MAGICAL TRADITIONS
MODES OF POWER WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Magic infuses the world of Eberron. It rages high above in the Ring of Knowledge (arcana)
Siberys that encircles the world. It binds dark and foreboding creatures DC 10: The many and varied forms of
in the deepest caverns of the underworld of Khyber. It seeps from the land
itself, a source of energy as well as a means of b e n d i n g the laws of reality. magic derive from three fundamental
Magic, and reliance on magic, shapes and defines the societies of Eberron. sources: arcane energy (used by sor-
For millennia, wizards, sorcerers, clerics, artificers, adepts, and mage- cerers, wizards, bards, and others),
wrights have brought their talents to bear on the challenges and dangers of divine power (used by clerics, druids,
the world around them. Their solutions helped humanoid society develop paladins, rangers, and others), and
and thrive on Eberron—especially in Khorvaire. the magic contained in the structures
of objects (used by artificers).
The people of Eberron have developed a variety of means to tap into DC 15: The Arcane Congress, founded
the ever-present power of magic, channeling it to address their needs by K i n g Galifar, and the Twelve,
through the ages. These various means are reflected in the great magical established by the d r a g o n m a r k e d
traditions of the world, past and present. Arcane institutes, churches, houses long ago, are the two greatest
academies, secret cults and cabals—a vast n u m b e r of organizations have institutes of magic in Khorvaire.
preserved these numerous traditions. DC 18: Aside from the most common
users of magic, a number of individu-
The most fundamental distinction in the various practices of magic als follow traditions that use magic
lies in its source. Arcane Spellcasters draw on the magical energy that sur- differently or combine it with other
rounds them, unlocking it through careful performance of precise rituals skills. Hexblades are warriors who
and words of power. Divine Spellcasters draw on magical power accessed wield arcane power derived from some
through faith and devotion. Artificers work with the magic contained in c o n n e c t i o n to t h e D a r k Six. Shu¬
the structures of objects, altering the movement of power and freeing genjas are divine casters who revere
channels for magic to flow. Psionic manifesters are not inclined to call the dragons of Argonnessen. Spirit
their powers magic, but the results are much the same, powered by the shamans and wu jen are Spellcasters,
manifester's mind. divine and arcane respectively, who
are drawn to nature and commonly
T h e two greatest institutions that preserve traditions of studying found in the Eldeen Reaches. Favored
arcane magic and artifice, at least in Khorvaire, are the Twelve and the souls are divine casters devoted to
Arcane Congress. Founded fifteen h u n d r e d years ago (before there were individual deities of the Sovereign
even twelve recognized dragonmarks), the Twelve is a s h i n i n g example Host. Warlocks wield arcane spell-
of cooperation among the dragonmarked houses—an arcane foundation like abilities rumored to be derived
intended to study dragonmarks, arcane magic, and artifice. The Twelve's from the rakshasa lords imprisoned
studies emphasize the use of magic to improve daily life and, in particular, in Khyber. Warmages are arcane
facilitate the work of the dragonmarked houses for economic gain. The casters trained to battle in the Last
invention of airships and message stations can be credited to the research- War. Speilthieves combine arcane
ers of the Twelve. magic with stealth to serve as spies
and assassins.
The Arcane Congress maintains a somewhat more theoretical
research emphasis. T h e institution was founded in 15 Y K , at least in part DC 20: Dragons are said to be the
because King Galifar did not fully trust the Twelve to keep the best inter- source of magic. They supposedly
ests of the kingdom (as opposed to the dragonmarked houses) at heart. taught the giants the secrets of their
Like the Twelve, the Arcane Congress has an explicit mandate to improve magic, which then spread through
life through the application of magic. However, the twisting halls and their elf slaves to the other races of
extradimensional spaces of the towers that float above Arcanix are filled the world.
with all m a n n e r of experiments and constructs, many of which have no
imaginable practical application. The institute's scholars have a particular DC 25: Besides the ancient magic of
interest in the planes. the dragons and giants, other ancient
traditions persist: the daelkyr brought
While these two organizations are the most i m p o r t a n t centers of their own twisted magic from Xoriat,
magical learning in Khorvaire, they are not the only ones. The Passage and the sects of the druids preserve
Institute for the A r c a n e Arts (see page 102) is a small academy in A u n d a i r the ancient traditions that were used
dedicated to t r a i n i n g Spellcasters t h r o u g h field education—primarily to battle the daelkyr.
a d v e n t u r i n g . A t u r Academy in K a r r n a t h (see page 103) is a n o t h e r small
academy, dedicated to what some would call dark arts. Morgrave University D C 30 : A few g r o u p s , races, a n d i n d i -
and the University of Wynarn both teach magic (or at least its more abstract viduals know secrets of magic that
theories). Rekkenmark Academy in Karrnath trains Spellcasters for war, derive from another source entirely: a
producing a number of warmages in continuation of the tradition begun strange soul energy called incarnum.
in Cyre during the Last War (see page 97). Practitioners of this magic are called
incarnates, soulborns, or totemists.
Each of the great religions of the world maintains its own magical
tradition as well (or in the case of the Path of Light, a psionic t r a d i t i o n ) .
While the Blood of Vol has continued ancient traditions of necromancy,
the Church of the Silver Flame makes extensive use of magic to banish
fiends, exorcise spirits, and censure the wicked. The of the madness of their home plane, Xoriat. A few mortals
clerics of A u r e o n are as interested in arcane magic as in have dabbled in the magic of the daelkyr, sacrificing their
divine, while the clerics of Onatar are patrons of artifice sanity for the power it offers. These individuals are linked
as well. to the Cults of the Dragon Below (see page 87).
ANCIENT MAGIC T h e druids of the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen
Reaches practice another ancient tradition of magic, also
According to both historical record and legend, the dragons derived from a draconic source. Sixteen thousand years ago,
granted knowledge of magic to the peoples of Eberron. the black dragon Vvaraak came to the orcs of the Shadow
In ages past, dragon emissaries visited the empires of Marches and taught them the druidic lore that became the
the giants and bequeathed to them the most powerful Gatekeeper tradition. T h e magic of the other druid sects
arcane secrets the world has ever known. Their motiva- grew from that of the Gatekeepers, and it may have been
tion for revealing this knowledge is unclear, but scholars a Gatekeeper druid who gifted the greatpine Oalian (see
presume that draconic interpretation of the Prophecy pages 57—61) with sentience.
demanded that the giants learn this lore. Sixty thousand
years before the birth of Galifar, the giants studied the INCARNUM
dragons' gift, while their elf slaves gleaned crumbs from
this feast of knowledge. Rare types of magic exist that are not arcane or divine,
neither psionic nor artifice. These traditions have not been
T h e magic of the giants was mighty indeed. Every fully codified and classified, even by the scholars of the
explorer who penetrates the wilds of Xen'drik to unearth Twelve. Their secrets are not fully plumbed, their forces are
the secrets of the giants r e t u r n s with some new tale of poorly understood, and their sources remain mysterious.
wonder or artifact of power. Planar portals, mysterious
relics, weapons and armor of tremendous might—all these Of these traditions, the best understood involves the
and more were crafted by the giant artificers of ancient manipulation of a kind of soul energy called incarnum
times to be discovered by m o d e r n explorers and a d m i r e d (detailed in Magic ofIncarnum). T h e source of this t r a d i t i o n is
with awe. Some whisper that the giants built the first war- difficult to pinpoint. T h e dusklings, native to the plane of
forged, or at least creatures very much like the modern Thelanis, use i n c a r n u m as part of their reverence for magi-
race created during the Last War. Some also claim that the cal beasts—shaping it into masks, cloaks, and other totems
giants originally developed the craft of elemental bind- to g r a n t themselves the powers wielded by those beasts.
ing, the secrets of which are now g u a r d e d by the gnomes Dusklings are rare on the Material Plane, but they do cross
of Zilargo. T h e elemental b i n d e r s of Zilargo have b e g u n over from T h e l a n i s in "thin places" such as those that dot
a renaissance of this ancient practice, developing airships the Eldeen Reaches. There, the duskling traditions have
and elemental galleons as well as weapons and a r m o r that spread, particularly to shifters in the Reaches. The practices
contain bound elementals. N o n g n o m e mages would pay of these totemists seem compatible with the beliefs of the
dearly to acquire the secrets of these elemental binders, but druids, and an interesting synthesis of the two traditions
the gnomes guard their techniques closely—for economic seems to be developing a m o n g a few shifter c o m m u n i t i e s in
reasons above all. the eastern Towering Wood.
The empires of the giants fell, in part due to their Similarly, two incarnum-using races inhabit Kapaerian
misuse of what the dragons had taught them. When the Island, in the northwest of Xen'drik. T h e lawful, militaristic
quori invaded Xen'drik, the giants used their mightiest skarns use incarnum to embody the ideals of a particular
magic to close the planar portal, but this resulted in a cata- alignment—usually law itself, but sometimes good or evil.
clysm that shook the foundations of the continent itself, The flighty, chaotic rilkans, on the other hand, most often
sending plagues and curses across Xen'drik. When the become chaos incarnate, with similar leanings toward good
giants turned again to their greatest magic in a desperate and evil. These two races are clearly related (both appear
attempt to prevent the utter destruction of their civiliza- more or less human), but they claim descent from a common
tion, the dragons intervened, attacking the giants in a ancestor race, the mishtai, which they say inhabited their
massive and sudden invasion that dealt the death blow to island during the time of the giant empires. If this claim
the giant civilization. is t r u e , then this magic of i n c a r n u m is a tradition as old as
the magic of the giants, perhaps independent of draconic
The magic of the giants did not die with their empires, influence. O n the other hand, it might be a legacy of the
however, for the elves had learned at the feet of their mas- quori invasion, brought from the dream realm to the
ters. Both the elves who fled to Aerenal and the drow who Material Plane, or a separate draconic tradition, taught to
remained in Xen'drik preserved certain elements of it. The the mishtai even as the giants were taught other forms of
drow are rumored to continue the practice of elemental magic. A final possibility is that the mishtai were t h e m -
binding, while the elves of Aerenal have a long history of selves giants, and the rilkans and skarns are undersized
necromantic magic, manifested in two distinct traditions. descendants of the giant race who practice a unique form
One of these streams is the magic of the deathless (in both of their ancient magic.
arcane and divine forms), dedicated to preserving the
spirits of the race's ancestors in corporeal form. The other I n c a r n u m ' s presence is not limited to these races.
stream, traced to the house of Vol, emphasizes the dark Unusual children occasionally born to human parents
magic of the undead. This latter tradition persists in the display a natural affinity for this magic. Called azurins,
necromantic magic of K a r r n a t h and the cult of the Blood they are drawn to extremes of alignment and behavior.
of Vol. Also, a temple in the Endworld Mountains is dedicated
to the Sapphire Eidolon, which seems to be pure incar-
The daelkyr practice ancient forms of magic that focus n u m . T h e origin of this temple is shrouded in mystery,
on the warping and corruption of other forms of life to p r o - but it might hold the key to u n l o c k i n g the secrets of this
duce new aberrations and twisted symbionts—distant echoes strange magic.
THE PASSAGE INSTITUTE Entry Requirements: Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks.
Also, a character who is accepted into the institute must pay
FOR THE ARCANE ARTS tuition and fees amounting to 50 gp per year.
"Magic is a primal force—it yearns to be wild andfree as an eagle or a stag. It is T h e staff of the Passage Institute consists mainly of
a mistake to study it only in isolated towers and behind locked doors." mid-level Spellcasters, but also includes members of other
classes who help train students in the more mundane aspects
—Gallo Edgebrand, headmaster of adventuring. Roughly three quarters of the student body
of the Passage Institute is made up of wizards, and the other one q u a r t e r are m e m -
bers of other classes who want to add low-level spellcasting
Most arcane academies treat spellcasting and magical to their repertoire.
research as subjects best studied u n d e r isolated, highly
regulated conditions. The Passage Institute, on the other Introductory classes are similar to those found at
hand, believes that the place to study, research, and practice other arcane academies, but are augmented with lessons
magic is out in the world. Rather than developing a new gen- in elementary dungeoneering. When a student reaches a
eration of aloof, self-important, arcane snobs, the institute basic level of proficiency, about half of his or her course
encourages its students to use their skills freely for the good load becomes "practical field exercises." In other words,
of all—and for personal gain. the institute sends the students out on adventures,
even hiring them out to adventuring parties (creating
JOINING THE PASSAGE INSTITUTE another revenue source for the school). A student gradu-
ates once his or her exploits have netted the institute a
Students typically come to the Passage Institute for one of total of 1,000 gp.
three reasons. Many never demonstrated the magical apti-
tude to be accepted at one of the more prestigious arcane PASSAGE INSTITUTE BENEFITS
academies. Some began their training at other schools (such
as the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s located i n nearby A r c a n i x ) , but Students and faculty are treated as you would imagine they
after finding the academic atmosphere stifling, they sought might be at a school that is just as interested (or perhaps
out the Passage Institute for its greater freedom and more more interested) in t u r n i n g a profit as providing a high-
relaxed air. Finally, a large number of students come to the quality education. T h e h o u s i n g and meals are adequate, as
Passage Institute simply because the tuition is less than half are the campus facilities. Advanced students are required
that of most other schools. to take part in two or more practical field exercises per year,
either as part of an i n s t i t u t e - s p o n s o r e d expedition or as
The Passage Institute accepts anyone with the interest support hired out to a private adventuring party.
to study spellcasting, whether they were born with the knack
or not. About half its students come from other walks of Goods: Students and faculty receive access to fully
life and simply want to augment their abilities with basic stocked arcane laboratories and basic spell components
spellcasting skills. Because it emphasizes work in the field, (but n o t h i n g that has a cost of more than 5 gp per use).
the atmosphere on campus is filled with stories of exciting In addition, students who take part in practical field
exploits and fabulous treasures, rather than excruciating exercises are allowed to keep half of the treasure or rewards
speculation about arcane minutiae. Because much of a they earn.
student's advanced t r a i n i n g is in the field (with the school
keeping half of any profits generated by these expeditions), S e r v i c e s : T h e basic service the i n s t i t u t e provides is
the institute is able to keep fees to a bare m i n i m u m . training in the arcane arts. Beyond that, all members of
the faculty are experienced adventurers who are willing to
offer advice and even practical help with difficult prob-
lems. In addition, the institute hires its students out to
private adventuring groups for a fee of 1 00 gp per student
per week. The students must get a full share of any trea-
sure realized from the adventure, of which the institute
claims half.
I n f o r m a t i o n : Students at the institute have access to
spellbooks containing all commonly known spells, plus a
n u m b e r of rare or even u n i q u e spells known or created by
faculty members.
Access: Since private groups come to the institute to get
spellcasting hirelings, all students have access to a variety of
unusual sites, activities, and experiences. In the end, each
student's experience will be unique.
Status: In the general public, students from the insti-
tute are afforded the same status as students at any school
of magic. Within the academic community, though, the
institute has the somewhat tarnished reputation of being
more of a moneymaking scheme than an organization
devoted to advanced study. A l u m n i of the institute are
sometimes treated as second-rate casters, regardless of
actual ability.
The scholars of the Passage Institute
have little respect . . .
ATUR ACADEMY . . . for the necromancers of the Atur Academy
"Evil? Magic is a tool in the wizard's hand, and the wizard must choose whether Everything from covadish and kieros leaves imported from
to use it for good purposes or ill. But magic is not evil in and of itself." Aerenal to narstone from the Demon Wastes (see pages
91—92 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting) to body parts can be
—Orthikthe Grim, master of the Atur Academy purchased for an appropriate price.
A small arcane institute is located in Atur, K a r r n a t h ' s City Services: Fundamentally, the Atur Academy provides
of Night. T h o u g h the city is best known for the C r i m s o n instruction in the magical arts. If your campaign uses
Monastery (its great temple to the Blood of Vol), the Atur training rules, a student's annual tuition payment covers
Academy has trained wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane the training required for advancing levels and learning feats
Spellcasters for centuries—it has just done so rather quietly. or skills related to the fields taught at the academy.
Even in K a r r n a t h , whose armies were bolstered by animated
skeletons and zombies during the Last War, the teachings I n f o r m a t i o n : T h e A t u r Academy is a great reposi-
of the A t u r Academy are not always met with acceptance tory for what is often considered forbidden lore, and its
and understanding. The masters of the academy are necro- library is one of the great collections of such material.
mancers and warlocks, and the lessons they pass on to their Students have free access to the tomes in the library,
students concern the darkest lore—the magic of the dead, which grant a +4 circumstance bonus on Knowledge
of negative energy, and of demonic b i n d i n g . checks related to necromancy, conjuration, evil magic,
and the like. T h e faculty of the academy is likewise an
JOINING THE ATUR ACADEMY excellent resource on such topics, and can make a Knowl-
edge check in any relevant specialty with a b o n u s of +12
In contrast to the Passage I n s t i t u t e , the A t u r Academy is to +15. T h e faculty is the soul of discretion, and students
quite exclusive. T h e heads of the academy look for students are encouraged to ask anything they need to know without
they believe have the potential for true greatness, and fear of repercussions.
indeed a few of the greatest Spellcasters in recent history
were graduates of Atur. The cost of attending the academy Students at the academy also have access to an exten-
is a b a r r i e r to many, though a candidate who can't afford to sive collection of spellbooks. Whenever a wizard student
pay but secures the patronage of a respected spellcaster can at the academy advances a level, she can choose one of
hope for a scholarship to defray the cost of tuition. her new spells from any source the DM allows, including
s u p p l e m e n t s s u c h as Libris Mortis, Book of Vile Darkness, a n d
Entry Requirements: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Heroes of Horror.
Spellcraft (4 ranks). Also, a character who is accepted into
the academy must pay tuition and fees amounting to 125 gp Access: Beneath the academy building sprawls an
per year. extensive network of dungeons, including passages leading
to old catacombs and areas designed for practicing conjura-
T h e staff of the academy features some of K a r r n a t h ' s tion in relative isolation.
most prominent Spellcasters, including wizards and
sorcerers, warlocks, dread necromancers and archivists In addition, the academy maintains an extensive net-
(from Heroes of Horror), and even a n e c r o c a r n a t e (from work of a l u m n i , former faculty, benefactors, and other
Magic of Incarnum). Most of the wizards on staff are special- interested parties that extends into every major city of the
ist necromancers or conjurers, including some individu- Five Nations. If a student needs safe shelter in one of these
als with exotic prestige classes such as acolyte of the skin cities, or access to spellbooks or other information, a suc-
or blood magus (from Complete Arcane), pale master or t r u e cessful DC 20 Gather Information check can put her in
n e c r o m a n c e r (from Libris Mortis), or t a i n t e d scholar (from contact with this network.
Heroes of Horror).
For all its sinister air and questionable practices, the
Atur Academy is first and foremost an institution for the
study of magic, and it takes that mission seriously. At some
level, the heads of the academy seem determined to prove
that an interest in the darker side of arcane magic does not
necessarily mean that one is corrupt of character or pos-
sessed of an inferior intellect.
ATUR ACADEMY BENEFITS
Once a student has earned a place at the Atur Academy, she
is treated as a valuable m e m b e r of that community. T h e
academy maintains a spacious building in the City of Night
(not far from the Crimson Monastery) that has comfortable
dormitories, an excellent refectory, large classrooms, and
well-appointed laboratories.
Goods: Students at the Atur Academy can purchase
goods that can be difficult to find for sale elsewhere.
HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
"I bindfire to scorch my enemies. I bind air to move with the wind. I bind earth to find the secret Knowledge (arcana)
places. I bind water to dance with the waves. I am their master, and let my enemies quail." DC 15: Some Spellcasters can instantly
—Zallias the high elemental binder reach into the planes and bind ele-
mentals to their equipment.
A few Spellcasters dabble with elemental b i n d i n g ; high elemental binders DC 20: High elemental binders gain the
(also known simply as high binders) are masters of the craft. As a high services of elemental companions and
binder, you can reach into the planes and immediately draw elemental can bind those companions to their
beings i n t o objects—coating y o u r a r m o r in stone or your blade in fire. weapons, armor, and bodies.
You can also use elementals to power your spells and call them to serve DC 25: A high elemental binder's abil-
you. You can even bind elementals to your body, harnessing their powers ity to bind his elemental compan-
for your own. ions to his weapons and armor has
the same general effect as crafting
BECOMING A HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER bound-elemental weapons and armor
using Khyber dragonshards. Binding
T h e artificer is the easiest path into the high elemental binder class: You an elemental to his body gives him
gain Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat, and Concentration, Knowledge remarkable physical characteristics
(arcana), and Knowledge (the planes) are class skills for you. Wizards can for the duration of the bind—which
also meet the entry requirements easily, but have less to gain from the is only about a minute.
class. Clerics make good high binders, since they benefit greatly from the DC 30: Legend says that the halfling
ability to bind elementals to their weapons and a r m o r . Your key spell- Dareth Fasco disguised himself as a
casting ability (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) remains your most gnome and learned the secrets of the
i m p o r t a n t ability. C o n s t i t u t i o n is helpful to m a i n t a i n your instant binds, high elemental binders in Zilargo,
while Charisma helps you bind unwilling elementals. then fled with that knowledge. Sup-
posedly, the Trust is still after him.
Entry Requirements
Knowledge (geography)
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd-level spells or infusions DC 15: Zilargo has a virtual monopoly
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Knowledge
(the planes) 8 ranks on elemental binding.
Feats: Bind Elemental, Craft Wondrous Item DC 25: Some of Zilargo's elemental
CLASS FEATURES binders are masters of the craft and
can do swift, amazing things with
As you advance in level, you gain powers related to binding elementals to bound elementals.
your equipment, your spells, and your body. You continue gaining spells
in your primary spellcasting class, and you gain an elemental companion Knowledge (the planes)
that improves as you gain levels. DC 20: Some Spellcasters have a par-
S p e l l c a s t i n g : At every level beyond 1st, you gain new spells per day ticular interest in Fernia and Laman-
and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you nia. They harness the elementals
had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before found in those places.
adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit
a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one spell-
casting class before becoming a high elemental binder, you must decide to
THE HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER HIT DIE: D6
Level Base Fort Ref Will Special Spellcasting
1st Attack Save Save Save Elemental companion (Medium) —
2nd Bonus Instant bind (1/day, weapon) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
3rd +0 +0 +2 Elemental companions (2) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
4th +0 +0 +0 +3 Elemental companion (Large), +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
+1 +1 +1 +3 instant bind (2/day)
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Instant bind (armor) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
6th +3 Elemental companions (3), +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
+1 +1 +4 instant bind (3/day)
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Instant bind (swift action) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
8th +4 Elemental companion (Huge), +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
+2 +2 +5 instant bind (4/day) spellcasting
9th +5 +2 +2 +6 Elemental companions (4) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
10th +6 Instant bind (5/day, body) +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class
+3 +3 +6
+6 +3 +3 +7
+7
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (the planes), Spellcraft, Use
Magic Device.
which class to add each level for the purpose of determining your weapon one of the following weapon special properties
spells per day, caster level, and spells known. (see C h a p t e r 10 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting), d e p e n d i n g
on the kind of elemental you bind: burning (fire), earthbound
You can increase your effective artificer level in this (earth), finesse (air), or waterborn (water). You can't bind more
way, even though artificers are not technically Spellcasters. than one elemental to your weapon at one time. If the weapon
is destroyed or leaves your hands, the effect ends.
E l e m e n t a l C o m p a n i o n (Sp): At 1st level, you gain the
service of a loyal elemental (your choice of air, earth, fire, At 5th level, you can use your instant bind ability
or water). T h e e l e m e n t a l s size is M e d i u m when you are 1st to bind an elemental to a suit of armor you are wearing.
level, but it grows larger and more powerful as you gain This grants your armor one of the following armor special
levels. At 4th level, your elemental companion is Large, and p r o p e r t i e s (see C h a p t e r 10 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting),
at 8th level it is H u g e . W h e n you s u m m o n your c o m p a n i o n , d e p e n d i n g on the k i n d of e l e m e n t a l you b i n d : burning
you can choose for it to appear in a smaller size (to a m i n i - (fire), stonemeld ( e a r t h ) , underwater action (water), or whirlwind
mum of Small). (air). You can't bind more than one elemental to your
a r m o r at one time. If the a r m o r is destroyed or removed,
Once per day, as a full-round action, you can s u m m o n the effect ends.
your elemental c o m p a n i o n from the plane on which it
resides. T h e elemental immediately appears adjacent to you At 10th level, you can use your instant bind ability
and remains for 2 hours per class level; it can be dismissed at to bind an elemental
any time as a free action. T h e c o m p a n i o n is the same crea- to your own body.
ture each time it is summoned. Each time it is summoned,
it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it might
have taken previously. If your elemental c o m p a n i o n is
reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, it disappears back to its
home plane as n o r m a l for a s u m m o n e d creature. If your
elemental companion carries any gear when it disappears,
that gear remains behind.
At 3rd level, you gain the service of a second elemental;
this elemental must be of a different kind from your current
elemental companion. When you summon your elemental
companion, you can choose to summon either elemental.
At 6th level, you gain a third elemental, and at 9th level you
gain a fourth elemental; no of these companions can be of
the same kind.
T h i s ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell;
your caster level is equal to your highest caster level in
any class.
Instant Bind (Su): B e g i n n i n g at 2nd level, you can
temporarily bind a nearby elemental to your weapon,
armor, or even yourself without the normal cost and time
r e q u i r e m e n t s . B i n d i n g an elemental in this fashion is a
standard action; at 7th level it becomes a swift action. It
does not provoke attacks of opportunity. T h e bind lasts for
a n u m b e r of rounds equal to your class level + your Con
modifier (minimum 1 round). Initially you can use this
ability only once per day; as you gain levels you can use it
more often, as indicated on the table.
An elemental creature of the appropriate kind must
be within 30 feet for you to use the ability. (Usually, a high
binder uses his elemental companion for this purpose.)
If the creature is u n w i l l i n g to be b o u n d in this fashion,
it receives a Will saving throw to avoid the effect (DC 10
+ class level + Cha modifier). If it succeeds, the instant
bind fails (though it still counts as a daily use) and that
elemental is i m m u n e to your instant bind ability for the
next 24 hours.
When the instant bind ends, the bound elemental
appears adjacent to you (or in the nearest open space, if
there is insufficient space adjacent to you) and can act
immediately. If the elemental is a s u m m o n e d creature,
time spent in the bind counts against the duration of the
summoning spell or effect; if this duration elapses before
the bind ends, the elemental remains bound for the full
duration of the bind but disappears immediately after the
bind ends.
At 2nd level, you can use your instant bind ability to
bind an elemental to a weapon you are holding. This grants
This grants you benefits based on the kind of elemental proliferate outside the organization's m e m b e r s h i p . So at
b o u n d . You can't bind m o r e t h a n one elemental to your some point after you learned the Bind Elemental feat,
body at one time. the m e m b e r s of the I n m o s t sought you out. T h e y saw your
potential to do more with that ability, and detected some
Air: You gain a + 4 dodge b o n u s to AC and a fly speed of desire in you, and decided they would rather have you with
100 feet (perfect). them than against them.
Earth: You gain a + 4 b o n u s on melee weapon damage Once brought into the Inmost, you received extensive
rolls and a +4 bonus on checks to avoid being bull rushed, training—training that continues for the duration of your
overrun, or tripped. advancement in this prestige class. Not until you have mas-
tered the power of m e r g i n g an elemental with your body is
Fire.- You gain a +4 bonus on initiative checks and Reflex your training considered complete.
saves. Your unarmed attacks and natural weapons deal an
extra 2d6 points of fire damage. If you refuse to join the Inmost and pursue your stud-
ies independently, then with each level you gain in this
Water: You gain temporary hit points equal to twice your class, the agents of the Inmost present a greater threat
H D and a swim speed of 60 feet. to you. They do not initially threaten violence, but by the
time you learn to instantly bind elementals into your armor
PLAYING A HIGH BINDER (5th level) you are considered an enemy of the Inmost if you
have not yet accepted its persistent offers of membership.
You have mastered a unique art, and you know it. Other The Trust of Zilargo (see page 68) cooperates with the
Spellcasters can create magic items that bind elementals, Inmost to rein in those who, in their terms, "steal their
and these individuals look up to you. It helps to let them secrets" by p r a c t i c i n g high b i n d i n g w i t h o u t b e l o n g i n g to
know that you are indeed a master, for they will give you the organization.
the respect and, hopefully, the space in which to work and
develop further techniques. As you advance in level, be sure to increase your
Concentration modifier, because odds are you'll see
High b i n d e r s learn their crafts as members of the more melee combat than the average wizard. Consider
Inmost, a Zil organization dedicated to understanding learning flavorful feats that deal with the elements, such
the mysteries of elemental magic, as well as negotiating as Energy S u b s t i t u t i o n or E l e m e n t a l Spellcasting (from
on good terms with the elementals they bind into vessels Planar Handbook).
and other items. They share membership in this organiza-
tion with elemental scions, members of a more martially Resources: You share a kinship with other high bind-
oriented prestige class who learn to master elemental ers, even if you do not work with them directly. You know you
grafts to their own bodies. (This class and the elemental are part of an elite group, and you are willing to help your
grafts they use are d e s c r i b e d in Magic of Eberron. T h e text colleagues when they need it. Similarly, they help you. This
below includes all you need to know about the Inmost, aid doesn't come in any specific form, but high binders are
a l t h o u g h Magic of Eberron also i n c l u d e s a m a p of a typical often mid- to high-level adventurers and can provide money,
Inmost workshop.) magic items, spellcasting, or companions. Of course, most
expect something in return.
Combat: O n e of your greatest strengths is your
versatility. In addition to a nearly full complement of HIGH BINDERS IN THE WORLD
spells, which serve a variety of purposes, you can bind
different elementals to accomplish different tasks. You "Heh. Those other guys think they're good with the elementals. They haven't
can bind fire to your weapon to deal more damage, earth
to your armor for protection, and air to your body to met my buddy here."
make yourself fly.
—Baylock Deadblade, adventurer
Alternative bindings are good for corner-case situa-
tions. When fighting in water, bind water to your armor or H i g h b i n d e r s offer an excellent way to explore E b e r r o n ' s
weapon, and if you need to swim quickly, bind water to your magical nature. They take an arcane science and move
body. If you encounter a cold creature, binding fire to your it to the edges of high fantasy. If you want to emphasize
armor can both keep you alive and deal extra damage to the Eberron's magic or introduce a character with powerful
creature.When you're fighting on a precarious ledge, bind and unusual magic, bring a high elemental binder into
earth to your body. the campaign.
Your elemental companion provides you with a helpful Daily Life: High binders occupy themselves with the
combatant. Even if it cannot take on enemies alone, it can construction of b o u n d - e l e m e n t a l items. A few work for
get in o p p o n e n t s ' way, aid your attacks and A C , and provide House Lyrandar or House Orien, building and maintain-
flanking bonuses to you and your allies. ing the galleons, airships, and lightning rail coaches that
those houses rely on. More work in Zilargo, fulfilling con-
Advancement: It is difficult to learn the Bind Ele- tracts that come from those houses, as well as engaging in
mental feat without the gnomes of Zilargo knowing about the creation of smaller-scale magic weapons, armor, and
it, even if they are not directly responsible for your train- other items that incorporate elementals. But even as many
ing. The Inmost, in particular, keeps tabs on everyone high binders work as artificers and magewrights, nearly as
who possesses this knowledge, and sometimes seeks out many live a more adventurous life. After all, the greatest
those whose explorations into the art might lead them to strengths of the high binder involve combat, and precious
the secrets of either a high binder or an elemental scion. little combat is involved in the manufacture of elemental
While it might be possible to self-train as a high binder, galleons. These more adventurous high binders adventure
bargaining and negotiating with elementals to secure a from a variety of motivations—some perform missions in
companion and discovering the principles of the instant the interests of the Trust, the secret police force of Zilargo,
bind through long trial and error, members of the Inmost while others act only in their own interests.
have already mastered these techniques and prefer teach-
ing them to their own members rather than watching them
Notables: Most high b i n d e r s operate w i t h i n the this position knew, and he is very self-conscious about what
I n m o s t , s h r o u d e d in the a n o n y m i t y of m e m b e r s h i p he does not yet know. At the same time, some have accused
in an organization. For that reason, some of the most him of being more interested in tracking down renegade
well-known high binders are those renegades who refuse high binders who have not joined the Inmost than he is in
membership in the Inmost or leave the organization after actually expanding his own knowledge and that of the high
learning its secrets. Something of a folk hero in this cat- binders or the Inmost collectively.
egory is a halfling named Dareth Fasco, who— NPC Reactions
according to legend—disguised himself as
a gnome to infiltrate the Inmost and The sight of a high binder accompanied
learn their secrets, then fled the by an elemental companion instills in
organization after mastering the
art of the high binder. The most people at least some degree of
stories say the T r u s t still respect, so most NPCs rarely greet
pursues Fasco across
K h o r v a i r e . T h e r e is a high binder with anything
certainly a grain of worse than an indiffer-
truth to this legend. ent reaction, and they
However, the Inmost
accepts members of all are almost always will-
races, so Fasco would have ing to listen to what the
had no need to disguise high b i n d e r has to say—if
himself as a gnome—though only out of respect for his
he might have done it for power and the destruction
other reasons. even a Small fire elemental
can cause.
Members of dragon-
marked houses (particularly
Organization: The House Lyrandar and House
Inmost is one of the most O r i e n ) , gnomes of Zilargo,
important influences in the Other members of the Inmost, and
elemental-binding industry that is artificers in general hold high bind-
so i m p o r t a n t to Zilargo. It is u n i q u e ers in high regard and usually have a
in its approach to the elementals it friendly initial reaction to them.
binds: T h e members of the Inmost believe High binders have no inher-
that better results are obtained by negotiating with Symbol of ent enemies by virtue of their class. T h e exception
elementals rather t h a n coercing them into service. the Inmost is high b i n d e r s who have not j o i n e d the I n m o s t ,
While their ideas initially met with a great deal who can be assured of a hostile reaction from any
of resistance, t h e i r results are difficult to argue member of the Inmost.
with, and since the end of the Last War their methods and HIGH BINDERS IN THE GAME
approach have gained wider acceptance. T h e techniques of
the high b i n d e r depend heavily on this philosophy, which is Like elemental scions of Zilargo, high binders often travel
why m e m b e r s of the class have elemental companions—not by way of airships, elemental galleons, or the l i g h t n i n g rail,
elemental servants or slaves. The relationship between a and they are rather distinctive—at least once they have any
high binder and his elementals is comparable to the rela- reason to summon their elemental companions. Since high
tionship between a druid and her animal companion, and binders are extremely rare, it should come as no surprise
no one would accuse a druid of subjecting an animal to that the characters have never encountered one before.
involuntary servitude.
If a player character adopts this prestige class, it affords
T h e leader of the I n m o s t is H a r k r a Loivaerl L o n a d a r ample o p p o r t u n i t y for an artificer to use his u n i q u e talents
(N female gnome wizard 14), who founded the group during and abilities without t u r n i n g into a magic item factory. The
the Last War a n d c o n t i n u e s to steer it while c o n d u c t i n g high b i n d e r is most interesting to play when situations arise
her research in her K o r r a n b e r g workshop. Harkra is not that make unusual bindings into interesting choices—such
i n c l i n e d toward b u i l d i n g e l a b o r a t e s t r u c t u r e s of rigid as fighting in water, fighting cold creatures, or fighting in
authority, so the I n m o s t retains a very limited organiza- precarious positions. Particularly if you see a high binder
tion. T h e m e m b e r s defer to H a r k r a and at the same time always using the same bindings, look for ways to encourage
recognize their most innovative colleagues, respecting their him to try alternatives.
opinions and following their lead because of the proven Adaptation: High binders need not be associated with
quality of their ideas rather than because of any vested the Inmost. In fact, they could view their elemental compan-
authority they hold. ions as mindless slaves and be equally d o m i n a t i n g toward
Illivanik Istravar Lonadar (LN male gnome artificer the people around them.
5/high elemental binder 7) is the high binder closest to If you are using Magic ofEberron, it is possible that a high
Harkra, and the unofficial leader of all high binders. He binder could learn to bind elementals to different objects,
has not mastered the highest arts that his predecessor in recreating the effects of certain items in that supplement.
MONASTIC TRADITIONS
PERFECTION OF THE BODY WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Monasteries scattered t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e and Adar serve as places of Knowledge (religion)
refuge for stoic individuals who engage in study and text transcription. DC 10: Many religions include monas-
These scholarly monks prefer reflection and quiet work to the chaos of
worldly life. teries that train monks in unarmed
combat.
Some monasteries take more active roles in their communities, pro- DC 15: Monks commonly follow Dol
tecting or ruling through tradition, wisdom, strength, or a combination D o r n or the Mockery. A few worship
of all three. The monks in these monasteries pursue physical perfection the Silver Flame, and some walk the
and mental clarity, seeking to attain divinity through discipline and mar- Path of Light.
tial training. These individuals take levels in the monk character class and
may leave their cloisters to pursue adventure, hone their skills, and seek Broken Blade
worthy challenges.
Knowledge (geography)
Eberron monastic traditions are many and varied. A great number DC 20 : The O r d e r of the Broken Blade's
of monks follow Dol D o r n , and one of his most popular sects is the
O r d e r of the Broken Blade. T h i s order's patron is Kalan Desh, a devotee primary monasteries are in Karrnath
of Dol D o r n who defeated a band of ogres using only her hands, feet, and Breland.
and shattered longsword. T h e O r d e r of the Broken Blade is martial and
aggressive, focusing on strong attacks with sword and feet. It has great Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
monasteries in K a r r n a t h and B r e l a n d , as well as smaller monasteries DC 25: House Deneith has a close
spread throughout Khorvaire. Its practitioners tie bright streamers to
the hilts of their weapons, using the swirling patterns to distract their relationship with the Order of the
enemies. They divide their character levels between fighter and monk Broken Blade and regularly employs
(with the Monastic Training feat) and take Whirling Steel Strike and other its practitioners.
feats focused on the longsword. T h e order also places great store in learn-
ing, and swordbrothers and sisters take ranks in Knowledge (religion) as Knowledge (religion)
well as physical skills. DC 15: Monks of the O r d e r of the
The Mockery commands many followers, and his church has a special Broken Blade focus on the longsword.
place for monks. T h e Flayed H a n d is the most common monastic order T h e i r goal is to obtain enlightenment
among these gruesome individuals, and its disciples rip the skin from their through conflict.
bodies as part of their initiation. T h e o r d e r is secretive, and its members DC 20: Three ranks exist within the
have a grotesque fascination with skin, going so far as to save the skins order: initiate, swordbrother (or
of their enemies to construct clothing and masks from it. T h e Flayed sister), and blademaster.
Hand's primary monasteries are in Darguun and Droaam. Its initiates DC 25: To attain the rank of blade-
take Weapon Focus (kama), Flensing Strike, and ranks in Hide and Move master in the order, a monk must
Silently, honing their skills to become assassins. forge his own sword.
The Brotherhood of the Mystic Fist uses its isolation and camaraderie Flayed Hand
to develop its members' physical skills and arcane potential. Its members
take levels in both monk and sorcerer, using spells such as mage armor, mirror Knowledge (geography)
image, and haste to s u p p l e m e n t t h e i r melee skills. T h e y favor u s i n g t h e i r DC 20 : The Flayed H a n d has monaster-
fists to deliver touch spells. To identify h i m - or herself, a member of
the brotherhood wears one black and one crimson glove, each bearing ies in Droaam and Darguun.
the order's symbol: a clenched fist outlined in flame.
Knowledge (religion)
Goblinoids have their own monastic orders that trace their roots DC 15: T h e Flayed H a n d is a secre-
back to the Dhakaani Empire. T h e shaarat'khesh ("silent knives") is one
such order. This group of shadowy goblins swears loyalty to the Dhakaani tive order of monks dedicated to
T h r o n e , but since the throne has stood empty for centuries, they sell the Mockery.
their services to the warring goblinoid clans. They have a reputation for DC 20: The order focuses on causing
absolute dedication, though they do not assassinate clan leaders or dirge its enemies pain, both physical and
singers. Its members divide their levels between monk and rogue, and mental. They mark themselves by
often become assassins. peeling the skin from their bodies.
DC 25: Three ranks exist within
Two centuries ago, a performing troupe of dancers and acrobats the order: initiate, excoriate, and
fell u n d e r p e r s e c u t i o n . To protect themselves as they traveled, they archimandrite.
developed a unique brand of combat that emphasized their athleticism
and grew naturally out of their dances. The form proved effective and Mystic Fist
popular, and now the Long Arm has schools throughout Khorvaire's
major cities. Its practitioners favor the quarterstaff and can take Weapon Knowledge (arcana)
Focus (quarterstaff) as their bonus feat at 2nd or 6th level. T h e school's DC 15: The Brotherhood of the Mystic
tradition of performance persists, and its uniform includes bright colors
and flowing scarves. Its martial moves are impressive, involving spins, Fist practices a discipline that com-
bines unarmed combat with sorcery.
DC 25: T h e brotherhood's symbol is a
fist o u t l i n e d in flame. Its m e m b e r s
wear black and red gloves.
DC 30: Ranks in the brotherhood are leaps, and flips. Those who follow the Long Arm take Weapon Focus
divided into seven circles; members (quarterstaff) and Two-Weapon Fighting, and focus their skill ranks
must prove themselves both martially in Perform and Tumble.
and magically to advance.
The Tashalatora of Adar take strength from the Path of Light and
Shaarat'Khesh attempt to enhance both their natural physical and mental abilities.
They often take levels in psion or psychic warrior as well as m o n k . T h e i r
Knowledge (history) ultimate goal is to meld their bodies and m i n d s to such a degree that they
DC 25: The shaarat'khesh ("silent become the most powerful warriors in the world.
knives") is a group of goblinoid monk- My son,
assassins in Darguun. The organiza- I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing because I know of
tion has existed since the days of the
Dhakaani Empire. your scholarly interest in Eberron's monastic orders, and you may
have access to information that can help me. I have recently uncovered
Long Arm evidence of an order that I believe most are unaware of. This order is
not the Flayed Hand, though that group of disfigured monks is fear-
Knowledge (history) some. Nor is it the shaarat'khesh; yes, I know of those secret goblins,
DC 20: T h e Long A r m school of martial though I know little more than the fact that they exist. No, this group
is something else.
arts evolved from a group of traveling
performers. Allow me to explain. A few days ago, during our exploration of the
jungles of Xen'drik, my companions and I came to a small campsite. All
Knowledge (nobility and royalty) the explorers in the camp had been slain, but, unfortunate as it is, such
DC 25: The Long Arm has close ties to an event is not uncommon on the lost continent. What was remarkable
was their method of death: Each of the seven campers had his or her head
House Phiarlan and House Thuranni. twisted around in a full circle, snapping their necks and tearing the flesh
in a gruesome manner. Each also had a symbol burned into the forehead:
Knowledge (religion) the skull of a threehorn dinosaur pierced by two spears. Even stranger,
DC 20: Long Arm monks wield black though the corpses had obviously been there for a few days, no animals
had touched them—not even flies.
quarterstaffs. T h e i r combat style is
flashy and impressive. What do you make of it? Undoubtedly the work of intelligent crea-
tures, and they accomplished it unarmed. Yet who are they, and how do
Tashalatora they come by these powers? Some witchery of the drow, perhaps?
Knowledge (geography) In any case, though I am regretful to see good men and women so
DC 15: Adar boasts both psionic and mistreated, I must confess I am excited to solve the mystery!
monastic traditions. Hope to hear from you soon, son.
Knowledge (psionics) Your loving father,
DC 20: The Tashalatora combine Magorian Thornwhip, Wayfinder
unarmed martial skill with psionic
discipline.
DC 25: The order has no official ranks
and is loosely structured. Its masters
are eager to take on more disciples.
Sudden Willow Strike
Your monastic training allows great
precision with your quarterstaff. You
can lash out swiftly and strike foes in
vulnerable areas, stunning them.
This feat is taught and practiced
by members of the Long Arm monastic
tradition.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Wis 13,
Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning
Fist, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff).
Benefit: You can use your Stun-
ning Fist feat with quarterstaff attacks.
Normal: You can use Stunning
Fist only with unarmed attacks,
MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY
SCHOLARS AND ADVENTURERS WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
"A beacon of knowledge s h i n i n g from the tallest towers of the city, i l l u m i - Knowledge (arcana)
nating the forgotten secrets of the past." Lord Lareth ir'Morgrave envi- DC 20: Morgrave University has a resi-
sioned his university in this way when it first opened its doors in 738 Y K
in the city of Sharn. From the beginning, though, the university faced dent gynosphinx named Flamewind.
suspicions that it was more a cover for smuggling activities than a bona T h i s creature was discovered on an
fide institution of higher education. Lord Morgrave had a reputation as a expedition to Xen'drik in 996 YK,
treasure hunter, and rumors followed of how his fortune had been built and she is something of an oracle.
on profits made selling artifacts and treasures stolen from archeological
digs in Darguun, Xen'drik, and other sites. Knowledge (history)
DC 15: Morgrave University was
Over the years, the students and faculty of Morgrave University have
struggled to help the institution rise above its reputation the way its towers founded in 738 Y K by Lord Lareth
rise above Menthis Plateau. The school has the best library in Breland, ir'Morgrave.
a museum filled with unique items from a r o u n d the globe, and a staff of DC 18: Lord Morgrave was well known
recognized experts who spend almost half their time in the field rather as a treasure hunter, a fact that left its
than behind their desks. Of course, detractors point out that the library stamp on the university as a whole.
is nowhere near the equal of those at W y n a r n University and K o r r a n b e r g , DC 20: Morgrave University has a repu-
that every year more items are stolen from the museum than are put on tation for smuggling artifacts from
display, and that members of the staff are better known as black marketeers Xen'drik and selling them on the
than scholars. black market rather than displaying
them in the museum.
T h e fact of the matter is that most activities at the university are
completely legitimate, and a majority of the students and staff are engaged Knowledge (local)
in honest academic work (though many do so in the hopes of e a r n i n g DC 10: Morgrave University, with its
a position at a more reputable school). The current Master, L a r r i a n
ir'Morgrave, has made a career of public promises to eradicate all illegal m a i n campus in S h a r n , is known as a
and unethical activities done in the university's name. Still, items from place to study Xen'drik.
the archives are routinely sold to private collectors, and the museum's D C 15 : T h e university is situated in the
vaults fill to near overflowing with unopened crates from past university- topmost towers of the University Dis-
sponsored expeditions while new crates of unspecified "artifacts" arrive trict in the Menthis Plateau in Sharn.
nearly every week. Morgrave University, it seems, is a long way from shak- It has a questionable reputation as a
ing its disreputable past. place that puts profits above academ-
ics. Besides the university, the Uni-
All that said, a n u m b e r of professors at Morgrave University have versity District holds four well-known
well-deserved r e p u t a t i o n s as scholars and a d v e n t u r e r s of r e n o w n . J a n i k theaters, a famous concert hall, and
Martell, for example, is an expert on Xen'drik's earliest history, best the Sharn Opera House.
known for his discovery of Mel-Aqat at the eastern end of Xen'drik's DC 18: T h e C o m m o n s is a plaza atop
one of the spires s u r r o u n d i n g Mor-
grave. It's a great place to grab a bite
to eat and engage in long, thoughtful
conversation, and it offers a nice view
of the city.
DC 20: Scandals regularly surface
about the faculty of Morgrave U n i -
versity selling artifacts on the black
market instead of displaying them
in the museum. Even so, the collec-
tion of the Dezina Museum is quite
impressive.
Knowledge (religion)
DC 15: Despite the Great Hall of
Aureon located on the campus of the
university, few people associated with
Morgrave are known as particularly
devout followers of the Sovereign
Lord of Knowledge. Even so, people
regularly sleep on the floor of the
Great Hall in hopes of receiving
inspiration in their dreams.
great desert M e n e c h t a r u n (see page 155). Dala A r a n d is a The Bridge: A long, arcing, covered bridge connects
young scholar with a distinguished record of expeditions Breland Spire and the Commons to Dalannan Tower, where
to Xen'drik, including a possible lead on the location of the university's business occurs. O n e side of the bridge is
the Scepter of Fell Khadash (see page 31). Davi M o r d a t h is also lined with shops focused on the needs of Morgrave's students
young, but particularly distinguished by his research (bookstores, paper makers, clothing and equipment ven-
(under the tutelage of Professor Martell) into the serpent dors). T h e other side is an open wall where a n n o u n c e m e n t s
cults of Xen'drik (also described on page 31). Sana Dhuma, and notices are posted (job opportunities, campus events,
an aged half-orc, is known for her extensive work among items for sale, and so forth).
the benevolent yuan-ti of Krezent (in the Talenta Plains),
as well as a few b r i e f forays i n t o t e r r i t o r y held by y u a n - The Commons: This large open-air plaza atop
ti in X e n ' d r i k . As the c u r r e n t Master of the university, Breland Spire is a p o p u l a r gathering spot for students
L a r r i a n is no academic slouch, either—he has published and staff. Food vendors set up carts there every morning
more papers on giant pottery than any other scholar, past and sell a wide variety of dishes throughout the day. In
or present. the evening, the C o m m o n s is much quieter, and a favorite
spot for individuals who want to read, meditate, or have a
T h o u g h in some sense Morgrave University is a single private conversation.
organization, it might be more accurate (at least from a
gaming perspective) to describe the many organizations Dezina Museum of Antiquities: Home to Khorvaire's
that intersect at Morgrave. Several members of the faculty most extensive collection of artifacts from Xen'drik, the
have connections with the Library of K o r r a n b e r g (see museum's displays fill the middle levels of D a l a n n a n Tower.
page 69), the W a y f i n d e r F o u n d a t i o n (see the EBERRON In addition, its vaults span several more levels below the
museum's public spaces, and they contain h u n d r e d s , if
Campaign Setting a n d Explorer's Handbook), a n d t h e T w e l v e (see not thousands, of unopened crates. All hold uncataloged
treasures, some of which have been there for decades.
page 47). Beyond these fundamentally collegial associa-
tions, some faculty are known or suspected to have ties to Great Hall of Aureon: This temple to Aureon, deity of
the Order of the Emerald Claw, the A u r u m , the Dream- knowledge, is r u m o r e d to be a source of divine inspiration.
ing Dark, the Lords of Dust, the Cults of the Dragon According to some, a night spent sleeping on the Hall's
Below, and even the Chamber—in short, with just about marble floor provides insight into any problem or dilemma
every organization of any significance in Khorvaire and one is c u r r e n t l y facing. T h e temple staff is composed of
beyond. All who care about power have an interest in the scholars and experts from practically every academic field
study of Xen'drik, and nowhere is that interest more focused and discipline.
than at Morgrave.
H a d r i l l Gardens: A u n d a i r Spire is crowned by the
THE CAMPUS magnificent Hadrill Gardens, an extraordinary display
of exotic plants, flowers, and even plant creatures from
Morgrave University is prominently situated in the u p p e r - around the world. Access to the more dangerous plants is
most levels of the towers of the Menthis Plateau in Sharn, restricted to students in the botany department who have
the City of Towers. The university owns the buildings in permission from a faculty member. There are nine green-
the University District that surrounds the campus proper, houses (including one devoted to orchids from Xen'drik
renting residences to students and faculty. The university and Q ' b a r r a ) and a large o p e n - a i r garden that is a popular
also leases business space to the trades and services that site for romantic walks and meditation among both students
keep the university going, from booksellers and stationers and staff.
to scribes and cartographers. The university itself fills
D a l a n n a n Tower, which is crowned by the e n o r m o u s dome Lareth Hall: This large domed structure atop Dalan-
of Lareth Hall. Five slender spires (representing and named nan Tower is the center of campus and holds the university's
after the Five Nations) ring Dalannan Tower and house the administrative and faculty offices. It is also home to a gyno-
university's students. sphinx named Flamewind—an unexpected find on a recent
expedition to X e n ' d r i k . Flamewind claimed that she was
At the bottom levels of the university, several large waiting for the scholars to find her, and she r e t u r n e d with
courtyards stretch among the towers, filled with soil car- them to Khorvaire of her own free will.
ried up from below and seeded with grass and small trees.
These courtyards are commonly called the "ground floor" Morgrave University Library: Located just below the
of the campus, despite their being high above the ground of dome of Lareth Hall, Morgrave University Library has the
the Menthis Plateau, and they are popular sites for student most extensive collection of books in Breland. It does not
gatherings, and even class meetings, on the rare occasions match the library at Korranberg in breadth, but the Mor-
that Sharn's notoriously rainy weather lets up. grave library specializes in the history of Khorvaire and
is r u n by gnome expatriates from Zilargo. Students and
Beyond the courtyards, the "ground floor" contains faculty can use the library for free; all others must pay 1 gp
most of the lecture halls on campus as well as study halls, per day for access to its resources.
sub-libraries (mostly focused on books assigned for student
reading), dining halls, and some faculty offices. Valdain Museum of Natural History: Underfunded
and unappreciated at a university so focused on ancient
Like most educational institutions, Morgrave is a con- r u i n s and relics, the Valdain Museum is nevertheless a
stant bustle of activity while classes are in session but can fascinating collection of carefully stuffed and mounted
seem practically deserted in the evenings, on weekends, animals from across Khorvaire and beyond. The exhibits
and between terms. Even for nonstudents, the university go far beyond mundane animals to include a wide variety
contains resources and information helpful to nearly any of magical beasts, from blink dogs and displacer beasts to
pursuit, if you know where to look and whom to ask. The a great bulette, and an enormous dragon skeleton hangs
following locations represent some of the most popular and from the ceiling above the museum entrance. The Valdain
versatile resources on the campus. Museum is located near the top of K a r r n a t h Spire.
MORGRAVE OUTREACH WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ASSOCIATION Knowledge (dungeoneering)
DC 15: The Morgrave Outreach Asso-
"Sure, you get to travel to exciting locales and uncover lost treasure. Sure, sometimes some of that
treasure winds up in y o u r saddlebag. But really it's all about helping the kids." ciation is an adventurers guild with
ties to Morgrave University.
—Engar "Flat Nose" Trumbell, senior adjunct regional instructor, DC 25: The Outreach Association pro-
Morgrave Outreach Association vides adventurers with lucrative uni-
versity contracts involving escorting
Morgrave University constantly sends expeditions to the four corners of scholars and students on dangerous
the world to dig up ancient treasure, but its faculty members are just a j o u r n e y s . If you want to work as a
bunch of weak-kneed scholars. They don't know how to get along in the guide or bodyguard, and don't mind
world. That's why they b r i n g along people with what they call "experience coddling some weak-kneed academics,
in the field." They b r i n g the maps and do the digging—you just make sure it's good work.
they don't get killed, then take your cut. But it's tough to make the right
contacts to get those gigs. It's a mean old world out there, and they only Knowledge (local)
want people they can trust. That's why they come to the Morgrave Outreach DC 10: Morgrave University has a repu-
Association whenever they can. Once you're in here, you'll never lack for
good-paying work again. tation as a place to study the history
of Xen'drik, and it sponsors a large
JOINING THE OUTREACH ASSOCIATION n u m b e r of academic expeditions
to Xen'drik and other dangerous
T h e Morgrave Outreach Association is a guild for adventurers who are locales. The university often employs
interested in acting as g u i d e s , g u a r d s , and field experts for academic adventurers as bodyguards and guides
expeditions sponsored by Morgrave University. T h e i r main guildhall is in on such expeditions.
the University District of Sharn near the Morgrave campus. (The building DC 15: The Morgrave Outreach Asso-
is owned by the university, but is leased to the association for a reasonable ciation is an organization tied to
fee.) Large guildhalls stand in Stormreach, Regalport, and Stormhome, Morgrave University. It is a general
with smaller regional guildhalls found in virtually any town or port from internship or apprenticeship pro-
which a Morgrave expedition is likely to depart. gram connecting students with non-
academic mentors.
Becoming a m e m b e r is relatively easy. T h e association isn't p a r t i c u - DC 20: More accurately, the Outreach
lar about ability, nationality, political persuasion, or even interpersonal Association is basically an adventur-
skills. They only care about two things—whether or not you can hold your ers guild that receives regular con-
own in the wild, and whether or not you can be trusted to lead a group. The tracts to escort university expeditions
university pays to get expert advisors, and it will stop paying if association of scholars and students on dangerous
members prove to be less competent than the students they're guiding. expeditions—often to Xen'drik, but
Likewise, the university will take its business elsewhere if association sometimes closer to home. The uni-
guides abandon their groups at the first sign of trouble—or worse, lead versity pays the association to provide
them into the wild only to kill them, steal their equipment, and leave their what are essentially guides and body-
bodies to rot. guards to these expeditions.
Once you've convinced the captain of the master guildhall to take you DC 25: The Morgrave Outreach Asso-
into the association, you must pay 100 gp in dues. (The association assumes ciation's main guildhall is in the
that if you can't afford the fee, you likely aren't much of an adventurer.) University District of Sharn, near
For this sum, you receive a small medallion that identifies you as a member campus. It also maintains guild-
of the association for one year. T h e medallion changes from year to year halls in Stormreach, Regalport, and
(one year it might be an eagle cast from bronze; the next, a silver coin), S t o r m h o m e , as well as smaller halls
and you must pay 100 gp to replace it each year. Possession of a c u r r e n t in other towns and ports near sites of
medallion is considered proof of membership. interest to Morgrave scholars.
E n t r y R e q u i r e m e n t s : 6th level in any class. Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
The Morgrave Outreach Association functions much like an adven- DC 30: The Morgrave Outreach Asso-
turers guild. In other words, each class fills exactly the same niche it does
when the characters are adventuring on their own, with the only difference ciation fell on bad times shortly after
being that in addition to their own welfare, they are also responsible for the end of the Last War, when it was
a group of students and faculty from Morgrave University. blamed for the disappearance of one
The association does not provide any special training to its mem- of King Boranel's nephews, Lujaad
bers, since it expects them to have enough experience to take care of ir'Wynarn, in the wilds of Xen'drik.
themselves. It does, however, provide information about the nature of The association seems to have recov-
its association with Morgrave University and what standards of behav- ered from that scandal, and it is said
ior and professionalism the association expects of its representatives that Lujaad is n o n e o t h e r t h a n the
while in the field. Basically, this behavior amounts to protecting the infamous sky pirate whose exploits
faculty and students from animals, monsters, natural disasters, and run in several chronicles.
competing academic parties. It does not, however, include protecting
those academics from their own foolhardiness. Association members
are expected to be civil to university personnel—except if they prove
really annoying, when it's okay to scare them a little. If anything does
go catastrophically wrong, the association m e m b e r must results of completed ones. T h e association exists as a kind
report the incident to the nearest guildhall. Failure to of broker, allowing academic groups to meet individuals
do so is considered d e r e l i c t i o n of duty and is g r o u n d s for with practical expertise. It has no particular agenda, nor
expulsion from the association. The catastrophe will also any interest in helping its members do anything other
be blamed on the m e m b e r in question when reported to than make a steady living. Members of the association are
the proper authorities. competent and trustworthy, and an assignment taken from
the association is likely to be straightforward and u n e n c u m -
ASSOCIATION BENEFITS bered by political m a c h i n a t i o n s or hidden dangers (other
than those found in the wild).
Being a member of the Morgrave Outreach Association is,
in many ways, its own reward. That is, you do not get any- Combat: The Morgrave Outreach association does not
thing in particular from your membership other than the have any particular style of fighting. I n fact, each individual
chance to participate in expeditions that have a high like- or group is expected to have its own developed techniques,
lihood of being exciting and profitable. What you make of proven by success in earlier adventures.
those opportunities is up to you. At the university's expense,
the association provides you with equipment, information, Advancement: In most instances, the association does
and other necessities for the successful completion of each not actively recruit new members. Its reputation for pro-
assignment. Beyond that, though, you are left very much to viding high-paying, relatively low-risk assignments is well
your own devices. known among the adventuring community (as is Morgrave
University's reputation for allowing members of its expe-
Goods: The only item that every member of the asso- ditions to pocket the occasional valuable item). Although
ciation receives (upon payment of the association dues) is the association is always willing to accept new members,
the membership medallion, which allows them to take on the fact is that it has enough c u r r e n t m e m b e r s to fill most
assignments. Beyond that, a member receives whatever available assignments. The only time this might not be the
gear Morgrave University deems necessary for a particu- case is if an expedition shows up unexpectedly at one of
lar assignment, plus a weekly stipend (also decided by the the smaller guildhalls. The local guildmaster might then
university). Members have very little room for negotiating actively recruit the most competent, reliable help currently
better rates or more equipment, but better access (see below) available in the area.
can often be arranged.
Once you have paid your membership dues, what you
Services: Each guildhall has connections to local get out of the Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is up to you.
laborers who are willing to hire on for an expedition. The Expeditions leave from most guildhalls at least once a month
association takes care of their salaries. Arrangements can (and several times per week at the larger sites such as Storm-
be made for more highly skilled help (Spellcasters or other reach). Assignments can vary in length from a week or two
trained characters), but paying for those services could (if the group is simply doing a survey of a historic site) to
reduce the stipend paid to association members. several months (for an extended excavation or renovation
of a large site). Occasionally, extended assignments might
Information: The association gives its members all last for a year or more. These journeys focus on exploration,
available information about the particular sites, regions, mapping, or the study of a particular culture.
and countries they are sent to. However, this information
is sometimes compromised, since it is provided by Morgrave The association encourages members to be selective
University, and the university guards its secrets jealously. when choosing assignments. O n c e an expedition is u n d e r
The association makes every effort to confirm the informa- way, an association m e m b e r is expected to see it t h r o u g h
tion before presenting the details to its members. to completion no matter what circumstances might arise.
It is unacceptable to a b a n d o n faculty and students for any
Access: Most important, membership in the the asso- reason, so choosing a mission and g r o u p that you will find
ciation provides valuable access to historic sites, ancient palatable is important.
ruins, and newly discovered natural or magical phenomena.
Because the expeditions approve of a reasonable level of Because all assignments are performed for teams from
profit s h a r i n g , a m e m b e r of the association can walk away Morgrave University, faculty and students r e t u r n i n g to
from every assignment with a significant bonus, whether in Sharn will carry word of how easy or difficult an association
the form of treasure, antiquities, or magic equipment. m e m b e r is to work with. After c o m p l e t i n g a few successful
missions, a member (or group of members) might develop
PLAYING AN OUTREACH a reputation among the university staff. This could result
ASSOCIATION MEMBER in future expeditions specifically requesting to work with
particular members of the association.
T h e r e are as many reasons to j o i n the Morgrave O u t r e a c h
Association as there are reasons to live the life of an adven- Missions: Assignments usually fall into one of three
turer. Members of the organization have proven their categories—exploration, cultivation, or communication.
capability u n d e r fire and have a broad range of experience Exploration assignments are those in which an academic
in the wilder parts of the world. They are more likely to group is visiting a site for the first time or traveling through
trust their instincts than the book knowledge of academics, uncharted territory to identify sites suitable for future
and that's exactly the expertise that the Morgrave expedi- exploration. Cultivation missions involve taking a team
tions look for (even if faculty members sometimes rankle at of faculty and students to thoroughly examine a site and
being told what to do by "undereducated, g r i m e - e n c r u s t e d collect interesting specimens, artifacts, and art objects.
thugs with no sense of history or the importance of the This is the most common type of assignment, and the
university's work"). most lucrative as well. A mission of c o m m u n i c a t i o n is
one in which the university team meets with representa-
A member will have very little contact with the asso- tives of a foreign culture. This might mean living with a
ciation except to pick up new assignments and report the remote tribe, or could involve negotiating with foreign
governments or warlords for the right to send future expe- the association can easily function in the background of a
ditions into their territories. campaign, with the heroes not even hearing about it until
they meet an e x p e d i t i o n in the field or a local g u i l d h a l l
THE MORGRAVE OUTREACH master offers them an assignment. The DM can introduce
ASSOCIATION IN THE WORLD the option of membership only when the PCs are ready for
it, or make it (and its lucrative assignments) something that
"No matter how many treatises a student reads on a subject or a site, the most lower-level PCs aspire to.
important information comesfrom spending time with someone who has actu-
ally been there and returned to tell the tale. Our expeditions are always more O n c e the PCs have j o i n e d the association, the best way
rewarding thanks to the Outreach Association. Sometimes experience really is to keep them happy is to provide a steady stream of assign-
the best teacher." ments for them to take. If these assignments offer increas-
ingly better pay, provide the chance to explore interesting
—Larrian ir'Morgrave, and unique locations, and introduce important NPCs, the
Master of Morgrave University characters will feel their membership is worthwhile.
T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is a convenient way to Adaptation: If your campaign does not feature Mor-
give player characters access to a wide range of adventures grave University, simply change the association into a more
and locations. Practically any adventure can be framed as generic adventurers guild. Rather than focusing entirely on
part of a university-sponsored expedition, and the PCs will academic expeditions, the guild would be an organization
always know where to go when they find themselves with idle that any group or person could approach to hire a g r o u p of
time. T h e promise of pay over and above a share of any treasure seasoned adventurers for any sort of mission.
found gives the PCs incentive to take part in adventures they
might otherwise have no reason to accept. The association Encounters: Encounters can vary widely from assign-
also provides a way to i n t r o d u c e new PCs and s u p p o r t i n g ment to assignment, covering a wide range of possible
characters so that existing PCs have a legitimate reason to expeditions. Common missions include exploring a newly
accept and trust them. discovered ancient temple, c a p t u r i n g a rare species of
animal or monster, investigating a mysterious natural
Organization: The Morgrave Outreach Association is, or magical phenomenon, and searching for a previous
at best, a loose affiliation. Members do not have any need to expedition that has gone missing.
gather in great numbers, nor are they expected to make any
special commitment to the group. They pay their dues and Typical Association Guildhall
take assignments whenever it suits their taste. T h e PCs can
function as a whole unit, or can team up with other associa- Guildhalls are usually two- or three-story buildings that
tion members when an assignment requires a specific skill resemble inns or private residences. They have a small staff
set they do not possess. (sometimes consisting solely of the hall's master) and are
not long on comfort. They do, however, provide access to the
T h e association is r u n from the m a i n g u i l d h a l l in bare essentials. Association members, university faculty,
Sharn's University District. Assignments are handed out and their guests can gather comfortably in the common
from there or sent to regional guildhalls to be filled locally. room. Members can stay in the upstairs rooms for one or
Many members never visit the main guildhall, taking two days at a time for no fee (extended stays cost the same as
assignments only through their local branch. More widely renting a room at an i n n ) . T h e hall is decorated with paint-
traveled members, however, might visit dozens of different ings and trophies from association expeditions.
guildhalls—stopping in whenever their wanderings bring
them to a town that houses one, performing an assignment Every guildhall has maps of the local region, descrip-
or two, then moving on to their next destination. tions of known dangers, basic medical supplies, and a supply
of master work weapons. A well-stocked guildhall might have
NPC Reactions such amenities as a kitchen and cook, ale, wine, and other
spirits, a healer, and local guides. Most guildhalls have
The general populace knows very little about the Morgrave connections to local smiths, healers, and merchants who
Outreach Association, and most people simply assume that provide association members with discounted services.
it has something to do with Morgrave University. Scholars
from other universities and institutions likely treat associa- An association guildhall can make a good base of oper-
tion members with the same disdain they feel for Morgrave ations for a group of PCs. They will always be welcome, they
itself. Adventurers might either be interested in finding out always have a source of work, and they can meet trustworthy
how to become members, or show contempt for anyone who NPCs who will carry news of other adventures and events
takes on such mercenary work. in the world. Indeed, if the PCs decide to settle in a specific
town or region, they might be able to become the masters of
The association does not have any enemies per se, the local guildhall, or open a new hall of their own.
but various scholarly groups hold it in very poor regard. If
the university representatives at a local site are seen to be MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY FACULTY
removing, defacing, or trespassing on property held in high
regard by the local populace, they and their associates could The professors of Morgrave University might not stand
become targets of derision, ostracism, or even violence. as s h i n i n g exemplars at the top of t h e i r fields, but many
of them are at least colorful characters. In addition
THE MORGRAVE OUTREACH to those m e n t i o n e d on pages 110 a n d 111, a d v e n t u r e r s
ASSOCIATION IN YOUR GAME might come into contact with any of these faculty mem-
bers from time to time.
T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is not the sort of
organization that draws a lot of attention to itself. As such, Ghash Duurkat: Though he has not yet been awarded
a professorship (he carries the title of Lecturer), Ghash
Duurkat is something of a popular sensation at Morgrave.
A hobgoblin who wears traditional battle armor to every
class, Duurkat is a boistrous lecturer, but behind the the- back. Word is circulating that he plans a truly ambitious
atrics is a solid knowledge of Dhakaani history that rivals expedition to the far south of Xen'drik, which will almost
that of Professor Vieran (see below). It is possible that more certainly either make or break his career.
rumors spread around the university every year concerning
the exploits of Ghash Duurkat than about any other member Sendor Reddick: Professor Reddick is a taxidermist
of the Morgrave community. as well as a noted scholar in the field of a n i m a l biology. As
curator of the Valdain Museum of Natural History, Reddick
Kona Erran: Professor E r r a n is the head of the botany pays handsomely for well-preserved specimens of unusual
department and master of the Hadrill Gardens (see page creatures, though he prefers to stuff them himself. Some
111). A d r u i d and a former adventurer, she is known to whisper that he dabbles in necromancy.
have ties with the G r e e n s i n g e r sect and—like that sect as a
whole—she is regarded as a figure of mystery. Danid Vieran: One of the world's leading experts
on the ancient Dhakaani Empire, and particularly the
Flamewind: Not technically a member of the univer- shining city of Ja'shaarat (which now lies buried beneath
sity faculty, the gynosphinx called Flamewind is certainly the deepest levels of S h a r n ) , Professor Vieran is a bitter
one of the most interesting characters on the campus. She m a n . T h o u g h he views his work as p r o f o u n d l y significant
accompanied a recent expedition back from Xen'drik, and to the m o d e r n city, and it is easily accessible even to the
has taken up residence at the top of Lareth Hall's great c o m m o n populace, his research is constantly overshad-
dome. She frequently summons adventurers to her cham- owed by the more flashy and p o p u l a r work b e i n g done in
ber and sends them on cryptic missions, and she is said to Xen'drik. His popularity among the students of the u n i -
have oracular powers. She is also known to have studied the versity certainly suffers because he is a terrible lecturer
draconic Prophecy. and generally a bore.
A l a i n Gourthan: Professor G o u r t h a n has yet to make Zophik: Widely regarded as mad, Professor Zophik
any dramatic discoveries, and that fact seems to grate on his (she no longer uses her first name) has earned the right to
nerves. His academic knowledge is superior to that of many some eccentricity. H e r field is the Age of Demons, and she
of his colleagues, and he is known as an excellent lecturer, has supposedly traveled to ancient Ashtakala and survived,
but his lack of significant field experience has held him though not unscarred.
THE MOURNLAND
DEVASTATION EVERYWHERE WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
The M o u r n l a n d was once the h u m a n nation of Cyre, but on the Day of Knowledge (arcana)
Mourning in 994 YK a cataclysm of unknown origin wiped out its people DC 10: Mysterious lingering magical
and ravaged the cities and countryside. Now the once-noble nation is dead,
its land fused and barren. Lingering magic effects strew chaos across the effects make the Mournland hazard-
jagged landscape and living spells, twisted monsters, and stranger things ous and unpredictable.
roam its crags. Nature is suppressed within its borders; neither magical DC 15: The Day of Mourning had many
nor natural healing functions, and dead bodies remain fresh and undis- strange repercussions. It gave life and
turbed. T h e Lord of Blades gathers militant warforged in some hidden a degree of sentience to some spells,
stronghold. Despite these dangers, the Mournland has much to offer: which wander the Mournland today.
Relics lie within its ruins, and many seek an answer to the mystery of the It changed and twisted its native mon-
Mournland's creation. sters, which also pose a danger.
DC 20: Rumor has it that the secrets of
T h e first obstacle that any visitor to the M o u r n l a n d faces is the the Day of M o u r n i n g can be found
dead-gray mist that s u r r o u n d s it. T h e mist is d i s o r i e n t i n g , and travel- beneath the Glass Plateau, an area of
ers within it grow weary and depressed. Some areas of the mist display fused and jagged glass where living
this property more strongly than others. These areas are a darker gray spells congregate.
than the s u r r o u n d i n g mist—a character can note the difference with a
DC 10 Spot check a n d identify its s i g n i f i c a n c e with a D C 20 K n o w l - Knowledge (geography)
edge (geography) check. Traveling within these areas forces characters DC 5: T h e M o u r n l a n d was once Cyre.
to make Will saves each hour (DC 15, + 1 per hour). Failure indicates DC 10: A disaster on the Day of M o u r n -
that a c h a r a c t e r becomes fatigued, and r e m a i n s that way u n t i l he leaves
the mist. ing killed all intelligent life in Cyre.
After penetrating the dead-gray mist, adventurers face numerous Knowledge (history)
other obstacles. DC 10: Cyre was destroyed by an arcane
The Lord of Blades, a charismatic warforged prophet, holds court cataclysm in 994 Y K , on what is now
somewhere in the Mournland. Though no one knows where he makes his called the Day of Mourning.
base, his patrols scour the land. Warforged operate more freely in the DC 15: Cyran ruins cover the landscape
Mournland than do living creatures, because their repair spells function of the Mournland.
normally. Those who follow the Lord of Blades have no pity or mercy for
their living counterparts, and encounters with these warforged usually Knowledge (local)
end in drawn blades. DC 15: T h e M o u r n l a n d is unclaimed
Warped monsters wander the Mournland. These creatures take many and, for the most part, uncontested.
forms. Some are amalgamations of several different creatures, sporting A colony of militant warforged and a
numerous limbs and bulging with muscle. Others have features not nor- few t r e a s u r e - s e e k i n g expeditions are
mally seen in their kind, such as wings or stinging tails. Perhaps the most its only nods toward civilization.
dangerous are those whose mental faculties have improved, allowing them
to gather less able creatures about them and carve temporary territories Knowledge (nature)
in the shattered land. DC 10: Travelers are easily lost in the
Adventurers who overcome the Mournland's dangers are privy to its dead-gray mist that surrounds the
mysteries. Two of the Mournland's most unusual features are the Glowing Mournland.
Chasm and the Glass Plateau. Between these two areas is the Stagnation, DC 15: Natural healing does not func-
a flat and moribund lake that gives off a faint blue iridescence. Skeletons tion in the Mournland, nor does nat-
lie half submerged along its shore, their bones causing not a ripple in the ural decay. The dead lie where they fell
syrup-thick water. T h e water smells of dying things but tastes, so some years ago, looking as they did t h e n .
claim, of honeysuckle and lavender with a hint of something sweeter.
Some say that those who imbibe the stuff w i t h o u t r e t c h i n g can take the Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
Mournland's magic into themselves, changing into something stronger DC 10: Cyre was the headquarters of
than they were before.
House Cannith. The Day of Mourn-
Also within the M o u r n l a n d is the M i l e - M a r k Station. T h i s r u i n ing devastated the house and split it
was once a l i g h t n i n g rail station at the j u n c t i o n of two tracks; now, it is into factions.
half fallen into rubble, though the great clock in its tower still functions DC 20: House Phiarlann was also based
properly. A lightning rail coach, bodies spilling from its attached carts, in Cyre. Its leaders were conspicuously
is crashed into the station's side. T h e b u i l d i n g ' s i n t e r i o r is scorched, absent on the Day of Mourning.
and the bodies of h u n d r e d s of civilians—mostly children and the
elderly—are heaped inside, their wounds still fresh. Only a handful of Knowledge (religion)
them appear to have burned to death, leaving explorers to guess how DC 15: Spells of the healing subschool
the corpses e n d e d up h e r e . R u m o r s say that the ghosts of the l i g h t n i n g
rail coach passengers appear every night, r a c i n g away into the darkness do not function in the Mournland.
with mad cackles. DC 18: Many warforged see the Lord of
Blades as a religious figure. They take
his words as doctrine.
So You Want to E n t e r the M o u r n l a n d ? laying on h a n d s is not affected. Magic that allows extradi-
mensional travel is valuable, because you can heal (and be
By H a t h i u s Rote healed) while in that otherworldly space. If your expedition
Excerpted from the Korranberg Chronicle, Zolday, Dravago 4th includes warforged, they should have little trouble; spells
that repair constructs do function in the Mournland.
Greetings, good reader! If you are perusing this article,
you are probably considering entering the Mournland in After properly outfitting yourself, the first obstacle you will
search of treasure and fame. You must already know the dan- encounter is the dead-gray mist that surrounds the Mournland.
gers you'll face—living spells, becoming lost in the dead-gray You might find that you become saddened and listless within
mist, encountering warped monsters and lingering magic the mist—do not doubt your heroism, my friend, for the mist is
effects, and r u n n i n g afoul of rogue warforged, to name a magical, and these feelings come from outside forces! Certain
few—and I don't imagine that I will be able to dissuade you. patches of the mist carry this enchantment heavily—watch out
Instead, take heed, for I will tell you what you need to know for the dark gray areas and avoid them. T h e mist is also disori-
if you are to r e t u r n from your expedition. enting. This reporter has heard many tales of expeditions that
got lost in the mist and were never seen again.
The most important thing that you must understand
is that you will be unable to heal in the M o u r n l a n d . Nei- That's pretty much all the help I can give you for now.
ther natural nor magical healing functions in that blasted Good luck, brave adventurer, and watch for my next essay:
place. However, the d r u i d spell goodberry seems unaffected in "So You Want to Enter the Demon Wastes?"
the M o u r n l a n d . Also, a paladin's ability to heal wounds by
ARCANE STEEL
Cyre was home to House Cannith, the humans who possess the against spells and spell-like abilities. Cyrite shields provide
Mark of Making. The warforged are their most famous creation, no special benefit,
but these living constructs are not Cannith's only accomplish-
ment. Cannith mines and forges dotted Cyre, and workers Items without metal parts, such as clubs, cannot be
constantly unearthed ore, refined it, and shaped it into the made from cyrite.
latest Cannith masterpieces. When the Day of Mourning came,
the metals that were in the process of being refined absorbed Cyrite loses all its special properties in an antimagic field
the catastrophe's arcane power. Now, ingots and chunks of or similar area.
this magically imbued substance lie scattered throughout the
Mournland. Scholars have termed this material cyrite. Weapons, armor and shields that are made of cyrite
have the same hit points and hardness as they do when made
from metal of a normal sort (typically steel).
Cyrite resembles steel but is slightly darker. Multicol- Type of Cyrite Item Item Cost Modifier
ored lines run over its surface and pulse with strange light. Ammunition +5 gp
It is as heavy as steel, holds an edge just as well, and retains Armor +500 gp
some magic essence from its odd genesis. Weapon +250 gp
Raw cyrite 10 gp per pound
Smiths and adventurers value cyrite for its use in
weapons and armor. Weapons fashioned from cyrite count The above features apply to most examples of cyrite that
as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage explorers have discovered. Rumors speak of other forms of
reduction. Armor made from cyrite absorbs magical energy cyrite with different properties.
and grants its wearer a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws
ORCS
THE LAND OF THE SHADOWS WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
H i d d e n b e h i n d Droaam, the region known as the Shadow Marches Knowledge (geography)
has been isolated from the events that shaped Khorvaire. The War DC 10: T h e region called the Shadow
of the Mark and the rise of the dragonmarked houses, the formation
of Galifar—even the Last War itself—had little direct impact on the Marches contains areas of fetid swamp
distant Marches. Today, the Shadow Marches are not recognized as a and deep jungle, with little civiliza-
nation by the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d , and no central g o v e r n m e n t exists tion to speak of. T h e i n h a b i t a n t s are
there. T h e denizens of the Shadow Marches are split into two primary humans and orcs, and travelers are
groups: those who are members of tribes, and those who are members not always welcome.
of clans. DC 15: O n e major city is in the Marches:
Zarasha'ak, which can be reached by
The tribes are primitive, and largely composed of orcs. T h e i r tra- water along the southern coastline.
ditions date back thousands of years before the arrival of humanity in
Khorvaire, and many of the tribesfolk believe that humans and members Knowledge (history)
of the other races can never u n d e r s t a n d their ways. As a result, they prefer DC 10: T h e h u m a n inhabitants of the
to be left in solitude—and those who follow the Dragon Below can be quite
dangerous if their privacy is violated. Shadow Marches came from Sarlona
approximately 1,500 years ago. While
The clans are the more civilized inhabitants of the region. When some orcs and humans still fear and
human refugees arrived from Sarlona fifteen hundred years ago, they hate one another, most Marcher clans
b r o u g h t R i e d r a n customs with t h e m . W h i l e a n u m b e r of the orc tribes include both humans and orcs.
fought against these strangers (as some still do), many embraced the new- DC 15: The Shadow Marches suffered
comers, f o r m i n g an i n t r i g u i n g blend of h u m a n and orc c u l t u r e s . While terribly in an extraplanar incursion
a few clans r e m a i n entirely h u m a n , the majority include h u m a n s , orcs, that occurred thousands of years ago,
and their half-ore offspring. The Marchers are a proud folk, and they take and this is said to be the source of the
bonds of blood seriously. Foreigners must be careful in dealing with the monsters that haunt the land.
clans, for any insult to a family m e m b e r will likely be taken as an affront
against the entire clan. Knowledge (nature)
DC 10: The Shadow Marches hold many
THE ORCS OF THE MARCHES
deposits of Eberron dragonshards.
The orcs are one of the oldest races in Khorvaire, with a history stretch- DC 15: Strange plants grow in the
ing back some thirty thousand years. While they are not as c u n n i n g or as
wise as h u m a n s , the orcs of the western coast have always been a deeply marshes. Hathil root, for example, is
spiritual people. Even among the clans, where the traditions of humanity said to be good for enhancing spells
have had a strong influence on their culture, the orcs remain strong and of transmutation.
unswerving in their faith. The majority of the clerics, adepts, and druids
found in the Shadow Marches are orcs or half-ores. Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
DC 10: T h e city of Zarasha'ak is the seat
Today, the faith of the orcs is split between the path of the Gatekeepers
and that of the Dragon Below. Those who follow the Gatekeepers do not of House Tharashk.
necessarily know of the daelkyr or the ancient wars, but they believe in DC 15: House Tharashk is the youngest
the power of nature and the duty of the orcs to remain close to their wild
roots. T h e Gatekeeper b a r b a r i a n s celebrate this b o n d , and their rage is a dragonmarked house, and it is not a
manifestation of this primal connection. T h e Dragon Below cultists are family as such; it is an alliance formed
all too often touched by madness, or believe that all power and glory flows from a number of different Marcher
from Khyber and Xoriat. T h e rage of a cultist b a r b a r i a n is a terrifying clans, all of whom share the mark.
thing—pure madness concentrated into martial fury.
Knowledge (the planes)
Orcs of the isolationist tribes believe that humans and orcs have no DC 15: The Shadow Marches were one
c o m m o n g r o u n d because orcs were the first inhabitants of the land, and
only an orc can truly b o n d to K h o r v a i r e . However, the orcs of the clans of the beachheads during the ancient
see h u m a n s as their b r o t h e r s and sisters—smaller and weaker, perhaps, daelkyr incursion. Ruins dot the area,
but valued for their cunning and quick wits. as well as a large n u m b e r of manifest
zones linked to Kythri and Xoriat.
LIFE ON THE FRONTIER
Knowledge (religion)
The Shadow Marches have a larger human population than Droaam, and DC 15: While the Marchers have some
considerable wealth can be found in this land—from vast fields of E b e r r o n
dragonshards to ancient treasures hidden in the ruins of the daelkyr. Fur- analogues for the Sovereign Host,
t h e r m o r e , it is far from the reach of the laws of other n a t i o n s . A fugitive the main religions of the area are the
on the r u n from the K i n g ' s Citadel can find security in the shadows of Cults of the Dragon Below and the
Zarasha'ak without giving up human company. The Shadow Marches have druidic tradition of the Gatekeepers.
never been b o u n d by the Code of Galifar, and even the sentinel marshals The Khyber cults scattered across the
have no authority in this region. Marches are foes of one another; as a
result, Marcher cultists initially con-
ceal their true beliefs from visitors.
Even as this isolation provides security for the fugitive, believing in the rise of dark powers that only you can
however, it can be dangerous for the adventurer. T h e r e is stop. An ore's sensitivity to light can be overcome with
no unified law in the land, and each clan or tribe rules its the Daylight A d a p t a t i o n feat from Races of Eberron, and the
territory as it chooses. Most Marcher villages have a sheriff race's lack of a level adjustment makes it easy to use as
who holds the full authority of law. If adventurers challenge a player c h a r a c t e r . Orc racial t r a i t s are d e t a i l e d in the
or kill a sheriff, they have committed a mortal crime against Monster Manual.
his people—a crime that calls for blood vengeance from
them and any of their allies. Child of the Swamps
ORCS BEYOND THE MARCHES You have spent years in the swamps of the Shadow Marches.
You can find food and shelter in the deep swamps, and you
The Shadow Marches are not the only place in Khorvaire can move more freely through the difficult terrain.
where orcs are found, although the orcs of the Marches
(as well as those in the Eldeen Reaches, who are essen- Prerequisite: Region of origin Shadow Marches.
tially an offshoot of the Marches c u l t u r e ) are by far the Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Spot and
most civilized of t h e i r k i n d . T h e orc tribes of the D e m o n Survival checks while in marsh terrain.
Wastes are noble barbarians, who undertake a sacred In addition, you can take a 5-foot
charge to prevent any evil from leaving their homeland step while in the shallow bog or light
(see The Demon Wastes on page 34). The orcs of Droaam undergrowth of a marsh, ignor-
have been reduced to a state similar to that of the other ing the usual movement
natives of the m o n s t e r nation—they hold goblins as slaves penalties of the terrain
and are brutal and corrupt. T h e Jhorash'tar orcs of the for this purpose.
Mror Holds are savage and violent, raiding the dwarves
at every o p p o r t u n i t y in r e t a l i a t i o n for a n c i e n t wrongs. Marchers,
The J h o r a s h ' t a r are typical of the orcs of Eastern K h o r - orc and human
vaire, in the few places where r e m n a n t s of t h e i r ancient
tribes still exist.
HALF-ORCS: THE JHORGUN'TAAL
Many of the people of the Five Nations are uncomfort-
able around half-ores and find the idea of humans
and orcs crossbreeding to be vile and distasteful. Such
beliefs have never found root in the Shadow Marches,
though, and those orcs who chose to welcome h u m a n -
ity to their land were quick to mate with the new-
comers. Those who followed the druidic paths knew
that hybrids are often the strongest plants, while the
Khyber cultists have always seen change as a path to
power. In the Marches, half-ores are celebrated; they
are called jhorgun'taal, "children of two bloods." Blood
is e v e r y t h i n g to the c l a n s , a n d the j h o r g u n ' t a a l are the
p r o o f t h a t orc a n d h u m a n are k i n . T h e y have the s t r o n g
s p i r i t u a l i t y of t h e i r orc f o r e b e a r s and the wisdom of
h u m a n i t y , and as such many of the greatest d r u i d s and
priests are half-ores.
The jhorgun'taal perform important tasks in the
Marches, for while they are not as clever or c h a r m i n g
as t h e i r h u m a n kin, they have the t r u s t of b o t h races.
As a result, the sheriff of a m u c k - m i n i n g town is more
likely to be a half-ore than a member of either of the
pure races. Likewise, when the clans send ambassadors
to negotiate feuds or trading rights, they often send a
jhorgun'taal, even if a more charismatic h u m a n comes
along as an advisor.
While half-ores are a true-breeding race in their
own right, the j h o r g u n ' t a a l are just as likely to mate with
humans or orcs as with their own kind. T h e half-orcs of
the Shadow Marches don't see themselves as a separate
race; rather, they consider themselves to be the bridge
that makes humans and ores one race.
ORCS AS PLAYER CHARACTERS
Perhaps you're a bodyguard from House Tharashk who
has come east to serve the interests of your house, or
perhaps you follow the traditions of the Gatekeepers,
PLANES OF EXISTENCE
WORLDS BEYOND THE WORLD WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
O t h e r realms lie beyond the m u n d a n e world—dominions of fire and ice, Knowledge (history)
of eternal forests and boundless sky, of radiant light and impenetrable DC 20: At two separate times in Eber-
darkness. These realms are different planes of existence: self-contained
worlds beyond the world of Eberron. They have their own physical and ron's history, a plane drawing close
magical laws, their own flow of time, and their own races and cultures. to the world has discharged an army
No one knows the full extent of these planes. Some speculate that each is of invaders. At the end of the Age of
infinite, stretching endlessly through its own space; others declare that Giants, quori came to Eberron from
such worlds are only roughly the size of Eberron itself. In any event, each Dal Quor, the Region of Dreams.
plane is certainly large enough to accommodate years of exploration for T h e fall of the Dhakaani Empire was
anyone prepared to face hostile conditions and dangerous natives. precipitated by a similar invasion of
daelkyr from Xoriat. Both planes are
T h r e e of these planes are always close to the Material Plane, existing now very far from the Material Plane
simultaneously with it in the same physical space: the Ethereal Plane, the as a result of actions taken by the
Plane of Shadow, and the Astral Plane. world's defenders.
The Ethereal Plane is a ghostly otherworld, like a spirit realm per- Knowledge (the planes)
vading the corporeal world and existing immediately beside it. Entering DC 10: Beyond the Material Plane are
the Ethereal Plane is a relatively simple matter for Spellcasters, who find
that they can still see the creatures and objects of the Material Plane from thirteen other planes of existence
the ghostly ether. They can move about u n h i n d e r e d by material objects, where strange creatures live and dif-
enabling them to (in effect) pass through walls and other barriers. ferent rules hold sway.
DC 12: Three "transitive" planes—the
T h e Plane of Shadow is like a dark m i r r o r of the material world. Ethereal, Shadow, and Astral Planes—
All objects (though not creatures) in the Material Plane have a shadowy exist in addition to the thirteen orbit-
analog. Time and distance have little meaning in the shadow realm, and ing planes.
Spellcasters who enter the Plane of Shadow can easily travel great distances DC 15: The thirteen orbiting planes fall
across it, reemerging in the cor responding location on the Material Plane into three oppositional pairs—Daanvi
in a brief time. However, the Plane of Shadow is h a u n t e d by undead and and Kythri (law and chaos), Fernia
other horrors, making it a perilous place. and Risia (fire and ice), and Irian and
Mabar (light and dark)—and seven
T h e Astral Plane is a great silvery void, sometimes described as a sea unpaired planes.- Dal Quor, Dol-
or a starry sky through which travelers, objects, and even other planes float urrh, Lamannia, Shavarath, Syrania,
freely. Travelers move through the Astral Plane at the speed of thought Thelanis, and Xoriat.
(though such movement might simply be an illusion in the mind of the Use this DC for a check to recall the
traveler). T h e Astral Plane is the space behind space—the nonplace that basic characteristics of each plane and
connects all places. It allows Spellcasters to teleport from place to place on the kinds of creatures found there.
the Material Plane, and it serves as a conduit when s u m m o n i n g creatures DC 20: The thirteen orbiting planes
from other planes. sometimes draw so close to the Mate-
rial Plane that they "touch" it and allow
Thirteen other planes float in the Astral Plane. Planar scholars some of their qualities to seep over into
describe them moving through the Astral Plane in complex orbits that bring Eberron. This is called a coterminous
them variously closer to and farther from the Material Plane—sometimes phase. At other times, the planes are
even coming close enough to touch the Material Plane and allow some of remote, and their influence fades on
their essence to cross over into the world. the Material Plane.
DC 25 : The planes have different magi-
Daanvi, the Perfect O r d e r , is a plane where law reigns supreme. Here cal and physical laws. O n some planes,
all things live in h a r m o n y b o r n of order. Its polar opposite is Kythri, the gravity is lighter or stronger, or com-
Churning Chaos, an ever-changing soup of roiling entropy. According pletely absent (Xoriat)—or it shifts
to popular superstition, times of historical stability are linked to the frequently (Kythri). On some, time
proximity of Daanvi, while times of unrest and conflict are associated with flows more or less rapidly, or it doesn't
Kythri's nearness, but no evidence supports these claims. flow at all ( D o l u r r h ) . Some planes
enhance the functioning of certain
Dal Q u o r , the Region of D r e a m s , is the plane where dreams play out. types of spells and impede others,
When mortals dream, they psychically project their minds to Dal Quor. while some throw the rules of magic
Behind the dreams and nightmares that mortals experience lie the cities entirely away (Xoriat again).
of the quori—monsters of nightmare that feed on psychic energy. T h r o u g h
their Inspired hosts, the quori rule the nation of Riedra and pursue their Use this DC for a check to recall the
mysterious aims through the work of the Dreaming Dark. planar traits of a given plane and how
those traits affect travelers.
Dolurrh is the Realm of the Dead. A place of hopelessness and despair,
this is where mortal spirits pass when life has reached its end. According to
the faith of the Sovereign Host, no great reward lies beyond life's bounds,
so life must be lived to its fullest and d r u n k to the dregs. I m m o r t a l i t y is
achieved through heroic deeds that leave a lasting mark on the world of
the living, for the shades that persist in Dolurrh bear little mark of their
former identities.
Fernia, the Sea of Fire, and Risia, the Plain of Ice, are becomes easier in places where its influence is strong—
the homes of powerful elemental forces. Every five years, the including the great city of Sharn.
midsummer is especially hot and the midwinter particularly
cold as these planes draw close to the Material Plane. T h e l a n i s , the Faerie C o u r t , is the mysterious home
of the fey. Tales speak of travelers drawn into its eternal
Irian, the Eternal Day, is awash in the radiance of posi- twilight, emerging after what feels to them like mere days,
tive energy, while its opposite, the Endless Night of Mabar, only to discover that weeks or even months have passed on
is a starless void that devours life and light. the Material Plane. T h e influence of T h e l a n i s is said to be
strong near faerie rings and faerie mounds.
Lamannia, the Twilight Forest, is a realm of u n b o u n d e d
nature. Plants and animals, magical beasts and elementals, Xoriat is the Realm of Madness, home to the daelkyr
and wild outsiders of bestial and elemental aspect run free and the aberrations they spawn. Ten thousand years ago,
in its verdant forests, rolling plains, and soaring moun- Xoriat drew close and the daelkyr invaded Eberron, until
tains. Farmers say that crops grow more quickly d u r i n g the the Gatekeepers finally sealed all connections to their
one week every year when Lamannia draws close. insane realm.
Shavarath, the B a t t l e g r o u n d , is inhabited by races of Some imagine that the Astral Plane is bounded in
celestials and fiends locked in eternal war with each other— its most distant reaches by an e n c i r c l i n g realm of utter
archons, devils, and d e m o n s . Some say that Shavarath drew dark, the end of all things. They call this region the Outer
near to Eberron in the year the Last War started and came Darkness. Some claim that the shining realm of the Sov-
close at least twice more d u r i n g the course of the war, each ereign Host lies somewhere beyond this Outer Darkness,
time presaging an outbreak of particularly bitter violence. and that the O u t e r Darkness is the h o m e - i n - e x i l e of the
Dark Six. No mortal has ever visited this place, let alone
Syrania, the Azure Sky, is the home glittering cities any divine realm beyond it, so its existence is a matter of
floating in endless blue, each ruled by the wisest of angels. pure speculation.
Good's power grows when Syrania draws near, and flying
MANIFEST ZONES in the Demon Wastes and Lake Dark in Karrnath (both
linked to Dolurrh), the City of the Dead in Aerenal (linked
In places, the boundaries between the planes are thin. Certain to Irian), and three manifest zones in the Eldeen Reaches:
locations in Eberron have close affinities or connections to the Greenheart (linked to Lamannia), the Gloaming (linked
other planes, allowing characteristics of those planes to spill to Mabar), and the Twilight Demesne (linked to Thelanis).
over into the world. These areas are called manifest zones, since Several known manifest zones linked to Kythri and Xoriat
in these places the power of the planes is made manifest. exist in the Shadow Marches. Some sages speculate that the
Fist of O n a t a r in the M r o r Holds is a manifest zone tied
Manifest zones appear everywhere in Eberron, and to Fernia, and zones linked to Risia almost certainly exist
zones exist that link to all the planes except Dal Quor. The in the Frostfell. T h e M o u r n l a n d is believed to c o n t a i n at
effects of a manifest zone are sometimes related to the effects least one manifest zone tied to Shavarath, created as a result
of a plane becoming coterminous with the Material Plane, of the events of the Day of Mourning—or perhaps having
but this is not always the case. In fact, the most well-known caused that cataclysm.
manifest zone in the world, the zone linked to Syrania in
which the city of S h a r n is built, has qualities completely Powerful magic can create or suppress manifest zones.
unrelated to the effects of Syrania's coterminous state and T h e powerful wondrous item called an orrery ofthe planes cre-
only tangentially related to the qualities of the plane itself. ates a temporary, localized manifest zone linked to a plane
Manifest zones are, above all, unpredictable. of the user's choosing. It is even capable of creating zones
linked to Dal Q u o r , and using an orrery in this way might
That said, all manifest zones have two properties in create an opportunity for the quori to enter the Material
c o m m o n . First, a manifest zone is considered a part of Plane in physical form once m o r e . A dimensional seal, a kind
both the Material Plane and the plane to which the zone is of minor artifact, negates the effects of a manifest zone in
linked. An outsider is not considered extraplanar while in a limited area. It seems likely that further manifest zones
a manifest zone linked to its home plane, so it is impossible linked to Xoriat remain undiscovered because their effects
to use dismissal or holy word to banish an angel from the city of are suppressed by a h i d d e n dimensional seal.
Sharn, for example.
Characters wise to the ways of the planes can take advan-
Second, it is always easier to pass between the Mate- tage of manifest zones in a variety of ways. Those who spend a
rial Plane and the linked plane in a manifest zone. In most great deal of time in the City of Towers can adopt the Sharn
cases, magic is still r e q u i r e d to move a creature from one skymage prestige class or learn feats such as Improved Flight
plane to the o t h e r (whether that magic is summon monster I or Item, Manifest Flight, and Manifest Leap—abilities that
a plane shift spell). However, a character in a manifest zone reflect their intimate understanding of Sharn's manifest
can always use plane shift to travel to the plane linked to that zone. (These o p t i o n s are described in Sharn: City of Towers.)
manifest zone, even without the proper focus for the spell. Any spellcaster can learn the techniques of the manifest
W h e n a character in a manifest zone uses a planar bindingspell spellshapers (see page 124) to channel planar power into
to call a creature from the plane linked to that manifest their spells. T h e sidebar below describes a few more options
zone, the spell's saving throw DC is increased by 2. for characters who wish to enhance their capabilities through
knowledge of the planes.
Besides the manifest zone in which S h a r n is built,
important manifest zones include the Lair of the Keeper
MANIFEST ZONE FEATS
Battlebred W h e n you t u r n undead, you gain a +2 bonus on your
turning check and your turning damage roll.
Due to traumatic experiences in past battles, the plane of
Shavarath with its endless war seems never far from you. These benefits are cumulative with any effects of a
manifest zone linked to Irian and with the effects of Irian's
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6. coterminous state.
Benefit: When you are subject to an effect that
grants a morale bonus, the d u r a t i o n is extended by 2 Manifest Druid
rounds.
If you have the rage class feature, the duration of your Your years of wandering the Eldeen Reaches have given you
rage is extended by 2 r o u n d s . a familiarity with its three manifest zones and the powers
of the planes they are linked to.
Chosen of the Deathless
Prerequisite: Region of origin Eldeen Reaches, abil-
You were raised in Shae Mordai to serve as a squire to the ity to cast summon nature's ally I.
Undying Court. Though your service has ended, you carry
with you an intimate familiarity with the positive energy Benefit: Whenever you cast a summon nature's ally spell,
that suffuses the City of the Dead. the duration is increased by 1 r o u n d .
Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Aerenal, ability When you cast a spell or use an ability that causes dis-
to turn undead. ease or involves poison, the saving throw DC of the effect
increases by 1.
Benefit: Whenever you cast a conjuration (healing)
spell that heals damage, you cure an additional 1 point of O n c e per day, you can empower any 1st level arcane
damage per level of the spell. spell as you cast it without adjusting the spell's level or cast-
ing time.
RACES OF THE PLANES U n l i k e the g i t h y a n k i d e s c r i b e d i n the Monster Manual,
githyanki in Eberron have no special connection to red
The planes teem with life, in some cases even mirror- dragons.
ing the societies, kingdoms, and conflicts of Eberron's
Material Plane. Many races are native to the planes, or Killoran (RW): Native to the Faerie Court of Thelanis,
can at least trace their ancestry to planar influences. this extraplanar fey race is c o m m o n in the Eldeen Reaches.
T h e s e r a c e s a r e d e s c r i b e d i n Planar Handbook, Races of
Destiny, Races of the Wild, Expanded Psionics Handbook, a n d Magic Mephling (PH): These creatures are similar to the
of Incarnum. W h i l e t h e p l a n a r o r i g i n s of these races are mephits of Lamannia, Fernia, and Risia, but more human-
unique to Eberron's cosmology, most other details remain like and less powerful. They come from the same planes
unchanged from their presentation in other books. (In as m e p h i t s .
the following descriptions, the abbreviation of a book title
after a race's name indicates the source to consult for Neraphim (PH): The slaadlike neraphim hail from
more information.) the plane of Kythri, the C h u r n i n g Chaos.
A a s i m a r ( R D ) : These descendants of h u m a n and Shadowswyft (PH): These planetouched beings are
celestial bloodlines live among human communities. The descended from creatures of the Plane of Shadow.
term "celestial" has a somewhat looser definition in Eber-
ron than it does in settings that have clearly identified celes- Spiker (PH): Thought to be related to the bladelings
tial planes. In E b e r r o n , creatures identified as celestials described in Monster Manual II, spikers likewise hail from
in the D&D rules come from such widely varying planes as the plane of Shavarath, the Battleground.
Fernia (firre eladrins), Irian (lantern archons), Lamannia
(guardinals), Shavarath (most archons), Syrania (angels), Stonechild (RS): Stonechildren are native to the plane
and Thelanis (eladrins). As such, aasimar often have traits of Lamannia, the Twilight Forest. They have been known to
and personalities that differ wildly from each other, based wander onto the Material Plane when Lamannia becomes
on the particulars of their celestial ancestry. coterminous, and appear frequently in the Eldeen Reaches
during such times. Those who remain on the Material Plane
Bariaur (PH) : Bariaurs are centaurlike creatures with for an extended period suffer bouts of depression during
the horns and lower bodies of rams. They are native to the the Twilight Forest's remote phase.
plane of Lamannia, the Twilight Forest.
Tiefling (RD): Like aasimar, tieflings live among
Buomman (PH): These extraplanar humanoids are human and other communities around the world. Descended
sometimes called "moaning monks." They dwell on the from fiendish stock, they are particularly common in the city
Astral Plane. of Graywall (in Droaam) and Q'barra. Fiends in Eberron
come from at least six different planes (Dolurrh, Fernia,
D u s k l i n g ( M I ) : T h e s e wild and feral fey have a n a t u - Lamannia, Mabar, Risia, and Shavarath), so tieflings—like
ral affinity for the magic of totems, channeling the soul aasimar—display a wide range of appearance and character
energy of magical beasts into totemic objects laden with traits d e p e n d i n g in p a r t on t h e i r fiendish heritage.
magical power. They hail from the plane of Thelanis, the
Faerie Court. Wildren (PH): These bestial, badgerlike outsiders are
native to the plane of Lamannia, the Twilight Forest.
Githyanki and Githzerai ( E P H ) : Mind flayers from
Xoriat created the githyanki and githzerai to serve as their
slaves some n i n e t h o u s a n d years ago. Some say the m i n d
flayers created each race fully formed, while others con-
tend that the illithids twisted humans or hobgoblins into
the gith. The mind flayers bred the githyanki to be slave
laborers and expendable soldiers, while the githzerai were
destined to be personal servants and scribes for the mind
flayers and their daelkyr overlords.
When the Gatekeepers severed the connection to
Xoriat, the githyanki and githzerai took the opportunity
to t u r n on their m i n d flayer masters, escaping their slavery
en masse. T h e two gith races were part of different slave
castes, however, and came into conflict once they had won
their freedom. The githyanki retreated to the Astral Plane,
lured by its timeless qualities, while the githzerai went to
Kythri to get as far away from the m i n d flayers as possible.
A few githyanki and githzerai stayed on the Material Plane,
though, forming small communities in widely scattered
locations across Eberron.
The githyanki and githzerai are bitter rivals who aren't
above raiding each other's communities, but they remain
united in their hatred of the mind flayers and anything else
that hails from Xoriat. Even rival gith communities some-
times band together to enter Khyber and ensure that the
magic seals imprisoning powerful remnants of the Xoriat
interlopers remain strong. Other gith communities unite
simply to kill as many m i n d flayers as they can.
MANIFEST SPELLSHAPER WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
"Let's see . . . Fernia is in the ninth realm, so if I want fire, I simply have to do . . . THIS!" Knowledge (arcana)
—Shevia ir'Gallian, manifest spellshaper DC 15: The positions of the planes rela-
The planes of Eberron whirl in endless motion through the Astral Plane, tive to each other can have an impact
drawing near and moving far from the Material Plane and sending their on the power of spells cast on the
influence like tides upon the world. To one who understands the motions Material Plane.
of the planes, near and far mean nothing—if you know exactly where to DC 20: Before the Last War, a group of
reach, you can tap into the power of the planes wherever they are in their Spellcasters left the Arcane Congress,
cyclical wanderings. Once you have learned this technique, you are on the taking some tremendous secret with
path to becoming a manifest spellshaper. them. Agents of the Arcane Congress
still hunt those who have kept those
Manifest spellshapers are primarily arcane Spellcasters, but also secrets all this time.
include divine casters and psionic manifesters among their numbers. DC 2 5 : It is possible, if a spellcaster
Their secrets are not encapsulated in a prestige class, but rather in a knows the locations of the planes
collection of feats from which their members can choose (described relative to each other, to manipulate
u n d e r "Manifest Spellshaper Benefits," below). By this means, manifest spells accordingly, increasing the
spellshapers continue their advancement in their chosen spellcasting class power of certain types of magic.
while applying the secrets of the order to the basic spells and techniques DC 30: It is said that a wizard n a m e d
they learn. Jefan ir'Gannik discovered the tech-
niques of m a n i p u l a t i n g spells in
JOINING THE MANIFEST SPELLSHAPERS accordance with planar positions to
enhance their effects. Before the Last
T h e hardest step in b e c o m i n g a manifest spellshaper is finding a m e n t o r War, he fled the towers of Arcanix
to train you in the secrets of the discipline. While Spellcasters are rarely with his knowledge, and the agents
prone to w h i s p e r i n g about t h e i r "secrets," few cling to their spellcasting of the Arcane Congress have hunted
techniques quite as tightly as manifest spellshapers do. Since the practi- him and his disciples ever since.
tioners of these techniques have been hunted by the Arcane Congress for This technique, called manifest spell-
over a century, they are skilled at r e m a i n i n g hidden and slow to trust any shaping, allows a caster to spontane-
who do manage to find them. ously enhance her spells as if through
metamagic, and possibly create more
New students come to the attention of existing manifest spellshapers u n u s u a l effects as well.
by d a b b l i n g in the magic of the p l a n e s i n d e p e n d e n t l y . You m i g h t have
l e a r n e d feats (from Planar Handbook) such as E l e m e n t a l S p e l l c a s t i n g or Knowledge (the planes)
Celestial Summoning Specialist through your own ingenuity. Alterna- DC 10: The movements of the planes,
tively, perhaps you stumbled across a lost j o u r n a l of one of the original
disciples of Jefan i r ' G a n n i k . In any case, you have begun to taste the and whether a given plane is close to
kind of power that the existing manifest spellshapers want desperately or distant from the Material Plane,
to keep within their own ranks and out of the hands of the Arcane can alter the effects of spells cast on
Congress. For that reason, a manifest spellshaper sought you out and the Material Plane.
offered to teach you d e e p e r secrets in exchange for your s o l e m n vow DC 20: It is possible, if a spellcaster
of secrecy. Not content with a mere verbal promise, the existing dis- knows the locations of the planes
ciples r e q u i r e that prospective s t u d e n t s s u b m i t to a mark ofjustice spell relative to each other, to manipulate
that activates if they reveal the secrets to anyone who has not sworn a spells accordingly, increasing the
s i m i l a r vow. T h e mark of justice-takes the form of a small tattoo on the left power of certain types of magic.
shoulder blade. DC 30: Before the Last War, Jefan
ir'Gannik split with the Arcane Con-
Entry Requirements: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft gress, fleeing the towers of Arcanix
4 ranks. with the secrets of what he called
manifest spellshaping—the tech-
Once your new m e n t o r is convinced of your sincerity and trustwor- niques of tapping into the Outer
thiness, you begin to learn the techniques of manifest spellshaping. You Planes to channel their power into
work individually with your mentor, and you might never meet another spellcasting. He and his disciples
manifest spellshaper unless you decide to take on a student of your own. were hunted like criminals, but their
Your mentor allows you to pursue your own interests and discover the descendants remain at large.
planar secrets that are most in keeping with your own affinities. You can
learn planar secrets that your mentor does not know; the mentor simply DC 35: Legend says that the h u m a n
shows you the door, rather than leading you through it. Jefan i r ' G a n n i k is still alive, p r e -
served by some mastery of the flow
MANIFEST SPELLSHAPER BENEFITS of time —and still h u n t e d by the
Arcane Congress.
T h e most i m p o r t a n t benefit the manifest spellshapers have to offer you is
knowledge—both general knowledge of planar lore and the very specific
planar secrets taught by Jefan i r ' G a n n i k to his first disciples.
I n f o r m a t i o n : T h e knowledge of the manifest spellshapers is per-
sonified in your mentor. Because the disciples of Jefan i r ' G a n n i k are
less an organization t h a n a conspiracy of fugitives, there is n o t h i n g like a
central library where you can study the collected lore of an order or any-
thing of the sort. You might gain permission to study your own mentor's
personal collection of p l a n a r lore, which can grant you a as one-half the maximum possible result. For example, a
+2 circumstance bonus on a Knowledge (the planes) check. 9th-level wizard who casts fireball normally deals 9d6 points
Otherwise, you must provide for your own needs, seeking of damage; choosing to use this ability means the fireball
lost collections of arcane knowledge and mystical artifacts deals 27 points of damage (half of 54, which is the maximum
to expand your knowledge. result of 9d6). T h e spell can still be affected by Empower
T h e p l a n a r secrets of the spellshapers are the most Spell and other such feats and effects that require it to have
important knowledge they possess and the most closely a variable, numeric effect (using the previous example,
g u a r d e d . T h e s e secrets are e m b o d i e d in the following empowering the fireball would cause it to deal 150% of 27
thirteen feats. points of damage, or 40 points of damage, as if the result
Mastery of the Azure Sky of the variable, numeric effect were 27).
You have learned to calculate the precise location of Syrania Mastery of Day and Night
at any given time, and to use that knowledge to e n h a n c e You have l e a r n e d to calculate the precise l o c a t i o n s
spells you cast to grant flight. of Irian and Mabar at any given time, and to use that
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell- knowledge to enhance your manipulation of positive and
craft 6 ranks, Extend Spell. negative energy,
Benefit: Any time you cast a spell that grants its target Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell-
a fly speed or improves its fly speed (without a l t e r i n g its craft 6 ranks, Maximize Spell.
form), you can spontaneously apply the effect of the Extend Benefit: You can spontaneously apply the effect of
Spell metamagic feat to that spell. D o i n g this has n o effect the Maximize Spell metamagic feat to any cure or inflict spell
on the spell's level or casting time. you cast. Doing this has no effect on the spell's level or
Examples of such spells from the Player's Handbook casting t i m e .
include fly, overlandflight, a n d haste (if cast on a c r e a t u r e with Mastery of the Dead
a fly speed). It does not apply to spells that g r a n t a fly speed
by altering the creature's form, such as gaseousform, polymorph, You have learned to calculate the precise location of Dol-
and wind walk, n o r would it work on air walk, etherealjaunt, levitate, u r r h at any given time, and to use that knowledge to capture
or reversegravity (since these spells, while they allow movement the souls of creatures slain with your death spells.
through the air, do not grant a fly speed). Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spell-
Mastery of the Battleground craft 12 ranks, Spell Focus (necromancy).
Benefit; Whenever you slay a creature with a spell
You have learned to calculate the precise location of Sha- that has the death descriptor, you can attempt a caster
varath at any given t i m e , a n d to use that knowledge to level check ( D C 10 + slain c r e a t u r e ' s H D ) as a free a c t i o n
enhance spells of battle that you cast. to transform the slain creature's spirit into a ghost under
P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell- your c o n t r o l . (See the ghost template in the Monster Manual
craft 6 ranks, Extend Spell. for details.)
Benefit; Any time you cast a spell that creates, If the check succeeds, the ghost appears in the slain
e n h a n c e s , or m i m i c s a weapon (such as flame blade, keen creature's space at the b e g i n n i n g of your next t u r n and acts
edge, or Mordenkainen's sword) or excites h o s t i l e e m o t i o n s immediately. It follows your spoken c o m m a n d s (even if you
(such as rage, heroism, or antipathy), you can s p o n t a n e o u s l y don't share a language), even attacking its former allies if
apply the effect of the E x t e n d Spell m e t a m a g i c feat to you so choose. It r e m a i n s present for a n u m b e r of r o u n d s
that spell. D o i n g this has no effect on the spell's level equal to your caster level (or until you are slain, whichever
or casting time. comes first). W h i l e the ghost is present, the corpse can't be
Mastery of Chaos and O r d e r r e t u r n e d to life by any means.
You can't have more than one ghost present simul-
You have learned to calculate the precise locations of Daanvi taneously with this feat. If you create a second ghost while
and Kythri at any given time, and to use that knowledge your first ghost is still p r e s e n t , you can choose which
to imbue your spells with unusual regularity or striking one remains (the other disappears, its soul freed from
unpredictability—or both. your control).
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell- Mastery of Dreams
craft 6 ranks.
B e n e f i t : W h e n you cast a spell, you can c h o o s e to By psychically exploring the realm of Dal Q u o r , you have
apply one or b o t h of the following effects to the spell. learned to instill your spells with the stuff of dreams . . .
The decision to add the effect(s) must be made during and nightmares,
casting. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Spell-
By c h a n n e l i n g the c h u r n i n g chaos of K y t h r i , you craft or Psicraft 9 r a n k s ,
can add ld6—3 to the spell's save D C . Unlike with damage B e n e f i t : Add +1 to the save D C of any illusion spell or
rolls, the m i n i m u m result is not 1; for example, if you roll spell with the fear descriptor that you cast.
a 2 on the 1d6, the D C is reduced by 1. T h i s choice is made Mastery of Faerie Enchantment
at the time of casting, and has no effect on a spell that does
not allow a save. T h e adjusted save DC is the same for all You have learned to calculate the precise location of Thela-
c r e a t u r e s that must save against the spell (you d o n ' t roll nis at any given time, and to use that knowledge to improve
separately for each affected creature). your ability to control the minds of other creatures.
By focusing the perfect o r d e r of D a a n v i , you can Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell-
choose to set the result of any spell's variable, numeric effect craft 6 ranks, Extend Spell.
Benefit: You can spontaneously apply the effect of Mastery of the Silver Void
the Extend Spell metamagic feat to any enchantment spell You have gained a deeper understanding of the Astral Plane
you cast. D o i n g this has no effect on the spell's level or and its relationship to the other planes of the cosmos. You
casting time. can use that knowledge to more quickly access that plane.
Mastery of Ice and Fire Prerequisite; Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spell-
craft 12 ranks, Q u i c k e n Spell.
You have learned to calculate the precise locations of Fernia Benefit: Three times per day, you can spontaneously
and Risia at any given time, and to use that knowledge to apply the Q u i c k e n Spell metamagic feat to any conjuration
e n h a n c e cold and fire spells that you cast. (teleportation) spell you cast. Doing this has no effect on
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell- the spell's level and can be done even by spontaneous Spell-
craft 4 ranks, Enlarge Spell. casters; however, it reduces your caster level for the spell by
Benefit: You can spontaneously apply the effect of the 9 (which likely reduces the n u m b e r of other creatures you
Enlarge Spell metamagic feat to any spell you cast that has can affect with the spell).
the cold descriptor or the fire descriptor. Doing this has no Mastery of Twilight Denizens
effect on the spell's level or casting time.
Mastery of Madness You have learned to calculate the precise location of Laman-
nia at any given time, and to use that knowledge to summon
You have learned to reach magically to the ever-distant more powerful creatures from that plane.
plane of Xoriat and draw some element of its madness into Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell-
the world—but these techniques come with some risk. craft 4 ranks, Extend Spell.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell- Benefit: When you cast a spell that summons one or
craft 9 ranks, Iron Will. more creatures noted as an i n h a b i t a n t of L a m a n n i a (see
Benefit: Whenever you s u m m o n a celestial or fiendish page 97 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting), you can s p o n t a n e -
creature with a spell, spell-like ability, or magic item, you ously apply the effect of the Extend Spell metamagic feat
can choose instead to summon a pseudonatural version of to that spell. Doing this has no effect on the spell's level
that c r e a t u r e (see the p s e u d o n a t u r a l t e m p l a t e in Complete or casting t i m e .
Arcane, reproduced in abbreviated form below). W h e n you Mastery of Twisted Shadow
use this ability, you must succeed on a caster level check (DC
15 + spell level) to avoid o p e n i n g a small t e m p o r a r y rift to You gain the ability to reach into the Plane of Shadow when
Xoriat, which affects the spell as if it were cast on a plane casting an illusion, concealing yourself in the raw shadow-
with the wild magic trait (roll d% on the table on page 150 stuff drawn forth.
in the Dungeon Master's Guide to d e t e r m i n e the effect). Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spell-
Pseudonatural Creature: Change type to outsider. craft 4 ranks.
SA true strike 1/day, S Q alternate form, damage reduc- Benefit: Whenever you cast an illusion spell, you can
tion, resistance to acid and electricity, spell resistance; Int choose as a free action to grant yourself concealment for 1
minimum 3. round per level of the spell. Multiple uses of this feat don't
Alternate Form (Su): Take form of g r o t e s q u e tentacled stack; only the longest d u r a t i o n applies.
mass as s t a n d a r d action; statistics r e m a i n as n o r m a l but PLAYING A MANIFEST SPELLSHAPER
attacks take —1 morale penalty.
Damage Reduction (Su): DR 5/magic ( H D 4-11) or DR You e x p l o r e a r c a n e mysteries that most people rarely
10/magic(HD 12+). consider. If ordinary people think about the planes at all,
Resistance to Acid and Electricity (Ex): Resistance 5 ( H D 1—7), it's only to u t t e r a colorful curse ("Sea of F i r e ! ") or to
10 ( H D 8-11), or 15 (HD 12+). blame the weather on a coterminous plane that might not
Spell Resistance (Ex): SR 10 + H D ( m a x i m u m 25). have anything at all to do with it. You, on the other hand,
Mastery of the Mists understand the courses of the planes h u r t l i n g through the
astral void, you comprehend the subtle influences each
By l e a r n i n g of the intricate relationship between the E t h e - plane has on the Material Plane as it follows its o r d a i n e d
real Plane and the Material Plane, you gain the ability to path, and you hope to learn how to channel that influence
see and sometimes reach through the barrier between these into your own spells. You mutter, sometimes incompre-
two planes. hensibly, about things far beyond most people's limited
Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spell- experience, and you feel a certain amount of triumphant
craft 12 ranks. glee when you successfully draw planar energy into your
Benefit: As a move action, you can see ethereal own magic. You are unlocking the secrets of the universe!
creatures and objects as if you were u n d e r the effect of a see You are prying into mysteries hidden from the mundane
invisibility spell for 1 r o u n d . ( T h i s ability doesn't let you see mind! In time, the ultimate knowledge of the cosmos will
other invisible creatures or objects.) be yours!
When you cast a spell on the Material Plane, you can Combat: How you function in combat depends in large
attempt a caster level check (DC 15 + spell level) to target part on two factors: your character class, and which p l a n a r
an ethereal creature or object you can see as if it weren't secrets you learn as you advance. Fundamentally, your role
ethereal. Spells without a target entry (such as fireball) can't in the party r e m a i n s u n c h a n g e d by your new insights into
benefit from this ability. No more than one ethereal crea- planar movements. For the most part, you choose planar
ture or object can be targeted with a spell in this manner, secrets that enhance abilities you already possess, so that in
and you can't target ethereal and material creatures or combat you do just what you have always done—only better.
objects with the same spell when using this ability. If you are a wizard, you c o n t i n u e to blast foes with fireball
spells—only larger ones, once you learn the Mastery of Ice Whatever the cause, Jefan's
and Fire. If you are a cleric, you cast better healing spells break with the Arcane
with the Mastery of Day and Night. Congress was complete
and irrevocable. Over
Advancement: As discussed above, your choice of the next two decades,
planar secrets depends on the types of spells you most often as the disciples of Jefan
to cast. Choose secrets that improve your existing strengths
rather than secrets you rarely use. scattered across Khor-
vaire, the agents of the
M i s s i o n s : I n essence, the m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r is
a scholar, prying into the secrets of the cosmos. Most Arcane Congress hunted
manifest spellshapers spend the majority of their time down every one, killing or
poring through ancient texts and searching for lost imprisoning them all. Jefan
tomes of p l a n a r lore. T h e life of such a scholar is rarely i r ' G a n n i k was never caught.
a quiet o n e , however. W h a t secrets can be discovered by If he is still alive, he is a very
exploring the planar seals established by the Gatekeepers? ancient h u m a n , for he was
What r e m n a n t s of the quori invasion can still be found already old when he left the
in X e n ' d r i k ? W h a t m i g h t be l e a r n e d about T h e l a n i s by
e x p l o r i n g the p a r t of t h e E l d e e n Reaches k n o w n as the Floating Towers. Yet legends
Twilight D e m e s n e ? W h e r e in F e r n i a is the fabled City of told among the remaining
Brass? Manifest spellshapers must ask these kinds of ques- manifest spellshapers—all
tions to pursue their lore, and these questions do not lead
to a life of quiet study locked in some h i d d e n tower away of w h o m are students of the
from any d a n g e r or excitement. C o m b i n e d with the fact original cabal members, or
that the Arcane Congress considers manifest spellshapers of their students—claim that
to be thieves a n d fugitives, few of t h e m live peacefully in he remains alive, thanks to
one place for long.
some deep mastery of the The secrets of the
MANIFEST SPELLSHAPERS secrets of Thelanis.
IN THE WORLD manifest spellshapers
Organization: The
"Most people aren't willing to stand against the resources of the Arcane manifest spellshapers are are coveted by many and
Congress for over a century to protect a secret. Whatever the disciples an unusual organization
of Jefan ir'Gannik have, it must really be something—or else why would in that they are defined acquired by few
they bother?" not so m u c h by their
unity as an organization
—Baron Elar d'Thuranni, House Thuranni as by t h e i r exclusion f r o m
another organization.
The manifest spellshapers are not just another organiza-
tion for player characters to join. They are a gateway to the The first manifest
mysterious cosmos of planes s u r r o u n d i n g E b e r r o n , a way spellshapers departed
to make the planes an i m p o r t a n t factor in your campaign, the Arcane Congress
and a teeming hive of adventure hooks cloaked in secrecy, before the start of the
rooted in betrayal, and rife with intrigue. Last War, and the lead-
ers of the Congress still
Notables: T h e first manifest spellshaper was Jefan h u n t m a n i f e s t spellshapers as if
i r ' G a n n i k , a respected m e m b e r of the Arcane Congress they were thieves in the marketplace.
whose explorations of the planes and their movements
e a r n e d h i m a well-deserved r e p u t a t i o n as one of the C o n - T h e spellshapers who have so far eluded the A r c a n e
gress's top scholars in the years before the Last War. How- Congress perpetuate their traditions and pass on their
ever, as Jefan l e a r n e d f u r t h e r p l a n a r secrets, he decided that secrets by taking on individual students. With the excep-
what he had learned was too i m p o r t a n t or too dangerous to tion of their own mentors and any students they might take
remain within the Arcane Congress. Taking his disciples on late in their careers, the later generations of manifest
with him, he fled the Floating Towers. T h e r e m a i n i n g spellshapers have never met a n o t h e r m e m b e r of their order.
spellshapers tell various stories about the exact reasons for The risks of gathering in groups are simply too great.
his d e p a r t u r e . S o m e say that he l e a r n e d of a plot o n his life.
Others claim that he uncovered a plot to assassinate King NPC Reactions
J a r o t and p l u n g e the world i n t o war, a n d a few whisper that
his psychic explorations of Dal Q u o r left h i m utterly mad. Since the existence of m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s is a secret,
N P C s react to t h e m exactly as they would o t h e r Spellcasters.
T h e only exception are those few m e m b e r s of the A r c a n e
Congress who are aware of the history of the spellshapers,
who u n i f o r m l y r e s p o n d to the discovery of a practicing
spellshaper with a hostile reaction.
Q'BARRA
THE FRONTIER WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Seventy years ago, groups of disparate settlers from across Khorvaire Knowledge (geography)
gathered to form an immense flotilla of ships. They traveled along the DC 10: Long a wild area ofjungle, Q'barra
continent's east coast, searching for an appropriate spot to settle. They
were sick of war, of greed and ambition—and of the Five Nations as a whole. is now home to refugees from K h o r -
They sought to create a land that revived the spirit of old Galifar, where vaire and those who seek to reclaim
they could live in peace. This land became Q'barra. the ideals of old Galifar.
DC 15: Two civilized areas exist within
Q ' b a r r a is a young n a t i o n still in its b i r t h t h r o e s . Wilderness and Q'barra. New Galifar, with its capital
hostile forces s u r r o u n d its few cities and towns. Nevertheless, it draws of Newthrone and sizable trading
refugees who seek to escape their pasts, migrants hoping to grasp Gal- town of Adderport, is home to the
ifar's lost greatness, and adventurers hoping to liberate the deep jungle nation's original settlers. It attempts
of its secrets. to revitalize old Galifar's glory. Hope,
which contains small, beleaguered
T h e young nation is not without power players. Q ' b a r r a was founded towns and villages, is home to refu-
upon the ideals of old Galifar, and the Finders of the Lost organization gees who fled to Q'barra to avoid legal
takes that concept to an active extreme. T h e Finders are composed of recriminations or similarly unpleasant
humans and other common races, and they believe that a great part situations in their homelands. They
of Galifar's glory came from the works of art, architecture, and magic it don't care about Galifar. Q'barra's
created. They form small, versatile bands that range out into Khorvaire, only valuable natural resources are
searching for remnants of the old kingdom—coins, jewelry, artistry, magic Eberron dragonshards.
items, books, and the like—that they return to their museum in New DC 20: Lizardfolk have a strong pres-
Galifar. Newthrone supports the organization's mission and officially ence in Q'barra. Three primary
sanctions its o p e r a t i o n s . T h e g r o u p embraces racial unity, seeing it as groups of lizardfolk exist. The black-
one of Galifar's t r i u m p h s , and it welcomes a varied m e m b e r s h i p . A few scale lizardfolk are large and hostile.
lizardfolk seeking to experience life beyond the jungles have even been They guard ruins of holy significance
accepted into the organization's ranks. to their kind. The poison dusk pygmy
lizardfolk are stealthy and vicious.
Political i n t r i g u e is rife in Q ' b a r r a . K i n g Sebastes ir'Kesslan claims They see the i m m i g r a n t s as defil-
rulership from Newthrone, but his reign is unstable. Lhazaarites, refu- ers. The Cold Sun lizardfolk are a
gees from Hope, the Inspired, and various dragonmarked houses all have confederation of tribes in the n o r t h
designs on Q'barra. Sebastes's sister and first minister Alzia ir'Kesslan and east. Most are fearful and sus-
(female h u m a n rogue 4/ranger 3) is tasked with uncovering plots and picious of settlers, but the Twilight
identifying threats. She needs all the help she can get. Walker tribe is willing to work toward
a peaceful coexistence.
Outside the new cities, Q'barra's interior conceals mysteries. It is one
of the only lands that contains intact r u i n s from the Age of Demons. T h e Knowledge (local)
largest and most important of these are Haka'torvhak and Ka'rhashan, but DC 10: In New Galifar, laws are typical
others lie scattered t h r o u g h o u t the jungles and swamps, such as Mar'saval
of those in the Five Nations; in Hope,
laws are virtually nonexistent and
change from place to place.
DC 15: Thousands of lizardfolk live in
Q'barra's wild places.
DC 20: Most of the lizardfolk are neu-
tral toward Q'barra's new settlers,
wanting the newcomers to leave them
and their sacred places in peace. Some
lizardfolk trade with the Q'barrans,
while others seek to destroy them.
Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
DC 10: King Sebastes ir'Kesslan rules
New Galifar from Newthrone. Hope
has no single leader.
DC 15: House Tharashk works with
the Q'barrans to gain a stake in the
dragonshard trade. Houses Jorasco
and Ghallandra have good relation-
ships with Q'barra.
in the n o r t h e r n Basura Swamp. This great temple of brass and armor. They speak of distant, intriguing lands and mys-
and granite once towered above the landscape, until at terious dragons. They believe that the lizardfolk's relics and
the end of a great battle it crumbled. T h e g r o u n d t u r n e d jungle lore hold value. Some lizardfolk look to the Q'barrans
sodden as the sea saturated it, but though the temple sank, and want to know more about the world.
powerful e n c h a n t m e n t s kept the water and muck from fill-
ing it. Its minarets still poke above the waterline in places, Lizardfolk outside Q'barra are rare. They are usually
and the lizardfolk leave offerings here for their draconic explorers, desiring to see new sights, seeking the history of
gods. Only one entrance to Mar'saval exists above ground: their forebears in the Talenta Plains, or possessing any of
a tower top with a small balcony. The lizardfolk revere the the other motivations that inspire adventurers. The settlers'
site but never enter it. They claim that one of their tribes, arrival provided a jolt to the stagnating lizardfolk culture,
the Fallen Bones lizardfolk, took up residence in it decades and the lizardfolk have remembered that there is a wide,
ago and have since devolved into decrepitude. The other interesting world beyond their swamps.
lizardfolk believe they worship a power that still dwells in
the temple. Several subraces of lizardfolk exist within Q'barra,
and all have the potential to be adventurers. The common
Nightbit, a small town in Hope, houses secrets of its lizardfolk of the Cold Sun Tribes are the most likely to take
own. T h e town stands at the base of the Endworld Moun- up adventuring careers, since they are the most numerous
tains between Whitecliff and Wyrmwatch, s u r r o u n d e d by and are typically neutral or friendly toward the Q'barrans.
forbidding cliffs and teeming jungle. Despite its remote The poison dusk and blackscale lizardfolk are less likely to
location, only small, weak monsters and raiding bands adventure, because of their hostility toward the settlers and
have ever attacked Nightbit. The town's government and their dedication to Rhashaak, the fiendish black dragon
religious leader, Salmus Hake (NE male changeling rogue guardian of Haka'torvhak. Renegades among their number
3/cleric 4 Dragon Below), tells of how he discovered tun- do exist, however, and the settlers' arrival has nudged them
nels in the nearby mountains that lead to the ruins of an into new lives as it has their kinfolk.
ancient dwarf kingdom. Nightbit's citizens do not allow
visitors to view these ruins, and the wilderness discourages Lizardfolk possess different customs and spiritual and
most explorers anyway. According to stories, Salmus found martial traditions than the common races. Playing a lizard-
an old altar within the r u i n s , cleaned it off, and restored it. folk offers a good opportunity to try out an exotic class, such
Now, many claim that his people's worship of the entity to as a spirit s h a m a n (from Complete Divine) or d r u i d i c avenger
which the altar is dedicated keeps their town safe. (from Unearthed Arcana).
PLAYING A The different lizardfolk subraces have different Hit
Dice and racial traits. Consult the following table for the
LlZARDFOLK P C favored class, racial Hit Dice, level adjustment, and starting
effective character level (ECL) of each subrace. Savage Species
Lizardfolk have lived in Q'barra's jungles for millennia, ever offers suggestions for playing any monster race as a player
since the Empire of Dhakaan forced them from the Talenta character from 1st level.
Plains. With newcomers in their land, the lizardfolk must
adapt or wage war. Most choose the former route, and some Favored Racial Level Starting
tribes have opened dialogue and trade with the Q'barrans. HD Adj. ECL
The majority of lizardfolk are mired in tradition and hold Subrace Class 2d8 3
to their old lands and ways, but some look at the settlers and +1
see new opportunities. T h e newcomers have superior arms Cold Sun Druid 4d8 7
— +3 1
(common lizardfolk) +1
Blackscale1 Barbarian
Poison dusk1 Ranger
1 See Monster Manual III.
JUNGLE JUICE
Q'barra's jungles and swamps support unique varieties of against disease. Chewing on a leaf grants you a +5 alchemi-
plant life for which alchemists, herbalists, and others have cal bonus on Fortitude saving throws against natural dis-
discovered p a r t i c u l a r uses. T h e following items are a few of eases. Each leaf is tough enough to be chewed for 1 h o u r .
those that can be made from Q'barra's resources. Preparing a lodret leaf requires a DC 25 Craft (alchemy)
check. You must be a spellcaster to prepare a lodret leaf.
Grayflower Perfume: The grayflower's scent is faint,
but it possesses the peculiar trait of masking o t h e r scents. Spotted Toadstool Venom: The poison dusk lizard-
Wearing grayflower perfume disguises your scent; creatures folk brew a poison from the caps of the spotted toadstool,
with the scent ability have a difficult time tracking you or a violet fungus with sickly white splotches. Injury, For-
otherwise discerning your presence (+5 to the appropriate t i t u d e D C 16, i n i t i a l d a m a g e 1d6 Str, s e c o n d a r y damage
DCs). One vial contains enough perfume to function for 2
hours. Creating a vial of grayflower perfume requires a DC 1 d.6 Con.
25 Craft (alchemy) check. You must be a spellcaster to craft
grayflower perfume. Item Cost Weight
Grayflower perfume (vial) 100 gp —
Lodret Leaf: When treated with an alchemical mix- Lodret leaf 75 gp —
ture, the leaves of the lodret plant provide a potent defense Spotted toadstool venom 350 gp —
RIEDRA
THE LAND ACROSS THE SEA WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Folk of Khorvaire know little about Riedra. T h e overlords of the land Knowledge (geography)
closed the borders of their kingdom long ago, and foreigners are not DC 10: Riedra is the largest nation on
welcome in this r e a l m . Riedra is a nation that encompasses the better
part of the continent, ranging from mountain peaks to deep canyons the continent of Sarlona, a sprawling
and harsh deserts. Most people have only what they need to survive. The realm that has all types of terrain.
continent's rulers—the Inspired—provide the basic necessities for life and DC 15: The Riedrans are xenophobes
livelihood, but do not endorse ideas of luxury or leisure. Life in Riedra who avoid contact with the out-
is one of constant toil. side world. Riedra has recently sent
ambassadors to Khorvaire, but for-
T h a t said, most R i e d r a n s are content with their lot. In the eyes of eigners are still unwelcome there.
a R i e d r a n , the people of K h o r v a i r e are soft and c o r r u p t . K h o r v a i r e is a DC 20: T h e rulers of Riedra are the
n i g h t m a r e of instability and destruction, as proved by the Last War and Inspired—treated as living gods and
the Day of M o u r n i n g . T h e people of Khorvaire lack direction, still ruled said to be guided by divine powers.
as they are by fallible mortal kings as opposed to the divine guidance of the
Inspired. Riedrans are proud of their culture, and they treat foreigners Knowledge (history)
with a combination of pity and disdain. DC 25: Many kingdoms and empires
T h e humanoid population of Sarlona is overwhelmingly h u m a n . once covered Sarlona, often warring
Gnomes, elves, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and goblinoids are all but unknown with each other. Fifteen hundred years
in Riedra. As a result, Riedrans view these races with even more suspicion ago, the Inspired unified them.
than human foreigners—an elf is not only a potentially dangerous intruder,
but also something less than human. The Inspired have devoted consid- Knowledge (local)
erable effort to hunting down and destroying the monsters and magical DC 20: The Inspired of Riedra enforce
beasts of their land, and Riedrans see the presence of such creatures in
Khorvaire as yet a n o t h e r sign of that continent's perils. strict laws with harsh penalties. Free-
dom is limited, but crime is r a r e .
Riedrans can be classified into three social orders. The common DC 25: Most religions are outlawed in
folk are laborers and soldiers. Compared to the people of Khorvaire, the Riedra. Laws are enforced by a secret
Riedrans value cooperation over independence, and as a result, a Riedran police force called the Thousand Eyes.
is likely to specialize in a specific task instead of acquiring several skills.
Social skills are also uncommon among the peasantry, who do not expect Knowledge (the planes)
to ever see the great courts. Members of the middle classes of Riedra are DC 15: The quori are the natives of Dal
known as the Chosen, or empty vessels. At the top of the pyramid are the
Inspired, who serve as governors, generals, ambassadors, and princes. The Quor, the Region of Dreams. Quori
Riedrans believe that the Inspired possess divine wisdom and supernatural spirits cannot manifest physically on
power. T h e Inspired brought peace after long ages of war, and the Riedrans the Material Plane.
see them as the wall that stands between Riedra and chaos. DC 20: Quori spirits typically possess
mental powers relating to a specific
The common folk of Khorvaire rarely encounter Riedrans, but recent emotion, such as fear or rage. They
decades have brought an increase in economic and political traffic between can interfere with the dreams of mor-
the c o n t i n e n t s . Riedra p r i m a r i l y exports textiles and spices, but it is also tals, creating horrible nightmares.
said to be the source of a variety of less savory substances, including the DC 25: The Inspired have a strong tie to
addictive narcotic known as dreamlily. Dal Quor. Some believe that they deal
regularly with Quori spirits—or even
QUORI AMD THE INSPIRED allow these spirits to possess their
bodies in exchange for power.
O n both Riedra and Khorvaire alike, the average person knows little of DC 25: While quori spirits cannot
Dal Quor and its inhabitants. Mortal souls are said to drift into the Region physically manifest on Eberron, they
of D r e a m s as they sleep, and many know that monsters in this realm can can possess willing humans.
cause nightmares. But these creatures have little impact on the daily life DC 30: The "divine spirits" guiding the
of the average citizen, and are known mainly through childhood stories Inspired might actually be quori.
and folk tales.
Knowledge (psionics)
Anyone born in Sarlona knows of the Inspired, and people who DC 10: T h e continent of Sarlona is the
have interacted with Riedran ambassadors recall these handsome nobles.
Any Riedran can explain how the Inspired are selected from among the center of psionic knowledge. The
Chosen—touched by the divine force of the nation and empowered to guide races native to Sarlona are naturally
and protect its people. To the casual eye, the Chosen (like the Inspired) psionic.
appear to be human, but closer inspection reveals that these vessels are a DC 20: Sarlonans use little magic in
distinct subrace, with a hint of both elf traits and the unnatural beauty everyday life, but psionics accom-
of the kalashtar. T h e Inspired are remarkably charismatic, and most find plishes many of the same tasks that
their company quite pleasant. Nothing about them suggests any connec- magic performs in Khorvaire.
tion to the alien horrors of Dal Quor.
WORSHIPING THE INSPIRED To the lords of the Inspired, humans are
little more than cattle
The Inspired rely on psionic power as opposed to arcane or
divine magic. Most of the spiritual leaders of Riedra (both creature living in your brain that forces you to make
among the Inspired and the Chosen) are psions. However, a periodic reports to your masters among the Inspired. You
few clerics scattered a m o n g their n u m b e r supplement their might have gaping holes in your memory of certain periods
mental abilities with healing magic. of time, or you might be plagued by what you t h i n k are
strange nightmares. In general, the Inspired don't con-
Riedran clerics can draw on one of two forces. The first trol your actions—they are simply interested in collecting
is Riedra itself—not as a sentient a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c deity but whatever information you gather in the course of your
rather the primal force of the nation, which the Riedrans adventures. However, if your party ever comes into conflict
believe guides them through the Inspired. As a deity, the with the Dreaming Dark, you might find that the Dark's
spirit of Riedra is lawful neutral and provides access to the apparently prescient knowledge of your whereabouts and
domains of Community, Law, and Meditation. Its favored activities draws the suspicion of your fellow party members
weapon is the flail. onto you.
A small sect of priests among the Chosen worships the
darkness at the heart of Dal Q u o r itself, embodied in the
quori and manifested in the world through the Dreaming
Dark. T h e D r e a m i n g Dark is lawful evil and provides access
to the domains of Law, Evil, and Shadow. Its favored weapon
is the m i n d blade.
PLAYING A RIEDRAN PC
Riedra is an u n u s u a l choice for a region of o r i g i n . T h e
Inspired are masters of propaganda and manipulation, and
most Riedrans are fanatically loyal to their divine rulers. If
you wish to play a R i e d r a n , you might be one of those rare
few who has come to see the Inspired as false gods. A l t e r n a -
tively, you could play a loyal servant of the Inspired who has
come to K h o r v a i r e to study the ways of a less enlightened
culture—hoping to show the people of this benighted realm
the futility of clinging to kings and queens rather than
embrace the divine guidance of the Inspired.
Another possibility, which requires your DM's coop-
eration, is to play a R i e d r a n character who is an unwitting
spy for the D r e a m i n g Dark. You might have a hypnotic
command implanted in your mind or even a symbiotic
OTHER RACES op RIEDRA
pi-
Four of the p s i o n i c races d e s c r i b e d in Expanded Psionics are the half-giants described in the Expanded Psionics Handbook.
Handbook can be f o u n d in R i e d r a . Except as rioted below, It is u n c l e a r w h e t h e r h a l f - g i a n t s actually have h u m a n
their characteristics and customs are the same as outlined ancestry or are simply degenerate descendants of the titans
in that book. of Xen'drik (as most giant kinds are believed to be). They
D r o m i t e s : This insectlike race lives in city-hives scat- live in the deserts and savannahs of Syrkarn in western Sar-
tered beneath the surface of Sarlona, many of which can be lona, and wander the frigid plains of the Tashana T u n d r a
reached only through psionic portals. The Inspired have in the northwest.
shown them n o t h i n g but contempt and violence, so d r o m - Maenads: Two thousand years ago, one of the islands
ites avoid them whenever possible. They gather Khyber of the Lhazaar Principalities sank beneath the sea in a
dragonshards and trade them with the kalashtar of Adar and magical cataclysm of u n k n o w n origin. Most of its people
the sea-princes of Lhazaar. drowned as the ocean boiled, except those who were at sea
Elans: When a quori commits a heinous crime against when the cataclysm occurred. When these folk returned
its own kind, it receives a terrible p u n i s h m e n t : It is bound from their raiding and fishing, they found only open water
into a human vessel against its will. Unlike the normal pro- where their home had been. The survivors banded together
cess by which the I n s p i r e d are created, the b o u n d spirit has and sought a new home, which they found on the Tashyvar
no power or influence over its host. C o n d e m n e d to eternal Islands at the northwest end of Sarlona. Whether from the
powerlessness in its living prison, the quori's energy sus- lingering effects of the magic that destroyed their home or
tains and empowers the host as it becomes an elan. T h e r e due to some property of this new land, their physical nature
is no elan c o u n c i l i n E b e r r o n , a n d n o one u n d e r g o e s the was altered, transforming them into maenads. T h e i r grief at
transformation voluntarily. the destruction of their h o m e l a n d is the most likely source
H a l f - G i a n t s : In the distant past, giant explorers of their racial anger, though some suspect that anger to have
from Xen'drik visited southern Sarlona. Their descendants an earlier root that might be linked to the cataclysm.
SEAS OF EBERRON
THE TEN SEAS WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
T h e vast world ocean that covers E b e r r o n is divided into ten distinct Knowledge (arcana)
bodies of water, defined by the b o u n d a r i e s of the landmasses they encom- DC 20: Dragon turtles and dragon
pass. T h e lines between seas are often difficult to draw, and a matter of
particular dispute involves determining where the Lhazaar Sea ends and eels swim throughout some of the
the Sea of Rage begins. (Common wisdom holds that when storms erupt seas—particularly the T h u n d e r Sea
and unexplainable events start happening, a ship has left the Lhazaar and and the Dragonreach.
entered the Sea of Rage.) DC 25: T h e T h u n d e r Sea covers a number
of sunken ruins from the ancient
The Barren Sea lies to the west of Khorvaire, northwest of Xen'drik giant empires of X e n ' d r i k , as does
and east of Sarlona. It encompasses warm, tropical waters and cold the Phoenix Basin. The complicated
expanses in the n o r t h . It flows into the Sea of Lost Souls to the south nature of underwater exploration has
and the White Sea to the northwest. Zarash Bay and Crescent Bay in the caused these ruins to remain largely
Shadow Marches are part of the same body of water. The Phoenix Basin, unexplored, except perhaps by the
between X e n ' d r i k and K a p a e r i a n Island, is part of the B a r r e n Sea. sahuagin and other aquatic races.
Varuz Bay, at the eastern end of Sarlona, marks its edge. T h e Barren
Sea is so called because it is p o o r for fishing and devoid of apparent Knowledge (geography)
life. Hideous monsters are said to inhabit its depths—but sailors make DC 10: K h o r v a i r e is b o u n d e d by the
that claim about all ten seas. In fact, sailors have more to fear from
storms, icebergs in the north, and unpredictable winds than they do Bitter Sea to the north, the Lhazaar
from any living thing in the Barren Sea. In addition to the mundane Sea to the east, the T h u n d e r Sea to
risks of storm and calm, the B a r r e n Sea is known for scattered areas the south, and the Barren Sea to the
of dead calm—areas of perfectly still water, sometimes suffused with west. The straits of Shargon's Teeth lie
negative energy that attracts undead. (Dead calm areas are detailed along the most common route from
in Stormwrack.) Sharn to Stormreach in Xen'drik, but
they are infested with sea devils.
T h e Bitter Sea is n o r t h of K h o r v a i r e , between that c o n t i n e n t and DC 15: Eberron has ten seas: the Barren
the Frostfell. It includes Eldeen Bay and K a r r n Bay cut into the n o r t h e r n Sea, the Bitter Sea, the Dark Sea,
coast of Khorvaire, and two major channels: Icewhite C h a n n e l between the Dragonreach, the Icemaw Sea,
the Demon Wastes and the islands to the northeast, and Icegaunt Chan- the Lhazaar Sea, the Sea of Lost
nel between Icewhite Island and the Frostfell. Floating icebergs are a Souls, the Sea of Rage, the T h u n d e r
serious hazard in these waters, particularly in the summer months when Sea, and the White Sea.
they shear off the Frostfell and drift south into important shipping lanes
just off Khorvaire. Despite its inland location, T h r a n e has always made Knowledge (history)
an effort to maintain a presence in the Bitter Sea alongside ships from DC 20: Some historical records, virtually
Aundair and Karrnath.
indistinguishable from ancient legends,
The Dark Sea lies in the virtually unexplored south, beyond Argon- claim that, in addition to the Aereni
nessen. Its boundaries and dangers are little known, and the "dark" of its and the drow, a third race of elves lives
name refers less to its lack of sunlight in the winter months than to the under the waters of the Thunder Sea.
cloud of ignorance surrounding it. Icebergs and dragon turtles are said These aquatic elves are said to have
to be roughly equivalent threats in the Dark Sea. Sailors also claim that been slaves to sea-dwelling giants—the
ancestors, perhaps, of storm giants.
SAILORS' EXPRESSIONS DC 35 : O n e of the many kingdoms that
ruled Sarlona before the arrival of
A m o n g the colorful phrases and expressions used by sailors are several the Inspired is now called Aventus,
that refer to one or more of the ten seas of Eberron. though its ancient name flows less
comfortably off modern tongues.
"Ten Seas!"—A common exclamation of surprise or disgust. T h i s kingdom was powerful and
" G o n e down to the Dark"—Used to describe a ship lost at sea. T h e might have expanded to dominate the
expression originally referred to the Dark Sea, but is now understood to continent, except that some great cat-
mean the lightless depths of any sea. aclysm sunk it beneath the waves. T h e
"Like sailing the Teeth"—Used to describe a very difficult task, refer- degenerate survivors of this kingdom
ring to the risks of navigating the straits of Shargon's Teeth. are an aquatic race called the aventi,
"Halfway across the Sea of Rage"—Used to describe one whose grip inhabiting the Sea of Rage.
on sanity is not s t r o n g , or simply a p e r s o n with crazy ideas. Sarlona is
commonly portrayed as the land of madness. Knowledge (nature)
"Crossing the Thunder"—Said of someone who is a b s e n t m i n d e d or DC 15 : Storms are the greatest threat to
daydreaming.
ships at sail in any sea, but the Sea of
Rage and the White Sea are known for
supernaturally deadly storms.
certain regions of the Dark Sea have dramatic tides that of the T h u n d e r Sea, and is home to nearly as many bizarre
create strong currents near the coasts, drawing ships in to monsters as the M o u r n l a n d itself.
be smashed on reefs or rocks near land.
The White Sea extends north from Sarlona's coast to
T h e Icemaw Sea is a narrow body of water that lies the edge of the Frostfell. It combines the worst qualities of
between X e n ' d r i k and Everice. It is studded with islands the Bitter Sea and the Sea of Rage—often frozen or choked
and icebergs. (See the Frostfell entry on page 66 for more with icebergs, even as it is p r o n e to freakish weather and
information about the Icemaw Sea.) bizarre happenings. T h e sailors of Khorvaire avoid it at all
costs, p r e f e r r i n g to chart a course for Varuz Bay on the rare
The Dragonreach stretches between Argonnessen and occasions they sail to Sarlona.
Aerenal, blending into the T h u n d e r Sea at the western end
and the Lhazaar Sea and the Sea of Rage in the n o r t h . It is a RACES Of THE SEAS
favorite haunt of dragon turtles, and water-loving dragons
(particularly bronze dragons) frequently swim in its waters. The seas of Eberron are home to a variety of life, including
Most sailors are reluctant to sail through it as a result, and groups of sentient creatures, nomadic tribes, and even entire
when they do, they hug the Aerenal coast. civilizations. The most familiar of these are the sahuagin,
or sea devils, which are particularly common in the straits
T h e Lhazaar Sea lies east of K h o r v a i r e and west of of Shargon's Teeth between Sharn and Stormreach. Sahua-
Sarlona, with no clear boundary between it and the Sea gin are relatively common in the cliffside areas of Sharn,
of Rage. Sailors agree that the Lhazaar Sea touches the negotiating with sailors for safe passage through the straits.
Tashyvar Islands at the northwestern end of Sarlona, A knowledge of the Sahuagin language is considered a key
while the Sea of Rage begins farther south along the Sar- quality for success as a sea captain.
lonan coast. A d d e r Bay in Q ' b a r r a is p a r t of the Lhazaar
Sea, as are the countless channels that divide the islands The four races mentioned below are described in detail
of the Lhazaar Principalities from each other and from i n Stormwrack.
the mainland. Whales make their homes in the Lhazaar
Sea, which means whaling is a profitable industry in the The aventi are humanlike descendants of a sunken
area. However, large orcas sometimes attack ships, and the civilization. They are primarily found in the Sea of Rage
huge fey known as ocean striders (detailed in Monster Manual between Sarlona and Argonnessen, and their racial myths
II) seem to view themselves as p r o t e c t o r s of the whales in say that their ancient empire was once part of Sarlona.
the area.
Darfellans are a race of brooding humanoids found in
T h e Sea of Lost Souls extends from the southwest part the western Bitter Sea, particularly around Icewhite Island.
of Xen'drik to the southeast part of Sarlona and the east Once far more widespread, they were nearly exterminated
coast of A r g o n n e s s e n . It is known as a perilous sea for sail- by the sahuagin.
ing, and its reputation for being haunted by n u m e r o u s ghost
ships gives it its name. T h o u g h its southernmost reaches are Aquatic elves (originally described in the Monster Manual)
covered by the u n m e l t i n g Everice, it extends all the way to are said to be a third surviving offshoot of the ancient elf
the equator, which is considered the dividing line between cultures of Xen'drik—a wayward sibling to the elves of Aer-
it and the B a r r e n Sea (in the east) and the White Sea (in enal and the drow that remain in Xen'drik. They live in
the west, near Sarlona). T h e Sea of Lost Souls is also said small, isolated communities in the T h u n d e r Sea along the
to be the deepest of Eberron's oceans—some legends speak coast of X e n ' d r i k , where they are c o n t i n u a l l y h u n t e d by
of a trench extending miles beneath the surface, a region the sahuagin.
so dark that the darkness itself is alive.
The simianlike, humanoid hadozees are most com-
T h e Sea of Rage is b o u n d e d by Sarlona to the n o r t h monly e n c o u n t e r e d aboard ships captained by members of
and east and A r g o n n e s s e n to the south. To the west it other races. They are very rare, and their original homeland
meets the Lhazaar Sea. It is known for freak storms and is u n k n o w n , though X e n ' d r i k is most commonly advanced
bizarre happenings, from giant waterspouts to supernat- as a plausible location.
ural m a e l s t r o m s a n d s t o r m f i r e . (See Stormwrack for details
of these hazards.)
The T h u n d e r Sea lies between Khorvaire, Aerenal,
and Xen'drik. Shargon's Teeth mark its western extent,
and to the east it flows into the Dragonreach (via the Aer-
enal Channel) and the Dark Sea. Beneath its surface lie
sunken ruins from the Age of Giants, particularly in the
area around Shargon's Teeth. Besides the sahuagin that
infest the straits, dragon eels, dragon turtles, kraken, and
numerous other creatures prey on ships sailing the Thunder
Sea. Thick kelp beds frequently slow the progress of ships
plying these waters, even those that stay close to Khorvaire's
coast. K r a k e n Bay, once the home to Cyre's fleets, is part
SHIFTERS
TOUCHED BY THE BEAST WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Shifters are descendants of humans and natural lycanthropes. They are Knowledge (local)
lithe, agile folk who look basically human, but with long, shaggy hair, side- DC 10: Shifters are members of a true
burns (in both sexes), pointed ears, large eyes, heavy eyebrows, and wide,
flat noses. T h e i r forearms and lower legs are densely muscled, and they race that traces its origins from both
grow hair so thick that it is sometimes mistaken for fur. Shifters frequently humans and natural lycanthropes.
adopt a hunched posture, preferring to crouch or perch on a tree limb, They do not change into animal form,
ledge, or piece of furniture rather than standing or sitting. but can transform themselves to gain
some bestial characteristics.
Sometimes called "the weretouched," shifters inherit from their A check against this DC is also sufficient
lycanthrope ancestors a limited ability to transform into a semibestial to learn whether there is a shifter
state. Shifting is a n a t u r a l ability r a t h e r t h a n a curse or a disease, and community in or near a local settle-
it c a n n o t be c u r e d or otherwise removed. N e i t h e r can it be passed to a ment and whether there have been
nonshifter through biting, claw attacks, or any other method. any notable recent incidents involv-
ing shifters.
W h e n she is shifting, a shifter's features take on an even more bestial DC 15: The ten main types of shifters
appearance, although she does not actually assume a fully animal form. have different characteristics while
H e r eyes have a feral glint, she snarls and growls when angered, and she is shifting. They include longstride
able to tap into her lycanthropic nature to access extraordinary physical shifters (who move faster while shift-
abilities. These changes and the abilities gained are related to the kind ing), longtooth and razorclaw (who
of lycanthrope the shifter descends from. Some shifters display features gain natural weapons), and wildhunt
distinctly reminiscent of one kind of animal, while others exhibit a mix- (who have keen senses).
ture of influences. A check against this DC is also sufficient
to learn roughly how many shifters
The act of shifting makes some shifters stronger or tougher. live in or near a local community and
Others find themselves able to move faster, climb near-vertical sur- where they can be found.
faces, or fly. T h e most dangerous shifters become so lost in their t r a n s - DC 20: T h e other types of shifters are
formation that they begin to fight like animals, biting and clawing in beasthide (who gain thick hides),
a brutish rage. cliffwalk (who can climb), dreamsight
(who have an affinity with animals),
There are ten main shifters bloodlines (or traits). Individual shifters gorebrute (who gain horns), swift-
usually manifest only a single shifter trait, but after generations of blood- wing (who can fly like bats), and t r u e -
lines commingling, some display two of the following traits: beasthide, dive (who can swim like dolphins).
cliffwalk, dreamsight, gorebrute, longstride, longtooth, razorclaw, swift- DC 22: Shifters place a great deal of
wing, truedive, and wildhunt. (The dreamsight, gorebrute, swiftwing, emphasis on self-reliance and free-
and truedive traits are i n t r o d u c e d in Races ofEberron.) dom, believing that the latter is the
reward for the former.
Like any other race, shifters cannot be said to share a single personal- DC 25: Ragewild shifters are berserker
ity type or a universal preference for one lifestyle over another. However, warriors sworn to defend all shift-
due to their lycanthropic ancestry, many shifters do have quick tempers. ers, regardless of tribe or affiliation,
Members of other races consider them rude and even boorish, and it is from outside attack.
true that shifters have little patience for being treated like animals or DC 30 : A very small n u m b e r of shifters
idiots and don't hesitate to set aside social conventions when they feel the are trained to interact with members
situation warrants it. Shifters with a common trait also tend to share pat- of other races to prevent misunder-
terns of behavior as well—cliffwalk shifters are often shy and introverted, s t a n d i n g and tragedies such as the
for example, while gorebrutes are the opposite. Church of the Silver Flame's inqui-
sition from ever targeting the shifter
Shifters do not have a homeland, since their hybrid lineage devel- race again. These shifters are called
oped where humans and natural lycanthropes shared the same lands. loreguards.
Lycanthropes were brought to near extinction in Khorvaire more than a
century ago, so the only places left for shifters were in human lands. They Knowledge (religion)
have always been victims of prejudice and distrust, though, and are often DC 20: Within shifter communities, the
unable to find acceptance even in the lands of their birth.
moonspeaker druids guide the shift-
Because they are so regularly made to feel like outcasts, shifters gather ers' religious life. Traveling often to
in communities of their own. They have a fiercely independent streak, and different enclaves, the moonspeakers
use their feral abilities to hunt for food and scrounge for shelter rather carry news and maintain bonds among
than give money to the very people whose ill-formed opinions force them these far-flung communities.
to live this way. Raised in these communities, shifters come to view their
lives in terms of h u n t i n g and a constant fight for survival.
Other shifters decide to give up on civilization and its prejudices
entirely. T h e Eldeen Reaches is the most p o p u l a r destination for shift-
ers who want to live as close to the land as possible. T h e r e , they become
trappers, hunters, or sometimes guides—and visiting city-dwellers pay a
substantial fee to reap the benefits of the shifters' natural abilities.
SHIFTER RELATIONS For their part, shifters are suspicious of other races.
They have never fit in with the established political order of
Many people claim that shifters are difficult to get along Khorvaire, and their emphasis on self-reliance makes them
with, but the vast majority of these people have never actually reluctant to seek companionship or support from members
taken the time to try to get to know a shifter, let alone put of other races. T h e i r history of prejudice and persecution
in a good-faith effort at friendship. O t h e r folk hold preju- has left them a legacy of fear. In particular, shifters distrust
dices and preconceptions about shifters, but the truth of the any religion brought to them by missionaries or crusaders,
matter is that they are no more a h o m o g e n o u s group t h a n preferring to follow the ancient teachings of their druids,
elves or dwarves are. Despite the commonly stated precon- the moonspeakers (see Races of Eberron).
ceptions about shifters, as you travel across the length and
breadth of K h o r v a i r e , you meet as many shifters who break
the stereotypes as confirm them.
Shifters Are Rude: Shifters are individuals with the
same range of personalities as any o t h e r race. Some are
predisposed to having quick tempers—particularly gore-
brute and longtooth shifters—and beasthide shifters have
a well-earned reputation for being blunt, speaking loudly,
and interrupting others. Consider, however, that having
people constantly accuse your entire race of being rude can
certainly grate on anyone's nerves.
Shifters Are Bloodthirsty: Shifters are carnivorous, and
so are as bloodthirsty as any meat-eating race. This stereotype
probably grows out of the fact that shifters have a strong sense
of self-reliance and prefer to hunt their own food.
S h i f t e r s A r e D e v i o u s : It is t r u e that shifters have the
ability to move extraordinarily quietly, but most have no
devious motives for doing so. Rather, a great many shifters
are hunters (by choice or necessity), and so moving as u n o b -
trusively as possible has become second nature to them.
Shifters Are Stupid: Shifters have the same capacity
for thought and intelligence as any race. They are sometimes
denied the advantages of formal education (either because
of prejudice or the fact that many live in remote areas), but
shifters are employed on the faculties at the finest universi-
ties in Khorvaire.
Shifters Have One-Track Minds: This preconcep-
tion is another reflection of the shifters' natural h u n t i n g
ability. When in stressful situations, they focus on the most
important matter at hand to the exclusion of all else. This
is a distinct benefit in l i f e - o r - d e a t h e n c o u n t e r s , but can
sometimes make a shifter seem incapable of splitting her
attention when the stakes are less dire.
N E W SHIFTER FEATS
B o t h t h e EBERRON Campaign Setting and Races of Eberron i n c l u d e Shifter Magnetism [Shifter]
a number of shifter feats. The three feats presented here
are additional shifter feats. As with all shifter feats, taking Your heritage gives you a strong animal presence.
these feats increases the duration of shifting and might Prerequisite: Shifter.
increase the n u m b e r of times per day a shifter can use Benefit: You gain a bonus on Handle Animal,
her ability.
Intimidate, and wild empathy checks equal to the number
Shifter Acrobatics [Shifter] of shifter feats you have. This bonus applies even when you
are not shifting.
Your heritage makes you agile and light-footed.
Prerequisite: Shifter with the cliffwalk, longstride, Shifter Stealth [Shifter]
or swiftwing trait. Balance 4 ranks, Jump 4 ranks, Tumble You can call upon your bestial heritage to increase your stealth.
4 ranks. Prerequisite: Shifter with longstride, swiftwing, or
Benefit: When shifting, you gain a bonus on Balance, wildhunt trait, Hide 4 ranks, Move Silently 4 ranks.
Jump, and Tumble checks equal to twice the number of Benefit: When shifting, you gain a bonus on Hide and
shifter feats you have.
Move Silently checks equal to twice the number of shifter
feats you have.
SOCIETY AND STATUS
How THE WORLD WORKS WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
T h e social structure of K h o r v a i r e is often described as a great pyramid. Knowledge (arcana)
Built on a wide base representing the common laborers, the pyramid DC 10: Wizards, sorcerers, and artifi-
tapers quickly to the pinnacle: the ruling families of the Five Nations and
other figures of equivalent political, economic, and social power. cers command respect wherever they
go. Knowledge of minor magic, such
As described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting (page 132), six out o f t e n as that possessed by magewrights, is
people in the Five Nations belong to the common class—farmers, laborers, sure to increase one's status.
and poorer traders. Three often belong to the middle class, a relatively new
innovation in the social order, dominated by people who have earned enough Knowledge (local)
money through trade and artifice to put themselves on a level with the nobles DC 10 : Society and status varies greatly
of older times. O n e person in ten belongs to the class of the truly wealthy,
which includes merchant barons and dragonmarked lords who rule empires by region. T h e Five Nations are open
of trade and commerce, as well as the kings and queens who rule nations. and cosmopolitan. In civilized soci-
ety, laws protect members of all races
Life for the common class is not much altered by the passage of centuries and social classes equally.
or the change of regimes. The people of Valenar experienced little change DC 12: More than half the people of
when rulership of their land passed from Cyre to the Valaes Tairn; they Khorvaire are common farmers,
continued to work their farms, pay their taxes, and live and die very much as unskilled laborers, and tradesfolk
they had since the beginning of human settlement. Advances in both magical who form the poor economic class.
and mundane technology can make life easier for the common folk, but only DC 13: The large middle class of Khor-
after those advances become so widespread that people can afford to make vaire includes skilled laborers, pros-
use of them. T h e first humans to arrive in Khorvaire from Sarlona brought perous traders and shop owners,
iron tools with them, so even the fundamental technology of metalworking skilled artisans, most nobility, low-
has changed little for the common folk in all the centuries since. level adventurers, and some members
of the dragonmarked houses.
In contrast, the middle class might be the locus oft he greatest change
in society, technology, and economics in the history of Eberron. Its very Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
existence dates back only as far as the creation of Galifar. By their n a t u r e , DC 10: T h e royal line of King Galifar I
the dragonmarked houses exerted a great deal of power in trade and com-
merce from the moment their powers arose, and they brought that power is the Wynarn family.
to bear in the political realm by l a u n c h i n g the War of the Mark fully five DC 12: The dragonmarked houses com-
centuries before the reign of Galifar I. By the time of Galifar, the power
of the dragonmarked houses was such that the king was forced to recognize mand great prestige. Their leaders
it—and indeed to court it in order to accomplish his bid to unite the Five are on par with kings and queens,
Nations. In some ways, the story of the formation of Galifar and the birth while other members are solidly in
of the middle class r u n parallel, for with the emergence of a unified king- the middle class.
dom, the wealth of the houses grew enormously, and an ever-increasing DC 15: The three remaining monarchs—
number of people associated with the houses gained a significant share Aurala of Aundair, Boranel of Breland,
of that wealth. By the early n i n t h century, the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses had and Kaius of Karrnath—are all mem-
grown to such importance that they had eclipsed the hereditary nobility bers of the Wynarn family, as are Diani
of the Five Nations in all but name. of T h r a n e and Oargev, the leader
of New Cyre. The families of these
Naturally, the dragonmarked houses were not the only ones to profit monarchs make up a large part of the
from the growing importance of trade and commerce. Merchant lords not upper class of Khorvaire's society,
associated with the houses have been slower to arrive in the halls of power, and all of them are important politi-
but by the middle of the Last War, such independents were solidly ensconced cal forces.
there alongside the dragonmarked heirs and lesser nobles. Today, while DC 25: T h e infamous sky pirate C a p -
nobles retain status and power by virtue of their class, they must share that tain Lujaad, whose exploits are pub-
power with those who have earned it by virtue of their economic might. lished in the cheaper chronicles, is
actually a nephew of Breland's King
The middle class has risen to its elevated position in society by riding Boranel—much to the embarrassment
on the back of magical and technological innovation. The manifold use of of the royal family.
magic in the everyday life of Khorvaire primarily benefits those who can
afford to make use of it, or those who have near-exclusive command over the Knowledge (religion)
unique powers of the dragonmarks. T h o u g h only a rare few members of the DC 10: Church leaders are members
dragonmarked houses carry the actual marks that hold the magical power of
the house, every member benefits from the use of that power—particularly of the middle class or upper class. In
through innovations such as message stations, lightning rails, and elemental some areas, particularly Thrane, the
galleons. Such advances allow the houses not only to put their magical power church has great political power, and
to novel uses, but to create steady sources of new income. its members and leaders claim higher
status as a result.
T h e hereditary nobles retain their status in the upper part of the
middle class by r e m a i n i n g useful. They hold g r a n t s of land bestowed
by the r u l e r s of the Five N a t i o n s , and repay t h e m by g o v e r n i n g and
protecting the common folk who live on their lands, paying the court at Brokenblade Castle. A bright lad, he attended
taxes to the heads of state, and supplying troops to serve in all the same classes and t r a i n i n g sessions as the king's chil-
their lord's armies. dren. In fact, he proved more capable than most of them
when it came to leadership skills and military strategy. As
If the guildmasters of Khorvaire—those associated with he came of age, Lujaad was groomed to take a position in
the dragonmarked houses and those who are not—forced the upper ranks of Breland's army, leading forces into what
their way into the middle class alongside the h e r e d i t a r y he hoped would be the decisive battles that brought the Last
nobility, the heads of the dragonmarked houses rode that War to an end with his Uncle Boranel on the throne.
cresting wave to the highest positions, making the dragon-
marked barons nearly equal to the rulers of the land. When word of the T h r o n e h o l d Accords came to
Brokenblade—along with word that King Boranel had been
Those rulers live within a web of court intrigue and pivotal in brokering the peace—Lujaad became despondent.
international espionage. The royal families of Khorvaire's Without the war, he lost every hope and dream he had ever
nations—even the remnants of Cyre—are a major political known. With no enemy to battle, he turned to adventuring,
force, their homelands as well as beyond their borders. T h e spending more and more time in the wilds of Xen'drik until
siblings, children, nieces, and nephews of the actual rulers one day his expedition returned without him.
hold important posts in the governments of Khorvaire,
and many of them are heavily involved in trying to secure The royal family of Breland initially believed that
the throne for themselves or someone closer to them than Lujaad perished in the jungles of the wild continent, but in
the current ruler. Even in Thrane, where the monarchy has fact he snuck away from his entourage, m a k i n g his way to a
been replaced by the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame, Q u e e n tiny coastal town populated almost entirely by mercenaries
Diani retains her title as a figurehead. She schemes behind and pirates. Lujaad signed on with the crew of a pirate air-
the scenes to overthrow the theocracy and regain her place ship and began working his way up the ranks.
of power—if not for herself, then for her c h i l d r e n .
Now, just a fewyears later, Lujaad has secured a Lyrandar
THE PLACE Of ADVENTURERS airship of his own, with as loyal and skilled a crew as any in
the skies or on the sea. They obey the laws of honorable war-
Adventurers possess a great deal more wealth than most of fare, only targeting rich merchant ships or noble ships, and
society. Low-level adventurers are middle class, while those never kill unless absolutely necessary. In fact, "The Exploits
of mid-level and higher fall into the upper class. T h e i r of Captain Lujaad and His Valiant Crew" are developing
wealth and prowess can grant them political weight if they quite a following among the readers of the several chronicles
care to use it, and adventuring puts one in touch with the printing them—to the embarrassment of King Boranel.
individuals and organizations that shape the world. Society
sees adventuring as phenomenally dangerous but potentially
rewarding in equal measure. Adventurers have a mystique
that others find exhilarating, and their high mortality rate
only makes those who survive seem more heroic.
Personal politics can play a large role in an adventurer's
life. The many nations of modern Khorvaire jostle in close
proximity, vying for political, economic, and military supe-
riority. An adventurer can make powerful allies over the
course of his career. However, making an ally of someone
usually involves making an enemy of someone else, and
adventurers inevitably wind up on the wrong side of certain
individuals and organizations. Shrewd adventurers mini-
mize their political risks and maximize their gains.
LUJAAD IR'WYNARN. SKY PIRATE
Not all nobles are stuffy courtiers who spend all day playing
politics in the noble courts. Some rankle at such dull lives
and long for excitement. If they are lucky enough not to be
too far up the line of succession, a few of them even manage
to obtain it. Such was the case for Lujaad ir'Wynarn,
twenty-eighth in line for the crown of Breland.
Lujaad is the fifth child of K i n g Boranel's youngest
sister. He was raised as part of the extended royal family in
SWASHBUCKLERS
Swashbucklers (described in Complete Warrior) are quite sophisticated culture, although combatants in the Last War
common in Khorvaire, particularly in the major cities of practiced heavier combat styles. Swashbucklers served as offi-
the former Five Nations. The swashbuckler's emphasis on cers in the Last War, or else avoided the peril of war on the
quick swordplay and light armor perfectly suits Khorvaire's front lines by serving in home guard units in major cities.
THE SOVEREIGN HOST
POWERS OF LIGHT WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
T h e people of Khorvaire acknowledge an extended pantheon of gods, all Knowledge (religion)
of whom are connected or related in some fashion. Some gods are loving DC 5: The faith of the Sovereign Host
and beneficent, some distant and unapproachable, and still others mali-
cious and deceptive. Most people offer prayers to different gods depending is the d o m i n a n t religion of K h o r -
on the situation and what sort of reply (if any) they hope for. vaire, practiced in every nation
and by m e m b e r s of every race. It is
The Sovereign Host is a collection of the deities most commonly devoted to a pantheon of nine deities:
worshiped by the majority of the populace. O n a daily basis, K h o r v a r i a n s Arawai, Aureon, Balinor, Boldrei,
pray to the Sovereign Host as a group rather t h a n to any one god. Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn, Kol Korran,
Olladra, and Onatar.
The text below expands the domains available to clerics of the Sover- DC 10: Most people revere the Sover-
eign Host by i n c l u d i n g d o m a i n s from Complete Divine. D o m a i n s from that eign Host as a whole, not just a single
book are marked with an asterisk. deity, although they naturally address
prayers about certain topics to differ-
ARAWAI ent deities.
DC 12: T h e gods of the Sovereign Host
God of Agriculture Neutral Good are well disposed toward mortals, and
are said to be the source of all earthly
Arawai is the sister of Balinor and the Devourer, and the mother of the blessings. Natural disasters, disease,
monsters, vermin, and other plagues
Fury (see page 33). She is most often pictured as a female half-elf. Arawai of mortal life come from the Dark
Six, the gods who were cast out of the
is considered the deity of fertility, plant life, and a b u n d a n c e . She is espe- pantheon for their wrongdoing.
DC 15: A successful check against this
cially worshiped by druids, rangers, farmers, sailors, people who wish to DC grants details about the align-
ment, portfolio, symbol, represen-
have c h i l d r e n , and anyone who is concerned with weather or fertility. tation, and family relationships of
each deity.
Domains: Good, Life, Plant, Weather. DC 20: Devotees of the Sovereign Host
have no expectation of a glorious
Favored Weapon: Morningstar. afterlife—they know that their souls
will be consigned to Dolurrh after
AUREON their death. They believe, however,
that faithful service to the Sovereign
God of Law and Knowledge Lawful Neutral Host brings ample reward in this life,
while disloyalty brings swift justice.
A u r e o n is the b r o t h e r of O n a t a r , the husband of Boldrei, and somehow DC 25 : As humans spread across Khor-
vaire, they assimilated the religions of
related to the Shadow. He is usually described as a gnome or h u m a n other races and cultures into the faith
of the Sovereign Host. While the faith
wizard. A u r e o n is the p a t r o n of wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane cast- of the Silver Flame and the bizarre
traditions of the elves r e m a i n unas¬
ers, and is worshiped by scholars, sages, l i b r a r i a n s , and scribes. similated, many say it is just a matter
of time. This process of assimilation
Domains: Force*, Knowledge, Law, Magic, Mind*, Oracle*. is one explanation for why each deity
is depicted in a variety of different
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff. forms, and even as a m e m b e r of dif-
ferent races. These various depictions
BALINOR are a legacy of the deities assimilated
from other cultures.
God of Beasts and the Hunt Neutral
DC 30: Each deity is sometimes depicted
Balinor is the b r o t h e r of Arawai and the Devourer. He is portrayed as as a d r a g o n . Some scholars believe
these representations of the Sovereign
either a burly human or a crude yet good-natured half-orc. Hunters, Host are their oldest forms, and claim
that the deities are actually dragons
druids, barbarians, and rangers worship Balinor, and he is associated with that have ascended to godhood.
hunting and anything having to do with animal life.
Domains: Air, Animal, Celerity*, Earth.
Favored Weapon: Battleaxe.
BOLDREI
God of Community and Hearth Lawful Good
Boldrei is the wife of A u r e o n , and is usually depicted as a c o m m o n e r of
any race. Boldrei is considered the protector of villages and homes, and
prayers to her are carved into the cornerstones or rafters during the con-
struction of any new buildings. Her name is invoked to bless marriages
and newly appointed government officials.
Domains: Community, Good, Law, Protection.
Favored Weapon: Spear.
DOL ARRAH
God of Honor and Sacrifice Lawful Good
Dol A r r a h is the sister of Dol D o r n and the Mockery. She is most often
pictured as a h u m a n or half-elf knight s h i n i n g with holy radiance. Dol
A r r a h is the deity of honorable combat, self-sacrifice, and sunlight. She is
considered to be the patron deity of paladins, generals, and diplomats.
Domains: Glory*, Good, Law, Sun, War.
Favored Weapon: Halberd.
DOL DORN example) has revealed himself to different people in different
God of Strength at Arms Chaotic Good times and places in very different ways. Rather than sending
Dol Dorn is the brother of Dol Arrah and the Mockery, missionaries to convince the orcs of the Shadow Marches
and is most often depicted as a heavily muscled human. that Dol Dorn is superior to their war god, the church of
He promotes bodily strength and martial training, and the Sovereign Host simply accepts that both deities are the
is considered to be the paragon of physical perfection. same god, and allows the orcs to call Dol Dorn whatever
He is worshiped by soldiers, monks, athletes, and they wish. As a result, while orcs still appeal to their
anyone whose life is devoted to building physical ancient god Garu-Umesh the One-Eyed in a few
strength and resilience. places in the Shadow Marches, among most orcs
Domains: Chaos, Competition*, Good, that ancient name has fallen into disuse—along
Liberation*, Strength, War. with the primitive rite of putting out one eye of
Favored Weapon: Longsword. any orc who sought to become a priest.
KOL KORRAN Ancient inscriptions suggest that
Khorvaire once had a diverse reli-
God of Trade and Wealth Neutral gious landscape. The Ghaal'dar gobli-
Kol Korran is the son of Olladra and Onatar, noids who succeeded ancient Dhakaan had
and the twin brother of the Keeper. He is their own pantheon of sixteen deities, all but one
described as a fat, cheerful human or dwarf in of whom is now easily identified with a deity of the
fine clothes. Kol Korran oversees all financial Sovereign Host or the Dark Six. At the same time,
transactions, businesses, and places where great the ore nations of the west revered their own deities,
wealth is stored. His most devoted worshipers are mer- the dwarves of the north held to their own traditions,
chants, moneylenders, landowners, thieves, and and the primitive halflings of the Talenta Plains
members of wealthy families. Symbol of the worshiped the nature spirits of earth and sky.
Domains: Charm, Commerce, Pact*, Travel. Sovereign Host The first humans to come to Khorvaire brought
Favored Weapon: Mace. their own pantheon of nine gods—the clear precur-
OLLADRA sor to the Sovereign Host. As humans spread across Khorvaire,
they identified their own deities with the more beneficent of
God of Feast and Good Fortune Neutral Good the existing goblinoid deities. They also incorporated the
Olladra is the wife of Onatar, and the mother of Kol Korran malevolent deities into their myths, casting them as relatives
and the Keeper. She is pictured as a young halfling or an of the Sovereign Host but renegades against their divine
elderly human. Olladra is said to bestow luck and good families—the Dark Six. This policy of faith-based inclusion
health on those she favors. She is the patron deity of rogues, seems to have had a limit, however, for one goblinoid deity
bards, entertainers, and gamblers, and is also venerated by found no place among either the Sovereign Host or the Dark
innkeepers and hosts of large gatherings. Six. The name of this deity is lost—the humans apparently
Domains: Feast, Good, Healing, Luck. waged a relentless campaign to strike its name and visage from
Favored Weapon: Sickle. any written record they could find. A number of ruins dating
ONATAR from the period between the fall of the Dhakaani Empire
and the triumph of humanity depict sixteen gods in orderly
God of Artifice and the Forge Neutral Good arrangement, but the face of one is always chiseled away.
Onatar is the husband of Olladra and the father of Kol There have always been some who question this theol-
Korran and the Keeper. He is usually depicted as a dwarf ogy of inclusion and appropriation, holding as objective
smith. Not surprisingly, Onatar is revered by artisans, truth the fact that Dol Dorn and Garu-Umesh are two dis-
artificers, smiths, smelters, and anyone who makes things— tinct entities. They believe that the old gods supplanted by
especially dwarves and gnomes. or incorporated into the Sovereign Host have died or gone
Domains: Artifice, Creation*, Fire, Good. dormant with the ascendance of the Host.
Favored Weapon: Warhammer. The inclusiveness of the Sovereign Host has made it
THE ALL-INCLUSIVE HOST Khorvaire's most successful religion, but it has never been
the only religion. As much as the followers of the Host would
The religion of the Sovereign Host is the dominant faith of like to believe that the Silver Flame is just an emanation of
Khorvaire for one very good reason: It conquered almost all Dol Arrah, devotees of the Silver Flame don't care to hear
competing religions by embracing them. The theologians of it. Perhaps after several more centuries, the Silver Flame,
the Sovereign Host do not restrict their conceptualizations too, will be assimilated—along with the Path of Light and
of the deities to a single image, but accept that Dol Dorn (for even the Undying Court.
FAVORED SOULS
While clerics are frequently devoted to the entire pantheon of faiths, but the majority choose a single deity of the Host to
the Sovereign Host, favored souls (described in Complete Divine) emulate. Like clerics in Eberron, a favored soul need not have
devote themselves to specific deities of the Sovereign Host (or an alignment within one step of her deity's alignment, and
the Dark Six). Some favored souls are associated with other she can be neutral regardless of her deity's alignment.
VALENAR
WARRIORS OF GLORY WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
The elves of Valenar are among the most fearsome warriors on Eberron. Knowledge (geography)
T h e i r society is dedicated to martial perfection. They idolize the military DC 10: Valenar is a region of desert and
heroes of antiquity, believing that the greatest warriors of this age will
become vessels for the champions of the past. Ten thousand years ago, elf plains in the southwest of Khorvaire.
warriors watered the sands of the Blade Desert with goblin blood, until An army of elf mercenaries annexed
overwhelming opposition and dragonfire forced them to return to Aer- it from Cyre during the Last War.
enal. Today, they have come again to Khorvaire and claimed a kingdom, DC 15: Valenar's population is made
but the Valenar are not content with this newborn nation. Seeking glory up of former Cyran citizens of many
in battle, Valenar warbands push deep into the Talenta Plains and Q'barra races. They are generally content to
in search of worthy foes. serve the new Valenar overlords, living
much as they did before the war.
While most people refer to both the elves and the land they inhabit
as Valenar, the elves are p r o p e r l y called the Valaes T a i r n ("warriors of Knowledge (history)
glory"). They are the largest sect of the Tairnadal, an elven culture that DC 20: Elves of Aerenal fought with
follows a more militant path than the Aereni. Until the Last War, the
Tairnadal lived in the n o r t h e r n steppes of Aerenal, and much of the Dhakaani goblins over this region long
culture and social infrastructure of the Valaes Tairn remains there. before humans came to Khorvaire.
Valenar is a land at war, and the elves of m a i n l a n d K h o r v a i r e are a Ruined elf fortresses, abandoned for
mobile army, ready for action. Every year, more Tairnadal artisans and millennia, dot the landscape.
support folk travel from Aerenal to settle in the new network of taers (elf
fortresses), but elves still learning the arts of war, those too infirm to Knowledge (local)
fight, and the b r e e d i n g h e r d s of the w o n d r o u s elf horses r e m a i n secure D C 15: Battle is p a r t of life a m o n g the
on the island.
Valenar elves. Violent crimes are
D u r i n g the age of Galifar, this territory was claimed by the n a t i o n of often overlooked, but theft is a serious
Cyre. Few people chose to make their homes in the land beyond the Blade crime punished by m a i m i n g or even
Desert, however, and these settlers received little support from the crown. execution. Only elves are protected
W h e n the Valaes T a i r n mercenaries i m p o r t e d to fight for Cyre in the Last u n d e r the law, though most Valenar
War broke ties to their masters and laid claim to this land, the common treat non-elf citizens fairly.
folk were content to accept the elves' rule. For them, life has changed little;
if anything, the elves tax the commoners less than the kings of Galifar once Knowledge (nature)
did, since the Valenar soldiers are experts at living off the land. The elves DC 10: T h e Valenar elves breed horses
treat their new vassals fairly, and the peasants have come to take pride in
the military might of t h e i r new l o r d s . They might not be free, but few of of amazing speed and agility. They are
the commoners of Valenar see themselves as slaves—no more so than the protective of their horses and offended
commoners of Breland or Karrnath. at the sight of a non-elf riding one.
The horses are bred in northern Aer-
A LEGACY OF WAR enal and gelded, so they cannot be
stolen and used for breeding.
T h e culture of the Valaes T a i r n is based a r o u n d the heroes of Xen'drik—
the champions who fought back against an empire of giants and freed the Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
elves. W h e n a child is b o r n among the Valaes T a i r n , the priests of the DC 10: House Vadalis is b a n n e d out-
Valenar—the Keepers of the Past—read the signs to determine the patron
ancestor that will guide h i m t h r o u g h life. It is each child's duty to h o n o r right from the borders of Valenar,
and emulate his p a t r o n ancestor, even as he strives to b r i n g glory to his while Thuranni and Phiarlan are not
family. Many elves can share the same patron ancestor, leading to competi- welcome. House Lyrandar has been
tion among them as each strives to be the perfect e m b o d i m e n t of his or her granted land in exchange for rain-
patron. Most of these patrons are mighty warriors, but a Valenar might calling and has a growing influence
just as easily follow the path of a weaponsmith, a siege engineer, or a war in Valenar.
wizard. There are even elves whose patron ancestors are civil engineers or DC 15: The forty-five Valenar warclans
laborers, and while they are rarely the subject of song or story, they play a all owe fealty to High K i n g Shaeras
significant role in Valenar society. Vadallia, but only twenty are under the
command of the king at one time. T h e
T h e Valenar tradition of war is one of speed and stealth. Most Valenar king grants titles and land to warriors
soldiers are rangers—deadly stalkers who can live off the land, and who who perform services for him, but
have an almost mystical connection to their remarkable horses (usually these elves don't live on their lands,
their animal companions). Some Valenar supplement these skills with preferring to remain in motion.
levels in wizard or fighter. T h e Keepers of the Past can be clerics or bards,
and a Valenar bard following this faith can take spirit steed as a 4th-level Knowledge (religion)
spell. A cleric of the Keepers of the Past can choose from the Destruction, DC 20: The Valenar elves worship their
Protection, and War domains. As a pantheon, the Spirits of the Past are
neutral in alignment, and their favored weapon is the double scimitar. w a r r i o r ancestors. By e m u l a t i n g the
deeds of their ancestors, they believe
the spirits can live again.
While they are best known for their cavalry, the Valenar
take great pride in their skill with the weapons of their people.
A Valenar elf receives the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats
for the shortbow (including composite shortbow), scimitar,
and Valenar double scimitar. This replaces the elf weapon
proficiency racial trait described in the Player's Handbook.
TRAVEL IN VALENAR
While much of Valenar is plains and steppes, the realm has a
variety of more hostile environments. T h e j u n g l e of Scimi-
tars holds many dangers for the unwary, and anyone who
seeks to approach by land must cross the bitter sands of the
Blade Desert. The elves themselves rarely trouble travelers,
provided that there is no hint of horse-thievery and that the
party presents no challenge to the realm. Adventurers who
are antagonistic or overly flamboyant draw the attention of
elf warbands and glory-seeking warriors, but a group that
conceals its weapons and keeps its eyes on the earth is left
alone as an unworthy challenge.
Valenar is sparsely populated, with a handful of h a m -
lets and villages scattered across the plains amid decrepit
elf and goblin ruins. In the last forty years, the elves have
refurbished a n u m b e r of their ancient fortresses, which
now provide sanctuary to the roving warbands. Travelers
are never allowed into the heart of an elf fortress, but local
crafters maintain temporary trade villages outside their
walls, catering to the needs of strangers.
VALENAR FEATS
Bladebearer of the Valenar [Racial] A weapon style feat (introduced in Complete Warrior)
provides a benefit that draws upon a number of specific
You have trained extensively with scimitars, including the feats, and often requires the use of specific weapons,
Valenar double scimitar. You are adept at striking from
horseback with the curved blades of the Valenar. Spirit of the Stallion
Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, profi- Your patron ancestor was a legendary cavalry soldier, and
ciency with scimitar or falchion. her spirit guides you and your mount.
Benefit: You treat the Valenar double scimitar as a Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, Mounted
martial weapon. Also, you deal an extra I point of damage Combat.
when making a melee attack with a scimitar, a falchion, or
a Valenar double scimitar while mounted. Benefit: While mounted on a Valenar horse, you
receive a +1 circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls and
If you have any of the following feats for the scimitar, melee weapon damage rolls.
falchion, or Valenar double scimitar, you can apply the feat's
effects to all three weapons: Improved Critical, Greater Valenar Trample
Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Weapon
Focus, or Weapon Specialization. You are trained in Valenar cavalry techniques emphasizing
trampling your opponents into the ground.
When you spend an action point to influence an attack
roll made with a scimitar, a falchion, or a Valenar double Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, Mounted
scimitar, you also add the result of the action point die to Combat.
your damage for that attack.
Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent
Shield of Blades [Style] while mounted on a Valenar horse, your target cannot
choose to avoid you. Both you and your mount can make one
As a master of the double scimitar, you can weave a web of attack (your mount with a hoof and you with a melee weapon)
steel to protect yourself from attack. against any target you knock down, gaining the standard +4
bonus on attack rolls against prone targets.
Prerequisite: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Exotic
Weapon Proficiency (Valenar double scimitar), Two-Weapon Special: A fighter can select Valenar Trample as one
Fighting, Weapon Focus (Valenar double scimitar). of his fighter bonus feats.
Benefit: If you wield a Valenar double scimitar and This feat counts as Trample for the purpose of meet-
use Combat Expertise to add at least I point to your AC , you ing any requirements or prerequisites.
receive an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC.
REVENANT BLADE WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
'7 am the blade that strikes unseen, the steel within the shadow. Let the enemies of my people fear Knowledge (arcana)
the coming of night." D C 20: Some Valenar elves carry relics
—War prayer of Cias Jhaelian of their ancestors—a tooth or a sliver
of bone—encased in an amulet that
T h e r e v e n a n t blade is a V a l e n a r elf who can draw on the skills of ancient grants them supernatural power. This
h e r o e s , the giant-slayers of X e n ' d r i k . G u i d e d by these ancestral spir- relic creates a close bond between the
its, the r e v e n a n t blade is a deadly w a r r i o r t r a i n e d in the arts of stealth elf and the ancestor, allowing the
and survival. living elf easier access to the skills and
abilities of the ancestor. This amulet
BECOMING A REVENANT BLADE is c a l l e d a zaelshin tu.
Many the soldiers of Valenar follow the path of the ranger, and this is an Knowledge (geography)
excellent road for the revenant blade. The ancient Valenar were guerrilla D C 15: The elves of Valenar belong
warriors, and a descendant who honors her ancestors must be skilled
in stealth as well as battle. B a r b a r i a n s a n d fighters c a n qualify for the to an elf culture called the Tairna-
class, though the skill requirements are more onerous for such charac- dal, which reveres the spirits of the
ters (possibly r e q u i r i n g a level of ranger or rogue to gain quick access ancient elf heroes who battled the
to the class). giants of Xen'drik. Tairnadal elves
live in n o r t h e r n A e r e n a l as well as
Entry Requirements Valenar.
DC 20: Each Tairnadal elf has a patron
Race: Elf ancestor given at b i r t h , and seeks
Base Attack B o n u s : +5 to honor this ancestor through her
Skills: Hide 5 ranks, Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Move Silently 5 ranks deeds in life.
Feats: Bladebearer of the Valenar (see page 141), Two-Weapon Fighting,
Weapon Focus (Valenar double scimitar) Knowledge (religion)
Region of Origin: Valenar D C 10: Valenar warriors seek to channel
CLASS FEATURES the spirits of their heroic ancestors.
D C 15: Revenants blades are Valenar elf
As a revenant blade, you draw on your spiritual bond with your ancestor to
enhance your combat prowess and stealth capabilities. You also gain great warriors guided by the heroes of the
respect from your people. past. They are masters of stealth and
the double scimitar.
Ancestral G u i d a n c e (Su): O n c e per day, you can call u p o n your DC 20: A revenant blade can adapt his
ancestors to grant you knowledge and talent beyond your normal aptitudes. tactics to match almost any foe, and
To accomplish this, you must spend 1 hour in quiet meditation, starting strikes with uncanny force.
at dawn. At the end of this hour, you gain a b o n u s feat selected from the DC 25: A revenant's adaptability comes
list below; you need not meet the n o r m a l r e q u i r e m e n t s for the feat. T h e from his ability to channel the
feat lasts until dawn of the next day. knowledge and talent of his ances-
tors. This ability gives him access
Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Great Cleave, to the skills of great warriors of the
Improved Critical (Valenar double scimitar), Improved Sunder, Improved p a s t — a b i l i t i e s m o s t fighters s t u d y f o r
Trip, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [history]), Spring Attack, years to learn.
Stealthy, Weapon Specialization (Valenar double scimitar).
At 3rd level, you can choose two feats from this list u p o n completing
your meditation. At 5th level, you can choose three feats from this list.
You can't use this bonus feat to meet any requirements or prerequisites
(such as for a n o t h e r feat or a prestige class).
Hero of the Valaes Tairn (Ex): The Valenar have immense respect
for those who bond with the spirits of the past. You gain a +5 circumstance
bonus on Diplomacy checks made to influence the attitude of a Valenar
THE REVENANT BLADE HIT DIE: D8
Level Base Fort Ref Will Special
1st Attack Save Save Save Ancestral guidance (1), hero of the Valaes Tairn, ranger class features
2nd Bonus Shadow of the past
3rd +0 +0 +2 Ancestral guidance (2)
4th +1 +0 +0 +3 Giant slayer
5th +2 +1 +1 +3 Ancestral guidance (3), legendary force
+3 +1 +1 +4
+4 +1 +1 +4
+5
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (geography),
Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Use Rope.
elf, as well as on G a t h e r I n f o r m a t i o n checks made when As a revenant blade, your greatest s t r e n g t h is your
interacting with Valenar elves. versatility. Ancestral guidance allows you to adapt your
tactics to suit the needs of the day. This versatility helps
Ranger Class Features: If you have ranger levels, your you most if you have extensive knowledge of your foes
revenant blade levels stack for purposes of determining the before you enter combat. Try to evaluate your enemy and
abilities of your animal companion. Your revenant blade the skills of your opponent long before you ever close in
levels also stack when d e t e r m i n i n g the caster level of your combat, and adapt your strategy to exploit these strengths
ranger spells, but not when determining spells per day or and weaknesses.
any other ranger class feature.
Advancement: All Tairnadal elves are assigned a
Shadow of the Past (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, you patron ancestor at the moment of birth, and all seek to
add your class level as a competence bonus on Hide and honor this ancestor. Those with the potential to become
Move Silently checks. revenants feel a closer bond than most. From childhood,
your patron ancestor was more than just a name in song and
Giant Slayer (Ex): Though the elves of Valenar no story. You've had visions of the battles that she fought, seen
longer war with the giants of Xen'drik, the ancestral memo- the lost wonders of Xen'drik and smelt the b u r n i n g flesh of
ries of the champions of the past burn strongly in you. At giants. Sometimes you have found yourself spontaneously
4th level, you gain a +4 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense q u o t i n g your p a t r o n , astonishing your elders by repeating
Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills ancient speeches you've never read before.
against giants. You also gain a +4 bonus on weapon damage
rolls against giants. You gain the ability to speak Giant (and The Keepers of the Past watch those who show such
read and write it, if you are literate) as if you had spent skill promise. As you adventure, you grow closer to your ances-
points to learn the language. tor. When the moment strikes and you are ready to touch
the spirits of legend, you must make your way to one of the
Legendary Force (Ex): At 5th level, you become a true great fortresses of the Tairnadal—Taer Valaestas in Valenar
master of the double scimitar. T h r o u g h skill and art, you or Taer Senadal in Aerenal. There the elder revenants
learn to strike with astonishing strength. This ability allows guide you down the path, teaching you to submerge your
you to treat b o t h ends of the Valenar double scimitar as two- thoughts in the memories of the past, and to let the spirit
handed weapons, even when you use it as a double weapon. of your patron guide your hands.
For example, you add 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus on
damage rolls with each end of the weapon, and any damage Once you have been set upon the path, it is up to you
bonus from the Power Attack feat is doubled when used with to find your way closer to your ancestor. C o n s i d e r his per-
the weapon. sonality and choose your skills and feats accordingly. If he
was renowned as a hunter, seek the deadliest game you can
PLAYING A REVENANT BLADE find. If he was a soldier first and foremost, find your way to
the battlefield!
You are one of the deadliest warriors of a military culture.
Your blade is the focus of your life, and from the moment Resources: T h e revenant order provides few resources
you could walk you were taught the arts of stealth. You are for members. You have your blade and ancestral guidance:
cool, wary, always watching for the next threat—in part You should be out bringing glory to your ancestor's name,
because of your militant training, in part because you feel not begging for scraps! However, the o r d e r s do have a few
most truly alive in battle. relics of the ancestors—zaelshin tu and similar items—and if
you bring honor to your ancestor and warclan or perform a
Beyond this g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e , your p e r s o n a l i t y is great service to the Valaes Tairn, you might be given one of
shaped by that of your ancestor, whom you idolize and seek these items.
to emulate in all the ways you can. Since you are a revenant
blade, your ancestor must have been a master swordsman The greatest treasures of the revenants are the actual
and deadly stalker. But what was he like? Was he a g r i m swords of the ancestors. These mighty artifacts were all
killer who rarely spoke and only smiled when hunting a lost in Xen'drik. Finding your patron ancestor's double
foe? A tortured poet whose skill at bloodshed was matched scimitar—or recovering it from looters or grave-robbers—is
only by his h a t r e d of violence? A f o r m e r slave, a w a r r i o r a worthy quest for a revenant blade.
princess, a romantic explorer? D e t e r m i n e the nature of
your ancestor, and as you rise in level consider ways you can REVENANT BLADES IN THE WORLD
mimic him. Dress, speech, mannerisms, hobbies—as time
goes by, you slowly become your ancestor, so look for ways to "The revenants are the treasures of our past and the shapers of the future."
represent this. —Ilaen Coeliras, Keeper of the Past
The host of the Valaes T a i r n is an army, organized The elf heroes of Xen'drik are the stuff of legends, pos-
into warclans and warbands. The revenant order stretches sibly the most deadly warriors of history. In the revenants
across the b o u n d s of clan and b a n d s . Your status is i n d i - of Valenar, these fearsome soldiers live again. It took the
cated by the zaelshin that you wear—a special b r o o c h that destruction of Xen'drik to defeat these elf heroes in the
indicates the identity of your ancestor and your role as a past: What impact will the revenant warriors have on this
revenant. At the moment the revenants are a loose society, current age?
always searching for glory and awaiting the word of the
High King. Daily Life: A revenant blade is called to become a
hero—to glorify her ancestors and bring honor to their
Combat: Your ancestors fought an empire of immea- names through her own deeds of bravery. Revenant blades
surable power. You have inherited the skills of your patron, are never sedentary. Anyone who walks the path of the rev-
but also his wisdom—and the knowledge that stealth and enant either fights on the front lines of battle or wanders
c u n n i n g are just as i m p o r t a n t as strength and steel. Take the world seeking an opportunity to prove her worth—and
your time in battle. Stalk your enemy and learn his weak- her ancestor's. Revenants lead raids out from Valenar into
nesses. W h e n you strike, do so on your terms.
the Talenta Plains, Q'barra, and the Mournland, even up Jumall Threnell (CG male elf ranger 5/wizard 3/rev-
into K a r r n a t h . O t h e r s make their way to X e n ' d r i k , to fight enant blade 3) leads a small band of revenants in exploring
the descendants of the ancient giants or unearth some lost X e n ' d r i k . Jumall is particularly well known in Stormreach,
ancestral artifact. Every day brings a new opportunity for although his reputation there is mixed: All acknowledge
glory and honor. his band's heroic deeds, but Jumall himself has stirred up
trouble with hill giants who were visiting the city peacefully
Notables: Taerdra Jennaris (N female elf ranger or even working as part of the city watch.
7/revenant blade 5) is one of the most respected revenants
in Valenar today. She is the chief of a large and powerful Haverra Phasha (CE female elf ranger 3/fighter
warclan that frequently raids into Q'barra at her command. 5/revenant blade 3) has brought a measure of disgrace
Some suspect Taerdra of resistance to the rule of High King to the r e v e n a n t blades' nascent o r g a n i z a t i o n by making
Vadallia, and this situation is expected to come to a head an attempt on High King Vadallia's life. She escaped the
within the next year, when her clan is due to be called up angry High King and his bodyguards, which certainly
for service to the High King. helped her notoriety, but people seem to blame the rev-
e n a n t blades as a whole for the actions of this renegade.
A revenant blade Other revenant blades have sworn to bring Haverra to jus-
embodies the heroic tice, but she remains a fugitive, supposedly lurking inside
spirit of her ancestors the Mournland.
O r g a n i z a t i o n : T h e r e v e n a n t o r d e r is a evolving
fraternity. T h e art of revenant c h a n n e l i n g is a recent
development a m o n g the elves. Some believe that this is a
result of the millennia of devotion of the Tairnadal, and
that the spirits are gaining strength from this reverence.
O t h e r s say that it is destiny—that this is the age of the
elves, and that the heroes are returning to lead the
Valenar to glory.
T h e Keepers of the Past train new revenants
and help them find the way o n t o the path. As part
of this training, a revenant must swear an oath
of loyalty to Valenar and
the High King, promis-
ing to answer any call that
comes from the Darkwood
Crown. As such, the reve-
nants are an elite unit waiting
to be called together. As a revenant,
you could receive this call at any time—a
summons to return to Taer Valaestas, or a call
to a distant battle.
At the moment the revenants receive their
orders from the High K i n g . But some wonder if
the revenants actually represent a threat to Vadallia,
particularly in light of the recent attempt on the High
King's life. As the revenants regain the memo-
ries and skills of the great heroes of the
past, will they be content to follow
the king? What if the ancestors
have old feuds never recorded
in legend—or ambitions to rule
empires of their own?
NPC Reactions
The revenants channel the greatest
heroes of the elves, and Valenar or
Tairnadal warriors have a friendly attitude
toward revenants. Typically, the other inhab-
itants of K h o r v a i r e don't have the knowledge
required to recognize a revenant. The key feature that
identifies a revenant is the zaelshin amulet, and h u m a n s
rarely understand the meaning of the brooch. However,
the Darguuls have come to despise these Valenar warriors,
and goblinoids from Darguun typically have an unfriendly
attitude toward revenants.
T h e r e is also the chance that a revenant will e n c o u n -
ter an elf—revenant or not—whose patron ancestor holds
a deadly grudge against the patron of the revenant. This feats. Revenant scouts emphasize the stealthy surveillance
could result in a direct challenge or a more subtle form of of enemies and guerrilla tactics.
attack, and at the least an unfriendly reaction.
Encounters: When encountered with a warband,
REVENANT BLADES IN THE GAME a revenant blade might confront her enemies in open
battle. Given the choice, she prefers to stalk her foes,
Valenar is an aggressive, expansionist nation, and Valenar taking the time to carefully evaluate their strengths and
warbands constantly raid neighboring regions. A revenant weaknesses.
blade can be found as the leader of a warband, i n s p i r i n g
his soldiers with his bond to the past. Adventurers explor- The Trappings of the Warrior
ing Xen'drik might encounter a warband entirely formed
of revenant blades, an elite force sent to reclaim lost relics Tairnadal warriors typically wear loose silk clothing and
of the elf age of glory. Of course, the Valenar still sell light armor, and favor elaborate engraving and embroidery.
their services as mercenaries—the A u r u m (see page 146) They make use of red or brown patterns mimicking blood
could hire a revenant blade to stalk a troublesome group spatters or stains, so that the gore of battle blends with
of adventurers. the elf's clothing. Beyond this, two critical accoutrements
define a Valenar warrior: the zaelta and the zaelshin.
In an adventuring party, a revenant blade provides
a DM with two paths to explore. The character's ancient T h e zaelshin ("spirit b o n d " ) is an amulet that bears
visions could draw the party to Xen'drik, searching for the seal of an elf's p a t r o n ancestor. It is usually worn as
ancient relics or forgotten secrets of the elf-giant war. a brooch but can be placed in a warrior's helmet, at the
Alternatively, the revenant and his allies could be drawn center of the forehead. A zaelshin is usually formed from
into the evolving politics of Valenar: Perhaps the character's silver and inlaid with jet. A revenant's zaelshin is formed
ancestor wants her to lead the elves down a different path of platinum and inlaid with precious stones that have a
from the one High King Vadallia has chosen. specific tie to the warrior's patron ancestor; this piece of
jewelry costs 150 g p .
Adaptation: T h e revenant blade is merely one of the
revenants found in Valenar. By adjusting the class p r e r e q - The zaelta ("spirit mask") is a veil that covers the lower
uisites and the feats the character can mimic using ancestral face. While this item is useful in the harsh environment of
guidance, this prestige class can be adapted to reflect other the Blade Desert, it is intended to help the wearer submerge
elf ancestors. Revenant bowmen gain access to archery his identity within that of his ancestor. With the wearer's
feats, while revenant riders have access to mounted combat face hidden, an observer views only the zaelshin, thus seeing
the ancestor instead of the descendant.
ZAELSHIN TU
Every Valenar warrior reveres his ancestors and carries a A c t i v a t i o n : U s i n g a zaelshin tu r e q u i r e s no special
zaelshin amulet bearing the sigil of his patron ancestor activation. The skill bonuses always apply, and using your
with h i m at all t i m e s . With a zaelshin tu. you do m o r e t h a n ancestral guidance ability (if you are a revenant blade)
that: You carry a physical relic of your patron ancestor—a does not require you to call on the amulet's power—just
tooth or sliver of bone brought from Xen'drik to Aerenal your own.
and encased in your zaelshin amulet.
Effect: If you meet the prerequisite for using a par-
Description: A zaelshin tu looks much like a m u n d a n e ticular zaelshin tu, you gain a + 2 competence b o n u s on Hide
zaelshin. It is an amulet, formed of platinum and inlaid and Move Silently checks, and a +2 circumstance bonus on
with precious stones that carry spiritual significance to the Diplomacy checks made to influence the reaction of another
ancestor whose sigil is emblazoned on it. It can be worn as Tairnadal elf.
a brooch or attached to your helmet at the center of your
forehead. No matter how you display the item, it takes up If you are also a revenant blade, when you use your
space on your body as an amulet, which means you can't gain ancestral guidance class feature, you gain one extra bonus
the benefit of any other amulet at the same time (or even feat. (A 1st-level revenant blade would then have access to
a n o t h e r zaelshin tu, if you have more t h a n one). two bonus feats, a 3rd-level character to three, and a 4th-
level character to four.)
If you use the revenant blade's ancestral guidance abil- Aura/Caster Level: Faint transmutation and necro-
ity while wearing a zaelshin tu, the gemstones set in the amulet mancy; CL 5th.
flare briefly with a dim light.
C o n s t r u c t i o n : Craft W o n d r o u s Item, speak with dead, a
Prerequisite: Only a Tairnadal elf descended from relic of the p a r t i c u l a r elf h e r o , 900 gp, 72 XP, 18 days.
the elf whose sigil adorns the amulet can gain any benefit
from a zoehhin tu, a n d any o t h e r c h a r a c t e r who wears one V a r i a n t s : A zaelshin tu tied to a p a r t i c u l a r a n c e s t o r
triggers a hostile reaction from any Tairnadal he might might grant a competence bonus on different skills rather
encounter. Only a revenant blade can use all the item's than Hide and Move Silently.
functions.
Weight: 1 lb.
Price: 1,800 gp.
VILLAINOUS ORGANIZATIONS
FORCES OF DARKNESS WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
Conspiracies and cabals fill the world of E b e r r o n , driven by greed, lust for The Aurum
power, or far more sinister goals. While adventurers may never join any of
these organizations, members of these groups are not always encountered Knowledge (nobility and royalty)
as enemies. T h e D r e a m i n g Dark might have sinister plans for K h o r v a i r e , D C 20: T h e A u r u m is a secretive fra-
but these schemes are completely different from the goals of the Lords of
Dust. As a result, a party of adventurers might occasionally receive assis- ternal order. It is based in the M r o r
tance from an unexpected source. Such aid often has strings attached, and Holds, but its members include
a cautious adventurer might want to consider carefully before dealing with wealthy and influential people of all
the darkness. races from across Khorvaire. Many of
its members are devoted to the study
The lords of the Aurum are of history, and they expend vast sums
not demons or liches, and outfitting expeditions to recover
few among them have relics of bygone civilizations.
interest in military con- DC 25: The Mror epic Soldorak Saga
contains a passage that some believe
quest. The members relates to the A u r u m . Durlus Sol-
of the A u r u m emerge dorak saw the gold b e n e a t h the
from among the rich- m o u n t a i n s as a key to power in
est and most influential Khorvaire. According to the saga,
citizens of Khorvaire— he called together the most cunning
and wealthy clan lords, proposing
power, influence, and above the creation of a "cabinet that will
rule from the shadows, binding king
T h e A u r u m is not a tightly and peasant alike in chains of gold
and platinum." The outcome of the
b o u n d organization. It is a society c r e - Symbol of m e e t i n g is u n c l e a r , but in a few of
the later verses of the saga a Soldorak
ated to advance the mutual interests the Aurum is referred to as " L o r d of Gold a n d
Shadows." Some bards believe that
of its members, and a place where the these passages describe the founding
of the Aurum, and that this fraternal
wealthy can enjoy the company of those they consider to be their equals. order is a front for those who seek to
control Khorvaire through gold and
When you deal with a m e m b e r of the A u r u m , you deal with him alone as he economic means.
advances his own agenda and not the goals of the A u r u m . For this reason, The Dreaming Dark
you never know what to expect from the organization. One A u r u m lord Knowledge (the planes)
DC 20: T h e D r e a m i n g Dark is the force
might take a liking to you, frequently calling upon your services to recover
that controls Dal Quor, the region
a new Dhakaani relic for his collection, or to deal with an upstart rival. of dreams.
DC 25 : The kalashtar believe that the
T h e next time you set foot in a d u n g e o n , however, you could find yourself D r e a m i n g Dark is trying to influ-
ence Eberron.
opposed by the agents of a n o t h e r coin lord—and your prior service to the DC 30: According to these stories, the
Dreaming Dark has placed agents
society won't help you or serve as a shield. across Eberron; these are primar-
ily h u m a n s willingly possessed by
The more you deal with the A u r u m , the more rumors you might quori spirits, but also include inno-
cent people influenced by the mental
hear. Some say that t h e r e is a shadow cabinet w i t h i n this society of the powers of the quori.
wealthy—an inner circle that use the organization's influence for more Knowledge (psionics)
DC 20: Over the last few years, you have
sinister and significant purposes. So, keep both eyes open when dealing
heard rumors of the conspiracy known
with the A u r u m . T h e i r coin is good—but there are likely to be secrets as the D r e a m i n g Dark. Its motives are
unclear, but its agents are among the
hidden behind the purse strings. most powerful psions in Eberron.
You might be dealing with agents of the A u r u m if your enemies seem (continued on page 148)
particularly well funded, if they sometimes seem to be working at cross
purposes to each other, or if they seem able to bring political and legal
forces to bear against you.
THE DREAMING DARK
Few people in Khorvaire have even heard of the D r e a m i n g Dark. This
force is the bitter enemy of the kalashtar, but the kalashtar are extremely
reluctant to speak of this conflict with members of other races. As a result,
unless you are a kalashtar or have close dealings with them, it is highly
unlikely that you know anything about the Dreaming Dark.
If you do have allies among the kalashtar, you soon come to know of
the Dreaming Dark, for the organization seeks to destroy the kalashtar
by any m e a n s p o s s i b l e . If an o p p o r t u n i t y p r e s e n t s itself,
an agent of the Dark acts directly—a kalashtar alone in the
wilds might just as well be asking for an assassin to tele-
port in and strike him down. However, the lords of the
Dreaming Dark are also masters of subtle manipulation,
and they never act overtly if there is any risk of revealing
their plans. Agents of the Dark might use telepathically
controlled proxies to do their dirty work—attacking you
directly but leaving you with no links or leads back to your
true foe. The Dreaming Dark also takes great pleasure in
using social manipulation to b r i n g down its enemies. If
you oppose the Dark, you might find yourself framed for
a crime you didn't commit. Alternatively, an agent of the
Dreaming Dark might stir up paranoia around adventur-
ers in general, or foment fear and distrust against those
who bear dragonmarks, or against warforged, or whatever
else might direct the hatred of good people in your direc-
tion. They might even find ways to trick you into doing
their dirty work—for example, by convincing you that an
innocent kalashtar is an evil warlock responsible for your
recent woes.
If you cross paths with the Dreaming Dark, the only
good advice is to watch your back. Take n o t h i n g for granted,
and keep a close and careful eye on your allies. In the long
run, any individuals can be turned to the Dark, whether
they are tricked into serving the cause or have their minds
influenced from within.
You might be dealing with agents of the Dreaming Dark
if your enemies manifest psionic powers, if they are obvi-
ously (or subtly) foreign in dress or dialect, or if formerly
trusted allies turn against you.
THE LORDS OF DUST
Every follower of the Silver Flame has heard the tale of the the rakshasa rajahs. In time, a combined force of dragons
and couatls defeated these demons, with the mightiest
Serpent and the D e m o n . In 299 Y K , a terrible force was among them b o u n d by the Silver Flame. T h e weaker spirits
slipped through the net, however. Immortal and cunning,
unleashed in T h r a n e , and all m a n n e r of fiends flocked they have had tens of thousands of years to plot and scheme.
Some seek to free their ancient masters from imprisonment
from the shadows to venerate this dark lord. However, (this was how the fiend lord held b e n e a t h the T a m o r Hills
in Thrane escaped his bonds). Others seek to seize the
before the mighty demon could completely free itself from power of the imprisoned rajahs for their own. Finally, some
simply take pleasure in spreading chaos and pain, playing
its bonds, the paladin Tira Miron appeared, accompanied with mortal civilizations like a child plays with dolls. These
are the Lords of Dust.
by a feathered serpent with rainbow p l u m -
T h e Lords of Dust are c u n n i n g shapeshifters, and
age. T h e mighty fiend, as it t u r n e d out, their plans (often unfolding over centuries) are difficult
for mortals to fathom. The best advice one can take when
could not be slain. The best that could dealing with the Lords of Dust is to be wary and trust
n o t h i n g : These ancient fiends favor illusion and deception
be hoped was to put it in secure bonds above all.
again, and this Tira did at the cost It is particularly difficult to d e t e r m i n e whether the
Lords of Dust are involved in a given intrigue or adven-
of her own life. T h r o u g h her ture, since their motivations are so obscure and their
methods so subtle. However, if ancient and powerful
sacrifice, humanity learned magic is involved, if your enemies seem utterly ruthless or
wildly chaotic, or if you find yourself lost in an endlessly
of the Silver Flame—the force tangled web of subterfuge, you might be dealing with the
Lords of Dust.
that has held the fiend lords
at bay since the most ancient
of days.
Few people know the
full history of these
demons, however. In
the first age, Khyber
gave birth to a host of
fiends. The rakshasas
were the least of these,
while the mightiest
were demon lords with
unique powers and abil-
ities that made them like
gods. These archfiends
Symbol of the ruled over the lesser spir-
Lords of Dust its and became known as
THE ORDEROFTHE Some stories say that they are invaders
EMERALD CLAW from Sarlona, others that they come
from another plane, while some claim
In the beginning of the Last War, the agents of that the Dreaming Dark is one mono-
the Order of the Emerald Claw were the heroes lithic spirit that uses mindseed to claim
of Karrnath. Their devotion to their followers of all races and nations.
nation was matched only by their cun-
ning and skill at arms. The knights of the The Lords of Dust
order were instrumental in Karrnath's
military success, and it is now believed that Knowledge (religion)
certain acts of espionage and sabotage DC 15: In ancient times, mighty fiends
that occurred in other nations were their
secret handiwork. ruled the land. These were the chil-
dren of the dark dragon Khyber.
As time passed, though, the King of The universe could not stand to
Karrnath began to have his doubts about see such evil roaming free, and the
the order. The knights of the Emerald Silver Flame took form to bind this
Claw were fiercely devoted to Karrnath, terrible darkness in the depths of
but few outside the order's highest levels the world.
knew that their devotion masked service to DC 18 : While the greatest fiends were
another master—the Blood of Vol. Ultimately, trapped by the Silver Flame, their
edicts were passed condemning the order for weaker servants were able to slip
its violent activities, and by 980 YK it was for- through the bonds, like small fish
mally disbanded and outlawed by Moranna, the slipping through nets made to catch
regent of Karrnath. But while the Emerald krakens. These treacherous fiends
Claw no longer has any ties to the government remain in the world, and the tem-
of Karrnath, it continues to operate in the Symbol of the Order plars of the Silver Flame must be ever
shadows across Khorvaire. The order claims of the Emerald Claw vigilant to prevent these demons from
to still be dedicated to Karrnath, but makes freeing their bound masters. Some of
known its belief that Kaius III is weak and that he betrayed the country the fiends have joined together in an
when he sought peace. alliance called the Lords of Dust, a
name that refers to the ancient powers
Few outside the most high-ranking members of the order under- they have lost.
stand and appreciate the true connection between the order and
the Blood of Vol. Most assume that since the order consists of loyal DC 22: The most common order of
Karrnathi, it is understandable that some of its members follow the fiend among these Lords of Dust is
teachings of the Blood. The truth is, however, that Vol created the the rakshasa. A rakshasa is a clever
order not to help Karrnath, but to help herself. The Emerald Claw shapeshifting demon that can assume
represents the claw of a green dragon, a connection to Vol's heritage any humanoid form and possesses
as a half-dragon. It has members, both recognized and hidden, oper- considerable magic powers of its own.
ating throughout the Five Nations and beyond. These members serve Rakshasas are resistant to most magic,
as Vol's eyes and ears, her devoted army, and her trusted hunters of and neither sword nor mace can harm
arcane relics of power. them—only a spear or arrow blessed
by the forces of good can penetrate
When dealing with the Order of the Emerald Claw, it is easy to dis- such a demon's hide.
miss them as zealots and extremists. Of all the villains in Eberron, they
are perhaps the most straightforward—where you find the order, you can The Order of the
usually assume that evil is afoot. Never underestimate the Order of the Emerald Claw
Emerald Claw, though, for it can attract skilled wizards and warriors to
its banner, and the organization's combination of patriotism and (secret) Knowledge (History)
religious fervor wins it many allies among the common folk. The order Karrns receive a +5 bonus on this check.
might invariably be dedicated to evil, but it can still dupe good people into DC 15: The Order of the Emerald Claw
serving its ends.
was a chivalric order that served King
You might be dealing with the Order of the Emerald Claw if your foes Kaius I and his successors during the
include intelligent undead such as vampires or liches, if they reveal Karr- Last War. The order was outlawed
nathi accents, or if they display high levels of military or magical train- in 980 YK for extremist activities,
ing. Naturally, if you see the symbol of the order displayed on shields or and King Kaius III has gone to great
helmets, it's a dead giveaway that the order is involved. Outside Karrnath lengths in an attempt to stamp it
and particularly beyond Khorvaire, members of the order do not always out. The order continues to remain
take pains to conceal their affiliation. active in the shadows of Karrnath
and beyond, but it is now seen as a
terrorist organization.
T h e following two spells, two psionic powers, and one feat Blade of Light
represent only a few of the powers developed by the forces
of darkness or by those who oppose t h e m . Psychoportation
Level: Psychic warrior 4
Price of Loyalty Display; Material
Manifesting Time: 1 swift action
Enchantment (Charm) [Mind-Affecting] Range: Touch
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 Target: Weapon touched
Components: F Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 1 standard action Saving Throw: None
Range: Touch Power Resistance: No
Target: One humanoid Power Points: 7
Duration: One hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates The psychic warriors of the kalashtar, dedicated to battling
Spell Resistance: Yes the Dreaming Dark, developed this power to help in this
struggle, but it's equally effective when dealing with crea-
Gold and greed are the two tools of the Aurum, and this tures of Xoriat or demons from Shavarath. T h i s power
subtle charm uses one to harness the other. The effects of surrounds one weapon with a softly glowing energy field
price of loyalty are identical to charm person. T h e drawbacks are that is anathema to fiends. When the weapon strikes an
the limited range and the fact that the target must accept evil extraplanar creature, it deals an extra 2d6 points of
your offer of a platinum piece (the spell's focus) for the damage. This power has a weaker effect on creatures that
spell to take effect. T h e advantage is the subtle nature of the are merely possessed by outsiders (such as the I n s p i r e d ) ;
e n c h a n t m e n t . Price of loyalty r e q u i r e s n o gestures or i n c a n t a - in such cases, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of non-
tions, and there are no signs of magic; whether or not the lethal damage.
target succeeds on his saving throw, he will never know that
a spell was cast. However, the effect can still be discerned Dissonant Touch
by detect magic and similar spells.
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Focus: O n e p l a t i n u m piece. Level: Psychic warrior 2, telepath 2
Display: Visual
Sentinel's Watch Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Divination Target: Creature touched
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 Duration: 1 minute/level
C o m p o n e n t s : V, S, M Saving Throw: None
Casting Time: 1 standard action Power Resistance: No
Range: Touch Power Points: 3
Target: One humanoid
Duration: One hour/level T h e assassins of the Dreaming Dark enjoy toying with their
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) prey. This psionic attack disrupts the nervous system of the
Spell Resistance: Yes victim, causing intense weakness or disorientation for the
duration of the effect.
Subtle dangers hide throughout the world of Eberron.
Changelings and doppelgangers work the whims of the W h e n you use dissonant touch, a successful melee touch
Traveler. Ancient spirits scheme to destroy human civili- attack causes your victim to take a penalty of ld6 points
zation. In these dark times, little is exactly what it appears to either Strength or Dexterity; you choose which before
to be. you make the attack. The affected ability score cannot be
reduced below 0, and if you use this ability more than once
Protection is the duty of House Deneith, and in 756 on the same victim, only the greatest penalty is applied.
YK Jolas d'Deneith, a mage of the Twelve, developed this
ritual to strengthen the eyes of those who served his house. Augment: For every 2 additional power points you
Sentinel's watch wards the subject against deception, allowing spend, the penalty is increased by 1 p o i n t .
him to pierce falsehoods of all forms.
If you spend an additional 6 power points, the penalty
While protected by sentinel 'swatch, the subject receives a applies to both Strength and Dexterity.
+ 5 competence bonus on the following checks and saves.
• Spot checks to penetrate any form of disguise or Feat: Death's Blood
illusion. T h e Mark of Death has passed from the world. But while
• Sense Motive checks made to oppose Bluff checks. the line of Vol was e l i m i n a t e d by the elves t h o u s a n d s of
• Will saves to resist e n c h a n t m e n t or illusion effects. years ago, the Queen of the Dead has conducted experi-
ments designed to return the mark to the world. One of
If the subject bears the Mark of Sentinel or the Mark of your ancestors was involved in these experiments, and
Detection, these bonuses are increased to +6. this heritage gives you a natural resistance to necro-
mantic effects.
Material Component: A piece of quartz, which is touched
to the eyes of the subject. Prerequisite: Elf or half-elf.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on saves against necro-
mancy spells or spell-like abilities.
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Player's Guide to Eberron
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