Primer: Dragonmarks, the Draconic Prophecy, and the Houses

The dragons have always believed that at the dawn of time (yes, we're going back that far to explain dragonmarks), the world was ruled by the progenitor wyrms. The three most powerful — Siberys, Eberron, and Khyber — discovered or created the Draconic Prophecy. What the Prophecy is is a matter of great debate among dragons, though they can agree on one thing: it guides the destiny of the world. The three dragons fought, shattering the world into three parts and scattering the Prophecy across existence. In the end, Siberys became the sky that surrounds the world (the Dragon Above), Khyber was bound to the darkest depths (the Dragon Below), and Eberron healed the world between by becoming one with it. Siberys created the next generation of dragons, Khyber created the fiends, and Eberron created all other living things.

Over the following millenia, the dragons rediscovered the Prophecy and began collecting fragments to try to understand the world around them. Fragments of the Prophecy appear all across the world, in the skies, on the sides of mountains or the walls of caves, just about anywhere. Dragons learned to read the alignment of the moons and stars to try to find more of the Prophecy. There is no one source of the Prophecy; while several individual dragons may have amassed a wealth of Prophecy lore, they're not inclined to share it. Furthermore, nobody can agree on what the Prophecy is; does it portend doom for the world, or transformation, or what exactly?

For untold millenia, signs of the Prophecy only appeared on the earth or in the skies above, but three thousand years ago, the dragons were shocked to find it appearing on a new template: the lesser races. What this means for the Prophecy, the dragons can't decide, but for now, they are taking a "wait and see" approach. (It bears noting that dragons themselves never manifest dragonmarks, despite the name.)

The dragonmarks granted power over particular areas of magic above and beyond what simple spells were capable of. Over time, those who possessed dragonmarks founded dynasties and amassed power for themselves, particularly those who had the 12 most common dragonmarks. The 12 primary marks are particular to races and families and are mostly hereditary — Detection (half-elf), Finding (half-orc and human), Handling (human), Healing (halflings), Hospitality (halfling), Making (human), Passage (human), Scribing (gnome), Sentinel (human), Shadow (elf), Storm (half-elf), Warding (dwarf).

However, besides the primary 12 dragonmarks, there used to be many who carried "aberrant" marks that held unpredictable power. The aberrant marks have no clear lineage and can appear on members of any race. As their power is unknown, many of them are referred to as "children of Khyber" and thought of with superstition. 1,500 years ago, fear of aberrant marks grew so great that the dragonmarked houses launched a campaign, the War of the Mark, to eliminate aberrant marks from Eberron. While this sounds like a one-sided campaign, by this point aberrant marks had grown so powerful that some were able to create earthquakes or summon plagues by mere force of will, and so this was believed to be for the good of the world. Indeed, the final battle of the War of the Mark ended with the aberrants destroying Sharn.

The War of the Mark solidified the power of the dragonmarked houses and drove aberrant dragonmarks underground. Aberrant marks still exist to this day, but they are not as powerful as they once were, and most superstition about them has long since faded. However, still worried about aberrant marks, the dragonmarked houses have forbidden interbreeding between houses, as they fear creating new marks.

The dragonmarked houses are economic powerhouses built on the principle of magic as commerce. They set the prices on rituals and goods, and they can undersell the competition. They're the Microsofts of Eberron; sure, you can look elsewhere for goods, but with the dragonmarked houses, they're widespread and you know what you're getting. All the houses make their mark on daily life in Eberron, and they keep the world running. Also, the houses have jointly created a college of magic, called the Twelve, which furthers magical research and often acts as the center of dragonmarked intrigue as the houses vie for favor and control. The houses often overlap in services and compete for customers and influence.

Only about half at most of the members of a dragonmarked house actually bear a dragonmark. Most are related by blood or marriage or simply work for them in a professional capacity. Each has different rules about who they hire and how one can become a member.

It is important to note that when the kingdom of Galifar (which was splinted into the Five Nations in the Last War) was founded, the rulers took measures to ensure the dragonmarked houses did not take too much power for themselves; in exchange, the government would not interfere in dragonmarked affairs. The Korth Edicts prevent any member of a dragonmarked house from holding land (in fact, the house enclaves are rented, not owned); limits the size of house garrisons; and specifies that no member of the aristocracy can marry a member of a dragonmarked house without one giving up all heritage and rights. However, now that the country is splintered in the wake of the Last War, some ignore the Korth Edicts and would like to see one of the dragonmarked houses take the throne themselves.

House Cannith (the Mark of Making)

Members: Humans

Guilds: Fabricators (equipment producers), Tinkerers (repairmen)

Cannith is a house of artifice. They are responsible for many magic items in the world, and they are also responsible for many mundane items as well — the stamp of Cannith can be found on items as varied as horseshoes, longsword hilts, and watertight barrels. During the Last War, they acts as arms dealers to every faction, and they created the warforged as artificial mercenaries. However, they suffered greatly on the Day of Mourning; their headquarters was in Cyre, and their house baron died without an apparent heir. Cannith has since splintered into three factions that disagree on the future of the house. House Cannith was also hurt by the Treaty of Thronehold, which ended the Last War and emancipated the warforged (also banning House Cannith from forging new ones).

House Deneith (the Mark of Sentinel)

Members: Humans

Guilds: Blademarks (mercenaries), Protectors (bodyguards and garrisons), Sentinels (marshals, war crime investigations)

House Deneith is a house of soldiers and sentinels. Their bodyguard skills are sought across Eberron, and they are willing to hire any worthy candidate as a house-approved mercenary. During the Last War, they offered mercenaries to all sides but took measures to ensure that Deneith troops would never fight other Deneith. They usually avoid political maneuvering, though they consider Cannith's warforged direct competition. House Deneith also watches over Thronehold, the ancestral holdings of the King of Galifar, in case a new king or queen is chosen.

House Ghallanda (the Mark of Hospitality)

Members: Halflings

Guilds: Hostelers (inns and restaurants), Dragontail (food and shelter to soldiers in war), Dawn-Builders (building new hostels in new territory)

House Ghallanda provides food and shelter to whoever can pay for their services. They take their mandate of hospitality very seriously and do their best to attend to a customer's every need. Their hostels are also, legally, asylums from the law; while many criminals seek shelter there, Ghallanda is no fool and keeps a strong garrison at each of its enclaves, and they'll keep anybody in their hostels as long as the customers can continue paying and respect the rules against violence. During the Last War, House Ghallanda provided food and shelter on the battlefield, and they were generally noncombatants.

House Jorasco (the Mark of Healing)

Members: Halflings

Guilds: Healers (herbalists and hospitallers), Medics (combat healers)

House Jorasco is the primary source of healing in Khorvaire — as long as you can pay, of course. They are familiar with all manner of diseases and ailments, and they have access to some of the most potent sources of magical healings in Eberron; some of their enclaves even contain truly exotic methods of healing. During the Last War, Jorasco acted as medics for all sides, often acting as healers for both sides of a battle. Since the war's end, the house has been investigating ways to use healing magic to possibly cure the Mournland.

House Kundarak (the Mark of Warding)

Members: Dwarves

Guilds: Bankers (commerce and moneylending), Warding (locksmiths, security, magical wards)

House Kundarak is the universal bank. The house's mastery of security has made their vaults nearly impenetrable, and their amassed wealth has given them a significant hand in moneylending. They back the currency for every nation in Khorvaire and advise them in financial matters. Their vaults are magically linked; someone who rents a safe-deposit vault can access that vault at any Kundarak bank. House Kundarak was mostly uninvolved in the Last War, although their significant influence did allow them to help the Mror Holds, the dwarf homeland, secede from Karrnath.

House Lyrandar (the Mark of Storm)

Members: Half-elves

Guilds: Windwrights (seafaring and airborne ships), Raincallers (weather control, aqueduct engineers)

House Lyrandar has the power to control the weather. They sell their magic to farmers and soldiers to provide ideal weather conditions, and they build and sell ships for sea transport (as their weather magic lets them control the wind as well). They have also created the elemental airships (with the help of the gnomes of Zilargo), which can ferry well-paying passengers all across Eberron at high speeds. During the Last War, House Lyrandar provided beneficial rain or sun, but refused to use their magic to cause droughts, mud, or snow. Their elemental airships have put them in direct competition with House Orien for transportation.

House Medani (the Mark of Detection)

Members: Half-elves

Guilds: Warning (detectives, bodyguards, investigation), Thousand Yard Stare (Mournland early warning patrols), Basilisk's Gaze (tracking down war criminals)

One of the smaller dragonmarked houses, House Medani uses its powers for observation. It's said that when you want to be protected, you go to House Deneith, but when you want to know who's after you, turn to House Medani. Their powers are used to solve crimes and provide counterintelligence, often apprehending spies. While the Korth Edicts prohibit members of dragonmarked houses from serving in government, House Medani increasingly became the counterintelligence arm of the Breland government during the Last War (as they are based in Breland), and there is talk that the house is too close to the Brelish crown.

House Orien (the Mark of Passage)

Members: Humans

Guilds: Couriers (delivery of small goods), Transportation (lightning rail, cargo shipment)

House Orien created the lightning rail, the train which connected all of Khorvaire together. They also organize caravans and maintain trade routes between the nations, and they are the foremost experts on teleportation — they maintain the teleportation portal circles. However, they suffered greatly during the Last War; the Mourning cut off their train route through Cyre, and fighting destroyed the White Arch Bridge that links Aundair and Karrnath, severing the train lines in two. Orien is looking for sources of funding to rebuild the White Arch Bridge or plot a safe course through the Mournland. They are also increasingly looking at teleportation as a means of travel, but it is still an inexact and unsafe science.

House Phiarlan (the Mark of Shadow)

Members: Elves

Guilds: Entertainers and artisans

House Phiarlan is the house of entertainment, providing training for artists all across Khorvaire. Their dragonmark grants them powers of illusion that they use to entertain and enthrall; the Phiarlans run theaters, music halls and circuses, and their performers are among the finest in the world. They also have a fair amount of spies in their organization, using their positions to gather intelligence (although this is less well-known, I'm telling you because you're the heroes).

House Sivis (the Mark of Scribing)

Members: Gnomes

Guilds: Notaries (legal documents, bookkeeping, translation), Speakers (diplomats, long-distance communication)

House Sivis is the master of the written word. They hold a monopoly on speaking stones that allow messages to be conveyed at long distances, and they invented the Sending ritual. They are also record keepers and mediators, using their mastery of language to keep communication flowing. They mostly stayed out of the Last War.

House Tharashk (the Mark of Finding)

Members: Humans, half-orcs

Guilds: Finders (dragonshard prospecting, bounty hunting, investigation), Liondrake's Roar (monster mercenary brokers)

The humans and half-orcs of House Tharashk use their services to find things. They are among the foremost prospectors of dragonshards, and they are commonly involved in search-and-rescue missions. They also pursue wanted criminals and war criminals. Lately, they have turned to the new nation of Droaam, helping find work for monsters that they wouldn't have had access to before.

House Thuranni (also the Mark of Shadow)

Members: Elves

Guilds: Shadow Network (illusions, assassins)

During the Last War, a schism erupted in House Phiarlan; the house had tried to stay neutral in the war, but the house of spies invariably found itself at cross-purposes. The situation came to a head when the Thuranni family turned on another family line, the Paelions, and exterminated them. The Phiarlan baron called for their excoriation, but the Thurannis left and declared themselves a new house. While they also specialize in art and performance, they are also formidable assassins (again, also not well known, but I'm telling you because you're the heroes).

House Vadalis (the Mark of Handling)

Members: Humans

Guilds: Handlers (animal breeding, training)

House Vadalis makes its fortune on the breeding and sale of animals. They have developed the art of magebreeding — weaving magic into natural bloodlines and making mundane animals stronger. They've also managed to domesticate animals that unmarked trainers couldn't handle. Vadalis animals are the smartest and strongest in the world, and nearly all of them are for sale. The house has a bitter rivalry with the Valenar elves, who say their horse breeds are stronger than any magebred horse. House Vadalis is banned from Valenar on pain of death, as they were accused of trying to steal Valenar horses for their own studies.

The Mark of Death, the Lost House

There was a thirteenth dragonmark, the Mark of Death, but it no longer exists.