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Dragonmarks and more!

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
scrimmy777
Jul 14, 2009 20:42:46 The new books offer very little fluff in the way of describing the way dragonmarks work. For instance, there is a ritual to hide your dragonmark. Depending on the placement, couldn't you just wrap a scarf around it? I'm pretty sure one of the characters in the novels does that, wears a hat to hide the mark of healing on his head. What's to stop players from saying, "my dragonmark is on my butt, no one can see it"?

Is there an effect when a dragonmark power is used? Does it glow? Does it show through coverings? I know it breaks the ritual to use it, but surely there's a reason for that.

I applaud the new system for making dragonmarks less restrictive and more useful, but they may have gone overboard. The only characters in my game who are using dragonmarks generally appropriate for their race are characters recreating a 3.5 character. I understand the prophecy can manifest in mysterious ways, but why would a House Lyrandar Half-Elf work with a Genasi with the mark of storm? I would think the Lyrandari would view a Mark of Storm outside the house something akin to an aberrant mark.

So anyway, I can't find any fluff in the new rules, but is there any in the old rules that describes the functioning of a dragonmark?

I realize the easy solution to the other problem is disallowing dragonmarks outside the normal races, but that seems to be against the spirit of 4e. I just wish there were more clear-cut consequences with choosing a mark your character would normally not have for power reasons. As it stands, all the book says is, the house won't claim you. So what? If the house doesn't actively shun you, that's not exactly a big negative, and even then it's somewhat subjective.

Advice appreciated.
#2
salla
Jul 14, 2009 22:37:49 There's little fluff because it's up to the DM and players to decide such things.

As far as off-race marks go, that's also up to the DM. There's one poster on the Eberron section who's basically said 'if you take an off-race mark, half the world will try to kill you and there will be a new War of the Mark'. He can do that. Me, I explained the results as "Some people won't care. Some will want you to join the house. Some will want you to stay away from the house. Some will see you as a curiosity. Some will see you as a resource to be exploited. Some may even try to have you assassinated. Some will see you as having a unique place in the prophecy and try to keep you alive."

It's up to the DM and how he wants it to run in his Eberron.
#3
JohnLynch
Jul 14, 2009 22:42:48
The only characters in my game who are using dragonmarks generally appropriate for their race are characters recreating a 3.5 character.

I've had completely the opposite experience. My players are completely new to Eberron and only one player has taken a Mark and that Mark was appropriate for his race.
#4
ianargent
Jul 20, 2009 15:22:25 Exactly - off-racial marks would likely be viewed as "aberrant" (and not just by the house).

That strikes me as pretty cool, as a DM...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 scrimmy777 Jul 14, 2009 20:42:46	The new books offer very little fluff in the way of describing the way dragonmarks work. For instance, there is a ritual to hide your dragonmark. Depending on the placement, couldn't you just wrap a scarf around it? I'm pretty sure one of the characters in the novels does that, wears a hat to hide the mark of healing on his head. What's to stop players from saying, "my dragonmark is on my butt, no one can see it"? Is there an effect when a dragonmark power is used? Does it glow? Does it show through coverings? I know it breaks the ritual to use it, but surely there's a reason for that. I applaud the new system for making dragonmarks less restrictive and more useful, but they may have gone overboard. The only characters in my game who are using dragonmarks generally appropriate for their race are characters recreating a 3.5 character. I understand the prophecy can manifest in mysterious ways, but why would a House Lyrandar Half-Elf work with a Genasi with the mark of storm? I would think the Lyrandari would view a Mark of Storm outside the house something akin to an aberrant mark. So anyway, I can't find any fluff in the new rules, but is there any in the old rules that describes the functioning of a dragonmark? I realize the easy solution to the other problem is disallowing dragonmarks outside the normal races, but that seems to be against the spirit of 4e. I just wish there were more clear-cut consequences with choosing a mark your character would normally not have for power reasons. As it stands, all the book says is, the house won't claim you. So what? If the house doesn't actively shun you, that's not exactly a big negative, and even then it's somewhat subjective. Advice appreciated.
#2 salla Jul 14, 2009 22:37:49	There's little fluff because it's up to the DM and players to decide such things. As far as off-race marks go, that's also up to the DM. There's one poster on the Eberron section who's basically said 'if you take an off-race mark, half the world will try to kill you and there will be a new War of the Mark'. He can do that. Me, I explained the results as "Some people won't care. Some will want you to join the house. Some will want you to stay away from the house. Some will see you as a curiosity. Some will see you as a resource to be exploited. Some may even try to have you assassinated. Some will see you as having a unique place in the prophecy and try to keep you alive." It's up to the DM and how he wants it to run in his Eberron.
#3 JohnLynch Jul 14, 2009 22:42:48	The only characters in my game who are using dragonmarks generally appropriate for their race are characters recreating a 3.5 character. I've had completely the opposite experience. My players are completely new to Eberron and only one player has taken a Mark and that Mark was appropriate for his race.
#4 ianargent Jul 20, 2009 15:22:25	Exactly - off-racial marks would likely be viewed as "aberrant" (and not just by the house). That strikes me as pretty cool, as a DM...