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Feature length articles about major topics in Eberron

Excerpt: House Cannith and the Mark of Making

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A smith's anvil with a Gorgon's head displayed on the side
The seal of the Fabricator’s Guild, by Matthew Johnson

The coldfire lantern hanging from the ceiling? That flickering’s due to a poorly etched sigil. Give me five minutes and a crown’s worth of residuum and I could have it steady and brighter. There’s a crack in the cleansing stone, and if it continues another inch it’s going to start soiling instead of cleansing. But that’s not the worst of it. In my mind I can see a better design. I could make a cleansing stone that’s half the size, using half the shards, that would make colors even brighter. I can see it. I could make it. I know I could. I just don’t have the time.  

The Mark of Making provides an intuitive bonus to any ability check made using Artisan’s Tools. This isn’t Proficiency, though it stacks with it; it’s an intuitive understanding of tools. Weaving, painting, baking, smithing—you instinctively know how to make things. This guidance goes beyond the mundane. The Mark of Making provides the same intuitive bonus to any Intelligence (Arcana) check, and anyone who carries the Mark has the ability to cast Magic Weapon once per day. Magic comes naturally to you, and one of the first things you learned to do was to weave it into wood and steel. So when you look at a weapon, you know you could improve it. When you see a broken object, you know you could mend it. And if you had the tools and the time, you know that you could make something better.

For some Cannith heirs, this knowledge becomes an obsession. They can’t pass by a broken object without Mending it. Others may seem socially awkward or absent minded, because the designs they’re working through in their minds are always more interesting than the conversations around them. But for most Cannith heirs it’s a background detail and a point of pride. They are confident in their skill, and find it soothing to create things; Cannith heirs often have some project they’re working on, something small that keeps their hands busy. But they don’t have to work on it at all times; they can set it aside to focus on the needs of the moment. 

House Cannith has long been seen as the most powerful Dragonmarked House and the heart of the Twelve. In part, this is due to the commercial success and wealth of the house. Cannith goods have long been part of everyday life across the Five Nations, from the Everbright Lanterns that light the streets to the coaches that drive along them. Cannith supplied the armies that fought in the Last War, producing arcane artillery, armor and weaponry for soldiers, and with the warforged, soldiers themselves.  But beyond that, many Houses rely on Cannith for the tools that are integral for their success. The Lightning Rail, Elemental Airships, Speaking Stones—all of these were designed with the assistance of Cannith artificers and produced in Cannith factories. This in turn has nurtured a cultural arrogance within the House itself; Cannith heirs consider themselves the equals of any noble, seeing their House as the greatest power in Khorvaire. At least they did until the Mourning. The loss of Eston and of the Patriarch Starrin d’Cannith has sown the seeds of chaos. Almost every heir supports one of the three leading candidates to replace Starrin, and no compromise has emerged in the last four years. The divided House was unable to block the edict in the Treaty of Thronehold that shut down the creation forges, further weakening House Cannith. The House continues to move forward, sustained by its infrastructure and its momentum, but pressure is building. If the House can’t mend itself and unite behind a single leader, it could soon splinter into three. 

THE MARK OF MAKING

The most basic gift of the Mark of Making is Mending—the ability to repair things that have been broken. While the most obvious manifestation of this cantrip is repairing a break or tear, in my campaign I also allow it to undo other sorts of minor damage: smoothing out dents, restoring burnt cloth or leather, lubricating rusted metal, and similar minor transformations. Cannith Tools amplify these gifts in small and sustainable ways, while the Spells of the Mark allow a Cannith Heir to perform instant, dramatic effects. Some say the Mark of Making draws on Onatar’s Forge while others claim it’s tied to the Fires of Fernia. Whatever the truth, a Dragonmarked heir can instantly Heat Metal or Grease a surface. Fabricate allows an heir to visualize a creation and use the Mark to impose their vision upon raw materials; while the ultimate power of Creation manifests matter from pure arcane essence to make the vision real. This is also the basis for the dramatic Conjure Barrage, which allows a Cannith heir to temporarily create a swarm of weaponry. 

Summon Construct lies between Fabricate and Construction. While the spell normally requires “a lockbox worth 400 gp” as a nonconsumable material component, when cast with the Mark of Making the caster instead needs to be holding a set of Artisan’s Tools with which they are proficient. While no materials other than the tools are required to cast the spell, Canith heirs usually draw on raw materials in the area and fill in the gaps with manifested matter; the final appearance of the construct depends on the materials used and the imagination of the heir. Many younger heirs manifest constructs similar in appearance to warforged, because they are used to working with warforged; but others could create animated armor, metal insects, or even clockwork beasts. When the spell expires, the manifested matter dissipates and the construct collapses back into raw components. Regardless of the materials used to create the construct, when it is summoned the caster decides whether it possesses the Heated Body, Stone Lethargy, or Berserk Lashing trait.

An heir capable of casting Spells of the Mark can cast Identify as a ritual. Here again, the heir needs to have a set of Artisan’s Tools they’re proficient in rather than the traditional pearl component; when casting Identify, the heir is essentially running a series of tests on the object they are studying. Meanwhile, Magic Weapon is a fundamental power of the Mark that any heir can cast—while those with access to Spells of the Mark can master the more powerful Elemental Weapon. 

Kanon vs Canon. Three of the spells on the list above are marked with asterisks, and that’s because they vary from what’s presented in Forge of the Artificer. In the original Eberron Campaign Setting, two of the Mark of Making’s spells were taken up with Repair Damage; Mending was a full spell rather than a cantrip; and Creation was split into two spells. So in translating the Mark of Making to 5th Edition, there’s a lot of space to fill… but I don’t love the choices made in canon. I associate Cannith with metal, so using the Mark to lubricate and heat metal makes sense to me—more sense than Floating Disk and Spiritual Weapon, both of which are more about projection of force and levitation. At 4th level, I prefer Summon Construct to Stone Shape. I don’t feel like stone is something we’ve called out as playing a major role in Cannith, while constructs have been part of its story since the first Gorgon!

ARCANE FORGES AND CREATION PATTERNS

The most iconic tool of House Cannith is the Creation Forge used to create the Warforged. These eldritch machines draw on the full potential of the Mark of Making, working with the principles of Creation and Fabricate to manufacture construct bodies and draw the spark of life into them. The Treaty of Thronehold demanded that House Cannith shut down its Creation Forges and cease the production of Warforged, and the House appears to have done so. But the Creation Forges are just one of the many arcane tools House Cannith employs to streamline its production process. Arcane forges are stationary tools that amplify the powers of the Mark of Making. The standard arcane forge can only be operated by someone with the Greater or Lesser Mark of Making—which is to say, someone who can cast Fabricate as a Spell of the Mark. Arcane forges are limited in a number of ways. 

  • A forge requires a Schema, which is a blueprint for a particular object. The forge has to be attuned to the Schema, which takes time; so on a typical day, an arcane forge is only producing a specific thing. 
  • Most arcane forges are specialized tools that can only work with a particular type of material—metal, wood, stone. 
  • Likewise, most arcane forges are limited in the size and complexity of object they can fabricate.
  • An arcane forge requires a small amount of residuum (refined eberron dragonshards) to operate. This is a minor cost that’s far outweighed by the speed and efficiency of the forge, but it is a requirement nonetheless. In the past, this has been a limitation on how many forges the house could operate. The rise of House Tharashk ensured a steady flow of dragonshards, which has allowed Cannith to expand its use of arcane forges.  

A Grand Forge provides access to the full scope of Fabricate, allowing an heir to, for example, produce a fully formed longsword from the raw materials presented. However, the more common Base Forge is typically used to produce components which are then assembled by workers on a line. It dramatically speeds production and helps to ensure uniformity of product, but it’s still a process that requires a significant amount of human labor. Whether using a Base Forge to produce simple elements or a Grand Forge to produce finished goods, the heir operating the forge is required to be proficient in the type of tool that would normally be used and to make a check to ensure the quality of the product. In essence, the heir walks through the process of production in their mind and the forge uses the Mark of Making to make it real. While the operator has to have the ability to cast Fabricate through their Mark, they don’t actually cast the spell when using a forge; like a Sivis heir operating a Speaking Stone, it’s something that they can repeat indefinitely—provided they have rare materials and residuum.

Arcane Forges are a form of Eldritch Machine. They’re large, stationary objects tied to a specific f. However, Cannith has smaller tools that help them accelerate production. Creation Patterns are metal rods or tablets engraved with arcane sigils. A Creation Pattern holds the imprint of a particular magical device. This reduces the time and cost to create the item embedded in the Pattern by 33%, provided the artisan has the Mark of Making and has access to the Pattern throughout the creation process.  

FOCUS ITEMS

House Cannith is the primary source of Dragonmark Focus Items in Khorvaire. Cannith heirs regularly make use of Dragonmark Channels, Dragonmark Reservoirs, and Channeling Rods. Exploring Eberron calls out that House Cannith can produce objects that duplicate effects of existing magic items but with the additional requirement of having the Mark of Making to use them. A few examples of these…

  • Onatar’s Gift has the powers of an All-Purpose Tool. A +1 Onatar’s Gift is standard issue for any capable Cannith Artificer, and is generally shortened to Ony—as in, “You got your Ony?”
  • Cannith’s Marvelous Miniatures are identical in effect to Quaal’s Feather Tokens, but they appear to be small metal objects in the shape of the token effect (Anchor, Bird, Fan)
  • Talin’s Compact Constructs duplicate the effects of Figurines of Wondrous Power, but they appear to be articulated metal models rather than statuettes; they expand in size when activated. 
  • Merrix’s Instant Fortress works like Daern’s Instant Fortress; the Cannith model was created by the same artificer who developed the Warforged Titan (the grandfather of the current Merrix d’Cannith).
  • The Apparatus of Cannith is similar in effect to the Apparatus of Kwalish. Cannith developed the Apparatus over the course of the last decade as a potential submersible for use in the Last War, but has been unable to produce a version that doesn’t require the use of the Mark of Making. 

The idea is that all of these items are drawing on the power of the Mark of Making. In the case of the Compact Constructs, Instant Fortress, and Onatar’s Gift, the item literally builds itself when activated, using the principles of Creation to fabricate temporary matter. In the case of the Apparatus, the idea is that the heir has to use the power of the Mark of Making to keep the Apparatus stable and functioning. I might allow a player character Artificer (especially a Battle Smith) to operate an Apparatus of Cannith, with the idea that they can use their own remarkable skills to hold things together. So in choosing Focus Items for Cannith, look in particular for things that are used to create objects or that could be depicted as creating themselves. The Rod of Lordly Might is another example of this, with the idea that the Rod constructs and deconstructs the various weapon forms it can take. 

The silhouette of a gorgon's head above a crossed wand and smith's hammer.
The seal of the Tinker’s Guild, by Matthew Johnson.

THE HISTORY OF HOUSE CANNITH

Cyre was said to be the heart of Galifar, and with good reason. The central region of Khorvaire is blessed with a blend of fertile soil, abundant resources, and beneficial manifest zones. When humanity spread across Khorvaire, the Metrol League was quick to prosper. Initially a single city, the League expanded to include the city-states of Metrol, Eston, and Tolan. The Mark of Making appeared approximately 2,500 years ago, appearing in three families. The Harns of Tolan traced their roots to Nulakesh in Sarlona, and had established a reputation as armorers and weaponsmiths; the first marked heir, Costa Harn, forged a set of magic swords that would feature in countless legends and tales in the centuries to come. The Vowns of Eston were Pyrinean. Eliasa Vown declared her Dragonmark to be a blessing from Onatar, and she crafted reliquaries and Octograms charged with mystic power. The Jurans were wanderers with Rhiavhaaran roots. They traveled the roads between the great cities, carrying goods and news and using their skills to repair broken things. Ellos Juran gained renown for his ability not just to fix broken things, but to transform wood and steel into finished goods. Each family prospered in their own way; the most dramatic moment came in the following century when the heirs of Costa Harn led a coup in Tolan and seized control of the city. They placated the other leaders of the Metrol League by promising a tribute of Harn weaponry. They shifted the city itself to support their vision, fortifying it and building up its foundries and its forges; it was Castela Harn who changed the name of the city to Making as a celebration of her family’s skills.  

The reputation of the Making families grew over the course of decades, as their goods spread out to distant markets; the warlords of Karrlakton and Korth prized weapons forged in Making. It was Dedra Vown who engineered the alliance of the Making families. A charismatic woman with a grand vision, Dedra wooed the Jurans and Harns with stories of the marvels they could create if they pooled their resources and diverse talents—not to mention the economic advantages to building a regional monopoly. Cannith was the name of a legendary shrine of Onatar in Sarlona, and Dedra convinced the others to join together as the House of Cannith. Castal Harn and Dedra Vown were wed, and it was said at their time that they gave birth to a Gorgon, as this was the first joint product they unveiled. As centuries passed, the House of Cannith prospered. They developed the first Arcane Forges, which were initially used primarily to refine ore—turning raw iron into ingots of fine steel. They developed the earliest form of Magecraft. As the house extended its reach across Khorvaire, they eagerly sought out new arcane techniques and tools, sending adventurers into ancient ruins and adapting any innovations they found in other cities (as they would one day use Desa Cane’s Truelight Lamp as the model for Cannith’s Everbright Lantern). One of the most remarkable forces they encountered were the Edoros of Thaliost, a family of innovative alchemists. Though the Edoros didn’t carry the Mark of Making, their skills and techniques were so valuable to the House that it slowly absorbed the entire family. Today the Edoro are considered one of the founding families of House Cannith, and the Mark of Making is firmly rooted in their lines. 

House Sivis and House Cannith both claim credit for the early unification of the Dragonmarked Houses. Cannith accounts say that the Vowns considered the Dragonmarks to be blessings of the Sovereigns and thus thought it logical to bring them together—not to mention profitable—inspiring others with their own structure and organization. Whoever laid the bricks, it was the War of the Mark that served as the mortar, laying the foundation of the Houses as we know them today. As the Houses initially spread, it was natural for them to forge alliances through marriage. The Harn line of House Deneith is one of the few concrete relics of this time, reflecting strong ties between the weaponsmiths of Metrol and the warlords of the north. This blending of bloodlines produced a wave of Aberrant Dragonmarks. It took generations for people to truly recognize the impact of this—critically, that someone who manifested a “mixed mark” lost all connection to the Dragonmarks of their parents and couldn’t pass either Mark to their own children. While this was a general concern to all of the Dragonmarked families, the Vown in particular saw it as an act of blasphemy. If the Dragonmarks were gifts of the Sovereigns, and crossing the lines both produced an unpredictable, dangerous Mark and stripped the bearer of their former connection to the Sovereigns—how could this be anything but the work of the Shadow? While the Vowns were driven by religious fervor, the Lyrrimans of House Sivis recognized the power of a manufactured enemy to bring people together and willingly embraced and amplified the Vown message. This was the beginning of the War of the Mark. Sivis and Phiarlan propagandists worked together to spread terrifying tales of Aberrant Dragonmarks, some based in truth and others entirely false. As Deneith troops armed with Cannith weapons pursued Aberrants across the land, most people believed that the Dragonmarked forces were heroes defending them from a deadly threat. The War of the Mark showed what the Houses could accomplish when they worked together, and the leaders of the houses weren’t about to let that go. Hadran Vown Cannith and Alysse Lyrriman Sivis forged the proposal for a permanent alliance between the Dragonmarked Houses—though it was the architect Alder Juran who pushed to have that alliance named The Twelve. 

The next great shift came with the rise of Galifar Wynarn of Karrnath. House Deneith strongly supported Galifar’s ambitions, believing he would succeed where Karrn the Conqueror failed. Deneith arranged negotiations between Galifar and the Twelve, and pushed the other Houses to accept the terms of the Korth Edicts. This placed significant limits on the political and military power of the Houses, but promised them vast economic influence. House Cannith was severely impacted by this, as the Harns were the Lords of Making and the House had vast holdings in Eston. But while the House would have to give up its absolute claim, Galifar promised they would retain their enclaves and forgeholds. This was accomplished in part by Galifar’s dismantling of the nobility of Metrol, a more severe restructuring than took place in any of the other Five Nations; Galifar built his new nation of Cyre around the pillars of House Cannith. 

House Cannith prospered during the golden age of Galifar, helping to support the expanding infrastructure of the united kingdom. Cannith steel and the Flying Buttresses supported the great towers of Sharn. New enclaves and forgeholds were established throughout the Five Nations; while Making continued to thrive, the House shifted much of its heavy industry to Breland. While the House made a slow and steady profit, this period also saw it splinter into what Baron Starrin d’Vown once described as “The hundred kingdoms of Cannith.” Viceroys and ministers built their own tiny empires, diverting funds for their personal projects. Rivalries escalated between forgeholds. This was never so severe as to threaten a true splitting of the House itself, and some of the Barons even encouraged these little wars; overall, House Cannith continued to grow and prosper. But it’s a key aspect of Cannith’s culture that can be seen throughout the Last War and in the present day. A strong Baron could hold the House together and force it to move in a single direction—but the Cannith Seneschals were always looking out for their own projects and interests. 

As centuries passed, Cannith helped construct the Orien trade roads and spread everbright lanterns throughout the kingdom. Speaking Stones, Elemental Galleons, the Lightning Rail—these were remarkable innovations that transformed daily life. And yet, these advances occurred slowly. Cannith and Galifar both grew at a careful, steady pace. It was King Jarot ir’Wynarn who shifted this tempo. Some say Jarot was shaken by the events of the Silver Crusade, or even by reflection on the Year of Blood and Fire that had rocked Thrane centuries earlier. By some accounts, Jarot feared armies rising up from Khyber; others claim he was certain that the forces of Riedra were preparing to invade. Whatever nightmares drove him, King Jarot demanded that the Twelve provide him with weapons. Not just arms and armor for common soldiers; Jarot urged Cannith to devise new forms of arcane artillery and to “Change the face of war.” Across Khorvaire, forgeholds devoted to civilian goods shifted to produce tools of war. Soon the hundred kingdoms of Cannith were competing, each seeking to shine. Hungry for inspiration, Cannith Viceroys launched a new series of expeditions to search for forgotten secrets; Cannith teams traveled to Xen’drik, explored Dhakaani ruins, and even made their way into the Demon Wastes. 

Cannith’s achievements over the course of the Last War are too numerous to list here. With each decade, they improved the design of their Siege Staffs, Long Rods, and Blast Disks. The development of the Warforged forever changed life in Khorvaire; what began with the semi-sentient Warforged Titan ended with the terrifying Warforged Colossus. Throughout the course of the war, the competition within the house continued, with each Viceroy vying for resources, each determined to make the next stunning breakthrough. Of course, Cannith didn’t want to create a weapon that would end the war; the perfect weapon was one that required rival nations to purchase their own counter to it. Cannith thrived in the Last War… until the Mourning. 

The Mourning devastated House Cannith. The death of Baron Starrin created a crisis of leadership. But beyond the loss of a leader, Cannith lost its oldest and most important enclaves—the centers where young heirs of the House were raised and trained. It lost a host of forgeholds and factories, the full impact of which is yet to be seen. Cannith forgeholds aren’t interchangeable. White Knight was a small forgehold near Kalazart that focused on the creation of Focusing Nodes. While these have no function on their own, they are crucial to maintaining the flow of power through large-scale arcane systems—and as such, are necessary for the creation of a Lightning Rail engine, an Elemental Airship, a Warforged Colossus, a Floating Fortress, or anything of similar size. This is just one example of a specialized facility that supplied Cannith forges across Khorvaire; the wounded house is scrambling to repurpose existing facilities to compensate for what was lost in Cyre. Other forgeholds were engaged in research that had been intentionally held in isolation by the Holdmaster—potentially decades of specialized work now lost to the House. Beyond forgeholds and enclaves, Cyre held countless Cannith warehouses filled with raw materials and finished products. The Mourning claimed vital resources, facilities, skilled staff, and House officers, along with historical records and relics of the House; it was a shattering blow. 

The surviving officers of House Cannith—the Seneschals and Viceroys—gathered in Sharn at the end of 994 YK. Over the course of a week of meetings, these ministers developed plans that would allow the Fabricator’s Guild to continue to operate, redirecting supply lines and resources to account for the loss of Cyre. But try as they might, there was no consensus on a replacement for Starrin d’Cannith. There was a formal process for succession that traditionally occurred in Eston, with relics, rituals, and a vote amongst the officers. But Eston and its relics were lost, and many of the ministers were dead and had yet to be replaced. In addition to a bitter divide over the proper candidate, many ministers insisted on filling the empty offices first and attempting to reclaim lost relics, either out of a legitimate loyalty to tradition or a belief that more time would help their chosen candidate gain additional support. Ultimately, the Sharn Accords split House Cannith into three administrative regions, each overseen by a Baron; the Accords dictate that the officers of the House shall gather at Vult each year to discuss the process of succession. 

This is the state of things in 998 YK. The House remains divided in its loyalty to the three Barons. It remains to be seen if one of them can restore the House to its former glory, or if the House will fracture. But should House Cannith break apart like the Shadow Schism of Phiarlan and Thuranni, the smaller Houses would be far weaker than the Gorgon of old. Cannith South and Cannith East rely on alchemical solutions produced by Cannith West, while Cannith South has the bulk of the steelworks; a full separation would dramatically limit what each of the smaller factions could produce. 

What Happens Next?  

  • Just How Bad IS House Cannith? Eberron is a setting in which the DM is expected to make key decisions about their version of the world. One of those questions is whether House Cannith is a villainous force. Cannith can be presented simply as a resource that produces useful tools for adventurers. Its inventions are a vital part of everyday life. On the other hand, it’s possible to present House Cannith as a force that acts with ruthless efficiency to maintain its monopolies, stifling or stealing independent arcane resources, acting carelessly in its dangerous research (IE did it cause the Mourning?), and using its economic power to demand favors from governments, criminal organizations, or others who rely on its services. You can present the typical Cannith heir as feeling remorse for the fact that the House treated Warforged as weapons, or you can present the House as having no sympathy for the Warforged and scheming to regain control of the Creation Forges and the Warforged themselves. Canon material generally walks a middle line between these extremes; it’s up to the DM to decide what’s true in their version of the world. 
  • The Three Headed Gorgon. The Sharn Accords split power between three Barons: Jorlanna Edoro in Fairhaven, Merrix Vown in Sharn, and Zorlan Harn in Korth—has a strong case and a faction that supports them. But Cannith is a machine that needs all its pieces working together to prosper. The Sharn Accords have kept it going so far, but if the three factions can’t come to an agreement soon it may begin to break down. Any of the three Barons might employ a capable group of adventurers to help with their schemes, whether they seek to elevate their own standing (recovering treasures from the Mournland, completing an arcane breakthrough, performing a major act of philanthropy) or to sabotage their rivals. 
  • Profiting from Prophecy. House Cannith’s leadership crisis could be a key decision point in the Draconic Prophecy, with the future taking different paths based on which Baron claims the crown. If this is the case, each Baron could have a greater power promoting their cause. Canon has already suggested that one of the Lords of Dust is influencing Jorlanna. But there could be a different Lord of Dust backing one of the other Barons—perhaps Mordakhesh is supporting Zorlan, knowing that his leadership will lead to devastating war—while the Chamber may be supporting the third Baron. On the other hand, it could be that the fall and dissolution of House Cannith is the outcome an immortal faction is seeking.   
  • The Bounty of the Mournland. There are countless Cannith facilities in the Mournland, ranging from warehouses stocked with mundane goods to hidden forgeholds where secret weapons were being designed. Perhaps the Mourning itself was the result of an accident at just such a facility—and if that’s the case, the weapon responsible could be there just waiting to be found. Adventurers already exploring the Mournland could stumble onto such things, or they could be hired to recover Cannith goods from the Mournland. The patron could be a Cannith heir, or it could be someone with nefarious intent. The dwarf who pays the adventurers to recover a sealed chest—an extradimensional locker filled with Blast Disks—could be an Aurum arms dealer looking to resell them for a prophet, or they could be one of the Swords of Liberty planning to blow up King Boranel. The lost forgeholds weren’t spared from the effects of the Mourning, and Cannith ruins might contain warped constructs, living spells, tormented ghosts, or even greater dangers. 
  • Endless Rivalries. House Cannith has always suffered from corporate intrigues and internal divisions. While Zorlan, Merrix, and Jorlanna vie for control, there are countless lesser intrigues between rivals fighting over resources, contracts, and simply for prestige. Adventurers could be employed to steal a rival’s research, to embarrass them at a gala, or any sort of minor scheme. 
  • The Fate of the Forged. House Cannith created the Warforged and sold them into servitude as weapons. Some heirs of the House seek redemption by helping the Warforged in the present day. Some are indifferent to the overall plight of the Warforged as a species, but seek to continue their research—secretly creating new Warforged, whether using hidden Creation Forges in violation of the Treaty of Thronehold or pioneering new means to create sentient constructs. And then there are those who still consider Warforged to be assets of House Cannith, villains who seek to impose their will on Warforged with tools like the Master’s Summons. On the other side of the equation, there are Warforged who yearn for vengeance on their creators, and others who seek Cannith aid in solving the challenges faced by their species. 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE? This is an excerpt of an article written for my Patreon supporters. The full article is three times the length of this one, and includes the Structure of House Cannith (with details on the Fabricator’s Guild, the Tinker’s Guild, the factions of the three Barons, prominent forgeholds and enclaves, and more), the Families of House Cannith, Cannith Customs, new focus items, and more!

Excerpt: House Deneith and the Mark of Sentinel

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A heraldic image showing three heads -- a gdragon, a lion, and a goat -- over a shield.
The sigil of the Defender’s Guild, by Matthew Johnson.

Those two have been watching you since you came in. The dwarf in the conveniently nondescript chainmail recently drank a Potion of Giant Strength—see the way his muscles are trembling, barely able to contain the power? The Khoravar’s a mage. That’s a wand of Xorian wenge in his hand, so she’s probably an enchanter. Which probably means they intend to take you alive… probably. Do you want to try your luck and see how it turns out? Or shall we discuss my rates for protection? 

The Mark of Sentinel sharpens your senses. It provides an intuitive bonus to Perception and Insight. But this isn’t just about keen sight and sharp ears. It’s an intuitive bonus—an instinctive evaluation of all possible threats. The Dragonmark keeps you alert, every ready. When you enter a room, you always check the exits. When you meet a stranger, you’re always searching for signs of hidden weapons or hints as to their combat capabilities. It’s not a conscious thing; it’s been drilled into you and enhanced by your Mark. House Deneith has never abandoned its martial roots. If you were raised in the House, your education was on par with any military academy in the Five Nations. And once you survived your Test of Siberys—whether you manifested a Mark or not—you had to serve a tour in the Blademarks or the Defender’s Guild. Whatever path you’re following now, you were raised in a culture of martial discipline and service. 

When creating a Deneith adventurer or NPC, consider how this upbringing has affected them. The majority of Deneith heirs serve as Blademarks or Defenders for their entire careers; that service is all they know and all they need. What about the Deneith you’re making? Do they still serve the house or have they turned their back on it? Or is it something in between—they’re a mercenary licensed by the Blademarks, but they’ve chosen to follow an independent path? Regardless of the answer, consider this. A Deneith heir was raised with a strict code of discipline and bound to a chain of command. Do they maintain that discipline as an adventurer, and possibly seek to impose it on others? Do they want the party of adventurers to function like a military unit? Or have they rejected their upbringing, choosing to celebrate their independence and freedom? Is war second nature to them, or are they trying to bury their blade? 

While it varies by family, Deneith heirs tend to be stoic and serious. Heirs of the house were raised to be soldiers, and furthermore, trained to be ever alert for danger. It’s nearly impossible for a Deneith heir to fully relax and let their guard down; it simply isn’t in their nature. Likewise, Deneith heirs are driven by their desire to protect the people and things they care about. In making a Deneith character, consider who or what you’re protecting. Is it your entire adventuring party? Is it a particular individual? Or is a concept—a nation, a faith, a village? This is one of the main reasons heirs end up leaving House Deneith, whether voluntarily or as excoriates. As a Blademark or a Defender, you serve the client only as long as gold continues to change hands. You could be defending a noble one day, and serving their mortal enemy the next day. The House does its best to push heirs to see themselves as, ultimately, defending DENEITH—protecting the family and ensuring its prosperity through their hard work. But there are always Sentinels who develop an attachment to their clients or to ideals beyond pure profit. As a Deneith character, are you driven by gold and the good of your House? Or have found something that’s more important to you than platinum?  

Deneith upbringing is much like a military academy, but that doesn’t mean that Deneith adventurers have to be fighters. Heirs initially train with spear, club, dagger, and crossbow, and those that excel at physical combat focus on martial training. But magic is part of everyday life in Eberron, and heirs who have the potential to become Wizards, Sorcerers, or Bards receive specialized training to develop those skills. Blademark mages are trained to focus on Evocation, Conjuration, and other spells that can play a powerful role on the battlefield; those destined for the Defender’s Guild will focus more on Spells of the Mark and personal defense. Meanwhile, a Deneith Bard is primarily trained to lead. They’re warlords, not entertainers; their Inspiration reflects this leadership, and they are driven toward the College of Valor. These paths—martial and magic—are the common choices; heirs without the exceptional potential of player characters will still be tapped as player characters. Other classes could reflect unusual training or focus. The Peacekeepers are an elite force within the Defender’s Guild, trained to protect clients in environments where no weapons are allowed; they are an order of Monks with the Warrior of Mercy subclass. While there’s no schooling for it, Deneith has produced a number of champions whose mastery of the Mark of Sentinel allows them to reduce the damage from attacks; this is a different way of playing a World Tree Barbarian, presenting their Rage and other class features as being manifestations of the Dragonmark. Other classes are less common in House Deneith. A Rogue or Warlock with the Mark of Sentinel likely developed their skills outside of the House; Deneith doesn’t typically traffic with spirits, and while the Peacekeepers are subtle, the Blademark and Defender’s Guild primarily focus on strength rather than stealth. Deneith heirs with a religious calling typically follow this beyond the House. An heir who becomes a Paladin may return to Deneith once they have mastered their gifts, and such champions often become Sentinel Marshals; but the house itself doesn’t have the depth of faith required to train Clerics of Paladins, let alone Druids.

A list of spells associated with the Mark of Sentinel.

THE MARK OF SENTINEL

The Mark of Sentinel allows its bearer to protect themself and the people around them. Many of its gifts are straightforward, whether deflecting an attack with a wave of force (Shield) or providing slightly weaker protection over a longer period (Shield of Faith, although no faith is required). Heirs who possess the Lesser Dragonmark can disrupt other forms of energy, as seen with Counterspell and Protection from Energy. Heirs with the Greater Mark have the ability to cast Bigby’s Hand; this draws on the same force manifested with Shield, amplified and wielded with more finesse. Guardian of Faith draws on this same power, manifesting a being formed from this shield energy. Typically, a Deneith Guardian of Faith draws on the appearance of the heir’s family beast—a Ram, Lion, or Dragon. However, there have been heirs of the House whose Guardians have taken other forms; Matriarch Dalia d’Deneith was celebrated for manifesting a full Chimera with her Dragonmark.

Most of the spells of the Mark of Sentinel revolve around the projection or disruption of energy, but there’s a second thread that’s more subtle: Compelled Duel and Warding Bond. While adventurers with the Mark of Sentinel have access to all of its powers, NPCs are often more limited. Deneith NPCs from the Ravan line tend to develop Compelled Duel and Warding Bond, while those of the Wyrn families are more likely to be able to cast Shield of Faith and Barkskin. The children of the Lion—the core Deneith—are equally likely to manifest either or both sets of spells. 

Kanon vs Canon. One spell on the list above is marked with an asterisk, and that’s because it’s a change from the list that appears in Forge of the Artificer. By canon rules, the Spells of the Mark for the Mark of Sentinel include Zone of Truth… and I don’t like it. Zone of Truth is a great spell for a Sentinel Marshal, and could be a useful one for a bodyguard. But thematically, it feels quite different from the other spells; it’s about investigation rather than defense. Which ties to the fact that we’ve previously said that it’s House Medani that licenses Truthtellers—Magewrights that can cast Zone of Truth. If Zone of Truth was a core ability of House Deneith, I’d expect Deneith to be licensing Truthtellers. So, in my campaign I replace Zone of Truth with Barkskin. This allows the heir to give a willing individual an Armor Class of 17 for up to an hour, with no concentration required. Thematically, I see it as an extension of Shield and Shield of Faith, describing it not as “giving the target’s skin a bark-like texture” but rather as surrounding them with a faint but noticeable shimmer of energy. This flares up when it deflects a blow, manifesting as a web of blue-purple threads. This is something people have been working with for centuries, commonly used by Defenders to protect charges who either can’t wear armor or aren’t proficient in it. So while the shimmering is subtle, it’s an effect observers will notice and recognize. 

A warrior with the Mark of Sentinel projecting a shield of energy from his right hand.

THE HISTORY OF HOUSE DENEITH

Some say war is bound to the roots of Karrnath. The area is infamous for its Mabaran manifest zones, but perhaps Shavarath and Daanvi have a subtler, broader influence. Maybe there are shards of Rak Tulkhesh’s prison buried beneath the great cities of Karrnath, whispering of violence. Or maybe it’s just that the land is cold and harsh, and that the people there must be strong to survive. That, too, is part of the mystery of Karrnath. It’s a grim land, harder on its people than the green fields of Aundair… and yet those born in Karrnath often feel a fierce love for their bleak homeland, finding the more hospitable lands of the Five Nations to be uncomfortably soft and warm. 

The Mark of Sentinel was the first Dragonmark to manifest on humans. At that time, what is now Karrnath largely followed the model still seen in the Lhaazar Principalities of the mainland—a scattering of domains carved out by those with the strength to hold them. When the Mark of Sentinel first appeared on Jarla Deneith, she kept it hidden while she mastered its powers. When three of her children developed the Mark, Jarla and her kin used its power to challenge the tyrant Dynass. Though Jarla was slain in the battles that followed, the Deneith triumphed. Jarla’s eldest son, Karrlak, laid the foundations of Sentinel Tower in the city that still bears his name. At that time, almost every heir of Deneith developed the Sentinel Mark, and the legend of these mystical warriors spread across the land. It was a century later when new stories arose of Sentinel-marked champions in other realms—the Wyrns of Korth, and the Ravans of Vedakyr, which was then called Ravanloft. The Ravans were crueler than the Deneith, and ruled through force and fear. The Wyrns were loyal servants of the lords of Korth when the Mark appeared among them, and they remained loyal to their oaths, using the Mark of Sentinel to defend their liege lords rather than turning against them. From the beginning there was bad blood between Deneith and Ravan, and the next century was marked by an escalating series of duels and raids which weakened both families and their cities. The Deneith were valiant warriors, but civic administration proved to be their weakness, especially when plague and famine wracked Karrlakton. This led to the rise of a new leader, whose charisma and strategic brilliance helped him rally the common people of Karrlakton behind him: Karrn. While some tales say Karrn defeated Orrin Deneith in battle, the official account of the house says that Karrn invoked the lords of Korth and their Sentinel Guard and urged Deneith to follow their example. Karrn swore that if Orrin and his family would stand by his side and defend him, they would share in his glory. According to the Annals of Deneith, Orrin believed that Karrn was guided by the Sovereigns of War, and said that the gift his family was given was meant to be a shield, not a crown. In the decade that followed, Karrn’s fortunes soared, and the Deneith prospered at his side. One by one, the great cities fell to Karrn’s blade or submitted to his rule. The lords of Korth chose to join Karrn, and the Wyrn came with them. The Ravan resisted; they were driven from Ravanloft, and Karrn claimed the castle built by the Sentinel family as his personal sanctuary. The Ravans opposed Karrn throughout his campaign, and had things gone another way, they might have fled into the Lhazaar Principalities and remained independent to this day. But during the Battle of the Bastion, Orrin Deneith called out the matriarch Syele Ravan. Orrin said that those who carried the Warrior’s Mark should stand together, and Leodan Wyrn stood with him on this. If Syele defeated Orrin, both Wyrn and Deneith would join with Ravan and oppose Karrn. But if Syele fell to Orrin, the Ravan would join their fellow Sentinels. The Annals say that Orrin compelled Syele to accept the duel through the power of the Mark they both carried, and that magic flowed through all those who bore it, binding them to this bargain. Had Syele won that fateful duel, House Ravan might be a power in the world today. But Orrin emerged victorious, and that was the beginning of House Deneith. 

The Sentinel Families stood alongside Karrn as he forged the kingdom of Karrnath and stretched his hand beyond. They fought alongside him as he crossed the river and claimed the lands to the south. And when Karrn went too far—when his army was broken and his forces scattered—it was his Sentinel Guard who saw him safely back to his castle in Ravanloft. Orrin Deneith died in the battle of Daskaran, flinging himself in the path of a ballista bolt that would have slain Karrn. While his death was a blow to his family, the story of Deneith’s commitment and courage spread wide… and when the war was finally over, Queen Lycia of Daskaran sent messengers to Karrnath, seeking a force of Sentinel Guards of her own. It was at this moment that Deneith embraced the path of the mercenary—not bound to a single king, but promising loyal service to any who would pay their price. 

Karrnath persisted even after the death of Karrn the Conqueror. Karrlakton remained the stronghold of Deneith, and over time the house expanded its mercenary operations. Karrlakton became the proving ground for a force of soldiers ready to serve under any banner. Over time they spread out across Khorvaire, propping up nobles and warlords and establishing new garrisons in those cities they protected. When the War of the Mark unfolded, it was Deneith that organized and commanded the combined forces of the Dragonmarked Houses… And Halas Tarkanan, who organized the Aberrant resistance, was the son of a Deneith heir trained in the tactics of the House. When the Twelve was established in the wake of the War of the Mark, Deneith was a proud member. In the time that followed, Deneith’s ranks grew. Merchants (and House Orien) employed Deneith mercenaries to guard their caravans. City-states relied on Deneith soldiers to serve as peacekeepers. Some scurrilous accounts suggest that members of the Ravan line engaged in acts of banditry in order to drive up the demand for Deneith’s services, but these accusations were never substantiated. 

While Deneith served clients all over the continent, its heart lay in Karrnath. The lords of Karrnath leaned heavily on the House, and more than once Deneith helped “adjudicate” a conflict between heirs. While the House maintained its general principle that the Mark of Sentinel was a shield, not a crown, there’s no denying the fact that they helped the Wynarn family achieve and hold power—and the Wynarns were unmarked cousins of the Wyrn. The ties between House and Crown remained close, and it was common for a Wynarn prince to reside in Karrlakton and to drill with the Deneith. This was the case with the young Prince Galifar. When that prince became a conquering king, the offer he made to the Twelve — the terms of the Korth Edicts — were modeled on the role House Deneith had played throughout the history of Karrnath. Deneith’s endorsement of Galifar played a vital role in pressuring the other Houses to accept the arrangement, and it’s no coincidence that Deneith alone retained the right to maintain significant military forces under the Korth Edicts. Nonetheless, the golden age of Galifar proved to be a challenging time for House Deneith. With the nations united, the people of Sigilstar no longer feared Aruldusk raiders, and the lords of Athandra and Danthaven resolved their disputes through the courts rather than on the battlefield. There was still some need for the Blademarks—defending merchants, battling brigands, suppressing unrest, fighting monsters. But it was clear House Deneith needed to explore new paths, and this led to the foundation of the Defender’s Guild and the Sentinel Marshals. The Blademarks had always served as bodyguards to powerful lords, but now the role of guardian was more important than that of soldier. And the Sentinel Marshals quickly became a trusted force that could be called upon to pursue fugitives from justice and to enforce the King’s laws from one end of Galifar to the other. 

One might expect that the Last War would find House Deneith heavily invested in the Defender’s Guild, ill-prepared to take to the battlefield. Little could be further from the truth. In the final years of his reign, King Jarot became obsessed with the defense of Galifar. In addition to building up the Royal Army, Jarot commissioned increasingly powerful weapons of war from House Cannith and called on House Deneith to provide elite units and to prepare reserves. Patriarch Halden Harn d’Deneith could smell blood on the air, and he worked quickly to revitalize the Blademark and to draw together the scattered mercenary bands licensed by the House. It’s worth noting that the Sentinel Marshals largely opposed the Last War, and the Lord Commander Brashin Halar d’Deneith met with each of the rival Wynarn heirs, urging them to honor tradition and to preserve the united kingdom. Some say that Brashin’s assassination, six months after the death of King Jarot, was the true death knell of Galifar. 

Once the war broke out in earnest, demand exploded. In most nations, nobles were expected to provide military forces to their ruler. This could be accomplished through conscription, but a lord could avoid this by paying for a unit of Blademarks to take the place of their subjects. Karrnath and Thrane were both culturally well prepared for war and had little need of such forces, but Cyre leaned heavily on House Deneith. Breland adapted over time, but also relied on Deneith in the early years of the war. Coincidentally, this meant that Deneith soldiers were often fighting their distant cousins in Karrnath. Despite this, the Karrnathi rulers respected Deneith’s neutrality, allowing the house to maintain its power in Karrlakton even as Deneith soldiers laid siege to Loran Rath. With that said, there’s a common myth that Blademark soldiers wouldn’t fight other Blademarks. Such a restriction would complicate warfare and seriously diminish the value of Deneith forces. However, there are two motes of truth to this tale. When blooded Deneith heirs faced one another in battle, they would surrender after suffering any injury—a tradition known as the first and felling blow. In situations where heirs expected to face other heirs, they would often carry a baton in addition to their primary weapon, using the club when fighting other heirs. The point being that they would fight, and to the best of their ability, but they would try not to kill their kin. It was also well known that Deneith would pay a ransom for its heirs, so even enemy soldiers would often try to take blood heirs alive. However, when heirs of Deneith fought against licensed mercenaries with no blood ties to their house, no holds would be barred. It was for this reason that Deneith was always seeking to increase the ranks of the Blademarks. When Deneith scouts discovered the strength of the hobgoblin bands in Southern Cyre and the Seawall Mountains, they were all too eager to recruit forces from the clans of the Ghaal’dar. The Ghaal’dar weren’t enacting some carefully planned scheme, and had Deneith shown more restraint or spread the Ghaal’dar forces more widely across Khorvaire, they might have averted the disaster than became Darguun. As it was, the soldier Haruuc recognized the shifting balance of power, and rallied the lords of the Ghaal’dar to support the bloody treachery that followed. In another time, the rise of Darguun might have destroyed House Deneith. But as it was, the nations employing Deneith were simply too reliant on the House to change their ways. But the shadow of that grand betrayal still looms large over the House, and it was this that allowed House Tharashk to gain support for its own mercenary endeavors. 

Another point often misunderstood is the relationship between House Deneith and the elves of Valenar. House Deneith didn’t recruit the Tairnadal Elves, and it played no role in their initial arrangement in Cyre. The Eberron Campaign Setting states “When the Last War began, Cyre came under attack from all sides and quickly sought allies. While the Undying Court of Aerenal had no interest in returning to Khorvaire, the Cyrans drew the interest of the Valaes Tairn.” Queen Mishann ir’Wynarn dealt directly with the var-shan Shaeras Vadallia, against the advice of Halden d’Deneith. It was only after Vadallia’s betrayal that Deneith brokered deals with Valenar shans for the services of individual warriors and warbands. Deneith is very careful in how it assigns warbands, and their contracts with the elves hold many penalties for oathbreakers. Notably, each warclan that deals with Deneith has a representative residing in Sentinel Tower in Karrlakton—a hostage for their clan’s good behavior. 

With the end of the war, Deneith once again finds itself with a surplus of soldiers. Within the house, the focus has shifted back to the Defender’s Guild. Many of the Blademark Viceroys believe the current peace won’t last, and are thus working hard to keep their best bands together. But many Blademarks have been released from service until circumstances shift. 

What Happens Next?  

  • The Lure of Conquest. The importance of neutrality has been drilled into the house for generations. The Mark of Sentinel is a shield, not a crown. But the heirs of Deneith are only human, and there will always be those who dream of what Deneith could accomplish if it chose to act in its own interests instead of serving others. The Lord Commander of the Blademarks, Shirin Ravan d’Deneith, has such dreams. A recent convert to the Seeker faith, Shirin has been making contacts within the Order of the Emerald Claw and talking with Karrnathi warlords frustrated by Kaius III’s pursuit of peace; he may also be in contact with the Blades of Karrn in Stormreach, or Zorlan d’Cannith. Ultimately it’s up to the DM to decide if Shirin has enough support to actually move against Baron Brevan, or if his ambitions are far from being realized. A second question is whether Shirin envisions himself to be a second Karrn the Conqueror, establishing a resurgent Karrnath—or if his dream is to rally the Houses behind him in an echo of the War of the Mark, creating a realm governed by the Twelve. 
  • What’s Going On In Sharn? While some houses have well-established nefarious forces within their ranks—such as the Hurricane Harvest of House Lyrandar and the Feral Heart of House Vadalis—it’s important to remember that in Eberron, there’s always room for a new cult. The Hurricane Harvest and Feral Heart have history. But Cults of the Dragon Below can take root anywhere. Likewise, anyone could potentially be mind seeded by the Dreaming Dark. Because there’s no precedent in history, no one’s looking for cults in House Deneith… but it’s an excellent place to drop a cult of the Vigilant Eye (from Exploring Eberron) or a shard of Rak Tulkhesh. With that in mind, some people say there’s something strange about the Deneith enclave in Sharn; if you want to know more, check out Sharn: City of Towers. 
  • Hunters and Sentinels. The rift between House Tharashk and House Deneith has been simmering for a century. Sentinel Marshals have increasingly found themselves in competition with Tharashk bounty hunters, and now Tharashk is intruding on Deneith’s core business by brokering the services of Droaamites. Tharashk wields considerable influence as the primary source of refined dragonshards, and the Twelve has refused Deneith’s requests to censure the Dragonne’s Roar. This feud is a source of tension between heirs of the two Houses, and there have been bitter conflicts between individual Marshals and Hunters in the shadows. It’s up to the DM to decide how this will escalate. Will it remain limited to clashes between individuals? Could Deneith try to sabotage the reputation of the Dragonne’s Roar by manufacturing a disaster involving Droaamite mercenaries? Open conflict between mercenaries is unlikely, but anything could happen…

This article is an excerpt. The full version is three times the length of this, and includes the structure of the house, customs, details on the founding families, and focus items tied to the Mark of Sentinel. To access the full article, check out my Patreon!

House Lyrandar and the Mark of Storm: Preview

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The crystal shows love Lyrandar. How many times have we seen a dashing Lyrandar captain facing off against pirates, dancing on the wind, landing blows with their rapier and rapier wit? That’s the story we’re sold—they’re daring, they’re bold. The House wants us to like them, to admire their adventurous spirit, to trust they’ll take us where we want to go. But just you look at the seal of the Windwright’s guild. You see the ship, riding the water or the wind. But around it and below it lies the Kraken, its tentacles reaching out to seize the world. Lyrandar has always been driven by ambition. They began with their feet caked in river mud, and now they’ve laid claim to the sky. I know, I know. You think I spend too much time reading the Voice of Aundair. But I tell you this: the sky won’t be enough for House Lyrandar.

There’s a storm inside of you. It was born when you first manifested your dragonmark, and it’s whirled within you ever since. Sometimes you want to move like the wind, to dance across the hall or dart through the rigging of a ship. Sometimes you want to let it out—to unleash your tension with a single clap of thunder, or to let it pour out of you in a massive gust of wind. There’s a storm inside of you, but only you know what it feels like. Is it cold and wet, full of ice and sleet, relentless hail that will wear down your foes? Or does the wind inside of you lift people up, catching you when you fall and shielding you from harm? What is the storm inside of you, and how do you reveal it to the world? 

The Mark of Storms has gone through many changes over the editions. This article considers it in its latest incarnation, as it was presented in Unearthed Arcana and will appear in Forge of the Artificer. If you have the Mark of Storm, you have an intuitive bonus to Acrobatics and navigation. You have resistance to Lightning Damage. You know Gust of Wind and can cast it once per day without expending a spell slot… and you can cast the Thunderclap cantrip at will. These gifts are far more dangerous than the powers of most other Dragonmarks. A Cannith can mend, a Sivis can send messages, a Phiarlan can weave illusions. But your mark can flow out of you with explosive force. Every Lyrandar enclave has a fortified storm suite, where heirs are kept in isolation after manifesting the mark until they learn to control it; though an heir can go to the storm suite at any time if they just want to unleash their power without restraint, with no risk of hurting anyone. Due to this intensive training, Lyrandar heirs are very aware of their personal space—a Thunderclap strikes everyone within five feet. A trained heir runs no risk of accidentally unleashing their power, but releasing a Thunderclap is an exhilarating feeling and many will do it to accentuate a dramatic point to to express joy or anger; but again, they are careful to know when such an act could put innocents at risk. 

House Lyrandar has always been driven by pride and ambition. A Lyrandar captain is the monarch of their own tiny kingdom, and considers themself to be the equal of any king or queen. From childhood, Lyrandar heirs are encouraged to dream big and to believe in their own potential. If you’re making a character who bears the Mark of Storm, consider how its power affects them. Do they love wild motion and dramatic displays? Or are they more akin to still water with hidden depths? 

THE MARK OF WIND AND WATER

The spells of the Mark of Storm follow two paths. Feather Fall, Levitate, and Wind Wall are tied to the wind, while Fog Cloud, Sleet Storm, and Control Water are tied to water. While some exceptional heirs (including any player character) can draw on all of these powers, most Lyrandar heirs have an affinity for one or the other; thus, a typical Lyrandar NPC might be able to cast Feather Fall or Sleet Storm, but probably not both of them. The ability to conjure elementals is common to both paths, but heirs are usually only able to conjure the type of elemental associated with their affinity (Air or Water). Shatter is a focused form of Thunderclap and it’s something any Lyrandar heir can master with effort, but many don’t bother to do so; it requires an aggressive outlook, and heirs pursuing a peaceful life may not want to wield such power. 

Conjuring Elementals. Where did the idea for the Elemental Galleon come from? Why was it associated with Lyrandar to begin with, if Lyrandar don’t bind elementals? The answer is that the heirs of House Lyrandar have been using elementals since the Mark of Storm first appeared—just in a far less efficient manner. The Lesser Mark of Storm allows the bearer to cast Conjure Minor Elementals. The Greater Mark gives access to Conjure Elemental. Lyrandar heirs quickly learned how to use air elementals to fill their sails and water elementals to propel larger vessels. However, doing this directly is a considerable effort for the heir manifesting the elemental and it lacks precision. The invention of the Elemental Galleon demonstrates the purpose of the Twelve: to combine the expertise of the Dragonmarked Houses to create things no house could create on its own. The first galleons still relied on a Lyrandar heir to produce the elemental, but channeled that spirit into ship systems—creating the iconic elemental ring. By working with the Zil, the Twelve made the breakthrough that led to the modern elemental vehicles—summoning an independent elemental that could be bound to the ship itself. Because the point is that when a Lyrandar heir conjures an elemental, it’s not coming from Lamannia. 

When you conjure an elemental you’re drawing out the storm that lies within you; it is your spirit made manifest. Bear in mind that (under 2024 rules) when a Lyrandar heir conjures an elemental, it’s not an independent, sentient entity. Conjure Minor Elementals creates an emanation that radiates out from the heir, a storm that enhances their attacks. Conjure Elemental summons a “Large, intangible spirit” that doesn’t move once cast—a swirling storm core. It’s a manifestation of elemental power, not an independent entity. The key point is that the 2024 rules as written only describe the combat effects of these spells; but Lyrandar has developed focus items that can harness that elemental power to use it as motive force. It’s further the case that even though Lyrandar heirs don’t summon independent elementals, an heir’s relationship with their inner storm gives them an affinity for interacting with elemental forces… which is enhanced by the Wheel of Wind and Water, and which in turn is why airships currently rely on Lyrandar pilots for reliable control of the elementals. 

Purely by the rules, someone who casts Conjure Elemental or Conjure Minor Elementals can draw on any elemental. Lyrandar NPCs should be limited to Air or Water. If a Dragonmarked player character is conjuring an elemental through the Mark, they should also be limited in this way. If they are a spellcaster using a spell slot to cast the spell, then they can call on any element; they may be guided by their Mark, but they are drawing on additional magic in casting the spell. 

Storm Sorcerers and Lyrandar NPCs. Lyrandar NPCs are generally presumed to have a form of the Potent Dragonmark feat, granting them a single spell slot for each tier of their Dragonmark—Least (1st or 2nd level), Lesser (3rd or 4th level), and Greater (5th level). A typical heir is limited to either Wind or Water spells. Player characters with spellcasting ability have access to all of the Spells of the Mark and can use spell slots to cast those spells. Exceptional Lyrandar NPCs (including agents of the Hurricane Harvest) can have this same level of power, with the ability to cast all of the Spells of the Mark and to do so more than once per day per tier. Beyond this, Lyrandar spellcasters can choose to ascribe some or all of their spellcasting abilities to their Dragonmark. A Lyrandar Storm Sorcerer is an obvious candidate for this, but a Fathomless Warlock could say that their “patron” is their Mark itself. Under such circumstances, a DM could slightly reflavor existing spells to better fit the idea that they are tied to the dragonmark. For example, Lyran’s Shield is identical to Armor of Agathys, but inflicts Lightning damage instead of Cold damage. Storm of Selavash is a Fireball that inflicts Lightning Damage. The Aegis of the Firstborn is Fire Shield, but with the choice of Wind (inflicting and granting resistance to Lightning Damage) or Water (inflicting and granting resistance to Cold Damage).  

Controlling the Weather. In the original 3.5 Eberron Campaign Setting, the Greater Mark of Making gave the bearer the power to cast Control Weather. The idea that Lyrandar had this ability was an important part of the house’s identity; the Raincaller’s Guild is a major part of its business. However, later editions balked at this, with Rising—and now, Forge of the Artificer—granting Conjure Elemental in place of Control Weather. From a design perspective, there’s two solid reasons for this. In Fifth Edition, Control Weather is an 8th level spell. The 3.5 ECS didn’t care that the Mark of Storms had access to a spell higher level than that of most Greater Dragonmarks. But the “Spells of the Mark” approach to Dragonmark powers doesn’t support giving a character access to an 8th level spell. And there’s a second important reason: Control Weather isn’t that useful to a typical adventurer. In either of its 5E forms, Conjure Elemental is a spell with clear value in an encounter. Control Weather is a highly situational spell that has a lot of flavor and story potential—but which is likely to be useless in a typical dungeon crawl. So I understand the rationale behind this switch. Nonetheless, the lore of House Lyrandar is based on the idea that they can control the weather. Rising From The Last War sought to bridge this by introducing the Storm Spires: Eldritch machines that allow Lyrandar heirs to control the weather around the Spire. I think the Storm Spire is great: in my campaign, a Storm Spire amplifies and expands the power of the mark, controlling weather over a wider area and for an indefinite duration. It’s an excellent tool for a large community with an established Lyrandar presence. But I still want the traveling Raincaller who can come to your farm during a drought and turn things around. With this in mind, in my campaign I’m implementing the idea that controlling the weather is a specialization within the house. Some heirs learn to externalize the storm they hold within; if they develop the Greater Dragonmark, they have the ability to cast Conjure Elemental. Others—those that emulate the still water with hidden depths—learn to manipulate the storms around them rather than to unleash the storm within. Those that follow this path replace Conjure Elemental on the Spells of the Mark list with Control Weather. They are able to cast Control Weather once using a 5th level spell slot, and regain the ability to do so after they complete a long rest; otherwise, they can cast it using an 8th level spell slot. So, Raincaller NPCs with the Greater Mark of Storm can control the weather; if a Lyrandar adventurer wants this power, it comes at the expense of Conjure Elemental. 

A sailboat with the Mark of Storm on its sail and the wind behind it.
The symbol of the River Windwrights, depicted by Matthew Johnson.

FOCUS ITEMS

Lyrandar heirs regularly employ the focus items described in Exploring Eberron—Dragonmark Channels and Reservoirs. Exploring Eberron mentions Storm’s Embrace, a focus item that duplicates the Ring of Feather Falling. In general, any item that deals with wind or water can be reframed as a Lyrandar focus item. Here’s a few additional focus items. The Hurricane Cloak is beloved by Lyrandar swashbucklers. The Windwright’s Anchor and Raincaller’s Crown are tools used by members of the Lyrandar guilds. The Windwright’s Anchor is a key tool for Lyrandar riverboat captains, who fill their sails with Gust of Wind, while the Raincaller’s Crown allows a wandering Raincaller to maintain a shift in the weather for a full day—and to go indoors after casting the spell. Scepters of the Firstborn are rare weapons treasured by champions of the Hurricane Harvest.  

Hurricane Cloak 

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a creature with the Mark of Storm)

While wearing this cloak, you can take a bonus action to make it billow dramatically for one minute. You can take a Magic action to catch the wind within the cloak, lifting you just off the ground. While the cloak remains active, you have a Fly speed of 40 feet and can hover. You must maintain concentration to sustain this flight, as if you were concentrating on a spell. The cloak keeps you aloft until you end your concentration. 

Windwright’s Anchor  

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a creature with the Mark of Storm)

This amulet enhances the powers of the Mark of Storm. When you cast Gust of Wind, Fog Cloud, Wind Wall or Conjure Elemental, you can use the Anchor to enhance the duration of the spell. This requires intense focus and ongoing concentration. While using the Anchor in this way, you are Restrained. In addition, you must use an action on each of your turns to maintain the effect. As long as you do so, you can maintain the spell effect indefinitely. 

Raincaller’s Crown

Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a creature with the Mark of Storm)

When you cast Control Weather, you can maintain concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours. You must be outdoors to cast the spell, but it doesn’t end early if you go indoors after casting it. When you end concentration, the weather you have created continues for eight hours before fading. 

Scepter of the Firstborn

Rod, Rare (requires attunement by a creature with the Mark of Storm)

This rod has 7 charges and can be wielded as a mace. 

Mighty Thunder. If you cast Thunderclap while holding the Scepter, the damage is increased by 1d6 and the saving throw DC is increased by 2. 

Storm Unleashed. While holding the Sc epter, you can expend up to 3 charges to cast Lightning Bolt (Save DC 15) from it. For 1 charge, you cast the level 3 version of the spell. You can increase the spell’s level by 1 for each additional charge you expend. 

Regaining Charges. The Scepter regains 1d6+1 expended charges daily at dawn. 

This is a preview of the full article available to patrons. The full article is four times the length of this one, and includes information on this history, structure, family, and customs of House Lyrandar. If you’d like to read the full thing—and to help support my creating more of these articles—check out my Patreon here!

House Medani: Medani Miscellany

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A stylized basilisk's head
The seal of the basilisk’s Gaze, by Matthew Johnson

You’ve heard of the Basilisk’s Gaze, then? Medani operatives, charged under the Treaty of Thronehold to hunt down the worst war criminals of the last century. It’s kind of odd, right? If you want to FIND someone, you go to Tharashk. Why Medani? Well, it could be that Breland objected to Tharashk because of their close ties to Droaam. But you know what I think? I think it’s because these people the Gaze is hunting, they aren’t common criminals. They’ve got money, influence, magic. These people can shield themselves from divination, establish new identities. Finding a person like that, it’s more of a puzzle than a job for a simple bounty hunter. And apprehending them… that’s a thing that would have to be done quietly and carefully. You’d have to be able to anticipate their routine, know where they’d start their day. Know their favorite strain of tal. Have a paralytic poison on hand, slow-acting but undetectable, and have sufficient charm to keep them talking until the poison takes effect. What do you think? Hmm? Can’t respond? Don’t worry. My friends and I will help you out. You’ve got a tribunal waiting for you at Thronehold, Viktor ir’Cazin.

The Mark of Detection enhances the bearer’s Insight and Investigation. This isn’t about broadly improving eyesight or hearing. Instead, Medani intuition calls attention to details. A marked Medani is always noticing things about their surroundings others might ignore. When talking to someone, a Medani instinctively catalogues their twitches and tells, evaluates their accent and how it aligns with their supposed nationality, observes their equipment and its quality… and does all of this without even thinking about it. But when the details matter, all of these observations will come flooding back. The greater powers of the Mark of Detection go beyond personal observation. While some within Medani say that their house is blessed by Aureon, the dominant belief is that the Mark of Detection connects everyone that carries it, and that a Medani with a powerful mark can draw on the memories and observations of every marked scion of the house. Because of this, the house strives to constantly expand its knowledge base. In many of the Dragonmarked Houses, heirs of a house are often raised in house enclaves and educated in trade schools tied to their guilds. By contrast, House Medani encourages its heirs to be active in local communities and to cultivate a diverse group of friends. Before undergoing the Test of Siberys, a Medani heir must complete an apprenticeship outside of the house. The point of this isn’t to pursue a long-term profession, but to meet people and to make connections… to learn seemingly inconsequential details that could be of use to some other heir of the house at some point in the future. In addition to the Watchers of the Warning Guild, House Medani maintains a corps of “Private Eyes”—Inquisitives tasked to travel across the world and learn things, unraveling mysteries when they find them and pulling on interesting threads. This is a possible path for a Medani adventurer. Watchers of the Warning Guild typically work out of a particular office in a particular town. But Private Eyes are encouraged to keep moving, searching for the most interesting situations and people that they can find. As a Medani heir, ask questions and explore even tiny mysteries. Even if the answers to your questions don’t have an impact today, they could help your family in the future!  

Perception or Investigation? In Rising From The Last War, the Deductive Reasoning feature of the Mark of Detection provides a bonus to Investigation and Insight. However, in the recent Unearthed Arcana, the Mark of Detection feat provides a bonus to Perception and Insight. These are the same two skills that are boosted by the Mark of Sentinel, and in my opinion, Rising’s approach makes more sense. Sentinel helps you spot the immediate threat with Perception; Detection helps you examine the scene and draw conclusions. We don’t yet know what the final text of Forge of the Artificer will be. For now, the DM will have to decide what they want to do. But in MY campaign, I’m keeping Detection as benefitting Investigation and Insight.

The Mark of Deduction

Beyond an intuitive knack for Investigation and Insight, anyone who carries the Mark of Detection can cast Detect Magic and Detect Poison and Disease. Because they always have these spells prepared, they can cast them as rituals. But producing a spell-like effect through a dragonmark isn’t the same process as casting a spell. When performing the ritual to cast Detect Magic, a Medani heir doesn’t invoke words of power. Instead, most use one finger to trace the design of the Mark of Detection on a palm while murmuring observations about the room they’re in—temperature, sound, contents, meditating on each detail until their senses reach beyond the physical and they can feel the flow of supernatural energies around them. If you have the Mark of Detection, that’s just something you can do. Spend enough time contemplating your surroundings and you can sense supernatural energy. Other Spells of the Mark go beyond any sight or sense; they are about intuitive knowledge. An heir with the Lesser Mark can Identify magical objects. This is another spell that can be cast as a ritual, meaning that it’s something an heir with the Potent Dragonmark feat can simply do, provided they have time. If they take ten minutes to study an object, they know its magical properties. With the Lesser Mark they can study an individual and know what they are thinking. With the Lesser Dragonmark (meaning access to 4th level spells) they can simply ask a question and know the answer, by casting Divination. 

All of these gifts flow from the same source. While a Medani heir has to go through the same steps a spellcaster does to produce these effects—speaking and gesturing in some way—Medani’s Divination doesn’t feel like a priest calling upon divine guidance. Instead, to the Medani it feels like DEDUCTION. When they cast Identify, they take time to study the object—its weight, its composition, signs of wear, traces of arcane energy—and within ten minutes it becomes obvious what it does. When a Medani casts Detect Thoughts, they aren’t using telepathy as a Kalashtar would; they are simply observing, but through observation they deduce what the target is thinking. The verbal components of a Medani’s Detect Thoughts are questions; the Medani asks a few pointed questions, and draws conclusions from the most minute reactions. “Tell me, did you know Donal Gelder? Ahhh, you worked together, didn’t you? And you hated him.” Should the target succeed on their saving throw and resist the effect, the Medani can’t draw deeper conclusions about them. To be clear, this effect is magical. The Medani also has to provide somatic components—typically touching their dragonmark or tracing its pattern on a palm—and the mark does grow warm while they’re engaged in deduction. They can gain access to information that they couldn’t possibly deduce from available information. But to the Medani, and to observers, it feels like deduction—like they are leaping to certainty from minor details of a scene. 

Divination and Deductive Reasoning. Medani heirs with the Lesser Dragonmark often have the ability to cast Divination, and this is the hallmark of Medani’s master inquisitives. While the Augurs of the Voice of Aureon call this gift Divination, Medani inquisitives refer to it as Deductive Reasoning; they aren’t calling on a higher power, they’re evaluating a question and drawing conclusions. With this in mind, what exactly can Medani learn from using this spell? When performing Deductive Reasoning, the Medani draws on two potential sources of information. The first is the scene itself. Is there any possible way the Medani could deduce the answer from their surroundings, at least in part? Otherwise, the question is does any other Dragonmarked Medani know the answer to this question? So when a Medani inquisitive looks at a corpse, casts Deductive Reasoning (Divination) and says “Who killed this man?” the first question is if there’s a living Medani who actually knows the answer. If so, the inquisitive could just get that concrete answer; Alina Lorridan Lyrris poisoned him at dinner two hours ago. Assuming that’s not the case, think of all the greatest detectives you’ve seen in any form of media and the conclusions they might draw.  A strand of silver hair… a stray thread from a glamerweave gown… the placement and size of the chair… It was a wealthy female gnome. He knew her, and they were conversing when he died. See the faint scratches on the surface of the table? She was wearing rings, at least one on each finger. The point being that it’s not a randomly cryptic riddle—but it can still be a set of clues that point the inquisitive in the right direction rather than providing a concrete answer. Likewise, if the marked Medani asks a entirely abstract or philosophical question—What is the true nature of the Sovereigns—they’ll either receive no answer, or an answer that summarizes the dominant opinions of the Medani gestalt, with the clear note that it’s not a certainty. 

Legend Lore and Background Checks. Under the rules of 5th Edition, the Greater Dragonmark of Detection grants the ability to cast Legend Lore. But Legend Lore is an odd spell. 

Name or describe a person, place, or object. The spell brings to your mind a brief summary of the significant lore about the thing you named. The lore might consist of current tales, forgotten stories, or even secret lore that has never been widely known. If the thing you named isn’t of legendary importance, you gain no information. The more information you already have about the thing, the more precise and detailed the information you receive is.

The limitation that “If the thing you named isn’t of legendary importance” bothers me. Critically, who makes that determination? It also seems like an arbitrary limitation on a spell that is supposed to be the greatest power of the Dragonmark. With this in mind, in MY campaign, the Greater Dragonmark doesn’t allow you to cast Legend Lore; instead, it allows you to run a Background Check. Name or describe a person, place, or thing. The spell brings to mind a brief summary of lore about the thing you named based on what is known about them by living bearers of the Mark of Detection. Think of a gestalt consisting of both the conscious and subconscious memory of living Medani. Has any Medani ever seen the person you’re asking about? Do you already have information that could be combined with another Medani’s observations to draw a new conclusion? So like Legend Lore, the more information you already have, the more information you will receive; and likewise, if the individual or object is well known in the Five Nations, then Medani will know more. And again, this is the function of the Private Eyes—to gather as much random information as possible, which may mean nothing to the observer in the moment, but which can be added to the gestalt for Background Checks. So if you ask about someone who is truly unremarkable or about an obscure relic from tens of thousands of years ago, you might not get any information (although here again, the Voice of Aureon includes sages who study history, and their knowledge is part of the gestalt). But if you ask about a criminal, you might draw on the information of a Medani inquisitive who solved a previous crime they were involved in… and you might know that they were seen in Sharn a week ago. As always, it’s entirely up to the DM to decide what information is provided, and the bearer of the Mark can’t ask for clarification; they get the information they get. But even if we imagine a random commoner—let’s say Jurian Cooper—who’s definitely not LEGENDARY, a Medani Background Check might say Jurian Cooper is a male human in his thirties who’s been living in the Callestan district of Sharn for at least a decade. He has been seen in the company of Ilsa Boromar on multiple occasions. Last week he was seen in the Broken Mirror in Callestan, drinking Old Bender and eating a tribex pie. This also touches on the difference between the Mark of Finding and the Mark of Detection. A Background Check can’t tell you exactly where to find Jurian Cooper. But it may point you to known associates, recent haunts, or provide useful details you’re not going to get from Locate Creature. 

Nondetection. Everyone knows that the Mark of Detection lets its bearer uncover secrets. Fewer people know that it can help bury them, as well. The Wolves of the Warning Guild specialize in counterintelligence and in making problems go away. In doing so, they often employ the Lesser Mark’s gift of Nondetection—whether to conceal themselves, a client, or an inconvenient object (or body) until a case can be closed or a problem solved. This ability is especially prized by the hunters of the Basilisk’s Gaze, whose quarry often protect themselves with divination. This comes to a minor house rule. The 2024 rules have reduced the number of effects that say a creature cannot be surprised; notably, the Weapon of Warning no longer provides this benefit. But I personally say that if any magical source provides immunity to surprise (as opposed to a skill or mundane class feature) that the benefit will not help against someone who is shielded by Nondetection. Likewise, in my campaign Nondetection protects from magical effects that are clearly forms of divination even if they are not identified as being divination spells—notably, a Wand of Enemy Detection. 

Clairvoyance and Arcane Eye. These abilities are a form of extrasensory perception and have more in common with Detect Magic than Identify or Legend Lore. The heir concentrates on their Dragonmark and meditates on the location they wish to see, envisioning it in their mind… and soon finds that the vision in their mind is real and accurate. Sensors created by these spells appear as globes formed from stands of blue energy to those who can see them; sometimes the Mark of Detection appears within the globe, mimicking the iris of an eye. 

Detect Good and Evil? Good and Evil may feel like abstract concepts for an inquisitive to monitor. But keep in mind that Detect Good and Evil doesn’t actually detect alignment or morality. The spell effect is “For the duration, you sense the location of any Aberration, Celestial, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, or Undead within 30 feet of yourself. You also sense whether the Hallow spell is active there and, if so, where.” For the sensitive Medani, this isn’t much different from using Detect Magic to sense the flow of arcane energy. The Medani heir concentrates, extends their perceptions, and essentially finds what doesn’t belong, drawing on the Medani gestalt to further clarify the specific nature of the entity.

Dragonmarked NPCs 

In a previous article, I  discussed how I generally handle NPCs with dragonmarks. Here’s the key piece.

Potent Dragonmark is a feat designed for player characters. It’s flexible—allowing a character to access any spell on the Spells of the Mark list—and recharges after a short rest. But it sets the precedent that there are people in the world who have no spellcasting ability but who can still produce spell-like effects with Dragonmarks. With that in mind, I’d generally give dragonmarked NPCs a form of this, mirroring the original ECS marks. An NPC with a Least Dragonmark would be able to cast a 1st or 2nd level spell from their Dragonmark’s Spell of the Mark list, once per day. An NPC with the Lesser Mark would get a single use of a 3rd or 4th level spell, in addition to the Least Mark. And an NPC with a Greater Dragonmark would gain a single use of a 5th level Spell. Exceptional scions might have a choice of more than one spell at each level, just like a player character with Potent Dragonmark.

Now, as noted above, if a Spell of the Mark is a Ritual spell, then the bearer can cast it repeatedly as long as they have time to do so. But the key point I want to call out is that player characters get access to ALL the Spells of the Mark. Exceptional NPCs may as well. But most marked NPCs will have access to a subset of the Spells of the Mark, and this will often reflect their placement in the house. Members of the Basilisk’s Gaze are generally chosen because they have the ability to cast Nondetection and Detect Thoughts. Members of Aureon’s Voice are sure to have Divination and Identify. The point being that ALL Medani heirs have the ability to Detect Magic and Detect Poison & Disease, but even though it’s a power of the Least Mark of Detection, not every Medani heir can cast Identify. 

Focus Items. Medani heirs regularly employ the focus items described in Exploring Eberron—Dragonmark Channels and Reservoirs. Exploring Eberron notes the Medi Spectacles and Medi Dowser, dragonmark bound versions of Eyes of Minute Seeing and the Wand of Secrets. Here’s two more Medani focus items—one that’s useful for undercover operatives, another that helps the Inquisitive investigating a murder.

That’s all for now! This article is just a glimpse at the full House Medani article I wrote for my Patrons, which includes the history and structure of House Medani, as well as discussing its major enclaves and providing additional hooks for Medani characters and stories. This support is what allows me to take the times to write articles like this. You can become a patron here!

House Rules: Forensic Magic and Investigation

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A stylized basilisk's head
The seal of the basilisk’s Gaze, by Matthew Johnson

“What do you see, Wyattson?” 

“The emanations suggest a spell of the sixth circle, and the glimmering resonance is the celestial signature of the Silver Flame. There’s only one woman in Sharn who wields the Flame with such power—Ythana Morr.”

“Well reasoned, my friend, but look more closely. That celestial resonance that drew your attention is merely sprinkled atop the true signature of the spell. I don’t recognize the energy… but it has the stink of Mabar about it.” 

I’ve just published an in-depth look at House Medani, one of the main sources of inquisitives in Eberron, so I’ve been thinking about how I like to run mysteries and investigation campaigns. Magic is a part of everyday life in Eberron; it’s a tool people use in place of the technology we use in our world. There are countless ways spells can be used to commit a crime—but how can an Inquisitive investigate this? I love the image of a detective using Detect Magic to pick up details of the crime, like someone in our world would evaluate ballistics or DNA. However, by default, Detect Magic only provides details of the school of magic associated with an effect. I like to go deeper. If an adventurer who’s proficient in both Arcana and Investigation and who’s capable of casting Detect Magic studies a scene, I will give them the opportunity to find traces of spells that have been used in the recent past, potentially gaining any of the following details… typically in this order. 

  • Traces. How many spells have been used in the area that’s being studied in the last 24 hours? This is the first step; the investigator might have a vague sense of relative power and time. If they pick a spell to study, they have an opportunity to obtain additional information. 
  • School of Magic. This is the easy default; Detect Magic allows anyone to do this, with no proficiency or check. 
  • When was the spell cast? This will be approximate, but it’s something. 
  • What level spell slot was used to cast the spell? This is a basic mechanical element of spells and in my opinion, it’s a concept people understand within the world itself; it’s a basic measure of the power of a spell. I generally prefer to use “circle” instead of “level” just because I prefer the sound of it. But I’ll allow an expert to recognize the level of a spell effect. 
  • What is the Power Source of the spell? Broadly, what type of magic is it? Arcane? Divine? Primal? Generally, I will allow a professional who’s able to cast Detect Magic to make this determination without being familiar with the magic in question; you don’t have to be a cleric to identify divine magic. However, if the spell is something more exotic, I might limit things; psionic spells or something associated with an exotic warlock might show up as “an unknown form of energy manipulation”—unless the investigator has prior experience with that form of magic. 
  • Spell Signature. Once the investigator has identified the power source of a spell, they may be able to glean more specific details about the spell or the spellcaster. For a Divine spell, the basic signature reveals the faith of the spellcaster: Sovereign Host, Path of Light, Silver Flame. With a Primal spell it will reveal the druidic sect or tradition. For an Arcane spell, it reveals the literal school where the caster learned magic; Arcanix has an entirely different style from the war magic of Rekkenmark, the workhorse training of the Twelve, or the esoteric precision of Aereni magic. If the user is self trained, that will be evident; “It’s an unconventional, haphazard style, probably self-taught.” If the DM doesn’t know these specific details, it might provide a broad sense of nationality of the caster; we’ve never named any schools of magic in the Mror Holds, but Mror arcane spells have a signature that’s broadly different from those of Breland or Aundair. When appropriate, the DM can also say that the investigator identifies the distinctive style but doesn’t recognize it—this would be appropriate for the magic of Argonnessen, the Lords of Dust, or a unique Cult of the Dragon Below. The point is that once they’ve encountered in once, they’ll recognize it when they encounter it again. 
  • Further Details. The power source and signature provide a solid foundation: It’s a divine spell associated with the Blood of Vol or it’s an arcane spell cast by someone trained at Rekkenmark. But an exceptional investigator could potentially pick up additional information. A simple discovery would be information about the components used in the spell: did they use sulfur to cast this Fireball or did they use a pinch of refined dragonshard? Were they rushed—casting in the middle of a fight—or did they take their time? What sort of arcane focus did they use—a rod or a wand?

So, how much of this information can a specific adventurer get about a particular spell? My first question is How much information do they NEED to progress the story? A basic rule I live by is never ask a player to roll a die if I’m not prepared for every possible outcome. If the adventurer is a professional inquisitive trained in Arcana and Investigation, it may be that they just get the information if they choose to look at it; it’s their specialty. Or it may be that I ask them to make an Intelligence (Investigation) check, but they’ll always learn that the spell was divine magic cast six hours ago; it’s just that if they get at least 15 they’ll also learn that it was a Seeker of the Divinity Within and if they get 20 or higher they’ll know it used a 5th level spell slot. 

On the other hand, if it’s a totally random search and failure is on the table, I might use a formula like this: 

Investigation—Arcane Forensics. Spend ten minutes studying the area; this includes casting Detect Magic as a ritual. This provides a sense of spell effects that have been used in the area within the last 24 hours and the schools of magic involved. To study a specific spell, make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. The base difficulty is 10, increased by 3 for every six hours that have passed since the spell was cast. If the check is successful, the caster can learn one detail: time of casting, power source, or spell level. For every 3 points above the required difficulty, they can learn one additional detail. Once the power source has been identified, this can include the signature and further details. 

Another example of using Investigation in conjunction with a spell to gain more detailed results would be Locate Animals and Plants, which I could see as a light version of looking for traces of DNA. Once again, I might just let the Inquisitive with the spell get basic information without a roll. But if I asked for a roll, it would be something like this…

Investigation—Traces of Life. Spend ten minutes studying the area; this includes casting Locate Animals and Plants as a ritual. This provides a vague sense of the types of creatures that have been present in the area over the last day.  To study a specific spell, make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. The base difficulty is 10, increased by 3 for every six hours that have passed since the creature was present. If the check is successful, the investigator knows the species of the creature. For every 3 points of success, they can learn an additional detail chosen by the DM. This could be age, hair color, whether they were injured, something about their clothing; whatever could be reasonably deduced. So with a result of 22 they could learn There was an old male dwarf who was wearing heavy armor.   

Right away, these two options highlight a difference between the Medani inquisitive—who can innately cast Detect Magic—and the Tharashk inquisitive, who can Locate Animals and Plants. Medani gets more information about the mystery, while Tharashk excels at finding people! Of course, there’s other skills that can help an investigation without the use of magic. By the rules as written, Medicine allows someone to “determine what killed the recently slain.” Based on the results of the check, this could be as simple as the types of damage they suffered in their final moments (“acid damage”) to a more detailed analysis (“a massive gout of acid that struck them with significant force—perhaps the breath of a dragon.”) Survival allows someone to “follow tracks,” but I’ll also let them use Survival to reconstruct a scene—ranging from “You can tell there were three different humanoids here” to “They entered together, there was a struggle, and the smallest of the three was dragged out.” In both these cases, anyone could make a check to get the basic information, but I’d limit the more advanced details to a character who’s proficient in the skill. A d20 roll is a wild spectrum, and in my campaign I like to give a little weight to Proficiency; it’s not just that you get a bonus to the role, it’s a skill that’s important to you and that you’ve invested time in. 

Of course, there’s a secondary aspect to this: The ability of a master criminal to cover their tracks. Starting with skill alone, Deception is the key. If someone if proficient with Deception and with the skill associated with their style of magic (Arcana for Arcane, Religion for Divine, Nature for Primal) I’ll allow them to attempt to disguise their spellcasting. This works much like using Deception against Insight in a conversation; I’ll have the schemer make a Deception check using their spellcasting ability score, and describe the false signature they are trying to create. With skill alone, I wouldn’t allow this to change Power Type or School; but they could alter the signature, trying to make their Karrnathi Seeker spell feel like a Brelish Vassal spell. Note the Deception score and compare any subsequent Investigation to that score; if the Investigation check is lower, they will be fooled. For someone trying to stage a scene or hide cause of death, I’d likewise require proficiency in both Deception and the relevant skill (Medicine, Survival). Depending on nature of the scene or the injury, true deception might be impossible; it’s hard to make someone who’s been burnt to death appear to have been killed by slashing damage. On the other hand, I’d likely allow the deceiver to try to conceal the actual cause of death—IE, if someone was killed by having their throat cut and the deceiver bashes their skull in with a mace, it’s easy to determine that the creature suffered both slashing and bludgeoning damage; it will take an excellent check to determine which injury was post-mortem. For this sort of use of Deception, I’d personally use an Intelligence (Deception) check.

Since blocking divination tends to be higher than accessing them, what kinds of magical countermeasures could lower casters take to mask their signatures or otherwise throw off the scent of a Wolf?

Mechanically, the core of this is Deception, as described above. The point is that you can do lots of things—cast your Fireball using guano instead of sulfur, using a staff instead of a wand, and so on; but we need a mechanical measure to tell whether the Inquisitive is able to see through your ruse, and that’s where we employ the test of Deception vs Investigation. That’s where we get You can see that they tried to emulate the Aundairian style by using a wand, but the Rekkenmark training is still clear in the scent of the ashes. A commenter suggests the use of unusual components, such as Mabaran crystals, and I think that’s an excellent option; that’s the sort of thing where I’d a) allow someone to make a Deception check even if they don’t have the appropriate proficiencies or b) give someone with appropriate proficiencies advantage on their Deception check. But the point is that the expert investigator should always have a chance to see through the ruse; if there’s a foolproof way to fool even the greatest inquisitive, there’s not much point to telling stories of investigations!

I will say that we haven’t done much discussion on TOOLS that help people get away with murder. An assassin may not have the ability to cast Nondetection or Pass Without Trace, but they could have an amulet that erases their aura to Locate Animals (although in this case, the expert inquisitive might notice the absence of an aura; they can’t get specifics, but they can tell magic was employed to conceal it). Likewise, there definitely should be a “Wand of Silence” that allows someone to drop verbal components when using it as a focus to cast evocation spells. But that’s a concept to explore in another article…

Anyhow, these are house rules I use in my campaign; they may or may not be right for yours! Thanks as always to my Patreon supporters, who make articles like this possible. And since I’ve got Medani on the mind, here’s a bonus: a Medani focus item that amplifies the divinatory powers of the Mark of Detection! 

House Orien: History and Structure

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An image of a unicorn's head superimposed on a lightning rail engine.
The seal of the Transportation Guild, as depicted by Matthew Johnson!

Over the course of this year I’m delving deeper into the Dragonmarked House. Each month I’m writing an article for my Patreon supporters that explores the dragonmark, history, structure, and families of each house, along with story hooks for players and DMs to use. You can find my article about the Mark of Passage here, and if you’re a Patreon supporter, you can find the full article here—and read about the Mark of Detection on Patreon!

THE HISTORY OF HOUSE ORIEN

Most people of the present day know the names of the nations that preceded Galifar—Daskara, Metrol, Thaliost, Wroat, and of course Karrnath. But these names give the deceptive impression that the basic structure of the present day—the cultural dominance of five nations—has always been the case. When the Mark of Passage first appeared, the northwest was a patchwork of lords and leagues. People prospered based on their ability to harness the supernatural resources of the land, and on the bargains they made with fey and other forces. There were a host of freeholds, farm lords, and self-declared kings, and all of them needed something. And in this age, there were those who realized that their path to prosperity lay not in standing still—in tilling the soil or mining for ore—but rather in travel, carrying goods and news between communities. Nineteen hundred years ago, the Mark of Passage bloomed along the roads of this region, taking root in those families that traveled for a living. By this time, people knew what dragonmarks were; the deeds of the House of Cannith and the Sentinel Lords of the north were known far and wide. The new bearers of the Mark of Passage celebrated their good fortune and carried on with their work. Over the course of the next two centuries, most of the marked coalesced around three forces. The Thorn Post was the most reliable system of communication in the region. The Baynes were the most successful merchants in the northwest, while Cordamar caravans were renowned for their reach and safety. While these forces prospered on their own, the example of the House of Cannith inspired Orien Bayne to build something similar. He found a valuable ally in the Nhuli, a family known both for its missionaries and bards; Afki Nhuli declared that Orien was the vessel of Kol Korran, and the Nhuli used their persuasive voices to promote Bayne’s cause. With both gold and his golden tongue, Orien Bayne wooed the Thorns and the Cordamars to his endeavor, promising prosperity for all. It says something of talent that the alliance came to carry his name—not that of Bayne, for no one family was to be placed above another, but of Orien, whose vision paved the way. 

The Orien Alliance grew and prospered over the next two centuries. Soon the Unicorn Post was known across Khorvaire, and Orien caravans pressed further east with every year. While Hadran Vown Cannith and Lyosa Lyrriman Sivis devised the concept of the Twelve, it was unicorn riders who spread the word of it far and wide, and the Orien Alliance embraced the proposed traditions and became House Orien. Five hundred years later, House Orien supported Galifar Wynarn, providing invaluable logistical support to his campaign of unification. And as that united kingdom took shape, Baron Agate Bayne d’Orien presented the grateful Galifar I with a vision of a system of roads that would help to maintain communication and commerce throughout the new kingdom. So Orien established the great trade roads with the blessing and financial support of Galifar. These roads were indeed a boon for Galifar, and even moreso for House Orien. As noted in Frontiers of Eberron: 

The even, well-maintained surface of the road helps travelers maintain a swift pace—while traveling exclusively on Orien trade roads, travelers gain a 10% bonus to their travel pace. A vehicle or mount carrying a passenger with the Dragonmark of Passage can add an additional 10% to its pace; the passive enchantments worked into the road are triggered by the Mark of Passage, enhancing the momentum of the Orien heir and their mount. 

Throughout the history of Galifar, House Orien has been a reliable part of everyday life. Every house and nation relies on Orien shipping, and the Unicorn Post allowed people across Khorvaire to stay in touch even during the worst days of the Last War. The Passage Ring provided the invaluable (albeit very limited) service of teleportation to the rulers of Galifar. The greatest leap in the history of the house came in the Ninth Century, when Cannith and Orien unveiled the Lightning Rail. Over the course of the next century, Orien’s star grew ever brighter. And then the Last War came and shook the house to its core. On the one hand, every nation depended on House Orien to help maintain supply lines—and recognizing this invaluable service, leaders initially pledged not to target Orien infrastructure in the war. But a century of war knows no promises. Some roads and rails were intentionally targeted; others were unintended collateral damage. The rise of Darguun devastated Orien’s operations in the region, but this was merely a precursor to the horror of the Mourning. Orien is still reeling from the loss of its Cyran routes. The house is negotiating with Thrane and Karrnath in the hopes of rebuilding the White Arch Bridge. For now it is relying on temporary solutions—but the humiliating truth is that Orien usually has to rely on Lyrandar services to cross from east to west. This tension is exacerbated by the emergence of the Lyrandar airship, a development that threatens to completely upend travel and shipping. For a thousand years, Orien has been a stable foundation of life in Khorvaire. But this last decade has left it shaken, and leadership is desperately searching for a path forward. 

What Happens Next? House Orien continues to play a crucial role in the daily life of the Five Nations. Thunder coaches and the Unicorn Post rumble along the trade roads. Orien crews work at all hours repairing the damage that lingers from the Last War. But this isn’t enough. Orien leadership believes they need something to counter the rise of House Lyrandar. These are a few of their prominent projects.

  • The Passage Ring. House Orien believes that teleportation is the future of the house. Who needs to fly if you can get to your destination in the blink of an eye? However, as discussed earlier in this article this is limited by the number of heirs with the Greater Mark of Passage and the fact that most such heirs can only cast Teleportation Circle once per day. The Passage Ring is working to develop a more affordable form of the Helm of Teleportation; to find a way to maintain a Teleportation Circle for an extended period of time, so more passengers could cross in a single casting; and to create a form of Teleportation Circle that draws from an independent power source. This work is dangerous. Orien heirs could easily be lost in this research; in a serious mishap a chunk of Passage itself could be teleported across the world. Adventurers could be assigned to “test drive” experimental gates, or to help acquire exotic components that could be the key to an extended gate.  
  • Shortcuts. Khyber demiplanes often have entry points at multiple locations in Eberron, but the space within the demiplane itself doesn’t match the geography of the Material Plane. You can enter the Ironlands in the Demon Wastes, walk three miles, and emerge in Darguun. Baron Kwanti is fascinated by this phenomenon and dreams of finding a way to take advantage of it for commercial purposes—to bore passages into a demiplane, run a lightning rail through it, and be able to cross Khorvaire in under an hour. The nature of an adventure depends on how far along Orien is with their work. If they’re brought in early, adventurers could be scouts hired to investigate a newly discovered demiplane entrance—entering the demiplane, identifying its dangers, trying to locate other exits, and determining their locations in the Material Plane. Alternately, adventurers could be hired as guardians to protect the Orien team that’s establishing transit operations within a demiplane—fighting fiends or aberrations as workers place a warded line of conductor stones. Or, it could be that adventurers are brought in after the maiden voyage of the first demiplane train—because someone needs to enter the train and wipe out whatever’s now on board before it reaches Sharn. 
  • The Mourning Rail. Baron Kwanti yearns to establish a rail line across the Mournland. He believes that if the conductor stones were laid, the coaches’ speed would protect them from the effects of the Mourning. The consensus of the Twelve is that this is a foolish idea; even if the train itself wasn’t destroyed by the Mourning, odds are good that the new conductor stones would be corrupted or destroyed. Despite these expert opinions, Kwanti is determined to proceed with this project. Adventurers could be tasked with protecting the team laying the conductor stones as they move deeper into the Mournland; with recovering resources within the Mournland that could be repurposed for this cause (notably, wrecks of lightning rails caught in the Mourning itself). Another possibility is that they could be sent to investigate rumors of ANOTHER ’Mourning Rail” that has been sited traveling across ruined rails: Cyre 1313. 

THE SHAPE OF THE HOUSE

House Orien is the most widespread of all of the Dragonmarked Houses. It has outposts in virtually every significant town in the Five Nations, as well as most of the Thronehold nations. However, most of these outposts are extremely small—they are designed to support the Unicorn Post and to offer relief or maintenance to Thunder Coaches and caravans passing through the area. Such a post might have a single bunk, a space for storing goods and sorting mail, and a trunk of holding with supplies needed to repair damaged vehicles. The most basic outposts are typically maintained by local, unmarked employees. The Mark of Passage helps people move between towns; in a small town, they don’t need an actual heir to deliver the mail to the door. Larger outposts will have a marked courier ready to run goods to their final destination as soon as they come off the coach. A large outpost will often incorporate a Sivis Speaking Stone, with a courier ready to deliver messages to their intended recipients; they may also have a Vadalis farrier in residence to care for the beasts used by the coaches and caravans. 

So House Orien has small outposts all across Khorvaire. It has major enclaves in Sharn, Wroat, Varna, Flamekeep, Korth, Trolanport, Fairhaven, and Krona Peak. The Baron’s seat is the enclave of Journey’s End in the Aundairian town of Passage; House Orien employs nearly half the adult population of Passage. In addition, House Orien has three mobile enclaves—custom lighting rails coaches—that travel along the conductor stones, allowing the house to focus its resources on critical projects (usually, negotiations involving the expansion of the lightning rail). While Journey’s End is the heart of the house, Baron Kwanti d’Orien has the wanderlust that drives everyone who carries the Mark of Passage, and he spends much of his time on his own enclave-train—the Free Passage. Luxuriously appointed, Free Passage contains a Speaking Stone (with a Sivis operator) that allows Kwanti to conduct business wherever he may be. Recently he’s installed a Teleportation Circle in the train itself. Some house artificers fear that invoking the circle while the train is in motion carries risks, but it’s functioning normally… so far. 

The Courier’s Guild

Before the Mark of Passage appeared, the Thorn Post served people in what is now Aundair, Thrane, and northern Breland. The Thorn Post was the most reliable delivery service of its age. Its riders were renowned for their determination and their honesty, and they overcame brigands, weather, and countless other challenges in the course of their duties. The Courier’s Guild grew from this seed. While initially there was tension when House Sivis developed the Speaking Stone, today Orien and Sivis are strong allies that work closely together. When you send a message with a Speaking Stone you pay by the word, and even though Sivis has earned broad trust for keeping the contents of its messages confidential, the sender still has to dictate their message and be willing to have it be read by the clerks on both ends. Which means that it’s not the ideal medium for a 25 page love letter or the details of a plan to blow up the Brelish parliament. Beyond this, you can only send messages from one stone to another. If you’re in Clifftop in Sharn, you can use a Speaking Stone to send a message to Ardev, but you can’t send a message to Quickstone; the town doesn’t have a working stone. Beyond that, you can send a message to Ardev, but unless your intended recipient knows to go to the station to pick up the message, how will it get to them? This is where the Sivis-Orien alliance comes in. The Courier’s Guild maintains corps of runners who handle local deliveries within towns; add one gold piece to the cost and your message will be carried from the stone station to its final destination.

With this in mind, the Courier’s Guild has two distinct divisions. The Unicorn Post is the largest component of the guild. This is the postal service of Khorvaire, delivering messages and packages to any community on its service map. While the popular image is of a unicorn rider racing along the road with a bag of mail, guild operations use many different systems to move massive quantities of mail. The enclaves mentioned earlier are major hubs with ties to the Kundarak Vault Network. This allows bags of mail to be passed from one hub to another. From these hubs, bags of mail will be transferred to a lightning rail or Thunder Coach; street runners or unicorn riders will carry the mail to its final destination. While unicorn riders are always marked, street runners usually aren’t. What’s most important for a street runner is knowledge of the town and reliability. As such, Orien prefers to work with families that have proven themselves to be trustworthy and reliable; in many towns, there’s a family or two that has no blood connection to the house, but has worked with the Courier’s Guild for generations. 

The Unicorn Post is the main business of the Courier’s Guild, but there is a second branch: the Outriders. These rugged individuals are House Orien’s answer to the Sentinel Marshals. They are the most capable and respected scions of the house, trusted to deliver messages or packages of utmost importance. The Unicorn Post only delivers to Thronehold Nations and only to relatively civilized areas. The Post runs to the Rukhaan Draal, but if you need to deliver a message to a dangerous part of Darguun, or to Blood Crescent in the Demon Wastes, or to someone last seen in Stormreach, you need an Outrider. Outriders will subcontract with scions of other houses as necessary to accomplish their missions; notably, if the target of the delivery is in motion, an Outrider will hire a Tharashk tracker to help locate them, and if the region is dangerous they may employ a Denieth bodyguard. This can be an interesting option for a one shot or even a campaign: the player characters are an Outrider team tasked to deliver messages to some of the most dangerous places across Khorvaire. There is no standard rate for an Outrider delivery; the costs will be set on a case by case basis, reflecting the supplies, staff, and dangers of the mission. 

The Transportation Guild

While the Unicorn Post is an iconic aspect of House Orien, the Transportation Guild is far larger and more crucial to the ongoing stability of the house. The guild has a number of major branches; ask a Scion what they do and they’ll say “I work for the Road.” These are the most important branches of the Transportation Guild. 

  • The ROAD runs the caravans and Thunder Coaches, managing the transportation of goods along roads. 
  • The RAIL operates the Lightning Rail. Agents of the Rail like to cast themselves as the heart of the house; they see the Road as outdated and the Portal as too small to be relevant. 
  • The PORTAL oversees the teleportation circles. It is the smallest arm of the Guild, but because the house charges such a high price for its services, the Portal is quite profitable, and many believe it is the future of Orien. The Passage Ring is a separate entity focused on research and development; it works with the Portal, but the Portal deals with the practical business of teleportation services. 
  • CONTINUANCE maintains the infrastructure that makes transportation possible. The Road and Rail repair their own vehicles, but it is Continuance that maintains the roads, rails, and circles themselves. This requires close interaction with the nations through which the services run, though negotiations are typically handled by the Purse.  
  • The INITIATIVE develops new rail lines and expands and improves roads. As with Continuance, the Initiative works with local authorities to improve infrastructure and split costs.
  • The PURSE manages negotiation and finance. House Orien transports freight for other people, but through the Purse it also engages in simple speculation, buying bulk goods it can resell at a profit elsewhere in Khorvaire. In addition to overseeing these operations, the Purse handles negotiations on behalf of the other branches of the Guild—working with Continuance and the Initiative to secure the rights to build and convince the resident nation to fund the construction (as Orien’s roads and other infrastructure benefit the citizens of the nations). Orien had a long-standing relationship with the united Galifar that covered this, but now the house is having to renegotiate these agreements. Darguun and Valenar have proven especially difficult to negotiate with. While the Five Nations haven’t recognized Droaam, House Orien has been working with the Daughters of Sora Kell—an agreement whose fruits can be seen in the trade road that runs to Graywall and the lightning rail line heading in that direction. 

Guild Employees

As the most widespread of the dragonmarked houses, it’s no surprise that House Orien has one of the largest workforces of the houses. However, the vast majority of Orien employees aren’t part of the house or bloodline. The House needs its dragonmarked scions to move things; it needs them on the roads and rails. But this requires a massive support staff—the people who work the warehouses, sort the mail, lay conductor stones, and much more—and these people don’t have to have dragonmarks to do their jobs. As noted earlier, in cities with Orien enclaves there are many families that have served with one of the Orien guilds for generations. While they aren’t part of the dragonmarked bloodlines, these are effectively a secondary layer of the house; as they work closely with the scions, it’s not unusual for members of these families to marry into the house itself. Unmarked Orien heirs often serve in leadership positions in the Guild arms, especially the Purse. But if the task doesn’t require movement, talent and motivation are more important than a dragonmarked bloodline. You need a dragonmark to pilot a lightning rail, but the regional director who makes sure the trains are on schedule could be a shifter or a dwarf with no blood tie to the house. There’s even some outer families that have gained special recognition within the house itself. Here’s a few examples. 

  • The Roof Runners. The Grigoras are a family of shifters in Sharn that have long served as street runners for the Courier’s Guild, delivering messages and packages within the city. Most Grigora shifters have Swiftstride traits, and they are experts in swift and acrobatic movement, leaping across roofs and bridges. 
  • The Khaar’paal. While expanding the lightning rail into western Breland, House Orien formed an alliance with a clan of kobolds who dwell in the Graywall Mountains. These Khaar’paal (Spellblood) kobolds have an affinity for electrical energy that helps them set and activate conductor stones. Currently, Orien is employing the Khaar’paal as it extends the lightning rail into Breland, but the House is seeking to hire more Khaar’paal to work across Khorvaire. 
  • Orlo Matayne. The Mataynes are a family of Aundairan dwarves with deep ties to the Transportation Guild. In particular, Orlo Matayne has been serving with the Initiative for over two hundred years. Tunnels are his specialty. He has helped the house drive passages through hill and mountain, and he has overseen the construction of subterranean facilities such as the supposed location of Shadowstep (see below!). When Orien needs to shift a lot of earth, you can bet they’ll get Orlo Matayne on the next train. 

The Baron’s Council

In principle, the Baron is the ultimate authority within a dragonmarked house. Within House Orien, leaders have always sought consensus. The Baron’s Council is composed of nine people: three from the Courier’s Guild, three from the Transportation Guild, and three chosen by the Baron to represent the interests of the house itself—traditionally one from each of the three great families aside from that of the Baron. While in theory this is an advisory council, in practice Kwanti won’t move forward on a project without the support of two-thirds of the members of the council. While the three Councilors appointed by the Baron are always members of the dragonmarked bloodlines, the other six councilors are appointed from within the Guilds themselves; at the moment, there are two councilors who aren’t directly tied to a house bloodline. 

That’s all for now, and it’s my final post on House Orien. If you want to know about families, customs, and story hooks you can find the full article here, and you can read about the Mark of Detection on Patreon! Patron support is what determines how much time I can spend on articles like this, so if you want to see more, check it ou.

Dragonmarks: Teleportation Circles

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A humanoid figure walking toward a circular portal
Portal by Adrien Coquet on Noun Project

In Eberron, House Orien maintains a network of teleportation circles that allow heirs to move between the enclaves of the house. This provides a quick—but expensive—way to get from Sharn to Flamekeep in the blink of an eye. But what happens when a player character learns the Teleportation Circle spell? Can they piggyback on the Orien system? If not, what can they do with Teleportation Circle? 

As always, the most important question is what’s the story you’re telling in your campaign? Adventurers with free access to the Orien network can jump between the main cities of Khorvaire and Stormreach whenever they feel like it; the world’s suddenly a much smaller place. Is that something you want for your story, or do you want long distances to pose a challenge? I discuss this in more detail in this article, but the short version is that adventurers who want to use the Orien network will need to have some sort of connection to the house—by blood, by joining the Transportation Guild, or by forging an alliance with an Orien patron. If that’s the story you want, those are all options. But in my opinion, Teleportation Circle can be a more interesting spell if you DON’T have access to the Orien circles. Let’s look at the spell itself. 

When you first gain the ability to cast (Teleportation Circle) you learn the sigil sequences for two destinations on the Material Plane, determined by the DM. You might learn additional sigil sequences during your adventures.

The base version of the spell gives the adventurer two destinations—with the possibility of learning more, but no assurance of it. The DM chooses those initial locations, not the player. How should they choose? Well, let’s set aside mechanics for a moment and look at the story. HOW is the adventurer learning the spell, and what does this suggest about their destinations? As a DM, the first location I’d give an adventurer is their current home base. Whether this is their bastion or the room they’re renting at an inn, the idea is that they’ve stumbled onto the principles of teleportation as a fluke and made a circle of their very own. Among other things, this is practical. The adventurers may not be able to cross the world whenever they feel like it, but they can always use the spell to go home. But what about that second location? In MY campaign, there are a number of different established networks of teleportation circles across the world. These networks are not connected to one another. They operate on entirely different principles; the Orien network draws on the Mark of Passage, while the Riedran network uses psionic power and basically turns you into an idea for an instant. So when a player character learns Teleportation Circle, my MY campaign what they have done is stumbled across one form of the principles of teleportation and established a connection to one of these existing networks. So they have a connection to the circle they’ve made in their home base, and then they have a connection to a circle they’ve discovered through mystic experimentation—with, potentially, no idea who made that circle, or where other circles might be. My choice of that circle will very much depend on the direction of the campaign. If I want to get the players to Q’barra to deal with the Poison Dusk, then congratulations, you’ve discovered a forgotten circle made by the fallen Dragonborn empire; it takes you to the jungles near Ka’rashan. If I want things to shift to Xen’drik, then you’ve found a Cul’sir circle in a ruined corner of Stormreach. If I WANT to connect you to Orien, great, your second circle is the circle in Journey’s End—and when you accidentally appear there, Baron Kwanti is going to offer you a job. 

The point of this is that the first circle is a safe haven, and the second circle is an invitation to adventure. The spellcaster will probably want to learn more about the network they’ve stumbled into. And part of this is that I would allow the adventurer to memorize and connect to new circles that they discover—but only within the network they are familiar with. Again, different networks work on entirely different principles. A wizard who’s learned to connect to the ancient Dragonborn network can connect to other Trothlorsvek circles (if they can find them) but they can’t just casually connect to an Orien circle. It’s possible that a remarkable individual (like an adventurer) could make a breakthrough that would allow them to bridge the gap and forge a connection to a new circle, but that would be an adventure and might require help from an expert on the target network, some sort of magic item, and other obstacles that would make it a challenging adventure. Initially, however, the spellcaster can only expand their repertoire by finding other circles within their own network. 

With that in mind, let’s consider some teleportation circle networks… and the roles they could play in a campaign. 

House Orien. The House of Passage maintains circles in enclaves and outposts in major cities across the Five Nations, as well as in Stormreach. Orien circles are grounded in arcane science, but specifically draw on the energy of the Mark of Passage. It should be impossible for someone to use an Orien circle unless they have the Mark of Passage. In spite of this, Orien circle chambers are heavily fortified, and are usually sealed from the outside with an Arcane Lock when not in use. Even though it supposedly takes a dragonmark to use the circle, that still leaves the potential of excoriates or foundlings using a circle. 

The Guild of Endless Doors. As described in this article, the Guild of Endless Doors is an Aundairian wizard circle devoted to the study of teleportation; it pioneered the form of Misty Step taught at Arcanix. The Guild has constructed a handful of teleportation circles, but these circles aren’t as widespread as the Orien network and the Guild only has two or three members capable of using them. An adventurer tied to the Endless Door network (a connection that could be established after accidentally stumbling into their network) could work with the Guild to actively expand their network of circles. 

The Court of Shadows. The overlord Sul Khatesh has a Court of Shadows scattered across Khorvaire, warlocks and wizards who pledge their loyalty to their sinister queen in exchange for arcane secrets. Those who hold high rank within the Court gain access to a network of shadow gates, mostly hidden in desolate but public places—ruins, condemned buildings, back alleys. This allows agents of the Court to slip across the world without drawing attention. Many members of the Court don’t have the ability to cast Teleportation Circle themselves, but they are often given amulets or tokens that allow them to use the gates a limited number of times, though there might be an additional cost to using a gate in this way; Sul Khatesh might demand that the user uncover a secret before they can use the gate again, or she might steal memories from the mind of the traveler; if they use the gates too often, they’ll lose their identity.

The shadow gates are invisible to anyone who’s not part of the Court, but can be seen by anyone using See Invisibility or Truesight. An adventurer could gain access to this network by serving as a warlock of Sul Khatesh… but it’s possible that they could stumble onto it without knowing its origin. The Court of Shadows doesn’t have many members, and the gates are protected by their invisibility; as such, the gates typically aren’t secured or watched, making it possible for adventurers to use them. Of course in doing so, they may be unwittingly sharing their secrets with Sul Khatesh…

Fey Circles. Teleportation circles are sometimes found in Thelanian manifest zones, connecting to one another. These circles can often be used without actually the need to cast Teleportation Circle, but only under very specific circumstances. A Fey circle might only activate under the light of a particular set of full moons, or when watered by heartfelt tears or the blood of an innocent. Most likely, locals in the area will know a story about the circle that hints at the activation ritual. Of course, the circles it connects to have their own entirely different rituals, so the common story is Go into Willoughby Grove when five moons are shining down and you’ll never be seen again. These restrictions only apply to using the circle WITHOUT casting the spell. If you can cast Teleportation Circle and have a connection to the network, you can activate a circle whenever you want. Fey circles are typically used by Greensingers and by Archfey warlocks, but it’s possible a wizard could forge a connection to a Thelanian gate by accident. 

The Ossaluri. Long ago, the dragonborn challenged the Dhakaani goblins for control of eastern Khorvaire. Ruins and relics of this civilization can still be found in Q’barra, the Talenta Plains, the Blade Desert, and even parts of the Lhazaar Principalities. These include the teleportation circles they called the Ossaluri Saryn, “travel stones.” The Trothslorvek shun their old holdings and haven’t used these circles in thousands of years, but they function on principles of arcane science and a modern wizard could stumble upon them. Of course, the Dragonborn learned magic from the dragons of Argonnessen, and it’s possible that a wizard who begins using the Ossaluri could end up connecting to a wider network of circles being used by the Chamber! 

These are just a few examples. The Chamber certainly has circles hidden around, allowing quick transit from Argonnessen to Khorvaire and elsewhere in the world. The Lords of Dust aren’t a monolithic organization and wouldn’t have one circle network that all members use, but many of the individual prakhutus might have their own small networks for their agents. The Cul’sir Dominion built teleportation circles in Xen’drik—the question there is whether the Curse of the Traveler has destabilized these circles! The Inspired have their own network, but the circles are primarily located in Riedra, and as they are based on the psionic power of the Inspired and charged by the Hanbalani monoliths, connecting them to an arcane network would be a remarkable feat. The wizards of Aerenal also have the power to create teleportation circles; the question is whether they’ve actually established any beyond their island, or if they rely on the Undying Court to maintain them. One question that’s come up with whether the Aurum or the governments of the Five Nations have their own teleportation circle networks. In my campaign, none of the Thronehold nations have teleportation circle networks, just as none of them have Speaking Stone networks, fleets of airships, or medical facilities on par with House Jorasco. Teleportation is not part of everyday life in the Five Nations. It is a rare and expensive service that isn’t always available even to those who have the gold to pay for it. If the King’s Dark Lanterns want to teleport somewhere, they need to use an Orien circle—whether by paying for it or by hijacking one, as seen in my novel The Fading Dream. This ties to the basic point that the nations rely on the Dragonmarked houses for many important services. Aundair is the closest to developing an alternative to the Orien network thanks to the Guild of Endless Doors, but the Guild’s program is supposed to be an early, struggling effort that has only a handful of circles… and if it starts to spread, there’s the very real risk that the Twelve will seek to sabotage it.

A final point to consider: at the start of all of this I suggested that the adventurer begins with a permanent circle in their base of operations. Given that, can they make new permanent circles and establish their own network? For me the idea is that the adventurer creating a permanent circle is either a culmination of long effort or a complete fluke (such as a gift from a warlock’s patron)—and that in either case, it’s not something that can be easily replicated. If an adventurer wanted to create a new circle, I’d establish a process. An arcane circle would require exotic materials—I’m thinking Khyber shards, as they are binding space together—and a significant amount of time. A fey circle could be much simpler—maybe you actually paint a door, or even draw it in chalk—but would then require a more abstract personal sacrifice to imbue it with power, likely involving a bargain with an Archfey. So in my campaign it would be possible to establish new circles, but it wouldn’t be a trivial thing. What about the method suggested in the spell itself—casting the spell in the same place for 365 consecutive days? In my campaign, this isn’t the normal way to make a circle, but I might allow it if a player character somehow actually has the opportunity to do it, based on the concept that they are ripping apart the fabric of space. But it’s not how House Orien makes their circles; they construct them like magic items, working with specialists from Orien and Cannith, using Siberys shards to draw on the Mark of Passage and Eberron shards to pay for the focusing rituals.

Ultimately, it’s up to the DM to decide who has teleportation networks and how actively they’re used. The Chamber COULD have a comprehensive network with more circles in Khorvaire than Orien—or they could have just a handful at key locations. There could be lots of Fey circles, or just a few—and those ones in dangerous locations. Consider what works best for your story!

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

The nature of teleportation circles is especially critical if you have or are a player whose character is about to learn the spell. What can you expect to get out of it? The one thing you’ll always get in my campaign is the ability to retreat to your safe haven. Beyond that, you will get access to something that could be practical and useful (Orien or the Guild of Endless Doors), mysterious and dangerous (A Cul’sir circle deep in Xen’drik) or something in between (the Court of Shadows, which is useful until they find out you’re using it). But even if you’re in a low-level campaign where adventurers don’t have access to the spell, the fact that it exists is something that can play an important role in a campaign. Consider the following…

  • Legitimate Service. House Orien provides teleportation between major cities as a legitimate service for those who can afford it. However, as discussed in this article, an enclave might only be able to activate the circle a limited number of times each day; if there’s no Greater heir in residence, you’ll have to wait. This is a way to allow a villain who’s a few steps ahead of the adventurers to beat a hasty retreat, taking the last Orien heir out of Sharn…
  • Nefarious Mystery. Anyone could be a member of the Court of Shadows, and their hidden network of gates lets them slip across Khorvaire. This is a way to give a relatively minor villain an escape and to hint at a greater mystery or threat; this alley is a dead end, where did they go? Because it’s unguarded, the Shadow network is also a good one for adventurers to use themselves. It’s also up to the DM to decide what it takes for the cultists to establish a new gate. The answer is probably unpleasant (A sacrifice? A soul?) but this is a case where a gate could be established somewhere unexpected, like the cellar of the adventurer’s favorite inn.
  • One-Way Trip. If adventurers can’t cast the spell themselves, they could be surprised when they unexpectedly trigger the activation conditions of a Fey circle and find themselves in another part of the world—potentially, a dangerous one. What will it take to get home?
  • Practical Infrastructure. The Riedran network of teleportation circles plays a vital role in daily life. The Inspired use the gates to transport troops and supplies across the length of their domain. Sabotaging this network would temporarily throw Riedra into chaos; while piggybacking on a cargo shipment could be a way for adventurers in Sarlona to reach an important destination.

As always, thanks to my Patreon supporters for making these articles possible. I’ll be holding a live Q&A on Saturday, April 26 at 10 AM Pacific Time answering questions posed by patrons!