Eberron

Lore & Background

Magic in Eberron is not just a mystical force but an industrial resource. The Dragonmarked Houses, families with hereditary magical abilities, control the global economy through monopolies on communication, transportation, and healing. However, this reliance on magic has come at a cost; the war left the world littered with dangerous constructs, undead soldiers, and volatile magical experiments. The setting is often described as 'magical noir,' where adventurers navigate a world of political intrigue, corporate espionage, and supernatural threats lurking in the shadows of neon-lit cities.

In Their Own Story

The rain in Sharn falls hard against the glass of the airship station, washing away the grime of the lower levels but doing nothing to clear the fog from Captain Varrick's mind. Below, the city stretches into a vertical canyon of stone and steel, where the wealthy soar on dragonships while the poor toil in the gloom. A courier approaches, clutching a sealed envelope marked with the sigil of House Cannith. 'The war is over,' Varrick mutters to himself as he takes the package, 'but someone is still selling weapons.' He checks his pocket watch, a ticking device powered by a tiny crystal, and steps out into the stormy night.

Reader's Guide

Eberron's geography centers on the continent of Khorvaire, dominated by five major nations: Aundair, Breland, Cyre, Karrnath, and Thrane. The nation of Cyre was tragically destroyed during the war's end, leaving a cursed region known as the Mournland where time and reality are broken. The cosmology is distinct, featuring the Age of Demons and the current Silver Flame era. Unlike other settings, the gods in Eberron do not directly intervene; instead, mortals must rely on their own agency or seek aid from powerful entities like the Quori dream-walkers or the Daelkyr aberrations. Major cities include Sharn, a vertical metropolis built into a massive cliffside with distinct social strata based on height; Thrane's capital, Thrane City, known for its religious fervor; and Metrol, the neutral trade hub. Unique rules often involve 'Warforged,' sentient constructs created as soldiers who now seek purpose in a post-war world.

Did You Know?

• The gods of Eberron are intentionally ambiguous; players never know if they truly exist or if their power comes from collective belief and the Silver Flame itself.
• Warforged, living constructs created for war, were granted legal personhood only after the conflict ended, sparking ongoing debates about rights and citizenship.
• The continent of Xen'drik is a dangerous jungle filled with ancient ruins and primordial monsters, often serving as a frontier for exploration.