The City of Towers: The Dreaming Dark - Book I (48 page)

The oldest myths say that our world was born in war, born of the struggle between the first dragons. The Seren Tablets describe this battle, how the dark wyrm Khyber tore her brother Siberys into pieces before being bound within the coils of her sister Eberron.

In these enlightened times, we can see this as metaphor. Looking to the sky, it is easy to understand how the ancients could see the ring of Siberys as a great gold dragon stretching across the horizon. Eberron is the world on which we walk, the mother of all that is natural. Khyber is the darkness that lies beneath the surface of the soil, giving birth to horrors that haunt the night and things that should not be. Today, we may consider ourselves too wise to believe in such tales, but the ancients believed that Eberron was formed from magic and from war—and these forces have certainly shaped the world in which we live in today.

Magical energy is all around us, invisible and unknown. It is a force we are slowly learning to control. The wizard can draw on this power to reshape reality with a gesture and an incantation. The priestess calls on gods to work magic on her behalf. The artificer crafts tools that can produce the same effects as either. And then there are the dragonmarked, who carry mystic power in their very blood. As we have learned to control the powers of magic, we have created many wonders that have changed the world in which we live. There was a time when a journey from one edge of Khorvaire to the other would take months. Today the lightning rail and the airship allow the wealthy to traverse the continent in comfort and safety. The message stones of House Sivis send words across the world with the speed of the wind. Communication, entertainment, the healing arts … magic touches them all.

Over the course of the last century, we have created horrors far worse than any monster of legend. We have harnessed the power
of fire and storm and turned them against our enemies. We have given birth to an army of living weapons. And in so doing we have destroyed the heart of our realm. Chroniclers are calling the recent conflict “The Last War,” claiming—or at the very least hoping—that no one who has seen the destruction could thirst for war ever again. Perhaps they are correct. Surely, if we continue to toy with powers that we do not understand, with forces that can destroy an entire nation, our next war will be our last.

Khorvaire, Galifar, and the Last War

Though much of this world remains shrouded in mystery, scholars have kept records for thousands of years and many other secrets have been unlocked through exploration. The continent of Sarlona gave birth to humanity, but for the last millennium the people of Riedra, that continent’s largest nation, have restricted contact with the outside world. Tales say that Xen’drik was once home to a civilization of giants who possessed mystical secrets far beyond anything known in the modern age, but this society vanished tens of thousands of years ago. The dragons reputed to live in Argonnessen, if they exist at all, hide their secrets. To date no one has penetrated the interior of this dark continent and returned to tell the tale.

Only one continent is known to us—Khorvaire. Human and elf, dwarf and gnome, we all have our homes here. According to the legends, many of these races traveled to this land—human settlers from Sarlona, dwarves from the frozen north, elves from Xen’drik by way of the isle of Aerenal. Though they were last to arrive, it was humanity that reshaped Khorvaire in its own image. Those who opposed the humans were conquered or driven from their lands. In time, one man managed to unite the budding human nations with sword and word—King Galifar I, founder of a kingdom that would last almost nine hundred years.

Galifar had five children, and he divided his kingdom into five provinces, one for each of his heirs. Each region had its own customs and strengths, and these would continue to develop over
time. Aundair was renowned for wisdom, both mundane knowledge and the study of the mystical arts. The people of Karrnath were known for stoic temperaments and military skill. Breland was a center for innovation in philosophy and industry. Thrane soon became the seat of the Church of the Silver Flame, and its people were devoted to this altruistic religion. Cyre was the heart of the kingdom, a center of art and culture. While there were other outposts of culture in Khorvaire—the gnomes of Zilargo, the people of the Shadow Marches, the Lhazaar Pirates—the provinces were seen as the primary repository of civilization and culture. Collectively they were referred to as the Five Nations, and this phrase became so engrained in the psyche of the kingdom that it remains in use to this day, even though Cyre is no more.

The Kingdom of Galifar worked hand in hand with the dragonmarked houses, and for centuries civilization flourished across Khorvaire—until the death of King Jarot in 894 YK.

In accordance with the customs laid down by the first king, Jarot’s children had been appointed as governors of the Five Nations. As the eldest child and governor of Cyre, Lady Mishann d’Wyrnarn was the rightful heir to the throne of the Five Nations. According to the ancient laws, her brothers and sisters were to step down from their posts and install Mishann’s children as governors.

It was a precarious system, and there had been upheavals before—times when a governor refused to relinquish control. But a rightful heir to the throne had never had to contend with three rebellious siblings, as Mishann did. Lord Thalin of Thrane, Lady Wroanne of Breland, and Lord Kaius of Karrnath rose together to challenge Mishann and the traditions of Galifar. When Mishann fought for her claim, the three governors broke from the old throne, declaring themselves kings and queens. The Last War had begun.

The war lasted for over a century—far longer than the alliance of the three rebel rulers. Over the course of the conflict alliances shifted more often than the sands of the Blade Desert. Cultures long held in check by the power of Galifar shook off the yoke of old. Aundair was shattered by an internal rebellion. The strange creatures of Droaam rose up to declare their own nation. The
goblinoids came down from the Seawall Mountains to claim the kingdom of Darguun. The elf mercenaries brought in to fight the war seized a territory of their own, creating the nation of Valenar. But even as the old kingdom crumbled, many advances were made. War encourages innovation, and across Khorvaire wizards and artificers crafted new tools of destruction. Greatest among these were the spellworkers of House Cannith, and their greatest creations were the warforged, tireless soldiers of steel and stone, born with the skill of elite soldiers and able to fight without rest or food. The first warforged soldiers were produced in 965YK, and today each of the Five Nations has its own army of armored warforged. Some question the morality of this practice, for the warforged seem to have the sentience of living creatures, and priests still debate the question of the warforged soul. But most generals see the warforged as weapons. They may be able to think and to speak, but they are tools to be used, nothing more.

Today it seems that the war is finally coming to an end. At the time of this writing, ambassadors have gathered at the isle of Thronehold, and while the conflict continues on the borders, the thirst for bloodshed has surely dimmed. All it took was the destruction of Cyre, the heart of the ancient kingdom. No one knows what force was unleashed in Cyre in 994 YK, and many would say that is the primary reason the nations now discuss the terms of treaty—fear, pure and simple. Was House Cannith working on a weapon in the depths of Cyre, something that went horribly wrong? Or was the devastation the result of the aggregation of magic used in the battles—a slow building of energies that finally reached a breaking point? Is it something that can happen again, and what nation will be next?

The kingdom of Galifar is no more, and even if a treaty of Thronehold brings peace, we can never recover what has been lost. The fertile realm of Cyre has been transformed into a warped wasteland, a place filled with all manner of unnatural horrors. Survivors have taken to calling this region the Mournland. Only time will tell if there is a way to reclaim this lost land—or if the destruction of Cyre is a harbinger of what lies ahead for all of Khorvaire.

The Currency of Galifar

In the modern age, merchants have begun to use letters of credit to handle large transactions, drawing on the reserves of the dwarf banks of the Mror Holds. But most day to day transactions are dealt with through the use of coins made from precious metal. Once all coins were minted under the authority of the King of Galifar. With the collapse of the old kingdom, each of the Five Nations began to mint its own currency, as did the Mror bankers. However, while the designs imprinted on these coins vary based on the source, each of these forces has continued to use the same metals, weights, and denominations set forth in the days of Galifar, maintaining a simple standard for commerce across Khorvaire.

The crown is made from copper and traditionally depicts the crown of Galifar on one face. The crown is the lowest denomination of coin minted under the rule of Galifar. Ten crowns are worth one sovereign.

The sovereign is made from silver and bears the face of a living or recent ruler. An unskilled laborer can expect to earn a sovereign for a day’s work. Ten sovereigns are worth one golden galifar.

The galifar is made from gold. It bears the image of Galifar I, the founder of the old kingdom. Ten golden galifars are worth one platinum dragon.

The dragon is minted from platinum and bears the image of one of the dragons of legend. With a value of one hundred sovereigns, these coins are used only by the wealthiest citizens of Khorvaire, and the average peasant may never see such a coin.

There are a number of other coins in circulation, such as the double crown of Breland or the silver throne of Cyre, which has a value of five sovereigns. However, all of the major nations make use of the four basic coins described above.

To summarize the values: 1000 copper crowns = 100 silver sovereigns = 10 golden galifars = 1 platinum dragon.

The Calendar of Galifar

The most common method of marking time is the calendar established by King Galifar III. The calendar tracks the years since the kingdom was founded, using the abbreviation YK. The week is divided into seven days; there are four weeks to a month and twelve months to a year. Despite the fall of Galifar, the nations of Khorvaire have continued to use this calendar.

The seven days of the week, from the first day to the seventh, are Sul, Mol, Zol, Wir, Zor, Far, Sar.

The twelve months are named after the twelve moons that orbit the world. The twelve are Zarantyr (mid-winter), Olarune (late winter), Therendor (early spring), Eyre (mid-spring), Dravago (late spring), Nymm (early summer), Lharvion (mid-summer), Barrakas (late summer), Rhaan (early autumn), Sypheros (mid-autumn), Aryth (late autumn), and Vult (early winter).

King Jarot ir’Wyrnarn died on Therendor 12, 894 YK. The Day of Mourning—the mysterious event that destroyed the nation of Cyre—occurred almost exactly a century later, on Olarune 20 994 YK.

The Dragonmarked

Dragonmarks are one of the greatest mysteries of the age, and they have had a tremendous impact on the cultures of Khorvaire. A dragonmark is a design that appears on the skin, similar in appearance to a complex tattoo. The bearer of a dragonmark can call on the powers of this mark to perform a specific act of magic. Twelve different dragonmarks are now known to exist, each bound to a particular bloodline.

Over the course of two thousand years, these families have evolved into powerful dynasties. When Galifar I laid the foundation of his kingdom, he set severe limits on the dragonmarked houses to prevent them from becoming a threat to his realm. Aside from House Deneith, the houses are prohibited from maintaining armies or holding an office of the crown. But while
the houses may have limited military might, they have developed considerable economic power and an infrastructure stretching across the length of Khorvaire. With the collapse of the kingdom of Galifar, many believe that the dragonmarked houses are now the greatest power in the land, and that the mercantile and magical power of the houses is a deadlier weapon than the armies of the Five Nations.

Although the dragonmarked families have no ties to the royal lines of Galifar, out of respect for their power and wealth, the heirs of a dragonmarked house are generally accorded the title of “lord” or “lady.” The leader of the regional enclave of a house holds the title of “baron.” Those who possess a dragonmark may add the suffix d’ to the house name. Thus, Baron Merrix d’Cannith carries the Mark of Making, while Lord Heldoran Cannith does not.

With the sole exception of the Mark of Finding, each dragonmark can only be passed to members of a specific race. Heirs of a house are forbidden from breeding with members of other dragonmarked bloodlines, as this is said to produce aberrant dragonmarks.

The size of a dragonmark determines its power. A bearer of the smallest Mark of Healing might be able to mend a minor wound, while the bearer of a larger mark might be able to cure disease or negate the effects of poisons. The abilities of a mark can be enhanced using a specially designed dragonshard focus, allowing a healer to use his power many times each day.

Currently there are thirteen dragonmark houses.

House Cannith carries the Mark of Making. The artificers and magewrights of House Cannith are responsible for most of the magical innovations of the past millennia. The house made tremendous profits during the Last War through sales of arms and armor, including warforged soldiers. However, the leaders of the house were based in Cyre and died in the Mourning. As a result, House Cannith is suffering from internal strife as the barons struggle for control. The heirs of House Cannith are human.

House Deneith carries the Mark of Sentinel, which grants powers related to personal protection. The Blademark of House Deneith is the most respected mercenary force in Khorvaire, while the Defender’s Guild provides bodyguards to anyone
who can pay. The Sentinel Marshals are law enforcers with the authority to pursue criminals across the nations of Khorvaire. The house has a hard-earned reputation for neutrality, and a Deneith guard can be trusted to protect his charge or fight for his employee regardless of his personal feelings. The heirs of House Deneith are human.