Eberron newbie frustrated by books [Archive] - Wizards Community

Eberron newbie frustrated by books [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ellorien
08-17-07, 02:48 PM Folks~~
I hope you can help me out. I found out on Wednesday that I was invited to be in a game tonight set in Eberron. I have not played that system before and didn't have a single book. Thanks to my local library, I managed to check out the Player's Guide to Eberron, Faiths of Eberron, Magic of Eberron, and Dragonmarked. I have three questions that are probably easily answered if you have the main campaign setting book, but neither the library nor the bookstore had it, so I thought I'd try here.

1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body?

2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan?

3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan?

The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help!

~~Ellorien
Tempest Stormwind
08-17-07, 03:00 PM 1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body?

Dragonmarks can appear anywhere on the body (and appear of varying sizes; the more powerful ones are larger. A least mark is only a couple of inches square, while a Syberis mark is often the size of a full torso tattoo). There's no place more common than others -- it could appear on the face, on the back of the hand, on the shoulder, on the chest, on the neck... you get the idea.

Interestingly, they also *move* if they can't exist anymore. (For instance, if it was on your hand, and you lost that hand, you'd develop a new one somewhere else.)

Every mark can be seen here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eb/20040618a). The Mark of Shadow is shared by House Phiarlan and House Thuranni (Thuranni actually splintered from Phiarlan); it's listed there under both names.

2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan?

There is no such thing as "favored feats" for a house. You might be thinking of Favored in House, which is a feat in the Eberron Campaign Setting. It works the same regardless of what house you're favored in, although different houses provide different favors (Phiarlan is based on entertainment and espionage; don't expect to requisition bodyguards or free airship use, but look toward illusions, deception, and infiltration tools, plus blackmail).

3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan?

I don't recall offhand and I'm away from my books. I *do* recall the Mark of Shadow is based on powers of darkness and illusion. Socially, however, a stronger mark is usually equated with more House influence, but this isn't always the case (you can find marked heirs -- who have an honorary title of Lord or Lady -- working in the mailroom, and the lead viceroys of the area might not be marked at all).

If you don't have the EbCS, note that taking the later mark feats also improves your caster level for all mark abilities and how frequently you can use your lesser marks. To *really* amp up the power of your marks, consider the Dragonmark Heir PrC from the same book.

[quote[The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help![/quote]

They're VERY well defined in the campaign setting. You're reading books that say, quite clearly, on the back that they require the campaign setting to be used. That explains the frustration; it's like trying to read any book without reading the PHB.
Sroblin
08-17-07, 06:04 PM Stormwind is right, while those other books (particularly the Player's Guide) are cool, the 'Eberron Campaign Setting' book is really the 'bible' too which all the other books refer (and assume familiarity with.) Besides, it's fun.

As for the marks of Shadow, they give either powers of illusion and darkness (creating an orb of darkness, minor illusions) OR powers of scrying and farseeing for 'spying' purposes.
OneWinged4ngel
08-18-07, 02:46 AM Folks~~
I hope you can help me out. I found out on Wednesday that I was invited to be in a game tonight set in Eberron. I have not played that system before and didn't have a single book. Thanks to my local library, I managed to check out the Player's Guide to Eberron, Faiths of Eberron, Magic of Eberron, and Dragonmarked. I have three questions that are probably easily answered if you have the main campaign setting book, but neither the library nor the bookstore had it, so I thought I'd try here.

1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body?

2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan?

3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan?

The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help!

~~Ellorien

Your problem is that you don't have the ECS, the core Eberron book. It's like trying to play D&D without the PHB.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ellorien 08-17-07, 02:48 PM	Folks~~ I hope you can help me out. I found out on Wednesday that I was invited to be in a game tonight set in Eberron. I have not played that system before and didn't have a single book. Thanks to my local library, I managed to check out the Player's Guide to Eberron, Faiths of Eberron, Magic of Eberron, and Dragonmarked. I have three questions that are probably easily answered if you have the main campaign setting book, but neither the library nor the bookstore had it, so I thought I'd try here. 1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body? 2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan? 3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan? The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help! ~~Ellorien
Tempest Stormwind 08-17-07, 03:00 PM	1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body? Dragonmarks can appear anywhere on the body (and appear of varying sizes; the more powerful ones are larger. A least mark is only a couple of inches square, while a Syberis mark is often the size of a full torso tattoo). There's no place more common than others -- it could appear on the face, on the back of the hand, on the shoulder, on the chest, on the neck... you get the idea. Interestingly, they also move if they can't exist anymore. (For instance, if it was on your hand, and you lost that hand, you'd develop a new one somewhere else.) Every mark can be seen here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eb/20040618a). The Mark of Shadow is shared by House Phiarlan and House Thuranni (Thuranni actually splintered from Phiarlan); it's listed there under both names. 2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan? There is no such thing as "favored feats" for a house. You might be thinking of Favored in House, which is a feat in the Eberron Campaign Setting. It works the same regardless of what house you're favored in, although different houses provide different favors (Phiarlan is based on entertainment and espionage; don't expect to requisition bodyguards or free airship use, but look toward illusions, deception, and infiltration tools, plus blackmail). 3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan? I don't recall offhand and I'm away from my books. I do recall the Mark of Shadow is based on powers of darkness and illusion. Socially, however, a stronger mark is usually equated with more House influence, but this isn't always the case (you can find marked heirs -- who have an honorary title of Lord or Lady -- working in the mailroom, and the lead viceroys of the area might not be marked at all). If you don't have the EbCS, note that taking the later mark feats also improves your caster level for all mark abilities and how frequently you can use your lesser marks. To really amp up the power of your marks, consider the Dragonmark Heir PrC from the same book. [quote[The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help![/quote] They're VERY well defined in the campaign setting. You're reading books that say, quite clearly, on the back that they require the campaign setting to be used. That explains the frustration; it's like trying to read any book without reading the PHB.
Sroblin 08-17-07, 06:04 PM	Stormwind is right, while those other books (particularly the Player's Guide) are cool, the 'Eberron Campaign Setting' book is really the 'bible' too which all the other books refer (and assume familiarity with.) Besides, it's fun. As for the marks of Shadow, they give either powers of illusion and darkness (creating an orb of darkness, minor illusions) OR powers of scrying and farseeing for 'spying' purposes.
OneWinged4ngel 08-18-07, 02:46 AM	Folks~~ I hope you can help me out. I found out on Wednesday that I was invited to be in a game tonight set in Eberron. I have not played that system before and didn't have a single book. Thanks to my local library, I managed to check out the Player's Guide to Eberron, Faiths of Eberron, Magic of Eberron, and Dragonmarked. I have three questions that are probably easily answered if you have the main campaign setting book, but neither the library nor the bookstore had it, so I thought I'd try here. 1. What does the "Mark of the Shadow" look like, and where does it appear on the body? 2. What is the favored feat of House Phiarlan? 3. What function do the lesser and greater marks have for House Phiarlan? The books I have keep talking about these things, but they never say what they are! Who knows if it's even in the main book or anywhere else for that matter. It's all terribly frustrating. I sure hope you can help! ~~Ellorien Your problem is that you don't have the ECS, the core Eberron book. It's like trying to play D&D without the PHB.