Exploring Eberron Unleashed!

Art by Katerina Poliakova

Exploring Eberron is finally available, and you can find it here

Wayne, Laura, Will and I have spent over a year developing this book, and I am thrilled to finally unleash it on the world. The excerpt above is one of our favorite pieces of art—Tira Miron, whose sacrifice inspired the modern-day Church of the Silver Flame. I would walk through all the content that’s contained in the book, but why type all of those words when I can just share the Table of Contents, along with my absolute favorite piece of art: Marco Bernardini’s map of the planes.

Art by Marco “MA4PS” Bernardini 

While there are still many pieces of Eberron I look forward to exploring in future Eberron, this has been a fantastic opportunity to deal with topics I’ve always wanted to explore in more depth but never been able to explore in the official books: the planes of Eberron, aquatic civilizations, the Dhakaani goblinoids. the monstrous nation of Droaam. It investigates familiar ideas—presenting my personal vision of the faiths of Eberron, and expanding on the changlings, shifters, warforged, and kalashtar—while also building on concepts we developed for Rising From The Last War but couldn’t develop in depth. like the dwarves of the Mror Holds and their ongoing war against the daelkyr.

Exploring Eberron has 247 pages of content, including new subclasses, races and subraces, magic items, backgrounds, and monsters. It is currently only available on the DM’s Guild. It is available both as a PDF, print (print on demand, so it’s not a limited edition), or as a bundle. This is NOT official content and will not be available on D&D Beyond; this is my vision of Eberron and what I do at my table.

If you have any questions, post them below—I’ll start a FAQ tomorrow! In the meantime, I’ll be DMing an Eberron adventure for the band Magic Sword at 7 PM Eastern Time as part of GenConTV’s Twitch stream. And if you’re one of my Patreon backers, thanks for your support—I’ll be posting a tiny exclusive later today, a “deleted scene” that was cut from Exploring Eberron during editing.

Thanks to all of you who have made Eberron your own over the years, and to those who are just exploring it now, enjoy the journey!

43 thoughts on “Exploring Eberron Unleashed!

  1. Awesome! i couldn’t pay fast enough! Thank you so much for everything Keith!

  2. That was the fastest I’ve ever spent my DMsGuild credit! I love the art and look forward to reading this through thoroughly!

  3. Hi Keith,

    1. What parts were headcanon for decades vs. developed during the writing of the book?
    2. Fernia and Risia seem to have moved away from the mildly evil aligned, while Syrania moved away from mildly good aligned. What led to those decisions?
    3. In the past you suggested the other planes could also have cycles, similar to Dal Quor. Were there any ideas like this that were cut in development?

    • In the past you suggested the other planes could also have cycles, similar to Dal Quor. Were there any ideas like this that were cut in development?

      I throw out a lot of ideas, but that’s not one that I’ve ever strongly believed in. Among other things, the turning of the age is the defining reason for Dal Quor’s interactions with the material plane, which are far more dramatic than any other plane. Whether they came as invaders or in peace, the quori of the Age of Giants sought to evade the turn of the age, and Riedra and the Kalashtar are both reactions to it. It drives the idea that il-Lashtavar believes its actions are justified out of a quest for survival. It also establishes the concrete idea that no existing quori has memories that go beyond the Age of Giants. If we were to apply this principle to other planes, I’d want to know why THEY hadn’t also sought to stop their clocks in some way — why only the quori had taken action involving it. I also LIKE the idea that there are conflicts in Shavarath that have been ongoing since the dawn of time.

      I can see the idea that there are less cataclysmic cycles — that there are essentially deeper patterns of coterminous and remote that play out in far greater timespans than the standard cycles — but I wouldn’t have the apocalyptic reset that occurs in Dal Quor, because it’s such a defining feature of Dal Quor and its interactions.

      I’ll answer the other questions in the upcoming FAQ.

  4. When will it arrive if I buy hardcover? I might also get the pdf if it takes to long.

    • It could be several weeks. It’s 2-5 days to print and then the shipping for myself was 3-4 weeks with an additional warning that it could take an additional 3 weeks due to COVID-19. A few other people showed 2-3 weeks for their delivery.

      You can probably get an estimate on shipping before committing to the purchase.

    • I don’t know exactly how long it will take. It’s a print on demand product, so the time of both production and delivery will depend on where you are; COVID has also impacted production in many places. Most likely, it’s a 2-4 week turnaround on the hardcover.

  5. Hey, Keith! Exploring Eberron is a amazing book. I desire that it be a huge sucess for you and all team.

    So, some questions.

    1.Can you talk a little about your Artificer Maverick character? Im curious since you talked that you are playing one.

    2. Is there some chapter or meaningful content that not enter in the final cut of ExE?

    3. What is your favorite new thing in “kanon” that appears first time in this book?

    • Exhausted, but thrilled to get the book out into the world and to hear peoples’ reactions to it.

  6. Ty for all, Keith! Ty so much!
    And now I can free my mind reading your Masterwork.

  7. yes yes yes yes yes. Just in time for my campign moving into the Mror holds.

  8. Just bought it ! I love your writing and the insights you share here on the blog into your thought process, writing, and creative design, well worth it for all the content you produce for us!

  9. Soooo looking forward to delving deep. Just finished the Mror section which is worth the money alone. No longer are the Mror holds a dead boring region on the map. Too excited to start the planes just yet may have to have a go at Droaam first! Thanks Keith and all the team it’s really been worth the wait.

  10. ExE addresses the existence of clocks… but what about cameras? Do they use the memory cantrip from Ravnica?

    • I think he’s said in the past that if there was recording technology, it couldn’t be common or easy to hide since it would dramatically change espionage.

      Maybe something like old timey photography where you needed to sit still for a relatively long time in a prepared environment. That way the only way you’d take someone’s photo without their cooperation is photographing their corpse (post-mortem photography was a relatively common practice) or maybe magically compelling/paralyzing them. As for the story potential of having such a thing exist, I recall there was at least one group of old west outlaws who got tracked down because they had a group photo taken and the photographer thought it was a good enough shot he made a copy for himself to display in his shop, but I can’t recall who it was.

  11. There’s a bit about magic making permanant changes to the body being a relatively common thing. How does this work with the description on identification papers?

  12. Congrats on finally getting the book out there! It’s been a long, hard road, but it seems to have been worth it 🙂

  13. A few general questions on Eberron:

    There’s introduction dates given for the lightning rail and airships, but I can’t find when elemental galleons first came into use in any of the Eberron material I have beyond an implication in Forge of War they were around near the start of the last war. How old are they?

    What’s the deal with airship skiffs? They show up in a few adventures, but it’s not quite clear how they work. They don’t appear to be an elemental binding powered vessel since they’re implied to not need a dragonmarked pilot. Short of any better explanation I’ve gone with them being propelled by something that’s too inefficient and unwieldy to propel something of an airship’s size at a reasonable speed (like oars that are actually big fans or somekind of magic blower).

    • What’s the deal with airship skiffs? They show up in a few adventures, but it’s not quite clear how they work.

      I’ve never heard of an “airship skiff.” As shown by canon clashes in the core books, not all authors have a perfect understanding of the setting and its limitations. If you’re talking about skycoaches, as seen on the cover of Sharn: City of Towers, those aren’t elemental vessels; they make use of the levitation enhancing effects of Sharn’s manifest zone, don’t required a Lyrandar pilot, and crashes if you take it too far from Sharn. If you’re not talking about skycoaches, I don’t know what these “airship skiffs” are, but you won’t find them in my Eberron.

      There’s introduction dates given for the lightning rail and airships, but I can’t find when elemental galleons first came into use in any of the Eberron material I have beyond an implication in Forge of War they were around near the start of the last war. How old are they?

      There’s no canon answer that I’m aware of, so this is purely my opinion. I believe that the elemental galleons are the oldest form of elemental vessel and have gone through multiple evolutions to reach the version used today. Personally, I’d set their use starting in the seventh century, generally receiving an upgrade in design each century; Explorer’s Guide to Eberron mentions the currently common Wind Galleon being developed late in the ninth century.

  14. Okay well first, as a major fan of cuisine of the various parts of Eberron, THANK YOU THIS IS AMAZING

    Also, the Droaam section is (much like Sarlona) it’s own campaign setting in and of itself! Love it, Droaam has always been a favourite but now it’s fully brought to life in the pages of Exploring Eberron.

    And now, most importantly, we know WHAT is in the pages of ExE so I can be sure of what I still can pester Keith Baker about going forward when questions are canvased.

    1) Does House Ghallanda have any interest in recreating or importing the odder cuisines presented in the book to the Five Nations (perhaps homogenizing it in the process, see American “Chinese food”)? The Mror seem to have a bit of an “in” already as certain halfling tribes can stomach their food and dwarfs are “core race” members who populate respectable and varied social positions in Khorvaire, but what of the dairy-free fried starches of the Dar or the endless variations on meat dishes of Droaam’s gristhouses? Or is this cuisine seen as beneath the Talenta hospitality (or simply too niche?)

    2) I’m a big fan of Sarlona and I went over the Kalashtar section looking for an answer (might have missed it, got stuck into the Droaam chapter immediately after), but I don’t think I’ve ever seen HOW the kalashtar are slipping Riedra’s net and getting to Khorvaire. Is this ever spelled out? Is it travel through Khyber, or smuggler’s ships out of Syrkarn and Ohr Kaluun? Or something else entirely? I can’t imagine the Riedrans allow them to flee into Syrkarn as they do other dissidents . . .

    3) Not a question, just a comment, love the Thunder Sea section, love the new lore on malenti and merfolk, where once I just had to speculate, now the whole region comes alive!

  15. So in Exploring Eberron, it talks about the daelkyr being trapped in specific demiplanes and unable to leave, but I was always under the impression that they were described as “trapped in Khyber” being free to move about in Khyber unlike the Overlords. Is this a shift from canon or did I miss or misunderstand something regarding to this?

  16. Page 79 of EE says “Some believe that Tira Miron was an aasimar of the Silver Flame”. Page 56 of Faiths of Eberron shows her clearly visible in the Flame. It’s followed by “it’s likewise possible that all Keepers of the Silver Flame become aasimar when they assume their post.”, but Jaela is explicitly human in ECS 208 and Five Nations 138 (a medium one at that, guess she’s tall for her age).

    Are these “[your] Eberron” things, suggestions to the reader for “their Eberron” or (for the first one) a stylized piece of in-world art (which would explain the Shadow being clearly visible and Tira having full plate 700 years ago)?

    Also: Is the Flame itself open to the public, or just Flamekeep? I can’t find it stated one way or another.

    • The preface of Exploring Eberron says…
      This is a vision of Eberron as I run it at my table. You’ll find a few details that don’t align with previous sourcebooks; it’s up to you to decide which to use.

      There are many things that will clash with canon sources, ESPECIALLY with books I didn’t work on like Faiths of Eberron, Forge of War, and Magic of Eberron. Part of the reason this book HAS a faiths chapter is because while it’s a topic that’s been covered elsewhere, there’s so much contradiction within the canon sources that I wanted to give my personal view. I wasn’t consulted on Faiths of Eberron and DEFINITELY wasn’t consulted on the art, but I do NOT see Tira as being a visible specter floating in the fountain of fire in Flamekeep. With that said, that image in FoE could certainly be seen as a magical work of art and not the point of Tira’s sacrifice.

      As for “it’s possible Keepers are Aasimar,” emphasis on POSSIBLE, meaning it’s possible that they’re not. It’s an idea people can use if they like Aasimar, but not intended to absolutely override Tira’s stats in Five Nations (which is another book I didn’t work on).

      Also: Is the Flame itself open to the public, or just Flamekeep? I can’t find it stated one way or another

      The chamber of the Flame is the Keeper’s seat. There are times when it is opened to the public, and times when it is reserved the use of the Keeper and church business.

  17. Hi Keith

    Can’t thank you enough for all the input and expanded depth and thought you have given us over the years.

    Couldn’t buy this book fast enough. An absolute no brainer!

    Have been selectively devouring the pdf since yesterday. Can’t wait to get the dead tree edition!

    Thanks immensely to you and your team. It is great to read (can hear your voice reading it to me in my head). And it is chock full of ideas to help bring it to the table!

    Ben

  18. I’m confused after Khyber section. Is there where I can find duergars, svirfneblins and drows? I’m almost sure about svirfneblins and drow living there in some edition. Is there cities as underdark or is just crazy demiplanes? I think I read in older editions about these races. And I’m confused about Kua Toa in Sea Storm section too. Don’t they live in a city of Cyre?

    • Duergar are dwarves in Sarlona that have a connection with Dolurrh. Drow live across the continent of Xen’drik (The Umbragen specifically live underground built on the ruins of a society of elven necromancers). Svirfneblin I’m not really sure about canon- or Kanon-wise.

      As far as I know, there isn’t properly an “Underdark” in Eberron, Khyber is about as close as you get. Khyber is supposed to be everything underground past the immediate area by the surface, which is supposed to include natural underground environments, but things get more twisted the deeper you go and find these demiplanes and such.

      • Where are Duergar associated with Dolurrh? In Secrets of Sarlona they’re just a kind of psionic dwarf integrated with dwarves to form the Akiak from what I can find.

        • I think it came from one of his Riedra articles, I’m not 100% sure if it is referenced in any official canon material.

          • SOS has duergar, but Keith take his own approach in the article.

            About deep gnomes, Keith never used they and don’t have any thought about it (unfortunately, I would love Keith thoughts about them).

            Kua Toa I think that Keith uses as old race from undersea that becomes crazy. I remember read something like this.

  19. Does the Undying Court know about the Queen of All Tears and does it care?

    Kind of as a broader version of this question, what level of knowledge do the Material Plane experts possess and to what degree is it relevant to daily living?

    There are Krakens and Aboleths underwater, are there equivalents of the Gatekeepers or the Church of the Silver Flame? What about of the couatls themselves?

    • Does the Undying Court know about the Queen of All Tears and does it care?

      With any question like this, my answer is always what makes the story more interesting? In my opinion, it’s more interesting for this to be a secret the player characters can discover, leaving them to decide what to do with the knowledge, than to say “Oh, the Undying Court has known about that for centuries.” Among other things, if the Undying Court already knows about it, then either they don’t care or can’t do anything about it, because they HAVEN’T. If they don’t KNOW, then it leaves open the possibility that they will panic when they find out about it.

      In general, I will always lean toward adventurers making a dramatic discovery NOW over NPCs making a dramatic discover a thousand years ago.

      Kind of as a broader version of this question, what level of knowledge do the Material Plane experts possess and to what degree is it relevant to daily living?

      The book gives examples of what experts know when it quotes Dorius Alyre ir’Korran and other scholars. Generally, NOT MUCH. Planar travel is uncommon and most immortals don’t have time to sit and spill their secrets to mortal sages. But again, this comes down to what knowledge do you want the players to have access to? I personally don’t want EVERY secret to have already been discovered because I want the adventurers to be making a difference. But I’m sure that scholars studying Shavarath, for example, have figured out what the four main legions are.

  20. I snapped ExE up at once and am now working my way through its riches. I’m sure I’ll have specific questions eventually. Here’s a general one: You mentioned above that you’re feeling exhausted. Insofar as you’re thinking ahead right now, are you nlanning on focusing on your non-Eberron, non-D&D work for a while? When you do your next project for DMG, do you anticipate an adventure pack, or a more focused book of lore? Do you envision ever doing another book on the scale of ExE, or is the prospect too horrifying to contemplate aat the moment? 🙂 You know that we have an insatiable appetite for all things Eberron from you, and ExE has only whetted it – think of your fans as the Audrey IIs of D&D – “Fee me, Keith!!” Many thanks for all you’ve done, and continue to do. Hope ExE enables you to build a nice money bin to swim around in!

  21. Congratulations on this book. I just looked over some pages of the pdf – great stuff! I wonder how long it takes for the book to arrive in germany. It is a bestseller on DMsguild with currently 83 only 5-star reviews/votes. As a long time Eberron fan, I am happy it sells well.

    I wonder, Keith, if the books sales met your hopes or even surpassed it so far. In any case I hope you are doing well. Loved your story books as well. Any chances you will write another Eberron novel or two?

    Stay healthy and don’t ever run out of cool ideas 😉

    • I wonder, Keith, if the books sales met your hopes or even surpassed it so far.

      I HOPED the book might do as well as it has. The Wayfinder’s Guide reached Adamantine, and I know how hard I and the production team worked on this book. Frankly, given the amount of time it took us to make the book, it NEEDED to do this well to justify working on an ExE2. But while I hoped it would do as well as it has, I wasn’t sure that it would, so it’s definitely surpassed my expectations. Thanks to you and everyone else who’s supported it!

      Any chances you will write another Eberron novel or two?

      I would love to — there’s a lot of unfinished storylines to explore. However, it’s not up to me – currently, WotC hasn’t authorized the creation of Eberron fiction. So we’ll see!

      • The book arrived today. I flipped through the pages and I am happy. Great stuff and pretty good quality too. Thanks, no more time for typing, have to read 😉

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