[D&D 3.5] Eberron - Player's Guide To Eberron.pdf

GAME DESIGN

C O V E R ILLUSTRATION

JAMES WYATT, KEITH BAKER, LUKE JOHNSON, AND STAN!

WAYNE REYNOLDS

DEVELOPMENT

ANNE STOKES BRENT CHUMLEY DAVID MICHAEL BECK DRAXALL JUMP ENTERTAINMENT ERIC DESCHAMPS FRANCIS TSAI HOWARD LYON LUCIO PARRILLO STEVE ELLIS STEVE PRESCOTT

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Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS* rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker, and Peter Adkison. This product uses updated material from the v.3.5 revision. T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment was created by David N o o n a n . This Wizards of the Coast* game product contains no O p e n Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about the O p e n G a m i n g License and the d20 System License, please visit www.wizards.com/d20. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. D&D, EBERRON, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual. Player's Guide to Eberron, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S.A. and other countries. This material is protected u n d e r the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction o r unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. Printed in the U.S.A. ' 2 0 0 6 Wizards of the Coast. Inc.

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First P r i n t i n g : J a n u a r y 2006

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CONTENTS Chapter 1: B u i l d i n g an Eberron Character... 7 Chronicler 7 Devotee of t h e H o s t 8 House Renegade 8 H o u s e Scion 9 Innocent Victim 9 Inquisitive 10 Outlander 10 Restless W a n d e r e r 11 Scholar-Adventurer 12 Streetwise S c o u n d r e l 12 War-Torn Hero 13 Chapter 2: A Guide to E b e r r o n 15 W h a t D o You K n o w ? 15 Exotic Classes a n d Races 15 PC Organizations 15 Adventuring 16 D u n g e o n s of E b e r r o n 16 Epic-Level A d v e n t u r e s 17 Aerenal 18 L a n d of t h e D e a d 18 The Deathguard 20 Dead, D e a t h l e s s , and Half-Living 21 The Blood of Vol 22 Heirs ofVol 22 T h e B l o o d t o u c h e d Rite 23 Changelings 24 Masters of D i s g u i s e 24 How to Spot a C h a n g e l i n g .............25 Church of the Silver F l a m e 26 T h e G l o r y of L i g h t 26 T e m p l a r s of the Silver F l a m e .............26 Creation Myths 30 T h e First Ages of the World ....... 30 The Dark Six 32 Powers of D a r k n e s s 32 The D e m o n Wastes 34 Ancient Ruin 34 T h e Rakshasa Rajahs 34 T h e Sakah 35 The Ghaash'kala 36 H o r r o r s of the Wastes 37 The Labyrinth 37 Documents 38 Rules a n d R e g u l a t i o n s 38 Dragons 42 Scaled Masters of Argonnessen 42 The Prophecy 42 The Chamber 44 Seren 44 H e i r s of the D r a g o n s 44 Dragonmarks 46 H e i r s to Power 46 Power a n d P r o p h e c y 46

T h e K o r t h Edicts 47 T h e Twelve 47 Dragonmark Talents 48 Aberrant Dragonmarks 48 Dragonshards 50 F r a g m e n t s of the First D r a g o n s 50 Droaam 52 M o n s t e r s of C i v i l i z a t i o n 52 Graywall: Gateway to D r o a a m 53 Dwarves 54 G o l d Fuels O l d Feuds 54 Eldeen Reaches 56 T h e W o o d s of the West 56 T h e D r u i d Sects 57 Everyday Magic 62 A L a n d Steeped i n Magic 62 T h e Many Faces of t h e A r t i f i c e r 63 T h e Five N a t i o n s 64 H e i r s of G a l i f a r 64 Frostfell and Everice 66 North and South 66 Gnomes 68 T h e H o m e of the Wise 68 The Trust 68 T h e L i b r a r y of Korranberg 69 Goblinoids 70 Fallen f r o m D o m i n a n c e 70 Half-Elves & Urban Elves 72 O l d T r a d i t i o n s Seen T h r o u g h New Eyes 72 U r b a n Elves 72 Halflings 74 Life o n t h e P l a i n s 74 History 76 T h e Sweep of World Events................76 H i s t o r y beyond K h o r v a i r e .............77 Humans 78 A H i s t o r y of E x p l o r a t i o n a n d Blood 78 I n t r i g u e and Espionage 80 N o Secrets 80 Kalashtar 82 T h e M o u n t a i n s of Refuge 82 T h e Path of L i g h t 82 Psionics b e y o n d S a r l o n a 83 Khyber 84 T h e Darkness Within 84 Gateways to K h y b e r 84 T h e Daelkyr 85 Aberrations 86 T h e C u l t s of t h e Dragon Below 87 G a t e k e e p e r Mystagogue 88 The Last War 92 A C e n t u r y of C o n f l i c t 92 T h e Day of M o u r n i n g 93 Thronehold 93 Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t 94

Lhazaar P r i n c i p a l i t i e s 98 T i d e s of Blood a n d G o l d 98 T h e Heavenly Fleet 99 Isles of Mystery 99 Magical Traditions 100 M o d e s of Power 100 T h e Passage I n s t i t u t e for t h e A r c a n e A r t s 102 A t u r Academy 103 High Elemental Binder 104 Monastic Traditions 108 P e r f e c t i o n of t h e Body 108 Morgrave University 110 S c h o l a r s a n d Adventurers..................110 The Campus 111 Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association 112 The M o u r n l a n d 116 Devastation Everywhere 116 Orcs 118 T h e L a n d of t h e Shadows 118 T h e O r c s of t h eMarches..............118 Life on the F r o n t i e r 118 Planes of Existence 120 Worlds b e y o n d the World 120 Manifest Z o n e s 122 Races of t h e P l a n e s 123 Manifest S p e l l s h a p e r 124 Q'barra 128 The Frontier 128 Riedra 130 T h e L a n d A c r o s s the Sea 130 Q u o r i a n d t h e Inspired...................130 W o r s h i p i n g the I n s p i r e d ....... 131 Seas of E b e r r o n 132 T h e T e n Seas 132 Races of the Seas 133 Shifters 134 T o u c h e d by the Beast 134 Society and Status 136 How t h e World Works 136 T h e Place of A d v e n t u r e r s ...... 137 The Sovereign Host 138 Powers of Light 138 Valenar 140 W a r r i o r s of G l o r y 140 Travel in V a l e n a r 141 R e v e n a n t Blade 142 V i l l a i n o u s Organizations 146 Forces of D a r k n e s s 146 The Aurum 146 T h e D r e a m i n g Dark 146 T h e L o r d s of D u s t 147 T h e O r d e r of the E m e r a l d Claw 148 Warforged 150 Living Constructs 150 N o New Warforged 151 Xen'drik 152 C o n t i n e n t of Mysteries 152 Index

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CHAPTER ONE

BUILDING AN EBERRON CHARACTER TheEBERRONCampaign Setting provides all the rules necessary for creating a character to play in E b e r r o n . Key r u l e s e l e m e n t s i n t r o d u c e d in that book for new c h a r a c t e r s i n c l u d e four new races—changelings, kalashtar, shifters, and warforged—and one new class, the artificer, as well as a n u m b e r of feats, prestige classes, and spells. It also offers g u i d a n c e in c h o o s i n g race, class, feats, a n d p r e s tige class based on a c h a r a c t e r ' s r e g i o n of o r i g i n , so you can make a B r e l i s h c h a r a c t e r feel m o r e Brelish t h a n one from A u n d a i r . W h a t the EBERRON Campaign Setting d o e s n ' t tell you is how to make y o u r c h a r a c t e r feel like he or she b e l o n g s in the world of E b e r r o n . T h a t ' s what this section does. It o u t l i n e s a d o z e n c h a r a c t e r archetypes—basic p e r s o n a l i t y and b a c k g r o u n d packages t h a t can help you make a c h a r acter who feels like a c o h e r e n t p a r t of the setting. Some of these a r c h e t y p e s are fairly g e n e r i c : Any s e t t i n g could feature o u t l a n d e r s , for e x a m p l e , or restless w a n d e r e r s . O t h e r s are uite specific to E b e r r o n , i n c l u d i n g c h r o n i c l e r s and inquisitives. Most archetypes work just fine for characters of any class and race. An outlander, for example, could be a halfling b a r b a r i a n from the Talenta Plains or a half-orc warlock from the Shadow Marches. Not every c o m b i n a t i o n of race, class, region of o r i g i n , and archetype will make sense to you, t h o u g h . Try to find a c o m b i n a t i o n that appeals to you and work from there. T h e r e is no g a m e - m e c h a n i c a l benefit to c h o o s i n g a character archetype. Rather, each archetype consists solely of suggestions for developing the b a c k g r o u n d , personality, and m a n n e r i s m s of your character.

CHRONICLER 'What a story!"

-Kalva D a n n o r , gnome bard When you can sell a story to a p u b l i c a t i o n such as the Korranberg Chronicle or the Sharn Inquisitive, e v e r y t h i n g that h a p p e n s a r o u n d you starts to look like a story that needs to be w r i t t e n . You seek out a d v e n t u r e wherever you can find it—but you sometimes act m o r e like an observer t h a n a participant. A d v e n t u r i n g : You grew up r e a d i n g about the Last War in the pages of the Korranberg Chronicle, and t h o u g h t that it s o u n d e d exciting. You i m a g i n e d yourself h u d d l e d in a tent n e a r the front lines, scrawling a dispatch that you would send back to K o r r a n b e r g to be read across the Five

Nations. O f course, once you finally got a j o b writing for a small local chronicle, you spent more time talking to farmers about their crops t h a n you did doing a n y t h i n g remotely r e s e m b l i n g a d v e n t u r i n g . Now you've made it: You travel with a g r o u p of adventurers, write about your experiences, and sell the stories to any chronicle that buys t h e m . At least, sometimes you sell the stories. T h e p r i m a r y criterion by which you j u d g e whether to u n d e r t a k e an adventure is whether or not you t h i n k it will make a good story. By "good story,'' you might mean one that's dramatic and exciting, or you might mean one that will sell. O t h e r factors are less i m p o r t a n t : Will your participation make a difference in the world? Are i n n o c e n t lives at stake? Does the adventure itself pay well? It doesn't matter—as long as it makes a good story. If n o t h i n g else, an adventure could at least get you close to a big story that's otherwise u n r e l a t e d to the adventure itself. If someone wants to hire a group of bodyguards for an airship journey, you might not show any interest at all—until you learn that an i m p o r t a n t noble or famous diplomat will be on the same airship, on a mysterious mission. Now that's a good story! Personality: Y o u n g c h r o n i c l e r s a p p r o a c h t h e i r task with exuberant enthusiasm, excited at the prospect of t u r n ing their experiences into g r i p p i n g tales that will t h r i l l a new generation of readers. Is that you, or has your attitude devolved into a bitter cynicism? It's easy to fall into the jaded view that c h r o n i c l i n g is a pretty word for lying, trying to make the h o r r o r s of war or the t e r r o r s of the world sound exciting. But hey, excitement sells stories, so you'll make the story as lurid as possible to make the sale. Behavior: Take notes about everything your companions do. You might even be tempted to h a n g back out of combat for a m o m e n t or two while you finish scribbling your notes about the events that led to the combat. (Don't take this to the point where your allies become angry at your inaction. Finish j o t t i n g down notes instead of moving in between spells or other helpful actions.) Most i m p o r t a n t , act as though you were a character in an exciting story that will be told a r o u n d the world—be dramatic, be dynamic, take risks, and live large. L a n g u a g e : Words are your livelihood, so talk a lot. Describe your own actions as if you were writing them for a popular audience. You might refer to yourself in the third p e r s o n , e i t h e r by n a m e or as "your i n t r e p i d c h r o n i c l e r " or "your h u m b l e s c r i b e . " D e s c r i b e the actions of your companions and your enemies in the same way. W h e n your companions do s o m e t h i n g dramatic or memorable, narrate what happened, even as you c o n t i n u e fighting.

Variants: You could be an aspiring storyteller h o p i n g to gain experience so you can "write what you know." You might write for the chronicles, but with a focus on exposing c o r r u p t i o n or scandal r a t h e r t h a n telling t h r i l l i n g tales. Or you might simply enjoy being where things are h a p p e n ing, or b e i n g a r o u n d famous and i m p o r t a n t people, and writing for a c h r o n i c l e is an effective way of accomplishing that goal.

DEVOTEE OF THE HOST "Sovereigns preserve us."

—Kuduth, half-elf cleric Even if you're not a cleric, the deities of the Sovereign Host are i m p o r t a n t to you. You were brought up to show them p r o p e r reverence, and devotion to the ideals they represent guides your every step. A d v e n t u r i n g : You have been profoundly influenced by a particular cycle of myths relating to the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six—myths that are no longer widely told, but that have inspired countless generations of heroes to take up arms against the forces of evil in the world. These myths are collectively called the Rebellion Saga, and they speak of the original and o n g o i n g rebellion of the Dark Six against the r u l e of the S o v e r e i g n s . A c c o r d i n g to these a n c i e n t tales, it is the work of the devout to b r i n g the Dark Six back into the fold, which will be accomplished by q u e l l i n g their rebellious followers. Naturally, r e u n i t i n g the Dark Sixwith the rest of the p a n t h e o n is not likely Gaven, a house renegade

to h a p p e n any time soon, a l t h o u g h c e r t a i n apocalyptic groups believe in its inevitability. T h u s , for most adventuring devotees, q u e l l i n g the r e b e l l i o n by slaying m o n s t e r s , i m p r i s o n i n g necromancers, and proselytizing changelings is little more than a good l o n g - t e r m justification for actions that also make sense in the short term, by making the world safer for the civilized races of K h o r v a i r e . Personality: Your devotion to the Host shines t h r o u g h e v e r y t h i n g you do—at least, you h o p e it does. W h e n you e n t e r battle, you try to reflect the s t r e n g t h of Dol D o r n and the h o n o r of Dol A r r a h . You offer prayers to Olladra, Arawai, a n d B a l i n o r before e a t i n g , to O n a t a r before u s i n g your crafting skills, and to A u r e o n every time you cast a spell. You p r o t e c t families and villages in i m i t a t i o n of Boldrei, and you guard caravans and m e r c h a n t s for Kol K o r r a n ' s sake. Behavior: Your devotion is your d e f i n i n g c h a r a c teristic, but it describes little about your personality. You are not necessarily a p r u d e , a pacifist, or a p h i l a n t h r o p i s t , though you might be any of those t h i n g s . You try to wrap everything you do in a s h r o u d of religious devotion. You probably don't do it consciously to try to impress o t h e r s ; rather, you do it because that's how you've l e a r n e d to do t h i n g s . You might feel that e v e r y t h i n g you make should be dedicated to O n a t a r , but the prayers you recite out of habit while crafting are only the outward expression of that i n t r i n s i c belief. L a n g u a g e : Prayers, o a t h s , a n d i n v o c a t i o n s p e p p e r your speech. G e n e r i c invocations of the Sovereigns serve many purposes, such as "Sovereigns preserve us! " or simply "Sovereigns!" used as an expression of surprise or frustration. Curses often use the names of the Dark Six: "Aureon's Shadow!" or " K e e p e r take you!" are c o m m o n o n e s . Feel free to improvise short prayers to Dol D o r n for wading into battle, to Olladra before eating, and so on. Variants: You might be devoted to a p a r t i c u l a r deity of the Sovereign Host rather than the e n t i r e p a n t h e o n . If you worship the Silver Flame, look at the Templar of the Silver Flame prestige class instead. If you follow the Path of Light or revere the U n d y i n g C o u r t , your specific motivations and oaths will vary, but your basic personality could resemble either this archetype or the Silver Flame templar.

HOUSE RENEGADE "Iprefer not to usemyfamily name, thank you."

-Gaven, half-elf ranger S o m e t i m e s b e i n g a m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e means power, prestige, and influence. Sometimes it means living firmly u n d e r the t h u m b of a c o n t r o l l i n g relative until you can find a way to escape. Congratulations—you've found a way. Adventuring: You adventure because it's better than the alternative, a tightly controlled life as part of a d r a g o n marked h o u s e . Your family t h i n k s you should be h o m e , p u t t i n g your talents to use in the service of your house. Your mother wants you where she can keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get into any t r o u b l e . Your father wants to find you someone appropriate to marry and keep your c h i l d r e n close at h a n d . Fundamentally, you adventure because you know your family hates it. You might not know yet what you want to do with your life—adventuring might just be s o m e t h i n g you're

doing to kill time u n t i l you figure it out—but you know it won't involve the work of your house. P e r s o n a l i t y : Clearly, you've got a r e b e l l i o u s streak. You don't necessarily reject all authority, but you certainly don't like to be u n d e r anyone's t h u m b . You can be sardonic, cynical, and harsh sometimes, especially when the people around you start s o u n d i n g like they think they own you. But you're not bad at h e a r t . Is it so wrong to want to shape your own destiny? B e h a v i o r : Even t h o u g h you've probably b e e n d i s owned, you're used to a life of relative luxury, and your habits and m a n n e r i s m s reflect that. You prefer to stay in upper-class hotels r a t h e r t h a n c o m m o n i n n s , and to feast in a private d i n i n g r o o m rather t h a n squeeze in to a spot at the board to get your share of stew with the peasants. T h a t said, you have a lot more respect for the working classes than most people of your station, and you're not inclined to boss people a r o u n d or expect d o t i n g service. These people have aspirations and d r e a m s of their own—you can't followyours without e n c o u r a g i n g them to follow theirs. Language: You were brought up well, and your m a n n e r of speaking reflects that. You have an educated vocabulary and a solid grasp of correct g r a m m a r . You avoid slang and vulgar l a n g u a g e , unless you i n t e n d to shock or provoke. Of course, house renegades live to shock and provoke, especially when they know that o t h e r s have preconceived notions of how they ought to behave and want to shake up those o p i n i o n s . V a r i a n t s : You might be a y o u n g e r child of a noble family r a t h e r than a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, or even a former rising star in a c h u r c h hierarchy fleeing from the c o n t r o l ling influence of a religious m e n t o r . In a d d i t i o n , your reasons for fleeing your family might vary: Perhaps you committed a crime, or a change in power in your house left you out of favor.

HOUSE SCION "Yes, father, I realize this reflects poorly on our house. I apologize."

—Ural d ' O r i e n , h u m a n sorcerer Forget the noble families of Galifar—the real power lies in the hands of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses. You are a m e m b e r of one of those houses, and t h o u g h power comes with any n u m b e r of responsibilities, you welcome your familial duties as a reasonable price to pay for the social, political, economic, and magical power to which you are heir. Adventuring: A d v e n t u r i n g has to fit in with the duties that come to you by virtue of your house m e m b e r s h i p . With luck, the two coincide perfectly: You u n d e r t a k e adventures at the behest of the head of your house or some other p r o m i nent figure (perhaps a parent), p e r f o r m i n g missions that advance the aims of the house or simply b r i n g treasures into its coffers. W h e n you're not so lucky, you still need to bear your house's interests in mind—looking for o p p o r t u n i t i e s to advance your own house or deal a setback to a competing o n e . Any secrets you u n e a r t h or t r e a s u r e s you claim can benefit your house, and a n y t h i n g that h u r t s a n o t h e r house helps yours. Personality: You were b o r n to power and have come to view it as your b i r t h r i g h t . You can be i m p e r i o u s , a r r o g a n t , and spoiled at times, and at the best of times you are smugly s u p e r i o r . You can also be calculating, dispassionate, and even amoral, d e p e n d i n g on your alignment—the d e m a n d s

of your house sometimes do not coincide with the expectations of traditional morality. You are comfortable in rigid, well-defined structures of authority, as long as you know your place in t h e m . Behavior: You are used to a life of comfort, and take pains to keep up to that s t a n d a r d while a d v e n t u r i n g , p e r haps even to the p o i n t of u s i n g Leomund's secure shelter while traveling through the jungle so that you can rest comfortably at night. D e p e n d i n g on who your a d v e n t u r i n g companions are, you might see their company as a necessary evil for the work you must do, p r e f e r r i n g the company of others while you are in cities between adventures. You might even spend the e v e n i n g s , while your c o m p a n i o n s are s h a r i n g tales a r o u n d the campfire, writing letters to your true friends and dear family members back home. Language: You were brought up well, and your m a n n e r of s p e a k i n g reflects it. You have an educated vocabulary and a solid grasp of correct g r a m m a r . Avoid slang, vulgar language, and even contractions. Variants: Rather t h a n a m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, you could be part of a noble family, such as one of the noble houses of Galifar or a p r o m i n e n t family of A e r e n a l . Alternatively, you could be part of the rising middle class in one of Khorvaire's splendid metropolises, b o r n to wealth without any privilege of n a m e or title.

INNOCENT VICTIM "Why is all this happening to me?"

-Lira Raevan, h u m a n bard Bad things happen to you all the time, but t h r o u g h a comb i n a t i o n of a m a z i n g luck, p h e n o m e n a l r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s , and maybe a dash of a greater destiny, you always seem to come t h r o u g h . A d v e n t u r i n g : Most people a d v e n t u r e because they choose to, for one reason or a n o t h e r . Not you. If you had a choice in the matter, you'd be back h o m e living a quiet life where n o t h i n g e x t r a o r d i n a r y ever h a p p e n s . But ever since the day when the Emerald Claw agents burst into your home looking for you, or you woke up and found yourself in a strange forest with a dragon saying you were part of the Prophecy, or you manifested psionic or magical powers you never knew you had—ever since then, this l i g h t n i n g - r a i l ride of a life has been moving so quickly that you don't know how to j u m p off and get things back to n o r m a l . Maybe t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g special about you. You could have u n u s u a l powers, or play a key role in a prophecy ( d r a c o n i c or o t h e r w i s e ) , or maybe a s h a r d of an a n c i e n t artifact is e m b e d d e d in your flesh. For whatever reason, other people are far more interested in your life than you yourself used to be. You've managed to keep one step ahead of them so far—or maybe you haven't, and "they" are your adventuring companions. Personality: You are somewhat bewildered about all the events that have brought you to this point in your life. You don't u n d e r s t a n d why people are so interested in you, and you often wish they'd just leave you alone. You'd rather not go t h r o u g h all these h a r r o w i n g adventures, but some greater force in the world seems to have decreed that advent u r i n g is your lot in life, so you've had to figure out how to make the best of it. Take care not to degenerate into constant w h i n i n g and complaining, or your companions will quickly tire of both it

w i l d e r n e s s , but you're most at h o m e in dark alleys and b u s t l i n g roadways. Personality: T h e city's underbelly can be a bleak place, and that fact has certainly had an effect on your disposition. You're so used to c o r r u p t i o n and crime that you don't expect to meet honest people, and you're surprised at acts of selflessness and sacrifice. "Jaded" doesn't begin to describe how cynical and bitter you can be in your worst m o m e n t s . You've been cheated so many times that you always ask for money up front. You've seen so much hatred and death that n o t h i n g shocks you at this point—or at least that's the image you project. Deep inside, there might be a part ofyou that still mourns over every corpseyou find sprawled in an alley, still grieVes for the lost soul of humanity and its kin, and still believers there might be some hope and goodness left in the world. But you know full well that if anyone sees that tiny part of you, they'll exploit it—or at least mock it mercilessly. Behavior: Cultivate behavior that conveys just how tough you are. S h a r p e n your sword or fiddle with a dagger d u r i n g down time. Never open a door when you can kick it in. You might be able to talk your way out of tricky situations, but you should also be p r e p a r e d to fight your way out: T h e kinds of people you deal with usually prefer to fight. Language: T h e wisecrack is like an off-hand weapon for you. In every battle, you can attack with your p r i m a r y weapon and get in a verbal barb or two as well. Even when you're not in combat, your speech reflects your cynicism. Variants: You might be a freelance investigator or work "Ifyou'rethe ambassador, I'm the Lord ofBlades. Now, how about the truth? " for a law-enforcement organization. For a slightly different —Creilath Movanek, half-elf master inquisitive take on this archetype, you could work in espionage, focusing on i n t r i g u e a m o n g nations or d r a g o n m a r k e d houses As a resident of one of Khorvaire's great cities, you've spent rather t h a n crime on a local scale. far too much time immersed in its shadows. You've seen it all, and n o t h i n g fazes you anymore. Adventuring: Adventuring, to you, is all about investigating crimes and making sure the criminals get what they're due. You probe m u r d e r s , find missing people, stop black"Your cities havemadeyousoft and weak!" mailers, and break up smuggling rings. Your investigations —Corrash, halfling b a r b a r i a n are not necessarily limited to such m u n d a n e problems: You might unmask a rakshasa posing as a city councilor, find the Like a wolf cut off from its pack, you are a m e m b e r of a possessed ancient mask that forced the professor to commit b a r b a r i a n c u l t u r e (not necessarily an actual b a r b a r i a n ) all those grisly m u r d e r s , or dispel the magic keeping the away from your t r i b e . You w a n d e r t h r o u g h the civilized house scion's son in his comatose slumber. world bewildered and isolated, l o o k i n g for c o m p a n i o n s you can rely on. T h i s a r c h e t y p e is best suited for a c a m p a i g n with a l i m i t e d g e o g r a p h i c a l scope, w h e t h e r it takes place in a Adventuring: Your goals and approach to adventursingle m e t r o p o l i s (such as S h a r n ) or h o p s from city to ing are probably closely linked to the reason you left your city. O c c a s i o n a l a d v e n t u r e s might take you out i n t o the h o m e l a n d and family. You might be on a quest to find some and you. You've been t h r u s t into the spotlight against your will; if you speak softly and try to deflect that a t t e n t i o n , maybe things will quiet down soon. Also, don't assume that every adventure should be about you and the people who are after you. Don't ever believe that you are as i m p o r t a n t as people seem to t h i n k you are. B e h a v i o r : C l i n g to the illusion of b e i n g an o r d i n a r y p e r s o n yanked u n w i l l i n g l y i n t o a life of a d v e n t u r e for as l o n g as possible. P r a c t i c e y o u r c r a f t i n g , p r o f e s s i o n , or p e r f o r m i n g skills as if you i n t e n d to make a living with them someday. Rely on your a d v e n t u r i n g c o m p a n i o n s for some degree of p r o t e c t i o n , while l o o k i n g for ways to c o n t r i b u t e materially to any situation w i t h o u t i n t e n t i o n a l l y m e a n i n g to. L a n g u a g e : You are soft-spoken a n d u n a s s u m i n g . Downplay your own i m p o r t a n c e a n d any successes you accomplish. If you kill a grick with your sword—well, that sure was lucky, wasn't it? A n d those agents of the Chamber, they couldn't possibly be looking for you. V a r i a n t s : You m i g h t suffer from a m n e s i a , and your a d v e n t u r i n g career is an attempt to recover the knowledge and abilities you have lost. If others are interested in you, it's because of who you were before losing your memory—in which case your enemies might hold the secret to uncovering your own past.

INQUISITIVE

OUTLANDER

PLAYING AN INQUISITIVE There's a fine line between playing an archetype and parodying a stereotype, and the inquisitive might be the most prone to crossing that line—if only because the fine prose of Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) has itself been subjected to so much parody and unflattering imitation. Playing an Eberron inquisitive as a bad Philip Marlowe imitation can drive the whole world into parody. If you drink Zil brandy, wait for a call on the speaking stone, and talk like Humphrey Bogart on a bad day, then Eberron starts to look like a ridiculous parody of the modern world, with

magic simply duplicating all the technological wizardry of Earth's 1930s. You can be hard-bitten and tough as nails and still fit into the magical/medieval world of Eberron. T h i n k about the essence of your character—a tough nut who has seen the worst the world has to offer but refuses to be corrupted by it—and strip away the elements that have become stereotypical. You don't need to rely on old cliches of behavior and language.

item or piece of knowledge of significance to your people—a relic that can cure the plague ravagingyour clan, a tome that will reveal the n a t u r e of the d e m o n that h u n t s them, or an artifact that explains your people's history or some aspect of it. Alternatively, you might be seeking to prove yourself—to exonerate yourself of a crime, to win the h a n d of the chieftain, or simply to secure your position as an adult in your community. O r you might have b e e n b a n i s h e d from your clan for a c r i m e you actually did c o m m i t , and are forever unable to r e t u r n . You might eventually grow so accustomed to life among more civilized people that you d o n ' t want to r e t u r n , or become restless and uneasy a m o n g your own people when you see them again. Personality: Your attitude toward civilization is your defining characteristic. Decide how you view the civilized society a r o u n d you as well as your sophisticated allies, and try to see everything a r o u n d you t h r o u g h that lens. Do you m a i n t a i n a superior contempt for their soft and weak ways, or do you find those ways a l l u r i n g ? Do you wander wideeyed t h r o u g h the magnificent towers of S h a r n , marveling at the achievements of magic and technology, or do you feel trapped any time you're forced to r e m a i n i n d o o r s ? W h e n you r e t u r n to lands that are more comfortable and familiar to you, change your behavior drastically—take on more of a leadership role, or revert to a role like the one you have in your h o m e l a n d , whatever that role might be. Behavior: Most outlanders make some effort to practice the traditions and rituals of their homeland no matter how far they travel. You might do this simply out of habit, even if you repudiate the beliefs and mores of your people. These m i n o r rituals might include h a n g i n g charms a r o u n d a sleeping place, p o u r i n g out wine to the cardinal directions before d r i n k i n g , taking souvenir body parts from slain foes, or invoking the names of patron spirits or totems at frequent intervals. L a n g u a g e : Even if you are not entirely comfortable s p e a k i n g C o m m o n , you are j u s t as capable as anyone of expressing complex t h o u g h t s a n d sophisticated ideas in your own language. Scatter phrases of your native language i n t o your s p e e c h . Struggle for words s o m e t i m e s , as if t r y i n g to find the right way to express s o m e t h i n g complex or i d i o m a t i c t h a t comes n a t u r a l l y to you in y o u r native t o n g u e . Avoid accents unless you can pull one off without s o u n d i n g goofy. Variants: Warforged as a race are similar to outlanders in that h u m a n society can seem strange and alien to them, but they have n o t h i n g to compare it to, except perhaps a life in the military d u r i n g the Last War. As an alternative, your b a c k g r o u n d might be considerably m o r e exotic: Perhaps you were raised by wolves or a lammasu, or brought up on a different plane of existence.

RESTLESS WANDERER "It's time to stretch my legs, flex my sword arm, and give this quill something worthwhile to record."

—Thunvarch, half-orc bard T h e world is a big place, and you have no desire to settle down u n t i l you've seen it all. You move from place to place as freely as the wind—blowing t h r o u g h the b o r i n g spots, l i n g e r i n g for a while in more i n t e r e s t i n g locations, and sometimes kicking up a storm.

A d v e n t u r i n g : A d v e n t u r e s are what h a p p e n s to you while you travel. If you seek out a d v e n t u r e , it's because a place sounds interesting, not because there's a n y t h i n g in p a r t i c u l a r you want to accomplish t h e r e . You are eager to visit new places, try new modes of t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , see creatures you've never seen before, and (at least to some extent) do things you've never done. If you can also learn new abilities, acquire more treasure, and otherwise improve yourself along the way, that's even better. Personality: You've always had trouble sitting still. Perhaps you grew up in a tiny village where there was n o t h i n g to do, and yearned for a taste of the wider world. Some experience of the world beyond your village might have sparked your wanderlust: Perhaps a traveling t r o u p e of actors or musicians came t h r o u g h , or a party of adventurers stayed in the village for a couple of weeks while exploring nearby r u i n s . T h a t experience gave substance to your dreams of a different life—you might even have followed the travelers out of town, l a u n c h i n g your life of wandering in a dramatic way. You still r e t a i n some of that youthful, wide-eyed dreaminess and a sense that the world is full of wonders just waiting to be explored. You are not necessarily naive about life's h a r s h realities, but you retain a sense

Thunvarch, a restless wanderer

of wonder that no a m o u n t of bitter experience has yet been able to quash. You might have a p a r t i c u l a r interest that gives a focus to your wandering. Perhaps you are particularly drawn to spectacular n a t u r a l wonders such as the G o r a d r a Gap or the G u a r d i a n Trees. O r maybe you're fascinated with ancient r u i n s , great m o n u m e n t s , or exotic cultures. Behavior: Stay on the move. Whenever you feel that a dungeon room, a site, a nation, or even a continent has shown you all it has to reveal, it's time to move on. You can spend all the time you want searching the rooms of a dungeon—as long as there are interesting things to find. But you should be the first m e m b e r of your party to call a halt to tedium whenever it arises and get things moving again. L a n g u a g e : Your m i n d wanders even faster t h a n your body, m a k i n g your speech seem d i s c o n n e c t e d at t i m e s . P e p p e r y o u r c o n v e r s a t i o n with wide-eyed o b s e r v a t i o n s about the sights, s o u n d s , and smells of whatever place you're e x p l o r i n g now a n d c o m p a r i s o n s to places you've been before. Variants: Not all wanderers are motivated by wanderlust. Instead, you might be on the run—a fugitive h u n t e d by agents of a widespread organization, such as the D r e a m ing Dark, the A u r u m , the C h a m b e r , the L o r d s of Dust, or a d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e . If you stay in any one place too long, they're certain to find you. So you keep moving, you try to avoid a t t r a c t i n g n o t i c e , and you d o n ' t talk much about your past.

SCHOLAR-ADVENTURER "What I haven't figured out yet is whether there's any connection between the Tablet of Shummarak and the Place of Imprisonment mentioned in the S e r p e n t e s F r a g m e n t s . If there is, that could explain a lot."

—Janik Martell, h u m a n extreme explorer E b e r r o n is rich in history, and equally rich in people who study history. Not c o n t e n t to sit in a l i b r a r y s u r r o u n d e d by dusty tomes a n d c r u m b l i n g p o t s h e r d s , you do your r e s e a r c h in the field—whether in the cyclopean r u i n s of X e n ' d r i k or the ancient t u n n e l s of D o r a s h a r n beneath the City of Towers. A d v e n t u r i n g : For you, history is about discovering the mysteries of E b e r r o n ' s a n c i e n t e m p i r e s by e x p l o r i n g the r u i n s of X e n ' d r i k ' s lost k i n g d o m s and the r e m n a n t s of goblin civilization in K h o r v a i r e . You yearn to discover mighty artifacts and lost magical secrets. You h u n g e r for knowledge about the past, and you have never been content to gain your knowledge from o t h e r people or the books they w r i t e . You want to d r i n k from the s o u r c e , and that means a d v e n t u r e . Personality: You combine a solid g r o u n d i n g in academic research and established knowledge with a thirst for action and adventure. You have an inquisitive m i n d and are always w o n d e r i n g about the reasons why things happen and possible connections between apparently u n r e l a t e d events. Your collection of scholarly tomes is like a g r o u p of old friends—you don't necessarily see them every day, but you're happy to spend h o u r s in their company whenever you can. Your name is well known in academic circles: Some of your fellow scholars praise you to the skies, while others dismiss you as a hack. Behavior: Take notes on everything. Copy d i a g r a m s and inscriptions into your notebooks. Collect samples of

body p a r t s from u n u s u a l monsters—or even e n t i r e m o n sters, if you can t r a n s p o r t t h e m . T r e a t shattered ceramics and magical relics as equally interesting, even as you recognize that magic items are more valuable and far more useful. You might be hesitant to use a n y t h i n g or go anywhere until you have properly researched it, or you might rush in to do your research on-site. Look for o p p o r t u n i t i e s to use your various areas of knowledge. T h e y m i g h t n o t h a p p e n very often, but that just makes it all the m o r e m e m o r a b l e when you do glean some useful i n f o r m a t i o n from your studies of a r c h i t e c t u r e and e n g i n e e r i n g ! Language: D r o p the names of scholars both renowned and obscure into your conversations. I n t r o d u c e theories and observations by citing tangentially relevant research. W h e n you e n c o u n t e r a monster, try to come up with a useful r e m i n d e r about its capabilities to share with your c o m p a n ions, gleaned from the knowledge you've accumulated. Variants: You need not be obsessed with ancient history and long-lost secrets—the world has its share of c o n t e m p o rary secrets as well. What caused the M o u r n i n g ? What is the t r u t h b e h i n d the Blood of Vol? What lies in the i n t e r i o r of A r g o n n e s s e n ? W h o are the mysterious rulers of R i e d r a ? These questions are out there, waiting for you to explore them and p l u m b their depths.

STREETWISE SCOUNDREL "Don't ask how I know this guy, I just know this guy who can help us out, all right?"

—R'kash, shifter rogue Not every h e r o is b o r n to privilege in a noble family or a d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e . You certainly weren't, t h o u g h you might hesitate to call yourself a h e r o . T h e streets are your home—the g u t t e r s , t r u t h be told—and you know the back alleys and the c r i m i n a l s of your home city as well as you know your own gear. A d v e n t u r i n g : If there's a better way t h a n a d v e n t u r ing to e a r n a quick f o r t u n e , you haven't found it yet. It's a perfect deal: You can make use of the survival skills you learned g r o w i n g u p on the streets, you gain some measure of respectability, and you occasionally find bags of gold pieces, which hold more money t h a n you can imagine anyone actually using. ( T h o u g h you're more than willing to try.) T h e driving force in your a d v e n t u r i n g life is, whether you a d m i t it or not, a b u r n i n g desire to escape the c i r c u m stances you grew up i n . You want to make a life for yourself that's better t h a n the poverty and crime that defined your youth. You want money, certainly, but more than that you want respect, dignity, a sense of m e a n i n g and p u r p o s e , and a s h r e d of h o p e . You definitely do not want to die, alone and friendless, a n d be left to rot in an a b a n d o n e d sewer t u n n e l . In your a d v e n t u r i n g career, that's one risk you would j u s t as soon not take. You want to live to enjoy your h a r d - e a r n e d wealth. Personality: You know the ways of the street. You're acquainted with unsavory characters, you know how to get certain things done even if they're not quite legal, and you have more t h a n a passing familiarity with the slang, signals, and methods used by c r i m i n a l s . You might not be an outlaw yourself—at least, not now—but the c r i m i n a l underworld is your world, for better or worse. You have a sense of ethics and honor, primarily focused on the idea that you don't t u r n

on your friends. But actions that might make a p a l a d i n of the Silver Flame c r i n g e are just the way t h i n g s get done to your mind—actions such as paying bribes, fencing valuable goods, or stealing magic tomes from your e n e m i e s . You're wary of officers of the law, even if you have c o m m i t t e d no crimes. You've had too many bad experiences with the town watch arresting you or your friends for no good reason other than your poverty. Behavior: You're fidgety. You pick things up and put them back down, fiddle with moving parts, or pace if you have n o t h i n g interesting to hold in your hands. W h e n you're in a small r o o m , you stay on your feet near the door—you don't want to be trapped. W h e n your companions are talking to the city watch, you stay in the back of the g r o u p or out of sight completely. But when they need to find the lost goblin s h r i n e in the depths of S h a r n , you step right up and lead the way. That's your chance to shine. Language: You speak the language of the street. Slang is your native language, and your g r a m m a r is probably poor by the standards of a noble or otherwise well-educated i n d i vidual. You talk tough to back up your swagger and wisecrack to deflect any p r o b i n g questions about your b a c k g r o u n d . You probably know words and expressions that would make a sailor blush, a n d you m i g h t forget not to use t h e m in respectable company—especially when you're very angry. Variants: Perhaps you were not b o r n poor, but fell into poverty at a young age. Your p a r e n t s might have been disowned by t h e i r d r a g o n m a r k e d house, or they staked all their money on a business venture that failed. Perhaps they were natives of Cyre who lost e v e r y t h i n g they had on the Day of M o u r n i n g . In this case, your d r i v i n g a m b i t i o n is not so much a matter of wanting what you could never have as a child, but of r e g a i n i n g the status that should have been yours by birthright—the wealth and power you deserve.

WAR-TORN HERO "After a hundred years of fighting, any idiot could see that the whole war was pointless."

—Dania i r ' V r a n , - h u m a n

fighter

Khorvaire is largely defined by the travails of the LastWar, and that is just as true of its adventurers. You fought on the front lines of the Last War. You killed a great many enemy soldiers, and you carry plenty of scars—on your body and on your soul. A d v e n t u r i n g : You a d v e n t u r e because you can't t h i n k of a n y t h i n g else to d o . You j o i n e d the army as soon as you were old e n o u g h and never l e a r n e d a peacetime trade. Alter years spent in war, you can't just go back to your place of b i r t h and l e a r n to be a blacksmith. Your home might not even be t h e r e a n y m o r e . A d v e n t u r i n g seems like the only o p t i o n left to you, and it offers the o p p o r t u n i t y to c o n t i n u e u s i n g the skills you l e a r n e d on the battlefield. In some cases, it m i g h t even be a literal c o n t i n u a t i o n of your w a r t i m e activities—such as c h a s i n g V a l e n a r r a i d e r s across the Talenta Plains or racing E m e r a l d Claw agents to X e n ' d r i k r u i n s . As a m e m b e r of an a d v e n t u r i n g party, you have a sense of belonging and c o m p a n i o n s h i p . You have a steady source of wealth, more t h a n enough to live comfortably. You have some sense of p u r p o s e and m e a n i n g in your life. You've made a reasonable approximation of the one thingyou really want and can never again have: a home where you belong.

P e r s o n a l i t y : T h e war savaged your soul far worse than it could ever h u r t your body, and you r e m a i n bitterly wounded. Your life is a contradiction. Violence sickens you. You saw so much death and mutilation in the course of the war that you had to steel yourself to it; still, you can never shake the waves of disgust that course t h r o u g h you when violence is necessary. But you live by violence, and you're not sure you know how to give it up. Behavior: You cling to the discipline of military life because it is comfortable and familiar. You rise early in the m o r n i n g and practice weapon or spell r o u t i n e s . You like to know the chain of c o m m a n d in your a d v e n t u r i n g party and prefer clear o r d e r s about s t a n d a r d o p e r a t i n g p r o c e d u r e . Even if some chaotic p a r t of your belief system chafes at these disciplines, a larger part of you relies on them to give m e a n i n g and structure to every day. Without them, your life might just fall apart. Language: Yours is the language of combat. You have a rich vocabulary to describe the maneuvers of the battlefield and various aspects of your daily life. You speak of base camps and rations, of reconnaissance and sabotage. To some extent, just like your practice of military discipline, using military terminology helps to keep your life ordered in your m i n d . Variants: T h e warforged as a race are almost by definition w a r - t o r n heroes. However, their emotional response to the t r a n s i t i o n from w a r t i m e to peace varies widely, and warforged are less bitter and w o u n d e d t h a n w a r - t o r n h u m a n o i d s . Awarforged has no memory of a life before the war to idealize and a t t e m p t to r e c r e a t e . Warforged find it extremely difficult to shake m i l i t a r y practices and j a r g o n that are part of their earliest formative experiences.

CHAPTER TWO

A GUIDE TO EBERRON he r e m a i n d e r of this book, starting on the following page, is organized into entries similar to those you might find in an encyclopedia. You'll find extensive entries on topics ranging from A d v e n t u r i n g to X e n ' d r i k . Each entry contains the most i m p o r t a n t things you need to know in an EBERRON campaign: where the d u n g e o n s are, who pulls the strings, what organizations you can j o i n , and what new feats you can learn. Tucked among these entries are a few new prestige classes, rules for playing some nonstandard races, and new information about some of Eberron's remoter regions.

WHAT D O YOU KNOW? Each entry includes a section titled "What Do You K n o w ? " This i n f o r m a t i o n gives you an o p p o r t u n i t y to put your Knowledge skills to use. It notes appropriate skills (with check DCs) that allow your character to share the i n f o r m a tion you gain from r e a d i n g these entries. If you just want a general idea of how much your character knows about the material in an entry, assume your character takes 10 on all appropriate Knowledge checks. T h u s , any fact with a D C of 10 or lower is considered common knowledge and is accessible to every character with average or better Intelligence, regardless of whether the character has any ranks in Knowledge skills. If you have a Knowledge (religion) modifier of +5, you know every fact associated with that skill that has a DC of 15 or lower.

PC ORGANIZATIONS Several entries in this book describe some of the organizations of E b e r r o n , from the w o r l d - s p a n n i n g C h u r c h of the Silver Flame to the elite R e v e n a n t Blades. A few of these organizations are so broad that they would make excellent frameworks to build a campaign a r o u n d . These work best if every character in an a d v e n t u r i n g party is a m e m b e r of the same organization, allowing the goals of the party to be shaped by the goals of the organization. These organizations are the T e m p l a r s of the Silver Flame, the Morgrave O u t reach Association, and the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t . T h e templars can b r i n g the P C s t o g e t h e r based on a c o m m o n religious tie, the Red Gauntlets have a military theme, and the Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association focuses on exploration and adventure in keeping with the traditional emphasis of the D & D game: d u n g e o n delving. Large-scale o r g a n i z a tions such as these are discussed in more detail in Dungeon Master'sGuideII,but in general, these organizations improve the sense of cohesion in the player party, immerse the PCs in the game world, and make the DM's life easier by helping get adventures rolling.

EXOTIC CLASSES AND RACES The EBERRON Campaign Setting discusses the role that each character class presented in the Player's Handbook plays in Eberron, and also addresses psionic classes. Complete Warrior, Complete Divine, Complete Arcane, Complete Adventurer, and the Miniatures Handbook all present new standard classes (as well as a wealth of prestige classes). Since the rule of thumb is "If it exists in D&D, then it has a place in Eberron," characters of all these new classes exist in Eberron. Similarly, new races designed to be played as characters have appeared in books such as Races of Stone, Races of Destiny, Races of the Wild, Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack. Scattered t h r o u g h o u t these entries, you'll find sidebars detailing the roles that specific new classes and races play in E b e r r o n . Sometimes, i n f o r m a t i o n on new races appears in the r u n n i n g text—for example, in the discussion of the races of X e n ' d r i k on page 154. Occasionally, sidebars discuss the use of other new rules i n t r o d u c e d in D&D supplements— such as the Heroes of Battle i n f o r m a t i o n in the Red Gauntlet Regiment entry on page 95.

ADVENTURING DUNGEONS OF EBERRON From m i l l i o n - y e a r - o l d r u i n s in the D e m o n Wastes to the secret magical chambers just completed beneath the Library of K o r r a n b e r g , E b e r r o n is a world strewn with d u n g e o n s . Countless ancient r u i n s dot the landscape, a n d the Last War created a significant n u m b e r of r u i n s of much m o r e recent provenance. At the same time, the widespread use of magic makes u n d e r g r o u n d spaces—and e x t r a d i m e n s i o n a l locations—both relatively easy to construct and remarkably safe for s t o r i n g precious goods. These sites represent p r i m e locations for adventuring. Ruins from the Age of D e m o n s are rarely found intact, but some do r e m a i n , kept relatively u n d a m a g e d by the powerful ancient magic of the fiends. In some cases, the preservation of the r u i n s can be traced to the influence of a rakshasa rajah i m p r i s o n e d beneath the r u i n s , so adventurers exploring such a site are well advised to be wary of releasing a terrible foe. Ruins of such incredibly ancient date are most common in the Demon Wastes, though several exist in Q ' b a r r a and X e n ' d r i k as well, such as the lizardfolk city of K a ' r h a s h a n in Q ' b a r r a . T h e Age of Giants left n u m e r o u s r u i n s strewn across the landscape of X e n ' d r i k , causing the word "cyclopean" to be inextricably associated with that c o n t i n e n t in p o p u l a r i m a g i n a t i o n . ( C o n s u l t the e n t r y on X e n ' d r i k b e g i n n i n g on page 152 for m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n about those r u i n s . ) T h e ancient giants of X e n ' d r i k built outposts in o t h e r lands as well, so r u i n s from t h i s era can also be f o u n d in the Shadow M a r c h e s a n d in p a r t s of S a r l o n a . T h e Age of M o n s t e r s might m o r e p r o p e r l y be called the Age of Dhakaan, and this goblinoid empire left the most n u m e r o u s ancient r u i n s across K h o r v a i r e . T h e s e r u i n s are most c o m m o n in the s o u t h w e s t e r n part of K h o r v a i r e , in m o d e r n D r o a a m , Breland, Zilargo, and D a r g u u n . However, Valenar contains both elf and goblin r u i n s from this period, and before the Day of M o u r n i n g , scholars performed extensive excavation of D h a k a a n i r u i n s within Cyre. Much m o r e recently, the Last War left r u i n s scattered across the c o n t i n e n t . T h e M o u r n l a n d is a vast, devastated n a t i o n r i p e for e x p l o r a t i o n , a l t h o u g h the c o n d i t i o n s are q u i t e hostile to living a d v e n t u r e r s . T h e war also left r u i n s in B r e l a n d ( p a r t i c u l a r l y in the n o r t h e a s t and along the f o r m e r C y r a n b o r d e r ) , between A u n d a i r and T h r a n e , a n d in the T a l e n t a P l a i n s . Any n u m b e r of families would like to recover h e i r l o o m s lost in razed cities, b u t these areas have b e c o m e h o m e to dangerous monsters. Not every r u i n and d u n g e o n in E b e r r o n is c o n n e c t e d to one of its great ancient civilizations or more recent catastrophic events. Abandoned settlements such as Desolate (in the D e m o n Wastes) and N o l d r u n h o l d (in the M r o r Holds) are the victims of isolated circumstances. Somewhere in the Blade Desert, a small s h r i n e lies mostly covered with blowing sand, the last r e m a i n s of a civilization now otherwise completely forgotten. A castle in the Shadow Marches is a rare r e m i n d e r of the first wave of h u m a n settlement in that region. In the heart of the Eldeen Reaches stands an ancient tower, not c r u m b l i n g to r u i n despite its evidently very ancient origin, its builders u n k n o w n and its secrets as yet u n p l u m b e d . Finally, the vast expanses of K h y b e r , u n t o u c h e d by any m o r t a l i n t r u s i o n , provide a fertile g r o u n d for e x p l o r a t i o n and a d v e n t u r e . In places, the t u n n e l s of K h y b e r r e s e m b l e the m u n d a n e l i m e s t o n e caves and o t h e r caverns f o u n d n e a r the surface. Elsewhere, long t u n n e l s , strangely smooth and even, extend for miles without b r a n c h i n g , perhaps shaped by the daelkyr and t h e i r m i n i o n s in ancient eons. K h y b e r is an alien e n v i r o n m e n t , hostile to surface life but full of a n c i e n t secrets to u n e a r t h , magical and monetary treasures to acquire, and alien monsters to overcome.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 3 0 : It is possible t h a t m a g i c m o r e p o w e r f u l t h a n any c u r r e n t l y k n o w n flourished in the ancient giant empire of Xen'drik, learned from the dragons. T h e r u i n s of X e n ' d r i k might provide clues to this truly epic magic, and the elves of A e r e n a l may also hold keys to this lost knowledge. Knowledge ( d u n g e o n e e r i n g ) DC 10: T h e Last War left dozens of towns and cities across K h o r v a i r e lying in r u i n s , to say n o t h i n g of the M o u r n l a n d . T h e s e r u i n s are now i n h a b i t e d by m o n s t r o u s creatures. D C 15: G o b l i n o i d r u i n s built d u r i n g the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e dot the l a n d scape of K h o r v a i r e , p a r t i c u l a r l y in the southwest. Xen'drik, meanwhile, is sometimes called the Ruined Land for the n u m b e r of g i a n t - b u i l t structures that now lie in r u i n s t h e r e . Both the D h a k a a n i a n d giant r u i n s are lucrative prospects for a d v e n t u r e r s a n d archaeologists looking for knowledge, adventure, and t r e a s u r e . D C 20: A h a n d f u l of r u i n s f r o m t h e Age of D e m o n s are scattered a r o u n d Khorvaire, particularly in the Demon Wastes. T h e s e areas are typically very dangerous. D C 2 5 : T h e d e p t h s of K h y b e r are a n alien, s u b t e r r a n e a n landscape, r a n g ing from n a t u r a l - s e e m i n g caverns to bizarre, smooth t u n n e l s shaped by no known force of n a t u r e . Knowledge (history) DC 10: If you are interested in the history of Xen'drik, r u i n s lie scattered across the continent. T h e ruins on the n o r t h e r n p e n i n s u l a are t h e best k n o w n , b u t few have b e e n fully e x p l o r e d . Much r e m a i n s to be learned about the ancient giant civilizations. R u i n s from the g o b l i n o i d e m p i r e of Dhakaan can be found across K h o r vaire, particularly in the south. D C 15: Before the start of recorded h i s tory, fiends ruled the world until they were overthrown by dragons and their couatl allies. Remnants of this incredibly ancient era can still be found in the Demon Wastes, Q'barra, Xen'drik, and other remote locations.

EPIC-LEVEL ADVENTURES

to an epic campaign, especially if this war escalated beyond Khorvaire to include Riedra, Aerenal, or Argonnessen. A n epic campaign set in E b e r r o n strays far afield from the way the campaign setting has been described previously, but is certainly rife with i n t e r e s t i n g o p t i o n s . It presents an exciting o p p o r t u n i t y for PCs to break new g r o u n d in epic territory, and the c a m p a i g n can take on a majestic scope, with the fate of the world h a n g i n g in the balance.

The Dungeon Master's Guide provides basic rules for advancing characters beyond 20th level, with more details a p p e a r i n g in the Epic Level Handbook. (All the creatures and templates mentioned in this section can be found in that book.) Eberron, however, is not an epic world—at least, not as it stands now. If your characters advance to 21st level, the campaign is going to need a few adjustments. T h e Epic A r t i f i c e r First, it's probably best to assume that player characters T h e epic artificer r e m a i n s a master of item creation, gainwho reach epic levels are a m o n g the first people to accoming an increasing craft reserve and plenty of bonus feats to plish such a feat, at least in r e c e n t m e m o r y . C e r t a i n l y the learn the craft of epic item creation. great h e r o e s of ages past—the m i g h t i e s t c h a m p i o n s of the H i t D i e : d6. Dhakaani E m p i r e , n o t to m e n t i o n the g i a n t and d r a g o n S k i l l P o i n t s at E a c h A d d i t i o n a l Level: 4 + Int heroes of even e a r l i e r eras—reached epic levels. In the modifier. current age, it is possible that no one has ever exceeded 20th I n f u s i o n s : A n epic artificer's caster level is equal to level, which means no m e m b e r of the c o m m o n h u m a n o i d his class level. T h e artificer's n u m b e r of infusions per day races has ever done so before. does not increase after 20th level. T h a t fact m e a n s , a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , that the world A n epic artificer doesn't automatically gain infusion of the c u r r e n t age has little to challenge epic-level characslots above 6th level, t h o u g h he can select the I m p r o v e d ters. T h e d r a g o n s of A r g o n n e s s e n , the I n s p i r e d lords of Spell Capacity feat to gain i n f u s i o n slots above 6th level Riedra, and the few daelkyr that lurk in Khyber are possible (which can be used to hold lower-level infusions or i n f u exceptions. If the PCs have advanced to epic levels without sions whose level has been increased above 6th by the use of previously facing Vol the l i c h - q u e e n or the Lord of Blades, metamagic feats). these powerful N P C s might be of epic level themselves. Craft Reserve: An epic artificer's craft reserve increases Alternatively, Vol might have become a demilich. by 1,000 points per level beyond 20th (6,000 points at 21st It is probably best, however, to i n t r o d u c e a new threat level. 7,000 points at 22nd level, and so o n ) . to E b e r r o n to match the epic heroes who have arisen to defend it. Perhaps the work of the ancient Gatekeepers is A r t i f i c e r Knowledge: Add the artificer's class level + finally u n d o n e and Xoriat spills forth onto E b e r r o n once Int modifier to artificer knowledge checks, as n o r m a l . more, as the daelkyr launch a new full-scale invasion. T h e B o n u s Feats: A n epic a r t i f i c e r does not a u t o m a t i daelkyr statistics presented in the EBERRON Campaign Setting cally gain epic item creation feats as b o n u s feats. He does. could be considered to depict a weak example of their kind, however, gain a b o n u s feat for every t h r e e levels b e y o n d with paragon daelkyr (using the paragon template from Epic 20th (23rd, 2 6 t h , a n d so o n ) , a n d he can choose epic item Level Handbook) a c t u a l l y i n h a b i t i n g X o r i a t . Epic Level Handbook creation feats for which he meets the prerequisites. also presents several aberrations that could accompany the daelkyr in a new invasion of E b e r r o n , as well as the uvuu¬ daum and creatures with the p s e u d o n a t u r a l template. A s i m i l a r t h r e a t could arise from a p l a n e o t h e r t h a n Xoriat. T h e q u o r i might discover a way to r e o p e n c o n nections between Dal Q u o r and E b e r r o n , or T h e l a n i s might u n l e a s h a wild h u n t led by the leShay. I n E b e r r o n , abominations arise from the planes themselves rather t h a n from deities, and they could come from almost any other plane—anaxims from Daanvi, atropals from Mabar, chi¬ chimecs from L a m a n n i a , hecatoncheires from Shavarath, phaetons from Fernia, xixecals from Risia, and so on. Every plane holds creatures hostile to life on the Material Plane, so the o p e n i n g of a significant n u m b e r of p o r t a l s to any plane could invite a new invasion like the ones that brought the great civilizations of the past to an end. Of course, a new threat to E b e r r o n need not come from the planes beyond. Perhaps the egg of a force dragon or a prismatic dragon that was laid on A r g o n n e s s e n d u r i n g the Age of Dragons has at last hatched, stirring a flurry of activity among the dragons. O r a mighty dragon of a more ordinary sort might seek divine ascension (adopting the dragon ascendant prestige class from Draconomicon). Worldwide threats could even arise from far m o r e m u n d a n e sources. What if the mighty wealth of the A u r u m , the r e s o u r c e s of H o u s e Cannith, or the madness of the Lord of Blades was put to use in c o n s t r u c t i n g an epic golem or colossus? A new outbreak of hostilities among the nations of K h o r v a i r e , l a u n c h i n g a second great war, could also provide a fitting b a c k g r o u n d

AERENAL LAND OF THE DEAD T h e cities of A e r e n a l are older t h a n h u m a n civilization. O n this island, the b o u n d a r i e s between life and death have worn t h i n , and the dead wield more influence t h a n the living. T h e A e r e n i elves preserve their greatest heroes t h r o u g h magic and devotion, and these deathless elves have p r o vided protection and guidance for thousands of years. T h e civilization of the elves began on X e n ' d r i k . For tens of thousands of years, the elves were slaves of the mighty giants of that continent. In time the elves rose up against their masters, but this was a war that no one would win. At the height of the conflict, a visionary named A e r e n foresaw the coming cataclysm. He gathered a host of elves and convinced them to flee the c o m i n g storm. As dragonfire and terrible magic shattered X e n ' d r i k , the elf fleet landed on the island that would become their home—but their prophet did not survive the j o u r n e y . Aeren was i n t e r r e d within the island, and the elves named their new h o m e A e r e n a l , or "Aeren's Rest." T h o u g h they had j o i n e d together beneath Aeren's b a n n e r , the elf refugees came from many different tribes and had many different beliefs and traditions. However, they shared a common reverence for their ancestors and the heroes who had died in the cause of freedom. Some believed that c o n t i n u i n g to perfect the arts of war was the only way to h o n o r these heroes; these w a r r i o r s eventually settled in the n o r t h , evolving into the c u l t u r e now known as the T a i r n a d a l . But A e r e n had said that a r c a n e knowledge was the greatest weapon of all, and the majority of the elves p r e ferred to set aside the sword for the book. C a l l i n g themselves the A e r e n i , these elves dedicated themselves to the study of magic and mysticism. In their reverence for t h e i r ancestors, the A e r e n i were d e t e r m i n e d to find a way to preserve their heroes t h r o u g h their interest in the art of n e c r o mancy. T h i s research followed two paths: the negative necromancy of the line of Vol, which many blame for the spread of vampirism into Khorvaire, and the positive energy of the Priests of T r a n s i t i o n . Ultimately it was the positive path that took root in the land, and the lines united b e h i n d the cult of the deathless. T h e U n d y i n g C o u r t has ruled the land for m o r e than twenty thousand years, and today the deathless are inextricably linked to A e r e n i society. Aerenal wears its past like a s h r o u d . Beyond the deathless g u a r d i a n s and guides that can be found in any major city, Aerenal is a land of m o n u ments and ancient buildings, and its people spend more time looking to the past t h a n the future. T h e A e r e n i elves place tradition above all else: Artists and bards are expected to perfect the techniques of the past rather than developing new styles. T h e elves apply themselves to t h e i r work with u n c a n n y devotion; an elf bowyer might spend centuries h o n i n g his skills, and make bows the like of which a h u m a n bowyer could only dream of. But the elf still follows the traditions of the past, and the bow he makes today is a replica of one that could be found in a five-thousand-year-old tomb. I n n o v a t i o n is e n c o u r a g e d solely in the study of magic, since the A e r e n i believe that there is no such t h i n g as perfection when it comes to magic. Even here the elves are often b l i n d e d by t h e i r t r a d i t i o n s , which explains why the magical talents of the younger races are quickly becoming a match for the A e r e n i . A l t h o u g h people from all n a t i o n s come to do business at the p o r t of Pylas Talaear, f o r e i g n e r s are rarely welcome elsewhere in A e r e n a l . Unlike in Riedra, no r e s t r i c t i o n s on travel are enforced across A e r e n a l , and a d v e n t u r e r s can travel freely t h r o u g h the l a n d . Still, the elves have little patience for m e m b e r s of the younger races. Elf wizards and sages are devoted to their studies, while A e r e n i artisans are devoted to their crafts. Even farmers and other laborers pursue t h e i r duties with extreme devotion, seeking perfection in all they do. O u t l a n d e r s are a distraction—they are loud, r u d e , or simply i g n o r a n t ; t h e i r q u e s t i o n s are i r r e l e v a n t ; a n d they have no place in the o r d e r of A e r e n a l . Adventurers are allowed to

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) DC 15: T h e elves of Aerenal are masters of necromancy, but they despise undead. Knowledge (geography) D C 10: A e r e n a l is the home of the elves. O u t l a n d e r s are rarely welcome on this island, and stories say that the dead walk a m o n g the living. D C 15: Two major elf cultures live on A e r e n a l . T h e T a i r n a d a l are nomadic warriors, and many have migrated to the new nation of Valenar. T h e majority A e r e n i are devoted to spiritual and arcane research. T h e A e r e n i are ruled by a pair of m o n a r c h s who are advised and protected by a council of deathless elves—the Undying C o u r t . DC 20: T h e A e r e n i preserve their greatest h e r o e s as d e a t h l e s s . Some living elves d i s f i g u r e themselves to appear u n d e a d . Knowledge (history) D C 15: A t e r r i b l e war drove t h e elves from X e n ' d r i k to A e r e n a l some forty t h o u s a n d years ago. DC 20: Dragons from Argonnessen have attacked A e r e n a l many times, but the power of the U n d y i n g C o u r t holds the d r a g o n s at bay. Knowledge (nature) D C 15: T h e jungles of Aerenal are home to exotic plants and trees. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10: The Mark of Shadow first appeared in Aerenal, but those carrying the mark migrated to K h o r v a i r e thousands of years ago. D C 15: T h e U n d y i n g C o u r t selects the r u l i n g Sibling K i n g s from the noble families of A e r e n a l . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 10: T h e Aereni worship the Undying C o u r t , a council of " u n d e a d " elves. DC 15 : T h e Undying C o u r t are the h o n ored ancestors of the Aereni, sustained by positive energy and devotion. They despise undead. D C 20: T h e deathless are resistant to physical injury, b u t they are p a r ticularly v u l n e r a b l e to damage from weapons forged from t a r g a t h , a soft metal found in A r g o n n e s s e n .

travel u n h i n d e r e d t h r o u g h the land—but they are rarely made welcome or catered to in any way. F u r t h e r m o r e , the laws of the l a n d are swift and h a r s h . C r i m e is a r a r e occurrence a m o n g the A e r e n i , and they have no patience for those who d i s r u p t the peace. A magistrate typically uses magic to confirm the facts of a c r i m e , q u e s t i o n i n g accused criminals with zone of truth or using divination to explore the events s u r r o u n d i n g the issue. C r i m i n a l s in A e r e n a l have no rights. Exile is a frequent p u n i s h m e n t , but execution is not u n c o m m o n ; the wise c r i m i n a l plies his trade in a more lenient land.

a d v e n t u r e r , you are likely to have chosen this p a t h : Y o u r h e r o i c deeds could be your ticket to immortality!

THE UNDYING COURT

In a world where the gods r e m a i n a m o n g the greatest mysteries, the elves alone have a p a n t h e o n they can touch: the Undying C o u r t , the assembled council of the greatest minds of A e r e n a l . Individually, an u n d y i n g councilor is a force to be reckoned with, but he doesn't have the power of a deity. However, when the c o u r t a s s e m b l e s — b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r thousands of the greatest m i n d s in elven history—it is one of the mightiest forces in E b e r r o n . T h e U n d y i n g C o u r t can lend power to its priests across the length of E b e r r o n , but its direct influence is closely tied Non-elves who have heard of the line of J h a e l i a n assume to the island of A e r e n a l . A e r e n a l contains manifest zones that an elf l i n e is s i m i l a r to a noble family. T h e t r u t h l i n k e d to the plane of I r i a n , the E t e r n a l Day, and many is m o r e c o m p l i c a t e d , a n d not d i s s i m i l a r to the way the believe that this energy is r e q u i r e d to sustain the Undying d r a g o n m a r k e d houses have developed. A line is m o r e like C o u r t . T h u s , the U n d y i n g C o u r t has b e e n able to defend a city-state with blood ties that bind its m e m b e r s together. the elves from dragon attack on n u m e r o u s occasions—but Each line is descended from one of the tribes that followed the court does not have the ability to launch an attack against A e r e n from X e n ' d r i k , and each l i n e includes a dozen or A r g o n n e s s e n itself. As a result, the elves are very cautious more separate families. T h u s , an elf can be part of the line about t h e i r island and its r e s o u r c e s . T h e r e f o r e , only the of J h a e l i a n while having the family name D o l o r e n t h i . greatest h e r o e s of the land are chosen to b e c o m e d e a t h Each l i n e is r u l e d by a noble house from which the less. T h e A e r e n i keep a close eye on the p o p u l a t i o n of their line takes its n a m e : M e l i d e t h , J h a e l i a n , M e n d y r i a n , and h o m e l a n d , because they know it can only support so many Tolaen, to name but a few. O n l y the m e m b e r s of this noble elves—living or deathless. house can ascend to the U n d y i n g C o u r t . M e m b e r s h i p in a noble house is n o t a h e r e d i t a r y gift—members of a noble All elves see life as a passage to death, and not every elf house are chosen, not b o r n . T h e c u r r e n t m e m b e r s of the can achieve deathless immortality. T h e priests of the Undyhouse select their successors from a m o n g the most remarkable ing Cmoeum e r s ofthe t h eelves i r l i nthrough e. T h e m e mand b e r scare of afor noble r tbguide life themhouse after do not even breed a m o n g t h e i r h o u s e ; instead, they breed death. Not every elf becomes deathless, but any h o n o r e d elf with other members of the line, keeping noble blood spread is properly embalmed and carefully i n t e r r e d . throughout the community. As a cleric of the Undying Court, you might travel beyond Aerenal for a n u m b e r of reasons. T h e priests are the ambassadors of the court itself, and a councilor might send you to As a r e s u l t , every m e m b e r of an elf c o m m u n i t y has serve as his eyes in the land beyond, or to fulfill a prophecy the p o t e n t i a l to rise to the nobility, and from t h e r e to the only the deathless u n d e r s t a n d . You might be sent in service Undying C o u r t . Normally, nobles are chosen based on the to your line, to recover the r e m a i n s of a long-lost h e r o or skills they display, and this is why the elves spend centuries relic. O r you could j o i n the D e a t h g u a r d (see the next page) honing their talents. In recent years, younger elves have and go forth to battle the forces of evil and death! sought to prove their worth t h r o u g h exploits in foreign lands, b a t t l i n g the O r d e r of t h e E m e r a l d Claw or seeking the magical secrets of X e n ' d r i k . As a n A e r e n i

ELF LINES

The elves of Aerenal embrace death as a necessary part of the spiritual journey

THE DEATHGUARD "Unending life is for heroes—not for the likes of you, vampire!"

—Marai J h a e l i a n , h u n t e r of the dead T h e priests of the Undying C o u r t believe that all negative u n d e a d are a n a t h e m a to life—even those that do not prey directly on the living to survive nevertheless c o r r u p t the world's own life force merely by existing. T h e D e a t h g u a r d is an elite order of priests and warriors sworn to destroy all undead having a b o n d to Mabar, along with any n e c r o m a n cer who defiles the bodies and souls of the dead. Members of the D e a t h g u a r d are the most outgoing of Aerenal elves, with a great n u m b e r of A e r e n i adventurers arising from the g r o u p . They despise followers of the Blood of Vol and the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw. They believe that they are part of a great crusade against the darkness, and they take their p a r t in that crusade quite seriously.

THE DEATHGUARD IN THE WORLD "Your pathetic crusade will not stop us, idiot elf!"

—Krael Kavarat, vampire captain of the Emerald Claw T h e D e a t h g u a r d is a small religious o r d e r claiming some four h u n d r e d members, almost all of them elves of A e r enal. A handful of u r b a n elves from K h o r v a i r e have been accepted as members of the order, but they must work very hard to prove themselves. T h e D e a t h g u a r d ' s outlook is fiercely good and generally lawful. Organization: The Deathguard maintains its headquarters in Shae Mordai in A e r e n a l . Its members police the wilds of A e r e n a l , paying p a r t i c u l a r attention to the manifest zones tied to Mabar, which draw necromancers and undead. Its members operate outside Aerenal, however, where undead are more prevalent. Cial J h a e l i a n ( N G male u n d y i n g c o u n c i l o r ) is the High Warden of the D e a t h g u a r d . He fought against House Vol when that line was shattered and continues to lead the

Deathguard after his own demise. He has a gentle demeanor, even in battle; he feels pity for undead, not hatred. Beneath the High Warden are four Wardens, each bearing nominal responsibility for one of the other four inhabited continents: Khorvaire, Sarlona, Xen'drik, and Argonnessen. T h e Warden of Argonnessen resides in Aerenal, since elves are not welcome in the dragon homeland. T h e other m e m b e r s of the D e a t h g u a r d find that they are most effective when they disperse themselves as widely as possible a r o u n d the world. At the same time, they know the value of staunch allies in their u n e n d i n g battles, so they associate with like-minded adventurers, even non-elves, to better pursue their order's goals. They send frequent reports to the Warden who has authority over the c o n t i n e n t where they operate, and they can appeal to the Warden for assistance from other Deathguard members when needed. Caskal D u l a e n ( N G male elf cleric 8 U n d y i n g C o u r t ) is a C y r a n who fought K a r r n a t h i u n d e a d in the war. As an u r b a n elf, he constantly strives to prove his w o r t h to the o r d e r over and above his usual duties. Marai J h a e l i a n (LG female elf paladin 5 / h u n t e r of the dead 3) is a g r i m warrior who u n d e r w e n t the ritual d i s f i g u r e m e n t c o m m o n in the J h a e l i a n line before she j o i n e d the D e a t h g u a r d , m a k i n g her appear u n d e a d t h o u g h she is in the p r i m e of life. ( T h e h u n t e r of the dead prestige class is in Complete Warrior.)

NPC REACTIONS Members of the Deathguard, as the Aerenal elves perhaps most commonly encountered outside Aerenal, strive to present a positive image of their homeland despite their deliberately shocking appearance. Even so, they observe customs and fashions peculiar to Aerenal and often meet with puzzlement or prejudice when they travel the world. Most non-elf NPCs have an initial reaction of indifferent (puzzled and bemused, but indifferent nonetheless), while elves who have no objection to the Deathguard's mission have a friendly attitude. Followers of the Blood of Vol rightly see the Deathguard as hostile to t h e i r deepest convictions. C o m m o n followers have an unfriendly initial reaction to Deathguard members,

AERENAL ELF FEATS Aereni Focus While h u m a n s value versatility, the A e r e n i prefer to hone a single skill to absolute perfection. From childhood you have studied one p a r t i c u l a r path, and these decades of devotion result in remarkable skill. Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Aerenal, 1st level only. Benefit: A single skill of your choice is now a class skill for you, and you gain a +3 bonus on checks using that skill. S p e c i a l : A e r e n i Focus counts as Skill Focus for the purpose of m e e t i n g any r e q u i r e m e n t or prerequisite.

Aerenal Arcanist Your family has studied wizardry for thousands of years. You spent your c h i l d h o o d in arcane libraries, and this early education gives you a great breadth of knowledge. Prerequisite: Elf, region of o r i g i n A e r e n a l . Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Knowledge (arcana)

checks. Every time you gain a wizard level after taking this feat ( i n c l u d i n g 1st level), you can add one additional spell to your spellbook.

Aerenal Half-Life T h e Priests of T r a n s i t i o n have guided you t h r o u g h strange rituals that left you poised between the world of the living and the dead. Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin A e r e n a l . B e n e f i t : Your skin becomes sallow a n d p i n c h e d , giving you the a p p e a r a n c e of a zombie or lich. Y o u r b o n d to the world of the dead provides you with two benefits. W h e n you cast a n e c r o m a n c y spell, y o u r effective caster level is increased by one. When you spend an action point on an attempt to t u r n or rebuke u n d e a d , it applies to b o t h the t u r n i n g check and the subsequent t u r n i n g damage check.

while true followers of Vol (including h i g h - r a n k i n g members of the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw) have a hostile reaction. Undead of any sort have a hostile reaction.

DEAD, DEATHLESS, AND HALF-LIVING The A e r e n i elves care for their dead. They have perfected the art of e m b a l m i n g , and some of them practice this trade in the great cities of K h o r v a i r e . As an elf's body is prepared for burial, two chronicles of his life are made. O n e copy is buried with his body, and one is kept in the great library of Shae M o r d a i ; thus, he will never be forgotten, and anyone who finds his body in a future age will l e a r n of his deeds. The bodies of the fallen are preserved in catacombs deep beneath the cities of Aerenal, filled with the assembled dead of tens of thousands of years. Grave r o b b i n g is considered a heinous crime in A e r e n a l , and a repeat offender might be killed and cremated, with no record made of his death. T h e elves reserve the gift of u n d y i n g i m m o r t a l i t y for their greatest heroes—sages and artisans as well as warriors and wizards. Most elves are consigned to the catacombs after death. A n elf who shows great promise might be raised from the dead if he was cut down in his p r i m e . But traditionally, an elf can only become deathless after he has lived t h r e e centuries. T h e Priests of T r a n s i t i o n view life as a j o u r n e y on the path to deathlessness; even the worthy must experience a full life to appreciate what comes next. A deathless elf does not automatically gain membership in the Undying Court. Military heroes usually become undying soldiers. They continue to defend the nation, and can be found in the catacombs and all the major cities of Aerenal. Newly raised undying councilors serve as sages and a d m i n i s trators—although the living perform the most vital tasks, so that they can complete the journey of life and avoid becoming dependent on the dead. After a thousand years, a councilor is considered for admittance to the court, where he tends the ascendant councilors and studies with the elders. What h a p pens next is a mystery the uninitiated cannot understand; the ascendant councilors are truly alien beings, thousands of years old and charged with the energy of Irian. The A e r e n i m a i n t a i n the distinctive tradition of halflife. Some followers of the Undying Court—especially those of the line of Jhaelian—undergo alchemical and spiritual treatments that result in flesh that seems to be decomposing, as if the living elf was a zombie. Non-elves often see this as a h o r r o r , and c a n n o t i m a g i n e a reason for it. For the elves, it serves two p u r p o s e s . It gives one a closer b o n d to the world of the dead, s t r e n g t h e n i n g his n e c r o m a n t i c gifts. F u r t h e r m o r e , the A e r e n i believe that life is the least part of the path of existence. By giving up physical beauty and acknowledging that appearance is transitory and insignificant, an elf prepares for the path he hopes to follow and serves as an example to those a r o u n d h i m . One more stage lies between the living and the deathless: the spirit idol. T h e Priests of Transition hold a great responsibility. They believe that Aerenal can only support a certain number of undying councilors. Sometimes the priests feel that a fallen elf has not earned a place among the undying, but that it would be a great loss to let his soul slip away to Dolurrh. In these cases, they use the create spirit idol spell to bind his spirit to his corpse. T h e spell keeps h i m away from D o l u r r h and allows necromancers to call on his wisdom in the future.

Create Spirit Idol Necromancy Level: Cleric 4 C o m p o n e n t s : V, S, M, XP Casting T i m e : 1 h o u r R a n g e : Touch Target: Corpse touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: N o n e Spell Resistance: No Light seems to coalesce around the corpse before you, gleaming in its eyes for a moment before it fades.

T h i s ritual binds the subject's soul to his physical remains, preventing its passage to Dolurrh. This is a voluntary effect; the subject's spirit must be willing (see Bringing Back the Dead, page 171 of the Player's Handbook), or the spell automatically fails. Once b o u n d to the body, the spirit remains in a state of torpor. If a speak with dead spell is cast upon a spirit idol by a caster whose alignment matches the alignment of the spirit in life, the spirit is woken to consciousness for 1 minute per caster level of the speak with dead effect. In this state, it can perceive its s u r r o u n d i n g s and communicate verbally (in any languages it knew in life) with the caster of speak with dead. (This effect occurs instead of the normal effect of speak with dead.) T h e spirit idol's communication is typically brief, cryptic, or repetitive, but it does not intentionally give false answers. A spirit idol can be r e s t o r e d to life by raise dead o r similar means. T h e spell preserves both the body and spirit perfectly, allowing such magic to be cast after the usual time limit has expired. If the body is destroyed or dismembered, the spell effect is broken and the soul passes to D o l u r r h . Material Component: A clay pot filled with grave dirt and a n o t h e r filled with p u r e water. XP Cost: 100 XP.

THE BLOOD OF VOL HEIRS OF VOL

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

"The Blood flows, the Blood gives life. The Blood is life, even after the grave."

—Mudren Fain, priest of the Blood of Vol T h e Blood of Vol flows from the distant past, when the first s t i r r i n g s of faith in blood as the source of life, and u n d e a t h as a path to divinity, arose within the elf tribes of ancient X e n ' d r i k . T h e r u d i m e n t a r y faith developed along with the elves, following them to A e r e n a l and eventually spreading to other races. (Rumors persist that a version of the faith is still practiced by certain drow societies in X e n ' d r i k . ) T h r e e thousand years ago, House Vol took control of the ancient faith due to the powers granted by the Mark of D e a t h . W h e n H o u s e Vol was destroyed four h u n d r e d years later, the faith was shattered and faded away with the passage of time. T h e faith appeared again after the War of the Mark, reaching new heights as a p o p u l a r cult a m o n g the people of Galifar and c u l m i n a t i n g with its adoption as the national religion of K a r r n a t h in 895 Y K .

THE BLOOD OF VOL IN THE WORLD Followers of the B l o o d can be found throughout the Five Nations and the Lhazaar Principalities, with a small presence in Q ' b a r r a , Valenar, a n d D r o a a m . W i t h i n t h e Five Nations, the cult has its strongest ties in K a r r n a t h , despite the fact that the crown r e n o u n c e d it as the national religion in 964 Y K (during K i n g Jaron's reign). Followers and shrines devoted to the Blood can be found in Breland and Aundair, where the religion is tolerated. (Persecution of the faith occurred t h r o u g h o u t the course of the Last War, when Brelish and Aundairian followers of the Blood were suspected of Symbol of the collaboration with K a r r n a t h . ) T h r a n e has Blood of Vol the smallest n u m b e r of followers, and most of them keep a low profile to avoid attracting the a t t e n t i o n of the C h u r c h of the Silver F l a m e . To those outside the faith, and even to most within it, the Blood of Vol doesn't appear to have an overarching organization as the Church of the Silver Flame does. T h e faith has leaders and priests, and a hierarchy of sorts can be found among the clergy in K a r r n a t h . Beyond the K a r r n a t h i borders, however, each sect and cult cell operates independently—at least on the surface. Behind the scenes, Vol and her chief lieutenants carefully orchestrate the activities of specific cells t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e . Much of the work of the various cells is b e n i g n , since it benefits Vol to have active cells in as many places as possible. She leaves the more radical and aggressive operations to the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw, an organization that m a i n t a i n s an identity u n c o n n e c t e d to the followers of the Blood. Followers c o n d u c t private w o r s h i p c e r e m o n i e s in t h e i r homes, m a k i n g small offerings of blood on small h o u s e h o l d altars, never to be tasted by any actual u n d e a d . T h e y do not r e p o r t to any h i g h e r authority and only rarely have contact with o t h e r s of the faith. T h e t r a d i t i o n s are passed from parents to c h i l d r e n , though many c h i l d r e n are rejecting the teachings in favor of the doctrines of the Sovereign Host. T h e Blood remains powerful within K a r r n a t h , lurking in the shadows. T h e C r i m s o n Monastery in A t u r continues to operate in the open as the

Knowledge (geography) D C 15: K a r r n s practice a religion that involves worship of the u n d e a d , the Blood of Vol. DC 25 : T h e C r i m s o n Monastery in Atur is the most i m p o r t a n t center of worship for the Blood of Vol. DC 30: A great center of worship devoted to Vol is r u m o r e d to exist somewhere in the Lhazaar Pricipalities. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: T h e Blood of Vol is a r e l a tively c o m m o n religion in K a r r n a t h , though the faith of the Sovereign Host remains dominant. D C 15: At various times in K a r r n a t h ' s history, the faith of the Blood of Vol has waxed a n d waned in p o p u l a r i t y and acceptance. T h e p r e s e n t t i m e is a waning p e r i o d . DC 20: T h e fundamental belief of the Blood of Vol is that death must be conquered, not e n d u r e d . T h e u n d e a d are revered as champions in the struggle to conquer death and show mortals the path to g o d h o o d . DC 25: A n u m b e r of u n d e a d take active roles in the rites and leadership of the Blood of Vol. T h e greatest center of worship is the C r i m s o n Monastery, in the K a r r n a t h i city of A t u r . DC 30: Vol the lich is the active though h i d d e n leader of the faith.

THE N1GHTCLAW Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 25: T h e Nightclaw is a relic sacred to the Blood of Vol, said to be the severed h a n d of a lich. DC 30: T h e Nightclaw is kept in a s h r i n e b e n e a t h the city of A t u r , where it is r e g u l a r l y visited by priests of the Blood of Vol. Knowledge (arcana) DC 30: Some legends claim that greater powers of the Nightclaw can only be u n l o c k e d by one who is w i l l i n g to replace his own right h a n d with it.

largest center of worship for the Blood of Vol in the world. Its high priest, the undead cleric Malevanor, is the nominal leader of all temples and shrines, and hundreds of priests ultimately report to h i m .

TENETS Of THE BLOOD The teachings of the Blood of Vol squarely face the g r i m reality of death: All that mortals have to look forward to is death, followed by an eternity spent in the bleak oblivion of Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead. Death, therefore, must be c o n q u e r e d by u n d e a t h — t h e path that leads to e t e r n a l existence and, for some, to divinity. The only champions that fight against death on behalf of mortals are the undead. Vampire lords and powerful liches seek to open the path of godhood to all mortals. Followers offer their blood in praise of these i m m o r t a l champions who battle death on their behalf. In doing so, they adhere to traditions that originated among the elves of X e n ' d r i k , when the giants ruled the world. At the h e a r t of the w o r s h i p stands the supposedly symbolic and mythic figure of Vol, Q u e e n of the Undead. Unlike the gods of the Sovereign Host, Vol plays a direct role in the a d v a n c e m e n t of the faith. She walks the land, hidden in shadows, p u l l i n g s t r i n g s and setting events in motion to advance her plans.

A cleric puts the Nightclaw to use

NPC REACTIONS The people of A u n d a i r and Breland look u p o n the Blood of Vol as a strange and exotic cult and are indifferent to its followers. O n l y d u r i n g extreme periods of stress between these nations and K a r r n a t h in the Last War were followers of the Blood seen as suspicious or even dangerous, receiving a hostile reaction. Individuals from both nations might harbor either hostile or friendly attitudes, d e p e n d i n g on their past experiences with K a r r n a t h and the Blood. In T h r a n e , because of the strong presence of the Silver Flame and the long history of conflict with K a r r n a t h , the followers of the Blood have long been seen as members of an outlawed religion. T h e authorities don't go out of their way to arrest those who practice the faith, but they can exercise the option if they choose to. People in T h r a n e demonstrate hostile reactions to the Blood of Vol and its followers. In K a r r n a t h , despite the proclamations of the crown, the c o m m o n folk have an i n d i f f e r e n t to friendly attitude toward the Blood of Vol and its followers.

A u r a / C a s t e r Level: S t r o n g necromancy; C L 20lh. C o n s t r u c t i o n : Not a p p l i c a b l e . T h e Nightclaw is a u n i q u e artifact. Weight: 2 lb. Price: n/a.

THE BLOODTOUCHED RITE

W h e n an i n d i v i d u a l (usually an a r c a n e spellcaster or a cleric) proves herself to be of particular worth to the undead leadership of the Blood of Vol, she is rewarded with p a r ticipation in the B l o o d t o u c h e d rite. Typically a character must be at least 3rd level to be so rewarded, though excepT h e Nightclaw tions exist. T h e ceremony requires a chalice b r i m m i n g with blood In a shrine deep beneath the city of A t u r in K a r r n a t h , priests donated by willing followers of the Blood of Vol. T h i s chalof the Blood of Vol pay homage to a relic of their faith: the ice is the focus of extensive prayers, c u l m i n a t i n g when the hand of an ancient lich, called the Nightclaw. officiating cleric channels negative energy into it. O n c e the Description: T h i s grisly item seems to be a m u m m i chalice is prepared, it is passed a r o u n d to the participants, fied h a n d , severed a little above the wrist. T h e flesh is dry who d r i n k deeply from it. and smooth, dead gray in color. T h e h a n d has a warm smell of e m b a l m i n g spices about it, but is cold to the touch. When A character who d r i n k s from this chalice permanently its powers are activated, the fingers gesticulate slightly. loses 2 points of C o n s t i t u t i o n , but gains four benefits: Activation: Using either of the spell abilities of the • Bonus hp equal to C h a r i s m a bonus (if any). Nightclaw r e q u i r e s s p e a k i n g a c o m m a n d word, which is a • +2 p r o f a n e b o n u s on saves against p o i s o n , s t u n n i n g , standard action. disease, death effects, and energy d r a i n . Effect: Like a hand of glory (see Dungeon Master's Guide page • +1 caster level on all necromancy spells. 258). the Nightclaw allows you to benefit from the effects of • If the character is capable of rebuking undead, her effeca ring worn on one of the Nightclaw's fingers, if you wear the tive cleric level for this ability is increased by 1. Nightclaw as an amulet a r o u n d your neck. If you hold it in T h e C o n s t i t u t i o n loss can't be prevented or reversed by one h a n d , you can use deeper darkness three times per day and any means. A creature without a C o n s t i t u t i o n score gains enervation once per day. no benefit from the Bloodtouched rite.

CHANGELINGS MASTERS OF DISGUISE Changelings are gray-skinned creatures with fair hair, long limbs, and indistinct facial features. They were originally b o r n out of u n i o n s between h u m a n o i d s and doppelgangers, but over the years they have evolved into a h u m a n o i d race distinct from their progenitors. Like t h e i r h u m a n o i d ancestors, c h a n g e l i n g s have d i s t i n c t , u n i q u e countenances—recognizable faces—although t h e i r faces are much less detailed than a h u m a n o i d s . Some observers have described changelings as looking like h u m a n s with an extra, gauzy gray layer of skin covering their bodies, while others say that they look like h u m a n s that haven't been fully formed. Both d e s c r i p t i o n s are apt. W h e n in h e r n a t u r a l shape, a changeling's nose is a p p a r e n t but c o n t a i n s no nostrils, and h e r m o u t h is framed by thin, gray lips. A changeling's eyes are blank pools of milky white. A changeling has wispy, fair hair and a distinct gender, in contrast to full-blooded doppelgangers. From their doppelganger ancestors, changelings gained the ability to alter their forms. They are natural shapechangers capable of taking on the a p p e a r a n c e of any h u m a n o i d race, c h a n g i n g t h e i r height by as much a foot in height and t h e i r weight by upward of one h u n d r e d p o u n d s . A c h a n g e l i n g has precise c o n t r o l over this c h a n g e , selecting whatever physical features (eye and h a i r color, size of nose, b i r t h m a r k s , and other d i s t i n g u i s h i n g characteristics) she prefers. Often a changeling creates a favorite appearance for each race she frequently mimics, and these guises might have a c o m m o n trait—hair color, a mole, or a birthmark—so that small similarities persist between her various forms. Although changelings have lived for centuries in virtually all parts of K h o r v a i r e , other h u m a n o i d s r e m a i n wary of t h e m . It is a generally held belief that c h a n g e l i n g s are sneaky, duplicitous, and u n t r u s t w o r t h y . T h e t r u t h is that, as with any o t h e r race, individual c h a n g e l i n g s can be good or evil, honest or dishonest, v i r t u o u s or depraved. W h i l e it is t r u e that a changeling's abilities make her well suited for c r i m i n a l enterprises such as fraud, espionage, and assassination, it is a mistake to t h i n k that a majority of individuals engage in these practices. All c h a n g e l i n g s adopt one of t h r e e p h i l o s o p h i c a l outlooks r e g a r d ing t h e i r mutable identity. Passers try to avoid the widespread m i s t r u s t of t h e i r race by l i v i n g in a p e r m a n e n t state of d i s g u i s e , a d o p t i n g a p a r t i c u l a r a p p e a r a n c e a n d w e a r i n g it as t h e i r " n a t u r a l state." T h e y keep t h e i r heads down and stay out of t r o u b l e . T h e c h a n g e l i n g s known as b e c o m e r s i m m e r s e themselves in many d i f f e r e n t i d e n t i t i e s . T h e y believe that they are s i m u l t a n e o u s l y who they are and who they appear to be, enjoying the paradox and ambiguity of m u l t i p l e p e r s o n a s . T h e c h a n g e l i n g s called reality seekers believe in an abstract n o t i o n of p e r fection and prefer to seek it in t h e i r n a t u r a l forms and in the company of o t h e r c h a n g e l i n g s . C h a n g e l i n g s have a n a t u r a l gift for l e a r n i n g l a n g u a g e s and c u l t u r a l m a n n e r i s m s . Like any o t h e r race, c h a n g e l i n g s in g e n e r a l simply want to live t h e i r lives i n peace, a n d toward t h a t end they are sensitive to the p a r t i c u l a r m o r e s a n d beliefs of the c o m m u n i t y in which they live. T o g e t h e r with t h e i r s h a p e c h a n g i n g abilities, these qualities make t h e m e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y effective d i p l o m a t s , e n t e r t a i n e r s , r a c o n t e u r s , and n e g o t i a t o r s . Still, more than a few of the most infamous spies and thieves in the history of the Five Nations have been changelings. Members of this race hold key positions in most organized c r i m i n a l endeavors. Popular fiction and bardic tales feature changelings as assassins who enter into a home in the guise of a friend, then transform into a m o n s t r o u s form before striking down their victims. However, c r i m i n a l changelings are much more likely to be confidence artists or dealers of stolen and fraudulent material than outright m u r d e r e r s .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (local) D C 10: C h a n g e l i n g s are a hybrid of h u m a n o i d s and doppelgangers that are n o t generally accepted in e i t h e r community. They have a limited ability to shapechange. A check against this DC is also sufficient to learn if a local settlement hosts a changeling c o m m u n i t y and whether any n o t a b l e r e c e n t i n c i d e n t s have o c c u r r e d involving changelings. D C 15: C h a n g e l i n g s can alter t h e i r physical form to pass as m e m b e r s of a n o t h e r race or the opposite gender. They can even masquerade as specific individuals. A check against this DC is also sufficient to l e a r n r o u g h l y how many c h a n g e lings live in a local c o m m u n i t y a n d where they can be found. D C 2 5 : C h a n g e l i n g s follow o n e of t h r e e g e n e r a l p h i l o s o p h i e s . Passers a d o p t a single h u m a n o i d i d e n t i t y a n d stick with it, j u s t t r y i n g to get by in n o r m a l society. Becomers live multiple lives, sometimes s i m u l t a n e ously, in different disguises. Reality seekers p r e f e r t h e i r n a t u r a l f o r m a n d the society of t h e i r own k i n d , philosophically seeking the form of perfect reality. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: More t h a n any o t h e r people of K h o r v a i r e , changelings are drawn to the worship of the Traveler, one of the gods of the Dark Six. T h e Traveler is b o t h t h e least malevolent a n d t h e most enigmatic of the Dark Six. D C 20: Changelings often revere the Traveler, but to say they worship this mysterious deity is hardly accurate. They seem to view the Traveler as a c o m p a n i o n on the road of life—and not always a trustworthy one. However, they often use tales of the Traveler's actions in the world as justification for their peculiar philosophies.

HOW TO SPOT A CHANGELING Common folk believe that when a c h a n g e l i n g adopts a disguise, the facade is perfect and nearly impossible to penetrate. In fact, because people are willing to believe their eyes without question, clues to a changeling's true nature often go overlooked. Specific C l o t h i n g : A c h a n g e l i n g ' s c l o t h i n g and other belongings r e m a i n u n a l t e r e d no matter what form she takes. If a person observes that an elf in the room is wearing the same outfit and gear as a dwarf who left the room a few minutes earlier, it may be a clue that b o t h of the i n d i v i d u a l s are the same changeling. O f course, it would be wise to ascertain that the c l o t h i n g in question is not some kind of u n i f o r m or traditional garb associated with a p a r t i c u l a r g r o u p or religious o r d e r before making an accusation. Tricks of the Trade: A l t h o u g h a c h a n g e ling can o u t w a r d l y m i m i c a m e m b e r of j u s t about any t r a d e or p r o f e s s i o n , she often will not have the skills and abilities of even a novice member of the g r o u p . Be wary of people who look like typical practitioners of their profession but show no ability for the job—such as a blacksmith who has trouble hefting a h a m m e r or a cleric who cannot heal the injured. U n f a m i l i a r i t y with "Own Culture": Although a c h a n g e l i n g can b e c o m e tall a n d willowy with long, t a p e r i n g ears, she does n o t thereby gain any great insight into the attitudes and o p i n i o n s of elves. A n y o n e who has spent a significant a m o u n t of time a m o n g the m e m bers of a specific race might notice a changeling in disguise acting strangely, b r e a k i n g c o m m o n taboos, b e i n g u n f a m i l i a r with racial languages, and having u n u s u a l likes or dislikes. Trust N o O n e : Most c h a n g e l i n g s are too clever to be t r i p p e d up by simple clues such as t h e s e . T h e fact is, anyone you meet could be a c h a n g e l i n g — e v e n your closest friend.

Perfect Reflection [ C h a n g e l i n g ] You are particularly skilled at mimicking the forms and mannerisms of others. T h e better you know a specific individual, the more able you are to look and act just like that person. Some changelings attribute this ability to a trace of their doppelganger ancestors' ability to peer into the minds of others. Prerequisite: Changeling, Cha 15, Wis 13.

DOPPELGANGERS AND CHANGELINGS Races of Destiny presents a monster class progression that could allow you (with your DM's permission) to play a doppelganger as a character. These shapechangers are common in urban areas, as suggested by the very existence of the changeling race. They are an important part of such organizations as the Tyrants (described in Sharn: City of Towers) and the secretive Cabinet of Faces.

A changeling

puts on a new face

Benefit: When using your minor shapechange ability to disguise yourself, you get a competence bonus on your Disguise check and on Bluff checks made to impersonate that person. The bonus is based on how well you know the person you are imitating. While these categories are simitar to the categories that determine a character's bonus on Spot checks to see through a disguise, the amount of the bonus is not the same. Familiarity Recognize on sight Friend or associate Individual is present Close friend Intimate

Bluff/Disguise Bonus +2 +4 +6 +8 +10

CHURCH OF THE SILVER FLAME THE GLORY OF LIGHT T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame illuminates a way of life for millions of people across K h o r v a i r e , represents the force that governs the n a t i o n of T h r a n e , and inspires bands of crusaders dedicated to e x t e r m i n a t i n g evil from the face of E b e r r o n . If mere m e m b e r s h i p in the c h u r c h grants a comforting degree of faith and security, life as a crusader in its order of knights templar guarantees a career of excitement, virtue, and honor.

TEMPLARS OF THE SILVER FLAME "As a refiner burns away all impurity from the ore, so shall the Silver Flame purify the world and its inhabitants."

—Davienne of Sigilstar, halfling exorcist of the Silver Flame Evil is everywhere, but that only strengthens your resolve to fight against it. Your faith in the Silver Flame drives you to wage u n e n d i n g war against the evil in the world, wherever it might be found—even if it lies within your adventuring party, your church, or yourself.

JOINING THE TEMPLARS J o i n i n g the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame is a relatively simple matter. As a prospective member, you meet with a member of the clergy—sometimes one on one, sometimes in a small group with other worshipers—to learn the basics of the faith. W h e n this teaching is complete, you are initiated into membership with a simple ritual, sometimes but not always scheduled to coincide with a major holy day of the church, such as the Ascension (1 Sypheros). J o i n i n g the knights templar is more difficult. You must already be a m e m b e r of the c h u r c h , and you must secure a letter of r e c o m m e n d a tion from one m e m b e r of each of the c h u r c h ' s three orders—ministers, templars, and friars. T h e Council of C a r d i n a l s votes on which applications to approve. T h e process can be t i m e - c o n s u m i n g , even Symbol of the if it is not especially rigorous. Silver Flame E n t r y R e q u i r e m e n t s : Any good a l i g n m e n t , Knowledge (religion) 5 r a n k s . Members of all classes can gain admittance to the order of knights templar, though fighters, paladins, and clerics are most c o m m o n . T h e order's primary duty is to meet evil head-on in combat, which practically serves as a definition for a good-aligned adventurer. Rogues, barbarians, monks, and rangers also combat evil with a clash of a r m s . Wizards, sorcerers, bards, and druids similarly use their magic to further the mission of the order. Once accepted as a templar, you can expect to spend a week in a templar monastery, usually in T h r a n e , receiving your initial training. T h i s t r a i n ing assumes that you have at least a basic g r o u n d i n g in the doctrines of the faith, and instead focuses on practical techniques for fighting evil creatures and discerning the influence of such creatures on other people.

TEMPLAR BENEFITS Knights templar share a c o m m o n goal: the eradication of evil from the world. Since most members of the order are not interested in self-aggrandizement, they willingly help their fellow members achieve their common goals to the fullest extent possible. At the same time, they have few enough resources for their own pursuits, and not much to share. Goods: U p o n acceptance into the order, you receive a small wooden case containing essential supplies for your work. T h i s case holds four flasks

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h r a n e is a theocracy ruled by the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame. D C 15: T h e head of b o t h c h u r c h and state is the K e e p e r of the Flame, c u r rently a young girl named Jaela D a r a n . A C o u n c i l of C a r d i n a l s does the work of g o v e r n m e n t in h e r n a m e . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame reveres a holy fire within the cathedral in Flamekeep, the capital of T h r a n e . T h e church teaches a life of purity and struggle against evil in all its forms. D C 12: T h e c h u r c h i n c l u d e s a large n u m b e r of p a l a d i n s a n d exorcists devoted to waging war on s u p e r n a t u ral evil. D C 15: T h e head of b o t h c h u r c h a n d state is the K e e p e r of the Flame, c u r rently a young girl named Jaela D a r a n . A C o u n c i l of C a r d i n a l s does the work of g o v e r n m e n t in her n a m e . DC 18: T h e church has been responsible for b o t h great good a n d great evil throughout its relatively short history. It l a u n c h e d a crusade against lycan¬ thropes that, by a c e n t u r y ago, had nearly e l i m i n a t e d all l y c a n t h r o p e s from K h o r v a i r e . Unfortunately, many innocents also died as a result of that inquisition.

Knights Templar Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame sponsors champions who go i n t o the world to fight evil. D C 15: T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame includes t h r e e orders of clergy: m i n isters who tend congregations, friars who spread the faith, and templars who fight evil in the flesh. T h e s e templars wear distinctive silver tabards. D C 2 0 : T h e s i l v e r - c l a d t e m p l a r s are d e d i c a t e d to h u n t i n g u n d e a d a n d fiends, as well as exposing c o r r u p t i o n wherever it is found—even w i t h i n the c h u r c h itself. DC 30: C a r d i n a l B a e r d r e n ir'Davik is the c u r r e n t head of the knights t e m plar. His seneschal Ofejjaia of K o r t h might have h e r eye on the cardinal's position.

of holy water, a silver holy symbol, a small prayer book containing rites and prayers relating to exorcism and protection (no game effect), two s h a r p e n e d wooden stakes, and fifteen arrows—five with silvered heads, five with cold iron heads, and five with flametouched i r o n heads. As you use these supplies, you are responsible for restocking t h e m . I n f o r m a t i o n : T h e basic t r a i n i n g you receive u p o n acceptance into the order of knights templar grants you a +2 circumstance bonus on Knowledge (the planes) or Knowledge (religion) checks you make to identify monsters and learn their capabilities and weaknesses. O t h e r members of the order are experts on creatures of s u p e r n a t u r a l evil, with Knowledge skill modifiers r a n g i n g from +10 to +18. Status: As a m e m b e r of the order, you have the privilege of identifying yourself as a knight templar of the Silver Flame. You can properly be addressed with "Sir" or "Lady" preceding your given name, and you can wear a silver tabard identifying you as a member of the order. T h i s status carries the most weight in T h r a n e , where it guarantees the good will of most citizens. Outside T h r a n e , it may provoke different responses. (See N P C Reactions, below.)

PLAYING A TEMPLAR You are not necessarily single-minded, but your faith dominates your personality. You strive for an ideal of personal purity appropriate to the purity you would like to see in the world. T h e sins you strive to avoid include greed, exploiting other people for your own gain, the abuse of power in any form, and the c o r r u p t i o n of absolute evil, as embodied in fiends. By cultivating virtue in yourself, you help to tip the balance between good and evil in the world, ever so slightly, in good's favor. T h u s , you strive to be honest, just, m o d e r ate in all things but virtue, compassionate, patient, and faithful. W h e n you fail to live up to your own ideals, you chastise yourself but do not necessarily p u n i s h yourself, for punishment can sometimes become its own evil. As a knight templar, you are ultimately responsible to the head of your order. C a r d i n a l B a e r d r e n ir'Davik sits on the Council of C a r d i n a l s and thus helps to steer the policy of not just your order, but of the e n t i r e church and the nation of T h r a n e . Of the three orders of the church, yours allows its members the most freedom to pursue the causes they find most pressing. Ministers must tend to the faithful, and friars must concentrate on the expansion of the church, but templars are free to wander as they please—or where the Flame leads them—to battle evil wherever it rears its head. You are part of an elaborate chain of c o m m a n d , but much of the time that chain has little or no impact on your life. Combat: G r a n t no q u a r t e r to fiends or u n d e a d , and hope for none in r e t u r n . In battle against more m u n d a n e foes, you show mercy when it is asked of you, and you might ask it as well, though it is foolish to request q u a r t e r when you have no expectation of receiving it. You should always be willing to sacrifice your own life to save the lives of others. You have a greater d r e a m t h a n living to old age: You hope to be joined with the Silver Flame in perfect purity after your death. But the Flame does not wish you to forfeit your life if your sacrifice will not win a greater victory or save others. Advancement: Even if you are not a cleric or paladin, you can choose feats and abilities that make you more effective against undead, fiends, and similar creatures of monstrous, supernatural evil. (Libris Mortis presents a n u m b e r of feats that aid your ability to fight undead, such as Ghost Scarred, Enduring Life, Necropotent, Vampire Hunter, and Unquenchable

Flame of Life.) You might also take ranks in Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (the planes), even if those are cross-class skills for you, to reflect the ongoing training you receive in techniques to fight these creatures. As you advance in levels, you might also want to consider a prestige class related to the Church of the Silver Flame, such as exorcist of the Silver Flame (from the EBERRON Campaign Setting) or silver pyromancer (from Five Nations). You might also consider related classes that are not specific to the church, including h u n t e r of the dead or knight of the Chalice (from Complete Warrior), divine crusader or pious templar (from Complete Divine), shadowbane inquisitor or shadowbane stalker (from Complete Adventurer), or sacred purifier (from Libris Mortis). Missions: You don't u n d e r t a k e trivial adventures for base purposes such as s e l f - e n r i c h m e n t . A n adventure, for you, is a mission: an o p p o r t u n i t y to make a difference in the world, to advance the cause of the c h u r c h or h i n d e r the progress of evil, or preferably both. You have been i d e n tified as an agent the church can use in the world, so you might be sent on missions by the c h u r c h , either with an explicitly spiritual goal or to advance the agenda of T h r a n e among the other nations of K h o r v a i r e . Even if no one sends you, however, you go regardless—like a k n i g h t - e r r a n t , you seek out any o p p o r t u n i t y to do battle with evil. S u p e r n a t u r a l evil is your true foe. T h e undead, possessing devils, r a m p a g i n g demons—you can slay these foes without hesitation or qualms. By their mere existence, they corrupt the world; by e l i m i n a t i n g them, you help to make the world a better place.

TEMPLARS IN THE WORLD "The templars are extraneous in this day and age. They are relics of a bygone era, when good and evil were conceived of in simplistic terms.''

—Archierophant Ythana M o r r of S h a r n T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame is one of the great powers of Khorvaire. T h a n k s to its control over one of the Five Nations and its significant presence in three others, it has exerted considerable influence over the shape of the modern world in the wake of the Last War. Characters who serve the church as knights templar are part of a significant and vital world power. O r g a n i z a t i o n : T h e basic organization of the church is described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting. T h e K e e p e r of the Flame is the head of both church and state, and immediately beneath her sits the C o u n c i l of C a r d i n a l s . T h i r t e e n High C a r d i n a l s form this council, consisting of two delegates chosen from each of the four smaller groups of cardinals that govern the four great cities of T h r a n e (Flamekeep, Thaliost, Sigilstar, and A r u l d u s k ) and the s u r r o u n d i n g regions. T h r e e more High C a r d i n a l s represent the three orders of the c h u r c h (ministers, friars, and templars), and the last two are representatives of the archbishops. O n e of the most influential High Cardinals is a representative from Flamekeep, a grasping m a n named K r o z e n . T h e order of knights templar is currently represented on the council by C a r d i n a l Baerdren ir'Davik (LG male h u m a n paladin 5/exorcist of the Silver Flame 5), who also holds the rank of G r a n d Master of the order. B a e r d r e n is an exemplary templar, utterly dedicated to the mission of the order and often chafing at the political and bureaucratic responsibilities his position on the council demands of h i m . However, he considers the role a sacrifice worth making, for he fears that if he were to give up his seat on the council, it might go to his seneschal and rival, Ofejjaia of K o r t h . Ofejjaia (LN female h u m a n cleric 8 Silver Flame) has other issues on her personal agenda besides advancing the cause of the knights templar, and Baerdren fears she would drive the order into obsolescence or banishment if she were placed in charge. He keeps her at his side as a deputy and advisor, primarily to keep an eye on her—though he admits she is wise and has made many good decisions on behalf of the order. Beneath Cardinal Baerdren, seven commanders govern the knights of the order. These c o m m a n d e r s carry the following titles: C o m m a n d e r of A u n d a i r , C o m m a n d e r of Breland, C o m m a n d e r of Cyre, C o m m a n d e r of K a r r n a t h , C o m m a n d e r of T h r a n e , C o m m a n d e r of Foreign Lands, and C o m m a n d e r of the Seas. T h e positions were established before the Last War, so they reflect the divisions within the

K i n g d o m of Galifar rather t h a n the m o d e r n nations of K h o r v a i r e . T h e C o m m a n d e r of K a r r n a t h still has j u r i s diction over templars in the M r o r Holds, for example. T h e assistants to these c o m m a n d e r s carry the title of marshal, but no real rank exists b e n e a t h them other t h a n knight templar, held by the majority of the m e m b e r s h i p . Knights templar are free to wander the world in pursuit of the order's aims. W h e n leaving the jurisdiction of one commander and entering that of another, it is a knight's responsibility to promptly report to the commander of the new area, in case that c o m m a n d e r has a pressing need for a knight to perform a mission. T h e c o m m a n d e r s try to keep each other informed about where knights are operating and what they are doing, but this system works better in some places—and between some commanders—than others. The Puritans sect is disproportionately well represented among the knights templar. These fervent followers of the Silver Flame cling to literal i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s of every word uttered by the Voice of the Flame and believe in the radical social and political transformation o f t h e world, r e m a k i n g it as a theocracy in the image of T h r a n e . T h o u g h they are a small segment of the overall church, they make up somewhere between a quarter and a third of the knights templar, including three commanders.

NPC REACTIONS All citizens of T h r a n e recognize the distinctive silver t a b ards of the knights templar, and most have friendly attitudes toward these highly visible champions of the faith. Outside T h r a n e , recognizing the tabard as a symbol of the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame requires a DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check, while a D C 15 check identifies the wearer as a m e m b e r of the knights templar. Generally g o o d - h e a r t e d people who are not prejudiced against the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame are initially friendly to knights they recognize by means of these checks, while individuals who carry such prejudices (which include shifters and goblinoids) are more often unfriendly or at best indifferent. Since the order of knights templar is sworn to exterminate supernatural evil, including undead and fiends, such creatures are always hostile when they recognize a knight templar. Lycanthropes of all types and alignments have a particular hatred for the Church of the Silver Flame, thanks to the crusade that nearly exterminated their kind over a century ago. Shifters are uncomfortable with the templars of the church for the same reason. T h e O r d e r of the Emerald Claw, tied as it is to the Blood of Vol and the worship of the undead, is also hostile to the church and its agents in the world.

FIVE EDICTS OF THE CHURCH 1. T r u s t i n the S i l v e r F l a m e . T h e Voice of the Silver F l a m e never lies. It will light y o u r way to glory a n d salvation. 2 . H e e d the words of the Keeper. T h e K e e p e r of the Flame is your emissary. T h r o u g h the K e e p e r , the Silver Flame speaks. 3 . Fight evil i n all its forms. Not everyone can have the strength or conviction of a paladin, but there are many ways to fight evil t h a t d o n ' t r e q u i r e o n e to draw a sword.

We must also r e m a i n vigilant, for the one t h i n g evil does well is hide in plain sight. 4 . Lead a n o b l e l i f e , and e n c o u r a g e o t h e r s to do the same. T e m p t a t i o n s a b o u n d , but the wisest of us can recognize and avoid t h e m . If you die with a p u r e spirit, you will be forever b o u n d with the Silver Flame. 5. Share the faith. T h e Silver Flame can purify the darkest spirit. Share the power of the Flame with those who have not yet embraced it.

TEMPLARS IN THE GAME Templars of the Silver Flame are quite narrow in their focus, but the organization is appropriate for good-aligned characters who can agree on worship of the Silver Flame. Keeping templar PCs happy in the organization is relatively easy: Simply ensure that they have no shortage of identifiably evil creatures to fight. In no way does this diminish the moral ambiguity that pervades the world of E b e r r o n . Shades of gray exist in abundant opportunity in the form of corrupt church officials ( i n c l u d i n g Seneschal Ofejjaia of K o r t h ) ,

unwitting agents of devils, and d o m i n a t e d victims of vampires. But the PCs and their chosen foes are like pinpoints of bright light and utter darkness in a much larger sea of murky gray, fighting an u n e n d i n g crusade that can easily become a tool in someone's play for power within the church. Encounters: N P C templars look a lot like PCs, and they are most likely to be encountered as allies. They are devoted to fighting against evil, and when the PCs are fighting evil, a templar is always a potential ally. O n the other hand, if the PCs are colluding with evil, whether they are aware of it or not, an N P C templar can be a powerful and implacable foe.

SECTS OF THE SILVER FLAME Different sects within the church relate to the Silver Flame in different ways. T h e Puritans are only the most p r o m i n e n t of these sects, b r i n g i n g a literal r e a d i n g of sacred p r o n o u n c e ments and a rigidly moralistic view of society to their worship of the Flame. At the DM's option, different sects of the Silver Flame can gain access to different domains. Some sects might grant access to new domains presented in Complete Divine (marked with an asterisk below) or Book ofExalted Deeds (marked with a dagger). If your campaign uses this option, Puritans can choose from the domains of Inquisition*, Law, and Purification*. The O r d e r of the Radiant Flame is a sect that emphasizes contemplation as a path to spiritual u n i o n with the Silver

Flame in this life, as opposed to a physical u n i o n with the Flame after death. T h e order includes monks among its ranks, as well as paladins and clerics. It is not a distinct order like the ministers, friars, and templars, but rather a movement that includes members from all three orders. If you use the option of alternate domains. Radiant Flame clerics can choose from the domains of Glory*, Good, Mysticism*, and Protection. T h e Knights Militant are a n o t h e r sect that spans the three o r d e r s . T h i s g r o u p holds extreme standards of purity and morality, a n d it exhorts its m e m b e r s to heroic acts of valor and self-sacrifice in the battle against evil. Clerics of this sect can choose from t h e d o m a i n s of E n d u r a n c e ! , Exorcism, G o o d , Wrath!, and War.

CREATION MYTHS THE FIRST AGES OF THE WORLD Siberys danced t h r o u g h the void, setting the stars in their places. Khyber prowled b e h i n d , c o n s u m i n g stars nearly as fast as Siberys placed t h e m . E b e r r o n sang, apart from the others, and life sprouted in the void. Finally Siberys t u r n e d to confront Khyber, to stop the dragon from devouring the stars. T h e two fought, tearing at each other in their hatred. At last K h y b e r arose victorious as Siberys was shattered i n t o a m i l l i o n fragments. Now thirsty for blood, Khyber wheeled u p o n E b e r r o n . W h e r e K h y b e r lunged, E b e r r o n snaked aside and a r o u n d . No more blood was spilled, but the battle c o n t i n u e d on a n d o n . K h y b e r grew tired, and finally E b e r r o n enfolded and imprisoned Khyber, and the two dragons ceased their struggles. And so the world was b o r n , E b e r r o n f o r m i n g its surface and Khyber the world b e n e a t h . Both dragons slumbered after their long battle, and h a r d e n e d into e a r t h . T h e fragments of Siberys's broken body encircled E b e r r o n . These three became known as the Dragon Above, the Dragon Below, and the D r a g o n Between. T h e drops of Siberys's blood scattered u p o n the earth below. T h e r e they sprouted into life, b e c o m i n g the dragons of the e a r t h : red and gold, silver and white, blue and bronze, copper and green, brass and black. They found that E b e r r o n had formed them a paradise in which to dwell, and they lived in peace for long ages. Within the i m p r i s o n i n g folds of E b e r r o n , the blood of Khyber festered and fermented, taking on its own dark life. Shaped by the dreams of the s l u m b e r i n g dragon, Khyber's blood became the fiends: rakshasas, night hags, and other monstrosities. Slowly, the fiends made their way t h r o u g h E b e r r o n ' s e n c i r c l i n g body, s e e p i n g t h r o u g h cracks and holes in the earth, rising with the molten rock in the e r u p t i o n of volcanoes, bubbling up from the depths of the sea. Gradually, they began to t h r e a t e n the peace of the d r a g o n s . A n d so eventually began the first war between the dragons and the fiends. As Khyber first t r i u m p h e d over Siberys, so did the fiends at first t r i u m p h over the d r a g o n s . T h e dragons retreated to the land of A r g o n nessen, while the fiends divided K h o r v a i r e , Sarlona, and X e n ' d r i k among themselves. So began the Age of D e m o n s . T h e fiends r u l e d the world for m i l l i o n s of years. W h e n e v e r the dragons dared venture from A r g o n n e s s e n , the fiends struck hard, driving them back to their retreat. T h i n g s began to change when the d r a g o n s rediscovered the P r o p h ecy and found allies. D u r i n g E b e r r o n ' s p r i m o r d i a l d a n c e , as life sprang from the d a n c i n g dragons, the couatls were b o r n , adding their wingbeats to the d a n c e . Like the d r a g o n s , they had r e t r e a t e d i n t o h i d i n g from the fiends t h a t r u l e d the world. T o g e t h e r , however, the d r a g o n s a n d the couatls were able at last to l a u n c h an assault on the a n c i e n t e m p i r e s of the fiends. For t h o u s a n d s u p o n t h o u s a n d s of years, war raged between the d r a g o n s (and t h e i r couatl allies) and the fiends of K h y b e r . T h e battles ended at last when the couatls discovered a means to i m p r i s o n the m i g h t i est fiends in the deep earth from which they had emerged. T h e couatls paid a high price for this victory; only bonds of p u r e spirit could hold the mighty fiends, and the greatest of the couatls sacrificed their physical forms to trap the fiends within their spiritual coils. With the r u l i n g fiends imprisoned, the r e m a i n i n g couatls and the dragons were easily able to drive the lesser fiends into h i d i n g . T h e dragons were so weakened by their long years of fighting that they were unable to enjoy the fruits of t h e i r victory. Most d r a g o n s r e t u r n e d to Argonnessen to study the Prophecy, leaving Sarlona, K h o r v a i r e , and X e n ' d r i k wasted and empty.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 10: L o n g before the rise of the giant civilization, fiends r u l e d t h e world, u n o p p o s e d by t h e d r a g o n s who cowered i n A r g o n n e s s e n . T h e s e fiends i n c l u d e d rakshasas a n d n i g h t hags, though these forebears of the m o d e r n fiends were much more powerful t h a n t h e i r descendants. D C 15: W h e n the d r a g o n s at last rose up against the fiends that r u l e d the world, couatls fought beside t h e m . T h e resulting war lasted for a million years. Some say that the planes came into being as debris t h r o w n off d u r i n g this legendary conflict. D C 20: T h e most powerful rakshasa r u l e r s , called rajahs, r e m a i n i m p r i s oned deep within Khyber, held i n the eternal spiritual coils of the greatest of the couatls. T h e i r weaker m i n i o n s still hope to see t h e m freed. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: A variety of tales d e s c r i b e t h e c r e a t i o n of the world, b u t the most c o m m o n m y t h s involve t h e t h r e e great d r a g o n s : Siberys the D r a g o n Above, K h y b e r t h e D r a g o n Below, and E b e r r o n the D r a g o n Between. D C 15: A n e o n s - l o n g war b e t w e e n dragons and fiends ended when the couatl allies of the dragons sacrificed themselves to i m p r i s o n the fiends i n t h e d e p t h s of K h y b e r . S o m e r e l i g i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e C h u r c h of the Silver F l a m e , revere the couatls for this sacrifice. D C 20: T h e tales of the t h r e e creating dragons are not the only myths about the b i r t h of t h e world. O t h e r tales attribute creation to A u r e o n , O n a t a r , and even the Traveler. D C 2 5 : T h e Serpentes Fragments is a n a n c i e n t c o l l e c t i o n of w r i t i n g s c o n t a i n i n g the beliefs of a n u m b e r of s e r p e n t cults from X e n ' d r i k , all of which highly esteem the couatls that sacrificed t h e m s e l v e s to b i n d t h e fiends w i t h i n Khyber. D C 30: Legends tell of three great a r t i facts the dragons used in their war against the fiends, and three similar items used by the fiends. Each set consists of a crown, a scepter, and an orb, like the regalia of an earthly king.

OTHER TALES OF CREATION

SERPENT CULTS Of XEN'DRIK

The tale of the t h r e e d r a g o n s and the Age of D e m o n s is widely retold and generally accepted as an explanation for the b i r t h of the world. It is not the only such e x p l a n a t i o n , however. Several alternative myths exist, even w i t h i n the major churches of K h o r v a i r e , with none having a dogmatic claim to absolute authority. These tales give the gods of the Sovereign Host (and the Dark Six) a role in the creation of the cosmos. For example, devotees of the Traveler tell a great many tales about that mysterious deity creating things—sometimes the earth itself, more often specific kinds of creatures or geographical features. Lakes and canyons a r o u n d the world carry n a m e s such as " T h e Traveler's F o o t p r i n t " in local languages, a n d at least two m y t h s p o p u l a r a m o n g d o p pelgangers speak of the Traveler creating the world out of pieces scavenged from a n o t h e r creation—either an earlier one that was r u i n e d or a parallel one that the Traveler sought to imitate. A u r e o n is s o m e t i m e s i d e n t i f i e d as a c r e a t o r who spoke the world i n t o b e i n g , e m b e d d i n g all the secrets of c r e a t i o n in the l a n g u a g e of a r c a n e m a g i c . Followers of O n a t a r c r e d i t h i m with the c r e a t i o n of the world, r e c o u n t i n g how he s h a p e d it in his forge a n d h a m m e r e d it on his anvil. Most tales of the gods have little or n o t h i n g to do with creation, however. Tales such as the D e v o u r e r ' s rape of Arawai and A u r e o n ' s accidental creation of the Shadow explain the b i r t h of various gods (theogony) r a t h e r than the creation of the u n i v e r s e (cosmogony). T h e d i f f e r i n g depictions of the gods can be traced to myths that describe them in different ways, arising in various parts of the world. These tales include descriptions of each deity as a dragon that ascended to divinity d u r i n g the first ages of the world, but these myths are not widely believed.

T h e ancient legend of the couatls sacrificing themselves to imprison the fiends within the earth is depicted in the earliest r u i n s and inscriptions discovered in X e n ' d r i k . T h r o u g h the m i l l e n n i a , this tale has formed the foundation of many religions a m o n g the native races of that c o n t i n e n t . These so-called serpent cults took root a m o n g the giants, their elf and drow servitors, o t h e r u n d e r g r o u n d races, the goliaths of the Titan's Teeth m o u n t a i n s , the r a p t o r a n s , and the catfolk. (Goliaths are described in Races of Stone, r a p t o r a n s and catfolk in Races of the Wild.) Most of these serpent cults espoused high ethical ideals, often much loftier t h a n those prevailing in the d o m i n a n t c u l t u r e . T h e cults typically deny the divinity of c o n t e m p o r a r y gods, c l a i m i n g that the p r i m o r d i a l couatls are the only t r u l y d i v i n e b e i n g s . T h e s e factors have c o m b i n e d to e n s u r e that s e r p e n t cults r e m a i n s m a l l , c o u n t e r c u l t u r a l movements with little lasting power or influence. About three thousand years ago, an u n k n o w n researcher compiled a n u m b e r of writings related to the sacrifice of the couatls and assembled t h e m i n t o a loose collection now known as the Serpentes Fragments. These fragments are thought to represent the beliefs of a variety of serpent cults, widely scattered geographically and historically. They are also an i m p o r t a n t source of i n f o r m a t i o n about the sites and civilizations of a n c i e n t X e n ' d r i k , m a k i n g the Serpentes Fragments extremely i m p o r t a n t to X e n ' d r i k archeology. Copies and translations of the fragments are rare because the bulk of their subject matter is so obscure. Some, however, would argue that the fragments are not obscure in the least. Perhaps he is just b e i n g intentionally provocative, but Provost D a n n a d M o u r a i n of Morgrave University recently p u b l i s h e d a p a p e r a r g u i n g that the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame is itself the c o n t e m p o r a r y form of a X e n ' d r i k serpent cult.

REMNANTS OF CREATION In the Age of Demons, the dragons rose up against the fiends that ruled E b e r r o n , waging a war that lasted for more than a million years. Some legends claim that b o t h sides forged mighty weapons to be wielded by their greatest champions. At some point in the war, both a fiendish champion and a dragon champion wore a crown and carried a scepter and an orb that embodied the powers of the cosmos. It is not clear which were forged first—the fiendish or the draconic regalia. T h e s e mighty artifacts were first wielded by single champions, but soon were divided so that t h r e e heroes of each side could carry t h e i r power i n t o battle. They have not been reunited since that time, and it is entirely possible that they no longer exist. T h r o u g h countless ages of demons, dragons, and mortals, tales have continually surfaced of great artifacts—crowns, orbs, and scepters. T h e most recent records of these items, still h u n d r e d s of years old, give them names connected to the mortals who wielded and were ultimately destroyed by the ancient power they tried to harness. T h e draconic Crown of Sondar Thaj is said to lie buried in a shrine in the midst of the Marsh of Desolation in X e n ' d r i k . The draconic scepter, called the Silver Rod or the Mithral Scepter, is believed to be in A r g o n n e s s e n , h i d d e n in a s h r i n e in the

Wyrmsperch M o u n t a i n s on the western coast. Explorers who survived a j o u r n e y to the land of dragons r e p o r t e d that the s h r i n e was b u r i e d centuries ago by a massive avalanche or volcanic e r u p t i o n . T h e draconic orb, called the Orb of Kevrik the Crusader, is the most recently seen of the three draconic items, but its last owner (who fancied herself a spiritual descendant of Kevrik the Crusader) disappeared in the D e m o n Wastes. T h e fiendish crown is called the Crown of the Black Fire or the Crown of the Frozen Hammer, after a mighty frost giant king who wore it into battle against the daelkyr. It is believed to still lie in Icehammer Palace, a skyberg that floats above Icewhite Island between the Frostfell and the Demon Wastes. T h e Scepter of Fell Khadash is the poetic name for the fiendish scepter, which is believed to lie in a vault in Xen'drik— though recent r u m o r s suggest that both the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw and agents of the ogre mage warlord Tzaryan Rrac (see page 52) have learned of the scepter's location and are actively seeking it. T h e fiendish orb, called the Sphere of Iron Fire, is believed to lie in the depths of Khyber. Legend says that it sank into the e a r t h when it fell to the g r o u n d on a X e n ' d r i k battlefield.

THE DARK SIX POWERS OF DARKNESS Six dark deities stand in opposition to the Sovereign Host: the severed shadow of the god of magic; the evil brother of the nature deities, who raped his sister; the mad child of that unholy u n i o n ; the brother of the war deities, who betrayed his siblings and was flayed as p u n i s h m e n t ; the lurking brother of the god of wealth, h o a r d i n g the souls of the dead; and a mysterious shapeshifter whose motivations and goals are beyond mortal comprehension. These are the Dark Six—the wretched underbelly of the Sovereign Host, p u n i s h e d and made pariahs for their crimes. Worshiped by c r i m i nals, villains, outcasts, and monsters, the Dark Six are the enemies of the Sovereign Host, and thus the enemies of everything that lives. With the exception of the Traveler (in speaking about the Dark Six, the Traveler is often an exception), the deities of the Dark Six are evil, corrupt, m o n s t r o u s , and hostile—even to their worshipers. I n the legends told of them, they sometimes seem barely sentient, little more t h a n divine beasts preying on mortal souls. Of course, such stories are told in fearful whispers by the devout followers of the Sovereign Host. T h o s e who devote their lives to the Dark Six tell different stories, and paint very different pictures of the deities they serve. In much the same way that clerics of the Sovereign Host convinced different h u m a n o i d groups that the war gods they served were simply aspects of Dol D o r n or Dol A r r a h (see T h e Sovereign Host, page 138), clerics of the Dark Six i n t e r p r e t the deities revered by the monsters of the world as aspects of their dark gods. T h i s r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of monstrous mythology has had an impact on the beliefs of the monsters themselves, though sometimes with questionable results. In ages past, troglodytes and kuo-toa might have warred against each other in the names of their different gods. Now, some voices a m o n g those races argue that they are all servants of the Devourer, and that they should u n i t e against the followers of the Sovereign Host. A few m o n s t r o u s clerics take that philosophy one step f a r t h e r . P r o c l a i m i n g themselves clerics of the Dark Six as if it were one unified p a n t h e o n , they now attempt to unite the followers of all evil deities into one massive horde to sweep across h u m a n o i d lands, leaving death and devastation in their wake. Clerics of the Dark Six as a p a n t h e o n are quite rare, but they seem to be increasingly c o m m o n in D r o a a m . T h e following text expands the d o m a i n s available to clerics of the Dark Six 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 book are marked with an asterisk (*).

DARGUUN AND THE DARK SIX C e n t u r i e s after the fall of the Dhakaani E m p i r e , a coalition of tribal leaders formed a loose confederacy called the G h a a l ' d a r , b r i n g i n g the savage goblinoid tribes together in the worship of a unified p a n t h e o n of sixteen goblinoid gods. W h e n h u m a n missionaries appropriated n i n e of these gods into their Sovereign Host, many of the G h a a l ' d a r rejected the gods who sided with the h u m a n s and embraced the Dark Six with fervent devotion. T h e gods known as the Shadow and the Mockery are a m o n g the most i m p o r t a n t of these goblinoid gods. In the last h u n d r e d years, more of the G h a a l ' d a r have r e t u r n e d to worship of the Sovereign Host, while some goblinoids have become obsessed with the lost sixteenth god of their ancient p a n t h e o n , whose face and n a m e were stricken from all w r i t i n g and art (see " T h e All-inclusive Host" on page 139). They call this lost god the O v e r t h r o w n .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) DC 20: Shargon's Teeth are named after the sahuagin n a m e for the Devourer. D C 2 5 : T h e T r a v e l e r is d e s c r i b e d as t h e c r e a t o r , s o m e t i m e s of t h e whole world, b u t m o r e often of local g e o graphical features. Particularly in s h i f t e r - p o p u l a t e d areas w i t h i n t h e E l d e e n R e a c h e s , s m a l l lakes a n d basins carry names such as "Traveler's Footprint." Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: T h e Dark Six are m a l e v o l e n t deities who were cast out from t h e p a n t h e o n of t h e S o v e r e i g n H o s t . T h e y are t h e p a t r o n s of c r i m i n a l s , outcasts, villains, and m o n s t e r s . D C 15: Myths of the S o v e r e i g n H o s t u n i f o r m l y p o r t r a y the gods of the Dark Six scheming against the Host at every t u r n , just as their m i n i o n s in the world c o n t i n u e to plot against the followers of the Host. D C 18: Most p e o p l e offer p r a y e r s to a p p e a s e or w a r d off t h e D a r k Six, b u t only m o n s t e r s a n d p e o p l e w i t h crazed m i n d s or m u r d e r o u s d i s p o s i tions actively worship these evil gods. T h e o n e e x c e p t i o n is t h e T r a v e l e r , a s o r t of t r i c k s t e r deity who is n o t actively m a l e v o l e n t . D C 2 0 : You know details a b o u t the a l i g n m e n t , p o r t f o l i o , symbol, r e p resentation, and family relationships of each deity. D C 22: V a r i o u s gods of the Dark Six are actively w o r s h i p e d i n D r o a a m and D a r g u u n . T h e drow of X e n ' d r i k worship the Mockery, though they call h i m Vulkoor, the Scorpion. D C 30: As h u m a n s e x p a n d e d across K h o r v a i r e , they b r o u g h t the faith of the Sovereign Host with t h e m . T h e y absorbed local deities, as well as the gods of the goblin empire, into t h e i r own beliefs. G o d s of t h e i r e n e m i e s became identified with the Dark Six. Scholars of the Sovereign Host still dismiss or assimilate the religious beliefs of foreign races and lands by identifying their gods with the Dark Six or the Sovereign Host. D C 35: M o n s t r o u s clerics are t r y i n g to unite all the worshipers of the Dark Six against the servants of the Host.

THE DEVOURER Neutral Evil The ravenous deity of storm and sea, the Devourer represents the destructive side of n a t u r e . B r o t h e r to Arawai and Balinor, he shares his siblings' influence over the natural world—but if Arawai represents nature tamed to h u m a n will, the Devourer is the opposite. When storms sink ships at sea, earthquakes swallow whole towns, or rivers overflow their banks, mortals see the Devourer at work. Sailors appease h i m with sacrifices thrown overboard when storms approach and at the start of long voyages. T h e sahuagin worship him as Shargon, whose teeth jut from the sea between Khorvaire and Xen'drik to snare passing ships. T h e clerics of the Sovereign Host associate other monstrous deities with the Devourer, including the gods of the kuo-toa, troglodytes, and yuan-ti. D o m a i n s : Gold*, D e s t r u c t i o n , Evil, Pestilence*, Water, Weather. Favored Weapon: T r i d e n t .

THE FURY

D o m a i n s : Death, Decay, Evil, Pact*. Favored Weapon: Scythe.

THE MOCKERY N e u t r a l Evil T h e crows and jackals that lurk a r o u n d battlefields to feast on c a r r i o n are said to be emissaries of the Mockery. Cowardly, treacherous, and murderous, the b r o t h e r of Dol A r r a h and Dol D o r n is everything his noble siblings are not. T h e faithful of the Sovereign Host believe that the Mockery tempts people into acts of betrayal by promising them victory and power, and they do not offer him prayers. T h e drow of X e n ' d r i k worship the Mockery as Vulkoor the Scorpion. Scholars of the Host identify monstrous deities of war with the Mockery, including gods of the giants and troglodytes. D o m a i n s : Destruction, Domination*, Evil, Trickery, War. Favored Weapon: K a m a .

THE SHADOW

Neutral Evil The divine embodiment of madness and passion, the Fury is said to be the offspring of Arawai a n d h e r b r o t h e r , the D e v o u r e r . M o r t a l s see h e r hand in any i n s t a n c e of u n u s u a l behavior—especially extreme violence in people or animals. She is revered only by those who are insane, and by cultures that accept random violence as an ordinary part of life. Clerics of the Sovereign Host identify the god of the d e r r o as an aspect of the Fury, as well as the patrons of several degenerate cults found among drow, m i n d flayers, and giants. D o m a i n s : Evil, Liberation*, Madness, Passion. Favored Weapon: Rapier.

Chaotic Evil Often described as the literal shadow of A u r e o n , the Shadow is the figurative dark side of the god of magic as well. Whenever magic seems to take on a life of its own to plague mortals, people point to the influence of the Shadow. T h e Shadow is revered by anyone who uses magic for evil ends. T h e t r a d i tional deities of magic-using and psionic monsters are often identified as aspects of the Shadow, particularly if their portfolios include secrecy or darkness. In addition, monsters in D r o a a m and elsewhere revere the Shadow as their creator. D o m a i n s : C h a o s , Evil, M a g i c , M i n d * , Shadow. Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff.

THE KEEPER

THE TRAVELER

Neutral Evil The people of K h o r v a i r e recognize death as a natural part of the cycle of life. T h e Keeper, however, embodies the violation of that natural order. Said to be the twin brother of Kol Korran, he feeds on the souls of the dead and hoards them in his domain the way that his brother hoards material wealth. He is said to inspire the depredations of the undead, unexplained occurrences in graveyards, and plagues and similar afflictions.

Chaotic Neutral If n o t actively b e n e v o l e n t , the T r a v e l e r is c e r t a i n l y t h e least malevolent of the Dark Six. With no apparent connection to the o t h e r m e m b e r s of the Six or the Sovereign Host, the Traveler seems willfully i n d e p e n dent or even blissfully i g n o r a n t of other deities. A shapeshifter who is said to walk the earth in a thousand disguises, the Traveler is at times a creator, a giver of knowledge, a divine prankster, and always an enigma. People ascribe anything they cannot readily understand to the work of the Traveler, but only d o p pelgangers and lycanthropes routinely revere the Traveler. Shifters, lycanthropes, wanderers, and rogues sometimes ask the Traveler's blessing on their endeavors, but rarely expect or receive anything in response. T h e Traveler is said to smile on those who use their wits and resourcefulness, and to scorn those who ask for coddling or gifts they have not earned. D o m a i n s : Artifice, Celerity*, Chaos, Creation*, L i b eration*, Travel, Trickery. Favored Weapon: Scimitar.

HEXBLADES Hexblades (described in Complete Warrior) appear randomly among the various peoples of Eberron, as if singled out by a dark power. Some say that hexblades are the chosen minions of the Shadow, though hexblades believe the Traveler to be the source of their power. As with the legend that sorcerers are descended from dragons, the full truth will probably never be known,

THE DEMON WASTES ANCIENT RUIN T h e blasted land of the D e m o n Wastes is the last bastion of the evil powers that ruled K h o r v a i r e d u r i n g the Age of D e m o n s , and the most dangerous place on the c o n t i n e n t . Nevertheless, a d v e n t u r e r s j o u r n e y here for the r u i n s scattered across the desolate landscape, some so old that only their foundations r e m a i n . T h o u g h the b a r r e n land contains h i d d e n artifacts and forgotten magic, few adventurers r e t u r n with these treasures, for the dangers of the Wastes are legion. Fiends still hold sway here—rakshasas and lesser beings whose reach is long and subtle. Night hags control small patches of land and r e m n a n t s of civilization. H u m a n o i d tribes serve the whims of their d e m o n i c masters. When the dragons and their couatl allies defeated the fiends at the end of the Age of Demons, they imprisoned the godlike leaders of the rakshasas deep beneath the surface of the world. T h e fiendish followers of those rakshasa rajahs fled to the land that had been t h e i r empire's capital — F a h ' l r r g in the Infernal language, called the Demon Wastes on m o d e r n maps. Many of the rajahs lie beneath the Wastes, while some r e m a i n trapped elsewhere in K h o r v a i r e and the c o n t i n e n t s b e y o n d . H e r e m o r e t h a n anywhere, however, they left t h e i r s t a m p on the surface world. T h e i r p r e s e n c e (as well as the heavy concentration of their followers) taints the land and the living things upon it. T h e g r o u n d is cracked and dry, the life leached away. Beyond the twisted network of canyons called the L a b y r i n t h , the D e m o n Wastes present a blasted plain of blackened sand and volcanic glass. The imprisoned fiends are openly worshiped here. T h e Carrion Tribes, a handful of b a r b a r i a n h u m a n clans descended from a wave of Sarlonan refugees trapped in this land more t h a n fifteen centuries ago, pay homage to the rakshasa lords t r a p p e d b e n e a t h the D e m o n Wastes. Led by halffiends and possessed warriors, each of these clans gives its allegiance to a different rajah, and the n a t u r e of that p a t r o n influences everything from customs and traditions to iconography and the clan's magical abilities. T h e Plaguebearers clan reveres a fiend-lord of filth and pestilence, while the D e a t h b r i n g e r s worship a lord of death and the u n d e a d . T h e E n s h r o u d e d worship a fiend of darkness, and the C a r r i o n H o u n d s revere rot and eat c a r r i o n like the v u l t u r e s they hold sacred. Perhaps most unusually, the Moon Reavers clan worships the night hags of the Wastes rather t h a n the entombed lords of the rakshasas. T h e C a r r i o n Tribes are diverse in their beliefs and practices, but they maintain a common reverence for the barbarian ideal and the state of rage. They believe that a raging b a r b a r i a n is briefly possessed by a fiendish spirit that empowers his body and h a r d e n s his m i n d . For this reason, barbarians hold almost all positions of authority in the C a r r i o n Tribes, although the Moon Reavers also exalt the art of the rogue—stealthy guerrilla tactics, assassination, and shadowy terror. Though most barbarians in the Demon Wastes serve the fiends eagerly, a few escape, are abandoned, or rebel. These individuals might fall in with the Ghaash'kala (the ghost-guardians who prevent the evil in the Wastes from spreading), or they might join one of the few communities that manage to survive in the Wastes. Some become adventurers, and if they are sakah (see page 35), they use their gifts to further their own ends. T h e L o r d s of Dust (see page 147) are p e r h a p s the most i m p o r t a n t power g r o u p in the D e m o n Wastes. Devoted servants of the i m p r i s o n e d fiends, the L o r d s are d i s t i n g u i s h e d from the C a r r i o n T r i b e s by b e i n g fiends themselves. While some a m o n g the Lords of Dust seek to channel the imprisoned rajahs' power to e n h a n c e their own, most strive to break the bonds of the fiend-lords and usher in a new Age of D e m o n s .

THE RAKSHASA RAJAHS T h e fiends i m p r i s o n e d in Khyber at the end of the Age of D e m o n s were evil outsiders with godlike power. Beyond that description, their true nature

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e D e m o n Wastes is a blasted l a n d where b a r b a r i a n t r i b e s battle each o t h e r . R a k s h a s a s a n d o t h e r fiends control the l a n d . D C 15: To e n t e r the D e m o n Wastes by l a n d , you have to pass t h r o u g h t h e L a b y r i n t h — a c o n v o l u t e d series of canyons full of b a r b a r i a n s , l u r k i n g monsters, a n d t u n n e l s to Khyber. D C 18: T h e strongest and most unified group of fiends is the Lords of Dust. T h e C a r r i o n T r i b e s are h u m a n o i d b a r b a r i a n s who follow various fiends. T h e G h a a s h ' k a l a a r e f i e r c e orc warriors who keep the C a r r i o n Tribes in check by preventing a n y t h i n g from leaving the Wastes. DC 20: Nine night hags wield power in the Wastes, r u l i n g independently. Knowledge (local) D C 10: J u s t a few s e t t l e m e n t s exist within the D e m o n Wastes, and n o n e are truly civilized. D C 20: T h e only worthwhile settlement is Festering Holt, a hamlet of h u m a n oids in the n o r t h e a s t . Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 10: Fiends rule the D e m o n Wastes. D C 15: Rakshasa rajahs are t r a p p e d b e n e a t h the D e m o n Wastes. DC 20: Some fiends work with each other, but most have their own agendas. Some seek to free their imprisoned rajahs or draw power from t h e m . D C 2 5 : I n the n o r t h is a chasm called the L a i r of the K e e p e r , a m a n i f e s t zone linked to D o l u r r h . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: T h e p r i m i t i v e h u m a n s in the D e m o n Wastes worship the rakshasas, night hags, and other fiends. D C 20: T h e G h a a s h ' k a l a revere Kalok Shash, also called the b i n d i n g flame. Kalok Shash might be identical to the Silver F l a m e . Several G h a a s h ' k a l a clans exist, and they share a c o m m o n priesthood. DC 25: T h e fiends and b a r b a r i a n priests draw power from e n t i t i e s t r a p p e d in Khyber, allowing them access to spells and other abilities. D C 30: Some believe that the K e e p e r dwells within a chasm in the n o r t h .

remains u n c l e a r . T h e i r closest parallel in the D& D rules are the archdevils and d e m o n p r i n c e s described in Book of Vile Darkness. Few are known by n a m e , but one—now called Levistus - is famous for having briefly slipped the bonds of his i m p r i s o n m e n t (see Frostfell Gods and Fiends, page 67). It is possible that the fiendish patron of the Plaguebearers is a creature similar to D e m o g o r g o n or Juiblex, while the lord of the Deathbringers might be similar to O r c u s . T h e darkness fiend worshiped by the E n s h r o u d e d could be Graz'zt, and the c a r r i o n lord of the C a r r i o n H o u n d s (sometimes called the Lord of Flies) could be Baalzebul - before or after his transformation into a sluglike m o n s t e r . W h e t h e r the rakshasa rajahs actually bear any physical similarity to these archfiends, their abilities and characteristics are on a par with t h e m .

THE SAKAH Strange b i r t h s are c o m m o n w i t h i n the b a r b a r i a n t r i b e s ; newborns may exhibit the sign of one of the rajahs. Such a sign might be subtle, but could include h o r n s , s h a r p teeth or claws, red eyes, rough gray skin, b u l g i n g knuckles, bony spikes, leathery wings, or some o t h e r sign of the rajahs' dark influence. Some i n d i v i d u a l s display these fiendish features at b i r t h , while others develop them as they mature physically, emotionally, and spiritually. T h e C a r r i o n Tribes believe that these individuals are blessed and call them sakah ("touched o n e s " ) . T h e y often rise to b e c o m e i n f l u e n t i a l members of their tribes. Sakah may also have subtle powers that manifest as they age, such as a captivating gaze, a talent for sorcery, or a preter¬ naturally c h a r m i n g voice. These abilities and the reputation of all sakah let them rise in rank within the C a r r i o n Tribes, grant them the s t r e n g t h to survive on their own, or allow them to flee the Wastes. T h e following feats represent a few of the fiendish powers a sakah might possess as a result of her fiendish taint. A character with any of these feats bears some physical manifestation of it, described in the feat entry. Since most denizens of the Demon Wastes are evil, most sakah are evil—but they do not have to be. T h e fiends' sign steers sakah toward evil alignments, but some resist this temptation and flee or combat the fiends. Others simply ignore their powers' origin and use them to further their adventures. Presented below are three feats designed to simulate some of the special abilities that sakah exhibit.

T o u c h of Captivation You are sakah, and your fiendish gift allows you to captivate people a r o u n d you. Your eyes have an u n n a t u r a l appearance, such as slitted or strangely colored pupils. Prerequisite: Region of o r i g i n D e m o n Wastes. Benefit: Your tainted origin grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day—charm person,

A sakah hunts in the Demon

Wastes

daze, prestidigitation. T h e save DC for these effects is equal to 10 + spell level + your Cha modifier.

T o u c h of Deception You are sakah, and your fiendish gift allows you to alter your appearance and trick o t h e r s . W h e n you are not disguised, you are marked by u n u s u a l hair—flaming red or blue black, sometimes streaked with a lighter color. Prerequisite: Region of origin D e m o n Wastes. Benefit: Your tainted o r i g i n grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day—disguise self, ghost sound, open/close. T h e save D C for these effects is equal to 10 + spell level + your Cha modifier.

T o u c h of S u m m o n i n g You are sakah, and your fiendish gift allows you to s u m m o n fell creatures to do your bidding. You have high and sharply angled cheekbones, s u n k e n eyes, or a heavy brow ridge. Prerequisite: Region of o r i g i n D e m o n Wastes. Benefit: Your t a i n t e d o r i g i n grants you the following spell-like abilities as a 1st-level caster: 1/day—acid splash, mage hand, and summon monster [ (fiendish creatures only). T h e save D C for these effects is equal to 10 + spell level + your Cha modifier.

WARLOCKS Warlocks ( i n t r o d u c e d in Complete Arcane) derive their strange arcane powers from unsavory a n d sometimes evil forces. In Eberron, warlocks seem to have close ties to the various fiends that inhabit the Material Plane, i n c l u d i n g night hags and particularly rakshasas. I n fact, some warlocks believe

that they siphon power from the rakshasa rajahs imprisoned in the d e p t h s of K h y b e r to manifest t h e i r eldritch blast a n d other magical abilities. Such individuals are sought out by the Lords of Dust to serve as agents. Often these warlocks do not know the true n a t u r e of the masters they serve.

THE GHAASH'KALA T h o s e who a t t e m p t to leave the D e m o n Wastes, w h e t h e r natives or visitors, inevitably c o n f r o n t the G h a a s h ' k a l a . T h e s e fierce b a r b a r i a n s revere Kalok Shash, the b i n d i n g f l a m e , the same e n t i t y w o r s h i p e d by the C h u r c h of the Silver F l a m e . T h e G h a a s h ' k a l a believe that any c r e a t u r e or object t h a t has passed t h r o u g h the D e m o n Wastes is u n a l t e r a b l y t a i n t e d , a n d they p r e v e n t a n y t h i n g from leaving the Wastes for fear of that evil s p r e a d i n g to the rest of E b e r r o n . Most G h a a s h ' k a l a are satisfied with their roles, but some seek to expand t h e i r h o r i z o n s , b e c o m i n g a d v e n t u r e r s as a way to e x p e r i e n c e the rest of the world. However, they must c o n t e n d with t h e i r t r i b e , which p r e fers that they r e m a i n in the Wastes—for even the most r i g h t e o u s i n d i v i d u a l s a m o n g the g h o s t - g u a r d i a n s carry the f i e n d s ' c o r r u p t i o n . T h e Ghaash'kala are militaristic and s p i r i t u a l . T h e i r lives revolve a r o u n d worship and their m a r t i a l duties. Four G h a a s h ' k a l a clans exist, and customs vary slightly a m o n g t h e m . Each clan has two leaders. T h e kizshmit, or chieftain, leads the clan in its military duties. T h e sar'malaan, the high priest who guides the clan's spiritual well-being, a p p o i n t s and assists the k i z s h m i t . T h o u g h the kizshmit focuses on m a r t i a l aspects, she also rules the clan in most m u n d a n e m a t t e r s . T h e s a r ' m a l a a n steps in when m e d i t a tion or e n l i g h t e n m e n t d e m a n d it. T h e kizshmit defers to the sar'malaan. T h e Ghaash'kala are a powerful and noble people, and of all the inhabitants of the Demon Wastes, they are the most likely to interact with Outlanders on a peaceful basis. They are enemies of the fiends, and though they seek to prevent travelers from e n t e r i n g or exiting the Wastes, some a m o n g them might be p e r s u a d e d to aid a d v e n t u r e r s . Some clan m e m b e r s leave the D e m o n Wastes, despite t h e i r elders' a d m o n i t i o n s , to a d v e n t u r e in K h o r v a i r e and beyond. In extreme c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a G h a a s h ' k a l a s a r ' m a l a a n might look outside the Wastes for assistance. Describing the Ghaash'kala groups as clans is perhaps m i s l e a d i n g , since they are not necessarily b o u n d by any familial ties. At the core of each clan is a family of related orcs, but the clans have only survived this long by welcoming new members, even outcasts from the C a r r i o n Tribes who have heard the call of the b i n d i n g flame. As a result, each clan includes a small n u m b e r of h u m a n s , half-orcs, and even members of other races as well as its d o m i n a n t orcs. Each of the four clans concentrates its efforts on a different part of the Labyrinth and the s u r r o u n d i n g lands. Strong diplomatic ties and a c o m m o n priesthood help the clans accomplish their duties. T h e J a a s a k a h ("Deadly") clan i n h a b i t s the eastern Labyrinth and the lands east of the L a b y r i n t h . T h e clan is led by kizshmit Svash Ramaal ( N G male half-ore b a r b a r i a n 8) and sar'malaan G a n ' d a l H o m m (LG male h u m a n cleric 10 Kalok Shash). T h e Kastar ("Swift") clan i n h a b i t s the western Labyr i n t h and the l a n d s west of the L a b y r i n t h . Its k i z s h m i t is Maalo Sahai ( C G female orc fighter 4 / r o g u e 5), and its s a r ' m a l a a n is Naakah S h a h a r ( N G female orc cleric 8 Kalok S h a s h ) . T h e M a r u k ("Mighty") clan i n h a b i t s t h e c e n t r a l Labyrinth. Its kizshmit is Torgaan Shashaarat (LG male orc fighter 3/paladin 6), and its sar'malaan is Lharc Suusha (LG female orc cleric 9 Kalok Shash).

T h e Vaanka ("Final") clan i n h a b i t s the n o r t h w e s t e r n L a b y r i n t h , where it c o n n e c t s to the rest of the Wastes. Its kizshmit is Dalkal M a l ' f o n n (LG female h u m a n cleric 3 Kalok S h a s h / p a l a d i n 7), and its sar'malaan is Silvik Raam ( N G male orc cleric 11 Kalok Shash).

KALOK SHASH All G h a a s h ' k a l a revere Kalok Shash, the b i n d i n g flame, and the clans s h a r e a c o m m o n p r i e s t h o o d . Kalok Shash is a d i v i n e b e a c o n that draws new h e r o e s to r e s t o r e the Ghaash'kala's ranks and replace the fallen. T h e Ghaash'kala welcome these souls. T h o s e who follow the b i n d i n g flame live t h e i r lives by the sword. T h e i r existence is violent a n d m a r t i a l ; t h e i r sworn duty, to combat d e m o n i c t e r r o r s with muscle and b l a d e . By c o n t r a s t , a d h e r e n t s of the Silver Flame are always ready to take up a r m s in defense of t h e i r faith, but t h e i r overall existence is p e a c e a b l e . T h e C h u r c h of the Silver F l a m e focuses on b u i l d i n g c o m m u n i t y , i n s t r u c t i n g its lay m e m b e r s a b o u t the world's d a n g e r s , a n d p r o t e c t i n g life a n d g o o d n e s s . T h e average follower of the Silver F l a m e is a simple f a r m e r or c r a f t e r who respects what the Silver F l a m e r e p r e s e n t s , while the average follower of the b i n d i n g flame is a l e a t h e r - a r m o r e d w a r r i o r w i e l d i n g s p e a r and bow against f i e n d i s h m o n s t e r s in a dismal landscape. C l e r i c s who revere K a l o k S h a s h can select from the E x o r c i s m , G o o d , P r o t e c t i o n , a n d War d o m a i n s . T h e favored weapon of Kalok S h a s h ' s p r i e s t h o o d is the longsword.

BRAND Of THE BINDING FLAME To h e l p f e n d off d e m o n i c p o s s e s s i o n , G h a a s h ' k a l a w a r r i o r s m a r k t h e i r b o d i e s with the b r a n d of t h e b i n d ing f l a m e . T h e b r a n d ' s shape d e p e n d s on the t r i b e a n d , s o m e t i m e s , the i n d i v i d u a l m a l a a n (priest) who b u r n s the symbol o n t o the g u a r d i a n ' s s k i n . T h e M a r u k clan (whose m e m b e r s are the most n u m e r o u s ) uses a s i m p l e symbol of a small flame with t h r e e t e n d r i l s . T h e K a s t a r clan's symbol r e s e m b l e s a s u n b u r s t with wavy, r a d i a t i n g rays, while w a r r i o r s of the J a a s a k a h clan u n d e r g o a lengthy r i t u a l in which t h e i r e n t i r e backs are covered with c o m plicated scars, b u r n s , a n d v a r i c o l o r e d t a t t o o s . Vaanka w a r r i o r s use a wide variety of symbols, largely d e p e n d e n t on the m a l a a n . By d e d i c a t i n g his m i n d to the b r a n d that the m a l a a n has i m b u e d with his faith, a w a r r i o r can gain t e m p o r a r y i m m u n i t y to possession and o t h e r benefits in his battle against the fiends. T h e B i n d i n g B r a n d feat, below, r e p r e s e n t s this ability. A player character can obtain this feat in a n u m b e r of ways. He might have been a Ghaash'kala clan m e m b e r who escaped the Wastes. He might have j o i n e d the Ghaash'kala and accepted their ways, if only briefly. Perhaps a malaan has left the Wastes to battle the rakshasas elsewhere in E b e r r o n , and she is willing to inscribe the b r a n d on those who swear the p r o p e r oaths.

Binding Brand You carry the brand of the b i n d i n g flame, m a r k i n g you as a warrior of the Ghaash'kala clans. B e n e f i t : You can use the following s p e l l - l i k e a b i l i ties as a 1st-level caster: 1/day—guidance, protection from evil, resistance.

HORRORS OF THE WASTES The G h a a s h ' k a l a believe that all c r e a t u r e s and relics of the Demon Wastes are tainted by evil—and if you are using the Heroes of Horror supplement, that might be literally t r u e . The Demon Wastes is a tainted region, and a character who enters the Wastes must immediately make a D C 20 Will save or have his depravity score increased by 1. T h i s saving throw must be repeated after every 24 h o u r s spent in the Wastes. Certain regions of the Wastes are more intensely suffused with the evil of the rakshasa lords i m p r i s o n e d there. Characters e n t e r i n g these regions must immediately make another Will save ( D C 25 to 30) to avoid f u r t h e r i n c r e a s ing t h e i r depravity scores. In a d d i t i o n , c e r t a i n sites in the Wastes increase c o r r u p t i o n r a t h e r t h a n depravity. See Tainted Locales in C h a p t e r 4 of Heroes of Horror for more information about these sites. In addition to the dangers of taint, the D e m o n Wastes are also dotted with other horrific t e r r a i n features. Abyssal blackgrass grows naturally in the Wastes, blood rock and night stone jut from the earth in the Labyrinth, and charnel bogs are common near the coasts. These terrain features are described in C h a p t e r 4 of Heroes of Horror. Many of the new monsters described in Heroes of Horror are likewise native to the D e m o n Wastes. C o r r u p t i o n eaters haunt the L a b y r i n t h , u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y helping contain the taint of evil within the Wastes (a few of the Ghaash'kala actually believe that c o r r u p t i o n eaters are agents of the b i n d i n g flame). Phantasmal slayers are particularly c o m m o n in the region s u r r o u n d i n g Ashtakala, and are said by some to be psychic echoes of the imprisoned rakshasa lords. Tainted minions and tainted ravers—the r e m n a n t s of both C a r r i o n Tribe b a r b a r i a n s and G h a a s h ' k a l a orcs who have been lost to the evil of the Wastes—are all too c o m m o n t h r o u g h out the r e g i o n . T h e G h a a s h ' k a l a particularly loathe these

m o n s t r o s i t i e s , while the C a r r i o n T r i b e s treat t h e m as figures of mystical power a n d a u t h o r i t y . U n h o l y scions are c o m m o n l y b o r n to the natives of the Wastes, orc a n d h u m a n alike. Characters native to the Demon Wastes or who adventure there extensively might find many of the options in Heroes of Horror useful. A m o n g the new classes described in that book, archivists and dread n e c r o m a n c e r s are not particularly common in the Wastes, although archivists might be drawn to the Wastes in the course of their research. T h e C h u r c h of the Silver Flame's P u r i t a n s sect serves as the p a t r o n organization for characters with the purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine prestige class. These characters seek to contain the evil threat within the Wastes, striving to forge alliances with the Ghaash'kala and even committing themselves to remain forever in the Labyrinth alongside the orcs. C o r r u p t avengers are also c o m m o n a m o n g the Ghaash'kala, though they are loathed by the purity-obsessed tribes.

THE LABYRINTH T h e many and varied dangers of the Labyrinth e n s u r e that few who v e n t u r e far i n t o it m a n a g e to survive, and only a h a n d f u l of those survivors ever r e t u r n to civilization to report their success. T h e fragment of map below was discovered in an abandoned backpack in the library at Morgrave University, along with a grotesque, headless statue—possibly the item m e n t i o n e d on the m a p . T h e statue is now on display in the Dezina Museum of Antiquities on the Morgrave University campus. Several recent incidents at the Museum, dismissed as failed r o b b e r y attempts, are almost certainly u n r e l a t e d to the statue's arrival there.

DOCUMENTS RULES AND REGULATIONS W r i t t e n d o c u m e n t s play a significant role in the Five N a t i o n s . Because the N o t a r i e s G u i l d of H o u s e Sivis makes it possible to create certificates whose a u t h e n t i c i t y is virtually u n i m p e a c h a b l e , the people of K h o r v a i r e have come to rely u p o n contracts, licenses, and o t h e r official d o c u m e n t s to help commerce and g o v e r n m e n t r u n as quickly and smoothly as possible. Of the many types of d o c u m e n t s that facilitate society functions, the following are a m o n g those most likely to be e n c o u n t e r e d or needed by adventurers. A r c a n e S i g n e t R i n g : T h e d r a g o n m a r k e d houses of K h o r v a i r e use these rings extensively for identification p u r p o s e s . They resemble o r d i nary signet rings, but are set with gemstones like decorative rings. Inside a large c e n t r a l g e m s t o n e , an i n t r i c a t e r u n i c pattern—actually an arcane mark—becomes visible when worn by the p e r s o n for whom the r i n g was constructed. These rings are only given to m e m b e r s of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house or one of its most trusted retainers. If you are a m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house ( p a r t i c u l a r l y if you have the Favored in H o u s e feat), you can buy an a r c a n e signet r i n g with no difficulty from any house enclave at a cost of 150 gp. If you are not a member of a house, you might be able to acquire an arcane signet r i n g that identifies you at a cost of 200 gp or more, but it requires both working with a jeweler to build the ring, then persuading House Sivis to impress its mark into the stone. A c q u i r i n g an arcane signet r i n g that would identify you as someone else is extremely difficult, if not impossible. As a first step, you would need false identification papers to "prove" your identity to a house enclave or House Sivis. B u s i n e s s L i c e n s e : Each c o u n t r y in K h o r v a i r e takes a slightly different attitude toward commerce and industry. Some g o v e r n m e n t s , such as B r e l a n d ' s , r e q u i r e all b u s i n e s s o w n e r s to buy a b u s i n e s s license of some sort, with the cost and difficulty of o b t a i n i n g the license i n c r e a s ing d e p e n d i n g on the value of the b u s i n e s s and what d a n g e r it might pose to n e a r b y p e o p l e a n d p r o p e r t y . O t h e r n a t i o n s , such as Z i l a r g o , take a m o r e h a n d s - o f f a t t i t u d e a n d allow most businesses to o p e r a t e with m i n i m a l r e s t r i c t i o n s and i n t e r f e r e n c e . A business license consists of a simple p a r c h m e n t t h a t must be displayed somewhere in the place of b u s i n e s s . Typically, a town or city has a l i c e n s i n g office that issues business licenses. Smaller settlements rarely have offices devoted to this activity, but magistrates issue licenses in addition to their other duties. It can take considerable time to process a business license, though the cost is usually less than 1 gp ( d e p e n d i n g on location and the type of business). I d e n t i f i c a t i o n P a p e r s : Most p e o p l e of the m i d d l e a n d u p p e r classes, at least in c e n t r a l K h o r v a i r e , c a r r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n p a p e r s with t h e m at all t i m e s . Issued by n a t i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t s a n d n o t a r i z e d by H o u s e Sivis, these p a p e r s p r e s e n t a d e t a i l e d physical d e s c r i p t i o n of a person (sometimes with an accompanying small p o r t r a i t ) , the person's name and residence, and some additional i n f o r m a t i o n about the person's affiliations (particularly i n c l u d i n g any c o n n e c t i o n to a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, royal or noble family, or a large i n s t i t u t i o n ) . T h e papers are usually kept in a durable c o n t a i n e r of some kind—a leather folder, metallic case, or o t h e r decorative holder. In some areas, i n d i v i d u a l s must c a r r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n p a p e r s with t h e m at all times and be p r e p a r e d to show those papers to officials at a moment's notice. T h i s is particularly true in border areas (especially when the b o r d e r s are not quite clear or some dispute persists about the lines established in the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d ) , and also in T h r o n e p o r t itself, which is governed by an i n t e r n a t i o n a l council of representatives from the Five Nations.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 15: T h e arcane mark spell is widely used, particularly by House Sivis, to authenticate important documents. A special form of arcane mark can be e m b e d d e d in a signet r i n g in such a way that it is only visible when a specific person wears the ring. Knowledge (local) D C 10: Most people of the middle and u p p e r classes c a r r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n papers with them at all times. I n certain areas, everyone must carry such papers and be p r e p a r e d to show t h e m to officers of the law when requested. Anyone crossing national borders must carry traveling papers. D C 15: L e t t e r s a n d certificates a r e sometimes r e q u i r e d to operate a business (a business license) or even to p l u n d e r t h e r u i n s of X e n ' d r i k (a letter of m a r q u e ) . Properly notarized d o c u m e n t s are essential to establish o w n e r s h i p of significant pieces of p r o p e r t y (a title deed) a n d to establish a person's right to act in someone else's place (a letter of proxy). D C 20: T h e r i g h t d o c u m e n t can get you m o n e y f r o m t h e b a n k (a l e t t e r of c r e d i t ) , a p a r d o n for a c r i m e you c o m m i t t e d (a l e t t e r of p a r d o n ) , or even a p a r d o n for a c r i m e you haven't c o m m i t t e d yet (a l e t t e r of dispensation). A check against this D C is also sufficient to d e t e r m i n e where to acquire a d o c u m e n t needed for a p a r t i c u l a r purpose. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: H o u s e Sivis notarizes official d o c u m e n t s . T h e house uses the arcane mark spell to establish the authenticity of particularly i m p o r t a n t documents. D C 15: H o u s e K u n d a r a k issues letters of c r e d i t ( n o t a r i z e d by H o u s e Sivis) to allow a c c o u n t h o l d e r s to access their funds from any K u n d a r a k bank. T h e s e l e t t e r s c a n also be u s e d as payment for services, specifying the a m o u n t the b e a r e r can withdraw. D C 20: Members of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses use special signet r i n g s that contain arcane marks to establish their identity and m e m b e r s h i p in a house.

Identification papers are issued by the same facilities that process business licenses: dedicated licensing offices in larger settlements, or local magistrates in smaller ones affiliated with or o p e r a t e d in c o n j u n c t i o n with H o u s e Sivis. It is only possible to o b t a i n identification papers in the nations recognized by the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d , and it becomes increasingly difficult outside the Five N a t i o n s . The Mror Holds and Zilargo readily issue papers, but applicants elsewhere might have to travel some distance to find a magistrate or House Sivis enclave that is willing and able to assemble such d o c u m e n t s . S t a n d a r d i d e n t i f i c a t i o n p a p e r s typically cost 2 gp, while a p o r t r a i t raises the price to 5 gp. Forged papers cost around 10 gp. Letter of Credit: H o u s e K u n d a r a k , the house that carries the Mark of W a r d i n g , operates banks t h r o u g h o u t central K h o r v a i r e . A character who has funds on deposit in a K u n d a r a k bank can request from the bank a letter of credit, which allows her to withdraw funds from a different branch. For many c h a r a c t e r s , this system is a convenient alternative to c a r r y i n g wealth a r o u n d in the form of p r e cious gems, jewelry, or coins. H o u s e K u n d a r a k does not charge a fee for issuing letters of credit. House K u n d a r a k is the only o r g a n i z a t i o n that issues letters of credit. Occasionally, an employer secures a letter of credit for an employee—such as an adventurer—who is expected to i n c u r large debts in the course of his work for the employer. T h e letter specifies a m a x i m u m a m o u n t available to the bearer, and any sum up to that total a m o u n t can be drawn from the issuer's b a n k account. W h e n funds are withdrawn, the clerks at the b a n k update the letter to

reflect the new available balance, n o t a r i z i n g the change to the letter or issuing a new letter. Letters of credit are always notarized with arcane marks, m a k i n g them difficult to forge. Even if a d o c u m e n t can be successfully r e p r o d u c e d , however, it is nearly impossible to acquire funds from House K u n d a r a k using a forged letter of credit, since the house keeps records of every such letter it issues and makes those records available to all its banks. If a clerk at a bank has any reason to suspect that a letter of credit is forged, it can be checked against house records to verify its authenticity. Letter of D i s p e n s a t i o n : Each n a t i o n i n K h o r v a i r e has its own set of laws a n d r e g u l a t i o n s . In some cases, however, the leader of the n a t i o n might want to g r a n t specific i n d i v i d u a l s the right to act outside the law. I n these instances, the g o v e r n m e n t issues a letter of d i s p e n s a t i o n . Such letters always closely detail exactly what p e r m i s s i o n s the b e a r e r is given—for e x a m p l e , the r i g h t to seize and destroy p r o p e r t y b e l o n g i n g to suspected s e d i t i o n i s t s , or the right to kill any m o n s t e r s found w i t h i n c e r t a i n g e o graphical b o u n d a r i e s . Letters of d i s p e n s a t i o n c a n n o t be b o u g h t . T h e y are issued by a h i g h - r a n k i n g g o v e r n m e n t official only to select and t r u s t e d p a r t i e s . T h e letter always b e a r s the seal of the n a t i o n a l o n g with an arcane mark, and it specifies to whom the d i s p e n s a t i o n is g r a n t e d . ( T h e d o c u m e n t is not c o n s i d e r e d valid w i t h o u t m a t c h i n g i d e n t i f i c a t i o n papers.) Letter of M a r q u e : T h e concept of letters of m a r q u e o r i g i n a t e d d u r i n g the Last War, when the r u l e r s of the w a r r i n g n a t i o n s g r a n t e d a d v e n t u r e r s p e r m i s s i o n to attack ships and assets b e l o n g i n g to o t h e r n a t i o n s . T h e Treaty

of T h r o n e h o l d d e c l a r e d void all letters of m a r q u e t h a t existed at the t i m e , but the idea survives, t h o u g h i n a r a t h e r a l t e r e d f o r m . T h e K i n g of B r e l a n d now issues p a p e r s g r a n t i n g a d v e n t u r e r s p e r m i s s i o n to explore a n d p l u n d e r the r u i n s of X e n ' d r i k . T h o u g h such p e r m i s s i o n is n o t technically necessary, wise a d v e n t u r e r s secure a letter before u s i n g S h a r n as a l a u n c h i n g p o i n t for e x p e d i t i o n s to X e n ' d r i k . T h o s e who try to sell t r e a s u r e s from X e n ' d r i k on the o p e n m a r k e t in B r e l a n d must p r o d u c e a letter of m a r q u e or face stiff fines—on top of forfeiting the t r e a s u r e in q u e s t i o n . W h e n a d v e n t u r e r s are h i r e d to e x p l o r e X e n ' d r i k as p a r t of an e x p e d i t i o n (such as o n e s p o n s o r e d by M o r grave U n i v e r s i t y or the W a y f i n d e r F o u n d a t i o n ) , it is c o m m o n p r a c t i c e for the e m p l o y e r to s e c u r e a l e t t e r of m a r q u e for the e x p e d i t i o n , so that c h a r a c t e r s d o n ' t need to worry about the e x p e n s e or the f r e q u e n t l y c o n s i d e r able difficulty. C h a r a c t e r s who m u s t s e c u r e a l e t t e r for themselves most likely do so at the B u r e a u of A n t i q u i t i e s in S h a r n ' s H i g h e s t Towers d i s t r i c t . F i l i n g an a p p l i c a t i o n can take the better p a r t of a day and involves b o t h answering extensive q u e s t i o n s from the staff at the b u r e a u and e n d u r i n g t h e i r long, m u s i n g r e c o l l e c t i o n s of t h e i r own e x p e d i t i o n s to X e n ' d r i k years b e f o r e . A letter of m a r q u e costs 500 gp. It is not p a r t i c u l a r l y difficult to forge a letter of m a r q u e , a n d it is c e r t a i n l y possible to sell goods from Xen'drik on the black market or outside Breland to avoid the need for one. A forged letter of m a r q u e can be purchased for about 25 gp. Letter of Proxy: O n occasion, i l l n e s s , d i s t a n c e , or s c h e d u l i n g conflicts keep a p o l i t i c a l , m i l i t a r y , or i n d u s trial leader from a t t e n d i n g an i m p o r t a n t event. I n these cases, he m i g h t want to send a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e to speak for his interests at one or more occasions or gatherings. T h i s person receives a letter of proxy to verify that she does, in fact, have official sanction to speak for the leader in question. Traditionally, a letter of proxy is drafted by House Sivis on the issuer's personal letterhead, notarized with an arcane mark, and c a r r i e d in a leather billfold b e a r i n g some sign associated with the issuer. T h e letter clearly identifies the name and physical description of the intended bearer. If there is any uncertainty, these details are compared to that person's identification papers for c o r r o b o r a t i o n . A letter of proxy costs 8 gp. Securing a letter of proxy is usually a simple matter of contacting House Sivis and a r r a n g i n g the service. T h e sorts of people who have need of such a document have ready access to the means of a c q u i r i n g it. Should a p e r s o n want to acquire a letter of proxy u n d e r false pretenses—having assassinated or otherwise removed a designated proxy and wanting to take her place, for example—the process is much more c o m p l i c a t e d . Professional forgers are loath to venture into the realms of high politics, so they make sure the reward is commensurate with the risk, charging a r o u n d 100 gp for the service. Pardon: J u s t as every nation has regulations and strict u r e s d e f i n i n g c e r t a i n acts as c r i m i n a l , each n a t i o n also has p r e s c r i b e d p e n a l t i e s for b r e a k i n g its laws. However, a g o v e r n m e n t m i g h t d e c i d e to forgive even a l i f e t i m e of c r i m i n a l activities when extenuating circumstances can be proven or when the c r i m i n a l performs some o t h e r mitigating act. ( T h i s h a p p e n e d m o r e frequently d u r i n g the Last War, when a convicted c r i m i n a l could earn his freedom with

m e r i t o r i o u s service on the battlefield.) Such forgiveness comes in the form of a pardon—a p a r c h m e n t that describes the acts c o m m i t t e d , the o r i g i n a l sentence imposed, and a statement of clemency, which is affixed with the seal of the g o v e r n m e n t and an arcane mark. A p a r d o n is usually carried with or attached to the individual's identification papers in case word of his misdeeds carried more widely t h a n word of his reprieve. A written p a r d o n is issued by the government—usually by the law enforcement system that is releasing the pardoned person, but sometimes by higher authorities (even the king of a nation, or at least in the ruler's n a m e ) . Forging a pardon is difficult, but many people would pay well for a clean forgery t h a t clears t h e i r n a m e s . T h e best k i n d of forged p a r d o n is one that p u r p o r t s to be issued in one of the Five N a t i o n s , but not where the c h a r a c t e r lives and o p e r a t e s . In cases where the c r i m e and supposed p a r d o n took place some years ago, a p a r d o n from the Q u e e n of Cyre is the best bet because its a u t h e n t i c i t y c a n n o t be verified. Any forged p a r d o n r u n s the risk of b e i n g investigated if an individual is taken i n t o custody for a new c r i m e . W h e n the p a r d o n is revealed as a forgery ( p r e s u m a b l y by c h e c k i n g against the records of the issuing c o u r t ) , two more crimes are added to the charges against the captive—forgery or possession of a forged d o c u m e n t , as well as whatever crime is supposed to have b e e n p a r d o n e d . A forged p a r d o n costs at least 100 gp. Royal Decree: W h e n the head of a royal family or r u l e r of a nation makes an official p r o c l a m a t i o n , word is spread by d i s s e m i n a t i n g a royal decree. T h i s is a large, ornately decorated p a r c h m e n t detailing the a n n o u n c e m e n t in clear, easy-to-read script. Royal decrees are read in town squares, reproduced in p r i n t e d chronicles, and h u n g on the walls of government buildings and other places where people gather. D u r i n g the Last War, royal decrees were issued whenever a decisive battle was fought, when allegiances shifted, and when the T h r o n e h o l d A c c o r d s were s i g n e d . T h e s e days, royal decrees are used to a n n o u n c e b i r t h s a n d d e a t h s in the royal family, changes in tax policies, or o t h e r matters of state. A l t h o u g h t h e r e is no m o n e t a r y value attached to the d o c u m e n t s , some people save royal decrees of historic or personal i m p o r t a n c e . Royal decrees c a n n o t be purchased and are difficult to forge for any useful p u r p o s e . T h e issuance of a royal decree is typically a matter of such public notice that it would be h a r d to present a forged decree as a u t h e n t i c without the accompanying gossip, r u m o r s , anticipation, and officious goings-on. Title Deed: Possession might be n i n e - t e n t h s of the law in the wilder p a r t s of the world, but t h r o u g h o u t the Five Nations a deed is r e q u i r e d to prove o w n e r s h i p of b u i l d ings, land, airships, and o t h e r p r o p e r t y of significant size and value. Title deeds are not c a r r i e d by the owner, but are rather kept u n d e r lock and key in a safe location. They are large d o c u m e n t s prepared by House Sivis on oversized sheets of p a r c h m e n t , b e a r i n g a detailed description of both property (particularly identifying marks or measurements) and owner, a h i s t o r y of the p r o p e r t y ' s p r e v i o u s o w n e r ship, plus a pair of arcane marks. Title deeds are considered extremely difficult documents to forge. T i t l e deeds are issued by n a t i o n a l g o v e r n m e n t s — sometimes t h r o u g h local or regional offices, sometimes by c o u r i e r from the n a t i o n a l capital. T h e cost is 15 gp, plus any a p p r o p r i a t e c o u r i e r fees.

T r a v e l i n g P a p e r s : A n y o n e who travels across national b o r d e r s is usually r e q u i r e d to c a r r y t r a v e l i n g papers i d e n t i f y i n g t h e m , t h e i r r e s i d e n c e , t h e i r d e s t i n a tion, and t h e i r reason for travel. T r a v e l i n g papers consist of a p a r c h m e n t sheet with the a p p r o p r i a t e i n f o r m a t i o n and an arcane mark, c a r r i e d in a leather folder. House Sivis, House O r i e n , H o u s e D e n e i t h , a n d H o u s e L y r a n d a r all offer t r a v e l i n g p a p e r s that are r e c o g n i z e d t h r o u g h o u t central K h o r v a i r e . A set of traveling papers typically costs 2 sp, and can be purchased at Sivis and Deneith enclaves, l i g h t n i n g rail stations, and Lyrandar offices located in the p o r t s of major cities. A forged set costs about 5 g p . W a r r a n t : In civilized K h o r v a i r e , the city guard, m i l i tia, constabulary, and all others charged with keeping the peace have the power to detain those they suspect of w r o n g doing. However, this power is somewhat d i m i n i s h e d if the suspect is a m e m b e r of a royal family or a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, or is sufficiently wealthy. T h i s is especially a problem for r u r a l officials and deputized citizens, whose authority could be q u e s t i o n e d . A w a r r a n t is an official d o c u m e n t stating that the b e a r e r has the authority to arrest a specific individual or i m p o u n d a specific item. A warrant includes identifying details of the person or item it covers, the reason it was issued, the signature of the local lord or magistrate, plus both an arcane mark and a wax or p r i n t e d seal. Warrants are issued by law enforcement authorities and cannot be purchased.

BEN1TH AVA DEN1THK1 Benith (N female gnome bard 3/rogue 1) was once an u p a n d - c o m i n g member of House Sivis working in the Notaries Guild offices in S h a r n . T h o u g h she was gifted at scribing, her true talents seemed to lie in politics, and she navigated the complicated bureaucracy of House Sivis as deftly as an acrobat on a t i g h t r o p e . A l t h o u g h she is a d i s t a n t c o u s i n of Lysse L y r r i m a n d'Sivis, n o m e m b e r of B e n i t h ' s family has ever b o r n e a d r a g o n m a r k , a n d that t u r n e d out to be a n u n a v o i d a b l e obstacle in her career path. She grew frustrated as positions of i m p o r t a n c e and transfers to the m a i n enclave in Zilargo were repeatedly given to lesser scribes who happened to have d r a g o n m a r k e d relatives. Eventually she resigned from the guild and r e n o u n c e d all ties to House Sivis. Less t h a n a week later, B e n i t h o p e n e d D e n i t h k i and Associates, a private l i c e n s i n g office that took advantage of her knowledge of Sharn's bureaucracy and connections within the Notaries Guild to help clients secure even the most difficult-to-obtain d o c u m e n t s and licenses. T h e vast majority of the work done by D e n i t h k i and Associates is legitimate and completely legal. However, Benith occasionally takes commissions to create falsified d o c u m e n t s , using her i n t i m a t e familiarity with H o u s e Sivis's practices and materials to make almost perfect forgeries.

DRAGONS SCALED MASTERS OF ARGONNESSEN Before the world, dragons r u l e d . A l m o s t every story told about the c r e a t i o n of E b e r r o n begins with dragons. T h e most c o m m o n legend involves the struggle between the three p r o g e n i t o r dragons: Siberys, E b e r r o n , and Khyber (see C r e a t i o n Myths, page 30). Even c o n t r a s t i n g tales of the world's b i r t h speak of d r a g o n s : the Traveler p u l l i n g the world from a dragon's gut, O n a t a r h a m m e r i n g it out of d r a g o n scales, or A u r e o n speaking the world i n t o b e i n g in the D r a c o n i c t o n g u e . D r a g o n s are c r e a t u r e s of ancient power whose roots seem to extend back to the b i r t h of the world. Once the world was formed, dragons struggled for d o m i n i o n over it. T h e r e may be no written historical records of this age, but the legends are more than mythology: R u i n s from the Age of D e m o n s still stand in the Shadow Marches, in Q ' b a r r a , in X e n ' d r i k , and (presumably) in A r g o n nessen. These lands still bear physical signs of the war that raged for a million years between the first dragons and the fiends of Khyber. In the end, thanks to the sacrifice of the couatls, the dragons were victorious. However, instead of c l a i m i n g r u l e r s h i p of the world as the fiends had done, the dragons retreated to Argonnessen to contemplate the Prophecy, leaving a vacuum that would be filled by the lesser races—first the giants of X e n ' d r i k , then the h u m a n o i d races in all their diversity. Dragons are hardly a monolithic force in the world, though h u m a n oids view t h e m that way. It is easy to speak of "the dragons" and imagine them living in a unified society in distant Argonnessen—particularly since few h u m a n o i d s have ever been far into the dragon homeland and r e t u r n e d to tell the tale. T h e few tales that have reached K h o r v a i r e ( i n c l u d i n g some told by rogue dragons) paint a picture of a much less monolithic society, if society is even the right word to describe it. Argonnessen is sometimes described as "the dragon nation," and in some ways it seems like a nation. When Aerenal went to war against Argonnessen, the elves fought against a unified force of dragons, much like the army a humanoid nation might field. T h e r e seemed to be chains of command, officers and soldiers, possibly even conscripts. W h e n agents of the C h a m b e r overstep their bounds or dragons turn rogue and hide themselves away in Khorvaire, they risk punishment by something resembling a police force—a cadre of dragon agents armed with detailed knowledge and deadly tactical coordination. What is not fully understood is whether that structure and order applies within Argonnessen or only when the dragons must deal with a threat beyond their borders. As far as humanoids are concerned, dragons are simply fearsome creatures of legend. Still, speculation abounds about dragon society. Dragons seem to prefer the company of other dragons of philosophical and ethical views regardless of color. Each type of metallic and chromatic dragon might be considered a different species, but individual dragons follow their own personal moral and ethical codes. Also, age apparently equals status in dragon society. Dragons are incredibly long-lived—possibly immortal—and the oldest dragons are treated with the greatest respect. Unlike humanoids, a dragon's physical capabilities improve along with its mental faculties as it ages, making the oldest dragons the strongest, smartest, and most magically powerful of their kind. Along the same lines, dragons of the same age but different species m a i n t a i n a definite hierarchy based on power: A red dragon always outranks a white dragon of the same age, for example. T h e true dragons (the chromatic and metallic dragons described in the Monster Manual) share higher status as a group than other types of dragons. Finally, dragons that have made their homes outside Argonnessen hold lower status than dragons that r e m a i n in the draconic homeland.

THE PROPHECY According to those who claim to know the draconic mind, the power that lifted these creatures from their original primitive state was knowledge—

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) DC 10: T h o u g h occasionally dismissed as creatures of legend, d r a g o n s are real and still exist. T h e r e are ten kinds of " t r u e " dragon—black, blue, brass, b r o n z e , c o p p e r , gold, g r e e n , r e d , silver, and white—as well as n u m e r o u s o t h e r varieties that are c o n s i d e r e d lesser d r a g o n s or d r a g o n k i n d . Most dragons live on the distant c o n t i n e n t of A r g o n n e s s e n and are rarely seen by h u m a n o i d s . D C 15: A l l t r u e d r a g o n s a n d some r e l a t e d c r e a t u r e s grow i n c r e a s i n g l y large a n d p o w e r f u l as they age, t h e oretically w i t h o u t any u p p e r l i m i t . T h e y are e x t r e m e l y l o n g - l i v e d , a n d o n e that is 500 years old is c o n s i d e r ably m o r e capable t h a n o n e t h a t is only a century old. D C 20: Dragons believe in a mysterious Prophecy, which they see unfolding in all sorts of events in the natural world as well as among the "lesser races" of h u m a n o i d s . Everything from stellar a l i g n m e n t s to mysterious r u n e s in m o u n t a i n caverns to t h e d r a g o n marks carried by m e m b e r s of Khor¬ vaire's great houses plays a p a r t in this Prophecy, in t h e i r view. D C 30 : A few d r a g o n s believe t h a t t h e f u l f i l l m e n t of t h e P r o p h e c y is close at h a n d , a n d d r a g o n s must actively participate in b r i n g i n g it to f r u i t i o n . These dragons often come to K h o r vaire and might even hide themselves a m o n g h u m a n o i d s for the p u r p o s e of c a r r y i n g out t h e i r plans. Knowledge (geography) D C 15: Most of A r g o n n e s s e n is u n e x plored by h u m a n o i d s . T h e northwest part of the c o n t i n e n t is the exception. T h e island of Seren and the nearby coast is i n h a b i t e d by b a r b a r i a n s who revere the d r a g o n s , a n d they come to t h e s h o r e of A r g o n n e s s e n to pay homage to their r e p t i l i a n masters. D C 20: T h e northwest coast of A r g o n nessen is called Totem Beach in reference to the massive, carved dragon heads that line the shore. T h e o r i g i n of these sculptures is a mystery—they seem too advanced for the b a r b a r i c S e r e n , b u t it s e e m s u n l i k e l y t h e dragons themselves carved t h e m .

specifically, knowledge of the Prophecy. When dragons learned of the Prophecy, they knew they were destined to become more than mere animals of scaled fury and elemental savagery. They served a greater p u r p o s e in the universe. This knowledge caused them to rise up against the fiends that ruled the world in the aftermath of creation. W h e n the fiends at last were defeated, this same knowledge led the dragons to retreat to Argonnessen, contemplating the Prophecy and i g n o r i n g the lesser races that spread over the world to fill the void left by the imprisoned fiends. However, it was the Prophecy that at last drew the dragons out of their selfimposed exile when they saw it begin to unfold on the flesh of humanoids with the first appearance of dragonmarks. What is the Prophecy? No h u m a n o i d knows. It might be a t r a n s c r i p t i o n of the words of the p r o g e n i t o r dragons, spoken before the b i r t h of the world and written t h r o u g h all creation. It might be the utterances of C h r o n e p s i s , the dragon god of fate, giving clues to the future to those with ears to hear. It might simply be the expression of patterns in nature that p o i n t to the inevitable u n f o l d i n g of those patterns in the future. Even the dragons do not know for sure, but each dragon has a theory—a personal u n d e r s t a n d i n g of what the Prophecy is and what its significance might be, for dragonkind and for the world. Dragons watch for the u n f o l d i n g of the Prophecy in every part of the n a t u r a l world. E n o r m o u s r u n e s appear in m o u n t a i n caves and on sheer cliff faces. Stars, moons, and planets take the shape of d r a g o n m a r k s in the night sky. The swirls of color in the heart of every d r a g o n s h a r d form words and signs. Most startlingly, d r a g o n m a r k s appear on the flesh of humanoids—to the great c h a g r i n of those who consider such creatures to be the lesser races. C e r t a i n a l i g n m e n t s of celestial bodies and planes of existence reveal marks where they did not previously exist, and movements of the land—earthquakes and volcanic e r u p t i o n s uncover runes that have long been hidden. For this reason, the dragons most interested in the unfolding of the future watch actively, searching the world for newly revealed elements of the Prophecy. O t h e r dragons have been known to refer to such active watchers as koto'zhak—"carrion birds"—because of their tendency to fly quickly after any report of natural disaster. I n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the Prophecy is a contentious point among all dragons. Many acknowledge certain social taboos

Not every dragon you meet is an agent of the some are just hungry

Chamber—

r e g a r d i n g its discussion, m u c h as h u m a n s shy away from c o n t e n t i o u s p o i n t s of r e l i g i o u s d o c t r i n e . At p r e s e n t , t h e r e is a s h a r p rift between those d r a g o n s who view the relatively r e c e n t emergence of d r a g o n m a r k s on h u m a n o i d flesh as a sign of the i m p e n d i n g fulfillment of the P r o p h ecy, a n d those with a m o r e conservative view, who see this d e v e l o p m e n t as o n e m o r e stage of a very long j o u r n e y . A l t h o u g h the latter g r o u p often dismisses the f o r m e r as " i m p e t u o u s y o u t h s , " many a n c i e n t a n d respectable d r a g o n s believe the Prophecy is b u i l d i n g toward some k i n d of climactic event.

EVERYDAY DRAGONS? Dragons play an important role in Eberron, as figures of power and mystery. They appear throughout history, teaching magic to the giants, warring against the elves, founding the Gatekeepers among the orcs, and worshiped as scaled gods in Q'barra. They watch the unfolding of the Prophecy and (through the Chamber) sometimes meddle in humanoid affairs, manipulating history to fulfill their own understanding. Does this mean that all encounters with dragons in an EBERRON campaign involve the Prophecy, and are linked to obscure oracles and grand machinations? In a word, no. Sometimes a dragon is just a dragon. Cut off from their more advanced kin, barbaric dragons who know

nothing of the Prophecy spawn, live, and die in the remote depths of Khyber, the dismal swamps of the Shadow Marches, the highest peaks of the Ironroot Mountains, the hidden wastes of Xen'drik, and the frigid barrens of the Frostfell. Young dragons caring nothing for the Prophecy come to Khorvaire to see what humanoids are like, enjoy their societies, or taste their flesh. Some come to amass great hoards, some to be revered. Wherever you go in the vast world of Eberron, there will be dragons. So it's all right. Perhaps that scaly horror you've encountered doesn't have any secret agenda or hidden interests. It might not be entangled in a plot encompassing a million-and-a-half years of history. It might just be hungry. Good luck with it.

THE CHAMBER Many dragons are not content to sit in A r g o n n e s s e n and watch as the Prophecy unfolds in the world a r o u n d t h e m . S o m e , i m p e t u o u s with youth a n d r e b e l l i n g against an a n c i e n t c u l t u r e that prizes c o n t e m p l a t i o n over action, believe that the fulfillment of the draconic Prophecy is close at h a n d , and that dragons must act now if they are to receive whatever glorious t r a n s f o r m a t i o n it promises. O t h e r s , not subscribing to such extremes, nevertheless believe that the emergence of d r a g o n m a r k s on the lesser races signals a change that requires closer study (if not direct i n t e r v e n tion). These dragons, both the impetuous activists and the more restrained observers, together form the C h a m b e r . The dragons of the Chamber operate within Khorvaire. The chromatic dragons' natural powers of shapechanging allow them to move freely among the lesser races. O t h e r s use their innate sorcerous abilities or magic items to disguise themselves, while a few retain their natural forms and simply remain well hidden, using humanoid agents to carry out their plans. Whatever their form, all members of the Chamber make extensive use of humanoid agents, for their own n u m b e r s are few and the assistance of agents grants them much greater reach in the world. With the treasure hoards they have at their disposal, they typically have little difficulty r e c r u i t i n g such aid. T h e C h a m b e r is a loose-knit cabal at best, a g r o u p of u n c o n n e c t e d individuals with similar ideas and agendas. Dragons are a fiercely i n d e p e n d e n t lot by n a t u r e , and even those who share a sense of urgency about the fulfillment of the Prophecy do not like to work together. They freely share information and resources (including their agents) among themselves, but rarely assist other Chamber members directly. T h e origins of the C h a m b e r almost certainly lie in the appearance of dragonmarks on the inhabitants of Khorvaire some thirty-two h u n d r e d years ago. Prior to that time, the Prophecy seemed to be unfolding slowly but regularly in the natural world, and the dragons were content to watch it and collect its revelations at a leisurely pace. With the appearance of d r a g o n m a r k s , dragons suddenly saw the Prophecy written on a canvas that might only exist for a matter of decades before passing from the world forever. T h e very transience of the h u m a n o i d races gave these dragons a sense of urgency about the Prophecy that they had never felt before. T h e War of the Mark increased this urgency, for d u r i n g that period some d r a g o n m a r k e d lineages disappeared forever, and the C h a m b e r feels that pieces of the Prophecy might have vanished with t h e m . Agents of the C h a m b e r have a particular interest in dragonmarks, and they keep a close eye on the dragonmarked houses. In addition, they pay attention to the world's most ancient secrets, such as artifacts created d u r i n g the war between the dragons and the fiends at the beginning of history (see Remnants of Creation, page 31). With r u m o r s circulating that the Scepter ofFell Khadash has been discovered, members of the C h a m b e r are getting involved—some encouraging the search for the related artifacts, others trying to prevent them from being found. If members of the Chamber become involved in other affairs, it is always because they believe that such events are relevant to the Prophecy.

SEREN The large island at the northwest end of Argonnessen is Seren, home of the barbarian tribes that bear the same name. Claiming descent from humans gathered from around the world to serve as the guardians of Argonnessen, the Seren barbarians

are a wild and fierce people. Some thirty tribes, each paying allegiance to a different dragon founder, make their homes on the island, the two smaller islands nearby, and the jungle on the coast of Argonnessen. T h e coast itself is called Totem Beach, and it is considered neutral ground by the Seren tribes, which often war with each other. At Totem Beach they set aside their differences to give their worship to the dragons. All the Seren tribes have a similar social structure. T h e warlord is the mightiest warrior, but this position is based purely on skill, and any m e m b e r of the tribe can challenge a weak warlord. T h e warlord oversees all military actions, such as p a t r o l l i n g the land, organizing raids, and t r a i n i n g young soldiers. Spiritual and domestic matters are overseen by a council of dragonspeakers - mystics who use wisdom and magic to guide the tribe. Dragonspeaker is a lifelong post, and authority within the council is based on age. Despite the warlike n a t u r e of the Serens, dragonspeakers hold the final authority and can overrule the decisions of a warlord, or even force a warlord to step down. T h e tribes described below are a representative sample of the variety found a m o n g the Seren b a r b a r i a n s . T h e Bringers of Fire were founded by a chaotic evil red dragon. O n e of the largest and most dangerous tribes, the Bringers have been known to completely exterminate Seren clans they view as unworthy. T h e Bringers of Fire paint their skin red before battle and make use of flaming oil, and they have volatile t e m p e r a m e n t s . T h e White Wanderers were founded by a neutral white dragon. It is a nomadic tribe that has been charged with p r o tecting a series of shrines. T h e Wanderers believe in the power of knowledge and magic, and they have a high percentage of literacy and dragonspeakers among them. As such, many explorers find this the safest tribe to approach. White Wanderers have a cold, chilly demeanor, and never let their emotions show. T h e Stormwalkers were founded by a lawful evil blue dragon. O n e of the smallest tribes, it is nonetheless deadly in combat and therefore highly respected. T h e Stormwalkers have developed a monastic tradition that emulates the natural attacks of the dragon. T h e Frostblades were founded by a lawful good white dragon. While they ruthlessly defend the land from i n t e r lopers, they seek to preserve the weaker tribes from the more violent clans, such as the Bringers of Fire. T h e Frostblade dragonspeakers have learned the secret of alchemist's frost and use it as a weapon in battle. T h e Totem G u a r d i a n s are not a t r i b e , but an alliance of elite soldiers drawn from many tribes. T h e s e warriors defend Totem Beach and the Great Barrier of Argonnessen. Typically, a d r a g o n s p e a k e r priest receives a d r e a m - v i s i o n o r d e r i n g h e r to send a p a r t i c u l a r w a r r i o r to Totem Beach to j o i n the order, but in a few cases dragons have personally visited a tribe to call a Seren to the g u a r d i a n s . Seren a d v e n t u r e r s (who do exist, a l t h o u g h they are extremely rare) can make use of exotic rules and prestige classes such as those in Draconomicon.

HEIRS Of THE DRAGONS Half-dragons are rare in the world of E b e r r o n . Since the first attempt by the House of Vol to reconcile the w a r r i n g races of elves and dragons by creating a h a l f - d r a g o n , such i n t e r m i n g l i n g has been viewed as an a b o m i n a t i o n against all that is noble and p u r e . Dragons do not breed with n o n dragons by choice, and they go out of their way to e x t e r m i nate any half-dragon they encounter.

That said, half-dragons and draconic creatures (descendants of half-dragons whose blood has been diluted through generations) do exist. Legends speak of a tribe of half-dragon orcs spawned by a wild bronze dragon in the Shadow Marches, and of n u m e r o u s half-dragon aberrations in Khyber p r o duced by a mad red dragon devoted to a Cult of the Dragon Below. Confirmed tales from Q'barra describe half-dragon lizardfolk and dinosaurs created to guard Haka'torvhak, "the throne of the holy dragons." Some tales (dismissed as baseless speculation) even claim that the half-dragon, half-elf

lich Erandis d'Vol is creating new half-dragons as part of her attempt to regenerate her lost bloodline and recover the Mark of Death. Sorcerers in E b e r r o n do not claim blood descent from dragons, but they speak of mystical ties to the three progenitor dragons—Siberys, E b e r r o n , and Khyber. Some sorcerers cultivate abilities reminiscent of dragons and adopt prestige classes such as the dragon disciple, but they are simply emulating the dragons they a d m i r e , rather than manifesting latent qualities of h i d d e n dragon bloodlines.

SHUGENJAS AND DRAGONS Introduced in Oriental Adventures and Complete Divine, shugenjas are the priests of a relatively new religious movement that reveres the dragons of A r g o n n e s s e n . D i s c o u n t i n g the traditional gods of the Sovereign Host, shugenjas believe that dragons are nearly divine, and that by emulating them, members of other races can approach divinity themselves. Theirs is not the totemic dragon worship of the Seren barbarians (although some shugenjas live and work among the Serens, hoping to win converts), but a sophisticated set of philosophical teachings and precise rituals designed to increase one's harmony with those elements at the heart of the dragons' power. T h o u g h this Path of the Elemental Masters is still a young movement, its practitioners divide themselves into eight mystical

orders, each focused on one of the four elements (air, earth, fire, and water). In Eberron, each of the eight orders has a kind of dragon as its emblem and ideal, as shown below. Shugenja Order Order of the A l l - S e e i n g Eye Order of the Spring Zephyr Order of the Impenetrable Crucible Order of the Perfect Sculpture Order of the Consuming Flame Order of the Forbidding Wasteland Order of the Gentle Rain Order of the Ineffable Mystery

Dragon Green Silver Blue Copper Red Black Bronze Gold

DRAGONMARKS HEIRS TO POWER D r a g o n m a r k s are b o u n d by b l o o d l i n e s , and behave in mysterious ways. Only half-elves can carry the Mark of Storm, for example. Either a h u m a n or a half-orc can have the Mark of F i n d i n g , but a full orc cannot. O n e fact is c e r t a i n : If you possess a d r a g o n m a r k , you must have a blood tie to one of the families that originally manifested that mark. However, carrying the blood of a d r a g o n m a r k e d family does not automatically make you a m e m b e r of that family's house or g u a r a n t e e that you will manifest a d r a g o n m a r k . By the edicts of K o r t h (see the next page), a m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house who marries into one of the noble families of Galifar must sever ties to his or her house. F u r t h e r m o r e , it is possible for a member of a dragonmarked family to be stripped of rank and disinherited by the house itself, as a result of some crime he has committed or d i s h o n o r he has brought to the house. People banished from a house are called excoriates. In the past, the house lords would actually cut away the d r a g o n m a r k of an excoriate, an act that often resulted in the death of the victim. Today, excoriation is a symbolic gesture, but an excoriate cannot hold house rank or make use of the house n a m e , and m e m b e r s of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses are forbidden to aid or associate with one. Because of the practice of excoriation, it is possible to have d r a g o n marked blood in your family tree and never know it, allowing you to spontaneously and unexpectedly manifest a dragonmark. Such unattached heirs are known as foundlings. As a general rule, the dragonmarked houses gladly bring foundlings back into the fold. T h e sins of the parent are not visited on the child, and the interests of the house demands consolidation of dragonmarks when it can. If you possess a particularly powerful mark, you might receive pressure to j o i n a house—and should you be seen as t h r e a t e n i n g its reputation or business, the house might seek to eliminate you. Within the house, possession of a d r a g o n m a r k does not automatically equate to authority. T h e Favored in House feat represents influence based on family connections, history, or personal accomplishments. Unless you possess this feat, how the house treats you d e p e n d s on what you do for it in r e t u r n . In general, if you are an accepted heir to a house, you can get room and board at any house enclave (although you might have to put in a few h o u r s work in exchange for your d i n n e r ) . M e m b e r s of the house share r u m o r s with you and discuss local news. If you're short on gold, you can always find work at one of the house businesses—though you have to earn your wage like anyone else. For access to the greater services or resources of the house—whether arcane workshops, free tickets on the l i g h t n i n g rail, or free healing from House Jorasco - you need to earn your influence. If you have the Favored in House feat, you can use this influence to curry favor. Otherwise, the lords of the house (traditionally known as barons) might approach you with propositions of their own. As an adventurer, you are likely to be more capable than many other members of the house. A b a r o n might want you to recover a lost treasure, or to cripple a trade rival. In exchange for these services, you can call in favors from the house (within reason). While you might become Favored in House, as an adventurer you are unlikely to hold any significant a u t h o r i t y in your h o u s e . T h e d r a g o n marked houses are businesses. T h e barons earn their ascension through the ranks with years of dedication and management, and they spend their days balancing budgets and m o n i t o r i n g house operations. Unless you're willing to set aside your sword for an accounting ledger, you should be content with the influence you can gain from serving the house in the field.

POWER AND PROPHECY Symbols of power and mystery, dragonmarks manifest on certain members of select bloodlines. Over the course of the last two thousand years, the families

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 5: D r a g o n m a r k s are magical marks that a p p e a r on the skin a n d g r a n t powers to their b e a r e r s . D C 10: D r a g o n m a r k s are tied to s p e cific b l o o d l i n e s . T h e people b e a r i n g these d r a g o n m a r k s j o i n e d together to create houses, which use the powers of the mark for economic gain. D C 15: You know the names of the t h i r teen d r a g o n m a r k e d houses and the m a r k associated with each o n e . You can identify the trade symbols and seals of each house. Knowledge (history) D C 15: T h e W a r of t h e M a r k was a n a t t e m p t to e x t e r m i n a t e a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k s . I n the c u r r e n t era, a b e r r a n t m a r k s are g r u d g i n g l y accepted, but the houses forbid i n t e r b r e e d i n g , a n d a b e r r a n t s a r e still viewed with suspicion. D C 20: Accounts of the War of the Mark imply that in the past people p o s sessed a b e r r a n t marks with far greater powers t h a n those seen today. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10: You know the names of the t h i r t e e n d r a g o n m a r k e d houses a n d the m a r k associated with each o n e . You can identify the trade symbols a n d seals of each house. D C 15: You are familiar with the businesses and guilds of each house. DC 20: You know the names of the leaders and key figures within a particular house. You are familiar with the customs and traditions of a house. Spellcraft You c a n r e c o g n i z e a specific d r a g o n m a r k a n d t h e p o w e r it b e s t o w s t h r o u g h visual e x a m i n a t i o n . If you are a m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, you can identify the marks of your house without a check. A b e r r a n t mark D C 18 Least mark D C 15 Lesser mark DC 20 Greater mark D C 25 Siberys mark D C 30

carrying these marks established themselves as mercantile dynasties known as dragonmarked houses. Today, these houses are a vital part of post war Khorvaire. House Sivis maintains the message stations that allow swift long-distance c o m m u nication. House Lyrandar and House O r i e n provide quick, safe travel by land, air, or sea. House Jorasco holds the keys to medicine and healing, both magical and m u n d a n e . However, dragonmarks are only one aspect of the power of the houses. Being able to use cure light wounds or perform whispering wind once per day is useful, but hardly enough to build a monopoly on medicine or c o m m u n i c a t i o n s . Over the centuries, the houses e x p e r i m e n t e d with d r a g o n s h a r d focus items—magic items that e n h a n c e the i n h e r e n t powers of a dragonmark. From the speaking stones of House Sivis to the lightning rail of House O r i e n , these items transform the powers of a dragonmark into the keys to commerce and industry. Beyond this, the houses spent hundreds of years perfecting their skills and absorbing smaller traders, creating vast guilds that the people of Khorvaire now know and trust. An innkeeper doesn't need the Mark of Hospitality to do his job (though it might make that j o b easier), but if he has the sign of Ghallanda over his door, travelers know that he has been licensed by the Hostelers Guild and they can expect goodquality service and food. T h e reputation and influence of the guilds is almost as significant as the power of the dragonmarks themselves. Given the choice, a soldier buys his arms and armor from a smith sanctioned by the Fabricators Guild.

THE EDICTS OF KORTH When Galifar I was b u i l d i n g his k i n g d o m , he called together the leaders of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses and swore to provide them with a safe haven and special status. In return, the houses agreed to a set of restrictions that p r e vented them from posing a threat to the rule of Galifar or that of his descendants, while allowing them to c o n t i n u e as mercantile powers. T h e so-called edicts of K o r t h forbid any member of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house from h o l d i n g a g r a n t of land, and place limits on the size of house enclaves and the armed forces that can be garrisoned at an enclave. Special provisions are made for House D e n e i t h , which has the right to assemble military forces for m e r c e n a r y service. T h e edicts further specify that no m e m b e r of the aristocracy of Galifar can be b o u n d to a m e m b e r of a dragonmarked house in marriage without one of the two giving up all heritage and rights. Since the houses do not own land, the edicts dictate a system of rents to be paid to the crown. In the wake of the Last War, the houses continue to operate under the edicts of K o r t h , t r e a t i n g the local r u l e r as the crown for purposes of the law. This authority allowed the leaders of the Five Nations to demand that House C a n n i t h destroy

the creation forges and cease p r o d u c t i o n of the warforged. However, some of the d r a g o n m a r k e d b a r o n s are b e g i n n i n g to question the edicts. These rebellious leaders say that the houses are more powerful t h a n the fractured r e m n a n t s of Galifar—and that it is time to reconsider the relationship between b a r o n and king.

THE TWELVE T h e War of the Mark was a defining m o m e n t in the history of the dragonmarked houses. Many of the houses came into existence as a result of the war, as the families carrying the pure marks joined together to face the aberrants and discovered the power such an alliance could wield. At the end of the war, Lord H a d r a n d ' C a n n i t h suggested that the houses formally cement their alliance by creating a citadel—a center for research and study of both arcane magic and the potential of the d r a g o n m a r k s . T h o u g h there were only ten d r a g o n marked houses at the time, the architect and artificer Alder d ' C a n n i t h convinced the committee to n a m e the institute the Twelve, based on his belief that there were twelve p u r e d r a g o n m a r k s in addition to the shattered Mark of Death. Alder was a brilliant man whose works had played a critical role in the War of the Mark, and the members of the committee h u m o r e d him—though few actually expected a twelfth mark to appear. ( T h e r e m a i n i n g two marks, W a r d i n g and F i n d i n g , weren't "discovered" u n t i l after the creation of the K i n g d o m of Galifar.) Over the centuries, the Twelve has remained one of the premier centers for magical research in Khorvaire, and only the Arcane Congress can match its resources. T h e primary focus of the Twelve is the study of dragonmarks and dragonmark focus items, and the development of new magical items that can benefit society (and t u r n a profit for the houses). In combining the skills and powers of the different marks, the wizards and artificers of the Twelve have crafted remarkable items. It took the combined skills of Houses O r i e n , C a n nith, and K u n d a r a k to create the spacious vaults that allow K u n d a r a k c u s t o m e r s to deposit goods at one b a n k and withdraw them across the c o n t i n e n t . A i r s h i p s , the lightning rail, even the warforged—these things would not exist without the spirit of cooperation found a m o n g the Twelve. Should you rise high in the favor of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house, you might be able to call u p o n the resources of the Twelve. T h i s institute possesses impressive arcane workshops and vast libraries, and it draws upon the talents of some of the most gifted artificers and wizards in Khorvaire—all of which could prove quite useful to an adventurer. After all, the Twelve can always use someone to test new inventions—magic weapons, d r a g o n s h a r d focus items, or other creations that aren't quite stable enough for public use.

SUBRACES AND DRAGONMARKS The dwarf, elf, gnome, and halfling subraces detailed in the Monster Manual, as well as new subraces introduced in Races of Stone and Races of Destiny, are all considered members of the dragonmarked races. However, the bloodlines of the dragonmarked houses only manifest in the most common subraces. For example, only high elves who are members of the House Thuranni or House Phiarlan bloodlines display

the Mark of Shadow, and only hill dwarves from House Kundarak display the Mark of Warding. A member of a variant subrace - any character whose type is humanoid and whose subtype is human, dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling— does qualify for the Aberrant Dragonmark feat, however, since aberrant dragonmarks occasionally manifest among these subraces.

DRAGONMARK TALENTS D r a g o n m a r k s have existed for thousands of years. Over the centuries, the houses have honed their skills, adapting the power of the d r a g o n m a r k s to aid with specific tasks.

Dragon's Insight You can call on the power of your d r a g o n m a r k to e n h a n c e your n a t u r a l abilities. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Least D r a g o n m a r k or Siberys Dragonmark. Benefit: As a free action, you can expend one of the daily uses of one of your d r a g o n m a r k powers to gain a + 4 insight bonus on checks using a particular skill for a limited t i m e . T h e skill affected by this feat is d e t e r m i n e d by the n a t u r e of your mark: Detection: Spot F i n d i n g : Search Handling: Handle Animal Healing: Heal Hospitality: Diplomacy Making: Craft (any) Passage: Survival Scribing: Decipher Script S e n t i n e l : Sense Motive Shadow: G a t h e r I n f o r m a t i o n S t o r m : Balance Warding: Search T h e d u r a t i o n of the b o n u s depends on the potency of the d r a g o n m a r k whose power you expend. T h e bonus granted by this feat always applies to at least one check (regardless of how long it takes to make such a check), as long as you begin the check before the d u r a t i o n elapses. For example, if you have the Least Mark of Shadow, the b o n u s applies to at least one Gather I n f o r m a t i o n check begun within 1 m i n u t e of activating the ability, even though a typical Gather I n f o r mation check takes much longer t h a n 1 m i n u t e . Mark Least mark Lesser mark Greater m a r k Siberys mark

Duration 1 minute 10 minutes 1 hour 24 h o u r s

Shield of Deneith You can c h a n n e l the power of your Deneith d r a g o n m a r k to defend yourself in battle. Prerequisite: Least mark of Sentinel or Siberys Mark of S e n t i n e l .

Benefit: As an immediate action, you can expend one of your daily uses of your Mark of Sentinel d r a g o n m a r k to gain a dodge bonus to A C . T h i s benefit lasts for a n u m b e r of r o u n d s equal to your Wisdom bonus (if any) + 1/2 your character level ( m i n i m u m 1 r o u n d ) . T h e value depends on the level of the mark charge that you e x p e n d . Mark Least mark Lesser mark Greater mark Siberys mark

Dodge B o n u s +1 +2 +3 +4

Swiftness of Orien You can draw on the power of your Mark of Passage to temporarily e n h a n c e your speed or the speed of your m o u n t . Prerequisite: Least Mark of Passage or Siberys Mark of Passage. B e n e f i t : As a swift action, you can e x p e n d one of your daily uses of your Mark of Passage d r a g o n m a r k to gain an e n h a n c e m e n t b o n u s to any of y o u r speeds for 1 r o u n d . Alternatively, you can g r a n t this b o n u s to a creat u r e you are c u r r e n t l y r i d i n g . T h e c r e a t u r e affected must have a speed in the form of m o v e m e n t to be increased (for example, you can't g a i n a b o n u s to fly speed if you don't have a fly s p e e d ) . T h e increase to speed depends on the level of the mark charge that you expend. Mark Least mark Lesser mark Greater mark Siberys mark

Speed I n c r e a s e +20 ft. +40 ft. +60 ft. +90 ft.

ABERRANT DRAGONMARKS

C o m m o n s u p e r s t i t i o n holds that a b e r r a n t marks are a t a i n t on the soul—that the b e a r e r of one of these marks will invariably fall ill or go mad. F u r t h e r m o r e , a b e r r a n t marks can hold powers m o r e d a n g e r o u s t h a n the pure marks—abilities such as burning hands, charm person, chilling touch inflict light wounds, and produce flame. Between the stories of madness and the clear threat posed by these deadly marks, people view the bearers of a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k s with a mix of fear and suspicion. It's difficult to say if there is any foundation to these fears. People with aberrant marks tend toward evil alignments—but this could reflect either the sinister influence of the mark or the abuse and distrust they suffer as a result of their marks.

FAMILY NAMES: TO D' OR NOT TO D'? T h e n a m i n g conventions of the dragonmarked houses can be mystifying to those outside the houses. T h e first key to u n d e r s t a n d i n g is that the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses are comprised of multiple but related families. House Phiarlan consists of the Phiarlan, Tialaen, Shol, and E l l o r e n t h i lines, while House C a n n i t h includes the Vown and Tellic lines. Typically, m e m b e r s of a h o u s e use the house n a m e when d e a l i n g with o t h e r s , saving t h e i r family n a m e s for

formal occasions—so Elaydren Vown d ' C a n n i t h usually refers to herself as "Elaydren d ' C a n n i t h " when dealing with people outside of her house. The d' prefix, added after the War of the Mark, identifies blood families tied to recognized d r a g o n m a r k e d houses and sets those b o r n of d r a g o n m a r k e d blood apart from the rest of K h o r v a i r e .

Not all of these marks are d a n g e r o u s ; some g r a n t harmless powers such as feather fall or jump. Should you chose to play a character with an a b e r r a n t mark, there are no rules forcing you to become mad. These superstitions are drawn from the past. Accounts of the War of the Mark make clear that there was a time when aberrant marks could c h a n n e l powers far greater t h a n the pure marks. Two a b e r r a n t lords - Halas T a r k a n a n and his consort, a w o m a n k n o w n only as the Lady of the Plague — destroyed an e n t i r e city with t h e i r a b e r r a n t marks, and legends say that the d e a t h - c u r s e of the Lady of the Plague still lingers in the depths of S h a r n . T h e stories of madness might also be drawn from this time—implying that while the first aberrants could c h a n n e l greater powers, these abilities took a terrible toll on body and m i n d . No one knows where the first a b e r r a n t marks came from. Some say that the p u r e marks are gifts of Siberys, while the a b e r r a n t marks reflect the touch of Khyber. It is a known fact that if two people of different d r a g o n m a r k bloodlines have a child, the offspring is more likely to manifest an a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k t h a n the p u r e mark of either house. Such marks are known as mixed marks, and as a result of this p h e n o m e n o n the houses have forbidden breeding between d r a g o n m a r k e d lines. But sometimes aberrant marks manifest randomly, in bloodlines with no tie to any d r a g o n m a r k house. Recently, a b e r r a n t marks have been r u m o r e d to grant greater abilities than have been seen in centuries. (These abilities are reflected in the feats presented on this page.) No one has an explanation for this surge in aberrant power—but some fear that it is a precursor to the r e t u r n of the C h i l d r e n of Khyber and the terrible powers last seen in the War of the Mark. W h i l e a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k s can be i d e n t i f i e d u s i n g S p e l l c r a f t , they can never be m i s t a k e n for p u r e d r a g o n m a r k s . A b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k s come in a wild range of colors and shapes, and two that grant the same power might look entirely different. A b e r r a n t marks are often s u r r o u n d e d by welts, b o i l s , or o t h e r w i s e discolored flesh.

Aberrant D r a g o n m a r k Gift Your a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k is especially potent. Prerequisite: Aberrant Dragonmark. Benefit: You can use the spell-like ability granted by your A b e r r a n t D r a g o n mark three times per day.

Aberrant D r a g o n m a r k Mystery You can use the power of your a b e r rant mark to e n h a n c e your magical abilities. Prerequisite A b e r r a n t Dragonmark, Concentration 6 ranks. B e n e f i t : W h e n you cast a spell, i m b u e an i n f u s i o n , m a n i f e s t a psionic power (see Expanded Psionics

Handbook), or use a warlock invocation (see Complete Arcane), you can sacrifice a daily use of the spell-like ability granted by your a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k as a free action to increase the caster level of the spell, infusion, power, or invocation by + 1 .

A b e r r a n t D r a g o n m a r k Vigor You can c h a n n e l the e n e r g y of y o u r a b e r r a n t m a r k to e n h a n c e your health. Prerequisite: A b e r r a n t D r a g o n m a r k . Benefit: As an immediate action, you can sacrifice a daily use of the spell-like ability granted by your a b e r r a n t d r a g o n m a r k to gain temporary hit points equal to your H i t Dice. These hit points last for a m a x i m u m of 1 hour.

Heirs of Mouse Tharashk, and

Thuranni, Deneith

DRAGONSHARDS FRAGMENTS OF THE FIRST DRAGONS Crystalline objects with t r e m e n d o u s magical potential, d r a g o n s h a r d s are one of the most i m p o r t a n t n a t u r a l resources found in E b e r r o n . As iron shapes the technology of warfare, so do d r a g o n s h a r d s shape the technology of magic. S p e l l c a s t e r and psionic manifesters use E b e r r o n shards to increase their powers. T h e d r a g o n m a r k e d houses find Siberys shards essential for e n h a n c i n g and e x p a n d i n g the powers granted by t h e i r magical marks, while the great elemental vessels rely on K h y b e r shards to bind the elementals that give them their power. Dragonshards appear as translucent rock or crystal, with opaque veins of swirling color embedded w i t h i n them. These colorful veins move and pulse as if the shard were a living thing. Most d r a g o n s h a r d s are less than 1 inch in diameter, while some are as large as a h u m a n fist. Siberys shards (also called sunstones or starmotes, and sometimes just dragonshards) are golden crystals that are particularly valuable to the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses, and they are also coveted by the quori of Riedra. They fall from the R i n g of Siberys that encircles the world, and thus are found in equatorial regions from X e n ' d r i k to Sarlona. Most prospectors of Siberys shards work in X e n ' d r i k , since the dangers there are at least less organized t h a n those found in Riedra or A r g o n n e s s e n . Scions of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses can a t t u n e Siberys shards to t h e i r own d r a g o n marks, fashioning t h e m i n t o focus items that e n h a n c e their spell-like abilities. T h e Inspired of Sarlona use them to enhance their psionic abilities, actually e m b e d d i n g the shards i n t o t h e i r bodies to gain the powers they contain. E b e r r o n shards (often called b l o o d s t o n e s or b l o o d s h a r d s ) are red or pink, with vivid scarlet veins. They usually appear in geodes b u r i e d in soil (often in large clusters), and are found exclusively in K h o r v a i r e and A e r e n a l . They have a broad affinity for magic: Spellcasters can attune an E b e r r o n shard to a specific spell to e n h a n c e the effect of that spell when it is cast on the s h a r d . Wizards can also e n c o d e t h e i r spells in E b e r r o n s h a r d s , using the s h a r d s in place of a spellbook. Psionic c h a r a c t e r s can use E b e r r o n shards to create power stones, and these shards are ideally suited for use in the creation of different kinds of magic items that store, absorb, or e n h a n c e spells. Khyber shards (also called n i g h t s h a r d s or d e m o n s t o n e s ) are smoky in color, with veins of m i d n i g h t blue or oily black. T h e y a p p e a r deep u n d e r g r o u n d in volcanic r e g i o n s , usually n e a r m a g m a pools or sulfur vents. They are most common in areas with extensive fiendish or elemental activity, such as the D e m o n Wastes. K h y b e r shards have a marked affinity for the magic of b i n d i n g , and as such they are particularly useful in connection with the elemental b i n d i n g techniques that have developed in Zilargo. They are also c o m m o n components of b i n d i n g diagrams, trap the soul spells, and similar magic. Shard Siberys Small Large Greater Eberron Small Greater Khyber Small Greater

Value Range 4d4 X 25gp 4d4 X 200gp 2d4 X l,000gp ld8 gp 4d4 X 10gp 4d4 X 75gp 4d4 X 500 gp

Average Value 250 gp 2,000 gp 5,000gp 4 gp, 5 sp 100 gp 750 gp 5,000 gp

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) DC 10: T h e r e are three kinds of dragons h a r d s , n a m e d after t h e t h r e e p r o g e n i t o r d r a g o n s : E b e r r o n , Siberys, and Khyber shards. D C 15: S i b e r y s d r a g o n s h a r d s c a n e n h a n c e the power of a d r a g o n m a r k in various ways, from applying metamagic effects to the spell-like abilities granted by a d r a g o n s h a r d to g r a n t i n g e n t i r e l y new abilities to a d r a g o n marked character. E b e r r o n shards hold magic—whether used as a wizard's spellbook or as a c o m p o n e n t of a spell storing item. Khyber shards are used in the magic of b i n d i n g : t r a p p i n g souls or b i n d i n g elementals. DC 20 : Siberys d r a g o n s h a r d s fall from t h e R i n g of S i b e r y s a n d t h u s a r e most c o m m o n a r o u n d the world's e q u a t o r — p a r t i c u l a r l y in X e n ' d r i k . E b e r r o n shards are found in the soil of E b e r r o n and A e r e n a l . Most E b e r r o n shards on the market come from the Shadow Marches. Khyber shards are excavated from deep u n d e r g r o u n d in volcanic regions, p a r t i c u l a r l y the D e m o n Wastes. Knowledge (geography) DC 20: T h e Shadow Marches are particularly known for their fields of E b e r r o n dragonshards. Siberys dragonshards fall in great showers from the Ring of Siberys, coming to ground in Xen'drik, Sarlona, and (presumably) A r g o n n e s sen. Khyber shards are found u n d e r ground in the Demon Wastes and other volcanic areas. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 15: T h e dragonmarked houses have a keen interest in Siberys shards because they can enhance the magical abilities of marked individuals. House T h a r ashk is deeply involved in prospecting for all kinds of d r a g o n s h a r d s . Knowledge (psionics) D C 15: Siberys d r a g o n s h a r d s can be crafted into universal items that can be implanted into the body of a kalashtar or I n s p i r e d to grant u n u s u a l powers. E b e r r o n shards can be used to create power stones, holding a single psionic power for later use. Khyber shards have no known psionic use.

DRAGONSHARD ITEMS The weapons described here incorporate dragonshards into their c o n s t r u c t i o n , and use the affinities of the shards to generate p a r t i c u l a r magical effects.

Bloodstone Blade

Weight: 4 lb. Price: 12,315gp.

Nightshard Maul

T h i s +1 greatclub is s t u d d e d with K h y b e r d r a g o n s h a r d s A bloodstone blade is a +1 longsword (or occasionally a different kind m i n e d from areas near where couatl spirits hold the ancient of weapon) c o n t a i n i n g an E b e r r o n dragonshard attuned to f i e n d - l o r d s of K h y b e r i m p r i s o n e d in t h e i r coils. T h e the vampiric touch spell, allowing that spell to be delivered by dragonshards contain fragments of both powerful essences, the blade repeatedly without r e c h a r g i n g , and in an empowm a k i n g a nightshard maul a d a n g e r o u s weapon—to b o t h the ered form. wielder and his foes. Description: T h i s sword is forged of the finest steel, D e s c r i p t i o n : Several smoky crystals c o n t a i n i n g with powdered red d r a g o n s h a r d carefully inlaid into i n t r i inky black veins of color stud the h i t t i n g end of this heavy cate designs along the blade. greatclub. Bands of dark iron r i n g the club, and the handle is carefully wrapped in m i d n i g h t - b l u e leather. W h e n it is Activation: When you strike a creature with a bloodstone wielded in combat, energy crackles a r o u n d the d r a g o n blade and the c r e a t u r e takes damage from the weapon, the shards, flashing b o t h light and dark. weapon can deliver the effect of a vampiric touch spell as a free action if you desire. Activation: By clutching the handle of the maul and c o n c e n t r a t i n g (a s t a n d a r d action that does not provoke Effect: A bloodstone blade can hold a vampiric touch spell attacks of o p p o r t u n i t y ) , you can use detect thoughts, t u r n e t h e as if it were a spell storing weapon. Any such spell is automatireal, or polymorph. cally empowered by the blade, even if the original caster does not have the Empower Spell feat. As with a normal spell storAll o t h e r powers of a nightshard maul activate a u t o ing weapon, the vampiric touch effect uses the original caster's matically when you swing it at a foe, as the c r a c k l i n g caster level. No more t h a n one such spell can be held by a e n e r g y a r o u n d its head deals extra d a m a g e to g o o d a n d bloodstone blade at any time, and no spell other than vampiric evil o p p o n e n t s . touch can be stored within the weapon. Effect: In addition to its +1 e n h a n c e m e n t b o n u s , a A u r a / C a s t e r Level: S t r o n g evocation and n e c r o nightshard maul deals an extra Id6 points of damage to creamancy; CL 12th. tures that are either good or evil, and it overcomes damage reduction as if it were b o t h a g o o d - a l i g n e d weapon and an Construction: Craft Magic A r m s and A r m o r , vampiric evil-aligned weapon. touch. 12th-level caster. 6,315 gp, 480 XP, 12 days. C r e a t ing a bloodstone blade requires first a t t u n i n g the E b e r r o n While the maul is in your possession, you can use detect dragonshard to the spell it will hold (see page 265 of the thoughts at will (DC 13), O n c e per day, you can t u r n ethereal EBERRON Campaign Setting for details). for 5 r o u n d s (as ethereal jaunt, except that you can't end the d u r a t i o n prematurely). Also once p e r day, you can use polymorph, but only to change your own shape (you c a n n o t target a n o t h e r creature with this ability). If you are e i t h e r good or evil, you take a -1 penalty on saving throws while you carry a nightshard maul. T h e w a r r i n g spirits of good and evil held within the d r a g o n s h a r d s take t h e i r toll on your own soul. A u r a / C a s t e r Level: M o d e r ate necromancy and t r a n s m u t a tion. C L 7th. Construction: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, 26,305 gp, 2.080 XP, 52 days. Weight: 10 1b. Price: 52,305 gp.

Those who use dragonshard weapons wield the power of the forces of creation

DROAAM MONSTERS OF CIVILIZATION Most i n h a b i t a n t s of D r o a a m would be considered monsters in any other n a t i o n , but in t h e i r own land they m a i n t a i n a semblance of civilization, and some even become adventurers. T h e table on the following page summarizes favored class, H i t Dice, level adjustment, and s t a r t i n g effective character level (ECL) for the most common races of D r o a a m . T h e Monster Manual provides more i n f o r m a t i o n . Gnolls live and fight a m o n g all of D r o a a m ' s various power g r o u p s . T h i s n e u t r a l stance a m i d the chaos of factions j o c k e y i n g for power makes t h e m s o m e t h i n g of a stabilizing i n f l u e n c e . They are increasingly c o m m o n as m e r c e n a r i e s a n d even m e n i a l l a b o r e r s o u t s i d e D r o a a m , t h a n k s to the efforts of H o u s e T h a r a s h k . People r e g a r d t h e m with u n e a s e , but t h e i r widespread p r e s e n c e is b u i l d i n g acceptance for t h e m in the wider world. Races of the Wild has m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n about playing gnoll c h a r a c t e r s . G o b l i n s live in D r o a a m p r i m a r i l y as the slaves of ogres, orcs, and other races. Being the weakest race in a society that concentrates power a m o n g the s t r o n g makes life difficult, a n d few D r o a a m i t e goblins ever rise to positions of power ( i n c l u d i n g a d v e n t u r i n g ) . Goblins are c o m m o n in the cities of K h o r v a i r e , particularly in the west, so the presence of a goblin in a g r o u p rarely raises eyebrows. A goblin who asserts his rights and speaks his m i n d is a different matter, however, and such creatures are rare indeed. While not exactly common, half-ogres appear with some regularity in D r o a a m , where ogres are a m o n g the most powerful and respected figures of authority. T h e y are n o t as s t r o n g as t h e i r ogre p a r e n t s , n o r as s m a r t as h u m a n s or the more intelligent monsters that r u n affairs in D r o a a m , so they work as cheap sellswords or laborers, sometimes traveling beyond D r o a a m u n d e r the auspices of H o u s e T h a r a s h k . Races of Destiny has more information about playing half-ogre characters. H a r p i e s are one of the most i m p o r t a n t power g r o u p s in D r o a a m . Harpy flights have inhabited the Byeshk M o u n t a i n s since ancient times. A n u m b e r of them have recently migrated to the Great Crag to serve the Daughters of Sora Kell, but six flights r e m a i n in the n o r t h . Hill giants are the most physically powerful of Droaam's c o m m o n inhabitants, but their slow m i n d s and chaotic tempers make them potent followers r a t h e r t h a n warlords in t h e i r own r i g h t . H i l l g i a n t s live in almost complete i n d e p e n d e n c e in the foothills of the Graywall M o u n tains. Hill giant player characters are liable to draw stares or screams in most h u m a n o i d settlements (with the possible exception of Stormreach, in X e n ' d r i k ) . Medusas are p e r h a p s the most m o n s t r o u s residents of the m o n s t e r n a t i o n . They appear in greatest n u m b e r s in the ancient city of Cazhaak Draal, u n d e r the rulership of the Q u e e n of Stone. They are greatly feared, both in D r o a a m and beyond. A medusa traveling outside D r o a a m must hide h e r t r u e n a t u r e or be attacked as a t h r e a t to public safety. Fiercer and more bestial t h a n ogres, m i n o t a u r s do not live in organized c o m m u n i t i e s in any large n u m b e r s . Most m i n o t a u r s in D r o a a m reside in isolated wilderness areas, but i n d i v i d u a l s are frequently seen in the Great Crag and Graywall, d e l i g h t i n g the crowds as pit fighters. Minotaurs traveling beyond D r o a a m have a h a r d e r time fitting in than ogres, but are not usually attacked on sight. Ogres form the backbone of several power groups in D r o a a m . Just s m a r t e n o u g h to t h r o w t h e i r weight b e h i n d powerful warlords such as G o r o d a n Ashlord or Tzaryan Rrac, ogre enforcers keep hordes of diverse h u m a n o i d s and rebellious slaves in line. Ogres are respected in D r o a a m and reasonably well accepted in the world beyond. Orcs live in a few scattered tribes in D r o a a m , neither as populous as goblinoids n o r as c o m m o n as they are in the Shadow Marches. Most orcs

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: O n c e o f f i c i a l l y a p a r t of B r e l a n d , D r o a a m is now the n a t i o n of m o n s t e r s . Its p o p u l a t i o n consists of gnolls, orcs, g o b l i n o i d s , g i a n t s , and m o n s t r o u s h u m a n o i d s . D C 15: D r o a a m is g o v e r n e d by t h r e e hags called the D a u g h t e r s of Sora K e l l , who hold c o u r t in a m e t r o p o l i s called T h e G r e a t Crag. It is a n a t i o n in only the loosest sense of the word. T h o u g h the hags p e t i t i o n e d to be i n c l u d e d in t h e talks l e a d i n g to t h e T r e a t y of T h r o n e h o l d , they were rejected a n d are n o t officially r e c o g n i z e d as a n a t i o n . T h e r u l e r s h i p of the hags is fragile, with a system of t r i b u t e serving as the only real gove r n m e n t k e e p i n g the various clans a n d warlords in l i n e . DC 20: O t h e r powerful groups in D r o a a m include the Dark Pack (werewolves and worgs that roam the south), a fire giant n a m e d G o r o d a n A s h l o r d , a c o m m u n i t y of medusas led by the Q u e e n of Stone, and the followers of an ogre mage n a m e d Tzaryan Rrac. Knowledge (history) DC 10: Numerous ruins from the ancient h o b g o b l i n e m p i r e of D h a k a a n dot Droaam's landscape. Knowledge (local) D C 15: Laws are loose in D r o a a m . T h e strong get what they want, but the rich can buy their way. Bribery, slavery, and arena combat are c o m m o n . Knowledge (nature) D C 10: Giants and m o n s t r o u s h u m a n oids, p a r t i c u l a r l y o g r e s , h a r p i e s , m i n o t a u r s , ogres, a n d t r o l l s , live i n the monster n a t i o n of D r o a a m . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 15: House T h a r a s h k acts as a broker for the services of D r o a a m i t e m e r c e n a r i e s across K h o r v a i r e . H o u s e D e n e i t h resents this i n t r u s i o n into a field traditionally its own. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: Most i n h a b i t a n t s of D r o a a m hate the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame. D C 15: Priests of the Mockery and the Shadow are found in c o m m u n i t i e s in D r o a a m , along with a few cults d e d i cated to the D r a g o n Below.

in D r o a a m l i v e u n d e r t h e r u l e o f t h e o g r e m a g e w a r l o r d Tzaryan R r a c i n t h e s o u t h w e s t of t h e n a t i o n , a n d west t o w a r d the S h a d o w M a r c h e s . O r c s find w i d e s p r e a d a c c e p t a n c e i n the o u t s i d e w o r l d . Trolls are u n c o m m o n in D r o a a m , mostly living in small b a n d s i n t h e m o u n t a i n s . L i k e h i l l g i a n t s , t h e y a r e r e c r u i t e d as m u s c l e f o r m o r e o r d e r - m i n d e d w a r l o r d s — a r o l e they fill a d m i r a b l y w e l l . T h e y a r e n o t w e l c o m e i n h u m a n o i d settlements beyond D r o a a m ' s b o r d e r s .

Race

Favored Class

Racial HD

Level Adj.

Starting ECL

Goblin Orc

Rogue Barbarian

— —

+0 +0

1st 1st

Half-ogre Gnoll Ogre

Barbarian Ranger Barbarian

— 2d8 4d8

+2 +1 +2

3rd 3rd 6th

Minotaur

Barbarian

6d8

+2

8th

Harpy Medusa

None None

7d8 6d8

+3 +4

10th 10th

Troll Hill g i a n t

Fighter Barbarian

6d8 12d8

+5 +4

11th 16th

GRAYWALL: GATEWAY TO DROAAM The small city of Graywall (population 6,300) lies near the border with Breland to the east, and it houses the greatest population of h u m a n s and other c o m m o n h u m a n o i d s in all of Droaam. It is as far as most visitors ever venture into the monster n a t i o n . A m i n d flayer named Xor'chylic serves as governor on the hags' behalf, enforcing o r d e r with r u t h less efficiency.

Graywall consists of roughly formed buildings hewn by the strength of ogres into alien shapes pleasing to Xor'chylic but d i s t u r b i n g to most visitors. Most of the buildings are scaled to accommodate large creatures. T h e e a s t e r n q u a r t e r of the city houses h u m a n s and m e m b e r s of the o t h e r c o m m o n races. T h i s area, called T h a j n a r r (from an i n s u l t i n g G i a n t word for h u m a n s ) , boasts a handful of i n n s and taverns that provide h u m a n sized accommodations and serve meals palatable to h u m a n tastes. T h e city has a small temple to the Sovereign Host, but no open worship of the Host exists. Many residents of the eastern q u a r t e r are at least as unsavory as the monsters that inhabit the rest of the city, but House T h a r a s h k m a i n t a i n s a semblance of justice and order there u n d e r the leadership of Lord K h u n d r a n d ' T o r r n , a half-ore d r a g o n m a r k heir with the Lesser Mark of Finding. M e r c h a n t s from across D r o a a m come to Graywall to p u r c h a s e goods b r o u g h t in from the rest of K h o r v a i r e . W o u l d - b e m e r c e n a r i e s h o p i n g to find e m p l o y m e n t also crowd the marketplaces. In a d d i t i o n to H o u s e T h a r a s h k , House Sivis has a small o u t p o s t in Graywall, while H o u s e O r i e n m a i n t a i n s the trade road that c o n n e c t s the city to Breland and r u n s on to the G r e a t Crag. H o u s e D e n e i t h offers protection services to caravans headed for the interior of the country. H u m a n s traveling beyond Graywall are well advised to b r i n g such protection. Xor'chylic m a i n t a i n s order in Graywall with the assistance of a security force consisting of gnolls reinforced by m i n o t a u r , troll, medusa, and harpy officers. T h e elite agents of this security force are rightly feared in the city, but none so much as the m i n d flayer itself.

DUNGEONS OF DROAAM Droaam is a fine place to win a f o r t u n e in ancient treasure or to make your n a m e as the surveyor of D h a k a a n i r u i n s . But you'd best be careful traveling t h r o u g h the land of monsters—especially if you wear the Silver Flame. Cazhaak Draal is the most famous r u i n e d hobgoblin city in D r o a a m . It's certain that treasures and other items of historical interest lie within its ancient walls, but a band of medusas has control of the place, a n d o t h e r p e t r i f y i n g creatures wander freely t h e r e . T h e K e c h Volaar clan of Darguun also has an interest in the place. Nearby S u t h a r Draal is slightly safer. Everyone pays a t t e n t i o n to the big r u i n e d cities, but few people a n d only slightly m o r e g o b l i n o i d s care a b o u t the isolated s h r i n e s , t e m p l e s , palaces, a n d n e c r o p o l i s e s that dot the D r o a a m c o u n t r y s i d e . Many of t h e m sit atop e n t r a n c e s to K h y b e r ' s d e p t h s — o r , m o r e a c c u r a t e l y , e r u p t i o n s from K h y b e r ' s d e p t h s e m e r g e b e n e a t h these small r u i n s , t h r o u g h passages o p e n e d by the daelkyr as paths of attack. T h u s , like the r u i n e d cities, these ancient sites a r e infested with a b e r r a t i o n s , a n d some

sites are still c e n t e r s of w o r s h i p for the C u l t s of t h e D r a g o n Below. T h e Byeshk a n d Graywall M o u n t a i n s hold a b u n d a n t resources of byeshk, a p u r p l e metal widely used in jewelry as well as for b l u d g e o n i n g w e a p o n s . Such w e a p o n s are p a r t i c u l a r l y effective against daelkyr a n d some a b e r r a t i o n s . T h e D h a k a a n i h o b g o b l i n s m i n e d byeshk for use against the daelkyr, a n d some of those m i n e s still exist. Many of t h e m , however, r e m a i n i n h a b i t e d by the d e s c e n d a n t s of the h o r r i b l e c r e a t u r e s the daelkyr sent in to shut the m i n e s down. Some of the most i n t e r e s t i n g sites in D r o a a m are literally d u n g e o n s . Beneath the lairs of Droaam's surfacedwellers, extensive p r i s o n s , labor c a m p s , a n d slave p e n s extend deep into the e a r t h . Some find themselves in these dungeons unwillingly, some attempt rescue missions there, and some stumble into these places u p o n e m e r g i n g from a trek into Khyber, Whatever brings you i n t o such a place, getting out is often even more of a challenge.

DWARVES GOLD FUELS OLD FEUDS T h e M r o r Holds are h o m e to twelve great dwarf clans. Each clan has its own stories, customs, and t e r r i t o r y (which the dwarves call holds). Many years have passed since the dwarves fought each other in the m o u n t a i n s , but t h e i r m e m o r i e s are long, and the clans n e i t h e r forget n o r forgive the feuds they have with one a n o t h e r . T h e s e feuds were once bloody affairs settled with axe and shield, but in these e n l i g h t e n e d times, dwarves use more sophisticated tactics. They battle over business contracts or games of skill; they support different athletes and u n d e r c u t each other's mercantile enterprises. Some dwarves still t u r n to blades to settle their disputes, but the weapons are now wielded in shadow and gleam with poison. M r o r a n o n is one of the most powerful clans in the holds, and it lends its founder's n a m e to the n a t i o n as a whole. Its m i n e s p r o d u c e the best i r o n ore in K h o r v a i r e , allowing M r o r a n o n to b u i l d s t r o n g diplomatic and mercantile ties with Breland. M r o r a n o n seeks the destruction of the J h o r a s h ' t a r orcs, who hide in the I r o n r o o t M o u n t a i n s . T h e clan has feuds with K o l k a r a n , which uses its m i n e r a l wealth to u n d e r c u t M r o r a n o n ' s iron trade; with S o r a n a t h , whose founder quarreled with M r o r in times of legend; and with T o l d o r a t h and T o r d a n n o n , who seek to g r a n t the J h o r a s h ' t a r the full political power of a M r o r i a n clan. Doldarun is wealthy, with a large number of gold and silver mines within its hold. Doldarun has also discovered deposits of mithral and adamantine in its territory, and it is deeply embroiled in foreign affairs. D o l d a r u n dwarves are master e n t r e p r e n e u r s , playing their customers against each other and always finding the right market and highest prices for their goods. Historically neutral in the dwarven wars, D o l d a r u n has no feuds with individual clans, but no firm allies either. Doldarun seeks to use its wealth to outmuscle the other clans and emerge as the de facto r u l e r of the M r o r Holds. D r o r a n a t h is a throwback to earlier times. Its warriors are temperamental and train to enhance their natural rage; naturally, the clan boasts a large n u m b e r of b a r b a r i a n s . It battles the j h o r a s h ' t a r continuously, which puts it at odds with Toldorath and T o r d a n n o n . D r o r a n a t h has a lesser concentration of natural resources than most other holds, but it contains enough to make it a decent power and a worthwhile ally. D r o r a n a t h m e r cenaries c o m m a n d high prices t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e . K o l k a r u n shifts allegiance constantly. Its history includes feuds with each of the other clans at one p o i n t or another, and its allies change

DUERGAR AND DREAM DWARVES According to one legend, the duergar (detailed in Expanded Psionics Handbook) are the debased r e m n a n t s of an ancient dwarf kingdom that was destroyed during the Daelkyr War. Another legend ties them to the vanished Clan Noldr u n , and they do seem to be most common in the depths of Khyber beneath the southern peaks of the Ironroot Mountains—near both Noldrunhold and the Goradra Gap. Some say their exposure to the mind-twisting magic of the daelkyr gave them psionic power similar to that of the m i n d flayers, while others blame interference by the quori. T h e duergar believe themselves to be the most ancient race of dwarves (certainly not the descendants of a clan that vanished only four centuries ago), but the truth is impossible to ascertain. D r e a m dwarves (described in Races of Stone) are found in the M r o r Holds, b l e n d i n g in with their cousins. They are most commonly seen near M i r r o r Lake, but even there they are r a r e . D u e r g a r a n d d r e a m dwarves occasionally possess a b e r r a n t d r a g o n marks. (See Subraces and D r a g o n m a r k s , page 47.)

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) DC 10: Once part of K a r r n a t h , the Mror Holds is now a nation composed of several s e m i - i n d e p e n d e n t dwarf clans. D C 15 : T h e g o v e r n i n g body is the I r o n C o u n c i l , which rules on matters that affect all the clans in the M r o r Holds. T h e clans do not cooperate especially well; many have l o n g s t a n d i n g feuds. D C 20: T h e A u r u m has a strong p r e s ence in the M r o r Holds. Knowledge (history) D C 15: T h e dwarves fought each other for thousands of years before K a r r n subjugated t h e m and forced them to swear fealty to Galifar. T h e dwarves broke from the Five Nations d u r i n g the Last War. D C 2 5 : T h e dwarves' ancestors came to the M r o r Holds about twelve t h o u sand years ago. T h e c u r r e n t clans are the descendants of exiles; n o t h i n g r e m a i n s of t h e dwarves' o r i g i n a l h o m e l a n d in Khyber. Knowledge (local) DC 10: T h e dwarves are renowned bankers a n d entrepreneurs. T h e y place great stock in personal appearance. D C 15: A t r i b e of o r c s c a l l e d t h e J h o r a s h ' t a r shares the m o u n t a i n s with the dwarves. T h e two races have battled repeatedly over thousands of years. DC 20: Mrorian dwarves like to stand out on the battlefield. They wear e n a m eled armor, n a m e their weapons, and develop distinctive battle cries. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10: House K u n d a r a k , the dwarven d r a g o n m a r k e d house, has its headq u a r t e r s — a n d wields c o n s i d e r a b l e influence—in the M r o r Holds. House Sivis assists K u n d a r a k in its b a n k i n g endeavors. DC 15: T h e r u l i n g family of each clan has the same family name as the clan. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: T h e Sovereign Host is the religion of choice in the M r o r H o l d s . Most dwarves revere Kol K a r a n . D C 2 5 : A n active volcano called the Fist of O n a t a r stands in the s o u t h e r n M r o r Holds. T h e dwarves believe it is sacred to O n a t a r .

as rapidly as its enemies. Nevertheless, Kolkarun dwarves are shrewd e n t r e preneurs and charismatic negotiators, and their wealth allows them to supply potential allies with gifts. T h e other clans view K o l k a r u n as opportunists, while K o l k a r u n dwarves see t h e m selves as smart enough to always pick the w i n n i n g side. Currently, Kolkarun has diplomatic ties to A u n d a i r , Karrnath, Zilargo, the Talenta halflings, and the Emerald Claw. It counts Mroranon and Soldarak a m o n g its allies in the holds, and for the last couple of decades it has m a i n t a i n e d a growing feud with D o l d a r u n , which seeks to discredit K o l k a r u n . Clan K u n d a r a k has become House K u n d a r a k . It has n o voice on the Iron C o u n c i l , the M r o r Holds' ruling body, and claims to be n e u tral. Despite that claim, K u n d a r a k has great influence, and the o t h e r clans constantly vie for its favor. Laranak's feud with L o n d u r a k is legendary. All dwarves know of the mutual enmity these two clans possess, and it was only with reluctance and gifts from the other clans that the two agreed to work together to present a unified front at T h r o n e h o l d . T h e i r councilors disagree with each other out of habit and ancestral hatred more than reason. Now, the two clans wage their private war in whatever socially acceptable ways they can, each shifting alliances with the other clans to outplay the other. Narathunhold contains mines of precious gemstones, and Narathun jewelers are among the best in the world. They work with M r o r a n o n to create ceremonial weapons and with Doldarun to create fine jewelry. N a r a t h u n feuds with D r o r a n a t h , which it says reneged on a business deal long ago, and with Toldorath and T o r d a n n o n , which it believes robbed it in ancient times. N o l d r u n disappeared about four hundred years ago. R u m o r s a b o u n d as to the cause, a n d most c o n s i d e r its lands h a u n t e d and avoid t h e m . I M r o r a n o n , T o l d o r a t h , and T o r d a n non (all of which feuded with Noldrun) were not u n h a p p y to see it go. Soldorak is wealthy, and it envies H o u s e K u n d a r a k ' s power and prestige. It attempts to discredit and u n d e r c u t the d r a g o n m a r k e d house whenever possible and uses its wealth as a weapon against the other clans. Its u n c o m p r o mising business dealings have put it at odds with most other clans, particularly M r o r a n o n and D o l d a r u n , but it works with Soranath to find markets for their mutual goods. S o r a n a t h possesses excellent crafters, who work with other clans to p r o d u c e finished goods from t h e i r raw materials. As such, they are friend to all, though the other

clans resent being unable to match Soranath's skill. Sor, the clan's founder, quarreled with M r o r in ancient times, and their clans continue the feud today. T o l d o r a t h and T o r d a n n o n are l o n g t i m e allies and persuasive d i p l o m a t s . T h e y c u r r e n t l y lobby to g r a n t the J h o r a s h ' t a r orcs full clan status, a p r o p o s i t i o n that M r o r a non finds reprehensible but that the other clans are willing to consider. Toldorath and T o r d a n n o n are the most adept at using their wealth as weapons, and many members of the A u r u m hail from these clans. They have longstanding feuds with D r o r a n a t h and N a r a t h u n .

ELDEEN REACHES THE WOODS OF THE WEST Stories a b o u n d of the mysteries that lurk in the depths of the Eldeen Reaches. T h e Towering Wood is vast and ancient, and humanity barely has a foothold in that fortress of n a t u r e . Fey dance i n u n t o u c h e d groves, and d i r e a n i m a l s s l u m b e r in the deep woods. But where d a n g e r lurks in this primeval wilderness, m u c h of it is far from n a t u r a l . T h o u s a n d s of years before h u m a n s came to K h o r v a i r e , the forces of Xoriat fought the orc Gatekeepers in the Eldeen Reaches, and the scars of that terrible war still r e m a i n . For every dryad, there is a d o l g r i m ; for every u n i c o r n , there is a r u n e h o u n d . These horrible aberrations have no place in n a t u r e . T h e forests of the Eldeen Reaches hold endless possibilities for exciting a d v e n t u r e . P l a n a r p o r t a l s lead to T h e l a n i s , the Faerie C o u r t , and manifest zones link to the Twilight Forest of L a m a n n i a and the Endless Night of Mabar as well. A n c i e n t r u i n s hold orc artifacts lost in the war against the daelkyr, along with sealed p o r t a l s leading i n t o the d e p t h s of Khyber. Legendary beasts r o a m the deep woods alongside wild fey, feral shifters, n o m a d i c c e n t a u r s , a n d o t h e r creatures—some h e l p f u l , some hostile, some merely xenophobic. O n the other h a n d , ordinary folk call the Reaches home as well. These people fall into two distinct cultures: the farming folk of the eastern plains and the people of the woods. T h e farmers live on the eastern edge of the T o w e r i n g Wood. T h e i r ancestors were citizens of A u n d a i r , but t h e i r g r a n d p a r e n t s a n d g r e a t g r a n d p a r e n t s t u r n e d against the lords of A u n d a i r d u r i n g the Last War, when the princes of Galifar abandoned t h e m . T h e plains folk live simple lives, but they are rugged and p r o u d . Most have taken up the beliefs of the d r u i d s , and villages have d r u i d advisors. T h e i r placid life was shattered d u r i n g the Last War: Family holdings were obliterated, and society t u r n e d upside down as the young people left the quiet towns of the Reaches for the bright lights of the distant cities. T h e people of t h e woods h i d from the eyes of Galifar, a n d most prefer the solitude of the Towering Wood to the bustle of the Five Nations. Shifters and centaurs sometimes live i n their own isolated tribes, but the forest folk prefer to live in small mixed c o m m u n i t i e s — h u m a n , elf, and shifter living side by side. They follow the faith of one of the d r u i d sects, but only the most exceptional actually become d r u i d s or rangers, j o i n i n g the patrols that g u a r d woods and plains alike. More t h a n any o t h e r factor, the d r u i d sects of the E l d e e n Reaches define the character of the n a t i o n and its people. A community's n a t u r e can be best u n d e r s t o o d by l e a r n i n g its relationship to these sects.

RACES OF THE ELDEEN WILD C e n t a u r s are most c o m m o n in the western forests n e a r t h e Twilight Demesne, and they m a i n t a i n good relations with the Fey t h e r e . They also range widely t h r o u g h o u t the Eldeen Reaches. See Races of the Wild for more information about playing a centaur as a character. G o l i a t h s are m o u n t a i n - d w e l l i n g n o m a d s who form scattered c o m m u n i t i e s in r e m o t e m o u n t a i n areas, i n c l u d i n g the Shadowcrags in the Eldeen Reaches a n d several r a n g e s in X e n ' d r i k . T h e y o r i g i n a t e d in X e n ' d r i k , but most a b a n d o n e d that c o n t i n e n t with the rise of t h e giant civilization. Goliath wanderers are occasionally seen across Khorvaire and X e n ' d r i k . T h e i r barbaric cousins, the feral garguns, live in frigid regions, including the Frostfell and the Icehorn Mountains in the Eldeen Reaches. Goliaths and feral g a r g u n s are described in Races of Stone.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e Eldeen Reaches are a vast region of forest a n d plains in n o r t h west K h o r v a i r e . T h e p o p u l a t i o n of this area is sparse, a n d m u c h of t h e Towering Wood r e m a i n s u n t o u c h e d by humanity. T h e soil is fertile, and the area is a center for a g r i c u l t u r e . D C 15: T h e Eldeen Reaches were only recognized as a n a t i o n at the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d . T h e woods are still wild a n d u n t a m e d , o c c u p i e d by s h i f t e r t r i b e s a n d b a n d s of d r u i d s . S t o r i e s say t h a t t h e d e e p woods a r e filled with m o n s t e r s . Knowledge (history) DC 10: T h e eastern plains of the Eldeen Reaches were once p a r t of A u n d a i r . D u r i n g the Last War, A u n d a i r left the region to fend for itself. After d r u i d s and rangers from the Towering Wood helped the farmers fight off bandits and invading forces, the people of the region seceded and j o i n e d t h e i r land to the Eldeen Reaches. Knowledge (local) D C 15: T h e law i n t h e R e a c h e s is enforced by the Wardens of the Wood, who follow " n a t u r a l law" as opposed to the Code of Galifar. Knowledge (nature) D C 10: T h e E l d e e n Reaches are t h e center of d r u i d activity in K h o r v a i r e . D C 15: U n u s u a l p l a n t s a n d a n i m a l s can be found t h e r e , i n c l u d i n g darkwood and reath leaves. However, the d r u i d s and rangers of the land despise poachers and pillagers. Knowledge (nobility a n d royalty) D C 10: H o u s e Vadalis has a s t r o n g presence in the Eldeen Reaches. T h e p a t r i a r c h of House Vadalis conducts business from the city of V a r n a . D C 15: House Vadalis is on good terms with most of the d r u i d sects, b u t has b e e n f i g h t i n g with t h e A s h b o u n d for c e n t u r i e s . Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 15: T h e E l d e e n Reaches i n c l u d e manifest zones. Zones connected to L a m a n n i a are often p o p u l a t e d by d i r e a n i m a l s , while t h e fey flock to regions touched by T h e l a n i s .

THE DRUID SECTS When h u m a n explorers first entered the Eldeen Reaches, a handful felt a call that drew them deep into the Towering Wood. They were led to the Great Druid Oalian - a mighty greatpine that spoke with a h u m a n voice. T h e ancient tree called upon the newcomers to maintain the balance between wood and world, and slowly taught the explorers the skills and duties of druids and rangers. From these original teachings, a n u m b e r of sects soon took form. Despite their differences in belief, O a l i a n supports all the druids, since each sect embraces an aspect of the natural world. In return, most druids respect Oalian as the ultimate spiritual authority in the region, and they gather at Greenheart for important conclaves and rituals. A m o n g the Eldeen d r u i d s , hierarchy is defined by seniority, although a youth who displays extraordinary talent receives respect beyond her years. T h e young are expected to follow the dictates of the old; the elders debate major issues that face their community u n t i l a consensus is reached. As a rule, rangers and h u n t e r s are expected to defer to the j u d g ment of the elder d r u i d s , but senior rangers can participate in the moots of the elders. T h e d r u i d s revere the power of n a t u r e . D r u i d s equate the natural world with the p r o g e n i t o r dragon E b e r r o n , who is seen as the maker of all n a t u r a l t h i n g s . They do not worship E b e r r o n as a god or believe that the Dragon Between actively watches the world, but they view E b e r r o n as the source of life and the b i n d e r of u n n a t u r a l things.

NPC REACTIONS NPCs in the Eldeen Reaches begin with a friendly attitude toward a recognizable m e m b e r of any d r u i d sect except the Ashbound a n d the C h i l d r e n of Winter. T h e d r u i d s and rangers have a very positive reputation as guardians and p r o tectors of the Reaches, and they represent the highest ideals that its people strive to attain. Folk of the Reaches greet the Ashbound with an indifferent to unfriendly attitude and are unfriendly toward the C h i l d r e n of Winter. A few groups m a i n t a i n active hostility toward the d r u i d sects. These include the Cults of the D r a g o n Below and the Blood of Vol (along with the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw), both of which revere forces that the d r u i d sects abhor. Members of these organizations have unfriendly starting attitudes toward any Eldeen d r u i d or ranger.

THE WARDENS Of THE WOOD "The earth is scarred; we are its healers."

—Faena G r a y m o r n , Warden of the Wood The Wardens of the Wood are the largest of the modern druid sects. They are the eyes and ears of the Great Druid Oalian, and at Oalian's behest they maintain the balance between the wilds and the civilized world. T h e daelkyr left deep scars on the land, and older horrors date back to the Age of Demons. The Wardens hunt unnatural creatures and strive to destroy fiends, undead, and a b e r r a t i o n s . W h e n it comes to natural dangers—dire animals or other deadly predators—the Wardens keep humans away from these creatures, allowing each to live in peace. W a r d e n d r u i d s work with the people of the plains, teaching t h e m m e t h o d s of a g r i c u l t u r e and a n i m a l h u s bandry that work in h a r m o n y with n a t u r e . W h e n the plains folk seceded from A u n d a i r , the W a r d e n s t r a i n e d t h e i r militias and fought at t h e i r sides. In t h e i r g r a t i t u d e , the folk t u r n e d to the study of the d r u i d i c mysteries, and this

helped make the land remarkably fertile. Today, Warden rangers patrol the entirety of the Reaches, fighting bandits, poachers, and other i n t e r l o p e r s . T h e primary goal of the Wardens of the Wood is to p r o tect the innocent—whether that means protecting nature from humanity or vice versa. Some seek to educate the people they encounter, but others use sword or spell to battle greed and evil. All Wardens strive to act with wisdom and compassion, however, and to aid all of Eberron's c h i l d r e n as well as they can.

Wardens of the Wood i n the World "Since Moselin taught us to recognize its territory, we haven't had any trouble with the dire bear."

—Vhaja D u m i k , resident of Cree T h e W a r d e n s of the Wood claim some ten t h o u s a n d active m e m b e r s — r o u g h l y one in fifty of the Reaches' citizens. T h o u g h the organization's m e m b e r s h i p is mostly h u m a n , elves, half-elves, shifters, orcs, and members of more exotic races are also represented. Wardens are generally neutral good and are concerned above all with the well-being of every n a t u r a l creature that lives in the Reaches. Unlike the other d r u i d sects, the Wardens have a fixed base of operations: G r e e n h e a r t , a town in the midst of the Towering Wood. Built a r o u n d a sacred grove and a manifest zone linked to L a m a n n i a , G r e e n h e a r t is the spiritual and temporal heart of the Eldeen Reaches—home to the Great D r u i d O a l i a n and the loose g o v e r n m e n t of the Reaches. T h e m e m b e r s h i p of the sect includes sedentary d r u i d advisors who offer t h e i r wisdom and m i n o r spellcasting services to villages t h r o u g h o u t the Reaches, as well as more a d v e n t u r o u s d r u i d s and r a n g e r s who p a t r o l the woods, p l a i n s , and foothills of the l a n d to m a i n t a i n peace and protect the i n n o c e n t . Some members actively seek out aberrations and other u n n a t u r a l forces to drive t h e m from the Reaches (or the world). All strive to m a i n t a i n the balance between n a t u r e and civilization in ways that p r o m o t e health and well-being at a physical and spiritual level. Great D r u i d O a l i a n (N awakened greatpine d r u i d 20) is the u n q u e s t i o n e d leader of the W a r d e n s . B r o u g h t to sentience a t h o u s a n d years before h u m a n s set foot on K h o r vaire, O a l i a n possesses a depth of wisdom and a sensitivity to all living beings that are difficult for anyone who has not met the d r u i d to imagine. Oalian rarely moves, and much of the h a n d s - o n work of governing the Wardens is carried out by Faena G r a y m o r n (NG female half-elf d r u i d 13). Faena was b o r n with impressive gifts, and she played a critical role in the secession of the Reaches from A u n d a i r . Old age has sapped her s t r e n g t h , but her wisdom r e m a i n s . O t h e r notable m e m b e r s of the w a r d e n s include Root ( N G male p e r s o n a l i t y warforged fighter 2 / d r u i d 4), a spiritual soldier searching for his place in the natural world; Moselin (NG male h u m a n d r u i d 7), advisor to the town of Cree and also an active h u n t e r of aberrations; and Feralyn Wolf-tail ( N G female gnome ranger 5/Eldeen r a n g e r 1), a clever gnome who h u n t s poachers and bandits.

THE ASHBOUND "Cities will crumble and trees take root in their streets once more. Anything] can do to hasten that day's coming, I swear I will do."

—Tasia, A s h b o u n d Eldeen ranger For most druids, nature and civilization are forces that must be kept i n b a l a n c e . For the A s h b o u n d , civilization is the

enemy: a c o r r u p t i n g force that must be driven back or destroyed before it deals i r r e p a r a b l e damage to the t r u e world. Initiates of the o r d e r are daubed with the ashes of trees destroyed in the n a m e of "progress." They swear to be b o u n d to the service of E b e r r o n and to fight the u n n a t u r a l u n t i l the world is restored to its p r i m a l state. To the A s h b o u n d , many things violate the natural order, with arcane magic at the top of the list. T h e A s h b o u n d see such magic as the epitome of the u n n a t u r a l , using formulas and rituals to twist the laws of n a t u r e and create deadly effects that were never meant to exist. Cities and other physical manifestations of civilization are next on the list, along with structured agriculture and the magebreeding of animals—twisted attempts to reshape the world. A s h b o u n d have no more love for clerics than for wizards, and believe that any n o n d r u i d i c faith involves trafficking with otherworldly (and therefore u n n a t u r a l ) spirits. T h e A s h b o u n d are infamous for their use of violence, and they fight with the fury of the wild. However, moderates a m o n g the sect seek to convince others of their misdeeds t h r o u g h discussion instead of destruction. These A s h b o u n d believe that people can be shown the e r r o r of their ways and e n c o u r a g e d to slowly change over t i m e . As an A s h b o u n d , you can travel in the company of a wizard—as long as you warn your c o m p a n i o n of the dangers of his art and make certain he does not h a r m i n n o c e n t s . If you seek out the greatest threats, you set an example to others t h r o u g h your actions. T h e A s h b o u n d might despise wizards and hate cities, but undead and aberrations are just as u n n a t u r a l , and must be dealt with. A s h b o u n d shun armor, but most are willing to use forged weapons. Shifters are drawn to the A s h b o u n d cause, believing that they are closer to n a t u r e t h a n most h u m a n s .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Wardens of the Wood

The Ashbound i n the World

Children of Winter

"They're extreme fanatics. I'm not unsympathetic to their cause, mind you, but they're not making any friends by resorting to violence to get their point across."

—Feralyn Wolf-Tail, Warden of the Wood Compared to the Wardens of the Wood, the Ashbound are a tiny sect, claiming no more than seventeen h u n d r e d members. Of these, the vast majority are h u m a n s and shifters. T h e overall alignment of the sect is neutral, though individual members more often lean toward evil than good. T h e A s h b o u n d wander in small bands along the eastern edge of the Towering Wood, v e n t u r i n g out from the shelter of the forest to raid the settlements along the lakes and across the A u n d a i r border. For all their hostile reputation, the A s h b o u n d have been i n s t r u m e n t a l in foiling d a n gerous schemes, particularly in instances when the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw and other villainous masterminds have attempted to use the manifest zone in the G l o a m i n g to create horrible eldritch machines. T h e charismatic head of the A s h b o u n d is G h a r u l l (N male shifter d r u i d 10). A fiery and passionate individual, G h a r u l l firmly believes he speaks with nature's voice. No small n u m b e r of druids have joined the sect primarily because of Gharull's magnetic presence; he has an uncanny ability to convince anyone who hears him speak of the Tightness of his cause. O t h e r notable m e m b e r s of the A s h b o u n d include Collas (N male h u m a n d r u i d 4), a m o d e r a t e who preaches the A s h b o u n d message in the eastern p l a i n s ; Stormclaw (NE male shifter b a r b a r i a n 12), a fierce and ruthless shifter who is infamous across the Reaches for his deadly strength; and Tasia (NE female h u m a n r a n g e r 6/Eldeen r a n g e r 5), a cautious and c u n n i n g r a n g e r who h u n t s wizards in the cities of A u n d a i r .

THE CHILDREN Of WINTER "Even now, the fell wind blows from the north, a biting harbinger of the long winter to come—a messenger ofplague, of doom, and of new birth."

—Forlorn, Child of

Winter

T h e C h i l d r e n of Winter is the most m i s u n d e r s t o o d of the d r u i d sects— though this makes members no less d a n g e r o u s . Many outside observers believe the sect worships death and decay, and that its members hope to

Knowledge (nature) DC 10: T h e Wardens of the Wood is a large sect of d r u i d s and rangers based in the Eldeen Reaches. T h e Wardens m a i n t a i n the balance between civilization and n a t u r e . DC 15: T h e Wardens are noble people who help the i n n o c e n t and needy.

Ashbound Knowledge (nature) D C 10: T h e A s h b o u n d is a fanatical d r u i d sect feared across the Eldeen— A u n d a i r b o r d e r . Its m e m b e r s despise civilization and arcane magic. DC 15: T h e A s h b o u n d view themselves as nature's avengers. They believe that n o n d r u i d magic, large-scale agriculture, urbanization, and domestication of animals violate the natural order. DC 20: A l t h o u g h the A s h b o u n d believe in violence a n d t e r r o r as a tool for change, they are also implacable e n e mies of aberrations and u n d e a d .

Knowledge (nature) D C 10: T h e C h i l d r e n of W i n t e r is an apocalyptic d r u i d sect that worships death and decay. D C 15 : T h e C h i l d r e n respect death as a part of the natural cycle. They have an affinity for v e r m i n and disease. DC 20: T h e sect believes that a series of terrible disasters will cleanse the world to make way for a new golden age.

The Gatekeepers Knowledge (nature) DC 10: T h e Gatekeepers is a small d r u i d sect found in the Eldeen Reaches and the Shadow Marches. DC 15: T h e Gatekeepers dedicate t h e m selves to p r o t e c t i n g the world from a b e r r a t i o n s a n d o u t s i d e r s . T h e sect includes many orcs. DC 20: T h e original Gatekeepers were the first d r u i d s of K h o r v a i r e , taught by a d r a g o n . They played a major role in repelling the daelkyr invasion.

The Greensingers Knowledge (nature) DC 15 : T h e Greensingers is a d r u i d sect in the Eldeen Reaches. Its members are chaotic folk with ties to the fey. DC 20: T h e G r e e n s i n g e r s are said to have a relationship with the lords of Thelanis.

destroy the world. Little could be farther from the t r u t h . The C h i l d r e n do not worship death, but simply embrace it as part of the n a t u r a l order. They believe that disease, storm, and blight all play a vital role in the cycle of life, weeding out the weak and i n f i r m . T h e C h i l d r e n of Winter say that civilization has drawn people away from this natural cycle, allowing the weak to survive, and that n a t u r e will not allow this to c o n t i n u e . For ages, they have been waiting for a great cataclysm to scourge the world with plague and catastrophe, but despite what others t h i n k , the sect does not see this event as the end of t h i n g s . It is simply the dark winter that paves the way for the new spring. Winter is harsh but necessary, and the strong shall survive and prosper. For most of their history, the C h i l d r e n of Winter have been content to wait for the end of the c u r r e n t age, studying the spread of the G l o a m i n g and d o i n g their part to m a i n tain the n a t u r a l o r d e r . In the wake of the Day of M o u r n ing, the d r u i d s have come to the conclusion that w i n t e r is finally rising—and that it is the duty of its c h i l d r e n to aid the a p p r o a c h i n g apocalypse. Now the C h i l d r e n of W i n t e r are moving out from the Gloaming, p r e p a r i n g to spread plague and despair—all for the good of the world. All m e m b e r s of the sect trust that the long winter will come, but some believe the time is not yet nigh. A handful of these have left the Eldeen Reaches in search of proof that the elders have misread the signs—that the Day of M o u r n i n g was the work of h u m a n h a n d s , not of the forces of n a t u r e . Due to their close b o n d with disease, the C h i l d r e n of Winter have remarkable skill as healers. T h o u g h they prefer to let plagues r u n their n a t u r a l course, m e m b e r s of the sect can be convinced to use this knowledge to aid others.

The Children of Winter i n the World "They embrace the whole of nature, which is more than most of us can say. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the things we would prefer to ignore."

—The Great D r u i d Oalian The C h i l d r e n of Winter counts some eleven h u n d r e d m e m bers across the Eldeen Reaches and beyond. Its members are mostly h u m a n , and shifters make up the largest part of the remainder. T h e sect tends toward evil a l i g n m e n t , embracing the natural forces that are i n i m i c a l to life and health. The C h i l d r e n of Winter congregate in the Gloaming in the s o u t h e r n part of the Towering Wood, but since the Day of M o u r n i n g they have been more active outside that area. They do not have any fixed m e e t i n g places or headquarters, but roam in almost feral bands led by elders and charismatic druids or rangers. T h e sect has no single leader, but its m e m b e r s gravitate around those who have the strength of personality to gather

followers and the s t r e n g t h of arms to keep their positions. T h e C h i l d r e n of W i n t e r believe only the strong will survive the winter to come, so they respect those who demonstrate s t r e n g t h . F o r e m o s t a m o n g these is Raven ( N E female h u m a n d r u i d 9/warlock 3). A sinister figure clearly touched by darkness, she walks the woods s u r r o u n d e d by v e r m i n and presages the coming devastation through her violent actions. Raven rejects the common association between warlocks and the fiends of Khyber (see Warlocks, page 35), believing that her powers come from the power of the G l o a m i n g and the force that will cleanse the land. Forlorn (N male half-elf d r u i d 11) is the spiritual c o u n t e r p a r t to Raven's aggressive s t r e n g t h . He is withdrawn, e m e r g i n g from seclusion only to p r o c l a i m his latest apocalyptic vision. O t h e r n o t a b l e C h i l d r e n of W i n t e r i n c l u d e Frost (N female h u m a n d r u i d 4), who i n t e n d s to prove that the omens about the i m m i n e n t coming of the winter have been misread; A n g u i s h (NE male orc r a n g e r 6 / E l d e e n r a n g e r 3), who is d e t e r m i n e d to see the winter come; C a i n a n (NE male h u m a n d r u i d 9), who spends his time in S h a r n investigating legends of an ancient Lady of the Plague; and Fell (NE female shifter d r u i d 7), an alchemist who has a morbid fascination with disease.

THE GATEKEEPERS "If notfor the Gatekeepers, human, your race would never have smelted bronze."

—Koruun, orc Gatekeeper Most of the d r u i d sects evolved from the teachings of Oalian, but not so for the Gatekeepers. T h o u s a n d s of years ago, the black dragon Vvaraak came to Khorvaire following the path of the Prophecy. T h e orcs of the western shore had always had a strong b o n d to n a t u r e , and Vvaraak called u p o n them to serve as Eberron's champions. A grim disaster loomed in the future—a force from the O u t e r Planes that could destroy the natural world. Those who studied u n d e r Vvaraak became the first druids of Khorvaire. For thousands of years they followed the dragon's teachings—and then the daelkyr arrived. These lords of madness sought to shatter the world, and they twisted the creatures of nature to serve their needs. T h e war that followed crippled the hobgoblin empire, but ultimately the students of Vvaraak prevailed. T h e gates to Xoriat were sealed, and those daelkyr who r e m a i n e d in K h o r v a i r e were driven down into the depths of Khyber. But the question remained: Was this the cataclysm Vvaraak had predicted—or simply the prelude to something even worse? Despite their t r i u m p h , the Gatekeepers were devastated by the war. T h e orcs t u r n e d away from the ancient faith, following the Cults of the D r a g o n Below. Today, the sect is a shadow of its former self—clinging to its duties and doing

WU JEN Wu j e n , described in Complete Arcane, are h e r m i t s who c o m mune with n a t u r e to power their arcane spells. T h e i r spells revolve a r o u n d five elements closely tied to the forces and substances of n a t u r e ; e a r t h , fire, metal, water, a n d wood. Wu j e n are p a r t i c u l a r l y c o m m o n in the Eldeen Reaches, and they seek out manifest zones to L a m a n n i a to p e r f o r m their rites a n d m e d i t a t i o n s . T h e y do not c o n g r e g a t e i n t o

schools a n d colleges, but pass t h e i r t r a d i t i o n s o n from m e n t o r to s t u d e n t . A n u m b e r of c o n f l i c t i n g l e g e n d s revolve a r o u n d the first m e n t o r . S o m e say this m y t h i c f i g u r e was an exiled d r u i d , while some claim it was an awakened a n i m a l . Still o t h e r s c l a i m the first wu j e n was a d j i n n i , who o m i t t e d air from the wu jen's r e p e r t o i r e for self-protective p u r p o s e s .

its best to m a i n t a i n the ancient seals. T h e orcs of the Shadow Marches support the traditions, but only a few fully embrace the mysteries. T h e Gatekeepers seek to defend n a t u r e against the u n n a t u r a l . They particularly abhor aberrations, which r e p resent n a t u r e t u r n e d against itself. T h e next greatest threat comes from outsiders, which have no place in the natural o r d e r of E b e r r o n . T h e Gatekeepers also battle u n d e a d and similar h o r r o r s . However, they have no trouble with magical beasts, which have naturally developed within the world; a Gatekeeper will try to prevent a conflict between h u m a n s and displacer beasts, for example. Gatekeepers are always searching for signs of a b e r r a tions, planar instability, or monsters rising from Khyber. In the past, they have ignored the actions of the h u m a n nations, but after the destruction of Cyre and the creation of the M o u r n l a n d , they fear that this decision might have been a terrible mistake. Over the last two years, a n u m b e r of Gatekeepers have traveled b o t h to the M o u r n l a n d and to the cities of the old kingdoms, seeking to u n d e r s t a n d what happened—and how to prevent it from h a p p e n i n g again.

T h e Gatekeepers i n the World "They do not bow to my authority—or, indeed, to any authority. But their tradition is one with ours; they are indeed our brothers and sisters."

—The Great D r u i d Oalian T h e Gatekeepers are one of the smallest d r u i d sects, claiming less than a thousand members, r a n g i n g mostly through the Shadow Marches with less than a h u n d r e d active in the Eldeen Reaches. Well over half of these are orcs or half-ores, with shifters much less common than they are in the Eldeen sects. In terms of influence, however, the Gatekeepers exceed even the Wardens of the Wood, for their activities extend well beyond the boundaries of the Eldeen forests. Across all of Khorvaire and indeed the world, they combat the lingering influence of the daelkyr and those who pay them homage. The Gatekeepers are strongest among the orc tribes of the Shadow Marches. Gatekeeper druids act as spiritual and temporal leaders of some tribes, while Gatekeeper rangers serve as guides, scouts, and protectors. Beyond the Shadow Marches, the Gatekeepers are few and widespread. They seek out extraplanar and unnatural threats wherever these appear, working alone or

RITUALS OF THE ELDEEN DRUIDS Any character can take part in a d r u i d i c purification ritual, though such a ritual can only be performed by a d r u i d of at least 5th level who belongs to the appropriate sect. A d r u idic purification ritual r e q u i r e s one u n i n t e r r u p t e d h o u r of meditation by all those p a r t i c i p a t i n g in the ritual. If a n y t h i n g i n t e r r u p t s the c o n c e n t r a t i o n of any participant, the ritual is d i s r u p t e d and no benefits are bestowed. When the ritual is completed, each participant who meets the prerequisite must attempt a DC 15 Concentration check (you can't take 10 on this roll). If he succeeds, he gains the benefit for the ritual. T h i s benefit lasts for a n u m b e r of days equal to that participant's character level, unless noted otherwise. If he fails the check (or doesn't meet the prerequisite), he gains no benefit and cannot repeat the ritual for 30 days. D r u i d i c purification rituals have no cost, but d r u i d s refuse to p e r f o r m this ritual on anyone who does not share their beliefs. A d r u i d can't be compelled (magically or o t h erwise) to p e r f o r m a ritual against her will, and any d r u i d who performs a ritual on an unworthy character loses all d r u i d spellcasting abilities, along with the ability to p e r form purification rituals, until she u n d e r g o e s atonement.

R i t u a l of A r c a n e O p p o s i t i o n You have been i n u r e d against the effects of arcane magic by a ritual of the A s h b o u n d sect. Prerequisite: Must not be capable of casting arcane spells. Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against arcane spells. If you voluntarily fail a save against an arcane spell, this benefit ends immediately.

R i t u a l of Blight's E m b r a c e You have been warded from the effects of poison and disease by a ritual of the C h i l d r e n of Winter, solidifying your bond with v e r m i n .

Prerequisite: N o n - g o o d a l i g n m e n t . Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against poison a n d disease. If you deal damage to a v e r m i n that has not already dealt damage to you or to one of your allies, this benefit ends immediately.

R i t u a l of the T i m e l e s s Soul You have been blessed by the faerie lords of T h e l a n i s in a r i t u a l of the G r e e n s i n g e r sect, and you t e m p o r a r i l y slip from time's grasp. Prerequisite: Chaotic a l i g n m e n t . Benefit: You are i m m u n e to any h a r m f u l effects of flowing time due to p l a n a r travel (such as a j o u r n e y to T h e l a n i s , t h e Faerie C o u r t ) . T i m e "lost" d u e to p l a n a r effects never catches up with you. (If the d u r a t i o n of this effect expires while you are still on a plane that experiences flowing time, any f u r t h e r time spent on that plane has the n o r m a l effect upon you.) If you deal damage to a fey that has not already dealt damage to you o r to one of your allies, this benefit ends immediately.

R i t u a l of the Woodland B o n d You have formed a b o n d with the growth of the woods t h r o u g h a ritual of the Wardens of the Wood. Prerequisite: Non-evil a l i g n m e n t . B e n e f i t : You d o n ' t take any penalty on T u m b l e or Move Silently checks made in areas of undergrowth, and you treat such squares as if they were n o r m a l t e r r a i n rather than difficult t e r r a i n (see page 87 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). Heavy u n d e r g r o w t h , as well as o t h e r f o r m s of difficult t e r r a i n , affects y o u r m o v e m e n t n o r m a l l y . If you deal damage to an a n i m a l or plant that has not already dealt damage to you or to one of your allies, this benefit ends immediately.

in small groups, and have little contact with each other. In many ways, the Gatekeepers are more of a tradition t h a n an actual organization. Only when a great threat manifests do Gatekeepers attempt to forge alliances with other members of their sect, pooling their resources to drive back the incursion. The majority of the sect's members carry the title of hunter. These are b a r b a r i a n s (particularly in the Shadow Marches), rangers (especially in the Eldeen Reaches), and members of other m a r t i a l classes who take up arms against the horrors left by the daelkyr. For every three or four h u n t ers, an aspirant (low-level d r u i d ) acts as leader. Aspirants who excel gain the title of initiate, and the most senior initiates are called Gatekeepers proper. Saala T o r r n ( N G female half-orc d r u i d 14) is the elder Gatekeeper of the Shadow Marches and the n o m i n a l leader of the sect. She has little direct influence or authority over the scattered Gatekeepers, but all respect her wisdom. In the Eldeen Reaches, K o r u u n ( N G male orc d r u i d 11), an old and withered orc, guides the Gatekeepers. Other notable Gatekeepers include Maagrim d'Tharashk (N female half-ore d r u i d 7/expert 5/heir of Siberys 1), one of the T h a r a s h k triumvirate, who does her best to direct resources to the Gatekeepers; O r r a s h (N male orc ranger 6/Eldeen ranger 4), a master archer and h u n t e r of aberrations in the Reaches; and K o r r i n ' d a l (N male orc barbarian 7), a fierce g u a r d i a n of the Shadow Marches.

lords. These individuals can serve as guides to Thelanis (and perhaps other planes), but they c a n n o t always be trusted; their motives are as mysterious as the fey themselves.

THE GREENSINGERS "You say you love me? You love me as you love the spring rain—but can you still love the torrent? Can you love the hurricane?"

T h e G r e e n s i n g e r s i n t h e World "Ah, the Greensingers. Often overlooked, but never wisely."

—Kaelyn Windsong, G r e e n s i n g e r

—The Great D r u i d O a l i a n

In the Towering Wood stands a region known as the Twilight Demesne—a place of fey magic, where dryads watch from the trees and satyrs dance in m o o n l i t groves. H e r e , the borders between E b e r r o n and the faerie realm are t h i n ; step into a shadow, and you might slip t h r o u g h to the other side. If the Twilight Demesne is the marriage of Eberron and Thelanis, the G r e e n s i n g e r s are the fruit of this u n i o n . T h e members of this sect are filled with the vibrant energy of the fey, and chaos is in their very essence. To Greensingers, life is a wild dance and a celebration to be embraced, but they are not buffoons or jesters. G r e e n s i n g e r s are always willing to pull strings to make the dance more interesting. T h o u g h some try to spread joy and laughter, the fey can be cruel, and the Greensingers m i r r o r this capriciousness. While some Greensingers learn the traditions of the sect in E b e r r o n , many have a closer b o n d to T h e l a n i s , the Faerie C o u r t . T h e lords of T h e l a n i s draw courtiers and entertainers from E b e r r o n , and many Greensingers spend time in the halls of the Faerie C o u r t before r e t u r n i n g to Eberron to act as ambassadors, servants, and spies for the fey

T h e G r e e n s i n g e r s are u n u s u a l in that the sect consists largely of half-elves (nearly o n e - h a l f their n u m b e r ) , elves, and h u m a n s , with few shifters among t h e m . They are concentrated in the Twilight Demesne, t h r i v i n g in the woods linked to T h e l a n i s by the manifest zone there. T h e G r e e n s i n g e r s have no leader and no fixed communities. They may seem flighty and u n r e l i a b l e , but they consider themselves unfettered by the rigid ways of t h i n k i n g that bind others so tightly. All m e m b e r s have an equal voice whenever they gather. A m o n g the more influential and colorful Greensingers is Silvertongue (CN male elf d r u i d 12). A master of deception and a lover of riddles, he is the oldest living m e m b e r of the sect, his original n a m e long forgotten. Kaelyn W i n d song ( C N female half-elf d r u i d 7/bard 3) is renowned for her beautiful voice and her cruel jests. Dorias Brightblade (NG male half-elf r a n g e r 4 / d r u i d 1) is a h a n d s o m e i n d i vidual held in high favor in the Faerie C o u r t . T h o r n Dancer (CN female shifter r a n g e r 5/Eldeen r a n g e r 3) is one of the few shifters in the sect, a wild and u n t a m e d spirit.

SPIRIT SHAMANS Described in Complete Divine, spirit shamans are divine Spellcasters with a close connection to the spirits of the natural world. In the Eldeen Reaches, they are viewed as closely related to druids, and they belong to the same sects as the druids and rangers of the Reaches. Spirit shamans are most

likely to join the Gatekeepers, the G r e e n s i n g e r s , or the Wardens of the Wood. A spirit shaman can effectively spontaneously cast summon nature's ally spells for the purpose of meeting feat and prestige class prerequisites.

EVERYDAY MAGIC A LAND STEEPED IN MAGIC Magic breathes life i n t o K h o r v a i r e . It moves the wheels of i n d u s t r y and serves as an aid to the c o m m o n folk, a tool of the wealthy, a weapon for soldiers, and a source of power for adventurers. Everyone on E b e r r o n knows what magic is and recognizes it on sight. Indeed, magic is p a r t of the everyday lives of K h o r v a i r e ' s people. It s u p plies t h e m with t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , with healing, with light, and for some, a way to make a living. E b e r r o n is suffused with magic more thoroughly than most worlds, with all the attendant ramifications. Low-level Spellcasters are plentiful in K h o r v a i r e . A n individual seeking a 0-level or 1st-level spell might not have to look hard to find it. In some places, competition in spellcasting might allow a buyer to purchase a spell more cheaply t h a n n o r m a l . T h e a b u n d a n c e of m i n o r Spellcasters also leads to a great deal of e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n . Magewrights and o t h e r casters t i n k e r with t h e i r spells, devising new a n d v a r i a n t forms for specific uses. M u l t i p l e v a r i ants of prestidigitation have b e e n devised, usually m o r e focused t h a n the basic spell from which they are derived. Chefs use it to flavor t h e i r dishes, weavers to coax impossible designs i n t o t h e i r cloth, a n d nobles to i m p r e s s or seduce the unwary. R u m o r s tell of m a g e w r i g h t s who have developed specialized magecraft spells, g r a n t i n g g r e a t e r b e n e f i t s on specific Craft checks. T h e people of K h o r v a i r e see magic as a n o t h e r form of knowledge or scholastic discipline—a w o n d r o u s and powerful discipline, certainly, but still one that can be u n d e r s t o o d and utilized by people m a k i n g their way in the world. B u d d i n g magewrights, wizards, and artificers attend schools to hone their natural talents. Artificers in p a r t i c u l a r u n d e r s t a n d the f u n d a m e n t a l workings of magic, and the world's best artificers strive to uncover more of its secrets. They trap power in items, create animated g u a r d i a n s , and f u r t h e r increase their own abilities. M i n o r magic helps cities keep peace on their streets. T h e everbright lanterns that line most boulevards keep the night at bay and help prevent crime. Squads of city guard have m e m b e r s with access to prestidigitation or ghost sound, who use those spells in lieu of a whistle to alert their comrades. Such spells allow for a wide r a n g e of s o u n d s and tones, and some cities develop sound codes that allow the watch to instantly u n d e r s t a n d a given s i t u a t i o n . A r t i f i c e r s create watch whistles to f u r t h e r utilize this concept. These magic items resemble n o r m a l whistles but have several mouthpieces, each of which produces a different sound. Some brave magewrights and low-level sorcerers, wizards, artificers, and bards make a living by h i r i n g themselves out to a d v e n t u r e r s to serve as m i n o r magical s u p p o r t . They r e m a i n at the r e a r of an advent u r i n g g r o u p , u s i n g t h e i r spells to light the way, check for traps, set up ambushes, and staunch bleeding, so that the a d v e n t u r i n g Spellcasters can focus on combat magic. T h e s e h i r e l i n g s congregate in areas that draw adventurers—particularly S h a r n , the s e t t l e m e n t s a r o u n d the M o u r n land, and S t o r m r e a c h . They make it part of their business to know about the d u n g e o n s to which a d v e n t u r e r s are likely to j o u r n e y . Grandma— S h a r n is more amazing than I ever thought! T h e towers are so tall that even when you lie on your back you can't see their tops. People walk from tower to tower on bridges or take coaches that fly t h r o u g h the air! Men of metal and wood wander around—warforged from the Last War—and act like they're real people. L a n t e r n s that never go out light the streets. Rich men and women have clothes that s h i m mer. G r a n d m a , the city is full of magic! O h , what tales I'll have to tell when I get back!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 5: Magic p e r m e a t e s t h e society of K h o r v a i r e . Any settlement has at least a few m i n o r casters. A r t i s a n s study as magewrights to e n h a n c e t h e i r skills. D C 10: M a g e w r i g h t s i m p r o v e t h e i r prowess with the magecraft spell. They produce h i g h e r - q u a l i t y wares in less time t h a n artisans without access to the spell. Artificers focus on magic's f u n d a m e n t a l n a t u r e and are adept at creating and using magic items. D C 15: Magic enhances t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and has produced the l i g h t n i n g rail, e l e m e n t a l galleons, a n d a i r s h i p s . It also allows people to send messages over long distances. Knowledge (geography) DC 15 : S h a r n is the most magically spectacular city in Khorvaire, with m i l e high towers held aloft using magic. DC 20: T h e most famous schools of magic are the A r c a n e Congress in A u n d a i r and the Twelve in K a r r n a t h . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10: Dragonmarks enable their b e a r ers to use m i n o r spells. These abilities explain why the dragonmarked houses hold such power in E b e r r o n . D C 15: Several types of d r a g o n m a r k s exist, and they vary in power. D r a g o n m a r k s evolve over t i m e , b e c o m i n g m o r e p o w e r f u l a n d g r a n t i n g new abilities to their b e a r e r s . Knowledge (the planes) DC 10: In some places, artificers, magewrights, a n d o t h e r casters use links to the planes to e n h a n c e their spells and create works otherwise impossible. DC 15 : A n example of this p h e n o m e n o n is Sharn, whose towers could not rise to their majestic heights if the city was not linked to Syrania, the Azure Sky. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 10: A u r e o n of the Sovereign Host is the p a t r o n of knowledge and a r c a n e magic. Spellcasters worship h i m . A u r e o n ' s evil half, the Shadow, also c o m m a n d s followers a m o n g a r c a n e Spellcasters. O n a t a r of the Sovereign Host is the god of artifice. T h o s e who create magic items or use magic to create objects, especially a r t i f i c e r s and magewrights, worship h i m .

THE MANY FACES OF THE ARTIFICER Artificers have many s t r e n g t h s , and p e r h a p s the greatest is their versatility. If you are playing an artificer, you can fill any one of n u m e r o u s roles in an a d v e n t u r i n g party, allowing you a great d e g r e e of flexibility a n d e n a b l i n g you to fill in the gaps if y o u r p a r t y lacks m e m b e r s of certain classes. You can be a p o t e n t melee c o m b a t a n t , p a r t i c u l a r l y when fighting constructs. Your base attack bonus increases as the same rate as a cleric's, and you can f u r t h e r increase your d a m a g e - d e a l i n g potential with infusions such as magic weapon, personal weapon augmentation, and bull's strength. T h e various inflict damage spells make you more effective t h a n a fighter against constructs. Every party can use a character to draw attacks and soak up damage, and in the right circumstances you can do just that—for instance, if you are a warforged and can cast stone construct on yourself, or if you can send in a h o m u n c u l u s with the same protection. O t h e r w i s e , you don't have a lot of hit points, so make sure the enemy can't hit you. Wear a r m o r and improve it with armor enhancement and magic vestment. When the cleric is down or otherwise busy, you can play healer for a while, using your wand of cure moderate wounds. If the party includes warforged or construct allies (like your own homunculi), patch t h e m up with repair construct. If your party is missing a rogue, you can take his place— at least, you can seek out and disable magic traps, which is one of the rogue's p r i m a r y responsibilities. Be sure to put a lot of ranks into Search and Disable Device. If you want to sneak a r o u n d like a rogue, find, buy, or craft magic items Artificer's Monocle that grant you invisibility and silence. An artificer's monocle allows you to identify the functions of a Is your party lacking a sorcerer or wizard? Never fear; magic item simply by looking at it through this device. with you a r o u n d , the party has a wizard-in-a-stick. T u r n to D e s c r i p t i o n : An artificer's monocle is a glass lens rimmed magic items to replace arcane Spellcasters. Wands, staves, in gold with a fine gold chain attached to an ear clip. When it scrolls, rods—they're all yours to c o m m a n d . is used, the monocle flashes gold and a huge blue eye blinks A r t i f i c e r s also p r o v i d e a variety of m i s c e l l a n e o u s open, scanning the item before it. magical support. They can identify magic items and create Prerequisite: You must have the artificer knowledge weapons, armor, and other items for themselves and their class feature to use an artificer's monocle. c o m p a n i o n s . W i t h your r e t a i n essence ability, you'll Activation: Putting on a monocle is a standard action. never find an item you can't use. Even if you don't Once you have it on, the monocle activates whenever take one of the p r i m a r y roles noted above, you you use your artificer knowledge class feature. can serve as a valuable backup c o m b a t a n t , Effect: While you wear an artificer's monocle, healer, trapfinder, and spellcaster. whenever you successfully use your artificer knowledge ability to detect an item's ARTIFICER MAGIC magical aura, you can spend I additional minute studying the item. If you do, you Explorers have discovered a n u m b e r of old can identify the powers of that item as if magic items in X e n ' d r i k . Some of these items you had cast identify upon it. hint that beings s i m i l a r to artificers existed A u r a / C a s t e r Level: Faint divination. in the a n c i e n t past, since the items improve CL5th. an artificer's distinctive abilities. Similarly, Construction: Craft Wondrous Item, idenartificers are an inventive lot and develop magic tify, creator must have the artificer knowledge items to f u r t h e r capitalize on t h e i r capabilities. class feature, 9,500 gp, 760 XP. 19 days. One of the most useful, the artificer's m o n o c l e , An artificer's Price: 19,000 gp. is described h e r e . monocle

THE FIVE NATIONS HEIRS OF GALIFAR Although K h o r v a i r e now contains no fewer than fourteen different countries, principalities, and territories (not to m e n t i o n the desolate M o u r n land and the D e m o n Wastes), the vast central r e g i o n of the c o n t i n e n t is still referred to as the Five Nations by a great many people. For most of the last t h o u s a n d years, this n a m e was not a confusing m o n i k e r but the literal t r u t h . Five nations held sway over the majority of the land—the five nations that made up the K i n g d o m of Galifar. T h e calendar used t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e counts years from the date 1 Y K (the first Year of the K i n g d o m ) , when Galifar I u n i t e d five disparate nations into a single k i n g d o m that carried his n a m e . Even as Galifar ascended the t h r o n e of the K i n g d o m of Galifar, he set his five c h i l d r e n up as the g o v e r n o r - p r i n c e s of the Five Nations, each of which r e t a i n e d much of its u n i q u e c u l t u r e and n a t i o n a l identity t h r o u g h the life of the u n i t e d k i n g d o m . Today, they r e m a i n the h e a r t of K h o r v a i r e , c a r r y i n g the n a m e s of Galifar's c h i l d r e n despite conquest, u n i f i c a t i o n , and the devastating effects of the Last War. T h e history of the Five Nations is covered in more detail in the e n t r i e s on History (page 76) and the Last War (page 92). In t h e o r y at least, the Five N a t i o n s once covered all of K h o r vaire. I n reality, the D e m o n Wastes, the Shadow M a r c h e s , D r o a a m , Q ' b a r r a , the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s , a n d Valenar—all the l a n d s that lie far beyond the c e n t r a l core of Khorvaire—were never solidly u n d e r Galifar's c o n t r o l . Maps of the u n i t e d Galifar from a r o u n d 500 Y K (see the facing page) show these lands as parts of the Five N a t i o n s , but the reality is that Cyre never had a s t r o n g presence in what is now Valenar, for example. Some of the f r o n t i e r areas had scattered s e t t l e m e n t s (such as what is now p r e s e n t - d a y V a l e n a r and the Shadow M a r c h e s ) , while others were home to m o n s t r o u s races u n t i l relatively recently ( i n c l u d i n g Q ' b a r r a and D r o a a m ) . A u n d a i r lies in the northwestern part of Khorvaire's central core. Today, it is the most sparsely populated of the r e m a i n i n g four nations, with much of its land occupied by farms and vineyards. Fairhaven, its capital and largest city, is less than half the size of S h a r n , and A u n d a i r in general is far less u r b a n i z e d and i n d u s t r i a l t h a n Breland and the other nations. As a center of l e a r n i n g , it exports books and scholars alongside its wines, cheeses, and grains. Breland, the largest surviving nation in population as well as land area, has a highly i n d u s t r i a l i z e d economy, relying on m i n i n g and metalwork

SAMURAI I n t r o d u c e d in Complete Warrior, samurai are devotees of a martial tradition that emphasizes h o n o r and loyalty. In the final decades of the Last War, a movement grew up—particularly among certain mercenary companies—to abandon national loyalty and any pretense of allegiance to a united Galifar. Advocates of the movement devoted themselves instead to individual m e m b e r s of Galifar's ancient noble families, whom they consider to be the only legitimate heirs to the e m p i r e . T h i s movement, called the Code of Honorable Devotion, is said to have its roots in the political philosophy of the dwarves of the M r o r Holds. Followers of the C o d e , called samurai, are most c o m m o n a m o n g the displaced r e m n a n t s of Cyre, and they can also be found a m o n g the military o r d e r s of A u n d a i r , B r e l a n d , T h r a n e , and K a r r n a t h , as well as a m o n g the people of Q ' b a r r a . Dwarves from the M r o r Holds also devote themselves to the samurai t r a d i t i o n .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: " T h e Five N a t i o n s " refers to A u n d a i r , B r e l a n d , Cyre, K a r r n a t h , and T h r a n e — t h e five provinces that became the K i n g d o m of Galifar. D C 15: T h e Last War c h a n g e d t h e b o u n d a r i e s of n a t i o n s a n d c r e ated f o u r t e e n d i s t i n c t t e r r i t o r i e s : Aundair, Breland, Thrane, K a r r n a t h , Z i l a r g o , t h e M r o r H o l d s , the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s , the T a l e n t a P l a i n s , Q ' b a r r a , Valenar, D a r g u u n , Droaam, the Eldeen Reaches, and the Shadow Marches. Knowledge (history) D C 10: K i n g G a l i f a r I u n i t e d t h e five h u m a n n a t i o n s t h a t had previously d o m i n a t e d central K h o r v a i r e , giving rise to the K i n g d o m of Galifar in the year 1 Y K . DC 15: In theory, the K i n g d o m of G a l ifar encompassed the c o n t i n e n t , but in practice it had little c o n t r o l over the r e m o t e s t r e g i o n s . T h e D e m o n Wastes was n e v e r u n d e r G a l i f a r ' s c o n t r o l , a n d the r e g i o n s t h a t now c o n s t i t u t e the Shadow M a r c h e s , the E l d e e n Reaches, D a r g u u n , Valenar, Q ' b a r r a , a n d L h a z a a r were o n l y n o m i n a l l y ruled by the m o n a r c h s of Galifar. T h e central region is most properly known as the Five Nations, and it constituted the power base of the k i n g d o m . Knowledge (local) D C 10: Most c i t i z e n s of A u n d a i r , Breland, K a r r n a t h , and T h r a n e look back on the time of a u n i t e d Galifar as s o m e t h i n g of a golden age, and to speak of the Five Nations is to evoke a nostalgia for that time. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10 : T h e royal line of K i n g Galifar I is the W y n a r n family. D C 15: T h e c u r r e n t m o n a r c h s of A u n dair, B r e l a n d , and K a r r n a t h are all m e m b e r s of the W y n a r n family, as are D i a n i of T h r a n e and Oargev, the leader of New Cyre. D C 20: D i a n i of T h r a n e a n d O a r g e v of New Cyre are the h e i r s of the r o y a l b l o o d l i n e s of T h r a n e a n d C y r e , respectively.

of various k i n d s . Despite the u r b a n image it presents— primarily because of S h a r n ( K h o r v a i r e ' s largest city) and the bustling metropolis of its capital, Wroat - Breland covers large tracts of land that include tilled fields as well as mines, quarries, and forests. K a r r n a t h rivals B r e l a n d in sheer size, but can hardly compete in n u m b e r s of p e o p l e . K a r r n a t h suffered u n d e r plague a n d f a m i n e at the start of the Last War a n d has never quite recovered. It is best known for its m i l i t a r i s t i c mindset and extensive use of u n d e a d t r o o p s . For all that, it is not a n a t i o n of n e c r o m a n c e r s . Because the n a t i o n is heavily forested, K a r r n a t h ' s economy is based on its lumber i n d u s t r y , a n d it also e x p o r t s ale, livestock, and dairy p r o d u c t s . T h r a n e , the smallest of the Five Nations in land area, boasts a p o p u l a t i o n larger t h a n that of A u n d a i r . T h r a n e is a theocracy, no longer ruled by a descendant of Galifar but controlled by the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame. Outside the great cities of Flamekeep and Thaliost, orchards and ranches help s u p p o r t the nation's economy, while textile production and other fine crafts drive its industry. Cyre, the fifth n a t i o n t h a t c a r r i e d the n a m e of a scion of Galifar, no longer exists. T h e outlying lands that once b e l o n g e d to Cyre have b e e n divided a m o n g D a r guun, Valenar, and the T a l e n t a P l a i n s , while the f o r m e r heart of the n a t i o n has b e c o m e the blasted waste called the M o u r n l a n d (see page 116). C r e a t e d by a magical catastrophe n e a r the e n d of the Last War, the M o u r n l a n d remains hostile to all life. T h e r e m n a n t s of the C y r a n population live in its old t e r r i t o r i e s , as well as in e a s t e r n Breland and Q ' b a r r a .

Although only four nations r e m a i n of the original five (and with some of those p a r t i t i o n e d into smaller kingdoms now), the n a m e still carries a powerful e m o t i o n a l weight. Few living people have any memory of a u n i t e d Galifar, but "the Five Nations" evokes images of a better time, when the diverse cultures of Khorvaire lived in harmony and cooperated to their mutual benefit. "By the Five Nations! " remains a c o m m o n exclamation of surprise or i n d i g n a t i o n , and the people who once lived u n d e r the rule of Galifar's heirs still consider themselves residents of the Five Nations.

FIVE RULERS K i n g Galifar I established a royal line that continues to rule parts of K h o r v a i r e to the present day. W h e n Galifar united the Five N a t i o n s , he gave each of his five eldest c h i l d r e n regency over one of those n a t i o n s , and t h i r t y years later the nations adopted the names of those r u l e r s as their own. While the K i n g d o m of Galifar e n d u r e d , the rule of succession was that the five c h i l d r e n of the king of Galifar would serve as the g o v e r n o r - p r i n c e s of the Five Nations, with the oldest t a k i n g the t h r o n e of the u n i t e d k i n g d o m when the m o n a r c h stepped aside or passed away. I n this way, every r u l e r of the united kingdom would learn leadership at the helm of one of the Five Nations. With the s h a t t e r i n g of the k i n g d o m , each g o v e r n o r p r i n c e declared h i m s e l f or herself to be a m o n a r c h , and today the m o n a r c h i e s of A u n d a i r , Breland, and K a r r n a t h are held by specific branches of the Galifar family. T h r a n e , now a theocracy, still has a royal family that traces its lineage to the last m o n a r c h of the nation, and the bloodline of Cyre operates in exile within the borders of Breland.

FROSTFELL AND EVERICE NORTH AND SOUTH T h e n o r t h e r n c o n t i n e n t called the Frostfell sits astride the top of the world like a b r o o d i n g storm cloud. T h e people of K h o r v a i r e , in addition to u s i n g its descriptive p r o p e r n a m e , call it Winter's H o m e , the Source of W i n d s , and the Icy H e a r t of W i n t e r . O n l y one e x p e d i t i o n has made landfall on the Frostfell and r e t u r n e d to K h o r v a i r e to tell the tale. T h e j o u r n e y was led by Lord B o r o m a n ir'Dayne of the Wayfinder F o u n d a t i o n , who is said to be very interested in m o u n t i n g a second expedition to the frozen land he visited long ago. T h e Frostfell is a c o n t i n e n t a l l a n d m a s s , with a variety of t e r r a i n features p r o v i d i n g diversity despite the u n e n d i n g cold. T h e Iceworm Peaks, a m o u n t a i n r a n g e cloaked in g r e a t glaciers, bisects the c o n t i n e n t . B a r r e n p l a i n s of ever frost nestle in m o u n t a i n valleys where snow rarely falls, while ice sheets cover h u n d r e d s of miles on e i t h e r side of the m o u n t a i n s . N e a r the coast, t u n d r a p r e v a i l s , a n d in the s u m m e r t i m e , l i c h e n s grow as the g r o u n d thaws briefly before p l u n g i n g back i n t o frigid w i n t e r . T h e frost-covered l a n d s closer to K h o r v a i r e are slightly more accessible, p a r t i c u l a r l y in the s u m m e r . T h e n o r t h e r n m o s t islands of the Lhazaar Principalities at the eastern end of K h o r v a i r e are draped in perpetual winter. Similarly, off the northwest coast of K h o r v a i r e lies Icewhite Island with its three c h i l d r e n - Tlalusk (the s o u t h e r n m o s t , nearest the D e m o n Wastes), Q p r r a s h i , and Icegaunt (the n o r t h e r n m o s t , between Icewhite and the Frostfell p r o p e r ) . M a p m a k e r s c o n s i d e r these islands part of the Frostfell r a t h e r t h a n K h o r v a i r e . All are t u n d r a , though more vegetation grows on Tlalusk and the s o u t h e r n end of Icewhite. Little is known of the opposite end of the world, but it is believed to be just as cold as the Frostfell. T h e Icemaw Sea south of the X e n ' d r i k m a i n land is dotted with snow-covered islands and floating icebergs. A c c o r d i n g to the reports of those few sailors who have braved the Icemaw, the farther south one sails, the m o r e the sea b e g i n s to solidify i n t o one great sheet of ice. It is believed that islands are scattered across the s o u t h e r n ocean, some of t h e m possibly quite large, but they are all swallowed in the sheet of e t e r n a l ice that lies t h e r e . T h i s region is known as Everice, or simply the Frozen Sea. Magical snow effects—including blood snow, ebony ice, faerie frost, and razor ice (all described in Frostburn)—appear occasionally in the Frostfell but seem m o r e c o m m o n in Everice. Both r e g i o n s c o n t a i n manifest zones linked to Risia, the Plain of Ice.

RACES OF THE FROSTFELL Frostburn i n t r o d u c e s a n u m b e r of new c h a r a c t e r races, i n c l u d i n g arctic variations on dwarves, elves, g n o m e s , halflings, and h u m a n s ( n e a n d e r thals as well as four m o d e r n h u m a n peoples native to cold lands). Each of these new races can be found in E b e r r o n ' s coldest regions. H u m a n s : T h e sea r a i d e r s of the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s are cold seafarers like those described in Frostburn. They are known to replace their ships with i c e r u n n e r s d u r i n g the winter m o n t h s , particularly in the farthest n o r t h e r n reaches of the Bitter Sea. Tribes of everfrost b a r b a r i a n s live on the T a s h a n a T u n d r a at the n o r t h e r n end of Sarlona, on Icewhite Island off the northwest coast of K h o r v a i r e , and on the islands in X e n ' d r i k ' s Icemaw Sea. T h e S a r l o n a n tribes are true nomads, trailing herds of caribou on their seasonal migrat i o n s . T h e i s l a n d - d w e l l e r s are s e m i n o m a d i c , b u i l d i n g s e t t l e m e n t s in different sites as the seasons change. M o u n t a i n folk live in the n o r t h e r n H o a r f r o s t M o u n t a i n s , where they coexist in relative peace with the dwarves of the M r o r H o l d s . They also live in the m o u n t a i n s of A d a r in Sarlona, u n d e r the p r o t e c t i o n of the kalashtar.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e n o r t h e r n m o s t r e a c h e s of t h e world c o n t a i n a g r e a t snows h r o u d e d c o n t i n e n t called the Frostfell. D C 15 : A few groups of h u m a n s live on this b a r r e n land, with slightly larger p o p u l a t i o n s on the outlying frozen islands and the cold reaches of K h o r vaire and Sarlona. DC 17: T h e southernmost reaches of the world, no less cold t h a n the n o r t h , hold a great sea choked with ice called Everice, or the Frozen Sea. D C 20 : T h e Frostfell i n c l u d e s a variety of t e r r a i n , i n c l u d i n g a great m o u n t a i n r a n g e ( t h e I c e w o r m Peaks), ice sheets, glaciers, and t u n d r a . Knowledge (history) D C 20: Some h i s t o r i a n s claim that the race of dwarves m i g r a t e d from the Frostfell to K h o r v a i r e some twelve t h o u s a n d years ago, e s t a b l i s h i n g s t r o n g h o l d s in K h y b e r before later moving to the surface in what is now the M r o r Holds. Knowledge (nature) DC 15: T h e t u n d r a areas of the Frostfell e x p e r i e n c e some seasonal c h a n g e , thawing in the s u m m e r , whereas most of the area is cold y e a r - r o u n d . D C 2 0 : A race of s m a l l fey k n o w n as u l d r a s live i n t h e far n o r t h , p a r ticularly in the cold m o u n t a i n s of the Eldeen Reaches and the cold islands northwest of K h o r v a i r e . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: T h e savage people of the frozen n o r t h give t h e i r own names to the Sovereign Host and the Dark Six. D C 20: They call Dol A r r a h by the name A e n g r i s t and p i c t u r e h e r as a male warrior. They call Olladra by the name of Hleid, and her son the Keeper they call her b r o t h e r I b o r i g h u . D C 25: Some residents of the Frostfell revere an ancient rakshasa who is said to have been imprisoned in a block of ice at the end of the Age of D e m o n s . Now called L e v i s t u s , t h i s a n c i e n t fiend supposedly once broke his bonds and wreaked havoc on the settlements of the Frostfell before r e t u r n i n g to his icy p r i s o n .

Ice folk dwell in the Frostfell and on Everice, subsisting on the fish, seals, and whales they h u n t on the frozen coasts and ice sheets. Many groups of ice folk have no contact whatsoever with the natives of w a r m e r climes, while a few clans trade with the peoples of K h o r v a i r e or Sarlona. Dwarves: T h e race of dwarves is s o m e t i m e s said to have originated in the Frostfell and migrated to K h o r v a i r e some twelve t h o u s a n d years ago. Some dwarves r e m a i n e d b e h i n d in t h e Frostfell, however. T h e s e glacier dwarves are called T o l d u n N o r d o r t h a k , " T h o s e W h o Stayed," since they c o n t i n u e to i n h a b i t the frozen keeps a n d glacial s t r o n g h o l d s . Elves: T h e g l i m m e r i n g cities of the snow elves seem now to be all fallen. O n the islands of the Icemaw Sea, the ruins of these ice cities r e m a i n , suggesting that some elves fled to the freezing south to escape their giant masters, but did not survive to the present day. Snow elves may yet exist in Everice, but n o e x p l o r e r has r e t u r n e d with evidence of t h e m . Gnomes: T h e gnomes of E b e r r o n are most at home in the tropical climate of Zilargo. It is possible that small villages of ice gnomes dwell in remote regions of the Frostfell, but they r e m a i n u n k n o w n to the rest of the world. H a l f l i n g s : S m a l l c o m m u n i t i e s of t u n d r a h a l f l i n g s are known to exist in p a r t s of the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s , particularly the r e g i o n a r o u n d S k a i r n i n the n o r t h e r n mainland. These halflings are more closely related to those of the Talenta Plains in their cultures and attitudes than to the more u r b a n halflings of K h o r v a i r e , and are known to ride fastieths and white-feathered clawfoots. Neanderthals: These primitive h u m a n s coexist uneasily with the everfrost b a r b a r i a n s of Icewhite Island and the folk of the Frostfell. U l d r a s : T h e s e small fey dwell in cold w i l d e r n e s s areas, m a i n l y the I c e h o r n M o u n t a i n s a n d the s m a l l e r islands n e a r Icewhite I s l a n d . U l d r a s reject t h e i d e n tification of H l e i d and I b o r i g h u w i t h O l l a d r a a n d the

K e e p e r . T h e y believe these deities have objective reality and t h e i r own h i s t o r i e s , which are vitally i m p o r t a n t in the u l d r a s ' society.

FROSTFELL GODS AND FIENDS Some of the deities described in Chapter 2 of Frostburn are revered in the frozen regions of Eberron, but people from the civilized lands of Khorvaire believe that the "savages" of the north (and the distant south) have simply given their own names to the deities of the Sovereign Host. Thus, Aengrist is said to be a name for Dol Arrah in a masculine aspect. Hleid and Iborighu are identified as Olladra and the Keeper, with the mother—son relationship distorted into a sibling relationship. Levistus is not an imprisoned archdevil, but rather one of the great rakshasa rajahs defeated at the end of the Age of D e m o n s . T h e war between dragons and fiends raged over the entire surface of Eberron, and Levistus (as he is now known) was imprisoned beneath the surface of the Frostfell. Levistus is served by a particularly active sect of the Lords of Dust. Legend tells that this powerful

fiend actually did once slip his bonds, briefly wreaking havoc on the Frostfell before b e i n g imprisoned again. That brief taste of freedom makes him loathe his impriso n m e n t all the more, and encourages his followers—if Levistus was freed once, he can be again. It was during this brief period of freedom that the rajah acquired his m o d e r n name. His o r i g i n a l name is lost to history—or a closely guarded secret. T h e iceberg city of Icerazer, described in Chapter 7 of Frostburn, is governed by followers of Levistus. Its population includes a number of rakshasas rather than devils, but the city is otherwise as described in the book. Azediel. the half-fiend Matriarch of Icerazer, seeks tirelessly to find the Crown of the Black Fire, a mighty artifact dating from the great war between the dragons and the fiends. (See Remnants of Creation, page 31, for more information.)

GNOMES THE HOME OF THE WISE A beautiful nation lies between the eastern b o r d e r s of Breland and the western edge of the Seawall M o u n t a i n s . T h e r e , lush forests are i n t e r spersed with verdant farmlands. T h e cities are bright and colorful, and the citizens always have time to help a stranger or lend a friendly ear. T h i s land is Zilargo, the h o m e l a n d of the gnomes. Zil g n o m e s are d r i v e n by an u n q u e n c h a b l e t h i r s t for knowledge, from a r c a n e secrets to the most m u n d a n e gossip. As a r e s u l t , Zilargo p r o d u c e s many famed sages a n d p h i l o s o p h e r s . T h e L i b r a r y of K o r r a n b e r g is r e n o w n e d as the greatest repository of general knowledge in K h o r v a i r e , and t h e associated university attracts s t u d e n t s from across the c o n t i n e n t . While A r c a n i x and the Twelve might exceed Zilargo when it comes to m a t t e r s of mystical r e s e a r c h , the g n o m e s have n o equals in the fields of alchemy a n d e l e m e n t a l b i n d i n g . T h e g n o m e s also have a long h i s t o r y of e x p l o r a t i o n , and sea c a p t a i n s rely on the maps of Zil c a r t o g r a p h e r s . However, this love of knowledge has a dark side. To the g n o m e s , any secret is a weapon, no m a t t e r how i n n o c e n t it might seem. Physically weak, the g n o m e s have always r e l i e d on knowledge and c u n n i n g to overcome t h e i r foes, and the compassionate g n o m e who stops to listen to your woes is likely d o i n g so in the h o p e that your secrets might be of use to h i m . Two d i s t i n c t forces shape Zil society: family loyalty and the T r u s t . T h e bond of blood is intensely i m p o r t a n t to a g n o m e . In a nation where m a n i p u l a t i o n and duplicity are considered to be fine arts, gnomes trust only their blood relatives implicitly (and the betrayal of a close relative is considered a truly h e i n o u s crime). These extended families stretch across Zilargo and into the major cities of K h o r v a i r e . As a Zil player character, t h i n k about your c o n n e c t i o n to your family. If you are an outcast, what did you do? If you are a loyal member, you can expect to be approached by other members of your family and drawn into intrigues—though as you begin to earn favors, you can also call on your family for aid.

THE TRUST To the casual observer, a Zil city is a p a r a d i s e , with v i r t u a l l y no c r i m e , no violence, and no sign of fear a m o n g the i n h a b i t a n t s . T h e city watch is far s m a l l e r t h a n one would find in o t h e r cities in K h o r v a i r e , but it is rarely seen t a k i n g a c t i o n . Ruffians and c r i m i n a l s who make t h e i r p r e s e n c e k n o w n are removed from the p o p u l a c e by m e a n s b o t h subtle and effective. T h i s u n i q u e mode of law and order is the work of the Trust, a network of spies and assassins that has operated for more than eight h u n d r e d years. T h e Trust serves Zilargo, but even the r u l i n g Triumvirate does not know all its secrets. Agents of the T r u s t hold the full power of law in Zilargo, and their methods are ruthless: A would-be thief might be poisoned in a tavern even while p l a n n i n g a robbery. T h e T r u s t , and in t r u t h the gove r n m e n t and populace of Zilargo, decided that the moral concerns about such practices are offset by the societal benefit they p r o d u c e . It can be difficult—not to m e n t i o n unwise—to argue the point. Most members of the Trust work entirely within Zilargo. T h e organization focuses on m a i n t a i n i n g o r d e r within Zil society, and it exerts little influence or effort beyond Zilargo's b o r d e r s . However, a b r a n c h of the Trust consists of agents called corliganos, or "roving ears," who traverse K h o r v a i r e in search of a n y t h i n g that could prove useful to Zilargo. Usually, this means g a t h e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n , but corliganos also acquire powerful magic items, secure key allies, r e c r u i t new agents, and use their c u n n i n g to find a benefit for Zilargo in everything they come across. By and large, the T r u s t seems to be free of the c o r r u p t i o n often seen when power is c o n c e n t r a t e d in so few h a n d s . To date, no scandals have rocked the Trust, and no large-scale atrocities have been ascribed to it.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: Zilargo is the peaceful homeland of the gnomes, who prefer diplomacy to war. It is a center for philosophy a n d t h e p u r s u i t of k n o w l e d g e . T h e g n o m e s a r e r e n o w n e d as m i n e r s , shipwrights, and cartographers. D C 15: Villages a n d small towns are scattered across the l a n d , b u t t h r e e major cities dominate Zilargo. Zolanberg is the heart of the m i n i n g trade. K o r r a n b e r g is the h o m e of the great Library of K o r r a n b e r g . T r o l a n p o r t is the capital and a center of sea trade. D C 20: Zilargo is governed by a t r i u m virate with o n e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e from each of the great cities. It is said that the T r i u m v i r a t e has a secret police force that m a i n t a i n s o r d e r t h r o u g h out the l a n d a n d m i g h t have spies across K h o r v a i r e . Knowledge (local) D C 10: Z i l a r g o has a r e m a r k a b l y low crime rate, despite having no c r i m i nal c o u r t s . C r i m i n a l s a n d t r o u b l e makers simply disappear. D C 15: T h e T r u s t is a secret police force that m a i n t a i n s order in Zilargo using spies scattered a m o n g the populace. It has the authority to take any action necessary to preserve the peace. Knowledge (nature) D C 15: T h e gem mines of Zilargo are the greatest source of precious stones in K h o r v a i r e . However, the m o n s t e r infested Seawall M o u n t a i n s m a k e m i n i n g perilous. Knowledge (nobility a n d royalty) D C 10: House Sivis has its seat of power in K o r r a n b e r g . Due to the strong ties between the houses and the m i n e r a l wealth of the land, House K u n d a r a k also has a strong presence in Zilargo. D C 15: T h e gnomes have a long t r a d i tion of hospitality, a n d a racial gift for p r e s t i d i g i t a t i o n magic t h a t they have adapted to c u l i n a r y a n d social e n d s . As a result, H o u s e G h a l l a n d a has little presence in Zilargo. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 10: All major religions can be found in Zilargo, along with a few cults based on gnome philosophies. Gnomes take religion quite seriously.

THE LIBRARY OF KORRANBERG "Knowledge is power. Dorius Alyre ir'Korran knew this, though he sought mythic power beyond mortal reach. I am content with the power my knowledge has brought me."

—Alina A l r e n e i r ' K o r r a n , high councilor of the Library of K o r r a n b e r g Founded by a gnome so obsessed with learning that he believed he could supplant the god of knowledge, the Library of Korranberg is one of Khorvaire's most important centers of learning. Lacking the arcane focus of the Twelve or the Arcane Congress and the educational emphasis of the great universities, the Library of K o r r a n b e r g is nevertheless a repository, a treasury, and a living collection of everything that can be known—at least as far as the gnomes have been able to assemble it. Like the universities, the Library of K o r r a n b e r g educates students, and it is well respected as a place of learning. Like the arcane institutes, much of its knowledge is magical in nature, but the library i n s t r u c t o r s are dedicated to the study of every possible field of knowledge, and they do not treat a subject with less respect or explore it with less e n t h u siasm because it seems m u n d a n e .

The L i b r a r y i n the World "There is no more likely home for a long-forgotten stray piece of knowledge than the Library of Korranberg."

—Raulo i r ' T r a n n i c k , Lord Mayor of Arcanix The Library of K o r r a n b e r g is more than a site in a gnome city: It is an organization with thousands of m e m b e r s , constantly working to maintain the knowledge already contained in the library and to expand on it. T h e library is g r o u p e d into eight colleges, each of which has a specialized field, and the eight share an intense rivalry in academic, arcane, and athletic competitions. T h e eight colleges (and their specialties) are Soladas (history), Balinor's H o r n (natural sciences), Blackdragon (alchemy), the Tabernacle (religion and philosophy), M o r r i d a n (mathematics), A u r e o n ' s Holt (law and oratory), Lyrris (art and literature), and Drystone ( e n g i n e e r i n g ) . Each college has a faculty of professors and researchers, some located in K o r r a n b e r g and others abroad in Zilargo and

elsewhere. T h e head of the faculty of a college is the doyen, and the eight doyens sit on a central council that manages the library's affairs. T h e head of the council is an appointee of the K o r r a n family, descendants of the library's founder. The current high councilor is Alina Alrene i r ' K o r r a n , a c u n n i n g schemer. To the detriment of the library, she has heightened the competition a m o n g the colleges in order to weaken the power of the council and solidify her control. T h e library's field researchers are the public face of the library beyond Zilargo. They engage in the sorts of pursuits typical of a d v e n t u r e r s , but are not i m m u n e to the i n t e r college rivalries that plague the library.

GNOME SUBRACES Members of all gnome subraces occasionally possess aberrant dragonmarks (see Subraces and Dragonmarks, page 47). Chaos G n o m e s : This gnome subrace (described in Races of Stone) forms small communities near other gnomes, most often in Zilargo. Chaos gnomes are not welcome within the well-ordered Zil society, but the Zil gnomes prefer that their chaotic cousins stay where they can be seen rather than wander out in the world where they might do harm to the reputation of the race. The most common complaint against chaos gnomes seems to be that they can't keep secrets. Deep G n o m e s : The reclusive race of deep gnomes (described in the Monster Manual) is little known beyond Zilargo, and not all gnomes believe in the existence of their subterranean kin. According to legend, the deep gnomes were subjugated by the daelkyr and their minions during

their invasion of Eberron nine thousand years ago. Forced into slavery, deep gnomes committed crimes they consider heinous and unforgivable. After the defeat of the daelkyr. the deep gnomes continued to live underground, primarily concentrated beneath Zilargo. To this day, they believe that their history makes them unworthy to look on the light of day or mingle with their surface cousins, and they live in seclusion. Some among them hope to redeem themselves or their race through heroic deeds in battle. W h i s p e r G n o m e s : Unlike chaos gnomes, whisper gnomes (also from Races of Stone) do not form their own communities. They live among other gnomes, but less often in Zilargo than in other lands. Rumors say that whisper gnomes were magically bred by the Trust to serve as spies and assassins among other gnomes, but these tales are not widely believed.

GOBLINOIDS FALLEN FROM DOMINANCE Sixteen m i l l e n n i a ago, the h o b g o b l i n E m p i r e of D h a k a a n stretched across K h o r v a i r e . T h e n the daelkyr a r r i v e d , and despite the s t r e n g t h of the h o b g o b l i n s a n d t h e i r allies, they were n o m a t c h for the lords of Xoriat. T h e G a t e k e e p e r s eventually b a n i s h e d the daelkyr, but D h a k a a n was left c r i p p l e d . By the t i m e h u m a n settlers a r r i v e d from S a r l o n a , the r u i n e d e m p i r e was easy prey for t h e m . For l o n g years, t h e only r e m n a n t s of the g o b l i n o i d s ' f o r m e r m i g h t were isolated clans h i d i n g in caves and wild places. Recently, a n u m b e r of clans have resurfaced to take c o n t r o l of D a r g u u n . T h a t land is p o p u l a t e d mostly by g o b l i n s , h o b g o b l i n s , a n d b u g b e a r s , a n d it holds its own against K h o r v a i r e ' s other powers. Darguun's goblinoid society is organized into three p r i m a r y tribes, each of which includes n u m e r o u s clans. Traditional roles still hold, for the most p a r t . H o b g o b l i n s rule the clans, since they are the most disciplined in war as well as politics. Bugbears serve as the clans' strongest fighters and shock t r o o p s . T h o u g h they possess the physical might that goblinoids respect, most bugbears have no desire to u s u r p control from their hobgoblin leaders. They are content in their roles as h o n o r e d warriors, though some bugbears leave their clans and D a r g u u n to become mercenaries or adventurers in far-off lands. Goblins are laborers, peasants, and crafters, making sure their clans are fed and a r m e d . Many clans also keep kobolds as slaves for the most menial tasks. T h e clans encourage adventurers a m o n g their n u m b e r . Goblinoid adventurers spread D a r g u u n ' s reputation, find relics from the time of the Dhakaani E m p i r e , and b r i n g word of outside events back to D a r g u u n . T h e G h a a l ' d a r t r i b e rules D a r g u u n , and its clans answer to D a r guun's founder, the Lhesh H a r u u c . Racial roles are rigid in the tribe, with males and females enjoying similar status and roles, particularly among the b u g b e a r s and g o b l i n s . In the h o b g o b l i n s u b c u l t u r e , a vestige of the Dhakaani tradition sees males usually handle the warmaking while females deal with h e a l i n g , magic, and diplomacy. In g e n e r a l , however, time and the Lhesh H a r u u c ' s diplomatic power have e r o d e d the tribe's D h a k a a n i roots, though they still retain the pride of their old empire. T h e Marguul tribe is led by bugbears who have thrown off the yoke of their former hobgoblin oppressors. They are fiercer than their kin in the other two tribes, though most pay homage to H a r u u c . T h e Marguul are not as powerful or n u m e r o u s as the G h a a l ' d a r or Dhakaani, but they represent a martial and political force that lends strength to its allies. H i d d e n u n t i l recently, the D h a k a a n i clans hold themselves apart from their kin and consider themselves the true heirs of the ancient goblinoid e m p i r e . D e s i r i n g to revive once-great Dhakaan and celebrate the emergence of a goblinoid n a t i o n across K h o r v a i r e , they see D a r g u u n as a good place to begin. They would like to take control of the n a t i o n , but first must settle their own differences. T h e clans cannot decide who among t h e m should r u l e , but they are s u r e that when they finally u n i t e , Lhesh H a r u u c will not be able to stand against t h e m . Unlike D a r g u u n ' s tribes, city goblinoids possess n e i t h e r unity nor political power. They are descended from the slaves kept by the Sarlonan invaders who first colonized K h o r v a i r e , and for the most part occupy similar roles today. P r i m a r i l y m e m b e r s of society's lower class (though a fair n u m b e r of adepts and experts exist a m o n g t h e m ) , these goblinoids dwell in Khorvaire's major cities. Goblins are the most n u m e r o u s among them, while hobgoblins and bugbears are found in the cities as well. T h e other common races are accustomed to these creatures, and city goblinoids blend seamlessly into Khorvaire's u r b a n civilization. Many use their fearsome appearance and natural toughness to become bodyguards, bouncers, mercenaries, and adventurers. T h o u g h oppressed, they understand society and have excellent contacts t h r o u g h which to sell loot.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: O n c e a p a r t of C y r e , D a r g u u n is now a n i n d e p e n d e n t n a t i o n of goblinoids. D C 15: T h e Lhesh H a r u u c Shaarat'kor rules D a r g u u n . His charisma, d i p l o macy, and m a r t i a l d o m i n a n c e allow h i m to keep the clans u n d e r control, though some chafe at his h a n d . D C 20: G h a a l ' d a r is the most populous tribe in D a r g u u n and owes fealty to H a r u u c . Two other tribes hold power: the D h a k a a n i , which hold to the t r a ditions of the past, and the M a r g u u l , which is composed of bugbears. Knowledge (history) D C 15: R u i n s from Cyre and the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e are scattered across Darguun. Knowledge (local) D C 10: D a r g u u n is a goblinoid n a t i o n . D C 15: Activities that would be crimes elsewhere are legal in D a r g u u n , and illicit goods are in ready supply in the rough bazaars. D C 25: G o b l i n s , hobgoblins, and b u g b e a r s are by far t h e most c o m m o n g o b l i n o i d s in the r e g i o n , b u t o t h e r goblinoids lurk in its h i d d e n places. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 15: House D e n e i t h uses goblinoids as m e r c e n a r i e s , s h i p p i n g t h e m to various places across K h o r v a i r e . D C 20: H o u s e T h a r a s h k a t t e m p t s to parley with D a r g u u n for access to the m i n e r a l wealth in the Seawall M o u n tains, but racial animosity keeps the factions from r e a c h i n g agreement. D C 2 5 : T h e Lhesh H a r u u c is c u r r e n t l y l o o k i n g for a successor to take t h e t h r o n e when he dies or is forced to step down. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: Goblinoids traditionally revere the Shadow and the Mockery. D C 15: D u r i n g the last c e n t u r y , m i s sionaries introduced the Sovereign H o s t to D a r g u u n , a n d it is g a i n i n g limited acceptance. DC 20: Lhesh H a r u u c follows Dol D o r n and spreads the god's teachings among his people. O t h e r p o p u l a r Sovereign Host deities a m o n g the g o b l i n o i d s include Dol A r r a h and Balinor.

PLAYING A GOBLINOID PC Goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears offer legitimate and fresh choices for player characters. Eberron's general populace does not see goblinoids as invariably evil, and though their cultural history breeds distrust, goblinoids mingle with other races without excessive comment. Playing a kobold PC is also possible; though they possess low social status in D a r g u u n , some kobolds manage to escape slavery and flee i n t o the rest of Khorvaire. Rumors speak of organized groups of emancipated kobolds that make a unified effort to search for wealth and magic to help free their b r e t h r e n from captivity. Goblinoids have a national and historical identity that unites t h e m and offers t h e m motivations for adventuring. A goblin, hobgoblin, or bugbear might adventure in search of ruins and relics from the Empire of Dhakaan. He might seek to battle his ancient foes, the daelkyr, or to improve the social status of his people in Khorvaire's cities. His clan might have tasked him with exploring the world and r e t u r n i n g with information on its customs and people. Indeed, adventuring parties composed entirely of goblinoids are not u n h e a r d of. T h o u g h g o b l i n s , h o b g o b l i n s , a n d bugbears are Dar¬ guun's most c o m m o n goblinoids, other kinds lurk in secret in its dark places. These strange goblinoids are rare sights, and viewing one causes most adventurers puzzlement over the creature's origins. Like other goblinoids, these u n c o m mon creatures leave t h e i r caves to seek t h e i r own places in their nation and t h e i r world. D a r g u u n ' s g o b l i n o i d s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e of t h e Dhakaani tribe, have a strong m a r t i a l t r a d i t i o n . Most h o b goblin adventurers are fighters, while goblins and kobolds are r o g u e s , a n d b u g b e a r s are fighters or b a r b a r i a n s . T h e g o b l i n o i d s ' h i s t o r y of m a r t i a l prowess makes t h e m ideal candidates for exotic prestige classes such as the kensai and bladesinger (see Complete Warrior for details of these classes and other possibilities). If you would like to play a goblinoid or kobold, the following table summarizes favored class, racial Hit Dice, level adjustment, a n d s t a r t i n g effective c h a r a c t e r level ( E C L )

A Dhakaani

adventurer

for each race. Savage Species offers suggestions for playing any monster race from 1st level.

Race Blue1 Goblin Goblin, forestkith2 Hobgoblin Kobold Bugbear

Favored Racial Class HD Psion Rogue — Barbarian — Fighter — Sorcerer — Rogue 3 3d8

Level Adj. +1 +0 +1 +1 +0 +1

Starting ECL 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 4th

1 See Expanded Psionics Handbook.

2 See Monster Manual III. 3 Dhakaani bugbears have barbarian as a favored class.

THE GREAT BLADE OF THE GOBLINOIDS One clan of Dhakaani goblinoids is the Kech Shaarat, which means "blade b e a r e r s . " T h e clan takes its n a m e from an artifact in its possession: the Skai Shaarat, or "Great Blade." The Skai Shaarat is a relic from the days of the E m p i r e of Dhakaan when, legend has it, the empire's o r d a i n e d c h a m pion wielded the blade against all foes. G e n e r a t i o n s of goblinoid mystics imbued the sword with their power, and its dull and chipped appearance belies its potency. T h e Skai Shaarat carries great c u l t u r a l and historical significance among g o b l i n o i d s in general and the D h a k a a n i clans in particular; possessing it grants the Kech Shaarat political clout they would not have otherwise. C u r r e n t l y their chieftain, Ruus Dhakaan, wields the sword.

T h e Skai S h a a r a t The Skai Shaarat is an a n c i e n t D h a k a a n i h e i r l o o m . Its power s t r e n g t h e n s y o u r a r m a n d s h a r p e n s y o u r i n s t i n c t s . You feel a faint but i r r e p r e s s i b l e d e s i r e to c r u s h all e n e m i e s of the g o b l i n o i d s .

Description; T h e Skai Shaarat is a weathered greatsword with a dull, notched blade. Its handle is wrapped in leather. It is u n r e m a r k a b l e b u t for t h e symbol of t h e D h a k a a n i Empire upon its hilt. When it is wielded in battle, tiny r u n e s burst into orange light along its edges. Activation: T h e Skai Shaarat is activated by simply wielding it. Effect; T h e Skai Shaarat is a +6 axiomatic greatswordofspeed. T h r e e times p e r day, you can use the sword to make a smite attack, g a i n i n g a +4 b o n u s on your attack roll and a +20 bonus on your damage roll if you h i t . O n c e p e r day, when you make a successful attack roll with the blade, after dealing damage you can use harm on the target ( D C 19). A u r a / C a s t e r Level: S t r o n g necromancy; CL 20th. C o n s t r u c t i o n : T h e Skai Shaarat is a u n i q u e artifact.

Weight: 8 lb. Price: n/a.

HALF-ELVES & URBAN ELVES OLD TRADITIONS SEEN THROUGH NEW EYES B o r n from the earliest c o m m i n g l i n g of A e r e n a l elves and K h o r v a i r e ' s h u m a n settlers, half-elves have long since e m e r g e d as a u n i q u e and distinct race, separate from e i t h e r of its o r i g i n a l b l o o d l i n e s . T h o u g h comparatively few in n u m b e r , t h e i r a m b i t i o n , racial p r i d e , and m e m b e r s h i p in two d r a g o n m a r k e d houses lend half-elves clout in the world. With no h o m e l a n d to call t h e i r own, half-elves are t r u l y c h i l d r e n of K h o r v a i r e . Many t u r n to the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses of M e d a n i and L y r a n d a r for l e a d e r s h i p a n d a sense of b e l o n g i n g , while the rest of the race gathers in half-elf c o m m u n i t i e s t h r o u g h o u t the Five Nations as well as in places as far off as the E l d e e n Reaches, Q ' b a r r a , and the Lhazaar P r i n c i p a l i t i e s . T h e half-elves' distinct racial identity has engendered a wholly original set of customs and c u l t u r e . T h e half-elf families connected to House Lyrandar, for example, tend to follow traditions that are as wild and free as the wind and storms that the house controls. They have a love for open spaces, the air, and the sea, and an affinity for n a t u r e and the land itself. Those of House Medani, on the other hand, embrace a culture of curiosity and possess a fearlessness that gives m e m b e r s of other races pause. All half-elves have a love of adventure and a d a r i n g spirit that has served them well in their efforts to become a force in K h o r v a i r i a n society. Some half-elves continue to arise t h r o u g h the u n i o n of h u m a n s and elves. These individuals, with b o t h a h u m a n and an elf p a r e n t , can appear among any of the h u m a n or elf dragonmarked houses, and thus might have either a h u m a n or elf d r a g o n m a r k of the appropriate b l o o d l i n e . Half-elves call themselves Khoravar, or " C h i l d r e n of K h o r v a i r e . " They see themselves as the progeny of the c o n t i n e n t , since b o t h h u m a n s and elves were m i g r a n t s to the land, but the first half-elves were b o r n on its shores. Half-elves are loyal to each other and seek out their fellows to share i n f o r m a t i o n , to build connections, and for c o m p a n i o n s h i p . Half-elves see half-elf adventurers as a source of particular pride and go out of their way to provide such individuals with aid and good wishes. They expect that their adventuring kin will r e m e m b e r them in t u r n , and many half-elf adventurers donate p o r t i o n s of t h e i r treasure to improve half-elf communities. These individuals become heroes; those who do not share their wealth e n g e n d e r suspicion and animosity. Half-elves look u p o n t h e i r d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e s — L y r a n d a r and Medani - with pride, and most consider themselves to be members or allies of one house or the other.

URBAN ELVES After the violent events that rocked A e r e n a l twenty-six h u n d r e d years ago, the elves of House P h i a r l a n moved to K h o r v a i r e and j o i n e d h u m a n society. T h i s event h e l p e d form the Five N a t i o n s , led to the rise of the half-elf race, and firmly established an elven p r e s e n c e on the c o n t i n e n t . C u l t u r a l l y , the elves of H o u s e P h i a r l a n and T h u r a n n i , having lived side by side with the o t h e r c o m m o n races for so long, have developed customs and t r a d i t i o n s distinctly d i f f e r e n t from t h e i r A e r e n a l c o u n t e r p a r t s . T h e y have i n t e g r a t e d i n t o the life of the Five N a t i o n s while still m a i n t a i n i n g customs and attitudes that make them distinctly u r b a n elves. Some customs a n d holidays reflect a n c i e n t blood ties to the elves of A e r e n a l , but they b e a r only the faint w h i s p e r of m e m o r y compared to the pageantry and deep i m m e r s i o n that takes place on the elven c o n t i n e n t . W h i l e some u r b a n elves e x p e r i m e n t with the deathless t r a d i t i o n s of A e r e n a l , most have little or no c o n n e c t i o n to the old ways of t h e i r ancestors.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) DC 10: Neither half-elves nor u r b a n elves possess lands of their own. Instead, they are spread throughout civilized Khorvaire, appearing mostly in major cities and towns. Knowledge (history) D C 15: T h e first half-elves a p p e a r e d over two t h o u s a n d years ago, after elves migrated to K h o r v a i r e and i n t e grated into h u m a n society. Knowledge (local) D C 5: Half-elves are a d i s t i n c t race, possessing t h e i r own racial identity. DC 10: While a few first-generation halfelves are b o r n every year as a result of rare marriages between h u m a n s a n d elves, the vast majority of half-elves have two half-elf p a r e n t s . D C 15: H a l f - e l v e s call t h e m s e l v e s K h o r a v a r , or " C h i l d r e n of K h o r vaire." T h e i r h u m a n a n d elf a n c e s tors were i m m i g r a n t s in K h o r v a i r e , but half-elves see themselves as native to that c o n t i n e n t . D C 20: T h e m o r e strongly t r a d i t i o n a l A e r e n i and V a l e n a r elves have low opinions of half-elves and urban elves. They see the half-elf race as a mistake, a symbol of the weakening of elf blood and a r e m i n d e r that the o t h e r races, while they have t h e i r uses, must be kept at a distance. They see u r b a n elves as elves who strayed from the path and broke with the ancient traditions for profit and material gain. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: Half-elves c o n t r o l the Mark of Storm (House Lyrandar) and the Mark of Detection (House M e d a n i ) . D C 15 : U r b a n elves control the Mark of Shadow, which is split between two elf families, House P h i a r l a n and House Thuranni. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: Most h a l f - e l v e s a n d u r b a n elves adopt the religious practices of g r e a t e r K h o r v a i r e , p a y i n g respects to the Sovereign Host and, to a lesser extent, the Silver Flame. D C 15: S o m e half-elves a n d u r b a n elves dabble in elven t r a d i t i o n s a n d revere e i t h e r t h e i r a n c e s t o r s or the Undying Court.

STREET DANCERS: AN EXCERPT From a Play by H i o r u s B r i g h t m a n e . Act II, Scene 3. Scene: A street corner. The half-elf Cullaris and the House Phiarlan elf Mahlla engage in conversation.

C u l l a r i s : A h , my f r i e n d ! O f c o u r s e I enjoy b e i n g a half-elf! I say to you t h a t t h e r e is no o t h e r race I would rather be. T h e b l o o d of lost elves r u n s in my veins, some say, lost a m o n g the dead, lost in war. T h e blood of s h o r t lived, h o t - t e m p e r e d h u m a n s also courses t h r o u g h me, some say, but what do I know of t h a t ? My m o t h e r and father were half-elves, as were t h e i r p a r e n t s before t h e m . If a n y t h i n g , I possess the best q u a l i t i e s of b o t h . Do you not agree? Mahlla: Yes, but I t h i n k I'd rather do away with the human part entirely. Cullaris: Ha! T h e r e ' s a lark! If I could change the circumstances of my b i r t h , why would I want to?

Mahlla: I am full elf, not half, yet n e i t h e r A e r e n i nor Valenar. I am myself. I respect my ancestors, and my traditions give me strength, yet I have advanced along with society. My life is long, allowing me to see a great many changes in civilization—and perhaps to effect some myself. I am slower to change t h a n a h u m a n , but they are too rash. C u l l a r i s : You have a p o i n t . Very well, let us agree: It is better to be half-elf or u r b a n elf t h a n a n y t h i n g else! Mahlla: Agreed! C u l l a r i s : We half-elves, and u r b a n elves, of course, know what is i m p o r t a n t : We are proud of ourselves and eagerly lend aid to each other. We are loyal to our own, unlike those h u m a n s and feuding dwarves. Yet we are free to make our own way in the world. O u r culture does not drag us down; it enhances us. Tell me, what virtue do we not possess? Mahlla: H u m i l i t y ? C u l l a r i s : Yes, perhaps.

HALF-ELVEN WINE Half-elves serve fine food and drink at weekly unity meals that celebrate the harmony of the half-elf people. Seventeen years ago, in a town at the front lines of the Last War, a half-elf priest of Boldrei developed the spell described below to lend the meals' wine extra potency. It has since become a custom to share the blessed wine in many halfelf communities throughout Khorvaire. Half-elf cleric adventurers sometimes use this spell while toasting their allies before a battle.

Unity Wine Transmutation Level: Cleric 1 Components: V, S, DF Casting T i m e : 1 minute

R a n g e : Touch Target: One pint of wine in touched container D u r a t i o n : ! hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) With your holy symbol in one hand, you hold your other hand over a container of wine, invoking the spirit of community and blessing on all who drink from it.

You infuse up to 1 pint of wine in a single container with energy. Up to four living creatures can partake of the wine. Drinking a glass takes at least a standard action, though diners usually imbibe the wine over the course of a meal. Creatures that drink unity wine feel uplifted and inspired, gaining a +1 morale bonus on skill checks for the spell's duration.

HALFLINGS LIFE ON THE PLAINS From the eastern shores of Lake Cyre, the Talenta Plains stretch away in a sea of grass that goes on as far as the eye can see. T h e majority of this territory is covered with grasslands teeming with a surprising array of wildlife, including dinosaurs that range in size from as small as dogs to as large as elephants. While not the most fertile land, the Talenta Plains supply everything the halfling tribes need to live and thrive. To the south, the grass thins and gives way to the barren, sandy Blade Desert (named for its sharp, elongated shape) that r u n s to the I r o n r o o t and Endworld M o u n t a i n s in the east. Nomadic tribes of halflings have lived, hunted, and wandered these plains since before h u m a n s first set foot on Khorvaire. T h e n , halflings and dinosaurs alike roamed as far north as the Iceflow River and Lake Dark in modern-day K a r r n a t h , and west as far as the Seawall Mountains and Lake Brey. As humans expanded across Khorvaire, the halflings' range diminished to its current extent. Nevertheless, the halflings continued to roam the plains as they had before, doing their best to avoid the encroaching cities and towns. Certainly, occasional confrontations erupted—the halflings were hunters by nature, and would not allow the longer-limbed races to bully them or push them off their land. But for the most part, the tribes were happy to peacefully coexist with their tall neighbors. Even when Galifar united the other nations of Khorvaire into one kingdom, it had little impact on this situation. With the start of the Last War, however, it became nearly impossible for the halfling tribes to avoid the politics of the Five Nations. T h e Talenta Plains offered perfect battlefields—wide open and flat, without any settlements or civilian towns to get in the way. Of course, these battles had a severe impact on the herds of dinosaurs and cattle that roamed and grazed on the plains. Because those animals were central to the halflings' way of life, the tribes found themselves drawn into the conflict. Different tribes aligned with different sides, giving some the sense that the halflings did not h o n o r treaties and were not to be trusted. Eventually, for their own protection (and that of their beloved plains), the tribes began to work more closely together, and when the other nations gathered at T h r o n e h o l d to negotiate a lasting peace (see page 93), the halflings sent a single representative to look out for their interests. Today, the Talenta Plains are considered a single nation, but halfling society still revolves a r o u n d the tribe. T h e only p e r m a n e n t community in the territory is Gatherhold, which all tribes visit from time to time but none occupy permanently. T h e settlement is maintained by the members of House Ghallanda, one of the two halfling dragonmarked houses. T h e other dragonmarked houses maintain a few way stations in the plains, and the halflings have allowed K a r r n a t h to construct a n u m b e r of military outposts and maintain a standing garrison in the south, along the Valenar border. For the most part, though, the plains remain as they have been for thousands of years. Halfling tribes range in size from fifty to a thousand or more individuals. They maintain their nomadic traditions and eschew material possessions, keeping only what they need for their survival and that of the creatures they herd and ride. Even the largest tribes can strike camp, load up their m o u n t s , and move out in no more t h a n 10 minutes, driving their herds of cattle, tribex, and herbivorous dinosaurs ahead of t h e m . T h e tribes have an egalitarian s t r u c t u r e . In theory, every individual in the tribe is equal, and the tribe as a whole elects a leader (called a lath) who guides the tribe for as long as he or she retains the tribe's confidence. Only occasionally do tribes j o i n together u n d e r the leadership of a lathon (a leader of multiple tribes). Lathon H a l p u m is the only halfling to c u r rently hold that title, though he carries it only as an honorific, c o m m e m o r a t i n g his role at T h r o n e h o l d n e g o t i a t i n g for the halfling n a t i o n . His own tribe is one of the largest in the p l a i n s , but he no longer c o m m a n d s any other. Still, he is well respected by the Talenta halflings, and could probably unite many or all of the tribes again if the need arose.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (history) D C 10: H a l f l i n g s lived i n K h o r v a i r e long before h u m a n s arrived. DC 15: Before the appearance of humans, halflings roamed with their dinosaurs over a larger area t h a n the Talenta Plains—up into K a r r n a t h and westward into Breland and D a r g u u n . D C 20: F r o m the f o r m a t i o n of G a l i far to the start of the Last War, the halflings of the Talenta Plains were considered part of K a r r n a t h , though they r e m a i n e d quite i n d e p e n d e n t and never gave up their old ways. With the start of the Last War, different tribes aligned with different sides in the conflict. T h e end of the war meant the b i r t h of a distinct halfling n a t i o n . D C 25: Halfling leader L a t h o n H a l p u m r e p r e s e n t e d t h e T a l e n t a P l a i n s at T h r o n e h o l d and helped negotiate the creation of a separate n a t i o n . Knowledge (local) D C 10: Halflings live i n every city i n K h o r v a i r e , a n d a p p e a r across t h e countryside as well. T h e city halflings have left the tribal ways of the Talenta Plains far b e h i n d . D C 15: Talenta halflings have an egalitarian tribal society. All members of a tribe have a voice in choosing a leader and in deliberations about the movements and actions of the t r i b e . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: Two d r a g o n m a r k e d houses— G h a l l a n d a and Jorasco - are made up of h a l f l i n g s . G h a l l a n d a carries the Mark of Hospitality, while Jorasco has the Mark of Healing. D C 15: House G h a l l a n d a has a strong presence in the Talenta Plains as well as in c o m m u n i t i e s across K h o r v a i r e . House Jorasco, on the other h a n d , has few r e m a i n i n g ties in the Plains—its h e a d q u a r t e r s is in K a r r n a t h . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 20: T h e halflings combine a reverence for the spirits of their ancestors and their living dinosaur mounts with a belief in Balinor, the Sovereign L o r d of Beasts a n d the H u n t . T h e y believe t h e i r spirits are u n i t e d with those of t h e i r m o u n t s t h r o u g h the h u n t i n g masks they wear.

Life is hard on the plains, and the halflings fight every day just to survive. T h e y are h u n t e r s , r i d i n g and fighting from the backs of t h e i r d i n o s a u r m o u n t s from a very early age. T h e halflings treat t h e i r m o u n t s with k i n d n e s s and protectiveness, more like c h i l d r e n t h a n t r a i n e d a n i m a l s . Halflings h o n o r the spirits of their ancestors and the spirits of their dinosaur mounts, p r o m p t i n g some comparisons to the beliefs of the Valenar elves. However, the halflings do not believe that their ancestral spirits inhabit their mounts. Rather, every halfling warrior hopes to unite his spirit with his mount's in the heat of battle, so that his spirit might be as worthy of reverence after death as his dinosaur's spirit already is. T h e h u n t i n g mask worn by halfling hunters and warriors is a symbol of that spiritual bond. Since halfling tribes do not claim control over specific territories, conflict between tribes erupts only d u r i n g times when resources are scarce. Similarly, it usually requires a significant outside threat to unite tribes u n d e r the leadership of a lathon.

BEYOND THE TALENTA PLAINS While all halflings in K h o r v a i r e can trace their roots back to the nomadic tribes, many left the Talenta Plains generations ago and now have almost n o t h i n g in c o m m o n with their d i n o s a u r - r i d i n g cousins. Having long abandoned the nomadic life of the plains, these urbanized halflings are as apt to believe the false stereotypes about tribal life as anyone else who has not lived in or visited the Talenta Plains. Halflings can be found in every walk of life, in all the cities of Khorvaire and on homesteads in the agrarian areas and frontiers. Some live as hunters and trappers in A u n d a i r and the Eldeen Reaches. These halflings conform to the culture of the land where they reside, typically more similar to the races of that land than to the halflings of the plains. The halfling d r a g o n m a r k e d houses operate in all these disparate cultures, bridging differences and smoothly negotiating the different customs of Khorvaire's halflings. The Mark of H e a l i n g first appeared on halflings living on the Talenta Plains, but House Jorasco long ago moved its headquarters to K a r r n a t h so that the d r a g o n m a r k e d could share their gift with a greater n u m b e r of people. T h e house

manages hospitals, hospices, and herbalist and alchemy shops across the continent. T h o u g h Jorasco continues to m a i n t a i n a strong presence in the plains, Talenta halflings treat the members of the house with suspicion and distrust for having left the land where they gained their abilities. Members of House Ghallanda bear the Mark of Hospitality and wield powers related to food and shelter. T h e head of House Ghallanda keeps his court in Gatherhold, while the majority of the house's work is done in the more populous nations. T h e house's Hostelers Guild operates inns, restaurants, spas, and other places of comfort and peace.

TALENTA FEATS Friend of the Tribes You are deeply familiar with the tribes of the Talenta Plains. Benefit: You gain a +2 b o n u s on Diplomacy, G a t h e r Information, and Sense Motive checks when the target is a halfling. When you meet a halfling, you can attempt a D C 15 Sense Motive check as a full-round action to d e t e r m i n e what tribe he or she is from. If you fail the check, you can repent it after 1 m i n u t e of interaction with the halfling. A second failure allows n o f u r t h e r attempts.

Talenta Dinosaur Bond [Racial] You have u n d e r g o n e g r u e l i n g t r a i n i n g on d i n o s a u r back and are skilled in the h a l f l i n g t e c h n i q u e s of f i g h t i n g while m o u n t e d .

Prerequisite: Halfling, Ride 6 ranks, Mounted Combat, Benefit: Choose a p a r t i c u l a r d i n o s a u r m o u n t that you are familiar with. You gain a +4 insight b o n u s on Ride checks made in conjunction with that m o u n t . In addition, as long as you are m o u n t e d on that creature, both you and your mount gain a +1 insight bonus to AC and on Reflex saves. Special: If your m o u n t is killed, you can apply this feat to a new m o u n t after seven days have passed.

Talenta Drifter [Racial] Y o u r extensive travels on the Talenta Plains give you an advantage while in that region. Prerequisite: Halfling. B e n e f i t : You gain a +2 b o n u s on Hide, Spot, a n d Survival checks you make while in the Talenta Plains.

HISTORY THE SWEEP OF WORLD EVENTS Properly speaking, the history of m o d e r n E b e r r o n begins some eighty t h o u s a n d years before the present. (See C r e a t i o n Myths, page 30, for an account of the creation of the world and the eons before the rise of the giants.) It was at this time that the first civilization of mortal beings arose, as the p r o g e n i t o r race of giants built t h e i r first cities in X e n ' d r i k . T h e giants of this age were closer to titans t h a n to the giants found in X e n ' d r i k today—even the noble and powerful storm giants are debased and corrupted, compared to the p u r e forms of their forebears. T h e giants effectively ruled the world (if only with the quiet complicity of the dragons) for some forty thousand years. They enslaved the elves (including the drow) as they built kingdoms encompassing all of X e n ' d r i k and occasionally r e a c h i n g beyond it. They founded at least one colony on Sarlona, the descendants of which are the half-giants that still dwell there, and might have had outposts in K h o r v a i r e as well. T h e giants learned arcane magic from the d r a g o n s and used it to create wonders u n k n o w n even now, at the p r e s u m e d height of h u m a n civilization. T h e g i a n t s ' civilization was u l t i m a t e l y destroyed by the first major p l a n a r invasion: the arrival of the q u o r i t h r o u g h a p l a n a r gate c o n n e c t ing X e n ' d r i k to Dal Q u o r , the Region of D r e a m s . After years of battle, the g i a n t s called u p o n p o w e r f u l d r a c o n i c magic to destroy the p l a n a r gate, but t h i s d e s p e r a t e act had d i s a s t r o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s . X e n ' d r i k was shaken to its core. Vast expanses of land vanished b e n e a t h the sea (both Shargon's Teeth and the P h o e n i x Basin were once solid g r o u n d ) . A l t h o u g h the q u o r i were repelled and p r e v e n t e d from t a k i n g physical form in the world ( p e r h a p s forever), the civilization of the giants never r e c o v e r e d . H o r r i b l e plagues a n d curses swept across X e n ' d r i k even as the elves r e b e l l e d a g a i n s t t h e i r g i a n t m a s t e r s . Finally, j u s t as some giants were p l a n n i n g to strike against the elf rebels u s i n g the same great magics that had driven off the q u o r i , the d r a g o n s attacked to p r e v e n t a second such devastation. T h e civilization of the giants was utterly r u i n e d . T h e drow remained in h i d i n g in X e n ' d r i k while their elf cousins escaped to A e r e n a l . In the south of K h o r v a i r e , the first goblinoid kingdoms began to rise, a pale reflection of the splendor of the giants' c u l t u r e . Within several thousand years' time, orc kingdoms arose in the west, in the shadow of the growing goblinoid nations. Over time, the goblinoids became increasingly well organized into city-states and small nations, until finally the Dhakaani united these disparate nations into one g r a n d empire that held sway from the edges of the Shadow Marches to the foothills of the Endworld and I r o n r o o t M o u n t a i n s . At this point, the history of E b e r r o n is largely the history of Khorvaire (but see History Beyond Khorvaire on the next page). T h e exiled elves of A e r e n a l formed the basic s t r u c t u r e of their society d u r i n g this period as well, and they came into conflict with the Dhakaani in present-day Valenar. After nearly thirty thousand years of d o m i n a n c e , the great Dhakaani Empire fell to the second major p l a n a r invasion—the incursion of the daelkyr. T h e s e n i g h t m a r i s h f l e s h - s h a p e r s from X o r i a t , the Realm of Madness, decimated the western part of the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e before the Gatekeeper d r u i d s of the orcs managed to seal the portals that connected Xoriat to E b e r r o n . Left effectively leaderless, the eastern Dhakaani provinces fell into civil war and the goblinoid civilization crumbled. With both orcs and goblinoids weakened by the daelkyr, the smaller races of K h o r v a i r e (the halflings of the east and the gnomes of the west) slowly began to come i n t o t h e i r own. Some t h r e e t h o u s a n d years ago, and two thousand years after the definitive fall of Dhakaan, Lhazaar led h u m a n s from Sarlona to the eastern shores of K h o r v a i r e . H u m a n s began to spread over the lands once held by the d e c l i n i n g goblinoids. Like the g n o m e s , elves, a n d h a l f l i n g s who p r e c e d e d t h e m , h u m a n s developed

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (history) D C 10: T h e c u r r e n t year, 998 Y K , marks almost a m i l l e n n i u m since the f o u n d i n g of the K i n g d o m of Galifar. T h e past h u n d r e d years were d o m i n a t e d by the Last War, d u r i n g which t h e k i n g d o m eventually f r a c t u r e d i n t o t h e o r i g i n a l Five N a t i o n s from which it was b u i l t — a l t h o u g h one of the Five, C y r e , is now the blasted waste of the M o u r n l a n d . DC 12: Galifar I, b o r n in K a r r n a t h , was the second K a r r n to try to u n i t e the Five Nations into a single k i n g d o m . D C 15: T h e first h u m a n s to a r r i v e in K h o r v a i r e were m i g r a n t s from S a r l o n a , led by an e x p l o r e r n a m e d Lhazaar. H u m a n s quickly spread to cover the c o n t i n e n t in the wake of the fall of D h a k a a n . DC 18: T h e history of E b e r r o n is comm o n l y divided i n t o four ages, each one defined by the rise of an empire and its cataclysmic fall. D C 2 2 : T h e s e ages a r e t h e A g e of Demons, the Age of Giants, the Age of Monsters, and the c u r r e n t age, which some call the Age of the D r a g o n marked. T h e Age of Giants, when the giant empires of X e n ' d r i k d o m i n a t e d the world, ended with the invasion of the q u o r i . T h e t h i r d age, m a r k e d by the rise of the g o b l i n o i d e m p i r e of Dhakaan, was brought to an end by the invasion of the daelkyr. T h e c u r r e n t age is the fourth, and some say that the Last War marks its close. DC 24: T h e c u r r e n t age began between four and five t h o u s a n d years ago, when the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e fell in the wake of the D a e l k y r War. T h e first d r a g o n m a r k s a p p e a r e d some thousand years later. D C 2 5 : Even as the g o b l i n o i d k i n g doms that grew to form the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e were g r o w i n g , s m a l l orc k i n g d o m s flourished in the west of K h o r v a i r e . These eventually became client states of D h a k a a n , and the orcs played an i m p o r t a n t role in d r i v i n g off the daelkyr.

dragonmarks in this new land (as did the dwarves who had migrated from the Frostfell). T h e development of d r a g o n marks among Khorvaire's races helped to lift them to a more civilized state. By two t h o u s a n d years ago, t h e r e were five separate human civilizations in central Khorvaire—the Five Nations, though not yet called by t h e i r m o d e r n n a m e s . R i n g e d by goblinoid stragglers, gnome and dwarf clanholds, and halfling tribes, these realms struggled against their neighbors and each other for supremacy in the region. Nearly a t h o u s a n d years ago, G a l i f a r of K a r r n a t h launched a new c a m p a i g n to u n i t e the Five Nations into a single k i n g d o m t h a t , for all practical p u r p o s e s , would span K h o r v a i r e . W i t h t h e s u p p o r t of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses, he succeeded where his ancestor K a r r n the C o n q u e r o r had failed, and the K i n g d o m of Galifar was b o r n . T h e m o d e r n r e c k o n i n g of years c o u n t s t h i s as the first Year of the K i n g d o m (1 Y K ) . T h e five c h i l d r e n of G a l i far I served as g o v e r n o r - p r i n c e s of the Five N a t i o n s to help t h e i r f a t h e r g o v e r n the l a n d , a n d gave t h e i r n a m e s to the provinces of the kingdom—Aundair, Breland, Cyre, K a r r n a t h , and T h r a n e . (Galifar's eldest son, K a r r n , was named after the C o n q u e r o r , and his n a t i o n kept the n a m e of its f o u n d e r . ) T h e next n i n e centuries saw the gradual expansion of the K i n g d o m of Galifar, i n c l u d i n g an early war against the sea princes of Lhazaar, a slow push into the wilderness areas at the eastern and western ends of the c o n t i n e n t , and some small interest in overseas possessions—most notably the city of Stormreach, which Galifar and the dragonmarked houses expanded in 802 Y K to facilitate access to the rich stores of d r a g o n s h a r d s in X e n ' d r i k . T h i s period is now fondly r e m e m b e r e d as a golden age of culture and magic. T h e arts flourished u n d e r the p a t r o n age of the m o n a r c h s of Galifar, particularly in the major cities of the Five Nations. T h e l i g h t n i n g rail connected all of central K h o r v a i r e by 865 Y K . House Sivis message stations allowed fast c o m m u n i c a t i o n between people a continent apart. T h e Five Nations were not without their strife and conflict, but open warfare was u n k n o w n in the central part of the c o n t i n e n t . In 894 Y K , it all came crashing down. See the entry on the Last War (page 92) for more about the fall of Galifar and the shaping of m o d e r n K h o r v a i r e .

Galifaran. Scholar You have made an exhaustive study of the history of Galifar, from the earliest r o o t s of the Five N a t i o n s , t h r o u g h the formation of the u n i t e d K i n g d o m of Galifar, a n d on to the Last War and the dissolution of the k i n g d o m . T h e depth of your study gives you great insight into the whole field of knowledge s u r r o u n d i n g the history of Galifar. Prerequisite: Knowledge (history) 4 ranks. Benefit: You receive a +4 insight bonus on K n o w l edge checks p e r t a i n i n g to events associated with the Last War or the royal family of the K i n g d o m of Galifar, and you treat u n t r a i n e d Knowledge checks related to these topics as trained Knowledge checks. N o r m a l : You c a n a t t e m p t a K n o w l e d g e c h e c k u n t r a i n e d only if the DC of the check is 10 or lower.

HISTORY BEYOND KHORVAIRE It is t e m p t i n g to look at the sweep of history as a simple progression from the ancient empires of the giants, through the g o b l i n o i d s , to Galifar and the Five N a t i o n s . After the D h a k a a n i u n i t e d the g o b l i n o i d tribes, the history of p r i mary interest to scholars unfolded mostly on K h o r v a i r e . T h i s view is far too narrow, however, because many events of i m p o r t h a p p e n e d beyond the shores of K h o r v a i r e after the fall of the giants. T h e impact of these events might not be felt all that strongly in K h o r v a i r e , but that does not make them less i m p o r t a n t . T h e h i s t o r y of A e r e n a l s t r e t c h e s back to the fall of the g i a n t s a n d often i n t e r s e c t s with t h a t of K h o r v a i r e . T h e elves of A e r e n a l had a colony in s o u t h e a s t e r n K h o r vaire d u r i n g the t i m e of the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e , in what is now V a l e n a r . ( T h i s t e r r i t o r y is t h u s c o n s i d e r e d by the V a l e n a r elves to be a n c e s t r a l l a n d s that rightfully b e l o n g to t h e m . ) T h e h i s t o r y of Sarlona is a g r a n d tale of r i s i n g and falling e m p i r e s about which little is known outside that d i s t a n t and mysterious c o n t i n e n t . T h e cradle of h u m a n civilization, Sarlona was h o m e to dozens of city-states for thousands of years. Lhazaar, a great explorer from the Sarl o n a n n a t i o n of Rhiavhaar, led a g r o u p of colonists across the sea to the "new world" of K h o r v a i r e t h r e e t h o u s a n d years ago. R h i a v h a a r is long f o r g o t t e n , but the legacy of L h a z a a r goes far beyond the p r i n c i p a l i t i e s that b e a r her name—almost all of h u m a n history in K h o r v a i r e stems from that first colonial m i s s i o n . T h e q u o r i invasion that began some fifteen h u n d r e d years ago changed the face of Sarlona forever, but it also affected the fate of K h o r v a i r e as a n o t h e r wave of h u m a n settlers set out across the sea, this time to K h o r v a i r e ' s western coast, where they settled in the Shadow Marches. Finally, the history of X e n ' d r i k by n o means ends with the fall of the giants forty thousand years in the past. Despite the cataclysms that wracked that continent, civilization survived in many forms. W h i l e the giants were reduced to savagery (a state that the drow had never risen far above while they were slaves to the giants), o t h e r races have from time to time forged k i n g d o m s and even empires of t h e i r own in the shadows of X e n ' d r i k ' s cyclopean r u i n s . Archaeological evidence suggests that a v e r m i n lord forged a k i n g d o m a m o n g the nomadic t h r i - k r e e n of the great golden desert M e n e c h t a r u n about twelve t h o u s a n d years ago, c o n q u e r i n g desert tribes and small city-states along the western coast before suddenly disappearing. (Vermin lords are described in Monster Manual III.) A h a n d f u l of m i n o t a u r warlords have erected maze-cities and forged tiny k i n g d o m s over the centuries. Y u a n - t i , fleeing their native Sarlona as the quori cemented t h e i r r u l e t h e r e , eventually settled in X e n ' d r i k and established t h e i r c o r r u p t e d temples in the thickest j u n g l e s , s o m e t i m e s j o i n i n g t o g e t h e r to form alliances and even small e m p i r e s . T h e r e are said to be a n u m b e r of g i t h y a n k i city-states h i d d e n in the wilds of X e n ' d r i k , founded by the survivors of the daelkyr invasion. Perhaps most t r o u b l i n g , word is b e g i n n i n g to reach K h o r v a i r e of a city of warforged that were not made in any C a n n i t h forge, now e x p a n d i n g its influence in the s o u t h e r n m o u n t a i n s of the c o n t i n e n t of secrets.

HUMANS A HISTORY OF EXPLORATION AND BLOOD H u m a n s have i n h a b i t e d K h o r v a i r e for m i l l e n n i a . They d o m i n a t e the land, but in some ways they are relative newcomers to the c o n t i n e n t . Most h u m a n s don't spend time contemplating their race's origins, and many do not even know that they are not native to K h o r v a i r e , but history does not lie: H u m a n s came from Sarlona. T h e p i o n e e r Lhazaar is acknowledged as the leader of this migration, but the j o u r n e y was not accomplished in a single massive exodus from Sarlona to K h o r v a i r e . Rather, the migrants came in waves, over the course of perhaps a h u n d r e d years. These first waves of h u m a n m i g r a n t s left Sarlona's western shore and arrived in what is now the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s some t h r e e t h o u s a n d years ago. Some were e x p l o r e r s , s e e k i n g new vistas. Some were settlers, tired of warfare and h o p i n g to claim new lands and improve t h e i r lives. Some were o p p o r t u n i s t s , e n t r e p r e n e u r s , and c o n q u e r o r s , l o o k i n g for wealth they could u n e a r t h , trade for, or steal. Lhazaar herself made several j o u r n e y s between Sarlona and K h o r v a i r e , m a k i n g e n o r m o u s profits off the exotic goods she brought back to her h o m e l a n d as well as the Sarlonan goods she sold to the goblinoids that still held K h o r v a i r e despite the fall of the Dhakaani E m p i r e . At first, the settlers were few in n u m b e r and relied on friendly relations with the goblinoids to survive in this u n f a m i l i a r land. Within a century, however, their n u m b e r s had grown dramatically and they began to expand westward. Humanity was a relatively young and versatile race, and the goblinoids were a shattered r e m n a n t of e m p i r e . T h e h o b g o b l i n s and b u g b e a r s fled b e l o w g r o u n d , leaving the surface to the g o b l i n s . T h e goblins were more plentiful t h a n the h u m a n s , but they were d i s o r g a n i z e d and i n d i v i d u ally weak, still struggling to rule themselves with their empire gone and their power s t r u c t u r e collapsed. G o b l i n chieftains led small clans whose superior knowledge of the land gave them early victories over the h u m a n invaders. However, h u m a n i t y ' s s t r e n g t h , versatility, and adaptability t u r n e d the tide in the end. G o b l i n clans fell by the score, their survivors taking flight or s u r r e n d e r i n g in the face of the h u m a n s ' might. N u m e r o u s h u m a n heroes arose d u r i n g this time, and their names can still be found on statues, on cities, on inscriptions in ancient items, and on the lips of their a d m i r e r s . Perhaps the best known of these heroes is K a r r n the C o n q u e r o r , the f o u n d e r of K a r r n a t h . C r e d i t e d with e l i m i n a t i n g the last strongholds of goblinoid resistance in central K h o r v a i r e , K a r r n had visions of empire, t u r n i n g from his goblinoid foes to other groups of h u m a n s in his drive to rule. By the time of his reign, five h u n d r e d years after Lhazaar's arrival in Khorvaire, h u m a n s had already formed five incipient nations, and K a r r n dreamed of u n i t i n g them all u n d e r his wolf-head b a n n e r . Even though he built the greatest army of his age and led it to war with ruthless efficiency, the sheer size of K h o r v a i r e defeated h i m . Five c e n t u r i e s after K a r r n ' s r u l e , a second major wave of h u m a n m i g r a n t s began to arrive from S a r l o n a . As the I n s p i r e d t i g h t e n e d t h e i r grip on S a r l o n a , some g r o u p s and s u b c u l t u r e s r e c o g n i z e d the d a n g e r and fled across the sea to the east. In c o n t r a s t to the first settlers, these refugees l a n d e d on K h o r v a i r e ' s western coast. Some e n c o u n t e r e d the orcs of the Shadow M a r c h e s and m a d e eventual peace with t h e m , sett l i n g in the i n h o s p i t a b l e swamps. O t h e r s m a d e l a n d f a l l in the D e m o n Wastes a n d devolved i n t o d e m o n w o r s h i p a n d the b a r b a r i s m of the Carrion Tribes. At a r o u n d the same time, the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses began to cement their power, l a u n c h i n g the War of the Mark to purify their ranks. By this point, humanity's rule of K h o r v a i r e was secure.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: A u n d a i r , Breland, K a r r n a t h , and Thrane—four of the former Five N a t i o n s of Galifar—are the greatest h u m a n nations. Q ' b a r r a and the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s are also p r i marily h u m a n . D C 15: H u m a n i t y has a s t r o n g p r e s ence in the Eldeen Reaches and the Shadow M a r c h e s as well. A few p r i m i t i v e h u m a n t r i b e s live i n the D e m o n Wastes. D C 20: Many h u m a n s live in S a r l o n a . Argonnessen, though home p r i m a r i l y to d r a g o n s , has a n u m b e r of h u m a n b a r b a r i a n tribes along its shores. Knowledge (history) DC 10: H u m a n s came to Khorvaire from Sarlona t h r e e t h o u s a n d years ago. D C 15: Early h u m a n m i g r a n t s battled goblins for control of K h o r v a i r e . D C 20: T h e h u m a n s enslaved the g o b lins after the wars. D C 2 5 : T h e early h u m a n s represented various S a r l o n a n s u b c u l t u r e s , a n d they arrived in a series of m i g r a t i o n s that lasted a r o u n d fifteen h u n d r e d years. M o d e r n h u m a n c u l t u r e blends the histories and customs of its varied components, and some h u m a n groups r e m e m b e r specific t r a d i t i o n s from their time on Sarlona. Knowledge (local) DC 5: H u m a n s are the d o m i n a n t race in Khorvaire. They control more nations and m o r e land t h a n all o t h e r races c o m b i n e d . D C 10: H u m a n i t y ' s s t r e n g t h lies i n its v a r i e t y . H u m a n s a r e v e r s a t i l e a n d capable. Knowledge (nobility a n d royalty) D C 10: H u m a n s c o n t r o l the Mark of M a k i n g ( H o u s e C a n n i t h ) , the Mark of Passage ( H o u s e O r i e n ) , t h e M a r k of Sentinel (House D e n e i t h ) , and the Mark of H a n d l i n g (House Vadalis). DC 15: Most h u m a n nations are feudal monarchies, r e m i n d e r s of the great K i n g d o m of Galifar. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: H u m a n s t e n d to w o r s h i p the Sovereign Host and the Silver Flame. H u m a n s of a c r u d e r or more chaotic bent pay homage to the Dark Six.

HUMANS FROM OTHER LANDS

OTHER HUMAN RACES

Khorvaire's h u m a n s need little description—they are everywhere, after all. Fewer people know much about the h u m a n s from the c o n t i n e n t s of Sarlona and A r g o n n e s s e n . Two kinds of h u m a n s live in Sarlona: those in Riedra, who are d o m i n a t e d by the I n s p i r e d , and those in A d a r , who hide in m o u n t a i n s a n c t u a r i e s s u r r o u n d e d by t h e i r kalashtar allies. E i t h e r sort might come to K h o r v a i r e , fleeing the I n s p i r e d or seeking to work against them—or sent as Inspired agents to infiltrate K h o r v a i r i a n society. R i e d r a n s have l o n g b e e n p a c i f i e d . T h e y serve the I n s p i r e d , a n d the I n s p i r e d c o n t r o l t h e m . Rebels and f r e e t h i n k e r s are p u t to the sword or m e n t a l l y abused until they forget t h e i r beliefs. Every so often, t h o u g h , a R i e d r a n escapes the I n s p i r e d ' s i n f l u e n c e a n d flees to K h o r v a i r e , b r i n g i n g with h e r valuable knowledge about her e n e m i e s . A d a r a n s are more likely to become adventurers. Many work actively against the Inspired, and their monastic and psychic traditions grant t h e m the power to overcome challenges. H u m a n adventurers from A d a r become monks, psychic warriors, psions, or soulknives (the last three classes are found in Expanded Psionics Handbook). T h e isles of S e r e n lie off A r g o n n e s s e n ' s n o r t h w e s t coast. P r i m i t i v e h u m a n s make these islands t h e i r h o m e . They are sea r a i d e r s , s e t t i n g out in long, shallow ships to challenge traders and explorers. T h e men wear beards and keep their hair long, believing that these traits inspire fear in their enemies. T h e women are just as fierce as the men, and fight by their sides. T h e S e r e n tribes worship the d r a g o n s of A r g o n n e s sen. T h e y c a p t u r e sacrifices for t h e m and e n s u r e that no interloper pierces that continent's interior. T h o u g h most Serens attack foreign ships on sight, a few are curious about visitors. T h e y want to know m o r e about the world beyond their islands, and they might even desert t h e i r people to explore K h o r v a i r e .

Races of Destiny introduces a n u m b e r of new h u m a n subraces, i n c l u d i n g the illumians, as well as five races with the h u m a n s u b t y p e . M e m b e r s of these subraces occasionally possess aberrant dragonmarks. A z u r i n s : This human subrace appears in Magic of Incarnum. A z u r i n s are b o r n spontaneously in h u m a n communities and live a m o n g h u m a n s their whole lives. I l l u m i a n s : As described in Races ofDestiny, illumians live in small conclaves w i t h i n h u m a n cities, and the i l l u m i a n city of E l i r h o n d a s lies on the Plane of Shadow. M o n g r e l f o l k : These hybrid descendants of many races live a m o n g all t h e i r k i n . O n l y in D a r g u u n and D r o a a m , where t h e i r ancestry is weighted heavily toward g o b l i n o i d races, do they form sizable c o m m u n i t i e s , m a k i n g up an underclass b e n e a t h even the lowest of the goblinoids. Sea K i n : M e m b e r s of this aquatic p a r t - h u m a n race form small communities off the coasts of Breland, Q ' b a r r a , Aerenal, and X e n ' d r i k . T h e largest c o m m u n i t y of sea kin in E b e r r o n was located off the Cyran coast and vanished on the Day of M o u r n i n g . Refugees from this lost aquatic city of Elliavar are now found in every other sea kin settlement, and many have adopted the nomadic lives of adventurers. S h a r a k i m : T h i s orclike race of accursed h u m a n s is found mainly in Breland, particularly in the western part of the country. They have some small villages in the foothills of the Graywall M o u n t a i n s , and also mingle among h u m a n s in cities such as Wroat and S h a r n . S k u l k s : Legend holds that the first skulks were created when the quori invaded Sarlona some fifteen h u n d r e d years ago. While some h u m a n s fled across the sea to K h o r v a i r e , others u n d e r t o o k a ritual that granted them natural abilities of camouflage to escape the q u o r i invasion, b e c o m i n g the skulks. Since that time, skulks have migrated to the shadows of h u m a n cities across E b e r r o n . Underfolk: This race of subterranean humans lives in the upper reaches of Khyber across Khorvaire and Xen'drik.

THE WEAPONS OF HEROES Valiant heroes arose in the ancient wars against the goblins, and t h e i r n a m e s still r i n g today. L h a z a a r , M a l l e o n the Reaver, G o l d r i c W i n g b u r n : H e r o e s such as these wielded weapons of p r o m i n e n c e e q u a l to t h e i r n a m e s , a n d some craftsfolk, t h e n a n d now, seek to r e c r e a t e t h e i r glory. Adventurers attempting to follow in their footsteps seek out such e q u i p m e n t , a n d those who discover it in t h e i r travels take it as a good o m e n .

Twinblade Scourge A twinblade scourge is a great two-bladed sword, supposedly a replica of Malleon the Reaver's weapon. It is particularly potent against his hated foes: goblins. It is the weapon of a general, and the wielder can incite those nearby to a fury, L o r e : Malleon the Reaver was a h u m a n hero and general in the wars against the goblins, when humans first arrived in Khorvaire. If the tales are to be believed, this weapon is similar to the one that he wielded against them. H u m a n wizards seeking to preserve his glory and inspire fellow soldiers created these weapons. (Knowledge [history] DC 30)

D e s c r i p t i o n : A twinblade scourge is a two-bladed sword with a series of five r u n e s carved i n t o each side of each blade. Its blades are slightly l o n g e r t h a n a n o r m a l twobladed sword, a n d dark leather strips are wrapped a r o u n d its haft. W h e n you grip it, the r u n e s along the blades blaze angry o r a n g e . Activation: T h e wielder can activate the rage effect as a swift action by r o a r i n g his anger at his o p p o n e n t s . Wielding the sword activates its o t h e r powers. Effect: A twinblade scourge is a +2 goblinoid barte/+2 keen twobladed sword. T h e goblinoid bane blade is composed of steel, while the keen blade is a d a m a n t i n e . O n c e p e r day the wielder can use a q u i c k e n e d rage effect (as the spell, but the range is 30 feet). A u r a / C a s t e r Level: S t r o n g e n c h a n t m e n t ; CL 5th. C o n s t r u c t i o n : C r a f t Magic A r m s a n d A r m o r , Q u i c k e n S p e l l , keen edge, rage, summon monster I, 29,400 g p , 2,080 XP, 52 days. Weight: 12 lb. Price: 55,400 g p .

INTRIGUE AND ESPIONAGE No SECRETS T h e Last War is over, the T h r o n e h o l d Accords have established peace and equanimity a m o n g all nations, and a new age of prosperity and harmony has begun for all residents of K h o r v a i r e . O r has it? None of the nations of K h o r v a i r e truly believe that the c u r r e n t peace will last. In fact, several of them actively plot ways to u n d e r m i n e the peace. As a government's intrigues grow, so do suspicions that its neighbors might be just as duplicitous. Every n a t i o n has a cadre of spies spread t h r o u g h o u t the lands of its allies and (especially) its enemies. Each realm recruits adventurers to serve as spies, playing on national loyalty, religious ties, hatred of a p a r t i c u l a r g r o u p or faction, and simple greed to convince them to accept assignments. A d v e n t u r e r s are initially contacted by diplomats, m e r c h a n t s , or l o w - r a n k i n g m e m b e r s of their nation's royal family and asked to engage in only the most basic espionage, r e p o r t i n g any u n u s u a l events they see, uncover, or participate in. For this information, they receive gold (up to 100 gp, d e p e n d i n g on the value of the i n f o r m a t i o n and the risk involved in getting it). After the adventurers have proven capable and reliable, a spymaster might provide them a deeper glimpse into the world of espionage, offering riskier assignments. Instead of just keeping their eyes open for r a n d o m bits of intelligence, they could be asked to p e r f o r m active feats of skullduggery. They might be required to sneak into an embassy and steal a set of documents, convince a loyal m e m b e r of a d r a g o n m a r k e d house to divulge trade secrets, or even waylay or kill an enemy agent. These assignments are more dangerous, but also more lucrative. Of course, the first rule of espionage d e m a n d s that you never say more than you have to. Adventurers might find that the information their spymaster has given them only tells part of the tale, or perhaps is just a thinly veiled cover story that t u r n s out to be completely inaccurate. O n c e in the middle of an assignment, all a group of spies can do is try their best to keep the t r u t h in sight and escape with their necks. Spymasters use i n d e p e n d e n t agents for the simple reason that they are expendable. If a group of adventurer-spies is killed attempting a mission, the spymaster can simply hire another batch. T h e r e is the matter of deniability, as well. If adventurers are caught, no official tie connects them to their employer. Characters who are captured should not expect their spymaster to organize a rescue mission—he more likely denies having ever heard of them. If the information the characters have is particularly damning or is a closely guarded secret, the spymaster might send out a new team to permanently silence the failed group. It is commonly said that there is no h o n o r among thieves, but a lesser known bit of wisdom points out that there is no compassion among spies. Serving as a spy has its advantages, though. If characters are loyal and effective, they receive all kinds of support from their handler—everything from gold to opulent h o u s i n g to m i n o r magic items. Spies are granted the equipment, i n f o r m a t i o n , and support necessary for their assignments, and anything left over when the j o b is done is typically theirs to keep. A spy also gains the often overlooked advantage of access to power—he or she has connections to groups, governments, and individuals that are difficult or even impossible for ordinary adventurers to reach. A spy might, through the course of several missions, meet high-ranking government officials, the heads of one or more d r a g o n m a r k e d houses, wealthy m e r c h a n t s , leading scholars, and celebrities from all sorts of backgrounds, not to mention other highly capable adventurers. These connections can prove to be useful for years after the character stops playing any part in the espionage trade.

TRUST NO ONE T h e best spies appear to be above suspicion. It is impossible to tell whether the quiet man sitting by himself in the middle of a tavern is d r i n k i n g alone,

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) DC 20 : A u n d a i r ' s Royal Eyes, Breland's K i n g ' s Dark L a n t e r n s (a b r a n c h of the C i t a d e l ) , a n d Z i l a r g o ' s secret police ( t h e T r u s t ) are a m o n g t h e various espionage agencies at work in the world. T h e agencies of Cyre, K a r r n a t h , and T h r a n e are less well k n o w n , a n d it is n o t clear w h e t h e r the o t h e r n a t i o n s have established such o r g a n i z a t i o n s . D C 2 5 : I n the h a n d f u l of cities where m u l t i p l e n a t i o n s have c o m p e l l i n g i n t e r e s t s , t h e streets have b e c o m e h o t b e d s of i n t r i g u e a n d e s p i o n a g e . They include S t o r m r e a c h and the city of T h r o n e p o r t . Every metropolis in K h o r v a i r e has its share of spies in its embassy ward. Knowledge (history) DC 15: Some say that the Last War was really fought by spies a n d assassins, with t h e a r m i e s merely p r o v i d i n g a distraction. D C 20: Over the course of the Last War, each of the Five Nations built up its intelligence agencies to significant power. T h e Royal Eyes of A u n d a i r and the King's Dark L a n t e r n s of Breland are the best known of these organizat i o n s , b u t even Cyre's spies r e m a i n active t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e . D C 2 5 : While it might not be t r u e that the real war was fought by spies, it is certainly t r u e that some of the most devastating offensives of the war were e s p i o n a g e - r e l a t e d . T h e fall of t h e Glass Tower in S h a r n (9 O l a r u n e 918 Y K ) is the most famous example, but others suggest that the Day of M o u r n ing that destroyed Cyre falls in the same category. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 25: T h o u g h b o t h houses engage in o t h e r activities to cover t h e i r t r u e business, espionage is the real work of House Phiarlan and House T h u r a n n i . T h e Mark of Shadow grants the scions of these houses abilities r e l a t e d to stealth, disguise, and scrying. DC 30 : House P h i a r l a n p r i m a r i l y spies on behalf of T h r a n e , A u n d a i r , a n d B r e l a n d , while T h u r a n n i sells its secrets to the Lhazaar Principalities, K a r r n a t h , D r o a a m , and Q ' b a r r a .

waiting for friends, or furtively eavesdropping on the soldiers at the next table. In a world where espionage is a fact of daily life, you must consider the motives and allegiances of everyone you meet. In a world in which shapechanging magic and races such as changelings and doppelgangers are so prevalent, it is rarely possible even to be sure who you are talking to. Most spies are motivated by a sense of patriotism, religious devotion, or distrust of a particular group (or groups). While it's certainly possible to gauge a person's general convictions and allegiances to assess the risk that the person is a spy, how easy is it to recognize extreme zeal? T h e r e is no simple way to tell the difference between a loyal s u p p o r t e r of K i n g Boranel and a Brelish spy, and too many p r o b i n g inquiries only b r i n g suspicion on you. Similarly, it is difficult to identify a changeling (but see How to Spot a Changeling, page 25), and almost impossible to assess one's motivations once identified. Is the c h a n g e ling you just identified a spy, or simply someone who enjoys taking on different personas?

In a g r o u p of a d v e n t u r e r s who all come from different n a t i o n s , it might even be difficult for you to t r u s t your own allies. After all, no m a t t e r how u n i t e d your g r o u p , the fact of the m a t t e r is that only a few years ago you might well have been on opposite sides of the battlefield. Does a few m o n t h s of a d v e n t u r i n g together c o u n t for m o r e t h a n a c e n t u r y of n a t i o n a l p r i d e ? If a m e m b e r of y o u r royal family asked you q u e s t i o n s about your g r o u p , would you answer t r u t h f u l l y ? If that same p e r s o n asked you to keep an eye on one of your p a r t n e r s , could you? Now consider: How would each of your teammates answer those last two questions themselves? A secret's value depends on how secret it is. T h e fewer people who know it, the greater its worth. T h e value of covert i n f o r m a t i o n starts to d i m i n i s h as soon as you tell anyone—even your closest adventuring companions. If what you tell them gets passed on accidentally (or secretly sold before you can sell it yourself), you could be left h o l d i n g a secret that everyone knows.

NlNJAS AND SPELLTHIEVES Ninjas (see Complete Adventurer) are practitioners of a tradition that originated with the elf families that carry the Mark of Shadow. That tradition has spread beyond the dragonmarked families and their affiliated guilds, but every ninja school proudly traces its heritage to one branch of House Phiarlan or another. Ninjas are used as spies and assassins across Khorvaire. The shaarat'khesh goblins claim to have a ninja tradition dating back to the Dhakaani Empire itself.

Speilthieves (also in Complete Adventurer) are trained in stealth and arcane magic, and have the unique ability to siphon magical power from other creatures. The Royal Eyes of Aundair and the King's Dark Lanterns of Breland discovered and exploited this ability during the Last War. using speilthieves as spies and assassins with a focus on spellcasting targets. In the years since the end of the war, speilthieves have drifted without purpose. Some have ended up involved in criminal pursuits, whether in Khorvaire (particularly Sharn, Wroat, and Fairhaven) or beyond.

KALASHTAR THE MOUNTAINS OF REFUGE Adar is said to be a land of hidden wonders. Tales speak of palaces carved from solid gold and hidden valleys where wine flows like water. Dragons hide in every storm cloud, and fiends are buried in the b u r n i n g depths of volcanoes. These fanciful tales hold some t r u t h . T h e history of Adar dates back to the Age of Demons, and dragons and couatls left their mark on this land. As time passed, h u m a n s rose to dominate the continent of Sarlona. When tyrannical rulers sought to crush those who sought arcane knowledge and religious freedom, the persecuted mystics made their way to Adar, building monasteries atop the r u i n s the dragons had left b e h i n d . T h e stone wreckage held power—power that could be used for defense. Adar became a place of refuge. T h e path through the m o u n t a i n s was long and difficult, but for those desperate few in need of sanctuary, A d a r offered a last hope. H u m a n s were not the only ones to seek refuge in the mountains. Almost two thousand years ago, spirits from Dal Q u o r contacted the monks of Adar. These quori were being hunted by forces of n i g h t m a r e that sought to extinguish the last vestiges of light from their plane. A group of h u m a n mystics offered their own bodies as a way of providing these rebel quori with an escape from Dal Quor—and the first kalashtar were b o r n from this fusion. Physically, the kalashtar are essentially h u m a n , but spiritually, each carries the legacy of this ancient pact. Every kalashtar has a bond to one of the sixty-seven quori spirits that fled from the Region of D r e a m s . T h i s is a passive link, and the kalashtar c a n n o t c o m m u n i c a t e directly with their quori ancestors. However, a kalashtar receives special gifts from his quori bond: flashes of memories, strange insights, and psionic powers. T h e enemies of the kalashtar soon found a way to reach E b e r r o n , and today the kalashtar are locked in mortal combat with this force, the D r e a m i n g Dark. A d a r itself has been u n d e r siege for centuries. In recent years, the kalashtar and the h u m a n s of A d a r have b e g u n to make their way to K h o r v a i r e . H e r e , they intend to use their remarkable mental powers to s t r e n g t h e n the forces of light—and to e n s u r e that the D r e a m i n g Dark does not conquer a n o t h e r realm.

THE PATH OF LIGHT "The wheel of the age is constantly turning. One dream gives way to another. What will the next dream be, how will the next age emerge? That is in our hands."

—Kan'arath, kalashtar visionary T h e kalashtar believe that reality is defined by a force they call Q u o r Tarai, "the D r e a m of the Age." More powerful t h a n any god, this force radiates out from the heart of Dal Quor, shaping both E b e r r o n and the Region of Dreams. T h e kalashtar say that the c u r r e n t Q u o r Tarai is a nightmare—and that the darkness of this dream inspires all the ills that plague the world. But Q u o r Tarai follows a natural cycle, and given time, this age of darkness will naturally give way to il-Yannah, "the Great Light" that lies ahead. O n e problem r e m a i n s , however—the darkness does not want to let go. If this evil can seize control of E b e r r o n and destroy those who worship the light, it will be able to m a i n t a i n the c u r r e n t age forever.

THE XEPHS OF ADAR T h e h u m a n l i k e xephs live in the valleys of a great rift in A d a r . Like the kalashtar, they resist the tyranny of the I n s p i r e d of R i e d r a . In ages past they adopted psionic t r a d i t i o n s from kalashtar missionaries, and they r e m a i n closely tied to the kalashtar of their h o m e l a n d .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e kalashtar come from Adar, a small n a t i o n located in the m o u n tains to the south of S a r l o n a . D u e to the i n s u l a r n a t u r e of the Sarlonans, little is known of this l a n d . D C 15: T h e b a r r e n crags of A d a r are said to conceal fertile valleys, ancient temples, and vaults of arcane lore. D C 20: A d a r has eight major cities, each a vast fortress carved directly into one of the great m o u n t a i n s of t h e l a n d . Some great magic prevents access to A d a r by t e l e p o r t a t i o n . Knowledge (history) D C 15: T h e Inspired have laid siege to Adar for h u n d r e d s of years, but despite their vast numerical superiority, they have been unable to p e n e t r a t e Adar's natural and supernatural defenses. Knowledge (local) D C 2 0 : K a l a s h t a r t e n d to be s c r u p u lously h o n e s t . T h e y believe in mercy and kindness and seek to rehabilitate c r i m i n a l s rather t h a n p u n i s h t h e m . Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) DC 15: T h e kalashtar have a connection to some sort of extraplanar spirits. D C 2 0 : T h e k a l a s h t a r possess i n n a t e psionic abilities. Knowledge (psionics) D C 10: Sarlona is the center of psionic knowledge. Many psions in Khorvaire learned the art from a S a r l o n a n . DC 15: Psionics plays a vital role in daily life of Adar. Psionics is used to facilitate c o m m u n i c a t i o n , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , and defense. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 15: T h e kalashtar follow the Path of Light, an ascetic t r a d i t i o n of m e d i t a tion and discipline focused a r o u n d il-Yannah, "the Great Light." D C 20: T h e Path of Light is concerned with s p i r i t u a l p u r i t y and the fate of souls. Its followers fight d e m o n s , undead, and o t h e r creatures they see as c o r r u p t i n g p u r e souls. D C 2 5 : T h e followers of the P a t h of Light believe t h a t t h e i r prayers are m o v i n g t h e world closer to a new golden age, more effectively t h a n any sort of physical activity.

At the most basic level, the followers of the Path of Light do not need to take any sort of physical action. By simply meditating on the light and acting with compassion, they believe that they are helping to t u r n the wheel of the age. But in recent years, kalashtar have begun to take a more active role in the world, promoting the light by fighting the darkness. While the greatest enemy of the kalashtar is the D r e a m i n g Dark, their shadow watchers have fought the Lords of Dust, the O r d e r of the Emerald Claw, and other villains. In the end, all these are manifestations of the darkness that afflicts the Q u o r Tarai.

people in Breland have enough trouble trusting people from A u n d a i r , let alone people from across the sea. As a result, a typical N P C in K h o r v a i r e has an indifferent starting attitude toward a kalashtar, though that indifference is certainly tempered by curiosity. An N P C who learns that a nonkalashtar is a follower of the Path of Light is likely to be dismissive of this strange behavior, but will again be indifferent as a result. T h e Inspired and the agents of the D r e a m i n g Dark are hostile toward kalashtar and any other followers of the Path of Light they encounter.

T h e P a t h of Light i n the World "The kalashtar do not dream. Yet we will make their lives nightmare, and the heart of Dal Quor will never change."

—Ultaa Tsavarra, Inspired Lord of Riedra The Path of Light is the d o m i n a n t religious tradition of the kalashtar, and almost all kalashtar practice at least some of its meditation techniques, even those few who give their allegiance to some other faith. Similarly, the humans, xephs, and other residents of Adar respect the Path of Light even if they do not fully u n d e r s t a n d its teachings. The Path of Light has no organizational structure that can be separated from the society of the kalashtar and the nation of Adar. In Adar, the kalashtar live in fortresses that are also monasteries dedicated to the Path of Light, and the leaders of these settlements fill both temporal and spiritual roles. These roles fall into two categories: Lightbringers spend their time engaged in the prayer and meditation that they believe will change the shape of the coming age, while shadow watchers guard the community against incursions by the D r e a m i n g Dark or other hostile forces. No single lightbringer or shadow watcher holds a higher position than any other one, and leadership is largely a matter of community consensus.

N P C Reactions People in K h o r v a i r e aren't quite sure what to make of the kalashtar. They are beautiful, which can often sway o p i n ions in their favor (or at least attract attention), but they are also clearly foreigners—and in the wake of the Last War,

PSIONICS BEYOND SARLONA As described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting, the Inspired and kalashtar races of Sarlona are the most c o m m o n practitioners of psionics in Eberron—but they are not the only ones. If your campaign uses psionics, there's no reason you can't play a shifter psychic warrior from the Eldeen Reaches or a warforged wilder from S h a r n . Psionics might have originated in Sarlona, but it has since become more widespread, even in lands with limited Inspired or kalashtar contact. T h e D r e a m i n g Dark trains n o n - I n s p i r e d agents in the psionic arts, but that mysterious organization is protective of its secrets. T h o u g h a n o n - I n s p i r e d psion who tried to leave the D r e a m i n g Dark would quickly become the target of assassins, someone who managed to flee those initial attacks could make a very interesting player character, constantly in h i d i n g and on the r u n . In contrast, the kalashtar generously share the psionic mysteries. Some dedicated K h o r v a i r i a n s have made pilgrimages to the h i d d e n monasteries of A d a r to learn psionics and r e t u r n e d to K h o r v a i r e to form psionic monasteries of their own. Kalashtar do not actively evangelize the Path of Light, but n e i t h e r do they t u r n away converts, and devotees of the Path of Light are free to study psionics. Finally, psionic powers sometimes arise spontaneously. J u s t as some sorcerers manifest magical power without t r a i n i n g or prior knowledge, psions and wilders can appear at r a n d o m among m e m b e r s of all races.

SPIRITUAL ANCESTRY All kalashtar are descended from the fusion of h u m a n s and quori spirits. T h e most c o m m o n type of quori spirit is the tsucora, an e m b o d i m e n t of c u n n i n g and fear. But there are other types of quori—in particular, the du'ulora and the hashalaq. These feats allow a kalashtar character to show the effects of his unusual spiritual lineage.

D u ' u l o r a A n c e s t o r [Racial] T h e tsucora are the most c o m m o n of the q u o r i , but they are not the only spirits in Dal Q u o r . You are descended from a du'ulora quori—a spirit that feeds on h u m a n anger and rage. By drawing on your du'ulora essence, you can enter a state of focused fury. Prerequisite: Kalashtar, C o n 13, 1st level only. Benefit: If you have the rage class feature, you can expend your psionic focus when you e n t e r a rage to extend the d u r a t i o n by 5 r o u n d s .

If you are a multiclass character, your b a r b a r i a n class level does not count when d e t e r m i n i n g whether you take an XP penalty.

H a s h a l a q A n c e s t o r [Racial] T h e hashalaq quori essence within you allows you to sense the emotions of others. Prerequisite: Kalashtar, Cha 13, 1st level only. B e n e f i t : Add the empathy p s i o n i c power to y o u r list of 1st-level powers k n o w n . If you d o n ' t have the ability to m a n i f e s t p s i o n i c powers, you can use y o u r racial power p o i n t s to m a n i f e s t empathy as a p s i o n whose m a n i f e s t e r level is equal to o n e - h a l f y o u r c h a r a c t e r level ( m i n i m u m 1st level). Also, Sense Motive is t r e a t e d as a class skill for all your classes.

KHYBER THE DARKNESS WITHIN K h y b e r is the world w i t h i n the world—the d a r k n e s s that lurks deep beneath stone and soil. H u n d r e d s of legends speak of the h o r r o r s h i d d e n in this land. G r i m l o c k s and ancient fiends inhabit cities filled with darkness so deep that even goblin eyes c a n n o t pierce it. Herds of gorgons graze on fields of stalagmites. Massive d r a g o n s h a r d s lie scattered t h r o u g h o u t s u b t e r r a n e a n valleys, each b u r n i n g with the vile essence of a b o u n d d e m o n . But these r u m o r s and folk tales c a n n o t be fully c o n f i r m e d , for few who v e n t u r e down into the depths of the Dragon Below r e t u r n to tell their stories. It would be impossible for any a d v e n t u r e r to explore the entirety of Khyber. T h e u n d e r d a r k is the m i r r o r of the surface world—larger t h a n all the c o n t i n e n t s c o m b i n e d , since it s t r e t c h e s out b e n e a t h the oceans themselves. V i r t u a l l y any m o n s t e r can be f o u n d in its d e p t h s , e i t h e r as the r e s u l t of n a t u r a l e v o l u t i o n or t h e dark i n f l u e n c e s of the r e g i o n . Both the daelkyr and rakshasa rajahs are b o u n d in this d a r k n e s s , and many of the a b e r r a t i o n s that plague E b e r r o n are the h a n d i w o r k of these shapers of flesh. A j o u r n e y down into Khyber is a voyage into the deadly u n k n o w n , but just as the dangers of the u n d e r d a r k are impossible to predict, so are the treasures you might find t h e r e . What civilizations have taken root in the darkness? What magic did the daelkyr b r i n g from Xoriat, and what treasures were b o u n d with the rakshasa rajahs? T h e r e ' s only one way to find out. . . .

GATEWAYS TO KHYBER Passages to Khyber can be found across E b e r r o n . From ancient r u i n s to natural fissures, any surface o p e n i n g that delves down far enough might lead to the depths of the Dragon Below: A n unexpected e a r t h q u a k e could suddenly open up a passage to a previously u n k n o w n nation of grimlocks. W h i l e such u n p r e d i c t a b l e t u n n e l s might appear in the blink of an eye, experienced adventurers and scholars know of l o n g - s t a n d i n g paths into the darkness. T h e west coast of K h o r v a i r e saw the most intense conflicts with the daelkyr, and this region is riddled with passages to Khyber. Even though most of these were sealed away by the Gatekeeper d r u i d s and hidden from history and prying eyes, a few yet r e m a i n . In D r o a a m , the city of Cazhaak Draal sits atop a shaft l e a d i n g to K h y b e r . D u r i n g the a n c i e n t war, the daelkyr unleashed a horde of petrifying monsters against the goblins, and today a tribe of medusas dominates the region with the aid of domesticated gorgons, basilisks, and cockatrices. In the Demon Wastes, the Lair of the K e e p e r is said to contain t h o u sands of souls trapped by the god of death and greed. H e r o i c songs tell of those heroes who have fought their way t h r o u g h the darkness to bargain for the souls of fallen friends. In B r e l a n d , the m e t r o p o l i s of S h a r n is said to sit atop passages to Khyber. T h o u g h the deep t u n n e l s of that city have been sealed away since the War of the Mark, the darkness r e m a i n s , and eventually someone—or something—will breach those ancient b a r r i e r s . T h e M r o r Holds are filled with ancient chasms. Legends speak of two passages to K h y b e r h e r e . T h e G o r a d r a Gap is a vast canyon m o r e t h a n one h u n d r e d miles in l e n g t h s t r e t c h i n g down i n t o the d a r k n e s s . Tales claim that i m m e n s e m o n s t e r s lurk in its d e p t h s — c r e a t u r e s that exceed even dragons in size. Southeast of the G o r a d r a Gap lies N o l d r u n t h r o n e , r u i n e d capital of a dwarven clanhold that collapsed u n d e r mysterious circumstances. No one knows what happened to the dwarves of N o l d r u n h o l d , but some say that t h e i r d e s c e n d a n t s now live in the d e p t h s of K h y b e r as twisted and insane reflections of their race.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge ( d u n g e o n e e r i n g ) D C 10: Khyber is home to an astonishing array of deadly creatures. T h e vast majority of a b e r r a t i o n s come from Khyber, and the u n d e r g r o u n d world is also home to m o n s t r o u s h u m a n oids, giants, and magical beasts—from trolls to medusas and basilisks. D C 15: Weapons formed from byeshk ore are effective against aberrations that shrug off the bite of steel, including dolgaunts and d o l g r i m s . Knowledge (geography) DC 15: Below the surface of the e a r t h , a n o t h e r whole world stretches out, vast in its expanse and u n c h a r t e d in d e p t h . T h i s lightless world b e n e a t h t h e w o r l d is c a l l e d K h y b e r , t h e D r a g o n Below. D C 20: Any n a t u r a l cave or m a n u f a c t u r e d t u n n e l might be an e n t r a n c e to Khyber. New gateways to the D r a g o n Below appear constantly and u n p r e dictably, but c o n s t a n t e n t r a n c e s are especially common near the west coast of K h o r v a i r e . Knowledge (the planes) D C 15: A m a j o r p l a n a r i n c u r s i o n o c c u r r e d n i n e t h o u s a n d years ago, when an army from X o r i a t attacked E b e r r o n . A b e r r a t i o n s are either natives of Xoriat or creatures twisted by the daelkyr—the lords of madness who led the i n c u r s i o n . T h e G a t e keeper d r u i d s b o u n d the surviving daelkyr c o m m a n d e r s in the depths of Khyber, but the creations of the fleshshapers r e m a i n a threat to this day. D C 20: You know the names of specific daelkyr and the o t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n provided on the following page. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: K h y b e r was o n e of t h e t h r e e progenitor dragons. Eberron bound Khyber in her coils; E b e r r o n became the world and K h y b e r b e c a m e the underdark. T h i s deep, perilous realm is said to be filled with all m a n n e r of m o n s t e r s . DC 20: Khyber is said to be the father of fiends. T h e d r a g o n s h a r d s found in Khyber have an affinity for b i n d ing spells, and legends say that many powerful demons are t r a p p e d in the underworld.

A FIELD GUIDE TO ABERRATIONS Knowledge ( d u n g e o n e e r i n g ) e n c o m passes k n o w l e d g e of a b e r r a t i o n s . So what can you expect to f i n d in t h e darkness? With a successful check (DC 10 + m o n s t e r ' s H D ) , you can e n u m e r ate key s t r e n g t h s a n d weaknesses of a specific a b e r r a t i o n . W i t h a successful D C 10 check, you know the names a n d d e s c r i p t i o n s of a few of the b e t t e r known a b e r r a t i o n s . Aboleths are huge aquatic t e r r o r s , t e n t a c l e d fish with i m m e n s e m e n t a l powers. Some say that aboleths were the c r e a t i o n s of an aquatic daelkyr lord, while others believe that aboleths are an ancient race created by K h y b e r itself. Beholders are vast floating heads studded with w r i t h i n g eyestalks. Each eye has a deadly power, a n d these c r e a t u r e s are a m o n g the most d a n g e r o u s monsters of the u n d e r d a r k . Chokers are small, rubbery h u m a n o i d s capable of s t r i k i n g with astonishing speed and reach. Said to be warped halflings, these creatures lurk in dark places where they can surprise and t h r o t t l e the unwary. D o l g a u n t s are wiry h u m a n o i d s with long tentacles s p r o u t i n g from their s h o u l d e r s . T h e s e c r e a t u r e s often lead b a n d s of d o l g r i m s . D o l g r i m s were once the p r i m a r y foot soldiers of the daelkyr. They appear as f o u r - a r m e d goblins with two mouths, as if two goblins had been merged. Grells are levitating brains floati n g over a mass of b a r b e d t e n t a c l e s . They are solitary hunters, although tales of large colonies sometimes reach the surface. (Grells appear in Monster Manual / / a n d Lords of Madness.)

M i n d flayers are d i s t u r b i n g h u m a n o i d s with s q u i d l i k e f e a t u r e s . These creatures possess genius intellects and powerful mental abilities, and serve as the i n t e r m e d i a r i e s between the Cults of the Dragon Below and the daelkyr. R u n e h o u n d s are hairless wolves. A r u n e h o u n d has no head, only a m o u t h attached to a long flexible neck. T h e s e c r e a t u r e s are f o u n d in t h e c o m p a n y of d o l g r i m s . ( R u n e h o u n d s a p p e a r in Monster Manual III.)

U m b e r h u l k s are large, powerful h u m a n o i d s c o m b i n i n g the features of apes a n d insects. U m b e r hulks possess awesome physical s t r e n g t h a n d were used as shock troops by the daelkyr.

THE DAELKYR A c c o r d i n g to legend, E b e r r o n b o u n d K h y b e r in the d e p t h s . W h e t h e r this is t r u t h or myth, other creatures have since been likewise trapped in darkness. T h e rakshasa rajahs are truly bound—confined inside Khyber d r a g o n s h a r d s where they can do no m o r e t h a n w h i s p e r to v u l n e r a b l e m i n d s a n d lend faint power to t h e i r followers. However, the lords of Xoriat—the daelkyr—are not so c o n s t r a i n e d . They have been cut off from their home plane, as the magic of the Gatekeepers prevents them from r e t u r n i n g to the surface of E b e r r o n . However, they can move freely in the depths, and they have spread across the length of Khyber, each dark lord creating his own sinister d o m a i n . Unless you have r a n k s in K n o w l e d g e (the p l a n e s ) , you probably know n o t h i n g of the daelkyr. T h e s h a p e r s of flesh were t r a p p e d in K h y b e r t h o u s a n d s of years ago, a n d most p e o p l e simply know that m o n s t e r s lurk in the d a r k n e s s . If you are versed in p l a n a r l o r e , you know t h a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y n i n e t h o u s a n d years ago, the daelkyr b u r s t t h r o u g h the p l a n a r b a r r i e r s at the head of an army of m a d n e s s . Drawing directly on the power of t h e i r h o m e p l a n e , they t r a n s f o r m e d native creatures i n t o m o n s t e r s . Many of the a b e r r a t i o n s of the m o d e r n day are the result of this c o r r u p t i o n . M i n d flayers led a r m i e s of d o l g a u n t s and d o l g r i m s against the D h a k a a n i g o b l i n o i d s , bolstered by living a r t i l l e r y in the form of b e h o l d e r s a n d r u n e h o u n d s . Ultimately, the G a t e k e e p e r d r u i d s were able to sever the c o n n e c t i o n between E b e r r o n and X o r i a t . T h e few daelkyr not sent back were t r a p p e d in K h y b e r a n d deprived of a great deal of t h e i r power. However, even as deadly as the daelkyr are, if X o r i a t ever became c o t e r m i n o u s again, t h e i r power would increase beyond m e a s u r e . A daelkyr has the appearance of a handsome human—a fact that caused some a l a r m when h u m a n colonists first arrived on K h o r v a i r e . However, the angelic a p p e a r a n c e of a daelkyr is typically m a r r e d by its t r a p p i n g s . In addition to creating new species, the daelkyr are masters of symbionts and grafts, and a daelkyr typically bears a r m o r and weapons formed from chitin and raw muscle. T h e mere presence of a daelkyr can cause madness, while its touch can d r a i n away vitality or intellect. As befits the lords of madness, the goals of the daelkyr ( i n c l u d i n g the motives behind their attack on Khorvaire) remain a mystery. Despite their vast powers, the daelkyr have made little effort to escape t h e i r p r i s o n s . They aid t h e i r cults, but not as directly as they might. O n l y one t h i n g is certain—if you cross the path of a daelkyr lord, be ready for battle. Sages believe that at least six daelkyr are imprisoned in Khyber. While some of the daelkyr are known only as deadly monsters, the names of a few individuals have filtered out through the Cults of the Dragon Below. These are u n d o u b t e d l y a m o n g the most powerful of t h e i r k i n d , with abilities beyond those presented in the EBERRON Campaign Setting. A c c o r d i n g to legend, D y r r n the C o r r u p t o r is the m i g h t i e s t of the daelkyr, r e s p o n s i b l e for the c r e a t i o n of the d o l g a u n t s and d o l g r i m s . D y r r n is said to be trapped beneath the Eldeen Reaches, and alleged to be responsible for the h o r r o r s that lurk in the deep woods. Belashyrra, the L o r d of Eyes (depicted on the following page), is known as the creator of beholders. It is said to have a chamber in its citadel covered with eyes. By t o u c h i n g these walls, the daelkyr can look through the eyes of any living creature. Orlassk, the master of stone, is said to have made medusas, basilisks, and o t h e r petrifying creatures. Medusas are not a b e r r a t i o n s , but G a t e keeper records describe medusas fighting alongside daelkyr in the battle for Cazhaak Draal. Orlassk's citadel is said to be formed of living stone—a giant gargoyle that prowls the depths of Khyber. Kyrzin is a p r i n c e of slime and ooze. It is said to lurk b e n e a t h the Shadow Marches, s p r e a d i n g t e r r o r t h r o u g h o u t the swamps. Kyrzin has created all m a n n e r of oozes. Stories tell of sentient slimes, and of oozes that can enter h u m a n bodies. In some cases these slimes control the actions of t h e i r hosts; in o t h e r s , they simply wait for the p r o p e r m o m e n t before b o i l i n g out of the victim, b u r n i n g t h r o u g h flesh and b o n e .

Belashyrra,

the Lord of Eyes

ABERRATIONS If any creature can lay claim to being more u n n a t u r a l than the u n d e a d , it is an a b e r r a t i o n . A n abberation is defined by its profoundly u n n a t u r a l character—physiology that defies the laws of nature and thought processes that are completely and utterly alien to h u m a n s . A medusa might be a bizarre c r e a t u r e with deadly magical powers, but it sees the world in m u c h the same way a h u m a n or elf does. A m i n d flayer

might be h u m a n o i d in form, but it has n o t h i n g in c o m m o n with h u m a n i t y in either m i n d or body. T h i s alien n a t u r e drives the Gatekeepers and other d r u i d s to battle a b e r r a t i o n s . As strange as a displacer beast may seem, it belongs on E b e r r o n . Magic resonates t h r o u g h the world, and just as a h u m a n can develop a d r a g o n m a r k or the power of sorcery, a creature such as the displacer beast can develop s u p e r n a t u r a l abilities. A n a b e r r a t i o n , however, has no place in n a t u r e . T h e d r u i d s see the presence of aberrations as an infection—a wound that, if left untreated, could destroy the world. T h e Gatekeepers are the staunchest h u n t e r s of a b e r r a t i o n s , a n d G a t e k e e p e r r a n g e r s focus on aberrations as their favored enemies. T h e Wardens of the Wood also h u n t these monsters, prowling the heart of the Towering Wood in search of their foulness. Many aberrations are the creations of the daelkyr, but not all. T h e myths say that Khyber itself is opposed to nature, and aberrations might have been shaped by the dark power of the depths. Some say that any creature that spends too much time in the u n d e r d a r k becomes corrupted and u n n a t u r a l . In the m o d e r n age, the Day of M o u r n i n g produced new aberrations as it twisted land and life. Characters who devote themselves to battling aberrations have a n u m b e r of options. In addition to the Gatekeeper Initiate, Repel A b e r r a t i o n , and S t r o n g M i n d feats in the EBERRON Campaign Setting, the feats on this page and the gatekeeper mystagogue prestige class on the following pages can help prepare a character to do battle against the spawn of the daelkyr.

BATTLING THE UNNATURAL The following feats give characters additional abilites with which to fight aberrations.

Aberration Banemagic You can cast spells that do extra damage to aberrations. Benefit: When you cast a spell that damages an aberration, you deal an extra 2d6 points of damage. A single spell can never gain this extra damage more than once per casting. For instance, a fireball deals the extra damage to all aberrations in the area it affects. However, if a 3rd-level wizard casts magic missile and produces two missiles, only one of them (of the wizard's choice) gains the extra damage, whether both missiles are directed at the same aberration or two different ones. If a spell deals damage for more than 1 round, it deals this extra damage in each round. Scrolls scribed by you and scrolls activated by you do not gain any benefit from Aberration Banemagic. The same is true for most other magic items, such as wands and potions. However, staffs activated by you not only use your caster level but also gain the benefit of this feat, if applicable. If the spell allows a saving throw, the DC of the saving throw increases by 2. The extra damage dealt by this spell is either halved on a successful saving throw or negated, depending on how the regular damage dealt by the spell is affected by a successful save.

Indomitable Discipline Many aberrations in Khyber possess powers allowing them to control the minds of lesser creatures. Your strict

mental discipline allows you to resist attempts to manipulate your thoughts. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Region of o r i g i n Shadow Marches, Eldeen Reaches, Adar, or Riedra. B e n e f i t : You receive a +3 bonus on saving throws again charm or compulsion effects, or any other effect that would give another creature control of your thoughts (such as an aboleth's enslave ability).

Unnatural Enemy Aberrations are especially common in the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen Reaches. While only a few people actively follow the Gatekeeper traditions, many hunters learn to fight these terrors. You have been trained in the ways of aberrations, and you know how to recognize them and spot their weaknesses. Prerequisite: Region of origin Shadow Marches or Eldeen Reaches, or Gatekeeper Initiate feat. Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks made in conjunction with aberrations. You also gain a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls made against aberrations. S p e c i a l : If you have selected a b e r r a t i o n s as a favored enemy, the bonus on Knowledge ( d u n g e o n e e r ing) checks instead equals your favored enemy bonus against aberrations. (The bonus on damage rolls is unaffected, but still stacks with the bonus from the favored enemy ability.)

THE CULTS OF THE DRAGON BELOW "Reveal to us, O Queen with Burning Eyes, the depths of Khyber, and open to us the glories of the Dragon Below. Accept this offering of blood, and grant usyourfavor in return."

—Vestan i r ' S i m u l , adept of the Dragon Below The people of K h o r v a i r e know of the Cults of the Dragon Below—mad acolytes of the darkness within the world who work to free the fiends b o u n d in the depths. Also known as Khyber cultists, these insane creatures are one of the classic evils used by parents to frighten c h i l d r e n . T h e r e is t r u t h behind the legends, and the t r u t h can be terrible. While the u n i n i t i a t e d t h i n k of the cults as a monolithic entity, little could be f a r t h e r from the t r u t h . T h e oldest forms of the C u l t s of the D r a g o n Below worship K h y b e r itself, seeking to placate the powers of darkness through sacrifice. Despite the fact that these are the most literal Cults of the Dragon Below, they are rarely found among the common races. H u m a n s and the other people of K h o r v a i r e rarely see the progenitor dragons as active forces in the m o d e r n world, and typically only kobolds and lizardfolk still pay homage to the great wyrm of the depths. M o d e r n cultists worship the various entities trapped w i t h i n K h y b e r — t h e rakshasa rajahs, or m o r e c o m m o n l y the daelkyr. However, these groups have a very clouded view of their objects of worship. T h e foundation of cult beliefs emerged from the daelkyr invasion, s p r o u t i n g from the seeds of insanity planted a m o n g survivors and from halfr e m e m b e r e d tales of the lords of madness. W h e n h u m a n i t y came to the Shadow Marches and j o i n e d with the orc tribes, they brought their own myths, legends, and racial perspective to these traditions, and dozens of u n i q u e sects emerged from the m i x . Some Cults of the D r a g o n Below fight the Gatekeepers. Some fight the other cults. Many simply watch and wait, p r e p a r i n g for the day that the darkness will rise up from the D r a g o n Below to e n g u l f the world. Many cultists know n o t h i n g about the daelkyr, though they might know of Belashyrra, the blessed Lord of Eyes (see page 85), who watches all things and grants the faithful gifts of new flesh. Cultists revere a b e r r a t i o n s as the heralds of the world that is to come, and they believe that in time the faithful will be granted powers to match those of the m i n d flayers. T h e y see this h o r r o r as beauty, and embrace the u n n a t u r a l as their destiny. W h i l e a m e m b e r of any class can be a follower of the D r a g o n Below, s o r c e r e r s , warlocks, a n d b a r b a r i a n s are especially c o m m o n a m o n g the cultists. A b a r b a r i a n cultist embraces the madness of Xoriat when he enters battle, and his rage is a t e r r i b l e t h i n g to b e h o l d . S o r c e r e r s and

warlocks might draw t h e i r magic from a b o n d to the dark powers of the Dragon Below or Xoriat itself. Characters with such abilities are respected by m e m b e r s of the Cults of the Dragon Below, but the people of the Shadow Marches view such Spellcasters with suspicion.

CULTS Of THE DRAGON BELOW IN THE WORLD "Lunatics, the best of them. The worst—well, they're mad as well, but mad with visions of the annihilation of the world."

— Saala T o r r n , elder Gatekeeper of the Shadow Marches While it is comfortable and convenient for people to imagine that the Cults of the Dragon Below are a p h e n o m e n o n p r i m a r i l y restricted to the Shadow Marches and such outof-the-way places, the t r u t h is that they exist everywhere. At least three cults are secretly active in S h a r n , the largest led by the m i n d flayer Chyrassk, who busily attracts members from a m o n g the desperate refugees of lost Cyre. T h e Cults of the Dragon Below are not a fringe sect that can be easily i g n o r e d , but a pervasive c o r r u p t i o n s p r e a d i n g into every part of the world. Organization: T h e Cults of the Dragon Below have no overarching organization. Cults form a r o u n d particularly charismatic individuals driven by insane visions of Khyber, then are quickly dissolved with the death of their leaders. In some cases, a daelkyr or a lesser a b e r r a t i o n acts as sponsor for a cult and might found a new cult after one dissipates, but t h e r e is otherwise little unified t r a d i t i o n a m o n g the cults and absolutely no central leadership. Cult leaders arise in all walks of life, from orc b a r b a r ians in the Shadow Marches to nobles in the City of Towers. Many leaders have levels in the adept N P C class, casting spells powered by their devotion to the dark forces b e h i n d their cults. O t h e r s , thanks to the influence of an aberration p a t r o n , can call on the powers of a symbiont grafted to their flesh to supplement their spells and other abilities.

NPC Reactions Few sane people would greet a recognizable m e m b e r of a Cult of the D r a g o n Below with a n y t h i n g w a r m e r t h a n an unfriendly r e a c t i o n . Even if a c u l t i s t s affiliation is not immediately obvious, devotees of the cults are often obviously deranged, manifesting their insane nature and biasing N P C reactions against them. Members of the Gatekeeper sect of d r u i d s , as well as other characters associated with that sect (including tribes of the Shadow Marches), have a hostile initial reaction to the Cults of the Dragon Below due to their long history of opposition to the daelkyr and their m i n i o n s .

CULTS AND DOMAINS Different Cults of the Dragon Below grant their clerics access to varying domains, possibly including domains from s o u r c e s s u c h as Complete Divine a n d Booh of Vile Darkness. If you

use this o p t i o n , cults might g r a n t access to any of the following d o m a i n s : C o r r u p t i o n * , Darkness*, Dragon Below,

E a r t h , Evil, Greed*, Madness, Pact*, Pain*, Pestilence*, S u m m o n e r * . Domains with an asterisk (*) are from Complete Divine, while domains marked with a dagger (*) are from Book of Vile Darkness.

GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUE

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

"Nine thousand years ago the daelkyr came. On my life, they will not come again."

Knowledge (nature) D C 10: T h e G a t e k e e p e r s are m e m b e r s of a small d r u i d sect f o u n d in the Eldeen Reaches and the Shadow Marches. D C 15: T h e G a t e k e e p e r s — m a n y of whom are orcs—dedicate themselves to p r o t e c t i n g the world from a b e r r a tions and outsiders. DC 20: T h e original Gatekeepers were the first d r u i d s of K h o r v a i r e , taught by a d r a g o n . T h e sect played a major role in r e p e l l i n g the invasion of t h e daelkyr. D C 2 2 : A few G a t e k e e p e r s take t h e i r d e d i c a t i o n to an e x t r e m e , w a n d e r i n g i n t o t h e world to seek out a n d destroy aberrations and root out C u l t s of t h e D r a g o n Below. S o m e of these carry the title of gatekeeper m y s t a g o g u e , a n d t h e y wade i n t o b a t t l e with t h e i r a n i m a l c o m p a n ions, w i e l d i n g mighty magic against aberrations. D C 2 5 : O n e of these d r u i d s was the half-orc R u n n a r K h u r a k , who slew a pair of beholders that had enslaved a remote village in the western Shadow M a r c h e s before d i s a p p e a r i n g i n t o the swamp. D C 3 0 : S o m e d r u i d s s t i l l tell t h e tales of H a v a r r i e n B a n e h a m m e r , a mighty orc who was solely r e s p o n sible for the d e a t h of n o less t h a n t h r e e daelkyr in the t i m e of K a r r n the C o n q u e r o r .

—Runnar K h u r a k , gatekeeper mystagogue H e i r s to a t r a d i t i o n over sixteen m i l l e n n i a old, the g a t e k e e p e r mystagogues stand a m o n g the greatest foes of the daelkyr and their aberration spawn. C h a r g e d with cleansing K h y b e r of all a b e r r a t i o n s and m a i n t a i n ing the d i m e n s i o n a l seals that protect E b e r r o n against a n o t h e r i n c u r sion from Xoriat, gatekeeper mystagogues are the highest echelon of the Gatekeeper d r u i d s .

BECOMING A GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUE All gatekeeper mystagogues are at least 3rd-level d r u i d s , and most have at least six d r u i d levels. Because the prestige class enhances your animal companion, you'll get the most benefit from the class if you maximize your d r u i d levels. It's possible to enter the class as a 3rd-level d r u i d / 2 n d - l e v e l ranger, but your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n will be weaker for it. You need to be a gatekeeper before you can become a gatekeeper mystagogue. T h a t is, you must be a m e m b e r of the Gatekeeper sect, and you must have e a r n e d the r a n k of gatekeeper, passing t h r o u g h the aspir a n t and initiate r a n k s first. Most d r u i d s who meet the o t h e r r e q u i r e ments to e n t e r this class have already e a r n e d the r a n k of gatekeeper, but it is possible that you might have to p e r f o r m a quest to prove your worth before you are p e r m i t t e d to take your first level in this class. Such a quest might involve destroying an a b e r r a t i o n such as a will-o'-wisp, a water naga, a phasm, or an u m b e r hulk, or a couple of g i b b e r i n g m o u t h e r s or a nest of carrion crawlers.

Entry Requirements A l i g n m e n t : Any non-evil Base Attack B o n u s : + 4 S p e l l s : Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells S k i l l s : Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks Feats: Gatekeeper Initiate, Repel A b e r r a t i o n Special: Must hold the rank of gatekeeper within the Gatekeeper sect

CLASS FEATURES D e d i c a t i n g yourself to f i g h t i n g a b e r r a t i o n s , you l e a r n s u p e r n a t u r a l powers that allow you and your animal c o m p a n i o n to h a m p e r aberrations and, ultimately, destroy t h e m . Your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n gains additional

T H E GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUE

Level 1st

Base Attack Bonus +0

Fort Save +0

Ref Save +0

Will Save +2

2nd 3rd

+1 +2

+0 +1

+0 +1

+3 +3

4th 5th 6th

+3 +3 +4

+1 +1 +2

+1 +1 +2

+4 +4 +5

7th 8th 9th 10th

+5 +6 +6 +7

+2 +2 +3 +3

+2 +2 +3 +3

+5 +6 +6 +7

HIT DIE: D8

Special Animal companion, repel aberration, invest byeshk weapon, weapon proficiency Aberration Banemagic, purifying arc Venom immunity, animal companion (byeshk) Torturing arc Purge aberrations Slippery mind, animal companion (slippery mind) Disrupting arc Temporary seal Animal companion (bonus damage) Wracking arc

Spellcasting — +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class +1 level +1 level +1 level +1 level

of of of of

existing existing existing existing

divine divine divine divine

spellcasting spellcasting spellcasting spellcasting

class class class class

Class Skills (4 + I n t modifier per level): Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (the planes), Listen, Ride, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim.

special abilities as you advance in the class, a n d you become able to create lines of power that arc between you and your c o m p a n i o n , devastating aberrations that are caught in their p a t h . S p e l l c a s t i n g : At each level beyond 1st, you gain new spells p e r day and an increase in caster level (and spells k n o w n , if applicable) as if you had also g a i n e d a level i n a d i v i n e s p e l l c a s t i n g class to which you b e l o n g e d before a d d i n g the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any o t h e r benefit a character of that class would have g a i n e d . If you had m o r e t h a n one divine spellcasting class before b e c o m i n g a gatekeeper mystagogue, you must decide to which class to add each level for the p u r p o s e s of d e t e r m i n i n g spells per day, caster level, and spells k n o w n . A n i m a l C o m p a n i o n : If you have an a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n , your gatekeeper mystagogue levels stack with your previous class levels (usually d r u i d or ranger) to determ i n e the a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n ' s abilities. If you do not already have an a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n , you gain one at 1st level, and your effective d r u i d level is equal to your gatekeeper mystagogue level. At 1st level, your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n gains a +2 b o n u s on saves against the s u p e r n a t u r a l and spell-like abilities of a b e r r a t i o n s . At 3rd level, your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n ' s n a t u r a l weapons are considered to be made of byeshk (see page 126 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting) for the p u r p o s e of overcoming d a m a g e r e d u c t i o n . T h e s e attacks do n o t g a i n any o t h e r benefits of byeshk. At 6th level, your animal companion gains the slippery m i n d class feature (see page 50 of the Flayer's Handbook). At 9th level, if your animal c o m p a n i o n hits an aberration that you also hit with a melee attack in the same r o u n d , the a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n ' s attack deals an extra 2d6 points of damage. T h i s ability functions only once per r o u n d (so multiple hits by the animal c o m p a n i o n don't deal the extra damage more than once). Repel Aberration: Your gatekeeper mystagogue levels stack with your d r u i d levels for the p u r p o s e of this feat (described on page 58 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting). You also gain one a d d i t i o n a l daily use of this feat for every two class levels of gatekeeper mystagogue. Invest Byeshk Weapon (Su): As a swift action, you can spend a use of your repel a b e r r a t i o n ability to charge a byeshk weapon with nature's wrath for 1 r o u n d , enabling it to overcome any form of damage reduction possessed by an a b e r r a t i o n . Additionally, any aberration struck by the weapon is dazed for 1 round unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + mystagogue level + Cha modifier). Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the light and heavy mace at 1st level. T h i s proficiency allows you to make best use of byeshk weapons, which are most effective as b l u d g e o n i n g weapons. A b e r r a t i o n B a n e m a g i c : At 2 n d level, you gain A b e r r a t i o n B a n e m a g i c (see the s i d e b a r on page 86) as a b o n u s feat. P u r i f y i n g Arc (Su) : B e g i n n i n g at 2nd level, as a swift action you can spend a use of your repel aberration ability to create a line of purifying energy between you and your animal c o m p a n i o n (which must be within 20 feet of you for this effect to function). Any aberration along this line takes a —1 penalty on attack rolls and saving throws for 1 r o u n d (no save).

A gatekeeper

mystagogue

V e n o m I m m u n i t y (Ex) : At 3rd level, you gain i m m u nity to poison. T o r t u r i n g Arc (Su): B e g i n n i n g at 4th level, as a swift action you can spend a use of your repel aberration ability to create a line of d i s r u p t i n g energy between you and your animal c o m p a n i o n (which must be within 20 feet of you for this effect to function). Any a b e r r a t i o n along this line takes 2d6 points of damage and is nauseated for 1 r o u n d . A successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + mystagogue level + Cha modifier) negates the nauseated effect. P u r g e A b e r r a t i o n s ( S u ) : At 5th level, as a s t a n d a r d action, you can spend a use of your r e p e l a b e r r a t i o n ability to deal 5d6 p o i n t s of d a m a g e + l d 6 p o i n t s p e r class level to all a b e r r a t i o n s w i t h i n a 30-foot b u r s t . A success¬ ful Will save ( D C 10 + mystagogue level + C h a m o d i f i e r ) halves this d a m a g e . Slippery Mind ( E x ) : At 6th level, you gain the slippery m i n d class feature. D i s r u p t i n g Arc ( S u ) : B e g i n n i n g at 7th level, as a swift action, you can spend a use of your repel a b e r r a t i o n ability to create a line of d i s r u p t i n g energy between you and your animal c o m p a n i o n (which must be within 20 feet of you for this effect to function). Any aberration along this line is incapable of manifesting psionic powers or using psi-like abilities for 1 r o u n d unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + mystagogue level + Cha modifier). T e m p o r a r y Seal ( S u ) : At 8th level, as a s t a n d a r d action, you can spontaneously create an area similar to a dimensional seal (see p a g e 2 7 2 of t h e EBERRON Campaign Setting) by

sacrificing any uncast divine spell (similar to spontaneously casting summon nature's ally). T h e caster level of this effect is equal to your highest divine caster level. You choose a point within close range (25 ft. + 5 feet/2 caster levels), and the area extends in a 2 0 - f o o t - r a d i u s e m a n a t i o n centered on that p o i n t in space. T h e d u r a t i o n is 2 r o u n d s per level of the spell sacrificed. Within this area, d i m e n s i o n a l travel is impossible (as with the dimensional lock spell), and the effects of any manifest zone are suppressed.

Wracking Arc (Su): At 10th level, as a swift action, you can spend a use of your repel a b e r r a t i o n ability to create a line of wracking energy between you and your a n i m a l comp a n i o n (which must be within 20 feet of you for this effect to f u n c t i o n ) . Any a b e r r a t i o n along this line is s t u n n e d for 1 r o u n d u n l e s s it succeeds on a F o r t i t u d e save ( D C 10 + mystagogue level + Cha modifier).

PLAYING A GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUE T h e world faces a serious t h r e a t . As long as aberrations lurk in the depths of Khyber, not only are h u m a n o i d s in p e r i l , but the world itself could be destroyed. You must never take the spawn of the daelkyr and the threat they represent lightly. Some adventures you u n d e r t a k e m i g h t not involve aberrations, or the Cults of the Dragon Below, or an ancient artifact left by the daelkyr that has fallen i n t o the wrong hands—but it's i m p o r t a n t to rule out the possibility that any threat might be connected to the daelkyr. If such a c o n n e c tion is discovered, you stand ready, and your vigilance could mean the difference between the continued existence of the world and its utter a n n i h i l a t i o n . Not every h i g h - r a n k i n g d r u i d a m o n g the Gatekeepers chooses the path of the mystagogue. Most lack the singlem i n d e d focus on fighting a b e r r a t i o n s that you possess. That's all right—there are many different tasks to be done, and not everyone can follow your high calling. You are not s u p e r i o r to o t h e r gatekeepers in the sect purely by virtue of b e i n g a mystagogue, but n e i t h e r does your dedication to h u n t i n g a b e r r a t i o n s m a r g i n a l i z e you in any way. You lack the time and the desire to rise to a position of high authority in the sect—leave that to the o t h e r s . You are a vital part of Eberron's defense against a new daelkyr invasion. Combat: You t r u l y s h i n e when in combat against a b e r r a t i o n s — w h i c h is what you live for, after all. Y o u r a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n is y o u r best ally in these s i t u a t i o n s . Maneuver it into a position where an arc between your comp a n i o n and you will catch as many a b e r r a t i o n s as possible, and let loose. Since you and your c o m p a n i o n must be no more t h a n 20 feet apart for you to use one of your arcs, chances are you will be right up in melee or close to it. You might choose to h a n g back and try to use your arc abilities while blasting your foes with spells e n h a n c e d by your A b e r ration Banemagic feat. After a few r o u n d s of this, however, even a g i b b e r i n g m o u t h e r will get wise and close with you, so you'd better be ready for melee—preferably with a byeshk weapon in h a n d . Of c o u r s e , n o t every combat e n c o u n t e r involves an a b e r r a t i o n . You lack the wild shape ability of o t h e r d r u i d s of your c h a r a c t e r level, which might r e s t r i c t your usefulness in melee against n o n a b e r r a t i o n s , but you still have a perfectly capable a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n and a full c o m p l e ment of d r u i d spells to b r i n g to b e a r . You s h o u l d find a balance between u s i n g attack spells (call lightning, flame strike, insect plague) a n d u s i n g spells to assist your allies, i n c l u d ing your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n (cure wounds, animal growth, mass bear's endurance). At the highest levels in this class, you gain the most powerful arc abilities, as well as one u n i q u e ability that might only come into play in certain circumstances, but can really t u r n the tide of i m p o r t a n t battles: your temporary

seal ability. T h e Shadow Marches are littered zones linked to K y t h r i and Xoriat, and aberrations you e n c o u n t e r within those manifest zones gain exceptional power from t h e m . Your t e m p o r a r y d i m e n s i o n a l seal gives you three strong advantages: It can negate any benefit a creature gains from a manifest zone, it can prevent a foe from escaping (such as a m i n d flayer using its plane shift ability), and it can allow you to banish an extraplanar creature that otherwise couldn't be forced back to its h o m e plane while within the manifest zone (see page 122 for more about manifest zones). A d v a n c e m e n t : C h a r a c t e r s who b e c o m e gatekeeper mystagogues do so because they come to feel an overwhelming sense of the wrongness of aberrations, a fevered awareness that such creatures are a violation of n a t u r e and all that is right in the world. Often, this realization occurs while a character is using his Repel A b e r r a t i o n feat, and it is accompanied by a strong sense of nature's wrath flowing t h r o u g h his body in an almost tangible form to drive away the a b o m i n a t i o n s . Soon after having this experience, the c h a r a c t e r goes i n t o a p e r i o d of r e t r e a t a n d emerges as a gatekeeper mystagogue. O n c e you have d o n n e d the mantle of a mystagogue, you are largely on your own. You still have the full s u p p o r t and e n c o u r a g e m e n t of the Gatekeeper sect, of course, but with so few mystagogues within the sect you can chart your own course and you need answer to no one except perhaps the highest-ranking gatekeepers of the sect. It is not unusual for a mystagogue to feel that the only one who truly understands his calling is his a n i m a l companion—the one creature that shares his devotion to battling a b e r r a t i o n s . As you advance t h r o u g h the levels of the gatekeeper mystagogue prestige class, you can become a serious s p e cialist, focusing all your abilities on fighting a b e r r a t i o n s . You might c o n s i d e r a d d i t i o n a l feats such as I r o n Will, I n d o m i t a b l e D i s c i p l i n e , U n n a t u r a l E n e m y (see page 86), or D a r k s t a l k e r (from Lords of Madness) to f u r t h e r i n c r e a s e your resistance against the attacks of aberrations and make yourself more effective against t h e m . You could spend skill points on Escape Artist, for escaping the tentacles that all too often coil a r o u n d your limbs, as well as your usual suite of survival skills. T h i s approach is great if you know you're going to be fighting a lot of aberrations for the rest of your career, but if you expect to e n c o u n t e r other types of m o n sters as well, you might want to consider b r o a d e n i n g your capabilities accordingly. R e s o u r c e s : T h e G a t e k e e p e r s have few r e s o u r c e s as such t h i n g s are m e a s u r e d by the wider world—they are not wealthy or i n f l u e n t i a l , except p e r h a p s in the Shadow M a r c h e s , where t h e i r d r u i d s lead and g u i d e some t r i b e s of o r c s . However, the G a t e k e e p e r s possess vast stores of knowledge as h e i r s to a s i x t e e n - t h o u s a n d - y e a r - o l d t r a d i t i o n . A g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue who seeks o u t t h e most l e a r n e d masters of t h i s t r a d i t i o n can l e a r n m u c h a b o u t a b e r r a t i o n s , the daelkyr and t h e i r invasion, the p l a n e of Xoriat, and the dimensional seals that keep Xoriat from spilling i n t o the world a g a i n . As a g e n e r a l r u l e , these N P C s can make a K n o w l e d g e ( d u n g e o n e e r i n g ) or K n o w l e d g e (the planes) check with a +15 bonus on behalf of the mystagogue. Seeking out these knowledgeable Gatekeepers can be an adventure in itself; such characters are almost exclusively located in the Shadow Marches.

GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUES IN THE WORLD "There is no denying that Khurak was enthusiastic, dedicated, even inspired. But would I have entrusted the care of a village to him? That would hardly have been fair—to the village or to him."

to feel t h a t the G a t e k e e p e r s have little i n t e r e s t or c o n c e r n for t h e world beyond t h e i r i m m e d i a t e c a r e , t h o u g h the real p r o b l e m is less one of i n t e r e s t a n d m o r e one of limited resources. For more i n f o r m a t i o n about the Gatekeeper sect, see the entry on the Eldeen Reaches, pages 59—60.

— Saala T o r r n , half-orc Gatekeeper

NPC Reactions T h e gatekeeper mystagogue is a t r u e a d v e n t u r i n g prestige class. Dedicated to fighting a b e r r a t i o n s , a mystagogue has no patience for the day-to-day m a i n t e n a n c e of c o m m u n i ties in the Shadow Marches and the m u n d a n e business of the Gatekeeper sect. He has a calling to be out in the world fighting against the forces of c o r r u p t i o n . D a i l y L i f e : Daily life for a g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue involves v e n t u r i n g i n t o the d e p t h s of K h y b e r to e x t e r m i n a t e nests of g r e l l s , u n e a r t h i n g a C u l t of the D r a g o n Below m e e t i n g in the sewers of S h a r n and slaying its naga p a t r o n , and r o o t i n g out the m i n d flayer b e h i n d all the strange recent events in the town of Wyr. T h e r e is no room in his life for a n y t h i n g that does not carry the taint of an aberration's touch—or at least suggest that an a b e r r a t i o n (or a Cult of the D r a g o n Below) might be involved. Since the Gatekeeper sect has become an established religion involved in offering spiritual g u i d a n c e to individuals and c o m m u n i t i e s , it has an ambivalent r e l a t i o n s h i p with the mystagogues, who r e m a i n dedicated to the o r i g i n a l vision of the sect. Notables: It seems that every generation produces one great g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue, a h e r o d e s t i n e d for mighty deeds in the struggle against the spawn of t h e daelkyr. No such h e r o is alive today, but every l i v i n g G a t e k e e p e r r e m e m b e r s the deeds of the h a l f - o r c mystagogue R u n n a r K h u r a k , who slew a p a i r of b e h o l d e r s that had enslaved a village in the western Shadow Marches before d i s a p p e a r ing into the swamp. Decades ago, the orc Vashkal the Black vanquished an illithid t r i u m v i r a t e in Starilaskur, a b r o o d of c h u u l s in Silver Lake, a n d a cabal of mad s o r c e r e r s , along with the g i b b e r i n g m o u t h e r s they revered, in the city of Metrol. Organization: By definition, gatekeeper mystagogues are p a r t of the G a t e k e e p e r sect, t h o u g h t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p with the sect is a m b i g u o u s . T h e mystagogues c o n t i n u a l l y pull the sect back toward its o r i g i n a l vision, and away from the distractions that have built it into an organized religion and even a political force. They are p r o p h e t s and r e f o r m e r s , in a way, t h o u g h most do n o t identify t h e m selves as either—they simply want the freedom to p u r s u e their mission without i n t e r f e r e n c e from the sect's leadership or m e m b e r s . For the most p a r t , the leaders of the sect are w i l l i n g to g r a n t that f r e e d o m , a n d so the t e n s i o n between the mystagogues and the sect rarely develops into open conflict. R e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n t h e m y s t a g o g u e s a n d the o t h e r G a t e k e e p e r s are at t h e i r best w i t h i n the Shadow M a r c h e s , where the sect has r e s o u r c e s it can p r o v i d e to help a mystagogue face any t h r e a t that a r i s e s . W h e n a Cult of the D r a g o n Below or some a b e r r a t i o n comes to light beyond the M a r c h e s , however, mystagogues grow f r u s t r a t e d with the sect's u n w i l l i n g n e s s or i n a b i l i t y to provide any c o n c r e t e assistance. T h e mystagogues come

To most people across K h o r v a i r e , a g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue is j u s t a n o t h e r adventurer—with a big a n i m a l comp a n i o n . T h e i r i n i t i a l r e a c t i o n s a r e likely to be c o l o r e d by the mystagogue's race a n d a p p e a r a n c e : Few p e o p l e r e s p o n d warmly to b a r b a r i c - l o o k i n g orcs in t h e i r towns, but n e i t h e r are they b l a t a n t l y h o s t i l e . I n g e n e r a l , N P C s b e g i n with an i n d i f f e r e n t a t t i t u d e toward a mystagogue, and allow the character's deeds and words to change t h e i r attitudes appropriately. Followers of the Gatekeeper sect within the Shadow M a r c h e s and the E l d e e n Reaches, a n d elsewhere, have friendly initial reactions to a mystagogue, seeing such an individual as a h e r o who lives the d o c t r i n e of the sect and visibly protects them against the threat of aberrations. Leaders of the Gatekeeper sect are also initially friendly, even if the warmth of their reaction is tempered by their concerns about the mystagogue's potentially disruptive influence. A b e r r a t i o n s and m e m b e r s of the Cults of the Dragon Below are i m m e d i a t e l y h o s t i l e to a c h a r a c t e r they can identify as a g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue—and a mystagogue's r e p u t a t i o n often p r e c e d e s h i m in these c i r c l e s . T h e y go to great lengths to eliminate a mystagogue, ideally without revealing their presence in the process.

GATEKEEPER MYSTAGOGUES IN THE GAME T h e gatekeeper mystagogues are so few in n u m b e r that it would hardly be s u r p r i s i n g if even high-level characters had never e n c o u n t e r e d one in the course of t h e i r p r e v i ous adventures. If your characters' adventures b r i n g them into conflict with a b e r r a t i o n s or the Cults of the Dragon Below, they m i g h t find themselves w o r k i n g a l o n g s i d e a gatekeeper mystagogue. If your campaign revolves a r o u n d these t h r e a t s , a g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue can make a great player character. A s m a r t player r u n n i n g a g a t e k e e p e r mystagogue makes s u r e t h a t he has s o m e t h i n g to do even when he is f i g h t i n g c r e a t u r e s that a r e n ' t a b e r r a t i o n s , but any player who has a mystagogue PC will be happiest if he has ample o p p o r t u n i t i e s to put his best powers to work. O n e way to b r i n g about this situation is for the DM to make the Cults of the D r a g o n Below a s i g n i f i c a n t , o n g o i n g o p p o n e n t in the c a m p a i g n . Adaptation: At its h e a r t , the gatekeeper mystagogue class represents a d r u i d dedicated to fighting a specific kind of foe. It would be relatively simple to c h a n g e the type of creature the mystagogue's powers are most effective against, though you should be careful to stay within the established flavor of the d r u i d class. A variant class that gained bonuses against a n i m a l s or p l a n t s , for example, would make little sense, but a d r u i d dedicated to e x t e r m i n a t i n g the undead or outsiders could be quite effective.

THE LAST WAR A CENTURY OF CONFLICT T h e roots of the Last War r u n far back into the history of the Galifar kingdom, if not to the f o u n d i n g of the Five Nations themselves. T h e very fact that the u n i t e d k i n g d o m c o n t i n u e d to be referred to as the Five Nations points to the sense of national pride that persisted even after K i n g Galifar I's successful military campaign to forge a unified realm. K i n g Jarot, the last king of Galifar, accomplished many great things d u r i n g his r e i g n . W o n d e r s such as the warforged and the floating fortresses of Breland appeared, and the l i g h t n i n g rail expanded t h r o u g h o u t central K h o r v a i r e d u r i n g this p e r i o d . But J a r o t was plagued by dark and d i s t u r b i n g dreams and visions that also led to the largest military buildup in the history of the k i n g d o m . Few outside his closest circle u n d e r s t o o d the depths of J a r o t ' s fears. He saw d o o m c o m i n g to his beloved k i n g d o m with every sunrise, and disaster edging closer every time the dark of night spread across the land. T h e s e secret and n o t - s o - s e c r e t p r e p a r a t i o n s i n c r e a s e d t e n s i o n s t h r o u g h o u t the Five Nations. Soon, everyone was seeing threats and d a n gers in every shadow, and in this e n v i r o n m e n t of growing fear, national ties became stronger than those b i n d i n g the kingdom together. With great armies at their c o m m a n d , the g o v e r n o r - p r i n c e s were more t h a n a little d r u n k with power when the spark that ignited the war occurred. T h a t spark was the u n e x p e c t e d d e a t h of K i n g J a r o t . T h e Last War began in e a r n e s t when t h r e e of J a r o t ' s c h i l d r e n — T h a l i n of T h r a n e , K a i u s of K a r r n a t h , and W r o a n n of Breland—rejected t h e i r eldest s i b l i n g M i s h a n n ' s r i g h t f u l c l a i m to the t h r o n e . Initially, T h a l i n and K a i u s wanted to e x p l o r e o p t i o n s o t h e r t h a n the accident of o r d e r of b i r t h to d e t e r m i n e the best one of t h e m to ascend the t h r o n e . W r o a n n , however, knew who was best suited to r u l e . She believed t h a t h e r love of f r e e d o m d e m a n d e d that she take the crown a n d t h e n use the power of the t h r o n e to r e s h a p e G a l i f a r i n t o a m o r e progressive a n d l i b e r t y infused c o u n t r y . M i s h a n n wasn't a b o u t to r e l i n q u i s h h e r c l a i m , and soon each g o v e r n o r - p r i n c e d e c i d e d t h a t the c r o w n would best fit on his or her own head. O n c e begun, the Last War e n d u r e d for a h u n d r e d years. Of course, times of relative calm reigned d u r i n g that century of warfare. At times, battles raged in parts of K h o r v a i r e while peace (or at least truce) held sway in others. What began as a battle between two relatively unified alliances— Cyre and A u n d a i r on one side, and Breland, K a r r n a t h , and T h r a n e on the other—quickly dissolved into a general melee. Alliances were forged and broken countless times d u r i n g the course of the war. Before the war had ended, the K i n g d o m of Galifar and each of its constituent nations, at least one d r a g o n m a r k e d house, and o r d i n a r y families everywhere were sundered and t u r n e d against each other. T h e Last War w r o u g h t inestimable h a r m to p o r t i o n s of K h o r v a i r e , but from some perspectives it also b r o u g h t c h a n g e for the better. Eight recognized n a t i o n s g a i n e d t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e over the course of the conflict. From war, a new race was b o r n . Magical technology, originally developed for military use, now makes life in peacetime more comfortable, with the airship being the most recent such innovation. Just as the ancient and legendary war between dragons and fiends is thought by some to have paved the way for the new glory of the giant empires, so many believe that the tragedy of the Last War created the potential for a new golden age of civilization to emerge across K h o r v a i r e . W h i l e peace c u r r e n t l y reigns, all of the p r o b l e m s and grievances that came to the forefront d u r i n g the Last War r e m a i n . Old wounds and l i n g e r i n g r e s e n t m e n t s , o n g o i n g struggles and d e s p e r a t e c o m p e t i t i o n , secret deals and double-crosses—these factors and more leave the threat of a n o t h e r great war l o o m i n g on the h o r i z o n . Some believe it is only a matter of time before such a conflict erupts across the land.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (history) D C 1 0 : T h e Last War b e g a n in 8 9 4 Y K when K i n g J a r o t died a n d his c h i l d r e n could n o t agree on who would succeed h i m . Initially, A u n d a i r a n d Cyre stood u n i t e d in s u p p o r t i n g the Cyran queen as Jarot's rightful heir, while the other three nations rejected h e r c l a i m . T h e war e n d e d with the signing of the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d on 11 A r y t h , 996 Y K . DC 15: T h e destruction of Cyre on the Day of M o u r n i n g in 994 Y K was the b e g i n n i n g of the end of the Last War. No one knows what happened to Cyre, but it is clear that some magical catastrophe claimed the lives of every living creature in the c o u n t r y and t u r n e d it into a desolate wasteland. With one of the Five Nations destroyed, it seemed obvious that the war had to end soon, one way or a n o t h e r . D C 2 0 : I n a d d i t i o n to e n d i n g o p e n hostilities, the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d recognized the existence of eight new nations—the Talenta Plains, Zilargo, Q ' b a r r a , the Lhazaar Principalities, the M r o r Holds, the Eldeen Reaches, Darguun, and Valenar. It also granted warforged the rights held by all o t h e r sentient beings while o r d e r i n g an end to their creation. Knowledge (local) D C 15: T h r o n e h o l d was the capital of Galifar, the seat of its r u l e r s . All t h r o u g h the Last War, it was g u a r d e d by warriors from House Deneith, and it was the site of the peace treaty n e g o tiations at the end of the war. DC 20: T h r o n e h o l d , the castle, remains neutral g r o u n d u n d e r the protection of H o u s e D e n e i t h to t h i s day. T h e s u r r o u n d i n g city, called T h r o n e p o r t , is also n e u t r a l g r o u n d . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 15: A n elite group of warriors from H o u s e D e n e i t h , called the T h r o n e W a r d e n s , are responsible for g u a r d ing and m a i n t a i n i n g the castle of Thronehold.

THE DAY OF MOURNING What h a p p e n e d on 20 O l a r u n e , 994 Y K ? No one can say for certain—at least n o one who survived that day. Some catastrophe, certainly magical in n a t u r e , swept t h r o u g h the lands of Cyre, and n o t h i n g was left alive. T h o u g h n o t all its t e r r i t o r i e s were lost, Cyre ceased to exist as a n a t i o n on t h a t day. T h e l a n d s that were not destroyed were incorporated into D a r g u u n , Valenar, and the Talenta Plains. T h e rest became the M o u r n l a n d . T h e war did not cease on the Day of M o u r n i n g , however. Cyran forces in Breland and K a r r n a t h surrendered almost immediately, but battles continued to rage in T h r a n e , A u n dair, and Breland for at least a n o t h e r year. In fact, the war intensified, with no side knowing what had happened and all fearing that another such catastrophe might be unleashed if decisive victory was not quickly achieved. T h e r e are as many theories about the nature of the Day of M o u r n i n g as there are people who t h i n k about it. Many blame House C a n n i t h , believing that some arcane experiments taking place within its forgeholds caused the catastrophe. Some say that a secretive cabal of Cyran wizards called on the same forces that the giants had used to stop the quori invasion forty thousand years before, accidentally unleashing those forces on their own nation. Still others accuse Cyre's enemies of unleashing those same forces, but intentionally. Some believe that the Day of M o u r n i n g was a natural catastrophe, while others hold that its origin was divine—either a deadly w a r n i n g or a horrific p u n i s h m e n t from the gods. A few people p o i n t to the Day of M o u r n i n g as evidence that events long prophesied have begun to take place, signaling the eventual destruction of the whole world in a similar m a n n e r . Some of these prophets of doom gather into small communities on the b o r d e r s of the M o u r n l a n d , living lives of pious devotion in the hopes of being spared from the coming devastation. O t h e r s a b a n d o n themselves to lives of hedonistic luxury, making merry before their lives hasten to an end. Still others look for ways to m a n i p u l a t e the u n c e r tainty in the Day of M o u r n i n g ' s aftermath to achieve their own mysterious goals. T h e C h i l d r e n of Winter (see page 58) fall in this last category.

of who would participate occupied the initial period of the c o n f e r e n c e s . T h e g r o u p s that were not g r a n t e d r e c o g n i tion and the right to participate included a delegation from D r o a a m as well as representatives from a n u m b e r of e t h n i c or religious m i n o r i t i e s who hoped to carve their own sliver of land out of the wreckage of postwar K h o r v a i r e . Each g r o u p that did participate in the treaty process had its own agenda and d e m a n d s . At first, some refused to even sit across from each other, but the desire for peace soon overcame mutual distrust. Over the course of several weeks, this group h a m m e r e d out the accords that defined the b o r d e r s as they are seen on c u r r e n t maps. Sovereignty was g r a n t e d to several groups, n o m i n a l i n d e p e n d e n c e to o t h e r s , a n d a b i n d i n g peace agreement was signed by all. Two o t h e r items of b u s i n e s s , aside from the overa r c h i n g question of national b o u n d a r i e s and reparations, occupied the delegates to T h r o n e h o l d . T h e first was a p h i l o s o p h i c a l d i l e m m a with p r o f o u n d i m p l i c a t i o n s for society. T h e chronicles ran articles for m o n t h s about "the warforged question," and how the nations would treat this new race that had come to exist as a direct result of the war. Never before had a political body spent so much time in the consideration of such metaphysical questions. (It should be noted that no warforged was allowed to participate in any of these discussions.) In the end, the new race was given a twoedged sword. O n one h a n d , H o u s e C a n n i t h was o r d e r e d to halt p r o d u c t i o n of warforged and dismantle its creation forges. O n the other, all existing warforged were g r a n t e d the full rights of citizenship in the n a t i o n s of K h o r v a i r e , rather than being deemed objects to be possessed by other citizens. ( I n t e r e s t i n g l y , the delegates also neglected to address the question of whether elementals that had been b o u n d to service should receive the same rights.) As a final accord, and at the insistence of the T h r o n e W a r d e n s , the t h r i v i n g city of T h r o n e p o r t was declared n e u t r a l g r o u n d , accessible to all nations but belonging to none. T h e castle and its grounds, on the other hand, remain off limits and u n d e r the protection of the T h r o n e Wardens.

THRONEHOLD Despite the escalation of hostilities after the destruction of Cyre, it was clear that the participants in the Last War had become willing to find a way to end a century of hostilities. Even before the Day of Mourning, King Kaius III began searching for a place that could be considered neutral ground to host the peace talks. He finally settled on T h r o n e h o l d , the castle from which the kings and queens of Galifar had ruled. Perched on an island in the middle of Scions Sound, it was a prize coveted by all the combatants but which none had been able to claim. D u r i n g all the years of the Last War, T h r o n e h o l d was guarded and m a i n t a i n e d by an elite g r o u p of warriors from House D e n e i t h known as the T h r o n e Wardens. They acknowledged no legitimate heir to the t h r o n e , and p r o tected the castle and all its belongings from u s u r p e r s . T h e peace talks included the leaders of the original Five Nations plus representatives from D a r g u u n , Zilargo, the M r o r Holds, the Eldeen Reaches, Q ' b a r r a , Valenar, the Lhazaar Principalities, and even a halfling empowered to speak for all the tribes of the Talenta Plains. O t h e r groups petitioned to be included in the T h r o n e h o l d Accords, but were refused. T h e deliberations merely to settle the question

On the Day of Mourning, some say that destructive magic came to life

RED GAUNTLET REGIMENT

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

"War is crazy—bunch o' people killing each other because some guy said to. But you aren't gonna make war go away, so you might as well get good at it. And get paid for it."

Knowledge (history) DC 10: T h e Red G a u n t l e t was a m e r c e n a r y b a n d d u r i n g the Last War. T h e r e g i m e n t was c o m p o s e d mostly of cast-offs from n a t i o n a l armies. D C 13: T h e Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t is still a r o u n d after t h e war, a n d i n fact r e c e n t l y h e l d a r e u n i o n i n S h a r n to c o m m e m o r a t e t h e fifth a n n i v e r s a r y of a major b a t t l e . K i n g B o r a n e l made the soldiers h o n o r ary m e m b e r s of B r e l a n d ' s n a t i o n a l army, but the status is merely c e r e m o nial as far as the regiment's leaders are concerned. D C 15: At its peak, the r e g i m e n t had around two thousand soldiers, but only about five h u n d r e d r e m a i n because its m e m b e r s were engaged with Cyran forces on the Day of M o u r n i n g . D C 18: T h e Red G a u n t l e t s are b e t t e r trained than most mercenaries. They're also known for their loyalty— once you h i r e t h e m , they stay h i r e d . They fought for B r e l a n d d u r i n g the latter years of t h e Last War, servi n g with d i s t i n c t i o n on the C y r a n border. DC 20: T h e regiment's ranks are full of experienced mercenaries because the leadership gives big monetary bonuses for success on the battlefield. D C 2 5 : Since the e n d of t h e Last War, the surviving m e m b e r s of the Red G a u n t l e t Regiment have had trouble finding work to do that's worth doing. T h e r e g i m e n t existed before the Last War a n d survived it, but—much like the warforged—its members are having trouble finding their place in the world right now.

—Toril Macoute, Red Gauntlet sergeant A famed mercenary company, the Red Gauntlet Regiment has existed for centuries, its fortunes rising and falling with the governments and churches it supports. Minstrels everywhere sing folk tales praising the Red Gauntlets and the code of h o n o r they regard as essential to the soldier's life.

JOINING THE RED GAUNTLET REGIMENT T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment is choosy about its new recruits, but it looks for evidence of bravery and valor over impeccable skill at a r m s . O n c e you wear the red gauntlet, your commanders assume that you'll quickly become a casualty of war if you aren't p r e p a r e d . Veterans don't give new recruits the time of day, since those recruits have yet to prove they can survive the rigors of combat. T h e veterans share a deep bond with each other—they've seen it all and survived it all together. J o i n i n g the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t is a s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d process, assuming the regiment is hiring. Historically, h i r i n g has been done toward the middle or end of a military campaign, when the regiment's ranks have been depleted by casualties. Since it was engaged with Cyran forces on the Day of M o u r n i n g , the Red Gauntlet lost a great many of its members that day, and it actively recruits now even as it searches for meaningful work. E n t r y R e q u i r e m e n t s : Base attack b o n u s + 2, n o n - e v i l a l i g n m e n t , regiment must be r e c r u i t i n g . T h e Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t believes in what its c o m m a n d e r s call "task-based organization." Squads within the regiment tend to be flexible, with c o m m a n d e r s assembling and reassembling teams based on the needs of a particular mission. T h u s , it's not u n c o m m o n for a Red Gauntlet squad to r e s e m b l e a g r o u p of a d v e n t u r e r s , h a v i n g Spellcasters and specialists mixed in with traditional soldiers, Recruits are almost never mixed with veterans, however. New m e m bers of the Red Gauntlet Regiment find themselves placed in recruit squads and given less i m p o r t a n t (but still dangerous) missions u n t i l they have proven themselves—or have died trying. Only gradually are new members i n t r o d u c e d to the Red Gauntlet leadership and its elite u n i t s . I n i t i a l t r a i n i n g for the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t tends to be brief and i n f o r m a l . New members receive an i n t r o d u c t i o n to their c o m m a n d ers, they learn the unit's h e r a l d r y and signal protocols, and t h e n they're t h r o w n i n t o the fray. Between m i l i t a r y c a m p a i g n s , the Red G a u n t l e t spends a lot of t i m e d r i l l i n g (after the m a n d a t o r y few weeks of rest and r e c r e a t i o n at the end of an e n g a g e m e n t ) . T h e grizzled veterans of the regiment have a vast store of knowledge on all matters military, and they gladly share what they know with their fellow soldiers.

RED GAUNTLET REGIMENT BENEFITS More t h a n most o t h e r m e r c e n a r y u n i t s , the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t emphasizes the possibility of a big score. W h e n you serve in this u n i t , you can become rich. G o o d s : T h e Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t ' s pay is average for a wellestablished mercenary company: 50 cp per day, plus an additional 50 cp for each point of c o m m a n d e r rating. (See Heroes of Battle for more about comm a n d e r ratings, or consult the sidebar on the next page for the correlation between c o m m a n d e r ratings and rank in the regiment.) Every new r e c r u i t receives a p a i r of the red g a u n t l e t s from which the r e g i m e n t takes its n a m e . T h e gauntlets, made of leather and covered with engraved metal b a n d s , are w o r t h 50 sp each. M e r c e n a r i e s in the regiment wear only one gauntlet at a time, usually the one that covers their weapon h a n d . T h e biggest benefit that the regiment provides, however, is its reward s t r u c t u r e . Half of the Red Gauntlet Regiment's profit from a mercenary contract and all the p l u n d e r seized on the battlefield goes into a pool.

Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 2 5 : A l t h o u g h it smiles in public and is lavish in its praise of the Red Gauntlet regiment, House Deneith has some misgivings a b o u t a m e r cenary company that is so i n d e p e n d e n t of its c o n t r o l . Some w i t h i n the d r a g o n m a r k e d house would like to own the Red Gauntlets—and probably rewrite much of its history. DC 30: K a r l e r r e n i r ' V o r e , the second son of a p r o m i n e n t noble family in K a r r n a t h , is the c u r r e n t head of the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t . He is in his seventh decade of life a n d is expected to retire soon.

When the r e g i m e n t completes a contract, its c o m m a n d e r s divide up the accumulated treasure based on merit, determined by achievement and valor on the battlefield. Because the profit m a r g i n and value of looted goods varies widely from battle to battle, the a m o u n t of the reward varies widely. As a general rule, each PC in the Red G a u n t lets receives 5 sp for every victory p o i n t he or she earned throughout the l e n g t h of the military contract. If the PCs are active t h r o u g h o u t a major battle, they'll probably earn 5 gp or more per level they have. Every m e m b e r of the Red Gauntlet Regiment therefore has a tangible reason to fight hard t h r o u g h o u t a battle—and a s t r o n g d i s i n c e n t i v e to leave the r e g i m e n t before the m e r c e n a r y c o n t r a c t e n d s . U n i t s w i t h i n the r e g i m e n t are competitive with each o t h e r and vie for the most critical, lucrative, and d a n g e r o u s missions. T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment has existed for centuries, and its members have seen the reward system abused from time to time. In the past, c o m m a n d e r s rewarded their c r o nies with reward money rather than doling it out to the most effective u n i t s . Word travels fast in a military outfit, however, and good mercenaries mustered out once they realized the reward system wasn't recognizing merit. Today's c o m m a n d e r s know that soldiers have a keen sense of who has earned the extra pay, and that they risk a r e c r u i t i n g and retention problem if the system isn't fundamentally fair. From time to time, the Red G a u n t l e t has to deal with unscrupulous soldiers who refuse to aid wounded comrades to avoid having to share extra pay with t h e m . T h i s problem was rampant in the ranks until the regiment adopted a survivor benefit policy. Now, members of the regiment know that if they fall in battle, the Red Gauntlet makes every effort to

make sure that their families get their reward money. T h u s , there's no incentive to eliminate the competition—and in fact the c o m m a n d e r s give extra compensation to units that take risks to aid their fellows. T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment also ensures that its m e m bers are equipped according to their status and mission. As a P C , you'll have gear according to the wealth guidelines on p a g e 135 o f t h e Dungeon Master's Guide.

Information: Military intelligence officers attached to the r e g i m e n t ' s senior leadership have a s t r o n g sense of the Red G a u n t l e t Regiment's long history. Because the regim e n t has fought its way across K h o r v a i r e and back again several times, those officers have a +15 bonus on Knowledge (history) checks, and are willing to answer PCs' questions if they aren't otherwise occupied. T h o s e i n t e l l i g e n c e officers also g u a r d access to the regiment's archive of old battle-maps, which show the layouts of large fortresses, historic strongholds, and other locations for site-based a d v e n t u r e s . PCs who improve the officers' attitudes from i n d i f f e r e n t to helpful can acquire access to those maps. T h e maps were complete and comprehensive when created, but some are c e n t u r i e s old. Access: T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment has small barracks in large cities and metropolises, but these are rarely used by the r a n k - a n d - f i l e troops, who are usually out in the field. T h e barracks are used more as business offices and recruiting centers, with only a small guard detail. Members of the regiment on a mission or on detached duty can find austere but secure accommodations at the barracks. Status: Because of its storied history as one of the oldest continuously f u n c t i o n i n g mercenary companies in existence, the Red Gauntlet Regiment has earned a measure

THE RED GAUNTLETS AND HEROES OF BATTLE If you use Heroes of Battle in your campaign, the Red Gauntlets make an ideal organization for player characters to j o i n in a military campaign.

Force S t r u c t u r e T h e Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t never finishes a battle with the same o r g a n i z a t i o n it starts one with, but the basic o u t l i n e is simple. Four e i g h t - s o l d i e r squads plus a c o m m a n d section make up a p l a t o o n led by a l i e u t e n a n t . F o u r p l a t o o n s (one of which is usually specialized in a r c h e r y , cavalry, or magic) make up a c o m p a n y led by a c a p t a i n . T h r e e c o m p a n i e s plus a h e a d q u a r t e r s u n i t a n d various special teams m a k e up a b a t t a l i o n led by a major. Four b a t t a l i o n s plus a supply s e c t i o n , r e g i m e n t a l staff, a n d a siege e n g i n e section make up the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t in its e n t i r e t y . Infantry E l e m e n t : Six 3rd-Ievel fighters, one 3rdlevel cleric, one 3rd-level sorcerer. EL 9. Infiltration Element: Six 2nd-level fighter/3rd-level rogues, two 3rd-level wizard/2nd-level rogues, EL 11. Cavalry E l e m e n t : Eight 4th-level rangers m o u n t e d on horse c o m p a n i o n s . EL 10. Magic A r t i l l e r y E l e m e n t : Six 7th-level fighters, 10th-level sorcerer, 10th-level cleric. EL 14.

Recognition T h e r e g i m e n t uses the rank s t r u c t u r e outlined below. Commander Rating 1 2 3 4

Rank Sergeant Master Sergeant Lieutenant Captain

5

Major

6

Colonel

T h e best decoration the Red Gauntlets receive is the extra monetary reward at the end of a mercenary contract. T h e r e g i m e n t offers a few d e c o r a t i o n s as well, the effects of which are detailed in Heroes of Battle, • Silver pin, engraved with symbol for the t r a i n i n g type ( 2 - p o i n t t r a i n i n g decoration) C a m p a i g n r i b b o n , d i f f e r e n t color for each m e r c e nary contract completed ( 4 - p o i n t service d e c o r a t i o n [campaign]) Jarek's Ring, a copper r i n g large e n o u g h to fit over the gauntlet's finger (10-point decoration) Von Harrla's Ring, a gold r i n g large enough to fit over the gauntlet's finger ( 2 0 - p o i n t decoration)

of respect a m o n g professional soldiers. W e a r i n g the red gauntlet grants a +2 circumstance bonus on checks made to govern social interactions with other mercenaries and army c o m m a n d e r s , provided they aren't bitter about a previous battle against the r e g i m e n t .

PLAYING A RED GAUNTLET Professionalism and h o n o r are of p a r a m o u n t importance to you. You're in it for the money, to be sure, but you take pride in your work. You are p r o u d that over the c e n t u r i e s , the Red Gauntlet Regiment has never reneged on a contract or left its p a t r o n s in the lurch. S u r r o u n d e d by l i k e - m i n d e d professional soldiers, you have a hard time dealing with people whose loyalties are more flexible, or with fanatics who fight for an abstract cause. You're most comfortable a r o u n d your comrades— fellow professionals all. They're probably the only family you have, and you dread the day when you're too old to wield a weapon and stand shoulder to shoulder with t h e m . Combat: Red Gauntlet military d o c t r i n e emphasizes maneuverability and flexibility. C o m m a n d e r s try to avoid showing the same tactic to an enemy twice, and might first pepper the enemy lines with archers, then harass the supply lines with cavalry, then use illusions to provide distractions before an infantry assault. Such varied tactics work only because the regiment is well trained and good at r e o r g a n i z i n g itself at a moment's notice. T h e regiment's mercenaries are cross-trained in several aspects of warfare—able to wield a halberd, s t r i n g a bow, launch a catapult, ride a horse, or sneak b e h i n d enemy lines. A n d that's just the wizards. W h e n they can, the Red Gauntlet Regiment's officers employ what they call the three keys strategy: p r e e m p t i o n , d i s r u p t i o n , and dislocation. T h e regiment first endeavors to preempt a battle by seizing the objective before the enemy is able to m o u n t a response. If necessary, it t h e n moves to d i s r u p t i o n , e l i m i n a t i n g the enemy's ability to wage war by attacking supplies, destroying morale, and subverting its c o m m a n d s t r u c t u r e . Finally, the regiment uses subterfuge, magic, and complicated t i m e d m a n e u v e r s to dislocate the enemy. By the t i m e the o p p o s i n g army has b e e n led off against some n o n e x i s t e n t t h r e a t , the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i ment has massed a r o u n d the battle's critical point. Advancement: By and large, the Red Gauntlet Regiment is a meritocracy, so advancement can occur rapidly if you prove yourself effective on the battlefield. Recruits chafe for a while as the veterans get the most lucrative assignments. Once you have proven yourself, though, you'll be getting those assignments—and the extra money they'll earn you. T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment officer corps is expected to lead from the front, so battlefield casualties mean that there is almost always r o o m in the c o m m a n d s t r u c t u r e for new officers. However, while officers draw a slightly higher base pay t h a n the r a n k and file, they d o n ' t necessarily get m o r e reward money, so the r e g i m e n t ' s grizzled veterans sometimes t u r n down commissions. D u r i n g the Last War, esprit de corps was high in the Red Gauntlet Regiment, so most veterans stayed on until they died or retired. Since the end of the war, however, the regiment has suffered serious a t t r i t i o n . T h e r e m a i n i n g members are some of the oldest soldiers from bygone days. Younger members whose lives were less invested in the war had an easier time d r o p p i n g out of the regiment and back into civilian life.

Missions: As a member of the Red Gauntlet Regiment, you can expect to c o n t i n u e fighting the Last War wherever it persists. T h e Graywall M o u n t a i n s between B r e l a n d and D r o a a m are one of Khorvaire's c o n t i n u i n g hotspots of military activity, and the Red Gauntlets are there in significant n u m b e r s helping Breland defend its b o r d e r s . Smaller n u m b e r s of Red Gauntlet u n i t s patrol the Seawall Mountains at the western edge of D a r g u u n , protecting both Breland and Zilargo from goblinoid incursion. In addition, K a r r n a t h has hired a few companies to help contain Valenar attacks in and across the Talenta Plains. Wherever you are engaged, you'll likely be called on to execute one of the three keys of regiment strategy. You might make a midnight ride to seize a castle before the enemy can get out of its barracks, thus preempting a battle. If you're ordered to destroy a dam and thereby flood the enemy trenches, you're executing a disruption strategy. Alternatively, the Red Gauntlet might dress you up like generals and have you ride across the battlefield, drawing pursuit from elite enemy units that then won't be able to j o i n the battle at the real objective. T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment also sends its m e m b e r s on missions away from the battlefield. You might accompany an officer to assist in n e g o t i a t i o n s for a f u t u r e m e r c e n a r y contract, or find a fallen comrade's family and deliver a survivor benefit. All that said, things are relatively quiet after the fury of the Last War, and as long as you check in with your comm a n d e r s periodically, you can expect plenty of t i m e to engage in your own adventures while r e m a i n i n g a member of the Red G a u n t l e t . Such freelancing is encouraged, but the regiment frowns on i n d e p e n d e n t a d v e n t u r i n g d u r i n g a military campaign. W h e n the war's on, you're expected to be all about the regiment's business.

THE REGIMENT IN THE WORLD "Things were bad. Catapult stones were raining down on the courtyard, and my own men were cowering in the catacombs. But the Red Gauntlet guys weren't even flinching when the stones fell around them. They just mounted their horses and massed by the front gate, waiting to ride forth."

—Duke H a t h a r a k , survivor of the Siege of Tasselcliff T h e Red Gauntlet Regiment represents the quintessential band of honorable mercenaries. T h o u g h they keep their eyes on the gold rewards, they r e m a i n skilled artisans who take great pride in their work. T h e i r flexible military doctrine offers players a wide variety of experiences on the battlefield, and if the PCs are in the Red Gauntlet Regiment, they'll rarely perform the same function in combat twice. Organization: O n paper, the Red Gauntlet Regiment looks like part of a national army—or at least it did u n t i l the end of the Last War left only a single battalion a m o n g its ranks. T h e regiment's c o m m a n d e r is a colonel, assisted by a staff of advisors and four majors that once led the regiment's battalions. As a practical matter, each company within the regiment reorganizes itself to meet the needs of the day's battle. Companies are simply n u m b e r e d (1st company of the 3rd battalion, for example), and squads are usually referred to by the name of the sergeant who c o m m a n d s t h e m . Those squads are moved from one company to a n o t h e r with great rapidity, often because a p a r t i c u l a r c o m m a n d e r is closer to the action or has special expertise in the squad's duties. T h e colonel's staff handles the business aspects of r u n n i n g the regiment. D u r i n g a battle, the colonel and a small retinue use one of the battalion's h e a d q u a r t e r s as a central

command center, or they lead from the saddle, moving from unit to u n i t and giving orders directly. Veterans g r u m b l e that the regiment's motto is "There's always o n e m o r e t h i n g to d o . " O n the eve of battle, every m e m b e r of the r e g i m e n t keeps busy d i g g i n g t r e n c h e s , s t r e n g t h e n i n g f o r t i f i c a t i o n s , a n d s c o u t i n g out nearby t e r r a i n . Few lulls o c c u r d u r i n g the battle, because the regiment's c o m m a n d e r s constantly reposition their troops to confound their enemies. A Red Gauntlet major might say with a straight face: "Your squad can rest while it marches to the top of that hill over t h e r e . T h e n prepare some fieldexpedient fortifications and await f u r t h e r orders." T h e c u r r e n t head of the Red Gauntlet Regiment is Karlerren ir'Vore, but almost everyone refers to h i m simply as "the colonel." T h e second son of a K a r r n a t h i noble family, he served in K a r r n a t h ' s national army until his men deserted him in the face of a regiment of Cyran warforged soldiers. Surrounded by more than a h u n d r e d enemies, ir'Vore held them off with a clever bluff until the Red Gauntlets arrived and rescued h i m . He j o i n e d the r e g i m e n t on the spot and worked his way up the ranks over the next two decades. T h e colonel is in his sixties and contemplating r e t i r e ment to the family m a n o r . W h e n he does, the Red Gauntlet Regiment will have to promote a new colonel. T h e regiment doesn't have a codified succession policy, so ir'Vore's r e t i r e ment will likely lead to a power struggle between three candidates: Major H i l l i a r d (a cavalry specialist), Major G l a u r r (a half-elf ranger), and C a p t a i n Sureya (a sorcerer on the colonel's staff who handles the regiment's business affairs).

N P C Reactions Folk tales of the Red Gauntlets a b o u n d , and they all deliver the same message: T h e regiment is full of clever professionals

who are loyal to their contract, no matter how dire the situation becomes. N P C s who are knowledgeable about military matters thus have an initial attitude of friendly to those who wear the red gauntlet (except those who have recently battled the r e g i m e n t ) . R e c e n t foes of the Red G a u n t l e t d o n ' t r e g a r d t h e m as kindly, even if they offer g r u d g i n g respect for t h e r e g i m e n t ' s skill at a r m s . Most of the g r u d g e s of the Last War are forgotten now, but some Cyran n a t i o n a l s hold the Red G a u n t l e t somehow responsible for the Day of M o u r n ing. D r o a a m and D a r g u u n similarly have n o love for the r e g i m e n t , t h a n k s to its c u r r e n t involvement in fighting t h e i r forces. N P C s associated with any of those g r o u p s have a s t a r t i n g attitude of u n f r i e n d l y to m e m b e r s of the Red G a u n t l e t R e g i m e n t . For their part, Red Gauntlet Regiment members have an initial attitude of indifferent toward nearly everyone they're not actually at war with. To hold a grudge after war's end would b e s m i r c h t h e i r professionalism, and today's enemy might be tomorrow's employer. T h e r e g i m e n t has a complicated r e l a t i o n s h i p with House Deneith, viewed as the clearinghouse for mercenary services in K h o r v a i r e . O n many occasions, House Deneith has actually h i r e d the Red G a u n t l e t s , a c t i n g as a b r o k e r and i n t e r m e d i a r y between the employer and the r e g i m e n t . Mostly, t h o u g h , the r e g i m e n t ' s r e p u t a t i o n allows it to secure work on its own merits and leave D e n e i t h out of the transaction—which makes the heads of the d r a g o n m a r k e d house unhappy. Publicly, House D e n e i t h has been respectful of the r e g i m e n t and praised its work. Privately, m e m bers of the r e g i m e n t should not be s u r p r i s e d to e n c o u n t e r u n f r i e n d l y reactions from those in positions of power in the house.

CHARACTER CLASSES IN THE LAST WAR Healer Healers, described in Miniatures Handbook, played an i m p o r tant role d u r i n g the Last War. Most healers are m e m b e r s of House Jorasco's Healers G u i l d , though some are also m e m bers of one of two very specialized religious orders. T h e H e a l i n g H a n d of Olladra is a healer o r d e r associated with the Sovereign Host, while the Silver K n i g h t s Hospitallers are associated with the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame, and include paladins and clerics as well as healers. Both orders sent m e m b e r s to serve as field medics for the armies of the Last War, and both organizations still operate, focused on providing healing services to travelers and others in need, regardless of national affiliation or circumstance.

Marshal I n t r o d u c e d in Miniatures Handbook, the marshal commands the ability to inspire his allies, e n h a n c i n g their combat abilities as they perform specific battlefield maneuvers. T h e i r n a t u ral place is on the fields of war, a n d every army in the Last War included some marshals. Most marshals hold ranks as m i n o r officers, though some have retired on military p e n sions and t u r n e d their unique talents toward inspiring their a d v e n t u r i n g c o m p a n i o n s rather t h a n allied troops.

Scout Very much like rangers, scouts (described in Complete Adventurer) were widely employed d u r i n g the Last War, c o m b i n i n g stealth with combat prowess to harry opposing forces, assess t r o o p n u m b e r s , and infiltrate enemy lines. A u n d a i r in p a r ticular is known for its scouts, especially the famous corps operating out of Tower Valiant and called Valiant scouts. In all the Five Nations, scouts were primarily recruited from r u r a l areas.

Warmage T r u e to their n a m e , most warmages (detailed in Complete Arcane and Miniatures Handbook) were trained to serve in the Last War. Lacking the versatility and scholarly bent of wizards and the mysticism of sorcerers, warmages wield magic as a tool for a single p u r p o s e : the a n n i h i l a t i o n of enemy forces. Cyre made the most use of warmages d u r i n g the Last War, and the greatest warmage college in K h o r v a i r e was leveled on the Day of M o u r n i n g , T h e tradition survives among Cyran warmages in exile, however, particularly in New Cyre in eastern Breland.

LHAZAAR PRINCIPALITIES TIDES OF BLOOD AND GOLD T h e Lhazaar Principalities is a loose n a t i o n of sailors, merchants, privateers, and p i r a t e s . It is m a d e up of a n u m b e r of separate e n t i t i e s , called p r i n c i p a l i t i e s , each of which has its own r u l e r , h o l d i n g s , citizens, and ships. Lhazaarites make t h e i r living from the sea, serving o t h e r nations as fishers, m e r c h a n t s , couriers, privateers, and mercenaries. T h e P r i n c i p a l i t i e s have existed for c e n t u r i e s . They were the first lands settled by the h u m a n m i g r a n t s from Sarlona, and though the famed pioneer Lhazaar led her expedition to these shores three thousand years ago, scattered groups of refugees arrived even before her, some as early as five thousand years ago. These bands were too small and weak to challenge the goblinoids for control of K h o r v a i r e , so they r e m a i n e d on the islands off the continent's northeast shore. Similarly, waves of m i g r a n t s arrived after Lhazaar, a d d i n g to the p o p u l a t i o n of this area. At the time of these expeditions, Sarlona was composed of a dozen distinct k i n g d o m s , each constantly at war with the others. Some people, looking at the history and the c u r r e n t state of the Principalities, would argue that here, at least, little has changed. T h e S e a d r a g o n P r i n c i p a l i t y , led by H i g h P r i n c e Ryger i r ' W y n a r n (LN male h u m a n r a n g e r 9), is the nation's largest—which is to say, Ryger's personal followers and the twenty ships u n d e r their c o m m a n d form the largest fleet in the Lhazaar Sea, allowing them to control the largest swath of territory. Ryger claims descent from the kings of Galifar and dreams of r e b u i l d i n g a united k i n g d o m . So far, though, he has been unable to unite the squabbling princes to do a n y t h i n g more than present a unified face (Ryger's own) to the deliberations at T h r o n e h o l d that ended the Last War and established the Lhazaar Principalities as a sovereign n a t i o n . Prince Ryger's flagship, Dragoneye, makes its home p o r t at Regalport. T h e C l o u d r e a v e r P r i n c i p a l i t y is i n some ways the a n t i t h e s i s of the S e a d r a g o n s . If Ryger's r u l e r e p r e s e n t s stability for the L h a z a a r P r i n c i palities as the n a t i o n moves forward to a new f u t u r e , the C l o u d r e a v e r s represent the violent instability of a r e t u r n to the old ways of bloodthirsty piracy. Led by Prince Mika Rockface (CE female dwarf b a r b a r i a n 6), the Cloudreavers are a powerful band of marauders claiming six fast ships and Krag Island, i n c l u d i n g Port Krez. T h e D i r e s h a r k P r i n c i p a l i t y is led by P r i n c e K o l b e r k o n (LE male c h a n g e l i n g fighter 7), who imagines h i m s e l f Ryger's greatest rival and hopes to become the next H i g h P r i n c e . K o l b e r k o n has been working to improve his base in Port Verge so that it will rival Regalport, and to that end has made alliances with b o t h the O r d e r of the E m e r a l d Claw and House Lyrandar. T h e Gray T i d e Principality, in a d d i t i o n to b e i n g an u n e x p l a i n e d feature of the sea beyond Lastpoint Island, is led by a n o t h e r changeling, P r i n c e Kel (N male c h a n g e l i n g r o g u e 6). H e d r e a m s of e s t a b l i s h i n g a h o m e l a n d for the c h a n g e l i n g race and has succeeded in drawing a significant p o p u l a t i o n of changelings—mostly followers of the reality seeker philosophy (see page 24) trying to create a perfect community. T h e Gray Tide is located on and a r o u n d Lastpoint, though r u m o r s say that it has a fleet hidden in the tendrils of mist from which it takes its n a m e . T h e Bloodsail Principality, led by Prince Shaen Tasil (LE female elf cleric 7 Blood of Vol), includes a large n u m b e r of elves said to be allies of the line of Vol, who were banished from Aerenal when that bloodline was exterminated. Its base of operations is Port C a i r n , at the southern extreme of Farlnen Island. T h e Wind Whisperers Principality is primarily made up of half-elves, led by P r i n c e K o u l t o n Brightwind ( C N male half-elf r a n g e r 4 / d r a g o n marked heir 4), an expatriate scion of House L y r a n d a r with a high price on his head. K o u l t o n fled his family in an elemental galleon twenty years ago, and has so far managed to evade the house's efforts to retrieve the ship

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s is a n a t i o n of factions t h a t vie for supremacy. Its p o p u l a t i o n is p r i m a r ily h u m a n , with a strong gnome, halfelf, and c h a n g e l i n g presence. DC 15: Dozens of princes control land and ships in the Principalities. Ryger i r ' W y n a r n is t h e best k n o w n , since he r e p r e s e n t e d the P r i n c i p a l i t i e s at the T h r o n e h o l d d i s c u s s i o n s . Ryger seeks to u n i t e the Principalities i n t o a t r u e nation, but has met with s t r o n g resistance from the o t h e r lords. D C 2 0 : A s i d e f r o m P r i n c e Ryger's Seadragons, other groups include t h e vicious p i r a t e s of t h e C l o u d reavers, the m e r c e n a r y D i r e s h a r k s , the changeling Gray Tide, the Bloodsails of F a r l n e n , t h e h a l f - e l f W i n d Whisperers, and the well-intentioned Heavenly Fleet. Knowledge (history) D C 10: T h e L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s declared t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e from Galifar early in the Last War. D C 15: T h e L h a z a a r — G a l i f a r war s t a r t e d i n 28 Y K a n d lasted for a decade before the Lhazaar princes finally b e c a m e a s e m i a u t o n o m o u s p r o v i n c e of t h e y o u n g K i n g d o m of G a l i f a r . D C 20: T h e Lhazaar Principalities was the site of the first h u m a n settlement in K h o r v a i r e . Knowledge (local) DC 15: Laws are lax in the Principalities a n d vary i n each p r i n c e ' s t e r r i t o r y . T h e people are rough and ready; the towns have a f r o n t i e r feel, full of o p p o r t u n i t y and danger. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 10: House T h u r a n n i is based in the Lhazaar Principalities. T h e other houses have a m i n i m a l presence. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 10: Lhazaarites have little interest in religion. DC 15: T h e Blood of Vol has a d i s p r o portionate n u m b e r of followers in the Lhazaar Principalities, particularly among the Bloodsails. DC 30: Vol's stronghold is somewhere in the Lhazaar Principalities.

and remove h i m . He has used his Mark of Storm to forge a new p r i n c i p a l i t y and pull t o g e t h e r a sizable fleet, and the o t h e r p r i n c e s resent him—both for seizing t e r r i t o r y some of t h e m had c l a i m e d , and for e x a c e r b a t i n g the typically strained relations between the Lhazaar Principalities and House Lyrandar.

THE HEAVENLY FLEET T h e Heavenly Fleet is the smallest of the Lhazaar P r i n c i palities, though it is growing—in defiance of all predictions. Led by Prince L o r r i s t e r (LG male aasimar ranger 4/paladin 4), the Heavenly Fleet is dedicated to b r i n g i n g justice to the Lhazaar Sea and the rule of law to all its settlements. T h e p r i n c e holds his crews to h i g h ideals a n d hopes to impose those same ideals on the people of the P r i n c i p a l i t i e s . Even t h o u g h the L h a z a a r i t e s greet L o r r i s t e r ' s p r i n c i p l e s with s c o r n , p e o p l e o u t s i d e the P r i n c i p a l i t i e s who share his p h i l o s o p h y are attracted to his cause, and L o r r i s t e r claims a large n u m b e r of foreign s u p p o r t e r s and suppliers. T h i s influx of aid from such places as T h r a n e , the Martial Temple of Dol A r r a h in Starilaskur, and n u m e r o u s private benefactors translates into the finest gear and supplies for Lorrister's ships and crews. P r i n c e L o r r i s t e r m i g h t come to the aid of player characters facing the p e r i l s of the Lhazaar Sea, sailing to the rescue like some celestial cavalry r i d i n g over the hill. However, he is likely to ask characters who are indebted to him to r e t u r n the favor by s t r i k i n g against one of his many e n e m i e s . He is on a p e r p e t u a l crusade against evil in the P r i n c i p a l i t i e s , a n d he r e c o g n i z e s the C l o u d r e a v e r s as his greatest enemies. He also bears a p a r t i c u l a r grudge against the Blood of Vol and actively campaigns in opposition to that cult's activities. T h e o t h e r p r i n c e s scoff at P r i n c e L o r r i s t e r ' s morals, but they are leery of his s t r e n g t h . I n the future they might form an alliance to destroy the paladin and his crusaders, but for now they use t h e i r wiles to play h i m against their foes. For his part, L o r r i s t e r may be idealistic, but he is not naive, and he r e m a i n s fully aware of his rivals' plans.

ISLES Of MYSTERY A mighty storm rages above Tempest Isle's central m o u n t a i n . It spits lightning and shouts thunder, and its winds make the seas treacherous a mile away from the island's shores. Some say that storm giants, refugees from X e n ' d r i k ' s ancient wars, live on the m o u n t a i n and m a i n t a i n the storm to keep their old foes at bay. O t h e r r u m o r s speak of a pirate wizard who arrived on the island with his captain and crew. After the pirates hid their treasure on the m o u n t a i n , they betrayed and m u r d e r e d the wizard, adding his magical possessions to their h o a r d . T h e wizard r e t u r n e d as a ghost and slew them all, and now pirate ghosts wage eternal war in the sky. Still other tales say that a rakshasa rajah, one with great power over the weather, lies imprisoned within the m o u n tain, and the storm is a sign of his i m m i n e n t awakening. W h a t e v e r the case, a d v e n t u r e r s and pirates come to Tempest Isle to seek the t r u t h . Most believe that gold, magic, or both wait in the m o u n t a i n ' s caves. Visitors to Tempest Isle first experience rainfall and winds near the shore. A tribe of particularly large and brutal scrags (8 H D each) lairs there. These aquatic trolls seem more intelligent t h a n others of their k i n d . They paint designs on their leather a r m o r and prefer to ambush and confuse their prey rather than r u s h headlong into battle.

Prince Lorrister

of the Heavenly

Fleet

T h e nearby rocky Traglorn Isle is home to a large tribe of cliffwalk shifters who call themselves the S u n - K i n . They claim that their people once inhabited both T r a g l o r n and Tempest Isle, but in years long forgotten one of their kind lost an ancestral artifact to a hobgoblin trickster. T h e storm set in after the artifact vanished, and the S u n - K i n fled to Traglorn. Since that time, brave warriors from the tribe have set out across E b e r r o n to locate their lost relic, but none have been successful. Strangely, the S u n - K i n wear wooden decorations b e a r i n g sigils similar to those the Tempest Isle scrags paint on their armor. T h e island of Trebaz Sinara is s u r r o u n d e d by t r e a c h erous reefs and is h o m e to t e r r i b l e m o n s t e r s , two factors that combine to leave the island u n i n h a b i t e d . Despite these dangers, however, the island (at least according to legend) has served a n u m b e r of i m p o r t a n t purposes over the centuries. T h e first Sarlonan settlers of the area built tombs here, and indeed some of the monsters that attack visitors to the island, i n c l u d i n g b o t h u n d e a d and c o n s t r u c t g u a r d i a n s , seem to be connected to those crypts. In addition, countless pirates are said to have h i d d e n their treasures on the island, but never r e t u r n e d to retrieve t h e m . These tales strain the limits of credulity, but the n u m b e r of people who claim to have r e t u r n e d from Trebaz Sinara with tangible proof of the wealth they found there is enough to e n s u r e a steady stream of t r e a s u r e - h u n t e r s . Most are not heard from again. Dreadhold is an island prison m a i n t a i n e d by House Kundarak. First established by K a r r n the Conqueror, Dreadhold has contained some of the most d a n g e r o u s criminals the world has ever known. Popular belief says that no p r i s o n e r has ever escaped the island, but whispered r u m o r s suggest that the t r u t h might be otherwise.

MAGICAL TRADITIONS MODES OF POWER Magic infuses the world of E b e r r o n . It rages high above in the R i n g of Siberys that encircles the world. It binds dark and foreboding creatures 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, and reliance on magic, shapes and defines the societies of E b e r r o n . For m i l l e n n i a , wizards, sorcerers, clerics, artificers, adepts, and magewrights have brought their talents to bear on the challenges and dangers of the world a r o u n d t h e m . T h e i r solutions helped h u m a n o i d society develop and thrive on Eberron—especially in K h o r v a i r e . T h e people of E b e r r o n have developed a variety of means to tap into the e v e r - p r e s e n t power of magic, c h a n n e l i n g it to address t h e i r needs t h r o u g h the ages. These various means are reflected in the great magical t r a d i t i o n s of the world, past and p r e s e n t . A r c a n e i n s t i t u t e s , c h u r c h e s , academies, secret cults and cabals—a vast n u m b e r of organizations have preserved these n u m e r o u s traditions. T h e most f u n d a m e n t a l distinction in the various practices of magic lies in its source. A r c a n e Spellcasters draw on the magical energy that surr o u n d s them, u n l o c k i n g it t h r o u g h careful performance of precise rituals and words of power. Divine Spellcasters draw on magical power accessed t h r o u g h faith and devotion. Artificers work with the magic contained in the s t r u c t u r e s of objects, a l t e r i n g the m o v e m e n t of power and f r e e i n g c h a n n e l s for magic to flow. Psionic m a n i f e s t e r s are not i n c l i n e d to call t h e i r powers magic, but the results are m u c h the same, powered by the manifester's m i n d . T h e two greatest i n s t i t u t i o n s that preserve t r a d i t i o n s of studying arcane magic and artifice, at least in K h o r v a i r e , are the Twelve and the Arcane Congress. Founded fifteen h u n d r e d years ago (before there were even twelve recognized d r a g o n m a r k s ) , the Twelve is a s h i n i n g example of cooperation a m o n g the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses—an arcane foundation intended to study d r a g o n m a r k s , arcane magic, and artifice. T h e Twelve's studies emphasize the use of magic to improve daily life and, in particular, facilitate the work of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses for economic gain. T h e invention of airships and message stations can be credited to the researchers of the Twelve. T h e A r c a n e C o n g r e s s m a i n t a i n s a somewhat m o r e t h e o r e t i c a l research emphasis. T h e institution was founded in 15 Y K , at least in part because K i n g Galifar did not fully trust the Twelve to keep the best i n t e r ests of the kingdom (as opposed to the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses) at heart. Like the Twelve, the A r c a n e Congress has an explicit mandate to improve life t h r o u g h the application of magic. However, the twisting halls and extradimensional spaces of the towers that float above Arcanix are filled with all m a n n e r of experiments and constructs, many of which have no imaginable practical application. T h e institute's scholars have a particular interest in the planes. W h i l e these two o r g a n i z a t i o n s are the most i m p o r t a n t c e n t e r s of magical l e a r n i n g in K h o r v a i r e , they are not the only ones. T h e Passage 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 dedicated to t r a i n i n g Spellcasters t h r o u g h field education—primarily 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 and the University of Wynarn both teach magic (or at least its more abstract theories). Rekkenmark Academy in K a r r n a t h trains Spellcasters for war, p r o d u c i n g a n u m b e r of warmages in c o n t i n u a t i o n of the tradition begun in Cyre d u r i n g the Last War (see page 97). Each of the great r e l i g i o n s of the world m a i n t a i n s its own magical t r a d i t i o n 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 c o n t i n u e d ancient t r a d i t i o n s of necromancy, the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame makes extensive use of magic to b a n i s h

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 10: T h e many and varied forms of magic derive from three fundamental sources: a r c a n e energy (used by s o r cerers, wizards, b a r d s , a n d o t h e r s ) , divine power (used by clerics, d r u i d s , paladins, rangers, and others), and the magic contained in the structures of objects (used by artificers). D C 15: T h e A r c a n e Congress, founded by K i n g Galifar, a n d t h e Twelve, e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e d r a g o n m a r k e d houses long ago, are the two greatest institutes of magic in K h o r v a i r e . D C 18: Aside from the most c o m m o n users of magic, a n u m b e r of individuals follow t r a d i t i o n s that use magic differently or c o m b i n e it with o t h e r skills. Hexblades are w a r r i o r s who wield arcane power derived from some c o n n e c t i o n to t h e D a r k Six. Shu¬ genjas are divine casters who revere the dragons of A r g o n n e s s e n . Spirit s h a m a n s and wu j e n are Spellcasters, divine a n d a r c a n e respectively, who are drawn to n a t u r e a n d c o m m o n l y found in the Eldeen Reaches. Favored souls are d i v i n e casters devoted to i n d i v i d u a l deities of t h e S o v e r e i g n H o s t . Warlocks wield a r c a n e s p e l l like abilities r u m o r e d to be derived from the rakshasa l o r d s i m p r i s o n e d in Khyber. Warmages are arcane casters t r a i n e d to battle in t h e Last War. Speilthieves c o m b i n e a r c a n e magic with stealth to serve as spies and assassins. D C 20: D r a g o n s are said to be the s o u r c e of m a g i c . T h e y s u p p o s e d l y taught the g i a n t s the secrets of t h e i r magic, which t h e n s p r e a d t h r o u g h t h e i r elf slaves to t h e o t h e r races of the world. DC 25: Besides the ancient magic of the dragons and giants, o t h e r ancient traditions persist: the daelkyr brought their own twisted magic from Xoriat, and the sects of the d r u i d s preserve the ancient traditions that were used to battle the daelkyr. D C 30 : A few g r o u p s , races, a n d i n d i viduals know secrets of magic that derive from a n o t h e r source entirely: a strange soul energy called i n c a r n u m . Practitioners of this magic are called incarnates, s o u l b o r n s , or totemists.

fiends, exorcise s p i r i t s , and c e n s u r e t h e wicked. T h e clerics of A u r e o n a r e as i n t e r e s t e d in a r c a n e magic as i n divine, while the clerics of O n a t a r are p a t r o n s of artifice as well.

ANCIENT MAGIC According to both historical record and legend, the dragons g r a n t e d knowledge of magic to the peoples of E b e r r o n . In ages past, d r a g o n e m i s s a r i e s visited t h e e m p i r e s of the g i a n t s a n d b e q u e a t h e d to t h e m t h e m o s t powerful arcane secrets t h e world has ever k n o w n . T h e i r motivation for r e v e a l i n g this knowledge is u n c l e a r , but scholars p r e s u m e t h a t d r a c o n i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e P r o p h e c y d e m a n d e d t h a t t h e g i a n t s l e a r n t h i s l o r e . Sixty t h o u s a n d years before the b i r t h of G a l i f a r , t h e g i a n t s s t u d i e d the d r a g o n s ' gift, while t h e i r elf slaves gleaned c r u m b s from this feast of k n o w l e d g e . T h e magic of t h e g i a n t s was mighty i n d e e d . Every explorer who p e n e t r a t e s the wilds of X e n ' d r i k to u n e a r t h the secrets of the g i a n t s r e t u r n s with some new tale of wonder or artifact of power. P l a n a r p o r t a l s , mysterious relics, weapons and a r m o r of t r e m e n d o u s might—all these and more were crafted by the giant artificers of ancient times to be discovered by m o d e r n explorers and a d m i r e d with awe. Some whisper that the giants built the first warforged, or at least c r e a t u r e s very much like the m o d e r n race created d u r i n g the Last War. Some also claim that the giants originally developed the craft of elemental b i n d ing, the secrets of which are now g u a r d e d by the gnomes of Zilargo. T h e elemental b i n d e r s of Zilargo have b e g u n a renaissance of this a n c i e n t practice, developing airships and e l e m e n t a l galleons as well as weapons and a r m o r that contain b o u n d e l e m e n t a l s . N o n g n o m e mages would pay dearly to acquire the secrets of these elemental binders, but the g n o m e s g u a r d t h e i r t e c h n i q u e s closely—for economic reasons above all. T h e e m p i r e s of t h e g i a n t s fell, in p a r t d u e to t h e i r misuse of what the d r a g o n s had taught t h e m . W h e n the quori invaded X e n ' d r i k , the giants used their mightiest magic to close the p l a n a r portal, but this resulted in a cataclysm that shook the foundations of the c o n t i n e n t itself, sending plagues and curses across X e n ' d r i k . W h e n the giants t u r n e d again to their greatest magic in a desperate attempt to prevent the utter d e s t r u c t i o n of t h e i r civilization, the d r a g o n s i n t e r v e n e d , attacking the giants in a massive and sudden invasion that dealt the death blow to the giant civilization. T h e magic of the giants did not die with their empires, however, for the elves had learned at the feet of their masters. Both the elves who fled to A e r e n a l and the drow who remained in X e n ' d r i k preserved certain elements of it. T h e drow are r u m o r e d to c o n t i n u e the practice of elemental b i n d i n g , while the elves of A e r e n a l have a long history of necromantic magic, manifested in two distinct traditions. One of these streams is the magic of the deathless (in both arcane a n d d i v i n e f o r m s ) , d e d i c a t e d to p r e s e r v i n g the spirits of the race's ancestors in corporeal form. T h e other s t r e a m , traced to the h o u s e of Vol, e m p h a s i z e s t h e dark magic of the u n d e a d . T h i s latter t r a d i t i o n persists in the necromantic magic of K a r r n a t h and the cult of the Blood of Vol. T h e daelkyr practice ancient forms of magic that focus on the warping and c o r r u p t i o n of other forms of life to p r o duce new aberrations and twisted symbionts—distant echoes

of the madness of their home plane, Xoriat. A few mortals have dabbled in the magic of the daelkyr, sacrificing their sanity for the power it offers. These individuals are linked to the Cults of the Dragon Below (see page 87). T h e d r u i d s of the Shadow Marches and the Eldeen Reaches practice a n o t h e r a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n of magic, also derived from a draconic source. Sixteen thousand years ago, the black dragon Vvaraak came to the orcs of the Shadow Marches and taught them the d r u i d i c lore that became the Gatekeeper t r a d i t i o n . T h e magic of the o t h e r d r u i d sects grew from that of the Gatekeepers, and it may have been a Gatekeeper d r u i d who gifted the g r e a t p i n e O a l i a n (see pages 57—61) with sentience.

INCARNUM Rare types of magic exist that are not arcane or divine, neither psionic n o r artifice. These traditions have not been fully codified and classified, even by the scholars of the Twelve. T h e i r secrets are not fully plumbed, their forces are poorly u n d e r s t o o d , and their sources r e m a i n mysterious. Of these t r a d i t i o n s , the best u n d e r s t o o d involves the m a n i p u l a t i o n of a k i n d of soul energy called i n c a r n u m (detailed in Magic of Incarnum). T h e source of this t r a d i t i o n is difficult to p i n p o i n t . T h e dusklings, native to the plane of T h e l a n i s , use i n c a r n u m as part of their reverence for magical beasts—shaping it i n t o masks, cloaks, and o t h e r totems to g r a n t themselves the powers wielded by those beasts. Dusklings are rare on the Material Plane, but they do cross over from T h e l a n i s in " t h i n places" such as those that dot the Eldeen Reaches. T h e r e , the d u s k l i n g t r a d i t i o n s have spread, particularly to shifters in the Reaches. T h e practices of these totemists seem compatible with the beliefs of the d r u i d s , and an interesting synthesis of the two traditions seems to be developing a m o n g a few shifter c o m m u n i t i e s in the eastern Towering Wood. Similarly, two i n c a r n u m - u s i n g races inhabit Kapaerian Island, in the northwest of Xen'drik. T h e lawful, militaristic skarns use i n c a r n u m to embody the ideals of a p a r t i c u l a r alignment—usually law itself, but sometimes good or evil. T h e flighty, chaotic rilkans, on the other h a n d , most often become chaos i n c a r n a t e , with similar leanings toward good and evil. T h e s e two races are clearly related (both appear more or less h u m a n ) , but they claim descent from a common ancestor race, the mishtai, which they say inhabited their island d u r i n g the time of the giant empires. If this claim 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 g i a n t s , p e r h a p s i n d e p e n d e n t of d r a c o n i c influence. O n the o t h e r h a n d , it might be a legacy of the q u o r i i n v a s i o n , b r o u g h t f r o m t h e d r e a m r e a l m to the Material Plane, or a separate d r a c o n i c t r a d i t i o n , taught to the m i s h t a i even as the giants were taught o t h e r forms of magic. A final possibility is that the m i s h t a i were t h e m selves g i a n t s , a n d the r i l k a n s and s k a r n s are u n d e r s i z e d d e s c e n d a n t s of t h e g i a n t race who practice a u n i q u e form of t h e i r a n c i e n t magic. I n c a r n u m ' s p r e s e n c e is n o t l i m i t e d to these races. U n u s u a l c h i l d r e n occasionally b o r n to h u m a n p a r e n t s display a n a t u r a l affinity for this m a g i c . C a l l e d a z u r i n s , they are d r a w n to e x t r e m e s of a l i g n m e n t a n d b e h a v i o r . Also, a t e m p l e in the E n d w o r l d M o u n t a i n s is dedicated to t h e S a p p h i r e E i d o l o n , which seems to be p u r e i n c a r n u m . T h e o r i g i n of this t e m p l e is s h r o u d e d in mystery, but it m i g h t hold the key to u n l o c k i n g the secrets of this strange magic.

THE PASSAGE INSTITUTE FOR THE ARCANE ARTS "Magic is a primal force—it yearns to be wild andfree as an eagle or a stag. It is a mistake to study it only in isolated towers and behind locked doors."

—Gallo Edgebrand, headmaster of the Passage Institute Most a r c a n e academies treat s p e l l c a s t i n g a n d magical r e s e a r c h as subjects best studied u n d e r isolated, highly regulated c o n d i t i o n s . T h e Passage I n s t i t u t e , o n the o t h e r hand, believes that the place to study, research, and practice magic is out in the world. Rather than developing a new generation of aloof, self-important, arcane snobs, the institute encourages its students to use their skills freely for the good of all—and for personal gain.

JOINING THE PASSAGE INSTITUTE Students typically come to the Passage I n s t i t u t e for one of three reasons. Many never demonstrated the magical aptitude to be accepted at one of t h e m o r e p r e s t i g i o u s a r c a n e academies. Some began their t r a i n i n g 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 after finding the academic atmosphere stifling, they sought out the Passage Institute for its greater freedom and more relaxed air. Finally, a large n u m b e r of students come to the Passage Institute simply because the tuition is less t h a n half that of most other schools. T h e Passage Institute accepts anyone with the interest to study spellcasting, whether they were b o r n with the knack or not. About half its students come from other walks of life and simply want to augment their abilities with basic spellcasting skills. Because it emphasizes work in the field, the atmosphere on campus is filled with stories of exciting exploits and fabulous treasures, r a t h e r t h a n excruciating speculation about arcane m i n u t i a e . Because much of a 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), the institute is able to keep fees to a bare m i n i m u m .

The scholars of the Passage Institute have little respect . . .

E n t r y R e q u i r e m e n t s : Knowledge (arcana) 2 ranks. Also, a character who is accepted into the institute must pay tuition and fees a m o u n t i n g to 50 gp p e r year. T h e staff of the Passage I n s t i t u t e consists m a i n l y of mid-level Spellcasters, but also includes members of other classes who help t r a i n students in the more m u n d a n e aspects of adventuring. Roughly three quarters of the student body 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 to their r e p e r t o i r e . I n t r o d u c t o r y classes a r e s i m i l a r to those f o u n d at o t h e r a r c a n e a c a d e m i e s , b u t a r e a u g m e n t e d with lessons in e l e m e n t a r y d u n g e o n e e r i n g . W h e n a s t u d e n t reaches a basic level of proficiency, a b o u t h a l f of his or h e r c o u r s e load becomes "practical field exercises." I n o t h e r words, the institute sends the students out on adventures, even h i r i n g t h e m out to a d v e n t u r i n g p a r t i e s ( c r e a t i n g a n o t h e r r e v e n u e source for the school). A s t u d e n t g r a d u ates once his or h e r exploits have n e t t e d the i n s t i t u t e a total of 1,000 g p .

PASSAGE INSTITUTE BENEFITS Students and faculty are treated as you would imagine they might be at a school that is just as i n t e r e s t e d (or perhaps more i n t e r e s t e d ) i n t u r n i n g a profit as p r o v i d i n g a h i g h quality education. T h e h o u s i n g and meals are adequate, as are the campus facilities. Advanced students are r e q u i r e d to take part in two or more practical field exercises per year, either as p a r t of an i n s t i t u t e - s p o n s o r e d e x p e d i t i o n or as support h i r e d out to a private a d v e n t u r i n g party. G o o d s : S t u d e n t s a n d faculty receive access to fully stocked a r c a n e l a b o r a t o r i e s a n d basic spell c o m p o n e n t s (but n o t h i n g t h a t has a cost of m o r e t h a n 5 gp p e r u s e ) . I n a d d i t i o n , s t u d e n t s who take p a r t i n p r a c t i c a l field exercises are allowed to keep half of the treasure or rewards they e a r n . 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 t r a i n i n g in the a r c a n e a r t s . Beyond that, all m e m b e r s of the faculty are experienced a d v e n t u r e r s who are willing to offer advice and even practical help with difficult p r o b lems. In a d d i t i o n , the i n s t i t u t e h i r e s its s t u d e n t s out to private a d v e n t u r i n g g r o u p s for a fee of 1 00 gp p e r s t u d e n t per week. T h e students must get a full s h a r e of any t r e a sure realized from the a d v e n t u r e , of which the i n s t i t u t e claims half. I n f o r m a t i o n : Students at the institute have access to spellbooks c o n t a i n i n g 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 u n u s u a l sites, activities, and experiences. In the end, each student's experience will be u n i q u e . S t a t u s : In the general public, students from the i n s t i tute are afforded the same status as students at any school of magic. W i t h i n the academic c o m m u n i t y , t h o u g h , the institute has the somewhat t a r n i s h e d r e p u t a t i o n of b e i n g m o r e of a m o n e y m a k i n g s c h e m e t h a n an o r g a n i z a t i o n devoted to advanced study. A l u m n i of t h e i n s t i t u t e are s o m e t i m e s treated as s e c o n d - r a t e casters, r e g a r d l e s s of actual ability.

ATUR ACADEMY "Evil? Magic is a tool in the wizard's hand, and the wizard must choose whether to use it for good purposes or ill. But magic is not evil in and of itself."

— O r t h i k t h e G r i m , master of the A t u r Academy A small arcane institute is located in Atur, K a r r n a t h ' s City of Night. T h o u g h the city is best known for the C r i m s o n Monastery (its great temple to the Blood of Vol), the A t u r Academy has t r a i n e d wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane Spellcasters for centuries—it has just done so r a t h e r quietly. Even in K a r r n a t h , whose armies were bolstered by animated skeletons and zombies d u r i n g the Last War, the teachings of the A t u r Academy are not always met with acceptance and u n d e r s t a n d i n g . T h e masters of the academy are n e c r o mancers and warlocks, and the lessons they pass on to their students c o n c e r n the darkest lore—the magic of the dead, of negative energy, and of demonic b i n d i n g .

JOINING THE ATUR ACADEMY In contrast to the Passage I n s t i t u t e , the A t u r Academy is quite exclusive. T h e heads of the academy look for students they believe have the p o t e n t i a l for t r u e greatness, and indeed a few of the greatest Spellcasters in recent history were graduates of Atur. T h e cost of a t t e n d i n g the academy is a b a r r i e r to many, though a candidate who can't afford to pay but secures the patronage of a respected spellcaster can hope for a scholarship to defray the cost of tuition. Entry R e q u i r e m e n t s : Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Spellcraft (4 ranks). Also, a character who is accepted into the academy must pay tuition and fees a m o u n t i n g to 125 gp per year. T h e staff of the academy features some of K a r r n a t h ' s most p r o m i n e n t S p e l l c a s t e r s , i n c l u d i n g w i z a r d s a n d sorcerers, warlocks, d r e a d n e c r o m a n c e r s and archivists (from Heroes of Horror), and even a n e c r o c a r n a t e (from Magic of Incarnum). Most of the wizards on staff are specialist n e c r o m a n c e r s or c o n j u r e r s , i n c l u d i n g some i n d i v i d u als with exotic prestige classes such as acolyte of the skin or blood magus (from Complete Arcane), pale master or t r u e n e c r o m a n c e r (from Libris Mortis), or t a i n t e d scholar (from 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 d e t e r m i n e d to prove that an interest in the darker side of arcane magic does not necessarily mean that one is c o r r u p t of character or possessed of an inferior intellect.

ATUR ACADEMY BENEFITS Once a student has earned a place at the A t u r Academy, she is treated as a valuable m e m b e r of that community. T h e academy m a i n t a i n s a spacious b u i l d i n g in the City of Night (not far from the C r i m s o n Monastery) that has comfortable dormitories, an excellent refectory, large classrooms, and well-appointed laboratories. G o o d s : S t u d e n t s at the A t u r Academy can p u r c h a s e goods that can be difficult to find for sale elsewhere.

. . . for the necromancers

of the Atur

Academy

Everything from covadish and kieros leaves i m p o r t e d from Aerenal to narstone from the D e m o n Wastes (see pages 91—92 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting) to body parts can be purchased for an appropriate price. Services: Fundamentally, the A t u r Academy provides i n s t r u c t i o n in the magical arts. If your campaign uses t r a i n i n g rules, a student's a n n u a l tuition payment covers the t r a i n i n g required for advancing levels and learning feats or skills related to the fields taught at the academy. I n f o r m a t i o n : T h e A t u r Academy is a great r e p o s i tory for what is often c o n s i d e r e d f o r b i d d e n l o r e , a n d its l i b r a r y is one of the great c o l l e c t i o n s of such m a t e r i a l . S t u d e n t s have free access to the tomes in the l i b r a r y , which g r a n t a +4 c i r c u m s t a n c e b o n u s on K n o w l e d g e checks r e l a t e d to n e c r o m a n c y , c o n j u r a t i o n , evil magic, and the like. T h e faculty of the academy is likewise an excellent resource on such topics, and can make a K n o w l edge check in any relevant specialty with a b o n u s of +12 to +15. T h e faculty is t h e soul of d i s c r e t i o n , and s t u d e n t s are e n c o u r a g e d to ask a n y t h i n g they need to know without fear of r e p e r c u s s i o n s . S t u d e n t s at the academy also have access to an e x t e n sive c o l l e c t i o n of s p e l l b o o k s . W h e n e v e r a wizard s t u d e n t at the academy advances a level, she can choose one of her new spells from any source the DM allows, i n c l u d i n g s u p p l e m e n t s s u c h as Libris Mortis, Book of Vile Darkness, Heroes of Horror.

and

Access: B e n e a t h the academy b u i l d i n g sprawls an extensive network of d u n g e o n s , i n c l u d i n g passages leading to old catacombs and areas designed for practicing conjuration in relative isolation. In addition, the academy m a i n t a i n s an extensive network of a l u m n i , former faculty, benefactors, and o t h e r interested parties that extends into every major city of the Five Nations. If a student needs safe shelter in one of these cities, or access to spellbooks or other i n f o r m a t i o n , a successful DC 20 Gather I n f o r m a t i o n check can put her in contact with this network.

HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

"I bind fire to scorch my enemies. I bind air to move with the wind. I bind earth to find the secret places. I bind water to dance with the waves. I am their master, and let my enemies quail."

Knowledge (arcana) D C 15: Some Spellcasters can instantly reach i n t o the planes and b i n d elementals to their e q u i p m e n t . DC 20: High elemental binders gain the services of elemental companions and can bind those c o m p a n i o n s to their weapons, armor, and bodies. DC 25: A high elemental binder's ability to b i n d his e l e m e n t a l c o m p a n ions to his weapons a n d a r m o r has the same g e n e r a l effect as c r a f t i n g b o u n d - e l e m e n t a l weapons and a r m o r using Khyber d r a g o n s h a r d s . B i n d i n g an elemental to his body gives h i m r e m a r k a b l e physical characteristics for the d u r a t i o n of the bind—which is only about a m i n u t e . D C 30: Legend says that the halfling D a r e t h Fasco disguised h i m s e l f as a g n o m e and learned the secrets of the high e l e m e n t a l b i n d e r s in Z i l a r g o , t h e n fled with that knowledge. S u p posedly, the T r u s t is still after h i m .

—Zallias the high elemental b i n d e r A few Spellcasters dabble with elemental b i n d i n g ; high elemental binders (also known simply as h i g h b i n d e r s ) are masters of the craft. As a high b i n d e r , you can reach i n t o the planes and i m m e d i a t e l y draw e l e m e n t a l beings i n t o objects—coating y o u r a r m o r in stone or your blade in fire. You can also use e l e m e n t a l s to power y o u r spells and call t h e m to serve you. You can even bind elementals to your body, harnessing their powers for your own.

BECOMING A HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER T h e artificer is the easiest path into the high elemental b i n d e r class: You gain Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat, and C o n c e n t r a t i o n , Knowledge (arcana), and Knowledge (the planes) are class skills for you. Wizards can also meet the entry r e q u i r e m e n t s easily, but have less to gain from the class. Clerics make good high b i n d e r s , since they benefit greatly from the ability to bind elementals to t h e i r weapons and a r m o r . Your key spellcasting ability ( I n t e l l i g e n c e , Wisdom, or C h a r i s m a ) r e m a i n s your most 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, while C h a r i s m a helps you bind u n w i l l i n g elementals.

Entry Requirements S p e l l s : Ability to cast 3rd-level spells or infusions S k i l l s : C o n c e n t r a t i o n 8 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 8 ranks Feats: Bind Elemental, Craft W o n d r o u s Item

CLASS FEATURES As you advance in level, you gain powers related to b i n d i n g elementals to your e q u i p m e n t , your spells, and your body. You continue g a i n i n g spells in your p r i m a r y spellcasting class, and you gain an elemental c o m p a n i o n that improves as you gain levels. S p e l l c a s t i n g : At every level beyond 1st, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before 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 spellcasting class before b e c o m i n g a high elemental binder, you must decide to THE HIGH ELEMENTAL BINDER

Level 1st

Base Attack Bonus +0

Fort Save +0

Ref Save +0

Will Save +2

Knowledge (geography) DC 15: Zilargo has a virtual monopoly on elemental b i n d i n g . D C 2 5 : S o m e of Z i l a r g o ' s e l e m e n t a l b i n d e r s are masters of the craft and can do swift, a m a z i n g t h i n g s with b o u n d elementals. Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 20: Some Spellcasters have a p a r ticular interest in Fernia and L a m a n nia. They harness the elementals found in those places.

HIT DIE: D6

Special Elemental companion (Medium)

Spellcasting —

2nd

+1

+0

+0

+3

I n s t a n t b i n d (1/day, w e a p o n )

+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 4th

+2 +3

+1 +1

+1 +1

+3 +4

E l e m e n t a l c o m p a n i o n s (2) 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 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class

5th 6th

+3 +4

+1 +2

+1 +2

+4 +5

i n s t a n t b i n d (2/day) Instant bind (armor) E l e m e n t a l c o m p a n i o n s (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 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class

7th 8th

+5 +6

+2 +2

+2 +2

+5 +6

i n s t a n t b i n d (3/day) I n s t a n t b i n d (swift a c t i o n ) 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 +1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class

9th

+6

+3

+3

+6

i n s t a n t b i n d (4/day) s p e l l c a s t i n g E l e m e n t a l c o m p a n i o n s (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

+7

+3

+3

+7

I n s t a n t b i n d (5/day, b o d y )

+1 level of e x i s t i n g s p e l l c a s t i n g class

C l a s s S k i l l s ( 2 + I n t m o d i f i e r p e r l e v e l ) : C o n c e n t r a t i o n , C r a f t , K n o w l e d g e ( a r c a n a ) , K n o w l e d g e ( t h e p l a n e s ) , S p e l l c r a f t , Use Magic Device.

which class to add each level for the purpose of d e t e r m i n i n g spells per day, caster level, and spells known. You can increase your effective artificer level in this way, even though artificers are not technically Spellcasters. 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, 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 level, but it grows larger and more powerful as you gain levels. At 4th level, your elemental companion is Large, and 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 , you can choose for it to appear in a smaller size (to a m i n i m u m of Small). Once per day, as a f u l l - r o u n d action, you can s u m m o n your e l e m e n t a l c o m p a n i o n from the p l a n e on which it resides. T h e elemental immediately appears adjacent to you and remains for 2 hours per class level; it can be dismissed at any time as a free action. T h e c o m p a n i o n is the same creature each time it is s u m m o n e d . Each time it is s u m m o n e d , it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it might have taken previously. If your e l e m e n t a l 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 c r e a t u r e . If your elemental c o m p a n i o n carries any gear when it disappears, that gear r e m a i n s b e h i n d . At 3rd level, you gain the service of a second elemental; this elemental must be of a different kind from your current elemental c o m p a n i o n . W h e n you s u m m o n your elemental companion, you can choose to s u m m o n either elemental. At 6th level, you gain a t h i r d elemental, and at 9th level you gain a f o u r t h elemental; no of these companions can be of the same kind. T h i s ability is the e q u i v a l e n t of a 4th-level spell; your caster level is equal to your highest caster level in any class. Instant B i n d (Su): B e g i n n i n g at 2nd level, you can t e m p o r a r i l y b i n d a nearby e l e m e n t a l to your weapon, armor, or even yourself without the n o r m a l 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 s t a n d a r d action; at 7th level it becomes a swift action. It does not provoke attacks of o p p o r t u n i t y . T h e bind lasts for a n u m b e r of r o u n d s equal to your class level + your Con modifier ( m i n i m u m 1 r o u n d ) . 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. A n e l e m e n t a l c r e a t u r e of the a p p r o p r i a t e kind must be w i t h i n 30 feet for you to use the ability. (Usually, a high b i n d e r uses his e l e m e n t a l c o m p a n i o n for this p u r p o s e . ) If the c r e a t u r e 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 m o d i f i e r ) . If it succeeds, the i n s t a n t bind fails ( t h o u g h it still counts as a daily use) and that elemental is i m m u n e to your i n s t a n t bind ability for the next 24 h o u r s . W h e n the i n s t a n t b i n d e n d s , the b o u n d e l e m e n t a l appears adjacent to you (or in the n e a r e s t o p e n space, if there is i n s u f f i c i e n t space adjacent to you) and can act i m m e d i a t e l y . If the e l e m e n t a l is a s u m m o n e d c r e a t u r e , time spent in the bind counts against the d u r a t i o n of the s u m m o n i n g spell or effect; if this d u r a t i o n elapses before the bind ends, the elemental r e m a i n s b o u n d 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. T h i s grants

your weapon one of the following weapon special properties (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 (earth), finesse (air), or waterborn (water). You can't bind more than one elemental to your weapon at one time. If the weapon is destroyed or leaves your hands, the effect ends. At 5th level, you can use your i n s t a n t b i n d ability to b i n d an e l e m e n t a l to a suit of a r m o r you are wearing. T h i s grants your a r m o r one of the following a r m o r special p r o p e r t i e s (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 k i n d of e l e m e n t a l you b i n d : burning (fire), stonemeld ( e a r t h ) , underwater action (water), or whirlwind (air). You can't b i n d m o r e t h a n one e l e m e n t a l to your a r m o r at one t i m e . If the a r m o r is destroyed or removed, the effect e n d s . At 10th level, you can use your instant bind ability to b i n d an e l e m e n t a l to your own body.

T h i s grants you benefits based on the kind of e l e m e n t a l b o u n d . You can't bind m o r e t h a n one elemental to your body at one time. Air: You gain a + 4 dodge b o n u s to AC and a fly speed of 100 feet (perfect). Earth: You gain a + 4 b o n u s on melee weapon damage rolls and a +4 bonus on checks to avoid being bull rushed, o v e r r u n , or tripped. Fire.- You gain a +4 bonus on initiative checks and Reflex saves. Your u n a r m e d attacks and n a t u r a l weapons deal an extra 2d6 points of fire damage. Water: You gain temporary hit points equal to twice your H D and a swim speed of 60 feet.

PLAYING A HIGH BINDER You have mastered a u n i q u e art, and you know it. O t h e r Spellcasters can create magic items that b i n d e l e m e n t a l s , and these i n d i v i d u a l s look up to you. It helps to let t h e m know that you are indeed a master, for they will give you the respect and, hopefully, the space in which to work and develop f u r t h e r techniques. H i g h b i n d e r s l e a r n t h e i r crafts as m e m b e r s of the I n m o s t , a Zil o r g a n i z a t i o n dedicated to u n d e r s t a n d i n g the mysteries of e l e m e n t a l magic, as well as n e g o t i a t i n g on good t e r m s with the elementals they bind into vessels and other items. They share m e m b e r s h i p in this organization with elemental scions, m e m b e r s of a m o r e m a r t i a l l y o r i e n t e d prestige class who l e a r n to m a s t e r e l e m e n t a l grafts to t h e i r own b o d i e s . ( T h i s class and the e l e m e n t a l grafts they use are d e s c r i b e d in Magic of Eberron. T h e text below i n c l u d e s all you need to know a b o u t the I n m o s t , 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 Inmost workshop.) C o m b a t : O n e of y o u r greatest s t r e n g t h s is y o u r versatility. I n a d d i t i o n to a nearly full c o m p l e m e n t of spells, which serve a variety of p u r p o s e s , you can b i n d d i f f e r e n t e l e m e n t a l s to a c c o m p l i s h d i f f e r e n t tasks. You can b i n d fire to your weapon to deal m o r e d a m a g e , e a r t h to y o u r a r m o r for p r o t e c t i o n , a n d a i r to y o u r body to make yourself fly. Alternative b i n d i n g s are good for corner-case situations. W h e n fighting in water, bind water to your a r m o r or weapon, and if you need to swim quickly, bind water to your body. If you e n c o u n t e r a cold creature, b i n d i n g fire to your a r m o r can both keep you alive and deal extra damage to the creature. W h e n you're fighting on a precarious ledge, bind earth to your body. Your elemental c o m p a n i o n provides you with a helpful combatant. Even if it c a n n o t take on enemies alone, it can get in o p p o n e n t s ' way, aid your attacks and A C , and provide flanking bonuses to you and your allies. Advancement: It is difficult to l e a r n the Bind Elemental feat without the g n o m e s of Zilargo k n o w i n g about it, even if they are not directly responsible for your t r a i n ing. T h e I n m o s t , in p a r t i c u l a r , keeps tabs on everyone who possesses this knowledge, and s o m e t i m e s seeks out those whose e x p l o r a t i o n s i n t o the art m i g h t lead t h e m to the secrets of e i t h e r a high b i n d e r or an elemental scion. W h i l e it might be possible to self-train as a high binder, b a r g a i n i n g and n e g o t i a t i n g with e l e m e n t a l s to secure a c o m p a n i o n and d i s c o v e r i n g the p r i n c i p l e s of the i n s t a n t bind t h r o u g h long trial and e r r o r , m e m b e r s of the I n m o s t have already mastered these t e c h n i q u e s and prefer teaching them to their own m e m b e r s rather t h a n watching them

proliferate outside the organization's m e m b e r s h i p . So at some p o i n t after you l e a r n e d the Bind E l e m e n t a l feat, 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 p o t e n t i a l to do more with that ability, and detected some desire in you, and decided they would r a t h e r have you with t h e m t h a n against t h e m . O n c e brought into the I n m o s t , you received extensive t r a i n i n g — t r a i n i n g that continues for the d u r a t i o n of your advancement in this prestige class. Not u n t i l you have mastered the power of m e r g i n g an elemental with your body is your t r a i n i n g considered complete. If you refuse to j o i n the I n m o s t and p u r s u e your studies i n d e p e n d e n t l y , t h e n with each level you gain in this class, the agents of the I n m o s t p r e s e n t a g r e a t e r threat to you. They do not initially t h r e a t e n violence, but by the time you learn to instantly bind elementals into your a r m o r (5th level) you are considered an enemy of the Inmost if you have not yet accepted its p e r s i s t e n t offers of m e m b e r s h i p . T h e T r u s t of Z i l a r g o (see page 68) c o o p e r a t e s with the I n m o s t to r e i n in those who, in t h e i r t e r m s , "steal t h e i r 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 the o r g a n i z a t i o n . As you advance in level, be s u r e to i n c r e a s e your C o n c e n t r a t i o n m o d i f i e r , because o d d s are y o u ' l l see m o r e melee c o m b a t t h a n the average w i z a r d . C o n s i d e r l e a r n i n g flavorful feats that deal with the e l e m e n t s , such as E n e r g y S u b s t i t u t i o n or E l e m e n t a l S p e l l c a s t i n g (from Planar

Handbook).

Resources: You share a k i n s h i p with other high b i n d ers, even if you do not work with them directly. You know you are part of an elite g r o u p , and you are willing to help your colleagues when they need it. Similarly, they help you. T h i s aid doesn't come in any specific form, but high binders are often mid- to high-level adventurers and can provide money, magic items, spellcasting, or c o m p a n i o n s . Of course, most expect s o m e t h i n g in r e t u r n .

HIGH BINDERS IN THE WORLD "Heh. Those other guys think they're good with the elementals. They haven't met my buddy here."

—Baylock Deadblade, adventurer 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 magical n a t u r e . T h e y take an a r c a n e science a n d move it to the edges of h i g h fantasy. If you want to e m p h a s i z e E b e r r o n ' s magic or i n t r o d u c e a c h a r a c t e r with powerful and u n u s u a l magic, b r i n g a h i g h e l e m e n t a l b i n d e r i n t o the c a m p a i g n . Daily Life: High binders occupy themselves with the construction of b o u n d - e l e m e n t a l items. A few work for House Lyrandar or House O r i e n , b u i l d i n g and m a i n t a i n ing the galleons, airships, and l i g h t n i n g rail coaches that those houses rely on. More work in Zilargo, fulfilling contracts that come from those houses, as well as engaging in the creation of smaller-scale magic weapons, armor, and other items that incorporate elementals. But even as many high binders work as artificers and magewrights, nearly as many live a m o r e a d v e n t u r o u s life. After all, the greatest strengths of the high b i n d e r involve combat, and precious little combat is involved in the manufacture of elemental galleons. These more adventurous high binders adventure from a variety of motivations—some p e r f o r m missions in the interests of the Trust, the secret police force of Zilargo, while others act only in their own interests.

N o t a b l e s : Most h i g h b i n d e r s o p e r a t e w i t h i n the I n m o s t , s h r o u d e d i n t h e a n o n y m i t y of m e m b e r s h i p in an o r g a n i z a t i o n . For t h a t r e a s o n , some of the most well-known high b i n d e r s are those renegades who refuse m e m b e r s h i p in the I n m o s t or leave the o r g a n i z a t i o n after l e a r n i n g its secrets. S o m e t h i n g of a folk h e r o in this category is a halfling n a m e d D a r e t h Fasco, who— a c c o r d i n g to legend—disguised himself as a gnome to infiltrate the I n m o s t and l e a r n t h e i r secrets, t h e n fled t h e organization after m a s t e r i n g the art of the h i g h b i n d e r . T h e stories say the T r u s t still p u r s u e s Fasco across K h o r v a i r e . T h e r e is c e r t a i n l y a g r a i n of t r u t h to t h i s l e g e n d . However, the I n m o s t accepts m e m b e r s of all races, so Fasco would have had n o need to disguise himself as a gnome—though he m i g h t have d o n e it for other reasons.

this position knew, and he is very self-conscious about what he does not yet know. At the same time, some have accused h i m of being more interested in tracking down renegade high binders who have not j o i n e d the Inmost t h a n he is in actually e x p a n d i n g his own knowledge and that of the high binders or the I n m o s t collectively.

NPC Reactions T h e sight of a high b i n d e r accompanied by an elemental c o m p a n i o n instills in most people at least some degree of respect, so most N P C s rarely greet a high binder with anything worse t h a n an i n d i f f e r e n t r e a c t i o n , a n d they are a l m o s t always willi n g to l i s t e n to what the high b i n d e r has to say—if only out of respect for his power and the destruction even a Small fire elemental can cause. M e m b e r s of d r a g o n marked houses ( p a r t i c u l a r l y H o u s e L y r a n d a r and H o u s e O r i e n ) , g n o m e s of Z i l a r g o , Other members of the Inmost, and artificers in general hold high b i n d ers in high regard and usually have a friendly initial reaction to them. High b i n d e r s have no i n h e r ent enemies by virtue of their class. T h e exception 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 , who can be assured of a hostile reaction from any m e m b e r of the I n m o s t .

Organization: The I n m o s t is o n e of t h e most i m p o r t a n t influences in the elemental-binding industry that is so i m p o r t a n t to Zilargo. It is u n i q u e in its a p p r o a c h to the e l e m e n t a l s it binds: T h e m e m b e r s of the I n m o s t believe that better results are obtained by negotiating with Symbol of elementals rather t h a n coercing them into service. the Inmost W h i l e t h e i r ideas i n i t i a l l y met with a great deal of r e s i s t a n c e , t h e i r r e s u l t s are difficult to a r g u e with, and since the end of the Last War their methods and 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. T h e relationship between a and they are r a t h e r distinctive—at least once they have any high b i n d e r and his elementals is comparable to the relareason to s u m m o n their elemental c o m p a n i o n s . Since high tionship between a d r u i d and her a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n , and binders are extremely rare, it should come as no surprise no one would accuse a d r u i d of subjecting an animal to that the characters have never e n c o u n t e r e d 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 d u r i n g and abilities without t u r n i n g into a magic item factory. T h e 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 r e s e a r c h in her K o r r a n b e r g w o r k s h o p . H a r k r a is not that make u n u s u a l b i n d i n g s 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 r e t a i n s a very l i m i t e d o r g a n i z a precarious positions. Particularly if you see a high b i n d e r t i o n . 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 b i n d i n g s , look for ways to encourage recognize their most innovative colleagues, respecting their him to try alternatives. o p i n i o n s and following t h e i r lead because of the proven Adaptation: High binders need not be associated with quality of t h e i r ideas r a t h e r t h a n because of any vested the Inmost. In fact, they could view their elemental companauthority they hold. ions as mindless slaves and be equally d o m i n a t i n g toward Illivanik Istravar L o n a d a r (LN male gnome artificer the people a r o u n d them. 5/high elemental b i n d e r 7) is the high b i n d e r closest to If you are using Magic of Eberron, it is possible that a high Harkra, and the unofficial leader of all high b i n d e r s . He b i n d e r 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.

HIGH BINDERS IN THE GAME

MONASTIC TRADITIONS PERFECTION OF THE BODY 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 refuge for stoic i n d i v i d u a l s who engage in study and text t r a n s c r i p t i o n . These scholarly m o n k s prefer reflection a n d quiet work to the chaos of worldly life. Some monasteries take more active roles in t h e i r communities, p r o tecting or r u l i n g t h r o u g h t r a d i t i o n , wisdom, s t r e n g t h , or a combination of all t h r e e . T h e m o n k s in these monasteries pursue physical perfection and mental clarity, seeking to attain divinity t h r o u g h discipline and m a r tial t r a i n i n g . These individuals take levels in the monk character class and may leave their cloisters to p u r s u e adventure, hone their skills, and seek worthy challenges. E b e r r o n m o n a s t i c t r a d i t i o n s are many and varied. A great n u m b e r of m o n k s follow Dol D o r n , and one of his most p o p u l a r sects is the O r d e r of the Broken Blade. T h i s order's p a t r o n is K a l a n Desh, a devotee of Dol D o r n who defeated a b a n d of ogres u s i n g only her h a n d s , feet, and shattered longsword. T h e O r d e r of the Broken Blade is m a r t i a l and aggressive, focusing on s t r o n g attacks with sword and feet. It has great m o n a s t e r i e s in K a r r n a t h a n d B r e l a n d , as well as s m a l l e r m o n a s t e r i e s spread t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e . Its p r a c t i t i o n e r s tie b r i g h t s t r e a m e r s to the hilts of t h e i r weapons, u s i n g the swirling p a t t e r n s to distract t h e i r enemies. T h e y divide t h e i r c h a r a c t e r levels between fighter and m o n k (with the Monastic T r a i n i n g feat) and take W h i r l i n g Steel Strike and other feats focused on the longsword. T h e o r d e r also places great store in l e a r n ing, and swordbrothers and sisters take ranks in Knowledge (religion) as well as physical skills. The Mockery c o m m a n d s many followers, and his church has a special place for m o n k s . T h e Flayed H a n d is the most c o m m o n monastic o r d e r among these gruesome individuals, and its disciples rip the skin from their bodies as part of their initiation. T h e o r d e r is secretive, and its members have a grotesque f a s c i n a t i o n with skin, g o i n g so far as to save the skins of t h e i r e n e m i e s to c o n s t r u c t c l o t h i n g a n d masks from it. T h e Flayed H a n d ' s p r i m a r y monasteries are in D a r g u u n and D r o a a m . Its initiates take Weapon Focus (kama), Flensing Strike, and ranks in Hide and Move Silently, h o n i n g t h e i r skills to become assassins. T h e Brotherhood of the Mystic Fist uses its isolation and camaraderie 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 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 fists to deliver touch spells. To identify h i m - or herself, a m e m b e r of the b r o t h e r h o o d wears o n e black and o n e c r i m s o n glove, each b e a r i n g the order's symbol: a clenched fist outlined in flame. G o b l i n o i d s have t h e i r own monastic o r d e r s that trace t h e i r roots back to the Dhakaani E m p i r e . T h e shaarat'khesh ("silent knives") is one such order. T h i s group of shadowy goblins swears loyalty to the Dhakaani T h r o n e , but since the t h r o n e has stood empty for c e n t u r i e s , they sell their services to the w a r r i n g goblinoid clans. They have a r e p u t a t i o n for absolute dedication, though they do not assassinate clan leaders or dirge singers. Its m e m b e r s divide t h e i r levels between m o n k and r o g u e , and often become assassins. Two c e n t u r i e s ago, a p e r f o r m i n g t r o u p e of d a n c e r s a n d acrobats fell u n d e r p e r s e c u t i o n . To p r o t e c t themselves as they traveled, they developed a u n i q u e b r a n d of combat that e m p h a s i z e d t h e i r athleticism and grew n a t u r a l l y out of t h e i r dances. T h e form proved effective and popular, and now the Long A r m has schools t h r o u g h o u t K h o r v a i r e ' s major cities. Its p r a c t i t i o n e r s favor the quarterstaff and can take Weapon Focus ( q u a r t e r s t a f f ) as t h e i r bonus feat at 2nd or 6th level. T h e school's tradition of p e r f o r m a n c e persists, and its u n i f o r m includes bright colors and flowing scarves. Its m a r t i a l moves are impressive, involving s p i n s ,

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: Many religions include m o n a s teries that t r a i n monks in u n a r m e d combat. D C 15: M o n k s c o m m o n l y follow Dol D o r n or the Mockery. A few worship the Silver Flame, and some walk the Path of Light.

Broken Blade Knowledge (geography) DC 20 : T h e O r d e r of the Broken Blade's p r i m a r y monasteries are in K a r r n a t h a n d Breland. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 2 5 : H o u s e D e n e i t h has a close r e l a t i o n s h i p with the O r d e r of the Broken Blade and regularly employs its practitioners. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: M o n k s of the O r d e r of the Broken Blade focus on the longsword. T h e i r goal is to obtain e n l i g h t e n m e n t t h r o u g h conflict. D C 20: T h r e e r a n k s exist w i t h i n the o r d e r : i n i t i a t e , s w o r d b r o t h e r (or sister), and blademaster. D C 2 5 : To a t t a i n the r a n k of b l a d e m a s t e r in the o r d e r , a m o n k must forge his own sword.

Flayed Hand Knowledge (geography) D C 20 : T h e Flayed H a n d has monasteries in Droaam and D a r g u u n . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: T h e Flayed H a n d is a s e c r e tive o r d e r of m o n k s d e d i c a t e d to the Mockery. DC 20: T h e o r d e r focuses on causing its enemies p a i n , b o t h physical and m e n t a l . T h e y m a r k themselves by peeling the skin from t h e i r bodies. D C 2 5 : T h r e e r a n k s exist w i t h i n the o r d e r : i n i t i a t e , e x c o r i a t e , a n d archimandrite.

Mystic Fist Knowledge ( a r c a n a ) DC 15: T h e B r o t h e r h o o d of the Mystic Fist practices a discipline that combines u n a r m e d combat with sorcery. DC 25: T h e b r o t h e r h o o d ' 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 b r o t h e r h o o d are divided i n t o seven circles; m e m b e r s must prove themselves b o t h martially a n d magically to advance.

Shaarat'Khesh Knowledge (history) DC 2 5 : T h e s h a a r a t ' k h e s h ("silent knives") is a group of goblinoid monkassassins in D a r g u u n . T h e o r g a n i z a tion has existed since the days of the Dhakaani Empire.

Long A r m Knowledge (history) DC 20: T h e Long A r m school of martial arts evolved from a g r o u p of traveling performers. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) DC 25: T h e Long A r m has close ties to House Phiarlan and House T h u r a n n i . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 20: Long A r m monks wield black q u a r t e r s t a f f s . T h e i r combat style is flashy and impressive.

Tashalatora Knowledge (geography) D C 15: A d a r boasts b o t h p s i o n i c a n d monastic t r a d i t i o n s . Knowledge (psionics) DC 20: T h e Tashalatora combine u n a r m e d m a r t i a l skill with psionic discipline. D C 25: T h e o r d e r has no official ranks and is loosely s t r u c t u r e d . Its masters are eager to take on more disciples.

S u d d e n 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. P r e r e q u i s i t e s : Dex 13, Wis 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, S t u n n i n g Fist, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff). Benefit: You can use your S t u n n i n g Fist feat with quarterstaff attacks. N o r m a l : You can use S t u n n i n g Fist only with unarmed attacks,

leaps, and flips. T h o s e who follow the L o n g A r m take W e a p o n Focus ( q u a r t e r s t a f f ) and Two-Weapon F i g h t i n g , and focus t h e i r skill r a n k s in P e r f o r m a n d T u m b l e . T h e Tashalatora of A d a r take s t r e n g t h from the Path of Light and a t t e m p t to e n h a n c e b o t h t h e i r n a t u r a l physical and m e n t a l abilities. They often take levels in psion or psychic warrior as well as m o n k . T h e i r ultimate goal is to meld their bodies and m i n d s to such a degree that they become the most powerful warriors in the world. My son, I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing because I know of your scholarly interest in Eberron's monastic orders, and you may have access to information that can help me. I have recently uncovered evidence of an order that I believe most are unaware of. T h i s order is not the Flayed Hand, though that group of disfigured monks is fearsome. Nor is it the shaarat'khesh; yes, I know of those secret goblins, though I know little more than the fact that they exist. N o , this group is s o m e t h i n g else. 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 the explorers in the camp had been slain, but, unfortunate as it is, such 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 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: the skull of a threehorn dinosaur pierced by two spears. Even stranger, though the corpses had obviously been there for a few days, no animals had touched them—not even flies. What do you make of it? Undoubtedly the work of intelligent creatures, and they accomplished it unarmed. Yet who are they, and how do they come by these powers? Some witchery of the drow, perhaps? In any case, though I am regretful to see good men and women so mistreated, I must confess I am excited to solve the mystery! Hope to hear from you soon, son. Your loving father, Magorian Thornwhip, Wayfinder

MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS AND ADVENTURERS "A beacon of knowledge s h i n i n g from the tallest towers of the city, i l l u m i n a t i n g the forgotten secrets of the past." L o r d L a r e t h ir'Morgrave envisioned his university in this way when it first opened its doors in 738 Y K in the city of S h a r n . F r o m the b e g i n n i n g , t h o u g h , the university faced suspicions that it was m o r e a cover for smuggling activities t h a n a b o n a fide institution of higher education. Lord Morgrave had a r e p u t a t i o n as a treasure hunter, and r u m o r s followed of how his fortune had been built on profits made selling artifacts and treasures stolen from archeological digs in D a r g u u n , X e n ' d r i k , and o t h e r sites. Over the years, the students and faculty of Morgrave University have struggled to help the institution rise above its reputation the way its towers rise above M e n t h i s Plateau. T h e school has the best library in B r e l a n d , a m u s e u m filled with u n i q u e items from a r o u n d the globe, and a staff of recognized experts who spend almost half t h e i r t i m e in the field r a t h e r t h a n b e h i n d t h e i r desks. Of course, detractors p o i n t out that the library 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 , that every year more items are stolen from the m u s e u m t h a n are put on display, and that members of the staff are better known as black marketeers than scholars. T h e fact of the m a t t e r is that most activities at the university are completely legitimate, and a majority of the students and staff are engaged in h o n e s t a c a d e m i c work ( t h o u g h m a n y do so in the h o p e s of e a r n i n g a p o s i t i o n at a m o r e r e p u t a b l e s c h o o l ) . T h e c u r r e n t Master, L a r r i a n ir'Morgrave, has made a career of public promises to eradicate all illegal and u n e t h i c a l activities d o n e in the university's n a m e . Still, items from the archives are r o u t i n e l y sold to private collectors, and the m u s e u m ' s vaults fill to near overflowing with u n o p e n e d crates from past universitysponsored expeditions while new crates of unspecified "artifacts" arrive nearly every week. Morgrave University, it seems, is a long way from shaking its disreputable past. All that said, a n u m b e r of professors at Morgrave University have 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 Martell, for example, is an e x p e r t o n X e n ' d r i k ' s earliest history, best known for his discovery of Mel-Aqat at the eastern end of X e n ' d r i k ' s

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) DC 20: Morgrave University has a resident gynosphinx n a m e d F l a m e w i n d . T h i s c r e a t u r e was discovered on an e x p e d i t i o n to X e n ' d r i k in 996 Y K , and she is s o m e t h i n g of an oracle. Knowledge (history) D C 1 5 : M o r g r a v e U n i v e r s i t y was founded in 738 Y K by L o r d L a r e t h ir'Morgrave. DC 18: L o r d Morgrave was well known as a treasure h u n t e r , a fact that left its stamp on the university as a whole. DC 20: Morgrave University has a r e p u tation for s m u g g l i n g artifacts from X e n ' d r i k a n d selling t h e m on the black market rather t h a n displaying t h e m in the m u s e u m . Knowledge (local) D C 10: Morgrave University, w i t h its m a i n campus in S h a r n , is known as a place to study X e n ' d r i k . D C 15 : T h e university is situated in the topmost towers of the University D i s trict in the Menthis Plateau in S h a r n . It has a questionable r e p u t a t i o n as a place that puts profits above academics. Besides the university, the U n i versity District holds four well-known theaters, a famous concert hall, and the S h a r n O p e r a House. D C 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 M o r grave. It's a great place to grab a bite to eat and engage in long, t h o u g h t f u l conversation, and it offers a nice view of the city. DC 20: Scandals regularly surface a b o u t t h e faculty of Morgrave U n i versity s e l l i n g artifacts on t h e black m a r k e t i n s t e a d of d i s p l a y i n g t h e m in the m u s e u m . Even so, the collect i o n of the D e z i n a M u s e u m is q u i t e impressive. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 15: D e s p i t e t h e G r e a t H a l l of A u r e o n located on the campus of the university, few people associated with Morgrave are known as particularly devout followers of t h e S o v e r e i g n Lord of K n o w l e d g e . Even so, people r e g u l a r l y sleep on t h e f l o o r of t h e G r e a t H a l l in h o p e s of r e c e i v i n g i n s p i r a t i o n in t h e i r d r e a m s .

great desert M e n e c h t a r u n (see page 155). Dala A r a n d is a young scholar with a d i s t i n g u i s h e d r e c o r d of e x p e d i t i o n s to X e n ' d r i k , i n c l u d i n g a possible lead on the location of the Scepter of Fell Khadash (see page 31). Davi M o r d a t h is also young, but p a r t i c u l a r l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d by his r e s e a r c h (under the tutelage of Professor Martell) i n t o the serpent cults of X e n ' d r i k (also described on page 31). Sana D h u m a , an aged half-orc, is known for her extensive work a m o n g the benevolent y u a n - t i of K r e z e n t (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 ti in X e n ' d r i k . As the c u r r e n t Master of the university, L a r r i a n is n o academic slouch, either—he has p u b l i s h e d more papers on g i a n t p o t t e r y t h a n any o t h e r scholar, past or p r e s e n t . T h o u g h in some sense Morgrave University is a single o r g a n i z a t i o n , it m i g h t be m o r e accurate (at least from a g a m i n g perspective) to d e s c r i b e the many o r g a n i z a t i o n s that intersect at Morgrave. Several m e m b e r s of the faculty have c o n n e c t i o n s with the L i b r a r y of K o r r a n b e r g (see 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 Campaign Setting a n d Explorer's Handbook),

a n d t h e T w e l v e (see

page 47). Beyond these f u n d a m e n t a l l y collegial associations, some faculty are known or suspected to have ties to the O r d e r of the E m e r a l d Claw, the A u r u m , the D r e a m ing D a r k , the L o r d s of D u s t , the C u l t s of the D r a g o n Below, a n d even the C h a m b e r — i n s h o r t , with j u s t about every o r g a n i z a t i o n of any significance in K h o r v a i r e and beyond. All who care about power have an interest in the study of Xen'drik, and nowhere is that interest more focused than at Morgrave.

THE CAMPUS Morgrave University is p r o m i n e n t l y situated in the u p p e r most levels of the towers of the M e n t h i s Plateau in S h a r n , the City of Towers. T h e university owns the b u i l d i n g s in the University District that s u r r o u n d s the campus proper, r e n t i n g residences to students and faculty. T h e university also leases business space to the trades and services that keep the university going, from booksellers and stationers to scribes a n d c a r t o g r a p h e r s . T h e u n i v e r s i t y 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 of Lareth Hall. Five slender spires (representing and named after the Five Nations) r i n g D a l a n n a n Tower and house the university's students. At the b o t t o m levels of the university, several large courtyards stretch among the towers, filled with soil carried up from below and seeded with grass and small trees. These courtyards are commonly called the " g r o u n d floor" of the campus, despite their being high above the g r o u n d of the Menthis Plateau, and they are p o p u l a r sites for student gatherings, and even class meetings, on the rare occasions that Sharn's notoriously rainy weather lets up. Beyond the c o u r t y a r d s , the " g r o u n d f l o o r " c o n t a i n s most of the lecture halls on campus as well as study halls, sub-libraries (mostly focused on books assigned for student reading), d i n i n g halls, and some faculty offices. Like most educational institutions, Morgrave is a constant bustle of activity while classes are in session but can seem practically d e s e r t e d in the e v e n i n g s , on weekends, and between t e r m s . Even for n o n s t u d e n t s , the university contains resources and i n f o r m a t i o n helpful to nearly any p u r s u i t , if you know where to look and whom to ask. T h e following locations represent some of the most p o p u l a r and versatile resources on the campus.

T h e B r i d g e : A long, a r c i n g , covered b r i d g e connects Breland Spire and the C o m m o n s to D a l a n n a n Tower, where the university's business occurs. O n e side of the bridge is lined with shops focused on the needs of Morgrave's students (bookstores, paper makers, c l o t h i n g and e q u i p m e n t vendors). T h e other side is an open wall where a n n o u n c e m e n t s and notices are posted (job o p p o r t u n i t i e s , campus events, items for sale, and so forth). T h e C o m m o n s : T h i s l a r g e o p e n - a i r plaza a t o p B r e l a n d S p i r e is a p o p u l a r g a t h e r i n g spot for s t u d e n t s and staff. Food v e n d o r s set u p carts t h e r e every m o r n i n g and sell a wide variety of dishes t h r o u g h o u t the day. I n the evening, the C o m m o n s is much quieter, a n d a favorite spot for individuals who want to read, m e d i t a t e , or have a private conversation. Dezina Museum of A n t i q u i t i e s : Home to Khorvaire's most extensive collection of artifacts from X e n ' d r i k , the museum's displays fill the middle levels of D a l a n n a n Tower. In a d d i t i o n , its vaults span several m o r e levels below the m u s e u m ' s public spaces, and they c o n t a i n h u n d r e d s , if not t h o u s a n d s , of u n o p e n e d crates. All hold uncataloged treasures, some of which have been there for decades. Great H a l l of A u r e o n : T h i s temple to A u r e o n , deity of knowledge, is r u m o r e d to be a source of divine i n s p i r a t i o n . A c c o r d i n g to some, a n i g h t spent s l e e p i n g on the H a l l ' s marble floor provides insight into any problem or dilemma one is c u r r e n t l y facing. T h e temple staff is composed of scholars and experts from practically every academic field and discipline. H a d r i l l Gardens: A u n d a i r S p i r e is c r o w n e d by the m a g n i f i c e n t H a d r i l l G a r d e n s , an e x t r a o r d i n a r y display of exotic p l a n t s , flowers, a n d even p l a n t c r e a t u r e s from a r o u n d the world. Access to the more d a n g e r o u s plants is restricted to students in the botany d e p a r t m e n t who have permission from a faculty member. T h e r e are n i n e g r e e n houses ( i n c l u d i n g one devoted to o r c h i d s from X e n ' d r i k and Q ' b a r r a ) and a large o p e n - a i r garden that is a p o p u l a r site for romantic walks and meditation among both students and staff. Lareth H a l l : T h i s large domed s t r u c t u r e atop D a l a n nan Tower is the center of campus and holds the university's administrative and faculty offices. It is also home to a gynosphinx named Flamewind—an unexpected find on a recent expedition to X e n ' d r i k . Flamewind claimed that she was waiting for the scholars to find her, and she r e t u r n e d with them to K h o r v a i r e of her own free will. Morgrave University Library: Located just below the dome of L a r e t h Hall, Morgrave University Library has the most extensive collection of books in B r e l a n d . It does not match the library at K o r r a n b e r g in b r e a d t h , but the M o r grave library specializes in the history of K h o r v a i r e and is r u n by g n o m e expatriates from Z i l a r g o . S t u d e n t s and faculty can use the library for free; all others must pay 1 gp per day for access to its resources. Valdain M u s e u m of Natural History: U n d e r f u n d e d and u n a p p r e c i a t e d at a university so focused on a n c i e n t r u i n s and relics, the Valdain M u s e u m is nevertheless a fascinating collection of carefully stuffed and m o u n t e d a n i m a l s from across K h o r v a i r e and b e y o n d . T h e exhibits go far beyond m u n d a n e animals to include a wide variety of magical beasts, from blink dogs and displacer beasts to a great bulette, and an e n o r m o u s d r a g o n skeleton hangs from the ceiling above the museum e n t r a n c e . T h e Valdain Museum is located near the top of K a r r n a t h Spire.

MORGRAVE OUTREACH ASSOCIATION "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."

—Engar "Flat Nose" T r u m b e l l , senior adjunct regional instructor, Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association Morgrave University constantly sends expeditions to the four corners of the world to dig up ancient treasure, but its faculty members are just a b u n c h of weak-kneed scholars. They don't know how to get along in the world. That's why they b r i n g along people with what they call "experience in the field." They b r i n g the maps and do the digging—you just make sure they don't get killed, t h e n 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 want people they can trust. That's why they come to the Morgrave Outreach Association whenever they can. O n c e you're in here, you'll never lack for good-paying work again.

JOINING THE OUTREACH ASSOCIATION T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is a guild for adventurers who are interested in acting as g u i d e s , g u a r d s , and field experts for academic expeditions sponsored by Morgrave University. T h e i r main guildhall is in the University District of S h a r n near the Morgrave campus. (The building is owned by the university, but is leased to the association for a reasonable fee.) Large guildhalls stand in S t o r m r e a c h , Regalport, and S t o r m h o m e , with smaller regional guildhalls found in virtually any town or p o r t from which a Morgrave expedition is likely to depart. Becoming a m e m b e r is relatively easy. T h e association isn't p a r t i c u lar about ability, nationality, political persuasion, or even i n t e r p e r s o n a l skills. They only care about two things—whether or not you can hold your own in the wild, and whether or not you can be trusted to lead a group. T h e university pays to get expert advisors, and it will stop paying if association members prove to be less competent t h a n the students they're guiding. Likewise, the university will take its business elsewhere if association guides a b a n d o n t h e i r g r o u p s at the first sign of trouble—or worse, lead them into the wild only to kill them, steal their equipment, and leave their bodies to rot. Once you've convinced the captain of the master guildhall to take you into the association, you must pay 100 gp in dues. (The association assumes that if you can't afford the fee, you likely aren't much of an adventurer.) For this sum, you receive a small medallion that identifies you as a member of the association for one year. T h e medallion changes from year to year (one year it might be an eagle cast from b r o n z e ; the next, a silver coin), and you must pay 100 gp to replace it each year. Possession of a c u r r e n t medallion is considered proof of m e m b e r s h i p . E n t r y R e q u i r e m e n t s : 6th level in any class. T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association functions much like an adventurers 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 being that in addition to their own welfare, they are also responsible for a group of students and faculty from Morgrave University. T h e association does n o t p r o v i d e any special t r a i n i n g to its m e m bers, since it expects t h e m to have e n o u g h e x p e r i e n c e to take care of themselves. It does, however, p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n about the n a t u r e of its association with Morgrave University and what s t a n d a r d s of behavior and p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m the association expects of its r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s while in the field. Basically, this b e h a v i o r a m o u n t s to p r o t e c t i n g the faculty and s t u d e n t s from a n i m a l s , m o n s t e r s , n a t u r a l d i s a s t e r s , and c o m p e t i n g a c a d e m i c p a r t i e s . It does n o t , however, i n c l u d e p r o t e c t i n g those academics from t h e i r own f o o l h a r d i n e s s . Association m e m b e r s are expected to be civil to university p e r s o n n e l — e x c e p t if they prove really a n n o y i n g , when it's okay to scare t h e m a l i t t l e . If a n y t h i n g does

WHAT DO YOU KNOW Knowledge ( d u n g e o n e e r i n g ) D C 15: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is an a d v e n t u r e r s g u i l d with ties to Morgrave University. DC 25: T h e O u t r e a c h Association p r o vides adventurers with lucrative u n i versity contracts involving escorting scholars a n d s t u d e n t s on d a n g e r o u s j o u r n e y s . If you want to work as a guide or bodyguard, and don't m i n d coddling some weak-kneed academics, it's good work. Knowledge (local) DC 10: Morgrave University has a r e p u t a t i o n as a place to study the history of X e n ' d r i k , a n d it s p o n s o r s a large n u m b e r of a c a d e m i c e x p e d i t i o n s to X e n ' d r i k a n d o t h e r d a n g e r o u s locales. T h e university often employs adventurers as bodyguards and guides on such expeditions. D C 15: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h A s s o c i a t i o n is an o r g a n i z a t i o n tied to Morgrave University. It is a g e n e r a l i n t e r n s h i p or a p p r e n t i c e s h i p p r o gram c o n n e c t i n g students with n o n academic m e n t o r s . D C 20: More accurately, the O u t r e a c h Association is basically an a d v e n t u r ers g u i l d t h a t receives r e g u l a r c o n tracts to escort university expeditions of scholars and students on dangerous expeditions—often to X e n ' d r i k , but sometimes closer to h o m e . T h e u n i versity pays the association to provide what are essentially guides and bodyguards to these expeditions. D C 25: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h A s s o ciation's m a i n g u i l d h a l l is i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y D i s t r i c t of S h a r n , n e a r c a m p u s . It also m a i n t a i n s g u i l d halls in S t o r m r e a c h , Regalport, and S t o r m h o m e , as well as smaller halls in other towns and ports near sites of interest to Morgrave scholars. Knowledge (nobility a n d royalty) DC 30: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h A s s o ciation fell on bad times shortly after the end of the Last War, when it was blamed for the disappearance of one of K i n g Boranel's nephews, Lujaad i r ' W y n a r n , in the wilds of X e n ' d r i k . T h e association seems to have recovered from that scandal, and it is said that Lujaad is n o n e o t h e r t h a n the i n f a m o u s sky p i r a t e whose exploits r u n in several chronicles.

go c a t a s t r o p h i c a l l y w r o n g , the association m e m b e r must r e p o r t the i n c i d e n t to the n e a r e s t g u i l d h a l l . Failure to do so is c o n s i d e r e d d e r e l i c t i o n of duty and is g r o u n d s for expulsion from the association. T h e c a t a s t r o p h e will also be b l a m e d on the m e m b e r in q u e s t i o n when r e p o r t e d to the p r o p e r a u t h o r i t i e s .

ASSOCIATION BENEFITS Being a m e m b e r of the Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is, in many ways, its own reward. T h a t is, you do not get anyt h i n g in p a r t i c u l a r from your m e m b e r s h i p o t h e r than the chance to participate in expeditions that have a high likelihood of b e i n g exciting and profitable. What you make of those opportunities is up to you. At the university's expense, the association provides you with e q u i p m e n t , i n f o r m a t i o n , and other necessities for the successful completion of each assignment. Beyond that, though, you are left very much to your own devices. Goods: T h e only item that every m e m b e r of the association receives (upon p a y m e n t of the association dues) is the m e m b e r s h i p m e d a l l i o n , which allows t h e m to take on a s s i g n m e n t s . Beyond t h a t , a m e m b e r receives whatever gear Morgrave University d e e m s necessary for a p a r t i c u lar a s s i g n m e n t , plus a weekly s t i p e n d (also decided by the university). Members have very little r o o m for negotiating better rates or more equipment, but better access (see below) can often be a r r a n g e d . Services: Each g u i l d h a l l has c o n n e c t i o n s to local laborers who are willing to h i r e on for an e x p e d i t i o n . T h e association takes care of their salaries. A r r a n g e m e n t s can be made for more highly skilled help (Spellcasters or other t r a i n e d c h a r a c t e r s ) , but paying for those services could reduce the stipend paid to association m e m b e r s . I n f o r m a t i o n : T h e association gives its m e m b e r s all available i n f o r m a t i o n about the p a r t i c u l a r sites, r e g i o n s , and countries they are sent to. However, this information is sometimes compromised, since it is provided by Morgrave University, and the university guards its secrets jealously. T h e association makes every effort to confirm the i n f o r m a tion before p r e s e n t i n g the details to its m e m b e r s . Access: Most i m p o r t a n t , m e m b e r s h i p in the the association provides valuable access to h i s t o r i c sites, a n c i e n t r u i n s , and newly discovered natural or magical phenomena. Because the e x p e d i t i o n s approve of a reasonable level of profit s h a r i n g , a m e m b e r of the association can walk away from every assignment with a significant bonus, whether in the form of treasure, antiquities, or magic e q u i p m e n t .

PLAYING AN OUTREACH ASSOCIATION MEMBER 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 advent u r e r . M e m b e r s of the o r g a n i z a t i o n have p r o v e n t h e i r capability u n d e r fire and have a broad range of experience in the wilder parts of the world. They are m o r e likely to trust their instincts t h a n the book knowledge of academics, and that's exactly the expertise that the Morgrave expeditions look for (even if faculty m e m b e r s sometimes rankle at being told what to do by "undereducated, g r i m e - e n c r u s t e d thugs with no sense of history or the i m p o r t a n c e of the university's work"). A m e m b e r will have very little contact with the association except to pick up new a s s i g n m e n t s and r e p o r t the

results of completed ones. T h e association exists as a kind of broker, allowing academic g r o u p s to meet individuals with practical e x p e r t i s e . It has no p a r t i c u l a r agenda, n o r any interest in h e l p i n g its m e m b e r s do a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n make a steady living. M e m b e r s of the association are competent and trustworthy, and an assignment taken from the association is likely to be straightforward and u n e n c u m 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). Combat: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h association does not have any particular style of fighting. I n fact, each individual or g r o u p is expected to have its own developed techniques, proven by success in earlier adventures. Advancement: In most instances, the association does not actively r e c r u i t new m e m b e r s . Its r e p u t a t i o n for p r o viding high-paying, relatively low-risk assignments is well known a m o n g the a d v e n t u r i n g c o m m u n i t y (as is Morgrave University's r e p u t a t i o n for allowing m e m b e r s of its exped i t i o n s to pocket the occasional valuable item). A l t h o u g h the association is always willing to accept new m e m b e r s , the fact is that it has enough c u r r e n t m e m b e r s to fill most available assignments. T h e only time this might not be the case is if an e x p e d i t i o n shows up u n e x p e c t e d l y at one of the smaller g u i l d h a l l s . T h e local g u i l d m a s t e r might t h e n actively recruit the most competent, reliable help currently available in the area. O n c e you have paid your m e m b e r s h i p dues, what you get out of the Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is up to you. Expeditions leave from most guildhalls at least once a month (and several times per week at the larger sites such as Stormreach). Assignments can vary in length from a week or two (if the g r o u p is simply doing a survey of a historic site) to several m o n t h s (for an extended excavation or renovation of a large site). Occasionally, extended assignments might last for a year or more. These journeys focus on exploration, mapping, or the study of a p a r t i c u l a r culture. T h e association e n c o u r a g e s m e m b e r s to be selective when c h o o s i n g a s s i g n m e n t s . O n c e an e x p e d i t i o n is u n d e r way, an association m e m b e r is expected to see it t h r o u g h to c o m p l e t i o n no m a t t e r what c i r c u m s t a n c e s might arise. It is u n a c c e p t a b l e to a b a n d o n faculty and s t u d e n t s for any reason, so choosing a mission and g r o u p that you will find palatable is i m p o r t a n t . Because all assignments are p e r f o r m e d for teams from Morgrave University, faculty and students r e t u r n i n g to S h a r n will carry word of how easy or difficult an association 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 m e m b e r (or g r o u p of m e m b e r s ) might develop a reputation a m o n g the university staff. T h i s could result in future expeditions specifically requesting to work with particular members of the association. M i s s i o n s : A s s i g n m e n t s usually fall i n t o one of t h r e e categories—exploration, cultivation, or c o m m u n i c a t i o n . Exploration assignments are those in which an academic group is visiting a site for the first time or traveling through u n c h a r t e d t e r r i t o r y to identify sites suitable for f u t u r e e x p l o r a t i o n . C u l t i v a t i o n m i s s i o n s involve t a k i n g a team of faculty a n d s t u d e n t s to t h o r o u g h l y e x a m i n e a site and collect i n t e r e s t i n g s p e c i m e n s , a r t i f a c t s , and a r t objects. T h i s is the most c o m m o n type of a s s i g n m e n t , a n d the most lucrative as well. A m i s s i o n of c o m m u n i c a t i o n is one in which the u n i v e r s i t y team meets with r e p r e s e n t a tives of a f o r e i g n c u l t u r e . T h i s m i g h t m e a n living with a r e m o t e t r i b e , or could involve n e g o t i a t i n g with foreign

g o v e r n m e n t s or warlords for the right to send future exped i t i o n s into t h e i r t e r r i t o r i e s .

THE MORGRAVE OUTREACH ASSOCIATION IN THE WORLD "No matter how many treatises a student reads on a subject or a site, the most important information comes from spending time with someone who has actually been there and returned to tell the tale. Our expeditions are always more rewarding thanks to the Outreach Association. Sometimes experience really is the best teacher."

—Larrian ir'Morgrave, Master of Morgrave University T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is a convenient way to give player characters access to a wide range of adventures and locations. Practically any adventure can be framed as part of a university-sponsored expedition, and the PCs will always know where to go when they find themselves with idle time. T h e promise of pay over and above a share of any treasure found gives the PCs incentive to take part in adventures they might otherwise have no reason to accept. T h e association 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 characters so that existing PCs have a legitimate reason to accept and trust them. Organization: T h e Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association is, at best, a loose affiliation. Members do not have any need to gather in great n u m b e r s , nor are they expected to make any special c o m m i t m e n t to the g r o u p . They pay their dues and take assignments whenever it suits their taste. T h e PCs can function as a whole unit, or can team up with other association members when an assignment requires a specific skill set they do not possess. T h e association is r u n from the m a i n g u i l d h a l l in Sharn's University District. Assignments are h a n d e d out from there or sent to regional guildhalls to be filled locally. Many m e m b e r s never visit the m a i n g u i l d h a l l , t a k i n g assignments only t h r o u g h their local b r a n c h . More widely traveled members, however, might visit dozens of different guildhalls—stopping in whenever their wanderings b r i n g them to a town that houses one, p e r f o r m i n g an assignment or two, then moving on to their next destination.

NPC Reactions T h e general populace knows very little about the Morgrave O u t r e a c h Association, and most people simply assume that it has s o m e t h i n g to do with Morgrave University. Scholars from other universities and institutions likely treat association members with the same disdain they feel for Morgrave itself. Adventurers might either be interested in finding out how to become m e m b e r s , or show contempt for anyone who takes on such m e r c e n a r y work. T h e association does not have any e n e m i e s per se, but various scholarly groups hold it in very p o o r regard. If the university representatives at a local site are seen to be removing, defacing, or trespassing on property held in high regard by the local populace, they and their associates could become targets of derision, ostracism, or even violence.

THE MORGRAVE OUTREACH ASSOCIATION IN YOUR GAME 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,

the association can easily function in the b a c k g r o u n d of a c a m p a i g n , with the heroes not even h e a r i n g about it u n t i l 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 master offers them an assignment. T h e DM can i n t r o d u c e the option of m e m b e r s h i p only when the PCs are ready for it, or make it (and its lucrative assignments) s o m e t h i n g that lower-level PCs aspire to. O n c e the PCs have j o i n e d the association, the best way to keep them happy is to provide a steady stream of assignments for t h e m to take. If these assignments offer increasingly better pay, provide the chance to explore interesting and u n i q u e locations, and i n t r o d u c e i m p o r t a n t N P C s , the characters will feel their m e m b e r s h i p is worthwhile. Adaptation: If your campaign does not feature M o r grave University, simply change the association into a more generic adventurers guild. Rather than focusing entirely on academic expeditions, the guild would be an organization that any g r o u p or person could approach to h i r e a g r o u p of seasoned adventurers for any sort of mission. E n c o u n t e r s : E n c o u n t e r s can vary widely from assignm e n t to a s s i g n m e n t , c o v e r i n g a wide r a n g e of possible expeditions. C o m m o n missions include exploring a newly discovered a n c i e n t t e m p l e , c a p t u r i n g a r a r e species of a n i m a l or m o n s t e r , i n v e s t i g a t i n g a m y s t e r i o u s n a t u r a l or magical p h e n o m e n o n , a n d s e a r c h i n g for a p r e v i o u s e x p e d i t i o n that has gone m i s s i n g .

Typical Association Guildhall Guildhalls are usually two- or t h r e e - s t o r y b u i l d i n g s that resemble i n n s or private residences. They have a small staff (sometimes consisting solely of the hall's master) and are not long on comfort. They do, however, provide access to the bare essentials. Association m e m b e r s , university faculty, and t h e i r guests can gather comfortably in the c o m m o n r o o m . Members can stay in the upstairs rooms for one or two days at a time for no fee (extended stays cost the same as r e n t i n g a r o o m at an i n n ) . T h e hall is decorated with p a i n t ings and trophies from association expeditions. Every guildhall has maps of the local region, descriptions of known dangers, basic medical supplies, and a supply of master work weapons. A well-stocked guildhall might have such amenities as a kitchen and cook, ale, wine, and other spirits, a healer, and local g u i d e s . Most g u i l d h a l l s have c o n n e c t i o n s to local s m i t h s , h e a l e r s , a n d m e r c h a n t s who provide association members with discounted services. An association guildhall can make a good base of o p e r ations for a group of PCs. They will always be welcome, they always have a source of work, and they can meet trustworthy N P C s who will carry news of other adventures and events 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 local guildhall, or open a new hall of their own.

MORGRAVE UNIVERSITY FACULTY T h e professors of M o r g r a v e University m i g h t not stand as s h i n i n g e x e m p l a r s at the top of t h e i r fields, but many of t h e m are at least c o l o r f u l c h a r a c t e r s . I n a d d i t i o n 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 m i g h t come i n t o contact with any of these faculty m e m bers from t i m e to t i m e . Ghash Duurkat: T h o u g h he has not yet been awarded a p r o f e s s o r s h i p (he c a r r i e s the title of L e c t u r e r ) , G h a s h Duurkat is something of a p o p u l a r sensation at Morgrave. A h o b g o b l i n who wears t r a d i t i o n a l battle a r m o r to every

class, Duurkat is a boistrous lecturer, but b e h i n d the t h e atrics is a solid knowledge of Dhakaani history that rivals that of Professor Vieran (see below). It is possible that more r u m o r s spread a r o u n d the university every year c o n c e r n i n g the exploits of Ghash Duurkat than about any other member of the Morgrave community. Kona Erran: Professor E r r a n is the head of the botany d e p a r t m e n t and m a s t e r of the H a d r i l l G a r d e n s (see page 111). A d r u i d and a f o r m e r a d v e n t u r e r , she is known to 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. Flamewind: Not technically a m e m b e r of the university faculty, the gynosphinx called Flamewind is certainly one of the most interesting characters on the campus. She accompanied a recent expedition back from X e n ' d r i k , and has t a k e n up r e s i d e n c e at the top of L a r e t h H a l l ' s great dome. She frequently s u m m o n s adventurers to her c h a m ber and sends them on cryptic missions, and she is said to have oracular powers. She is also known to have studied the draconic Prophecy. A l a i n G o u r t h a n : Professor G o u r t h a n has yet to make any dramatic discoveries, and that fact seems to grate on his nerves. His academic knowledge is superior to that of many of his colleagues, and he is known as an excellent lecturer, but his lack of significant field experience has held h i m

back. Word is c i r c u l a t i n g that he plans a truly ambitious expedition to the far south of X e n ' d r i k , which will almost certainly either make or break his career. Sendor Reddick: Professor Reddick is a taxidermist 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 pays handsomely for well-preserved specimens of unusual creatures, though he prefers to stuff t h e m himself. Some whisper that he dabbles in necromancy. D a n i d V i e r a n : O n e of the world's l e a d i n g e x p e r t s on the a n c i e n t D h a k a a n i E m p i r e , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y the s h i n i n g city of J a ' s h a a r a t (which now lies b u r i e d b e n e a t h the deepest levels of S h a r n ) , Professor V i e r a n is a b i t t e r 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 to the m o d e r n city, a n d it is easily accessible even to the c o m m o n p o p u l a c e , his r e s e a r c h is constantly o v e r s h a d owed by the m o r e flashy and p o p u l a r work b e i n g d o n e in X e n ' d r i k . H i s p o p u l a r i t y a m o n g the s t u d e n t s of the u n i versity c e r t a i n l y suffers because he is a t e r r i b l e l e c t u r e r and generally a b o r e . Zophik: Widely r e g a r d e d as mad, Professor Zophik (she no longer uses her first n a m e ) has e a r n e d the right to some eccentricity. H e r field is the Age of Demons, and she has supposedly traveled to ancient Ashtakala and survived, though not u n s c a r r e d .

THE MOURNLAND DEVASTATION EVERYWHERE T h e M o u r n l a n d was once the h u m a n n a t i o n of Cyre, but on the Day of M o u r n i n g in 994 Y K a cataclysm of u n k n o w n o r i g i n wiped out its people and ravaged the cities and countryside. Now the once-noble nation is dead, its land fused and b a r r e n . L i n g e r i n g magic effects strew chaos across the jagged landscape and living spells, twisted monsters, and stranger things roam its crags. N a t u r e is suppressed w i t h i n its b o r d e r s ; n e i t h e r magical nor n a t u r a l healing functions, and dead bodies r e m a i n fresh and u n d i s t u r b e d . T h e L o r d of Blades gathers m i l i t a n t warforged in some h i d d e n s t r o n g h o l d . Despite these d a n g e r s , the M o u r n l a n d has m u c h to offer: Relics lie within its r u i n s , and many seek an answer to the mystery of the M o u r n l a n d ' s creation. T h e first obstacle t h a t any visitor to the M o u r n l a n d faces is the 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 travelers w i t h i n it grow weary a n d d e p r e s s e d . S o m e areas of the mist display this p r o p e r t y m o r e strongly t h a n o t h e r s . T h e s e areas are a d a r k e r gray t h a n the s u r r o u n d i n g mist—a c h a r a c t e r can note the d i f f e r e n c e 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 edge (geography) check. T r a v e l i n g w i t h i n these areas forces c h a r a c t e r s to make Will saves each h o u r ( D C 15, + 1 p e r h o u r ) . F a i l u r e i n d i c a t e s 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. After p e n e t r a t i n g the dead-gray mist, a d v e n t u r e r s face n u m e r o u s other obstacles. T h e L o r d of Blades, a c h a r i s m a t i c warforged p r o p h e t , holds c o u r t somewhere in the M o u r n l a n d . T h o u g h no one knows where he makes his base, his patrols scour the l a n d . Warforged o p e r a t e m o r e freely in the M o u r n l a n d t h a n do living creatures, because their repair spells function normally. T h o s e who follow the Lord of Blades have no pity or mercy for their living c o u n t e r p a r t s , and e n c o u n t e r s with these warforged usually end in drawn blades. Warped monsters wander the M o u r n l a n d . These creatures take many forms. Some are amalgamations of several different creatures, s p o r t i n g n u m e r o u s limbs and bulging with muscle. O t h e r s have features not n o r mally seen in their kind, such as wings or stinging tails. Perhaps the most dangerous are those whose mental faculties have improved, allowing them to gather less able creatures about them and carve temporary territories in the shattered land. Adventurers who overcome the M o u r n l a n d ' s dangers are privy to its mysteries. Two of the M o u r n l a n d ' s most u n u s u a l features are the Glowing Chasm and the Glass Plateau. Between these two areas is the Stagnation, a flat and m o r i b u n d lake that gives off a faint blue iridescence. Skeletons lie half submerged along its shore, their bones causing not a ripple in the s y r u p - t h i c k water. T h e water smells of dying t h i n g s but tastes, so some claim, of honeysuckle and lavender with a h i n t of s o m e t h i n g 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 M o u r n l a n d ' s magic into themselves, c h a n g i n g into s o m e t h i n g s t r o n g e r t h a n they were before. Also w i t h i n the M o u r n l a n d is the M i l e - M a r k S t a t i o n . T h i s r u i n 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 half fallen into rubble, though the great clock in its tower still functions properly. A l i g h t n i n g rail coach, bodies spilling from its attached carts, is crashed i n t o 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 s c o r c h e d , and the b o d i e s of h u n d r e d s of civilians—mostly c h i l d r e n and the elderly—are heaped inside, t h e i r w o u n d s still fresh. O n l y a h a n d f u l of t h e m a p p e a r to have b u r n e d to death, leaving explorers to guess how 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 a p p e a r every night, r a c i n g away into the darkness with mad cackles.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 10: Mysterious l i n g e r i n g magical effects make the M o u r n l a n d hazardous and u n p r e d i c t a b l e . D C 15: T h e Day of M o u r n i n g had many strange repercussions. It gave life and a degree of sentience to some spells, which wander the M o u r n l a n d today. It changed and twisted its native m o n sters, which also pose a danger. D C 20: R u m o r has it that the secrets of the Day of M o u r n i n g can be f o u n d b e n e a t h the Glass Plateau, an area of fused a n d jagged glass where living spells congregate. Knowledge (geography) D C 5: T h e M o u r n l a n d was once Cyre. DC 10: A disaster on the Day of M o u r n ing killed all intelligent life in Cyre. Knowledge (history) D C 10: Cyre was destroyed by an arcane cataclysm in 994 Y K , on what is now called the Day of M o u r n i n g . DC 15: Cyran r u i n s cover the landscape of the M o u r n l a n d . Knowledge (local) D C 15: T h e M o u r n l a n d is u n c l a i m e d a n d , for the most p a r t , u n c o n t e s t e d . A colony of m i l i t a n t warforged and a few t r e a s u r e - s e e k i n g expeditions are its only nods toward civilization. Knowledge (nature) D C 10: Travelers are easily lost in the dead-gray mist that s u r r o u n d s the Mournland. DC 15: Natural healing does not function in the M o u r n l a n d , nor does natural decay. T h e dead lie where they fell years ago, looking as they did t h e n . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: Cyre was the h e a d q u a r t e r s of House C a n n i t h . T h e Day of M o u r n ing devastated the house and split it into factions. DC 20: House P h i a r l a n n was also based in Cyre. Its leaders were conspicuously absent on the Day of M o u r n i n g . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 15: Spells of the healing subschool do not function in the M o u r n l a n d . D C 18: Many warforged see the Lord of Blades as a religious figure. They take his words as d o c t r i n e .

So Y o u W a n t t o E n t e r t h e M o u r n l a n d ? By H a t h i u s Rote Excerpted from the Korranberg Chronicle, Zolday, Dravago 4th Greetings, good reader! If you are perusing this article, you are probably considering e n t e r i n g the M o u r n l a n d in search of treasure and fame. You must already know the dangers you'll face—living spells, becoming lost in the dead-gray mist, e n c o u n t e r i n g warped monsters and l i n g e r i n g magic effects, and r u n n i n g afoul of rogue warforged, to name a few—and I don't imagine that I will be able to dissuade you. Instead, take heed, for I will tell you what you need to know if you are to r e t u r n from your expedition. T h e most i m p o r t a n t t h i n g that you must u n d e r s t a n d is that you will be unable to heal in the M o u r n l a n d . Neither natural n o r magical healing functions in that blasted place. However, the d r u i d spell goodberry seems unaffected in the M o u r n l a n d . Also, a paladin's ability to heal wounds by

laying on h a n d s is not affected. Magic that allows extradimensional travel is valuable, because you can heal (and be healed) while in that otherworldly space. If your expedition includes warforged, they should have little trouble; spells that repair constructs do function in the M o u r n l a n d . After properly outfitting yourself, the first obstacle you will encounter is the dead-gray mist that surrounds the Mournland. You might find that you become saddened and listless within the mist—do not doubt your heroism, my friend, for the mist is magical, and these feelings come from outside forces! Certain patches of the mist carry this enchantment heavily—watch out for the dark gray areas and avoid them. T h e mist is also disorienting. This reporter has heard many tales of expeditions that got lost in the mist and were never seen again. That's pretty much all the help I can give you for now. Good luck, brave adventurer, and watch for my next essay: "So You Want to E n t e r the D e m o n Wastes?"

ARCANE STEEL Cyre was home to House Cannith, the humans who possess the Mark of Making. The warforged are their most famous creation, but these living constructs are not Cannith's only accomplishment. Cannith mines and forges dotted Cyre, and workers constantly unearthed ore, refined it, and shaped it into the latest Cannith masterpieces. When the Day of Mourning came, the metals that were in the process of being refined absorbed the catastrophe's arcane power. Now, ingots and chunks of this magically imbued substance lie scattered throughout the Mournland. Scholars have termed this material cyrite. Cyrite resembles steel but is slightly darker. Multicolored lines run over its surface and pulse with strange light. It is as heavy as steel, holds an edge just as well, and retains some magic essence from its odd genesis. Smiths and adventurers value cyrite for its use in weapons and armor. Weapons fashioned from cyrite count as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Armor made from cyrite absorbs magical energy and grants its wearer a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws

against spells and spell-like abilities. Cyrite shields provide no special benefit, Items without metal parts, such as clubs, cannot be made from cyrite. Cyrite loses all its special properties in an antimagic field or similar area. 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). Type of Cyrite Item Ammunition Armor Weapon Raw cyrite

Item Cost Modifier +5 gp +500 gp +250 gp 10 gp per pound

The above features apply to most examples of cyrite that explorers have discovered. Rumors speak of other forms of cyrite with different properties.

ORCS THE LAND OF THE SHADOWS H i d d e n b e h i n d D r o a a m , the r e g i o n k n o w n as the Shadow M a r c h e s has b e e n isolated from the events t h a t s h a p e d K h o r v a i r e . T h e War of the Mark a n d the rise of the d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e s , the f o r m a t i o n of Galifar—even the Last War itself—had little d i r e c t i m p a c t on the distant M a r c h e s . Today, the Shadow M a r c h e s are not r e c o g n i z e d as a n a t i o n by the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d , a n d no c e n t r a l g o v e r n m e n t exists t h e r e . T h e d e n i z e n s of the Shadow M a r c h e s are split i n t o two p r i m a r y g r o u p s : those who are m e m b e r s of tribes, and those who are m e m b e r s of clans. T h e t r i b e s are p r i m i t i v e , and largely composed of orcs. T h e i r t r a ditions date back t h o u s a n d s of years before the arrival of h u m a n i t y in K h o r v a i r e , and many of the tribesfolk believe that h u m a n s and members of the other races can never u n d e r s t a n d their ways. As a result, they prefer to be left in solitude—and those who follow the Dragon Below can be quite dangerous if their privacy is violated. T h e c l a n s are the m o r e civilized i n h a b i t a n t s of the r e g i o n . W h e n h u m a n refugees arrived from Sarlona fifteen h u n d r e d years ago, they 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 fought against these strangers (as some still do), many embraced the newcomers, 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 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, and their half-ore offspring. T h e Marchers are a proud folk, and they take bonds of blood seriously. Foreigners must be careful in dealing with the clans, for any insult to a family m e m b e r will likely be taken as an affront against the entire clan.

THE ORCS OF THE MARCHES T h e orcs are one of the oldest races in K h o r v a i r e , with a history stretching 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 b e e n a deeply spiritual people. Even a m o n g the clans, where the traditions of humanity have had a strong influence on their culture, the orcs r e m a i n strong and unswerving in t h e i r faith. T h e majority of the clerics, adepts, and druids found in the Shadow Marches are orcs or half-ores. Today, the faith of the orcs is split between the path of the Gatekeepers and that of the D r a g o n Below. T h o s e who follow the Gatekeepers do not necessarily know of the daelkyr or the ancient wars, but they believe in the power of n a t u r e and the duty of the orcs to r e m a i n 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 manifestation of this p r i m a l c o n n e c t i o n . T h e Dragon Below cultists are all too often touched by madness, or believe that all power and glory flows from Khyber and Xoriat. T h e rage of a cultist b a r b a r i a n is a terrifying thing—pure madness concentrated into martial fury. Orcs of the isolationist tribes believe that h u m a n s and orcs have no 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 see h u m a n s as t h e i r b r o t h e r s and sisters—smaller and weaker, p e r h a p s , but valued for their c u n n i n g and quick wits.

LIFE ON THE FRONTIER T h e Shadow Marches have a larger h u m a n population than D r o a a m , and 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 r u i n s of the daelkyr. F u r t h e r m o r e , it is far from the reach of the laws of o t h e r n a t i o n s . A fugitive on the r u n from the K i n g ' s Citadel can find security in the shadows of Zarasha'ak without giving up h u m a n company. T h e Shadow Marches have never been b o u n d by the Code of Galifar, and even the sentinel marshals have no authority in this region.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e r e g i o n called the Shadow Marches contains areas of fetid swamp and deep j u n g l e , with little civilization to speak of. T h e i n h a b i t a n t s are h u m a n s a n d orcs, a n d travelers are not always welcome. DC 15: O n e major city is in the Marches: Zarasha'ak, which can be reached by water along the s o u t h e r n coastline. Knowledge (history) D C 10: T h e h u m a n i n h a b i t a n t s of the Shadow Marches came from Sarlona approximately 1,500 years ago. W h i l e some orcs and h u m a n s still fear and hate one another, most Marcher clans include b o t h h u m a n s and orcs. D C 15: T h e Shadow Marches suffered terribly in an extraplanar i n c u r s i o n that occurred thousands of years ago, and this is said to be the source of the monsters that h a u n t the land. Knowledge (nature) DC 10: T h e Shadow Marches hold many deposits of E b e r r o n d r a g o n s h a r d s . D C 15: S t r a n g e p l a n t s grow i n t h e marshes. H a t h i l root, for example, is said to be good for e n h a n c i n g spells of t r a n s m u t a t i o n . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: T h e city of Zarasha'ak is the seat of House T h a r a s h k . D C 15: House T h a r a s h k is the youngest d r a g o n m a r k e d house, and it is not a family as such; it is an alliance formed from a n u m b e r of different M a r c h e r clans, all of whom share the mark. Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) DC 15: T h e Shadow Marches were one of the beachheads d u r i n g the ancient daelkyr incursion. Ruins dot the area, as well as a large n u m b e r of manifest zones linked to Kythri and Xoriat. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 15: W h i l e the Marchers have some analogues for the Sovereign Host, the m a i n religions of the area are the Cults of the D r a g o n Below and the d r u i d i c t r a d i t i o n of the Gatekeepers. T h e Khyber cults scattered across the Marches are foes of one a n o t h e r ; as a result, Marcher cultists initially conceal their t r u e beliefs from visitors.

Even as this isolation provides security for the fugitive, however, it can be d a n g e r o u s for the adventurer. T h e r e is no unified law in the l a n d , and each clan or t r i b e rules its territory as it chooses. Most Marcher villages have a sheriff who holds the full authority of law. If adventurers challenge or kill a sheriff, they have committed a mortal crime against his people—a c r i m e that calls for b l o o d vengeance from them and any of their allies.

ORCS BEYOND THE MARCHES T h e Shadow M a r c h e s are not the only place in K h o r v a i r e where orcs are f o u n d , a l t h o u g h the orcs of the M a r c h e s (as well as those in the E l d e e n Reaches, who are essentially an offshoot of the M a r c h e s c u l t u r e ) are by far the most civilized of t h e i r k i n d . T h e orc tribes of the D e m o n Wastes are n o b l e b a r b a r i a n s , who u n d e r t a k e a sacred charge to p r e v e n t any evil from leaving t h e i r h o m e l a n d (see T h e D e m o n Wastes on page 34). T h e orcs of D r o a a m have b e e n r e d u c e d to a state s i m i l a r to that of the o t h e r natives of the m o n s t e r nation—they hold g o b l i n s as slaves and are b r u t a l a n d c o r r u p t . T h e J h o r a s h ' t a r orcs of the M r o r H o l d s are savage a n d violent, r a i d i n g 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 w r o n g s . T h e J h o r a s h ' t a r are typical of the orcs of E a s t e r n K h o r vaire, in the few places where r e m n a n t s of t h e i r a n c i e n t t r i b e s still exist.

HALF-ORCS: THE JHORGUN'TAAL Many of the p e o p l e of the Five N a t i o n s are u n c o m f o r t able a r o u n d h a l f - o r e s a n d f i n d t h e idea of h u m a n s and orcs c r o s s b r e e d i n g to be vile a n d d i s t a s t e f u l . Such beliefs have never f o u n d r o o t in the Shadow M a r c h e s , t h o u g h , a n d those orcs who chose to welcome h u m a n ity to t h e i r land were quick to mate with the newc o m e r s . T h o s e who followed the d r u i d i c p a t h s knew that h y b r i d s are often the s t r o n g e s t p l a n t s , while the K h y b e r cultists have always seen c h a n g e as a p a t h to power. In the M a r c h e s , h a l f - o r e s are c e l e b r a t e d ; they are called j h o r g u n ' t a a l , " c h i l d r e n of two b l o o d s . " 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 , a n d as such many of the greatest d r u i d s a n d priests are h a l f - o r e s . T h e j h o r g u n ' t a a l p e r f o r m i m p o r t a n t tasks in the M a r c h e s , 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 k i n , 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 m o r e likely to be a h a l f - o r e t h a n a m e m b e r of e i t h e r of the p u r e races. Likewise, when the clans send a m b a s s a d o r s to n e g o t i a t e feuds or t r a d i n g r i g h t s , they often send a j h o r g u n ' t a a l , even if a m o r e c h a r i s m a t i c h u m a n comes along as an advisor. W h i l e half-ores are a t r u e - b r e e d i n g race in t h e i r own right, the j h o r g u n ' t a a l are just as likely to mate with h u m a n s or orcs as with t h e i r own k i n d . 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 h u m a n s and ores one race.

ORCS AS PLAYER CHARACTERS Perhaps you're a b o d y g u a r d from H o u s e T h a r a s h k who has come east to serve the interests of your house, or perhaps you follow the traditions of the Gatekeepers,

b e l i e v i n g in the rise of d a r k powers that only you can s t o p . A n ore's sensitivity to light can be overcome with the Daylight A d a p t a t i o n feat from Races of Eberron, and the race's lack of a level a d j u s t m e n t makes it easy to use as 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 Monster

Manual.

C h i l d of the Swamps You have spent years in the swamps of the Shadow Marches. You can find food and shelter in the deep swamps, a n d you can move more freely t h r o u g h the difficult t e r r a i n . Prerequisite: Region of origin Shadow Marches. Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Spot and Survival checks while in marsh t e r r a i n . In addition, you can take a 5-foot step while in the shallow bog or light u n d e r g r o w t h of a marsh, i g n o r ing the usual movement p e n a l t i e s of the t e r r a i n for this p u r p o s e .

Marchers, orc and human

PLANES OF EXISTENCE WORLDS BEYOND THE WORLD O t h e r realms lie beyond the m u n d a n e world—dominions of fire and ice, of eternal forests and boundless sky, of r a d i a n t light and impenetrable darkness. These realms are different planes of existence: self-contained worlds beyond the world of E b e r r o n . They have t h e i r own physical and magical laws, t h e i r own flow of t i m e , and t h e i r own races and c u l t u r e s . No one knows the full extent of these planes. Some speculate that each is infinite, s t r e t c h i n g endlessly t h r o u g h its own space; others declare that such worlds are only roughly the size of E b e r r o n itself. In any event, each plane is certainly large enough to accommodate years of exploration for anyone prepared to face hostile conditions and d a n g e r o u s natives. T h r e e of these planes are always close to the Material Plane, existing simultaneously with it in the same physical space: the Ethereal Plane, the Plane of Shadow, and the Astral Plane. T h e Ethereal Plane is a ghostly otherworld, like a spirit realm p e r vading the corporeal world and existing immediately beside it. E n t e r i n g 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 the ghostly ether. They can move about u n h i n d e r e d by material objects, enabling them to (in effect) pass t h r o u g h walls and other b a r r i e r s . T h e Plane of Shadow is like a dark m i r r o r of the material world. All objects (though not creatures) in the Material Plane have a shadowy analog. T i m e and distance have little m e a n i n g in the shadow realm, and Spellcasters who enter the Plane of Shadow can easily travel great distances across it, reemerging in the cor r e s p o n d i n g location on the Material Plane in a brief time. However, the Plane of Shadow is h a u n t e d by undead and other h o r r o r s , m a k i n g it a perilous place. T h e Astral Plane is a great silvery void, sometimes described as a sea or a starry sky through which travelers, objects, and even other planes float freely. Travelers move t h r o u g h the Astral Plane at the speed of thought (though such movement might simply be an illusion in the m i n d of the traveler). T h e Astral Plane is the space b e h i n d space—the nonplace that connects all places. It allows Spellcasters to teleport from place to place on the Material Plane, and it serves as a conduit when s u m m o n i n g creatures from other planes. T h i r t e e n o t h e r planes float in the Astral Plane. Planar scholars describe them moving through the Astral Plane in complex orbits that bring them variously closer to and farther from the Material Plane—sometimes even coming close enough to touch the Material Plane and allow some of their essence to cross over into the world. Daanvi, the Perfect O r d e r , is a plane where law reigns supreme. Here all things live in h a r m o n y b o r n of order. Its polar opposite is Kythri, the C h u r n i n g Chaos, an e v e r - c h a n g i n g soup of r o i l i n g entropy. A c c o r d i n g to p o p u l a r s u p e r s t i t i o n , times of h i s t o r i c a l stability are l i n k e d to the proximity of Daanvi, while times of u n r e s t and conflict are associated with Kythri's nearness, but no evidence supports these claims. Dal Q u o r , the Region of D r e a m s , is the plane where dreams play out. W h e n mortals d r e a m , they psychically project their m i n d s to Dal Q u o r . B e h i n d the dreams and nightmares that mortals experience lie the cities of the quori—monsters of n i g h t m a r e 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 mysterious aims t h r o u g h the work of the D r e a m i n g Dark. 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 b o u n d s , 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 t h r o u g h heroic deeds that leave a lasting mark on the world of the living, for the shades that persist in D o l u r r h bear little mark of their former identities.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (history) D C 20: At two separate times i n E b e r ron's history, a p l a n e d r a w i n g close to the world has discharged an army of invaders. At the end of the Age of G i a n t s , q u o r i came to E b e r r o n from Dal Q u o r , the Region of D r e a m s . T h e fall of the D h a k a a n i E m p i r e was precipitated by a similar invasion of daelkyr from Xoriat. Both planes are now very far from the Material Plane as a result of actions taken by the world's defenders. Knowledge (the planes) D C 10: Beyond the Material Plane are t h i r t e e n o t h e r p l a n e s of existence where strange creatures live and different rules hold sway. D C 12: T h r e e " t r a n s i t i v e " planes—the Ethereal, Shadow, and Astral Planes— exist in addition to the t h i r t e e n orbiting planes. DC 15: T h e t h i r t e e n orbiting planes fall into three oppositional pairs—Daanvi a n d K y t h r i (law and chaos), F e r n i a and Risia (fire and ice), and Irian and M a b a r (light a n d d a r k ) — a n d seven u n p a i r e d planes.- Dal Q u o r , D o l u r r h , L a m a n n i a , Shavarath, Syrania, T h e l a n i s , and Xoriat. Use this DC for a check to recall the basic characteristics of each plane and the kinds of creatures found t h e r e . DC 20: T h e t h i r t e e n o r b i t i n g planes sometimes draw so close to the Material Plane that they "touch" it and allow some of their qualities to seep over into E b e r r o n . T h i s is called a coterminous phase. At o t h e r times, the planes are remote, and their influence fades on the Material Plane. DC 25 : T h e planes have different magical and physical laws. O n some planes, gravity is lighter or stronger, or completely absent (Xoriat)—or it shifts frequently ( K y t h r i ) . O n some, t i m e flows more or less rapidly, or it doesn't flow at all ( D o l u r r h ) . Some planes e n h a n c e the f u n c t i o n i n g of c e r t a i n types of spells and i m p e d e o t h e r s , while some throw the rules of magic entirely away (Xoriat again). Use this D C for a check to recall the p l a n a r traits of a given plane and how those traits affect travelers.

Fernia, the Sea of Fire, and Risia, the Plain of Ice, are the homes of powerful elemental forces. Every five years, the midsummer is especially hot and the midwinter particularly cold as these planes draw close to the Material Plane. Irian, the Eternal Day, is awash in the radiance of positive energy, while its opposite, the Endless Night of Mabar, is a starless void that devours life and light. 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, and wild outsiders of bestial and elemental aspect r u n free in its verdant forests, rolling plains, and soaring m o u n tains. Farmers say that crops grow more quickly d u r i n g the one week every year when L a m a n n i a draws close. Shavarath, the B a t t l e g r o u n d , is inhabited by races of celestials and fiends locked in eternal war with each other— archons, devils, and d e m o n s . Some say that Shavarath drew near to E b e r r o n in the year the Last War started and came close at least twice more d u r i n g the course of the war, each time presaging an outbreak of particularly bitter violence. Syrania, the A z u r e Sky, is the h o m e g l i t t e r i n g cities floating in endless blue, each ruled by the wisest of angels. Good's power grows when Syrania draws near, and flying

becomes easier in places where its i n f l u e n c e is strong— i n c l u d i n g the great city of S h a r n . T h e l a n i s , the Faerie C o u r t , is the mysterious h o m e of the fey. Tales speak of travelers drawn into its e t e r n a l twilight, e m e r g i n g after what feels to them like mere days, only to discover that weeks or even m o n t h s have passed on 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 m o u n d s . Xoriat is the Realm of Madness, h o m e to the daelkyr and the a b e r r a t i o n s they spawn. Ten t h o u s a n d years ago, Xoriat drew close and the daelkyr invaded E b e r r o n , until the G a t e k e e p e r s finally sealed all c o n n e c t i o n s to t h e i r insane realm. Some i m a g i n e that the A s t r a l P l a n e is b o u n d e d in its most d i s t a n t reaches by an e n c i r c l i n g realm of u t t e r dark, the end of all t h i n g s . They call this region the O u t e r D a r k n e s s . Some claim that the s h i n i n g r e a l m of the Sove r e i g n Host lies somewhere beyond this O u t e r Darkness, 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 m o r t a l has ever visited this place, let alone any divine realm beyond it, so its existence is a m a t t e r of pure speculation.

MANIFEST ZONES In places, the boundaries between the planes are thin. Certain locations in Eberron have close affinities or connections to the other planes, allowing characteristics of those planes to spill over into the world. These areas are called manifest zones, since in these places the power of the planes is made manifest. Manifest zones a p p e a r everywhere in E b e r r o n , and zones exist that link to all the planes except Dal Q u o r . T h e effects of a manifest zone are sometimes related to the effects of a plane b e c o m i n g c o t e r m i n o u s with the Material Plane, but this is not always the case. In fact, the most well-known 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 u n r e l a t e d to the effects of Syrania's c o t e r m i n o u s state and only tangentially related to the qualities of the plane itself. Manifest zones are, above all, unpredictable. T h a t said, all m a n i f e s t zones have two p r o p e r t i e s in c o m m o n . First, a m a n i f e s t zone is c o n s i d e r e d a p a r t of both the Material Plane and the plane to which the zone is linked. A n outsider is not considered extraplanar while in a manifest zone linked to its home plane, so it is impossible to use dismissal or holy word to banish an angel from the city of S h a r n , for example. Second, it is always easier to pass between the M a t e rial Plane and the linked plane in a manifest zone. I n most cases, magic is still r e q u i r e d to move a c r e a t u r e from one plane to the o t h e r (whether that magic is summon monster I or a plane shift spell). However, a character in a manifest zone can always use plane shift to travel to the plane linked to that manifest zone, even without the p r o p e r focus for the spell. W h e n a character in a manifest zone uses a planar bindingspell to call a creature from the plane linked to that manifest zone, the spell's saving throw DC is increased by 2. Besides the m a n i f e s t zone in which S h a r n is b u i l t , i m p o r t a n t manifest zones include the L a i r of the K e e p e r

in the D e m o n Wastes and Lake Dark in K a r r n a t h (both linked to D o l u r r h ) , the City of the Dead in A e r e n a l (linked to I r i a n ) , and three manifest zones in the Eldeen Reaches: G r e e n h e a r t (linked to L a m a n n i a ) , the G l o a m i n g (linked to Mabar), and the Twilight Demesne (linked to T h e l a n i s ) . Several known manifest zones linked to Kythri and Xoriat exist in the Shadow Marches. Some sages speculate that the Fist of O n a t a r in the M r o r H o l d s is a manifest zone tied to Fernia, and zones linked to Risia almost certainly exist 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 least one manifest zone tied to Shavarath, created as a result of the events of the Day of M o u r n i n g — o r p e r h a p s having caused that cataclysm. Powerful magic can create or suppress manifest zones. T h e powerful wondrous item called an orrery of the planes creates a temporary, localized manifest zone linked to a plane 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 create an o p p o r t u n i t y for the q u o r i to e n t e r the Material Plane in physical form once m o r e . A dimensional seal, a kind of m i n o r artifact, negates the effects of a manifest zone in a l i m i t e d area. It seems likely that f u r t h e r m a n i f e s t zones linked to Xoriat r e m a i n undiscovered because their effects are suppressed by a h i d d e n dimensional seal. Characters wise to the ways of the planes can take advantage of manifest zones in a variety of ways. Those who spend a great deal of time in the City of Towers can adopt the Sharn skymage prestige class or learn feats such as Improved Flight Item, Manifest Flight, and Manifest Leap—abilities that reflect t h e i r i n t i m a t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g of S h a r n ' s manifest zone. (These o p t i o n s are described in Sharn: City of Towers.) Any spellcaster can l e a r n the t e c h n i q u e s of the manifest spellshapers (see page 124) to c h a n n e l p l a n a r power i n t o their spells. T h e sidebar below describes a few more options for characters who wish to enhance their capabilities through knowledge of the planes.

MANIFEST ZONE FEATS Battlebred Due to traumatic experiences in past battles, the plane of Shavarath with its endless war seems never far from you. Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +6. B e n e f i t : W h e n you are subject to an effect that g r a n t s a m o r a l e b o n u s , the d u r a t i o n is e x t e n d e d by 2 rounds. If you have the rage class feature, the d u r a t i o n of your rage is extended by 2 r o u n d s .

C h o s e n of t h e Deathless You were raised in Shae Mordai to serve as a squire to the Undying C o u r t . T h o u g h your service has ended, you carry with you an intimate familiarity with the positive energy that suffuses the City of the Dead. Prerequisite: Elf, region of o r i g i n Aerenal, ability to t u r n u n d e a d . Benefit: Whenever you cast a conjuration (healing) spell that heals damage, you cure an additional 1 p o i n t of damage p e r level of the spell.

W h e n you t u r n undead, you gain a +2 bonus on your t u r n i n g check and your t u r n i n g damage roll. These benefits are cumulative with any effects of a manifest zone linked to I r i a n a n d with the effects of Irian's c o t e r m i n o u s state.

Manifest D r u i d Your years of w a n d e r i n g the Eldeen Reaches have given you a familiarity with its three manifest zones a n d the powers of the planes they are linked to. Prerequisite: Region of origin Eldeen Reaches, ability to cast summon nature's ally I. Benefit: Whenever you cast a summon nature's ally spell, the d u r a t i o n is increased by 1 r o u n d . W h e n you cast a spell or use an ability that causes d i s ease or involves poison, the saving throw DC of the effect increases by 1. O n c e per day, you can empower any 1st level arcane spell as you cast it without adjusting the spell's level or casting t i m e .

RACES OF THE PLANES The p l a n e s teem with life, in some cases even m i r r o r ing the societies, k i n g d o m s , a n d c o n f l i c t s of E b e r r o n ' s Material P l a n e . Many races are native to the p l a n e s , or can at least trace t h e i r a n c e s t r y to p l a n a r i n f l u e n c e s . 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

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 unique to E b e r r o n ' s cosmology, most o t h e r details r e m a i n u n c h a n g e d from t h e i r p r e s e n t a t i o n in o t h e r b o o k s . (In the following descriptions, the abbreviation of a book title after a race's n a m e i n d i c a t e s the s o u r c e to c o n s u l t for more i n f o r m a t i o n . ) A a s i m a r ( R D ) : T h e s e descendants of h u m a n and celestial bloodlines live a m o n g h u m a n c o m m u n i t i e s . T h e term "celestial" has a somewhat looser definition in E b e r ron than it does in settings that have clearly identified celestial p l a n e s . In E b e r r o n , c r e a t u r e s i d e n t i f i e d as celestials in the D&D rules come from such widely varying planes as Fernia (firre eladrins), I r i a n (lantern archons), L a m a n n i a (guardinals), Shavarath (most archons), Syrania (angels), and T h e l a n i s (eladrins). As such, aasimar often have traits and personalities that differ wildly from each other, based on the particulars of their celestial ancestry. Bariaur ( P H ) : Bariaurs are centaurlike creatures with the h o r n s and lower bodies of r a m s . They are native to the plane of L a m a n n i a , the Twilight Forest. B u o m m a n ( P H ) : These extraplanar h u m a n o i d s are sometimes called " m o a n i n g m o n k s . " T h e y dwell on the Astral Plane. 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 ral affinity for the magic of t o t e m s , c h a n n e l i n g the soul energy of magical beasts i n t o t o t e m i c objects laden with magical power. They hail from the plane of T h e l a n i s , the Faerie C o u r t . Githyanki and Githzerai ( E P H ) : M i n d 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 o t h e r s c o n tend t h a t the i l l i t h i d s twisted h u m a n s or h o b g o b l i n s into the g i t h . T h e m i n d flayers bred the g i t h y a n k i 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. W h e n the G a t e k e e p e r s severed the c o n n e c t i o n to Xoriat, the g i t h y a n k i and g i t h z e r a i took the o p p o r t u n i t y 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 p a r t of d i f f e r e n t slave castes, however, and came i n t o conflict once they had won their freedom. T h e 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, t h o u g h , f o r m i n g small c o m m u n i t i e s in widely scattered locations across E b e r r o n . T h e githyanki and githzerai are bitter rivals who aren't above r a i d i n g each other's c o m m u n i t i e s , but they r e m a i n united in their hatred of the m i n d flayers and a n y t h i n g else that hails from Xoriat. Even rival gith c o m m u n i t i e s sometimes b a n d t o g e t h e r to e n t e r K h y b e r a n d e n s u r e that the magic seals i m p r i s o n i n g powerful r e m n a n t s of the Xoriat interlopers r e m a i n strong. O t h e r gith c o m m u n i t i e s unite simply to kill as many m i n d flayers as they can.

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, g i t h y a n k i in E b e r r o n have no special c o n n e c t i o n to red dragons. K i l l o r a n (RW): Native to the Faerie C o u r t of Thelanis, this extraplanar fey race is c o m m o n in the Eldeen Reaches. M e p h l i n g ( P H ) : T h e s e c r e a t u r e s are s i m i l a r to the mephits of L a m a n n i a , Fernia, and Risia, but more h u m a n like a n d less powerful. T h e y come from the same planes as m e p h i t s . N e r a p h i m ( P H ) : T h e slaadlike n e r a p h i m hail from the plane of K y t h r i , the C h u r n i n g Chaos. Shadowswyft ( P H ) : T h e s e p l a n e t o u c h e d beings are descended from creatures of the Plane of Shadow. Spiker ( P H ) : T h o u g h t to be related to the bladelings described in Monster Manual II, spikers likewise hail from the plane of Shavarath, the Battleground. Stonechild (RS): Stonechildren are native to the plane of L a m a n n i a , the Twilight Forest. They have been known to wander onto the Material Plane when L a m a n n i a becomes c o t e r m i n o u s , and appear frequently in the Eldeen Reaches d u r i n g such times. Those who r e m a i n on the Material Plane for an extended period suffer bouts of depression d u r i n g the Twilight Forest's remote phase. T i e f l i n g ( R D ) : Like aasimar, tieflings live a m o n g human and other communities around the world. Descended from fiendish stock, they are particularly common in the city of Graywall (in Droaam) and Q ' b a r r a . Fiends in E b e r r o n come from at least six different planes ( D o l u r r h , Fernia, L a m a n n i a , Mabar, Risia, and Shavarath), so tieflings—like aasimar—display a wide range of appearance and character traits d e p e n d i n g in p a r t on t h e i r fiendish heritage. Wildren ( P H ) : These bestial, badgerlike outsiders are native to the plane of L a m a n n i a , the Twilight Forest.

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) DC 15: T h e positions of the planes relative to each o t h e r can have an impact on the power of spells cast on t h e Material Plane. D C 20: Before the Last War, a g r o u p of Spellcasters left the A r c a n e Congress, taking some t r e m e n d o u s secret with t h e m . Agents of the A r c a n e Congress still h u n t those who have kept those secrets all this t i m e . D C 2 5 : It is possible, if a s p e l l c a s t e r knows t h e l o c a t i o n s of t h e p l a n e s relative to each other, to m a n i p u l a t e spells a c c o r d i n g l y , i n c r e a s i n g the power of certain types of magic. D C 30: It is said t h a t a wizard n a m e d Jefan i r ' G a n n i k discovered the techn i q u e s of m a n i p u l a t i n g spells in a c c o r d a n c e with p l a n a r p o s i t i o n s to e n h a n c e their effects. Before the Last War, he fled the towers of A r c a n i x w i t h his knowledge, a n d the agents of the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s have h u n t e d h i m a n d his d i s c i p l e s ever s i n c e . T h i s technique, called manifest spellshaping, allows a caster to s p o n t a n e ously e n h a n c e her spells as if t h r o u g h metamagic, and possibly create m o r e u n u s u a l effects as well.

—Shevia i r ' G a l l i a n , manifest spellshaper T h e planes of E b e r r o n whirl in endless m o t i o n t h r o u g h the Astral Plane, drawing near and moving far from the Material Plane and sending their influence like tides u p o n the world. To one who u n d e r s t a n d s the motions of the planes, near and far m e a n nothing—if you know exactly where to reach, you can tap into the power of the planes wherever they are in their cyclical wanderings. O n c e you have learned this technique, you are on the path to b e c o m i n g a manifest spellshaper. Manifest s p e l l s h a p e r s are p r i m a r i l y a r c a n e Spellcasters, but also i n c l u d e divine casters a n d p s i o n i c m a n i f e s t e r s a m o n g t h e i r n u m b e r s . T h e i r secrets are not e n c a p s u l a t e d in a p r e s t i g e class, but r a t h e r in a collection of feats from which t h e i r m e m b e r s can choose (described u n d e r "Manifest Spellshaper Benefits," below). By this means, manifest spellshapers continue their advancement in their chosen spellcasting class while applying the secrets of the o r d e r to the basic spells and techniques they learn.

JOINING THE MANIFEST SPELLSHAPERS 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 to t r a i n you in the secrets of the d i s c i p l i n e . W h i l e Spellcasters are rarely p r o n e to w h i s p e r i n g about t h e i r "secrets," few cling to t h e i r spellcasting techniques quite as tightly as manifest spellshapers do. Since the p r a c t i tioners of these techniques have been h u n t e d by the Arcane Congress for over a century, they are skilled at r e m a i n i n g hidden and slow to trust any who do manage to find them. New students come to the a t t e n t i o n of existing manifest spellshapers 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 Celestial S u m m o n i n g Specialist t h r o u g h your own i n g e n u i t y . A l t e r n a tively, p e r h a p s you s t u m b l e d across a lost j o u r n a l of one of the o r i g i n a l disciples of J e f a n i r ' G a n n i k . In any case, you have b e g u n to taste the kind of power that the e x i s t i n g manifest s p e l l s h a p e r s want desperately to keep w i t h i n t h e i r own r a n k s a n d out of the h a n d s of the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s . For that r e a s o n , a manifest s p e l l s h a p e r sought you out and offered to teach you d e e p e r secrets in e x c h a n g e for your s o l e m n vow of secrecy. Not c o n t e n t with a m e r e verbal p r o m i s e , the existing d i s 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 of justice spell that activates if they reveal the secrets to anyone who has not sworn a s i m i l a r vow. T h e mark of justice-takes the form of a small tattoo on the left s h o u l d e r blade. Entry R e q u i r e m e n t s : Knowledge (the planes) 2 r a n k s , Spellcraft 4 ranks. Once your new m e n t o r is convinced of your sincerity and trustworthiness, you begin to learn the techniques of manifest spellshaping. You work individually with your m e n t o r , and you might never meet a n o t h e r manifest spellshaper unless you decide to take on a student of your own. Your m e n t o r allows you to p u r s u e your own interests and discover the planar secrets that are most in keeping with your own affinities. You can learn p l a n a r secrets that your m e n t o r does not know; the m e n t o r simply shows you the door, rather t h a n leading you t h r o u g h it.

MANIFEST SPELLSHAPER BENEFITS 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 s p e l l s h a p e r s is p e r sonified in your m e n t o r . Because the disciples of J e f a n 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 o r d e r or anyt h i n g of the sort. You might gain permission to study your own mentor's

Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 10: T h e movements of the planes, a n d whether a given plane is close to or distant from the Material Plane, can alter the effects of spells cast on the Material P l a n e . D C 2 0 : It is possible, if a s p e l l c a s t e r knows t h e l o c a t i o n s of t h e p l a n e s relative to each other, to m a n i p u l a t e spells a c c o r d i n g l y , i n c r e a s i n g t h e power of certain types of magic. D C 30: Before t h e Last War, J e f a n i r ' G a n n i k split with the A r c a n e C o n gress, fleeing the towers of A r c a n i x with the secrets of what he called manifest spellshaping—the techn i q u e s of t a p p i n g i n t o t h e O u t e r Planes to c h a n n e l t h e i r power i n t o s p e l l c a s t i n g . H e a n d his disciples were h u n t e d like c r i m i n a l s , but t h e i r descendants r e m a i n at large. D C 3 5 : L e g e n d says t h a t the h u m a n J e f a n i r ' G a n n i k is still alive, p r e served by s o m e m a s t e r y of t h e flow of t i m e —and s t i l l h u n t e d by t h e Arcane Congress.

personal c o l l e c t i o n of p l a n a r l o r e , which can g r a n t you a +2 circumstance bonus on a Knowledge (the planes) check. O t h e r w i s e , you must provide for your own needs, seeking lost collections of arcane knowledge and mystical artifacts to expand your knowledge. T h e p l a n a r secrets of the s p e l l s h a p e r s are the most i m p o r t a n t knowledge they possess a n d the most closely 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 t h i r t e e n feats.

as o n e - h a l f the m a x i m u m possible result. For example, a 9th-level wizard who casts fireball normally deals 9d6 points of damage; choosing to use this ability means the fireball deals 27 points of damage (half of 54, which is the maximum result of 9d6). T h e spell can still be affected by Empower Spell and o t h e r such feats a n d effects that require it to have a variable, n u m e r i c effect (using the previous example, empowering the fireball would cause it to deal 150% of 27 points of damage, or 40 points of damage, as if the result of the variable, n u m e r i c effect were 27).

Mastery of t h e A z u r e Sky You have learned to calculate the precise location of Syrania at any given t i m e , a n d to use that knowledge to e n h a n c e spells you cast to grant flight. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Extend Spell. B e n e f i t : Any time you cast a spell that grants its target a fly speed or improves its fly speed (without a l t e r i n g its form), you can spontaneously apply the effect of the Extend Spell metamagic feat to that spell. D o i n g this has n o effect on the spell's level or casting t i m e . Examples of such spells from the Player's Handbook include fly, overland flight, a n d haste (if cast on a c r e a t u r e with 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 gaseous form, polymorph, and wind walk, n o r would it work on air walk, etherealjaunt, levitate, or reverse gravity (since these spells, while they allow movement through the air, do not grant a fly speed).

Mastery of t h e B a t t l e g r o u n d You have learned to calculate the precise location of Shavarath at any given t i m e , a n d to use that knowledge to enhance spells of battle that you cast. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Extend Spell. B e n e f i t ; Any t i m e you cast a spell that creates, e n h a n c e s , or m i m i c s a weapon (such as flame blade, keen edge, or Mordenkainen's sword) or excites h o s t i l e e m o t i o n s (such as rage, heroism, or antipathy), you can s p o n t a n e o u s l y apply the effect of the E x t e n d Spell m e t a m a g i c feat to that s p e l l . D o i n g this has n o effect o n t h e spell's level or c a s t i n g t i m e .

Mastery of Chaos a n d O r d e r You have learned to calculate the precise locations of Daanvi and K y t h r i at any given t i m e , a n d to use that knowledge to i m b u e y o u r spells with u n u s u a l r e g u l a r i t y or s t r i k i n g unpredictability—or b o t h . P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 r a n k s . B e n e f i t : W h e n you cast a spell, you can c h o o s e to apply o n e or b o t h of the following effects to the s p e l l . T h e d e c i s i o n to add t h e effect(s) must be m a d e d u r i n g casting. 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 can add ld6—3 to the spell's save D C . U n l i k e with damage rolls, the m i n i m u m result is not 1; for example, if you roll a 2 on the 1d6, the D C is reduced by 1. T h i s choice is made at the time of casting, and has no effect on a spell that does not allow a save. T h e adjusted save D C is the same for all c r e a t u r e s that must save against the spell (you d o n ' t roll separately for each affected creature). By focusing the perfect o r d e r of D a a n v i , you can choose to set the result of any spell's variable, numeric effect

Mastery of Day a n d Night Y o u have l e a r n e d to c a l c u l a t e t h e p r e c i s e l o c a t i o n s of I r i a n a n d M a b a r at any given t i m e , a n d to use that knowledge to e n h a n c e y o u r m a n i p u l a t i o n of positive a n d negative energy, P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Maximize Spell. B e n e f i t : You can s p o n t a n e o u s l y apply the effect of the Maximize Spell metamagic feat to any cure or inflict spell you cast. D o i n g this has n o effect on the spell's level or casting t i m e .

Mastery of the Dead You have learned to calculate the precise location of Dolu r r h at any given time, and to use that knowledge to capture the souls of creatures slain with your death spells. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks, Spell Focus (necromancy). B e n e f i t ; W h e n e v e r you slay a c r e a t u r e with a spell that has the d e a t h d e s c r i p t o r , you can a t t e m p t a caster 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 to t r a n s f o r m the slain c r e a t u r e ' s spirit i n t o a ghost u n d e r your c o n t r o l . (See the ghost template in the Monster Manual for d e t a i l s . ) If the check succeeds, the ghost appears in the slain creature's space at the b e g i n n i n g of your next t u r n and acts immediately. It follows your spoken c o m m a n d s (even if you don't share a language), even attacking its former allies if 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 equal to your caster level (or u n t i l you are slain, whichever comes first). W h i l e the ghost is present, the corpse can't be r e t u r n e d to life by any means. You can't have m o r e t h a n o n e ghost p r e s e n t s i m u l taneously with this feat. If you create a second ghost while y o u r first ghost is still p r e s e n t , you can c h o o s e which o n e r e m a i n s ( t h e o t h e r d i s a p p e a r s , its s o u l freed from your control).

Mastery of D r e a m s By psychically exploring the realm of Dal Q u o r , you have learned to instill your spells with the stuff of d r e a m s . . . and n i g h t m a r e s , P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Spellcraft or Psicraft 9 r a n k s , B e n e f i t : Add +1 to the save D C of any illusion spell or spell with the fear descriptor that you cast.

Mastery of Faerie E n c h a n t m e n t You have learned to calculate the precise location of T h e l a nis at any given time, and to use that knowledge to improve your ability to control the m i n d s of o t h e r creatures. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks, Extend Spell.

Benefit: You can s p o n t a n e o u s l y apply the effect of the Extend Spell metamagic feat to any e n c h a n t m e n t spell you cast. D o i n g t h i s has n o effect o n t h e spell's level or casting time.

Mastery of Ice and Fire You have learned to calculate the precise locations of Fernia and Risia at any given time, and to use that knowledge to e n h a n c e cold and fire spells that you cast. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Enlarge Spell. Benefit: You can spontaneously apply the effect of the Enlarge Spell metamagic feat to any spell you cast that has the cold descriptor or the fire descriptor. Doing this has n o effect on the spell's level or casting time.

Mastery of Madness You have l e a r n e d to reach magically to the e v e r - d i s t a n t plane of Xoriat and draw some element of its madness into the world—but these techniques come with some risk. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks, I r o n Will. Benefit: Whenever you s u m m o n a celestial or fiendish c r e a t u r e with a spell, spell-like ability, or magic item, you can choose instead to s u m m o n a p s e u d o n a t u r a l version of 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 Arcane, reproduced in abbreviated form below). W h e n you 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 Xoriat, which affects the spell as if it were cast on a p l a n e with the wild magic trait (roll d% on the table on page 150 in the Dungeon Master's Guide to d e t e r m i n e the effect). P s e u d o n a t u r a l Creature: C h a n g e type to outsider. SA t r u e strike 1/day, S Q a l t e r n a t e f o r m , d a m a g e r e d u c tion, resistance to acid and electricity, spell resistance; Int m i n i m u m 3. Alternate Form (Su): Take form of g r o t e s q u e tentacled mass as s t a n d a r d a c t i o n ; statistics r e m a i n as n o r m a l but attacks take —1 morale penalty. Damage Reduction (Su): DR 5/magic ( H D 4-11) or DR 1 0 / m a g i c ( H D 12+). Resistance to Acid and Electricity (Ex): Resistance 5 ( H D 1—7), 10 ( H D 8-11), or 15 (HD 12+). Spell Resistance (Ex): SR 10 + H D ( m a x i m u m 25).

Mastery of the Mists By l e a r n i n g of the intricate relationship between the E t h e real Plane and the Material Plane, you gain the ability to see and sometimes reach t h r o u g h the b a r r i e r between these two planes. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks. B e n e f i t : As a move a c t i o n , you can see e t h e r e a l creatures and objects as if you were u n d e r the effect of a see invisibility spell for 1 r o u n d . ( T h i s ability doesn't let you see other invisible creatures or objects.) W h e n you cast a spell on the Material Plane, you can attempt a caster level check (DC 15 + spell level) to target an ethereal creature or object you can see as if it weren't ethereal. Spells without a target entry (such as fireball) can't benefit from this ability. No more t h a n one ethereal creature or object can be targeted with a spell in this m a n n e r , and you can't target ethereal and material creatures or objects with the same spell when using this ability.

Mastery of the Silver Void You have gained a deeper u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the Astral Plane and its relationship to the other planes of the cosmos. You can use that knowledge to more quickly access that plane. Prerequisite; Knowledge (the planes) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks, Q u i c k e n Spell. Benefit: T h r e e times per day, you can spontaneously apply the Q u i c k e n Spell metamagic feat to any conjuration (teleportation) spell you cast. D o i n g this has n o effect on the spell's level and can be done even by spontaneous Spellcasters; however, it reduces your caster level for the spell by 9 (which likely reduces the n u m b e r of other creatures you can affect with the spell).

Mastery of Twilight Denizens You have learned to calculate the precise location of Lamannia at any given time, and to use that knowledge to s u m m o n more powerful creatures from that plane. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Extend Spell. Benefit: W h e n you cast a spell that s u m m o n s one or more c r e a t u r e s noted as an i n h a b i t a n t of L a m a n n i a (see page 97 of the EBERRON Campaign Setting), you can s p o n t a n e ously apply the effect of the Extend Spell metamagic feat to that spell. D o i n g this has n o effect on the spell's level or casting t i m e .

Mastery of Twisted Shadow You gain the ability to reach into the Plane of Shadow when casting an illusion, concealing yourself in the raw shadowstuff drawn forth. Prerequisite: Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks. Benefit: Whenever you cast an illusion spell, you can choose as a free action to g r a n t yourself concealment for 1 r o u n d per level of the spell. Multiple uses of this feat don't stack; only the longest d u r a t i o n applies.

PLAYING A MANIFEST SPELLSHAPER You e x p l o r e a r c a n e mysteries that most people rarely consider. If o r d i n a r y people t h i n k about the planes at all, it's only to u t t e r a colorful curse ("Sea of F i r e ! ") or to blame the weather on a c o t e r m i n o u s plane that might not have a n y t h i n g at all to do with it. You, on the o t h e r h a n d , u n d e r s t a n d the courses of the planes h u r t l i n g t h r o u g h the astral void, you c o m p r e h e n d the subtle influences each plane has on the Material Plane as it follows its o r d a i n e d path, and you hope to l e a r n how to c h a n n e l that influence i n t o your own spells. You m u t t e r , s o m e t i m e s i n c o m p r e hensibly, about t h i n g s far beyond most people's l i m i t e d experience, and you feel a c e r t a i n a m o u n t of t r i u m p h a n t glee when you successfully draw p l a n a r energy into your own magic. You are u n l o c k i n g the secrets of the universe! You are p r y i n g i n t o mysteries h i d d e n from the m u n d a n e m i n d ! In time, the u l t i m a t e knowledge of the cosmos will be yours! C o m b a t : How you function in combat depends in large part on two factors: your character class, and which p l a n a r secrets you learn as you advance. Fundamentally, your role in the party r e m a i n s u n c h a n g e d by your new insights into p l a n a r movements. For the most p a r t , you choose planar secrets that e n h a n c e abilities you already possess, so that in combat you do just what you have always done—only better. If you are a wizard, you c o n t i n u e to blast foes with fireball

s p e l l s — o n l y l a r g e r o n e s , o n c e y o u l e a r n t h e M a s t e r y o f Ice a n d F i r e . If you a r e a c l e r i c , you cast b e t t e r h e a l i n g spells with the M a s t e r y of Day a n d N i g h t . A d v a n c e m e n t : As d i s c u s s e d a b o v e , y o u r c h o i c e of p l a n a r s e c r e t s d e p e n d s o n t h e t y p e s of s p e l l s y o u m o s t o f t e n to c a s t . C h o o s e s e c r e t s t h a t i m p r o v e y o u r e x i s t i n g s t r e n g t h s r a t h e r t h a n secrets you rarely use. M i s s i o n s : I n e s s e n c e , t h e m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r is a s c h o l a r , p r y i n g i n t o t h e secrets of t h e c o s m o s . Most m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s s p e n d t h e m a j o r i t y of t h e i r t i m e p o r i n g t h r o u g h a n c i e n t texts a n d s e a r c h i n g for lost t o m e s o f p l a n a r l o r e . T h e l i f e o f s u c h a s c h o l a r is r a r e l y a q u i e t o n e , h o w e v e r . W h a t s e c r e t s c a n b e d i s c o v e r e d by e x p l o r i n g t h e p l a n a r s e a l s e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e G a t e k e e p e r s ? W h a t r e m n a n t s of t h e q u o r i i n v a s i o n c a n still be f o u n d i n X e n ' d r i k ? W h a t m i g h t b e l e a r n e d a b o u t T h e l a n i s by e x p l o r i n g t h e p a r t o f t h e E l d e e n R e a c h e s k n o w n as t h e T w i l i g h t D e m e s n e ? W h e r e i n F e r n i a is t h e f a b l e d C i t y of B r a s s ? M a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s m u s t ask t h e s e k i n d s o f q u e s t i o n s to p u r s u e t h e i r l o r e , a n d these q u e s t i o n s do n o t lead to a l i f e o f q u i e t s t u d y l o c k e d i n s o m e h i d d e n t o w e r away f r o m a n y d a n g e r o r e x c i t e m e n t . C o m b i n e d w i t h t h e fact that the A r c a n e Congress considers manifest spellshapers to b e t h i e v e s a n d f u g i t i v e s , few o f t h e m l i v e p e a c e f u l l y i n one place for long.

MANIFEST SPELLSHAPERS IN THE WORLD "Most people aren't willing to stand against the resources of the Arcane Congress for over a century to protect a secret. Whatever the disciples of Jefan ir'Gannik have, it must really be something—or else why would they bother?" —Baron Elar d ' T h u r a n n i , House T h u r a n n i T h e manifest spellshapers are not just a n o t h e r organizat i o n for player c h a r a c t e r s to j o i n . T h e y a r e a gateway to the m y s t e r i o u s c o s m o s of p l a n e s s u r r o u n d i n g E b e r r o n , a way to m a k e t h e p l a n e s a n i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r i n y o u r c a m p a i g n , a n d a t e e m i n g h i v e of a d v e n t u r e h o o k s c l o a k e d i n s e c r e c y , r o o t e d i n b e t r a y a l , a n d rife with i n t r i g u e . N o t a b l e s : T h e f i r s t m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r was J e f a n i r ' G a n n i k , a r e s p e c t e d m e m b e r of the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s w h o s e e x p l o r a t i o n s of t h e p l a n e s a n d t h e i r m o v e m e n t s e a r n e d h i m a w e l l - d e s e r v e d r e p u t a t i o n as o n e of t h e C o n gress's top scholars in the years b e f o r e the Last War. H o w ever, as J e f a n l e a r n e d f u r t h e r p l a n a r s e c r e t s , h e d e c i d e d t h a t w h a t h e h a d l e a r n e d was t o o i m p o r t a n t o r t o o d a n g e r o u s to r e m a i n w i t h i n the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s . T a k i n g his disciples w i t h h i m , h e fled t h e F l o a t i n g T o w e r s . T h e r e m a i n i n g s p e l l s h a p e r s tell v a r i o u s s t o r i e s a b o u t t h e exact r e a s o n s for h i s d e p a r t u r e . S o m e say t h a t h e l e a r n e d of a p l o t o n h i s l i f e . O t h e r s c l a i m that he u n c o v e r e d a plot to assassinate K i n g J a r o t a n d p l u n g e t h e w o r l d i n t o w a r , a n d a few w h i s p e r t h a t h i s p s y c h i c e x p l o r a t i o n s of D a l Q u o r left h i m u t t e r l y m a d .

Whatever the cause, Jefan's break with the A r c a n e C o n g r e s s was c o m p l e t e and irrevocable. Over the next two d e c a d e s , as t h e d i s c i p l e s o f J e f a n scattered across K h o r v a i r e , t h e a g e n t s of t h e Arcane Congress hunted down every o n e , k i l l i n g or i m p r i s o n i n g t h e m all. Jefan i r ' G a n n i k was n e v e r c a u g h t . I f h e is s t i l l a l i v e , h e is a v e r y a n c i e n t h u m a n , for h e was a l r e a d y old w h e n he left t h e F l o a t i n g T o w e r s . Yet l e g e n d s told a m o n g the r e m a i n i n g manifest spellshapers—all of w h o m a r e s t u d e n t s o f t h e original cabal m e m b e r s , or of t h e i r s t u d e n t s — c l a i m t h a t h e r e m a i n s alive, t h a n k s to s o m e d e e p m a s t e r y of t h e s e c r e t s of T h e l a n i s . Organization: The manifest spellshapers are an u n u s u a l organization in that they are defined n o t so m u c h by t h e i r u n i t y as a n o r g a n i z a t i o n as by t h e i r e x c l u s i o n f r o m another

The secrets of the manifest spellshapers are coveted by many and acquired

organization.

T h e first manifest spellshapers departed the A r c a n e Congress b e f o r e t h e s t a r t of t h e Last W a r , a n d t h e l e a d e r s of t h e C o n g r e s s s t i l l h u n t m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s as if they were thieves in the m a r k e t p l a c e . T h e s p e l l s h a p e r s w h o h a v e so f a r e l u d e d t h e A r c a n e C o n g r e s s p e r p e t u a t e t h e i r t r a d i t i o n s and pass on t h e i r s e c r e t s by t a k i n g o n i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t s . W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n of t h e i r o w n m e n t o r s a n d a n y s t u d e n t s t h e y m i g h t t a k e o n late in t h e i r c a r e e r s , the l a t e r g e n e r a t i o n s of m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s h a v e n e v e r m e t a n o t h e r m e m b e r of t h e i r o r d e r . T h e risks of g a t h e r i n g in g r o u p s are simply too great.

NPC Reactions S i n c e t h e e x i s t e n c e of m a n i f e s t s p e l l s h a p e r s is a s e c r e t , N P C s r e a c t t o t h e m e x a c t l y as t h e y w o u l d o t h e r S p e l l c a s t e r s . T h e o n l y e x c e p t i o n a r e t h o s e few m e m b e r s o f t h e A r c a n e C o n g r e s s w h o a r e a w a r e of t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e s p e l l s h a p e r s , w h o u n i f o r m l y r e s p o n d t o t h e d i s c o v e r y of a p r a c t i c i n g spellshaper with a hostile reaction.

by few

Q'BARRA THE FRONTIER

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Seventy years ago, g r o u p s of d i s p a r a t e settlers from across K h o r v a i r e g a t h e r e d to form an i m m e n s e flotilla of ships. They traveled along the c o n t i n e n t ' s east coast, s e a r c h i n g for an a p p r o p r i a t e spot to settle. They were sick of war, of greed and ambition—and of the Five Nations as a whole. They sought to create a land that revived the spirit of old Galifar, where they could live in peace. T h i s land became Q ' b a r r a . 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 hostile forces s u r r o u n d its few cities and towns. Nevertheless, it draws refugees who seek to escape t h e i r pasts, m i g r a n t s h o p i n g to grasp G a l ifar's lost greatness, and a d v e n t u r e r s h o p i n g to liberate the deep j u n g l e of its secrets. T h e young nation is not without power players. Q ' b a r r a was founded upon the ideals of old Galifar, and the Finders of the Lost organization takes that concept to an active e x t r e m e . T h e F i n d e r s are composed of h u m a n s a n d o t h e r c o m m o n races, and they believe that a great p a r t of Galifar's glory came from the works of art, architecture, and magic it created. They form small, versatile bands that range out into K h o r v a i r e , searching for r e m n a n t s of the old kingdom—coins, jewelry, artistry, magic items, books, a n d the like—that they r e t u r n to t h e i r m u s e u m in New Galifar. N e w t h r o n e s u p p o r t s the o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s m i s s i o n a n d officially s a n c t i o n s 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 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 lizardfolk seeking to experience life beyond the jungles have even been accepted into the organization's ranks. 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 rulership from N e w t h r o n e , but his reign is unstable. Lhazaarites, refugees from H o p e , the I n s p i r e d , and various d r a g o n m a r k e d houses all have designs on Q ' b a r r a . Sebastes's sister and first m i n i s t e r Alzia i r ' K e s s l a n (female h u m a n rogue 4 / r a n g e r 3) is tasked with u n c o v e r i n g plots and identifying threats. She needs all the help she can get. Outside the new cities, Q'barra's i n t e r i o r conceals mysteries. It is one of the only lands that contains intact r u i n s from the Age of D e m o n s . T h e largest and most i m p o r t a n t of these are Haka'torvhak and Ka'rhashan, but others lie scattered t h r o u g h o u t the jungles and swamps, such as Mar'saval

Knowledge (geography) DC 10: Long a wild area ofjungle, Q'barra is now h o m e to refugees from K h o r vaire and those who seek to reclaim the ideals of old Galifar. DC 15: Two civilized areas exist within Q ' b a r r a . New Galifar, with its capital of N e w t h r o n e a n d sizable t r a d i n g town of A d d e r p o r t , is h o m e to the nation's original settlers. It attempts to revitalize old Galifar's glory. Hope, which c o n t a i n s small, b e l e a g u e r e d towns and villages, is h o m e to refugees who fled to Q ' b a r r a to avoid legal recriminations or similarly unpleasant s i t u a t i o n s in t h e i r h o m e l a n d s . T h e y d o n ' t care a b o u t G a l i f a r . Q ' b a r r a ' s only valuable n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s are Eberron dragonshards. D C 20: Lizardfolk have a strong p r e s ence i n Q ' b a r r a . T h r e e p r i m a r y groups of lizardfolk exist. T h e blackscale lizardfolk are large and hostile. They g u a r d r u i n s of holy significance to their k i n d . T h e poison dusk pygmy lizardfolk are stealthy a n d vicious. T h e y see the i m m i g r a n t s as defile r s . T h e C o l d S u n l i z a r d f o l k are a c o n f e d e r a t i o n of t r i b e s in the n o r t h a n d east. Most are fearful a n d s u s picious of settlers, b u t the Twilight Walker tribe is willing to work toward a peaceful coexistence. Knowledge (local) DC 10: In New Galifar, laws are typical of those in the Five Nations; in H o p e , laws are v i r t u a l l y n o n e x i s t e n t a n d change from place to place. DC 15: T h o u s a n d s of lizardfolk live in Q ' b a r r a ' s wild places. D C 20: Most of the lizardfolk are n e u t r a l toward Q ' b a r r a ' s new s e t t l e r s , wanting the newcomers to leave t h e m and their sacred places in peace. Some lizardfolk trade with the Q ' b a r r a n s , while others seek to destroy t h e m . Knowledge ( n o b i l i t y and royalty) DC 10: K i n g Sebastes ir'Kesslan rules New Galifar from N e w t h r o n e . H o p e has no single leader. D C 15: H o u s e T h a r a s h k works with the Q ' b a r r a n s to gain a stake in the d r a g o n s h a r d t r a d e . Houses Jorasco and G h a l l a n d r a have good r e l a t i o n ships with Q ' b a r r a .

in the n o r t h e r n Basura Swamp. T h i s great temple of brass and g r a n i t e once towered above the l a n d s c a p e , u n t i l at the end of a great battle it c r u m b l e d . T h e g r o u n d t u r n e d sodden as the sea saturated it, but t h o u g h the temple sank, powerful e n c h a n t m e n t s kept the water and muck from filling it. Its m i n a r e t s still poke above the waterline in places, and the lizardfolk leave offerings h e r e for t h e i r d r a c o n i c gods. O n l y one e n t r a n c e to Mar'saval exists above g r o u n d : a tower top with a small balcony. T h e lizardfolk revere the site but never e n t e r it. T h e y claim that one of t h e i r tribes, the Fallen Bones lizardfolk, took up residence in it decades ago a n d have since devolved i n t o d e c r e p i t u d e . T h e o t h e r lizardfolk believe they worship a power that still dwells in the temple. Nightbit, a small town in H o p e , houses secrets of its own. T h e town stands at the base of the Endworld M o u n tains between W h i t e c l i f f and Wyrmwatch, s u r r o u n d e d by f o r b i d d i n g cliffs and t e e m i n g j u n g l e . Despite its r e m o t e location, only small, weak m o n s t e r s and r a i d i n g b a n d s have ever attacked N i g h t b i t . T h e town's g o v e r n m e n t and religious leader, Salmus Hake (NE male changeling rogue 3/cleric 4 D r a g o n Below), tells of how he discovered t u n nels in the nearby m o u n t a i n s that lead to the r u i n s of an a n c i e n t dwarf k i n g d o m . Nightbit's citizens do not allow visitors to view these r u i n s , and the wilderness discourages most explorers anyway. A c c o r d i n g to stories, Salmus found an old altar within the r u i n s , cleaned it off, and restored it. Now, many claim that his people's worship of the entity to which the altar is dedicated keeps their town safe.

PLAYING A

LlZARDFOLK P C Lizardfolk have lived in Q'barra's jungles for millennia, ever since the E m p i r e of Dhakaan forced t h e m from the Talenta Plains. With newcomers in their land, the lizardfolk must adapt or wage war. Most choose the former route, and some tribes have opened dialogue and trade with the Q ' b a r r a n s . T h e majority of lizardfolk are mired in tradition and hold to their old lands and ways, but some look at the settlers and see new o p p o r t u n i t i e s . T h e newcomers have superior arms

and armor. They speak of distant, i n t r i g u i n g lands and mysterious dragons. They believe that the lizardfolk's relics and jungle lore hold value. Some lizardfolk look to the Q ' b a r r a n s and want to know more about the world. Lizardfolk outside Q ' b a r r a are r a r e . They are usually explorers, d e s i r i n g to see new sights, seeking the history of their forebears in the Talenta Plains, or possessing any of the other motivations that inspire adventurers. T h e settlers' arrival provided a jolt to the stagnating lizardfolk c u l t u r e , and the lizardfolk have r e m e m b e r e d that there is a wide, i n t e r e s t i n g world beyond t h e i r swamps. Several subraces of lizardfolk exist w i t h i n Q ' b a r r a , and all have the potential to be adventurers. T h e common lizardfolk of the Cold Sun Tribes are the most likely to take up a d v e n t u r i n g careers, since they are the most n u m e r o u s and are typically neutral or friendly toward the Q ' b a r r a n s . T h e poison dusk and blackscale lizardfolk are less likely to adventure, because of their hostility toward the settlers and t h e i r d e d i c a t i o n to R h a s h a a k , the f i e n d i s h black d r a g o n g u a r d i a n of Haka'torvhak. Renegades a m o n g their n u m b e r do exist, however, and the settlers' arrival has nudged them into new lives as it has their kinfolk. Lizardfolk possess different customs and spiritual and martial traditions than the c o m m o n races. Playing a lizardfolk offers a good opportunity to try out an exotic class, such as a spirit s h a m a n (from Complete Divine) or d r u i d i c avenger (from Unearthed Arcana). T h e d i f f e r e n t lizardfolk subraces have different Hit Dice and racial t r a i t s . C o n s u l t the following table for the favored class, racial Hit Dice, level adjustment, and starting effective character level (ECL) of each subrace. Savage Species offers suggestions for playing any monster race as a player character from 1st level. Favored Subrace Class Cold Sun Druid (common lizardfolk) Blackscale 1 Barbarian Poison dusk 1 Ranger 1 See Monster Manual III.

Racial HD 2d8

Level Adj. +1

Starting ECL 3

4d8 —

+3 +1

7 1

JUNGLE JUICE Q ' b a r r a ' s jungles and swamps support u n i q u e varieties of plant life for which alchemists, herbalists, and others have discovered p a r t i c u l a r uses. T h e following items are a few of those that can be made from Q ' b a r r a ' s resources. Grayflower P e r f u m e : T h e grayflower's scent is faint, but it possesses the peculiar trait of masking o t h e r scents. Wearing grayflower perfume disguises your scent; creatures with the scent ability have a difficult time tracking you or otherwise d i s c e r n i n g your presence (+5 to the appropriate DCs). O n e vial contains enough p e r f u m e to function for 2 h o u r s . C r e a t i n g a vial of grayflower p e r f u m e r e q u i r e s a DC 25 Craft (alchemy) check. You must be a spellcaster to craft grayflower p e r f u m e . Lodret Leaf: W h e n treated with an alchemical mixture, the leaves of the lodret plant provide a potent defense

against disease. Chewing on a leaf grants you a +5 alchemical bonus on Fortitude saving throws against natural diseases. Each leaf is tough enough to be chewed for 1 h o u r . P r e p a r i n g a lodret leaf requires a D C 25 Craft (alchemy) check. You must be a spellcaster to prepare a lodret leaf. Spotted Toadstool V e n o m : The poison dusk l i z a r d folk brew a p o i s o n from the caps of the spotted t o a d s t o o l , a violet f u n g u s with sickly white s p l o t c h e s . Injury, F o r 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

1 d.6 Con. Item Grayflower perfume (vial) Lodret leaf Spotted toadstool venom

Cost 100 gp 75 gp 350 gp

Weight — — —

RIEDRA THE LAND ACROSS THE SEA Folk of K h o r v a i r e know little about R i e d r a . T h e overlords of the land closed the b o r d e r s of t h e i r k i n g d o m long ago, and f o r e i g n e r s are not welcome in this r e a l m . R i e d r a is a n a t i o n that encompasses the b e t t e r p a r t of the c o n t i n e n t , r a n g i n g from m o u n t a i n peaks to deep canyons and harsh deserts. Most people have only what they need to survive. T h e continent's rulers—the Inspired—provide the basic necessities for life and livelihood, but do not endorse ideas of luxury or leisure. Life in Riedra is one of constant toil. T h a t said, most R i e d r a n s are c o n t e n t with t h e i r lot. I n the eyes of 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 n i g h t m a r e of instability and destruction, as proved by the Last War and the Day of M o u r n i n g . T h e people of K h o r v a i r e lack direction, still ruled as they are by fallible mortal kings as opposed to the divine guidance of the Inspired. R i e d r a n s are p r o u d of their culture, and they treat foreigners with a combination of pity and disdain. T h e h u m a n o i d p o p u l a t i o n of Sarlona is overwhelmingly h u m a n . Gnomes, elves, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and goblinoids are all but unknown in Riedra. As a result, Riedrans view these races with even more suspicion than h u m a n foreigners—an elf is not only a potentially dangerous intruder, but also s o m e t h i n g less t h a n h u m a n . T h e Inspired have devoted considerable effort to h u n t i n g down and destroying the monsters and magical beasts of their land, and R i e d r a n s see the presence of such creatures in K h o r v a i r e as yet a n o t h e r sign of that continent's perils. R i e d r a n s can be classified i n t o t h r e e social o r d e r s . T h e c o m m o n folk are laborers and soldiers. C o m p a r e d to the people of K h o r v a i r e , the Riedrans value cooperation over i n d e p e n d e n c e , and as a result, a R i e d r a n is likely to specialize in a specific task instead of a c q u i r i n g several skills. Social skills are also u n c o m m o n a m o n g the peasantry, who do not expect to ever see the great c o u r t s . Members of the m i d d l e classes of Riedra are known as the C h o s e n , or empty vessels. At the top of the pyramid are the Inspired, who serve as governors, generals, ambassadors, and princes. T h e Riedrans believe that the Inspired possess divine wisdom and supernatural power. T h e Inspired brought peace after long ages of war, and the Riedrans see them as the wall that stands between Riedra and chaos. T h e common folk of Khorvaire rarely encounter Riedrans, but recent decades have brought an increase in economic and political traffic between 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 said to be the source of a variety of less savory substances, i n c l u d i n g the addictive narcotic known as dreamlily.

QUORI AMD THE INSPIRED O n both Riedra and K h o r v a i r e alike, the average person knows little of Dal Q u o r and its inhabitants. Mortal souls are said to drift into the Region of D r e a m s as they sleep, and many know that monsters in this r e a l m can cause n i g h t m a r e s . But these creatures have little impact on the daily life of the average citizen, and are known mainly t h r o u g h c h i l d h o o d stories and folk tales. A n y o n e b o r n in S a r l o n a knows of the I n s p i r e d , and people who have interacted with R i e d r a n ambassadors recall these h a n d s o m e nobles. Any R i e d r a n can explain how the Inspired are selected from a m o n g the Chosen—touched by the divine force of the nation and empowered to guide and protect its people. To the casual eye, the C h o s e n (like the I n s p i r e d ) appear to be h u m a n , but closer i n s p e c t i o n reveals that these vessels are a distinct subrace, with a h i n t of b o t h elf traits and the u n n a t u r a l beauty of the kalashtar. T h e Inspired are remarkably charismatic, and most find their company quite pleasant. N o t h i n g about them suggests any c o n n e c tion to the alien h o r r o r s of Dal Q u o r .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) D C 10: Riedra is the largest n a t i o n on the c o n t i n e n t of Sarlona, a sprawling realm that has all types of t e r r a i n . D C 15: T h e R i e d r a n s are x e n o p h o b e s w h o avoid c o n t a c t w i t h t h e o u t side world. R i e d r a has r e c e n t l y sent ambassadors to K h o r v a i r e , b u t f o r eigners are still unwelcome t h e r e . D C 20: T h e r u l e r s of R i e d r a are the Inspired—treated as living gods and said to be guided by divine powers. Knowledge (history) D C 2 5 : Many k i n g d o m s and empires once covered Sarlona, often w a r r i n g with each other. Fifteen h u n d r e d years ago, the Inspired unified them. Knowledge (local) D C 20: T h e I n s p i r e d of Riedra enforce strict laws with h a r s h penalties. F r e e dom is limited, but crime is r a r e . D C 2 5 : Most religions are outlawed in Riedra. Laws are enforced by a secret police force called the T h o u s a n d Eyes. Knowledge (the p l a n e s ) D C 15: T h e q u o r i are the natives of Dal Q u o r , the Region of D r e a m s . Q u o r i spirits c a n n o t manifest physically on the Material Plane. D C 20: Q u o r i spirits typically possess m e n t a l powers r e l a t i n g to a specific e m o t i o n , such as fear or rage. T h e y can interfere with the dreams of m o r tals, creating h o r r i b l e n i g h t m a r e s . DC 25: T h e Inspired have a strong tie to Dal Q u o r . Some believe that they deal regularly with Q u o r i spirits—or even allow these spirits to possess t h e i r bodies in exchange for power. DC 25: While quori spirits cannot physically manifest on E b e r r o n , they can possess willing h u m a n s . D C 30: T h e "divine spirits" g u i d i n g the Inspired might actually be q u o r i . Knowledge (psionics) D C 10: T h e c o n t i n e n t of Sarlona is the c e n t e r of p s i o n i c k n o w l e d g e . T h e races native to Sarlona are naturally psionic. DC 2 0 : S a r l o n a n s use little magic in everyday life, b u t psionics a c c o m plishes m a n y of t h e same tasks t h a t magic p e r f o r m s in K h o r v a i r e .

WORSHIPING THE INSPIRED The Inspired rely on psionic power as opposed to arcane or divine magic. Most of the spiritual leaders of Riedra (both among the Inspired and the Chosen) are psions. However, a few clerics scattered a m o n g their n u m b e r supplement their mental abilities with healing magic. Riedran clerics can draw on one of two forces. T h e first is Riedra itself—not as a sentient a n t h r o p o m o r p h i c deity but rather the p r i m a l force of the n a t i o n , which the R i e d r a n s believe guides t h e m t h r o u g h the I n s p i r e d . As a deity, the spirit of Riedra is lawful neutral and provides access to the domains of C o m m u n i t y , Law, and Meditation. Its favored weapon is the flail. A small sect of priests a m o n g the Chosen worships the darkness at the h e a r t of Dal Q u o r itself, e m b o d i e d in the quori and manifested in the world t h r o u g h the D r e a m i n g 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 m a n i p u l a t i o n , and most R i e d r a n s are fanatically loyal to their divine r u l e r s . 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 e n l i g h t e n e d culture—hoping to show the people of this benighted realm the futility of c l i n g i n g to kings and q u e e n s r a t h e r t h a n embrace the divine guidance of the Inspired. A n o t h e r possibility, which r e q u i r e s your DM's c o o p eration, is to play a R i e d r a n c h a r a c t e r who is an u n w i t t i n g spy for the D r e a m i n g D a r k . You m i g h t have a h y p n o t i c c o m m a n d i m p l a n t e d i n y o u r m i n d or even a symbiotic

pi-

To the lords of the Inspired, humans little more than cattle

are

c r e a t u r e l i v i n g in y o u r b r a i n that forces you to make p e r i o d i c r e p o r t s to your masters a m o n g the I n s p i r e d . You might have gaping holes in your memory of certain periods of t i m e , or you m i g h t be plagued by what you t h i n k are s t r a n g e n i g h t m a r e s . In g e n e r a l , the I n s p i r e d d o n ' t c o n trol your actions—they are simply interested in collecting whatever i n f o r m a t i o n you g a t h e r in the course of your adventures. However, if your party ever comes into conflict with the D r e a m i n g Dark, you might find that the Dark's apparently prescient knowledge of your w h e r e a b o u t s and activities draws the suspicion of your fellow party members onto you.

OTHER RACES op RIEDRA

Four of the p s i o n i c races d e s c r i b e d in Expanded Psionics Handbook can be f o u n d in R i e d r a . Except as rioted below, their characteristics and customs are the same as o u t l i n e d in that book. D r o m i t e s : T h i s insectlike race lives in city-hives scattered beneath the surface of Sarlona, many of which can be reached only t h r o u g h psionic p o r t a l s . T h e I n s p i r e d have shown t h e m n o t h i n g but contempt and violence, so d r o m ites avoid t h e m whenever possible. T h e y g a t h e r K h y b e r dragonshards and trade them with the kalashtar of Adar and the sea-princes of Lhazaar. Elans: W h e n a quori commits a heinous crime against its own kind, it receives a terrible p u n i s h m e n t : It is b o u n d into a h u m a n vessel against its will. Unlike the n o r m a l p r o cess by which the I n s p i r e d are created, the b o u n d spirit has no power or influence over its host. C o n d e m n e d to eternal powerlessness in its living p r i s o n , the q u o r i ' s energy s u s tains a n d empowers the host as it becomes an elan. T h e r e 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 transformation voluntarily. H a l f - G i a n t s : I n the d i s t a n t past, g i a n t e x p l o r e r s from X e n ' d r i k visited southern Sarlona. T h e i r descendants

are the half-giants described in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. 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 ancestry or are simply degenerate descendants of the titans of X e n ' d r i k (as most giant kinds are believed to be). T h e y live in the deserts and savannahs of Syrkarn in western Sarlona, and wander the frigid plains of the Tashana T u n d r a in the northwest. M a e n a d s : Two thousand years ago, one of the islands of the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s sank b e n e a t h the sea in a magical cataclysm of u n k n o w n o r i g i n . Most of its people drowned as the ocean boiled, except those who were at sea when the cataclysm o c c u r r e d . W h e n these folk r e t u r n e d from their r a i d i n g and fishing, they found only open water where their home had been. T h e survivors b a n d e d together and sought a new home, which they found on the Tashyvar Islands at the northwest end of Sarlona. W h e t h e r from the l i n g e r i n g effects of the magic that destroyed their home or due to some property of this new land, their physical n a t u r e was altered, transforming them into maenads. T h e i r grief at the destruction of their h o m e l a n d is the most likely source of their racial anger, though some suspect that anger to have an earlier root that might be linked to the cataclysm.

SEAS OF EBERRON THE TEN SEAS T h e vast world ocean that covers E b e r r o n is divided into ten distinct bodies of water, defined by the b o u n d a r i e s of the landmasses they e n c o m pass. T h e lines between seas are often difficult to draw, and a matter of p a r t i c u l a r dispute involves d e t e r m i n i n g where the Lhazaar Sea ends and the Sea of Rage begins. ( C o m m o n wisdom holds that when storms erupt and unexplainable events start h a p p e n i n g , a ship has left the Lhazaar and entered the Sea of Rage.) T h e B a r r e n Sea lies to the west of K h o r v a i r e , northwest of X e n ' d r i k and east of S a r l o n a . It e n c o m p a s s e s w a r m , t r o p i c a l waters a n d cold expanses in the n o r t h . It flows i n t o the Sea of Lost Souls to the south and the W h i t e Sea to the n o r t h w e s t . Zarash Bay a n d Crescent Bay in the Shadow Marches are p a r t of the same body of water. T h e P h o e n i x Basin, between X e n ' d r i k a n d K a p a e r i a n I s l a n d , is p a r t of the B a r r e n Sea. Varuz Bay, at t h e e a s t e r n e n d of S a r l o n a , m a r k s its edge. T h e B a r r e n Sea is so called because it is p o o r for f i s h i n g a n d devoid of a p p a r e n t life. H i d e o u s m o n s t e r s are said to i n h a b i t its depths—but sailors make that claim about all ten seas. I n fact, sailors have m o r e to fear from s t o r m s , icebergs in t h e n o r t h , a n d u n p r e d i c t a b l e w i n d s t h a n they do from any l i v i n g t h i n g in t h e B a r r e n Sea. I n a d d i t i o n to the m u n d a n e risks of s t o r m a n d calm, t h e B a r r e n Sea is k n o w n for scattered areas of dead calm—areas of perfectly still water, s o m e t i m e s suffused with negative e n e r g y t h a t attracts u n d e a d . (Dead calm areas are d e t a i l e d in Stormwrack.) 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 the Frostfell. It includes Eldeen Bay and K a r r n Bay cut into the n o r t h e r n coast of K h o r v a i r e , and two major c h a n n e l s : Icewhite C h a n n e l between the D e m o n Wastes and the islands to the northeast, and Icegaunt C h a n nel between Icewhite Island and the Frostfell. Floating icebergs are a serious hazard in these waters, particularly in the s u m m e r m o n t h s when they shear off the Frostfell and drift south into i m p o r t a n t shipping lanes just off K h o r v a i r e . Despite its i n l a n d location, T h r a n e has always made an effort to m a i n t a i n a presence in the Bitter Sea alongside ships from A u n d a i r and K a r r n a t h . T h e Dark Sea lies in the virtually unexplored south, beyond A r g o n nessen. Its b o u n d a r i e s and dangers are little known, and the "dark" of its name refers less to its lack of sunlight in the winter m o n t h s than to the cloud of ignorance s u r r o u n d i n g it. Icebergs and dragon turtles are said to be roughly equivalent threats in the Dark Sea. Sailors also claim that

SAILORS' EXPRESSIONS A m o n g the colorful phrases a n d expressions used by sailors are several that refer to one or more of the ten seas of E b e r r o n . "Ten Seas!"—A c o m m o n exclamation of surprise or disgust. " G o n e down to the Dark"—Used to describe a ship lost at sea. T h e expression originally referred to the Dark Sea, but is now u n d e r s t o o d to mean the lightless depths of any sea. "Like sailing the Teeth"—Used to describe a very difficult task, referr i n g to the risks of navigating the straits of Shargon's Teeth. "Halfway across the Sea of Rage"—Used to describe one whose grip on sanity is n o t 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. "Crossing the Thunder"—Said of someone who is a b s e n t m i n d e d or daydreaming.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) DC 20: Dragon turtles and dragon eels swim t h r o u g h o u t some of t h e seas—particularly t h e T h u n d e r Sea and the Dragonreach. DC 25: T h e T h u n d e r Sea covers a number of s u n k e n r u i n s from the a n c i e n t g i a n t e m p i r e s of X e n ' d r i k , as does the P h o e n i x Basin. T h e complicated n a t u r e of underwater exploration has caused these r u i n s to r e m a i n largely u n e x p l o r e d , except p e r h a p s by the sahuagin and other aquatic races. Knowledge (geography) D C 10: K h o r v a i r e is b o u n d e d by the Bitter Sea to the n o r t h , the Lhazaar Sea to the east, the T h u n d e r Sea to the south, a n d the B a r r e n Sea to the west. T h e straits of Shargon's Teeth lie along the most c o m m o n route from Sharn to Stormreach in X e n ' d r i k , but they are infested with sea devils. DC 15: E b e r r o n has ten seas: the Barren Sea, t h e B i t t e r Sea, t h e Dark Sea, the D r a g o n r e a c h , t h e Icemaw Sea, t h e L h a z a a r Sea, t h e Sea of Lost Souls, the Sea of Rage, t h e T h u n d e r Sea, and the White Sea. Knowledge (history) DC 20: Some historical records, virtually indistinguishable from ancient legends, claim that, in addition to the A e r e n i and the drow, a third race of elves lives u n d e r the waters of the T h u n d e r Sea. These aquatic elves are said to have been slaves to sea-dwelling giants—the ancestors, perhaps, of storm giants. DC 35 : O n e of the many kingdoms that r u l e d Sarlona before the arrival of the I n s p i r e d is now called Aventus, t h o u g h its a n c i e n t n a m e flows less c o m f o r t a b l y off m o d e r n t o n g u e s . T h i s k i n g d o m was p o w e r f u l a n d might have expanded to d o m i n a t e the continent, except that some great cataclysm sunk it beneath the waves. T h e degenerate survivors of this k i n g d o m are an aquatic race called the aventi, i n h a b i t i n g the Sea of Rage. Knowledge (nature) DC 15 : Storms are the greatest threat to ships at sail in any sea, but the Sea of Rage and the White Sea are known for supernaturally deadly storms.

c e r t a i n r e g i o n s of the Dark Sea have d r a m a t i c tides that create strong c u r r e n t s near the coasts, drawing ships in to be smashed on reefs or rocks near land. T h e Icemaw Sea is a n a r r o w body of water that lies between X e n ' d r i k and Everice. It is studded with islands and icebergs. (See the Frostfell entry on page 66 for more information about the Icemaw Sea.) T h e D r a g o n r e a c h stretches between A r g o n n e s s e n and A e r e n a l , b l e n d i n g 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 favorite h a u n t of dragon turtles, and water-loving dragons (particularly bronze dragons) frequently swim in its waters. Most sailors are reluctant to sail t h r o u g h it as a result, and when they do, they hug the A e r e n a l coast. T h e L h a z a a r Sea lies east of K h o r v a i r e and west of S a r l o n a , with n o clear b o u n d a r y b e t w e e n it a n d the Sea of Rage. Sailors agree that the L h a z a a r Sea t o u c h e s the Tashyvar I s l a n d s at the n o r t h w e s t e r n end of S a r l o n a , while the Sea of Rage begins f a r t h e r south along the Sarl o n a n 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 c h a n n e l s that divide the islands of the L h a z a a r P r i n c i p a l i t i e s from each o t h e r a n d from the m a i n l a n d . W h a l e s make t h e i r h o m e s in the L h a z a a r Sea, which m e a n s w h a l i n g is a p r o f i t a b l e i n d u s t r y in the area. However, large orcas sometimes attack ships, and the huge fey known as ocean striders (detailed in Monster Manual II) seem to view themselves as p r o t e c t o r s of the whales in the area. T h e Sea of Lost Souls extends from the southwest part of X e n ' d r i k to the southeast part of Sarlona and the east coast of A r g o n n e s s e n . It is known as a perilous sea for sailing, and its reputation for being haunted by n u m e r o u s ghost ships gives it its n a m e . T h o u g h its s o u t h e r n m o s t reaches are covered by the u n m e l t i n g Everice, it extends all the way to the equator, which is considered the dividing line between it and the B a r r e n Sea (in the east) and the W h i t e Sea (in the west, near S a r l o n a ) . T h e Sea of Lost Souls is also said to be the deepest of Eberron's oceans—some legends speak of a trench e x t e n d i n g miles beneath the surface, a region so dark that the darkness itself is alive. T h e Sea of Rage is b o u n d e d by Sarlona to the n o r t h and east a n d A r g o n n e s s e n to the s o u t h . To the west it meets the L h a z a a r Sea. It is k n o w n for freak s t o r m s and b i z a r r e h a p p e n i n g s , from giant waterspouts to s u p e r n a t 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.) T h e T h u n d e r Sea lies between K h o r v a i r e , A e r e n a l , and X e n ' d r i k . S h a r g o n ' s T e e t h mark its western extent, and to the east it flows into the D r a g o n r e a c h (via the A e r enal C h a n n e l ) and the Dark Sea. B e n e a t h its surface lie s u n k e n r u i n s from the Age of G i a n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y in the area a r o u n d S h a r g o n ' s T e e t h . Besides the s a h u a g i n that infest the straits, dragon eels, d r a g o n t u r t l e s , kraken, and numerous other creatures prey on ships sailing the T h u n d e r Sea. T h i c k 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

of the T h u n d e r Sea, and is home to nearly as many bizarre monsters as the M o u r n l a n d itself. T h e W h i t e Sea extends n o r t h from Sarlona's coast to the edge of the Frostfell. It combines the worst qualities of the Bitter Sea and the Sea of Rage—often frozen or choked with icebergs, even as it is p r o n e to freakish weather and bizarre h a p p e n i n g s . T h e sailors of K h o r v a i r e 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 occasions they sail to Sarlona.

RACES Of THE SEAS T h e seas of E b e r r o n are home to a variety of life, including groups of sentient creatures, nomadic tribes, and even entire civilizations. T h e most familiar of these are the sahuagin, or sea devils, which are particularly c o m m o n in the straits of Shargon's Teeth between S h a r n and S t o r m r e a c h . Sahuagin are relatively c o m m o n in the cliffside areas of Sharn, negotiating with sailors for safe passage t h r o u g h the straits. A knowledge of the Sahuagin language is considered a key quality for success as a sea captain. T h e four races mentioned below are described in detail i n Stormwrack.

T h e aventi are h u m a n l i k e descendants of a s u n k e n civilization. They are p r i m a r i l y found in the Sea of Rage between Sarlona and A r g o n n e s s e n , and t h e i r racial myths say that their ancient empire was once part of Sarlona. Darfellans are a race of b r o o d i n g h u m a n o i d s found in the western Bitter Sea, particularly a r o u n d Icewhite Island. Once far more widespread, they were nearly exterminated by the sahuagin. Aquatic elves (originally described in the Monster Manual) are said to be a t h i r d surviving offshoot of the ancient elf cultures of Xen'drik—a wayward sibling to the elves of A e r enal and the drow that r e m a i n in X e n ' d r i k . T h e y live in small, isolated c o m m u n i t i e s in the T h u n d e r Sea along the 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 the s a h u a g i n . T h e s i m i a n l i k e , h u m a n o i d hadozees are most commonly e n c o u n t e r e d aboard ships captained by members of other races. They are very rare, and their original homeland is u n k n o w n , though X e n ' d r i k is most commonly advanced as a plausible location.

SHIFTERS TOUCHED BY THE BEAST Shifters are descendants of h u m a n s and n a t u r a l lycanthropes. They are lithe, agile folk who look basically h u m a n , but with long, shaggy hair, sideb u r n s (in both sexes), p o i n t e d ears, large eyes, heavy eyebrows, and wide, flat noses. T h e i r forearms and lower legs are densely muscled, and they grow hair so thick that it is sometimes mistaken for fur. Shifters frequently adopt a h u n c h e d p o s t u r e , p r e f e r r i n g to crouch or perch on a tree limb, ledge, or piece of f u r n i t u r e r a t h e r t h a n s t a n d i n g or sitting. S o m e t i m e s called "the w e r e t o u c h e d , " shifters i n h e r i t from t h e i r l y c a n t h r o p e ancestors a l i m i t e d ability to t r a n s f o r m i n t o a semibestial state. S h i f t i n g 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 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 nonshifter t h r o u g h biting, claw attacks, or any other method. W h e n she is shifting, a shifter's features take on an even more bestial appearance, although she does not actually assume a fully a n i m a l form. H e r eyes have a feral glint, she snarls and growls when angered, and she is able to tap into her lycanthropic n a t u r e to access e x t r a o r d i n a r y physical abilities. These changes and the abilities gained are related to the kind of lycanthrope the shifter descends from. Some shifters display features distinctly r e m i n i s c e n t of one kind of a n i m a l , while others exhibit a mixture of influences. T h e act of s h i f t i n g makes some shifters s t r o n g e r or t o u g h e r . O t h e r s find themselves able to move faster, c l i m b n e a r - v e r t i c a l s u r faces, or fly. T h e most d a n g e r o u s shifters become so lost in t h e i r t r a n s f o r m a t i o n that they b e g i n to fight like a n i m a l s , b i t i n g and clawing in a b r u t i s h rage. T h e r e are ten m a i n shifters bloodlines (or traits). Individual shifters usually manifest only a single shifter trait, but after generations of bloodlines c o m m i n g l i n g , some display two of the following traits: beasthide, cliffwalk, dreamsight, gorebrute, longstride, l o n g t o o t h , razorclaw, swiftwing, t r u e d i v e , and w i l d h u n t . ( T h e d r e a m s i g h t , g o r e b r u t e , swiftwing, and truedive traits are i n t r o d u c e d in Races of Eberron.) Like any other race, shifters cannot be said to share a single personality type or a universal preference for one lifestyle over another. However, due to their lycanthropic ancestry, many shifters do have quick tempers. Members of other races consider them rude and even b o o r i s h , and it is true that shifters have little patience for being treated like animals or idiots and don't hesitate to set aside social conventions when they feel the situation warrants it. Shifters with a c o m m o n trait also tend to share patterns of behavior as well—cliffwalk shifters are often shy and introverted, for example, while gorebrutes are the opposite. Shifters do not have a h o m e l a n d , since t h e i r hybrid lineage developed where h u m a n s a n d n a t u r a l l y c a n t h r o p e s s h a r e d the same l a n d s . Lycanthropes were brought to near extinction in K h o r v a i r e more than a century ago, so the only places left for shifters were in h u m a n lands. They have always been victims of prejudice and distrust, though, and are often unable to find acceptance even in the lands of their b i r t h . Because they are so regularly made to feel like outcasts, shifters gather in communities of their own. They have a fiercely independent streak, and use their feral abilities to h u n t for food and scrounge for shelter rather than give money to the very people whose ill-formed o p i n i o n s force them to live this way. Raised in these c o m m u n i t i e s , shifters come to view their lives in terms of h u n t i n g and a constant fight for survival. O t h e r 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 d e s t i n a t i o n for shifters who want to live as close to the l a n d as possible. T h e r e , they become trappers, h u n t e r s , or sometimes guides—and visiting city-dwellers pay a substantial fee to reap the benefits of the shifters' natural abilities.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (local) D C 10: Shifters are m e m b e r s of a t r u e race that traces its origins from b o t h humans and natural lycanthropes. They do not change into animal form, but can transform themselves to gain some bestial characteristics. A check against this DC is also sufficient to l e a r n w h e t h e r t h e r e is a shifter c o m m u n i t y in or n e a r a local settlem e n t a n d w h e t h e r t h e r e have b e e n any notable r e c e n t i n c i d e n t s involving shifters. D C 15: T h e ten m a i n types of shifters have different characteristics while shifting. They include longstride shifters (who move faster while shifting), l o n g t o o t h and razorclaw (who gain n a t u r a l weapons), and w i l d h u n t (who have keen senses). A check against this DC is also sufficient to l e a r n roughly how many shifters live in or near a local c o m m u n i t y and where they can be found. DC 20: T h e o t h e r types of shifters are b e a s t h i d e (who g a i n t h i c k h i d e s ) , cliffwalk (who can climb), dreamsight (who have an affinity with a n i m a l s ) , g o r e b r u t e (who gain h o r n s ) , swiftwing (who can fly like bats), and t r u e dive (who can swim like d o l p h i n s ) . D C 22: Shifters place a great deal of emphasis on self-reliance a n d f r e e dom, believing that the latter is the reward for the former. DC 25: Ragewild shifters are berserker warriors sworn to defend all shifters, regardless of tribe or affiliation, from outside attack. DC 30 : A very small n u m b e r of shifters are t r a i n e d to interact with m e m b e r s of o t h e r races to prevent m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d tragedies such as the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame's i n q u i sition from ever t a r g e t i n g the shifter race again. T h e s e shifters are called loreguards. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 20: Within shifter communities, the moonspeaker d r u i d s guide the shifters' religious life. Traveling often to different enclaves, the moonspeakers carry news and m a i n t a i n bonds among these far-flung c o m m u n i t i e s .

SHIFTER RELATIONS Many people claim that shifters are difficult to get along with, but the vast majority of these people have never actually taken the time to try to get to know a shifter, let alone put in a good-faith effort at friendship. O t h e r folk hold prejudices and preconceptions about shifters, but the t r u t h of the matter is that they are no more a h o m o g e n o u s group t h a n elves or dwarves are. Despite the commonly stated p r e c o n 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 t h e m . S h i f t e r s A r e R u d e : Shifters are individuals with the same r a n g e of p e r s o n a l i t i e s as any o t h e r race. Some are predisposed to having quick tempers—particularly gorebrute and l o n g t o o t h shifters—and beasthide shifters have a well-earned r e p u t a t i o n for being b l u n t , speaking loudly, and i n t e r r u p t i n g o t h e r s . C o n s i d e r , however, that having people constantly accuse your e n t i r e race of being r u d e can certainly grate on anyone's nerves. Shifters A r e 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 e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y quietly, but most have no devious motives for doing so. Rather, a great many shifters are h u n t e r s (by choice or necessity), and so moving as u n o b trusively as possible has become second n a t u r e to t h e m . S h i f t e r s A r e S t u p i d : 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 universities in K h o r v a i r e . Shifters Have O n e - T r a c k M i n d s : This preconception is a n o t h e r reflection of the shifters' n a t u r a l h u n t i n g ability. W h e n in stressful situations, they focus on the most i m p o r t a n t matter at h a n d to the exclusion of all else. T h i s 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 d i r e .

For t h e i r part, shifters are suspicious of o t h e r races. They have never fit in with the established political order of Khorvaire, and their emphasis on self-reliance makes them reluctant to seek c o m p a n i o n s h i p or support from members of other races. T h e i r history of prejudice and persecution has left them a legacy of fear. In particular, shifters distrust any religion brought to them by missionaries or crusaders, p r e f e r r i n g to follow the ancient teachings of their d r u i d s , the moonspeakers (see Races of E b e r r o n ) .

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

a n u m b e r of shifter feats. T h e t h r e e feats p r e s e n t e d h e r e are a d d i t i o n a l shifter feats. As with all shifter feats, t a k i n g these feats increases the d u r a t i o n of s h i f t i n g a n d might increase the n u m b e r of times p e r day a shifter can use her ability.

Shifter Acrobatics [Shifter] Your heritage makes you agile and light-footed. Prerequisite: Shifter with the cliffwalk, longstride, or swiftwing trait. Balance 4 ranks, J u m p 4 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks. Benefit: W h e n shifting, you gain a bonus on Balance, J u m p , and T u m b l e checks equal to twice the n u m b e r of shifter feats you have.

Shifter Magnetism [Shifter] Your heritage gives you a strong a n i m a l presence. Prerequisite: Shifter. B e n e f i t : You gain a b o n u s on H a n d l e A n i m a l , I n t i m i d a t e , and wild empathy checks equal to the n u m b e r of shifter feats you have. T h i s b o n u s applies even when you are not shifting.

Shifter Stealth [Shifter] You can call upon your bestial heritage to increase your stealth. Prerequisite: Shifter with longstride, swiftwing, or w i l d h u n t trait, Hide 4 ranks, Move Silently 4 r a n k s . Benefit: W h e n shifting, you gain a bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks equal to twice the n u m b e r of shifter feats you have.

SOCIETY AND STATUS How THE WORLD WORKS T h e social s t r u c t u r e of K h o r v a i r e is often described as a great pyramid. Built on a wide base r e p r e s e n t i n g the c o m m o n l a b o r e r s , the p y r a m i d tapers quickly to the p i n n a c l e : the r u l i n g families of the Five Nations and other figures of equivalent political, economic, and social power. As described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting (page 132), six out o f t e n people in the Five Nations belong to the common class—farmers, laborers, and poorer traders. T h r e e often belong to the middle class, a relatively new innovation in the social order, dominated by people who have earned enough money through trade and artifice to put themselves on a level with the nobles 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 of trade and commerce, as well as the kings and queens who rule nations. Life for the common class is not much altered by the passage of centuries or the change of regimes. T h e people of Valenar experienced little change when rulership of their land passed from Cyre to the Valaes T a i r n ; they continued to work their farms, pay their taxes, and live and die very much as they had since the beginning of h u m a n settlement. Advances in both magical and m u n d a n e technology can make life easier for the common folk, but only after those advances become so widespread that people can afford to make use of them. T h e first humans to arrive in Khorvaire from Sarlona brought iron tools with them, so even the fundamental technology of metalworking has changed little for the common folk in all the centuries since. In contrast, the middle class might be the locus oft he greatest change in society, technology, and economics in the history of E b e r r o n . Its very existence dates back only as far as the creation of Galifar. By their n a t u r e , the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses exerted a great deal of power in trade and commerce from the m o m e n t their powers arose, and they brought that power to bear in the political realm by l a u n c h i n g the War of the Mark fully five centuries before the reign of Galifar I. By the time of Galifar, the power of the dragonmarked houses was such that the king was forced to recognize it—and indeed to court it in order to accomplish his bid to unite the Five Nations. In some ways, the story of the formation of Galifar and the birth of the middle class r u n parallel, for with the emergence of a unified kingdom, the wealth of the houses grew enormously, and an ever-increasing n u m b e r of people associated with the houses gained a significant share 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 grown to such i m p o r t a n c e that they had eclipsed the hereditary nobility of the Five Nations in all but name. Naturally, the dragonmarked houses were not the only ones to profit from the growing importance of trade and commerce. Merchant lords not associated with the houses have been slower to arrive in the halls of power, but by the middle of the Last War, such independents were solidly ensconced there alongside the d r a g o n m a r k e d heirs and lesser nobles. Today, while nobles retain status and power by virtue of their class, they must share that power with those who have earned it by virtue of their economic might. The middle class has risen to its elevated position in society by riding on the back of magical and technological innovation. T h e manifold use of magic in the everyday life of Khorvaire primarily benefits those who can afford to make use of it, or those who have near-exclusive command over the unique powers of the dragonmarks. T h o u g h only a rare few members of the dragonmarked houses carry the actual marks that hold the magical power of the house, every member benefits from the use of that power—particularly through innovations such as message stations, lightning rails, and elemental galleons. Such advances allow the houses not only to put their magical power to novel uses, but to create steady sources of new income. T h e h e r e d i t a r y nobles r e t a i n t h e i r status in the u p p e r p a r t of the m i d d l e class by r e m a i n i n g useful. T h e y 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

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 10: Wizards, sorcerers, and a r t i f i cers c o m m a n d respect wherever they go. Knowledge of m i n o r magic, such as that possessed by magewrights, is sure to increase one's status. Knowledge (local) DC 10 : Society and status varies greatly by region. T h e Five Nations are open and cosmopolitan. In civilized society, laws protect m e m b e r s of all races and social classes equally. D C 12: M o r e t h a n half the p e o p l e of K h o r v a i r e are c o m m o n farmers, u n s k i l l e d l a b o r e r s , a n d tradesfolk who form the p o o r economic class. DC 13: T h e large middle class of K h o r vaire includes skilled laborers, prosperous traders and shop owners, skilled a r t i s a n s , most nobility, lowlevel adventurers, and some members of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses. Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: T h e royal line of K i n g Galifar I is the W y n a r n family. DC 12: T h e dragonmarked houses comm a n d great p r e s t i g e . T h e i r leaders are on p a r with kings a n d q u e e n s , while o t h e r m e m b e r s are solidly in the middle class. DC 15: T h e three remaining monarchs— Aurala of Aundair, Boranel of Breland, and Kaius of Karrnath—are all m e m bers of the Wynarn family, as are Diani of T h r a n e a n d Oargev, t h e leader of New Cyre. T h e families of these m o n a r c h s make up a large p a r t of the u p p e r class of K h o r v a i r e ' s society, and all of t h e m are i m p o r t a n t p o l i t i cal forces. DC 2 5 : T h e infamous sky pirate C a p t a i n Lujaad, whose exploits are p u b lished in the c h e a p e r c h r o n i c l e s , is actually a nephew of B r e l a n d ' s K i n g Boranel—much to the embarrassment of the royal family. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) D C 10: C h u r c h leaders are m e m b e r s of the middle class or u p p e r class. In some areas, particularly T h r a n e , the c h u r c h has great political power, and its members and leaders claim higher status as a result.

protecting the c o m m o n folk who live on their lands, paying taxes to the heads of state, and supplying troops to serve in their lord's armies. If the guildmasters of Khorvaire—those associated with the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses and those who are not—forced t h e i r way i n t o the m i d d l e class alongside the h e r e d i t a r y nobility, the heads of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses rode that cresting wave to the highest positions, m a k i n g the d r a g o n marked b a r o n s nearly equal to the rulers of the land. T h o s e rulers live within a web of court i n t r i g u e and i n t e r n a t i o n a l espionage. T h e royal families of Khorvaire's nations—even the r e m n a n t s of Cyre—are a major political force, their homelands as well as beyond their b o r d e r s . T h e siblings, c h i l d r e n , nieces, and nephews of the actual rulers hold i m p o r t a n t posts in the governments of K h o r v a i r e , and many of t h e m are heavily involved in trying to secure the t h r o n e for themselves or someone closer to them than the c u r r e n t ruler. Even in T h r a n e , where the monarchy has been replaced by the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame, Q u e e n Diani retains her title as a figurehead. She schemes behind the scenes to overthrow the theocracy and regain her place of power—if not for herself, then for her c h i l d r e n .

THE PLACE Of ADVENTURERS A d v e n t u r e r s possess a great deal more wealth than most of society. Low-level adventurers are middle class, while those of m i d - l e v e l and h i g h e r fall i n t o the u p p e r class. T h e i r wealth and prowess can grant t h e m political weight if they care to use it, and a d v e n t u r i n g puts one in touch with the individuals and organizations that shape the world. Society sees adventuring as phenomenally dangerous but potentially rewarding in equal measure. A d v e n t u r e r s 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. T h e many nations of m o d e r n K h o r v a i r e jostle in close proximity, vying for political, economic, and military superiority. A n adventurer can make powerful allies over the course of his career. However, m a k i n g an ally of someone usually involves m a k i n g an enemy of s o m e o n e else, and adventurers inevitably wind up on the wrong side of certain individuals and organizations. Shrewd adventurers m i n i 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 o b t a i n it. Such was the case for Lujaad i r ' W y n a r n , 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

the court at Brokenblade Castle. A bright lad, he attended all the same classes and t r a i n i n g sessions as the king's child r e n . In fact, he proved more capable than most of them when it came to leadership skills and m i l i t a r y strategy. As he came of age, Lujaad was g r o o m e d to take a position in the upper ranks of Breland's army, leading forces into what he hoped would be the decisive battles that brought the Last War to an end with his Uncle Boranel on the t h r o n e . W h e n word of the T h r o n e h o l d A c c o r d s came to Brokenblade—along with word that K i n g Boranel had been pivotal in b r o k e r i n g the peace—Lujaad became despondent. Without the war, he lost every hope and d r e a m he had ever known. With no enemy to battle, he t u r n e d to adventuring, spending more and more time in the wilds of X e n ' d r i k until one day his expedition r e t u r n e d without h i m . T h e royal family of Breland initially believed that Lujaad perished in the jungles of the wild c o n t i n e n t , but in fact he snuck away from his entourage, m a k i n g his way to a tiny coastal town populated almost entirely by mercenaries and pirates. Lujaad signed on with the crew of a pirate airship and began working his way up the ranks. Now, just a fewyears later, Lujaad has secured a Lyrandar 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 warfare, only targeting rich merchant ships or noble ships, and never kill unless absolutely necessary. In fact, "The Exploits of Captain Lujaad and His Valiant Crew" are developing quite a following among the readers of the several chronicles p r i n t i n g them—to the embarrassment of K i n g Boranel.

SWASHBUCKLERS Swashbucklers (described in Complete Warrior) are quite common in Khorvaire, particularly in the major cities of the former Five Nations. The swashbuckler's emphasis on quick swordplay and light armor perfectly suits Khorvaire's

sophisticated culture, although combatants in the Last War practiced heavier combat styles. Swashbucklers served as officers in the Last War, or else avoided the peril of war on the front lines by serving in home guard units in major cities.

THE SOVEREIGN HOST POWERS OF LIGHT T h e people of K h o r v a i r e acknowledge an extended p a n t h e o n of gods, all of whom are connected or related in some fashion. Some gods are loving and beneficent, some distant and unapproachable, and still others malicious and deceptive. Most people offer prayers to different gods depending on the situation and what sort of reply (if any) they hope for. T h e Sovereign Host is a collection of the deities most commonly worshiped by the majority of the populace. O n a daily basis, K h o r v a r i a n s pray to the Sovereign Host as a g r o u p rather t h a n to any one god. T h e text below expands the d o m a i n s available to clerics of the Sovereign 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 book are marked with an asterisk.

ARAWAI God of A g r i c u l t u r e Neutral Good Arawai is the sister of Balinor and the Devourer, and the m o t h e r of the Fury (see page 33). She is most often pictured as a female half-elf. Arawai is considered the deity of fertility, plant life, and a b u n d a n c e . She is especially worshiped by d r u i d s , rangers, farmers, sailors, people who wish to have c h i l d r e n , and anyone who is concerned with weather or fertility. D o m a i n s : G o o d , Life, Plant, Weather. Favored Weapon: M o r n i n g s t a r .

AUREON God of Law and Knowledge Lawful Neutral 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 related to the Shadow. He is usually described as a gnome or h u m a n wizard. A u r e o n is the p a t r o n of wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane casters, and is worshiped by scholars, sages, l i b r a r i a n s , and scribes. D o m a i n s : Force*, Knowledge, Law, Magic, Mind*, Oracle*. Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff.

BALINOR God of Beasts and the H u n t Neutral Balinor is the b r o t h e r of Arawai and the Devourer. He is portrayed as either a burly h u m a n or a crude yet g o o d - n a t u r e d half-orc. H u n t e r s , druids, barbarians, and rangers worship Balinor, and he is associated with h u n t i n g and a n y t h i n g having to do with animal life. D o m a i n s : Air, A n i m a l , Celerity*, E a r t h . Favored Weapon: Battleaxe.

BOLDREI God of C o m m u n i t y and H e a r t h 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 d u r i n g the construction of any new b u i l d i n g s . H e r n a m e is invoked to bless marriages and newly appointed government officials. D o m a i n s : C o m m u n i t y , G o o d , Law, Protection. Favored Weapon: Spear.

DOL ARRAH God of H o n o r 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 p a t r o n deity of paladins, generals, and diplomats. D o m a i n s : Glory*, G o o d , Law, Sun, War. Favored Weapon: H a l b e r d .

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 5: T h e faith of the Sovereign Host is the d o m i n a n t r e l i g i o n of K h o r v a i r e , p r a c t i c e d i n every n a t i o n a n d by m e m b e r s of every r a c e . It is devoted to a p a n t h e o n of n i n e deities: Arawai, A u r e o n , Balinor, Boldrei, Dol A r r a h , Dol D o r n , Kol K o r r a n , O l l a d r a , and O n a t a r . DC 10: Most people revere the Sovereign Host as a whole, not just a single deity, although they naturally address prayers about certain topics to different deities. DC 12: T h e gods of the Sovereign Host are well disposed toward mortals, and are said to be the source of all earthly blessings. N a t u r a l disasters, disease, monsters, v e r m i n , and other plagues of m o r t a l life come from the Dark Six, the gods who were cast out of the p a n t h e o n for t h e i r wrongdoing. D C 15: A successful check against t h i s D C g r a n t s details a b o u t the a l i g n m e n t , p o r t f o l i o , symbol, r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , a n d family r e l a t i o n s h i p s of each deity. D C 20: Devotees of the Sovereign Host have n o e x p e c t a t i o n of a g l o r i o u s afterlife—they know that t h e i r souls will be c o n s i g n e d to D o l u r r h after t h e i r d e a t h . T h e y believe, however, that faithful service to the Sovereign Host brings ample reward in this life, while disloyalty b r i n g s swift justice. DC 25 : As h u m a n s spread across K h o r vaire, they assimilated the religions of other races and cultures into the faith of the Sovereign Host. While the faith of the Silver Flame and the bizarre traditions of the elves r e m a i n unas¬ similated, many say it is just a matter of time. T h i s process of assimilation is one explanation for why each deity is depicted in a variety of different forms, and even as a m e m b e r of different races. These various depictions are a legacy of the deities assimilated from o t h e r cultures. DC 30: Each deity is sometimes depicted as a d r a g o n . Some scholars believe these representations of the Sovereign Host are their oldest forms, and claim that the deities are actually dragons that have ascended to g o d h o o d .

DOL DORN God of Strength at Arms Chaotic Good Dol Dorn is the brother of Dol Arrah and the Mockery, and is most often depicted as a heavily muscled human. He promotes bodily strength and martial training, and is considered to be the paragon of physical perfection. He is worshiped by soldiers, monks, athletes, and anyone whose life is devoted to building physical strength and resilience. Domains: Chaos, Competition*, Good, Liberation*, Strength, War. Favored Weapon: Longsword.

example) has revealed himself to different people in different times and places in very different ways. Rather than sending missionaries to convince the orcs of the Shadow Marches that Dol Dorn is superior to their war god, the church of the Sovereign Host simply accepts that both deities are the same god, and allows the orcs to call Dol Dorn whatever they wish. As a result, while orcs still appeal to their ancient god Garu-Umesh the One-Eyed in a few places in the Shadow Marches, among most orcs that ancient name has fallen into disuse—along with the primitive rite of putting out one eye of any orc who sought to become a priest. Ancient inscriptions suggest that

KOL KORRAN

Khorvaire once had a diverse religious landscape. The Ghaal'dar gobliKol 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 of whom is now easily identified with a deity of the described as a fat, cheerful human or dwarf in Sovereign Host or the Dark Six. At the same time, fine clothes. Kol Korran oversees all financial the ore nations of the west revered their own deities, transactions, businesses, and places where great the dwarves of the north held to their own traditions, wealth is stored. His most devoted worshipers are merand the primitive halflings of the Talenta Plains chants, moneylenders, landowners, thieves, and worshiped the nature spirits of earth and sky. members of wealthy families. Symbol of the Domains: Charm, Commerce, Pact*, Travel. The first humans to come to Khorvaire brought Sovereign Host Favored Weapon: Mace. their own pantheon of nine gods—the clear precurGod of Trade and Wealth

Neutral

OLLADRA God of Feast and Good Fortune Neutral Good Olladra is the wife of Onatar, and the mother of Kol Korran and the Keeper. She is pictured as a young halfling or an elderly human. Olladra is said to bestow luck and good health on those she favors. She is the patron deity of rogues, bards, entertainers, and gamblers, and is also venerated by innkeepers and hosts of large gatherings. Domains: Feast, Good, Healing, Luck. Favored Weapon: Sickle.

ONATAR God of Artifice and the Forge Neutral Good Onatar is the husband of Olladra and the father of Kol Korran and the Keeper. He is usually depicted as a dwarf smith. Not surprisingly, Onatar is revered by artisans, artificers, smiths, smelters, and anyone who makes things— especially dwarves and gnomes. Domains: Artifice, Creation*, Fire, Good. Favored Weapon: Warhammer.

THE ALL-INCLUSIVE HOST The religion of the Sovereign Host is the dominant faith of Khorvaire for one very good reason: It conquered almost all competing religions by embracing them. The theologians of the Sovereign Host do not restrict their conceptualizations of the deities to a single image, but accept that Dol Dorn (for

sor to the Sovereign Host. As humans spread across Khorvaire, they identified their own deities with the more beneficent of the existing goblinoid deities. They also incorporated the malevolent deities into their myths, casting them as relatives of the Sovereign Host but renegades against their divine families—the Dark Six. This policy of faith-based inclusion seems to have had a limit, however, for one goblinoid deity found no place among either the Sovereign Host or the Dark Six. The name of this deity is lost—the humans apparently waged a relentless campaign to strike its name and visage from any written record they could find. A number of ruins dating from the period between the fall of the Dhakaani Empire and the triumph of humanity depict sixteen gods in orderly arrangement, but the face of one is always chiseled away. There have always been some who question this theology of inclusion and appropriation, holding as objective truth the fact that Dol Dorn and Garu-Umesh are two distinct entities. They believe that the old gods supplanted by or incorporated into the Sovereign Host have died or gone dormant with the ascendance of the Host. The inclusiveness of the Sovereign Host has made it Khorvaire's most successful religion, but it has never been the only religion. As much as the followers of the Host would like to believe that the Silver Flame is just an emanation of Dol Arrah, devotees of the Silver Flame don't care to hear it. Perhaps after several more centuries, the Silver Flame, too, will be assimilated—along with the Path of Light and even the Undying Court.

FAVORED SOULS While clerics are frequently devoted to the entire pantheon of the Sovereign Host, favored souls (described in Complete Divine) devote themselves to specific deities of the Sovereign Host (or the Dark Six). Some favored souls are associated with other

faiths, but the majority choose a single deity of the Host to emulate. Like clerics in Eberron, a favored soul need not have an alignment within one step of her deity's alignment, and she can be neutral regardless of her deity's alignment.

VALENAR WARRIORS OF GLORY T h e elves of Valenar are a m o n g the most fearsome warriors on E b e r r o n . T h e i r society is dedicated to m a r t i a l perfection. They idolize the military heroes of antiquity, believing that the greatest w a r r i o r s of this age will become vessels for the champions of the past. Ten thousand years ago, elf warriors watered the sands of the Blade Desert with goblin blood, u n t i l overwhelming opposition and dragonfire forced t h e m to r e t u r n to A e r enal. Today, they have come again to K h o r v a i r e and claimed a kingdom, but the Valenar are not content with this newborn nation. Seeking glory in battle, Valenar warbands push deep into the Talenta Plains and Q ' b a r r a in search of worthy foes. W h i l e most people refer to b o t h 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 glory"). They are the largest sect of the T a i r n a d a l , an elven c u l t u r e that follows a m o r e m i l i t a n t path t h a n the A e r e n i . U n t i l the Last War, the T a i r n a d a l lived in the n o r t h e r n steppes of A e r e n a l , and m u c h of the c u l t u r e and social i n f r a s t r u c t u r e of the Valaes T a i r n r e m a i n s t h e r e . V a l e n a r is a land at war, a n d the elves of m a i n l a n d K h o r v a i r e are a mobile army, ready for action. Every year, more T a i r n a d a l artisans and s u p p o r t folk travel from A e r e n a l to settle in the new network of taers (elf fortresses), but elves still l e a r n i n g the arts of war, those too i n f i r m to 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 on the island. D u r i n g the age of Galifar, this territory was claimed by the n a t i o n of Cyre. Few people chose to make their homes in the land beyond the Blade Desert, however, and these settlers received little support from the crown. 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 War broke ties to t h e i r masters and laid claim to this land, the c o m m o n 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 did, since the Valenar soldiers are experts at living off the land. T h e elves treat t h e i r new vassals fairly, and the peasants have come to take p r i d e in the military might of t h e i r new l o r d s . They might not be free, but few of the c o m m o n e r s of Valenar see themselves as slaves—no more so than the commoners of Breland or K a r r n a t h .

A LEGACY OF WAR 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 elves. W h e n a child is b o r n a m o n g the Valaes T a i r n , the priests of the Valenar—the Keepers of the Past—read the signs to d e t e r m i n e 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 and emulate his p a t r o n ancestor, even as he strives to b r i n g glory to his family. Many elves can share the same patron ancestor, leading to competition among them as each strives to be the perfect e m b o d i m e n t of his or her p a t r o n . Most of these p a t r o n s are mighty warriors, but a Valenar might just as easily follow the path of a weaponsmith, a siege engineer, or a war wizard. T h e r e are even elves whose p a t r o n ancestors are civil engineers or laborers, and while they are rarely the subject of song or story, they play a significant role in Valenar society. T h e Valenar tradition of war is one of speed and stealth. Most Valenar soldiers are rangers—deadly stalkers who can live off the land, and who have an almost mystical c o n n e c t i o n to t h e i r remarkable horses (usually t h e i r a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n s ) . Some V a l e n a r s u p p l e m e n t these skills with 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 spell. A cleric of the Keepers of the Past can choose from the Destruction, P r o t e c t i o n , and War d o m a i n s . As a p a n t h e o n , the Spirits of the Past are neutral in a l i g n m e n t , and their favored weapon is the double scimitar.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (geography) DC 10: Valenar is a region of desert and plains in the southwest of K h o r v a i r e . A n army of elf mercenaries annexed it from Cyre d u r i n g the Last War. D C 15: Valenar's p o p u l a t i o n is made up of former Cyran citizens of many races. T h e y are generally c o n t e n t to serve the new Valenar overlords, living much as they did before the war. Knowledge (history) D C 20: Elves of A e r e n a l fought with Dhakaani goblins over this region long before h u m a n s came to K h o r v a i r e . R u i n e d elf fortresses, a b a n d o n e d for m i l l e n n i a , dot the landscape. Knowledge (local) D C 15: Battle is p a r t of life a m o n g the V a l e n a r elves. V i o l e n t c r i m e s a r e often overlooked, but theft is a serious crime p u n i s h e d by m a i m i n g or even execution. O n l y elves are protected u n d e r the law, though most Valenar treat n o n - e l f citizens fairly. Knowledge (nature) DC 10: T h e Valenar elves breed horses of amazing speed and agility. They are protective of their horses and offended at the sight of a n o n - e l f r i d i n g one. T h e horses are bred in n o r t h e r n Aerenal and gelded, so they c a n n o t be stolen and used for b r e e d i n g . Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 10: H o u s e Vadalis is b a n n e d o u t right from the b o r d e r s of Valenar, while T h u r a n n i and P h i a r l a n are not welcome. H o u s e L y r a n d a r has b e e n g r a n t e d land in exchange for r a i n calling a n d has a g r o w i n g influence in Valenar. D C 15: T h e forty-five Valenar warclans all owe fealty to High K i n g Shaeras Vadallia, but only twenty are u n d e r the command of the king at one time. T h e king grants titles and land to warriors who p e r f o r m services for h i m , but these elves don't live on their lands, p r e f e r r i n g to r e m a i n in m o t i o n . Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 20: T h e Valenar elves worship their w a r r i o r ancestors. By e m u l a t i n g the deeds of t h e i r 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 ( i n c l u d i n g composite shortbow), scimitar, and Valenar double scimitar. T h i s 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 e n v i r o n m e n t s . T h e j u n g l e of Scimitars holds many d a n g e r s for the unwary, and anyone who seeks to approach by land must cross the bitter sands of the Blade Desert. T h e elves themselves rarely trouble travelers, provided that there is no h i n t of horse-thievery and that the party presents no challenge to the realm. A d v e n t u r e r s who are antagonistic or overly flamboyant draw the attention of elf warbands and glory-seeking warriors, but a g r o u p 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 r u i n s . In the last forty years, the elves have refurbished a n u m b e r of t h e i r a n c i e n t fortresses, which now provide sanctuary to the r o v i n g w a r b a n d s . Travelers are never allowed into the heart of an elf fortress, but local crafters m a i n t a i n t e m p o r a r y trade villages outside their walls, catering to the needs of strangers.

VALENAR FEATS

Bladebearer of the Valenar [Racial] You have trained extensively with scimitars, including the Valenar double scimitar. You are adept at striking from horseback with the curved blades of the Valenar. Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, proficiency with scimitar or falchion. Benefit: You treat the Valenar double scimitar as a martial weapon. Also, you deal an extra I point of damage when making a melee attack with a scimitar, a falchion, or a Valenar double scimitar while mounted. If you have any of the following feats for the scimitar, falchion, or Valenar double scimitar, you can apply the feat's effects to all three weapons: Improved Critical, Greater Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Specialization, Weapon Focus, or Weapon Specialization. When you spend an action point to influence an attack roll made with a scimitar, a falchion, or a Valenar double scimitar, you also add the result of the action point die to your damage for that attack.

Shield of Blades [Style] As a master of the double scimitar, you can weave a web of steel to protect yourself from attack. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Combat Expertise, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Valenar double scimitar), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (Valenar double scimitar). Benefit: If you wield a Valenar double scimitar and use Combat Expertise to add at least I point to your AC , you receive an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC.

A weapon style feat (introduced in Complete Warrior) provides a benefit that draws upon a number of specific feats, and often requires the use of specific weapons,

Spirit of the Stallion Your patron ancestor was a legendary cavalry soldier, and her spirit guides you and your mount. Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, Mounted Combat. B e n e f i t : While mounted on a Valenar horse, you receive a +1 circumstance bonus on melee attack rolls and melee weapon damage rolls.

Valenar Trample You are trained in Valenar cavalry techniques emphasizing trampling your opponents into the ground. Prerequisite: Elf, region of origin Valenar, Mounted Combat. Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent while mounted on a Valenar horse, your target cannot choose to avoid you. Both you and your mount can make one attack (your mount with a hoof and you with a melee weapon) against any target you knock down, gaining the standard +4 bonus on attack rolls against prone targets. Special: A fighter can select Valenar Trample as one of his fighter bonus feats. This feat counts as Trample for the purpose of meeting any requirements or prerequisites.

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 the coming of night." —War p r a y e r o f C i a s J h a e l i a n

Knowledge (arcana)

T h e r e v e n a n t b l a d e is a V a l e n a r e l f w h o c a n d r a w o n t h e s k i l l s of a n c i e n t h e r o e s , t h e g i a n t - s l a y e r s o f X e n ' d r i k . G u i d e d by t h e s e a n c e s t r a l s p i r i t s , t h e r e v e n a n t b l a d e is a d e a d l y w a r r i o r t r a i n e d i n t h e a r t s o f s t e a l t h and survival.

BECOMING A REVENANT BLADE M a n y t h e s o l d i e r s of V a l e n a r f o l l o w t h e p a t h o f t h e r a n g e r , a n d t h i s is a n excellent r o a d for the r e v e n a n t b l a d e . T h e a n c i e n t V a l e n a r were g u e r r i l l a w a r r i o r s , a n d a d e s c e n d a n t who h o n o r s h e r ancestors must be skilled i n s t e a l t h as w e l l as b a t t l e . B a r b a r i a n s a n d f i g h t e r s c a n q u a l i f y f o r t h e class, t h o u g h the skill r e q u i r e m e n t s are m o r e o n e r o u s for s u c h c h a r a c t e r s ( p o s s i b l y r e q u i r i n g a level o f r a n g e r o r r o g u e t o g a i n q u i c k a c c e s s to t h e class).

Entry Requirements Race: Elf B a s e A t t a c k B o n u s : +5 Skills: H i d e 5 r a n k s , K n o w l e d g e (history) 2 r a n k s , Move Silently 5 ranks F e a t s : B l a d e b e a r e r of t h e V a l e n a r (see p a g e 141), T w o - W e a p o n F i g h t i n g ,

D C 2 0 : S o m e V a l e n a r elves carry r e l i c s o f t h e i r a n c e s t o r s — a t o o t h o r a sliver o f b o n e — e n c a s e d i n a n a m u l e t that grants t h e m supernatural power. T h i s relic creates a close b o n d b e t w e e n the elf and the ancestor, allowing the l i v i n g e l f e a s i e r access to t h e skills a n d abilities of the ancestor. T h i s amulet is c a l l e d a zaelshin tu. Knowledge (geography) D C 15: T h e elves of V a l e n a r b e l o n g to an e l f c u l t u r e c a l l e d t h e T a i r n a dal, which reveres the spirits of the ancient elf heroes who battled the g i a n t s o f X e n ' d r i k . T a i r n a d a l elves l i v e i n n o r t h e r n A e r e n a l as w e l l as Valenar. D C 2 0 : Each T a i r n a d a l elf has a p a t r o n a n c e s t o r g i v e n at b i r t h , a n d s e e k s to h o n o r t h i s a n c e s t o r t h r o u g h h e r deeds in life.

Weapon Focus (Valenar double scimitar)

Knowledge (religion)

Region of O r i g i n : Valenar

D C 10: V a l e n a r w a r r i o r s seek to c h a n n e l the spirits of their heroic ancestors.

CLASS FEATURES A s a r e v e n a n t b l a d e , y o u d r a w o n y o u r s p i r i t u a l b o n d w i t h y o u r a n c e s t o r to e n h a n c e y o u r c o m b a t prowess a n d stealth capabilities. You also gain great respect from your people. A n c e s t r a l G u i d a n c e ( S u ) : O n c e p e r day, y o u c a n c a l l u p o n y o u r a n c e s t o r s to g r a n t y o u k n o w l e d g e a n d t a l e n t b e y o n d y o u r n o r m a l a p t i t u d e s . To a c c o m p l i s h this, you m u s t s p e n d 1 h o u r in q u i e t m e d i t a t i o n , s t a r t i n g at d a w n . A t t h e e n d o f t h i s h o u r , y o u g a i n a b o n u s feat s e l e c t e d f r o m t h e list b e l o w ; y o u n e e d n o t m e e t t h e n o r m a l r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e f e a t . T h e feat lasts u n t i l d a w n o f t h e n e x t day. Alertness, B l i n d - F i g h t , C o m b a t Expertise, D o d g e , Great Cleave, Improved Critical (Valenar double scimitar), Improved Sunder, Improved T r i p , Power Attack, Skill Focus ( K n o w l e d g e [history]), S p r i n g Attack, Stealthy, W e a p o n Specialization (Valenar double scimitar).

D C 15: R e v e n a n t s b l a d e s are V a l e n a r e l f w a r r i o r s g u i d e d by t h e h e r o e s o f t h e past. T h e y are m a s t e r s o f s t e a l t h a n d the double scimitar. D C 2 0 : A revenant blade can adapt his tactics to m a t c h a l m o s t any f o e , a n d strikes with u n c a n n y force. D C 25: A revenant's adaptability comes f r o m his ability to c h a n n e l the knowledge and talent of his a n c e s tors. T h i s ability gives h i m access to the skills of great w a r r i o r s of the 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 years t o l e a r n .

A t 3 r d level, y o u c a n c h o o s e two feats f r o m t h i s list u p o n c o m p l e t i n g y o u r m e d i t a t i o n . A t 5 t h level, you c a n c h o o s e t h r e e feats f r o m t h i s list. Y o u c a n ' t u s e t h i s b o n u s feat t o m e e t a n y r e q u i r e m e n t s o r p r e r e q u i s i t e s ( s u c h as f o r a n o t h e r feat o r a p r e s t i g e c l a s s ) . H e r o of the Valaes T a i r n ( E x ) : T h e V a l e n a r have i m m e n s e respect for t h o s e w h o b o n d w i t h t h e s p i r i t s of t h e p a s t . Y o u g a i n a +5 c i r c u m s t a n c e b o n u s o n D i p l o m a c y c h e c k s m a d e t o i n f l u e n c e t h e a t t i t u d e of a V a l e n a r

THE REVENANT BLADE

HIT DIE: D8

Base Attack

Fort

Ref

Will

Bonus +1

Save +0

Save +0

Save +2

2nd 3rd

+2 +3

+0 +1

+0 +1

+3 +3

S h a d o w of t h e past A n c e s t r a l g u i d a n c e (2)

4th 5th

+4 +5

+1 +1

+1 +1

+4 +4

G i a n t slayer A n c e s t r a l g u i d a n c e ( 3 ) , l e g e n d a r y force

Level 1st

Special A n c e s t r a l g u i d a n c e (1), h e r o of t h e Valaes T a i r n , r a n g e r class f e a t u r e s

Class Skills (4 + Int m o d i f i e r per level): C l i m b , Craft, H a n d l e A n i m a l , Heal, Hide, Intimidate, J u m p , Knowledge (geography), K n o w l e d g e ( h i s t o r y ) , K n o w l e d g e ( n a t u r e ) , L i s t e n , Move S i l e n t l y , P r o f e s s i o n , R i d e , S e a r c h , S p o t , S u r v i v a l , S w i m , Use R o p e .

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 interacting with Valenar elves. Ranger Class Features: If you have ranger levels, your revenant blade levels stack for purposes of d e t e r m i n i n g the abilities of your a n i m a l c o m p a n i o n . Y o u r r e v e n a n t blade levels also stack when d e t e r m i n i n g the caster level of your ranger spells, but not when d e t e r m i n i n g spells p e r day or any other r a n g e r class feature. Shadow of the Past (Ex): At 2nd level and higher, you add your class level as a c o m p e t e n c e b o n u s on H i d e and Move Silently checks. Giant Slayer ( E x ) : T h o u g h the elves of Valenar no longer war with the giants of X e n ' d r i k , the ancestral m e m o ries of the c h a m p i o n s of the past b u r n strongly in you. At 4th level, you gain a +4 b o n u s on Bluff, L i s t e n , Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against giants. You also gain a +4 bonus on weapon damage rolls against giants. You gain the ability to speak Giant (and read and write it, if you are literate) as if you had spent skill points to learn the language. Legendary Force ( E x ) : At 5th level, you become a true master of the double scimitar. T h r o u g h skill and art, you learn to strike with astonishing s t r e n g t h . T h i s ability allows you to treat b o t h ends of the Valenar double scimitar as twohanded weapons, even when you use it as a double weapon. For example, you add 1-1/2 times your S t r e n g t h bonus on damage rolls with each end of the weapon, and any damage bonus from the Power Attack feat is doubled when used with the weapon.

PLAYING A REVENANT BLADE You are one of the deadliest warriors of a military culture. Your blade is the focus of your life, and from the m o m e n t you could walk you were taught the arts of stealth. You are cool, wary, always w a t c h i n g for the next threat—in p a r t because of your militant t r a i n i n g , in part because you feel most truly alive in battle. Beyond this g e n e r a l a t t i t u d e , y o u r p e r s o n a l i t y is shaped by that of your ancestor, whom you idolize and seek to emulate in all the ways you can. Since you are a revenant blade, y o u r a n c e s t o r must have b e e n a master s w o r d s m a n and deadly stalker. But what was he l i k e ? Was he a g r i m killer who rarely spoke and only s m i l e d when h u n t i n g a foe? A t o r t u r e d poet whose skill at bloodshed was matched 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 princess, a r o m a n t i c e x p l o r e r ? D e t e r m i n e the n a t u r e of your ancestor, and as you rise in level consider ways you can m i m i c h i m . Dress, speech, m a n n e r i s m s , hobbies—as time goes by, you slowly become your ancestor, so look for ways to represent this. T h e host of the Valaes T a i r n is an army, organized into warclans and w a r b a n d s . T h e r e v e n a n t o r d e r stretches across the b o u n d s of clan and b a n d s . Y o u r status is i n d i cated by the zaelshin that you wear—a special b r o o c h that indicates the identity of your ancestor and your role as a revenant. At the m o m e n t the revenants are a loose society, always s e a r c h i n g for glory and awaiting the word of the High King. C o m b a t : Your ancestors fought an empire of i m m e a surable power. You have i n h e r i t e d the skills of your patron, but also his wisdom—and the knowledge that stealth and c u n n i n g are just as i m p o r t a n t as s t r e n g t h and steel. Take your t i m e in battle. Stalk your enemy and l e a r n his weaknesses. W h e n you strike, do so on your terms.

As a r e v e n a n t blade, y o u r g r e a t e s t s t r e n g t h is y o u r versatility. A n c e s t r a l g u i d a n c e allows you to adapt y o u r tactics to suit the needs of the day. T h i s versatility helps you most if you have extensive knowledge of y o u r foes before you e n t e r combat. Try to evaluate your enemy a n d the skills of your o p p o n e n t long before you ever close in combat, a n d adapt your strategy to exploit these s t r e n g t h s and weaknesses. A d v a n c e m e n t : A l l T a i r n a d a l elves are assigned a p a t r o n ancestor at the m o m e n t of b i r t h , and all seek to h o n o r this ancestor. T h o s e with the p o t e n t i a l to become revenants feel a closer bond t h a n most. From c h i l d h o o d , your patron ancestor was more than just a name in song and story. You've had visions of the battles that she fought, seen the lost wonders of X e n ' d r i k and smelt the b u r n i n g flesh of giants. Sometimes you have found yourself spontaneously q u o t i n g your p a t r o n , astonishing your elders by repeating ancient speeches you've never read before. T h e K e e p e r s of the Past watch those who show such promise. As you adventure, you grow closer to your ancestor. W h e n the m o m e n t strikes and you are ready to touch the spirits of legend, you must make your way to one of the great fortresses of the Tairnadal—Taer Valaestas in Valenar or T a e r S e n a d a l in A e r e n a l . T h e r e the e l d e r r e v e n a n t s guide you down the p a t h , t e a c h i n g you to submerge your thoughts in the m e m o r i e s of the past, and to let the spirit of your p a t r o n guide your h a n d s . O n c e you have been set u p o n the path, it is up to you to find your way closer to your ancestor. C o n s i d e r his personality and choose your skills and feats accordingly. If he was renowned as a h u n t e r , seek the deadliest game you can find. If he was a soldier first and foremost, find your way to the battlefield! Resources: T h e revenant order provides few resources for m e m b e r s . You have your blade and ancestral guidance: You should be out b r i n g i n g glory to your ancestor's n a m e , not begging for scraps! However, the o r d e r s do have a few relics of the ancestors—zaelshin tu and similar items—and if you b r i n g h o n o r to your ancestor and warclan or perform a great service to the Valaes T a i r n , you might be given one of these items. T h e greatest t r e a s u r e s of the r e v e n a n t s are the actual swords of the ancestors. T h e s e mighty artifacts were all lost in X e n ' d r i k . F i n d i n g your p a t r o n ancestor's double scimitar—or recovering it from looters or grave-robbers—is a worthy quest for a revenant blade.

REVENANT BLADES IN THE WORLD "The revenants are the treasures of our past and the shapers of the future."

—Ilaen Coeliras, K e e p e r of the Past T h e elf h e r o e s of X e n ' d r i k are the stuff of legends, p o s sibly the most deadly w a r r i o r s of history. In the r e v e n a n t s of Valenar, these fearsome soldiers live again. It took the d e s t r u c t i o n of X e n ' d r i k to defeat these elf heroes in the past: What impact will the revenant warriors have on this c u r r e n t age? D a i l y L i f e : A r e v e n a n t blade is called to become a hero—to glorify h e r ancestors and b r i n g h o n o r to t h e i r names t h r o u g h her own deeds of bravery. Revenant blades are never sedentary. Anyone who walks the path of the revenant either fights on the front lines of battle or wanders the world seeking an o p p o r t u n i t y to prove her worth—and her ancestor's. Revenants lead raids out from Valenar into

the Talenta Plains, Q ' b a r r a , and the M o u r n l a n d , even up 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 the descendants of the ancient giants or u n e a r t h some lost ancestral artifact. Every day brings a new o p p o r t u n i t y for glory and h o n o r . N o t a b l e s : T a e r d r a J e n n a r i s (N female elf r a n g e r 7/revenant blade 5) is one of the most respected revenants in V a l e n a r today. She is the chief of a large and powerful warclan that frequently raids into Q ' b a r r a at her command. Some suspect Taerdra of resistance to the rule of High K i n g Vadallia, and this situation is expected to come to a head w i t h i n the next year, when her clan is due to be called up for service to the High King.

J u m a l l T h r e n e l l ( C G male elf ranger 5/wizard 3/reve n a n t blade 3) leads a small band of revenants in exploring X e n ' d r i k . J u m a l l is particularly well known in Stormreach, although his r e p u t a t i o n there is mixed: All acknowledge his b a n d ' s heroic deeds, but J u m a l l himself has stirred up trouble with hill giants who were visiting the city peacefully or even working as part of the city watch. H a v e r r a P h a s h a ( C E female elf r a n g e r 3/fighter 5 / r e v e n a n t blade 3) has b r o u g h t a m e a s u r e of disgrace to the r e v e n a n t blades' n a s c e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n by m a k i n g an a t t e m p t on H i g h K i n g Vadallia's life. She escaped the angry H i g h K i n g a n d his b o d y g u a r d s , which certainly h e l p e d h e r n o t o r i e t y , but people seem to b l a m e the reve n a n t blades as a whole for the a c t i o n s of this r e n e g a d e . O t h e r revenant blades have sworn to b r i n g Haverra to j u s tice, but she r e m a i n s a fugitive, supposedly l u r k i n g inside the M o u r n l a n d . 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 f r a t e r n i t y . T h e a r t of r e v e n a n t c h a n n e l i n g is a recent d e v e l o p m e n t a m o n g the elves. S o m e believe that t h i s is a result of the m i l l e n n i a of devotion of the T a i r n a d a l , and that the spirits are g a i n i n g s t r e n g t h 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 r e t u r n i n g to lead the Valenar to glory. T h e K e e p e r s of the Past t r a i n new revenants and help them find the way o n t o the path. As part of this t r a i n i n g , a r e v e n a n t must swear an oath of loyalty to V a l e n a r and the H i g h K i n g , p r o m i s i n g to answer any call that comes from the Darkwood C r o w n . As such, the revenants are an elite u n i t waiting to be called together. As a revenant, you could receive this call at any time—a s u m m o n s to r e t u r n to Taer Valaestas, or a call to a distant battle. At the m o m e n t the r e v e n a n t s receive t h e i r o r d e r s from the H i g h K i n g . But some w o n d e r 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 m e m o ries and skills of the great heroes of the past, will they be c o n t e n t to follow the k i n g ? W h a t if the ancestors have old feuds never r e c o r d e d in legend—or ambitions to rule empires of their own?

N P C Reactions

A revenant blade embodies the heroic spirit of her ancestors

T h e r e v e n a n t s c h a n n e l the greatest h e r o e s of the elves, a n d V a l e n a r or T a i r n a d a l warriors have a friendly attitude toward revenants. Typically, the other i n h a b i t a n t s of K h o r v a i r e d o n ' t have the knowledge required to recognize a revenant. T h e key feature that identifies a revenant is the zaelshin amulet, and h u m a n s rarely u n d e r s t a n d the m e a n i n g of the b r o o c h . However, the Darguuls have come to despise these Valenar warriors, and goblinoids from D a r g u u n 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 p a t r o n ancestor holds

a deadly g r u d g e against the p a t r o n of the r e v e n a n t . T h i s could result in a direct challenge or a more subtle form of attack, and at the least an unfriendly reaction.

REVENANT BLADES IN THE GAME Valenar is an aggressive, expansionist n a t i o n , and Valenar warbands constantly raid n e i g h b o r i n g regions. A revenant blade can be f o u n d as the leader of a w a r b a n d , i n s p i r i n g his soldiers with his b o n d to the past. A d v e n t u r e r s exploring X e n ' d r i k might e n c o u n t e r a warband entirely formed of revenant blades, an elite force sent to reclaim lost relics of the elf age of glory. O f c o u r s e , the V a l e n a r still sell t h e i r services as m e r c e n a r i e s — t h e A u r u m (see page 146) could h i r e a r e v e n a n t blade to stalk a t r o u b l e s o m e g r o u p of a d v e n t u r e r s . In an a d v e n t u r i n g party, a r e v e n a n t blade provides a DM with two paths to e x p l o r e . T h e c h a r a c t e r ' s a n c i e n t visions could draw the party to X e n ' d r i k , s e a r c h i n g for a n c i e n t relics or f o r g o t t e n secrets of the e l f - g i a n t war. Alternatively, the r e v e n a n t a n d his allies could be drawn into the evolving politics of Valenar: Perhaps the character's ancestor wants her to lead the elves down a different path from the one High K i n g Vadallia has chosen. 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 uisites and the feats the character can mimic using ancestral guidance, this prestige class can be adapted to reflect other elf a n c e s t o r s . R e v e n a n t b o w m e n g a i n access to a r c h e r y feats, while revenant riders have access to m o u n t e d combat

feats. Revenant scouts emphasize the stealthy surveillance of enemies and guerrilla tactics. E n c o u n t e r s : W h e n e n c o u n t e r e d with a w a r b a n d , a r e v e n a n t blade m i g h t c o n f r o n t h e r e n e m i e s i n o p e n b a t t l e . Given the choice, she p r e f e r s to stalk h e r foes, t a k i n g the t i m e to carefully evaluate t h e i r s t r e n g t h s a n d weaknesses.

T h e T r a p p i n g s of the W a r r i o r T a i r n a d a l warriors typically wear loose silk clothing and light armor, and favor elaborate engraving and embroidery. They make use of red or brown p a t t e r n s m i m i c k i n g blood spatters or stains, so that the gore of battle blends with the elf's clothing. Beyond this, two critical a c c o u t r e m e n t s define a Valenar warrior: the zaelta and the zaelshin. T h e zaelshin ("spirit b o n d " ) is a n a m u l e t that b e a r s the seal of an elf's p a t r o n ancestor. It is usually w o r n as a b r o o c h but can be placed in a w a r r i o r ' s h e l m e t , at the center of the forehead. A zaelshin is usually f o r m e d from silver and i n l a i d with j e t . A r e v e n a n t ' s zaelshin is formed of p l a t i n u m and i n l a i d with p r e c i o u s stones that have a specific tie to the w a r r i o r ' s p a t r o n a n c e s t o r ; this piece of jewelry costs 150 g p . T h e zaelta ("spirit mask") is a veil that covers the lower face. W h i l e this item is useful in the h a r s h e n v i r o n m e n t of the Blade Desert, it is intended to help the wearer submerge his identity w i t h i n that of his ancestor. With the wearer's face h i d d e n , an observer views only the zaelshin, thus seeing the ancestor instead of the descendant.

ZAELSHIN T U Every Valenar w a r r i o r reveres his ancestors and carries a zaelshin a m u l e t b e a r i n g t h e sigil of his p a t r o n ancestor 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 that: You carry a physical relic of your p a t r o n ancestor—a tooth or sliver of b o n e brought from X e n ' d r i k to A e r e n a l and encased in your zaelshin a m u l e t . Description: A zaelshin tu looks much like a m u n d a n e zaelshin. It is an amulet, formed of platinum and inlaid with precious stones that carry spiritual significance to the ancestor whose sigil is e m b l a z o n e d on it. It can be worn as a b r o o c h o r attached to your h e l m e t at the c e n t e r of your forehead. No m a t t e r how you display the item, it takes up space on your body as an amulet, which means you can't gain the benefit of any other amulet at the same time (or even a n o t h e r zaelshin tu, if you have more t h a n one). If you use the revenant blade's ancestral guidance ability while wearing a zaelshin tu, the gemstones set in the amulet flare briefly with a d i m light. P r e r e q u i s i t e : Only a T a i r n a d a l elf descended from the elf whose sigil a d o r n s the a m u l e t 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 t r i g g e r s a h o s t i l e r e a c t i o n from any T a i r n a d a l he might e n c o u n t e r . O n l y a r e v e n a n t blade can use all the item's functions.

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 activation. T h e skill bonuses always apply, a n d using your a n c e s t r a l g u i d a n c e ability (if you are a r e v e n a n t blade) does not r e q u i r e you to call on the amulet's power—just your own. Effect: If you meet the prerequisite for using a p a r ticular zaelshin tu, you gain a + 2 competence b o n u s on Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks made to influence the reaction of another T a i r n a d a l elf. If you are also a r e v e n a n t blade, when you use your ancestral guidance class feature, you gain one extra bonus feat. (A 1st-level revenant blade would t h e n have access to two b o n u s feats, a 3rd-level character to t h r e e , and a 4 t h level character to four.) A u r a / C a s t e r Level: Faint t r a n s m u t a t i o n and n e c r o mancy; CL 5th. 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 relic of the p a r t i c u l a r elf h e r o , 900 gp, 72 XP, 18 days. 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 might grant a competence bonus on different skills rather t h a n H i d e and Move Silently. Weight: 1 lb. Price: 1,800 gp.

VILLAINOUS ORGANIZATIONS FORCES OF DARKNESS Conspiracies and cabals fill the world of E b e r r o n , driven by greed, lust for power, or far more sinister goals. While adventurers may never j o i n any of these organizations, members of these groups are not always e n c o u n t e r e d 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 , but these schemes are completely different from the goals of the Lords of Dust. As a result, a party of adventurers might occasionally receive assistance from an unexpected source. Such aid often has strings attached, and a cautious adventurer might want to consider carefully before dealing with the darkness.

The lords of the Aurum are not demons or liches, and few among them have interest in military conquest. T h e m e m b e r s of t h e A u r u m e m e r g e from a m o n g t h e r i c h est and most influential citizens of K h o r v a i r e —

power, i n f l u e n c e , a n d above T h e A u r u m is n o t a tightly b o u n d organization. It is a society creSymbol of ated to advance the m u t u a l i n t e r e s t s the Aurum of its m e m b e r s , and a place where the wealthy can enjoy the company of those they consider to be their equals. 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 advances his own agenda and not the goals of the A u r u m . For this reason, you never know what to expect from the organization. O n e A u r u m lord might take a liking to you, frequently calling upon your services to recover a new Dhakaani relic for his collection, or to deal with an upstart rival. T h e next time you set foot in a d u n g e o n , however, you could find yourself opposed by the agents of a n o t h e r coin lord—and your prior service to the society won't help you or serve as a shield. T h e m o r e you deal with the A u r u m , the m o r e r u m o r s you might hear. Some say that t h e r e is a shadow cabinet w i t h i n this society of the wealthy—an i n n e r circle that use the organization's influence for more sinister and significant purposes. So, keep b o t h eyes open when dealing with the A u r u m . T h e i r coin is good—but there are likely to be secrets hidden b e h i n d the purse strings. You might be dealing with agents of the A u r u m if your enemies seem particularly well funded, if they sometimes seem to be working at cross purposes to each other, or if they seem able to b r i n g political and legal forces to bear against you.

THE DREAMING DARK Few people in K h o r v a i r e have even heard of the D r e a m i n g Dark. T h i s 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 a n y t h i n g about the D r e a m i n g Dark. If you do have allies a m o n g the kalashtar, you soon come to know of the D r e a m i n g Dark, for the o r g a n i z a t i o n seeks to destroy the k a l a s h t a r

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? The A u r u m Knowledge (nobility and royalty) D C 20: T h e A u r u m is a secretive frat e r n a l o r d e r . It is based in t h e M r o r H o l d s , b u t its m e m b e r s i n c l u d e wealthy and influential people of all races from across K h o r v a i r e . Many of its members are devoted to the study of history, and they expend vast sums o u t f i t t i n g e x p e d i t i o n s to r e c o v e r relics of bygone civilizations. D C 2 5 : T h e M r o r epic Soldorak Saga c o n t a i n s a passage that some believe relates to t h e A u r u m . D u r l u s S o l d o r a k saw t h e g o l d b e n e a t h t h e m o u n t a i n s as a key to p o w e r i n K h o r v a i r e . A c c o r d i n g to t h e saga, he called t o g e t h e r the most c u n n i n g a n d wealthy clan l o r d s , p r o p o s i n g the c r e a t i o n of a " c a b i n e t t h a t will r u l e from the shadows, b i n d i n g k i n g a n d p e a s a n t alike i n c h a i n s of gold a n d p l a t i n u m . " T h e o u t c o m e of the m e e t i n g is u n c l e a r , b u t in a few of the later verses of the saga a Soldorak is r e f e r r e d to as " L o r d of G o l d a n d Shadows." S o m e b a r d s believe t h a t these passages describe the f o u n d i n g of the A u r u m , and that this fraternal o r d e r is a front for those who seek to c o n t r o l K h o r v a i r e t h r o u g h gold and economic means.

The D r e a m i n g Dark Knowledge (the planes) D C 20: T h e D r e a m i n g Dark is the force that c o n t r o l s Dal Q u o r , the r e g i o n of d r e a m s . D C 25 : T h e k a l a s h t a r believe t h a t t h e D r e a m i n g D a r k is t r y i n g to i n f l u ence E b e r r o n . DC 30: A c c o r d i n g to these stories, the D r e a m i n g D a r k has placed agents across E b e r r o n ; these are p r i m a r ily h u m a n s willingly possessed by q u o r i spirits, but also i n c l u d e i n n o cent people influenced by the mental powers of the q u o r i . Knowledge (psionics) DC 20: Over the last few years, you have heard r u m o r s of the conspiracy known as the D r e a m i n g Dark. Its motives are unclear, but its agents are among the most powerful psions in E b e r r o n . (continued on page

148)

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 m i g h t j u s t as well be asking for an assassin to t e l e p o r t in and strike h i m d o w n . However, the lords of the D r e a m i n g Dark are also masters of subtle m a n i p u l a t i o n , and they never act overtly if t h e r e is any risk of r e v e a l i n g t h e i r p l a n s . A g e n t s of the Dark m i g h t use telepathically c o n t r o l l e d proxies to do t h e i r d i r t y work—attacking you directly but leaving you with no links or leads back to your t r u e foe. T h e D r e a m i n g Dark also takes great p l e a s u r e in u s i n g social m a n i p u l a t i o n to b r i n g down its e n e m i e s . If you o p p o s e the Dark, you m i g h t find yourself framed for a c r i m e you d i d n ' t c o m m i t . Alternatively, a n agent of the D r e a m i n g Dark m i g h t stir up p a r a n o i a a r o u n d a d v e n t u r ers i n g e n e r a l , or f o m e n t fear and d i s t r u s t against those who b e a r d r a g o n m a r k s , or against warforged, or whatever else might d i r e c t the h a t r e d of good people in your d i r e c t i o n . T h e y m i g h t even find ways to trick you i n t o d o i n g t h e i r d i r t y work—for example, by c o n v i n c i n g you that an i n n o c e n t k a l a s h t a r is an evil warlock responsible for your r e c e n t woes. If you cross paths with the D r e a m i n g 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 r u n , any individuals can be t u r n e d to the Dark, whether they are tricked into serving the cause or have their m i n d s influenced from within. You might be dealing with agents of the D r e a m i n g Dark if your enemies manifest psionic powers, if they are obviously (or subtly) foreign in dress or dialect, or if formerly trusted allies t u r n against you.

THE LORDS OF DUST Every follower of the Silver Flame has heard the tale of the S e r p e n t and the D e m o n . In 299 Y K , a terrible force was u n l e a s h e d in T h r a n e , a n d all m a n n e r of fiends flocked from the shadows to venerate this dark l o r d . However, before the mighty d e m o n could completely free itself from its bonds, the paladin T i r a M i r o n appeared, accompanied by a feathered serpent with rainbow p l u m age. T h e mighty fiend, as it t u r n e d out, could not be slain. T h e best that could be hoped was to put it in secure bonds again, and this T i r a did at the cost of h e r own life. T h r o u g h h e r sacrifice, h u m a n i t y l e a r n e d of the Silver Flame—the force that has held the fiend lords at bay since the most ancient of days. Few people know the f u l l h i s t o r y of t h e s e d e m o n s , however. I n the first age, K h y b e r gave b i r t h to a host of fiends. T h e rakshasas were the least of these, while the mightiest were d e m o n lords with u n i q u e powers and abilities that made them like gods. These archfiends Symbol of the ruled over the lesser spirLords of Dust its and became known as

the rakshasa rajahs. In time, a combined force of dragons and couatls defeated these d e m o n s , with the mightiest a m o n g t h e m b o u n d by the Silver Flame. T h e weaker spirits slipped t h r o u g h the net, however. I m m o r t a l and c u n n i n g , they have had tens of thousands of years to plot and scheme. Some seek to free their ancient masters from i m p r i s o n m e n t (this was how the fiend lord held b e n e a t h the T a m o r Hills in T h r a n e escaped his b o n d s ) . O t h e r s seek to seize the power of the imprisoned rajahs for their own. Finally, some simply take pleasure in spreading chaos and pain, playing with m o r t a l civilizations like a child plays with dolls. These are the L o r d s of Dust. T h e L o r d s of Dust are c u n n i n g shapeshifters, and their plans (often u n f o l d i n g over c e n t u r i e s ) are difficult for mortals to fathom. T h e best advice one can take when dealing with the L o r d s of Dust is to be wary and trust n o t h i n g : These ancient fiends favor illusion and deception above all. It is p a r t i c u l a r l y difficult to d e t e r m i n e whether the L o r d s of Dust are involved in a given i n t r i g u e or advent u r e , since t h e i r m o t i v a t i o n s are so o b s c u r e a n d t h e i r m e t h o d s so s u b t l e . However, if a n c i e n t a n d powerful magic is involved, if your enemies seem utterly ruthless or wildly chaotic, or if you find yourself lost in an endlessly tangled web of subterfuge, you might be d e a l i n g with the L o r d s of Dust.

THE ORDEROFTHE EMERALD CLAW In the beginning of the Last War, the agents of the Order of the Emerald Claw were the heroes of Karrnath. Their devotion to their nation was matched only by their cunning and skill at arms. The knights of the order were instrumental in Karrnath's military success, and it is now believed that certain acts of espionage and sabotage that occurred in other nations were their secret handiwork. As time passed, though, the King of Karrnath began to have his doubts about the order. The knights of the Emerald Claw were fiercely devoted to Karrnath, but few outside the order's highest levels knew that their devotion masked service to another master—the Blood of Vol. Ultimately, edicts were passed condemning the order for its violent activities, and by 980 YK it was formally disbanded and outlawed by Moranna, the regent of Karrnath. But while the Emerald Claw no longer has any ties to the government of Karrnath, it continues to operate in the Symbol of the Order shadows across Khorvaire. The order claims of the Emerald Claw to still be dedicated to Karrnath, but makes known its belief that Kaius III is weak and that he betrayed the country when he sought peace. Few outside the most high-ranking members of the order understand and appreciate the true connection between the order and the Blood of Vol. Most assume that since the order consists of loyal Karrnathi, it is understandable that some of its members follow the teachings of the Blood. The truth is, however, that Vol created the order not to help Karrnath, but to help herself. The Emerald Claw represents the claw of a green dragon, a connection to Vol's heritage as a half-dragon. It has members, both recognized and hidden, operating throughout the Five Nations and beyond. These members serve as Vol's eyes and ears, her devoted army, and her trusted hunters of arcane relics of power. When dealing with the Order of the Emerald Claw, it is easy to dismiss them as zealots and extremists. Of all the villains in Eberron, they are perhaps the most straightforward—where you find the order, you can usually assume that evil is afoot. Never underestimate the Order of the Emerald Claw, though, for it can attract skilled wizards and warriors to its banner, and the organization's combination of patriotism and (secret) religious fervor wins it many allies among the common folk. The order might invariably be dedicated to evil, but it can still dupe good people into serving its ends. You might be dealing with the Order of the Emerald Claw if your foes include intelligent undead such as vampires or liches, if they reveal Karrnathi accents, or if they display high levels of military or magical training. Naturally, if you see the symbol of the order displayed on shields or helmets, it's a dead giveaway that the order is involved. Outside Karrnath and particularly beyond Khorvaire, members of the order do not always take pains to conceal their affiliation.

Some stories say that they are invaders from Sarlona, others that they come from another plane, while some claim that the Dreaming Dark is one monolithic spirit that uses mindseed to claim followers of all races and nations.

The Lords of Dust Knowledge (religion) DC 15: In ancient times, mighty fiends ruled the land. These were the children of the dark dragon Khyber. The universe could not stand to see such evil roaming free, and the Silver Flame took form to bind this terrible darkness in the depths of the world. DC 18 : While the greatest fiends were trapped by the Silver Flame, their weaker servants were able to slip through the bonds, like small fish slipping through nets made to catch krakens. These treacherous fiends remain in the world, and the templars of the Silver Flame must be ever vigilant to prevent these demons from freeing their bound masters. Some of the fiends have joined together in an alliance called the Lords of Dust, a name that refers to the ancient powers they have lost. DC 22: The most common order of fiend among these Lords of Dust is the rakshasa. A rakshasa is a clever shapeshifting demon that can assume any humanoid form and possesses considerable magic powers of its own. Rakshasas are resistant to most magic, and neither sword nor mace can harm them—only a spear or arrow blessed by the forces of good can penetrate such a demon's hide.

The Order of the Emerald Claw Knowledge (History) Karrns receive a +5 bonus on this check. DC 15: The Order of the Emerald Claw was a chivalric order that served King Kaius I and his successors during the Last War. The order was outlawed in 980 YK for extremist activities, and King Kaius III has gone to great lengths in an attempt to stamp it out. The order continues to remain 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 represent only a few of the powers developed by the forces of darkness or by those who oppose t h e m .

P r i c e of Loyalty E n c h a n t m e n t ( C h a r m ) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 Components: F Casting T i m e : 1 standard action R a n g e : Touch Target: O n e h u m a n o i d D u r a t i o n : O n e hour/level S a v i n g T h r o w : Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes Gold and greed are the two tools of the A u r u m , and this subtle c h a r m uses one to harness the other. T h e effects of price of loyalty are identical to charm person. T h e drawbacks are the limited range a n d the fact that the target must accept your offer of a p l a t i n u m piece (the spell's focus) for the spell to take effect. T h e advantage is the subtle n a t u r e of the 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 tions, and there are no signs of magic; whether or not the target succeeds on his saving throw, he will never know that a spell was cast. However, the effect can still be discerned by detect magic and similar spells. Focus: O n e p l a t i n u m piece.

S e n t i n e l ' s Watch Divination Level: Sorcerer/wizard 2 C o m p o n e n t s : V, S, M Casting T i m e : 1 s t a n d a r d action Range: Touch Target: O n e h u m a n o i d D u r a t i o n : O n e hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes Subtle d a n g e r s h i d e t h r o u g h o u t the world of E b e r r o n . C h a n g e l i n g s and d o p p e l g a n g e r s work the whims of the Traveler. A n c i e n t spirits scheme to destroy h u m a n civilization. In these dark times, little is exactly what it appears to be. P r o t e c t i o n is the duty of H o u s e D e n e i t h , a n d in 756 Y K Jolas d ' D e n e i t h , a mage of the Twelve, developed this ritual to s t r e n g t h e n the eyes of those who served his house. Sentinel's watch wards the subject against deception, allowing h i m to pierce falsehoods of all forms. While protected by sentinel 'swatch, the subject receives a + 5 competence b o n u s on the following checks a n d saves. • Spot checks to p e n e t r a t e any form of d i s g u i s e or illusion. • Sense Motive checks made to oppose Bluff checks. • Will saves to resist e n c h a n t m e n t or illusion effects. If the subject bears the Mark of S e n t i n e l or the Mark of Detection, these bonuses are increased to +6. Material Component: A piece of quartz, which is touched to the eyes of the subject.

Blade of Light Psychoportation Level: Psychic warrior 4 Display; Material M a n i f e s t i n g T i m e : 1 swift action Range: Touch Target: Weapon touched Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: N o n e Power Resistance: No Power Points: 7 T h e psychic warriors of the kalashtar, dedicated to battling the D r e a m i n g Dark, developed this power to help in this struggle, but it's equally effective when dealing with creat u r e s of X o r i a t or d e m o n s from S h a v a r a t h . T h i s power s u r r o u n d s o n e weapon with a softly glowing e n e r g y field that is a n a t h e m a to f i e n d s . W h e n the weapon strikes an evil e x t r a p l a n a r c r e a t u r e , it deals an extra 2d6 p o i n t s of d a m a g e . T h i s power has a weaker effect on c r e a t u r e s that are merely possessed by o u t s i d e r s (such as the I n s p i r e d ) ; in such cases, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of n o n lethal damage.

Dissonant Touch Telepathy [Mind-Affecting] Level: Psychic w a r r i o r 2, telepath 2 Display: Visual M a n i f e s t i n g T i m e : 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: C r e a t u r e touched D u r a t i o n : 1 minute/level Saving Throw: None Power Resistance: No Power Points: 3 T h e assassins of the D r e a m i n g Dark enjoy toying with their prey. T h i s psionic attack disrupts the nervous system of the victim, causing intense weakness or disorientation for the d u r a t i o n of the effect. W h e n you use dissonant touch, a successful melee touch attack causes your victim to take a penalty of ld6 p o i n t s to e i t h e r S t r e n g t h or Dexterity; you choose which before you make the attack. T h e affected ability score c a n n o t be reduced below 0, and if you use this ability more than once on the same victim, only the greatest penalty is applied. A u g m e n t : For every 2 additional power points you spend, the penalty is increased by 1 p o i n t . If you spend an additional 6 power points, the penalty applies to both Strength and Dexterity.

Feat: Death's Blood T h e Mark of D e a t h has passed from the world. But while the l i n e 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 years ago, the Q u e e n of the Dead has c o n d u c t e d e x p e r i m e n t s d e s i g n e d to r e t u r n the m a r k to the world. O n e of y o u r a n c e s t o r s was involved in these e x p e r i m e n t s , a n d t h i s h e r i t a g e gives you a n a t u r a l r e s i s t a n c e to n e c r o m a n t i c effects. Prerequisite: Elf or half-elf. Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on saves against n e c r o mancy spells or spell-like abilities.

WARFORGED LIVING CONSTRUCTS T h e warforged are living constructs—machines made to serve as soldiers during the Last War. They are massive, powerful creatures built in a generally humanoid shape from materials such as iron, stone, obsidian, and darkwood. Warforged are genderless (although the personalities of individual warforged can seem masculine or feminine). T h e i r bodies are made up of flexible plates connected by fibrous bundles somewhat resembling muscle. T h e head of a warforged is mostly featureless, though an individual sometimes decorates or augments itself to create a recognizable face. Every warforged has one distinctive feature: the u n i q u e symbol carved on its forehead. As a g e n e r a l r u l e , warforged do n o t have p a r t i c u l a r l y expressive personalities. In fact, the e m o t i o n most often attributed to them is vague disinterest or l i n g e r i n g r e s e n t m e n t . T h i s situation is only exacerbated by the fact that many don't even have n a m e s . Warforged were made for the sole p u r p o s e of fighting in the Last War, so not a lot of effort was devoted to i n s t i l l i n g them with i n t e r e s t i n g personalities, animated expressions, or the need for a p a r t i c u l a r sense of identity. That is not to say that warforged have no opinions or feelings. Despite their origins, they are sentient creatures, each possessing a complex array of likes, dislikes, preferences, and even hates. They simply are not naturally good at expressing those feelings. Warforged may spend years trying to find a name they think adequately sums up their tastes, personality, and goals. People who have spent time with different members of the race compare them to snowflakes or flowers—from a distance they seem uniform, but looking closely reveals myriad complexities and great individual beauty. T h e warforged were created by House C a n n i t h u n d e r commission from K i n g Jarot of Galifar d u r i n g his final years. J a r o t wanted construct warriors that could protect the k i n g d o m from attacks by monster hordes and invasions from overseas. However, with Jarot's death and the start of the Last War, the warforged went immediately to the front lines of the internal battle that would soon consume the Five Nations. T h e first few versions of the warforged were simple constructs— automatons that followed their owners' c o m m a n d s and had no ability to think for themselves. As House C a n n i t h improved the creation process, though, the warforged became more and more a u t o n o m o u s , g a i n i n g the ability to make decisions, improvise, and eventually t h i n k for themselves. T h e first sentient warforged were created in 965 Y K . For the r e m a i n d e r of the Last War, House C a n n i t h sold warforged soldiers to anyone who could afford them. Breland, T h r a n e , and Cyre had the largest contingents of warforged troops, and their highly visible presence among the armies of the Last War inextricably linked them with that conflict in the popular imagination. Virtually every front-page story about events in the last decade of the war featured lurid illustrations of warforged soldiers marching, drenched in blood. T h i s accounts for much of the difficulty faced by the warforged in this time of peace: They have come to symbolize the Last War, and all that was painful and destructive about the conflict. D u r i n g the war, warforged were considered to be the p r o p e r t y of whatever army paid for t h e i r c r e a t i o n . T h e warforged did not object to this—it was, after all, the reason they had been made. But when the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d ended the Last War, it was decided that the warforged would be treated as sentient beings, possessed (according to some) of living souls. With free will and intelligent thought, they would be regarded as citizens of their respective nations, not as property. However, writing this emancipation into the T h r o n e h o l d Accords was one thing; p u t t i n g it into practice has proven to be quite another. In every nation, the warforged face some degree of prejudice, much of it fed by wartime images from the chronicles. T h e expressionless faces of the warforged reveal no remorse, c o m p o u n d i n g this animosity and making the warforged seem more like objects t h a n people. Worse, the g o v e r n m e n t s of T h r a n e

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 10: Warforged are living constructs m a d e d u r i n g the Last War. W h i l e they s h a r e many of the q u a l i t i e s of constructs, they are alive, with m i n d s and metabolisms. D C 15: W a r f o r g e d are u n a f f e c t e d by p o i s o n , disease, a n d e n e r g y d r a i n . T h e y never t i r e or sleep, a n d they n e i t h e r eat n o r b r e a t h e . T h e i r c o n struction includes plating that serves as armor, a n d some individuals have heavier plating made of a d a m a n t i n e . DC 20: Conventional methods of magical h e a l i n g are not as effective when used u p o n w a r f o r g e d , b u t a r c a n e Spellcasters and artificers can r e p a i r damage suffered by a warforged. Warforged do not heal naturally, but n e i ther do they die as a result of critical injury—they stabilize a n d r e m a i n i n e r t but alive u n t i l r e p a i r e d . Knowledge (geography) D C 20: Some w a r f o r g e d live in t h e M o u r n l a n d , in a c o m m u n i t y g a t h ered a r o u n d a messianic figure called the Lord of Blades. Knowledge (history) DC 15: T h e warforged were created by House C a n n i t h to serve as soldiers in the Last War. T h e Treaty of T h r o n e hold granted t h e m the same freedom and rights held by m e m b e r s of other s e n t i e n t races, t h o u g h t h e r e is still debate about t h e a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s of this decision. Knowledge (local) D C 10: You can l e a r n w h e t h e r t h e r e is a warforged c o m m u n i t y in a local settlement a n d whether t h e r e have b e e n any n o t a b l e r e c e n t i n c i d e n t s involving warforged. DC 15: You can learn roughly how many warforged live in a local c o m m u n i t y and where they can be found. Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n ) DC 15: Few warforged are particularly drawn to religion. A significant debate occurred d u r i n g the talks leading up to the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d r e g a r d ing whether warforged possess souls. T h i s issue was never resolved. DC 20: A few warforged revere the L o r d of Blades as a deity or messiah.

and K a r r n a t h use the application of i n d e n t u r e d servitude to effectively keep t h e i r warforged enslaved—insisting that all warforged pay back the costs i n c u r r e d in their creation before citizenship is granted to them, then making sure that they never can. T h e tragic aspect of the warforged is that they were c r e ated as social creatures. T h e tactics of a successful soldier rely as much on cooperation and teamwork as they do on b r u t e s t r e n g t h and i n h u m a n e n d u r a n c e , and the warforged excelled at teamwork as they did all aspects of combat Warforged now find themselves cut off from t h e i r past m i l i t a r y lives, s e a r c h i n g for a g r o u p to belong to. S o m e warforged have chosen to g a t h e r in c o m m u n i t i e s of t h e i r o w n , particularly in the M o u r n land u n d e r the b a n n e r of the Lord of Blades. T h e extreme philosophy of the Lord of Blades does not appeal to many warforged, however, and the majority seeks companionship among h u m a n o i d s . S o m e f i n d it working in cities, often in jobs involving heavy lifting, d a n g e r ous work c o n d i t i o n s , or d e a l i n g with u n p l e a s a n t m a t e r i a l s . O t h e r s discover the camaraderie of an adventuring party, finding their sense of b e l o n g i n g in the purpose for which they were made— fighting shoulder to shoulder or back to back with an ally. Some say that

they simply create offspring for themselves. T h e c o n s t r u c t i o n process is a complex one, a n d it r e q u i r e s a c r e a t i o n forge—a device that only H o u s e C a n n i t h knows how to make and use. W h e n the Treaty of T h r o n e h o l d granted the warforged status as citizens of their various nations, it also specified that no more warforged would be m a d e . House C a n n i t h was to deactivate and d i s m a n t l e all t h e i r creation forges, and so the n u m b e r of warforged in the world would never increase from the last day of the war. T h i s was not especially b o t h e r s o m e to most warforged,since few had any desire or need to procreate— they had enough difficulty simply fitting into society. However, r u m o r s p e r sist that new warforged are b e i n g created. O n e such r u m o r centers on an e n i g m a t i c figure known as the L o r d of Blades. It is said that this r e n egade warforged is gathe r i n g the most disaffected and v i o l e n t m e m b e r s of his k i n d somewhere in the r u i n s of the M o u r n l a n d , and t h a t they have f o u n d a battered creation forge and nursed it back to w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n . However, the r e s u l t i n g warforged are said to have s t r a n g e m u t a t i o n s and defects. A n o t h e r r u m o r speaks of new warforged suddenly a p p e a r i n g on the streets of S h a r n with no m e m o r y of how life is best they got t h e r e or who created t h e m . T h e s e defined by its cessation i n d i v i d u a l s might be suffering from some NO NEW WARFORGED kind of damage done to them d u r i n g the war, or may simply T h e r e is no d e n y i n g that warforged are living creatures, have defective p a r t s , but the fact t h a t this p h e n o m e n o n but the fact r e m a i n s that they are constructs—assembled is o c c u r r i n g only i n S h a r n makes t h o s e p o s s i b i l i t i e s and t h e n i m b u e d with life t h r o u g h a m e c h a n i c a l process. less likely. As such, they are not capable of b e a r i n g c h i l d r e n , n o r can

WARFORGED FEATS Shocking Fist [Warforged] Your slam attack can deal a shock. Prerequisite: Warforged, base attack bonus +3. Benefit: As a free action, you can c h a n n e l some of your life force into a slam attack. You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll. When you use this feat, you deal damage to yourself (any amount equal to or less t h a n your base attack b o n u s ) . If the attack hits, you deal l d 4 points of electricity damage to the target per point of damage you dealt to yourself. For example, if you dealt 3 points of damage to yourself, a successful attack would deal an extra 3d4 points of electricity damage. If the attack misses, the attempt is wasted (but you still take the damage you dealt to yourself).

You can attempt a shocking fist attack any n u m b e r of times per day, but only once per r o u n d .

Overload Metabolism [Warforged] You can heal d a m a g e at a cost to y o u r o t h e r physical attributes. Prerequisite: Warforged, Str 13, C o n 13. Benefit: O n c e per day as a s t a n d a r d action, you can excite your warforged metabolism to heal a n u m b e r of hit points equal to 5 + your H D . Doing this incurs a —2 penalty to your S t r e n g t h and Dexterity scores for 10 m i n u t e s . If you are u n c o n s c i o u s a n d have not yet used t h i s ability, any i n f u s i o n that targets you a u t o m a t i c a l l y a c t i vates it,

XEN'DRIK CONTINENT OF MYSTERIES H o m e to the first civilizations in history (discounting legends of a period when fiends had d o m i n i o n over the world), X e n ' d r i k r e m a i n s largely u n k n o w n to the rest of the world. Its thick j u n g l e s , b a r r e n deserts, and s o a r i n g m o u n t a i n s seem to c o n s p i r e to hide its secrets from outside explorers, as if the relics of the Age of Giants were not meant for the eyes of prying relic h u n t e r s and adventurous scholars. All m a n n e r of strange creatures inhabit its vast expanses, some boasting civilizations of their own. X e n ' d r i k is the c o n t i n e n t of mysteries—a place where expectations, social rules, and sometimes even the laws of magic and reality are t u r n e d on their heads. T h e e m p i r e of the giants a p p e a r e d some eighty t h o u s a n d years ago, e m e r g i n g i n t o a world that seemed p r e p a r e d for its a r r i v a l . If legends are to be believed, the powerful fiends that once r u l e d E b e r r o n had been c o n q u e r e d — i m p r i s o n e d w i t h i n K h y b e r by the spiritual coils of the couatls, angelic allies of the d r a g o n s in t h e i r e o n s - l o n g war against the fiends. F r o m the ashes of this u n s p e a k a b l y l o n g war, the g i a n t s a r o s e . As with later c i v i l i z a t i o n s , it a p p e a r s t h a t the g i a n t civilization grew slowly from h u m b l e b e g i n n i n g s : B a n d s j o i n e d i n t o t r i b e s , w a r l o r d s u n i t e d t r i b e s i n t o k i n g d o m s , a n d k i n g d o m s m a d e war a n d jockeyed for power. Some scholars believe that these k i n g d o m s were u n i f i e d at some p o i n t into a single e m p i r e , while others dispute that claim, speaking of multiple e m p i r e s or k i n g d o m s when d e s c r i b i n g the giant civilization. Still others say that there was never a m o n o l i t h i c civilization at all, and that the t r a d i t i o n s of the various giant n a t i o n s were completely distinct from each other. These scholars believe that the giants' civilization arose i n d e p e n d e n t l y in different areas of the huge c o n t i n e n t , used different languages, and might even have been d o m i n a t e d by different species of giant. T h e s e scholars also hold the u n p o p u l a r o p i n i o n that the divisions now observed among different varieties of giants—hill giants, fire giants, frost giants, storm giants, and so on—have always existed, or at least had already a r i s e n by the time the g i a n t s left any physical r e c o r d of t h e i r presence in X e n ' d r i k . T h i s theory flies in the face of the c o m m o n belief that the f r a g m e n t a t i o n of the giant race into multiple subraces o c c u r r e d after the fall of t h e i r civilization, and might have been directly caused by that fall. W h a t e v e r the t r u t h , the m i g h t of the g i a n t k i n g d o m s was clearly founded on two i m p o r t a n t factors: t h e i r use of elf and drow slaves, and their use of arcane magic learned from the dragons. T h e giants wielded powerful magic, the like of which has not been seen since their fall. As a result, many explorers enter the r u i n s of their civilization not out of historical curiosity, but primarily to pillage what artifacts can still be found there. D u r i n g the Last War in particular, several of Khorvaire's nations sent agents and scholars to X e n ' d r i k , h o p i n g to find magical secrets that could aid their cause in the conflict. It is said that the warforged and the secrets of elemental b i n d i n g b o t h arose from such expeditions, and a r t i facts such as the Ramethene Sword, uncovered d u r i n g the war and put to use by K a r r n a t h , certainly had some impact on the war. Aside from historical interest and the lust for magical power, one additional factor draws explorers to X e n ' d r i k from K h o r v a i r e and distant Sarlona a l i k e — d r a g o n s h a r d s . Siberys s h a r d s falling from the R i n g of Siberys land primarily in X e n ' d r i k . Since these shards are valuable both to the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses of K h o r v a i r e and to the Inspired of Sarlona, their presence gives the c o n t i n e n t of mysteries great i m p o r t a n c e . T h e r u i n s of the giant civilization (and the drow who still lurk in those r u i n s ) are by no m e a n s the only secrets locked away in X e n ' d r i k , n o r do its glories all b e l o n g to the past. E x p l o r e r s r e t u r n to S h a r n every m o n t h with some new tale of a t h r i v i n g civilization just discovered, a

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Knowledge (arcana) D C 15: X e n ' d r i k is l i t t e r e d with the r u i n s of an ancient giant civilization. T h o s e r u i n s hold countless ancient artifacts, inscriptions carrying powerful arcane spells, strange magical effects, and other items of arcane significance. T h e continent is also home to great fields of dragonshards, fallen from the R i n g of Siberys. D C 20: I n X e n ' d r i k ' s ancient past, the giants learned the secrets of arcane magic from the dragons of A r g o n n e s sen. They used that magic to construct wonders u n e q u a l e d in the present. DC 2 5 : T h e giants also used t h e i r powerful magic to destroy the p l a n a r gate t h r o u g h which the quori invaded the world. T h e r e s u l t was a t r e m e n d o u s cataclysm even l a r g e r in scale t h a n the devastation of t h e M o u r n l a n d . T h e regions now known as Shargon's Teeth a n d the P h o e n i x Basin were sunk beneath the sea, and the cities of the giants—even the earth itself—were rent asunder. Knowledge (geography) D C 10: T h e c o n t i n e n t of X e n ' d r i k lies to the south of K h o r v a i r e , across the T h u n d e r Sea. Its m a i n h u m a n o i d settlement is the city of S t o r m r e a c h , once a pirate base, b u i l t a m o n g the r u i n s of an ancient giant city. D C 15: T h e most c o m m o n r o u t e from S h a r n to S t o r m r e a c h leads t h r o u g h Shargon's Teeth, a strait studded with islands and sharp reefs and inhabited by sahuagin. It is c o m m o n practice to offer t r i b u t e to a sahuagin chieftain to secure passage t h r o u g h the strait. D C 20: X e n ' d r i k is a vast c o n t i n e n t , considerably larger t h a n K h o r v a i r e . From the Skyfall P e n i n s u l a in the tropical n o r t h , closest to K h o r v a i r e , it extends almost all the way to the s o u t h e r n end of the world, known as Everice. I n between, j u n g l e gives way to temperate forest and then to taiga, mountain ranges stretch for thousands of miles, and the great golden desert Menechtarun covers an area the size of Breland and Zilargo combined. DC 25: X e n ' d r i k is home to a n u m b e r of s u p e r n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t s as well as a wide variety of n a t u r a l ones.

p l a n t or a n i m a l with h e a l i n g or m a g i c a l p r o p e r t i e s , or some o t h e r w o n d e r u n c o v e r e d in the wilds of the m y s t e r i ous c o n t i n e n t . Clearly, decades of exploration of X e n ' d r i k have only scratched the surface of the mysteries still waiting to be revealed t h e r e .

XEN'DRIK ENVIRONMENTS T h e people of K h o r v a i r e often speak of "the j u n g l e s of X e n ' d r i k " as t h o u g h the c o n t i n e n t were densely forested over its e n t i r e e x t e n t . Most e x p l o r a t i o n of X e n ' d r i k has b e e n l i m i t e d to t h e great n o r t h e r n p e n i n s u l a closest to Khorvaire, and given that this territory is mostly covered in dense tropical forest, the misperception is u n d e r s t a n d a b l e . In reality, X e n ' d r i k is a vast c o n t i n e n t stretching far beyond the tropical j u n g l e of the n o r t h , encompassing nearly every type of landscape and t e r r a i n . T h e great desert M e n e c h t a r u n dominates the western part of the c o n t i n e n t . T h e desert is b o u n d e d on the east by the Fangs of A r g a r a k , an e n o r m o u s m o u n t a i n r a n g e that features the highest peaks outside A r g o n n e s s e n . F a r t h e r south, the jungles along the east coast t u r n gradually into temperate forest and taiga, with the land eventually giving way to the frigid waters of the y a w n i n g Icemaw Sea and Everice beyond. Simply by v i r t u e of its size and geographical features, X e n ' d r i k encompasses every type of t e r r a i n and e n v i r o n m e n t d e s c r i b e d in the Dungeon Master's Guide, from cold desert to warm forest. Its historical p o s i t i o n as the site of one of the greatest civilizations of the a n c i e n t world also ensures that the c o n t i n e n t possesses more exotic regions— as well as regions that make n o climatic or geographical sense. T h e r e is said to be a region of bitter cold somewhere within the otherwise b l i s t e r i n g sands of M e n e c h t a r u n , for e x a m p l e . T h e M a r s h of D e s o l a t i o n , f e s t e r i n g at the base of the Skyfall P e n i n s u l a , is said to carry the t a i n t of some great evil that lies at its h e a r t , sapping the will of those who e n t e r and c o n s u m i n g t h e i r m i n d s like fire. Even w i t h i n the vast j u n g l e s of the tropical n o r t h , strange areas abound—places where the h a n g i n g moss reaches out to grasp travelers, regions where a constant sense of movement lurks at the edge of one's field of vision, and manifest zones where the fires of F e r n i a or the darkness of Mabar seep into the world. Drawing maps of X e n ' d r i k has proven to be difficult, and not just because of the dangerous creatures that inhabit the c o n t i n e n t . Distance sometimes seems to ebb and flow with a blatant disregard for natural law, so t h a t d i f f e r ent c a r t o g r a p h e r s can m e a s u r e the same expanses and p r o d u c e wildly varied r e s u l t s . A j o u r n e y that takes one e x p e d i t i o n a week m i g h t take t h r e e weeks for the next, with n o a p p r e c i a b l e d i f f e r e n c e in c i r c u m s t a n c e s . T h e s e p h e n o m e n a a r e c o m m o n l y a t t r i b u t e d to t h e u n c o n t r o l l e d magical e n e r g i e s that r a n wild at the fall of the g i a n t k i n g d o m s , but no one has b e e n able to offer a more concrete explanation. Beyond the n a t u r a l world and its s u p e r n a t u r a l a l t e r a t i o n s , X e n ' d r i k has m u c h to offer a d v e n t u r e r s in the form of c o n s t r u c t e d e n v i r o n m e n t s . Like the j u n g l e s of the n o r t h , the cyclopean r u i n s of the g i a n t s readily come to m i n d when p e o p l e t h i n k of the d u n g e o n s of X e n ' d r i k , but they are not the only such sites on the c o n t i n e n t . T h e g i a n t r u i n s are i n c r e d i b l y a n c i e n t , but the c o n t i n e n t holds some t h a t are o l d e r still, d a t i n g as far back as the

e n d of the Age of D e m o n s . X e n ' d r i k has had a long a n d varied h i s t o r y since the fall of the g i a n t k i n g d o m s , a n d in the past forty t h o u s a n d years, c o u n t l e s s small r e a l m s have a r i s e n , built m o n u m e n t s to t h e i r achievements, and faded i n t o the mists of history—leaving r u i n s to explore a n d riches to u n e a r t h .

STORMREACH S t o r m r e a c h is the gateway to X e n ' d r i k . A t h r i v i n g city populated by expatriates from every nation of K h o r v a i r e , it is the center of trade and travel between the two continents, and even a s t o p p i n g p o i n t for those S a r l o n a n s who come to X e n ' d r i k seeking d r a g o n s h a r d s . T h o u g h nowhere n e a r as large as S h a r n or the o t h e r major m e t r o p o l i s e s of K h o r v a i r e , it is quite possibly the most diverse city in the world in terms of the different races and nationalities that crowd its streets. Stormreach began as a pirate haven when explorers first began to come to X e n ' d r i k in search of d r a g o n s h a r d s and antiquities. T h e r e were no regular trade routes, but pirates found it profitable to lurk near the tip of the Skyfall P e n i n sula and attack ships as they made their way back to S h a r n , T r o l a n p o r t , or the C y r a n p o r t of M a r d a i n (now Pylas M a r a d a l , in V a l e n a r ) . Several d i f f e r e n t b a n d s of pirates built lairs in the r u i n s of an e n o r m o u s g i a n t m e t r o p o l i s in the area. A r o u n d 800 Y K , the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses demanded that the K i n g d o m of Galifar put a stop to this pirate activity. T h e houses certainly had t h e i r own interests at heart, but at the same t i m e , b o t h Morgrave University a n d the University of W y n a r n were p l a n n i n g major e x p e d i t i o n s to X e n ' d r i k . T h e d r a g o n m a r k e d houses successfully made the case to the king that e n d i n g piracy on the T h u n d e r Sea was beneficial to his rule as well as to the houses and the universities, and a long naval crusade ensued. By 802 Y K , the pirates were mostly routed from the T h u n d e r Sea, and their dens on the Skyfall P e n i n s u l a became S t o r m r e a c h . Backed by the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses, the settlement grew steadily, and it r e m a i n s a p r o s p e r o u s (if somewhat wild) frontier city to this day. T h e architecture of Stormreach is astonishing to those making their first visit to X e n ' d r i k . T h e ancient giant city has crumbled away to rubble, which in t u r n has been used in newer construction, particularly for the impressive enclaves of House K u n d a r a k and House T h a r a s h k . T h e dozen or so n e i g h b o r h o o d s of the m o d e r n city are widely spaced a m o n g the giant r u i n s , c o n n e c t e d by long roads and (in many places) magical t e l e p o r t a t i o n devices. T h e r e g i o n s between these n e i g h b o r h o o d s are nearly as d a n g e r o u s as the wilds of X e n ' d r i k — p r e d a t o r s from the s u r r o u n d i n g j u n g l e frequently h a u n t the r u i n s , magically created constructs still guard parts of the ancient city, and small bands of drow h u n t in search of b o t h treasure and prey. T h e city is sometimes called the City of Dungeons— partly as a m o c k i n g comparison to the City of Towers, but partly due to the vast expanse of its u n d e r g r o u n d chambers and aboveground r u i n s , all h o l d i n g d a n g e r o u s foes and rich rewards. S t o r m r e a c h is alive with magic, and arcane obelisks and f o u n t a i n s dot the r u i n s of the a n c i e n t city. T h e pirate b a n d s that first settled the area built t h e i r residences a r o u n d these features, and they r e m a i n central to the city's modern neighborhoods.

RACES OF XEN'DRIK X e n ' d r i k is p o p u l a t e d by countless b i z a r r e and u n u s u a l creatures, and its more civilized h u m a n o i d and m o n s t r o u s h u m a n o i d i n h a b i t a n t s are no exception. R a n g i n g from the debased r e m n a n t s of the ancient giants' civilization to the s t r a n g e beelike abeils (described in Monster Manual II) that are said to inhabit at least one hive-city in the foothills of the Fangs of Argarak, the races of X e n ' d r i k are m o n s t r o u s , bestial, barbaric, and often highly xenophobic. T h e giants are the most i m p o r t a n t race in X e n ' d r i k , at least historically speaking. Descended from the titans who built E b e r r o n ' s first civilization, the giants of m o d e r n X e n ' d r i k are but a shadow of the race's former glory. They have splintered into n u m e r o u s kinds and spread to inhabit a wide r a n g e of e n v i r o n m e n t s . H i l l g i a n t s are the most commonly encountered around Stormreach, engaging in trade with the people of the city. Forest g i a n t s (from Monster Manual II) h u n t in the forests of the n o r t h , but they are rarely seen. Stone giants are also relatively c o m m o n , though they avoid the j u n g l e in favor of rockier t e r r a i n in the m o u n t a i n s and caves to the south. O t h e r kinds of giants established themselves in m o r e e x t r e m e e n v i r o n m e n t s : frost giants in the frozen south (as well as the far n o r t h ) , fire giants in the volcanic m o u n t a i n s , and cloud and storm giants in the heights of the sky and the depths of the sea. Some giants dwell in the desert M e n e c h t a r u n , i n c l u d i n g sun giants (from Monster Manual II) and sand giants (from Monster Manual

III).

T h e f o r m e r slaves of the giants—the drow—are the o t h e r i m p o r t a n t race on the c o n t i n e n t . W h e n t h e i r elf cousins fled to A e r e n a l , the drow r e m a i n e d in the shadow of the g i a n t r u i n s , a n d t h e i r civilization has u n d e r g o n e little c h a n g e in nearly forty t h o u s a n d years. T h e y believe that they alone preserve the d i g n i t y a n d valor of the elf race, d i s m i s s i n g the rebels who fled to A e r e n a l and t h e i r V a l e n a r h e i r s . T h e y w a n d e r the forests in small b a n d s , c a m p i n g u n d e r g r o u n d at t i m e s , a n d have little i n t e r a c tion with o t h e r s of t h e i r k i n d , let alone o t h e r races. ( T h e drow of X e n ' d r i k are d e s c r i b e d in m o r e d e t a i l in Races of Eberron.)

T h e b i r d l i k e race known as r a p t o r a n s (described in Races of the Wild) lives in cliffs and canyons all over X e n ' d r i k . A few have emigrated to Khorvaire, their curiosity about the common races aroused by contact in S t o r m r e a c h or in the wilds. They are common in the Titan's Teeth m o u n t a i n s but extend far beyond that area, from far n o r t h of the Skyfall Peninsula to the Skyraker Claws west of M e n e c h t a r u n . In addition to the sand giants and sun giants, four significant races are native to the great desert of M e n e c h t a r u n . T h e asheratis live in tight-knit family units u n d e r g r o u n d , swimming t h r o u g h sand it as if it were water. T h e goblinoid bhukas dwell in canyons and cliffsides, particularly where the desert abuts the Fangs of Angarak. T h e insectoid hunters and trackers known as t h r i - k r e e n wander the wastes, though they are hardly n u m e r o u s . Finally, the gregarious nomadic a r m a n d s inhabit the desert, t r a d i n g with all the other races of M e n e c h t a r u n . (Asheratis and bhukas are described in Sandstorm, t h r i - k r e e n a r e d e t a i l e d i n Expanded Psionics Handbook,

and a r m a n d s appear in Monster Manual III.) T h e race of catfolk (described in Races ofthe Wild) is native to the jungles of the Skyfall P e n i n s u l a . Over years of i n t e r action with the people of Stormreach, catfolk have migrated to various parts of K h o r v a i r e , congregating particularly in the Eldeen Reaches and Q ' b a r r a .

T h e race of y u a n - t i is actually native to S a r l o n a , h a v i n g o r i g i n a t e d as an offshoot of h u m a n s . W h e n the I n s p i r e d took c o n t r o l of t h a t c o n t i n e n t , they b e g a n to e x t e r m i n a t e t h e y u a n - t i , a n d t h o s e t h a t could escape fled to A r g o n n e s s e n . Many of the d r a g o n s were u n w i l l ing to open t h e i r land to these refugees, but a h a n d f u l of C h a m b e r agents who saw the arrival of the y u a n - t i as part of the u n f o l d i n g of the Prophecy offered t h e m sanctuary. As the n u m b e r s of y u a n - t i grew, d r a c o n i c r e s i s t a n c e to their presence increased as well, and most were eventually b a n i s h e d to X e n ' d r i k . A c c o r d i n g to some scholars, it was only u p o n t h e i r settling in X e n ' d r i k that the race of y u a n ti became c o r r u p t e d and hateful, and those scholars point to the benevolent y u a n - t i of the T a l e n t a city of K r e z e n t as evidence that the race was originally no m o r e evil than its h u m a n a n c e s t o r s . W h a t e v e r t h e i r o r i g i n , the y u a n - t i of X e n ' d r i k are m o r e u n i f o r m l y evil t h a n most races of E b e r r o n . T h o u g h e x c e p t i o n a l i n d i v i d u a l s exist, most are t h o r o u g h l y vile and depraved. For the most p a r t , they are isolated in t h e i r t e m p l e - s t a t e s deep in the j u n g l e s , but some have taken up residence in the giant r u i n s s u r r o u n d ing S t o r m r e a c h . From t h e r e , they send their most h u m a n like agents a m o n g the populace to p u r s u e t h e i r nefarious e n d s . Supposedly, these y u a n - t i seek to t r a n s f o r m all of h u m a n i t y i n t o t h e i r own s e r p e n t i n e image. Two races with a c o m m o n ancestor have spread to d o m i n a t e isolated K a p a e r i a n Island, west of the Skyfall P e n i n s u l a . T h e o r d e r e d cities of the skarns and the more casual c o m m u n i t i e s of the r i l k a n s t h r i v e s i d e - b y - s i d e , t r a d i n g mostly with each other but slowly s t a r t i n g to expand to the X e n ' d r i k m a i n l a n d . T h e s e races are h u m a n l i k e in a p p e a r a n c e , but they are d i s t i n g u i s h e d b o t h physically (the r i l k a n s have b a n d s of scales; the s k a r n s , distinctive spines) and in t h e i r use of the magic of i n c a r n u m — s t r a n g e soul energy they shape i n t o tangible spell-objects called soulmelds. (Skarns and r i l k a n s are fully detailed in Magic of Incarnum.)

Countless other races, from the h u m a n o i d to the truly m o n s t r o u s , i n h a b i t the wilder r e g i o n s of X e n ' d r i k . T h e highest, coldest peaks of the Fangs of Argarak are said to be home to a race of sinister yak folk (described in Monster Manual II) who prey on drow, giants, and travelers alike who stray too near their m o u n t a i n homes. A c c o r d i n g to tales of the asheratis, the deepest recesses of M e n e c h t a r u n are the abode of scorpionfolk (also from Monster Manual II). O p h i d ians, s a r k r i t h s , and c r u c i a n s are all found in X e n ' d r i k , as are many of the m o n s t r o u s races also found in K h o r v a i r e : ogres, m i n o t a u r s , h a r p i e s , gargoyles, and so o n . ( O p h i d ians and s a r k r i t h s are described in Fiend Folio; c r u c i a n s a p p e a r i n Miniatures

Handbook.)

Seemingly, every explorer who delves into the j u n g l e or crosses a m o u n t a i n range r e t u r n s with a r e p o r t of some n e v e r - b e f o r e - e n c o u n t e r e d race b u i l d i n g its i n s u l a r civilization in some lost valley or sequestered p l a i n . T h e most recent tall tales to spread t h r o u g h Stormreach involve a race of constructs much like warforged, supposedly b o r n from creation forges built before h u m a n s ever set foot on K h o r vaire. Popular imagination links these "dark warforged" to the drow, and imagines a r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e m and the C a n n i t h - b u i l t warforged somehow parallel to the relationship between the drow and the elves of A e r e n a l . In all likelihood, these tales—like so many explorers' reports—are pure fancy, either having no basis in reality or so distorting the t r u t h as to make it unrecognizable.

KNOWN RUINS Of XEN'DRIK Huge expanses of X e n ' d r i k r e m a i n completely unexplored, and even the Skyfall Peninsula outside the relatively civilized Stormreach is still u n t a m e d wilderness. T h e majority of the r u i n s and i m p o r t a n t sites that have been located in X e n ' d r i k are in that n o r t h e r n region; the location of most sites beyond the p e n i n s u l a is little more t h a n speculation. Of course, S t o r m r e a c h itself is built in the midst of a r u i n e d giant city, so these are among the best-known r u i n s in X e n ' d r i k . For many years, Mel-Aqat was t h o u g h t to be m e r e legend. M e n t i o n e d in a variety of a n c i e n t texts, this site was s u p posedly the p r i s o n for a mighty rakshasa rajah. U n t i l only a few years ago, most scholars had a b a n d o n e d hope of ever finding it, but then it was u n e a r t h e d by a g r o u p of advent u r e r s led by the scholar Janik Martell. G o o d and evil are both strong in Mel-Aqat. (This site is featured in the novel

Pra'xirek and T h a r k g u n Dhak are giant r u i n s . Pra'xirek lies near one of the heads (sources) of the Hydra—the great sound that divides the Skyfall Peninsula from the rest of the c o n t i n e n t . Two tribes of giants still inhabit the r u i n s , as well as a g r o u p of drow and a locathah clan. T h a r k g u n Dhak is a cliffside fortress located in the n o r t h e r n Fangs of A r g a r a k . Ogres now control the r u i n s , but it is a gateway to the depths of Khyber and infested with creatures of madness. (Both of these sites are fully detailed i n Explorer's Handbook.)

T h e R i n g of Storms is considered to be an idle myth, and its location has never been conclusively identified. According to legend, it was the m o u n t a i n refuge of a sect of magically powerful drow d u r i n g the Age of Giants, but this sect was destroyed by the fall of an e n o r m o u s d r a g o n s h a r d from the Ring of Siberys. (This site is the setting for the electronic g a m e Dragonshard.)

Legacy of Ruin.)

T h e Temple of S o n d a r Thaj lies in the heart of the Marsh of D e s o l a t i o n . I n fact, some c o r r u p t e d artifact or cursed entity within the temple is said to be responsible for the lingering malaise that seems to hang over that swamp. Legends say that it is the resting place of the Crown of S o n d a r Thaj, one of the draconic artifacts used in the ancient war against the fiend-spawn of Khyber. T h e Obsidian City is another r u i n e d giant city, now i n h a b ited by a tribe of drow called the Sulatar ("firebinders"). It lies at least 800 miles upriver from S t o r m r e a c h . (This site is featured in the novel The Shattered Land.)

Aside from the r u i n s on which the city is built, the T h r o n e Gate R u i n s are probably the closest r u i n s to Stormreach, lying about 400 miles up the Rachi River. T h i s site served as a temple and arcane laboratory at the height of the giant empire. (It is featured in the EBERRON adventure Grasp of the Emerald Claw.)

INDEX Of TOPICS Note: In most cases when an index entry contains more than one page number, the first number given is the main entry for that topic (where the most information about it is found). aasimars 123 aberrant dragonmarks 48 aberrations 86 aboleths 85 Adar 82,79, 109 Aerenal 18, 22,42, 50,72, 76, 77, 79, 98, 101, 140 aquatic elves 133 Arawai 138, 31, 33 Arcane Congress, the 100, 47, 124, 127 arcane signet ring 38 Argonnessen 42, 30, 79, 154 armands 154 artificer (class) 63, 100, 104 asheratis 154 Ashbound, the 57, 60 Ashtakala 36 Atur Academy 103 Aundair 64, 16, 22, 23, 57, 81, 92, 93, 97 Aureon 138, 31, 33, 42, 101 Aurum, the 146, 55, 111, 149 aventi 133 azurins 79 Balinor 138, 33 bariaurs 123 beholders 85 bhukas 154 Blood of Vol, the 22, 20, 57, 99, 103, 148 Bloodtouched rite 23 Boldrei 138 brand of the binding flame 36 Breland 64, 16, 22,23, 38, 40, 54,79, 81, 92,93, 108, 150 Broken Blade (monk order) 108 buomman 123 business license 38 Cannith, House 150, 47, 48, 93, 117 Carrion Tribes 34, 37 catfolk 154 centaurs 56 Chamber, the 44, 42, 154 changelings 24, 98 chaos gnomes 69 Children of Winter 58, 57, 60 chokers 85 Church of the Silver Flame 26, 31, 36, 37, 139, 147 City of the Dead 122 couatls 30, 31, 147, 152 creation myths 30 crucians 154 Cults of the Dragon Below 87, 57, 59, 85, 91, 101 Cyre 65, 16, 64, 92, 93, 97, 116, 140

daelkyr, the 85, 57, 59, 60, 69, 70, 76, 84, 87, 88, 101, 121 darfellans 133 Darguun 70, 16, 32, 65, 71, 79, 93, 97, 108, 144 Dark Six, the 32, 31, 121, 139 Day of Mourning, the 93, 59, 79, 86,94,97, 116, 117, 122 Deathguard, the 20 deathless21, 18, 19,72, 101, 122 deep gnomes 69 Demon Wastes 34, 16, 31, 78, 84, 119 Deneith, House 41, 47, 48, 53, 93, 97, 149 Devourer, the 33, 31, 32, 138 Dhakaani clans 70, 71 Dhakaani Empire 70, 76, 108, 129 documents 38 Dol Arrah 138, 32, 33, 139 Dol Dorn 139, 32, 33, 108 dolgaunts 85 dolgrims 85 doppelgangers 25, 24, 31, 33 draconic creatures 45 dragonmarked houses 46, 38, 41, 44, 47, 50, 78, 107, 136 dragonmarks 46, 43, 44 dragons 42, 30, 34, 67, 76, 79, 82, 101, 133, 152 dragonshards 50, 43, 47, 77, 84, 85, 152 Dreadhold 99 dream dwarves 54 Dreaming Dark, the 146, 82, 83, 120, 131 Droaam 52, 16, 22, 32, 33, 64,79, 84, 93, 97, 108 dromites 131 drow 154. 33, 76,77, 101, 152, 153 druid sects 57 duergar 54 dungeons of Droaam 53 dungeons of Eberron 16 dusklings 123 dwarves 54, 64, 66, 67 edicts of Korth 47 elans 131 Eldeen Reaches 56, 16, 85, 101, 122, 123, 134, 154 elf lines 19 Emerald Claw, Order of the 148, 20, 22, 31, 57, 98 epic-level adventures 17 espionage 80 everyday magic 62 Everice 66 Fairhaven 64 family names 48 favored soul (class) 139 feral garguns 56 Five Nations, the 64, 38, 47, 72, 74,77, 92, 93, 136, 150 Flamekeep 65 Flayed Hand (monk order) 108 Frostfell, the 66, 56, 122, 132 Fury, the 33, 138 Galifar, Kingdom of 64, 47, 65,77, 92,98, 128, 136, 153

Gatekeepers, the 59, 70, 85, 86, 88, 101, 118 Ghaal'dar tribe 32, 70 Ghaash'kala, the 36, 34, 37 Ghallanda, House 74, 75 giants 154, 16, 18, 31, 76, 101, 152 githyanki and githzerai 123 gnolls 52 gnome subraces 69 gnomes 68, 67, 76, 101 goblinoids 70, 76, 78, 108 goblins 52 goliaths 56, 31 Graywall 53 Greensingers, the 61 grells 85 hadozees 133 half-dragons 44 half-elven wine 73 half-elves 72, 61, 98 half-giants 131 half-living 21 half-ogres 52 half-orcs 119 halflings 74, 67 harpies 52 healer (class) 97 Heavenly Fleet, the 99 hexblade (class) 33 hill giants 52 history 76 humans 78 identification papers 38 illumians 79 incarnum 101 Inmost, the 107 Inspired, the 130, 50, 78, 79, 83, 152, 154 intrigue 80 jhorgun'taal, the 119 Jorasco, House 47, 75 kalashtar 82, 146 Kalok Shash 36 Karrnath 65, 22, 74, 75, 77, 78, 93, 96, 103, 148, 152 Kech Shaarat 7 1 KechVolaar 53 Keeper, the 33, 84, 122, 139 Khyber 84, 16, 30, 45 killorans 123 Kol Korran 139, 33 Krezent 154 Kundarak, House 39, 47, 55, 99, 153 Labyrinth, the 37, 34, 36 Last War, the 92, 16, 22, 39,40, 56, 65, 74, 96, 97, 100, 103, 121, 137, 140, 148, 150, 152 letter of credit 39 letter of dispensation 39 letter of marque 39 letter of proxy 40 Lhazaar Principalities 98, 66, 67, 78, 131 Library of Korranberg 69 Long Arm (monk order) 108 Lord of Blades, the 116, 151 Lords of Dust, the 147, 34, 35 Lyrandar, House 41, 47, 72 maenads 131

magic in Eberron 62 magic of the giants 101 magical traditions 100 manifest zones 122, 19, 20, 56, 57, 58, 61, 66, 153 Marguul tribe 70 marshal (class) 97 Medani, House 72 medusas 52 mephlings 123 mind flayers 85 minotaurs 52 Mockery, the 33, 108, 138, 139 monastic traditions 108 mongrelfolk 79 Morgrave University 110 Mournland, the 116, 16, 60, 93, 122, 151 Mror Holds 54, 28, 39, 64, 84, 119, 122 Mystic Fist (monk order) 108 neraphim 123 Newthrone 128 Nightclaw, t h e 22

ninja (class) 81 Olladra 139 Onatar 139, 31,42, 101, 138 ophidians 154 orcs 118, 36, 52, 54, 59, 139 Order of the Emerald Claw 148, 20, 22, 31, 57, 98 Orien, House 41, 47, 53 pardon (document) 40 Path of Light, the 82 Phiarlan, House 47, 48, 72, 81 planes of existence 120 Prophecy, the 42, 30, 44, 101, 154 psionic races 131 psionics 83, 50, 54 Q'barra 128, 16, 65 quori 130, 50, 76, 77, 82, 101, 120, 122 rakshasa rajahs 34, 84, 147 raptorans 154 Riedra 130, 79 rilkans 101, 154 royal decree (document) 40 runehounds 85 sakah 35 samurai (class) 64 sarkriths 154 Sarlona 77, 16, 66, 76, 78, 79, 98, 130, 154 scorpionfolk 154 scout (class) 97 sea kin 79 seas of Eberron 132 Seren 44, 79 serpent cults of Xen'drik 31 shaarat'khesh (monk order) 108 Shadow, the 33, 31, 138 shadowswyfts 123 Shae Mordai 20, 21 sharakim 79 Sharn 84, 87, 110, 122 shifters 134, 56, 58, 101 shugenja 45 Silver Flame, sects of 29 Sivis, House 38, 39, 40, 41, 47, 53, 77

skarns 101, 154 skulks 79 society and status 136 Sovereign Host, the 138, 31, 32, 33 spellthief (class) 81 spikers 123 spirit shaman (class) 61 stonechildren 123 Stormreach 153, 52, 77, 154, 155 swashbuckler (class) 137 Tairnadal elves 140, 18 Talenta Plains, the 74, 67, 75, 111 Tashalatora (monk order) 109 Tempest Isle 99 templars of the Silver Flame 26 Thaliost 65 Tharashk, House 52, 53, 153 Thrane 65, 23, 26, 27, 28, 93, 147, 150 thri-kreen 154 Thronehold 93 T h u r a n n i , House 47, 72 tieflings 123 title deed (document) 40 Traglorn Isle 99 Traveler, the 33, 31, 32, 42 traveling papers 41 Trebaz Sinara 99 Trolanport 153 trolls 53 Trust, the 68 Twelve, the 47, 100 uldras 67 umber hulks 85 underfolk 79 Undying Court 19, 21 urban elves 72 Valenar 140, 16, 64, 76, 77, 136 Wardens of the Wood 57, 86 warforged 150 warlock (class) 35 warmage (class) 97 warrant (document) 41 Wayfinder Foundation 66 whisper gnomes 69 wildren 123 Wroat 65 wu jen 59

Xen'drik 152, 16, 18, 22, 31, 40, 42, 50, 63, 76, 77, 101 xephs 82 yak folk 154 yuan-ti 154, 77 Zilargo 68, 16, 38, 39

Du'ulora Ancestor (feat) 83 epic artificer 17 Friend of the Tribes (feat) 75 Fury, the (deity) 33 Galifaran Scholar (feat) 77 gatekeeper mystagogue (prestige class) 88 goblinoid PCs 71 grayflower perfume (special substance) 129 Aberrant Dragonmark Gift Hashalaq Ancestor (feat) 83 (feat) 49 Heroes of Horror rules in the Aberrant Dragonmark Demon Wastes 37 Mystery (feat) 49 high elemental binder Aberrant Dragonmark Vigor (prestige class) 104 (feat) 49 Indomitable Discipline (feat) Aberration Banemagic (feat) 86 86 Aerenal Arcanist (feat) 20 Kalok Shash (deity) 36 Aerenal Half-Life (feat) 20 Keeper, the (deity) 33 Aereni Focus (feat) 20 Kol Korran (deity) 139 Arawai (deity) 138 lizardfolk PCs 129 artificer, epic 17 lodret leaf (special substance) artificer's monocle (magic item) 63 129 Atur Academy (organization) Manifest Druid (feat) 122 103 manifest spellshapers Aureon (deity) 138 (organization) 124 Balinor (deity) 138 manifest spellshapers feats Battlebred (feat) 122 125-126 Binding Brand (Ghaash'kala Mockery, the (deity) 33 feat) 36 Morgrave Outreach Associablade of light (psionic power) 149 tion (organization) 112 Bladebearer of the Valenar Nightclaw, the (artifact) 23 (feat) 141 nightshard maul (dragonshard Bloodtouched rite 23 item) 51 bloodstone blade (dragonshard Olladra (deity) 139 item) 51 Onatar (deity) 139 Boldrei (deity) 138 orcs as player characters 119 Child of the Swamps (feat) 119 Overload Metabolism (feat) 151 Chosen of the Deathless (feat) Passage Institute for the Arcane 122 Arts (organization) 102 create spirit idol (cleric spell) 21 Perfect Reflection cults and domains 87 (changeling feat) 25 cyrite (special substance) 117 price of loyalty (sorcerer/wizard Death's Blood (feat) 149 spell) 149 Devourer, the (deity) 33 dissonant touch (psionic power) 149 races of Droaam 53 Red Gauntlet Regiment Dol Arrah (deity) 138 (organization) 94 Dol Dorn (deity) 139 revenant blade (prestige dragon's insight (dragonmark class) 142 talent) 48 Ritual of Arcane Opposition 60 Dreaming Dark (deity) 131 Ritual of Blight's Embrace 60

INDEX OF GAME ELEMENTS

Ritual of the Timeless Soul 60 Ritual of the Woodland Bond 60 sentinel's watch (sorcerer/wizard spell) 149 Shadow, the (deity) 33 Shield of Blades (feat) 141 shield of Deneith (dragonmark talent) 48 Shifter Acrobatics (feat) 135 Shifter Magnetism (feat) 135 Shifter Stealth (feat) 135 Shocking Fist (feat) 151 shugenjas and dragons 45 Skai Sharrat (artifact) 71 spotted toadstool venom (poison) 129 subraces and dragonmarks 47 Sudden Willow Strike (feat) 109 swiftness of Orien (dragonmark talent) 48 Talenta Dinosaur Bond (feat) 75 Talenta Drifter (feat) 75 templars of the Silver Flame (organization) 26 Touch of Captivation (sakah feat) 35 Touch of Deception (sakah feat) 35 Touch of Summoning (sakah feat) 35 Traveler, the (deity) 33 twinblade scourge (magic item) 79 unity wine (cleric spell) 73 Unnatural Enemy (feat) 86 Valenar Trample (feat) 141 zaelshin tu (magic item) 145

MAPS Argonnessen 45 Church of the Silver Flame 29 Five Nations, the (circa 500 YK) 65 Frostfell, the 67 Labyrinth, the 37 lizardfolk encampment 128 magic item shop 63 monastery 109 Morgrave University 110 Mror Holds 55 planes of existence 121 Xen'drik 155

A b o u t the A u t h o r s JAMES WYATT won an Origins award for City of the Spider and he has written a trilogy of Eberron novels called The Queen. He also wrote Oriental Adventures and is the coauthor Dreaming Dark. of numerous roleplaying game products, i n c l u d i n g the EBERRON Campaign Setting, Sharn: City of Towers, Heroes of Horror, and L U K E J O H N S O N is a freelance game designer who has Draconomicon: The Book of Dragons. He lives in Washington State written several articles and adventures for Dragon Magazine with his wife, Amy, and their son, Carter. and Dungeon Magazine. KEITH BAKER has been an avid fan of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game since grade school. His life took a dramatic turn in 2002 when his world, Eberron, was selected as Wizards of the Coast's new D & D game setting. He is the coauthor of the EBERRON Campaign Setting and Sharn: City of Towers,

STEVEN "STAN!" BROWN worked at Wizards of the Coast as a creative director and is one of the founding members of The Game Mechanics, a d20 game publisher. His recent writing credits include Planar Handbook and a novel, titled Dragon Day, for Mirrorstone Books.