House Lyrandar

**House Lyrandar** is a half-elven dragonmarked house throughout Khorvaire with its enclave located on Stormhome an island city-state just north of Aundair.

As is common among other dragonmarked houses, Lyrandar is led by a baron (patriarch or matriarch). Some in the house refer to the baron as "Firstborn", believing that Lyran and Selavash, the ancient ancestors of House Lyrandar and the spiritual ancestors of the Khoravar race, speak through that individual.

*"Sovereigns and firstborn, grant me the four blessings promised to our people; dominion over the air, dominion over the water, fortune for my family, and fortune for my future"* - From the Oath of Lyrandar

### Dragonmark

House Lyrandar possesses the Mark of Storm. This mark grants various magical benefits that allow its bearers to control winds and waves.

**3.5 Edition:** In the Eberron Campaign Setting (page 66) the Mark of Storm can be taken as a feat for player characters. In its least form it grants the player the ability to cast; *Endure Elements, Fog Cloud* or *Gust of Wind.* Additionally the character receives a +2 on balance checks. In its lesser form it grants the ability to cast; *Sleet Storm, Wind's Favor* or *Wind Wall.* In its greater form it grants the ability to cast; *Control Winds* or *Control Weather.*

**4th Edition:**In the 4th edition Eberron Player's Guide (page 91) the Mark of Storm can be taken as a feat that grants the player bonuses to fly speeds and lightning and thunder attacks. Additionally the character masters the *Endure Elements, Enhance Vessel, Summon Winds* and *Water Walk* rituals.

## History

Although there are not historical records of the beginnings of the house, Lyrandar is said to have begun around 2000 years ago, six centuries after legends hold that the elves first migrated to Khorvaire from Aerenal where some mixed with humans to create the first Khoravar. Lyran and Selavash were the first of the Khoravar to develop the Mark of Storm.

### Last War

At the beginning of the Last War, House Lyrandar was significantly weaker than they are today. Most transport, including military transport (troops and supplies), were carried over land, and Orien with their caravans and trade routes, not to mention the lightning rail, were the carrier of choice for every nation and faction.

Lyrandar, in the early years of the war, made their money primarily in the field of weather manipulation: clearing rainy and muddy regions so troops could pass, using weather to make trade routes impassable (especially if they were Orien trade routes), helping regions in need of a good growing season because of enemy food raids, and whatever else the paying client needed; though Lyrandar were always careful not to violate the neutrality demanded by the Korth Edicts.

Orien's trade routes deteriorated as the war went on, and House Lyrandar was there to take up the slack with a fleets of galleons to ship for clients via sea. They also sold ships to clients who could afford them.

House Lyrandar also provided Stormhome as a safe refuge and meeting place for spies.

#### End of the War

Everything changed in 990 YK when, with the aid of Zil gnomes and House Cannith, House Lyrandar produced the first elemental airships. Lyrandar, no longer limited to the seas, could carry troops and supplies across land faster than Orien could hope to do, and the House of the Kraken began to completely dominate the transport industry.

Though they would carry supplies and transport troops for client-nations, but would not use the airships in combat so as not to violate their neutrality. They would, however, sell airships to nations willing to pay for them, though because of the price of the vessels, there was never a brisk trade in airships.

### Post-War

Unlike some houses, such as Orien and Cannith, who suffered huge losses during the war, Lyrandar completed the war without incurring much loss. And unlike some houses, like Jorasco, Lyrandar's has not suffered much in the way of political backlash for the money they made during the war.

Instead, the nations they served largely credit them with providing weather for crops and preventing droughts, and their airships for giving the post-war economic boost necessary for the five nations to rebuild. Lyrandar's status is now arguably higher than it has ever been, and the future looks bright.

Their relations with certain other dragonmarked houses is not as rosy. Orien, their main competitor, still reeling from the devastation they suffered during the war, and particularly on the Day of Mourning, when they lost thousands of miles of lightning rail lines and the enormous transfer hub at Metrol, are increasingly angered by Lyrandar's encroachment onto what they view as their territory. House Cannith, who provided the initial design work for the airships, feels that it deserves greater compensation and wants a percentage for all airships sold. But while Lyrandar negotiates with these houses, their power and prestige continue to grow with the general populace.

## Family Names

There are a number of cadet branches within Lyrandar that are part of the greater house. They include:

* Sela (Largest, named after Selavash)
* Enkiliost (Obscure)

## Notable Members

 File:Lyra.jpg
* Baron Esravash d'Lyrandar
* Alistair d'Lyrandar
* Arnoth d'Lyrandar
* Arrimrath d’Lyrandar
* Ashaya d'Lyrandar
* Calynden d'Lyrandar
* Dantian d'Lyrandar
* Gaven d'Lyrandar
* Jordhan d'Lyrandar
* Lazrea d'Lyrandar
* Mazzia d'Lyrandar
* Nicolette d'Lyrandar
* Shyralla d' Lyrandar
* Solia d'Lyrandar
* Taelyn d'Lyrandar
* Thordren d'Lyrandar
* Torval Enkiliost
* Vennet d'Lyrandar
* Yarrick d'Lyrandar
* Gavrin Sela d’Lyrandar
* Gavrin Sela d’Lyrandar II

## Joining House Lyrandar

House Lyrandar is perceived to be a haven for the Khoravar and its viceroys actively encourages them to join the house's guilds. Khoravar who show exceptional skill can be adopted into the house. It is absolutely essential to be Khoravar to join House Lyrandar whether through a blood-line, marriage or adoption. Lyrandar are quite lenient when it comes to the joining their guilds as all races are welcome though, they face discrimination as they are excluded from ever holding high office. Lyrandar heirs are strongly discouraged from marrying outside the Khoravar race, doing so was formerly a crime, the punishment being excoriation. Low ranking members of Lyrandar are often aristocrats, experts and magewrights. While the more higher ranked members are more likely to be bards, rogues or swashbucklers or wizards. Alternatively members of the Rain Callers and Sela's Path are more likely to be clerics, adepts or druids. Over the course of the last century, a number of heirs have become artificers, seeking to reduce Lyrandar's dependence on House Cannith's ability to bind elementals to their vessels.

## Relations

**House Orien:** Most members of House Orien are unfriendly towards those of Lyrandar as the airship threatens to damage Orien's land based transport industry.

## Key Locations

* Stormhome
* Rhukaan Draal
* Taer Valaestas

Lyrandar maintain smaller offices and docks in other towns and ports across Khorvaire, they also hold additional lands in Valenar, in violation of the Korth Edicts. House Lyrandar also have enclaves in Sharn, Korth, Flamekeep, Wroat, Korranberg, Rekkenmark, Stormreach, Trolanport, Thaliost and Zarash'ak.

## Guilds & Organizations

The Raincallers Guild provides weather management, while the Windwrights Guild is one of the largest air and sea shipping and transit businesses in Khorvaire.

**3.5 Edition**

* Typical House Lyrandar Windwright: Eberron Campaign Setting p.235
* Taelyn d'Lyrandar: Dragonmarked p.52

**4th edition**

* Storm Front Cultist: Eberron Campaign Guide p.221

## Game Ideas

* The sailors of the House of Storm have traveled farther and seen more of the world than most others in Eberron, visiting even the most forbidden and hidden places of the globe. Does House Lyrandar have secret facilities on islands around the world? The island of Selavashar, may be a hidden facility run by Lyran's Gift. What mad magical experiments might be performed there?

* The House was until recently largely blocked from trade in Stormreach. Does Lyrandar have a secret settlement on the dark continent?

* Storm Front believes in using the Mark of Storm to take control of the world by force and destruction. Does Calynden d'Lyrandar believe he is the true heir of Lyran and Selavash and have plans to wrest control of the House from Esravash by beginning the conquest in Stormreach?

## References

* ***Eberron Campaign Setting***.

Keith Baker, Bill Slavicsek, and James Wyatt (2004). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3274-0.

* ***Dragonmarked***.

Keith Baker, Ari Marmell, Michelle Lyons and C.A. Suleiman (2006). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3933-8.

* ***The Forge of War***.

James Wyatt, Wolfgang Baur, Ari Marmell (2007). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-4153-7.

* ***City of Stormreach***.

Keith Baker, Nicolas Logue, James "Grim" Desborough, C.A. Suleiman (2008). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-4803-5.

* ***Eberron Campaign Guide***.

James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4.

* ***Eberron Player's Guide***.

David Noonan, Ari Marmell, and Robert J. Schwalb (2009). Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-5100-1.

Aberrant Marks (House Tarkanan) · Mark of Death (House Vol)