Dragonmarked Houses - House Sivis
Gnomes. People eithr love them or hate them, but in Eberron's world, the gnomes of House Sivis are universally respected through Khovaire. Bearing the Mark of Scribing, these gnomes help people communicate throughout the region, whether it be secret war plans between nations or a simple happy birthday to your grandmother.
House Sivis
Dragonmark - Mark of Scribing
Race - Gnome
Traits - ASI, Gifted Scribe, Scribe’s Insight, Spells of the mark
Headquarters - The Labyrinth (Korranberg, Zilargo)
Patriarch -High Council led by Lysse Lyrriman d'Sivis
Emblem - Cockatrice
Guilds - Notaries Guild, Speakers Guild
History
The gnome’s homeland is Zilargo, the southernmost region of Khovaire bordering Berland and Darguun. Various clans have always held power in Zilargo, but none for very long. Clan Sivis established their house well before the appearance of the Mark of Scribing to consolidate their power as to not become irrelevant with Zilargo society. With the appearance of the Mark of Scribing some 2800 years ago, clan Sivis feared being ostracized because of their newfound powers. The gnomes made themselves invaluable via communication powers the mark granted and their unwavering commitment to neutrality. This use of their power fairly and evenly amongst other clans became the blueprint for the other dragonmarked house to ingratiate themselves into their own respective societies.
Gnomes are a unique race in that they are a naturally curious race, slightly touched by magic, and have a mischievous streak that is often viewed as sneaky and untrustworthy. To better understand Eberron's gnomes, it is worth a quick look at the lore of their creation. Myths held that the gnomish gods were birthed from rare gems within the earth's bowels that were transformed when they reached the world’s surface. Stories also tell of the gnome god Garl Glittergold finding these gems and breathing life into them, which he followed up with a humorous joke, hence creating the gnome race. This is where the touch of magic and their impish nature quite possibly comes from.
As time passed, House Sivis spread throughout Khovaire. Finding a need for a language that could be spoken amongst all the peoples of Khovaire, they were crucial in the development of the Common language. It was not an easy task, and the gnomes spent years refining the words that now make up the one language all the nations communicate with. They also were instrumental in negotiations and conflict resolution between the nations of Khovaire during their early development. It is not just the young nations that they were involved in helping, as House Sivis also reached out to the leaders of the younger Dragonmarked houses during this time. Their influence led to the establishment of many of the common traditions between the houses that exist today. Even though their influence reaches far and wide, the gnomes of House Sivis seemingly have no desire to rule over the houses. They maintain the same neutrality philosophy they held centuries ago, seeking to be a mediator and ally to all.
The gnome’s curious nature has led House Sivis to be at the forefront of researching the Draconic Prophecy and discovering new Dragonmakred houses. Within the Twelve, House Sivis has always been the one to have the most interest in the Prophecy and the dragonmarked houses' role. When it was foretold that there would be twelve contemporary dragonmarks found in Eberron, scholars in House Sivis dedicated themselves to finding the remaining Dragonmarks.
While the gnomes have always had the sending and communication abilities granted to them by the Mark of Sending, the speaking stone's development in 783 YK vaulted them to the elite ranks among the Houses. Conceived by Tasker Torralyn d’Sivis and developed by the Twelve, the speaking stone allows Sivis heirs who carry the house's least mark to transmit messages between stones. Sending stations, each with their own sending stones were built throughout Khovaire, with their expansion continuing today.
It’s not a Dragonmarked House article if we mention the Last War and how it affected House Sivis. Zilargo was an independent province within the kingdom of Galifar, remaining neutral during much of the Last War. In 962 YK, they finally allied themselves with Breland's nation, but by then, the war was reaching its conclusion. Zilargo alchemist creations were incredibly effective, and some gnomes served as spies who provided substantial intelligence to Breland. Fortunately for the gnomes of House Sivis, this did not negatively affect their ability to make huge profits during the Last War.
The development of the sending stones made House Sivis a crucial part of each nations war efforts. House Sivis grew in wealth and influence during the war, as military and political leaders relied on it to relay messages to the front lines and political allies. Never breaking from their strict adherence to neutrality, the gnomes were trusted by everyone to send their messages securely. Even when messages were intercepted, House Sivis was not a fault and did not shoulder any blame.
The Mark of Scribing
In 3.5e, the Mark of Scribing was three feats focusing on communication, translation, and mediation. The first feat was the Least Dragonmark feat, and the series culminated with the Greater Dragonmark feat. The prestige class in this edition was the Unbound Scroll. An unbound scroll is a member of the warrior class within House Sivis, drawing upon the power of their mark to inflict damage upon others through words.
Least Mark of Scribing - Whispering winds or comprehend languages 1/day or arcane mark 2/day; +2 bonus on Decipher Script checks.
Lesser Mark of Scribing - Illusory script, secret page, or tongues 1/day.
Greater Mark of Scribing - Sending 1/day.
In the 4th edition, the paragon path was the Sivis Truenamer. These heirs mastered the ‘true language's’ power, the mother of all languages in existence, through subtle intonations and the mastery of the natural flow of words. The power of these words has the power to confuse, trap, and stop enemies in their tracks. Their abilities included the following:
Truenamer Action - When you spend an action point to take an extra action, you regain the use of Channel Divinity or Arcane Implement Mastery.
Supernal Linguist - Words are knowledge, and yours knows no bounds. You gain a +2 bonus to knowledge checks.
Word of Life - Through certain words, you can increase your healing surge value by your Intelligence or Charisma modifier.
True Word Healing - Those words of healing now extend to each ally within 3 squares of you, as they can also spend a healing surge.
Today
Today, several families make up the members of House Sivis. While to the outside world, they maintain their policy of not getting involved and adherence to remaining neutral, the same cannot be said between the various families within the house. The gnome’s natural love of intrigue and mystery often leads to covert schemes and feuds between them. None are meant to be devastating in nature, but irritating pranks meant to disrupt their daily lives, or lessen their influence with the other families. Doyenne Lyssa Larriman, the house leader, ensures that these internal games never threaten the house or its reputation.
Sivis message stations are found in every major city in the Five Nations. For the right price, your words can be sent to almost anywhere in the continent in a matter of seconds. But House Sivis has its fingers in more than just the sending stones. They operate common post offices and a slower but reliable magical message service, for those who cannot afford to use the speaking stones. They control all notary and accounting businesses throughout Khovaire. A guild seal is an equivalent of earning your CPA in the real world. House Sivis gnomes are also among the top lawyers in the country. So if legal troubles have you down, hiring a barrister from House Sivis is a good way to make them disappear.
House Sivis runs two guilds, the Notaries Guild and the Speakers Guild. The Notaries Guild controls all businesses and services related to the written word. Creating legal documents, authenticating writs of nobility, and verifying letters of credit are just a few of the notaries' services members provide. The guild also provides training and licenses for bookbinders, scribes, translators, accountants, and others in related professions. Experts within the guild provide services above and beyond such common tasks. These eilite members are the primary source of arcane ritual scrolls, while another group within the guild specializes in cryptography and code-breaking techniques. The Speakers Guild is responsible for the maintenance of the operation of the speaking stones network. They are the sole individuals that can provide someone with the sending ritual services. Their reach also extends to other areas as well. If your profession relies on the use of language to be successful, it are probably certified by House Sivis. The guild trains and licenses barristers, mediators, heralds, interpreters, and other similar professions.
The current ruler of House Sivis is Doyenne Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis. Unlike other houses, House Sivis is not ruled by a Baron or Baroness, but a council, of which Lyrriman d’Sivis sits at the head of. She is an amazing administrator and a master strategist who has sat at the council's head for the last ninety years. She has been responsible for the growth of the sending stone stations across Khovaire and the guilds' growth and influence during her tenure. Her passion, however, lies in unlocking the secrets of the Draconic Prophecy. It is under her direction that gnome mages with the house have been investigating the Draconic Prophecy, spending much of the profits House Sivis made during the Last War to further this endeavor.
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