Dragonmarks - Past and Present
I know it seems like I am late to the party by just getting around to talking about Dragonmarks. When the book came out I skimmed through it and then didn't pick it back up till recently. I’ve never really read much on Eberron so I didn’t know much about what I was reading. Now that the book has had some time to marinate and I’ve had more time to read through the old 3.5e/4e books along with this newest one, it was time to write about it.
One of the most talked about items in the world of Eberron is Dragomarks. With the creation of numerous new races in 5th edition, it’s refreshing to see something come along to spice up the ‘traditional’ races we know and love. New races are fun and exciting to play, but sometimes you just want to play a half-elf or dwarf. The introduction of the various Dragonmarks into 5th edition injects some intrigue and excitement into them. It is important however, to also talk about the history of these mysterious birthmarks to get a better understand of where they came from and their importance in the world of Eberron.
Some background before we get started
A dragonmark is a mystic sigil that appears on the skin. The mark is a source of mystical power and enhances the bearer’s ability to perform certain tasks. In Eberron, each mark is tied to specific bloodlines. The families that carry these marks joined together to form the Dragonmarked Houses, powerful forces that dominate different industries.
Mark of Scribing
Art Credit - WotC
Now that’s a summation of the definition for 5th edition, providing us with a clear idea of what dragonmarks and how they tie into Eberron. Problem is, as it is with many things in 5e, it is a watered-down explanation of dragonmarks when compared to the previous editions. 3.5e had over twenty books on Eberron, with a 162-page book dedicated just to dragonmarks! In typical fashion, the 5th edition condensed the information from the previous editions into just a few pages, leaving us with more questions than answers. The choice to focus on other areas of Eberron and to bring it up to speed for 5th edition is a completely understandable one, but if we go back and read the old texts we can find the inspiration and history behind them. So let’s take a brief look at the background of these ‘don’t call them tatoos’ markings and how they fit into the lore of the pseudo-medieval technological world known as Eberron.
Before we can even talk about the actual dragonmarks, we need to discuss the Draconic Prophecy and its importance. (We’ll get to the dragonmarks soon, I promise!) The new book talks about the prophecy, but the four paragraphs the subject is given doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of how the prophecy is tied to dragonmarks. In the 3rd edition, the prophecy is fleshed out in the book Eberron, Dragonmarked (2006). The dragons of Argonneseen have studied the world for signs and symbols throughout history looking for patterns, both hidden and obvious. They seek meaning in these patterns, many of which play out over hundreds of years, which is fine for a dragon since they live for an incredibly long time. The Draconic Prophecy is a record of these events, not only from the past but including events in the present and possibly the future. The symbols that the dragons have looked for and studied are found everywhere, including in the depths of Khyber, on the side of mountains, and in the Ring of Siberys. Using these symbols the dragons are able to look predict a number of possible outcomes the future may bring. The prophecy is fluid however, as new symbols and the results of major conflicts, world events, and other important events may alter the direction of future actions. It’s a nice out they have, much like the scam artist fortune teller that charge you $100 bucks for a reading, but I wouldn’t say that to the dragons. I enjoy not having my entire body engulfed in flame. Scholars throughout history have attempted to study these symbols to discover the patterns that the dragons have spent eons looking at. Most humanoids who are aware of the prophecy tend to take an overly simplistic view of it. The truth of the prophecy is far more complex. It is full of a wide range of possibilities, some wondrous while others are dark and dangerous.
According to dragons, a new canvas appeared some 3,000 years ago as the races of Khorvaire started to manifest a new set of symbols to be studied. As dragons view humanoids as lesser races, the dragonmarks have led to many a heated argument amongst the dragons, no pun intended. Some see these new marks as a sign that humans, dwarves, elves, and others will play a prominent role in the prophecy while others have dismissed their importance, saying the races are just one more medium for the marks to appear on.
Other texts speak of the role that the dragonshards played in the manifestation of the dragonmarks of the races of Khorvaire. Dragonshards are found in the shallow soils throughout the lands of Eberron, and its inhabitants have been walking over these magical crystals since they first started to roam the lands. Those that have studied the dragonmarks have come to believe that exposure to the shards over multiple generations is the root cause for the appearance of the marks. A flaw in this theory is the lack of dragonmarks on the orcs and goblinoid races that control the lands before humans, elves, and dwarfs colonized Khorvaire.
So the long and short of it is, no one knows how or why the dragonmarks came into existence, but at least now we have some theories to work with.
Mark of Making
Art Credit - WotC
Key terms to know about
Most of terms listed below can be found in the new text. There are a few are not mentioned 5th edition, but are important enough when talking about dragonmarks they should at least be mentioned. Other terms that apply to the houses can be found on page 37 of Eberron, Rising from the Last War (2019).
The War of the Mark - A bloody conflict between the fledgling houses and aberrant dragonmarked. While the houses had greater numbers of dragonmarked, stories tell of aberrants that had far greater powers, some even powerful enough to lay waste to whole cities. History is written by the victorious, so the war has been justified throughout history as a conflict that not only protected all inhabitants of Eberron but established the houses are an invaluable resource for the development of industry, travel, and trade. (See Aberrant Marks below)
Korth Edicts - Established during the rule of Galifar and his quest to unties the Five Nations, the edicts were the result of a compromise between Galifar and the houses. Galifar realized the potential power the houses could obtain if they remained unchecked, but also acknowledged the importance of their role for the nations of Eberron. In an agreement to ensure the houses continued economic power, they agreed to restrictions on their influence. The biggest of these provisions was the prevention of owning land, holding a title of nobility, and limiting the number of troops a house could maintain, with House Deneith being exempt from the last provision. The edict created a system of rents that they paid to the crown in exchange for the property the houses needed for their needs.
The Last War (also known as the second war) - A brutal war after the fall of the Kingdom of Galifar between the Five Nations. The houses remained neutral during this time and made enormous profits during this period. Selling to all sides, many of the houses created new and powerful weapons, transports, and magic items to aid one, if not many, of the nations. The house's considerable power and influence grew and continues to this day, with the nations relying more no than ever on the services they each supply. The Korth Edicts have little to no power as a result, and many of the houses have started to acquire land and flex their power with the halls of politics.
The Twelve - Formed by the house after the War of the Mark, the Twelve is a neutral organization that serves each house equally. A great citadel was created to cement their alliance and to this day remains a center for reach and study of arcane magic and the dragonmarks.
The Test of Siberys—A rite of passage that the adolescent children of the dragonmark houses undertake. Each house has its own unique set of challenges based on the powers of their marks and the traditions passed down through the ages. The individual must complete and the exact nature of the tests is unknown. Dragonmarks have been known to manifest under extreme stress, so one can only imagine the trails the teens must endure. Approximately one-half of the teens manifest the mark.
Excoriates - An heir who violates the laws of a house is made an excoriate. Stripped of the house name, they are forbidden from utilizing any house resources. They will be denied all services from any establishment or business owned by its guilds. Members of your house who know of your status shun you, and members of other dragonmarked houses will ignore any attempt to engage them. Members of your house are also forbidden from communicating with you in any way or providing you with any sort of aid or support.
Foundlings - Individuals who have manifested a dragonmark, but have no affiliation to any of the houses. Some could be the descendants of excoriates, while others are the product of a forbidden romance between two members of different houses. They are recruited by the houses, but many foundlings prefer to remain outside their sphere of influence.
Scion - The scion is a member of a dragonmarked house that embraces his heritage but keeps his distance from the administration of the house, instead embracing their independence. In the 5th edition scions a have few privileges that come with being a member of the house. In earlier versions, one could use the title of lord and access some basic resources in exchange for some minor type of work.
Agent - An active member of the house in good standing. They have access to all the services a house can provide, but the responsibilities that go along with it. In earlier editions an agent was often engaged in espionage, with some even acting as assassins for their respective houses.
Aberrant Marks
These marks were mentioned above in the War of the Mark, and have a dark history in Khorvaire. The stories of such marks conjure up images of horrible creatures that went insane because of their marks and of monsters hidden in humanoid form. Some of them possessed abilities were so powerful that they could lay waste to entire cities or kill with merely a touch. The accuracy of many such legends is highly suspect, as the Twelve have written the history of the dragonmarked, and they have not been kind to individuals that possessed such an aberrant dragonmark. It makes me sad that no matter where you go, there’s no way to get away from some sort of racism, even in Eberron.
The discovery of aberrant marks is not associated with family lines but individuals. Such marks appear at random intervals and with no logic, only passed down through generational lines in rare cases. History labels these individuals as the children of Khyber and bestowed upon them all manners of horrors and depravity. Along with such negative connotations came amazing powers to these first bearers of aberrant marks. Stories abound of morally bankrupt dragonmarked. One example is the story of one aberrant who burned down an entire town with the wave of a hand because he was cold. The truth behind these stories is unknown, but as time passed, so did the number of stories attributing such evil acts to the aberrants. Approximately 1600 years ago, historical documents imply that the number of individuals bearing aberrant dragonmarks exploded, causing the houses to worry about them as rivals to their power and influence, especially since the powers of the aberrant dragonmarked continued to become stronger. At the height of their population and power, the houses, who saw themselves as the bearers of the only true marks decided to eliminate the threat.
Art Credit - WotC
The War of the Mark lore presents the war as a righteous conflict whose sole purpose was to remove the deadly threat those bearing aberrant dragonmarks presented to Khorvaire. A new version of history has emerged in recent years, giving credence to the theory that the war as a way for the houses to secure their places of power and influence by eliminating a potential source of competition. No matter the true reason behind the war, the beginning saw the houses control the conflicts, and many aberrant dragonmarked were hunted down and slaughtered without mercy. The war should have ended quickly, but the aberrants were unified by Halas Tarkanan. Tarkanan was known as “The Earthshaker,” whose dragonmark had great power over the forces of nature, but it was his skill as a military leader that allowed the aberrants to extend the war for also long as they did. It was a lost cause, however, as Tarkanan and his followers were finally cornered in Sharn. Tarkanan used his powers to destroy the entire city, killing him and his followers, but he was also able to take a large chunk the opposing armies with him. If you’re going to go out, go out strong.
In the 5th edition, the aberrant dragonmark is presented as a Feat that a character can take. No two of these dragonmarks are the same. Your mom and dad were most likely from two different houses, involved in a relationship that is not allowed by the Twelve, with you being the result of forbidden love. An aberrant mark can manifest on any race, at any age. Such marks come with flaws and the possessor of such marks usually needs time to learn how to control its power. Between this lack of control and the history behind the marks, the population of Khorvaire fear those who bear aberrant marks. While they are still rare, the numbers of such marks have been on the rise since the Mourning, which a topic for another day.
When a character takes the Aberrant Dragonmark Feat, they gain the following three benefits. The feat also comes with one flaw. The aberrant flaw chart can be found on page 52 of Eberron Rising from the Last War (2019).
Your Constitution score increase by 1 to a maximum of 20.
You learn a sorcerer cantrip and one 1st level spell you can cast through the mark once per rest. Constitution is the spellcasting ability for this ability.
You can use one Hit Dice when you cast a 1st level spell through your mark. If you roll an even number a random creature within 30 feet takes force damage equal to the dice roll. If no one is within 30 feet, you get to take the damage. Aren’t you lucky.
So there’s a brief history of Eberron and how it influenced the 5th edition. Next week we shall take a look at The Twelve Houses of Eberron, what they do, and the powers of their dragonmarks.
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Header Art Credit: Keith Baker
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