1. Organizations
Dragonmarked House

Founded 1,500 years ago, at the end of the War of the Mark, the Twelve is an institute of arcane learning that enjoys the patronage of the dragon marked houses. The Twelve operates out of a thirteen-tiered keep that floats above the city of Korth in Karrnath, pursuing its mission to study dragon marks, their magical and practical applications, and their potential for profit.

The Committee of Twelve oversees the institute. In theory, the committee is made up of one member from each of the dragon marked houses, although its membership has fluctuated over time. At present, House Cannith has three representatives (one for each branch of the house), and the split of House Thuranni from House Phiarlan means that the committee actually numbers fifteen representatives.

An adventurer who has a significant reputation within a dragon marked house might be able to draw on the vast resources of the Twelve. The institute has a tremendous array of mystical supplies, and it maintains vast libraries of arcane learning and rituals. Its members and fellows are experts on nearly every topic imaginable.

Source: Eberron Campaign Guide


At the conclusion of the War of the Mark, Lord Hadran d’Cannith suggested that the houses formally cement their alliance by creating a citadel—a center for research and study of both arcane magic and the potential of the dragonmarked. Though there were only ten dragonmarked houses at the time, the architect and artificer Alder d’Cannith convinced the committee to name the institute the Twelve, based on his belief that there were twelve true dragonmarks in addition to the shattered Mark of Death. Alder was a brilliant man whose works had played a critical role in the War of the Mark, and the members of the committee humored him—though few expected the remaining two marks to appear. (The remaining two marks, Warding and Finding, were not “discovered” until after the creation of the Kingdom of Galifar.)

In the beginning, the Twelve played a critical role in shaping the dragonmarked houses, but as the houses have grown in power and spread across the land, its influence has diminished. Nonetheless, the institute remains one of the premier centers for magical research in Khorvaire. By combining the skills and mystical talents of the different marks, the wizards and artificers of the Twelve have created remarkable items. It took the combined skills of House Orien, House Cannith, and House Kundarak to create the safe-deposit vaults that allow Kundarak customers to deposit goods at one bank and withdraw them across the continent. Airships, the lightning rail, even the warforged—these marvels could not have been accomplished without the spirit of cooperation and discovery found among the Twelve.

Should you rise high in the favor of a dragonmarked house, you might be able to call on the resources of the Twelve. This institute possesses impressive mystical workshops, vast arcane libraries, and the talents of some of the most gifted artificers and wizards in Khorvaire—all of which could prove quite useful to an adventurer.

In theory, the Twelve is a neutral foundation: a resource serving all houses equally. However, some speak of a secret cabal at the heart of the Twelve that seeks a return to the days when the institute shaped the future of Khorvaire. Such a group might hope to overturn the Korth Edicts and see the dragonmarked houses rival Khorvaire’s nations in strength. Only the DM can decide if this secret society exists—and how much power it wields.

Source: Dragonmarked

The Twelve as a Patron

Rather than working for one single house, your group could work for an organization that serves them all: the Twelve. This is a good option if you want to be involved in the intrigue among the dragonmarked houses while playing characters who come from different houses.

The Twelve facilitates communication and cooperation among the dragonmarked houses. As part of the agreements that ended the War of the Mark, the houses agreed to create an institute for the application of magic—a foundation that would study dragonmarks, along with more traditional forms of magic. Over the centuries, the Twelve has been responsible for many magical advances, including the airships operated by House Lyrandar and the message stations of House Sivis

As an arm of the dragonmarked houses, the Twelve attempted to remain neutral during the Last War, but many of its wizards and artificers had national loyalties that were stronger than their ties to the institute. Now that the Twelve has resumed normal operations, it seeks to replace its lost members and make sure that each house is represented.

While the Twelve provides a way for your group to work for multiple dragonmarked houses, its goals and benefits are similar to those of an individual house. Consider using the following details as a template if there’s a particular dragonmarked house you wish to serve.

Patronage. As a patron, the Twelve is functionally similar to a dragonmarked house. Rather than advancing one house’s interests, though, the Twelve seeks to advance magical developments that have practical value to society as well as potential for profit. All the houses contribute to the operating budget of the institute, and in theory they all benefit from the results of its research.

As agents of the Twelve, you might undertake missions intended to help one house at a time or all of them at once, typically with a focus on magical research or problem-solving. Members of your group might have different status within their houses, but within the Twelve you’re held as equals. The Twelve pay you (see “Patron Benefits”), and as their agents, you receive a 5 percent discount on services from all the dragonmarked houses (rather than a 10 percent discount from one house).

Leadership. The Committee of Twelve oversees the institute. It currently has fifteen members, though its membership is a matter of significant disagreement within the council. There are of course only twelve dragonmarks, but the Mark of Shadow is represented by two different houses, and House Cannith is currently fragmented into three branches, each of which has claimed a seat on the council.

The Twelve is headquartered in a many-spired keep that floats in the air above the city of Korth in Karrnath. Most researchers funded by the Twelve operate within this structure, but the institute occasionally pays grants to researchers whose promising work can’t easily (or safely) be relocated inside the keep.

Allies. With a long record of providing benefit to society at large, the Twelve is widely respected. Some of their closest allies include the following groups:

  • Dragonmarked Houses. Above all, the Twelve has the almost universal support of the dragonmarked houses, which provide the funding to support its continued operation. One of the few things that all the houses agree on is that the Twelve should be allowed to do its work in peace. Agents of the Twelve can count on at least a minimal level of assistance from the houses in case of dire need.
  • King Kaius. Not every nation shares the same goodwill toward the Twelve, but the institutes’s location above the city of Korth makes its relationship with Karrnath particularly important. The kings of Karrnath have regularly sought council from the Twelve, and Kaius has not abandoned this practice. Agents of Karrnath’s government are inclined to trust agents of the Twelve and side with them in times of trouble.
  • Manifest Institute. In the city of Sharn, the Twelve sponsors the research of a number of scholars who make a study of the manifest zone that links the city to the plane of Syrania. Loosely organized as the Manifest Institute, these researchers include representatives from House Cannith, House Lyrandar, House Orien, and others, as well as those who work directly for the Twelve. The institute evaluates ways that the manifest zone might improve life in Sharn, seeks a deeper understanding of manifest zones in general, and plans contingencies in the event that the manifest zone ever evaporates.

Enemies. Most enemies of the Twelve are individuals with grudges against the institute, which often stem from hurt feelings over being excluded from it. Those noted here number among the Twelve’s fiercest foes:

  • Arcane Congress. Established by King Galifar I expressly to serve as a political answer to the Twelve, the Arcane Congress competes with the Twelve over resources and students. Some would argue that the ongoing rivalry encourages both institutions toward more and better arcane discoveries, but the animosity sometimes escalates to sabotage and researchers taking excessive risks.
  • Mordain the Fleshweaver. Not many personal grudges jeopardize the Twelve, but when a powerful wizard feels slighted, the impact can be significant. The elf wizard Mordain was banished from the Twelve more than two centuries ago because of his disturbing experiments related to the magic of the daelkyr. He dwells in Droaam now, focused on his research and plotting revenge. His reach isn’t long, but agents of the Twelve avoid Droaam if at all possible.

History

The Last War was difficult for the Twelve. King Kaius I saw the group’s value and coerced it to test and train the nation’s youth to fight against Aundair, Cyre, and the other nations. Many members who were dedicated to staying out of the war resigned after the king compromised the organization’s neutrality. These losses and the casualties resulting from the organization’s wartime involvement diminished the Twelve significantly


Dragonmarked

At the conclusion of the War of the Mark, Lord Hadran d’Cannith suggested that the houses formally cement their alliance by creating a citadel—a center for research and study of both arcane magic and the potential of the dragonmarked. Though there were only ten dragonmarked houses at the time, the architect and artificer Alder d’Cannith convinced the committee to name the institute the Twelve, based on his belief that there were twelve true dragonmarks in addition to the shattered Mark of Death. Alder was a brilliant man whose works had played a critical role in the War of the Mark, and the members of the committee humored him—though few expected the remaining two marks to appear. (The remaining two marks, Warding and Finding, were not “discovered” until after the creation of the Kingdom of Galifar.)

In the beginning, the Twelve played a critical role in shaping the dragonmarked houses, but as the houses have grown in power and spread across the land, its influence has diminished. Nonetheless, the institute remains one of the premier centers for magical research in Khorvaire. By combining the skills and mystical talents of the different marks, the wizards and artificers of the Twelve have created remarkable items. It took the combined skills of House Orien, House Cannith, and House Kundarak to create the safe-deposit vaults that allow Kundarak customers to deposit goods at one bank and withdraw them across the continent. Airships, the lightning rail, even the warforged—these marvels could not have been accomplished without the spirit of cooperation and discovery found among the Twelve.

Should you rise high in the favor of a dragonmarked house, you might be able to call on the resources of the Twelve. This institute possesses impressive mystical workshops, vast arcane libraries, and the talents of some of the most gifted artificers and wizards in Khorvaire—all of which could prove quite useful to an adventurer. In theory, the Twelve is a neutral foundation: a resource serving all houses equally. However, some speak of a secret cabal at the heart of the Twelve that seeks a return to the days when the institute shaped the future of Khorvaire. Such a group might hope to overturn the Korth Edicts and see the dragonmarked houses rival Khorvaire’s nations in strength. Only the DM can decide if this secret society exists—and how much power it wields.

ECS

An arcane institution funded by the dragonmarked houses, the Twelve operates out of a thirteen-tiered keep that fl oats above the city of Korth in Karrnath. As part of the agreements that ended the War of the Mark, Hadran d’Cannith suggested that the houses work together to create an institute for the application of magic —a foundation that would study dragonmarks and the more traditional forms of arcane magic. The keep was built by Alder d’Cannith, a visionary wizard and master fabricator who used his studies of the sky to determine that the keep should possess thirteen towers. “The moons suggest that the perfect number of dragonmarks is thirteen,” Alder cryptically explained, “but we shall call the institution the Twelve, for the thirteenth mark was cast off long ago.” No one argued with him. (While the elves remember the Mark of Death, it is a topic they wish to forget. Aside from the elf leaders, few know the truth behind the lost dragonmark.)

Over the centuries, the institute has been responsible for many arcane advances. The artificers of the Twelve helped develop the airships operated by House Lyrandar, for example, as well as the message stations of House Sivis.

As an arm of the dragonmarked houses, the Twelve attempted to remain neutral during the Last War. However, many of the wizards and artificers of the Twelve had national loyalties that were stronger than their ties to the institute, and they chose to leave to fight in the war. Quite a few fell in battle. Now that the Twelve has resumed normal operations, it seeks to replace its fallen members and make sure that each house is represented.

The Committee of Twelve oversees the institute. The committee actually has more than twelve members; there are twelve dragonmarks, but the split of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni and the current troubles within House Cannith have caused the membership to fluctuate.

The Twelve has access to a tremendous array of mystical supplies and funding, and the greatest wizards and magewrights of the land fight for workshop privileges at the institute. Advances made at the institute are shared equally among the houses, although there are always rumors of one or more of the houses diverting funds for secret projects or attempting to conceal valuable discoveries.

As an institution, the Twelve seeks to advance the mystical arts. In particular, the Committee of Twelve looks for magical developments that have practical value to society and a potential for profit. The Twelve has a great deal to offer arcane adventurers. It has access to considerable stores of rare mystical components and a vast library of spells. Even the mundane can find the Twelve to be an invaluable asset, because the sages at the institute can quickly identify unusual magic items or artifacts. However, being a prestigious organization, the Twelve will not deal with adventurers until they have developed a positive reputation.

King Galifar I, not completely convinced of the dragonmarked houses’ neutrality and altruistic outlook, established the Arcane Congress as direct competition for the Twelve. Today, the two institutes of magical studies engage in a more or less friendly rivalry for resources, students, and arcane discoveries.

All characters that are members of this organization.