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          D R AG N M A R K E D   HO S E S                   ARCANE WORKSHOP FEATURES
                                                            Arcane workshops have many features in common,
          No other group exerts as much influence over the Five   from workbenches and tools to diagrams etched into
          Nations as the combined membership of the dragon­  the floors and walls. Although most workshops are
          marked houses. Each dragonmarked house is part noble   controlled by House Cannith, that house is not the only
          family and part business cartel, involved in businesses   group of artificers who build and operate such locations.
          ranging from hospitality to espionage-for-hire.   Zil gnomes who bind elementals and Mror dwarves who
            The reach of the houses is so yxtensive that they have   forge powerful weapons and armor must have spaces
          interests in every facet of life in the civilized lands of   devoted to that work. The wizards of Arcanix in Aundair
          Khorvaire and beyond. Those interests often bring them   who create magic items and test new spells build spe­
          into conflict with local rulers and national governments.   cialized workshops for those purposes.
          Unified Galifar had the strength and influence to impose
          its will on the collected dragonmarked houses, but in   ARCANE WORKSHOP ADVENTURES
          the wake of the war it remains to be seen if any single   Characters might find their way to an arcane workshop
          nation has the resources to challenge them.       for a variety of reasons. Some possibilities are outlined
            Although most houses have distinct spheres of inter­  in the Arcane Workshop Adventures table.
          est, their concerns overlap just enough to cause friction.
          House Orien's control of transportation and shipping is   ARCAN E   WOR K S H O P   AD E N T U R E S
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          threatened by the growing reach of House Lyrandar's   d l 2    Adventure Goal
          airships. House Tharashk's arrangement with Droaam
          threatens House Deneith's monopoly on providing mer­    Steal a pattern for creating a magic item,  before the
          cenary services. House Cannith lost its leadership in the   workshop's artificers finish making the item.
          Mourning, and rival barons are fighting for control of   2   Petition the ranking artificer for access to the work­
          the house.                                              shop's specialized library.
            An organization called the Twelve seeks to medi-  3   Use the workshop to create a crucial magic item.
          ate disputes and encourage cooperation between the   4   Locate a stolen construct that has been modified for
          houses. Adventurers could be caught up in the rivalries   use as a servant in the workshop.
          and schemes of the houses, or they could work with the   5   Storm the workshop before the artificers complete a
          Twelve in an effort to resolve these feuds.
                                                                  doomsday weapon.
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          THE HOUS S   I N   T H E   W A R                    6   Investigate the workshop for signs of the  l legal
                                                                  creation of warforged.
          The dragonmarked houses generally thrived during
          the Last War. Each house's unique talents were easily   7   Defend the workshop against an  invasion while the
          adapted to the war effort. Ostensibly neutral in the con­  artificers try to repair a magic item.
          flict, the houses made huge profits by selling services   8   Bring an unknown artifact to the workshop so the
          and material to every nation involved in the war. For all   artificers can identify it.
          the houses, ultimately, the war years were a time of vig­  9   Convince the owners of the workshop to give up one
          orous growth and increased influence.                   of their subordinates, who is wanted for crimes in
            In some ways, though, the dragonmarked houses         another nation.
          did feel the brunt of the conflict. House Cannith, for in­  10   Escort a newly discovered bearer of the  a rk of  a k­
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          stance, suffered great setbacks near the end of the war.
          Many of its foundries and factories were destroyed, and   ing to the closest Cannith workshop.
          the Treaty of Thronehold forced the house to dismantle   11   Seek assistance from the workshop's masters to
          the creation forges that produced the warforged. Worst   determine why a young artificer's magic is producing
          of all for the house, the destruction of Cyre left Cannith   unpredictable, often dangerous results.
          without a clear leader, resulting in the house being frag­  1 2    Request assistance from the artificers in recovering
          mented into three semi-independent branches.            crucial memories from a destroyed construct or
            In another major development, House Thuranni broke    warforged.
          away from House Phiarlan during the war, in part be­
          cause of the conflicts of interest that arose within an   D R AGON MARKED  P C  s
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          espionage organization that was being called on to serve
          multiple sides in a complex conflict.             The reach and influence of the dragonmarked houses
                                                            means that they can play many roles in a campaign.
          ARCANE WORKSHOP                                   Dragonmarked heirs can be valuable patrons.

          Map 4.1 depicts an arcane workshop, of a sort com­
          monly constructed by the fabricators of House Cannith.
          These facilities are well stocked with raw materials,
          artisans' tools, and magical reagents. Most of them have
          small libraries containing works related to the work­
          shop's signature creations.





          C  H  APTER 4  I  BUILDING EBERRON ADVENTURES
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