Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 naturax Sep 23, 2009 19:26:26	From what I've read, the dragonmarks started appearing on certain races of peoples living on Khorvaire 1500 years ago, much to the surprise and interest of the dragons studying the prophesy. But are there any theories about why the marks starting appearing and what their role is in the big scheme of things? I ask because I want to start a campaign focusing heavily on the Dragonmarked Houses, their conflicts with each other, and especially the goals of House Tarkanan. I haven't used aberrant marks before and I want to get a sense of what aberrant marks mean, where they come from, why they are becoming more common now the way they were before the War of the Mark, etc. What have you used in your games? One theory I might go with is that the dragonmarks were seeded among the lesser races by a small group of dragons, perhaps through some kind of ritual that, given the right components, one could recreate. Maybe they weren't expecting the marks to be passed to children? Maybe they wanted to create the Dragonmarked Houses in order to fulfil some aspect of the Prophesy? If this idea has any merit, I'd love some help brainstorming the ramifications and how I can use this as a basis for a campaign. Thanks!
#2 Siberys Sep 23, 2009 20:51:19	The most common theory I've seen posited in the books is the concentration of Eberron shards somehow affects those living on the continent, although that doesn't explain why goblinoids and orcs don't have them. The  tongue-in-cheek answer is that the designers wanted to encourage people to play the seven then-core races. ;P
#3 ellorin Sep 24, 2009 8:05:41	If I remember correctly, many dragons(including the Chamber) believe that it was the work of the Prophecy itself. After all, dragonmarks are are as valid as any other Prophecy mark. It must have been a nasty shock back then...
#4 rekko Sep 24, 2009 9:34:52	As I said on another thread, the Heart of Siberys lies in Shavarath, maybe it is the origin of the Prophecy, from where it influence the world. Rekko
#5 naturax Sep 24, 2009 9:48:23	If I remember correctly, many dragons(including the Chamber) believe that it was the work of the Prophecy itself. After all, dragonmarks are are as valid as any other Prophecy mark. It must have been a nasty shock back then... While it must have been a big shock to the dragons and I want to use that, I find the answer "the Prophesy did it" to be extremely unsatisfying. I want it to be a force the players can (eventually) interact with in a direct and physical way. I really like the idea that certain rogue (or maybe not so rogue) dragons seeded the dragonmarks and I would like to flesh out the repercussions of that. That being said, I'd like to hear what other theories are out there, as I might like yours better than mine.   As I said on another thread, the Heart of Siberys lies in Shavarath, maybe it is the origin of the Prophecy, from where it influence the world. Rekko Wait, what? It does? Where can I read more about this?
#6 rauric Sep 24, 2009 9:55:17	To me it seems that the Marks appear on people that live in Khorvaire alone. I think it is odd that the goblins and orcs do not get Marks and their races have been in Khorvaire longer than the other folk! I know this was done because the designers wished to give the Marks to core races and gobbos and orcs were not core in 3E. Well in my game Tharask orcs can have a dragonmark. I think I will make it a recent development and one that won't shake the world up too much. I want to Mark the goblins also though perhaps with a new Mark, one suited for warfare, conquering or leadership. With the mark of Death gone perhaps a new Mark can pop up to fill its place (not role). Since Marks did not just pop up all at once this could happen IMO. What do you think would be a Mark suited for the goblins?
#7 rekko Sep 24, 2009 13:28:10	Heart of Siberys in Eberron Campaign Guide p.261-262. Basically it is said that the whole plane is the Heart of Siberys, but you could also make it a specific location in a hotbed on the plane.   In my game, Aberrant Marks are the response to the Mark of Death being caught between life and death (the last one is on an undead)   Rekko
#8 Elton74 Oct 03, 2009 9:04:11	I don't use the Draconic Prophecy, though. For me, the Marks arrived simply because of the people involved.  Since I'm all about the Law of Attraction, the marks are there because the people who have them wanted them there (I've changed a lot about Eberron because of my knowledge of that little law). I think all the theories are valid, actually.  It is a roleplaying game in a fictional, imaginative world.  Your Eberron is different from mine, of course.  I think Eberron is a good setting, and the marks were put in to make the world more interesting.