbalani are in close proximity to one another, such as within a major bastion, they tend to be smaller. They are constructed of psionically reinforced steel and crytseel. A monolith shell has apertures at the base, and these doorways are up to 15 feet wide.

The "floor" of a monolith is open to the terrain on which it's built. Inside, a monolith is cavernous. It has no features aside from the interior wall, the core, and a small aperture at the top that leads to the controls. The shape and reflective interior of a monolith, as well as the design, the crystal core, and the control crystals, link each hanbalan to Dal Quor. Beings on Dal Quor can contact a particular monolith from a specific corresponding area in a quori city on Dal Quor. Doing so works the same as accessing a monolith from the control crystals on Eberron.

Monolith shells are designed to contain the blast of a detonating core. The shell's two inner and outer layers have 3 feet of space between them. Each layer is nearly 2 feet thick, with hardness 20 and 1,440 hit points per 10- foot-square section.

Core

A 10-foot-diameter pillar of pure crystal, the core of an active monolith is warm to the touch. Its greenish light illuminates the entire interior of the shell and creates shadowy illumination within 300 feet of the apertures. A monolith core acts as a giant cognizance crystal, storing up to 17 power points that can used by any psionic creature touching it. If expended, the power points replenish at the rate of 1 per hour. This reserve is accessible from Dal Quor, so a monolith usually has 2d8 + 1 power points at any given time.

Many monoliths enhance psionics used within 600 feet of them. Some are even more powerful, and can increase the area of their effect up to many miles. Psionic creatures within this area can manifest powers as if they have the Empower Power feat by paying that feat's normal costs. As detailed in the Everyday Psionics sidebar (page 48), a specific monolith is often tied to powering other functions used to maintain order and provide comfort in Riedra. In this cases, the power points and empowering effect are in use or suppressed, respectively, unless the core's function is changed (see Controls).

The core has hardness 10 and 600 hit points. If a monolith's core is broken or shut down, the monolith and all its subsidiary utilities cease functioning. When a core is improperly tampered with, it can explode. It might also explode (50% chance, takes 2d6 rounds) if it takes half its hit points in damage. This explosion deals 20d6 points of damage to all creatures inside the shell (Reflex DC 25 half).

A core explosion might harm creatures standing outside the shell within 60 feet of an aperture. Such creatures gain a +4 bonus on their saves, taking no damage on a successful save and half damage on a failed one. Creatures outside the shell but not near an aperture are unharmed. Shutting down or destroying a monolith core immediately alerts any quori tapped into the monolith from Dal Quor. If no planned encounters center on such an occurrence, assume a cumulative 1% chance per minute of a quori noticing the problem. Then presume the authorities are notified within d% minutes (or 2d10 minutes in a settled area).

Controls

At the top of a monolith's interior, a cluster of small crystals and Siberys dragonshards pulse and glow with multiple colors, regulating the power of the monolith core. Here, the monolith's functions can be altered and accessed.

A creature that has the Psicraft skill can attempt to manipulate a monolith's functioning. By touching the control crystals and making a successful DC 25 Psicraft check representing 1 minute of effort, the creature bonds with the monolith's control crystals. Failing the check causes the monolith to store the user's identity and description (mental picture), giving that information to any Inspired or quori who contact the monolith within the next 2d4 hours. Once a bond with the control crystals has been established, additional Psicraft checks can alter the monolith's function—see the Monolith Control table.

Increasing the DC by 5 allows a controller to make the check in half the time (a standard action, 5 rounds, or 15 minutes). Adding 10 to the DC allows most checks to be made in a quarter of the time (a swift action, 2 rounds, or 7-1/2 minutes) Failure by 10 or more on any Psicraft check means that contact with the controls has been disrupted and must be reestablished. A roll of 1 on a Psicraft check to control the monolith sends the monolith into a psionic feedback loop, negating all further attempts at control and causing the monolith's core to explode in 2d6 rounds.

In any case, a monolith's secondary functions require power. Powering utilities with a monolith requires it to be at full power (17 power points). While a monolith is performing a secondary function, its power can't be redirected or siphoned, so a saboteur must disconnect a monolith to siphon off its power points. Then the monolith can't be reconnected to the utility until it has regained 17 power points.

Special Situations

Here are a couple of special situations involving monoliths.

Creatures: Because the core of a monolith radiates light and heat, as well as psionic power, a monolith built in a remote location attracts psionic creatures from miles around. Tribes that travel on foot in Syrkarn and the Tashana Tundra sometimes use monoliths as shelter. Normal creatures living within a mile of a monolith can have phrenic or psionically gifted offspring, but such an occurrence is extremely unusual and more so if the monolith is used to power a subsidiary function. If a remote monolith ceases working, Inspired agents come and wipe out any creatures in the vicinity, so inhabitants are likely to oppose intruders looking to harm a wilderness monolith.

As indicated on the Monolith Control table, a character can use the controls to lure psionic creatures to a monolith. This call has a range of 1 mile, but it is not a compulsion and requires no save—creatures that have Intelligence of 2 or lower usually respond, but cleverer creatures can choose not to. This tool is often useful to the Inspired or quori. If the call is not expected or planned, they send troops to investigate.

Under Construction: If a monolith is still under construction, it has as many as three hundred workers living in and around it, plus a squad of twenty Riedran soldiers (fighter 1) led by a sergeant (fighter 3). After a monolith is activated, the soldiers and a trained engineer (expert 5) remain stationed there for 2d6 days.

The interior of an uncompleted monolith is filled with wooden scaffolding that rises up to 400 feet off the ground. Workers use this scaffolding to hoist sections of the shell into position during the building process. Ascending the scaffolding requires successful DC 5 Climb checks, while running or charging on an elevated platform requires a successful DC 10 Balance check. In both cases, failure by 5 or more indicates a fall.

Sarlona was once ruled by militaristic city-states that became a dozen nations, only to shatter again and again—a period known as the Sundering. Then the Inspired appeared, uniting or conquering these warring states. They established the nation of Riedra and launched a thousand-year period of peace and isolation known as the Age of Unity.

Riedrans have few freedoms, living according to the will of the Inspired. This will dictates all aspects of Riedran life, including education, livelihood, and marriage. Those Riedrans who violate the social order often disappear . . . forever.

While creating Riedra, the Inspired stamped out all opposing belief systems and magical traditions, and they subjugated or destroyed nonhumans. They consolidated the population into huge cities, abandoning inhospitable lands. Those who wouldn’t submit were forced into the most desolate parts of Sarlona. Others fled to Adar or Khorvaire.

The Path of Inspiration is the prescribed faith of the Riedran people. Riedrans show no interest in other creeds, and proponents of other religions are not welcome in Riedra. The Inspired teach that spiritual enlightenment can be gained over the course of multiple lifetimes. The enormous monoliths of Riedra are revered as centers of spiritual power.

Riedrans believe that enlightened souls guide the Inspired. All other gods and spirits are thought to be misguided or evil, and Riedrans fear their influence. Nonhumans have souls that haven’t advanced far enough on the Path of Inspiration, but such creatures can still progress by serving the Inspired. Loyal service can mean reincarnation as a human for a nonhuman, or as one of the Chosen for a human.

Only one religion is tolerated in Riedra—the Path of Inspiration. Its practice is mandatory. Omnipresent yet subtle, the Path is easily overlooked. For a Riedran, work is worship, and life itself is an act of devotion. According to the Path of Inspiration, dedicated and hard-working souls ascend a ladder of spiritual evolution over the course of many lifetimes, traveling from beast, to nonhuman, to human, to changeling, to Chosen, to the il-altas—the "great spirits" that cannot be perceived in this world, but that continue to guide lesser beings by acting through the Inspired. A follower of the Path should embrace the life he is given and learn the lessons he is meant to learn from it, resisting the temptation to rise above his station or change his lot in life.

For the Inspired, this system accomplishes many ends. It encourages citizens not to question their roles in life—spiritual advancement is the goal, and only by following the path set forth by the il-altas (as announced by the Inspired) can such advancement be attained. It also allows the Inspired to fail without shattering their status in the eyes of the people. The Inspired are mortal vessels of godlike beings, not actual gods, and any defeats or setbacks are the fault of the vessel. Finally, it contains just enough truth to weaken any attempts to expose the true nature of the quori. The Riedrans know that their rulers are possessed by outsiders, and using banishment to drive out the possessing spirit proves nothing aside from the fact that the exorcist is a foul being to challenge the noble il-altas. Since most Riedrans fear or at least distrust magic, they are unlikely to accept the evidence provided by detect evil or similar spells.

Riedrans are warned to beware of the altavars, spirits that have fallen off the Path of Inspiration. These beings suffer eternal torment and assuage their pain by corrupting and torturing others. The precepts of the Path teach that the "gods" worshiped by other cultures are in fact altavars, and that these dark spirits are also the source of arcane magic. As a result, Riedrans are taught to fear and despise arcanists and priests of other religions.

No temples have been erected to the Path of Inspiration; the holiest sites are the palaces of the Inspired and the hanbalani. On days of celebration, people often gather around the nearest monolith to join their thoughts (in the process, unwittingly channeling more of their spiritual energy to Dal Quor). Priests of the Path of Inspiration are usually experts, charged with maintaining discipline and morale among the people of their communities. Only the most loyal priests are entrusted with divine magic. Inspired can't actually grant spells, but they can certainly eliminate clerics whose devotion to the state is in question. As a result, true Riedran clerics and adepts are usually trusted envoys of the Inspired, often working with the military or the Thousand Eyes.

Source: Eberron Campaign Guide

Bastion Cities

Massive metropolises called bastion cities make up the majority of the settlements in Riedra. With the population collected under the watchful eyes of the Inspired, these cities are major military and industrial centers, and each has a staggering population compared to their Khorvairian counterparts. Small satellite settlements supply each city’s basic needs.

Bastion cities have concentric wards divided into districts based on industry. Each district has central facilities for its industry, housing for its workers, and an assembly hall near the district’s monolith. Many Riedrans never leave their district

Bastion cities look as if they were blown from colored glass rather than built. Complex patterns within their walls and buildings glow with inner light.

Every bastion city has a psionic teleportation circle for the Inspired to use.

Fortresses

Military forces are located in every bastion city, but the Inspired also maintain military outposts on every Riedran frontier and near every important resource. Numerous citadels exist along the Adaran border, housing vast numbers of troops that constantly patrol the Riedran periphery. Psionic teleportation circles link many of these keeps to bastion cities, making the movement of personnel and supplies easier.

Source: Secrets of Sarlona

The networks of Riedran bastions and villages are intentionally uniform in design. Over the course of a thousand years, the Harmonious Shield has eliminated most dangerous monsters and other threats from the areas around Riedran villages. Life in a village is stable, secure, and quite similar to life in any other Riedran village a hundred miles away. 

Bastion Cities

The central territories of Riedra are dominated by the massive bastion cities, which serve both as military garrisons and industrial centers. Riedran communities can be identified by prefix. Nearly all bastions use one of three prefixes: Dul (an inland metropolis), Tol (inland city), or Dar (a port, regardless of size).

Bastion cities are built using spherical wards. A Tol might be contained in a single sphere, while Dul and Dar bastions are typically composed of multiple linked wards. These wards are divided into districts based on industry. Each district includes a major workhouse or factory, along with dormitories for the workers and a central assembly hall similar to what would be found in a village. Many Riedran workers never leave their districts; food, shelter, and work can all be found in this one region, and people spend most of their spare time in their assembly halls or meditating in dormitories.

In bastions, child-rearing is considered an industry. Children are raised communally in districts dedicated to this purpose, and are rarely seen in other districts.

The primary military garrison is located at the center of a district, so most of the troops are equidistant from any disaster. Smaller outposts are placed along the outer walls. A bastion with a population of 100,000 or more will usually have a permanent psionic teleportation circle at the disposal of the Inspired, but smaller communities might lack this valuable resource.

Riedran Fortresses

Bastions defend the inner regions of Riedra, but the Inspired also maintain purely military outposts on the frontiers. Riedran forts can also be found in Syrkarn along the Adaran border, and two fortresses have been built in the Tashana Tundra, to secure the Inspired's claim on deep crystal mines and other resources.

A tam is a fortress. Its size and population varies based on the dangers of the region, ranging from 200 people for a small fort to 800 troops in a typical Adaran garrison.

Kintams are military citadels, and all military activities in a specific region are coordinated from a central kintam. Psionic teleportation circles allow supplies and troops to be brought directly into a kintam from the heart of Riedra; these can then be distributed to the tarns in the region using traditional caravans. A kintam can hold up to 2,500 people, although typically only 1,200 to 1,800 are present unless there is ongoing military action. Kintams are designed to serve as training facilities, and during peacetime young soldiers undergo continuous training and indoctrination.

Source: Chronicles of Eberron

Riedran communities typically consist of small villages that serve a specific function (typically agriculture or mining), which are spread out around a central massive city, known as a bastion. The bastion serves as a military garrison and houses the Inspired who govern the region. Crucially, every bastion has a teleportation circle, typically connected to Durat Tal. So if you’re on official business for the Inspired and need to travel quickly, you travel to the nearest bastion, use the circles to reach the bastion closest to your destination, and then go from there.

In describing the city of Dar Jin, Secrets of Sarlona says that the people “go about their business silently, speaking only when it is absolutely necessary.” With this in mind, it’s reasonable to ask what life is like in the cities of Riedra. Is it like being in a city of zombies? Why does Riedra even have cities?

About Bastions

Bastions serve as military strongholds, transportation hubs, and centers of industry. Most villages gather raw materials, while the bastions contain the factories that produce goods.

Factories

Riedra has factories, though the nation lacks the wide magic of Khorvaire, so its factories are more primitive than their Cannith counterparts in Khorvaire. In Riedra, factory work is done by hand, without the aid of constructs or arcane tools. But you don’t have a lot of individual blacksmiths running their own businesses; instead, the bastion has a massive foundry, with a hundred smiths all working together. Assembly lines are common, with each individual focused on a single task. And while you don’t see the magecraft or arcane tools of Cannith, there are psionic tools at play. Riedran factories employ background telepathic projection. In some cases, this is simply a tool that helps the workers clear their minds and focus on a task. In others, the projection actually guides the hands of the worker, operating as a constant form of magecraft.

Riedra’s most unusual factories are the sentira production facilities. Sentira is a form of solidified ectoplasm formed from intense emotion. Where tools of crysteel and steel can be created by mundane workers, sentira can only be worked by shaper psions, using a powerful psionic form of the fabricate spell. The role of the common worker in a sentira factory isn’t to produce the finished goods, but rather to feel; the Inspired need concentrated emotion to create raw sentira. Different emotions create different forms of sentira, and factories that focus on hatred or sorrow are usually also prisons; the Inspired have no desire to force loyal citizens to feel miserable, but this is a perfect use for dissidents. So if a group of adventurers is looking for a force of possible allies, they should find a sentira factory with an unpleasant aura. 

Can Sentira Be Faked?

The Adaran kalashtar also work with sentira, so you can find sentira items in Adar. However, they don’t have the facilities or resources to produce it in the same quantities as the Inspired. Notably, pela—the horned headdresses kalashtar are often shown wearing—are usually sculpted from sentira, but you won’t find entire buildings made of sentira in Adar.

One interesting question is whether the emotions used to generate sentira can be artificially induced. Can you create love with a charm effect, or generate fear with psychic power? The simple answer is yes, but it’s more interesting if you decide that the answer is no—that the emotion has to be sustained and natural. This makes a factory that deals in fear more horrifying, because they can’t simply cast a psionic fear spell; they have to truly make people terrified for an extended period of time. And this would also lean toward certain emotions being much harder to produce in a factory setting. It could be that love sentira is rarely made in Riedra—but it can be found in Adar (where it’s often crafted by hand), whereas Adarans are rarely found using fear or hate sentira.

Administration

In addition to being centers of industry, military fortresses, and transport hubs, the bastion cities are administrative centers. Chosen and Inspired monitor events in the bastion, tracking production, transport of supplies, dissident activities, and other critical information. While paper is used to some degree, information is primarily stored in crystal form, using a system similar to spellshards. Administrative centers have large crystal repositories that are managed by psychic figments tied to Dal Quor by the Inspired. These simple personalities (not unlike third edition’s psicrystals or the spirits associated with the Archivist artificer from Unearthed Arcana) assist and manage data access, as well as performing other minor administrative functions. Each center has a figment capable of moving between Dal Quor and Riedra, and all records are also stored in a central repository in Dal Quor; if an Inspired in Dar Jin needs to know about troop requisitions in Dar Ulatesh, the figment clerk can quickly retrieve that information from Dal Quor

Life in a Riedran City

Dar Jin is larger than any city in Khorvaire. It is composed of five spherical wards, each a metropolis in its own right. Four of the wards are almost identical. The streets are paved with smooth black cobblestones, interspersed with squares of clear crysteel. When darkness falls, the crysteel blocks glow with a soft light. Workhouses, dormitories, and storehouses are made of blocks of black and white stone; crysteel panels serve as skylights during the day and glowing lanterns at night. Most buildings are curved or whorled; hard angles are few and far between. The city is beautiful in its way, but is extremely repetitive; every dormitory looks exactly the same.

—Secrets of Sarlona

Psionic Navigation

In Riedran cities, casual psionic projection is used to identify streets and buildings. At a glance, it seems like it could be impossible to find your way. But when you stop to think about it, you realize that you know where you are. It’s an alien memory nestled in your subconscious, but one you’re aware of; this casual projection makes it easy to find your way around. Likewise, the dormitories look exactly the same, but you know which one is Jhora Hall and which is Ula Hall.

Comfortable Silence

Secrets of Sarlona describes that Riedrans go about their business silently, speaking only when necessary. This doesn’t mean they act like zombies! Riedrans are taught to be focused on their tasks. They know exactly what they need to do, and they’re determined to do the best job they can; they don’t have time for small talk. But this doesn’t mean they’re emotionless robots. Riedrans may smile or nod to each other in passing. If someone drops what they are carrying, the people around them likely stop to help pick it up. They may not say anything while at work, because nothing needs to be said; it’s understood that “we're all working together, we're here to help you.” So while many things about Riedra are oppressive, the silence isn’t one of them; it occurs because most of the time, nothing needs to be said. Most Riedrans are comfortable with their lives, and they feel they share a common cause with the people around them. They aren’t shuffling, emotionless zombies; most are content, determined to work as hard as they can and to earn their advancement on the Path of Inspiration.

Purpose and Predictability

For a Riedran citizen, daily life is very predictable. You work with the same people in the same building following the same general schedule. You all dream the same dreams; you all receive the same messages from the Voice. Again, this doesn’t make Riedrans zombies, it just means that they have safe, reliable patterns. This is a primary reason that adventurers make most Riedrans uncomfortable: they are disrupting that pattern. Riedrans know what to expect from one another. They have no idea what to expect from a warforged, an elf, and a dragonmarked human—all the worse if these three appear to be armed and prepared for violence!

So what is life like in a bastion city? There are many people but little conversation. People aren’t standing around, shopping, or killing time. They act with a sense of careful purpose, quietly devoted to their work. They know where they’re going, they know what they have to do, and they’re always moving toward that goal.

Riedran cities aren’t designed for tourists or consumers. There are no shops or restaurants; Riedrans eat in their dormitories or garrisons. There are no theaters, no gambling. Now, they do have gardens of reflection and memorials that share memories of tragic events or grand triumphs. There are statues of the Inspired that radiate awe, plazas where priests of the Path of Inspiration inspire the crowds, spaces where soldiers drill or people engage in group exercise. But there aren’t luxuries, nothing that’s designed for pure leisure; everything serves a purpose.

Foreigners in the Jhodra

If adventurers from Khorvaire manage to visit Riedra, they’ll find that people keep their distance. Civilians largely ignore outsiders, avoiding eye contact; adventurers are seen as a curiosity at best and as threats at worst. Meanwhile, soldiers watch outsiders closely, clearly concerned that they may be up to something dangerous. If forced to interact, most Riedrans are polite to adventurers but seek to end the conversation as quickly as possible; of course, they have somewhere else they need to be.

It’s no surprise that in Dar Jin and Dar Ulatesh—the only two major ports where foreigners are welcome— they have foreign quarters that cater to the needs of outsiders. The Jhodra is the foreign quarter of Dar Jin, Riedra’s greatest port. It has dragonmarked enclaves and embassies of several nations of Khorvaire. There are theaters, shops, and taverns, most of which are actually run by the dragonmarked houses, not Riedrans. So the good news is that after your long journey across the sea to the empire of the mysterious Inspired, you can still get a bowl of tribex stew at the Gold Dragon Inn (Disclaimer: the tribex stew served at the Jhodra Gold Dragon Inn is not actual tribex, but rather a pomow-plant-based meat substitute being tested by House Ghallanda).

Most Riedrans are forbidden from entering the Jhodra. Those who work in the foreign quarter are trained and prepared to deal with foreigners, and thus don’t display the discomfort seen elsewhere. There are many guides, always watching for travelers who seem lost or confused, always ready to provide assistance; there are even some who are only guides, as opposed to also being agents of the Thousand Eyes!

So in imagining a scene in the Jhodra, keep that cosmopolitan population in mind. Walking through the Jhodra, you’ll have that odd sensation of knowing where you are—of remembering the name of the street even though you’ve never read it. Most Riedrans are going about their business: sailors headed for the docks, envoys headed to an embassy, all moving quietly and with purpose. Dragonmarked heirs share jokes with embassy staffers. An expat grabs you—“Did you just get off the Sharn boat? You don’t have any of Mazo’s shaat’aar, do you?”—and perhaps they have a story to share, or a risky opportunity for a few capable people. You see a statue of the Inspired, and you can’t help but be impressed … but is that your actual feeling, or just a projection of the statue? And perhaps— though it’s unlikely—one of those silent, hardworking Riedran gives you a look or makes an odd gesture. What are they trying to convey? Do they want to find a way to speak to you alone? Is something going on? Or is it an agent of the Thousand Eyes, testing you to see if you're searching for dissidents?

Crime is almost unheard of in Riedran communities—in part because most people have little to steal. There are criminals in the Jhodra, but they’re mostly from Khorvaire and focus their attentions on fellow travelers. However, the Jhodra is well defended, both by soldiers of the Harmonious Shield and the imposing oni of the Horned Guard. The Jhodra also has an unusual number of Inspired, who help monitor the area and support the soldiers if needed. For example, in other cities, the priest in a garden of reflection is usually an unoccupied Chosen or even a mundane human—but in the Jhodra, such a priest is likely a hashalaq Inspired with significant powers of coercion and empathy.

Some Riedrans suspect the truth of the Inspired and rebel against them. Others find the lure of ancient magic, lost religions, and bygone traditions too strong to resist. Desire for power, wealth, or other worldly pleasures draws others away from the Path of Inspiration.

Many dissidents are villains, such as the Dream Merchants, who ply the narcotic dream lily across the world. The Path of Inspiration teaches that those who stray from it are damned, so numerous dissidents believe that morality no longer matters. Meddling with forgotten magic corrupts others, and some “rebellious” groups are, in reality, fronts for Inspired plots.

As a player of a Riedran character, especially a human, you have some special considerations. Common people in Riedra don't just break out of their appointed roles and go adventuring. Most are conditioned to be content with their lot, and few welcome much less seek change.

You have many options available to you, however. Your character might be a loyal Riedran chosen to study other cultures and serve as a goodwill ambassador—a trying task that must be performed among backward or corrupt barbarians who are ignorant of the Path of Inspiration. A tiny minority rebels against the restrictive philosophy of the Path; such persons must flee Riedra or die. Perhaps your character is one of the few Riedrans involved with an underground group, raised with the knowledge that all is not necessarily well in the homeland. Maybe your character recently awakened to the reality of Riedra and is now on the run. Another possibility is that the character is some sort of criminal, rightly or wrongly accused, looking for a route to freedom. In this latter case, what you did doesn't have to be evil. Many reasonable actions or unchangeable conditions are crimes in Riedra, or they are at least situations that cause people to disappear. One of the most common is being born with psionic or magic talents.

http://keith-baker.com/dm-riedra5e/

http://keith-baker.com/dm-provinces/ 

http://keith-baker.com/dm-riedra-cities/ 

First Contact

When the Inspired rose to power in Riedra, they cut off all contact between Sarlona and Khorvaire. For a thousand years Riedra has been hidden from the outside world. To this day, most civilized regions are shielded from divination. An adventurer who researches the matter will find that a surprising number of wizards and inquisitives who sought to pierce the mysteries of Riedra have gone mad -- typically driven to distraction by terrible nightmares. Ships that sought harbor at Riedra were turned away. Explorers who sought to pierce the veil of secrecy never returned. The Riedrans took no aggressive action, but they wanted no part of the outside world.

Centuries later, ships of House Lyrandar and the Galifar navy encountered Riedran vessels in the Thunder Sea and the Barren Sea. The Riedrans established settlements on Xen'drik long before the people of Khorvaire, and the pirates who built the foundations of Stormreach preyed on Riedran shipping. Through Stormreach, they established the first basis of trade, dealing in spices, alchemical solutions, fine textiles, and other exotic goods. Foreigners could not set foot in Riedra, and the Inspired did not send ambassadors to the court of Galifar. But a few small Riedran communities appeared in the major port cities of Galifar, managing the shipping trade for their homeland.

It took the Last War and the fall of Galifar to bring the Inspired to Khorvaire. When the war had passed its first decade, delegations of Inspired appeared in the courts of the newly independent Five Nations. Beautiful and charming, these strangers offered their aid to the war-torn kingdoms. The medicines supplied (for a fair price, of course) by Riedra helped to ease the strain on House Jorasco. The Inspired often served as neutral mediators, impressing kings and queens with their wisdom and charisma. Foodstuffs from Riedra helped limit the impact of Karrnath's famine. Slowly but surely, the Inspired and their servants spread across Khorvaire.

Riedrans in the Modern World

Today, Inspired ambassadors live in every metropolis and in many of the large cities of Khorvaire. Most ports have small Riedran communities. Cityfolk see Riedrans on the streets and the docks, dressed in the simple clothing of their homeland and speaking in the Riedran tongue. As a rule the Riedrans are quiet and insular, keeping to themselves and abstaining from most vices. Riedran goods are becoming more common on the streets. Virin is a beverage made from Sarlonan roots that eases fatigue. Jorasco houses often make use of Riedran healing herbs. And on the more sordid side of things, the sale of dreamlily -- an addictive narcotic originally brought over for medicinal purposes -- has become a major industry in the underworld of Khorvaire.

In the upper echelons of society, the Riedrans have been gaining influence. The Inspired have access to vast mineral and agricultural resources, along with the prosperity that comes from a thousand years of order. The Riedrans have been providing generous material aid to all of the Five Nations, helping repair the terrible damages of the Last War. This also allows the rulers of the nations to maintain their pride: It's easier for Kaius to get grain from the Inspired than to have to beg Aundair for assistance. King Sebastes of Q'barra is currently receiving military support from Riedra; the Inspired have established garrisons in the region around Newthrone to help defend the settlers from lizardfolk attacks. Other leaders may be considering this; if war looms anew, Aundair could seek Riedran aid to defend itself from the larger armies of Thrane or Karrnath -- a desperate move, perhaps, but Aurala may be swayed by dreams of the power such an alliance might bring!

Kings and queens are not the only people who deal with the Inspired. While the Riedran community tends to stay out of sight, Inspired ambassadors and their staff are active in their communities; exotic and clever, these beautiful strangers fascinate the upper crust of Khorvaire. In the city of Sharn, Ambassador Jorasesh often gives impromptu lectures at Morgrave University; both Jorasesh and his aide Helkashtai attend all of the major galas and social events of the city. The Inspired are seen as impartial outsiders, but also respected for their apparent wisdom and empathy, and they often provide advice or serve as mediators in local disputes.

Riedra and Adar

Most citizens of Khorvaire know even less about Adar than they do about Riedra. Adar is only loosely a country, and it does not maintain embassies. Adaran communities exist in many of the major cities of Khorvaire, but the typical Brelish commoner can't tell a Riedran from an Adaran -- or potentially, an Adaran from a citizen of Thrane. The people of Khorvaire first came from Sarlona, and with the many different environments found across the continent there is no uniform appearance for Riedrans. Accent, dress, and mannerisms are the keys to identification, and without Knowledge (geography) or experience with the culture, a normal citizen of Khorvaire can't tell the difference between the people of the two nations.

This is exacerbated by the fact that the Adarans are just as insular as the people of Riedra. It may seem strange that they aren't calling for aid against the Dreaming Dark in all the courts of the world, but they believe that the fight with Dal Quor is their personal battle; this is discussed in more detail in Races of Eberron.

If an Inspired ambassador is questioned about the ongoing siege of Adar, his answer is simple. The people of Adar are guerilla warriors who are fighting a war against Riedra. The Adarans have dangerous supernatural powers and have used them against Riedrans in the past. The "siege" is a defensive measure to ensure the stability of the nation. All of these things are perfectly true -- if severely slanted for the benefit of the Inspired -- so this will hold up against zone of truth or detect thoughts. The kalashtar are fighting the rulers of Riedra. If the kalashtar are successful in their goal, they will destroy the Inspired and thus the system of government of Riedra. The Inspired are (in their words) seeking to maintain order and preserve the traditions of their nation.

And if a kalashtar PC does breaks ranks and trumpet the existence of the Dreaming Dark to the world . . . who's going to believe him? The Riedrans are strange, but they have never taken any sort of aggressive action against Khorvaire. On the contrary, they're helping rebuild the shattered nation. They're friendly, charming, and generous. Why should a king take the word of some strange peasant mystic over that of a close political ally?

Of course, some people may be wiser than this. Initially, that's the role of the PCs -- to be willing to consider the possible threat, to act where a king might not. And if a PC becomes a legendary hero, perhaps the rulers of the land will take her words more seriously. That's what adventuring is all about!

The Dreaming Dark

The average Riedran has never even heard of the Dreaming Dark and knows nothing of Dal Quor. Riedrans believe that their leaders are vessels for the enlightened spirits of the past -- that there is a cycle of life and reincarnation, and that the greatest and most noble spirits transcend the flesh and guide the Inspired.

For that matter, the Inspired -- that is to say, the leaders of Riedra and those who hold official posts, such as ambassadors -- generally have no direct ties to the Dreaming Dark. Their administrative duties are enough to keep them busy and serve the interests of Dal Quor in their own way. An agent of the Dreaming Dark can demand help from an Inspired embassy, but more likely than not will do this telepathically or in Dal Quor. So the embassy itself cannot be directly linked to local Dreaming Dark activities, and the ambassador can't reveal anything if probed.

This level of subtlety does make the Dreaming Dark one of the more difficult villains to use. The Dreaming Dark use mind seeds and possessed humans. Their agents may be followers of the Emerald Claw or the Cults of the Dragon Below, who don't realize the true nature of their masters. The party could foil a dozen schemes before they find out that all twelve were part of a grand scheme organized by the Dreaming Dark. And even when the PCs have the big showdown with the Inspired mastermind and bring him down in a blaze of psionic power, that doesn't implicate Riedra as a whole, any more than fighting a human would implicate Khorvaire. It tells people that there are evil Inspired; but the ambassador can go under a zone of truth and say that the villain had no ties to his government and that he knew nothing of his plan. Compartmentalization is key!

While most Riedrans know nothing of the Dreaming Dark, Riedran agents who serve the darkness do exist. Just as the Inspired ambassadors keep their distance from the cabal, these human agents have no connection to the Riedran government or embassy. While these agents do not have the full powers of the Inspired, they can serve as willing hosts for quori possession (see page 296 of the Eberron Campaign Setting). Seeing as how they are human, this power can come as a surprise to unwary adventurers!

Riedrans in the World

Anyone traveling through the docks of a large city could stumble across a Riedran community. Characters may end up dealing with Riedran merchants, or run afoul of a Riedran community militia seeking to defend their community from the criminals of Khorvaire. PCs may run into an Inspired ambassador giving a speech or a mediating a dispute. And if the heroes perform a particularly impressive task, they may be invited to a gala in their honor at a Riedran embassy!

Describing all the cultural differences between the people of Khorvaire and those of Riedra is a subject for a sourcebook. But here are a few points with which you can play:

• Riedrans speak their own language and must acquire Common as a bonus language or by spending skill points. Merchants must learn Common to perform their work, but a Karrn who walks into a Riedran watering hole may find that no one speaks his language.
  
  
• Work is everything to the typical Riedran. This is both a point of personal pride and a form of religious duty. Riedrans have little time for leisure pursuits or interest in such things. What little time they take from work is typically devoted to religion: group meditation, ritual storytelling, or community service. 
  
  
• Work is everything to the typical Riedran. This is both a point of personal pride and a form of religious duty. Riedrans have little time for leisure pursuits or interest in such things. What little time they take from work is typically devoted to religion: group meditation, ritual storytelling, or community service. Vice is hard to find. Riedrans are strictly monogamous. They avoid the recreational use of alcohol, dreamlily, or similar substances. They do not gamble, though they do play a game called Path -- a strategy game using round stones, which can be played on any flat surface.
  
  
• Riedran priests are rarely spellcasters, though a few are telepaths or seers. The role of the priest is to provide spiritual guidance, to remove doubt, and to aid and inspire the people. If outsiders are causing trouble in the community, it falls to the priest to gather the people and confront the problem.
  
  
• Honesty and community are critical values. Riedrans will always band together to help one another, and anyone starting a brawl in a Riedran community should be prepared to take on everyone on the street. And aside from agents of the Dreaming Dark, Riedrans are scrupulously honest.
  
  
• An average Riedran dresses in black, white, or brown clothing. While basic designs are simple, Riedrans often use embroidery as a form of meditation, weaving complex designs along the hems of clothing. The colors blue and red are reserved for the Inspired, and the robes of Inspired lords are covered with labyrinthine patterns of color.
  
  
• Riedran cuisine uses simple base materials, but flavor is enhanced by combinations of spices. Gluttony is frowned upon, but there is nothing wrong with enjoying good food after a long day's work. Riedrans typically drink fruit juice or hot spiced water.
  
  
• Finally, Riedran body language is somewhat different from that of Khorvaire. Riedrans are raised not to fidget, and they stand perfectly still when talking. It is considered a token of respect to meet the gaze of someone you are speaking to. Riedrans will never verbally interrupt a speaker, but they indicate intent with gaze -- looking down if they have a comment to make, or looking to the side if they disagree with the speaker or are not interested in what he has to say. The degree of motion is as expressive as tone of voice. Thus, Riedrans often maintain an outward appearance of calm -- while in fact, a sharp turn of the head can be the same as a yell.

These are just a few examples of Riedran customs, which further vary by province and individual; but hopefully, this provides you with something with which to work.

Riedrans are neither monsters nor slaves. Riedra is a foreign culture, and the mannerisms of a Riedran may seem strange to most inhabitants of the Five Nations. But the Riedrans and their Inspired lords are not feared in the Five Nations; if anything, they are being welcomed by a continent in need of assistance, and people find the beauty and exotic nature of the Inspired to be intriguing.

Playing a Riedran

Riedra is an unusual choice for a region of origin. Most Riedrans consider their homeland to be a paradise, a peaceful realm free of crime and doubt. The people of Khorvaire are misguided and chaotic, prone to violence and undisciplined behavior. Some must come to Khorvaire to serve the needs of the Inspired, conducting trade and doing what needs to be done, but this is a dreaded fate. So why would a Riedran join a party of barbarians and live the unpredictable life of an adventurer? Consider the following ideas.

The Rebellious Exile. The Inspired have woven a masterful weapon of propaganda and manipulation. But there will always be those who discover secrets they weren't meant to know, a few who believe the kalashtar, or who otherwise come to despise the lords of Dal Quor. Are you a psion? Perhaps you were recruited to serve as a human agent of the Dreaming Dark, but turned against your new masters once you discovered their true nature. You can never convince your countrymen, and if you try, they will assume that you are possessed by a fiend and are trying to seduce them away from the path of righteousness. But if you were wrong about the Inspired, perhaps you're wrong about the people of Khorvaire. Perhaps nobility is hidden within them. And perhaps you can find allies in your fight -- a battle that will continue until your death.

The Spy. With the permission of your Dungeon Master, you could be a sleeper agent for the Dreaming Dark. You are human, but you have a patron -- a quori spirit who visits you in your dreams and gives you instructions. The Dreaming Dark is interested in the player characters; it has seen their potential. For now, you are simply to cement your bond with them and to build your skills. As time passes, you receive instructions -- some clear, some cryptic. Perhaps you can steer your group to serve the greater goals of the Dreaming Dark.

This option should be used with great care; if you are ordered to fight your companions, you might be forced to leave the group. Discuss things with your DM and make sure that you have the same vision of your future. One possibility is that you will learn more about the Dreaming Dark as you adventure -- and that you will become a rebel in time. The second possibility is that you will never be ordered to do anything that directly conflicts with the goals of the group. Depending on the plans of the DM, the Dreaming Dark could intend to wait for centuries before moving against Khorvaire: In the meantime, it has no love for the Lords of Dust, the Order of the Emerald Claw, the Cults of the Dragon Below, or any of the other forces that threaten the world. Thus, it could be that the enemy of an enemy can serve as a friend.

The Evangelist. Riedra is helping Khorvaire recover from the war. In addition to providing material aid (for a reasonable price), they have sent a number of agents of goodwill. In contrast to many of your countrymen, you are outgoing and willing to talk to strangers. You pity the people of Khorvaire, who lack the guidance of the Inspired. Search for ways to help the people around you. Inspire them with your actions. Help them defeat criminals and establish order -- all the while explaining how such problems would never arise in Riedra. Perhaps, with guidance and discipline, some of your companions will be reborn as Riedrans!

Whatever your path, when playing a Riedran keep the following things in mind.

• Khorvaire Is a Land of Savages. War. Organized crime. Fire-worshiping churches. Greedy dragonmarked houses, thirsty for gold. Whether you revere the Inspired or have turned against them, you'll still consider Khorvaire to be a land of chaos and misery.
  
  
• Nonhumans? Riedra is largely populated by humans. If you're from Riedra, you'll naturally view nonhumans as strange and untrustworthy -- especially shifty creatures like changelings or magical things like the warforged. Worst of all are the kalashtar. As a Riedran, you know that the kalashtar want to destroy the Inspired. The kalashtar are dangerous and deceptive creatures touched by demons. Don't trust anything a kalashtar says, and oppose them when you can.
  
  
• Magic Is Dangerous. Psionic abilities come from within, channeling the power of will and imagination. But arcane and divine magic are the result of trafficking with fiends and demons. Even if the spellcaster doesn't know what she's doing, she is placing her soul in jeopardy by channeling these forces. You can remain in a party with a wizard or cleric, but be sure to express your concern and to warn her to be cautious in the use of her powers.
  
  
• The Inspired Are the Repositories of Wisdom. Other people know nothing about the Inspired. Unless you're a rebel, you will not even listen to any attempt to malign your leaders. Your faith is absolute. The Inspired are guided by the brightest souls of the past. They brought your nation out of war and revealed the path to peace. They have made your world a paradise. The people of Khorvaire traffic with fiends on a regular basis; any such claims concerning your leaders are clearly deceptions.
  
  
• Follow the Path of Discipline and Virtue. In Riedra, all forms of vice are strictly discouraged. Such things are certain to harm your spiritual evolution, and what fool would sacrifice eternity for a few hours of physical pleasure or the empty pursuit of wealth? The greatest virtues in life are to assist others, to serve the Inspired, and to fulfill your role in society. Needless to say, if you're a spy for the Dreaming Dark, you'll have been taught to deceive (and likely be quite good at it). But the typical Riedran is honest and hard-working, placing duty and the needs of friends ahead of personal comfort.

Native Riedrans speak Riedran instead of Common; however, most Riedrans who come to Khorvaire learn the Common tongue, either as a bonus language or by spending skill points.

The borders of Riedra have been closed for a thousand years. However, the Inspired have recently softened this policy of isolation. The foreign quarters of Dar Jin and Dar Ulatesh were established to serve as centers for international commerce. A few scholarly expeditions have been allowed to venture into the heart of the land. With this precedent, it is possible for outsiders to travel into Riedra legally, but it's not easy.

In order to explore Riedra, a traveler must acquire a transit visa from the Iron Gate, the foreign relations office, in Dar Jin or Dar Ulatesh. This scroll provides a description of the travelers, states the nature of their business, and delineates any restrictions on travel. A bearer might be limited to traveling in specific provinces or spheres, and the visa usually has a set expiration date. The document is notarized with a sentira seal, a psionic sigil that carries the thought-signature of the Inspired. Every patrol challenges foreigners abroad in Riedra, and every village overseer asks to see their visas

The Iron Gate does not charge for transit visas, but it rarely grants them. Riedra isn't for tourists. Travelers must provide a valid reason for entry and show that they have no criminal tendencies or intent, as well as enough knowledge to avoid accidentally breaking Riedran laws. A successful DC 30 Diplomacy check is sufficient to get an entry request considered, but even then the reason must stand on its own. Finally, mind probe (EPH 119) is often brought into play to ensure that the travelers have no hidden motives. If the request is especially intriguing or risky, the Iron Gate might allow travel but send a member of the Thousand Eyes along as a chaperone and observer. Unless the party is deemed a serious risk, this observer is a Chosen; the controlling spirit only takes possession of the vessel every few hours to check on the situation.

Travelers who have shady connections and talents can acquire a notarized parchment from the Dream Merchants for 200 gp. Once they have the sentira seal, travelers can either forge the visa or pay another 50 gp to have one forged by the merchants. In this latter case, someone examining the document must make a successful DC 20 Forgery check to discern the falsity of the visa.

Once out into wider Riedra, foreigners face other problems. Most of the people speak only Riedran and are illiterate. They possess the skills the Inspired deem necessary. Military officers, overseers, priests, and members of the Iron Gate are all literate, and some speak Common or Quori. Riedrans avoid all contact with foreigners, and they are typically unfriendly.

Supplies pose another challenge. No inns exist in Riedra. Every village has a dormitory reserved for Riedran travelers and troops, and a transit visa might specify that the bearers should be given access to such shelter. Otherwise, travelers must convert the unfriendly attitude of a local overseer to friendly or better (a successful DC 25 Diplomacy check). Food is provided along with shelter, but travelers can't buy goods, since money is an alien concept to Riedran villagers. The Survival skill is the simplest way to get along in Riedra, allowing travelers to live off the land.

Travel is safe along the main roads of Riedra. Soldiers patrol regularly, and most monsters were wiped out long ago. Danger rises when one strays too far from the roads. 

1. The basic principles of the Path of Inspiration. Every Riedran knows the tale of the Unification and the underlying principles of the Path of Inspiration. Although many Riedrans are illiterate and have never read the Path, they learn the key elements through nocturnal indoctrination and from daily sermons by the priests.
2. Duty and tradition. A Riedran is expected to follow the path that is assigned to him without complaint or question. These roles are defined by ancient tradition, and a Riedran is always aware of the duties tied to his occupation and his place in the community.
3. The people of his community. Riedran xenophobia is offset by the strong bond within a village or neighborhood. Few secrets exist in a Riedran village—not because of gossip, but because the villagers are completely honest and open with one another. Many Riedrans take 1 rank of Knowledge (local) to reflect this bond.
4. The names of the local Inspired. The names of the Inspired lords of the local bastion are known to all the people under their protection. It is common practice to thank the Inspired (and the il-altas) for good fortune.
5. Fearsome tales. While Riedrans rarely have concrete knowledge of other cultures, their opinions are shaped by dreams and stories. They know about the treacherous kalashtar, who are bound to demons and seek to undermine the Inspired. They know that the altavars hunger for innocent souls. They have even heard of the corrupt and violent people of Khorvaire, who destroyed an entire nation with war. Riedrans are thankful for the protection of the Inspired in such a dangerous world

Khelaar dreams of security. These visions highlight the virtues of the path that she follows, the blessings of Riedran society and the rewards that will be hers in her next life. Occasionally she dreams of war, either the long siege of Adar or battles with the vile dromites. As frightening as these dreams are, they highlight the nobility and strength of the Inspired and leave her comforted, knowing that she is protected by so great a power.

A new day has begun.

The Voice flows through her mind as the lights rise in the chamber, pulling Khelaar from her sleep. Others stir in the bunks around her as the Voice continues its telepathic broadcast.

You have done well, people of Thornden. Lord Murakhal watches from above and is pleased with your work. The caravan arrives at midday to gather the shipment. Soon the smiths of Suras will transform the ore you have mined into weapons and armor to protect the noble soldiers of the Harmonious Shield.

Khelaar bathes in the warm glow of the Voice's approval as she dresses. Her brown clothes are dirty, so she wears the black.

Youths chosen for military service should be prepared to depart at midday. Because many of the youths have been working in the mines, the workshift of miners will be lengthened to ensure that upcoming quotas are met. The day begins. Follow the path.

Khelaar's day starts with calisthenics in the open field. The exercise leaves her invigorated and happy. As she walks to morning meal, Danan catches up with her. He wants to know if they can speak after evening meal; the lengthened workday will make this difficult, but there might be time around the prayer service. Danan seems nervous, and when Khelaar asks what he wants to discuss, he says only that it has to do with dreams. Khelaar smiles as she makes her way to morning meal. It is only two months until her pairing, and she suspects that this is what Danan wants to discuss. While he is a harvester instead of a miner, Khelaar has always enjoyed Danan's company and thinks he would be a pleasant mate.

At morning meal, Khelaar eats gruel seasoned with cinnamon and bids farewell to the departing youths at her table. She will miss Tul, who worked with her in the mines, but she is happy for him—soldier is an honored profession, and brave service is certain to bring advancement in the life to come.

Following her meal, she descends to the mine to begins the extended shift. It is arduous labor, and now and again she envies the caregivers and even the harvesters. But she knows that this is the path laid out for her—that she must master the skills of the miner if she is to rise above, to someday move beyond the flesh and join the world of spirits. A moment of doubt ends in renewed zeal, and she returns to her task with vigor.

The work shift is done.

At the Voice's announcement, Khelaar retires for evening meal. Tul is gone, as are the other new soldiers. When she goes to prayer service, she is surprised to find that Danan is missing as well. The priest, Tulac, tells them that there has been a terrible tragedy—Danan was touched by an altavar and turned from the Path of Inspiration. The caravan has taken him away, and Lord Murakhal himself will be tending to Danan and working to cleanse his soul. Khelaar joins in the ritual of sorrow, concentrating on the crystal seed in the chamber. She lets all her grief and feelings for Danan flow out of her and into the crystal, and she takes comfort in the shared experience. Afterward, she feels at ease. She knows she will never see Danan again, just as she will never see Tul. But she knows the Inspired will do what is best for both of them—that Lord Murakhal will cleanse Danan if it is possible, and if not, he will set Danan's soul free to begin again.

Following the prayer service, Khelaar returns to her dormitory and climbs into her bunk. The light in the crystals fades. Darkness fills the room.

You have done well, people of Thornden. Rest now. Follow the path.

Khelaar dreams of security.

The hallmark of all Riedrans is devotion, unswerving dedication to country, companions, and work. Each Riedran's path has been laid out by those wiser than she is, and it is a road that leads to eternal salvation. Her challenge is to resist the temptations the cunning altavars place in her way—temptations such as the words of foreigners, who could attempt to turn her against the glorious Inspired.

At its heart, Riedra is a cult. Its people have been brainwashed from birth; the hanbalani shape the dreams of children before they can even speak. Anyone who would challenge the Inspired swiftly vanishes, so most people never hear opposing views. Even if they did, they would fear such words as deadly blasphemy.

The people of Riedra truly love the Inspired, and they love their lives. Most Riedrans don't want to be rescued from the Inspired; they consider the "freedom" so treasured by foreigners to be a weakness that threatens the evolution of the soul. A Riedran farmer has a roof over his head, food on the table, and clothes on his back. He might not be able to live wherever he wants, choose his food, or even pick the color of his clothes, but in his eyes, he has a good life, secure and stable. He doesn't need luxuries in this world. Such things are certainly tempting, but it is by resisting that temptation that he ensures his advancement in the next life.

Riedrans place high value on honesty and community; the Path of Inspiration says, "A liar sells his soul with every word." A follower of the Path strives to be honest and to be a good neighbor, contributing to both her village and her nation. A Riedran always helps out a fellow citizen unless that person advocates a course of action that goes against the Path of Inspiration.

Work means everything to Riedrans. Each vocation and task is a lesson to be mastered for forward movement on the Path. Riedrans work long hours without complaint, and they often regret having to leave work to participate in community activities. This devotion often means that Riedrans are surprisingly skilled at their professions, but they lack versatility.

Time away from work is usually spent with other members of the community. Riedrans dine together in central halls, participate in group athletic exercises, and gather in the evenings for storytelling and religious instruction. They are allowed a brief amount of unstructured time each day, ostensibly for meditation on the day's events; however, many prefer to remain among friends even during this private time. Privacy is not something the Riedrans treasure—solitude can be a painful and disturbing experience for a Riedran.

Young Riedrans are raised communally. They are often transported to new villages as soon as they are old enough to travel, to prevent birth parents from forming an unhealthy bond with the child. Youths live in segregated dormitories, tended by dedicated caregivers (part of the Guiding Path; see page 55). As they grow, children serve as apprentices to other members of the community, allowing the caregivers and priest to determine their aptitudes. A youth is usually set on his path in his thirteenth year and moves into an adult dormitory at this time.

At eighteen, a Riedran is "paired" with another. This is the Riedran equivalent of marriage, and the pair occupies the same dormitory. Those in control of this process, the pathfinders, prefer for people to be pleased with their bonding, and thus they accept mutual requests. Still, pairing is done for the sake of producing children, and if two people are genetically incompatible, their pairing isn't allowed. Riedrans are expected to be monogamous, and sex outside of a pairing relationship is punished. 

Riedrans control strong emotions and focus their energy in positive ways. Religious ceremonies provide an outlet for emotion under the guidance of the local priest. In these rituals, people are instructed to unleash a particular emotion in response to a recent event. For example, if another villager has succumbed to spiritual corruption and been taken by the Thousand Eyes, the people gather to feel pity, sorrow, and hope for their lost companion. If news comes of kalashtar treachery, people gather to unleash anger and hate. Between these periods of release, people are expected to keep their emotions under control or to speak with a priest if they cannot.

Xenophobia is common in Riedra. Violent and chaotic, foreigners practice dark magic, eat the flesh of beasts, and destroy their nations in the name of "freedom." Foreigners should be pitied. Lacking the direction of the Inspired, they have no protection against the altavars. It is only natural that they fall prey to lust, greed, and other lower emotions. Nonetheless, they are like wild animals and cannot be trusted. A Riedran must always be wary when dealing with foreigners, never allowing them to sway her from her path.

In Khorvaire, magic is part of everyday life; adepts and magewrights are found in most villages. In Riedra, both magic and psionic power are tightly controlled and largely confined to the Inspired and the Chosen. However, a few psionic effects have an impact on daily life. These are essentially wondrous locations (ECS 272) created and controlled by the quori. For the people of Riedra, such wonders are proof of the miraculous power of their benevolent overlords.

All of these functions draw power from the hanbalani altas, the massive monoliths spread across the nation. If a monolith is shut down or destroyed, any community tied to it loses access to these functions.

These are the most common effects, but the Inspired can develop new techniques, and you should feel free to invent effects unique to a specific bastion or village. A bastion might have an inner sanctum shielded by an impenetrable wall of ectoplasm; the only way to get past this field is to shut down the local monolith.

Climate Control: Inspired architects have developed crystal plating that, through kinetic manipulation, can be heated or cooled and can even draw moisture out of the air. This effect uses considerable power, and it's rarely seen outside the palaces of the Inspired or the Chosen. Nonetheless, in the tropical climate of Corvagura, entering a cool, dry palace can have a considerable impact on a traveler.

Crystal Illumination: Riedran architecture often incorporates a form of crysteel. When properly treated and charged with energy from a monolith, a structure containing that material sheds colorful light. A bastion city can be a remarkably beautiful sight at night. In a village, buildings are not actually constructed of crysteel, but beacons are set at key points to provide illumination. Riedran communities have two grids of light—key regions remain lit at all times, but other areas (such as living quarters) are shut off after curfew. Light is a gift of the Inspired; they provide it, and they take it away.

Dreamshaping: One of the primary purposes of the hanbalani is to shape the dreams of the Riedrans, projecting soothing dreams across the nation. This is a delicate art; unlike charm or dominate, a dream does not force the target to take any action. It simply plants an idea; if the subject acts, he does so of his own free will. In limited circumstances, nocturnal manipulation involves targeted dreams, visions crafted for a particular subject. By this means, the quori sparked the Sundering and continue to undermine their enemies.

A far more insidious dream conditioning occurs over a wide area. Effectively, the network of monoliths projects a constant, low-level dream effect across Riedra. Anyone who falls asleep must attempt a DC 17 Will save. Those who fail have the dream that is currently being projected. The typical Riedran dream is soothing and vague, blending images to project the wonder of Riedra, the joys of being part of a greater whole, and the celestial benevolence of the Inspired. Every so often, these soothing visions are interspersed with flashes of the dark horrors that lurk outside the borders of Riedra. Although insufficient to change the views of a PC over a short time, the dreams serve to constantly reinforce a Riedrans indoctrination. Although a saving throw is allowed, Riedrans voluntarily fail it. A Riedran takes comfort in her stable dreams and looks forward to resting and bathing in the love of the Inspired. The widespread knowledge that Riedrans suffer from chaotic, unpredictable dreams when in foreign lands is one more reason they hate to leave their homeland.

Monolith dreamshaping is a background effect, and targeted use of dream, nightmare, or a similar ability takes precedence over the broadcasts. Furthermore, anyone who has the Dream Scion feat is immune to dreamshaping.

The content of dreams is controlled from Dal Quor, and it can be made more specific (for example, broadcasting the image of a wanted criminal). A particular dream can be targeted at a village, a sphere, or the entire nation. The quori can also choose to use the dreamshapers to project nightmares across a region. In this case, any sleeper who fails the saving throw is fatigued, and the disturbed sleep is insufficient for regaining infusions, power points, and spells. These nightmare attacks are usually blamed on kalashtar, dromites, or altavars.

Scry Shielding: The Inspired have long shielded their realm from prying eyes. Although the monoliths are not as powerful as the Shroud of Adar, each one projects a nondetection effect (DC 31) that blocks all attempts to scry into Riedra. The Riedran shield blocks scrying only from outside sources; once someone penetrates the borders, all powers and spells function normally. Disrupting this field would require the destruction of a substantial number of monoliths, and even doing this would only drop a segment of the shield.

Teleportation: The largest bastion cities and kintams (fortresses) are linked by a network of permanent psionic teleportation circles. While these are created by the most powerful Inspired nomads, they draw on the hanbalani for power. Shutting down a monolith could prevent the Inspired from summoning reinforcements or escaping.

The Soothing Voice: The hanbalani network allows the quori to broadcast telepathic messages across wide areas. This form of communication is similar to mass missive (EPH 121), but no limit is placed on the number of words that can be broadcast. The effect can be narrowed to a single village or linked to broadcast across an entire sphere, but it cannot pinpoint individuals. The Voice addresses the populace throughout the day, providing news, encouragement, and instruction to the people. This system is controlled and monitored from Dal Quor. Those who want to do so can cut off a village from the Soothing Voice by deactivating a nearby monolith, but they cannot transmit messages of their own without going to Dal Quor.

Family is downplayed in Riedra: loyalty to the nation is more important than any bond of blood. As such, Riedrans do not use surnames. If additional identification is required, a Riedran gives the name of his village or, if he lives in a bastion city, the ward he resides in.

The Inspired often choose to keep an aspect of their Chosen host's name; when Julaan is inspired by Gatesh, he might take the name Julgatesh. However, this practice varies from spirit to spirit, and is always the choice of the quori. Inspired attached to the Dreaming Dark sometimes adopt kalashtar names as a way of mocking their prey.

The use of double vowels is traditional in many parts of Riedra. In the Riedran language, it is typical for both vowels to be given a distinct sound; a Riedran pronounces "Lhazaar" as a three-syllable word. However, most of the people of Khorvaire are unfamiliar with this custom and simply extend the vowel sound.

Male Names: Aan, Aleel, Bhiman, Bhalaan, Dalaan, Danan, Fuulgan, Gurhaak, Gusan, Helac, Heruun, Jharee, Jukyan, Julaan, Ilaan, Heel, Khern, Kyamun, Kyaruun, Lanan, Leel, Olaan, Oleel, Rhaak, Rhuun, Sulaan, Suyamun, Taan, Tulac, Vusgaar.

Female Names: Aali, Aag, Bhuji, Biir, Duaali, Dujiira, Dujyag, Gilaali, Jhaasha, Jhalaar, Jhazala, Khelaar, Khuliira, Lhazaar, Manaar, Miir, Quaali, Quush, Palaar, Praagya, Shiazala, Shiaali, Tyag, Tyalaar, Vyed, Vyuji.

Male Inspired: Alharad, Duralan, Dulateth, Farashan, Jolorath, Laneth, Laramesk, Moshakel, Malukath, Murakhal, Orakhun, Shoralath, Surasek, Torakhun, Xuratesh, Zorashan.

Female Inspired: Adashara, Daralashtai, Halatavi, Joradhuna, Kashanshara, Morasha, Naldhuna, Olashtai, Sharadhuna, Sharaktavi, Tantashar, Tirashana, Torali, Tureya, Xushila.

Phrases: Riedrans are raised not to fidget, to stand perfectly still when talking. It is considered a token of respect to meet the gaze of someone you are speaking to. Riedrans never verbally interrupt a speaker, but they indicate intent with their gaze, looking down if they have a comment to make, looking to the side if they disagree with the speaker or are not interested in what he has to say. The degree of motion is as expressive as tone of voice. Thus, Riedrans often maintain an outward appearance of calm, but a sharp turn of the head can be the same as a yell.

The following turns of phrase are uniquely Riedran.

"Follow the Path." The most basic maxim of the Path of Inspiration; also used as a polite form of farewell.

"The fish does not seek to fly." A proverb encouraging the listener to accept the life he has been given and learn the lessons set before him; often said when someone suggests change.

"Gold is the tongue of the altavar." A maxim against greed or any other form of temptation; a warning that anything that could pull a Riedran from the Path is likely to be the work of evil spirits.

"No one is alone." As reassurance, a reminder that a Riedran always has his community, the Voice, and the Inspired behind him; as warning, a reminder that the Thousand Eyes is always watching.

"Lesson of (pain/grief/anger/joy)." A reserved way to express emotion about a situation, whether frustration or pleasure. Whether good or bad, everything is a lesson.

"Darkspirits!" or "Altavar!" An aggressive statement of frustration—one that is discouraged in daily use.

The common folk of Riedra live ascetic lives. A Riedran must focus every moment on mastering his assigned profession, giving no thought to luxury, vanity, or comfort. On the other hand, the Chosen and the Inspired live in a different world, a world touched by the alien aesthetics of Dal Quor.

The Inspired have sought to create a unified culture, but faint echoes of the old kingdoms remain. Accent and manner often provide hints to national origin. Furthermore, the varying climates of the provinces call for different clothing and have led to differences in style.

Art

The most wondrous works of art produced in Riedra are sentira sculptures. Sentira is a product of psionics—in essence, emotion given form. Shapers create mosaics of sentira shards; the patterns are often dizzying and strange, but each piece carries a powerful emotional charge. Sentira works are solely produced by the Inspired and the Chosen. All bastions have emotional parks, where people meditate around the sentira patterns to purge their own emotions.

Creativity is discouraged among the commoners, and crafts emphasize function over form. One exception is a practice known as altsen (spirit writing). This takes the form of embroidery or engraving, featuring complex patterns of lines similar to a maze or labyrinth. Altsen designs are often used as a focus for meditation or placed on the hem of clothing; common belief holds that evil spirits can be trapped in the patterns, protecting the wearer from temptation. Altsen carpets and tapestries are breathtaking, and merchants in Stormreach have been trading in Sarlonan textiles for centuries.

Another common artistic effort in Riedra is crystal and glassware. Although such creations are primarily functional, the smooth contours of Riedran glasswork are noteworthy. Many people appreciate the novelty of a crysteel glass that won't shatter when it is dropped.

Storytelling and song are an important part of the daily life of most Riedrans. However, both arts are formulaic and mired in tradition, and always revolve around tales of the Unification, the glory of the Inspired, or the Path of Inspiration. Foreigners usually find them tedious and repetitive.

Architecture

Riedran villages are simple and functional. Buildings are formed from wood or stone, whichever is most convenient in the region. Structures are typically smooth and rounded. Crystal shards are embedded into walls to provide light; these are tied to the local hanbalan and fade if pried loose from their housings. Doors in Riedran villages rarely have locks or bars. Given the high level of illiteracy, iconic imagery is used to identify the function of buildings instead of printed signs.

Compared to the villages, Riedran bastion cities are dazzling and strange. They are built from stone, crysteel, and sentira. The surfaces of buildings are curved and bent, and structures are magnificently illuminated from within. The sentira walls resonate with thoughts; inhabitants are often struck by traces of trapped and reflected ideas or dreams. Usually these echoes are faint and incoherent, but occasionally a clear image comes through.

Cuisine

The people of Rhiavhaar, Pyrine, and Ohr Kaluun eat fish. Those of Dor Maleer are hunters by tradition. Few other Riedrans eat meat, and many consider the practice barbaric.

The mainstay of the Riedran diet is the pomow plant. This fruit was developed by the Bountiful Horn (see page 54) during the first few centuries of the Riedran unification. Its origin remains a mystery, but common belief is that it involved metacreation techniques and wild zones bound to Lammania. Pomow is a hardy crop that can grow in a range of climates, and every part of the plant has a use. The meat, root, and seeds can all be eaten, and are remarkably high in protein; the core is filled with juice; the bushy fibers around the stalk can be worked into thread, much like cotton; and strips of the tough rind are sharp enough to shave with. A pomow is a dark purple spheroid, ranging from one foot to two feet across. Pomow plants are remarkably fecund, and a stalk begins growing new fruit as soon as the sphere is plucked.

Riedrans use a wide range of spices to add flavor and variety to their common meal of pomow gruel. They abstain from any sort of intoxicants.

Fashion

The average Riedran dresses in black, white, or brown clothing. While simple and functional, these garments are often adorned with intricate altsen patterns. Colors carry social implications. Green cloth is reserved for agents of the Thousand Eyes. Orange and yellow are set aside for elite soldiers of the Harmonious Shield. Purple is reserved for the Chosen (or the Inspired). Blue and red are the colors of the Inspired.

Riedran commoners do not wear jewelry or use cosmetics; people are encouraged not to stand out from the crowd. Commoners often wear veils and head cloths, both to provide protection from the sun during long days in the fields and to deemphasize the importance of personal appearance.

The Chosen and the Inspired are expected to dress in a manner that honors their elevation from the masses; they wear elaborate gowns and robes covered with colorful altsen patterns traced in shining thread. The Inspired often wear sentira accessories, especially armor and headdresses. These curved coverings and horned crowns of glass often add to the strange, alien beauty of the Inspired.