gistfile1.txt

There's no evil in the heart of a newborn child. But demons prey on our base emotions, and from the moment we're born, the fiends start calling us down their dark paths. None of us are perfect, and there will be times when even the best are lured into darkness. But remember: the child who's gone astray isn't the enemy—they're the victim. You carry the Flame. Don't burn the misguided; instead, banish the shadows and lead them back into the light.

—Tira Miron, To the Templars

When humans first set foot on Khorvaire, they thanked Kol Korran for seeing them safely across the water. King Galifar I believed that it was Dol Arrah who guided him to victory and looked to Aureon to inspire his rule. But the humans didn't invent the Sovereign Host. Explorers in Xen'drik have uncovered a vast temple dedicated to Ouralon Lawbringer—a clear parallel to the Sovereign of Law and Lore, worshiped by the giants tens of thousands of years before human civilization existed.

For many hundreds of years, the Sovereign Host stood as the bedrock faith of Galifar and the Five Nations. But over centuries, cracks began to form. In Thrane, a young paladin delivered the nation from fiendish domination, crediting her victory to an ancient force of light. The people she saved were quick to embrace the faith of the Silver Flame, and it gradually spread across Galifar. Meanwhile, in the far northeast, a small but devoted following held to the teachings of the Blood of Vol.

Some scholars say that the growing power of industry and arcane science weakened faith. Why should a blacksmith make an offering to Onatar when he could use his copper to take Cannith courses and learn magecraft? Others say that the Last War is to blame. Whatever the cause, there are certainly many in Khorvaire who have no deep devotion to any religion. None would deny that divine power exists, but in a world with sorcerers and dragonmarks, the ability to perform magic is no assurance of the existence of gods. But many faithful see no conflict between the wonders of the modern age and their devotions. Even House Cannith has always claimed to prosper through the blessing of Onatar, and there have always been those within the house who have asked the Traveler for dangerous inspiration. While the Mourning caused some people to question their beliefs, for others, their faith was the source of stability and comfort in a bleak world: Whatever horrors we face, surely there is a reason for our suffering... a divine purpose we can't yet understand.

This chapter examines the role of divine power in daily life and explores the differences between arcane and divine magic. It examines the three major religions of Khorvaire and delves into the occult mysteries of the cults of the Dragon Below. It concludes with revelations about the aasimar and their place in the world of Eberron.

The Role of the Divine
While scholars debate if the Sovereigns truly exist, the presence of divine forces can be felt in everyday life. This is more pronounced in specific places—Thrane, Aerenal, a Seeker community in Karrnath—but even on the cynical streets of Breland, you can consult an oracle of Aureon or get help from an exorcist of the Silver Flame. Similarly, people may criticize the actions of the Church of the Silver Flame, but no one doubts that the Flame itself exists, and everyone knows that its champions wield mystic power. Player characters are remarkable, and paladins are rare, but it's common knowledge that paladins exist. When a paladin heals a wounded soldier by laying on hands, it's impressive, but not unprecedented. How is divine power encountered in the world, and how does it differ from the magic of wizards and artificers?

What is Divine Magic?
A cleric, a bard, and an artificer can all cast cure wounds. Working strictly by the rules, the only difference between the three characters is the spellcasting ability associated with each, so arcane and divine magic aren't concrete mechanical concepts. Rather, it is part of the story itself, with the artificer and cleric each doing something fundamentally different; the artificer creates a quick healing salve, while the cleric lays their hands on the victim and calls for a miracle. This section explores the difference between arcane and divine magic, suggesting flavor that you can employ in describing the actions of spellcasters.

Spoiler Alert
While much of this chapter is applicable to both players and DMs, some information lies ahead that isn't common knowledge to most player characters. Even characters with proficiency in Religion don't automatically know the deep lore of their faith; for example, most clerics devoted to the Blood of Vol don't know how Erandis Vol is connected to it. As a player, recognize that your character is unlikely to know all the things you're about to read, and work with your DM to determine how much they know about their religion and its secrets.

It's also important to note that the faiths of Eberron have been presented in different ways over the course of different books and editions of the game. As a DM, it's up to you to decide what's true in your campaign. And as a player, keep in mind that your DM may not take this book as gospel! This chapter is meant as a source of inspiration, not as absolute truth.

Arcane Magic
p50
Arcane magic is a form of science. There are predictable rules that shape reality, and with proper study and force of will, anyone could potentially perform arcane magic. This is what makes arcane magic the foundation of civilization in the Five Nations: it can be taught, and once learned, it is entirely reliable. Arcane magic involves channeling ambient magical energy—the powers of the planes, the emanations of the Ring of Siberys—and focusing it to alter reality. The components of a spell—like verbal incantations, somatic gestures, and focus items—help this process, but the most important element of spellcasting is mental focus. Though a fighter could perfectly duplicate the words and gestures of a wizard, nothing would happen. You must cast the spell in your mind, harnessing and shaping mystical energy, and this is dangerous and exhausting; this is why most spellcasters are limited in how many spells they can cast each day.

All arcane magic consists of reliable skills you can master, but there are different forms of arcane magic. While a wizard and sorcerer can both cast fireball, there's a difference, tied to the ability associated with spellcasting.

Intelligence. Spellcasting using Intelligence is grounded in knowledge and logic. For these characters, casting a spell is like solving an equation—harnessing and carefully channeling the precise quantity of mystical energy required to produce the effect you're looking for. A wizard may use words of power and mystic gestures to generate power, while an artificer instead relies on tools. But either way, you fundamentally know what you're doing, which is why both artificers and wizards can prepare new spells each day. Arcane magic is a science, and you're a scientist.
Charisma. Spellcasting using Charisma is tied to instinct and force of personality. For these characters, casting a spell is like knowing a few amazing family recipes even though you have no concept of the fundamental principles of baking. Your spellcasting talents may come from an arcane bloodline, a mystic patron, or a magical song. Regardless, you still have to perform similar actions to a wizard; to cast a fireball, you still need somatic gestures and verbal incantations along with a ball of guano or an arcane focus. But you don't have to understand what you're doing the way a wizard does; you just know that if you follow the recipe, you'll get a perfect result.
In general, wizards, sorcerers, warlocks, artificers, bards, wandslingers, and magewrights use arcane magic. This still leaves room for individual flavor, and the techniques of an Aereni wizard may look quite different from those of an Aundairian wandslinger. But the same basic science underlies them both, and the principles of verbal and somatic components are familiar, even if the precise gestures or words are different. You can decide your character breaks this tradition, but this doesn't change any mechanical rules. You might say that your bard uses divine magic to cast spells—singing prayers to the Sovereigns, for example. However, this won't change your spellcasting ability or allow you to use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus, unless you make arrangements with your DM.

Artist: F. Vohwinkel
Artist: F. Vohwinkel
Divine Magic
There's no logic to divine magic, no pure science that can explain exactly how it works. An acolyte might spend years meditating and praying, performing virtuous deeds, and tending their flock, and still never gain the power to cast a spell; meanwhile, a smith who can't even read might feel Onatar's guiding hands and cast magecraft. Divine magic requires two things: absolute faith and a connection to a divine power source.

Faith is about conviction. It can't be something you approach rationally. You need to know in your heart that the magical effect you seek to produce with your spell should and will happen. Whether you're smiting an enemy or healing an ally, you know that the enemy will fall and that you will save your friend. This doesn't mean that you have to be a zealot with no doubts whatsoever; you can question your overall course of action. But you can't think about your doubts in the moment of casting the spell; in that instant, you must have pure and absolute certainty that the spell will come to pass.

But faith alone isn't enough; you also need a connection to a source of divine power. In Eberron, no one can prove whether the Sovereigns or other deities exist—if Onatar actually guides all artisans or if Dol Dorn and Dol Arrah truly watch over every battlefield. But whether or not Dol Arrah exists, when her paladin smites a foe, they draw that power from something. The paladin believes it to be Dol Arrah granting her favor, and maybe it is. Or maybe the shared faith of the tens of thousands of people who believe in the Sovereigns has created wells of power in the collective unconscious, and the paladin draws on this powerful force instead. In a practical sense, the truth is irrelevant; regardless of its nature and source, the power exists. And this is where science fails. The Silver Flame is a source of divine power, a force that has held demons at bay for millennia. Those who seek to defend the innocent and fight supernatural evil can draw on its power. But why does one templar become a paladin over another of equal faith? Why does an illiterate farmer gain the gift of divine magic when a religious scholar who's spent decades studying texts doesn't? People of faith usually respond that it's because the farmer was chosen by Arawai, or because one templar was more open than the other to the Voice of the Flame. Maybe that's true, or maybe it's all just luck.

As a paladin or cleric, you are tied to a source of divine power. Have you been chosen for a grand purpose? Did you earn this gift through piety or virtue? No one can prove the answer one way or the other. All that matters is that you have your faith, and that when you call for divine power, something answers.

Manifestations of Divine Magic. To the outside observer, divine magic is very different in flavor from arcane magic. A wizard traces glowing sigils and speaks words in a language older than humanity; a priest simply points dramatically at their enemy and calls on the Silver Flame to strike them down. Whether a spell is fueled by arcane or divine power, however, it still requires verbal and somatic components. Practically speaking, this means the spellcaster has to be able to speak and use their hands, and that these are somehow tied to casting a spell. But where a wizard may recite a complex incantation, the verbal component of divine magic could be the simplest of prayers: "Dol Arrah smite my foe!" or "Stand revealed in the light of the Flame!" Or it might be more complex, perhaps singing a hymn or reciting a passage from an ancient text. In both cases, the verbal components are statements of conviction and intent. Just as arcane magic is more than words and gestures, divine magic likewise has a mental component. The caster doesn't just ask for something; they reach out and take the power from the divine source, and if they draw too heavily on this connection, it'll be exhausted until they can rest.
The Value of Uncertainty. Mechanically, there's no difference between arcane magic and divine magic. But Eberron's divine magic is inherently more mysterious—it's not a science and shouldn't be entirely consistent or reliable. If you and your DM both agree to it, the DM could add some uncertainty to your divine magic. Consider a few ways this could manifest:
A spell could have a more powerful effect than you expected, as if cast with a spell slot of a higher level.
The target of a spell could gain advantage or disadvantage on a saving throw against it.
A target could be unexpectedly included or excluded from a spell effect.
This uncertainty should never become commonplace. It's the sort of thing that might happen once or twice during an adventure, if at all, and it should never be something you demand. It's a way to add that sense that divine magic isn't logical—not to create a concrete advantage or disadvantage for divine casters.

You should generally have a sense of why the uncertainty is happening. If you doubt the righteousness of your cause, it would make sense for you to have disadvantage on your attack roll; conversely, if you're a Silver Flame priest facing one of the Lords of Dust and you've just made an impassioned speech condemning them in the name of the Flame, you might expect a surge in power. But divine magic should never be entirely logical. If you cast flame strike and one of the targets is entirely untouched, is it because your faith faltered, or could it be a sign that you are supposed to spare this person's life?

Visions and Portents. As a divine caster, you are in touch with a divine power source. DMs can add a sense of mystery to divine magic by granting you divine visions. This might be clear and direct: during a long rest, you have a vision of a dark cloud over a nearby town. You know that evil forces are gathering there and that you have been charged to defend the townsfolk. This can be an easy way to set an adventure in motion. But it can also be more cryptic and intriguing: as your paladin enters the village, you see a burning crown floating above the head of a crippled beggar. The vision lasts an instant and is gone, with no further guidance. Is it a sign that the beggar is the rightful ruler and you should restore him to power? Is it a warning that he's an agent of Rak Tulkhesh? There is no clear answer; it's up to you to interpret it. The divine power is telling you something, but can your mortal mind make sense of it? As with unreliable magic, visions should be rare and remarkable. Such a vision is a reminder that you are in touch with a higher power, but you should never take this gift for granted or come to expect it.
Other Forms of Magic
p51
Divine magic and arcane magic are the two most common forms of spellcasting, but they're far from the only paths. Primal magic draws on the ambient power of the natural world, and is commonly used by druids and rangers. The verbal components of a primal spell might include a bird call or invocation of an animal spirit; somatic components might mimic the motion of a beast or spreading roots. Psionic magic uses the focused power of the mind, and chapter 2 includes suggestions for adding psionic flavor to kalashtar characters. A warlock might say that they are directly channeling their patron, acting simply as a vessel for that power.

Divine Magic in Everyday Life
Faith is a part of everyday life in the Five Nations. The people of Galifar were devoted to the Sovereign Host, and this echoes through its institutions—marriages are sanctified by Boldrei and judges swear oaths to Aureon. The Sovereign Aureon is the patron of wizards and magewrights, and Cannith artificers look to Onatar and the Traveler for inspiration. Many dragonmarked heirs assert that their marks are divine gifts.

So faith remains widespread, and there is no inherent clash between arcane and divine magic, but most commercial magical services are provided by arcane magewrights, not divine adepts. Priests can often cast thaumaturgy or ceremony, but rarely wield other forms of magic. The job of the priest is to provide spiritual guidance to their community; if you're looking to fix your injured leg, you go to a Jorasco healing house, not to a temple.

As a result, people are well aware of divine magic, but it's not taken for granted in the same way arcane magic is. The people of Eberron understand that divine magic isn't necessarily reliable, as discussed in the "Gifts in Time of Need" sidebar. A paladin player character will never lose their class abilities, but an NPC templar might gain divine power only when fighting supernatural evil and be unable to produce those effects at other times.

People with the abilities of clerics and paladins are usually found serving as champions of their faiths. They are exorcists, templar commanders, inquisitors, and missionaries venturing into dangerous lands. You wouldn't just go into a temple of Boldrei and demand to be healed. Clerics and paladins are remarkable, and people will assume that you were given your powers for a special purpose. NPC clerics of Boldrei might be found operating charitable clinics or fighting outbreaks of plague.

Gifts in Time of Need
Long ago, a simple smith received Onatar's blessing, and from then on, found he could use divine magic to cast magecraft. When a gang of bandits threatened his village, the old man struck down the bandit leader, then smote those who didn't flee. He exclaimed that Dol Arrah and Boldrei empowered him to protect his people. But when the bandits fled, this strength left him and he died.

This is a typical folktale in the Five Nations. You can't choose to become a divine spellcaster; the power is given to you. While some say this proves the existence of divine intervention, others assert it's simply that deep devotion allows anyone to channel divine power under the right circumstances. In some cases, divine power can be temporarily granted by an immortal entity, as the paladin Tira Miron was strengthened in her battle against Bel Shalor by a couatl guardian.

Player characters rarely have power stripped away; their core abilities should be reliable unless the player and DM agree to add uncertainty to their abilities. But NPCs could receive temporary divine gifts; the old smith described above could be a vital ally in a battle, but at the end of the adventure, his powers leave him. In the case of a player character, any character with faith could temporarily receive a boon (as presented in the Dungeon Master's Guide) tied to a particular quest or purpose. That purpose might be made clear—gifted by a spiritual guide like Tira's couatl, or revealed in a divine vision—or it could be a mystery. Such a gift is temporary, and will be lost when it has served its purpose. This sort of gift should be especially rare and remarkable; Tira and the couatl is a legendary event, not something taken for granted. But it is something that can happen if it fits an adventure.

While it's rare to find people selling divine magic as a service, it's not unheard of. Breland is infamous for corruption, and an NPC cleric could demand gold for mystical assistance. Oracles of Aureon typically demand "donations" for their insights. And in places where faith is especially strong or widespread, adepts can be found providing services commonly performed by magewrights. In a Seeker community in Karrnath, you may find skeletons animated by the local priest tilling a field. A devout blacksmith might cast magecraft by calling on Onatar instead of learning it from Cannith—but unlike with arcane magic, this devout blacksmith can't teach the spell to an apprentice. Divine spellcasting is a gift, not a job; an apprentice might earn that gift with their own devotion, but it's never a sure thing.

Within the Five Nations, Thrane is the greatest example of divine magic being worked into everyday life. Even there, Jorasco still provides healing and people rely on Sivis speaking stones to communicate. But in Flamekeep the streets are lit with silvery created by adepts instead of artificers, and many other common services are provided by divine faith instead of arcane science. Beyond the Five Nations, the cultures of Aerenal and the Ghaash'kala orcs of the Demon Wastes use divine magic nearly as commonly as arcane services.

Questioning Faith
p52
Divine magic is real. For a player character, it's reliable, and under fifth edition rules, clerics and paladins don't risk losing their powers if their actions aren't perfectly aligned with their faith. As discussed in the "What is Divine Magic" section above, there are many ways to reflect the importance of faith and what makes playing a divine spellcaster feel distinctly different than playing a wizard.

But what happens when that faith falters? A DM and player could work together to reflect the evolution or even loss of faith by an equally dramatic mechanical change to a character. Consider a paladin who discovers or does something that deeply undermines their faith. If the character simply loses their class features, no one will have fun. But you could redesign the character as a fighter of the same level, reflecting the idea that their divine abilities are gone, but they're still a tough, hardbitten warrior. Or in reverse, you could start a campaign playing a fighter as a former paladin who lost your way; if you find redemption or new faith over the course of the campaign, you could eventually redesign the character to be a full paladin.

Similarly, a character's beliefs might evolve rather than be lost entirely. Tira Miron began as a paladin of Dol Arrah but later embraced the Silver Flame. It's equally possible for a cleric of the Sovereign Host to have a journey that leads them to embrace the Blood of Vol; this sort of character evolution can be a remarkable story, and be reflected mechanically by the DM and player working together to swap their class archetype.

These mechanical changes might require some suspension of disbelief, as the paladin who becomes a fighter might suddenly be a significantly better fighter, and the cleric who swaps domains might lose proficiencies and have to throw away their armor. This is an imperfect process, and it's up to both player and DM to find ways to push past this and explain them within the story: "My armor was a prison. Now that I've embraced the light, I can't bear to carry the weight of war on my shoulders." It's important to maintain game balance, even if it means overlooking a few blips in the story. But changing beliefs can be a good reason for a dramatic mechanical shift within a character. Ultimately, your beliefs—or lack thereof—don't have to be limited by a class choice you made at 1st level. Whether it's ultimately strengthened or abandoned, questioning and exploring faith can be an interesting path for any character.

The Silver Flame: Defending the Innocent
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Eberron is just one bad day away from collapsing into a demonic apocalypse. The fiendish overlords struggle against their bonds, and shapeshifting rakshasa are manipulating humanity and working to release their masters. If you live in Khorvaire, you know as absolute fact that the dead can rise to prey on the living. You know that horrific aberrations could burst out of the underworld at any time and that the bite of a werewolf is all it would take to turn you into a murderous monster. The more you know, the worse it gets—even your dreams could be orchestrated by the Dreaming Dark. These things aren't questions of faith; these are simple facts. The overlords embody our worst fears. They thrive on hatred, cruelty, and chaos. Even when they're bound, they can use their influence to drive people toward darkness. And if they break their bonds, the world as you know it will be destroyed.

These realities—and the need to protect the world from them—form the vital foundation of the Church of the Silver Flame. This is a world where deadly supernatural evil is a concrete fact of existence, and the church itself was founded when a noble paladin gave her life to pull her nation back from the abyss. Some might mistakenly see the church merely as a militant hierarchical religious organization and assume that it must be a force of oppression. But while the Church of the Silver Flame is a religion, it's equally a volunteer militia whose members are prepared to risk their lives to protect every innocent from the real and deadly threats lurking in the shadows. At the end of the day, the templar isn't there to tell you how you should live your life; they're there to make sure you can live your life, to protect you from the monsters and fiends that could appear at any moment.

Foundations of the Faith
The Silver Flame was forged in the Age of Demons, and heroes of many cultures have wielded its power over the ages. The following principles form the common foundation of the Flame, regardless of whether you're a Ghaash'kala orc or a templar of Thrane—though extremist sects pick and choose which tenets to follow or discard. When dealing with followers of the Silver Flame, keep these in mind.

A Power, Not A God
The Silver Flame is a force created during the Age of Demons to bind the overlords. It has a concrete purpose: it is the cage that keeps apocalyptic evil at bay. The Sovereigns and Six are deities, believed to influence every facet of daily life. The Silver Flame is different. It's not seen as an anthropomorphic entity; rather, followers recognize it as a pure force of celestial energy. It doesn't influence the world on its own, and can only empower champions who will use that gift to protect the innocent. The Flame itself doesn't speak to people; instead, it is the Voice of the Flame that guides the faithful. Ultimately, the Silver Flame is a resource; if you seek to protect the innocent from supernatural evil, you may be able to draw on the power of the Flame to aid you in your fight.

Coexistence
p53
The Silver Flame won't grant you a good harvest as Arawai will, nor will it send storms like the Devourer. The Silver Flame isn't a god, but a resource to serve a specific purpose, and there is no inherent conflict between the beliefs of the Silver Flame and the Sovereign Host. The Church of the Silver Flame is a practical, pragmatic faith founded on active public service. It takes the approach that the world will manage itself—that there will be a harvest or a storm whether or not you acknowledge Arawai or the Devourer—and that the most important thing is to protect people from the darkness that could destroy them. The church doesn't inherently challenge the worship of the Sovereigns, and the two faiths have coexisted peacefully throughout history. Paladins of Dol Arrah often coordinate with templars of the Silver Flame to deal with threats, and Vassals of the Sovereign Host are usually happy to accept the assistance of templars when danger strikes.

Defense of All
The Silver Flame protects the entire world from the evil of the overlords, and likewise, those who channel its power should protect all innocents from supernatural threats. While extremist sects may stray from this path, the core beliefs of the Church of the Silver Flame don't elevate any nation or species above another. Templars of the Silver Flame should protect everyone from evil. Friars should guide and care for all who are in need.

This principle was clearly evident during the Last War. Even when the Church took power in Thrane, most priests and templars in other nations continued to serve their people. Regardless of the position of the cardinals and the Keeper, the mission of the Flame is to defend the innocent, not to rule the world. Brelish and Cyran templars would quickly unite with Thranes if a supernatural threat arose in the midst of a conflict; if demons from Shavarath appeared on a battlefield, all templars would unite against them. But in the absence of supernatural evil, there's nothing preventing a templar from serving their nation or protecting their family. While the templars of Thrane are also the army of Thrane, they still recognize the difference between their sacred duty and their service to their nation.

Eternal Evil
The Silver Flame was kindled to bind the fiendish overlords, immortal spirits that cannot be destroyed. The overlords are the embodiments of hatred, fear, greed, cruelty—and, like the overlords themselves, these things can never be permanently destroyed, only held at bay. The message of the Silver Flame isn't that evil can ever be permanently eradicated. It is that we must be ever vigilant and prepared to deal with evil when it arises. Even in the most peaceful moments, a new terror could emerge from Khyber, or a gate could spill shadows out of Mabar. And even in a town of virtuous people, someone could be corrupted by greed or anger. The templar stands ever ready to fight the physical threat, while the minister seeks to keep their people on the virtuous path.

Afterlife and the Voices of the Flame
The basic doctrine of the Silver Flame doesn't promise punishment or paradise after death. But its faithful commonly believe that the souls of those who live virtuous lives pass through Dolurrh unharmed, merging with the Silver Flame itself. By strengthening the Flame, these souls continue to protect the innocent of generations to come. Merging with the Flame is generally depicted as a transcendent union with those who have gone before, a state beyond mortal understanding—seen both as a reward and a duty.

Typically, souls that merge with the Flame don't return to the mortal world. However, it is possible for a spirit within the Flame to maintain its identity, guiding or advising the faithful from beyond. The Church of the Silver Flame calls out Tira Miron as the Voice of the Flame, who stands between eternity and mortality and guides the faithful toward the light. However, the Ghaash'kala and the serpent cults existed long before the sacrifice of Tira Miron, and they have their own Voices of the Flame—heroes who guide the faithful of these cultures.

The Hierarchy of Evil
The Silver Flame empowers mortals to fight against evil. But not all evils are equal, and different threats call for different approaches. The Church of the Silver Flame defines the hierarchy of evil as follows:

Entities of alien evil. These are the children of Khyber, encompassing all manner of fiends and aberrations. These beings are fundamentally unnatural and innately malevolent; even their presence is seen as harmful to the world.

Entities of unnatural evil. These are beings once native to Eberron that have been corrupted by alien forces. Undead and lycanthropes are the most obvious examples of this category—innocent people transformed into monsters. Like the followers of the Undying Court, the Church of the Silver Flame maintains that undead are inherently unnatural and harm the living simply through their existence.

Entities of innate evil. This is the most contentious category on the list, and it is the idea of monsters—that there are creatures native to Eberron who are evil by nature. In the past, the church has placed medusas, harpies, trolls, and similar creatures into this category, asserting that through no fault of their own, these creatures are vessels for supernatural evil and pose a threat to the innocent.

Those who choose evil. This encompasses all humanoids who are born innocent but choose to follow an evil path. Because such beings aren't evil by nature, the goal of the faithful should always be to lead them back to the light.

The evil within. Every follower of the Flame must recognize their own capacity for evil action; only through awareness can they guard against it. The Shadow in the Flame is always whispering, and it is arrogant and foolish to ignore that threat.

Entities of alien and unnatural evil must be fought with steel and spell. This is the purpose of the Silver Flame: to protect the innocent against these threats. When such forces arise, followers of the Silver Flame are expected to set aside any differences until the evil is defeated; this was seen in the Last War, where templars might serve different nations but would unite to deal with a supernatural threat. If it's possible to eradicate a threat without violence—such as curing a lycanthrope rather than killing it—that's acceptable, even laudable. But protection of the innocent should always be the primary concern, which is why the Silver Crusade focused on the eradication of the lycanthropes; the templars rarely had the resources to capture and cure lycanthropes.

Celestials and the Silver Flame
The Silver Flame is tied to Eberron. If you worship the Flame and cast a spell that normally contacts or summons an extraplanar ally, you touch the power of the Flame itself. This could be a couatl, or you could speak to the Voice of the Silver Flame—the spirit of Tira Miron, though now that she is bound to the Silver Flame, she is far more than just a ghost. Conjure celestial will usually summon a couatl, its essence drawn from the Silver Flame and given temporary existence until its task is done. Planar ally can produce more powerful celestials, but these aren't called from another plane; while they may use the statistics of angels, they are formed from the pure light of the Flame itself and return to the Flame when their work is done.

With those who choose evil and those who fall prey to the evil within, the Church of the Silver Flame urges compassion over brutality. Templars take arms against unnatural evil, but it is the purpose of friars and ministers to guide mortals to the light. Innocents must always be protected from those who would harm them, but anyone who chooses evil could be convinced to choose good, and true followers of the Flame are encouraged to act with empathy and compassion for all natural creatures.

In the past, the church assumed that trolls, harpies, worgs, and similar creatures were innately evil, so templars eliminated these threats wherever they were encountered. With the rise of Droaam and House Tharashk's introduction of monstrous mercenaries, Khorvaire is learning that these creatures aren't any more inherently evil than humans or dwarves. Ultimately, it is up to the Keeper of the Flame to make rulings on these matters—much like a past Keeper's ruling that the deathless of Aerenal are not creatures of unnatural evil. In 992 YK, Keeper Lavira Tagor ruled that the church needed to reevaluate the classification of innate evil, and that templars should judge the actions of creatures in question and seek guidance from the Voice of the Flame. Since then, the Council of Cardinals has been debating the status of Droaam, but Keeper Daran has yet to make a final ruling on the matter.

The Ghaash'kala, serpent cults, and other paths have their own traditions, each with the same core principle—the Silver Flame is a tool that allows the virtuous to fight fiends and unnatural horrors. Though those paths may share similar beliefs, this particular hierarchy of evil is specifically defined by the Keeper and the doctrine of the Church of Thrane.

Heresy
p54
The Church of the Silver Flame represents just one path of the faith. It was built on the teachings of Tira Miron, but less than a year elapsed between her vision—leading her to embrace the Flame and rally an army—and her final sacrifice to defeat Bel Shalor. Thus, it wasn't her own words that established most of the church's traditions and doctrines, but the words of those who fought alongside her during that year. These were refined over time by priests who'd never met her—despite the passage of time, it's believed these priests were guided by the Voice in the Flame.

The Keeper of the Flame is tied specifically to the official Church of the Silver Flame. The Keeper's power is based in Flamekeep, and the fountain of fire they keep marks the spot where Tira Miron gave her life to restore the bonds of the overlord Bel Shalor. Some people mistakenly assume that this fountain of fire is the Silver Flame. While it's a focal point where the Silver Flame's power bleeds into the world and a conduit for those who seek the guidance of the Voice of the Flame, the Silver Flame itself is far more than a spark in one cathedral—its power stretches across Eberron, binding overlords on every continent. The Church of the Silver Flame celebrates the Keeper of the Flame as being both the vessel of the Voice and the channel for the power of the Flame. However, the faithful of other cultures—such as the Ghaash'kala of the Demon Wastes—see the Keeper as a powerful priest and nothing more.

The Church of the Silver Flame is largely willing to overlook the divergent beliefs of groups like the Ghaash'kala. In the church's eyes, these northern orcs are a curiosity and their unusual beliefs don't threaten the faithful of the Five Nations. Likewise, the Council of Cardinals has taken no action to suppress the extreme beliefs of the Pure Flame, even going so far as appointing the puritan Archbishop Dariznu as governor of Thaliost. In part, this is because the Pure Flame came into its own over the course of the Last War, and the cardinals of Thrane had little ability to enforce their will over the faithful of Aundair. Dariznu's appointment was an effort to ensure that the followers of the Pure Flame would accept the authority of Flamekeep. Despite the church thus far taking no action against the Pure Flame, Keeper Daran is deeply troubled by this sect and is considering the best way to address the problem.

There have been times when heretical beliefs divided the church, the most infamous known as the Time of Two Keepers. In 497 YK, a peasant woman calling herself Melysse Miron challenged Keeper Kyra Danth for control of Flamekeep and the Church of the Silver Flame. Melysse claimed that Tira Miron had revealed she was Tira's direct descendant and the rightful Keeper. She challenged many church doctrines and claimed it had strayed from its path. And like Keeper Danth, Melysse was shockingly able to wield the power of the fountain of fire in Flamekeep, performing miracles no lesser priest could match. This triggered a deep schism that lasted for years, until Melysse was finally revealed to be the chosen hand of the Shadow in the Flame—it was not the Silver Flame, but rather the overlord Bel Shalor, that strengthened her in Flamekeep. Because of the fear that her death would allow Bel Shalor to choose a new AntiKeeper, Melysse wasn't killed; instead, she was petrified and placed in Dreadhold, where she remains to this day.

More recently, the church was divided in 914 YK when Keeper Serrain was invested with temporal authority over the nation of Thrane. While many celebrated the idea of a kingdom founded on the noble principles of the church, there are many—even some in Thrane itself—who believe that investing cardinals and Keeper with political power distracts the church from its proper mission and serves as an invitation to corruption. This served as justification for the foreign templars who fought against Thrane in the Last War; they argued that they continued to respect the spiritual authority of the Keeper, but that the church shouldn't rule a reunited Galifar. The priests of Stormreach went so far as to condemn the theocracy and Keeper Serrain. In the wake of this division, Stormreach was formally severed from Flamekeep; it receives no support and Flamekeep doesn't acknowledge its priests within the church hierarchy. As such, Stormreach has become a haven for those who believe in the principles of the Flame but question its doctrine.

It's up to the DM to decide if the rifts over the theocracy and the Pure Flame could widen or whether the faithful will remain united. There is always room for new revelations or beliefs to create a new path for the faithful to follow.

Miron's Tears
Most believe Miron's Tears to be an urban legend—a secret order of spies and assassins deep within the Church of the Silver Flame, hidden even from the Keeper and the Cardinals. According to the stories, Tira Miron foresaw the danger of the Shadow in the Flame. On the eve of her battle with Bel Shalor, Tira charged her trusted companion Samyr Kes to monitor the Church that was to come for signs of fiendish corruption—to save those who could be saved, and eliminate those who could not. Those who believe these tales say that it was agents of Miron's Tears who recognized the threat of Melysse Miron and exposed her as an agent of Bel Shalor.

It's up to the DM to decide if this order exists or if it died out long ago. If he still lives, Samyr Kes—an elf whose long life has been extended by the Flame—could be disgusted by the corruption of the modern church. Beyond combating fiendish corruption, Miron's Tears could target greedy priests in Breland, fight the extremism of the Pure Flame in Aundair, or even seek to bring down the Thranish theocracy, seeing it as a corrupting influence on the church. Virtuous player characters could be recruited into the order. Or chaos could ensue when an ally of the player characters—secretly a servant of the Lords of Dust—is targeted by the Tears.

Corruption
p55
The Church of the Silver Flame has lofty aspirations, and it's easy to find fault when it fails to live up to them. While there's always potential for corruption in the church, it's often exaggerated. Stories about corrupt priests can be more dramatic than virtuous ministers who are only there to help, but the majority of priests do strive to live its principles—resisting the evil within, treating others with compassion and empathy, and working together for the common good. The point isn't that the church is a fundamentally corrupt institution, but rather that no one is perfect—in their imperfections, people can be led astray by the Shadow in the Flame or simply succumb to pride or greed.

In dealing with corrupt followers of the faith, consider what kind of "corruption" it is and where it comes from. There's a considerable difference between the Brelish priest who demands gold for a blessing and the Thrane inquisitor who lets their zeal for fighting evil drive them to cruelty.

Zealots. represent the most common form of corruption, especially among paladins or clerics. A zealot is devoted to the principles of the faith, but loses sight of the importance of compassion—giving in to the evil within in their quest to fight evil in the world. This includes those who engage in unnecessary cruelty, especially when dealing with those who choose evil. Zealots have no interest in gold or power, and risk their lives to defend others; they are simply able to justify ruthless and evil actions in the name of the greater good. This is the primary sin of the Pure Flame, but zealots can be found anywhere.
Opportunists. seek to use their religious authority for personal gain. This typically involves charging people for services that should be granted freely, or gaining gold or influence by using church resources for unrelated purposes. In Sharn, Archierophant Ythana Morr is often accused of using templars as mercenaries and serving as a strongarm for local merchants. Usually this reflects a fundamental lack of faith, and as a result, opportunists rarely wield divine magic. If an opportunist can channel the power of the Flame, it suggests that somehow, they are able to justify these conflicting concepts—that they truly believe their actions are righteous and serve the greater good, even if those actions incidentally line the pockets of the priest. Such a character might believe that they need greater wealth or influence to help others, or that they are fighting fire with fire—teaching the wicked the error of their ways through political or economic means. Before the Last War, opportunists were usually found in Breland, but the rise of the theocracy has yielded more opportunists in Thrane as well.
The Tarnished. are the worst form of corruption: priests or templars who knowingly serve the Lords of Dust or the Shadow in the Flame while posing as servants of the light. The Tarnished may mimic a devout priest—as Melysse Miron did in the Time of Two Keepers—but they are drawing this power from the Shadow in the Flame. This still requires deep faith, but the Tarnished are devoted to quite different principles. The most widespread form of this corruption is the cult of the Whispering Flame, described in the section on "The Cults of the Dragon Below." But the Tarnished can also be loners who embrace the evil within alone. In dealing with a Tarnished villain, consider what has caused them to embrace darkness over light. Have the Lords of Dust promised them something priceless? Do they believe mortals are fundamentally flawed or that the cruelty of Bel Shalor is the rightful state of humanity? Do they somehow see themselves as the heroes of the story?
Paths of the Faith
The Silver Flame is older than humanity itself. The Church of the Silver Flame is the dominant manifestation of this faith on Khorvaire, but you can be a follower of the Silver Flame without having ties to the church. In creating a player character or NPC, consider the following options, or if you're interested in playing a Tarnished character, refer to the section on "The Cults of the Dragon Below" later in this chapter.

The Common Faith
Templars, friars, and ministers are all part of the formal hierarchy of the Church of the Silver Flame. But you can be a cleric without being an acolyte. You could be a ranger who trusts in the Flame to sharpen your aim even though you have no formal role within the faith. Most of the commoners of Thrane fall into this category: people devoted to the faith, but not part of its structure. What role does the Silver Flame play in daily life?

A few basic tenets guide the faithful masses. As a farmer, you may not have the strength to fight alien evils, but you can always guard against the evil within and help those around you to choose light instead of darkness. Church doctrine urges the faithful to act with empathy and compassion, seek to understand the troubles of those around you and to lighten their burdens, resist responding to anger with anger, and turn to violence only as a last resort. Not everyone can live up to these ideals, and the Last War was an inherently violent time. But the faith still urges everyone to resist the evil within, and instead to embrace the virtues of generosity and compassion.

As discussed earlier, the church also emphasizes unity against supernatural threats. The world is a dangerous place, and those who have strength should always use it to defend the innocent. Every village in Thrane maintains a militia prepared to defend the community from the unnatural. Archery is a common devotional practice among the faithful; some say the rainbow-feathered arrows represent the couatl defending the innocent, but they also reflect the practicality of remaining as far away from danger as possible.

The Church of Thrane believes in the value of hierarchy, but the church can't grant the divine powers of a cleric or paladin—these come through faith and noble intent. As such, you can play a character who draws power from the Flame without having any formal tie to the church itself. The primary question is why—if you are a paladin, why have you made the decision not to become a templar? Do you feel the hierarchy is corrupt? Or do you simply feel you're called to follow a different path?

The Church Hierarchy
Backgrounds are an easy way to create a character with an established place in the hierarchy of the Church of the Silver Flame. Ministers and friars would typically take the acolyte background, while the Military Rank feature of the soldier background can reflect your rank as a templar. Are you still an active agent of the church, or have you been released from your duties after serving with distinction? Eberron: Rising from the Last War presents the templars as an option for the religious order group patron, exploring the idea that your entire group of adventurers could be fighting evil on behalf of the church. However, you could also serve alone. Friars of the Silver Flame are charged to wander the world and combat evil through acts of compassion and charity; if you're a friar with the powers of a paladin or a cleric, that would certainly encompass protecting innocents from supernatural evil wherever you encounter it. You could be a retired templar who continues to fight evil as an adventurer, or you could be a templar given a specific mission that coincides with the goals of the adventurers. Or you could be tied to the Argentum, an order which began with the mission of finding and destroying dangerous magic items, but that has since come to serve as the espionage arm of the church.

In making a character with ties to the hierarchy, consider which branch of the church you call home and how this affects your outlook. If you were trained in Flamekeep, you're most likely a strong supporter of the cardinals and the theocracy. On the other hand, if you're from Breland, you might be more pragmatic, if not entirely corrupt. As a cleric who served in Sharn, you could potentially take the criminal background instead of acolyte; you no longer have significant influence in the church, but you still have friends in low places.

The Flametouched Folk Hero
p56
You don't have to follow the faith of the Silver Flame to draw on its power. Tira Miron herself was a devout paladin of Dol Arrah when a couatl set her on the path to the Silver Flame. Ultimately, the Flame is a pool of divine energy that can empower anyone who seeks to defend the innocent from supernatural evils. If you're a paladin, it could be that your powers came to you unbidden when you leapt into danger to protect a group of strangers from a ghoul. Or it could be that you hear a voice guiding you on the path to virtue: is it the Voice of the Silver Flame? Or perhaps a couatl with a specific purpose for you? Either way, you could be a champion of the Silver Flame who not only has no ties to the church, but who doesn't even know anything about the faith or acknowledge it as the source of your divine power. The manifestations of your abilities will likely be obvious to any religious scholar; your spells might manifest with silvery radiance, and your guardian of faith could be a couatl. Are you simply ignorant of the source of your power, or do you have a different name or explanation for it?

The Ghaash'kala
The traditions of the Ghaash'kala are not only older than the modern Church of the Silver Flame, but predate human civilization itself. The warriors and priests of the Ghaash'kala guard the vast network of canyons that separate the Demon Wastes from the rest of Khorvaire, preventing both fiends and the barbarians of the Carrion Tribes from threatening innocents. The Ghaash'kala began as orcs, but over the course of centuries, members of other races have been drawn to this sacred duty. An outlander or hermit of any race—especially half-orcs—could assert that they served with the Ghaash'kala.

The Ghaash'kala revere Kalok Shash, "the Binding Flame." While they follow the same basic principles as other forms of the Silver Flame, they are fighting a brutal, never-ending war in a harsh and deadly land. As such, their focus is more on fighting supernatural evil than on using compassion to guide mortals to the light. Even so, they risk their lives every day to protect all mortals from the evils of the Wastes. They typically consider the people of "the south"—meaning everywhere south of the Demon Wastes—to be weak and naive, but still see it as their duty to protect these innocents from evil. They don't care that they receive no acknowledgment for their eternal vigilance; it is a war that must be fought.

As a character tied to the Ghaash'kala, consider why you've left your post and ventured south. Do you have a specific mission? Are you guided by divine visions? Or have you been exiled from the Wastes for some reason—and if so, have you shared the truth with your fellow adventurers?

The Pure Flame
An extremist branch of the Church of the Silver Flame, the Pure Flame rose in the aftermath of the Silver Crusade. Aundairians whose families had suffered through decades of lycanthropic terror embraced the Flame as the weapon of their liberation, but as a faith born in battle, they have a distorted view of its principles. The core principle of the Silver Flame is to defend the innocent, but those who follow the Pure Flame see it as a tool to punish the wicked. They see no room for compassion; while they accept the idea that the overlords and the Shadow in the Flame drive people to do evil, they focus not on treating them with compassion, but on burning the evil out of them.

The primary defining traits of the Pure Flame are this harsh violence and uncompromising sense of justice. There must be no compromise with the wicked, and there is no hierarchy of evil; no evil deed can be tolerated. Most followers of the Pure Flame are exceptionally loyal to the Voice of the Flame and believe the Keeper to be a divine being. However, many also distrust the cardinals of Thrane, and should the Keeper make a proclamation that goes against their beliefs, they're quick to attribute it to the corrupt cardinals putting words in her mouth. A movement in Thaliost urges Archbishop Dariznu to rally forces and seize Flamekeep in order to "liberate the Keeper," though the Pure Flame doesn't have the forces, resources, or training to pull off something like this.

Members of the Pure Flame are intolerant, bigoted, and violent, rejecting the compassionate principles of the faith and denying that all are equal in the light of the Flame. However, because of their fanatical devotion to the fight against evil, they might offer adventurers assistance against a real supernatural threat. Purists are generally NPCs, not player characters, as their uncompromising and intolerant nature will likely cause clashes with other adventurers. That being said, a player character might be a former Purist seeking redemption for their vile behavior, or perhaps a young Aundarian rebelling against a Purist upbringing and broadening their horizons.

Serpent Cults
Serpent cults are the Silver Flame's oldest tradition, though they're virtually unknown in the present day. Rather than venerating the Flame itself, serpent cults honor the countless couatl whose sacrifice brought it into being. A common myth says that the couatl were formed by the last breath of Siberys, unleashed to contain Khyber's evil. These cults maintain that the Silver Flame was formed when the couatl sacrificed their individual existence and bound their celestial energy together to bind the overlords; research suggests that this is true, though it's not in the common doctrine of the church. Rather than revering a Voice or Keeper of the Flame, the serpent cults listen for the guidance of couatl themselves. A few couatl did remain separate from the Flame in order to serve as guardians or carry out specific missions, and it's also possible for couatl to temporarily serve as spiritual guides; this was the case with Tira Miron, and could also be the case with an aasimar tied to the Silver Flame.

As a member of a serpent cult, the hermit background can be a good option to reflect that you possess secret knowledge about the Silver Flame that the modern church knows nothing about. If you're tied to a serpent cult, work with your DM to determine its size, origin, and influence. Is your sect a band of six people living in the Blade Desert, or are you tied to the Shulassakar—a race of rainbow-feathered yuan-ti who have been watching from the shadows for millennia? Do you have a specific mission? Or do you have a less-spiritual reason for adventuring, despite your unusual faith?

The Blood of Vol: Divinity Within
p57
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Life is pain, a ceaseless struggle against hunger, disease, and despair. Every day we're one step closer to the grave, and all that lies beyond is Dolurrh and the disintegration of the soul. What just god would create such a world? What benevolent Sovereign would condemn their creations to such misery?

But what if mortality is something that can be overcome? Perhaps we all have a spark of divinity within us, a spark that can become a force to rival the Silver Flame. Perhaps one day we can end the cycle of death and misery, so all can live long enough to find their divinity within. Until then, the best we can do is to hold our family and friends close, defy cruel fate, and fight to live as long as we can.

This is the message of the Blood of Vol. Life is suffering and death is annihilation, but you can defy this cruel fate—and perhaps even break the cycle for good.

Foundations of the Faith
Most followers of the Blood of Vol identify as Seekers of the Divinity Within—usually shortened to Seekers—though there are other traditions within the faith. The Blood of Vol has long been vilified, with outsiders often viewing it as a death cult, falsely equating it with the cult of Katashka the Gatekeeper (described later in this chapter), or blaming its members for plagues and blights. In the midst of misinformation and fear, what is the truth of the Blood of Vol?

Born in Khorvaire
Human settlers to Khorvaire brought the faith of the Sovereign Host with them, but the Blood of Vol is indigenous to the continent. The line of Vol was a noble line of Aerenal, as described in chapter 2, with a long tradition of necromancy tracing its roots back to Xen'drik. When members of the line of Vol developed the dragonmark known as the Mark of Death, they undertook a risky series of experiments designed to unlock its full powers. This ended when the Undying Court and the dragons of Argonnessen joined forces to eradicate the bloodlines that carried the Mark of Death. In the aftermath of this brutal purge, those elves who had supported Vol but didn't bear its blood were given the choice of exile or swearing fealty to the Sibling Kings of Aerenal. This resulted in a wave of exiled elves settling in the Lhazaar Principalities and spreading west into the lands that are now Karrnath.

These exiles brought the knowledge of necromancy along with stories of how the heroic family of Vol had sought to attain godhood, only to be destroyed by the jealous gods. The people of the region knew nothing of Aereni traditions or dragonmarks, and they blended this story with their own experience of life in a harsh land, local tyrants, and the empty promises of Sovereign priests. And in the process, they somehow discovered something real. The line of Vol had never sought the divinity within, but these first priests found it, drawing divine power from their own conviction and their own souls.

So despite its name, the religion was never practiced by the line of Vol, nor by the infamous Erandis Vol herself, who was in hiding during the period in which the faith evolved. It is a faith born of the blending of elf and human myths and traditions. While the faithful believe that "Vol" was the first person to find the divinity within and challenge the curse of mortality, the faith is based around the divinity within each of us, not the worship of this mythical Vol. Even devoted priests of Vol do not know Erandis Vol's identity, though they respect the name of "Vol" as author of their core texts, believing that this Vol challenged the Sovereigns, then was subsequently destroyed by these jealous gods—a martyr of the faith. Modern Seeker scholars debate the origins of the name, whether Vol was an individual or a group of people, or related to the elven line at all. So if Erandis Vol were to proclaim her true identity, many of the faithful would be impressed by her lineage, but her bloodline alone wouldn't give her divine authority.

Always in Opposition
Millennia ago, as the faith of the Blood of Vol emerged in pre-Galifar Khorvaire, it stood in opposition to the dominant beliefs and authorities of the time. The tyrannical leaders asserted that the Sovereigns blessed their bloodlines and their rule. By challenging the benevolence of the Sovereigns, these early Seekers were also challenging the despots of the time. As time marched on and those petty tyrants fell, the Sovereign Host remained the dominant faith of humanity in Khorvaire, and the philosophical divide between Seeker and Vassal only grew.

The Seekers were also shunned for their use of necromancy, generally considered taboo and said to be condemned by Aureon and Dol Arrah. This prejudice grew worse with the rise of Galifar and the Church of the Silver Flame, which asserted that undead are inherently anathema and drain the life from the world by their very existence. In turn, this caused people to blame plagues and blights on the Seekers. However, the Blood of Vol is a faith grounded in the principle of an oppressive universe, and it endured in spite of this prejudice and persecution. But it never spread far beyond the harsh lands where it began, and Seekers are often still met with fear and suspicion today.

Stronger Together
The universe is against us, and all we have is each other.

This is one of the most basic principles of the Blood of Vol. Despite its grim outlook, it is a faith that emphasizes the value of friendship, family, and community. There are no benevolent gods looking out for us, so we have to look out for each other. Death is the end, so we can't let it steal the people we care about without a fight. And since there is no pleasant afterlife waiting for us, we should treasure the time we have with those we love. These values have kept the Blood of Vol alive through the centuries: the deep commitment to community and to working together even in the face of impossible odds.

The Divinity Within
Divinity lies within our blood.

In the eyes of the Seeker, life and the soul are both divine forces. Every soul has the potential to evolve and develop divine power—but this takes time and willpower, and most mortals die before they accomplish it.

As a divine spellcaster who follows the Blood of Vol, you believe that your power comes from your own soul. As a paladin, you are calling on the power of your own blood when you heal your allies or smite your enemies. The visible manifestations of magic of the Blood of Vol typically involve crimson energy, as if luminous tendrils of blood are flowing from you. But it's not simply your power. Consider the Seeker priest who casts commune; how can they gain information they don't already know? The answer is that the divinity within is something far greater than you. It is a god, possessing celestial power you can't understand or imagine—but it is still in its chrysalis, waiting to be born. When you cast your spell, you awaken a sliver of its power; once the spell is done, it returns to its rest.

Or at least, that's what a Seeker believes. Scholars of other faiths argue that the Seekers are deluded, that their powers are simply drawn from some other source, the same kind of delusion that allows a warforged cleric to draw magic from their devotion to the Lord of Blades. However, Seeker priests can reverse this same argument. What proof is there that all clerics aren't simply drawing on their own divine sparks—that even a paladin of Dol Arrah mistakenly thinks their power come from above, when really, it's always come from within?

Necromancy and the Undead
p58
The Blood of Vol emerged from collaboration with Aereni necromancers, and the undead have always been associated with the faith. First and foremost, this link is born out of practicality. Seekers have no reverence for corpses; the divinity within is tied to life and to the soul, and once those things are gone, what's left is just meat and bone. As an extension of this, most Seekers want their corpses to be put to use. The faith is driven by the idea of serving a community—why let your corpse go to waste when it can help your friends and family? As such, mindless undead are commonly seen in Seeker communities serving as guardians, performing manual labor, and completing other simple tasks.

However, a common misconception is that Seekers want to become undead. Some do, driven purely by the fear of oblivion, but undeath is a miserable half-life, not a triumph. The divinity within is bound to your blood and your soul, so Seekers believe that the souls of undead are trapped in their corpses, the spark of divinity lost to them. Those who embrace undeath are seen as martyrs, and generally expected to protect and serve their Seeker community. One of the most public of these champions is the mummy lord Malevanor, the high priest of Atur. The former high priest of Atur was the mummy Askalor, who held the post for over four hundred years—but he was weary of his long undead existence. When Malevanor was grievously injured during the Last War, Askalor transferred his power and his undead existence to his apprentice. This raises an interesting question: if the divinity within lies in the blood, how does Malevanor cast divine magic? The answer is that Seeker communities ritually draw their blood and share it with these champions. Vampires drink this blood, while mummies or liches may bathe in it. Through this, undead priests draw their power from the blood of the living faithful.

Another factor in the long association between the Blood of Vol and necromancy is that Seeker communities have often formed in or near manifest zones to Mabar. While such areas are often inhospitable or dangerous, over the course of many centuries, Seekers have learned how to tap the energies of these places. Because Mabaran manifest zones are usually blighted, outsiders often accuse the Seekers of causing blights. In reality, the Seekers often perform rituals that limit the negative effects of the manifest zones—so instead of causing the plagues and blights associated with Mabar, they often prevent them.

Celestials, Fiends, and the Blood of Vol
If the power of the Blood of Vol flows from within, who answers when a cleric conjures a celestial or invokes planar ally? One simple answer is for the DM to use a being who has the statistics of a celestial or fiend, but that is formed from blood and magic; it's a manifestation of your own divine essence and fades away when its work is done. This might seem a strange match for planar ally, a spell that normally requires payment to an external force, but even an ally of your own essence might demand a service in return. This could be seen as a request from your subconscious—a demand that you do something you know you should do, but that you've been trying to ignore. On the other hand, it could be a mysterious task with no discernible purpose; this ties to the fact that your Divinity Within is something beyond mere mortal understanding, and you don't fully understand what it needs or wants.

Another possibility is that you're drawing on the Seeker community rather than reaching to the planes for assistance. One principle of the faith is that champions become undead so that they can help other Seekers. When you cast planar ally, rather than calling a celestial or fiend, you might summon an undead champion of your faith; this could be anything from a vampire to a mummy lord or a death knight. In this case, the payment they demand for their service would likely be a tithe to the Seeker temple they are bound to. On a smaller scale, your DM could similarly decide that when you cast conjure celestial, it summons a sarcastic flameskull instead of an angel.

War and Peace
Throughout its history, the Blood of Vol has been treated with fear and suspicion by the people of the Five Nations. It's a faith that has dwelled in the shadows. This changed early in the Last War. His nation crippled by famine, King Kaius I accepted the aid of the Blood of Vol. The Seekers provided undead soldiers and necromantic expertise; with the resources of the crown behind them, Seekers developed necromantic rituals and weapons never before imagined. In exchange, Kaius elevated the Blood of Vol to the official state religion. Warlords were encouraged to embrace the faith, and Seeker families were given lands and titles.

For a time, the Blood of Vol spread and was celebrated—or so it seemed. Most of the old warlord families still despised the Seekers and felt that the use of undead in battle debased the proud martial traditions of their ancestors. Toward the end of the war, Regent Moranna turned on the faith and the Blood of Vol became a scapegoat for all of Karrnath's troubles. Moranna claimed that the famines and plagues the people had suffered were caused by the Seekers. Its nobles were stripped of their lands. Chivalric orders of Seekers were disbanded. Some—notably the infamous Order of the Emerald Claw—refused to surrender, but most Seekers remained loyal to their nation even when it betrayed them.

Today, the Blood of Vol has returned to the shadows, though there are still Seekers who serve the crown. Kaius III has sealed most of his undead forces in the crypts below Korth and Atur, but he isn't willing to entirely surrender this strategic advantage. Fort Bones and Fort Zombie remain bastions of loyal Seekers. But the faith is no longer celebrated, and the old warlord lines still mutter that they would have won the war if only they'd relied on skill and steel instead of foul magics. In playing a Karrnathi Seeker, do you support the crown and believe that Kaius III is only doing what he has to do to maintain the support of the warlords, or do you despise Kaius III and Moranna for betraying your faith?

Paths of the Faith
p59
Artist: James Austin
Artist: James Austin
When creating a player character or NPC associated with the Blood of Vol, consider the following paths and which best fits your character.

The Seekers of the Divinity Within
The Seekers of the Divinity Within are the largest and most widespread tradition associated with the Blood of Vol. The faith isn't as formally structured as the Church of the Silver Flame or even the Sovereign Host. For the most part, Seekers keep to themselves, living in their own villages and small towns or in isolated neighborhoods of larger communities, where they can practice their traditions without drawing the ire of their neighbors. The exception is the city of Atur: known as the City of Night, this remains the most public bastion of the Blood of Vol. Expanded and fortified during the Last War, Atur is the seat of Karrnath's necromantic research and development. While Kaius III has stripped the Blood of Vol of much of its standing, he still recognizes its potential value should the war begin anew, and many believe that he continues to provide support to Atur. The mummy lord Hass Malevanor is the high priest of Atur and the current spiritual leader of the faith. However, there are stories of undead champions who have guided and protected the Seekers for centuries. Sometimes known as the Crimson Covenant, these enigmatic figures may be the true power behind Atur.

Outside Atur, for the most part, each Seeker community relies on their abactor—the priest that oversees a temple or community—and they rarely reach out to the world beyond. The largest temple in a region serves as a hub, coordinating with the other Seeker communities around it. But every community has its own stories and traditions and they're generally unconcerned with "heresy"; feel free to develop your character's own unique beliefs.

As an acolyte of the Blood of Vol, you've been ordained as a priest, but not bound to a single community as an abactor. You can receive shelter in any Seeker community. Are you following orders from Malevanor or the Crimson Covenant itself? Are you guided by visions from your own divinity within? As a Seeker hermit, you spent your time in isolation communing with your divinity within, and your Discovery may relate to the faith. Perhaps you have an insight into how to unlock your own power. Or perhaps you've learned a secret about the Crimson Covenant, and believe that a malevolent force is manipulating the faithful Seekers—can you find a way to bring down this ancient evil and free your people?

The Bloodsails
The elves of the Bloodsail Principality occupy the island of Farlnen in the Lhazaar Principalities. The Bloodsails share the same roots as the Blood of Vol, as the principality was founded by Aereni exiles. However, they have followed a different path and hewn closer to the traditions of their ancestors. They don't believe in the divinity within and readily seek immortality through undeath. However, the island can only support a limited number of vampires, and Bloodsails must earn their afterlife by paying velgys—blood money—to the lords of the land. Those who fail to earn enough to buy a better afterlife are instead bound to objects after death. This is similar to the Aereni techniques described in chapter 2, but Bloodsail elves are often tied to ships and sails, enabling their vessels to move across a windless sea, sails driven by ghosts.

Bloodsail elves often bear crimson tattoos that are tied to their families and vessels. The Bloodsails are exceptional sailors, so both sailor and pirate are logical backgrounds for a player character. Most Bloodsails use the Aereni elf subrace provided in chapter 6. As an adventurer, you might have been exiled from your island, or you could be searching for a way to quickly earn the blood money you need to leave mortality behind.

The Order of the Emerald Claw
The Order of the Emerald Claw began as an elite military force comprised of devoted Seekers. When Regent Moranna turned on the Blood of Vol, the Emerald Claw refused to stand down. Today, members of the order include both Seeker extremists and Karrnathi patriots furious at Kaius III for embracing peace. The ultimate leader of the Emerald Claw is the lich known to most as the Queen of the Dead, though those in the inner circle know her to be the infamous Lady Illmarrow of Farlnen. She claims that her violent actions are for the good of Karrnath and the Blood of Vol, but in truth, they primarily benefit her and serve to spread terror.

The Order of the Emerald Claw is full of villains whose actions have cast all Seekers in a bad light, and most Seekers despise the Emerald Claw. If you have ties to the Emerald Claw, you could have served with them before realizing that the Queen of the Dead is pursuing her own evil agenda; if so, you could be determined to find some way to destroy the lich and restore honor to the order. Or you could be convinced that Lady Illmarrow truly does have the best interests of your people at heart. Has she been unjustly vilified? Or are you simply a tool?

If you wish to play a Seeker veteran without the villainous ties of the Emerald Claw, the Order of the Onyx Skull was another elite unit comprised of Seekers, but disbanded on Moranna's orders. As a paladin of the Blood of Vol, you could be a knight of the Onyx Skull who has taken up adventuring after being cast aside by your nation. Are you still loyal to Karrnath? Or do you believe Kaius III is a traitor to your people?

Thieves of Life
p60
The Seekers of the Divinity Within value community, urging the faithful to stand together. But there are others who follow the principles of the Blood of Vol who prefer to stand alone. The hermits known as Thieves of Life are determined to unlock their divinity within at any cost—not to help others, but solely to further their own quest for power and immortality. Thieves of Life are often master necromancers, but never become undead themselves; instead, they specialize in magics that allow them to drain the life from their foes.

As a hermit devoted to the Blood of Vol, you could choose the path of the Thief of Life. You are utterly devoted to the pursuit of your personal divinity, and your Discovery has likely shown you the path you must take. You might be a cleric, a Divine Soul sorcerer, or an Undying warlock (with your patron being your own nascent divinity within). What binds you to your fellow adventurers, and why would they choose to associate with you? You may be utterly devoted to your quest for immortality—but what is your redeeming feature, your anchor to humanity?

An unusual option for a Thief of Life hermit is to say that you've actually been in a state of suspended animation for decades or even centuries—your Discovery was made on an inner journey. You were once far more powerful than you are today, but your powers have yet to return; as you gain levels, you are actually regaining the power you once had. If this is the case, it could be that one or more of your adventuring companions are actually descendants of yours; while you're obsessed with your quest for immortality, you also care about your own bloodline.

Sovereigns and Six: Shaping the World
Artist: Simon Zhong
Artist: Simon Zhong
The Sovereigns and Six are all around us, their hands shaping the world. Onatar stands by the smith at the forge, ready to guide their hands. Dol Dorn is on the battlefield with every soldier. Give thanks to Arawai for the gentle rain that helps the harvest—and curse the Devourer for the storms that devastate your fields. The Dark Six are also with us, urging us to stray from the righteous path and give way to cruelty and greed, but we must let the Sovereigns guide our actions and thank them for their blessings.

The Sovereign Host isn't a demanding religion, and there are many cultural variations and unique sects across Khorvaire. As a follower of this faith, you could feel an especially strong connection to a single deity, or you could have a general reverence for the pantheon as a whole. Do you believe that there is a particular Sovereign who guides your actions? Was there a key moment in your life where you felt the hand of one of the Sovereigns or Six?

Foundations of the Faith
Followers of the Sovereign Host are generally called Vassals, but despite the shared name, they are anything but monolithic. Variations of the Sovereign Host can be found across Eberron in many different cultures—the Pyrinean Creed of humanity, the Rushemé faith of the giants of Xen'drik, the Cazhaak traditions of Droaam. Precise names and groupings change, but the faith's basic principles remain the same.

Distant yet Omnipresent
p61
The Sovereigns don't walk the world. No one expects to meet Dol Dorn in the flesh. To do so would, in fact, be unnecessary and limiting. You don't expect to meet Dol Dorn because you know he is with you every time a blade is drawn, ready to guide your hand. Aureon watches over the wizard studying magic and the judge presiding in court. The Devourer is present in every storm, and you can't fight him any more than you can defeat an earthquake with a sword. A true Vassal doesn't need proof of the Sovereigns' existence for the world itself is the proof.

With that said, many myths depict the Sovereigns in the flesh, performing heroic acts and setting particular elements of creation in motion. These myths are set during the Age of Demons, and Vassal doctrine maintains that the Sovereigns defeated and bound the fiendish overlords. As the overlords previously ruled reality, once they were defeated, the Sovereigns ascended to fill that role. So there are stories of Dol Dorn performing tremendous feats of strength, and you might find an artifact said to be Onatar's hammer; but these date back to a mythic age when they were champions, not yet true Sovereigns.

Every culture depicts the Sovereigns in different ways. The giants depict them as giants while the Pyrinean Creed (discussed in a later section) depicts them as humans. Many cultures use draconic imagery to represent the Sovereigns. But since the Sovereigns don't manifest physically, any representation of them is purely symbolic. Dol Dorn is the Warrior, Onatar is the Smith—any image that clearly depicts these concepts will do.

A Personal Experience
The Sovereigns are everywhere, offering guidance to anyone who will listen. Due to the personal nature of this faith, it doesn't have the same degree of organization and hierarchy as the Silver Flame. A large community generally has an eight-sided temple to the Sovereign Host, staffed by full-time priests. In smaller villages and towns, there might be an untended shrine or a local person who is considered to be especially close to a Sovereign and performs ceremonies. In the town of Riverford, the innkeeper Dara is said to speak with Boldrei's voice; she's the pillar of the community, and people come to her with their problems and disputes.

A Sovereign priest's role isn't simply as an intermediary to the divine; anyone can talk to the Sovereigns. Instead, priests offer guidance and clarity, helping you understand the path you're on. A temple or priest often serves another function beyond their religious duties; the Great Hall of Aureon in Sharn is a library as well as a temple, while you might find a shrine to Kol Korran at the center of the public market. Priests serve as teachers, mediators, and guides, but they are often also subject matter experts in the path tied to the Sovereign they serve.

In creating a Vassal character, think about your personal relationship to the Sovereigns. Who do you feel particularly close to? Do you feel you are blessed or directly guided by a Sovereign? Is there a point in your life where you believe one of the Sovereigns intervened on your behalf?

The Founding Faith
When human settlers came from Sarlona, they brought the Sovereign Host with them. While some traditions have evolved over the course of centuries and civilizations, the Pyrinean interpretation of the Sovereigns is part of the very foundation of the Five Nations, and its creed is reflected in their values. You should follow the laws (Aureon) and value the traditions of your community (Boldrei). Industry (Onatar) and commerce (Kol Korran) are encouraged, though greed (the Keeper) is not. On the battlefield, you should fight with courage (Dol Dorn) and honor (Dol Arrah), while not engaging in needless cruelty (the Mockery). You should trust in Aureon's laws and not take vengeance into your own hands (the Fury).

Beyond these basic values, the Sovereigns are ubiquitous in the Five Nations. When you go into a courtroom, you stand on an Eye of Aureon. Standard marriage ceremonies invoke Boldrei. Many people aren't devoted Vassals and don't actually believe the Sovereigns are guiding their every action. But even such pragmatists recall the names of each Sovereign, know many of their songs, and will celebrate Wildnight or Boldrei's Feast. By and large, if you live in the Five Nations, it's assumed you're a Vassal unless you specifically say you're not.

Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Endless Diversity
The giants of Xen'drik raised temples to Ouralon Lawbringer long before humanity embraced Aureon, the Sovereign of Law and Lore. Hunters in Aundair give thanks to Balinor, but orcs in the Shadow Marches invoke Baalkan the Beastlord, while the Talenta halflings tell stories of clever Bally-Nur.

Some of this is a natural process of syncretism. The Marcher orcs blended their original beliefs with the traditions of human settlers. But the Talenta were telling their stories before they ever encountered humanity. Though scholars debate the reason why, most agree that the more similar a tradition is to an archetypal Sovereign, the easier it is to draw divine power from that faith. A culture that invokes a deity of the hunt is more likely to produce clerics and paladins than a culture that worships a giant salmon of the same name—and if the deity's name is similar to "Balinor," the connection to divine magic will be easier still. Vassals sages assert that this proves the existence of the Sovereigns, while skeptics say it could simply be a numbers game—it's easier to draw power from a shared belief, and belief in the Sovereigns has reached critical mass.

Because of this diversity, Vassal priests are rarely concerned with heresy. Those who follow the Pyrinean Creed may attempt to correct what they see as flawed beliefs, but ultimately, most just smile at the ignorance of the Marcher orc, content in the knowledge that they know the proper names of the Sovereigns. Likewise, while player characters and NPCs may choose to follow one of the paths described below, you can always develop a unique twist on tradition or introduce a new cult that worships a specific grouping of Sovereigns. This openness is also reflected in Vassal interactions with the Church of the Silver Flame. The Pyrinean Creed asserts that the Sovereigns defeated the overlords at the dawn of time; if the Silver Flame is what keeps the overlords bound, presumably the Sovereigns created it. So there's no inherent conflict; rather, a Vassal will simply shrug and say, "But why do you worship a cage?"

Paths of the Faith
p62
The Sovereigns are worshiped in many different configurations and forms. A particular community could be devoted to a single Sovereign, or it could present a Sovereign and member of the Dark Six as being allied forces (as seen with the Restful Watch). A few of the best-known variants are described below.

The Pyrinean Creed
The standard names and attributes of the Sovereigns and Six as presented in Eberron: Rising from the Last War—Aureon, Balinor, the Shadow—are drawn from the Pyrinean Creed, the dominant tradition within the Five Nations. This is the source of the Octogram symbol, the division of Nine and Six, and holy days like Boldrei's Feast. If you follow the Pyrinean Creed, you believe in the faith as it's presented in the core Eberron sourcebooks. You recognize all of the Sovereigns and Six, even if you may feel that one in particular is especially influential in your life.

While the common faithful know the term "Pyrinean Creed," its history is largely only of interest to scholars and priests. A typical Vassal might know that they believe in the Pyrinean Creed, but if you asked five of them what Pyrine was, you'd get five different answers—"He was a legendary missionary!" "It was an old town in Daskara where there was a council!" In reality, these beliefs were codified thousands of years ago in the Sarlonan nation of Pyrine, then carried to Khorvaire by human settlers. While Pyrine was assimilated by the Empire of Riedra over a thousand years ago and its people no longer worship the Sovereign Host, their legacy lives on in Khorvaire.

Eberron: Rising from the Last War assigns domains to individual Sovereigns, but Pyrinean priests can often perform the rites of any Sovereign, invoking the deity most appropriate to the current situation. In creating a Sovereign cleric, you can assert that you have a close tie to a particular Sovereign and primarily speak on their behalf; in this case, use the domain associated with that Sovereign. For example, the Life domain is a good option for a cleric who speaks for all Sovereigns equally, as it provides a general ability to protect your allies and community; and the Knowledge domain makes sense for a priest who's more scholar than warrior.

The Church of the Wyrm Ascendant
The Church of the Wyrm Ascendant worships the Sovereigns in the same groupings and names as the Pyrinean Creed. However, the church asserts that the champions who fought the overlords were dragons, depicting them as such. The church is very focused on wealth and economic power; members are expected to contribute to the hoard of their local temple, and the priests often engage in behavior that outsiders might consider to be corrupt. They hold the unorthodox belief that mortals can ascend to become Sovereigns themselves—that by emulating a particular Sovereign, a mortal can eventually take their place. Popular rumor holds that the founder of the Library of Korranberg, Dorius Alyre ir'Korran, built the library as part of a quest to assume the mantle of Aureon. While this Sovereign ascension is believed to occur after death, some priests teach that devoted members—especially those who donate great sums to the temple hoard—can actually become dragons in life. While this seems unlikely, it could be an interesting background for a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer; it's not that you have draconic ancestry, but rather, due to your devotion, you appear to be evolving into a dragon.

Wyrm Ascendant Vassals believe the dragons themselves are divine tools and emissaries of the Sovereigns and Six, though few dragons have ever acknowledged the church in any way. It's thought that the dragons themselves follow a form of this faith known as Thir—Draconic for "three"—but the traditions of Argonnessen are rarely revealed to people of Khorvaire.

The Wyrm Ascendant is strongest in Aundair and Zilargo, though it remains an obscure sect, and has noteworthy temples in Stormreach, Korranberg, and Fairhaven.

The Restful Watch
Priests of the Restful Watch specialize in embalming, funerals, and cemetery maintenance. They can be found in every major city in the Five Nations, and even smaller towns may have a devotee of the Watch tending the boneyard. The Restful Watch maintains that the souls of the dead pass through Dolurrh into the realm of the Sovereigns—unless they are snatched by the Keeper's greedy talons. One of a priest's most important duties is helping bereaved choose appropriate grave goods or sacrifices sufficient to distract the Keeper and ensure the deceased's soul reaches Dolurrh. For a simple person with few achievements, a single coin might suffice. But the more remarkable the deceased, the greater interest the Keeper will have in their soul—requiring a more significant sacrifice to distract him.

Faithful of the Watch rarely discuss another aspect of their faith with outsiders—that once a soul rises to the realm of the Sovereigns, it can never return. The Restful Watch believes that if Aureon knows that a dead hero will be needed in the future, he has the Keeper snatch the soul before it reaches Dolurrh, so it can be restored when the time is right. Thus, while the Restful Watch primarily reveres Aureon, they also understand and respect the Keeper, and believe that he serves a vital purpose.

Members of the Watch often serve as mediums and exorcists, considering it a sacred duty to lay restless spirits to rest. Clerics associated with the Restful Watch usually take the Grave Domain, though the Knowledge and Death domains are also options. Paladins of the Watch typically take Oaths of Devotion or Redemption, but those with an especially deep understanding of the Keeper might be represented by the Oathbreaker.

Two other roles within the Restful Watch could be interesting options for a player character. The Restful Watch believes that Aureon is preserving the souls of heroes in preparation for an apocalyptic conflict that lies ahead. It's said that this will involve the collapse of the Silver Flame and the subsequent unleashing of the dreadful overlords. You may have been sent out in the world to watch for signs that this conflict is coming to pass; this could require you to investigate the Mournland or clash with the Lords of Dust.

The Restful Watch also occasionally identifies people they believe Aureon has marked as a hero whose soul will be preserved. This could be one of your fellow adventurers—and as an acolyte or sage of the Restful Watch, you've been assigned to follow this person around, chronicling their life and making sure to perform the appropriate rituals when they die. "Don't mind me, I'm just going to follow you around until your heroic death. Trust me, you're going to accomplish amazing things!"

Artist: Kristof Koteles
Artist: Kristof Koteles
The Three Faces
p63
Followers of the Pyrinean Creed honor the Sovereigns and are encouraged to shun the Dark Six. The Six embody dark forces that have no place in a virtuous society. However, over the course of centuries, there have always been cults to challenge this view. The Three Faces cults serve two purposes. On the one hand, they honor particular groupings of the Sovereigns and Six, asserting that there are members of the Six with something valuable to offer worshippers. Beyond this, the cults are also secret societies—a form of fraternal order that binds people together even if they aren't truly invested in the religious aspects of the cult. For example, the Three Faces of War can be found in all of the armies of the Five Nations.

The Three Faces of Coin. honors Kol Korran, Onatar, and Kol Turrant (the Keeper). This cult operates in major cities, usually recruiting merchants, smugglers, and captains of industry. It is based on the idea that while honest trade and industry form the core of commerce, there should always be a way for people to get what they desire; thus, it is a neutral ground where criminals and guild artisans can work together. The Aurum often recruits members from the Three Faces of Coin.
The Three Faces of Love. honors Boldrei, Arawai, and Szorawai (the Fury)—the Love that Binds, the Love that Brings Life, and the Love that Burns. This cult embraces all who believe in and wield the power of love, from actors to poets to paid companions. Members gather to share stories and change lives; the cult excels at matchmaking and at disrupting important relationships they consider to be doomed.
The Three Faces of War. honors Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn, and Dol Azur (the Mockery). It was part of the united armies of Galifar, and cult chapters can be found in all of the armies of the Five Nations. Sect meetings provide a place for soldiers and veterans to interact as friends and equals, regardless of rank or nationality. The cult asserts that honor and courage are to be valued, but there is also a time and place for cunning and cruelty, even if it is never to be desired.
The Three Faces of the Wild. honors Arawai, Balinor, and Shargon (the Devourer). Sects are usually found in rural communities, and include farmers, hunters, and all manner of wanderers. The Three Faces of the Wild supports agriculture and hunting, but recognizes that the wild cannot be fully tamed. Members sometimes engage in ritual sacrifices or the burning of fields or other acts of destruction. They believe that the Devourer must have his due—and by making their chosen offerings, they keep him from striking elsewhere.
Celestials and the Sovereign Host
When priests of the Sovereign Host cast spells such as commune or planar ally, they usually interact with celestials from the planes. Typically, this is a celestial that embodies the same concept as the Sovereign in question; when a Vassal priest casts conjure celestial in Dol Arrah's name, a warlike angel may come from Shavarath. When a celestial speaks the name of a Sovereign, listeners will hear the name they are most familiar with, whether that's Balinor, Baalkan, or Bally-Nur. As such, some scholars assert that it's slightly unclear if a summoned angel serves "Dol Arrah," or if it instead serves "Honor in War" and it's just being translated as Dol Arrah. If asked such a pedantic question, both the angel and a devout Vassal might simply respond with, "What's the difference? Dol Arrah is honor in war."

The Dark Six in the World
The Sovereigns embody pillars of civilization: agriculture, commerce, industry, honor, law. The Dark Six represent frightening and destructive forces, their existence explaining why bad things happen in the world. When a wildfire destroys a village, the Devourer is to blame. When someone commits a crime of passion, they were overcome by the Fury. When monsters prey on the innocent, good people curse the Shadow.

The Pyrinean Creed exhorts that the Dark Six should be shunned, teaching their names and aspects so that people can recognize their works and understand how to resist them. When Pyrinean Vassals do make offerings to the Dark Six, it's usually as an act of desperation: begging the Devourer to calm storm-tossed waters or calling on the Fury to enact a terrible revenge when the law has failed. However, there are those in the Five Nations and beyond who see the Dark Six as powers to be respected and worshiped in their own right. This section presents a brief overview of the Dark Six and how their followers can be encountered in the Five Nations. These descriptions expand on the material presented in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, further developing the roles of these deities. The monsters of Droaam also have a quite different view of the Sovereigns and Six, explored in more detail in chapter 4.

The Devourer
Province: Nature's wrath

Suggested Cleric Domains: Nature, Tempest

Suggested Paladin Oath: Ancients

The Devourer is the tsunami that overwhelms the tallest ship, the wildfire that consumes the grandest castle, the earthquake that levels the most glorious city. He is the vast and primordial power of nature, a force that will break any chain and wear down the strongest wall. The Devourer is the glorious cruelty that drives the predator, the cry of the hawk and the howl of the wolf. He is all that is wild, savage, and unknowable. He is the deepest ocean, a force that can be crossed but never controlled.

Those who fear the Devourer see him as an entirely destructive force. Arawai is the patron of agriculture, of peacefully harvesting nature's bounty. Balinor is the patron of the hunt, of civilized folk using bow, spear, and skill to challenge or tame the mightiest beasts. These deities reflect the power of civilization to harness and control the natural world, but the Devourer puts the lie to this, showing that nature will never be truly tamed.

Those who embrace the Devourer celebrate the glorious power of the wilds. They revel in the raging storm and gladly embrace their predatory instincts. They accept that nature is often bloody and cruel, and don't hesitate to follow its example. But while it may be harsh, nature is rarely evil. Priests of the Devourer often urge their parishioners to follow their instincts, or teach people to live in accord with nature instead of forcing their will upon it. They may serve as intermediaries, convincing the Devourer to redirect his wrath and spare their followers—or to turn his rage against their enemies.

The Fury
p64
Province: Passion, revenge

Suggested Cleric Domains: War

Suggested Paladin Oath: Vengeance

The Fury is a silent whisper that can drive you to doubt or despair. She is reckless rage and all-consuming passion. Instinct is the voice of the Fury, guiding us when rational thought fails. And she is the Sovereign of revenge, promising vengeance to those willing to surrender to her. Her father the Devourer embodies the devastating power of the storm outside us; the Fury is the storm that rages within us, the wild emotions we fight to control.

Devotees of the Fury generally follow one of two paths. Revelers believe that suppressing emotion causes anguish, and that people should embrace their emotions fully and act on impulse and instinct. They hold wild, ecstatic celebrations as a way for participants to throw off the chains of civilization for a moment and experience life and emotion fully. A player character who follows this path might be a Berserker barbarian or a bard using the College of Glamour—either embracing their own primal emotion or inspiring it in others. A sorcerer might attribute their power to wild emotion; they can only access their magic when they let the Fury guide them.

The other path of the Fury is the road of revenge. People who have suffered grievously can call on the Fury to give them the will and strength to take vengeance into their own hands. Or rather than seeking revenge themselves, one tradition calls for someone who has been wronged to place a red candle in a window, inscribed with the name of their tormentor. This is an invitation for the Fury to take vengeance on their behalf. A player character following this path could be charged to investigate and fulfill these calls for revenge. While this could be the path of a cleric or paladin, it could just as easily suit an Assassin rogue, a bard of the College of Whispers, or a warlock.

Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
The Keeper
Province: Death, greed, hoarding

Suggested Cleric Domains: Death, Trickery

Suggested Paladin Oath: Oathbreaker

Every Vassal knows they should never flaunt good fortune, avoiding arrogance and pride. Those who crow too loudly may catch the jealous eye of the Keeper. Even the mightiest hero can be laid low by disease or ill fortune, as the Keeper has a vast arsenal to bring down those that he desires. Once he pulls you down into the darkness, he will snatch your soul before it can reach Dolurrh and add you to his endless hoard, where he can toy with you and torment you until the end of time.

The Keeper is the patron of those who put personal gain above all else. He guides those who use guile to gain gold, regardless of the cost to others. A rogue who invokes Olladra sees themselves as the hero of the story; one who calls on the Keeper has no compunctions about being the villain. Beyond guiding those who place profit before all else, the Keeper is also known for his willingness to make deals—though his bargains are always slanted in his favor. Priests known as Talons make these deals on behalf of the Keeper, though the terms are often abstract and driven purely by faith. An entertainer could bargain with a Talon, exchanging ten years of their life for fame; even if the entertainer subsequently becomes famous, there's no way to know if this is the result of the bargain, nor to anticipate when the entertainer might suddenly die. This could easily be a part of the backstory of a player character. Did your entertainer make a bargain with the Keeper?

Another possible path for a player character or deadly NPC is that of being a Keeper's Fang. These people receive visions of things that the Keeper wishes to add to his hoard; these are usually the souls of specific people, but they could also be artifacts or other unique treasures. This is an interesting path for an Assassin rogue, an Oathbreaker paladin, or a Hexblade warlock.

The Mockery
Province: Betrayal and bloodshed

Suggested Cleric Domains: Trickery, War

Suggested Paladin Oath: Conquest, Vengeance

Dol Arrah will show you how to fight with honor, Dol Dorn will grant you courage, and when you die, at least you'll know you did so bravely and honorably. The Mockery will drag you through mud and blood, drive you to betray your principles and employ tactics that horrify your allies and enemies alike—but at the end of the day, you'll be standing over the corpse of your foe. Which path will you follow?

Those who despise the Dark Six condemn the Mockery as a villain, a monster who encourages cruel and treacherous behavior. This can be as simple as ambushing an enemy, using stealth instead of facing them openly. Or it can mean slaughtering innocents, torturing your foes, breaking a truce—anything to bring you victory. Those who embrace the path of the Mockery may say that such tactics are the only way to bring down a superior foe. Honor is a luxury for the strong; for those who are weak and oppressed, victory is all that truly matters.

Others who follow the Mockery assert that the very idea of honor in war is delusional. Pain, terror, and death are the inevitable results of violence; at least those who follow the Mockery acknowledge the truth others deny. The assassin who kills without warning, the barbarian who sees mercy as a weakness, the pirate who cultivates a terrifying reputation—all these might view the Mockery as an ally. While this can be a dark path for a player character to follow, a hero could use the techniques of the Mockery in pursuit of a noble cause. A grim vigilante who uses stealth and fear to terrify cowardly criminals into changing their ways could be guided by the Mockery.

The Shadow
p65
Province: Ambition and temptation, forbidden knowledge, monsters

Suggested Cleric Domains: Arcana, Knowledge, Trickery

Suggested Paladin Oath: Conquest, Oathbreaker

The war between the Shadow and Aureon rages in all of us. Aureon's voice tells us that we are stronger together, that it's worth it to suffer for the sake of the common good. The Shadow whispers that there is no common good—all that matters is what you need and what you can do. Why should you make sacrifices for others instead of doing what's best for yourself? Why should you give when you can take?

The Shadow is the Sovereign of ambition. Those who revere it view this as a positive trait; the Shadow will show you how to be the best you can be. But how far will you go in pursuit of your ambition? What—or who—will you sacrifice? Priests who embrace this aspect of the Shadow call themselves Mentors, emphasizing that they can show you how to achieve your full potential; others call them Tempters, as they will always drive you down the darkest path. The Pyrinean Creed says that the Shadow consumes the souls of those who fall prey to its temptation; a Mentor will tell you that this is exactly the sort of lie the Sovereigns use to trick you into following their rules.

The Shadow is also the keeper of forbidden knowledge, of secrets you know you shouldn't pursue. This includes arcane magic—granting powers virtuous people should shun (see the Forbidden Magic sidebar for ideas about this). Any spellcasting character could attribute their powers to the Shadow; a wizard might have been struggling with their studies, but after a sacrifice to the Shadow, they awoke with new insights. The Shadow can also serve as a warlock's patron, likely in the role of the Fiend or the Hexblade. While the Shadow won't interact directly with a warlock, they could receive visions like a priest; they could interact with a fiend who claims to speak for the Shadow; or they could be mistaken about the nature of their patron, and actually be bound to the overlord Sul Khatesh.

In addition to mystical knowledge, priests of the Shadow often know things they simply shouldn't know—secrets that can harm people if revealed. Priests of the Shadow can sometimes be found working as fixers in the criminal underworld; how much are you willing to pay for the knowledge you seek?

Beyond all this, the Shadow is seen as a corrupting force that creates monsters, both figuratively through temptation, and literally—it is said to have created many of the monstrosities that prey on innocents. In turn, many monstrous creatures see the Shadow as their patron.

Optional Rule: Forbidden Magic
The Shadow tempts you to perform evil actions and can teach spells no one should know. While the game's rules aren't designed with the idea of forbidden spells that shouldn't be cast, a DM could choose to grant a character one or more additional spells that have dangerous or unpleasant side effects every time they're cast. Or the Shadow could grant a spellcaster the ability to increase the power of any spell they know—as if it was cast using a higher-level spell slot—once per long rest, but in doing this, it triggers a negative effect.

Regardless of what effects you establish, they should illustrate a clear and concrete reason why this magic is forbidden. Someone or something will pay a price every time this magic is used. Consider the following ideas:

When you cast the spell, roll a d6. The DM chooses you or one of your allies, either dealing the result as necrotic damage or applying it as a penalty to that creature's next saving throw.
When you cast the spell, an innocent creature dies. You have no control over who will suffer and may never know who it is.
When you cast the spell, plants wither and all living creatures within 15 feet of you take one point of necrotic damage.
When you cast the spell, choose an ally within sight. That player can reveal a disturbing secret about their character to you. This must be worse than any previous secret they've revealed; if they can't or if they choose not to, the spell fails.
When you cast the spell, the effect of the spell itself is particularly horrifying.
The Traveler
Province: Change, chaos

Suggested Cleric Domains: Forge, Knowledge, Trickery

Suggested Paladin Oath: Paladins are rarely champions of the Traveler, though any oath's mechanical features could be used to pursue a life of change.

The Traveler touches the domains of many other Sovereigns. Like Aureon and the Shadow, the Traveler is a source of knowledge. Along with Olladra and the Mockery, it is a patron of those who rely on deception and cunning. Like Onatar and the Fury, it can provide inspiration to the artisan. Both those who fear the Traveler and those who revere it agree on one thing: whatever gifts the Traveler gives, they always lead to chaos. If the Traveler gives you knowledge, it's because the revelation will force you to reevaluate everything you have known. If it helps you deceive, it's because your actions will introduce chaos and crisis—whether into your life or the lives of others. Onatar will teach a swordsmith to make a better sword; the Traveler might show them how to make a bomb, changing the face of warfare. The Traveler isn't here to satisfy your greed or to grant your ambitions. Instead, it will set you on paths you never thought to try. This may sometimes grant you good fortune, but when you call on the Traveler, you're inviting the unexpected into your life.

One of the more infamous Traveler cults within the Five Nations is hidden within House Cannith. While Onatar is the acknowledged patron of House Cannith, some believe that the Traveler is the source of dramatic inspiration, helping artificers make unforeseen breakthroughs. Those who invoke the Traveler know that its gifts will surely have a cost and could shake the foundations of civilization, but they still yearn for that grand discovery. Many in House Cannith believe that Aaren d'Cannith—the inventor of the warforged—was a Traveler cultist; others assume that the Mourning may have been the work of a Cannith heir following the path of the Traveler.

Some who follow the Traveler are tricksters, causing chaos with no clear agenda. But others see themselves as guides, playing tricks on people in order to teach them lessons. Guides seek to challenge established traditions, laws, or institutions—not necessarily to destroy them, but to ensure that they haven't outlived their usefulness. Still others are wanderers, embracing a life of constant change. The changeling travelers described in chapter 2 fall into this category, believing that as long as they remain in motion, the Traveler will guide and protect them. Ultimately, the Traveler will throw your life into chaos—for it's by adapting to this chaos that people grow.

The Cults of the Dragon Below
p66
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
The title "Cult of the Dragon Below" is a blanket term used to describe any sect that serves a malevolent power or has bizarre beliefs that defy rational thought. But no member of such an organization would call themselves a "cultist of the Dragon Below." As a true believer, you might be a blessed eye of the All-Seer, a pilgrim on the road to the Inner Sun, or a warlock in the court of the Queen of Shadows. If you're a member of one of these three cults, you don't see the other two as allies, for they're clearly dangerous and delusional. And while outsiders may be able to guess what force is behind the cult—it doesn't take a Korranberg sage to guess that the people growing eyes on their hands might be tied to Belashyrra—only a fraction of the cults of the Dragon Below knowingly serve a daelkyr or overlord.

Cults of the Dragon Below are categorized by two elements: structure and power. The structure defines the shape and scale of a cult, while the power is the malevolent force behind it, usually a daelkyr or fiendish overlord. The Cults of the Dragon Below table provides a few examples of cults—simply scratching the surface of what can appear in the world—and the rest of the section explores these elements in more detail.

Cult Structure
p67
Rak Tulkhesh has tribes of barbarians clamoring to spill blood in his name in the Demon Wastes. He has loyalists in the Five Nations subtly spreading hatred and ignorance. And he produces revenants, innocents who wake up convinced they are reincarnated soldiers with a duty to complete unfinished battles. This is common—most overlords and daelkyr have multiple cults, each completely unaware of another. While each cult is unique, most fall into one of the following three categories.

Corrupted
Members of these cults are united by shared delusions, the reality of their minds corrupted by a horrifying alien force. Sometimes the delusion infects those who take part in the rituals; other times the ideas first leak into people's minds, then draw them to the cult. This is why the cults of the Dragon Below can never be wiped out, and why they can appear anywhere—you never know when or where an irrational idea can take root, twisting the thoughts and beliefs of innocent people.

While a corrupted cult's beliefs and actions may seem irrational to outsiders, to members of the cult they make perfect sense. A revenant truly believes they are a legendary hero reincarnated. A Vigilant Eye cultist believes they've been given blessed vision that reveals evildoers who must die. The fact the cultist has grown a new eye doesn't seem strange to them—it's a blessed eye! Others are just jealous they don't have one. Corrupted cultists may see the world differently than people around them. A group of revenants could be working with a mind flayer and dolgrims, but they see these aberrations as loyal knights tied to their ancient order. When encountering a corrupted cult, player characters will face the challenge of making sense of the delusion—understanding what the cult members believe they're trying to accomplish, and how it relates to what they're actually doing. These delusions have nothing to do with mental illness and cannot be treated at a Jorasco healing house. This is a form of supernatural influence with a specific cause—a corrupting alien entity—and with a specific effect; corruption can take hold of anyone at any time, and cultists may otherwise appear perfectly healthy and sane.

Corrupted cults rarely last long. They typically come into existence with a clear purpose, a specific scheme that somehow benefits their guiding power. After this scheme succeeds or fails, the driving force often abandons the survivors. The question is whether this releases cultists from the delusion, or whether they are simply abandoned—or even driven toward destructive acts. A second important question is whether it's possible to free a cultist from their delusion while the cult is still active. This could require magic, such as greater restoration. But it could simply require the cultist to be isolated from their allies and deprogrammed, or perhaps separated from an item that is reinforcing the delusion. If this powerful delusion can be broken, perhaps the cultist's original identity can reassert itself.

The power behind a corrupted cult isn't always obvious. Loyalists know the power they serve and often proudly proclaim it, but many other corrupted cults aren't aware of the power behind them. Vigilant Eye cultists could mistakenly believe that their blessed eyes are a gift from Aureon, while a revenant might believe Dol Arrah has returned them to the world. Even if the cultists themselves don't realize who they serve, the trappings can be a giveaway. Belashyrra's cultists often deal with eyes or beholders, Dyrrn employs illithids and doppelgangers, and Kyrzin's cults usually have something to do with oozes and slime. But sometimes a cult can appear perfectly innocent. Are you absolutely certain that revenant wasn't restored by Dol Arrah?

Traditional
There are cults far older than any human civilization. Their strongholds are in desolate regions—the Demon Wastes, the Shadow Marches—but immigrants have carried these beliefs into the Five Nations. The members of these cults have been raised to believe that the traditions of their faith are normal. You remember when your grandmother was consumed by the gibbering mouther in the basement. What's wrong with that? It was her time and her passage to immortality; you've heard her speaking to you in the whispers of the mouther. You hope that you'll live long enough to join her in its bowels.

Traditional cultists are typically less volatile and extreme than corrupted cultists; surviving long enough to become a tradition means avoiding reckless behavior and learning to keep your faith hidden from strangers. Many traditional cults can seem harmless; for the most part, Whisperers have no interest in harming or interacting with outsiders. However, traditional cults provide a lurking support network that can be activated when needed. Rak Tulkhesh has loyalists hidden throughout the armies of the Five Nations, always ready to escalate violent situations. And a town could be filled with followers of the Transcendent Flesh who appear completely harmless and mundane—until the Night of Six Moons, when they all attach their symbionts and tear apart any outsiders unlucky enough to be in the town that night.

Traditional cults are less extreme than corrupted ones, but they still see the world through a strange lens, despite knowing the power they're bound to. Some traditional cults believe their patrons are simply misunderstood—Dyrrn seeks to elevate humanity, not to corrupt it! Others celebrate the destructive or chaotic aspects of their patrons, either believing that this corrupt world deserves to be torn down, or that the faithful will be elevated in the next age. Even a cultist who reveres Rak Tulkhesh may not be evil; they could believe the corrupt world must be washed in blood to cleanse evil, and aside from their duties to the Orphan King, they may be gentle and altruistic.

Transactional
The dark powers associated with the cults of the Dragon Below have much to offer. They can imbue their servants with mystical powers, following the model of the warlock. Daelkyr can provide symbionts and physical transformation, while the Lords of Dust can provide wealth, influence, or ancient artifacts to their loyal agents. As a result, transactional cults often begin as secret societies. People join of their own free will, eager to obtain whatever it is the cult has to offer. But even if someone joins for the most rational of reasons, the influence of a daelkyr or an overlord is difficult to resist; the longer someone remains in the cult, the more power it will have over them.

Consider the Court of Shadows cult, tied to Sul Khatesh. A wizard has a fascinating conversation with a colleague, discussing a spell unlike anything they've seen before. The colleague explains that the spell is from Ashtakala's vaults, and if the wizard joins the Court, they'll discover many amazing things about magic and history. So they go to a meeting and are impressed by the scholars and warlocks they meet. Soon they're initiated into the cult, swearing an oath to the Queen of Shadows and being invested as the Knight of the Forgotten Library. It seems like a game, and they're gaining access to fascinating new spells. But as time passes, they become ever more obsessed with rising in the Court of Shadows. The political interplay in the Kingdom of Shadows feels more real, more relevant than the mundane politics of Khorvaire. They pursue missions for the Queen, yearning to win her favor. And they hope that someday the Queen will rise from her slumber, for then, the Kingdom of Shadows will truly become real.

Transactional cults can be found anywhere on this slippery slope. A transactional cult might use symbiont weapons but otherwise be quite rational. Or, while you can still see how they stumbled into this mess, they could be completely pulled into the warped reality espoused by the cult.

Transactional cults are typically small, but can be widespread. A coven of the Court of Shadows may only have a few members, but the Court itself is spread across Khorvaire. Often, members of transactional cults know who they are dealing with, but greed or curiosity overrides concerns. However, it's also possible for people to only know part of the story; a warlock might believe that the Queen of Shadows is a mighty warlock or perhaps an archfey, not realizing she's actually an overlord.

Cult Goals
p68
What do the cults of the Dragon Below want? What do members strive to achieve? This varies based on the structure and patron of the cult. All of the malevolent powers described in this section have loyalists, cults that are devoted to releasing their lords from Khyber or helping their agents (be they Lords of Dust, mind flayers, or rogue dragons) with whatever they require. But beyond the loyalists, cult goals can be a little more exotic.

Corrupted cults usually have some sort of immediate goal that drives the formation and expansion of the cult. The Vigilant Eye is hunting down "demons" hidden in the community, which can only be seen with their blessed eyes! The revenants have to re-enact a brutal massacre that occurred five hundred years ago today! The goals are often terrible things that must be stopped, but it's not always obvious how they are helping the power behind the cult; these schemes may have nothing to do with the seals of the daelkyr or releasing an overlord. In the case of an overlord, the archfiends gain strength by driving mortals down their paths. For Sul Khatesh, getting mortals to use magic for malevolence strengthens her regardless of what they actually do; likewise, Rak Tulkhesh revels in all violence. Meanwhile, the daelkyr are truly incomprehensible. They certainly enjoy experimenting with their preferred mediums; one of Dyrrn's cults could enact a ritual that causes dragonmarks to come to life and attack their bearers, with no purpose beyond satisfying Dyrrn's curiosity. As the daelkyr experience time in a nonlinear fashion, it's also possible that what seems like meaningless chaos could have a unforeseen future—that there will come a time when a living dragonmark unleashed in the cult's bizarre rampage ends up being the vital element needed to defeat one of the Lords of Dust. The key point is that cults of the Dragon Below—particularly corrupted cults—may not have long-term plans; their schemes can and should often appear nonsensical.

Traditional cults are religions. They aren't driven by short term goals, but instead provide guidelines on how to live your whole life. Traditional cults can be peaceful and innocuous... until they aren't. A particular alignment of moons, a vision sent to the cult leader, a critical mass of outsiders arriving at the same time—any cult could have a set of circumstances that trigger bloody rituals or brutal sacrifices. This is where the absurdity of a traditional cult rises to the surface. The people of Lowholt couldn't be kinder—until the flesh barn runs low on spleen and they have to harvest your organs. It's a real shame, stranger, but our grandparents have to have that spleen—the "grandparents" in this case being the gibbering mouther in the basement.

Transactional cults are often initially driven by the desires of the members. Someone joins a transactional cult because they want the power to do something—to take revenge on their enemies, to overthrow a tyrant, to destroy a local criminal gang. But the patron always has a price, and this can eventually follow the same model described for corrupted cults earlier.

The Powers Behind the Cults
Each cult of the Dragon Below is tied to a sinister power trapped in Khyber, and a cult's goals usually reflect the power behind it. If the cult has inhuman allies, are they fiends, aberrations, or other monsters? What sort of treasures and magic items does the group use? These magic items aren't necessarily direct gifts from the patron; a cult of Kyrzin may have many potions because the high priest is an alchemist, or because a strange fountain in the temple secretes mystical fluids. In the case of loyalists and traditional cults, the connection to its patron may be quite obvious, whereas corrupted cults can be challenging to identify the hidden manipulator. Regardless of whether cultists know the identity of their patron, the power behind a cult has many effects.

As a broad rule, cults tied to overlords (Rak Tulkhesh, Sul Khatesh, Katashka, Bel Shalor, the Daughter of Khyber) are either directly helping the Lords of Dust or trying to drive behavior that strengthens the archfiend. The daelkyr (Belashyrra, Dyrrn, Kyrzin, Orlaask, Valaara) are more enigmatic. Their traditional cults may continue strange patterns of behavior handed down for generations, performing sacrifices or mysterious rituals when the planes are aligned. But they can also engage in dramatic actions with no clear benefit to anyone. There's no clear reason for Orlassk to turn citizens of Sharn into gargoyles; it could be an experiment, or simply a form of art. But these actions will be related to the sphere of the daelkyr that causes it, whether that's oozes, stone, eyes, or insects.

The ten powers described below reflect the most common cults, but there are many other overlords and daelkyr. There will never be a complete list, and DMs can always develop new powers. Use these as inspiration, but don't feel limited.

Bel Shalor: The Shadow in the Flame
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
The brightest soul casts the longest shadow. You can't escape the evil within you. It's always one step behind, waiting for you to miss a step. Even if you keep your footing, do you truly believe that those around you are as strong as you? Are they so virtuous? Or have they already let the darkness in?

The overlords embody mortal fears, and Bel Shalor embodies our fear of other mortals—the eternal suspicion that a stranger means us harm, that even our friends can't be trusted. Bel Shalor thrives on paranoia and feasts when fear drives good people to do terrible things. Wars feed Rak Tulkhesh, but an inquisition that torments countless innocents delights Bel Shalor—especially when carried out by virtuous people. In the third century YK, Bel Shalor nearly escaped his bonds before being bound once more by the sacrifice of Tira Miron, but some sages wonder if Bel Shalor didn't in fact allow himself to be defeated. Now he is forever tied to Tira, and anyone who can hear the Voice of the Silver Flame can also hear the tempting whispers of the Shadow in the Flame.

Bel Shalor doesn't encourage savage violence. Instead, he amplifies fears and suspicions while fanning the fires of greed and self-interest. He convinces us that the people around us are cruel and petty; the only way to survive is to strike first, to take what we need regardless of the cost to others.

Corrupted cults can appear anywhere; Bel Shalor seizes on a suspicion and amplifies it. The Whispering Flame is a transactional cult hidden within the Church of the Silver Flame—a secret order of priests and templars who do Bel Shalor's bidding in exchange for power and influence. The greatest agents of the Whispering Flame rarely perform obvious acts of corruption themselves; instead, they subtly encourage others to compromise their principles or succumb to their fears.

Forces. Bel Shalor's chief agents are rakshasa, and his prakhutu ("speaker") on the Council of Ashtakala is known as the Wyrmbreaker. His minions specialize in stealth and deception, not brute force. Bel Shalor also controls shadows, and it's said he can grant malevolent life to anyone's shadow, causing it to spy on the person who casts it or even to kill them.
Gifts. Magic items associated with Bel Shalor typically are used to manipulate others, conceal thoughts, or control shadows. Important members of the Whispering Flame often receive a ring of mind shielding, and may use eyes of charming to influence others. Such items are typically made by the Lords of Dust, though they can be ancient relics or items infused with the power of the Shadow in the Flame.
Character Ideas. Bel Shalor thrives on manipulating thoughts and emotions. A bard of the College of Whispers could attribute their gifts and magical talents—the ability to harness fears and even steal another's shadow—to a bond to Bel Shalor. For a warlock, either the Archfey or the Great Old One could represent the Shadow in the Flame. Members of the Whispering Flame sometimes begin as paladins or clerics devoted to the Silver Flame. Even once serving Bel Shalor, they are able to retain a connection to the Flame and keep their class abilities; however, they typically shift to the Trickery domain or the Oathbreaker oath.
Story Ideas. Any fear could be amplified by Bel Shalor and form the basis of a cult. A group of people in a small town might become convinced that there's a doppelganger or a wererat hidden in the community that has to be rooted out at any cost. Or perhaps it's a fear of foreign spies. Or warforged made to replace humans... can you prove that you're not a warforged imposter? Frequently such cults truly believe that they're protecting the innocent from a serious threat, and don't realize that they are the ones serving a dark power.
Similar stories can be associated with the Whispering Flame. Cultists work to trick truly virtuous members of the church, convincing good templars to persecute innocent people in pursuit of imaginary threats. This situation—good people harming good people—delights Bel Shalor. Can adventurers expose the true agents of evil without killing innocents themselves?

Belashyrra: The Lord of Eyes
p69
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
We know the world through our eyes. But sight is a gift of the Glorious Eye, and what is given can be taken away. Those who serve the All-Seer well are given new eyes, able to see layers of reality hidden from mere mortals. If only you could see what I can see!

The daelkyr Belashyrra is associated with sight, and might use its cultists as vessels through which to explore the world. Belashyrra's cultists can become obsessed with sight, both unable to believe what they can't see, and utterly convinced of those things they can. They might experience visions others can't see, or gain powers linked with sight, like a beholder's eye rays. The concept of seeing secret things is critical for these cults and typically drives their missions. It's common for devoted cultists of Belashyrra to grow new eyes, as with the Vigilant Eye cult.

Belashyrra has traditional cults in the Shadow Marches; members generally keep to themselves, unless guided by visions or gathering sacrifices. Belashyrra's corrupted cults can appear anywhere, driven by ecstatic visions or convinced that only they can see threats that must be dealt with (such as members of the Vigilant Eye believing they can see hidden demons). Belashyrra's cultists aren't always dangerous; they can be gifted oracles, and sometimes they truly can see threats hidden from others. Belashyrra is also known to be fighting the Umbragen drow beneath Xen'drik.

Forces. Belashyrra is the source of beholderkin in Eberron, though they can be found serving other daelkyr or operating independently. Any aberration whose powers revolve around eyes or vision could be tied to Belashyrra. Any creature created by Belashyrra will have extra eyes; this includes its dolgaunts and dolgrims, though the dolgaunts still possess blindsight.
Gifts. Any magic item associated with sight can be tied to Belashyrra, usually in symbiont form. Cultists may have organic versions of eyes of the eagle, eyes of charming, or goggles of night; a robe of eyes could be made from a leathery material that bonds to the wearer's body. Symbiont items that grant sight-related abilities will often demand to see certain things; the wearer will simply have a sense that the robe wants to see what's inside that building, and refusing such requests could result in losing the powers of the item until a long or short rest has been completed. In addition to items, Belashyrra can grant supernatural gifts tied to sight, such as granting darkvision or the ability to use true seeing once a week; such gifts usually take the form of a new eye manifesting on the victim, with the power only working through that eye.
Character Ideas. Belashyrra can be an excellent patron for a Great Old One warlock, because typically what it asks of its warlocks is to see things; a warlock will be charged to find something or observe a particular event. Sight-related invocations are common, and spell effects may be channeled through the eyes—either the warlock's natural eyes, or new ones that they manifest. Any character could be guided by visions shown by Belashyrra; a paladin might not follow a god, but rather be driven by the visions of evil Belashyrra shows them. Is Belashyrra guiding them to stop evil, or is the All-Seer mocking them by showing them the evil people do, while the paladin is determined to prevent these visions from coming to pass?
Story Ideas. Due to a cult's actions, people start seeing hidden truths they don't want to know. A wave of visual hallucinations is causing people to see their friends as monsters or deadly enemies. A serial killer is collecting eyes of different species to offer to the All-Seer. A loyalist cult sees signs that reveal one of the adventurers is their next designated sacrifice. An individual or group (such as the Vigilant Eye) is guided by visions leading them to murder hidden demons—are they killing innocents, or could there truly be demons hidden in the community?
The Daughter of Khyber
p70
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Even Eberron herself couldn't defeat Khyber, and the day is coming when she'll break her chains, shattering the world that you know, revealing the one that was always meant to be. Khyber's Daughter gathers her armies, and soon their wings will blot out the sun.

The Daughter of Khyber embodies the fear of dragons. She manipulates the hearts and minds of dragons, turning them to darkness and ultimately seizing control. This has kept the dragons in self-imposed isolation in Argonnessen; the more they exert their power, the stronger Khyber's Daughter becomes.

Of all the cults, this is the one that most truly serves the Dragon Below. Loyalists serve the Daughter of Khyber as the greatest champion of her mother and the harbinger of Khyber's return. Loyalist doctrine maintains that Khyber didn't betray Siberys; instead, she was the one betrayed. Khyber had a grand and glorious vision for reality, but the other Progenitors turned on her. Cultists typically see themselves as being oppressed by laws and systems; like Khyber, they are imprisoned by their inferiors, by people who don't understand their vision for the world, and they will ascend to glory when Khyber rises. Some cults maintain that dragons themselves were the creations of Khyber and were stolen by Siberys and Eberron; under this belief, the Daughter isn't corrupting dragons, but rather restoring them to their rightful role. In any case, loyalists see themselves as warriors in a battle to restore proper balance to reality, heroes who will be elevated in the dark and beautiful reality soon to be revealed through dragonfire and blood.

Corrupted cultists may share these beliefs. Other common delusions include the idea that cultists are dragons—either transformed and trapped in human form, or inheritors of draconic bloodlines who could someday regain their proper form. In extreme cases, such cultists may manifest draconic physical traits—growing scales or claws, manifesting breath weapons, or wielding sorcerous power.

Some cults refer to the Daughter of Khyber as Tiamat, after the draconic deity known in other sections of the multiverse. However, the Daughter of Khyber is a fiendish overlord, bound in the Pit of Five Sorrows in Argonnessen, and does not wield power in other realms.

Forces. The Daughter of Khyber is associated with dragons, along with dragonborn, kobolds, and other creatures with draconic traits. While she has rakshasa followers among the Lords of Dust, her primary servants are abishai.
Gifts. Magic items associated with the Daughter of Khyber are usually associated with dragons in some way, and may come from Argonnessen or be relics from the Age of Demons. Magic weapons and armor may be made from dragon scales or bones. Artifacts and wondrous items that allow the bearer to control dragons, protect them from dragons, or emulate draconic abilities are all possible.
Character Ideas. The powers of a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer could be tied to the Daughter of Khyber; was it you that forged this bond, or did one of your ancestors serve the Dragon Below? A dragonborn character could have been born as another species, transformed into their current form by the Daughter of Khyber. A cultist barbarian could be described as taking on draconic traits when they rage, their damage resistance granted by rage reflecting a temporary layer of dragon scales.
Story Ideas. The residents of a small village have been transforming into dragonborn, hearing the whispering voice of the Daughter calling them to service. Can this be stopped and the victims restored? A group of cultists are convinced they are dragons, and seek to spread a message of draconic dominance. A scholar obsessed with the Draconic Prophecy is secretly a servant of Khyber's Daughter... and possibly even a corrupted dragon. A young dragon dominated by the Daughter of Khyber is raiding villages—but what purpose does this serve? A dragon tied to the Chamber employs adventurers to recover an Orb of Dragonkind—will the party surrender it once it's in their hands?
Dyrrn: The Corrupter
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Flesh isn't final: it's clay to be molded into something better. We can be so much more than these bodies we're born with. You were birthed in the prison of everyday life, but there are paths in this foul labyrinth that lead to unimaginable wonders. Let us show you the way.

One of the most active daelkyr, Dyrrn the Corruptor is infamous for warping mind and body to turn innocents into monsters. It's said that Dyrrn bred the first dolgrims and dolgaunts from goblinoid stock. It created doppelgangers from changelings, and perhaps even chokers from halflings. Strong evidence suggests Dyrrn corrupted shifters, creating the first lycanthropes. Lord of the mind flayers, it takes equal joy in twisting thoughts and flesh.

Dyrrn's loyalists believe that the Corruptor will ultimately consume and transform the world, and that only those who serve it will survive the experience. However, there are other cults—such as the Transcendent Flesh—who see Dyrrn's actions in a positive light. Dyrrn transforms and creates new forms of life—but who are we to decide that these things are monsters? Such cultists believe that Dyrrn is driving evolution, and they can transcend their own limits by walking the path of the Foul Labyrinth. While this can start as simply transactional, the influence of the Corruptor is insidious, and cultists can soon start to see natural creatures as vile and weak.

Dyrrn has had a long presence in western Aundair and the Eldeen Reaches, and the Wardens of the Wood remain ever watchful for its vile creations. During the Last War, the dwarves of the Mror Holds discovered that Dyrrn's forces were deeply entrenched in the ancient realm below their holdings. While many clans are determined to drive all aberrations from the depths, others feel it may be possible to use Dyrrn's power for the greater good; this has offered a foothold for the Transcendent Flesh and other cults to spread.

Forces. Dyrrn has created many of the aberrations used by all daelkyr, such as dolgaunts and dolgrims. It's the source of mind flayers in Eberron; they know Dyrrn as the Overmind, and it serves as the cornerstone of their collective consciousness. Doppelgangers and mind flayers are often associated with Dyrrn's cults, but any aberration or monstrosity could appear.
Gifts. Dyrrn is a prolific producer of symbionts. It's not bound to any one theme; any living weapon or tool could be tied to Dyrrn. It's also closely associated with psionic powers and the evolution of the mind, and a cult could be found wielding tools that focus mental power.
Character Ideas. An artificer could hear Dyrrn's whispers, guiding them to create living tools; their infusions might appear to be alive, though their effects are the same as those for other artificers. A warlock bound to Dyrrn could experience dramatic physical transformation or focus on powers that control thought—are they now a renegade fighting Dyrrn, or being guided toward evolution? A barbarian could present their rage as a disturbing physical transformation, while a transmuter wizard might follow in Mordain the Fleshweaver's footsteps.
Story Ideas. Dyrrn's cults can always provide a foothold for aberrations to enter a story. Cultists could be creating monsters from corpses, cloning important people and releasing the clones into the world, or turning innocent people into aberrations. A Transcendent Flesh cult might focus on their own physical or mental evolution and have no intention of harming others—until they need extra brains or body parts. Someone might discover that Dyrrn is responsible for both aberrant and true dragonmarks; what impact would this have on the world?
Katashka: The Gatekeepr
p71
You cannot defeat me. You fear death, knowing your flesh will rot and your soul will shrivel away in Dolurrh. But I serve the Grim King, the Keeper of the Gate—and even if you kill me now, he will open the gate for my return.

The overlord Katashka embodies the fears of both death and the undead. People often assume that the followers of the Blood of Vol want to become undead, but it is Katashka's cultists who embrace this dark destiny. His loyalists dream of a world where the dead reign over the living, reveling in the power death holds over the rabble, secure in the belief that Katashka will either grant them immortality through undeath or raise them when they fall.

Katashka thrives both on the fear of death and fear of the undead. As such, his cults might spread plagues or otherwise cause mass death, or they might unleash ghouls in the sewers or trigger zombie outbreaks. His intent is not death itself—the Grim King draws strength from the fear of the living. As such, Katashka rarely seeks to kill people swiftly. The primary purpose of the lingering plague is to sow fear among those fighting it, and the small pack of ghouls that causes long-term terror is more effective than an army that wipes out a city in a day. Likewise, Katashka's undead champions revel in their unnatural condition; they want people to know what they are and to fear them.

The Gatekeeper's cults are often transactional, with cultists serving the Grim King in exchange for secrets of necromancy or undead servants. Corrupted cults will in some way tie to death or the undead; Katashka also produces revenants. Katashka's cults have no established territories, but are actually rarer in Karrnath than elsewhere in the Five Nations, as the Blood of Vol presents a different path to necromantic magic along with a more positive overall message for followers.

There are some obvious similarities between Katashka and the Keeper, and some scholars assert that they are one and the same—that Katashka's actions in the Age of Demons inspired the myths of the Keeper. A critical difference is Katashka's focus on undeath, in some ways resembling the role of Orcus in other settings. In contrast, priests of the Keeper also deal with general greed, offering deals that have nothing to do with death or undeath.

Forces. Katashka's forces are undead; even within the Lords of Dust, his champions are liches, death knights, and dracoliches. His transactional cults include necromancers, though he actually has fewer necromancers in his service than are found among the Blood of Vol and the Emerald Claw; his followers don't need to understand the science of necromancy if their dark lord raises bones for them.
Gifts. Katashka's treasures are tools that consume life, such as a sword of life stealing. His cultists may also possess tools that create or command undead. Beyond this, the greatest gift Katashka grants his followers is life after death. A champion of Katashka could be repeatedly raised after death, forcing adventurers to find more elaborate ways to prevent their resurrection. His champions could also be returned as undead; only valuable servants are granted a second life as liches or vampires, but lesser cultists could rise after death as zombies or ghouls—an unpleasant surprise for adventurers fighting them!
Character Ideas. A Zealot barbarian dealing necrotic damage could have a tie to the Grim King; do they have to earn this power by killing in the name of the Gatekeeper? The Undying warlock patron is another sound match for Katashka. While the Death domain and the Oathbreaker paladin both fit Katashka thematically, Katashka isn't a god and such characters may be a better fit for the Keeper or the Blood of Vol. Perhaps you died in the past, then were returned to life by Katashka, but with a bargain to fulfill—along with the knowledge that if you fail to carry out your mission, you will die again. Will you do the bidding of the Grim King, or will you try to find another way to earn your life?
Story Ideas. Any plotline involving evil undead or power-hungry necromancers can be laid at Katashka's feet; his cults require less nuance than the Blood of Vol. A common theme is the fact that Katashka doesn't simply want to kill innocents, he wants people to fear death and the undead.
Kyrzin: The Prince of Slime
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Slime, water, blood—fluids are the purest essence of life. We begin as a drop of liquid, and in the end we return to it. Drink the bounty of the Bile Lord. Heed the voice of the Lurker Within, for it's already part of you. Follow our teachings, and after death, you'll find eternal peace in the whispering choir.

The daelkyr Kyrzin deals in living liquids and foul fluids. It is infamous as the source of all oozes; some believe that there are living rivers of gray ooze and green slime in the depths of Khyber. Many cults revere gibbering mouthers and hear guiding words in the ravings of these beasts; such cults refer to Kyrzin as the Regent of Whispers. While oozes play a major role, its cults can be associated with liquid in any form. One cult might venerate an ancient well, while others say that the local lake holds the ghosts of their ancestors. Any delusion associated with liquids could be tied to Kyrzin.

Kyrzin's traditional cults are strongly established in the Shadow Marches, but Whisperers keep to themselves. Marchers refer to the common cold as "the drip" or the "Bile Lord's kiss;" and stories say that Kyrzin has sown giant oozes in the rivers of the Marches. While many Marchers know stories of the Prince of Slime, it's typically seen as a dangerous but largely neutral force. Mold plays an important part in Marcher medicine, and the Bile Lord is seen as a force that can cause disease when angered, or help to prevent it. So most prefer to ignore and avoid Kyrzin, and Whisperers are largely left alone.

Forces. In Eberron, Kyrzin replaces Juiblex as the source of black puddings, gray oozes, gibbering mouthers, mimics, and similar creatures, any of which could be tied to the Prince of Slime. It can also create creatures similar to living spells, though Kyrzin is not responsible for the living spells that roam the Mournland. Its most infamous creations are parasitic oozes, a form of black pudding that can enter a creature's body. More intelligent than their larger kin, these oozes can communicate telepathically with their hosts. An adventurer who kills a weak cultist may have an unpleasant surprise when a deadly parasitic ooze emerges from the corpse! Victims unwillingly bonded to a parasitic slime must find a way to coexist until they can be freed from the creature (greater restoration will expel it). If angered, the ooze can eat its way out of the victim, which is usually fatal. Kyrzin is also served by dolgaunts and dolgrims; those created by the Prince of Slime have slimy, translucent skin.
Gifts. Kyrzin's cults are well stocked with potions. While they may have standard effects, Kyrzin's potions are often disturbing to look at and may crawl about, ooze-like, if spilled. Kyrzin's symbionts often mimic the effects of magical garments, though they are fluid rather than fabric; Kyrzin's cloak of elvenkind is an amorphous shroud that shifts to match its surroundings.
Character Ideas. An artificer from an old Whisperer family could have an unorthodox approach to alchemy, and their homunculus could be a living ooze. A Great Old One warlock could specialize in spells dealing with fluids or confusing whispers; even eldritch blast could be flavored as flinging globs of mystically charged slime.
Story Ideas. A cult could do something unusual to the water supply of a town, whether introducing poisons or hallucinogens, or transforming the water into living ooze. Kyrzin's parasitic oozes could spread throughout a town or take over a particular organization—but what do they actually want? Friends of the party could be consumed by a gibbering mouther—but could they still be alive within the slime?
Orlassk: The Voice in the Stone
p72
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Stone is immortal. It listens. It remembers. It chooses to be still, but anyone who's seen a gargoyle knows it can move whenever it chooses. So respect the stone, for it'll still be here long after you've turned to dust.

The daelkyr Orlassk is the master of stone. Orlassk's traditional cults say that it is the Still Lord who carves out caverns, and that it is the Voice in the Stone that guides the miner to the ore. Orlassk can breathe life into stone, as seen in the gargoyle; but it can also turn living creatures into stone, and it's thought that most creatures with this power—medusas, gorgons, basilisks, cockatrices—are its creations. Cults may associate with such creatures, but they can also venerate stone itself. Orlassk's cultists could venerate a sacred stone that whispers when it's fed fresh blood, or maintain a deep chamber where all the secret knowledge of the cult is engraved into the walls.

Orlassk is one of the lesser known daelkyr. Its cults are found where people live around stone, in high mountains and deep caves. Orlassk's corrupted cults often form around those who work with stone: masons, sculptors, stone giants, or even just people who dwell in stone towers. When the walls start whispering to you, Orlassk has found you.

Orlassk is thought to have feuds with other daelkyr. Orlassk and Kyrzin are fundamentally opposed: solid against liquid, static against change. Some scholars suggest that Orlassk's creation of medusas and basilisks is a blow against Belashyrra, as seeing these creatures is what triggers their deadly power.

Forces. Orlassk is tied to creatures of stone, both those made of stone and those that petrify. The medusas of Cazhaak Draal in Droaam deny any connection to Orlassk, but it may have medusa cultists elsewhere in Khyber. Orlassk has many gargoyle servants in exotic variations. It employs creatively twisted earth elementals. Orlassk's dolgrim and dolgaunt minions have a rocky skin texture and can stand still indefinitely.
Gifts. Any form of magic item that is related to stone can be associated with Orlassk. Cultists often use figurines of wondrous power, though the beasts associated with them are usually aberrant and strange. Orlassk is the most common source of Ioun stones in Eberron, its stones whispering disturbing secrets to the attuned character. Orlassk's cults may also employ armor or weapons made out of enchanted stone instead of metal.
Character Ideas. A Totem Warrior barbarian could describe the benefits of the Bear Totem as the Still Lord's blessing, with their skin taking on a stone-like texture during their rage. A Battle Smith artificer could work with stone instead of metal, sculpting their Steel Defender before bringing it to life.
Story Ideas. All of the statues in a city begin speaking, whispering dangerous secrets. There's a series of inexplicable murders; could it be the work of statues coming to life? A corrupted cult is drawing in members who are then petrified. Their cult leader says that a terrible cataclysm is about to occur, and only those petrified will survive, and the Still Lord will free them once it passes; could it be true? The rituals of a cult are slowly turning a community and everyone in it into stone. A cult is sculpting statues that then come to life; are they replacing important people with these duplicates, or working on a monster that could destroy the city? The cult's rituals are drawing gargoyles to the city, but for what purpose?
Rak Tulkesh: The Rage of War
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
It is only in conflict that we find ourselves. We can only know our strength when we measure it against another. Laws are traps laid by the weak to control the stronger; anything you can take with fist or blade is yours by right.

The overlord Rak Tulkhesh embodies the fear of war and bloodshed, whether as a victim of violence or losing oneself to bloodlust and rage. The cults of Rak Tulkhesh include brutal raiders who embrace lives of endless violence, but it also includes those who spread hate and strife—anything that could stir up harsh conflict where there might otherwise be peace.

While most of the Orphan King's cults are driven by ruthless aggression, they could also believe they are serving a greater good. A corrupted cult might truly be determined to bring down bandits that are preying on innocents; they are simply driven by the delusion that there are no other alternatives to bloodshed. Another common delusion is that the current world must be cleansed in bloody battle to clear the path for a peaceful world—these cultists are only fighting today so that their children may know peace tomorrow.

The Rage of War has a particularly strong following among the Carrion Tribes of the Demon Wastes, but he has drawn strength from the Last War and cults can be found anywhere in the Five Nations, especially in communities that suffered serious losses during the war. Just as Katashka differs from the Keeper, Rak Tulkhesh is different from the Three Faces of War. Rak Tulkhesh isn't a god of war who guides the hands of each soldier; rather, he drives aggression and revels in the bloodshed, regardless of who wins or loses.

Forces. The Rage of War has fiendish servants among the Lords of Dust, including rakshasa, narzugons, merregons, and other devils and demons. But Rak Tulkhesh's forces are primarily mortal. In addition to the Carrion Tribes of the Demon Wastes, many of the minotaurs of Droaam revere Rak Tulkhesh in the guise of the Horned Prince. The Znir Pact gnolls have broken ties with fiends, but there are still many gnolls—especially in the Demon Wastes—bound to the Rage of War.
Gifts. Rak Tulkhesh arms his champions with magical weapons. The most powerful might be forged in Ashtakala or relics of the Age of Demons, but on a lesser level, Rak Tulkhesh's cults have an uncanny talent for finding arms dealers and securing the best weapons available within a particular region.
Character Ideas. The barbarian is the iconic champion of Rak Tulkhesh, and as a cultist, you could be a proud minotaur dedicating your kills to the Horned Prince, or a human or tiefling from the Demon Wastes who's left your treacherous land behind. The Hexblade warlock is a possible path for a cultist bound to Rak Tulkhesh; your weapon could be an artifact from the Age of Demons, forged by Mordakhesh the Shadowsword. Do you revel in your powers, or is your blade a curse? Perhaps it will take a life once a week, and if you don't kill someone who deserves it, you know the blade will kill an innocent.
Story Ideas. Like Bel Shalor, plots tied to Rak Tulkhesh can focus on escalating tensions in the aftermath of the Last War; the primary difference is that Bel Shalor's cultists may promote more nuanced inquisitions, while Rak Tulkhesh will inspire mob violence. Locals could unleash their rage on Cyran refugees or warforged, believing they threaten their livelihoods. Revenants could claim to be the spirits of heroes returned to right ancient wrongs. A charismatic leader could inspire a community to rise up against oppression—fighting bandits or a tyrannical local lord. It's a noble cause, but how many people will die in the violent uprising that follows?
Sul Khatesh: The Keeper of Secrets
p73
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
I know the secrets that shape the world. With three words, I can kill with fire; with four, ice. But why should I, when I can bend you to my will? The Queen of Shadows reveals your secrets—do as I command, or all will learn what you've hidden.

The overlord Sul Khatesh embodies the fear of both magic and of secrets... for what is magic but secret knowledge? She whispers insights to students at Arcanix and inspires evokers working on weapons of war. But she also encourages people to keep secrets, and then sets misery in motion when she reveals these secrets to those who would use them.

Sul Khatesh's cults often begin as transactional. Wizards or would-be warlocks invoke her with rituals, offering blood or service in exchange for power and knowledge. Sul Khatesh has no need of mortal souls, but a cultist might believe they have sworn their soul to her. What truly delights her is when magic is used for cruel purposes or in ways that cause people to fear it. While cultists may forge a bond for rational reasons, the more people that draw on her gifts, the more that corruption can creep in. Members of the Court of Shadows believe that they are part of a shadow kingdom that becomes more real with each day; some members even believe they can see its towers and spires overlapping the structures of the real world. Other cults may become obsessed with their own power, embracing the idea that those who can do magic are superior to those who cannot—that it is their right to prey on these mundane cattle. Given her love of secrets, the cults of Sul Khatesh are almost always hidden and subtle. While magic usually plays a role in her cults, she could certainly have one that deals purely with blackmail and the manipulation of secrets.

Forces. Sul Khatesh's supernatural agents are primarily rakshasa, often with greater mystical power than their comrades. Her prakhutu Hektula is the librarian of Ashtakala and perhaps the most knowledgeable sage in existence. Beyond this, her primary agents are mortals she has lured into her service and gifted with arcane power.
Gifts. Those who serve the Keeper of Secrets are usually well supplied with scrolls and magic books, and cults could be given wands or rods crafted in Ashtakala. As Sul Khatesh's primary gift is knowledge, she might instead lead her followers to a cache of Dhakaani treasure or other hidden troves. Sul Khatesh is well known for bargaining with warlocks, and she can grant lesser spellcasting abilities should she choose.
Character Ideas. Sul Khatesh can be an excellent patron for a warlock. Her gifts are versatile; depending on the powers you seek from her, she could grant the features associated with the Archfey, Fiend, or Hexblade patrons. The primary question for such a warlock is whether you still serve her—whether you are seeking to rise in the Court of Shadows even as you go about your adventuring career—or whether you regret the bargain that you made and are trying to find a way out. Any spellcaster could have received a boon from Sul Khatesh even if they don't have the close bond of a warlock; did she teach you your first spell in your dreams, and are you afraid she'll return to call in this favor? Likewise, a character who wants to take the Magic Initiate feat could frame this as a sudden gift from Sul Khatesh—but what's the catch?
Story Ideas. A cult of Sul Khatesh is an easy way to introduce an evil wizard or cabal of warlocks using their gifts to terrify and dominate a community. The Court of Shadows could fill this role, but it could also be used in a more subtle way; perhaps nobles of the Court assist the adventurers, and they are drawn into the politics and intrigues of this imaginary kingdom. A cult of Sul Khatesh could be at the center of a web of blackmail that's tearing a city apart. A player character or NPC could suddenly find that they know the worst secrets of everyone they meet... but are they sure all of these secrets are true? Or is Sul Khatesh feeding them just enough truth that they'll start believing these insights without question, even if it leads them down evil paths?
Valaara: The Crawling Queen
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Artist: Laura Hirsbrunner
Individuality is a curse. Every day, it fills you with disappointment and doubt. But within the Hive, you will always know your place, always know your purpose. Join us. Forget your past. Forget your pain. And help us build a better world.

The daelkyr Valaara works with insects and all manner of crawling vermin. Its children are all around us, listening in the walls and consuming our dead. While it creates new and deadly forms of insects and arachnids, Valaara also experiments with insect consciousness, spreading the mind of a humanoid across multiple bodies. Victims of Valaara's delusions may believe that they are insects transformed into human form, or that they are being controlled or consumed by parasites. Its most widespread cult calls itself the Hive; members of this sect surrender their individuality to serve the collective, with mammals acting as if they're insects. The question when dealing with the Hive is whether it's solely a delusion and the victims can be saved, or whether the cultists truly have been consumed from within by Valaara's children, and are simply wearing human shells.

Beyond the Hive, Valaara's cults invariably interact with insects in some way. Some believe they are receiving divine messages hidden in the buzzing of insects. Others cultivate massive hives of telepathic insects or create charnel pits as a breeding ground for maggots.

Valaara has no established domain, but its cults often spring up in the sewers and middens of major cities. It prospers in places where insects and humans both thrive. Despite their shared affinity for vermin, the Children of Winter druids despise Valaara and its cults; they seek to preserve the natural order, whereas Valaara's creations are anything but natural.

Forces. Valaara created the carrion crawlers, and any sort of unnatural insect or crawling vermin could be attributed to the Crawling Queen. Valaara doesn't associate with dolgaunts or dolgrims. Its primary servitors are thri-kreen; it is constantly twisting and evolving them, and they may be slightly different each time they're encountered. Swarms, spiders, scorpions, and other similar creatures can be found with Valaara's cults. However, as with all the daelkyr, Valaara takes natural things and makes them unnatural. When using a relatively mundane insect as a base creature, consider what you can add to making it unnatural. This could be a mystical ability, but it could also be abnormal intelligence or a cosmetic detail—perhaps the insects of the swarm are bioluminescent, and the fluctuating patterns of their glowing carapaces has an almost hypnotic effect; when the creatures fly, the buzzing of their wings sounds like maniacal human laughter.
Gifts. Valaara creates chitinous armor and living weapons. It creates symbionts that burrow into the flesh of the host; two of its gifts are the throwing scarab and the spellburrow, both presented in chapter 7.
Character Ideas. A druid using the Circle of Spores could be reflavored, with their Halo of Spores presented as an aura of insects. A character might believe they are one of Valaara's children—an insect transformed into humanoid form, either as an experiment or as a scout sent out to gather information.
Story Ideas. A plague of unnatural locusts is stripping the land; what is drawing the insects here? A sect of the Hive is spreading through a squalid part of town, but are they preying on innocents, or are new members joining of their own free will? An insect follows the adventurers, whispering their secrets; is it a single warped creature, or just one drone from a telepathic hive?
Cultist Characters
p74
Members of the cults of the Dragon Below aren't always evil, and cults aren't always pursuing malevolent ends. The previous section presents a host of ideas for player characters with ties to a particular cult. But what does it mean to be a barbarian drawing power from the Rage of War?

Ultimately, the question is: what do you want it to mean? Do you want to play a character who knowingly serves a sinister power? Do you want to highlight the idea that while others see the power you deal with as evil, you interact with it in a positive way? Or do you want to explore the idea that you're either actively working to break your ties to the cult, or that you're a renegade fighting the power you once served? The Cultist Origins table provides examples you can use as inspiration.

Unusual Faith
There are sources of divine magic that are concrete and clear—the Silver Flame is a pool of energy that binds the overlords, and spellcasters can divert its power for other purposes. There are other sources that are less certain—are the Sovereigns the deities their followers believe them to be, or is the power of a Sovereign cleric simply drawn from the power of collective belief? And then there's a third kind of source, where divine spellcasters draw power from devotion to forces that clearly are not divine and have no obvious way to grant such power. How is it that a warforged paladin can draw power from their devotion to the Lord of Blades when the Lord of Blades doesn't wield such power himself? Is a cleric of the Dragon Below actually receiving their power from a daelkyr, and if so, how?

Ultimately, these questions don't need an absolute answer; after all, the most basic principle of divine magic is that it's not scientific and can't be absolutely explained. But here are a few ways to approach such spellcasters.

Borrowed Power
The most common theory advanced by theologists in Eberron is that people with exotic or implausible beliefs who wield divine magic are actually drawing that power from another source without realizing it—that their faith is so strong that an actual existing power answers the prayer. Phthaso Mogan of Sharn has written a treatise in which he describes a man who performed miracles based on his fanatical devotion to his own shoe. Mogan concluded that the man was actually receiving his power from Kol Korran, the Sovereign of Travel. But while it's possible to draw spells from worshiping a shoe, this would be extremely rare. Though the cause is debated, scholars recognize that the more similar your target of worship is to an archetypal Sovereign, the more likely you are to be granted divine magic. And thus, over the ages, civilizations have gravitated toward worshiping a variation of the Sovereign Host.

Mogan also proposed that clerics of unusual faiths may actually receive their spells from the Traveler, who might support such ideas to cause chaos and undermine faith in established traditions. Korranberg scholar Dravo Den Talas has proposed an alternate theory: that if there is any truth to the beliefs of the Blood of Vol, all divine magic could be drawn from the mystic spark of the caster. According to Talas, the actual belief is irrelevant; it is purely the strength of faith that matters.

Regardless of what they conclude, the various theories generally acknowledge that a paladin who worships the Lord of Blades doesn't actually have to draw their power from the Lord of Blades himself. The power might come from within the paladin, it could be ultimately drawn from Dol Dorn or Onatar—or even be a gift of the Traveler.

Not All Clerics are Divine
p75
Ultimately the distinction between divine spellcasting and arcane spellcasting is a question of flavor. There's nothing that says a paladin has to be considered to be a divine spellcaster. A kalashtar cleric could present their command as psychic ability, while a paladin from a cult of the Dragon Below could describe Divine Smite or Lay on Hands as being empowered by a disturbing symbiont that encases the arms of the paladin. Warlocks and barbarians might seem more thematically appropriate for many of the cults of the Dragon Below, but the same concept can be applied to clerics or paladins; while they are driven by their faith, their powers are based on gifts, physical mutations, or otherworldly revelation, as opposed to coming as a literal answer to prayer.

Strange Gods
The Sovereign Host is by far the dominant faith of Khorvaire, followed by the Church of the Silver Flame, which has churches and shrines all across the Five Nations. While the Blood of Vol is a distant third, it has been well established in Karrnath and the Lhazaar Principalities for over a thousand years. However, there are many other religions in the world. These include the druidic traditions of the Eldeen Reaches, the kalashtar Path of Light, and other faiths described in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. In addition, players and DMs can always develop new religions, either as traditions that have recently appeared or as obscure faiths that have few followers. A few examples of uncommon religions are provided below.

The Becoming God
Province: The warforged (creation, evolution, ascension)

Suggested Cleric Domains: Forge (Xanathar's Guide to Everything)

Suggested Paladin Oath: Devotion

This small cult believes that the souls of the warforged flow from a greater spiritual power. Those who follow the path of the Becoming God believe that House Cannith was merely a tool of the Becoming God; Cannith created bodies, but it was the God that shared its essence and gave the warforged life. Followers believe that each warforged holds a divine spark, that their people have a destiny, and that when they work as one, they can change the world. Followers seek to ensure a positive future for the warforged race, seeking to reactivate the old creation forges or to find a new way to create warforged. The faithful are also charged with helping to build a physical body for the Becoming God itself, and a community of warforged in the Mournland labors toward this aim. It could be that this vessel will be a vast form that dwarfs even the warforged colossi, but perhaps the Becoming God's size doesn't matter, only its perfection. Followers of the faith may receive visions of objects that must be located and brought to the Mournland to help with this quest.

The cult of the Becoming God is notably less violent than the followers of the Lord of Blades. The faithful are determined to protect the warforged and help them reach their full potential, but they generally believe that it's possible to work with creatures of flesh and blood, and harmony is better than strife.

The Draconic Prophecy
Province: Destiny, divination

Suggested Cleric Domains: Knowledge

Suggested Paladin Oath: Devotion

Priests of the Draconic Prophecy embrace the idea that there is a guiding force underlying reality, and that they can see glimpses of its divine plan. A priest of the Draconic Prophecy believes that their divine powers are granted to keep the Prophecy on its proper path—that when a cleric uses cure wounds to save a comrade, it's because that person isn't destined to die today. When they cast a spell such as commune, it doesn't contact an extraplanar entity, but reveals a cryptic glimpse into the Prophecy itself.

Despite having priests, this isn't an organized religion and there are no clearly established traditions. It's a calling, and each champion must find their own path. Priests of the Prophecy are often set in opposition to forces that seek to manipulate the Prophecy and to use it for their own ends, notably the fiendish Lords of Dust.

The Lord of Blades
Province: The warforged (conquest, revenge)

Suggested Cleric Domains: Forge (Xanathar's Guide to Everything), War

Suggested Paladin Oath: Conquest, Vengeance

The Lord of Blades is a warforged insurgent. He asserts that the warforged were created as tools and weapons, but now it is time for their former masters to reap the harvest they have sown. Some of his most devoted followers—who call themselves Blades—believe that there can be no peace between the warforged and creatures born of flesh and blood, and that there will come an apocalyptic reckoning between the two. They don't believe the Lord of Blades to be a god, but they do consider him to be a divine champion. There is a parallel here to the Becoming God, as the Blades believe the Lord of Blades is the vessel for the spirit of their people, the fulcrum of their destiny; the primary difference is that the followers of the Becoming God seek peaceful coexistence, while the Blades devotedly believe in both conquest and vengeance.

Due to the antagonism between Blades and creatures of other races, this path would be an unusual choice for a player character, unless the entire party of adventurers is comprised of warforged. However, it's possible a Blade paladin could be pursuing a sacred mission—perhaps searching for a particular artifact or the secret of how new warforged can be created—that requires them to find a way to peacefully work alongside creatures of flesh. Perhaps along the way, they will conclude that coexistence is possible.

While the Blades believe that conflict is inevitable, they aren't fools, and few are bloodthirsty or cruel. Most Blades are combat veterans with tactical experience, and know better than to simply attack every human they encounter; when they act, they strike strategic targets and have a plan of attack. At the moment, there are working toward acquiring strategic resources, developing weapons, and striking at those perpetrating injustice toward the warforged. They may make bloody examples of their enemies, but most acts of violence are carefully planned.

Aasimar
p76
Artist: Julio Azevedo
Artist: Julio Azevedo
Nara smiled as she faced the assembled fiends. "You're the ones who are outnumbered." Her spectral wings unfolded from beneath her cloak, rainbow feathers casting light across the chamber. "All of the champions of the Silver Flame are with me, and no evil can stand against our power."

Divine magic is usually the product of deep faith and unyielding conviction, but an aasimar has a direct tie to a source of divine power and receives guidance from a celestial entity. Usually, these gifts aren't hereditary, and you can't necessarily identify an aasimar in Eberron by their appearance; there is no single recognized trait that defines an aasimar, and no reliable way of producing one. While the existence of aasimar may seem to fly in the face of Eberron's distant gods, it's important to remember that an aasimar needs no direct connection to a deity. An aasimar draws power from a divine energy source, and their spiritual guide is a celestial being—an angel, a couatl, or similar spirit. The aasimar may be marked as a champion of the faith, but even they can't prove the existence of the Sovereigns.

Chapter 6 presents racial traits for aasimar of many faiths. As you create an aasimar character, consider these questions:

Faith. Aasimar are touched by divine power... but which divine power are you connected to? Are you blessed by one of the Sovereigns, or are you a living servant of the Undying Court?

Apperance. How does your aasimar nature manifest? Is it always obvious, or revealed by channeling celestial energy?

Devotion. While many aasimar become clerics or paladins, serving as champions of the force they're bound to, the gifts of an aasimar are innate powers that don't rely on faith. Are you a servant of the light, or do you resist this divine calling?

The Faiths and Aasimar section discusses these first two questions, providing details about your appearance and faith. But the question of devotion is entirely in your hands. Do you want to play a champion of the light, a devoted servant of a celestial being? Or do you want to explore the story of a rebel, someone called to a divine destiny but refusing to yield to it?

As a general rule, aasimar are so rare and diverse in their appearance and traits that you wouldn't be recognized by the common populace. However, most people devoted to a particular religion will recognize an aasimar associated with their faith when you manifest your divine gifts. Aasimar are usually seen as blessed beings by those who share your faith, and they will likely assume that you are a devoted servant of that faith called to serve a divine purpose. By contrast, people who don't share your faith may not recognize your nature; for example, few outsiders are familiar with the manifestations of a Blood of Vol aasimar.

Your celestial nature might draw you into schemes or danger. Authority figures tied to your faith may have their own plans for you. There could be prophecies you're expected to fulfill. Or you could be targeted by enemies you never knew you had; perhaps the Lords of Dust need the blood of a Sovereign aasimar to complete a ritual that's performed only once in a generation. In creating an aasimar character, discuss this with your DM. What is the story you want to tell? Do you want to have a greater purpose and destiny, or to clash with hidden cults? What appeals to you about playing an aasimar character?

Aasimar Origins
p77
Aasimar have an innate connection to a divine power and a celestial guide. But when and how did this manifest? Were you born an aasimar, or was the power thrust upon you? The Aasimar Origins table presents a few possibilities.

Faiths and Aasimar
As an aasimar, you're tied to a divine force... but which one? The Undying Court and the Silver Flame are both known sources of divine power, but they are quite different from one another. This section looks at the major religions of Eberron and how aasimar are typically tied to each faith, including common subraces and backgrounds for aasimar of that faith.

As you read, consider that as an aasimar in fifth edition, your celestial guide is one of your defining features, and their nature should be tied to the faith you're associated with. Work with your DM to establish the specific details of your guide using the information discussed in this section. Usually, spiritual guides only communicate through dreams and visions. Is this the case for you, or do you ever have more direct conversations with your guide? Does the guide make specific demands or assign you tasks, or are its pronouncements cryptic or vague? Is it testing you, or is it working to convince you to embrace your destiny? Are you the only aasimar tied to this celestial, or is it the patron of a group of aasimar—and if so, have you met any of the others?

The Blood of Vol
As an aasimar of the Blood of Vol, you weren't chosen by some distant angel; your power comes from within. The potential for divinity lies within you, and it is your own divine spark that guides you on the path toward ascension.

Apperance. Seeker aasimar appear human. Some have a pale, almost vampiric complexion, while others appear exceptionally vibrant and healthy. Your eyes often glow when channeling divine energy, and your energy manifestations are typically red or black.
Guide. Your guide is an aspect of yourself; think of it as the god you could become, working to guide you toward ascension. Guidance usually takes the form of instincts or visions; you can't converse with it directly. Is your guide primarily concerned with your own ascension? Or is it driven by the Seeker principles of protecting your community and opposing death?
Background. Seeker aasimar are exceptionally rare; even followers of the faith often don't recognize your true nature. If you focus on protecting the innocent, you might be a folk hero. If you're pursuing personal ascension, you could be a sage or a hermit. Or you could be an urchin or an outlander who found your divine spark while struggling to survive.
Subrace. As an aasimar of the Blood of Vol, use the Seeker aasimar subrace presented in chapter 6.
The Path of Light
Aasimar are rarely associated with the Path of Light, though the faith does have champions—the kalashtar—guided by otherworldly spirits. While anything is possible, the Path of Light has yet to produce aasimar.

Planetouched Aasimar
When you were born, you were imbued with a sliver of the immortal essence of an angel. Most likely this was an accident: you were conceived in a manifest zone at the precise moment the angel's physical form was destroyed, and while it reformed, a fragment of its spirit went into you. But it's also possible that the angel chose you to be its avatar or agent in the Material Plane. Either way, this spirit embodies the positive aspects of the concept of the plane (discussed at length in chapter 5), and it encourages you to embody that principle.

As a planetouched aasimar, your appearance is more exotic than most other aasimar. You have an alien aspect that reflects the plane and the angel you're tied to, and this becomes more dramatic when you manifest your abilities. Only scholars and sages might recognize you for what you are, while common folk will generally view you with curiosity.

The following planes are most likely to produce aasimar.

Daanvi. You're tied to an angel that embodies the concept of law in the service of justice. Your skin and hair have a metallic sheen, often copper or bronze, and your wings have the appearance of clever clockwork. Daanvi aasimar typically use the protector subrace. Your instincts drive you to fight for the greater good, but within the structure of the law; you're more likely to have the knight, soldier, or city watch background than to be a vigilante folk hero. Your guide could be a planetar—a judge on an inevitable tribunal, who urges you to enforce the law. Or you could be bound to one of the solars of the Panopticon, each bound to enforce justice within a particular plane. Hazariel, the Solar of Syrania, has exiled radiant idols to the Material Plane; perhaps it's concerned about the damage these fallen angels are doing on Eberron and is grooming you to deal with them.
Fernia. Your guide embodies the positive aspects of fire: the flame that provides light and warmth, driving back the darkness. Fernian aasimar typically have crimson skin, and eyes or hair that burn with cold flame. Use the variant Fernian aasimar provided in chapter 6. Your guide drives you to provide comfort to the frightened and to battle forces of darkness. Fernian aasimar are often sorcerers wielding elemental flame; the Divine Soul sorcerous origin is a good option to reflect your tie to your angel, or you can use the red dragon Draconic Bloodline origin, describing your features as angelic rather than draconic.
Irian. You're bound to an angel of light, a spirit that inspires hope and life. Your skin and hair have a luminous appearance and your wings are formed from pure light; when you cast the light cantrip, you can describe it as your body itself radiating light. Most Irian aasimar use the protector subrace. Your guide could be a lesser angel, or more unusually, you might be tied to one of the Architects of Irian. Araam, the Architect of the Refuge, would urge you to provide hope to the hopeless. The Gardener would inspire you to heal the injured and fight for life. The Dawn Empress would charge you to achieve your full potential and help others do the same. Any of these could also direct you to battle the forces of Mabar—life-draining undead and other dark forces. As a champion of hope, you might be a folk hero or a hermit. Prince Lorrister of the Lhazaar Principalities is an Irian aasimar who has risen to rule the principality he calls the Heavenly Fleet; if you're tied to Lorrister, you might be a sailor or a noble.
Mabar. You're connected to an angel that's trapped in Mabar and slowly being transformed by the plane's dark powers. Choose any other plane from this section; the angel is originally from that plane, and you have a generally similar appearance to other aasimar touched by that plane—but your colors are dull, as if the light is being leached away from you, and your eyes are pure darkness. Use the variant Mabaran aasimar provided in chapter 6. Your guide still inspires you to follow the principles of its plane of origin, but it's fighting against Mabar's overwhelming despair and a hunger to drain the light and life from mortal creatures; when you use your Consuming Touch, you're channeling this energy to your guide. Your guide might hope you can someday release it from Mabar, though no immortal has ever escaped its corruption before. Or it could simply encourage you to follow the general principles of its plane of origin—balanced against its growing hunger and despair. You might be an urchin or a hermit, haunted by visions of Mabar; or you could be a sage, seeking to unlock the secrets of the planes.
Shavarath. The angels of Shavarath are martial champions. Your skin and hair have the appearance of iron or steel. Shavaran aasimar generally use the protector subrace, and your wings are formed from knives. If your guide is from the Legion of Justice, it urges you to fight for a just cause; you might be a knight or a soldier. If your guide is tied to the Legion of Freedom, it urges you to battle all forms of tyranny and oppression, perhaps leading you to be a folk hero. This can be an interesting option for a Hexblade warlock; your guide has given you their celestial weapon, and it urges you into battle.
Artist: Dean Spencer
Artist: Dean Spencer
Syrania. You are tied to a dominion of Syrania. Each dominion has a particular domain, reflecting its area of influence and interest; is your dominion an angel of war? Of nature? Of commerce? What's its specialty within that broad domain? Syranian aasimar typically use the protector subrace, and have classic feathered wings; however, your appearance might reflect the domain of your guide in some way. Your guide will urge you to exemplify its domain—if it's the Angel of Swords, it will want you to master the sword! It also observes the world through your eyes, and it might send you to observe events or take actions tied to its domain.
Aasimar, Genasi, and Tieflings
What's the difference between a Fernian aasimar, tiefling, and genasi? They're all exotic humanoids touched by fire.

Aasimar are touched by the positive aspect of a plane, and have a direct connection to a celestial from that plane. A Fernian aasimar embodies the benevolent role of fire, the force that preserves life and holds darkness at bay. People who recognize such aasimar see them as blessed, and typically assume they will be benevolent beings.

Tieflings are touched by the malevolent aspects of a plane. The Fernian tiefling reflects the destructive and chaotic aspects of fire, and it's widely believed that fires can spontaneously start in their presence. When recognized, tieflings are seen as being cursed and dangerous.

Genasi aren't innately fiendish or celestial; they're purely elemental. While quite rare, when recognized, a genasi is generally understood to be neutral in nature—a remarkable mutation, but not something to be feared or celebrated.

The Silver Flame
p79
The Silver Flame is the most common source of aasimar in Eberron. Some believe that Tira Miron was an aasimar of the Silver Flame; it's likewise possible that all Keepers of the Silver Flame become aasimar when they assume their post. Most followers of the Flame have heard stories of champions with rainbow wings, and they will place their trust in you once your true nature is revealed.

Apperance. Typically, Flame aasimar appear entirely human until they reveal their rainbow-feathered wings. However, some Flame aasimar manifest other couatl traits, like having rainbow feathers instead of hair or serpentine eyes. There are rumors that there's an entire race of serpentpeople—the Shulassakar—devoted to the Silver Flame. The manifestations of a Flame aasimar's energy are either silverywhite or prismatic.
Guide. Typically, your guide is a couatl—one of the beings who first brought the Flame into existence. Another option is that you are in touch with the Voice of the Flame itself, the ascended spirit of Tira Miron. The primary purpose of the Flame is to protect the innocent from supernatural threats. Is this what your guide encourages you to do? Or do you have a greater purpose?
Background. If the church leaders are aware of a Flame aasimar, they are typically embraced by the church, and you could take the acolyte or soldier background to reflect this—choosing soldier if you're primarily a templar, acolyte if you're a friar. On the other hand, your spiritual guide could have reached out to you in spite of your having no prior ties to the faith; folk hero, urchin, or even criminal could work for this story.
Subrace. Flame aasimar use the protector aasimar subrace, manifesting rainbow-feathered wings reminiscent of the couatl. An aasimar corrupted by the Shadow in the Flame could shift to the fallen aasimar subrace.
Sovereigns and Six
Host aasimar are chosen by a particular Sovereign, or at least, by a celestial devoted to that Sovereign. As a Host aasimar, you are encouraged to act as an avatar of that Sovereign, embodying their virtues and inspiring the faithful. If you're an aasimar of Dol Arrah, be the most virtuous warrior possible. If you're an aasimar of Aureon, acquire knowledge and use it to guide others and strengthen civilization. Followers of the Host generally show respect to Sovereign aasimar, and may ask you for assistance.

Aasimar of the Dark Six are exceptionally rare, and may be better represented by tiefling statistics.

Apperance. Host aasimar typically appear fully human, usually conforming to the common image of the archetype the Sovereign embodies—the sturdy blacksmith for Onatar, the wise sage for Aureon, the weathered farmer for Arawai. Energy manifestations are typically golden light.
Guide. Your guide is a celestial devoted to the same Sovereign as you—typically an angel of Irian or Syrania. They will encourage you to embody the virtues of the Sovereign you represent. Do they have any deeper purpose for you?
Background. Host aasimar are chosen, not born, and they're usually chosen because they already embody the necessary virtues of the Sovereign. Common backgrounds might be that of a guild artisan for Onatar or Kol Korran, soldier or knight for Dol Dorn or Dol Arrah, sage for Aureon, outlander for Balinor, and criminal or charlatan for Olladra (though with a virtuous heart!)
Subrace. A Host aasimar might use a variety of subraces. Protector aasimar is a common option, but scourge aasimar is valid as well. An elf aasimar devoted to the Host could use the Court aasimar subrace provided in chapter 6, while an aasimar tied to Onatar could even use the Fernian variant.
The Undying Court
You have been chosen by one of the ascendant councilors of the Undying Court—one of your deathless elven ancestors—and imbued with a fraction of their power. You serve as their hands and eyes in the world beyond Aerenal, while proving your worth to ascend to the Court yourself.

Apperance. As an aasimar of the Undying Court, you physically resemble an Aereni elf. Most Aereni aasimar appear like normal elves, with luminous eyes and a general aura of health. However, you could have a desiccated appearance, similar to a mummy—even though you are still fully alive and healthy. Your energy manifestations are typically blue or violet.
Guide. Your spirit guide is one of the deathless councilors of the Undying Court, quite possibly one of your own distant ancestors. Do they want you to serve the general interests of Aerenal and the Undying Court, or have they recruited you as their personal agent? Do they want you to help in a struggle with a deathless rival, in pursuit of the Draconic Prophecy, or in a conflict over corruption within the court itself?
Elves don't dream, but your ancestor can speak to you when you trance. Your ancestor was once mortal themselves, and your relationship may be more direct and personal than the typical relationship between aasimar and guide.

Background. If you are a recognized agent of the Undying Court (or a member of the undead-fighting Deathguard), you could take the acolyte or soldier background, with its feature reflecting the authority you wield as an envoy of the Court. If you're a covert agent, you might be a spy or charlatan. The hermit background is a good choice if you were cloistered for many years before you were chosen by your guide, who revealed a great secret to you.
Subrace. As an Aereni aasimar, use the Court aasimar subrace presented in chapter 6 to reflect your elf nature.
Nonhuman Aasimar
Aasimar aren't limited to humanity. Flame aasimar appear among the Ghaash'kala orcs of the Demon Wastes, and Host aasimar could be born from any of the myriad followers of the Sovereigns. How does this work with a race whose traits assume human ancestry? As far as appearance, where an aasimar is described as "appearing human," you could instead say that they appear to be an orc, hobgoblin, or any other race. When it comes to racial traits, however, your nonhuman aasimar won't have any of the mechanical traits associated with your heritage. You can say that your aasimar appears to be a dwarf, but they won't have resistance to poison or the Stonecunning trait.

If it's important to you that your aasimar character feels like a member of another race including those racial traits, you can work with your DM to develop a subrace reflecting your heritage, much like the Court aasimar uses the subrace to give an aasimar core elf traits such as the ability to trance. But nothing comes for free; if you're gaining traits tied to another race, others need to be removed to balance their power. On the other hand, if you're satisfied with cosmetic changes—while you look like a dwarf, you're not actually resistant to poison—it's easy to use any subrace to represent aasimar of other races.