Aberrant Dragonmark

The first aberrant dragonmarks appeared soon after the true dragonmarks. At the time the Dragonmarked Houses joined together as the Twelve, aberrant marks were spread across the Five Nations. Some members of the Twelve truly saw aberrant marks as abominations; others considered them a convenient scapegoat to unite the houses and strengthen their position. House propaganda and whispering campaigns amplified the perception of aberrant marks as dangerous and uncontrollable. Fear progressed to violence, and in time, to squads of Deneith soldiers, Vadalis trackers, and Medani inquisitors “protecting communities from the aberrant threat.”

Aberrant dragonmarks of the time were generally more powerful and dangerous than those of today. The Twelve took true stories of innocents harmed by uncontrolled marks and amplified them—superstition and fear did the rest. The title “War of the Mark” implies two even sides, but this was more of a purge than a struggle of equals. Toward the end, however, a few aberrant-marked champions rallied others and challenged the houses. The most infamous were Halas Tarkanan and the Lady of the Plague, who seized Sharn and declared it a haven for those with aberrant marks. Eventually, the forces of the Twelve laid siege to the city. When Tarkanan and the Lady saw victory was impossible, they unleashed the full power of their marks. Tarkanan’s mark gave him power over the earth, and he shattered the towers. The Lady of the Plague called vermin up from the depths and spread vile diseases in the ruins. Both the aberrants sheltering in the city and the armies attackingit perished, and Sharn remained in ruins for centuries before Galifar I finally reclaimed it.

Aberrant marks were almost completely eradicated during the War of the Mark. When they reappeared in later centuries, they were far weaker than Halas Tarkanan’s earth-shaking power, but fear and prejudice linger. Over the last century, with no explanation, aberrant marks have begun manifesting with greater frequency and power. The criminal organization known as House Tarkanan has begun organizing and training those with aberrant marks, fearing another purge could lie ahead.