Primer: Karrlakton

Population: 66,000 (78% humans, 8% dwarves, 6% warforged, 3% halfling, 5% other)

Main landmarks: Sentinel Tower, Cyre River

Primary exports: Weapons, armor

The second-biggest city in Karrnath, Karrlakton is built around Sentinel Tower, the main enclave of House Deneith, the dragonmarked house that is Khorvaire's foremost provider of bodyguards and mercenaries. The tower is older than Karrnath itself, and it serves as the headquarters of the Sentinel Marshals (a guild focused on tracking down criminals), as well as a fortification against the Mournland. The Deneith scions use their gifts to help defend the city.

As the city sits across the river from Cyre, the Mournland is right on Karrlakton's doorstep — the gray-mist curtain dominates the horizon — and House Deneith is kept plenty busy fighting the strange creatures that wander out of the wasteland. In the wake of the Mourning, many people fled the city for safer haven elsewhere. Conversely, many prophets, doomsayers, and apocalyptic priests have brought unwanted attention to the city, loudly proclaiming the impending doom across the river.

Though trade is dwindling, the city is home to many warforged and dwarves who work in Karrlakton's famed weapons and armor factories, or lend their construction talents to augmenting the city's fortifications. A large number of Cyrans who fled the Mourning have set up roots here as well, although they are not well-liked by the native Karrnathi. Most people either live in the well-defended upper-class neighborhoods or take their chances on the cheap riverfront property that was abandoned after the Mourning.

Karrlakton is the closest any city in Karrnath gets to being tolerant of the Silver Flame. Although there's no love lost between Karrnath and Thrane, the success of that church's templars in helping repel invaders from the Mournland on the front lines has proven invaluable, and there is a begrudging peace between the Silver Flame and the city government. That the city is primarily defended by House Deneith and not the Karrnathi army no doubt helps their relations, as there are few to zero Karrnathi undead in Karrlakton.

Primer: The Secret History of the Shardminds

Tim's character race, the Shardmind, is brand-new in the Player's Handbook 3, and was not around when the Eberron campaign setting was first created. As a race of sentient crystalline creatures held together by pure will, they're also something that doesn't fit easily into the Eberron setting (especially as their background in the PHB3 isn't compatible with the Eberron setting, and there's been no official material on how to work Shardminds into Eberron). I've written up a background for the Shardmind race in Eberron (I'll have one up soon for the kalashtar, just to clear up any discrepancies).

The information known here is not widely known in Eberron — it'd be about a DC 25 or 30 History check — but as Tim is a shardmind, I'm publishing it for the party's benefit.

Nineteen thousand years ago, long before humans set foot on Khorvaire, the Dhakaani Empire ruled the continent. A coalition of goblin and orc tribes, their domain stretched from the Shadow Marches all the way to what is now the Mror Holds. The Dhakaani Empire ruled for more than ten thousand years, and their strength of numbers protected them from external threats.

The Dhakaani Empire faced a serious threat about 9,000 years ago when Xoriat, the Plane of Madness, aligned with Eberron. Many portals opened in the Shadow Marches, and aberrations of a million varieties poured forth to invade Khorvaire. The goblin armies were no match for rampaging beholders, mind flayers, aboleths, and more.

The Gatekeepers, a sect of orc druids, used their primal powers to help the goblins hold their own, summoning animal and elemental reinforcements to help drive back the aberrations. Similarly, some goblins, exposed to the reality-warping powers of the Realm of Madness, developed a taint that turned their skin blue but unlocked their psionic potential, and these "blues" helped counter the mental powers of the minions of Xoriat.

Still, attrition took its toll, and soon the Gatekeepers and blues were reduced to a fraction of their strength and desperate to contain the encroaching madness. Desperate for new allies, the Gatekeepers used powerful nature magic to give life to their caches of dragonshards, and the blues bestowed the newborn shardminds with psionic resistances to better fight psychic attack. The shardminds displayed a natural affinity for psionic abilities, and they quickly joined their creators in repelling the aberrations. The rituals used to create the shardminds bound their spirits to Eberron itself; when one shardmind fell in battle, a new one was born somewhere in the Shadow Marches.

Finally, the aberration invasion was repelled when the Gatekeepers built dimensional seals around the Xoriat manifest zones — magically engraved monoliths that prevented teleportation and planar travel, and kept Xoriat permanently at bay. As long as the dimensional seals stood, the Realm of Madness would never again touch Eberron. The remaining aberrations retreated into the underground realm of Khyber. The Gatekeepers, recognizing the shardminds were effectively self-replenishing, charged them with defending the dimensional seals.

The Dhakaani never truly recovered from their war with Xoriat, and eventually they turned to infighting and fell into ruin. Through it all, the rather single-minded shardminds tirelessly guarded the seals and helped the Gatekeepers in seeking out lingering aberrations. Though the goblins and orcs devolved back into primitive tribes, the shardminds continued their eternal vigil.

In the modern day, the shardminds continue to guard the dimensional seals and seek out aberrations, but their numbers have dwindled. The Shadow Marches still bear the scars of war, and their sacred mission remains as important as ever. As the Gatekeepers have declined over the millennia, the rituals that give life to shardminds have been lost. Though the shardminds remain in the same perpetual cycle of death and rebirth, the centuries have shown that sufficiently powerful magic can permanently reduce their numbers, and their ranks have been reduced as aberrations grow bolder and attack the surface.

Shardminds live for about a human lifespan before the energy that binds them together weakens. When a shardmind dies, the new one that is created shares a sort of racial memory — they know their charge to defend the dimensional seals, and they all carry a natural deference to the Gatekeeper druids and hatred for aberrations — but has a new personality and no memories of its past life, making it a distinct individual. They still retain their psychic defenses and strength of will bestowed upon them during the Xoriat invasion.

Most shardminds stay in the Shadow Marches, and as such they are rarely seen elsewhere in Eberron — as dragonshards are useful for the creation of magic items, more than one artificer has killed a shardmind for the "spare parts." Still, some decide that the best way to protect the seals and fight aberrations is to venture forth and accumulate power in other ways.

Primer: Recent Timeline of Eberron

Here's a timeline of the recent history of Eberron, going back to within your lifetimes (or things that are common knowledge). I picked only the biggest events:

104 years ago

•King Jarot, last ruler of Galifar, dies. His five children disagree on the rite of succession; Mishann, queen of Cyre, is the oldest, but she is opposed by Thalin, Kaius I, and Wroann of Thrane, Karrnath, and Breland, respectively, while Wrogar of Aundair sides with Mishann. When Mishann arrives at Thronehold for her coronation, she finds the island blockaded by her siblings' navies. After a short battle, Mishann escapes. Diplomacy fails, and the siblings begin fighting amongst themselves over who should sit on the throne. The Last War begins.

84 years ago

•The Mror Holds split off from Karrnath.

•Thalin, king of Thrane, dies. The Church of the Silver Flame uses the opportunity to take control of the nation and depose the aristocracy.

42 years ago

•Elf mercenaries annex southeast Cyre and declare the sovereignty of the elf nation of Valenar.

40 years ago

•The Eldeen Reaches declares itself an independent nation from Aundair.

33 years ago

•House Cannith perfects the modern-era warforged and begins mass-producing them.

29 years ago

•Hobgoblin mercenaries annex southwest Cyre and create the goblinoid nation of Darguun.

26 years ago

•House Thuranni splits from House Phiarlan.

11 years ago

•A trio of hags called the Daughters of Sora Kell arrives in Droaam with an army of trolls, ogres, and gnolls. Breland pulls its forces back, and the Daughters declare the sovereignty of the monster nation of Droaam.

8 years ago

•House Lyrandar puts its first elemental airships into service.

5 years ago

•6-year-old Jaela Daran assumes the power of the Keeper of the Silver Flame, becoming the spiritual leader of the Church of the Silver Flame and the political leader of Thrane (though in practice, the Council of Cardinals oversees most affairs of church and state).

4 years ago

•In an unprecedented magical event called the Mourning, Cyre is destroyed. Survivors report seeing a flash of bright light in the city of Making, and a dead-grey mist spreads out from the city to encompass the nation's borders, killing everyone in its path. Compounding the tragedy, the hatreds of the Last War lead many of Cyre's neighbors to refuse aid to the refugees; the elves of Valenar and the goblins of Darguun treat the refugees as invaders, killing them as they ran.

2 years ago

•As the nations are too shaken by the events of the Mourning to continue fighting, the Treaty of Thronehold officially ends the Last War, though tensions from a hundred years of fighting remain.

•Cyre is no longer recognized as a sovereign nation; Breland grants the survivors a small patch of land called New Cyre.

•As part of the treaty, House Cannith is ordered to destroy all creation forges, and all warforged are emancipated and granted the rights of sentient beings.

Now

•The party is assembled by Professor Burch of Morgrave University to search for the Siberys Pandect.

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.

Primer: Religions of Eberron

Deities don't take an active hand in Eberron — in fact, there's not any proof that the deities even exist, except that divine powers come from somewhere. Deities never appear to their followers, and they have no exarchs or aspects that manifest (though some angels claim to serve the gods, none of them have seen them either). Still, faith is very important to many different people, and there are a multitude of religions to choose from.

The Sovereign Host

The nine deities that make up the Sovereign Host find worshippers from all walks of life; in fact, the Sovereign Host is the most worshipped religion in Khorvaire. They represent all that is good about people and civilization, and prayers to each of the members are commonly offered in day to day life. There is no one unified church of the Sovereign Host or any of the individual deities, but they are an integral part of Khorvaire culture.

There is no afterlife for worshippers of the Sovereign Host; all souls, good or bad, go to Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead, when they die, but priests urge members to live good lives for their own sake, to enjoy the precious gift of life while they have it.

Members of the pantheon: Arawai, goddess of fertility and life; Aureon, god of knowledge and magic; Balinor, god of beasts and the hunt; Boldrei, goddess of community and the homestead; Dol Arrah, goddess of honor and sunlight; Dol Dorn, god of courage and physical prowess; Kol Korran, god of commerce and wealth; Olladra, goddess of luck and celebration; and Onatar, god of fire and industry.

The Dark Six

The counterparts to the Sovereign Host, the Dark Six represent the darkness of the wilderness and anarchy. They are cruel, passionate, and wild. Though most people don't actively worship them, prayers for mercy or supplication are commonly offered.

Member of the pantheon: the Devourer, god of nature's wrath; the Fury, god of vengeance and wrath; the Keeper, god of greed and necromancy; the Mockery, god of betrayal and war; the Shadow, god of ambition and corruption; and the Traveler, god of cunning and deception. While the first five are explicitly evil, the Traveler is mysterious and unaligned; in particular, he is revered by changelings.

The Silver Flame

The Church of the Silver Flame is the largest organized religion in Khorvaire. 700 years ago in Thrane, an ancient demon broke out of its prison and rampaged across the land. A paladin named Tira Miron and a couatl merged with a silver pillar of flame to imprison the demon, and on that spot the everburning Silver Flame manifested. Through the centuries, Tira acts as the Voice of the Silver Flame, whispering to the Keeper of the Flame, the head of the church. The Keeper is called from a young age, hearing the voice of Tira Miron; the Silver Flame chooses its own Keeper.

The Church of the Silver Flame is engaged in a never-ending quest to rid the world of evil, particularly entities such as undead and demons. The Church exhorts its members to convert others to the Flame and to fight evil wherever it can be found; as such, Silver Flame missionaries can be found in all corners of Khorvaire.

During the Last War, Thrane deposed its aristocratic rulers and instituted a theocracy, making the Church the official government body of the nation and the Keeper the ruler.

The current Keeper of the Flame is Jaela Daran, who heard the call of the Flame when she was 6 years old. She is now 11, and she is served in her position of head of state by the Council of Cardinals. Most of the true governance is done by High Cardinal Krozen.

While the Church of the Silver Flame is a strong force for good, it has its fair share of unpleasantness. The Church controversially went on a crusade to wipe out lycanthropes more than a hundred years ago, leading to great animosity with the shifters. Some priests are corrupt and use their positions of power for their own ends. And a few even say they can still hear the voice of the bound demon in the Silver Flame, urging them to evil.

The Blood of Vol

The worshippers of the Blood of Vol are fascinated by blood, which they consider to be "the divine within"; most of their rituals involve blood offerings and sharing. Followers shun the deities and focus on self-improvement, saying that the key to divinity is inside one's self. They say those who master their abilities can even become immortal. Many falsely believe the Blood of Vol worships the undead (who have achieved immortality); however, the teachings are dark and driven, but not evil. Many look to the Blood of Vol to improve their abilities and further unlock their powers.

The Path of Light

Most kalashtar follow the Path of Light, equal parts philosophy and religion. They pursue paths of self-improvement and meditation, seeking physical and mental perfection. They believe in a universal positive energy called il-Yannah, "the Great Light," which can grant peace and serenity. However, those who follow the Path of Light are not pacifists; they use their abilities to fight evil wherever it arises, and they seek to purge all of Eberron of corruption.

The Path of Inspiration

The people of Riedra, across the sea in Sarlona, worship the Inspired, god-like beings who are the pinnacle of mortal perfection. Riedrans obey every whim of the Inspired, and they believe that if they work hard enough in this life, they can be reincarnated in their next as an Inspired in a cycle of spiritual evolution. The religion also teaches that the kalashtar, who also hail from Sarlona, are dangerous magicians who consort with devils.

Cults of the Dragon Below

Not a unified religion, cults of the Dragon Below venerate creatures from the depths of Khyber, deep beneath the earth. Illithids, beholders, creatures from the nightmare realm of Xoriat, and others are objects of worship for these dangerous and often insane cultists.

Elf Religions

Elves generally follow one of two faiths: the Undying Court or the Spirits of the Past. Elves who follow the Undying Court typically hail from the nearby continent of Aerenal, where they worship the wisdom of their ancestors. However, on Aerenal, this extends far beyond worship; worthy ancestors are made literally immortal in complex rituals, and they hold court within giant temple-cities. Very few non-elves have ever seen the secret cities of the Undying Court.

Elves who worship the Spirits of the Past are typically from Valenar, a cultural offshoot of the Aerenal elves. These elves also follow their ancestors, but rather than venerating their undying forms, they wish to emulate their great deeds. As such, they pursue glory in battle and constantly pursue war, that they might follow the great tales of their predecessors.

Druidic Traditions

The Eldeen Reaches are the heart of druidism on Khorvaire, but there are a wide variety of druidic traditions. The Wardens of the Wood protect the Reaches from evil forces. The Gatekeepers, dating back thousands of years, are an orcish tradition focused on fighting aberrations and preserving the natural order. The Greensingers are a chaotic group with close ties to Thelanis, the realm of fey. The Ashbound consider themselves nature's avengers, and they violently attack arcane magic users; as such, they are reclusive and generally considered dangerous. Also considered dangerous and evil are the Children of Winter, who embrace death and decay. Other, varied sects exist all across Eberron.

Warforged Religions

The warforged, built by man, sometimes pursue man's faiths, but a few specific to warforged have sprung up. The most dangerous is the cult that worships the Lord of Blades, a dangerous warforged megalomaniac dwelling in the Mournland who plans to wipe out all beings of flesh so that warforged, the superior form, can rule supreme. Some even whisper that the Lord of Blades might have had a hand in the destruction of Cyre, though no proof exists.

Another warforged religion is the faith of the Becoming God. Not content to worship an abstract concept, these warforged, calling themselves the Godforged, debate whether they have souls and believe that the Becoming God is the great soul of the warforged people. They pursue creation forges to create more warforged (and thus more warforged souls), strengthening the soul of their people; some also travel into the Mournland, where they are working on constructing a giant body for the Becoming God to inhabit.

Finally, not so much a religion as a philosophy, the Reforged embrace that they have sentient life, believing they should act more human in order to enjoy their souls. These warforged act human, wear clothes, eat, create art and music, and live their emotions to the fullest.

Primer: The Nations of Eberron

Here's the first in a series of short articles detailing the world of Eberron to help players get acclimated. This one features short synopses of the different countries in Khorvaire, the main continent.

Galifar and the Last War

About a thousand years ago, the nations of Aundair, Breland, Cyre, Karrnath, and Thrane were united under one banner under the reign of King Galifar I. The kingdom of Galifar became the primary civilization on Khorvaire; in fact, the Khorvaire calendar begins at 1 YK, the year the kingdom was established. The five nation-states maintained their own identities, and each was ruled by the descendants of Galifar's five children.

However, a little more than a hundred years ago (in 894 YK), King Jarot died, and his children disagreed over who would succeed him. Disagreements turned to armed conflict, and the five nations declared war on each other. The Last War lasted for a hundred years and devastated the continent. Boundaries were drawn and re-drawn as alliances changed and armies claimed and lost territory.

The war neared its end in 994 YK on what is today known as the Day of Mourning. One day, a dead-grey mist settled over the nation of Cyre, killing all in its path. Entire armies and cities were devoured, and most strangely, the mist stopped exactly at Cyre's borders. The nation of Cyre was destroyed in a single day, and no one living knows the cause of the Mourning. Some say it was a weapon used by one of the other nations; some say it was the wrath of the gods; some say it was a demon awoken by the war. Everyone has their theories, and no one knows for certain. Cyre became the Mournland, a desolate ruin full of terrifying monsters, still cloaked by the dead-grey mist.

The nations soon signed the Treaty of Thronehold, which officially ended the war, though tensions still remain high. Many say it is only a matter of time before old rivalries explode and Khorvaire knows war once again. (While I don't expect anybody to keep track of years and dates and history, the campaign will take place in 998 YK, 4 years after the Day of Mourning and 2 years after the Last War ended.)

The Five Nations

Aundair

Known for: farming, arcane magic

Most of the country is pastoral farmland, and most of the people are simple and rustic. However, Aundair has great metropolitan centers, and it is also home to a number of wizard colleges, such as the Arcane Congress. Aundairians are fascinated by magic.

Breland

Known for: democracy, being a melting pot

Breland, a socially progressive country, is one of the most diverse countries on Khorvaire, as people of all races can be found here. It is also one of the only democracies; though they still have a king, they also have a common parliament and encourage civic participation. Breland is also home to the city of Sharn, the City of Towers, the largest city on the continent. Sharn serves as an adventuring haven because of its access to more exotic locales.

Cyre (now the Mournland)

Known for: art, invention

Cyre was known as a center of art and culture before the Day of Mourning. The land is now inhabited by strange monsters and foul undead, so many Cyrans have settled in nearby Breland. As their homeland was lost to them only four years ago, many Cyrans are bitter and struggle to survive elsewhere as they search for a way to reclaim their lost homeland.

Karrnath

Known for: military, undead

Karrnath is known as one of the primary military powers on Khorvaire. Every citizen is required to serve at least two years in the army or navy, and nearly everybody has had combat training of some kind. Life in Karrnath is disciplined and regimented. Karrnath is also known for commonly using undead as soldiers on the battlefield, and in fact they have their own necromantic recipes to keep their undead troops in line. Many Karrns don't have the same prejudices against the undead that others do; they aren't afraid of continuing to serve Karrnath after death.

Thrane

Known for: the Silver Flame

The Church of the Silver Flame has always been strong in Thrane, as their main cathedral, including the Silver Flame itself, is in the capital. During the Last War, angry after a string of defeats, the citizens overthrew the monarchy and instituted the Church as ruler. Thrane is now a theocracy, ruled by the Speaker of the Flame. Nearly everybody in Thrane worships the Silver Flame, and most of the Church's paladins are from Thrane.

Other nations

Darguun

Known for: goblin tribes

Darguun was once part of Cyre; the goblin tribes who lived there worked as mercenaries during the Last War. During the war, the goblins instigated a sudden, violent rebellion, claiming their ancestral homelands for their own. Darguun was recognized as a sovereign nation during the Treaty of Thronehold. It's considered a lawless land by many, though this is in fact not true; the goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears do have laws and swear allegiance to the Lhesh Haruuc (their leader).

The Demon Wastes

Known for: barbarian tribes, demons

Not a "nation" in the strictest sense, the region called the Demon Wastes is unclaimed. It is a terrible badland of twisting canyons and harsh conditions, plagued by barbarian tribes. The Demon Wastes are home to many demons and fiends who roam freely and plot openly. Though the land is rich in magical resources, only the most foolish adventurers travel there. The only force for good here is the Ghaash'kala, a confederation of orcs that contain the evil forces there.

Droaam

Known for: monsters

Droaam was once part of Breland, but monstrous mercenaries — ogres, trolls, minotaurs, gnolls, and the like — took it as their own during the Last War. All the warlords swear fealty to Droaam's rulers, a trio of hags called the Daughters of Sora Kell who keep the peace. Most of the other nations are nervous about the existence of a monster nation, but don't have the strength to try to conquer it. Most people keep out of Droaam unless they don't want to be found.

The Eldeen Reaches

Known for: druids

This territory once belonged to Aundair, but when that nation pulled most of its forces away, the druids stepped in to protect the citizens. The Eldeen Reaches then seceded, a fact many Aundairians are still angry about. The nation is known as the heart of druidism on Khorvaire; nearly all druidic traditions were founded here by the greatpine treant Oalian. The Eldeen Reaches also has close ties to Thelanis, the fey realm. Most people who live here are farmers or members of druidic sects.

The Lhazaar Principalities

Known for: pirates, mariners

The Principalities are a series of island territories each ruled by a so-called sea prince. It's home to pirates, outlaws, mariners, and seagoing merchants. Laws vary dramatically, but it is a major trading center despite its violent reputation.

The Mror Holds

Known for: dwarf clans

The Mror Holds is a confederation of dwarf clans who are constantly fighting amongst each other for position and power. They were once part of Karrnath, but seceded during the Last War. It's also a rich, mountainous mining region, making the dwarves very wealthy. The dwarves also protect against aberrations that creep up from the deep realm of Khyber.

Q'Barra

Known for: New Galifar, lizardfolk, dragonborn

During the Last War, a group of human deserters settled in this humid jungle region, disgusted with the infighting between the Five Nations, and founded New Galifar, their vision of a united humanity. They quickly found the land was already inhabited by lizardfolk and dragonborn, and tensions have not cooled down between the human idealists and the lizards wanting to protect their homeland. Explorers have also found many ruins across this new frontier, some dating back thousands of years.

The Shadow Marches

Known for: dragonshards, orcs, ruins

The Shadow Marches are not a "nation" in the strictest sense because nobody wants the territory — marshland and swamps as far as the eye can see. As such, there are very few settlements here. However, it is dotted with ruins dating back to ancient history, and it is one of the major locations to find dragonshards, mystical minerals that help power magical items. Many people try to make a living here as dragonshard prospectors. The orc clans vary between cultured and civilized to true savages.

The Talenta Plains

Known for: halflings

Not all halflings come from the Talenta Plains, although a fair share of them do. A large rolling savannah and swath of grasslands, the Plains are home to nomadic tribes of halflings who live as hunter-gatherers. The Talenta halflings use dinosaurs as mounts, and while they seem primitive, the tribesmen are well aware of the outside world.

Valenar

Known for: militaristic elves

This region once belonged to Cyre. The Cyrans hired elf warclans from the nearby continent of Aerenal as mercenaries during the Last War, but the elves took the territory for their own, saying Valenar was among their ancestral lands long before Galifar was founded. The humans who lived there adapted to life under their new masters and live there still as serfs. The Valenar warclans seek to emulate their ancestors through battle and glorious deeds, and they commonly ride their magnificent warhorses across the border, seeking battle.

Zilargo

Known for: gnomes

Zilargo is a civilized land ruled by the gnomes, but don't let the peaceful demeanor fool you: Most gnomes make their living as spies and intelligence gatherers, and Zilargo employs a shadowy cabal called the Trust to ensure its citizens work for the good of the nation. Enemies soon find their secrets revealed and are never seen again. Still, Zilargo is a land of magical and alchemical innovation, and the gnomes have founded many universities and laboratories.