Dragonmarked Characters
You can’t buy or choose to develop a dragonmark; each mark is tied to bloodlines within specific species, as summarized in the Dragonmarks and Their Houses table. A dragonmark appears on a person around adolescence, though not every heir manifests the mark.
Long ago, the families that carry the marks joined together to form the dragonmarked houses. Over the course of centuries, these houses have used their gifts to establish powerful monopolies. For example, only House Lyrandar heirs with the Mark of Storms can pilot airships. This control over vital services gives the houses tremendous power.
In the past, the dragonmarked houses were held in check by the united kingdom of Galifar. But in the wake of The Last War, people wonder if any nation has the power to enforce its wishes on the houses.Creating a Dragonmarked Character
Dragonmarks manifest on certain members of a few species, represented in the rules by variant race options:- For humans and half-orcs, a dragonmark is a variant race that replaces traits associated with those races.
- For Half-Elves, a dragonmark is a variant race that lets you keep some half-elf traits and replace others with the traits associated with your mark.
- For Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Halflings, the dragonmark replaces your subrace. So, if you’re making an elf character, you can choose to take the Mark of Shadow instead of being a wood elf or a high elf.
Dragonmarks and Backgrounds
Dragonmarks are bound to certain bloodlines, and by choosing a mark, you are establishing your character’s blood connection to one of the families in the dragonmarked houses. It’s up to you to define your relationship to the house. Were you brought up in the house? Or are you independent from it? This is best represented by your background. Consider the following options:
Agent. You have a close, ongoing relationship with your house. The house agent background is a good choice if you are actively working for the house. Alternately, you could take the noble background to reflect a blood tie to the leaders of the house. Independent Scion. You were raised or trained by the house, but you’ve kept your independence. This means you don’t have many special privileges, but you also don’t have responsibilities. Guild artisan is a good choice to reflect basic house training, but you could choose entertainer for the Mark of Shadow, sailor for the Mark of Storms, soldier for the Mark of Sentinel, sage for the Mark of Scribing, and so on. Excoriate. When a dragonmarked heir defies their house, they might be cut off from their family. In the past, your mark would be flayed from your body. Although this mutilation is no longer practiced, such exiles are still called excoriates. If you’re an excoriate, consider what you did to deserve this punishment. Were you a criminal? A charlatan? Or perhaps a sage who engaged in forbidden research? Foundling. Your ancestors left the house long ago. You have no ties to the house and may not have known you were connected by blood before you manifested your dragonmark. As an outlander or an urchin, you might know nothing about the houses. As an acolyte or a hermit, you could have put your faith ahead of worldly things, choosing not to pursue a connection with the houses. Whatever you decide, this is an opportunity to talk with your DM about the role you’d like the house to play in a campaign. Do you want them to be your enemy? Would you prefer to avoid them completely? Or do you want to work your way into a position of power in the house, despite being an outsider?The Powers of the Mark
Each dragonmark grants a set of abilities that reflect the inherent powers of the mark. Your dragonmarked race gives you a set of traits derived from the magic of your mark. If you are a spellcaster, your dragonmark also fuels or channels some of your spells. Each dragonmark’s description includes a list of dragonmark spells that flow from the magic of the mark. If you play a character with the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, your dragonmark spells are added to the spell list for each of your spellcasting classes, thereby expanding the spell options available to you.
You might also consider your dragonmark the source of any or all of your spells or class features. As a cleric with the Mark of Healing, for example, you could say your mark is the sole source of the healing and supportive spells you cast, or your magic might come from a combination of your mark’s power and your faith in the gods. As a warlock, your aberrant dragonmark might actually be your fiendish patron, the source of all your magic. These descriptions add flavor to your character but don’t change your character’s abilities, beyond the dragonmark spells added to your spell list.
Over the centuries, the houses have developed tools that enhance and channel the powers of a mark, and these items give the houses much of their economic power.Dragonmark Appearance
A dragonmark appears on the skin. There are twelve known dragonmarks, each unique in design and power. A dragonmark can appear on any part of the body. One half-elf could have the Mark of Detection across an eye, while another has it in the palm of the hand. Dragonmarks appear with vivid shades of blue and purple and shimmer or even move slightly. When used, they grow warm to the touch and sometimes glow (though this doesn’t produce useful illumination). A dragonmark can’t be removed—even if a limb bearing a dragonmark is cut away, the mark eventually manifests on another part of the bearer’s body. All dragonmarks share a similar initial appearance, but a dragonmark can grow in size and complexity as a character gains levels and uses it to cast more powerful magic.
While dragonmarks share the same general appearance, your dragonmark could have a unique quality. Roll on the Dragonmark Quirks table for inspiration.
