Creator of the warforged and the lightning rails, House Cannith profited most from the century-long Last War—and was perhaps most hurt by the Day of Mourning and the Treaty of Thronehold ending the war. Members of House Cannith bear the Mark of Making, and are among the most gifted inventors, magicians, and artisans of the age. But the Mark of Making compels House Cannith to continue blending the magical and the mundane—even when its creations are forbidden or spectacularly dangerous.

Every warforged PC has some connection to House Cannith—although not actual membership—because that PC was given life in a Cannith forgehold. Any PC who seeks powerful magic—especially magic contained within a crafted object—will eventually encounter the schemes and schemers of House Cannith.

Symbol

Cannith are artificers, who weave magic into steel. The bull has long been a symbol of power and triumph. What better symbol for this industrial house than a steel bull? The core Cannith guild was already using this symbol, and it was Cannith that proposed the magical-beast tradition; Sivis latched onto the idea and helped them push it through.

Holdings

Many look to Sharn for new wonders, but Cannith is not limited to one facility. The house has holdings across the continent, and beyond. Though Sharn has the only current forgehold, Cannith estates are found in Fairhaven, Flamekeep, Korth, Throneport, and Trolanport, with small outposts at Regalport and Varna. Abroad, the house has holdings in Pylas Talaear on Aerenal and in Stormreach on Xen’drik. The Tinkers Guild and Fabricators Guild are found in every major city in the Five Nations, and in larger centers in the lands beyond.

Sharn Enclave: Deep within the Ashblack district beneath Sharn’s shining towers is Merrix d’Cannith’s personal domain, a heavily warded cluster of forges, laboratories, storage vaults, and a hidden creation forge where Merrix personally oversees highly illicit experiments designed to further refine the warforged form. Because inventors and artisans who have the Mark of Making are reluctant to destroy their own creations, the vaults within this forgehold contain failed experiments, dangerous concoctions, and strange devices that the Canniths have locked away for future study.

House Cannith has a second enclave in the Dragon Towers district of Sharn that Merrix d’Cannith uses for diplomatic purposes.

Aundair Enclave: A sprawling villa just outside Fairhaven, Cannith’s enclave in Aundair is home to Jorlanna d’Cannith. This enclave has almost as many libraries and map rooms as it does laboratories and workshops. Under particular study are some rare plants and ancient treasures brought back from the Eldeen Reaches—the result of Jorlanna’s influence with the druids of the Wardens of the Wood.

Korth Enclave: Zorlan d’Cannith is nominally in charge of this enclave, but many of Jorlanna’s functionaries (and sometimes Jorlanna herself ) spend time in Korth because the Council of the Twelve is headquartered here. This walled compound is the site of much scheming among the factions of House Cannith.

History

Dragonmarked

From a few bands of roving artisans and tinkers, House Cannith has risen to dominate commerce and industry in Khorvaire. For every advance made in magic, odds are good that Cannith had a hand in it—from everbright lanterns to the lightning rail, from the warforged to the secret experiments now lost deep within the wastes of the Mournland.

With its power and creative genius, the house commands both respect and fear. Despite its accomplishments, however, Cannith stands in turmoil. Unable to agree on a new ruler in the aftermath of the Day of Mourning, the house splintered into three factions, each with its own agenda. This rift has caused unease among the houses and beyond, giving monarchs and entrepreneurs pause even as they cautiously back one of three would-be leaders.

Makers of History

Since its incorporation prior to the War of the Mark, House Cannith has been a leader among the dragonmarked houses. It pioneered the marriage of magic to the needs of daily life, and members of the house are the foremost experts on the use of dragonshards. Along with the gnomes of Zilargo, the house created the elemental ships that cross the seas. In partnership with House Orien, it forged the lightning rail that once spanned Khorvaire.

Cannith’s most indelible mark on history was made in 965 YK with the creation of the warforged. The mastermind behind the warforged was Merrix d’Cannith, who set out to create a sentient construct that could fi ght in place of living creatures. First commissioned by King Jarot, the last king of Galifar, the warforged instead went to battle on behalf of his children during the Last War. 

Merrix’s son Aarren gave sentience to these living constructs. For thirty years, the sale of warforged kept Cannith prosperous, with each of the Five Nations commissioning troops from Whitehearth, Cannith’s ancestral forgehold. The house seemed destined to prosper as the Last War dragged on. Then came the Day of Mourning.

Paradise Lost

On the Day of Mourning, a blast of arcane power obliterated Cyre, leaving empty wasteland. Most Cyrans perished that day, including the patriarch of House Cannith: Baron Starrin d’Cannith, known as “the Gorgon” for both his intimidating manner and the symbol of his house.

What caused the Day of Mourning, none can say. It seems that of the cities of Cyre, Eston suffered the greatest damage. Eston's destruction claimed the life of not only the baron, but also many of the house’s prominent leaders and dragonmarked heirs.

Almost as great as the loss in blood was the loss of the forgehold itself. Making had been the center of Cannith ingenuity and invention for centuries. Only projects concurrently researched in Sharn by Merrix d’Cannith, grandson of the first Merrix, survived. Making is never far from the minds of House Cannith’s leaders, with Merrix in particular striving for its recovery. Increasingly, though, the cost associated with that recovery effort has exacerbated the rift within the house. Some seek to resurrect Making one day; others wish to turn their backs on the tomb of the past and focus instead on the future.

The Treaty of Thronehold

Two years after the loss of Cyre, the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, putting an end to both the war and the nation of Galifar. No one profits during war like a weaponsmith, and no one suffers as much from war’s end.

For House Cannith, the treaty brought more than the end of a profitable market: The signatory nations recognized the warforged as a free people, due the same rights as other sentient races. The treaty also forbade Cannith from creating more warforged, ensuring that the house’s crowning achievement would be remembered as little more than a bloody postscript to past glory.

Having no choice but to agree to the treaty’s terms, the heads of the fractured house returned to their respective homes, plotting in silence while they went through the motions of retooling House Cannith for peace. Merrix, however, never intended to let his grandfather’s legacy pass away. His stronghold in Sharn holds a secret creation forge, known only to the sworn heirs of his line.

Today, those who gain entry to the Sharn forgehold see significantly newer warforged. Unaware of their rights as sentient beings, these warforged serve the artificers, who seek the next evolution of design. This secret rebellion leads Cannith along a dangerous path. Should Merrix’s deception be discovered, Breland and the other nations will have to enforce the treaty—even if it means striking the blow that shatters House Cannith for all time.


The Early Days of the War

In the early years, House Cannith had not yet developed a specific vision for its wartime creations, and its efforts were spread across a variety of methods and techniques. The creation of the warforged titan in the middle war years would eventually lead Cannith down the path toward the true warforged, but that was far from the house’s only development. In a faint foreshadowing of the great schism to come, Cannith’s creative efforts divided the house informally into three separate factions.

The first, led by Calenzo, focused on individual tools and weapons even after moving beyond mass production of the mundane. From their efforts came creations such as eternal wands, self-loading crossbows, strength- and speed-enhancing armor, and even the dancing property found on weapons in the modern era.

Merrix’s interest—and, by extension, the direction in which the house eventually turned as a whole—was in the creation of animated machines of war. The warforged titan was the most well-known early product of this interest, but others such as the runic guardian and the steel kraken sprang from this effort as well. For a time, Merrix experimented with animated siege engines (such as the siege golem). Although popular with a few generals, they were too limited in use compared to the warforged titan to gain widespread acceptance (and to produce steady revenue).

The smallest group focused on creating vehicles of war. Led by Lirisa d’Cannith, it manufactured clockwork and golemlike steeds, mobile structures, and the apparatus of Kwalish (named for an ancient wizard whom Lirisa greatly admired). Several of Lirisa’s descendants have sworn that it was, in fact, one of her designs that eventually led to the creation of Argonth and the other mobile fortresses active during the war.


ECG

The Mark of Making first appeared among the human traveling tinkers and artisans of the Cannith clan of Cyre almost 2,500 years ago. Between the magic of the mark and its members’ natural inventiveness, Clan Cannith steadily increased its power and influence, creating its own areas of jurisdiction throughout Cyre and central Khorvaire. An active and enthusiastic participant in the War of the Mark, House Cannith found itself one of the most powerful of the dragonmarked houses after the war.

House Cannith used that power to forge partnerships. At the end of the War of the Mark, House Cannith worked with the other dragonmarked houses to establish the Twelve. They allied with the elemental binders of Zilargo and the scions of House Lyrandar to create elemental ships to sail Eberron’s seas. Emboldened by that success, House Cannith’s magewrights collaborated with House Orien on the lightning rail. House Cannith also helped to establish the network of message stations that House Sivis uses to facilitate communication across Khorvaire. The Last War: When the Last War began, House Cannith found itself acting as arms dealer to all five of the combatant nations, a position that allowed it to amass fantastic wealth and an unparalleled degree of influence among the Five Nations. But selling weapons and armor was only the beginning. In 965 YK, the first warforged soldiers marched out of Cannith’s forgehold at Whitehearth, and soon House Cannith was supplying not only weapons but also the soldiers that wielded them.

House Cannith’s unbounded prosperity lasted almost thirty years. But in a single moment on the Day of Mourning, House Cannith lost its leader, Baron Starrin d’Cannith, many of its dragon marked heirs, and the Whitehearth forgehold. The Treaty of Thronehold made matters worse for the house, because it set the warforged free and banned House Cannith from making more. With the Five Nations at peace, Cannith’s role as arms dealer to the world diminished.

These recent setbacks have made House Cannith’s leaders more determined than ever before to reverse the house’s fortunes, and have highlighted the rivalry among the house’s leadership. At any given moment, Cannith’s inventors are sequestered in secret laboratories across Khorvaire, trying to create something even more dramatically world-changing than the towers of Sharn, the lightning rail, or the warforged.


The Three-Headed Gorgon

When Starrin d’Cannith died, he left no direct heir or immediate relations, but it did not take long for claimants to the house leadership to appear. Typically, upon the death of the patriarch, the title goes to either his closest living relative or his named successor. Starrin’s named successor was his only son Norran, who died with his father in Cyre and left no children of his own.

When succession becomes murky, the elders of the house interpret the will of the former patriarch and choose a successor. However, with the ranks of the house leadership decimated, no effective or fair vote could be held. Cannith was paralyzed, with three heirs emerging to claim leadership: Merrix d’Cannith, Jorlanna d’Cannith, and Zorlan d’Cannith. Though each had a valid claim to the patriarch’s seat, a more problematic set of candidates would be hard to find. 

Merrix (LE male human) is the grandson of the first Merrix, the son of Aarren d’Cannith, and the former patriarch’s grandnephew. The youngest candidate, he was little more than a baby when the warforged were invented. His age and lack of political expertise give him the weakest claim, but his inheritance of Merrix’s legendary skills in research and innovation forces his relatives to take him seriously. He wishes only to pursue his secret experiments in peace, but knowing Jorlanna and Zorlan, he is convinced that a firm hand will be required to keep House Cannith on course—not necessarily his hand, but one of his choosing.

Jorlanna (LN female) is a proud, attractive woman in her fifties. She is far closer to the age of a proper matriarch than Merrix. Her claim is stronger too, as the daughter of Starrin’s second wife, Elsabet. Regardless, Jorlanna is considered least likely to attain the title. She has a strong vision for a united house, allies among the Twelve, and the personal magnetism to lead, but the Cannith elders distrust her judgment. In her youth, Jorlanna engaged in a scandalous romance with an heir of House Deneith. Both families put a stop to it once they became aware of the relationship, and the lovers disappeared from public view for over a year. It was rumored that Jorlanna bore a child during her time away—product of a coupling forbidden after the War of the Mark. However, when she finally resumed public life, she did so alone. Today, whispered rumors of her indiscretion haunt her, and critics use them as proof of her lack of judgment where the good of the house is concerned.

Zorlan (NE male human artificer 3/sorcerer 4/dragonmark heir 1) is a distinguished, shrewd scion of the house. His talent with fi nance and eye for profit made him a trusted advisor to the Gorgon, whose cousin, Xerith, was Zorlan’s mother. Zorlan’s gifts are countered by a cold, cruel personality that unnerves many within the house. His time in Karrnath is rumored to have drawn him into the customs of that land, including worship of the Blood of Vol. Some fear that Zorlan’s ambition could lead him to make pacts with dishonorable groups.

Merrix, Jorlanna, and Zorlan are each determined to become the next leader of House Cannith. Between them, they have divided the lords seneschal so evenly that a new patriarch will likely never be chosen. As it stands, the divided leadership makes it increasingly likely that only death or disaster will change the balance of power.

Membership

Joining House Cannith

Membership in House Cannith is primarily by blood, though more than a few members have entered through marriage. Hirelings receive benefits, such as equipment, and recognition, but are little more than servants as far as Cannith is concerned. A rare few associates might be recognized as honorary members after long service, or even given the opportunity to marry into the family. Warforged are never recognized as members of the house.

Members unskilled in arcane magic find it difficult to rise within the ranks. Characters who are members of House Cannith must choose Cannith South, West, or East.

Advancement

In House Cannith, magic is an integral part of your surroundings. Magical training is available and strongly encouraged, but should you prove incapable of mastering the arcane arts, you will be tutored by clan elders in business, administration, and diplomacy. A career in combat or divine magic requires a strong will and demonstrable aptitude, but once you gain permission, the house will arrange training with the best tutors money can buy. For a Cannith, to do anything but excel is unacceptable.

You know that continued innovation is the fortune and lifeblood of your house. Power is the ultimate goal, and any steps needed to attain it are acceptable. This is not to say that you personally embrace an ethos of immorality, but there can be no doubt that your house does. You are wise enough to pick your battles—whether physical or social—with care. Once committed, you accept nothing less than complete victory, no matter what it takes.

Playing a Member of House Cannith

You are a proud member of the leader of all dragonmarked houses and the creator of the wonders of modern Khorvaire. Your social standing is exceeded only by that of the nobles of the realm—and not always by them. You owe no allegiance to anyone outside the house, and it took all Five Nations together to put a leash on the Gorgon, the symbol of your line. Some might call you arrogant, but arrogance and self-assurance are often confused by the envious.

The wonders of Cannith are known throughout the world, and you feel responsible for continuing that legacy. Whether you have a dragonmark or not, you are expected to contribute to the success of your house through invention, scholarship, business, or diplomacy. Even more is expected of the dragonmarked heirs of Cannith, who serve apprenticeships in the guilds during their training, then move up into house business as their talents are honed.

However, beneath your pride lurks a lingering concern. No matter where your loyalty lies, you know a house divided against itself inevitably falls, and you cannot help but feel bitterness toward those who follow these pretenders to the seat of the Gorgon. When your chosen leader takes command of the house, supporters of the would-be usurpers will be dealt with. Until then, it is up to your side to keep Cannith’s glory from degenerating further.

Missions

The missions House Cannith assigns depend on your faction. In Cannith South, you might explore the Mournland or Xen’drik. Alternatively, you might travel on diplomatic missions to Cannith East or West, playing one against the other. You could be appointed an emissary to Morgrave University, examining new finds. You might even report to Merrix with any information you gain—or the items themselves, if possible.

As a member of Cannith West, you might accompany agents of the Twelve on expeditions as far away as Argonnessen or Sarlona, representing your house. You might research ancient druid ruins in the Eldeen Reaches. You could be sent to a gala to enlighten an important noble on a matter that concerns your house. You might even find yourself engaged in espionage under cover of guild membership, traveling across Khorvaire in support of Jorlanna d’Cannith’s ambition to rule—or inadvertently serving the Lords of Dust as they manipulate that ambition.

For Cannith East, you might find yourself loaned to Karrnath in pursuit of Emerald Claw agents, meeting with Lhazaarite princes to discuss business endeavors, joining the dwarf lords of the Mror Holds to stave off an incursion from Khyber, or leading a unit of undead and constructs on a clandestine mission for the Karrnathi crown

House Cannith in the World

Wherever magical power can be gained, House Cannith is nearby. Not content to let the Twelve do their work for them, the scions of the house claim any resource that might help them regain their former glory or exceed their previous achievements—as quietly as possible, of course. Though the house is not wholly evil, many within Cannith can hardly be called souls of truth and righteousness. As a base of operations for the PCs, a bastion against truly dark forces in the world, or an evil empire, House Cannith can be a powerful force in any campaign.

The last patriarch, Starrin d’Cannith, left a lasting imprint on his house. Though Merrix and Aarren created the warforged, Starrin engaged the warring sibling kings of the Five Nations, persuading them both of Cannith’s neutrality and of the warforged’s usefulness in battle. His death was a blow from which the house has yet to recover.

Instead of a single patriarch, Cannith currently has three descendants claiming the title of baron, each managing a portion of the house’s concerns. Though a council of lords seneschal would typically reign over the viceroys, Merrix, Jorlanna, and Zorlan’s nominal status as the heirs to the seat of the Gorgon effectively makes them a triumvirate, over which the lords seneschal have little control.

Promotion within the house is judged by one’s contributions to Cannith’s continued growth and well-being. Members must strive if they wish to become more powerful within the hierarchy. Those who succeed are either brilliant at invention, uncannily aware of others’ motives, or both. House members with no taste for politics succeed by lending their support to those so inclined.

NPC Reactions

House Cannith’s position as the nominal leader of the dragonmarked houses goes largely unchallenged. Cannith and Deneith work well together, and individuals from House Deneith and the Twelve have an initial reaction of friendly to Cannith members. Members of the other dragonmarked houses have an initial reaction of indifferent. Notable exceptions include members of Tharashk and Vadalis, both of whom dislike Cannith’s questionable morals and power-hungry ways. Members of those two houses often have an initial attitude of unfriendly.

Alchemist Savant

Since the Last War, House Cannith has been divided into three major branches. The southern branch, led by Merrix d’Cannith from Sharn, emphasizes specific types of magic craft, including alchemy. In Merrix’s view, alchemy combines an awareness of natural laws, a talent for careful attention, and a familiarity with magic into the perfect science. Indeed, the most advanced alchemical practitioners of House Cannith are truly formidable opponents. These alchemist savants excel in the capacity to break down the normal barriers that lie between alchemy and magic, between potion and alchemical fluid, between science and art.

You are a master of your craft, and you delight in showing off your latest creations. Others simply don’t understand the importance of specializing so narrowly, and that by doing so you have learned skills that transcend the normal boundaries that normally exist when creating items. You take great pride in your work, and you know that if the naysayers observe or experience the fruits of your labor, they will be converted.

As a specialist within House Cannith, you are highly regarded by other artisans within the house. Since the house is one of the few groups that can appreciate your talents, you are sometimes called upon to deal with house business. Of course, the favors are usually returned, and you never lack for a place to work on your craft as long as a Cannith enclave is nearby.

Alchemy is an important part of House Cannith’s operations in Sharn, a key source of income to fund their other work. For that reason, Cannith alchemist savants are formally trained in apprenticeships, as well as in larger classroom settings. Typically, an alchemist savant in training spends time with a mentor on a weekly basis and attends training sessions every month or so, usually held at the Cannith Enclave in the Dragon Towers district of Middle Menthis.

As members of House Cannith, alchemist savants can draw upon the resources of the house in times of need. The alchemist savants are sponsored by Merrix d’Cannith, the leader of House Cannith in southern Khorvaire. Merrix is involved in many aspects of the house’s business, including any number of secret projects located in Forgehold, House Cannith’s stronghold and true headquarters in the bowels of Sharn.

Merrix is fond of highly specialized artisans, but also feels that novices should be introduced to many different specialties, so they can better determine what their focus will be. Therefore, most savants are employed as specialist instructors, and such characters should expect to be called on to teach an alchemy class for a day or two each month.

The other factions within House Cannith are less enthused about Merrix’s desire for specialists. They instead believe that artificers and magewrights provide the best benefit when they can fill multiple roles and create a variety of items both mundane and magical.

Guilds

The roots of House Cannith are in its guilds, the historical face of the house and the most common Cannith presence outside its enclaves. The bulk of house business actually goes on outside the guilds, which are seen by house members as only training grounds or career footnotes.