House of Phiarlan [Archive] - Wizards Community

House of Phiarlan [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Magicianguy131
10-02-06, 06:51 PM I am sure to sure how the House of Phiarlan works (I cant wait for the new Dragonmarked Book!) but how does it work? Two cults want the same info on each other. So they hire some spies from the House of Phiarlan. 2 spies spying on each other. How would they work?

Magicianguy131

p.s: I hope this makes sense, having some trouble pickin the right words.
Nived
10-02-06, 08:16 PM Phiarian wouldn't sell any information to the cults if I understand them correctly. That's small fry. For the most part they actually are just entertainers who keep their ears open, and use what they hear. However, it seems their stage is the grand one, nations. Their arena is politics, and while they may come down to the level of city government it seems to me that they deal mostly directly to governments.

Governments after all know how to keep secrets, and will keep the true face of House Phiarlan a secret. Dealing with lowly cults, who are probably off their rockers (I think it was Save-vs-DM that classified Eberron's 'cults' into 'Slightly crazy', 'Really Crazy', and 'Absolutely friggin nuts') is not safe for the family. The fact that the house is a bunch of spies is hidden from probably 90% of the population. Dealing with cults is dangerous... that's why they don't do it.

House Thuranni on the other hand would. That's one of the differences that lead to the split (I believe from the EBCS entries). They will deal between the petty pirate princes of the Principalities. They will make deals with the Order of the Emerald Claw. When Thuranni gets information they'll make it their business to find someone that's willing to pay for it. They're more agressive, Phiarlan on the other hand is cautious.

I could be wrong though, that's just my impression from the Campaign Setting.
Syltorian
10-03-06, 05:44 AM You don't need two spies spying on each other, you only need one double agent. :D

Personally, I see Phiarlan as tending more towards preserving the balance than making money. Their real money comes from entertainment and art. While this is utterly unofficial (though it is stated that Phiarlan does not accept some missions except with a good justifcation), my Serpentine Table still does what the phiarlans in the early days of Aerenal did, spy on everyone and reveal the bits that could endanger the peace before they can break it (although, admittedly, they were not able to prevent this little matter of the Last War).

Phiarlan is to me much more independant than just spies for hire. They have their own agenda. Unlike House Thuranni, which is much more mercenary. In my campaign, of course; I have very little if anything to prove that.

What does this mean for your question? If the cults are important enough that Phiarlan gets involved (see the above reply), they'll probably already have them under observation before either cult asks them. Phiarlan only needs to activate its sleepers, who will report back to the Serpentine Table, and what information this group judges fit will pass on to the respective cults.

Neither spy needs actually to spy on the other, or even meet with his clients in the other cult. Spying on a spy is what counter intelligence is for, and while Phiarlan seems to do some of that (you can pay them to warn you if someone is working against you), the job of feretting out spies is primarily Medani's.
Nuclear_Buddha
10-03-06, 02:05 PM I think Phiarlan could actually still work with these cults, but on an unofficial basis. The cults get Phiarlan's services on the quiet, and probably without really realizing what's going on.

Cult A wants to know what Cult B is up to behind closed doors. House Phiarlan knows about this through their network of informants. They send an operative, who happens to be a talented musician (or artist, or courtesan, or whatever is most appropriate), to go make money off of the situation. The operative approaches Cult A, says, "Hey, in the course of my work, I get into a lot of places that I bet you can't. I'll do so and tell you about it for X amount of money." Cult A pays his fee, the operative does the work and kicks Y% of the payment back up to his Phiarlan masters. Repeat for Cult B.

So Phiarlan still gets to make money, and learn secrets, without fully exposing itself as a gigantic spy ring.

I'd imagine that the heads of national spy organization get quarterly reports, get to sit down and talk with Phiarlan negotiators, etc. Completely different level of customer service.
The White Sorcerer
10-03-06, 04:13 PM The two spies wouldn't spy on each other. They would spy on their respective targets, and sell the information to their respective customers. Simple.
The Fireballed Mage
10-04-06, 12:41 AM Until Dragonmarked comes out, all your House answers can be found at

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=442444

Well... okay so they're not really answers, just my deranged rambling, but some seem to like them.

House Pharian is on page 3.
Nived
10-04-06, 01:03 AM Excellent observations on the houses FbM. Also reminded me about something that should have been linked in this thread by now but I forgot about (it has been over a year since I last read them).

The three part House Phiarlan Dragonshard articles.
Part One (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050124a)
Part Two (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050207a)
Part Three (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050221a)
Witchcraft
10-07-06, 11:35 PM I think by the cults he means in a general state.
So the house just keeps their eyes and ears open and sells their info to people they would think would benefit from it?
Nuclear_Buddha
10-09-06, 10:55 AM So the house just keeps their eyes and ears open and sells their info to people they would think would benefit from it?

I'd assume they would. After all, they've got this huge info network already (consisting of entertainers all over Khorvaire). They can't help but listen. They've probably got more data than they can actually use.
D1Tremere
10-10-06, 02:58 AM I got the impression that house Phiarlan was more militant then Thuranni. That is to say, they both provide spies and information, but Phiarlan is more interisted in provideing high level assassanation and blackmail. Perhaps I'm mis interpriting things, but that's how I saw it.
dmdarkdragon
10-10-06, 03:48 AM I got the impression that house Phiarlan was more militant then Thuranni. That is to say, they both provide spies and information, but Phiarlan is more interisted in provideing high level assassanation and blackmail. Perhaps I'm mis interpriting things, but that's how I saw it.

I believe you have Phiarlan and Thuranni mixed up in that regards. The sample NPC for Thuranni in the ECS was an assassin, and it is stated that Thuranni has a "darker agenda and more aggressive business tactics."
D1Tremere
10-10-06, 03:21 PM I believe you have Phiarlan and Thuranni mixed up in that regards. The sample NPC for Thuranni in the ECS was an assassin, and it is stated that Thuranni has a "darker agenda and more aggressive business tactics."

You are correct, my bad. It was late and I didn't check the book first. Sorry guys.:)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Magicianguy131 10-02-06, 06:51 PM	I am sure to sure how the House of Phiarlan works (I cant wait for the new Dragonmarked Book!) but how does it work? Two cults want the same info on each other. So they hire some spies from the House of Phiarlan. 2 spies spying on each other. How would they work? Magicianguy131 p.s: I hope this makes sense, having some trouble pickin the right words.
Nived 10-02-06, 08:16 PM	Phiarian wouldn't sell any information to the cults if I understand them correctly. That's small fry. For the most part they actually are just entertainers who keep their ears open, and use what they hear. However, it seems their stage is the grand one, nations. Their arena is politics, and while they may come down to the level of city government it seems to me that they deal mostly directly to governments. Governments after all know how to keep secrets, and will keep the true face of House Phiarlan a secret. Dealing with lowly cults, who are probably off their rockers (I think it was Save-vs-DM that classified Eberron's 'cults' into 'Slightly crazy', 'Really Crazy', and 'Absolutely friggin nuts') is not safe for the family. The fact that the house is a bunch of spies is hidden from probably 90% of the population. Dealing with cults is dangerous... that's why they don't do it. House Thuranni on the other hand would. That's one of the differences that lead to the split (I believe from the EBCS entries). They will deal between the petty pirate princes of the Principalities. They will make deals with the Order of the Emerald Claw. When Thuranni gets information they'll make it their business to find someone that's willing to pay for it. They're more agressive, Phiarlan on the other hand is cautious. I could be wrong though, that's just my impression from the Campaign Setting.
Syltorian 10-03-06, 05:44 AM	You don't need two spies spying on each other, you only need one double agent. :D Personally, I see Phiarlan as tending more towards preserving the balance than making money. Their real money comes from entertainment and art. While this is utterly unofficial (though it is stated that Phiarlan does not accept some missions except with a good justifcation), my Serpentine Table still does what the phiarlans in the early days of Aerenal did, spy on everyone and reveal the bits that could endanger the peace before they can break it (although, admittedly, they were not able to prevent this little matter of the Last War). Phiarlan is to me much more independant than just spies for hire. They have their own agenda. Unlike House Thuranni, which is much more mercenary. In my campaign, of course; I have very little if anything to prove that. What does this mean for your question? If the cults are important enough that Phiarlan gets involved (see the above reply), they'll probably already have them under observation before either cult asks them. Phiarlan only needs to activate its sleepers, who will report back to the Serpentine Table, and what information this group judges fit will pass on to the respective cults. Neither spy needs actually to spy on the other, or even meet with his clients in the other cult. Spying on a spy is what counter intelligence is for, and while Phiarlan seems to do some of that (you can pay them to warn you if someone is working against you), the job of feretting out spies is primarily Medani's.
Nuclear_Buddha 10-03-06, 02:05 PM	I think Phiarlan could actually still work with these cults, but on an unofficial basis. The cults get Phiarlan's services on the quiet, and probably without really realizing what's going on. Cult A wants to know what Cult B is up to behind closed doors. House Phiarlan knows about this through their network of informants. They send an operative, who happens to be a talented musician (or artist, or courtesan, or whatever is most appropriate), to go make money off of the situation. The operative approaches Cult A, says, "Hey, in the course of my work, I get into a lot of places that I bet you can't. I'll do so and tell you about it for X amount of money." Cult A pays his fee, the operative does the work and kicks Y% of the payment back up to his Phiarlan masters. Repeat for Cult B. So Phiarlan still gets to make money, and learn secrets, without fully exposing itself as a gigantic spy ring. I'd imagine that the heads of national spy organization get quarterly reports, get to sit down and talk with Phiarlan negotiators, etc. Completely different level of customer service.
The White Sorcerer 10-03-06, 04:13 PM	The two spies wouldn't spy on each other. They would spy on their respective targets, and sell the information to their respective customers. Simple.
The Fireballed Mage 10-04-06, 12:41 AM	Until Dragonmarked comes out, all your House answers can be found at http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=442444 Well... okay so they're not really answers, just my deranged rambling, but some seem to like them. House Pharian is on page 3.
Nived 10-04-06, 01:03 AM	Excellent observations on the houses FbM. Also reminded me about something that should have been linked in this thread by now but I forgot about (it has been over a year since I last read them). The three part House Phiarlan Dragonshard articles. Part One (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050124a) Part Two (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050207a) Part Three (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050221a)
Witchcraft 10-07-06, 11:35 PM	I think by the cults he means in a general state. So the house just keeps their eyes and ears open and sells their info to people they would think would benefit from it?
Nuclear_Buddha 10-09-06, 10:55 AM	So the house just keeps their eyes and ears open and sells their info to people they would think would benefit from it? I'd assume they would. After all, they've got this huge info network already (consisting of entertainers all over Khorvaire). They can't help but listen. They've probably got more data than they can actually use.
D1Tremere 10-10-06, 02:58 AM	I got the impression that house Phiarlan was more militant then Thuranni. That is to say, they both provide spies and information, but Phiarlan is more interisted in provideing high level assassanation and blackmail. Perhaps I'm mis interpriting things, but that's how I saw it.
dmdarkdragon 10-10-06, 03:48 AM	I got the impression that house Phiarlan was more militant then Thuranni. That is to say, they both provide spies and information, but Phiarlan is more interisted in provideing high level assassanation and blackmail. Perhaps I'm mis interpriting things, but that's how I saw it. I believe you have Phiarlan and Thuranni mixed up in that regards. The sample NPC for Thuranni in the ECS was an assassin, and it is stated that Thuranni has a "darker agenda and more aggressive business tactics."
D1Tremere 10-10-06, 03:21 PM	I believe you have Phiarlan and Thuranni mixed up in that regards. The sample NPC for Thuranni in the ECS was an assassin, and it is stated that Thuranni has a "darker agenda and more aggressive business tactics." You are correct, my bad. It was late and I didn't check the book first. Sorry guys.:)