1. Locations

Khorvaire

Continent

The Last War has ended, but much of the anger and pain remains. The new nations of Khorvaire, while technically at peace, continue to vie for political and economic supremacy. In the wake of war, new treaties and alliances are forming, new weapons and armies are being built, and another great war is inevitable. Still, that war is years away. In the meantime, a new age of exploration and growth creates an exciting era in which to adventure. During the Last War, not everyone saw action and not every location was a battle zone. Great portions of every nation never suffered invasion or attack. On the other hand, locations in every nation did suffer through the war, and some sites switched hands a dozen times or more as the century-long confl ict unfolded. Particularly along the borders of the nations, bloodshed and violence came and went as the war progressed.

The Treaty of Thronehold was signed on the 11th day of Aryth in 996 YK, thus ending the Last War. After more than a century of war, soldiers and kings alike must learn to live in a peaceful world. The long struggle and the shocking destruction of Cyre, which occurred in 994 YK, have left deep scars on the psyche of the continent. There is an undercurrent of despair and doubt, a fear that the fate of the Mournland may herald the doom of Khorvaire itself.

This sense of trepidation has provoked many different reactions. Crime is on the increase in the major cities of the nations; many question moral standards, as people no longer believe in the security of their old way of life. Murder and theft are far more common than they used to be. Sinister conspiracies such as the Aurum and the Order of the Emerald Claw are using the overall sense of confusion and uncertainty to increase their own power and infl uence. The elves of Valenar have been ignoring the Treaty of Thronehold, and elf forces continue to clash with the Karrns, the Talenta halfl ings, and the Q’barrans. Rumors tell of graft and corruption even w ithin the Church of the Silver Flame, the traditional bastion of law and order.

Not everyone gives in to despair, however. Academic institutions such as the Library of Korranberg and Morgrave University have redoubled their efforts to explore the mysterious continent of Xen’drik, seeking knowledge and wonders. There are those who fight to make Khorvaire a safer place, battling in the shadows, the streets, and the courts of the land.

This is a time of opportunity and adventure. The lost treasures of forgotten civilizations are only beginning to be recovered. Untold wealth and powerful artifacts can be gained—assuming one can get past the deadly guardians and cunning traps that protect them. Crime lords and corrupt priests clash in the cities. Spies, courtiers, and assassins battle with words and swords in the courts of Khorvaire. Mad wizards, ancient demons, and sinister cults pursue deadly schemes that could threaten Eberron itself. This is a time when new heroes must arise to replace those slain in the Last War, to find a way to restore light and hope to the people of Khorvaire.

Dragons

"The house on Bleak Street? Don’t go near it. Yeah, I know, it looks like a prime target. A twist of wire in the lock and we could help ourselves to all that finery you saw through the window. We might even live long enough to enjoy some of the take. Maybe. Trust me when I say leave it alone. Not everyone in this city is exactly what they appear."

—Dioban the Prudent, street thief

Khorvaire is unique among the continents in that it possesses the greatest diversity of interconnected races and societies. To grasp the structure of Khorvaire requires untangling lines of political power, racial tensions, technology levels, historical grudges and alliances, and secret and public societies. The role of dragons on Khorvaire is no less important than on other continents, but it is much more subtle.

Khorvaire possesses another quality that affects how its dragons interact: Rogue dragons favor it over all other continents. Whether they disagree with the Chamber’s purpose or methodology, or fled Argonnessen in fear of their lives, or are selfish, loners, or greedy, rogue dragons find Khorvaire a hospitable land. The rise and fall of cities and the glut of races provides a shifting backdrop against which to camouflage themselves. Minions and servitors are easy to find, and the Chamber has more pressing concerns on Khorvaire than tracking down rogues. Usually.

Scales and Facades

The Chamber focuses much of its attention on Khorvaire, and for good reason. Dragonmarked humanoids are common there, as are the power seats of many empires. These elements crop up frequently in the Prophecy.

Of course, nondragonmarked beings play an important role in the Prophecy too. Khorvaire boasts the greatest concentration of the lesser races, in dynamic situations and ever-changing allegiances. A Chamber agent must be intelligent and flexible to keep track of all the powers-that-be in even a single Khorvairian kingdom. The kingdom’s web of allies, enemies, plots, and plans stretches and is entangled with other webs, which in turn interact with other webs, until a single action in one corner of the continent affects the entire land.

Chamber agents move slowly but inexorably. Little aside from death can sway a Chamber agent from her duty. She thinks nothing of setting plans in motion that take years, even decades, to come to fruition. An agent must also be on guard lest circumstances require her to move quickly. The lesser races act unpredictably, and an agent requires the ability to rapidly evaluate and react to a situation. An agent’s talents develop over many years of dedicated infiltration, study, and observation.

To preserve the secrecy of its agenda, and out of respect for the intelligence and dedication of its members, the Chamber does not maintain a rigid structure. It always keeps watch over its members, to ensure their safety and monitor them for signs of infiltration by the Lords of Dust. The Chamber generally allows its agents to work privately, although on occasion, important assignments are given to trusted agents. Members of the Chamber usually share uncovered information with the dragons of Argonnessen, who decide how best to act on it.

The Chamber possesses this fluid structure for another reason: Its members rarely agree on how best to handle the Prophecy. Different dragons have different goals, and even those who share an objective often argue over how best to accomplish it. Some do all they can to study the Prophecy without shaping it, preferring to gather all available information before making a choice. Others pursue one particular goal, such as the destruction of a rakshasa rajah, and act to shape the Prophecy to ensure their desires come about.

The Chamber values subtlety. Older dragons of Argonnessen watch constantly, often disapproving, but don’t interfere with its members as long as they keep a low profile. Agents seek to monitor and advance the Prophecy without altering it wrongly or putting themselves at risk; to that end, they work in disguise, through minions, or using magical means whenever possible.

The Chamber is powerful but unreliable. Though dragon agents often disagree on means and outcomes, they all agree that the Chamber’s agenda supersedes personal goals, attachments, and even ethics. An agent might develop a working relationship with a pawn over the course of many years, then slay that pawn without a thought if she believes the Prophecy requires it. Everything is a tool or a symbol; nothing has permanence or importance but the Prophecy.

The Prophecy in Khorvaire

Young dragons sometimes assume Khorvaire should be the focus of all Chamber activity. After all, dragonmarks tie directly into the Prophecy, and Khorvaire is home to the dragonmarked races. Even the movements of a dragonmarked individual might unveil threads of destiny: Chamber agents have spent entire decades watching a single dragonmarked individual go about her daily life. Chamber initiates learn that great revelations do not always result from great deeds; what a the bearer of a mark has for breakfast can be as vital as whether she signs a treaty or destroys a demon.

Dragonmarks reveal only aspects of the Prophecy, though. Furthermore, while dragonmarked individuals are common on Khorvaire, those without dragonmarks also have a role to play. In chess, the queen is the most valuable piece, but one cannot win without pawns. Creatures of all types on all continents have a place in the Prophecy.

This is not to say that Khorvaire isn’t a vital target for the Chamber’s observations, only that other targets exist. Khorvaire does possess unique properties that pique the Chamber’s interest. Just as an astronomer sometimes studies a single star or the relative position of constellations, the movements of the lesser races as a whole affects the Prophecy and the future. The dragonmarked houses, of course, figure prominently. The structure of the continent plays a role, too: The Prophecy refers to humanoid kingdoms at times.

Khorvaire also features unique landmarks that allow Chamber agents to decipher and manipulate the Prophecy. References to the Mournland crop up from time to time. A fallen tower in Sharn; the Gloaming in the Eldeen Reaches; a lake of fire in the Demon Wastes; the Madstone in Karrnath—these areas and more all appear in the many fragments of the Prophecy. Some places, such as the Seven Caves in Darguun, are rumored to hold undiscovered Prophecy writings. Such rumors, no matter how far-fetched, require Chamber attention.

Chamber agents who operate in Khorvaire must deal with additional dangers not found on other continents. The Lords of Dust know of the Chamber’s agenda and its obsession with the Prophecy. From time to time, false fragments of the Prophecy crop up. Some of these prove merely embarrassing to the Chamber, leading them astray at critical moments and diverting their attention. At worst, these false clues lead dedicated agents to pursue investigations that result in ambush.

Rogue Dragons

Dragons possess a wide range of personalities and motivations. Though they display more racial solidarity than many other creatures, rebels do exist. Not every dragon cares for the Chamber or the Prophecy—or even for other dragons. These rogue dragons operate independently.

Rogue dragons don’t share motivations or desires; their behavior is as varied and complex as the dragons themselves. However, several common themes crop up among the rogues who lair on Khorvaire: money, power, solitude, and independence.

Khorvaire’s wealth is a great draw to rogue dragons. The Chamber monitors and guards its artifacts and relics carefully, but rogues take what they wish and share with no one. Powerful magic items and hidden treasure troves left over from the Last War dot the land, many hidden so deeply and so well that ordinary beings stand no chance of discovering them. Only creatures as powerful as dragons can find and claim these treasures for themselves.

Many rogues also enjoy feeling powerful and in control. On Argonnessen, greater dragons often dominate smaller, weaker dragons. When surrounded by lesser beings, though, even the lowliest dragon feels impressive. The pursuit of wealth is often combined with the lust for power. A rogue dragon might take on minions, then use them to search for greater treasures; the more wealth she possesses, the more she can expend on acquiring even greater wealth and more servitors.

Achieving a position of authority within the Chamber or the Conclave can take centuries or more. On Khorvaire, a clever dragon can set up a power structure with himself at the head in under a decade, all without risking the incredible dangers of the Vast. Dragons in the Vast, wild as they are, still play by the rules of the Conclave. Rogue dragons are true rebels who flout the “sandbox” of the Vast and the draconic authorities.

Some rogues, though, disdain minions and intrigue. They crave solitude above all else, rejecting even the company of other dragons. These dragons could be born introverts who prefer their own company to any other. They might be criminals on the run from the authorities of Argonnessen; they could even be wrongly accused. A few dealt major damage to enemies of Argonnessen, and now lair in Khorvaire for their own safety and for the safety of the Chamber. Others nurse a secret pain, a broken heart, or shattered dreams, and cannot bear any reminder of their old life.

Finally, some dragons simply don’t care for the politics of Argonnessen. They don’t understand the Prophecy and don’t want to. They can’t comprehend why their kin care so deeply for the actions of the lesser races and the fate of the world. Some of these rogue dragons are nihilists, while others are apathetic, and many are simply selfish.

Most rogues, however, remain keenly aware that the Eyes of Chronepsis rest on them. They crave their freedom but must conduct their activities secretly or within reasonable limits, lest they incur the wrath of the Conclave. Some rogue dragons engage in destructive but subtle activities, believing they escape notice. In many cases, though, the Conclave is aware of them and is simply waiting for the proper time to take action. Sometimes the Chamber or another faction sees value in a rogue’s activities and convinces the Conclave to delay interference.

Rogue dragons might live in solitude, have dragon allies or enemies, or involve themselves in the daily lives and politics of the lesser races. Each presents a unique challenge, and encountering one rog

The Role of Rogues

Rogue dragons can play several roles in a campaign. Most importantly, they serve as quintessential dragon villains. They rarely have complicated social structures, or webs of allies and enemies. They guard vast treasures, lair in remote locations, and merit no tears should brave adventurers destroy them. When the DM needs a powerful monster but doesn’t want a complicated backstory or adventure structure, a rogue dragon fits the bill perfectly.

Rogues work well for any adventure that involves a dragon but avoids Chamber entanglements or Prophecy storylines. They can serve as patrons who hire characters to enter dangerous places and retrieve treasures. After the PCs complete their mission, the patron pays them (or betrays them), and that’s the end of the story.

If the PCs become powerful enough to seek out dragon cohorts or require dragon allies, Khorvairian rogue dragons can become involved in party dynamics without the complications of Chamber politics and the Prophecy.

If the players find Chamber politics fascinating and enjoyable, rogue dragons work best as simple enemies and occasional NPCs.

Getting Around Unseen

A dragon who needs to move unseen through the humanoid masses has several options. Bronze, gold, and silver dragons have the easiest time procuring disguises, because they possess an innate ability to change shape. Other dragons might possess the Alternate Form feat (page 15). Usually this talent is innate and manifests shortly after hatching. In a few rare cases, a dragon develops this power through practice and meditation.

In the absence of innate ability, a magical disguise works well. Minor illusion magic such as alter self and disguise self is not much use to dragons. At most, these spells can make one appear to be a different dragon, doing little more than shunting investigations away from the Chamber in an emergency. Polymorph provides the perfect disguise, but its short duration renders it infeasible for all but the briefest of missions (and even then, only if the dragon possesses a wand or other item with which to refresh the spell). Shapechange is better suited to this purpose, but its high level and expense keep it out of the reach of all but the most powerful dragons.

Once disguised, a dragon looks for a position from which to monitor the workings of the area and individuals’ comings and goings without drawing undue attention to himself. Favored choices include posing as a member of nobility, hiring on as a clerk (or rising to a supervisory role) in a House Kundarak bank, and working at a lightning rail station, airship dock, or harbor. Recently, Chamber agents have been drawn to a new industry: the news. The gnomes of Zilargo, who publish the immensely popular Korranberg Chronicle, often learn of important events days before the population at large does. A disguised dragon working as a reporter, scriber, or editor gains access to a constant stream of information, including tidbits and facts considered too unimportant to make it into print—but which could hold great significance to one familiar with the Prophecy.

Some dragons take a more active role, particularly in rougher settings where niceties such as noble houses and broadsheets don’t exist. In a place such as Festering Holt in the Demon Wastes, for instance, a Chamber agent might pose as a treasure-hunter, explorer, or obsessive naturalist who uses the hamlet as a base of operations. Dragons who can use divine magic sometimes disguise themselves as wandering pilgrims or missionaries, settling in town to minister to the needy.

A dragon in disguise reveals his true form only in life-or-death situations. Publicity poses a great threat to the Chamber, and its agents can withstand great amounts of discomfort and danger without reverting to dragon form.

Hoards of Khorvaire

Chamber agents must be subtle and stealthy. Possessed of quick wits and great intelligence, they are ready to move on at a moment’s notice if their cover fails or their targets switch location. A good Chamber agent can be in Sharn one day and Regalport the next. Although more independent, rogue dragons often need to be similarly discreet.

How then do they manage their hoards? Though they might disguise themselves as lesser races from time to time, Chamber agents and rogues alike remain dragons at heart. The desire to hoard is as innate in them as the need to eat. Many disguised dragons keep their hoards on them at all times. Bags of holding, portable holes, and the like are invaluable tools for transporting large quantities of coins. One dragon might pour them out in a layer to make a comfortable bed. Another takes inventory regularly as a way to meditate and relax: Ensuring that her hoard still contains exactly the same number of coins soothes her and allows her to focus on the job at hand.

Dragon spies and Chamber agents favor quality over quantity. A bed of copper pieces might be comforting, but eighteen perfect diamonds are more valuable, more aesthetically pleasing, and much easier to transport. Magic items also fit these criteria. Some dragons wear most of their hoard. A magic ring on each finger keeps them all in plain view and very safe, even though the wearer can benefit from only one on each hand. Some dragons prefer to keep larger magic items in a bag of holding or the like, in case they need to change shape in response to unexpected dangers.

Artifacts and relics, of course, provide maximum value, usually for minimum size and weight. However, the Chamber prefers to keep these items on Argonnessen. Obedient Chamber agents send such finds home, where the other dragons keep them safe. On returning to Argonnessen, the agent claims the item for her permanent hoard. Rogues, of course, have no such compunctions.

A few dragons maintain permanent hoards in lairs, which can range from a typical, remote cave in a wilderness area to a hideaway in an urban setting. They carry small amounts of treasure for security and comfort, leaving the rest at home. This practice is not widespread; dragons become anxious if they leave their hoards unattended for long. Some charm or pay minions to guard their hoards, but hirelings cannot always be trusted.

Urban Lairs

The number of large urban centers in Khorvaire forces dragons to be creative when establishing lairs. Many dragons enjoy participating in the culture of humanoid races; others need to move about in cities and towns as part of their Chamber duties. Many Khorvairian lairs have unique locations and camouflage.

The most efficient and effective ploy is to hide in plain sight. Houses with large basements make ideal dragon lairs; the occupant knocks out downstairs walls to make a central chamber. The resulting space holds the bulk of the hoard and provides a relatively safe place to sleep. Owning a house also contributes to a humanoid cover identity.

A dragon with a knack for trap making or access to traplike spells can secure her lair with little difficulty. Other dragons might resort to hiring mage wrights and locksmiths for added security; some take the added precaution of killing the professionals once the additions are complete. More restrained dragons use mindaffecting magic to alter their servants’ memories or ensure that they won’t speak of the modifications they made to the house.

Some dragons prefer to claim abandoned property, especially if they wish to avoid leaving a paper trail or negotiating property transactions. Many buildings that served as supply posts, barracks, or temples during the Last War now stand unused and forgotten. Some have been up for sale since the war ended, and their owners have all but forgotten about the properties. Abandoned buildings also work well for temporary lairs.

Unorthodox areas in cities and towns also make acceptable lairs; a few are suggested in the sidebar. If a dragon doesn’t mind staying in humanoid form indefinitely, the options for an urban lair are nearly limitless.

Places of Interest

Khorvaire offers a unique backdrop for interactions between player characters and dragons. The role of dragons, particularly those of the Chamber, means that PCs can possess dragon contacts and allies from the very start of their careers. They might believe their generous patron or knowledgeable university contact to be nothing more than what she seems; only after many adventures and much excitement can the PCs learn the true, draconic nature of their contact.

Rogue dragons and competing Chamber agents provide deadly high- or even epic-level threats. Few creatures in the world are as powerful and terrifying. At the same time, dragons fit into a logical ecology and social structure; adventures can focus either on slaying a vile rogue dragon, or engaging in political machinations with a wily Chamber agent.

Dragon encounters in Khorvaire have a very different feel from those on other continents. The structure of the continent makes it easy to insert them into a campaign, but how they interact with the PCs can vary greatly. Characters can encounter dragons in many different places and through many different organizations. Even when they triumph over one draconic enemy, they should always feel that more encounters, plots, and combats remain. Draconic influence in Khorvaire never ceases, its twists and turns as complicated and infinite as the Prophecy itself.

Dragon Adventures

The following dragon-themed adventures could take place in a number of different locations on the continent.

Grisly Portents

Low-Level

Clyve Edda, a human diviner, stumbled on information regarding the Chamber’s existence and its work with the Prophecy. His struggle to master even the smallest fragment of the Prophecy drove him mad. Now Clyve thinks himself a powerful Chamber agent and stalks the city streets, slaughtering dragonmarked victims and attempting to read the Prophecy in their entrails.

Hooks

If the PCs have a reputation for offering assistance in times of need, the city watch might call on them. A friend or relative of one party member might be a victim of Clyve, or a target who escaped. The family or house of one of the victims could hire the PCs to solve the murder.

Sites

The Library of Hidden Knowledge (page 88) features in this adventure. Clyve could also have fallen in with a group of thugs who recognize and manipulate his derangement. In this case, the thugs and Clyve could reside in the Sub-City Sprawl (page 93).

Adventure

Over the last month, Clyve Edda has killed and eviscerated three people: Airek d’Sivis, a young gnome scribe; Merra d’Ghallanda, a middle-aged halfling who worked as a cook at the Bronze Bison Inn; and Feredeth d’Cannith, a tinker passing through the city.

The PCs could investigate in a number of ways.

  1. Detective Work: The names of the dead are public knowledge; the PCs can interview relatives and observe the victims’ homes and places of work. A successful DC 10 Gather Information check (or the assistance of a cooperative city watch) reveals the location of each attack. 
    Anyone with the Investigate feat can make a DC 10 Search check at the crime scenes, the Bronze Bison, and the Library. Clyve left blood smears at each crime scene, and each successful check allows the PCs to close in on the area of town in which the Library sits. At the Bronze Bison, Clyve left distinctive vermilion ink smears on one table, where he sat and studied Merra. A successful DC 15 Diplomacy check (possibly with a generous tip) encourages an employee to recall a twitchy, middle-aged human with red stains on his fingers who sat in the taproom all night a few days before Merra’s murder. Another successful check reminds one of Airek’s coworkers that Airek often did after-hours scribing work for the Librarian at the Library of Hidden Knowledge. 
    While the PCs conduct their investigations, they draw the attention of Tiolth (see below).
  2. Baiting the Trap: The party might think to lay a trap for the murderer by allowing a dragonmarked PC or ally to wander at night, seemingly alone. This also attracts Tiolth’s attention. If the PCs pursue this plan for three nights, they draw Clyve out of hiding. Once Clyve triggers the trap, he attempts to flee using a potion of invisibility or a potion of gaseous form.
  3. Unexpected Interference: The unusual nature of these murders and their ties to the Prophecy have drawn the attention of the real Chamber. Tiolth (NE changeling bard 4, ECS 236; change race to changeling) is a professional snoop and blackmailer. Tiolth wants to discover the murderer’s identity so he can sell the information, unaware that one of his clients is a Chamber dragon. He follows the PCs and ambushes them once he thinks they’ve solved the case, preferably attacking when they’re distracted by another combat. If the PCs notice Tiolth before he strikes, he attempts to flee, returning to track them later.
  4. Showdown: Clyve might be hiding in the Library, or the PCs could interrogate the Librarian (a long and tedious process). The Librarian eventually mentions that he paid Airek to copy notes for him a few days before Airek’s murder, and remembers Clyve as an unusual patron who uses vermilion ink. He can also point the party to Clyve’s residence. There the PCs can find the murderer, or clues leading to his hideout. Clyve might have allies, such as a group of thugs (rogues 1 or 2, DMG 123) led by a tough such as the low-level Demise or Halas Martain (ECS 252–253). Clyve is a 5th-level human wizard (DMG 125; remove his drow abilities and make him a divination specialist).

Rewards

The party earns the gratitude of the victims’ families, and perhaps a favor from their houses.

Development

The encounter with Tiolth might lead the party into the world of information brokering, eventually putting them in contact with Tiolth’s Chamber client.

Dangerous Goods

Mid-Level

A crew of burly workers load battered crates of construction materials into the cargo hold of a lightning rail car. At least, those are the contents listed on the shipping manifest. In truth, the crates contain byeshk mined in Droaam. The miners dug so deep they unearthed a chamber of Khyber, and within found an unusually large and valuable vein of the rare metal. The precious cargo was transported by caravan to Wroat, and now it makes its final journey to Sharn.

Hooks

Lightning rail authorities could hire the PCs to guard the cargo, or the party could simply be on the scene as passengers. The PCs could also try to steal the cargo themselves, unaware that a second attack is planned by a rival group.

Sites

The dragon masterminding this attack could have a lair in the Frostbreath Caverns (page 86), the Sea Caves (page 92), or in Sharn in the Sub-City Sprawl (page 93).

Adventure

Mneromas (NE young adult bronze dragon) learned of the shipment through one of his minions, a lightning rail employee. Mneromas immediately sent his most powerful enforcers, a team of bugbear toughs led by Rorog Obradi (CE bugbear rogue 10; DMG 123; change race to bugbear and allot more ranks to Use Magic Device) to steal the cargo. Obradi learned to fight at an early age, but his intelligence and inspirational speeches made him a natural leader, and his bandits fearlessly follow him.

  1. The Heist: Mneromas provides the bandits with potions of fly, potions of invisibility, and other useful magic items, including a portable hole and wand of fireballs for Obradi. 
    Obradi leads six to eight bugbear bandits; use a mix of 5th-level rogues (DMG 123) and 5th-level barbarians (DMG 112). When the lightning rail car is in view, Obradi flies close enough to use a scroll of shatter on the hatch atop the car. The bandits swoop down, shove the crates into the portable hole, and drink potions of invisibility before flying back to Mneromas’s lair. 
    The PCs interfere in the heist (see Explorer’s Handbook for a sample lightning rail map and details on lightning rail combat), and might even save the shipment. Clever characters should realize that the thieves are well organized, well supplied, and not working alone. The bandits refuse to say how they knew the cargo was aboard but hint that they work for a powerful figure who will “get” the PCs one day. A dying raider might even gasp out a promise of vengeance against the party. 
    If the PCs continue on and deliver the shipment, House Orien hires them to track down whoever orchestrated the attack on the lightning rail.
  2. The Trail: A character with the Track feat can make a DC 20 Survival check (+1 for every day after the attack) to find the spot where the bugbears drank their potions of fly. From there, a DC 18 Survival check (+1 for every day after the attack) is required to track them back to Mneromas’s lair. 
    Mneromas has additional minions. A greater shadow (MM 221) flits through rocks and beneath the ground around the lair, bound to the dragon by some dark ritual and now used as an early warning system. When the shadow spots the PCs, it attempts to sneak back and warn Mneromas. If the PCs notice the shadow and attack it, the chaotic and dim undead retaliates rather than fleeing.
  3. The Lair: Mneromas’s lair contains additional threats, such as his son and lieutenant, Mnerol (NE male half-bronze dragon 8th-level fighter, MM 146; change dragon side to bronze and add 4 fighter levels). Four bugbear bandits remained at the lair when Obradi left to attack the train, and Mnerol marshals this small force against any intruders. 
    Mnerol’s band retreats when wounded and regroups farther inside the lair. Only when badly injured and desperate does Mnerol alert Mneromas, since he wishes to prove himself by handling this threat alone. Still, he is smart enough to know when he is outmatched.

Rewards

Use the treasure tables (DMG 52–53) to generate Mneromas’s hoard. The PCs also earn the gratitude of House Orien and at least one free lightning rail trip.

Development

If Obradi or any of his bandits survive, they could escape from jail and threaten PCs at a later date. The characters could find other obviously stolen goods in Mneromas’s hoard and attempt to track down their owners.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Mid-Level

Irkimorra (female young adult silver dragon; ECS 229) has made a name for herself as a ruthless agent. If the deaths of hundreds furthers the Chamber’s cause, so be it. Irkimorra doesn’t mind getting her claws dirty.

She was shocked, then, when she untangled a thread of the Prophecy to read: “When the human Neri compromises her impartiality, Irkimorra’s position falls like a star and does not rise again until Olarune passes before Dravago.”

Determined to retain her position, Irkimorra hunts down Neri.

Hooks

One of the PCs could be a friend or relative of Neri. The party could also be on the scene when Irkimorra makes her first assassination attempt.

Sites

Irkimorra likely has her base in a spined lair in the Library of Hidden Knowledge (page 88), or in the Sea Caves (page 92) just outside the city.

Adventure

Irkimorra can’t move directly against Neri (female human aristocrat 5). Her target is a wealthy noble who moves in prominent circles, rarely leaving the well-lit and well-patrolled area of town. As well, the Chamber is already watching Neri’s role in unrelated Prophecy strands. Although Irkimorra believes her contribution to the Chamber outweighs any interference she could cause by killing Neri, she has no desire to answer for her actions.

  1. Death in the Night: Irkimorra first hires assassins to strike at Neri. She doesn’t believe the attempt will succeed, but she wants to test Neri’s defenses. 
    A band of four House Thuranni killers (ECS 239) are only too happy to take Irkimorra’s money. The assassins pose as street performers outside the city hall. When Neri leaves in her carriage, one leaps into the coachman’s seat, kills the hapless man, and takes the reins. Another climbs on the back of the carriage and knocks off the guard. The other two enter the carriage windows. 
    The PCs witness the attack and are likely to intervene. Whether they do or not, Neri escapes at the first opportunity; she smashes one of her jewels, activating a one-use word of recall spell.
  2. Poison Apple: For her second attempt, Irkimorra tries a subtle, classic approach. She sends a basket of fruit to Neri’s office at city hall. Beneath the real fruit, a hollow apple contains a venomous snake. 
    Assuming the PCs subdued Neri’s would-be assassins, she invites them to her office to properly thank them. While she speaks, the Tiny viper (MM 280) slithers out and creeps toward her. 
    Assuming they act quickly, the PCs save Neri’s life— possibly for a second time. The noblewoman, distraught over the attempts on her life, hires them to discover who is after her and stop the attacks.
  3. Hunting the Hunter: The PCs probably have divination magic at their disposal and might attempt commune or contact other plane. Their most useful lead, however, is tracking the assassins. 
    Asking around (a DC 20 Gather Information check) puts the party in contact with a street vendor who knew the assassins. For a handful of gold he shows the PCs to the assassins’ hideout. 
    Coincidentally, Irkimorra has also entered the assassins’ hideout to erase all traces of her presence, and the PCs surprise her. The dragon first tries to pass herself off as a poor relative of one of the assassins, then flees if her deception is uncovered. As a last resort, she fights. Even if Irkimorra escapes, the PCs have enough information to track her down through a scrying or locate person spell.
  4. Confrontation: As a solo agent, Irkimorra has no minions but guards her lair with traps and wards (such as glyphs of warding and pits). She would rather face the music than die, though, so if the PCs confront her, she flees to a Chamber stronghold to confess her misdeeds. A Chamber agent approaches the PCs the next day and promises an end to the attacks on Neri, apologizing for the “misunderstanding.” 
    Irkimorra’s actions cause her status to fall sharply in the Chamber. She doesn’t regain her colleagues’ trust for decades—just as the Prophecy foretold.

Rewards

Neri rewards the characters with 2,000 gp each, plus a beautiful signet ring.

Development

The characters might have further communication with the Chamber, particularly if they displayed great competence in dealing with Irkimorra. In addition, they have an influential and grateful contact in Neri, whose signet rings can open many doors for them.

Right Place, Right Time

High-Level

Mysterious strangers often hire heroes to explore dangerous areas and recover treasure. This time, though, the patron is a dragon or a dragon’s minion. He might not even know he works for a dragon. It could even be someone the PCs have worked with before. But this patron knows more than he’s telling.

Hooks

Whatever the PCs want, the would-be employer offers. Money is no object, nor knowledge, nor even powerful magic items. He seems to know just what the PCs need.

Sites

Either the Mystic Glade (page 90) or the Frostbreath Caverns (page 86) works best for this adventure.

Adventure

According to the Prophecy, a dragonmarked character must enter the specified location and fight its guardian, lest a rakshasa rajah go free. The dragon might know this, or could simply desire the treasure. He might even unknowingly be manipulated by a Chamber agent in a multilayered scheme.

  1. The Hire: The patron provides the PCs with detailed directions to the location, information on the treasure they seek, and money for miscellaneous expenses. He does not know, however, what lies within or what challenges the party will face.
  2. The Voyage: The party likely has access to travel magic; if not, the patron offers to pay the necessary airship or lightning rail fares. No detailed maps or pictures of the location exist (and the patron cannot accurately describe it), so the party can’t simply teleport in. 
    Dangerous creatures roam the area. Consult the random encounter tables for the chosen location for suggestions, or substitute anything properly fearsome to challenge the party, such as a truly horrid umber hulk (MM 248) or a nightwalker nightshade (MM 195).
  3. The Competition: The PCs aren’t the only ones looking for the treasure. Any number of seekers serving rival interests could be headed to the same spot. The Dreaming Dark might send a team of Inspired rogues and psions who have no compunctions about killing (ECS 240; increase rogue or psion levels by 5). The Aurum might also have an interest in this great treasure, sending a team of dwarf explorers (ECS 238; change race to dwarf and increase levels by 5) who attempt first to negotiate with the PCs, then to subdue and abandon them.
  4. The Guardian: The area’s guardian is a monster unlike any the party has ever faced before. History is made in this titanic battle. In an outdoor location, a marilith (MM 44) or a black rock triskelion avatar (MM4 8), possibly an embodiment of the Mystic Glade itself, attacks the heroes. In an underground location, the PCs might pass powerful sigils on their journey and find, too late, that they have entered the prison of a daelkyr (ECS 278). A greater stone golem (MM 136) might guard the underground vault, or the place could be home to the legendary tarrasque (MM 240).

Rewards

What treasure do the PCs uncover? A guardian so powerful must protect an artifact, such as a moaning diamond (DMG 281) or, in the Mystic Glade, the ash spear of Thakash Rin (ECS 271).

Development

If the PCs recover the artifact, they might be tempted to keep it, earning the wrath of their patron. If they deliver the artifact, their patron might renege on the deal—or worse, he might pay them and then use the artifact in a destructive, evil manner.

Names

The naming conventions among the people of Khorvaire tend to follow language, rather than being linked to race. A Brelish dwarf who doesn’t speak Dwarvish might also carry a name with a human origin rather than a traditional Dwarvish name.

Most citizens of Khorvaire have a given name followed by a surname. A surname associated with the Common language is usually either a family name or related to an occupation or region of origin. So Sorn Fellhorn, Kara of Windshire, and Tellan Magewright are all names you might find among the common folk.

The noble families of Galifar—along with those granted land and titles by one of the sovereigns of the Five Nations—add the prefix ir’ to their surname. The name Darro ir’Lain tells you that this individual is a landed noble. The Wynarns were the royal line of Galifar, and the current rulers of Aundair, Breland, and Karrnath are all heirs of the Wynarn bloodline. Thus, Queen Aurala of Aundair is Aurala ir’Wynarn.

Another common prefix is d’, used by any heir of a dragonmarked house who has manifested a dragonmark. So Merrix d’Cannith is a member of House Cannith who has manifested the Mark of Making.

Travel

Thanks to the industrious innovation of multiple dragonmarked houses and workshops full of magewrights, the people of Khorvaire can cross the continent in a week or less using magical means. The lightning rail and vessels powered by bound elementals and operated by the dragonmarked houses, can carry passengers as far in an hour as a horse can walk in a day. This section discusses issues related to travel in an Eberron campaign and presents the Gold Dragon Inns, a chain of hotels that offer consistent accommodation for travelers anywhere in Khorvaire.

As described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, it’s up to you whether you gloss over travel in your campaign or narrate it in more detail. If the point is to get the characters to their destination so they can get the adventure underway, it’s fine to assume that their journey (whether it’s by lightning rail, airship, or more mundane means) passes without incident. After all, the people of Khorvaire make such trips every day, and most of them reach their destinations safely.

The alternative is to make the journey an important part of the adventure. Travel can play a crucial role in a story, and when it does, you should give it as much time at the game table as it needs.

Elemental Vessels

Long ago, gnome artificers and specialists from House Cannith discovered and developed a means of magical travel. The heart of the process is a set of techniques for binding elementals that uses Khyber dragonshards. This closely guarded procedure requires delicate engineering, arcane skill, and rare materials from around the world, and different workshops employ varying esoteric techniques. Building a new vehicle can occupy a workshop for months while magical energy is painstakingly inlaid into the vessel’s hull. Such work is a complicated task requiring the labor of many; it is not something that can be undertaken by a lone wizard for any amount of compensation.

The construction of elemental vessels requires the use of two kinds of dragonshards. A Khyber dragonshard of the largest size and finest quality is required to bind the elemental to the vessel, and a Siberys dragonshard is needed to craft the vehicle’s helm. Production of new vessels grinds to a halt without a steady supply of both kinds of dragonshards, and a workshop with an order to fill will pay a handsome fee to adventurers who can find them.

Elemental Matrix

Every elemental vessel is imbued with an invisible, arcane matrix. This magical essence extends from the containment chamber at the core of the vehicle to the binding struts, then through the rest of the vehicle’s hull. When a Khyber dragonshard holding a bound elemental is placed in the containment chamber, the matrix comes alive. The unsuppressed elemental emerges from the shard and flows along the matrix in the way that blood moves through the arteries and veins of a living creature.

The binding struts force the elemental into a ring shape and give every elemental vessel its distinctive appearance. From there, the elemental continues to flow along the matrix through the hull, appearing as jagged, snaking lines of living energy that pulse and shift. These conduits of elemental energy take on an appearance associated with the type of elemental bound into the vessel. A fire elemental, for example, sends tendrils of flame along the hull of its ship.

At the command of the vehicle’s dragonmarked pilot, the bound elemental can be suppressed, causing its essence to flow back into the containment chamber and the matrix to disappear from view. A vehicle whose elemental is suppressed ceases to be propelled.

Controlling the Elemental

Piloting an elemental vessel requires effective communication between the pilot and the bound elemental. The elemental controls the vehicle’s movement, and everything from basic propulsion to delicate maneuvering is dependent on the ability of the pilot to control the elemental. If the elemental is uncontrolled and not suppressed, the vehicle moves according to the elemental’s whim until a pilot asserts control again.

A dragonmarked heir at the helm of a vessel can command the elemental easily. Without such a pilot, it’s very difficult to control the vessel. A character who is touching either the Khyber dragonshard where the bound elemental is housed or the magic item at the vessel’s helm can try to communicate with the elemental, but with no guarantee of success.

A character can make a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check to persuade the elemental to cooperate or demand its obedience. On a successful check, the elemental obeys the character for 1 minute.

The dominate monster spell can also enable a character without a dragonmark to control an elemental vessel, even wresting control away from a dragonmarked pilot. The charm monster spell (found in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) also makes the elemental compliant to the caster’s wishes, but the elemental remains obedient to the commands of a dragonmarked pilot at the helm.

Freeing the Elemental

Shattering the Khyber dragonshard that binds it can free an elemental, preventing the vehicle from moving. On most elemental vessels, the shard is sealed in a protective metal chest with 10 (3d6) hit points, usually made of iron (AC 19) but sometimes of mithral (AC 21) or adamantine (AC 23). The chest is often guarded with a glyph of warding and housed in a room behind locked and possibly trapped doors. The shard itself has AC 17 and 10 (3d6) hit points.

Lyrandar Airship

The airship is the most advanced elemental-powered vehicle on Eberron, the pride of House Lyrandar and the forerunner of the magical advances that many hope will become commonplace in the aftermath of the Last War. The first airships emerged from the Cannith and Zilargo workshops and appeared in House Lyrandar’s service just eight years ago (in 990 YK). For now, though, they remain rare, because the soarwood required for their construction is exceedingly scarce and tightly controlled.

Soarwood is a form of buoyant timber found only on the island of Aerenal, and the elves who live there limit their annual harvest of the precious wood. As a result, production of new airships proceeds at a snail’s pace, unable to satisfy the fervent demand for new vessels. The discovery of a new supply of soarwood could literally change the world, and even convincing the elves of Aerenal to part with more of it would be an achievement worth a handsome reward from House Lyrandar.

How It Works

A standard airship (at least as far as standards have been defined for this relatively new creation) looks similar to an oceangoing ship but is rigged with control fins and rudders rather than sails. An air or fire elemental is bound into a ring around the hull, which is suspended on four struts jutting outward. Most airships are outfitted with the finest amenities, including many decorative flourishes and creature comforts.

Operation. A dragonmarked heir of House Lyrandar must pilot a Lyrandar airship, channeling the power of the Mark of Storm through the wheel of wind and water that controls the vessel. The helm is typically situated near the rear of the ship, inside the shelter of a wheelhouse. Controlling the vessel (without the benefit of something like the conductor stones that dictate a lightning rail route) requires constant attention, so at least two pilots typically travel on every journey.

Only a dragonmark heir with the Mark of Storm can use the wheel and command the bound elemental. House Lyrandar pilots train for months to gain a deep understanding of the ship’s powers and limitations. Because of this training, a skilled pilot can execute acrobatic maneuvers in the sky.

Airships can move in all three dimensions, with or without the aid of the wind. Unlike most flying creatures, they don’t rely on wings for lift thanks to their soarwood hulls. They are able to fly equally well on their sides or even upside down (notwithstanding the risks that such maneuvers present to passengers and crew).

Airships cannot actually land, because the struts that hold the elemental ring in place protrude 10 feet from the bottom of the vessel. Thus, passengers and cargo are lifted in elevators and loaded at towers in major cities. Each ship carries rope ladders for use at smaller stations, in open terrain, or in cases of dire emergency.

A typical airship can reach a speed of 20 miles per hour in clear skies carrying up to 30 tons of cargo. Airships are most often employed by explorers and by wealthy travelers who demand luxury — clients who have a need to move quickly to places that might not be served by the lightning rail.

Suppression. Although the elemental bound to the airship is essential for propulsion, the vessel’s soarwood hull provides its lighter-than-air buoyancy. When the elemental is suppressed, the ship remains aloft but can’t move. The pilot always suppresses the elemental before docking, then uses ropes to maneuver the vessel into position.

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Lyrandar Galleons

A House Lyrandar galleon, also called an elemental galleon, resembles a Lyrandar airship except that it has a water elemental ring that propels it across oceans and seas instead of through the air. This vessel has a speed of 10 miles per hour but otherwise is similar to a Lyrandar airship.

Orien Lightning Rail

The wondrous lightning rail system once linked the far reaches of the Kingdom of Galifar, prior to the Last War. Now the system is divided, split into eastern and western circuits. Reestablishing the conductor stone paths across Scions Sound and the Mournland is often discussed in the halls of power in the Five Nations, but formidable challenges are involved.

How It Works

A lightning rail train is made up of an elemental vessel linked to a series of connected carts, all of which float about 5 feet off the ground. Each cart, similar in form to a large wagon with no wheels, has a conductor stone embedded in its underside. A corresponding set of conductor stones laid out in a line on the ground interacts with the stones in the carts to form a rail for the train to follow. Lightning arcs between the two sets of stones, accounting for the system’s name.

The elemental vessel at the front of the train, called a crew cart, holds a bound air elemental that propels the train along its route at a speed of about 30 miles per hour. The elemental appears as a ring of lightning encircling the crew cart while the train is in motion. A bound air elemental can move a train of up to ten carts without obvious strain, and most trains are configured accordingly.

The other carts that make up the train have various purposes. A typical train has a crew cart at each end, with two cargo carts, four passenger carts, and two lounge carts in between. Doors at both ends of each cart enable crew and passengers to walk from one to the next, even while the train is in motion. Both crew carts are identical, except that the bound elemental in one is suppressed. On the return trip, the roles of the carts and the states of their elementals are reversed.

Specialized carts of other sorts vary in configuration depending on their purpose and the degree of luxury afforded to them. Some have solid sides and roofs, while others are covered only with canvas.

Map 4.10 shows the different carts that comprise most lightning rail trains.

Operation. The vessel’s pilot, a House Orien dragonmarked heir, stands at the helm, high atop the crew cart, beneath the elemental binding struts. The pilot controls the elemental and communicates with it during the trip, watching the path ahead through broad windows that encircle the helm platform.

The placement of conductor stone lines dictates where a lightning rail train can travel, but the pilot still must make operational decisions as the coach moves from one city to the next. The pilot controls the vessel’s speed based on conditions around the train. When conductor stone lines split, as they do at various hubs along the way, the pilot selects the intended route and directs the elemental down the correct line.

The crew of a train includes handful of chief stewards overseeing a number of lesser stewards who are charged with seeing to the needs of passengers and keeping cargo secured.

map410_lightningrailcars.jpg

Map 4.10: Lightning Rail Train Carriages

View Player Version

Lightning Rail Stations

Lightning rail stations, where passengers and cargo can be disembarked or loaded, are located in or just outside villages, towns, and cities along the conductor stone paths. There are no stations in the expanses between these settlements, and House Orien rules prohibit lightning rail pilots from stopping anywhere but at a station.

Stations throughout Khorvaire have a similar look and feel, to ensure that each one lives up to the high expectations of House Orien’s patrons. White and gold everbright lanterns continually illuminate each station. When a train pulls into the station, loading ramps are moved into position beside each cargo cart, and stairs by each passenger cart. The cargo is unloaded from one side of the train and the passengers from the other.

Individual stations do have distinct touches that reflect local features. For example, the station in Gatherhold, in the Talenta Plains, is decorated with traditional halfling motifs and offers specialized stables for travelers leaving their dinosaurs behind. On a larger scale, the station at Passage, which is the seat of power for House Orien, is a multistoried structure designed as a monument to the majesty and storied history of the house.

Mysterious Passengers

Lightning rails and airships are good places to encounter a broad sample of Khorvaire’s diverse population. You can use the Mysterious Passengers table to bring curious characters in contact with an adventuring party on any kind of journey. Each of these characters might spark an entire new adventure, or might be little more than a momentary diversion. Determine details about these travelers are, and the stories behind them, as you see fit.

Mysterious Passengers
d100 Passenger
01–02 A human merchant of obvious means seems to be deliberately drawing attention, loudly calling out their name and the time of day.
03–04 Two shifters drinking and spoiling for a fight.
05–06 A warforged quietly reads a book called The Machine Manifesto.
07–08 A half-elf sits down, says, “Beware — the wolf howls at midnight,” and leaves without further comment.
09–10 A gnome watches everyone carefully, writing down observations in a tiny orange book.
11–12 A one-armed Brelish veteran verbally assaults any warforged he sees, blaming them for his injury.
13–14 A well-dressed human sits awkwardly next to the wall, seemingly trying to avoid touching or being touched by anyone else.
15–16 A cloaked figure moves slowly past, pausing briefly upon catching sight of the party.
17–18 An acolyte of the Silver Flame preaches loudly in an attempt to convert an essentially captive audience.
19–20 A destitute bard plays the harp with mediocre skill while asking for donations.
21–22 A deaf couple communicate with each other by sign language, but suddenly stop when they notice they are being watched.
23–24 A frail human with a small strongbox shackled to one of her wrists is in the company of two heavily armed half-orc bodyguards.
25–26 Three hobgoblin mercenaries from House Deneith discuss their plans in their native tongue.
27–28 A harried dwarf tries to keep three children corralled, but the oldest one keeps sneaking away.
29–30 A bored changeling practices duplicating the faces of the guests. Not all of them are amused.
31–32 A shifter glowers in a corner booth, looking angry at the world.
33–34 A warforged bard uses its body as a percussion instrument to entertain the patrons.
35–36 A dog with no apparent owner wanders around.
37–38 Two Karrnathi soldiers seem extremely nervous and speak to no one.
39–40 A halfling leads a tiny pet dinosaur on a leash, tugging at it whenever it tries to examine something.
41–42 A half-orc sits with a small potted plant, whispering to it in Orc.
43–44 A well-dressed dwarf wearing eight copper rings paces restlessly.
45–46 A halfling from House Ghallanda offers food and drink to all passengers except elves or half-elves.
47–48 An elf bard from House Phiarlan whispers conspiratorially with a member of the vehicle’s crew.
49–50 A kalashtar is trying too hard to pass as human, conspicuously and awkwardly using human slang.
51–52 A young half-elf in adventuring garb weeps openly.
53–54 A silver dragon in human form observes the interactions of the clientele, paying close attention to any dragonmarked characters.
55–56 A House Cannith tinker examines the structure of the vehicle closely, looking concerned and asking questions about possible escape procedures.
57–58 A one-eyed human (actually an Inspired agent of the Dreaming Dark) watches everyone carefully.
59–60 A disheveled human magewright offers meager magical skills in return for food or spare coins.
61–62 A warforged leaning on a wooden staff carries on a conversation with the docent attached to its chest.
63–64 A human pickpocket circulates among the passengers, looking for another victim.
65–66 A human from Aundair obsessively checks and rechecks their traveling papers.
67–68 An artificer tinkers with a new invention.
69–70 An attractive half-elf makes advances toward a number of other passengers.
71–72 An apprentice wizard draws arcane symbols on the window, glaring at anyone who interrupts.
73–74 A dwarf with a bandaged wound checks it repeatedly, occasionally pouring whiskey on it and wincing.
75–76 A young, red-haired human flirtatiously tries to get other passengers to buy drinks.
77–78 An Aerenal elf sits silently, trying to ignore the stares of other passengers.
79–80 A disheveled old human loudly proclaims that the end of the world is nigh, according to the dragons.
81–82 A human child is apparently traveling with no parent or guardian.
83–84 A nervous goblin holds traveling papers out to anyone passing by, as if expecting to be challenged at any moment.
85–86 Four kalashtar monks meditate, burning incense and chanting quietly.
87–88 A rogue tries to swindle other passengers by using marked cards.
89–90 A House Tharashk inquisitive examines the floor of the vessel very carefully, offering no explanation.
91–92 A group of unremarkable farmers are transporting a strange device that bears Draconic runes.
93–94 A cleric of the Sovereign Host seems annoyed and is rude to several pious passengers who ask for blessings.
95–96 An older human reads the Korranberg Chronicle, loudly proclaiming outrage at every story.
97–98 Roll again; the travelers are one or more changelings appearing to be whatever the second roll indicates.
99–00 Roll twice more; the two travelers indicated are about to come to a very obvious conflict of some kind (verbal or physical).

Government

Galifar was a feudal monarchy, as are most of the nations that formed after the Last War shattered that legendary kingdom. In addition to the rural farmers, a middle class of laborers and shop owners has developed in the larger towns and cities. The mercantile barons that control the dragonmarked houses align themselves with no nation, which allows them to operate independently and in all nations, though most can’t help but associate more strongly with one nation.

Dragonmarked Houses

The thirteen dragonmarked houses constitute an aristocracy of commerce and industry across Khorvaire. The blood members of each family have wealth and social status that puts them fi rmly in the middle to upper classes of Khorvairian society. The house nobles and their immediate relatives share the highest status in the land, equivalent to the royal houses and the highest-ranking clergy. Scions further removed from the main bloodline share and take advantage of this status as the nobles allow, but on their own they rank in the middle class.

Rural Life

Farmers dominate the countryside of most of the nations, raising crops and providing food. In some nations, farmers are serfs indentured to the lords that control their lands. In others, farmers are free workers who own or lease their land and pay taxes for protection and other services they require of the ruling class. Farmers toil through the daylight hours and rest when darkness covers the land. They live within a mile or so of a trading village, which is guarded in turn by a local lord and his keep or castle. When legal disputes arise, it is the manor lord (or his appointed officer) who settles disagreements and issues rulings.

Some farmers have magic to help them with their chores. This magic might be provided by their lord or purchased from a dragonmarked house.

While some farmers in every nation saw firsthand the degradations of the Last War, most have to worry more about bandits and marauding monsters than the armies of the neighboring nations. The average farmer doesn’t wander far from his or her home, but every family has a member that went off to fight the war or seek employment in a city, and everyone knows someone whose brother or sister decided to become an adventurer and leave home in search of fame or fortune.

City Life

Some townsfolk and city-dwellers engage in a craft or trade of some kind, though for every professional there are three or more common laborers working in the city. Merchants and shop owners, smiths, leatherworkers, and artisans of all descriptions live and work in the cities. Many use some magic to ply their craft; magewrights cast magecraft themselves; others hire magewrights to assist them when the funds are available.

People live in close proximity in the cities, shopping in the markets, working, relaxing as the opportunity presents itself. City-dwellers have a bit more access to the conveniences of magic than their rural counterparts do. The dragonmarked houses maintain pavilions and emporiums in many good-sized towns and cities, where their services can be purchased on a regular basis. Magewrights are more abundant in the towns and cities, and even the least well-to-do city has everbright lanterns to light at least the major thoroughfares and exchanges.

In a city, law and order prevails—or at least it tries to. A city watch patrols the streets, a local garrison protects the trade roads and caravan routes passing nearby. Courts and councilors hold sway over matters of law, deciding disputes and determining guilt or innocence through something akin to due process

Economic Means

From the rural communities that dot the countryside to the villages, towns, and cities that rise wherever need and circumstance come together, the people of Khorvaire fall into three economic categories: poor, middle class, and wealthy. There are ranges and degrees of wealth in each category. Six out of ten people in the Five Nations are common farmers, unskilled laborers, and tradesfolk who are in the poor economic class, having no more than 40 or 50 silver pieces on hand at any given time, and most having considerably less.

Life for the common class is not much altered by the passage of centuries or the change of regimes. The people of Valenar experienced little change when rulership of their land passed from Cyre to the Valaes Tairn; they continued to work their farms, pay their taxes, and live and die very much as they had since the beginning of human settlement. Advances in both magical and mundane technology can make life easier for the common folk, but only after those advances become so widespread that people can afford to make use of them. The first humans to arrive in Khorvaire from Sarlona brought iron tools with them, so even the fundamental technology of metalworking has changed little for the common folk in all the centuries since.

In contrast, the middle class might be the locus of the greatest change in society, technology, and economics in the history of Eberron. Three out of ten people are in the middle class, including skilled laborers, prosperous traders and shop owners, skilled artisans, most nobility, low-level adventurers, and some members of the dragonmarked families who normally have a few hundred gold pieces or more on hand. Its very existence dates back only as far as the creation of Galifar. By their nature, the dragonmarked houses exerted a great deal of power in trade and commerce from the moment their powers arose, and they brought that power to bear in the political realm by launching the War of the Mark fully five centuries before the reign of Galifar I. By the time of Galifar, the power of the dragonmarked houses was such that the king was forced to recognize it—and indeed to court it in order to accomplish his bid to unite the Five Nations. In some ways, the story of the formation of Galifar and the birth of the middle class run parallel, for with the emergence of a unified kingdom, the wealth of the houses grew enormously, and an ever-increasing number of people associated with the houses gained a significant share of that wealth. By the early ninth century, the dragonmarked houses had grown to such importance that they had eclipsed the hereditary nobility of the Five Nations in all but name.

Naturally, the dragonmarked houses were not the only ones to profit from the growing importance of trade and commerce. Merchant lords not associated with the houses have been slower to arrive in the halls of power, but by the middle of the Last War, such independents were solidly ensconced there alongside the dragonmarked heirs and lesser nobles. Today, while nobles retain status and power by virtue of their class, they must share that power with those who have earned it by virtue of their economic might.

The middle class has risen to its elevated position in society by riding on the back of magical and technological innovation. The manifold use of magic in the everyday life of Khorvaire primarily benefits those who can afford to make use of it, or those who have near-exclusive command over the unique powers of the dragonmarks. Though only a rare few members of the dragonmarked houses carry the actual marks that hold the magical power of the house, every member benefits from the use of that power—particularly through innovations such as message stations, lightning rails, and elemental galleons. Such advances allow the houses not only to put their magical power to novel uses, but to create steady sources of new income.

One out of ten people fall into the wealthy category, those with access to a few thousand gold pieces at any given time. This class includes merchant lords, barons of commerce, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the dragonmarked families, the most popular and successful artisans, mid- to high-level adventurers, and the ruling royalty. The hereditary nobles retain their status in the upper part of the middle class by remaining useful. They hold grants of land bestowed by the rulers of the Five Nations, and repay them by governing and protecting the common folk who live on their lands, paying taxes to the heads of state, and supplying troops to serve in their lord’s armies.

Education

Throughout the Five Nations (or at least what’s left of them), formal schooling is considered a right and a necessary part of every child’s training. Rural manors maintain schools for the sons and daughters of the peasants and laborers. Private tutors provide an education for the children of royal and economic nobility. In towns and cities, schools cater to all who wish to attend. In no case is education mandatory; however, most people understand the advantages offered to them by the remnants of the Galifar education system.

Higher education and study is available at a number of colleges and universities, as well as among the religious institutions. For those who don’t want to become scholars, apprenticeships and on-the-job training replace higher education. The exception to this system involves magewrights and wizards, who must attend one of the magical colleges for at least some of their training.

History

The main continent of Eberron, at least from the point of view of the humans and their closest kin, is Khorvaire. In ages past, the goblinoids ruled the continent. By the time the first human settlers arrived 3,000 years ago, the goblinoid nations were already in ruin. Their time had passed, and the stage was set for humans and the other newer races to carve out their own age.

On Khorvaire, humans settled what became known as the Five Nations. Dragonmarks began to appear, and the dragonmarked families developed into the mercantile houses as time went on. Humans interacted with the races they encountered—trading and forming partnerships with dwarves, gnomes, and halflings, conflicting with and driving off goblinoids and other monster races. In time, humans and their allied races (including elves, who migrated from Aerenal to forge a new way of life on Khorvaire) controlled the central region of the continent. They settled large portions of what is now the Eldeen Reaches, Aundair, Breland, Thrane, Zilargo, the Mournland, Karrnath, the Talenta Plains, the Mror Holds, and the Lhazaar Principalities.

Eventually, the great and wondrous kingdom of Galifar arose from the joining of the Five Nations—the original human settlements. During the reign of the Galifar kings and queens, human lands expanded, the dragonmarked houses stabilized, and wonders such as Sharn, the City of Towers, and the Korranberg Library were established. The shining kingdom was legendary, even in its own time, and for good cause. Many of the most amazing accomplishments of Khorvairian civilization came to pass during Galifar’s almost nine hundred years of existence. The mastery of magic and the arcane arts, which developed through the efforts of the Twelve, King Galifar I’s Arcane Congress, and similar enterprises that followed, led to the construction of great cities, wondrous monuments, magical conveniences, and powerful weapons of war. Massive civil works projects, bolstered by magic, paved the way for the metropolitan centers of central Khorvaire. Magic helped crops grow and herds prosper, so hunger rarely struck the inhabitants of the kingdom.

In its day, Galifar stretched from the Barren Sea to the Lhazaar Sea, covering every mile of the continent. In practical terms, the crown claimed the entire continent but was only able to govern the central region with any proficiency. The farther one traveled toward the edges of the continent, the more wild, undeveloped, and uncivilized the land became. This fact was especially true in the areas that would eventually become the Shadow Marches, Droaam, Darguun, Q’barra, and Valenar. These frontier regions attracted some humans, but were more likely to be home to the monstrous races. The humans that did make the trip to these areas fell into a few categories: explorers, profiteers, missionaries, and settlers.

Profit made an excellent incentive for sending people into the wilderness. There were resources to discover and gather, trade routes to open, maps to create, and money to be made. Some explorers set out for crown and glory, others just to see what was out there. More often, however, explorers were attached to profiteering projects designed to open up some part of the wilderness for use by the civilized regions. This led to the construction of trading posts and supply outposts from which additional expeditions could be launched.

Trading posts developed into settlements in some locations, and there were always those who sought to find new and better lives in new lands. Settlers had hard lives, and many fell victim to monster raids and other hazards, but a few settlements survived. The human–orc communities of the Shadow Marches, for example, are in this category.

Missionaries occasionally delved deep into the wilderness to bring the message of their faith to the natives. Some, such as the Sovereign Host, went to teach. Others went to destroy, as with the lycanthrope extermination launched by the Silver Flame.

In 894 YK, King Jarot, the last king of Galifar, died. With his death, the kingdom of Galifar collapsed. Civil war erupted as his scions refused to uphold tradition and instead battled for the crown. This conflict, which became known as the Last War thanks to headlines plastered across many years’ worth of Korranberg Chronicles, lasted just more than a century. When it ended, the makeup of the continent was changed. Cyre, one of the original Five Nations, was reduced to a blighted, decimated region called the Mournland. The peace conference that resulted in the Thronehold Accords and ended the war created twelve distinct nations from what was once mighty Galifar. The recognized nations, who each signed the treaty and are now in place on Khorvaire, are Aundair, Breland, Darguun, the Eldeen Reaches, Karrnath, the Lhazaar Principalities, the Mror Holds, Q’barra, the Talenta Plains, Thrane, Valenar, and Zilargo. Regions formed during the war but not yet recognized as sovereign include Droaam, the Shadow Marches, the Demon Wastes, and the Mournland. Though the original Five Nations have been reduced to four, the common usage remains: “By the Five Nations” continues to be the pledge (or curse) of choice.

Population Totals

Values are in millions
Nation Canon Adjusted
Aundair 2 15
Breland 3.7 20
Karrnath 2.5 15
Thrane 2.3 15
Cyre 1.5 10
Darguun 0.8 4
Droamm 0.5 1
The Eldeen Reaches 0.5 5
The Lhazaar Principalities 0.5 1
The Mror Holds 0.7 2
Q'barra 0.3 2
The Shadow Marches 0.5 2
The Talenta Plains 0.4 1
Valenar 0.07 4
Zilargo 0.25 2