Although Eberron is a vast world with many continents and cultures, your adventures begin in the land of Khorvaire. Here are a few details about everyday life there.
Languages
In Eberron, languages reflect culture and geography; a dwarf raised in Breland might not know Dwarvish, but a halfling raised in the Mror Holds might. The historical development of languages and cultures also explains the scripts used to write various languages. For example, the Orc language is written using the Goblin script (rather than Dwarvish, as stated in the Player’s Handbook), because the orcs of Khorvaire learned writing from the goblins.
Common is the language of the Five Nations and the language of trade in Khorvaire, known by most of its people. Goblin was the trade language of the goblin empire of Dhakaan and survives as the primary language in Darguun, Droaam, and the Shadow Marches. Goblin displaced the Orc language; the people of the Shadow Marches typically speak Goblin, and Orc is an exotic language (see the Exotic Languages of Eberron table). Members of all races in Xen’drik speak Giant and use it as their trade language. Infernal is the common tongue of all fiends. Infernal is sometimes called “Khyber’s Speech,” while Celestial is “the tongue of Siberys.”
You can exchange a language granted by your race for a different language from the Standard Languages of Eberron table. If your halfling was raised in the Mror Holds, you might replace Halfling with Dwarvish to reflect that background.
Standard Languages of Eberron
| Language |
Main Speakers |
Script |
| Common |
The Five Nations, trade language of Khorvaire |
Common |
| Dwarvish |
Mror Holds |
Dwarvish |
| Elvish |
Aerenal, Valenar |
Elvish |
| Giant |
Inhabitants of Xen’drik |
Giant |
| Gnomish |
Zilargo |
Dwarvish |
| Goblin |
Darguun, Droaam, Shadow Marches, monsters of Khorvaire |
Goblin |
| Halfling |
Talenta Plains |
Common |
| Riedran |
People of Sarlona |
Common |
Exotic Languages of Eberron
| Language |
Main Speakers |
Script |
| Celestial |
Celestials |
Celestial |
| Daelkyr |
Aberrations, denizens of Khyber |
Daelkyr |
| Draconic |
Dragons, dragonborn |
Draconic |
| Infernal |
Fiends |
Infernal |
| Orc |
Isolated orc tribes |
Goblin |
| Primordial |
Elementals |
Primordial |
| Quori |
Inspired, kalashtar, quori |
Quori |
| Sylvain |
Fey creatures |
Sylvan |
Names and Surnames
The naming conventions among the people of Khorvaire tend to follow language, rather than being linked to race. A Brelish dwarf who doesn’t speak Dwarvish might also carry a name with a human origin rather than a traditional Dwarvish name.
Most citizens of Khorvaire have a given name followed by a surname. A surname associated with the Common language is usually either a family name or related to an occupation or region of origin. So Sorn Fellhorn, Kara of Windshire, and Tellan Magewright are all names you might find among the common folk.
The noble families of Galifar—along with those granted land and titles by one of the sovereigns of the Five Nations — add the prefix ir’ to their surname. The name Darro ir’Lain tells you that this individual is a landed noble. The Wynarns were the royal line of Galifar, and the current rulers of Aundair, Breland, and Karrnath are all heirs of the Wynarn bloodline. Thus, Queen Aurala of Aundair is Aurala ir’Wynarn.
Another common prefix is d’, used by any heir of a dragonmarked house who has manifested a dragonmark. So Merrix d’Cannith is a member of House Cannith who has manifested the Mark of Making.
Calendar
In the common calendar of Khorvaire, days are 24 hours long, divided into day and night. Seven days make up a week, four weeks a month, and twelve months a year. The months correspond to the twelve moons of Eberron (see the Eberron Months table), and the prominent moon carries the name of the month in which its orbit brings it closest to the planet.
The seven days of the week, in order, are Sul, Mol, Zol, Wir, Zor, Far, Sar.
The common calendar of Khorvaire tracks the years since the founding of the kingdom of Galifar, using the abbreviation YK. The last king of Galifar, Jarot ir’Wynarn, died on 12 Therendor 894 YK. The Day of Mourning occurred a century later, on 20 Olarune 994 YK. By default, a new Eberron campaign begins on 1 Zarantyr 998 YK.
Eberron Months
| Month |
Season |
Dragonmark |
| Zarantyr |
Mid-winter |
Storm |
| Olarune |
Late winter |
Sentinel |
| Therendor |
Early spring |
Healing |
| Eyre |
Mid-spring |
Making |
| Dravago |
Late spring |
Handling |
| Nymm |
Early summer |
Hospitality |
| Lharvion |
Mid-summer |
Detection |
| Barrakas |
Late summer |
Finding |
| Rhaan |
Early autumn |
Scribing |
| Sypheros |
Mid-autumn |
Shadow |
| Aryth |
Late autumn |
Passage |
| Vult |
Early winter |
Warding |
Currency
Merchants and nobles use letters of credit to handle large transactions, drawing on the reserves of the dwarven banks of the Mror Holds. But most day-to-day transactions use coins of precious metal. With the collapse of the kingdom of Galifar, each of the Five Nations began to mint its own currency, along with the Mror bankers. However, while the designs imprinted on these coins vary based on the source, each of these factions 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 copper crown (cp) traditionally depicts the crown of Galifar on one face. The crown is the lowest denomination of coin minted under the rule of Galifar, which spawned the saying, “In Galifar, even the beggars have crowns.”
- The silver sovereign (sp) bears the face of a living or recent ruler. An unskilled laborer can expect to earn a sovereign for a day’s work.
- The gold galifar (gp) bears the image of Galifar I, the founder of the old kingdom.
- The platinum dragon (pp) 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 might never see such a coin.
A number of other coins remain in circulation, such as the double crown of Breland (2 cp) and the silver throne of Cyre (5 sp). However, all the major nations of Khorvaire make use of the four basic coins described above.
