06-chapter-05-dragonmarked-intrigue

Chapter 05: Dragonmarked Intrigue

Source: Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

• Adventure Genre. Renaissance Schemes and Struggles
• Pop Culture. The Sopranos, Succession

The prosperity of Khorvaire is built on magic, with the dragonmarked houses as the mortar that holds this magical economy together. The cornerstones of Khorvaire’s economy—communications, transport, banking, animal husbandry, security, and more—fall under the ownership and control of the dragonmarked houses.

For most of Khorvaire’s history, the authority of a strong central monarchy in the kingdom of Galifar balanced the power of these houses. The Last War upset that balance, and the squabbling leaders of Khorvaire’s many nations can hardly check these houses’ grasping reach. Many whisper that if the nations of Khorvaire ever united again, they would be ruled not by a king, but by the heir of a dragonmarked house.

Run a dragonmarked intrigue campaign if you want to emulate the schemes and power struggles of the Renaissance—merchant dynasties growing to rival royal families in influence—or stories of family power dynamics like The Sopranos or Succession.

Dragonmarked Characters

A dragonmarked intrigue campaign assumes that the characters all have some connection to a dragonmarked house. They might all connect to the same house, or they could associate with different houses but have a common purpose. (See the “Building a Party” section below for suggestions on bringing together a party from different houses.) If the characters work for a single house or an organization, like the Twelve, that unites them in a mutual purpose, use the group patron rules in “Eberron: Rising from the Last War” to provide benefits from their shared mission.

The House Agent and various house heir backgrounds in chapter 2 suit characters in this campaign, giving them benefits and capabilities related to their house affiliation. Certain other backgrounds can reflect the mercantile specialties of the characters’ houses, such as Artisan for House Cannith, Sailor for House Lyrandar, Entertainer for House Phiarlan or House Thuranni, or Scribe for House Sivis.

Dragonmarked House Renown

You can use the renown rules in the “Dungeon Master’s Guide” to measure a character’s influence and standing within a dragonmarked house. If your campaign focuses on the houses and the characters join one, track each character’s Renown Score with their house. A character’s background and feats can increase their Renown Scores:

• House Agent. The House Agent background grants a starting Renown Score of 3 with a character’s house.
• House Heir. A house heir background (such as House Cannith Heir) grants a starting Renown Score of 5 with a character’s house.
• Dragonmark Feat. Acquiring a Dragonmark feat (except the Aberrant Dragonmark feat) after level 1 increases a character’s Renown Score with the associated house by 1.
• Greater Dragonmark. Acquiring the greater dragonmark feat associated with a house (such as Greater Mark of Making) increases a character’s Renown Score with that house by 2.
• Siberys Dragonmark. Acquiring the Boon of Siberys feat, or another feat in the Epic Boon category that represents a Siberys dragonmark, increases a character’s Renown Score with the associated house by 3.
• Aberrant Dragonmark. Acquiring any aberrant dragonmark reduces a character’s Renown Score with each dragonmarked house by 2 when that house’s leadership learns of the mark.

Renown Perks

Characters who gain renown with a dragonmarked house are eligible for the following perks, allowing them to call in favors from members of that house.

• Favored in House
• Recognized in House
• Celebrated in House
• Preeminent in House

Building a Party

You can assemble a diverse party of D&D characters drawn from a single dragonmarked house. Conversely, your party can include members of different houses united by alliances or common principles. Or they could be childhood friends who ended up working for different houses, or just a haphazard collection of individuals thrown together by unforeseen circumstances. The Party Makeup table suggests ways to justify why the characters are cooperating.

Party Makeup

dice: [](06-chapter-05-dragonmarked-intrigue.md#^party-makeup)

dice: 1d8	Composition
1	One-House Party. Choose a dragonmarked house and connect all characters to it.
2	Bodyguards. A Deneith Fighter, a Jorasco Cleric, a Medani Wizard, and a Phiarlan Monk are assigned to protect important people.
3	Bounty Hunters. A Sivis Bard, a Tharashk Barbarian, a Tharashk Ranger, and a Vadalis Druid venture into the wild to pursue fugitives.
4	Dragonshard Prospectors. House Tharashk leads a dragonshard-mining expedition, sending a Druid and a Ranger accompanied by a Lyrandar Sorcerer and a Thuranni Bard.
5	Lawkeepers. A Deneith Fighter, a Deneith Paladin, a Lyrandar Sorcerer, and a Medani Rogue enforce the law—particularly the terms of the Treaty of Thronehold, which governs international law.
6	Medical Extraction Team. A Cannith Artificer, a Deneith Paladin, a Jorasco Cleric, and a Thuranni Monk venture into war zones and disaster areas to protect civilians, heal them, and escort them away from danger.
7	Researchers. A Cannith Artificer, a Deneith Paladin, a Medani Rogue (Arcane Trickster), and a Sivis Wizard carry out arcane research for the Twelve.
8	Strike Force. A Cannith Artificer, a Deneith Fighter, a Jorasco Cleric, and a Thuranni Rogue strike hard and fast against enemies of the dragonmarked houses or the Five Nations as a whole.
^party-makeup

Although conflicts among the dragonmarked houses drive much of the action in this campaign, it’s important not to let that tension cause too much friction in a party of adventurers. The D&D game relies on cooperation among the players, so it’s helpful for the player characters to find common ground that unites them despite their differences in house affiliation and agenda. Many house members have friends and acquaintances among other houses. Those positive associations can bind an adventuring partytogether.

Dragonmarked Conflicts

A dragonmarked intrigue campaign might feature three significant campaign conflicts tied to the nature of dragonmarks:

• Rival Houses. The most significant and persistent conflicts take place among the dragonmarked houses—longstanding rivalries, short-term disputes, and family grudges can define the “intrigue” part of this campaign. Significant rivalries also exist within some houses.
• House Tarkanan. Though it appears as nothing more than an ordinary criminal organization, House Tarkanan—which is made up of people who carry aberrant dragonmarks—can threaten all dragonmarked characters and the continued existence of their houses.
• The Chamber. As dragonmarks are thought to be an expression of the Draconic Prophecy, the Chamber—a secretive group of dragons interested in studying and manipulating the Prophecy—could easily become involved in interhouse intrigue.

You can replace one or more of these conflicts with others from”Eberron: Rising from the Last War” or ones of your own devising. For example, if your campaign involves the issues between House Deneith and House Tharashk over the latter’s expansion into the mercenary trade, the powers of Droaam could drive a significant conflict. You might emphasize the rivalry between the economic strength of the dragonmarked houses and the waning political power of the nations of Khorvaire, with one or more political leaders seeking to curtail the houses, or an ambitious dragonmarked leader working to supplant a nation’s sovereign.

This section describes the three suggested conflicts, the goals of the villainous groups involved, and possible plot arcs tied to them.

Rival Houses

Conflicts, rivalries, and feuds among the thirteen dragonmarked houses drive a dragonmarked intrigue campaign. As tremendously powerful magical and mercantile forces, the houses seek economic dominance, which often comes at the expense of other houses and sometimes with little concern for ethics. Ambitious forces within the houses—if not the houses as a whole—can lead them to endanger both people and property.

Goals of Rival Houses

Rivalries among the dragonmarked houses are described below.

Cannith and Tharashk. In its interactions with the other houses, House Cannith has a reputation for being domineering and openly advocating for a position of privilege. No one resents that attitude more than House Tharashk. These two houses clash not over competing economic interests but to gain political influence within the Twelve and over Khorvaire as a whole. To complicate matters, Cannith relies on the dragonshards mined by Tharashk—and Tharashk doesn’t want to lose its best customer.

Cannith and Vadalis. Though they have much in common as producers of goods, House Cannith and House Vadalis remain philosophically, temperamentally, and morally opposed. Members of House Vadalis distrust the city folk of House Cannith, whose machines (including the warforged) threaten to replace magebred animals entirely.

Deneith and Medani. House Deneith and House Medani both offer personal protection services. Extremely wealthy individuals have been known to hire bodyguards from both houses, but even then, house agents often compete to prove their services the more valuable.

Deneith and Tharashk. House Tharashk has been encroaching on House Deneith’s economic territory by recruiting the monstrous residents of Droaam to serve as mercenaries.

Ghallanda and Everyone. Many people underestimate the subtle influence of House Ghallanda. The House of Hospitality has spent centuries building connections in all the cities of the Five Nations. A Ghallanda concierge knows ways to get whatever a client needs. But the house also knows about the other houses’ rivalries and schemes. It tugs on these strings more than other houses realize.

Kundarak and Thuranni. The enmity between House Kundarak and House Thuranni dates back to the Shadow Schism. Elar d’Thuranni claimed that the Paelion line of House Phiarlan were traitors engaged in a diabolical plot, and the Thuranni and their allies assassinated the entire family line. Baron Morrikan d’Kundarak and Lord Tolar Paelion were blood brothers, and Morrikan refuses to believe the accusations made against the Paelions. He has sworn to uncover the truth and avenge his friend. To this end, he has assigned the Ghorad’din—the “Manticore’s Tail,” the secret assassins of House Kundarak—to dog the heels of Thuranni and its Shadow Network.

Lyrandar and Orien. Before the airship’s invention, House Orien had a monopoly on travel across Khorvaire. Lyrandar’s expansion into air travel threatens that dominance.

Medani and Tharashk. House Medani and House Tharashk both operate guilds of inquisitives, vying for a limited field of business. Each house has its specialties, but the inquisitives of both houses compete fiercely for customers.

Phiarlan and Thuranni. The two houses that carry the Mark of Shadow separated less than thirty years ago, and tensions remain high between them. They generally avoid open conflict by operating in distinct territories. When their agents cross paths, rivalries can trigger confrontation—which manifests in artistic competitions or duels between assassins.

Internal Tensions

The schism of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni marks the first time a house has split among family lines, but it might not be the last. Tensions within a single dragonmarked house can provide campaign conflicts, especially if the characters in your campaign all belong to the same house. The following houses have significant internal conflicts.

Cannith

The leaders of House Cannith perished in the Mourning, and three powerful barons now vie for control. Each one wants to unite the house under their own leadership, but it’s entirely possible the house could fracture as House Phiarlan did.

Sivis

House Sivis is known for its neutrality in struggles between nations and dragonmarked houses alike—it often helps settle disputes and maintain order when two houses differ. But its own internal affairs involve a tremendous amount of family rivalry. The house’s twelve families include the Corralyns, Lyrrimans, Santors, Severins, Syrralans, and Torralyns. Only because of her expertise at games of intrigue has Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis managed to head the house for ninety years.

Tharashk

An ancient conflict lies hidden within the foundations of House Tharashk. The powerful Torrn clan has ties to the Gatekeeper druids, while the Aashta clan aligns with the Cults of the Dragon Below. Most modern heirs have only a casual knowledge of these traditions, but zealous factions within the clans pursue esoteric agendas that sometimes boil out into conflict within the house.

A Rival Houses Arc

This example arc presupposes that the characters generally stay neutral in disputes among the dragonmarked houses. The characters might act as agents of the Twelve, House Sivis, or some other group or patron that pursues peace among the houses. Or the characters might represent different houses; their prior relationship to each other motivates them to maintain peace. If the characters belong to a single house, you can adapt this example by using their house as one of the rival factions.

Based on that initial assumption, the conflict among rival dragonmarked houses might unfold according to this broad outline.

Levels 1–4

As prominent but not yet powerful figures in the dragonmarked landscape, the characters become the targets of two rival houses. Both houses try to befriend and influence them, perhaps hiring them for various missions. Meanwhile, the conflict between the houses simmers on a back burner.

Levels 5–10

The conflict between the two rival houses erupts into a trade war, a concerted effort to take over business from each other, or even violent conflict. With the characters now emerging as a force to be reckoned with, both houses call on them for help, trying to force the characters to choose sides.

Levels 11–16

As the conflict between the two houses rages on, a third group gets involved, hoping to take advantage of the warring parties’ distraction or weakness. Figures both within and outside the houses plead with the characters to help end the conflict before it engulfs other houses or even nations.

Levels 17–20

The chaos spreads, and the characters have a choice to make. They can work to restore the delicate balance of power among the houses, as well as between the houses and the Five Nations. Or they can try to reshape the world order according to a different pattern.

House Tarkanan

House Tarkanan is a criminal gang in Sharn, founded when Thora Tavin assembled the survivors of a suicide squad of Brelish spies who bore aberrant dragonmarks. She adopted the surname of Lord Halas Tarkanan, who used his aberrant dragonmark to wreak havoc in Sharn during the War of the Mark, and fashioned this group of thieves and assassins into a mockery of the dragonmarked houses. However, the gang lacks the recognition, power, and resources of the actual houses.

Goals of House Tarkanan

House Tarkanan is a gang of thieves and assassins operating within the city of Sharn, but its name points to its founder’s vision for building the gang into a larger movement. Most members have no higher aspirations than using their aberrant dragonmarks to profit from a criminal lifestyle. But the gang’s leaders seek to amplify their dragonmarks’ power to the world-shaking level of the aberrant champions of the War of the Mark, Halas Tarkanan and the Lady of the Plague. With such awesome power at their disposal, they plan to reawaken the ancient conflict over aberrant dragonmarks and topple the dragonmarked houses from their position of power.

Thora Tarkanan (still known about town under her original name, Thora Tavin), who founded the gang, recently stepped aside from its leadership, ceding power to a mysterious figure called the Son of Khyber. Little is known about him, but he bears the strongest aberrant mark seen in modern times along with the skills of a military commander. Some call him Halas Tarkanan born again, believing he is mustering an aberrant army to lead into battle against the dragonmarked houses. Thora remains the Son of Khyber’s second-in-command and the public face of the gang.

A House Tarkanan Arc

The conflict between adventurers and House Tarkanan might follow this broad outline.

Levels 1–4

A patron asks the characters to get involved in a criminal investigation into a rash of murders in Sharn because all the victims have dragonmarks. Both the Sharn Watch and one or more private inquisitives already squabble over access to evidence and witnesses—the characters’ attempt to get involved merely heightens the tension. The perpetrators turn out to be members of House Tarkanan, whom the characters must bring to justice.

Levels 5–10

After the characters’ success in dealing with the Tarkanan killers, the Watch comes to them for additional help. Petty thieves belonging to the gang have offered inside information into House Tarkanan’s plans in exchange for leniency in their sentencing. These thieves don’t share their leaders’ delusions of grandeur or hatred of the dragonmarked houses. The information points to a gathering of aberrant heirs deep below Sharn.

Levels 11–16

After the characters disrupt House Tarkanan’s schemes in the depths of Sharn, the gang sends powerful assassins with fearsome aberrant dragonmarks after the party.

Levels 17–20

The Son of Khyber leads a small army of aberrant-marked warriors and assassins to challenge the leadership of Sharn—and plots to conjure a Blob of Annihilation to level the city’s skyscraping towers.

Aberrant Heirs

House Tarkanan incorporates members with a wide variety of aberrant dragonmarks. Any Humanoid in the “Monster Manual” or another source could be a House Tarkanan agent with a mark that doesn’t affect the creature’s use in combat or that is reflected in the creature’s existing abilities. For example, a Vampire Familiar might gain its unique abilities from an aberrant mark rather than from any connection to a vampire, and a Bandit Deceiver’s spellcasting could derive from such a mark. On the other hand, an ordinary Bandit or Tough might have an aberrant mark that allows the NPC to cast Disguise Self, Silent Image, or a similar spell with little impact on the NPC’s combat abilities.

The two stat blocks presented here, along with the Tarkanan Assassin in “Eberron: Rising from the Last War”, illustrate members of House Tarkanan who wield the power of their aberrant marks in combat.

Tarkanan Marauder

This powerful assassin relies on teleportation to catch targets unaware and deal out rapid death.

Tarkanan Marauder

Tarkanan Ruffian

This rank-and-file gang member, recruited off the streets of Sharn, uses sinister lightning powers to supplement ordinary weaponry.

Tarkanan Ruffian

The Chamber

The Chamber is a secretive network of dragons that have monitored the peoples of Khorvaire for thousands of years. These dragons consider people merely pawns in an ancient game that revolves around the Draconic Prophecy. Each dragon of the Chamber watches over a small corner of the world and maintains a network of agents who can move freely in the cities and nations of Khorvaire.

Goals of the Chamber

Though most members of the Chamber simply observe events in Khorvaire and gather information about new aspects of the Prophecy, many dragons seek to understand the connection between dragonmarks and the Prophecy—some even conduct magical experiments on dragonmarked people. Dragons of the Chamber take a particular interest in the most powerful dragonmarks, such as Siberys marks and mighty aberrant marks (see chapter 2).

These goals don’t necessarily put the Chamber in conflict with dragonmarked characters or their houses. Even when they do, this conflict need not be violent. Fundamentally, though, the dragons of the Chamber count the value of dragonmarked individuals only in terms of the marks they carry and their place in the Prophecy. This means the dragons consider dragonmarked characters expendable and their personal goals inconsequential compared to the long-range views of the Chamber.

A Chamber Arc

The conflict between adventurers and the Chamber might unfold according to this broad outline, starting around the time the characters reach level 5.

Levels 5–10

Dragonmarked characters come to the attention of a dragon belonging to the Chamber. The dragon sends an agent to meet them, become a friend or patron to them, and keep an eye on their activities. Occasionally the agent might send them on strange errands intended to fulfill the Prophecy in a particular way. Other times, the agent provides helpful advice, useful spells, or even magic items to aid the characters in adventures. Some missions, particularly later in this level range, might feel distasteful to the characters or directly conflict with their other goals.

Levels 11–16

The dragon monitoring the characters becomes convinced that the characters’ other activities are corrupting the Prophecy. The dragon’s friendly agent disappears, and a group of hostile agents begins to undermine the characters’ work.

Levels 17–20

When the dragon alerts other members of the Chamber that the characters pose a threat to the Prophecy, multiple dragons attempt to eliminate the group.

Dragonmarked Houses

“Eberron: Rising from the Last War” contains basic information about the dragonmarked houses, and chapter 2 of this book includes character backgrounds representing heirs of these houses. This section provides an overview of each house, focusing on opportunities for intrigue within and among the houses. It also includes additional favors available to characters who belong to the houses, using the renown rules from “Dragonmarked House Renown” earlier in this chapter.

House Cannith

Since the destruction of Cyre and the headquarters of House Cannith in the Last War, the house has functioned as three distinct organizations while the three Cannith barons vie for control.

Cannith East

Headquartered in Korth (in Karrnath) and led by Zorlan d’Cannith, Cannith East enjoys close ties to the government of Karrnath and the faith of the Blood of Vol. This branch of the house specializes in siege weaponry and defenses, though its most innovative experiments explore the creation of constructed undead—a hybrid of warforged and zombie. In addition to Karrnath, Cannith East has enclaves in the Mror Holds and the Lhazaar Principalities.

Cannith South

Under the leadership of Merrix d’Cannith, the Cannith South holdings in Sharn have come to rival the old house headquarters in Whitehearth as a hotspot of innovation. Additional cells in Breland, Zilargo, Darguun, and even Stormreach (in Xen’drik) carry out Merrix’s plans and produce inventions to fill the house’s coffers. Rumor has it the Sharn enclave conceals the last creation forge capable of producing warforged—and that Merrix plans to build another one in Stormreach, where the Treaty of Thronehold holds no sway.

Cannith West

Headquartered near the Aundairian capital of Fairhaven, Cannith West follows Jorlanna d’Cannith, whose leadership claim is hindered by an indiscretion from her youth. Some thirty years ago, Jorlanna had a star-crossed romance with an heir of House Deneith—an affair forbidden by the protocols of the dragonmarked houses that date back to the War of the Mark. Though the relationship ended quickly, and rumors of a child have never been proven, Jorlanna’s reputation for poor judgment haunts her. Despite that, her strong vision for a united house, her allies among the Twelve, and her personal magnetism make her a powerful contender for control of the house. Under her leadership, Cannith West conducts investigations in enclaves and magical sites across Aundair, Thrane, and the Eldeen Reaches. She maintains friendly relations with other houses and with the nobility in and around Aundair.

House Cannith Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase one Common or Uncommon magic item at half the usual cost.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Craft order to House Cannith as if it were a Smithy or Workshop facility in your Bastion. If you are level 9+, you instead can treat the house as a Laboratory facility.

House Deneith

In House Deneith’s headquarters, Sentinel Tower in Karrlakton (in Karrnath), Baron Breven d’Deneith steers the house on the course it has followed for centuries: upholding a stance of absolute neutrality in the politics of the Five Nations while maintaining the largest military and police force in Khorvaire. While many nobles of Karrnath want House Deneith to help rebuild a united Galifar (under Karrn leadership, of course), and while House Tharashk recruits monstrous mercenaries from among the denizens of Droaam, the baron walks a tightrope. Amid such treacherous situations, many in House Deneith question whether the path of neutrality remains the best course to follow.

House Deneith Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can request the assistance of dice:1d4+1|noform|noparens|avg (1d4 + 1) mercenaries for up to 1 day. The mercenaries are Medium Guards.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn and issue the Recruit order to a Barrack facility in your Bastion, you can recruit up to twelve Bastion defenders instead of four. If you are level 9+, you and any allies of your choice can train in a House Deneith facility as if it were a Training Area facility within your Bastion (using the Empower order), with a trainer of your choice.

House Ghallanda

Yoren d’Ghallanda has expanded the holdings of his house far beyond its origins in the Talenta Plains and his headquarters in Gatherhold. Inns run directly by the house—each one a little enclave of House Ghallanda’s authority, beyond the grasp of any local government—reach across Khorvaire, even in remote areas such as the edge of the Demon Wastes and the swamps of Q’barra. Even if a village doesn’t have an inn run directly by the house, it likely boasts a hostel licensed by House Ghallanda, assuring its patrons of certain standards of comfort, cleanliness, and safety. Rumor has it that the house’s recent expansion springs from Baron Yoren’s newfound interest in the Draconic Prophecy, which his daughter Chervina has been studying.

House Ghallanda Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You and your party can stay in a House Ghallanda inn for 30 days without charge, with meals included.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Harvest order to House Ghallanda as if it were a Garden facility (food garden) in your Bastion. If you are level 13+, you instead can issue the Research order to House Ghallanda as if it were a Pub facility.

House Jorasco

Resthold is House Jorasco’s enclave in Vedykar (in Karrnath) and the home of its leader—currently Baron Ulara d’Jorasco. The people of Khorvaire widely accept the adage, “If you can’t be cured in Resthold, then nothing can save you.” In addition to curing illnesses and tending wounds, the healers of House Jorasco teach the healing arts, operate spas for long-term convalescence, and care for those with chronic or lingering illnesses, both physical and mental. In addition to Vedykar, House Jorasco maintains large healing enclaves in Fairhaven, Sharn, and Gatherhold in the Talenta Plains, but folks can find its holdings and clinics in cities and towns across Khorvaire.

House Jorasco Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase one Potion of Healing (any variety) at half the usual cost.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Harvest order to House Jorasco as if it were a Garden facility (herb garden) in your Bastion. If you are level 9+, you instead can issue the Harvest order to the house as if it were a Greenhouse facility.

House Kundarak

House Kundarak is one of the most insular dragonmarked houses, thanks to a variety of factors—foremost among them the secrecy needed to protect its vast wealth. Additional complications include its status as the only dwarven dragonmarked house and its sometimes contentious relationship with other dwarf clans and families of the Mror Holds. Lord Morrikan d’Kundarak keeps connections with other houses and nations strictly professional, built on a solid foundation of trust and a reputation for unshakable integrity. House Kundarak’s only close ties are with House Sivis and the Gatekeeper druids, who are also experts in magical wards. The house’s headquarters lies in Korunda Gate (in the Mror Holds).

House Kundarak Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can store something in a Kundarak vault for up to 1 month at no charge. The vault is an extradimensional space accessible (with the proper keys) from any Kundarak bank in Khorvaire and is generally considered impenetrable.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Trade order to House Kundarak as if it were a Storehouse facility in your Bastion, using your level to determine the maximum value of items purchased and the profit you get from selling them.

House Lyrandar

The kraken, it is said, lurks beneath even the fairest seas—and none know how far its tentacles reach. The same is said of House Lyrandar, which uses the kraken as its emblem. Anyone who travels by land or sea, or who has an economic stake in the weather, has good reason to work with House Lyrandar. But those who cross the house find it a deadly and implacable foe. Some rumors call Baron Esravash d’Lyrandar a mere figurehead, holding court in the house headquarters of Stormhome (in Aundair). Such tales hold that true control of the house lies in the hands of a cult of the Devourer called the Hurricane Harvest, which teaches dragonmarked heirs to use their power for destruction and domination.

House Lyrandar Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can secure passage on a House Lyrandar sailing ship for yourself and your party at no cost, or on an elemental galleon or airship for half the usual price.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn and issue the Harvest order to a Garden facility in your Bastion, House Lyrandar can manipulate the weather to double your harvest. If you are level 9+, you can issue the Recruit order to House Lyrandar as if it were a Teleportation Circle facility within your Bastion, except that the spellcaster arrives at your Bastion via airship.

House Medani

The strength of House Medani is its agents’ keen insight and ability to predict others’ actions based on evidence. Building on that strength, the house engages not in the collection of intelligence (the purview of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni), but in counterintelligence. House Medani doesn’t traffic in secrets; it helps to keep them. Under the leadership of Baron Trelib d’Medani—whose close association with the king of Breland from the house’s headquarters in Wroat is well known—Medani agents detect and disrupt the theft of goods and secrets.

House Medani Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can secure overnight lodging in a Medani safe house for yourself and your party. Secreted away under the house’s protection, you become almost impossible to find by nonmagical means.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Research order to House Medani as if it were a Library facility in your Bastion. If you are level 13+, you instead can issue the Research order to the house as if it were a Pub facility.

House Orien

House Orien caravans are the cheapest and often most dependable means to reach out-of-the-way locales and minor settlements; they’re also the most reliable way to transport heavy loads away from ocean ports. The logistical challenges of transporting people and goods safely across thousands of miles consume the house’s attention, leaving little room for intrigue. In the wake of the Last War, Baron Kwanti d’Orien focuses on rebuilding land passage across the Mournland and dealing with competition from the upstart House Lyrandar and its airships. The house’s headquarters lies in Passage (in Aundair), but its enclaves appear across Khorvaire. A number of lightning rail coaches even act as mobile enclaves for important members of the house.

House Orien Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can secure transportation for yourself and your party by any means House Orien provides (caravan, lightning rail, or teleportation) for half the usual cost.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Trade order to House Orien as if it were a Storehouse facility in your Bastion, using your level to determine the maximum value of items purchased and the profit you get from selling them. If you are level 9+, you instead can issue the Recruit order to House Orien as if it were a Teleportation Circle facility within your Bastion.

House Phiarlan

The five Demesnes of House Phiarlan are each devoted to a specific artistic tradition:

Demesne of Memory (in Fairhaven in Aundair) encompasses the written word, including prose, poetry, and propaganda.

Demesne of Motion (in Wroat in Breland) focuses on the arts of the body, including dance, gymnastics, wrestling, acrobatics, and massage.

Demesne of Music (in Flamekeep in Thrane) teaches the arts of sound, including song and instrumental music.

Demesne of Shape (in Thaliost in Thrane) focuses on material arts, including the practical construction of props, costumes, instruments, and the like, as well as sculpture, painting, and pottery.

Demesne of Shadow (in Sharn) teaches the art of deception, which includes illusions, puppetry, and shadow plays, as well as acting, oratory, and impersonation. Baron Elvinor Elorrenthi d’Phiarlan makes her headquarters in the Shadow enclave.

A sixth head to the Phiarlan hydra, the Serpentine Table, is the house’s espionage wing and one of the finest intelligence networks in Khorvaire. Few people know the group exists, and fewer still can use its services—the house grants access only to guildmasters, nobles, and players in the great game of power.

House Phiarlan Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase one dose of poison (any kind) or other illegal item (such as stolen goods) at half price.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Craft order to House Phiarlan as if it were a Workshop facility in your Bastion. If you are level 9+, you instead can issue the Empower order to the house as if it were a Theater facility, and if you are level 13+, you instead can issue the Research order to the house as if it were a Pub facility.

House Sivis

Under the leadership of Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis, House Sivis does everything it can to stabilize a world torn apart by war. Some write off the importance of a house of scribes, while others wonder whether the much-vaunted neutrality of House Sivis conceals a far-reaching hidden agenda. Whatever the truth of the house’s ambition, House Sivis remains an invaluable, integral part of modern civilization. Its services make communication possible across long distances, and its partnership with House Kundarak facilitates the most essential financial transactions of the Five Nations.

House Sivis Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can obtain the translation or messaging services of House Sivis at no charge.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Craft order to House Sivis as if it were an Arcane Study facility in your Bastion. If you are level 9+, you instead can issue the Craft order to your house as if it were a Scriptorium facility.

House Tharashk

House Tharashk is an alliance of three great families (with smaller associated clans), each with different origins and agendas. The alliance remains only as strong as the personal bonds that link the heads of the families. These three leaders, called the Triumvirate, manage the house together from the city of Zarash’ak in the Shadow Marches.

Aashta

The Aashta and their allies have ancient ties to at least two Cults of the Dragon Below and the power of Khyber. One could charitably describe the Aashta leaders (including their triumvir, Khandar’aashta) as opportunists who take every chance to advance their interests and those of their family—no matter who stands in the way.

Torrn

The Torrn and their allied families perpetuate the traditions of the Gatekeepers—a druidic sect dedicated to protecting the world from aberrations and other unnatural creatures. This puts the Torrn at odds with the most devout Aashta followers of the Dragon Below. Triumvir Maagrim Torrn secretly supports efforts of some family members to channel house resources toward the traditional mission of the Gatekeepers.

Velderan

The Velderan and their allies have no particular ties to any spiritual tradition, and they are generally altruistic and willing to cooperate with other families and houses. Some within the clan whisper that Triumvir Daric Velderan seems too accommodating and too willing to placate the other leaders of the house.

House Tharashk Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase a dragonshard, or one Common or Uncommon magic item that incorporates dragonshards, at half the usual cost. Alternatively, you can request the assistance of a mercenary from Droaam (a Harpy, an Ogrillon Ogre, a Spy, or a Thri-kreen Marauder) for up to 1 day.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn and issue the Recruit order to a Barrack facility in your Bastion, you can recruit up to twelve Bastion Defenders instead of four. In addition, if you are level 9+, you can issue the Research order to House Tharashk as if it were a Trophy Room facility within your Bastion.

House Thuranni

The story of the Shadow Schism that sundered House Thuranni from its kindred in House Phiarlan is a tangled knot of mystery. The surface details of the tale seem simple enough. About twenty years ago, Baron Elar d’Thuranni ordered the assassination of the entire Paelion line, one of the branches of House Phiarlan. Supposedly, he acted to prevent the Paelions from carrying out a wicked plot that would have ended the Last War and exterminated the leaders of the other dragonmarked houses, leaving the Paelions as absolute rulers of Khorvaire.

Was the Paelion plot real or fabricated by the sinister Order of the Emerald Claw? Was the schism orchestrated by agents of the Chamber to fulfill aspects of the Draconic Prophecy that speak of thirteen houses?

Did the barons of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni plan the whole thing together to eliminate a mutual enemy? Whatever the truth behind the schism, it stands as the most significant consequence of the Last War to the dragonmarked. Just as the kingdom of Galifar shattered into smaller nations, the Last War left the dragonmarked houses broken, unsure of their role in the new world and their ties to the new political powers of Khorvaire, and the division of Thuranni from Phiarlan embodies that new reality.

From his enclave in Regalport (in the Lhazaar Principalities), Baron Elar d’Thuranni rules a house that is a shadow of its united predecessor, similar in many ways to House Phiarlan. But while spies and assassins are contained within a secret sixth branch of House Phiarlan, separate from the house’s artistic endeavors, the entertainers and artisans of House Thuranni are also its spies and assassins—and its assassins outnumber its spies.

House Thuranni Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase one dose of poison (any kind) or other illegal item (such as stolen goods) at half price.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Craft order to House Thuranni as if it were a Workshop facility in your Bastion. If you are level 9+, you instead can issue the Empower order to the house as if it were a Theater facility, and if you are level 13+, you can issue the Research order to the house as if it were a Pub facility.

House Vadalis

House Vadalis has a carefully cultivated reputation as the most innocuous of the dragonmarked houses. Its leader, Dalin d’Vadalis, disdains use of a title and governs the house from a remote estate near Varna in the Eldeen Reaches—far from the seats of power in the Five Nations. Breeding superior animals for agriculture hardly seems threatening to most of Khorvaire.

And yet House Vadalis has stirred up more than its fair share of controversy. Tales say that during the War of the Mark, House Vadalis bred arcane beasts so horrifying they were later banned and destroyed. During the Last War, the house bred fierce bears to serve as mounts for elite Brelish troops. Persistent rumors suggest that the house might seek to apply their techniques of magical enhancement to human subjects.

House Vadalis Renown Perks

When you request a favor from your house, it can take one of these special forms.

Favored in House (Renown 3+)

You can purchase any animal for half the usual cost, or you can secure free feed and stabling for animals owned by you and your party for up to 1 week.

Recognized in House (Renown 10+)

When you take a Bastion turn, you can issue the Research order to House Vadalis as if it were a Library facility in your Bastion, as long as the topic of research is some kind of living creature. In addition, when you issue the Recruit order to a Menagerie facility in your Bastion, you pay half the usual cost for the creature you acquire.

Dragonmarked Intrigue Adventures

“Eberron: Rising from the Last War” includes suggestions for building adventures focused on individual dragonmarked houses, but the most interesting adventures involve interaction between multiple houses. Use the House Intrigue table to inspire plots involving two or more houses.

House Intrigue

dice: [](06-chapter-05-dragonmarked-intrigue.md#^house-intrigue)

dice: 1d6	Adventure Goal
1	Dragonmarked houses vie for influence over a prominent individual (perhaps one of the characters).
2	Dragonmarked houses compete for control of a key site.
3	Tension builds between two rival dragonmarked houses, threatening to erupt into a deadly feud.
4	Villains from two or more dragonmarked houses form a dangerous alliance.
5	A villain tries to disrupt an alliance between two or more dragonmarked houses.
6	Splinter factions from two dragonmarked houses try toform a new house.
^house-intrigue

Dragonmarked NPCs

You can use the stat blocks in this section for dragonmarked heirs of the houses in your adventures.

Cannith Artificer

Dragonmarked artificers of House Cannith (typically human) often wield compact devices similar to eldritch cannons that can produce a variety of devastating effects. Both these cannons and the artificers’ force-empowered maces function only in their creator’s hands.

Cannith Artificer

Ghallanda Troubleshooter

The inns of House Ghallanda are meant to be places of safe refuge and quiet rest, so the house employs troubleshooters (mostly halflings) to protect the safety and serenity of its guests.

Ghallanda Troubleshooter

Jorasco Medic

Dragonmarked heirs of House Jorasco served alongside every nation’s armies in the Last War, providing medical care and magical healing to the injured. Though the warring nations treated Jorasco medics as sacrosanct, these medics also learned to channel their healing power into dazzling light to help them reach the wounded and escape from the thick of combat when necessary.

Jorasco Medic

Kundarak Warden

Some dragonmarked heirs (mostly dwarves) of House Kundarak serve as personal guardians for the house’s vaults and storehouses, and even its infamous prison, Dreadhold. Some also serve as agents of the mysterious Ghorad’din, a secretive group of assassins and spies little known beyond the members of the house. Kundarak wardens are adept at bypassing security measures as well as reinforcing them.

Kundarak Warden

Lyrandar Scion

The Khoravar dragonmarked scions of House Lyrandar include swashbuckling sky captains, seafaring adventurers, and sinister cultists of the Hurricane Harvest. The power of their dragonmarks manifests as easy control of wind, thunder, and lightning, which they wield as readily in combat as in navigating the sea and sky.

Members of the Hurricane Harvest believe that the Mark of Storm is not a gift of the Sovereign Host, as others in their house teach, but the sign of the Devourer. They maintain that the greatest ancestors of their house live on as krakens in the deep and guide the cult through visions to use their power for destruction and domination. They sometimes partner with kuo-toa, sahuagin, and other monsters of the deep.

Lyrandar Scion

Medani Inquisitive

The most prized inquisitives of House Medani, a house of mostly Khoravar, employ their dragonmarks and their keen intellects to anticipate threats from any quarter. Some are part of a secretive order called the Basilisk’s Gaze, dedicated to hunting down fugitive war criminals who committed atrocities during the Last War.

Medani Inquisitive

Orien Enforcer

Whether riding on an Orien cart, guarding the lightning rail on a cross-continental journey, or using Orien

Orien Enforcer

Sentinel Marshal

The Sentinel Marshals of House Deneith, who are typically human, hold the honor of the house in their hands. The Treaty of Thronehold upheld their authority to pursue criminals across international borders, giving them the unique privilege and responsibility of upholding the law across Khorvaire.

Only the most trusted heirs of the house are honored with a position in the Sentinel Marshals, either after serving in the house’s other guilds for several years (as bodyguards in the Defenders Guild and mercenary officers in the Blademarks Guild) or by special dispensation of House Deneith.

Sentinel Marshals are never authorized to break local or international laws, but neither are they accountable to the legal authorities of any nation. A rogue marshal can be punished only by the leadership of House Deneith, but some nations (such as Darguun and Droaam) ignore these conventions.

Sentinel Marshal

Shadow-Marked Agent

Agents of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni, who are primarily elves, combine stealth and espionage with mastery of the performing arts—and dragonmarked heirs augment those skills with shadow magic. This stat block can serve for an agent of either house.

Even though House Phiarlan agents don’t typically work as entertainers or artists in addition to their espionage activities, they receive extensive training in those arts alongside other members of their house. House Thuranni agents, in contrast, are always both artists and spies.

Shadow-Marked Agent

Sivis Scribe

The dragonmarked heirs of House Sivis are typically accomplished gnome scholars of magic. In addition to the might that comes with their marks, they favor magical sigils and words of power.

Sivis Scribe

Tharashk Hunter

House Tharashk’s heirs include inquisitives, dragonshard prospectors, and bounty hunters. They are more at home in the trackless wilds than in crowded city streets, but they are quite capable of tracking and pursuing their prey in any environment.

Tharashk hunters, typically humans or orcs, often work alongside Druids of the Gatekeepers, and occasionally with Aberrant Cultists of the Dragon Below.

Tharashk Hunter

Vadalis Heir

Combining druidic magic with skill at handling natural and monstrous animals, the dragonmarked heirs of House Vadalis, most of whom are human, are more fearsome than their innocuous-seeming house suggests—especially when accompanied by a Giant Boar, Polar Bear, or Rhinoceros.

Vadalis Heir