Eberron
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Eberron_cs_book_cover.jpg
Eberron is a campaign setting created by author and game designer Keith Baker for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.
Baker's Eberron setting was the winning entry for Wizards of the Coast's Fantasy Setting Search, a competition run in 2002 to establish a new setting for the Dungeons and Dragons game. Eberron was chosen from more than 11,000 entries. Eberron combines a fantasy tone with pulp and dark adventure elements, and some non-traditional fantasy technologies such as trains and mechanical beings which are all powered by magic.
The setting is set on the world of Eberron, in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional D&D elements and races within a differently toned setting.
The Eberron setting was officially released with the publication of the Eberron Campaign Setting hardback book in June 2004.
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Noteworthy differences from other official D&D campaign settings
One of the most obvious diferences between Eberron and generic D&D is the level of magic. High-level magic, including resurrection spells, is less common than in most other settings. However, low-level magic is much more pervasive. Many cities have magical lanterns throughout the streets. A continent-wide, magical "lightning rail" provides high speed transportation. Many fans use the term "wide magic" to describe this pattern of magic in Eberron.
Alignment is slightly more muddied than in other official settings. Evil beings of traditionally good races and good beings of traditionally evil races are encouraged; but alignment definition remains true to D&D standards, with good and evil retaining their meanings. However, the situation often arises in the campaign world that oppositely aligned characters will side with each other briefly if a threat looms over all, and also both good and evil characters will infiltrate each others organizations for purposes of espionage.
Religion is similarly less clear-cut. The pantheon of Eberron does not make itself overtly known. The existence of clerical magic is not evidence of the gods as clerics who worship no deities but instead follow a path or belief system also receive spells. A cleric can even actively work against their own church and continue to receive spells. As a result, religion is largely a matter of faith. Unlike in many other 3rd edition D&D settings, a cleric does not have to be within one step of his deity's or religion's alignment, and is not restricted from casting certain spells because of alignment. [1] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040705a)
The setting adds a new character class, the artificer. Artificers are spellcasters focusing on magical item creation. Artificer infusions (their equivalent to spells) focus on temporarily imbuing objects with the desired effects. For example, instead of casting bull's strength on a character, an artificer would cast it upon a belt to create a short term magical Belt of Bull's Strength. Artificers have access to a pool of "craft points" which act as extra experience points (only) for use in creating magical items without sacrificing level attainment. This pool is refilled when the artificer gains levels, or by draining power from an existing magical item (destroying the item in the process).
Eberron also introduces a new NPC class known as the magewright, which is an arcane caster who has a limited selection of low-level spells. The existence of magewrights is part of the reason for the prevalence of low-level magic in Eberron. [2] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040823a)
Rules
To try and create a pulp setting, Eberron uses "action points" that allow a player to add a six-sided die to the result of rolls made with a twenty-sided die. Characters receive a set allotment of single-use action points each character level. The Eberron Campaign Setting also includes feats which grant additional uses for action points, such as allowing a player to add an eight-sided dice instead of a six-sided dice, or spending two actions points to grant your character an additional move or standard action.
World
The Eberron setting primarily takes place in Khorvaire, a continent that until recently was primarily ruled by goblinoids. Humans are now the most populous race in Khorvaire. Southeast is the small continent of Aerenal, ruled by elves. Due south is the jungle continent of Xen'drik, once ruled by an empire of giants that collapsed. The other two main continents are Sarlona (a continent ruled by creatures from the Region of Dreams) and Argonnessen (a continent inhabited by dragons). The world of Eberron has twelve moons.
"Eberron" is also the name for the land of the world, and is also referred to as the Dragon Between. Siberys, the Dragon Above, is the name given to the planetary rings which surround the planet. Khyber, the Dragon Below, is the name given to the underworld, and is similar to the Underdark in many other settings. According to the creation story, the world was formed when the progenitor wyrms changed their form into what they are now. Siberys created the dragons, Eberron created humanoids and other "lower races", and Khyber created the "demons" of the world. (The term "demons" is meant to use the common definition, not the D&D Chaotic Evil outsider.) According to Keith Baker, there is some significance to the fact that each name contains "ber", but he has not stated what this is.
The Last War
The most recent significant event in the Eberron Campaign Setting is an event called the Last War, so-called because the people of Khorvaire believed that after the war was over everybody would grow tired of war. It refers to a series of conflicts in Khorvaire over 102 years that began with a dispute over the throne of the Kingdom of Galifar and the ruling of the Five Nations. During the Last War, various new nations split off from the Five Nations and the Warforged had finally become sentient, living constructs.
Two years prior to the end of the Last War, the nation of Cyre was destroyed in an incident known as the Day of Mourning. (The Eberron Campaign Setting does not give an official cause for this disaster.) This event helped expedite the end of the Last War. Now, the region is referred to as the Mournland and is the home of living spells, preserved dead bodies, and a militant sect of warforged (see Races) led by one called the Lord of Blades who desires to kill all "flesh and blood" humanoids. Natural and magical healing has no effect in the Mournland, and few people enter the region.
The Last War officially ended two years prior to the start of the campaign, with the Treaty of Thronehold, as each of the Five Nations and most of the nations that broke off officially became independent. [3] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040629a)
The Dragonmarked Houses
The Dragonmarked Houses are thirteen extended families which control most business throughout Khorvaire. Within the houses, only a small percentage of every generation manifest dragonmarks, which are marks on the body that grant spell-like abilities to those born with them. These dragonmarks are designated by taking the Least Dragonmark feat or taking levels in the Heir of Siberys prestige class. There used to be thirteen dragonmarks but only twelve remain. Each family possesses only one type of mark, and only one or two races can manifest a particular type of mark. Additionally, only races listed in the Player's Handbook can manifest a dragonmark at all. With the exception of House Phiarlan and House Thuranni (which both possess the Mark of Shadow), each house exclusively has one type of dragonmark.
Dragonmarks come in five forms: aberrant, least, lesser, greater, and Siberys. Aberrant dragonmarks are deviations from normal marks and are not recognized by the dragonmarked houses. People who have aberrant dragonmarks are commonly believed to have been warped by Khyber, the Dragon Below. Least, lesser, and greater dragonmarks can be gained by taking the appropriate feats or taking levels in the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class. These types of marks must be taken in order. The Siberys mark is the greatest mark, but someone cannot have both a least, lesser, or greater mark along with a Siberys mark. As mentioned, a Siberys mark is gained by taking the Heir of Siberys prestige class.
Another dragonmarked house of elves once existed known as House Vol which possessed the Mark of Death, but they were mostly destroyed in a conflict between dragons and other elves. Only one heir remains today (named Erandis d'Vol), but because she is a lich she cannot use her dragonmark. However, she tries to gather information to restore the mark through the Order of the Emerald Claw and the religion known as the Blood of Vol.
Planes
Like most other D&D campaign settings, Eberron has a number of planes. Besides the Prime Material Plane, the Ethereal Plane, the Plane of Shadow, and the Astral Plane, the Eberron Campaign Setting has thirteen relatively unique planes. Gates or portals to any of the planes are very rare. These thirteen planes "orbit" around Eberron and depending on where they are at are considered in one of four states. [4] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eb/20040309a)
- Waxing/Waning - The plane is either approaching or moving away from Eberron. Planar travel occurs as normal.
- Coterminous - The plane actually touches Eberron, and certain effects are strengthened in Eberron. Also, it may be possible to travel between planes by going to an appropriate spot. For example, when Risia, the Plain of Ice (correct spelling) is coterminous, one may enter the plane from Eberron by walking into a blizzard. Because of seals placed by the Gatekeeper druids, Xoriat, the Realm of Madness, is incapable of becoming coterminous with Eberron.
- Remote - The plane is furthest from Eberron, and certain effects are weakened in Eberron. Also, reaching a remote plane with the spell plane shift is difficult and requires a high Spellcraft DC check. Because of the conflict between the Quori and the giants of Xen'drik, Dal Quor is always considered remote from Eberron.
Also, certain places in Eberron have a manifest zone, which is a permanent connection to the plane regardless of the plane's distance from Eberron. Similar to when a plane is coterminous, certain effects of the plane appear in the manifest zone. However, unlike when a plane is coterminous, one cannot pass between planes in a manifest zone.
The most well-known manifest zone in Eberron is in the metropolis of Sharn, the City of Towers: this manifest zone to Syrania, the Azure Sky improves levitation and flying magic and allows for the buildings to reach the sky.
The number 13
The number 13 plays an important role in Eberron, as well as the number 12. Some examples are:
- There are unique 13 planes, but only 12 of them currently orbiting Eberron
- There are 13 different dragonmarks (not houses), but only 12 currently exist (the Mark of Death was destroyed)
- There are currently 13 different nations, but one of those is a wasteland (the Mournland)
- The ancient calendar of the giant empire had 13 months, whereas the current calendar has 12
- During the Age of Giants, there were 13 moons, but one has vanished.
Races and monsters
New player-character races include the warforged and shifters. Warforged are sentinent constructs, similar to golems but capable of independent thought, created during the Last War by House Cannith. In the truce ending the Last War, further warforged construction was banned and the existing ones were given freedom. Shifters, or "weretouched", are a true race that developed through the breeding of humans and lycanthropes, resulting in a race that developed the ability to temporarily gain an increase in speed, natural weapon (bite or claw), climbing ability, or other abilities as appropriate to their individual heritage.
Other new races include changelings, a race that developed through the breeding of humans and doppelgangers. While they do not have the full shapechanging abilities as doppelgangers, they still have a minor change shape ability. Finally, Eberron introduces the Kalashtar -- humans bound with a spiritual psychic connection to a Quori, a creature originally from Dal Quor, the Region of Dreams [5] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050110a).
As for traditional races, elves are relative newcomers to the continent of Khorvaire. Originally the elves were slaves to a race of giants on the continent of Xen'drik. They escaped to and founded a nation on the smaller continent of Aerenal. Aerenal elves in Eberron practice a form of ancestor worship. On Aerenal, those elves deemed to be particularly benefitial to the race are magically revived as Undying. The lich-like beings are enchanted with positive energy instead of the negative energy that animates undead. The Undying act as counselors to the Aerenal elves. Elves have occupied parts of Khorvaire sporatically, only recently forming their own nation there known as Valenar. Valenar elves hold different traditions from Aerenal elves, and stress bringing glory to their Xen'drik ancestors through combat. [6] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041004a) [7] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041011a)
Dwarves, by legend, originated from the arctic subcontinent of Frostfell and now live in a region called the Mror Holds. In addition to their traditional role as elite warriors, they also put much importance on wealth, and their dragonmarked house -- House Kundarak -- is used throughout Khorvaire for banking. [8] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041101a) [9] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041108a) Halflings usually live in nomadic tribes in the Talenta Plains where they train dinosaurs as mounts.
Gnomes commonly live in their own country of Zilargo and are considered excellent shipwrights, the masters of elemental binding, information seekers, and social manipulators. [10] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041129a) [11] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041206a) Orcs and half-orcs often live in the Shadow Marches: a country with many cults to Khyber, a secretive druidic sect known as the Gatekeepers, and many manifest zones to Xoriat, the Realm of Madness. Because of widespread immigration though, any race can be found anywhere on Khorvaire.
Other significant races and monsters to Eberron include goblins and hobgoblins who had an empire which once dominated Khorvaire, but after a period of decline now are reduced to a single country. [12] (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040816a) Drow, like elves, were also once slaves to the giants, but unlike the elves they still exist on Eberron in Xen'drik. They use scorpion imagery, but they do not venerate scorpions as drow in Greyhawk or the Forgotten Realms do for spiders. Rather than being a subrace of elves, Keith Baker considers drow their own distinctive race. The computer game Dragonshard is supposed to introduce a subculture of drow known as the Umbragen (or shadow elves), but little is known about them at this time.
Couatl -- good creatures of positive energy -- are responsible (with the aid of the dragons) for bringing an end to the Age of Demons 100,000 years before the campaign begins. Most couatl have bound themselves to the force known as the Silver Flame, which now has a church devoted to it. Rakshasas are part of an evil organization called the Lords of Dust who scheme in Khorvaire to get their masters released from Khyber. Daelkyr are extremely powerful, evil creatures from Xoriat bound within Khyber who seek to eventually break their seals and bring madness to Eberron.
Books
- Eberron Campaign Setting (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/864000000) (June 2004, ISBN 0-7869-3276-7) is the core campaign setting, providing the campaign specific rules and details on the continent of Khorvaire. It includes the introductory adventure "The Forgotten Forge."
- Shadows of the Last War adventure (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/864100000) (July 2004, ISBN 0-7869-3276-7). This adventure is designed as a sequel to "The Forgotten Forge," but can be run on its own.
- Whispers of the Vampire's Blade adventure (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/864300000) (September 2004, ISBN 0-7869-3510-3) This adventure is designed as a sequel to Shadows of the Last War. The connections to Shadows are relatively minor and the adventure is easily run on its own.
- Sharn: City of Towers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/864200000) (November 2004, ISBN 0-7869-3434-4) provides additional campaign setting details for the city of Sharn.
- Grasp of the Emerald Claw adventure (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/177300000) (January 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3652-5) This adventure is designed as a sequel to Shadows of the Last War and Whispers of the Vampire's Blade.
- Races of Eberron (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/177450000) (April 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3658-4) provides additional campaign setting details for the core races found in Eberron, including more information on the unique races of the setting.
- Five Nations (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/178680000) (To be released: July 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3690-8)
- Explorer's Handbook (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/178690000) (To be released: August 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3691-6)
- Magic of Eberron (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/882917200) (To be released: October 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3696-7)
Novels
- The City of Towers (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/176430000) - Book 1 of The Dreaming Dark (Keith Baker, February 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3584-7)
- Marked for Death (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/176760000) - Book 1 of The Lost Mark (Matt Forbeck, March 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3610-X)
- The Crimson Talisman (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/887220000) - Book 1 of The War-Torn (Adrian Cole, May 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3739-4)
- The Binding Stone (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/969290000) - Book 1 of The Dragon Below (Don Bassingthwaite, To be released: August 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3784-X)
- The Orb of Xoriat (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberronnovel/950137400) - Book 2 of the War-Torn (Edward Bolme, To be released: October 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3819-6)
Other accessories
- Deluxe Eberron Dungeon Master’s Screen (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/950060000) (To be released July 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3850-1) will include information from the standard Deluxe D&D Dungeon Master's Screen, with modifications and additional material appropriate for game elements unique to the Eberron setting. Also included will be a poster map of Khorvaire.
- Deluxe Eberron Player Character Sheets (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/950050000) (To be released August 2005, ISBN 0-7869-3849-8) will be based on the D&D Deluxe Player Character Sheets and will also include a sheet for the new class introduced in the setting.
Video games
- Dragonshard (http://www.atari.com/dragonshard) (PC, to be released June 2005)
- D&D Online (http://www.ddo.com) (PC, to be released in late 2005)
External links
- Eberron Home Page at Wizards of the Coast (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eberron)
- Ask Keith Baker FAQ (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=287579)