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# Welcome to Eberron - Eberron: Rising from the Last War - Dungeons & Dragons - Sources - D&D Beyond

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PREV CHAPTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CH.1: CHARACTER CREATION
Welcome to Eberron

In an ancient ruin beneath the Demon Wastes, a band of heroes races to claim the Reaper’s Heart. If the agents of the Emerald Claw reach it first, they’ll reignite the Last War and unleash an army of undead.

In the city of Sharn, a team of spies pulls off an impossible scheme—breaking into the impenetrable vaults of House Kundarak. But instead of gold, they find a secret that could shatter the fragile peace between the nations.

Aboard an airship, a wizard debates the interpretation of an ancient prophecy with a blood-red dragon. If the sage loses the argument, the dragon will destroy the airship and everyone on it. But if she wins the debate, the dragon will take them to distant Argonnessen, and no human has ever seen the land of dragons and returned!

The world of Eberron has a rich history built on heroic deeds, evolving magic, and the wounds of a long, devastating war. Action, adventure, good, evil, and a thousand shades of gray paint the landscape in broad strokes. Ancient mysteries await discovery so they can influence the world and its people.

Magic is built into the very fabric of the world. It pervades everyday life. It provides comforts and conveniences unknown in either the modern world or any world of medieval fantasy. Great cities where castles scrape the sky prosper throughout the continent of Khorvaire, and a thriving aristocracy of merchant families controls much of the world’s economy thanks to the edge given them by the mysterious and rare dragonmarks. Its people harness magic as a tool—to build cities, to sail ships through the skies, and to create both wonders and weapons.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, all classes and races. They travel the world, battling villains in instants of over-the-top action. And they unearth fabulous treasure, and deal with narrow escapes and ominous mysteries that are as likely to shed light on centuries of secrets as they are to threaten the world’s safety.

Eberron embraces swashbuckling action and pulp adventure while adding a layer of noir intrigue. Stories don’t always end well, and there isn’t a perfect answer to every problem. The Last War turned old allies into bitter enemies and destroyed an entire nation, leaving behind terrible scars. Crime and corruption lurk in the great cities of Khorvaire. Hidden dragons shape the course of history, and sinister fiends influence the dreams of the unwary. Yet mortal greed and ambition might prove more dangerous than any dragon or fiend. This darkness affords opportunities for a group of bold adventurers to make a difference—for better or for worse.

Using This Book

This book is a gateway to using Eberron as a setting for your D&D campaign. It guides players and the Dungeon Master through the process of creating characters and adventures set in this world.

This introduction presents an overview of the world: its history, its calendar, and the themes that drive it.

Chapter 1 details how to create Eberron characters. It offers race options and a new class, the artificer, that reflect the flavor of the world. It also presents group patrons, a new concept that adds a shared purpose to your party of adventurers. You can use this material in Eberron or any other D&D setting.

Chapter 2 provides an overview of the nations of Khorvaire (and beyond) and the religions of Eberron, handy details whether you’re a player seeking inspiration for your character’s backstory or a DM looking for an intriguing place to set an adventure.

Chapter 3 focuses on Sharn, the City of Towers. Sharn is one of the wonders of Khorvaire, and a source of endless adventures. This chapter presents a host of interesting locations and activities you can explore in this towering metropolis.

Chapter 4 provides ideas for adventures in Sharn and beyond. It introduces sinister forces at work in the world, along with the impact of the Last War and the dreadful Day of Mourning. It also includes a short adventure you can use to launch your campaign in Sharn.

Chapter 5 includes magic items and other treasures for an Eberron campaign. It also explores the vital role of dragonshards.

Chapter 6 presents new monsters and NPCs drawn from the world of Eberron. From mighty archfiends to helpful homunculi, these creatures add challenges to your adventures in Eberron (or any other D&D world).

Seven Things to Know

What is Eberron? Here are the key things to know:

The Last War Has Ended—Sort Of. The Last War plunged the continent of Khorvaire into civil war more than a century ago, shattering the Five Nations that made up the kingdom of Galifar. Just two years ago, the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Thronehold and the establishment of twelve recognized nations and a tenuous peace. The conflicts, the anger, and the pain of the long war remain, however, and the new nations seek every advantage as they prepare for the next war to break out on the continent.
Dragonmarked Dynasties. The great dragonmarked families are the barons of industry and commerce throughout Khorvaire and beyond. Their influence transcends political boundaries, and they remained mostly neutral during the Last War. Not technically citizens of any nation, the matriarchs and patriarchs of each house live in splendor within their enclaves and emporiums located throughout Khorvaire. These dynastic houses of commerce derive their power from dragonmarks—hereditary arcane sigils that manifest on certain individuals within the family, granting them limited but useful magical abilities associated with the trade guilds each family controls.
Lands of Intrigue. The war is over, and the nations of Khorvaire now try to build a new age of peace and prosperity. Ancient threats linger, however, and the world needs heroes to take up the cause. Nations compete on many levels—over economic dominance, political influence, territory, magical power, and more—each looking to maintain or improve its status by any means short of all-out war. Dragonmarked houses, churches both pure and corrupt, crime lords, monster gangs, psionic spies, arcane universities, secret societies, sinister masterminds, dragons, and a multitude of organizations and factions join the struggle for position and power in the aftermath of the Last War.
A Continent of Adventure. From the jungles of Q’barra to the blasted hills and valleys of the Demon Wastes, from the skyscrapers of Sharn to the dinosaur-filled Talenta Plains, Eberron is a world of adventure. Adventures can draw heroes from one exotic location to another across the continent of Khorvaire. The quest for the Mirror of the Seventh Moon might take the heroes from a hidden mountain shrine in Darguun to a ruined castle in the Shadow Marches and finally to a dungeon deep below the Library of Korranberg. Through the use of magical transportation, heroes can reach a wide range of environments over the course of an adventure, and thus deal with a diverse assortment of monsters and other challenges.
A World of Magic. The technology of Eberron has developed not through the advance of science but by the mastery of magic. The widespread use of magic pervades life in the cities and towns. Airships and rail transport make rapid travel across the continent possible. A working class of minor mages, called magewrights, uses spells to provide energy and other necessities. Advances in magic item creation have led to everything from self-propelled farming implements to sentient, free-willed beings created in artificers’ forges. With the aid of rare crystals called dragonshards, dragonmarks can be made more powerful, elementals can be controlled and harnessed, and magic items can be crafted and shaped.
New Races. In addition to the common player character races found in the Player’s Handbook, players can choose to play orc or goblinoid characters in Eberron. Or they can choose one of four new races: changelings, kalashtar, shifters, and warforged. Changelings have minor shapechanging abilities similar to those of doppelgangers. Kalashtar are planar entities merged with human hosts, giving them telepathic abilities. Shifters developed from the mixing of humans and lycanthropes, a union that grants them limited bestial abilities and feral instincts. The warforged are a constructed race created during the Last War, seeking to find its place in a post-war world.
D&D with a Twist. Every race, monster, spell, and magic item in the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual has a place somewhere in Eberron, but it might not be the place you expect. Eberron has a unique spot in the D&D multiverse, and many familiar elements of the game play different roles in the world. In particular, mortal creatures are products of culture and circumstances, rather than the direct influence of the gods. As a result, you can’t assume that a gold dragon is good or a beholder is evil; only in the case of celestials, fiends, and certain other creatures whose identity and worldview are shaped by magic (such as the curse of lycanthropy) is alignment a given.
History of Eberron

Every child knows the story of the Progenitor Dragons: Siberys, Eberron, and Khyber. In the dawn of time, these three cosmic beings created thirteen planes of existence, each embodying a concept. Their final work was the Material Plane, where all ideas would become manifest: a realm that could know war and peace, life and death, order and chaos. But cruel Khyber sought ultimate dominion over this new reality. She struck Siberys without warning and tore him apart. Eberron wrestled with Khyber and bound the traitor in her coils but could not defeat her. So Eberron became a living prison, a world that would forever contain Khyber’s evil.

Almost every culture in the world shares this story as a myth that explains the world. Shattered Siberys became the ring of golden dragonshards wrapped around the planet, said to be the source of magic. Eberron is the world, the source of all natural life. And Khyber is the Underdark and the source of aberrations and fiends, forever struggling against her bonds and yearning to destroy the world above.

Another tale shared across cultures describes one more conflict that occurred in the first age of the world. Long ago, powerful archfiends known as the Overlords and their armies of rakshasa and lesser fiends dominated Eberron. Forces of light—some versions of the story say the nine gods of the Sovereign Host, others say an alliance of dragons and celestials—eventually defeated the Overlords. But these fiends couldn’t be destroyed; instead, their immortal essences were bound in Khyber. Whatever the true details of this tale, this much is true: if the Overlords ever break their bonds, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Over the course of millennia, numerous civilizations rose only to fall. Giants built mighty kingdoms on the continent of Xen’drik that were devastated by a war with the dragons of Argonnessen. The goblin empire of Dhakaan ruled Khorvaire until its reign was shattered by an invading army of mind flayers, beholders, and the foul creatures that created them. Today these civilizations are known only through the remnants left behind.

The Five Nations

In the modern age, the greatest power was the kingdom of Galifar, which covered most of the continent of Khorvaire. The Five Nations—Aundair, Breland, Karrnath, Thrane, and Cyre—formed the heart of the kingdom. Although each has a unique cultural identity, they share this unified foundation. Families are spread across the Five Nations; the rulers of the Five Nations descend from the Wynarns, the royal bloodline of Galifar. Despite their differences, an Aundairian has more in common with a Thrane than with a Zil gnome or a Lhazaar pirate.

A century ago Galifar collapsed into civil war, and the Five Nations became separate countries at odds with their neighbors. The Last War came to an end after Cyre was destroyed in a cataclysm known as the Mourning. The Five Nations remain divided today, sharing Khorvaire with the new nations established by the Treaty of Thronehold. The remaining Five Nations remain the largest and most powerful countries in Khorvaire.

The Treaty of Thronehold

The Treaty of Thronehold officially ended the Last War. The treaty recognized the following nations as sovereign states: Aundair, Breland, Darguun, the Eldeen Reaches, Karrnath, the Lhazaar Principalities, the Mror Holds, Q’barra, the Talenta Plains, Thrane, Valenar, and Zilargo. These nations abide by a common set of laws and maintain diplomatic relations. The Demon Wastes and Shadow Marches regions have no unified government. Droaam has declared itself a nation but has yet to be recognized by the treaty nations.

Life in Khorvaire

Although Eberron is a vast world with many continents and cultures, your adventures begin in the land of Khorvaire. Here are a few details about everyday life there.

Languages

In Eberron, languages reflect culture and geography; a dwarf raised in Breland might not know Dwarvish, but a halfling raised in the Mror Holds might. The historical development of languages and cultures also explains the scripts used to write various languages. For example, the Orc language is written using the Goblin script (rather than Dwarvish, as stated in the Player’s Handbook), because the orcs of Khorvaire learned writing from the goblins.

Common is the language of the Five Nations and the language of trade in Khorvaire, known by most of its people. Goblin was the trade language of the goblin empire of Dhakaan and survives as the primary language in Darguun, Droaam, and the Shadow Marches. Goblin displaced the Orc language; the people of the Shadow Marches typically speak Goblin, and Orc is an exotic language (see the Exotic Languages of Eberron table). Members of all races in Xen’drik speak Giant and use it as their trade language. Infernal is the common tongue of all fiends. Infernal is sometimes called “Khyber’s Speech,” while Celestial is “the tongue of Siberys.”

With the DM’s approval, you can exchange a language granted by your race for a different language from the Standard Languages of Eberron table. If your halfling was raised in the Mror Holds, you might replace Halfling with Dwarvish to reflect that background. The DM may change the languages assigned to a monster or NPC. An ogre from Droaam likely speaks Goblin instead of Giant.

Standard Languages of Eberron
Language	Main Speakers	Script
Common	The Five Nations, trade language of Khorvaire	Common
Dwarvish	Mror Holds	Dwarvish
Elvish	Aerenal, Valenar	Elvish
Giant	Inhabitants of Xen’drik	Giant
Gnomish	Zilargo	Dwarvish
Goblin	Darguun, Droaam, Shadow Marches, monsters of Khorvaire	Goblin
Halfling	Talenta Plains	Common
Riedran	People of Sarlona	Common
Exotic Languages of Eberron
Language	Main Speakers	Script
Celestial	Celestials	Celestial
Daelkyr	Aberrations, denizens of Khyber	Daelkyr
Draconic	Dragons, dragonborn	Draconic
Infernal	Fiends	Infernal
Orc	Isolated orc tribes	Goblin
Primordial	Elementals	Primordial
Quori	Inspired, kalashtar, quori	Quori
Sylvan	Fey creatures	Elvish
Names and Surnames

The naming conventions among the people of Khorvaire tend to follow language, rather than being linked to race. A Brelish dwarf who doesn’t speak Dwarvish might also carry a name with a human origin rather than a traditional Dwarvish name.

Most citizens of Khorvaire have a given name followed by a surname. A surname associated with the Common language is usually either a family name or related to an occupation or region of origin. So Sorn Fellhorn, Kara of Windshire, and Tellan Magewright are all names you might find among the common folk.

The noble families of Galifar—along with those granted land and titles by one of the sovereigns of the Five Nations—add the prefix ir’ to their surname. The name Darro ir’Lain tells you that this individual is a landed noble. The Wynarns were the royal line of Galifar, and the current rulers of Aundair, Breland, and Karrnath are all heirs of the Wynarn bloodline. Thus, Queen Aurala of Aundair is Aurala ir’Wynarn.

Another common prefix is d’, used by any heir of a dragonmarked house who has manifested a dragonmark. So Merrix d’Cannith is a member of House Cannith who has manifested the Mark of Making.

Calendar

In the common calendar of Khorvaire, days are 24 hours long, divided into day and night. Seven days make up a week, four weeks a month, and twelve months a year. The months correspond to the twelve moons of Eberron (see the Eberron Months table), and the prominent moon carries the name of the month in which its orbit brings it closest to the planet.

The seven days of the week, in order, are Sul, Mol, Zol, Wir, Zor, Far, Sar.

The common calendar of Khorvaire tracks the years since the founding of the kingdom of Galifar, using the abbreviation YK. The last king of Galifar, Jarot ir’Wynarn, died on 12 Therendor 894 YK. The Day of Mourning occurred a century later, on 20 Olarune 994 YK. By default, a new Eberron campaign begins on 1 Zarantyr 998 YK.

Eberron Months
Month	Name
1	Zarantyr (mid-winter)
2	Olarune (late winter)
3	Therendor (early spring)
4	Eyre (mid-spring)
5	Dravago (late spring)
6	Nymm (early summer)
7	Lharvion (mid-summer)
8	Barrakas (late summer)
9	Rhaan (early autumn)
10	Sypheros (mid-autumn)
11	Aryth (late autumn)
12	Vult (early winter)
Currency

Merchants and nobles use letters of credit to handle large transactions, drawing on the reserves of the dwarven banks of the Mror Holds. But most day-to-day transactions use coins of precious metal. With the collapse of the kingdom of Galifar, each of the Five Nations began to mint its own currency, along with the Mror bankers. However, while the designs imprinted on these coins vary based on the source, each of these factions has continued to use the same metals, weights, and denominations set forth in the days of Galifar, maintaining a simple standard for commerce across Khorvaire.

The copper crown (cp) traditionally depicts the crown of Galifar on one face. The crown is the lowest denomination of coin minted under the rule of Galifar, which spawned the saying, “In Galifar, even the beggars have crowns.”

The silver sovereign (sp) bears the face of a living or recent ruler. An unskilled laborer can expect to earn a sovereign for a day’s work.

The gold galifar (gp) bears the image of Galifar I, the founder of the old kingdom.

The platinum dragon (pp) bears the image of one of the dragons of legend. With a value of one hundred sovereigns, these coins are used only by the wealthiest citizens of Khorvaire, and the average peasant might never see such a coin.

A number of other coins remain in circulation, such as the double crown of Breland (2 cp) and the silver throne of Cyre (5 sp). However, all the major nations of Khorvaire make use of the four basic coins described above.

Pulp Adventure

Eberron is a world of swashbuckling adventure. Whether you’re a DM developing an adventure in the world or a player preparing to explore it, consider the following elements.

Exotic Locations

Lightning rails, airships, and other forms of transportation facilitate travel to exotic locations. Adventures could take you to the colossal ruins left behind by the giants of Xen’drik, the warped landscape of the Mournland, or the dark demiplanes within the underworld of Khyber. Even if you prefer to stay in a town, you could explore the mile-high towers of Sharn or the ancient goblin tunnels that lie beneath it.

Remarkable Heroes

Eberron is a world in need of heroes. Lingering tensions of war remain. From the fanatics of the Emerald Claw and the mad cults of the Dragon Below to the flesh-warping daelkyr and ancient archfiends, Eberron faces many threats, and few people besides the player characters are able to stop them. The gods are distant and don’t directly intervene. The Silver Flame is a divine force of light, but it can act only through mortal champions. The few powerful benevolent NPCs have limitations: the Keeper of the Flame loses her powers if she leaves her citadel. The Great Druid, the spiritual leader of the Eldeen Reaches, is a tree. Most of the powerful people in the world focus on selfish goals. If an angry dragon attacks Sharn, there’s no one else to deal with the problem: the fate of the city is in your hands.

Consider a dynamic backstory when developing your character and choosing your background, whether you take a background from the Player’s Handbook or the house agent background in chapter 1 of this book. If you take the soldier background, you might have played a role in events of the last few years. What did you do during the Last War? What was your greatest triumph or defeat? If you’re a spy, are you a prized agent or did you disavow your organization after they pushed you too far? Don’t think of your character as a set of numbers: even at 1st level, you’re remarkable in Eberron.

DM TIP: HIGH STAKES

What’s better than a battle on the deck of an airship? A battle on the deck of an airship that’s about to crash! A DM should look for ways to raise the stakes of an Eberron scene, so players feel that every decision matters. This could be driven by the consequences of failure: your actions protect your friends, your house, or your nation. It could involve time: the alarm’s been triggered, and you only have 6 rounds before security arrives. Such things can even be incidental. Did you start a fight in an alley behind a bar? Now you notice the drunk ogre sleeping in the shadows. If she wakes up, this could get ugly.

Remarkable Villains

Eberron is rich in villains, from two-bit hoods to continental masterminds. It might be a long time before you’re ready to face the sinister leader behind the Order of the Emerald Claw in battle. But part of the flavor of pulp adventure includes recurring villains who closely match the heroes—rivals who advance in power as you do.

To create a compelling villain, the DM and players might develop a villain’s backstory together. A DM might ask a player: When you fought in the Last War, Halas Martain served in your unit until he betrayed you. What did he do, exactly? Likewise, when a pulp villain appears to die, they can devise remarkable escapes from death. Perhaps Halas had a ring that cast an illusion of his death while stabilizing him or cast feather fall when he leapt from that tower in Sharn. A DM could engage the players in determining the answer: It’s Halas Martain, all right. How do you think he survived your last encounter? This collaboration can produce a compelling story and a sense of investment in the world.

Noir Intrigue

Eberron draws inspiration from noir and hard-boiled fiction. It’s a world where stories don’t always end well, and where there isn’t a perfect solution for every problem. In developing characters or stories in Eberron, consider the following concepts.

Everyone Has Regrets

Player characters are remarkable people, but they aren’t perfect. As you consider a flaw for your character, you can add a little hard-boiled flavor by considering the past: Did you make a tragic mistake, and if so, is it something you can ever undo? Did you hurt or betray someone who now seeks revenge? The Regrets table provides a few examples of missteps that might haunt you.

Regrets
d10	Regret
1	While you were serving in the Last War, you were forced to abandon an injured comrade. You don’t know if they survived.
2	You placed your faith in a lover who betrayed you. You don’t know if you can ever trust anyone again.
3	You murdered a rival. Your actions may have been justified, but their face still haunts you.
4	You made a promise to a child or a lover that you failed to keep.
5	You squandered your family’s fortune and brought shame and ruin to your household.
6	You made a bargain with an extraplanar entity that you now regret.
7	You abandoned your family to pursue a life of adventure. Your village was destroyed in the war and you don’t know if they survived.
8	You engaged in covert operations for a nation as a spy or soldier. While you were serving your country, you did unforgivable things.
9	Someone put their trust in you and you betrayed them for personal gain. You might regret it now, but you can never repair the damage you’ve done.
10	You volunteered for mystical experiments. These may be responsible for your class abilities, but you might experience side effects.
Why Do You Need 200 Gold Pieces?

A regret helps shape your personality as an element of your past that plays an ongoing role in your story. But perhaps you have a problem that needs to be resolved right now. Another way to define a character’s flaw is to roll on the Debts table.

Why would you want to take on a debt? The obligation adds depth to a character and provides a compelling, immediate motive for adventuring—you’re not just out to get rich; you need gold to get that bounty off your head. It’s also an opportunity to establish an element that can be part of a character moving forward. If you’re trying to reclaim a magic item from a pawnshop, you declare that your character once owned that magic item—an heirloom, something you created, or a gift from a mentor—you’ve just temporarily lost it. If you’re trying to raise money to join a secret society, it suggests that membership in this organization may be a part of the story later on.

Establishing a debt requires collaboration and approval by both player and DM. Work together to develop the details: Who’s blackmailing you? Which secret society are you trying to join? What’s the story behind the magic item you’ve pawned, and what sort of item is it? You can present ideas, but the DM has final approval.

Debts
d10	Debt
1	You committed a crime during the Last War, and now you’re being blackmailed by someone who has proof. You can justify your actions, but the law won’t care.
2	You’ve got a gambling problem. If you can’t repay Daask (see chapter 3), you’re going to be playing tag with a cockatrice.
3	You own an uncommon magic item, but you had to sell it to a pawn shop. If you can’t reclaim it within the month, they’ll sell it off.
4	You were making a delivery on behalf of the Boromar Clan (see chapter 3) and you lost the merchandise.
5	Someone knows the whereabouts of a sibling or loved one you thought lost in the Mourning, but that information is going to cost you.
6	You have a degenerative disease that can’t be cured by mundane means. If you can’t get a lesser restoration soon, you’re going to start showing symptoms.
7	Your family lost everything in the Last War. You could get them a stake in a new farm, inn, or stagecoach with 200 gp.
8	You’ve got a price on your head. Until you settle things with House Tharashk, you’d better keep an eye out for bounty hunters.
9	You have an opportunity to join an influential secret society. But you’ve got only one month to raise the membership dues.
10	Roll again. It’s not your debt: it’s your lover’s problem. Can you solve the problem before they have to face the consequences?
Personal Motives

Not every conflict involves a fight between light and darkness. The vast majority of people are driven by simple motives: greed, fear, pride, or ambition. One person just wants to get some gold in their pocket. Another wants to impress a paramour. A leader guiding their nation into war is motivated both by fear of their neighbors and the sincere belief that Khorvaire would be better off under their rule.

Primordial forces strive to change or destroy Eberron. But more often, characters encounter misguided patriots, religious extremists, dragonmarked houses looking to wring a few more pieces of gold out of Khorvaire, spies who will do anything to protect their nations, and petty criminals trying to build empires. Eberron holds a place for selfless heroes and truly vile villains, as well as everyone in between.

Shades of Gray

In Eberron, it’s not always easy to separate the heroes from the villains. Good people can do terrible things, while cruel or heartless people might serve the greater good. An inquisitor might torture innocents in a quest to root out a cult of the Dragon Below; if she’s stopped, the cult will survive and flourish. A group of orcs periodically raids a human settlement because the settlers built their village on land sacred to the orcs and are disrupting wards that hold evil at bay. The heroes find a powerful magic weapon in a tomb, but the artifact is the sword of an ancient hobgoblin general, whose descendants want it back. The ways to resolve these problems aren’t always simple.

Certain situations demand straightforward decisions. If Emerald Claw cultists are about to detonate a necrotic resonator that will kill half of Sharn, they need to be stopped. But in a good Eberron story, the simplest solution may not be the best one.

Something to Lose

In a noir story, things don’t necessarily end well. But any adventure carries a risk of death or failure, so what additional factors might be at risk for the characters? They should have something to lose beyond hit points, vulnerabilities not reflected in game statistics: fear of a tarnished reputation, a threat to a friend or lover, a favorite business destroyed or taken over. Character relationships require players to invest in the story and work best when the DM and player collaborate to develop details (the group patrons in chapter 1 provide a framework for fleshing out such details).

A DM who introduces an old buddy who served with the player characters during the war could describe the person and then ask each player to define a connection to them. Present each player with a prompt: Player one, how did Smitty save your life? Player two, you and Smitty were both in a prison camp; how did you escape? The answers to these questions provide details to use in a campaign, and they give the players a personal investment, which makes it more significant when the Emerald Claw targets Smitty for assassination!

A Magical World

The Five Nations were built on a magical foundation. To them, magic is a form of science, which can be studied and taught. Nevertheless, few people possess the skill required to become a wizard or an artificer, and high-level magic remains rare. Resurrection and teleportation aren’t part of everyday life, but citizens harness lesser effects and use them for the common good.

Artisans called magewrights provide much of this magic. Compared to a wizard or an artificer, a magewright’s knowledge of magic is narrow: a locksmith might master the arcane lock and knock spells to supplement the use of physical tools; a magewright healer could cast lesser restoration and cure wounds in addition to using healer’s kits and the Medicine skill. A magewright’s casting is also slow and expensive: they typically cast their spells as rituals. They are artisans, not adventurers, and the prosperity of the Five Nations was built on their foundation.

Game statistics are given for magewrights in chapter 6, including how much it costs them to cast a spell of 1st level or higher. In chapter 2, prices are given for magewright services in the city of Sharn, but those prices can be used elsewhere in the world as well.

Dragonmarked Dynasties

Powerful dynastic guilds dominate and regulate the magical economy. The dragonmarked houses include barons of industry whose influence rivals that of monarchs. Their power derives from their dragonmarks: magical sigils passed down through their bloodlines. For example, House Jorasco dominates the medical trade with its Mark of Healing, while only someone with House Lyrandar’s Mark of Storms can pilot an airship.

Even independent businesses are typically licensed by a house and conform to the standards it sets. Not every tavern is run by House Ghallanda, but the Ghallanda seal in the corner of an inn sign assures customers that the establishment meets health and safety standards.

Chapter 1 contains more details about dragonmarks and the dragonmarked houses, along with rules for creating dragonmarked characters.

Communication

The Courier’s Guild of House Orien operates a mail service, carrying messages and packages across Khorvaire by horse and the house’s lightning rail. Sending a letter by mail is inexpensive; sending a package or a message by way of a courier is more secure but more expensive.

If security is particularly important, House Sivis can protect written messages using magic, such as the illusory script spell, and House Kundarak can secure packages with the glyph of warding spell.

The gnomes of House Sivis also maintain a network of speaking stones (described in chapter 5) to facilitate instantaneous communication across long distances. Short messages pass from one stone to another one within a network of message stations.

The Communication and Security Services table shows typical prices.

Communication and Security Services
Service	Cost
Arcane lock (House Kundarak)	20 gp
Courier service (House Orien)	1 sp per mile
Glyph of warding (House Kundarak)	350 gp
Illusory script (House Sivis)	15 gp
Mail service (House Orien)	1 cp per mile
Message station (House Sivis)	2 sp per word
Translation (House Sivis)	2 cp per word
Convenience

In the cities of Khorvaire, magic provides a host of minor conveniences. Everbright lanterns (described in chapter 5) light the streets. A chef heats a pot of stew with a whispered incantation, while magic amplifies a town crier’s voice. The various effects produced by prestidigitation—heating, cooling, cleaning, and minor illusion—all enhance daily life in the cities.

Entertainment and Fashion

Theaters employ cantrips to amplify sound and focus lighting. Grander performances incorporate illusions, creating special effects to thrill audiences, and other spells allow actors to perform amazing stunts. Dream parlors focus on entirely illusory entertainment.

Those with the inclination to display their wealth wear glamerweave, clothing imbued with illusion (presented in chapter 5). This can involve moving images, such as a cloak lined with glittering stars or a gown with a pattern of flames; the wearer might even adjust the intensity of these flames with a word. Expensive glamerweave can produce more elaborate effects, such as a gown that appears to be made of blooming flowers. Glamerweave can also create abstract effects that slowly shift colors or shimmer with a subtle glow.

Medicine

The dragonmarked House Jorasco maintains houses of healing across Khorvaire. The simplest service is the expert application of the Medicine skill. For those with desperate need and gold to pay, most Jorasco outposts can provide lesser restoration; the best healers can also provide greater restoration. In the finest Jorasco enclaves, it’s even possible to raise the dead.

The Healing Services table summarizes typical prices for the services provided by House Jorasco.

Healing Services
Service	Cost
Minor nonmagical care	3 sp per use of the Medicine skill
Major nonmagical care	1 gp per day
Cure wounds	25 gp per level of the spell
Lesser restoration	50 gp
Remove curse	75 gp
Greater restoration	150 gp
Raise dead	750 gp
Transportation

An excellent system of roads connects the central nations of Khorvaire. Travelers can always make their way by horse or coach, which might employ draft animals magebred by House Vadalis for speed or endurance. House Vadalis also supplies exotic mounts such as hippogriffs and griffons. Elemental galleons use bound air or water elementals to propel them.

Two main options provide long-distance travel across land. Major cities in Khorvaire are linked by the lightning rail of House Orien, which allows you to avoid the perils—and tedium—of the roads. The lightning rail uses bound elementals to pull a train of carriages over a path of magical stones, between which a rail-like stream of lightning arcs.

If speed is an issue, you can book passage on a House Lyrandar airship, which uses a bound elemental to hold a ship aloft and propel it through the air. This is almost the fastest way to travel, but also the most expensive. Elemental airships are a recent innovation and are relatively rare; many cities don’t yet have docking towers.

For those with no time to spare and plenty of money to spend, House Orien also has teleportation circles in each of its enclaves in cities across Khorvaire. At significant cost, a member of the house will transport passengers instantaneously from one enclave to another.

The Travel Services table summarizes the cost of traveling by these extraordinary means.

Travel Services
Service	Cost	Speed
Airship (House Lyrandar)	1 gp/mile	20 mph
Elemental galleon (House Lyrandar)	5 sp/mile	10 mph
Lightning rail, standard (House Orien)	2 sp/mile	30 mph
Lightning rail, first class (House Orien)	5 sp/mile	30 mph
Lightning rail, steerage (House Orien)	3 cp/mile	30 mph
Magebred coach (House Orien)	3 sp/mile	5 mph
Teleportation circle (House Orien)	2,500 gp	Instant
Warfare

After a century of war, magic plays an ever-increasing role on the battlefield. Massive magical siege staffs fill the role of artillery. Semi-sentient warforged titans can scatter squads of infantry. Arcane sappers may spread glyphs of warding to deny a region to an enemy. Wands and rods haven’t replaced the swords or bows, but elite wandslingers, as military spellcasters are often known, are becoming ever more common.

The nations of Khorvaire all employed different forms of battle magic during the war. Aundair fielded the greatest number of wizards, while Breland produced floating fortresses and other engines of war. The nation of Karrnath embraced the practice of necromancy and animated hordes of undead soldiers.

In the final decades of the war, House Cannith created the warforged: tireless soldiers formed of metal and other materials. The Treaty of Thronehold forbade the creation of new warforged and granted freedom to those that survived the conflict. Warforged now seek places to call home across Khorvaire, but these living weapons struggle to find their place in a world at peace.

The Last War

For hundreds of years, the continent of Khorvaire was united under the kingdom of Galifar. This peace came to an end with the death of King Jarot in 894 YK, just over a century ago. Conflict over the succession spiraled into outright war between the Five Nations.

The Last War was a bitter struggle that forever changed the shape of Khorvaire. It was a century marked by shifting alliances, with years of stalemate interspersed with periods of intense battles. This grueling conflict left deep scars on the land and the people, but there was worse to come. On 20 Olarune 994 YK, the nation of Cyre was consumed in a magical cataclysm now known as the Mourning. The cause of the Mourning remains unknown; many fear it was caused by unbridled use of war magic. Shock and fear brought the nations to the negotiating table, and the Last War came to an end in 996 YK with the Treaty of Thronehold.

Although many celebrated the end of the war, others remain unsatisfied with its outcome. No one won the war. Even though people optimistically refer to it as the Last War, most believe that it’s only a matter of time until conflict begins anew. The mystery of the Mourning is the only thing holding the warmongers at bay. If someone uncovers the secret of the Mourning—if it can be proven that the Mourning can’t happen again, or if its power could be harnessed as a weapon—war could erupt again. Until then, the nations remain in a cold war as each makes preparations and seeks advantages in a conflict that could lie ahead.

The Scars of War

As of 1 Zarantyr 998 YK, it’s been less than four years since the Mourning and less than two years since the Last War came to an end. The Last War spanned the continent and lasted for over a century. Most people want to move on. But the scars of decades of war can’t be erased so quickly. These are just a few of the ongoing effects of the Last War.

Dragonmarked Power

The dragonmarked houses remained neutral in the war and made considerable profit selling their services to all sides. War drives innovation; House Cannith developed many new weapons during the war, including the warforged. House Lyrandar perfected its airships in the last decade of the conflict. Rumors persist of monsters or super soldiers developed by House Vadalis or biological weapons in the hands of House Jorasco.

The dragonmarked houses emerged from the war stronger than ever, with the divided nations dependent on their services. Before the Last War, united Galifar imposed many restrictions on the houses. Today, no monarch can afford to break ties with any of the dragonmarked houses. What will happen if one of the houses goes too far in its pursuit of profit?

New Nations

Before the Last War, Galifar laid claim to all Khorvaire. Several new states emerged over the course of the war. In some cases, this was largely a formality; Galifar never had a strong grip on the Lhazaar Principalities or the gnome nation of Zilargo, and they held the Demon Wastes in name only. Other states were born in violence: the elves of Valenar and the goblins of Darguun seized their realms by force. But Aundair yearns to reclaim the Eldeen Reaches, Breland keeps a wary eye on the monstrous kingdom of Droaam, and many mistrust the Valenar elves. Within the Five Nations, anger remains over how the final lines were drawn; for example, Thrane retains control of the ancient Aundairian city of Thaliost, seized during the war.

Physical Damage

The borders between nations demonstrate the impact of generations of conflict. Forests and farmlands scorched by fire and magic are still recovering. Ruined cities have yet to be reclaimed, along with shattered villages and abandoned fortresses. These deserted sites now provide shelter for brigands or are haunted by the restless spirits of those who died in anguish.

This damage reached far beyond the front lines. Magic-fueled weapons, aerial cavalry, and guerrilla forces all struck deep within enemy territory, and the cities of Khorvaire suffered. Wherever you go, you might see the scorch marks of fireballs or wreckage from siege weapons. Every nation is working to repair these wounds, but the damage could linger for generations.

As you create an Eberron character, consider your roots and the impact of the war. Was your hometown destroyed in the war? Is your family thriving, or were its members scattered or slain during the conflict?

Refugees and Shortages

Refugees live in every major city, including tens of thousands of exiles produced by Cyre’s destruction. Cyrans are a people without a homeland, seeking shelter and sustenance in the lands of their former enemies. Many Cyran refugees are former soldiers who were fighting in enemy territory when the Mourning struck, or they were farmers and merchants who escaped before their nation was consumed. Former nobles now have nothing but rags, and scholars or artists live in alleyways.

Cities and towns still suffer from shortages in the aftermath of the war. Farmlands, workers, and the resources devoted to the war were lost. Nations are recovering, and most essential services and goods are available in major cities. But there is always the possibility that something you want—a luxury item or a spell component—simply isn’t available or can be acquired only through the black market.

The Mourning

The nation of Cyre was once the heart of the kingdom of Galifar. The Last War took a heavy toll on Cyre and its citizens, as the nation became a primary battleground where the Five Nations crossed swords. But no one was prepared for the disaster that struck in 994 YK.

Accounts of the Mourning vary. Some say that a blinding light engulfed the battlefield near the Saerun Road. Others say that dead-gray mists rose in the capital city of Metrol and spread from there. Within the space of one day, the nation of Cyre had been engulfed in a wall of mist, and anything caught within the mists was horrifically transformed. Over a million Cyrans were killed on the day of Mourning. Those who survived were soldiers fighting in enemy territory, those living on the borders who were able to flee from the advancing mists, and those few who were able to escape the interior through magical means. On 20 Olarune 994 YK, the nation of Cyre ceased to exist.

The Mourning threw Khorvaire into a state of shock. Who could unleash such power? Was this a weapon, and if so, when would those responsible issues their demands? Were the borders of the lingering walls of mist stable, or could they expand at any moment? What was to be done with the Cyran refugees surging into every adjacent nation? Fear of the Mourning ended the war. But all those questions remain unanswered.

Breland opened its borders to refugees, and Prince Oargev serves as de facto ruler in the area now called New Cyre. Despite its grand name, New Cyre is little more than a vast refugee camp. Other refugees scattered across Khorvaire; some are treated with pity, others with suspicion or anger. And fear of the Mourning hangs like a shadow across Khorvaire. Could it happen again? Is this how the world ends?

The Mournland

A wall of dead-gray mist surrounds the remnants of Cyre. Beyond the mists lies a land twisted by magic, a wound that will not heal. The blasted land is strangely transformed. In some places, the ground has fused into jagged glass. In others, it is cracked and burned. Broken bodies of soldiers from various sides litter the landscape—soldiers whose dead bodies refuse to decompose. The Mournland is a vast open grave.

In that horrific landscape, vile magical effects linger, and monsters mutate into even more foul and horrible creatures. Magical effects continue to rain upon the land as storms that never dissipate. Stories speak of living spells—war magic that has taken physical form, sentient fireballs and vile cloudkills that endlessly search for new victims. And angry ghosts continue to fight their final battles.

The only thing predictable about the Mournland is that nothing is predictable; any sort of monster or horror could lurk within its borders. And yet it also holds the wealth and treasures of an entire nation, along with the secrets of House Cannith and everything else that was left behind. It’s dangerous. It’s mysterious. But it’s also a dungeon the size of a nation, with opportunities for those brave enough to enter the mists.

The Mourning and You

In making an Eberron character, think about the impact the Mourning had on you. If you’re from Cyre, did you lose all your family and friends? Are there heirlooms lost in the mists that you’re determined to regain, or loved ones you hope to someday see again? Do you feel loyalty to your nation and hope to see it restored, or have you burned Cyre out of your heart?

Even if you’re not from Cyre, the Mourning may have had a profound impact on you. Are you afraid that the Mourning could consume all of Khorvaire, or do you prefer not to dwell on such things? If you’re religious, did the shocking tragedy of the Mourning cause you to question your faith, or did it reinforce it? If you’re an artificer or a wizard, are you interested in studying its effects more closely. Might you even hope to unravel its mysteries yourself? Do you see it solely as a tragedy, or do you hope that this awesome power could somehow be harnessed?

Perhaps you were caught in the Mourning and survived the experience, but its effects remain with you. Consider the following aftereffects of your experience:

As a barbarian, you could have been a simple peasant caught in the Mourning. Everyone else in your community was killed, but their spirits were bound to you. Your barbarian rage represents you channeling these vengeful ghosts. Is there a way to lay these spirits to rest? Do they have unfinished business they want you to resolve?
As a sorcerer, your magical powers could be the result of your exposure to the Mourning. Were you physically transformed as well, or are your powers the only manifestation of the Mourning? Are you comfortable using your abilities, or are you afraid that you might be increasing the power of the Mourning with each spell you cast?
As a warlock, your patron could be interested in the Mourning and drive you to learn more about it. Your patron could even be part of the Mourning—perhaps a collective of spirits killed on the Day of Mourning, or a dark and enigmatic power that might have been responsible for this tragedy. If you take the latter approach, do you feel that by using your warlock magic you are serving the Mourning? Or do you believe that you siphon power from it and weaken it with your actions?
As a member of an unusual race, you could say that you are actually a creation of the Mourning. Perhaps your dragonborn was an actual dragon transformed on the day of Mourning. Or maybe your tiefling is touched by the dark power of the Mourning instead of by an infernal power.
What Caused the Mourning?

A DM running an Eberron campaign can decide the cause of the Mourning or leave it as a mystery that will never be solved. People in Eberron have many theories about the cause of the Mourning. It’s up to the DM to decide if any of them are correct:

The Mourning was the result of a century of extensive use of war magic. If the nations continue to use this magic, the Mourning will expand.
The dragonmarked House Cannith made a fortune selling magical weapons to all sides during the Last War. The Mourning was caused by research gone horribly awry. The secrets can be found in a Cannith research facility within the Mournland. If this knowledge could be recovered and refined, it could produce a terrifying weapon.
The Mourning was triggered by the release of an ancient demon overlord trapped since the dawn of time. This mighty fiend is lurking in the Mournland and building its power, but soon it will be ready to act.

A DM should consider whether the mystery of the Mourning can be solved and what the consequences would be. Right now, fear of the Mourning holds war at bay. If it’s confirmed that the Mourning is no longer a threat—or if one nation manages to harness its power—war could begin again.

The Draconic Prophecy

There are patterns hidden in the world. Secrets lie in the conjunctions of the planes and moons, in strange symbols formed by the flowing lava of a volcanic eruption or the fissures caused by an earthquake. Carved in the walls of ancient citadels and on primeval megaliths, knot patterns appear to have meaning that only the contemplative mind can hope to comprehend. To those who can read them, these myriad events and signs form a map of possible futures, a map that can be used to shape the course of history.

Scholars call this map the Draconic Prophecy, attributing it to the Progenitor Dragons: Eberron, Siberys, and Khyber. The Prophecy is vast and complex, its signs scattered across the world. Few humans or even elves have the time or resources to unravel its secrets. The foremost students of the Prophecy are ancient dragons, immortal fiends, and others who have devoted thousands of years to this work.

What makes the Prophecy especially complex is that it doesn’t define a singular path for the future. Rather, the Prophecy is a map that shows many possible futures, along with the steps that must occur to make that future a reality. A fragment of the Prophecy might say, “If the Bear King is slain by a sorrowful assassin in the Shadow of the Mourning, the Crown will fall from his nation.” The “Bear King” could refer to King Boranel of Breland, since the bear is Breland’s heraldic beast. The “Shadow of the Mourning” could mean that Boranel must be slain in the Mournland, or it could mean that the assassination must occur on the anniversary of the Mourning. This passage doesn’t say that Boranel will be assassinated or that the Brelish monarchy will fall; it suggests that if Boranel is assassinated under these conditions, then the monarchy will surely fall. But it could also be fulfilled in different ways, if the terms of the Prophecy are interpreted differently. Other fragments of the Prophecy might cover what happens if Boranel is assassinated under other circumstances, or what happens if he dies of natural causes.

As an adventurer, you could be hired by a scholar trying to piece together a fragment of the Prophecy and clash with a secret society along the way. Or you could discover that your family plays a pivotal role in a fragment of the Prophecy. Will you embrace this or fight your potential destiny? Will you dedicate your life to interpreting the Prophecy or ignore it as just a bunch of mystical nonsense? And might the Prophecy hold the answer to the Mourning itself?

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