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Eberron: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Common questions
When was the Eberron tabletop role-playing game setting officially released?
The Eberron tabletop role-playing game setting was officially released in June 2004 with the Eberron Campaign Setting hardback book. This release won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Game Supplement of 2004.
Who created the Eberron world and when did the project begin?
Keith Baker created the Eberron world and entered the Fantasy Setting Search competition in 2002 with a one-page concept. The project moved from a contest entry to a fully fleshed-out world bible after Bill Slavicsek suggested the name Eberron during meetings in Seattle.
What is the Last War in the Eberron setting and when did it end?
The Last War was a vast destructive conflict fought between the Five Nations that ended with the Treaty of Thronehold. The war left the continent of Khorvaire scarred and unstable, creating the Mournland region where the city of Grayhold was destroyed.
What are the three progenitor wyrms in the Eberron creation myth?
The three progenitor wyrms in the Eberron creation myth are Siberys the Dragon Above, Eberron the Dragon Between, and Khyber the Dragon Below. Siberys became the planetary rings, Eberron became the world itself, and Khyber became the dark underworld known as the Dragon Below.
What unique races are introduced in the Eberron setting?
The Eberron setting introduces the Kalashtar, a race of psionic people descended from human monks possessed by Quori, and the Warforged, sentient constructs made of stone, wood, and metal. The Warforged were created by House Cannith to serve as soldiers during the Last War and were granted freedom when the conflict concluded.
Eberron
Keith Baker walked into a room in 2002 with a one-page concept that would eventually win him one hundred thousand dollars and change the course of Dungeons and Dragons forever. His submission, originally titled Thrilling Tales of Swords and Sorcery, was one of eleven thousand entries in Wizards of the Coast's Fantasy Setting Search competition. The sheer volume of submissions meant that the initial pool was whittled down to one hundred and twenty entries by four subteams before a panel reduced them to just three finalists. Baker's vision stood out because it did not follow the traditional high fantasy mold that had dominated the game for decades. Instead, he proposed a world where magic was industrialized, where pulp adventure met film noir, and where the aftermath of a devastating war hung heavy over the continent of Khorvaire. The judges flew Baker, along with two other finalists, to Seattle to discuss their worlds in person. It was during these meetings that Bill Slavicsek, a key figure in the development team, suggested the name Eberron. The name was chosen to replace the generic working title, and the project moved from a contest entry to a fully fleshed-out world bible. Baker spent weeks collaborating with a team that included Chris Perkins and James Wyatt to refine the concept, isolating the best elements of his original pitch while discarding those that did not work. The result was a setting that felt like a living, breathing entity rather than a static backdrop for heroes to slay monsters.
Magic As Industry
In the world of Eberron, magic is not a rare and mystical force reserved for wizards in towers, but a utility as common as electricity in the modern world. The setting is defined by the presence of the Dragonmarked Houses, twelve extended families that possess specific magical gifts and hold immense economic influence. These houses function much like the Spacing Guild from the science fiction novel Dune, operating beyond the rule of princes or kings to control the flow of trade and technology. A magical lightning rail spans the continent, providing high-speed transportation powered by elemental magic, while cities are illuminated by magical lanterns that light the streets at night. This pervasive low-level magic allows for the creation of everyday items, from magical communication devices to enchanted agricultural tools. The setting introduces the artificer class, a spellcaster who focuses on creating magical items rather than casting spells directly. Artificers use a pool of craft points to imbue objects with effects, such as creating a belt that grants strength or a gun that fires magical bolts. This approach to magic creates a world where the supernatural is mundane, and where the line between technology and sorcery is blurred. The existence of magewrights, arcane casters with limited spell selections, further ensures that magic is accessible to the common person, making it an integral part of daily life rather than a source of wonder.
The history of Eberron is defined by the Last War, a vast destructive conflict that ended only recently and left the continent scarred and unstable. The war was fought between the Five Nations, a collection of human states that dominate the most populated continent of Khorvaire. The conflict was so devastating that it led to the creation of the Warforged, sentient constructs made of stone, wood, and metal by House Cannith to serve as soldiers. When the war finally concluded with the Treaty of Thronehold, the Warforged were granted their freedom, though their place in society remains a subject of debate. The war left behind the Mournland, a region of gray mist and death where the city of Grayhold was destroyed, and the landscape remains a dangerous, unexplored wilderness. The setting is designed to accommodate the aftermath of this war, with a tone that blends pulp adventure and dark fantasy. The political landscape is complex, with nations that are technically at peace but are engaged in a cold war of espionage and intrigue. The war-torn setting draws inspiration from the unstable period between World War I and World War II, creating a world where the past is never truly gone and the future is uncertain. The war also serves as a backdrop for the various factions and races that inhabit the world, each with their own grievances and agendas.
The Dragon Below
Beneath the surface of the world lies Khyber, the Dragon Below, a dark underworld that is home to the demons and evil forces that threaten the living. The creation myth of Eberron tells of three progenitor wyrms: Siberys, the Dragon Above, who became the planetary rings; Eberron, the Dragon Between, who became the world itself; and Khyber, the Dragon Below, who became the underworld. These three entities fought in a cosmic struggle, with Siberys breaking into pieces to form the rings and Khyber being trapped within the earth. The world of Eberron is a battleground between these forces, with the dragons of Argonnessen and the quori of Sarlona playing key roles in the cosmic balance. The setting includes twelve moons, with some sages believing a thirteenth moon has vanished or is invisible to the naked eye. The number thirteen, known as a baker's dozen, is a recurring theme in the world, reflecting the creator's attention to detail. The world is divided into seven continents, with Khorvaire being the primary setting for most adventures. The other continents include Aerenal, ruled by elves; Xen'drik, once the home of a giant empire; Everice, a continent-sized sheet of ice; Frostfell, an unexplored land of ice; Sarlona, ruled by the quori; and Argonnessen, the home of the dragons. The world is a place where the supernatural is intertwined with the mundane, and where the past is never truly gone.
The Kalashtar and Warforged
The setting introduces several unique races that challenge traditional fantasy tropes, including the Kalashtar and the Warforged. The Kalashtar are a race of psionic people who are the descendants of human monks from Adar who were possessed by the Quori, planar entities from the Region of Dreams. These Quori were good-aligned and rebelled against their evil counterparts, the Dreaming Dark, leading to a permanent merger between the human and the planar entity. The spiritual essence of each Quori is divided among many Kalashtar, making it impossible to destroy a Quori without exterminating its entire lineage. The Kalashtar live in fortified temple-keeps in Adar or in hiding across the world, constantly besieged by their Inspired enemies. The Warforged, on the other hand, are sentient constructs created to fight in the Last War. They are composed of stone, wood, and metal, and while they have free will, their soul status remains a mystery. They do not age and can be resurrected, but they never remember their experiences in the afterlife. The Warforged may adopt a gender role as part of their individual personality, and they can take levels in any character class. These races add depth to the setting, providing new perspectives on the world and its conflicts.
A New Era of Play
The publication history of Eberron reflects its enduring popularity and adaptability to new editions of Dungeons and Dragons. The setting was officially released in June 2004 with the Eberron Campaign Setting hardback book, which won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Game Supplement of 2004. Over the next four years, more than twenty supplements were released, establishing Eberron as a major setting for the game. The setting was adapted for the 4th Edition of D&D in 2009, with the Eberron Campaign Guide and the adventure Seekers of the Ashen Crown. Despite the changes in the 4th Edition, Eberron remained true to its original vision, with no timeline changes and a focus on the existing world. The 5th Edition saw the release of the Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron in 2018, followed by the hardcover book Eberron: Rising From The Last War in 2019. The setting continues to evolve, with new content such as the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer scheduled for release in December 2025. The setting has also been adapted for online play, with the D&D Adventurers League adding new seasons of stories that take place in the Mournland. The enduring appeal of Eberron lies in its ability to blend traditional fantasy with modern themes, creating a world that is both familiar and fresh.