T h e social s t r u c t u r e of K h o r v a i r e is often described as a great p y r a m i d . Built o n a wide base r e p r e s e n t i n g the c o m m o n l a b o r e r s , the p y r a m i d tapers quickly to the p i n n a c l e : the r u l i n g families of the Five Nations and o t h e r figures of equivalent political, economic, and social power.
As described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting (page 132), six out o f t e n people in the Five Nations belong to the c o m m o n class—farmers, laborers, and p o o r e r traders. T h r e e often belong to the middle class, a relatively new innovation in the social order, dominated by people who have earned enough money through trade and artifice to put themselves on a level with the nobles of older times. O n e person in ten belongs to the class of the truly wealthy, which includes m e r c h a n t barons and dragonmarked lords who rule empires of trade and commerce, as well as the kings and queens who rule nations.
Life for the common class is not much altered by the passage of centuries or the change of regimes. T h e people of Valenar experienced little change when r u l e r s h i p of t h e i r land passed from Cyre to the Valaes T a i r n ; they continued to work their farms, pay their taxes, and live and die very much as they had since the b e g i n n i n g of h u m a n settlement. Advances in both magical and m u n d a n e technology can make life easier for the common folk, but only after those advances become so widespread that people can afford to make use of them. T h e first h u m a n s to arrive in K h o r v a i r e from Sarlona brought iron tools with them, so even the fundamental technology of metalworking has changed little for the c o m m o n folk in all the centuries since.
In contrast, the middle class might be the locus oft he greatest change in society, technology, and economics in the history of E b e r r o n . Its very existence dates back only as far as the creation of Galifar. By t h e i r n a t u r e , the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses exerted a great deal of power in trade and com- merce from the m o m e n t t h e i r powers arose, and they b r o u g h t that power to bear in the political realm by l a u n c h i n g the War of the Mark fully five centuries before the reign of Galifar I. By the time of Galifar, the power of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses was such that the king was forced to recognize it—and indeed to c o u r t it in o r d e r to accomplish his bid to u n i t e the Five Nations. In some ways, the story of the f o r m a t i o n of Galifar and the b i r t h of the middle class r u n parallel, for with the emergence of a unified k i n g - dom, the wealth of the houses grew enormously, and an e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r of people associated with the houses gained a significant share of that wealth. By the early n i n t h century, the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses had grown to such i m p o r t a n c e that they had eclipsed the h e r e d i t a r y nobility of the Five Nations in all but n a m e .
Naturally, the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses were not the only ones to profit from the growing i m p o r t a n c e of trade and commerce. Merchant lords not associated with the houses have been slower to arrive in the halls of power, but by the middle of the Last War, such independents were solidly ensconced there alongside the d r a g o n m a r k e d heirs and lesser nobles. Today, while nobles retain status and power by virtue of their class, they must share that power with those who have earned it by virtue of their economic might.
T h e middle class has risen to its elevated position in society by r i d i n g on the back of magical and technological innovation. T h e manifold use of magic in the everyday life of K h o r v a i r e primarily benefits those who can afford to make use of it, or those who have near-exclusive c o m m a n d over the unique powers of the d r a g o n m a r k s . T h o u g h only a rare few members of the dragonmarked houses carry the actual marks that hold the magical power of the house, every m e m b e r benefits from the use of that power—particularly through innovations such as message stations, lightning rails, and elemental galleons. Such advances allow the houses not only to put their magical power to novel uses, but to create steady sources of new income.
T h e h e r e d i t a r y n o b l e s r e t a i n t h e i r status i n the u p p e r p a r t of the m i d d l e class by r e m a i n i n g useful. T h e y hold g r a n t s of l a n d bestowed by the r u l e r s of the Five N a t i o n s , a n d repay t h e m by g o v e r n i n g a n d
WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
K n o w l e d g e (arcana)D C 10: W i z a r d s , s o r c e r e r s , a n d a r t i f i - cers c o m m a n d respect wherever they go. Knowledge of m i n o r magic, such as t h a t possessed by m a g e w r i g h t s , is s u r e to i n c r e a s e one's status. K n o w l e d g e ( l o c a l )
D C 10 : Society and status varies greatly by r e g i o n . T h e Five Nations are o p e n and c o s m o p o l i t a n . In civilized soci- ety, laws protect m e m b e r s of all races and social classes equally.
D C 12: M o r e t h a n h a l f t h e p e o p l e of K h o r v a i r e a r e c o m m o n f a r m e r s , u n s k i l l e d l a b o r e r s , a n d t r a d e s f o l k who form the p o o r e c o n o m i c class. D C 13: T h e large m i d d l e class of K h o r -
vaire includes skilled l a b o r e r s , pros- p e r o u s t r a d e r s a n d s h o p o w n e r s , skilled a r t i s a n s , most nobility, low- level a d v e n t u r e r s , and some m e m b e r s of the d r a g o n m a r k e d houses. K n o w l e d g e ( n o b i l i t y a n d royalty) D C 10: T h e royal line of K i n g Galifar I
is the W y n a r n family.
D C 12: T h e d r a g o n m a r k e d houses c o m - m a n d g r e a t p r e s t i g e . T h e i r l e a d e r s are o n p a r with k i n g s a n d q u e e n s , while o t h e r m e m b e r s are solidly in the m i d d l e class.
D C 15: T h e three r e m a i n i n g monarchs— Aurala of Aundair, Boranel of Breland, and Kaius of Karrnath—are all m e m - bers of the Wynarn family, as are Diani of T h r a n e a n d O a r g e v , t h e l e a d e r of New C y r e . T h e families of these m o n a r c h s make up a large p a r t of the u p p e r class of K h o r v a i r e ' s society, and all of t h e m are i m p o r t a n t p o l i t i - cal forces.
D C 2 5 : T h e i n f a m o u s sky p i r a t e C a p - t a i n Lujaad, whose exploits are p u b - lished i n t h e c h e a p e r c h r o n i c l e s , is actually a n e p h e w of B r e l a n d ' s K i n g Boranel—much to the e m b a r r a s s m e n t of the royal family.
Knowledge ( r e l i g i o n )
D C 10: C h u r c h l e a d e r s are m e m b e r s of the m i d d l e class or u p p e r class. I n some areas, particularly T h r a n e , the c h u r c h has great political power, a n d its m e m b e r s a n d leaders claim h i g h e r status as a result.
p r o t e c t i n g the c o m m o n folk who live on t h e i r lands, paying taxes to the heads of state, and supplying t r o o p s to serve in t h e i r lord's a r m i e s .
If the guildmasters of Khorvaire—those associated with the d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e s and those who are not—forced t h e i r way i n t o the m i d d l e class a l o n g s i d e t h e h e r e d i t a r y nobility, the heads of the d r a g o n m a r k e d h o u s e s r o d e t h a t cresting wave to the highest positions, m a k i n g the d r a g o n - marked b a r o n s nearly equal to the r u l e r s of the l a n d .
T h o s e r u l e r s live w i t h i n a web of c o u r t i n t r i g u e and i n t e r n a t i o n a l espionage. T h e royal families of K h o r v a i r e ' s nations—even the r e m n a n t s of Cyre—are a major political force, t h e i r h o m e l a n d s as well as beyond t h e i r b o r d e r s . T h e siblings, c h i l d r e n , nieces, and nephews of the actual r u l e r s hold i m p o r t a n t posts in the g o v e r n m e n t s of K h o r v a i r e , and many of t h e m are heavily involved in t r y i n g to secure the t h r o n e for themselves or someone closer to t h e m t h a n the c u r r e n t r u l e r . Even in T h r a n e , where the m o n a r c h y has been replaced by the C h u r c h of the Silver Flame, Q u e e n D i a n i retains h e r title as a figurehead. She schemes b e h i n d the scenes to overthrow the theocracy and regain her place of power—if not for herself, t h e n for her c h i l d r e n .
THE PLACE Of ADVENTURERS
A d v e n t u r e r s possess a great deal m o r e wealth t h a n most of society. Low-level a d v e n t u r e r s are m i d d l e class, while those of m i d - l e v e l a n d h i g h e r fall i n t o t h e u p p e r class. T h e i r wealth and prowess can g r a n t t h e m political weight if they care to use it, and a d v e n t u r i n g puts one in touch with the individuals and o r g a n i z a t i o n s that shape the world. Society sees a d v e n t u r i n g as phenomenally dangerous but potentially r e w a r d i n g in equal m e a s u r e . A d v e n t u r e r s have a mystique that o t h e r s find e x h i l a r a t i n g , and t h e i r high mortality rate only makes those who survive seem m o r e heroic.
Personal politics can play a large role in an adventurer's life. T h e many n a t i o n s of m o d e r n K h o r v a i r e jostle in close proximity, vying for political, economic, and military supe- riority. A n a d v e n t u r e r can make powerful allies over the course of his career. However, m a k i n g an ally of someone usually involves m a k i n g an enemy of s o m e o n e else, and a d v e n t u r e r s inevitably wind up on the w r o n g side of certain individuals and o r g a n i z a t i o n s . Shrewd a d v e n t u r e r s m i n i - mize t h e i r political risks and maximize t h e i r gains.
LUJAAD IR'WYNARN. SKY PIRATE
Not all nobles are stuffy c o u r t i e r s who spend all day playing politics in the noble c o u r t s . Some r a n k l e at such dull lives and long for excitement. If they are lucky enough not to be too far up the line of succession, a few of t h e m even manage to o b t a i n it. Such was the case for Lujaad i r ' W y n a r n , twenty-eighth in line for the crown of B r e l a n d .Lujaad is the fifth child of K i n g Boranel's youngest sister. He was raised as p a r t of the extended royal family in
the c o u r t at Brokenblade Castle. A bright lad, he attended all the same classes and t r a i n i n g sessions as the king's chil- d r e n . In fact, he proved more capable t h a n most of them when it came to l e a d e r s h i p skills and m i l i t a r y strategy. As he came of age, Lujaad was g r o o m e d to take a p o s i t i o n in the u p p e r ranks of B r e l a n d ' s army, leading forces into what he hoped would be the decisive battles that b r o u g h t the Last War to an end with his Uncle B o r a n e l on the t h r o n e .
W h e n word of t h e T h r o n e h o l d A c c o r d s came to Brokenblade—along with word that K i n g B o r a n e l had been pivotal in b r o k e r i n g the peace—Lujaad became d e s p o n d e n t . Without the war, he lost every hope and d r e a m he had ever k n o w n . With no enemy to battle, he t u r n e d to a d v e n t u r i n g , s p e n d i n g more and more time in the wilds of X e n ' d r i k u n t i l one day his e x p e d i t i o n r e t u r n e d without h i m .
T h e royal family of B r e l a n d initially believed that Lujaad perished in the j u n g l e s of the wild c o n t i n e n t , but in fact he snuck away from his e n t o u r a g e , m a k i n g his way to a tiny coastal town populated almost entirely by m e r c e n a r i e s and pirates. Lujaad signed on with the crew of a pirate a i r - ship and began working his way up the r a n k s .
Now, just a fewyears later, Lujaad has secured a Lyrandar airship of his own, with as loyal and skilled a crew as any in the skies or on the sea. They obey the laws of honorable war- fare, only targeting rich m e r c h a n t ships or noble ships, and never kill unless absolutely necessary. In fact, "The Exploits of C a p t a i n Lujaad and His Valiant Crew" are developing quite a following a m o n g the readers of the several chronicles p r i n t i n g them—to the e m b a r r a s s m e n t of K i n g Boranel.
SWASHBUCKLERS
Swashbucklers (described i n Complete Warrior) are quite common in Khorvaire, particularly in the major cities of the former Five Nations. T h e swashbuckler's emphasis on quick swordplay and light armor perfectly suits Khorvaire's
sophisticated culture, although combatants in the Last War practiced heavier combat styles. Swashbucklers served as offi- cers in the Last War, or else avoided the peril of war on the front lines by serving in home guard units in major cities.