If you choose the House Agent background, there is one more option: House Tarkanan. They will accept anyone with an Aberrant Dragonmark, but people with no mark must prove their skill and loyalty before being allowed to join. As such, most members of House Tarkanan have Aberrant Dragonmarks.
House Tarkanan has a reputation for assassination, thievery, and other forms of organized crime. Despite presenting themselves as a united House in the same way the Dragonmarked Houses do, the other Houses do not respect House Tarkanan as equals to them.
If you choose to be a House Agent from House Tarkanan, you have proficiency in thieves tools and the poisoner's kit, and your background equipment is identical to that from the Criminal background.
There are 13 noble families across Eberron that each pride their magical lineage, which manifests in the form of a True Dragonmark. It is possible for people outside of the family to join and work for a House, but the mark is passed down hereditarily, and every House is very proud of their bloodline's racial purity.
While there are 13 Dragonmarked Houses, there are only 12 unique True Dragonmarks. This is because of an event toward the end of the Last War called the Shadow Schism: a feud between members of House Phiarlan. Due to this feud, some members of the house split off, founding House Thuranni. Both houses now wear the Dragonmark of Shadow.
Dragonmarks evolve as you grow in power. When it first manifests, it takes the form known as the Least Mark. As the mark grows stronger, it becomes more complex, and grants more powerful abilities. There have been many different classifications of marks through the years, but the current consensus between houses is to categorize them into six levels: Least Marks, Lesser Marks, Awakened Marks, Greater Marks, Exalted Marks, and Siberys Marks. These categories are very flexible, however, and only refer to the maximum potential power that can be drawn from the mark in its current state. Someone with a Lesser Mark may actually be able to do more than someone with a Greater Mark if they are more in-tune with the power their mark grants. The entries here are the bare minimum power granted at each level of the mark.
Most members of Dragonmarked Houses only have the Least or Lesser marks. Those with Awakened Marks have a moderate amount of pull and independence within their house. Greater Marks are highly respected within the houses, and often either have leadership positions or are highly trusted field operatives. Those with Exalted Marks are very rare, and often end up in the highest leadership positions available. Each house usually has at most only one or two members with Exalted Marks at any given time.
The most powerful form of a dragonmark is known as the Siberys Mark. Any person with a mark this powerful is known as an Heir of Siberys. Heirs from any house are legendary figures, heavily respected by all Dragonmarked Houses. Each house can count the number of Heirs their house has ever had on one hand. In order to reach this point, a dragonmarked creature must be incredibly powerful and perfectly in-tune with their mark. Siberys Marks are not detailed here, as the additional powers they grant are unique to each individual based on how they use their mark's power.
Each dragonmark allows you to cast spells. You may choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for these spells. In addition, if you have a dragonmark and your class grants any magical/supernatural abilities, you may flavor those abilities as coming specifically from the mark.
In order to meet the racial prerequisite, you merely have to be born as the required race, within the required house. However, while you can theoretically apply these templates to any race if your character underwent a magical transformation, it is impossible for you to ever pass on the dragonmark to your offspring. In addition, having a True Dragonmark and then magically changing races could be a very good excuse to gain an Aberrant Dragonmark.
Prerequisite: House Medani; Human, Elf, or Half-Elf
Least Mark: When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Mage Hand cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, or Detect Evil and Good. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: See Invisibility, Detect Thoughts, or Find Traps. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Clairvoyance, Nondetection, or Glyph of Warding. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Arcane Eye, Divination, or Faithful Hound. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Tharashk; Human, Orc, or Half-Orc
Least Mark: When you make a Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the True Strike cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Hunter's Mark, Identify, or Faerie Fire. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Locate Animals or Plants, Mind Spike, or Locate Object. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Clairvoyance, Enemies Abound, or Speak with Plants. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Divination, Locate Creature, or Faithful Hound. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Vadalis; Human
Least Mark: When you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Intelligence (Nature) check, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Druidcraft cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Animal Friendship, Speak with Animals, or Beast Bond. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Animal Messenger, Beast Sense, or Summon Beast. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Beacon of Hope, Conjure Animals, or Phantom Steed. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Charm Monster, Dominate Beast, or Faithful Hound. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Jorasco; Halfling
Least Mark: When you make a Wisdom (Medicine) check or an ability check using an herbalism kit, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Spare the Dying cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Cure Wounds, Goodberry, or Healing Word. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Lesser Restoration, Prayer of Healing, or Protection from Poison. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Aura of Vitality, Mass Healing Word, or Revivify. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Aura of Life, Aura of Purity, or Death Ward. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Ghallanda; Halfling
Least Mark: When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check or an ability check involving brewer's supplies or cook's utensils, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Prestidigitation cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Purify Food and Drink, Unseen Servant, or Goodberry. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Aid, Calm Emotions, or Rope Trick. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Catnap, Create Food and Water, or Tiny Hut. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Aura of Purity, Private Sanctum, or Hallucinatory Terrain. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Cannith; Human
Least Mark: When you make an Intelligence (Arcana) check or an ability check involving an artisan's tool, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Mending cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Identify, Catapult, or Floating Disk. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon, or Magic Aura. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Conjure Barrage, Elemental Weapon, or Tiny Servant. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Fabricate, Stone Shape, or Summon Construct. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Orien; Human
Least Mark: When you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or any ability check to operate or maintain a land vehicle, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Light cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Expeditious Retreat, Jump, or Longstrider. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Misty Step, Pass Without Trace, or Find Steed. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Blink, Phantom Steed, or Haste. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Dimension Door, Find Greater Steed, or Freedom of Movement. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Sivis; Gnome
Least Mark: When you make an Intelligence (History) check or an ability check using calligrapher's supplies, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Message cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Comprehend Languages, Illusory Script, or Identify. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Augury, Borrowed Knowledge, or Magic Mouth. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Sending, Tongues, or Speak with Dead. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Arcane Eye, Confusion, or Speedy Courier. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Deneith; Human
Least Mark: When you make a Wisdom (Insight) or Wisdom (Perception) check, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Blade Ward cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Absorb Elements, Shield, or Shield of Faith. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Blur, Disarm, or Warding Wind. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Counterspell, Protection from Energy, or Intellect Fortress. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Death Ward, Guardian of Faith, or Resilient Sphere. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Phiarlan or House Thuranni; Elf
Least Mark: When you make a Charisma (Performance) or Dexterity (Stealth) check, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Minor Illusion cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Disguise Self, Fog Cloud, or Silent Image . You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Darkness, Invisibility, or Silence. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image, or Clairvoyance. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain, or Aphantasia. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Lyrandar; Human, Elf, or Half-Elf
Least Mark: When you make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or any ability check involving navigator's tools, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Gust cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Feather Fall, Fog Cloud, or Zephyr Strike. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Gust of Wind, Levitate, or Skywrite. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Call Lightning, Sleet Storm, or Wind Wall. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Control Water, Ice Storm, or Summon Elemental. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Prerequisite: House Kundarak; Dwarf
Least Mark: When you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check or an ability check using thieves' tools, you can add 1d4 to the check. In addition, you learn the Resistance cantrip.
Lesser Mark: At level 3, choose one of the following spells: Alarm, Armor of Agathys, or Mage Armor. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Awakened Mark: At level 5, choose one of the following spells: Arcane Lock, Warding Bond, or Protection from Poison. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Greater Mark: At level 7, choose one of the following spells: Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle, or Intellect Fortress. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
Exalted Mark: At level 9, choose one of the following spells: Secret Chest, Private Sanctum, or Resilient Sphere. You learn your chosen spell, and can cast it once per long rest.
When two creatures with different dragonmarks reproduce, the result is a creature with an Aberrant Dragonmark. Such creatures are shunned from the Dragonmarked Houses, and their parents are usually shamed as house traitors by their families. Under rare circumstances, one can also manifest as a result of exposure to powerful uncontrolled magic.
Arcane Scab. Choose one metamagic option. You learn 1 cantrip from the Sorcerer spell list, and whenever you cast that cantrip, it is cast as if it had your chosen metamagic option active.
Lesser Aberrant Power. At level 5, choose a 1st or 2nd level spell from the Sorcerer spell list, as well as one metamagic option. It may be the same option as the previous one, or different. You can cast the spell once per short rest as if it had that metamagic active, requiring no material components.
Greater Aberrant Power. At level 9, choose choose a 3rd or 4th level spell from the Sorcerer spell list, as well as one metamagic option. It may be the same option as the previous two, or different. You can cast the spell once per short rest as if it had that metamagic active, requiring no material components.
Constitution is your spellcasting ability for all spells you cast through an aberrant mark. If you have metamagic from another source, you can use metamagic with your aberrant powers so long as you use a different form of metamagic from the one you chose to have automatically applied.
No two Aberrant Dragonmarks are ever alike in appearance nor power. They grow in strength like True Dragonmarks, but also scar the mind and body of their users. If your character has an Aberrant Dragonmark, they also have a Flaw. These flaws may not always actively hurt a character, but they are always a burden in some way - a burden that can drive a weak-willed person to madness. You can come up with your own flaw, or use one from the below list.
Your mark is a source of constant physical pain.
Your mark whispers to you. Its meaning can be unclear.
When you're stressed, the mark hisses audibly.
The skin around the mark is burned, scaly, or withered.
Animals are uneasy around you.
You have a mood swing any time you use your mark.
Your looks change slightly whenever you use the mark.
You have horrific nightmares after you use your mark.
Prerequisite: True Dragonmark
You are more in tune with your Dragonmark than most people. You learn the other spells from one Dragonmark tier you have reached, and can cast them each once per long rest.
You can take this feat multiple times, to unlock the spells from different tiers.
Prerequisite: True Dragonmark, level 9+
Your mark has grown even more powerful than most, though it is not quite a Siberys Mark. Choose one 5th-level spell that fits the flavor of your mark. You learn that spell, and can cast that spell using your dragonmark once per long rest.
Prerequisite: Aberrant Dragonmark, level 5+
Your Aberrant Dragonmark is more powerful than most, but that power comes at a steep cost. When you cast the spell granted by your Lesser power, you can expend one or more hit dice to upcast it. If expending fewer hit dice than you have, you must make a DC 15 Con save or expend all your hit dice at once.
The spell is cast at a level equal to the level of the spell + the number of hit dice you expended.
Prerequisite: Aberrant Dragonmark, level 9+
Your Aberrant Dragonmark is more powerful than most, but that power comes at a steep cost. When you cast the spell granted by your Greater power, you can expend one or more hit dice to upcast it. If expending fewer hit dice than you have, you must make a DC 15 Con save or expend all your hit dice at once.
The spell is cast at a level equal to the level of the spell + the number of hit dice you expended.
There are three types of dragonshard, officially named after the 3 Progenitor Dragons. Colloquially, however, they are often called bloodstones, deepstones, and ringstones.
Eberron Dragonshards, also known as bloodstones, are the most common type on the planet, and can be found almost anywhere. Bloodstones focus and catalyze magical energy, helping it change from one state to another. They can also be used to store and redirect magical energy.
Khyber Dragonshards, also known as deepstones, are difficult to find by surface dwellers - though quite commonplace in the underdark. Deepstones are generally a dark blue or black, and slowly grow in caverns deep underground. Deepstones bind magical energy to physical items.
Siberys Dragonshards, also known as ringstones, exist within the Ring of Siberys around Eberron. They can primarily be found on the surface near the equatorial regions of Eberron after raining down in meteor showers. Ringstones amplify magical energy, including the energy of Dragonmarks.
Only Eberron Shards (bloodstones) can be formally purchased in bulk in Khorvaire. Khyber Shards (deepstones) and Siberys Shards (ringstones) are rare enough that there is no active market for them - the demand vastly outweighs the supply.
Each dragonshard can be found in three states:
Raw: freshly mined and unworked, still may have impurities
Powder: crushed into a fine, pure dust
Refined: purified, cut, and ready to be used
Dragonshard powder is used in potions, as well as in the ink required to scribe spell scrolls and spellbooks. Refined shards are used for a wide variety of purposes, including complex arcane machinery.
Manmade tools are not enough to enchant a magic item, but they are still necessary. The kit includes a mount for a refined Khyber Dragonshard, a set of focusing lenses, and a clamping system for the item to be enchanted.
A standard set costs 50gp, not including the required deepstone.
To make particularly powerful magic items (Very Rare and Legendary), the focusing lenses must be made from a Siberys Dragonshard.
Firearms in Eberron are similar to firearms in other settings, with one exception: A tiny fragment of a ringstone is built into the hammer that strikes a bloodstone on the back of the bullet. Firearms made in this way do not misfire within Shardspace, but might elsewhere.
The following firearms are available for purchase from House Cannith:
Single-Shot Pistol: 250gp
Musket: 500gp
Revolver: 1,000gp
Hunting Rifle: 2,000gp
On Eberron, bullets are constructed by attaching a heavy metal slug to a small bloodstone that is pre-charged with fire or thunder energy. When the ringstone fragment in the gun's hammer hits the bloodstone, the bloodstone shatters, and all the stored energy is released at once, launching the bullet.
Pistol/Musket Ammo: 3sp per bullet
Revolver/Rifle Ammo: 1gp per bullet
There is one minor difference between fire-based bullets and thunder-based bullets: thunder-based bullets are louder, while fire-based bullets deal 1 point of fire damage to the wielder on a natural 1 attack roll.
Using any other element besides pure thunder or fire will reduce the gun's piercing damage to 1d4, halve its range, and make the gunshot much quieter. However, depending on the element used, this may have unintended side effects.
The following potions are generally for sale in most major cities:
Jorasco Healing Potion (2d4+2 HP): 10gp
Greater Jorasco Healing Potion (4d4+4 HP): 50gp
Superior Jorasco Healing Potion (8d4+8 HP): 500gp
Artisanal Healing Potion (10 HP): 30-50gp
Greater Artisanal Healing Potion (20 HP): 300-500gp
Superior Artisanal Healing Potion (40HP): 600-1000gp
Potion of Watchful Rest: 25gp
Potion of Climbing: 25gp