Dragonmarked Houses
Dragonmark 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. While 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 the dragonmarks—unique, hereditary arcane sigils that manifest on certain individuals within the family, granting them limited but beneficial magical abilities associated with the trade guilds the family controls.
Marks: Each dragonmark appears among the members of one large extended family (or, in the case of the Mark of Shadow, two families). Not every member of a dragonmarked family possesses a dragonmark. Still, it is almost unheard of for a person who is not a recognized member of one of these families to develop a dragonmark (and such cases usually result from indiscretions on the part of a lesser scion of the family). Each house specializes in a trade or service for which its mark gives its members a competitive advantage, and it controls guilds that regulate commerce in its area of specialization. Each family has a mix of marked and unmarked members since dragonmarks manifest randomly, even among those with the ability to possess them. The guilds employ both dragonmarked and unmarked people, who may be family members or unrelated retainers. The dragonmarked individuals perform their specialized magical functions for the house, and the unmarked handle the more mundane aspects of the trade. For example, both marked and unmarked members of the Windwrights Guild, controlled by House Lyrandar, work aboard ships; the marked heads of the family produce the wind to power the vessel, while the unmarked masses fill the other crew roles aboard the vessels. The dragonmarked houses have existed for thousands of years. For some reason not completely understood, the common races living on the continents of Khorvaire and Aerenal developed dragonmarks and the spell-like abilities associated with them. Some sages believe that the abundance of Eberron dragonshards on these continents has something to do with the development of dragonmarks, but no one can prove this theory. What is known is that humans and elves never manifested dragonmarks while living in the Eberron-dragonshard-deficient regions of Sarlona and Xen’drik. Individual dragonmarks appeared within bloodlines, and soon family dynasties sprang up to take advantage of the dragonmark powers. Each family created an economic empire using the dragonmarks, and the dragonmarked houses developed into independent commerce states operating across multiple nations. The War of the Mark, which ended about fifteen hundred years ago, stabilized the houses and ended the threat of aberrant and mixed marks that might have destroyed the economy of Khorvaire. Today, twelve dragonmarks shared among thirteen houses form the basis for economic power across the continent. Agreements reached at the end of the War of the Mark formalized tenets and traditions that all the houses adhere. These include rules concerning neutrality (all houses make a show of remaining neutral so that they can operate in all nations), fair trade and practices, family naming conventions, and a ban on marriages between houses so that the dragonmarks remain pure. Family members run each house, with either a matriarch or patriarch serving as the chief executive of both family and economic business. House family members form an economic aristocracy on par with the royal and noble families of the various nations, and family leaders are barons of industry and commerce. Each house also employs retainers and hirelings to aid in the family business. Those retainers and hirelings who show initiative and promise can rise through the ranks to hold important positions within the house. The most effective and promising of these might be invited into the family through marriage to the young scions of the blood, thus making sure the bloodline continues. Even though the house blood flows through the veins of every family member, not every one of them has a dragonmark; only a small percentage of every generation manifests a mark. Among those who do, the least mark is the most common to appear, with fewer lesser marks, and fewer still greater marks appearing in each generation. Those who do develop a dragonmark are singled out for great things and have responsibilities to the family that scions without marks never have to worry about Dragonmarks are one of the greatest mysteries of the age, and they have had a tremendous impact on the cultures of Khorvaire. A dragonmark is a design that appears on the skin, similar in appearance to an elaborate tattoo. The bearer of a dragonmark can call on the powers of this mark to perform a specific act of magic. Twelve different dragonmarks are now known to exist, each bound to a particular bloodline. Over two thousand years, these families have evolved into powerful dynasties. When Galifar I laid the foundation of his kingdom, he set severe limits on the dragonmarked houses to prevent them from becoming a threat to his realm. Aside from House Deneith, the houses are prohibited from maintaining armies or holding an office of the crown. But while the houses may have limited military might, they have developed considerable economic power and an infrastructure stretching across the length of Khorvaire. With the collapse of the kingdom of Galifar, many believe that the dragonmarked houses are now the most significant power in the land and that the mercantile and magical power of the houses is a deadlier weapon than the armies of the Five Nations. Although the dragonmarked families have no ties to the royal lines of Galifar, out of respect for their power and wealth, the heirs of a dragonmarked house are generally accorded the title of “Master” or “Mistress.” The leader of the regional enclave of a household the title of “baron.”
Those who possess a dragonmark may add the suffix d’ to the house name. Thus, Baron Merrix d’Cannith carries the Mark of Making, while Master Heldoran Cannith does not/ Each dragonmark can only be passed to members of a specific race. Heirs of a house are forbidden from breeding with members of other dragonmarked bloodlines, as this is said to produce aberrant dragonmarks. The complexity of a dragonmark determines its power. A bearer of the simplest Mark of Healing might be able to mend a minor wound, while the bearer of a complex mark might be able to cure disease or negate the effects of poisons. The abilities of a mark can be enhanced using a specially designed dragonshard focus, allowing a healer to use his power many times each day. Currently, there are thirteen dragonmark houses.
Marks: Each dragonmark appears among the members of one large extended family (or, in the case of the Mark of Shadow, two families). Not every member of a dragonmarked family possesses a dragonmark. Still, it is almost unheard of for a person who is not a recognized member of one of these families to develop a dragonmark (and such cases usually result from indiscretions on the part of a lesser scion of the family). Each house specializes in a trade or service for which its mark gives its members a competitive advantage, and it controls guilds that regulate commerce in its area of specialization. Each family has a mix of marked and unmarked members since dragonmarks manifest randomly, even among those with the ability to possess them. The guilds employ both dragonmarked and unmarked people, who may be family members or unrelated retainers. The dragonmarked individuals perform their specialized magical functions for the house, and the unmarked handle the more mundane aspects of the trade. For example, both marked and unmarked members of the Windwrights Guild, controlled by House Lyrandar, work aboard ships; the marked heads of the family produce the wind to power the vessel, while the unmarked masses fill the other crew roles aboard the vessels. The dragonmarked houses have existed for thousands of years. For some reason not completely understood, the common races living on the continents of Khorvaire and Aerenal developed dragonmarks and the spell-like abilities associated with them. Some sages believe that the abundance of Eberron dragonshards on these continents has something to do with the development of dragonmarks, but no one can prove this theory. What is known is that humans and elves never manifested dragonmarks while living in the Eberron-dragonshard-deficient regions of Sarlona and Xen’drik. Individual dragonmarks appeared within bloodlines, and soon family dynasties sprang up to take advantage of the dragonmark powers. Each family created an economic empire using the dragonmarks, and the dragonmarked houses developed into independent commerce states operating across multiple nations. The War of the Mark, which ended about fifteen hundred years ago, stabilized the houses and ended the threat of aberrant and mixed marks that might have destroyed the economy of Khorvaire. Today, twelve dragonmarks shared among thirteen houses form the basis for economic power across the continent. Agreements reached at the end of the War of the Mark formalized tenets and traditions that all the houses adhere. These include rules concerning neutrality (all houses make a show of remaining neutral so that they can operate in all nations), fair trade and practices, family naming conventions, and a ban on marriages between houses so that the dragonmarks remain pure. Family members run each house, with either a matriarch or patriarch serving as the chief executive of both family and economic business. House family members form an economic aristocracy on par with the royal and noble families of the various nations, and family leaders are barons of industry and commerce. Each house also employs retainers and hirelings to aid in the family business. Those retainers and hirelings who show initiative and promise can rise through the ranks to hold important positions within the house. The most effective and promising of these might be invited into the family through marriage to the young scions of the blood, thus making sure the bloodline continues. Even though the house blood flows through the veins of every family member, not every one of them has a dragonmark; only a small percentage of every generation manifests a mark. Among those who do, the least mark is the most common to appear, with fewer lesser marks, and fewer still greater marks appearing in each generation. Those who do develop a dragonmark are singled out for great things and have responsibilities to the family that scions without marks never have to worry about Dragonmarks are one of the greatest mysteries of the age, and they have had a tremendous impact on the cultures of Khorvaire. A dragonmark is a design that appears on the skin, similar in appearance to an elaborate tattoo. The bearer of a dragonmark can call on the powers of this mark to perform a specific act of magic. Twelve different dragonmarks are now known to exist, each bound to a particular bloodline. Over two thousand years, these families have evolved into powerful dynasties. When Galifar I laid the foundation of his kingdom, he set severe limits on the dragonmarked houses to prevent them from becoming a threat to his realm. Aside from House Deneith, the houses are prohibited from maintaining armies or holding an office of the crown. But while the houses may have limited military might, they have developed considerable economic power and an infrastructure stretching across the length of Khorvaire. With the collapse of the kingdom of Galifar, many believe that the dragonmarked houses are now the most significant power in the land and that the mercantile and magical power of the houses is a deadlier weapon than the armies of the Five Nations. Although the dragonmarked families have no ties to the royal lines of Galifar, out of respect for their power and wealth, the heirs of a dragonmarked house are generally accorded the title of “Master” or “Mistress.” The leader of the regional enclave of a household the title of “baron.”
Those who possess a dragonmark may add the suffix d’ to the house name. Thus, Baron Merrix d’Cannith carries the Mark of Making, while Master Heldoran Cannith does not/ Each dragonmark can only be passed to members of a specific race. Heirs of a house are forbidden from breeding with members of other dragonmarked bloodlines, as this is said to produce aberrant dragonmarks. The complexity of a dragonmark determines its power. A bearer of the simplest Mark of Healing might be able to mend a minor wound, while the bearer of a complex mark might be able to cure disease or negate the effects of poisons. The abilities of a mark can be enhanced using a specially designed dragonshard focus, allowing a healer to use his power many times each day. Currently, there are thirteen dragonmark houses.
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