House Kundarak is the banker of choice for the wealthy and the powerful—including national governments and other dragon marked houses. Bearers of the Mark of Warding, the dwarves of the house have unparalleled expertise in constructing vaults, fortresses, and strongholds. The financial empire of House Kundarak stretches across Khorvaire, and its influence ensures that the house has a say in any major undertaking that requires great wealth.

Source: Eberron Campaign Guide


The mythic founder of House Kundarak was a stonemason who built the first shelter for the exiles. While House Sivis estimates that Kundarak’s dragonmark appeared less than three thousand years ago, in the stories, Kundarak had always borne the mark and used its powers to protect their people. Dwarves of all clans relied on Kundarak, both for wise counsel and their expertise in building. Kundarak laid the foundations of the fortresses that stood against the armies of Galifar.

But soon after Bal Dulor, Clan Kundarak became House Kundarak, expanding its influence across Khorvaire. While they held onto their ancestral lands, the Korth Edicts required Kundarak to sever its ties to the other clans, putting the interests of its clients ahead of those of the Mror. While this caused initial tension, it also brought an influx of gold and influence, and served as a bridge between the holds and the outside world. Kundarak helped bring dragonmarked services to the Mror Holds, and also helped build connections between houses and clans—House Deneith and the Droranath, House Jorasco and the Frosthaven clans. So while there was some estrangement, the clans generally accepted Kundarak’s new role—though Soldorak has long decried Kundarak as abandoning traditional values and selling out the dwarves.

House Kundarak has no seat on the Iron Council and is not considered a Mror clan. Kundarak has done its best to stay out of the War Below, though Kundarak engineers played an important part in building defenses during the War Below, and were well paid for their services. Despite the lure of treasures and the mysteries of the past, Kundarak has no interest in courting disaster beneath the very seat of its power; it has fortified all deep portals beneath its spires. Should it choose to send expeditions below, it would do so with extreme care and caution.

Source: Exploring Eberron

Symbol

As noted in Dragonmarked, this is tied to a legend of an early alliance between the clan and the manticores of the Ironroot Mountains. The house maintains this alliance to this day, and employs manticore cavalry in the mountains.

Holdings

The first and greatest House Kundarak enclave is the stronghold of Korunda Gate, nestled high in the mountains of Kundarakhold. Nearly twenty thousand dwarves make their homes here, giving the house its own standing army should it ever need one. In the event that Kundarak’s martial and magical prowess proves insufficient (a toe-curling thought), residents of Korunda Gate can flee to the extensive vaults beneath the city, where much of the house’s wealth—and that of select clients—is stored.

Korunda Gate is large enough to require not just one, but an entire council of hearthwardens. All political, legal, and executive decisions still rest with Lord Kundarak and his family, but the council administers the day-to-day operations of the city as an enclave. The head of this council is given the honorific of matron, a position presently held by Matron Jakela Tuvodni (LN female dwarf), the stern but much beloved “hearthwarden of hearthwardens".

Korunda Gate: High in Kundarakhold, in the Ironroot Mountains, the largest enclave of House Kundarak is home to Lord Morrikan d’Kundarak and nearly 20,000 dwarves. Although the house’s wealth is spread out across Khorvaire, more of it resides in the underground vaults below Korunda Gate than anywhere else. But Korunda Gate holds more than rooms full of gold and platinum. Its armories and weapon arsenals contain spectacular examples of both mundane craftsmanship and magical potency.

The Deep Mine: This mining operation in the mountains of northern Zilargo is a collaboration between House Kundarak, Clan Mroranon (possibly the best miners and smelters in Khorvaire), House Tharashk (which found the site in the first place), and House Sivis (which handles relations with the Zilargo government). This mine extracts pure platinum from veins more than a mile below the surface. Clan Mroranon’s smiths make ingots of the platinum bullion, which House Kundarak uses as internal currency when transferring wealth from a Kundarak bank to a national government or to another Kundarak bank. Security is omnipresent, both to prevent theft by surface dwellers and because the miners sometimes disturb monsters from the depths of Khyber.

Members

The heirs of Kundarak are polite to a fault, particularly when dealing with potential clients or members of the other dragonmarked houses. Committed to maintaining the honor and reputation of their house, they understand the potential danger of a misplaced word. This is not to say that those of the house do not have their own ambitions and agendas, but all of Kundarak understands the critical importance of appearance.

Given the goods and services in which the house specializes, Kundarak heirs are often called on as security specialists, undertaking missions that easily dovetail into further adventures. A party with an heir of Kundarak could be recruited to work alongside any of the divisions of the house guilds, particularly the Iron Gate and the Golden Door.

An established hierarchy is essential for the smooth operation of house affairs, but Kundarak dwarves find little use for excessive bureaucracy or organization. Where other houses focus on advancement through the acquisition of individual rank and wealth, the heirs of Kundarak only promote the advancement of honor. Amassing great fortune and respect while climbing the ranks of the Banking Guild is desirable because increased wealth and the esteem of others translates to honor for the house at large. Wealth is not, however, an end in itself. Should you dishonor your house, no amount of money will ameliorate your shame.

As an adventurer, you have a higher profile (and are held to higher standards) than other house members. Although success in adventuring can earn you both wealth and respect, you are careful to not let your personal exploits overshadow the house you serve.

Missions

House Kundarak maintains its neutrality (and thus its reputation) by providing goods and services when called upon to do so, not by indiscriminately glorifying its talents. As an agent of House Kundarak, you undertake tasks that ultimately improve the honor of your house. If your talents lie in crafting iron, that is how you best serve; if seeking out and silencing Kundarak’s enemies is your strong suit, then that you will do.

One matter on which House Kundarak brooks no internal dissent is the subject of order among the dragonmarked. Having learned from the endless clan wars and the more recent destruction during the War of the Mark, you are determined to diminish conflict between the houses.

House Kundarak In the World

For millennia, House Kundarak watched its Mror kin claw their way out of barbarism. Today, these proud stonefolk know all too well that when battles must be fought, few respond as brutally and as efficiently as the Mror dwarves. As a result, few houses try harder than Kundarak to avoid conflict, and characters are more likely to encounter House Kundarak by seeking its assistance than running afoul of its plans. In all things, the house sees unity, not conflict, as the means to success.

The manticore that adorns the Kundarak seal is the symbol of an old legend. In the early days of the dwarves’ exile, the manticores of the Ironroot Mountains were dispassionate observers of the conflict between clans. Then, in early skirmishes between the clans and the Jhorash’tar orcs, the dwarves found themselves steadily pushed back under waves of orc infantry better suited to fighting on the steep mountain slopes. Faced with a real possibility that the clans might not survive a coming midwinter assault, the Kundarak set out to forge an alliance with the manticores. In exchange for magically warding their mountain lairs against the aberrations that hunted there, Kundarak got these creatures to agree to aid the dwarves’ cause.

When the Jorash'tar assault came, it was met not only by dwarf axes on the ground but by manticores and their crossbow-wielding riders in the air. The orc threat was turned back, and the relationship between the dwarves and the Ironroot manticores has been strong ever since.

The Kundarak dwarves hail from an ancient clan structure. As a result, House Kundarak is organized somewhat differently from the system of viceroys, ministers, and seneschals that has become the standard of dragonmarked hierarchy.

The current head of House Kundarak is Morrikan d’Kundarak (LN male dwarf), referred to as baron by those outside the house and as lord by those within it. Titles and positions within the house are hereditary, and are always passed down from father to son (or, in rare cases, to nephew) within the Kundarak line. Lord Morrikan is a shrewd and patient patriarch who has ruled his house for over a century. When the Last War broke out, Morrikan’s voice from his observer’s seat at the Iron Council was said to be the first to whisper of independence.

Below the lord are two additional positions of authority. Chieftain is another hereditary title, borne by the ranking member of a non-Kundarak bloodline within the house. Six house chieftains rule at any given time. Because the bloodlines within the house operate primarily in their own geographic areas across Khorvaire, chieftains end up taking on the standard role of viceroys within House Kundarak. Lord Kundarak is the chieftain for his own bloodline, and thus acts as viceroy for the house in the Mror Holds. 

In ancient times, the hearthwarden was responsible for “keeping the house” of the clan. Today, the title is held by the administrator of a House Kundarak enclave. The majority of hearthwardens are female, and most are spellcasters. Hearthwardens are elected from within the house, but must be approved by the house lord.

In addition to the Warding Guild’s Iron Gate and Golden Door, the house maintains two lesser-known orders not affiliated with guilds. The Keyguard are often believed to be a subdivision of the Golden Door, and thus controlled by the Warding Guild. The truth is that one can obtain the services of the Keyguard only from the house. The missions of this elite corps of sneaks and security specialists are decided at the upper levels of the house hierarchy. 

The Ghorad’din (“manticore’s tail”) is the secret paramilitary arm of House Kundarak. Outside the house, few have heard of it, and all but a small handful of those are dwarves of other clans. Called into service only rarely, the Ghorad’din is the closest that Kundarak has to a force of house assassins.

House Kundarak is composed of nine bloodlines, including the Kundarak, the Durbannek, the Ghedin, and the Tuvodni. All nine can trace their lineage back to the first wardens who gained the surface world alongside the exiled clans.

NPC Reactions

House Kundarak has worked long and hard to establish its reputation. As a result, it has few enemies among the civilized races. Individuals might have a hostile reaction toward the house (being turned down for a loan can do that), but just as many work hard to impress a Kundarak upon first meeting. Due to Kundarak’s relationship with House Sivis, most gnomes begin with a friendly attitude toward members of the house.

Though Kundarak claims neutrality in its dealings with the other dwarf clans, it wields great influence over the affairs of the Mror Holds. As such, the reaction of a clan dwarf to a member of the house depends less on any real relationship between house and clan than it does on what Kundarak is rumored to be up to. Only when a Kundarak faces some threat from outside the Mror Holds will members of all the clans typically come to his aid.

Guilds

If it’s worth stealing, chances are that one of House Kundarak’s two guilds can help keep it safe. Through its Banking Guild, Kundarak endorses loans (typically at 10% interest per year, plus a collateral requirement of the DM’s choice) and letters of credit, in addition to providing safekeeping for some of Khorvaire’s most valuable treasures. The Warding Guild boasts experts in defenses both magical and mundane.