Dragonmarks: From birth or develop with age? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Dragonmarks: From birth or develop with age? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ReivaxZerai
11-16-04, 11:36 AM 1. Do you see your dragonmark since birth or is it something that appears with age?

I was thinking of a sub-plot where an heir doesn't know s/he is an heir until some later point in life as the mark develops.

2. Are dragonmarks common knowledge?
If this NPC had the mark since birth, for example, would everyone know what it was as soon as they saw it? Speaking of a rural area such as the Eldeen Reaches.

If it's in the ECS, please tell me where, I have looked at the section on page 62, but it doesn't specifically mention either way. FAQ has lots of info on the dragonmarks, but nothing about this.

Thanks for any help
coyraven
11-16-04, 11:43 AM 1. Do you see your dragonmark since birth or is it something that appears with age?

Since the Least feat doesn't have a "only at first level" prereq and the description says they "gain" the dragonmark- I assume it can develop at any time.

2. Are dragonmarks common knowledge?

Since the houses and their magic abilities are rather obvious- I would imagine there is some very basic knowledge know to the masses. In some areas it may just be speculation/urban legends, but in other areas it may be common knowledge that the "marked" hold magical powers.

I would imagine neither side would be able to pick one out from another (or any other tattoo) without a Know (nobility) check. Perhaps a Know (arcana) check to know what they are capable of..

CR
lukelightning
11-16-04, 11:47 AM I would say both.

I don't think a dragonmark would be "active" until a certain age. But it would be funny to see an infant accidently casting arcane lock on her nursery door, or watching a naughty toddler run from his nanny with the aid of expeditious retreat.

I would say that most dragonmarks are visible at birth, but activate at or about the coming of age. Perhaps timed with some astrological event?

Given the fact that dragonmarks are still much of a mystery, I would certainly expect them to sometimes show up later in life. After all, you can take the dragonmark feats any time, not just at first level.
Gurv
11-16-04, 11:51 AM In many (if not all) cases, a person manifests their dragonmark later in life, perhaps around the time they are coming of age. I believe I read somewhere that there are even House sponsored events designed to trigger the manifestation of a mark. I don't see anything saying a child could not b born with a dragonmark. I think that this would be view as an aspicious event, and the child in question would be tutored with hope of great things (or at least an increase in the mark's power). Lets just hope that the dragonmark is either something harmless, or not useable by an infant!

Dragonmarks are pretty common knowledge. Most of Khorvaire's economy is touched by the Dragonmarked Houses, and they don't keep the source of their powers secret. In the ECS you can see this reflected by how many times the Houses appear in a nations Power Groups section; in the Eldeen Reaches, House Vadalis controls several settlements and the Mark of Handling is noted to have actually emerged in the area.

On page 47, there is an update to the Forgery and Spellcraft skills concerning the dragonmarks. Since there are DCs to identify the marks for what they are, I would say that the average person cannot look at a mark and know anything more than the fact it is a dragonmark (and they might not be sure if it was real). They wouldn't know what kind it was, or to which House you belong. Only that you have a marking that looks a lot like a dragonmark.
ReivaxZerai
11-16-04, 12:03 PM Thank you for the information, all of you.

"On page 47, there is an update to the Forgery and Spellcraft skills concerning the dragonmarks."
Gurv, thanks, didn't even look at those.

lukelightning, those are some pretty funny images :)

"Since the Least feat doesn't have a "only at first level"
very good point, thanks.
CzarGarrett
11-16-04, 12:53 PM Yeah. I see Dragonmarks being more of a puberty thing.

Some people might have it at birth or a very young age. But for the most part, I figure the Dragonmarks form starting around age 12.

But I doubt there is a set time frame for it.
MarkB
11-16-04, 01:55 PM I'd guess that many people who have experience with the Great Houses - either through buying their services on a regular basis, or through having other dealings with them - will stand a good chance of recognising a particular Least Dragonmark. These Marks are by far the most common, they're also simple in form and often quite distinctive. However, only those who have dedicated some amount of study to the subject will be able to tell apart Lesser, Greater or Siberys marks of different Houses.

Also, since the Least Marks are so distinctive, I wonder whether they ever get used as an alternate form of House symbol, like a brand or hallmark. That would make them even more commonly known.

EDIT: I just remembered that the answer to that last speculation is "yes", at least in some cases. The identification papers pictured in the ECS Adventuring Equipment section are stamped with the Least Mark of Scribing, as a mark of verification by House Sivis.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ReivaxZerai 11-16-04, 11:36 AM	1. Do you see your dragonmark since birth or is it something that appears with age? I was thinking of a sub-plot where an heir doesn't know s/he is an heir until some later point in life as the mark develops. 2. Are dragonmarks common knowledge? If this NPC had the mark since birth, for example, would everyone know what it was as soon as they saw it? Speaking of a rural area such as the Eldeen Reaches. If it's in the ECS, please tell me where, I have looked at the section on page 62, but it doesn't specifically mention either way. FAQ has lots of info on the dragonmarks, but nothing about this. Thanks for any help
coyraven 11-16-04, 11:43 AM	1. Do you see your dragonmark since birth or is it something that appears with age? Since the Least feat doesn't have a "only at first level" prereq and the description says they "gain" the dragonmark- I assume it can develop at any time. 2. Are dragonmarks common knowledge? Since the houses and their magic abilities are rather obvious- I would imagine there is some very basic knowledge know to the masses. In some areas it may just be speculation/urban legends, but in other areas it may be common knowledge that the "marked" hold magical powers. I would imagine neither side would be able to pick one out from another (or any other tattoo) without a Know (nobility) check. Perhaps a Know (arcana) check to know what they are capable of.. CR
lukelightning 11-16-04, 11:47 AM	I would say both. I don't think a dragonmark would be "active" until a certain age. But it would be funny to see an infant accidently casting arcane lock on her nursery door, or watching a naughty toddler run from his nanny with the aid of expeditious retreat. I would say that most dragonmarks are visible at birth, but activate at or about the coming of age. Perhaps timed with some astrological event? Given the fact that dragonmarks are still much of a mystery, I would certainly expect them to sometimes show up later in life. After all, you can take the dragonmark feats any time, not just at first level.
Gurv 11-16-04, 11:51 AM	In many (if not all) cases, a person manifests their dragonmark later in life, perhaps around the time they are coming of age. I believe I read somewhere that there are even House sponsored events designed to trigger the manifestation of a mark. I don't see anything saying a child could not b born with a dragonmark. I think that this would be view as an aspicious event, and the child in question would be tutored with hope of great things (or at least an increase in the mark's power). Lets just hope that the dragonmark is either something harmless, or not useable by an infant! Dragonmarks are pretty common knowledge. Most of Khorvaire's economy is touched by the Dragonmarked Houses, and they don't keep the source of their powers secret. In the ECS you can see this reflected by how many times the Houses appear in a nations Power Groups section; in the Eldeen Reaches, House Vadalis controls several settlements and the Mark of Handling is noted to have actually emerged in the area. On page 47, there is an update to the Forgery and Spellcraft skills concerning the dragonmarks. Since there are DCs to identify the marks for what they are, I would say that the average person cannot look at a mark and know anything more than the fact it is a dragonmark (and they might not be sure if it was real). They wouldn't know what kind it was, or to which House you belong. Only that you have a marking that looks a lot like a dragonmark.
ReivaxZerai 11-16-04, 12:03 PM	Thank you for the information, all of you. "On page 47, there is an update to the Forgery and Spellcraft skills concerning the dragonmarks." Gurv, thanks, didn't even look at those. lukelightning, those are some pretty funny images :) "Since the Least feat doesn't have a "only at first level" very good point, thanks.
CzarGarrett 11-16-04, 12:53 PM	Yeah. I see Dragonmarks being more of a puberty thing. Some people might have it at birth or a very young age. But for the most part, I figure the Dragonmarks form starting around age 12. But I doubt there is a set time frame for it.
MarkB 11-16-04, 01:55 PM	I'd guess that many people who have experience with the Great Houses - either through buying their services on a regular basis, or through having other dealings with them - will stand a good chance of recognising a particular Least Dragonmark. These Marks are by far the most common, they're also simple in form and often quite distinctive. However, only those who have dedicated some amount of study to the subject will be able to tell apart Lesser, Greater or Siberys marks of different Houses. Also, since the Least Marks are so distinctive, I wonder whether they ever get used as an alternate form of House symbol, like a brand or hallmark. That would make them even more commonly known. EDIT: I just remembered that the answer to that last speculation is "yes", at least in some cases. The identification papers pictured in the ECS Adventuring Equipment section are stamped with the Least Mark of Scribing, as a mark of verification by House Sivis.