IMPORTANT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS

The following is a list of groups and organizations on Eberron that have a large influence in the regions they inhabit.

The Aurum: This is a group of wealthy scholars engaged in the study of history. It is an exclusive club and few are invited to join. There are rumors that the group deals in stolen artifacts and shady deals, but there is no hard evidence.

The Blood of Vol: This is an ancient religion devoted to the figurative and literal meaning of blood – the mysteries of heredity, death and the undead. It consists of small groups of followers scattered across Khorvaire, who believe that blood is the source of life and undeath is a path to divinity.

The Chamber: Many people have heard of the Chamber but no one seems to know what it is, who runs it, or even where it is. Rumors abound, the only constant one is that the Chamber is an organization that watches the world.

Church of the Silver Flame: The priests and paladins of the Silver Flame have battled the forces of darkness for hundreds of years. A relatively young religion, the Church of the Silver Flame has found staunch support across Khorvaire, especially in the city of Thrane. This lawful good organization is based in the city of Flamekeep, under the leadership of Jaela Daran, the Keeper of the Flame. Members of the church carry a silver arrowhead engraved with a stylized flame.

The current Keeper of the Flame, eleven year old Jaela Daran, receives the powers and abilities of an 18^th level cleric as long as she is within the city of Flamekeep, where the Silver Flame constantly burns. Beyond the proximity of the pillar of fire she must rely on her own skills as a 3^rd level cleric.

Over the centuries the Church of the Silver Flame has spread across Khorvaire. Its followers are engaged in a never ending struggle against the forces of evil. They have fought demons, hunted lycanthropes almost to extinction, and battled all manner of monsters.

The Keeper of the Flame sits on the spiritual and temporal thrones of the church and nation. The next level in church hierarchy is the Council of Cardinals, which oversees the operations of both church and state. Church ministers provide spiritual guidance to the faithful, both in Thrane and abroad, battling evil by nurturing good.

Church templars consist of warriors, paladins, clerics and exorcists trained to meet evil head-on with sword, mace and spell. The order’s cardinal sits on the Council of Cardinals and his templars protect Thrane, the churches, and religious holding throughout Khorvaire. The third order within the Silver Flame, the Friars, provides missionaries for the church. Friars devoted to the Silver Flame spread the faith beyond Thrane’s borders with zeal.

While not a separate order, a small portion of the faithful believe in the Pure Flame. These fervent flamers, called Puritans, interpret every utterance of the Voice of the Flame literally. In the past, the puritans helped initiate the inquisition against the lycanthropes and inspired crusades of all types. Today they remain a vocal group within the church.

The Church of the Silver Flame seeks to purify the world. It wages war against supernatural evil: members of the church templars roam the land fighting fiends, undead and magical beasts. The church also fights corruption, greed and other human evils. The average faithful is not expected to fight zombies and ghouls, but he is exected to live a noble life and encourage others to do the same. The church teaches that those who purify their spirit in this life, join with the Silver Falme after death, strengthening the fires that bind the forces of evil within Kyber.

Cults of the Dragon Below: Since the dawn of civilization – human or otherwise – there have been those that revered the Dragon Below, seeking to placate the forces of darkness through sacrifice and devotion. As some worship the light, these embrace the darkness. Their goals are many and varied. Some seek to release the Daelkyr or to call up other dark forces from the depths of Khyber. Others hope to buy passage to a promised land beneath the surface of Khorvaire through blood sacrifice. Regardless of their beliefs, the Cults of the Dragon Below are often insane and always dangerous.

The cults of the Dragon below is strongest in the Shadow Marches. The war against the Daelkyr left deep scars on the psyche of the inhabitants in this region. As befits the servants of madness, the cults have no ties to one another and often work at cross-purposes: all they have in common are their dreams of a world consumed by darkness and evil. Beyond the Shadow Marches, the cults follow many paths. Some listen to the mad whispers of the Daelkyr, others revere the bound Raksasha rajahs, while a few directly worship the progenitor wyrm, Khyber as the source of these lesser evils.

Dragonmarked Houses: The Dragonmarked houses are a huge economic force. They are detailed in the ‘Character Construction’ section of the website.

The Dreaming Dark: The name is rarely heard, and rumors abound as to the identity of this group, no one knows for sure. The only fact is, the name strikes fear in the hearts of many, often for no logical reason..

The Gatekeepers: This is a druid sect dedicated to protecting nature from the unnatural. They spend their lives fighting aberrations and guarding against extraplanar invasion and the release of ancient evils.

The Gatekeepers maintain the oldest druidic traditions on Khorvaire. Over 15000 years ago, the green dragon Vvaraak came to the Shadow Marches and gathered followers around her. She had foreseen a cataclysm that only the younger races would be able to avert, and so she taught the orc how to work with earth and wood, and how to read the future in the movements of the Ring of Siberys. She charged her students to watch for the signs of the great disaster, and always seek to preserve the balance of nature against those that would corrupt it.

It was over 7000 years before the Gatekeepers faced the first real threat to Khorvaire: the coming of the

Daelkyr. Leading armies of ilithids, beholders and other aberrations, these fiends sought to remake Khorvaire. The war that followed shattered the hobgoblin empire and left terrible scars across the continent but Vvaraak’s students ultimatelt prevailed – the gates to Xoriat were sealed, and the Daelkyr that remained were driven into the depths of khyber. The question remained: Was this the cataclysm Vvaraak had predicted, or a prelude to something worse?

The gatekeepers had been crippled by the war against the Daelkyr. The survivors retreated to the depths of the Shadow Marches or Eldeen Reaches. Gatekeeper barbarians and rangers hunted down the surviving aberrations, while the druids watched for signs in the sky of new danger. Eventually, humans came to Khorvaire. The Gatekeepers shared their secrets with the newcomers and some humans joined the ancient cause. Today, the Shadow Marches are a stronghold for the Gatekeepers; in the Eldeen Reaches, the Wardens of the Wood and the other sects inspired by the great druid Oalian outnumber the Gatekeepers.

The Gatekeepers ave a loose structure. Aspirants grow into initiates, and initiates become Gatekeepers. Otherwise, rank and respect comes with seniority and deeds. High level druids guide the Gatekeepers but they make up only a small part of the sect. For every Gatekeeper there are a handful of aspirants and initiates. For every initiate, there are 3 or 4 hunters. In the Sahdow Marches, the sect’s barbarian hunters allow the fury of nature to guide their actions. In the Eldeen Reaches, ranger hunters carefully track the horrors that have been left behind by the Daelkyr.

The gatekeepers seek to defend nature against aberrations, outsiders, undead and other horrors that have no place in the natural order of Eberron. They remain ever vigilant, preparing for war against a darkness that may rise again. The gatekeepers of the Eldeen Reaches have a friendly relationship with the Wardens of the Wood, the largest druidic sect in the region. In general, the Gatekeepers have little interest in the politics and affairs of the Five Nations.

The Library of Korranberg: Located in Zilargo’s southeasternmost port city, the Library of Korranberg is the greatest repository of general knowledge in all of Khorvaire. In addition to serving as a resource for scholars and explorers, the library often funds expeditions to study ancient cultures or unexplored lands.

The gnomes of Zilargo have an unparalelled thirts for knowledge; this inquisitive spirit gave birth to the Library of Korranberg. A loremaster of the powerful Korran family became obsessed with the theory that the deities of the Sovreign Host were in fact, ascended dragons. This gnome, Dorius Alyre ir’Korran, swore that he would amass enough knowledge and information to surpass even the Sovreign Lord Aureon so that he could ascend and take the god’s place. The korran family invested considerable wealth in Dorius’ obsession: even those that didn’t believe his theories of divinity were intrigued by the idea of a vast vault of knowledge. In time, Dorius died, but his library remained. As the centuries passed, it continued to grow and expand. With the rise of the kingdom of Galifar, gentry and aristocrats from across Khorvaire came to study at the colleges connected to the Library. Today, the Library of Korranberg plays a significant role in the economy of khorvaire. It funds many expeditions to further the search for knowledge, and can be a valuable patron for adventurers.

The citizens of Korranberg take great pride in their library. Citizens of the city may attend the colleges without charge, and every citizen must devote four years of service to the Library. This service is considered an act of patriotism and an educational experience. Many choose to extend this period of service, accepting posts as lecturers, researchers, administrators and other important roles.

Each of the Library’s eight colleges seek to advance a particular field of study. Together, the colleges maintain the archives – vast vaults containing knowledge accumulated over three millennia. The doyens of each college serve on a central council that manages the affairs of the Library. This council is run by an appointed member of the Korran family, descended from the founders of the Library. Like all politics in Zilargo, positions in the Library involve scheming, intrigue and blackmail. The current high councilor, Alina Alrene ir’Korran, is a cunning woman who has had to fight off many competitors within her own house to maintain her status and position.

The Library is headquartered in Korranberg, but it keeps safe houses in the capital cities of every nation across Khorvaire. These offices provide shelter for library research teams. While the Library does not focus on magic as much as the twelve or the Arcane Congress, it has had centuries to fill its vaults. Thr restricted archives and secret vaults are heavily defended and shielded against scrying and other forms of spying.

The Library appears larger on the inside than it does outside – and from the outside, it looks massive. When a researcher reserves time at the library, a clerk provides a catalog stone – an orange colored crystal keyed to the subjects the researcher wants to study. A private study cell is provided, which initially looks like a small pool of light in a vast, open darkness located somewhere in the Library’s extradimensional space. Within the pool of light, a desk, chair, work table, and narrow pedestal are placed for the researchers use, along with quills, ink, parchment and sealing wax. When the catalog stone is placed upon the pedestal, alcoves formed of shelves full of books and scrolls rush out of the darkness to create the walls of the study cell. When the researcher completes his work, removing the stone from the pedestal causes the shelves to fall away so that the researcher can exit the study cell.

The Lords of Dust: The name of the ancient cabal of immortal fiends that was defeated in the age of demons. The name is often used as a curse and rumors still persist that they were not all destroyed.

Morgrave University: Morgrave University is not the most reputable institution in Khorvaire. It lacks the resources of the Library of Korranberg or Wynarn University, and many claim that its archaelogical activities are infested with smugglers and treasure hunters. While the university lacks the klout of its peers in Korranberg and Aundair, it is much more accessible to young adventurers who have yet to build a reputation.

In the past, most nobles were educated in the colleges of Zilargo or Aundair. When Lord Lareth ir’Morgrave established his university in the city of Sharn 260 years ago, he claimed it would be “a beacon of knowledge shining from the tallest towers of the city, illuminating the forgotten secrets of the past.” While many city elders applauded Morgrave’s work, he had his enemies. Morgrave was said to have made his fortune selling Dhakaani artifacts on the black market, and some claimed that the true purpose of the university was to assist him in treasure hunting. Suspisions aside, Sharn’s proximity to Xen’drik has made Morgrave University a nexus for scholars wishing to study the secret continent.

The Master of Morgrave University is the oldest heir of the Morgrave line. Currently the university head is Larrian ir’Morgrave, a scholar that has spent decades studying the civilizations of ancient Xen’drik.

Morgrave university struggles to establish its academic reputation, and the sages and scholars on the faculty always watch for an opportunity to prove themselves. That said, Morgraves reputation for corruption is well deserved. Many priceless relics recovered from Xen’drik or Dhakaani ruins have been ‘stolen’ from the university vaults, only to find their way onto the black market or into the hands of the Aurum. Master Larrian has vowed to put an end to these acts of profiteering and smuggling, but so far has done little to back up his promise.

Some people at the university do have ties with smugglers and thieves, but many of the Morgrave scholars really do believe in their work. A few of them have connections with the Library of Korranberg, the Wayfinder Foundation and the Twelve. Obviously, these ties are not strong enough to get the one of them a post at a more prestigious institution, but an adventurer might be able to get a letter of introduction from one of the Morgrave sages.

Order of the Emerald Claw: The reputation of the knightly Order of the Emerald claw has gone from one extreme to another. When it was established, it was considered the ultimate expression of Karrnathi patriotism. Today, it has been outlawed and is seen as a terrorist organization working at cross purposes to the legitimate government of the nation.The Order of the Emerald claw consists of a small number of fanatics dedicated to the military superiority of a Karrnath that doesn’t want their devotion. The Order supports a vast network whose tendrils wind through all levels of Khorvairian society. It has eyes and ears in the halls of government, churches, dragonmarked houses, and private institutions. Some of its agents never reveal their true nature; others appear proundly in the knightly garb of the order.

Knights of the Order scour the world for powerful magic artifacts and relics and aren’t above stealing arcane research from wizards and artificers to churn out new magic weapons for the order.

The garb worn by the knights of the order includes a distinctive helmet with a half faceplate, a tabard with a claw insignia over chainmail, and a powerful flail.

The Royal Families: King Galifar I established a royal line that continues to rule parts of Khorvaire to the present day. When Galifar united the Five Nations under his banner, he gave each of his five eldest children regency over one of the nations. His descendants continued this practice as age and number offspring allowed, so that for most of the reigns of the Galifar kings and queens, their children learned leadership by governing part of the kingdom and were therefore more or less ready to step onto the throne when the king abdicated or died. Succession went to the oldest scion of each generation – at least until the death of king Jarot and the succession struggle that led to the Last War.

Today, the descendants of Galifar ir’Wynarn continue to play instrumental roles in Khorvaire. Three of the remaining Five Nations are still ruled by the Wynanr family, and the fourth nations royal family, while not on the throne, has some role in the governing of the nation.

Queen Aurala ir’Wynarn rules Aundair, and her extended family and loyal nobles administer to the needs of the people. From th capital city of Fairhaven, Aurala commands all she surveys and plans to use the calm of the current peace to launch a storm that sees her claim the Galifar crown for her own.

King Boranel ir’Wynarn leads the royal family of Breland from an ancient estate in the capital city of Wroat. Older than the other rulers of the Five Nations and with heirs that have as yet not inspired love and devotion, Boranel worries about the fate of Breland when his head becomes too weak to carry the crown.

King Kaius III, rules the nation of Karrnath. He maintains the miltary dictatorship that has served the nation well, while working to stabilize the peace and turn his nation into a more progressive society.

Diani ir’Wynarn leads the royal family of Thrane, which serves merely as a figurehead in the theocracy. She works in secret to make deals with foreign powers in an effort to regain the government of her nation, but the Church of the Silver Flame has a solid hold on the reigns of power and will prove difficult to overthrow.

Other members of the Wynarn family can be found throughout Khorvaire. Perhaps the next most powerful of these is Oargev ir’Wynarn, the last remaining scion of Cyre’s ruling family. A leader in exile, Oargev makes his base in the town of New Cyre, graciously provided by Breland for the refugees of the destroyed nation.

The Twelve: An arcane institution funded by the Dragonmarked houses, the twelve operates out of a thirteen tiered keep that floats above the city of Korth on Karrnath. As part of the agreements that ended the War of the Mark, Hadran d’Cannith suggested that the houses work together to create an institution for the application of magic – a foundation that would study Dragonmarks and the more traditional forms of arcane magic. The keep was built by Alder d’Cannith, a visionary wizard and master fabricator who used his studies of the sky to determine that the keep should have thirteen towers. “The moons suggest that the perfect number of Dragonmarks is thirteen” Alder cryptically explained, “but we shall call call the institution the Twelve, for the thirteenth mark was cast off long ago. No one argued with him. (While the elves remember the Mark of Death, it is a topic they wish to forget. Aside from the elf leaders, few know the truth behind the lost Dragonmark.)

Over the centuries, the institute has been responsible for many arcane advances. The artificers of the Twelve helped develop the airships used by house Lyrandar, for example, as well as the message stations of house Sivis.

As an arm of the dragonmarked houses, the twelve attempted to remain neutral during the Last War. However, many of the wizards and artificers of the twelve had national loyalties that were stronger than their ties to the institute, and they chose to leave to fight in the war. Quite a few fell in battle. Now that the twelve has resumed normal operations, it seeks to replace its fallen members and make sure each house is represented.

The Committee of Twelve, oversees the institute. The committee actually has more than twelve members: There are 12 Dragonmarks, but the split of house Phiarlan and house Thuranni and the current troubles in house Cannith have caused the numbers to fluctuate.

The Twelve has access to a tremendous array of mystical supplies and funding, and the greatest wizards and magewrights of the land fight for workshop privileges at the institute. Advances made at the institute are shared equally among the houses, although there are always rumors of one or more of the houses diverting funds for secret projects or attempting to conceal valuable discoveries.

As an institution, the twelve seeks to advance the mystical arts. In particular, the Committee of Twelve looks for magical developments that have practical applications in society and the potential for great profit. The Twelve has a great deal to offer arcane adventurers. It has access to considerable stores of rare mystical components and a vast library of spells. Even the mundane can find the Twelve to be an invaluable asset, because the sages of the institute can quickly identify unusual magic items or artifacts. However, being a prestigious organization, theTwelve will not deal with adventurers until they have developed a positive reputation.

Wardens of the Wood: The great forest of the Eldeen Reaches is filled with a dozen druid sects. Each sect consists of druids, rangers and others that feel a bond to nature, and each has its own beliefs and motivations. The largest and most influential of the sects is the Wardens of the Wood. The Wardens are primarily human but include elves, half-elves, gnomes and a few members of other races. They guard the plains and forests, protecting nature and the people living there from all threats – natural and un-natural alike.

The Great Druid Oalian (an awakened Great Pine) is recognized as the ultimate authority in the region by all the sects except the Gatekeepers. The Wardens directly serve Oalian and are his eyes and ears in the region.

The Wardens of the Wood, like the Gatekeepers, maintain static communities where children are raised and taught. The Wardens dominate the region. Over the last three decades they have spread out across the plains as well as continuing to occupy the Great Forest. The Wardens seek to maintain the balance between civilization and nature. Human, orc, bird and beast all have a place in the world – they just need to be provided with the proper aid and guidance. The Wardens protect travelers from bandits, rabid beasts, and the aberrations that lurk in the shadows. They have no problem with agriculture and animal husbandry, as long as both land and beast are treated with respect and compassion. They work with farmers and ranchers to ensure the needs of nature are met.

The druid sects have little influence outside of the Eldeen Reaches. Within the great forest, there are friendly ties between the Wardens and the Gatekeepers. The other sects respect the great druid, but generally come together only for important rituals and conclaves. Oalian has forbidden open conflict between the sects. However, individual druids and rangers often follow their own hearts. Wardens of the Wood often interfere with Ashbound raids, and the Children of Winter occasionally clash with members of other sects. However, all personal vendettas are set aside while druids are in Greenheart or in the presence of the great druid.

The Wayfinder Foundation: In his youth, Lord Boroman ir’Dayne was a great hunter and explorer. He led the only expedition ever to reach the Frostfell and return to tell about it. He wrestled ogres in Droaam, fought chuuls in the Shadow Marches, and was the first halfling to travel to Xen’drik and return. Dayne amassed a great fortune in his day, but during his final expedition to Xen’drik he contracted a slow, wasting curse that no magic has been able to reverse. He has a few years of life left, and while he no longer has the strength to explore on his own, he still wants to unlock the mysteries of the unknown. To this end, he dedicated his fortune to establishing the Wayfinder Foundation – a guild for adventurers and explorers that funds dangerous missions to exotic locales, as well as giving bold adventurers a place to display their trophies and tell tall tales.

The Wayfinder Foundation is an exclusive organization. Membership is by invitation only and offers are only extended to reknowned adventurers and explorers. The Wayfinder Conclave manges the affairs of the foundation. The conclave meets in Aundair and all decisions are resolved by majority vote. As long as he still lives, Lord Boroman has final say on all expenditures of foundation funds, even overriding decisions of the conclave. Despite his skills, Dayne has been crippled by the wasting curse and rarely leaves the foundation’s enclave in Fairhaven.

Boroman is a true philanthropist, he wishes to have his name attached to the great adventures of the future, since he himself can no longer participate in the adventures of the present. His one ulterior motive is that some explorer will stumble across the cure for his curse. Of course many members of the foundation are more interested in amassing personal wealth and glory, than advancing the reputation of the wayfinders or pursuing scholarly exploration. The Wayfinder foundation is very much an alliance of individuals, and each wayfinder has a distinctly different personality.