Common Knowledge

The information on this page is common knowledge for Citizens of The Five Nations. Other knowledge might be gained by a specialism, or by appropriate research. But the following is free information any person on the street would know. A more detailed version of this can be found in Chronicles of Eberron (CoE) p7.

Religion

• Gods don’t walk the world in Eberron, belief is a matter for faith
• The vast majority of Citizens believe in something although atheists and agnostics do exist.
  • Certainly the Last War has shaken the faith of many

The Creation Myth

• Everyone knows the basic creation Myth:
• Khyber, Eberron, and Siberys created the planes. Khyber killed Siberys and scattered his pieces in the sky, creating the Ring of Siberys. Eberron enfolded Khyber and became the world.
• Some believe this is a literal fact, others consider it a metaphor.
• Everyone knows Magic comes from Siberys, Nature comes from Eberron and fiends and other evil comes from Khyber

The Sovereign Host

For more info see The Sovereign Host and The Dark Six

• A major part of daily life, even non believers know the names and attributes of The Nine and The Six
  • Most celebrations are much like Xmas, you don’t have to believe to take part
  • The Six are mostly known by their titles, rather than their actual names.
• Followers are often called Vassals or Sovereigns

The Silver Flame

For more info see Church of the Silver Flame

• Bigger in some parts of the kingdom than others
• Everyone recognises the Flame as a force that binds demons and its Templars are known as soldiers who protect the innocent from Evil.
  • Opinions on the effectiveness and purity of this protection also varies
  • Trust in the Templars was undermined by The Last War
• The Flames teaching does not contradict The Sovereign Host and it is possible to follow both devoutly
  • “Arawai makes sure there’s rain for the crops, while Onatar watches over foundries. T\hat’s all great, but someone has to deal with the ghouls in the graveyard.”
  • Many Vassals believe that the Flame is actually just an aspect of Dol Arrahs light
• Those who follow the Flame, probably recognise the Couatls as divine servants of the Silver Flame
• The Silver Flame is a real, concrete source of celestial energy that can empower champions to fight evil. Noble souls strengthen the Flame after death, so be virtuous—and if you want to believe in higher beings beyond that, feel free. What’s important is to protect the innocent from supernatural evil, and faith in the Flame will help you to do that.

Blood of Vol

• Blood of Vol is the best known due to its role in Karrnath
  • Outside of that Nation, most people think its some kind of Death Cult

Druidic Groups

• Druidic groups are widely known to exist but most people think of them just as that “Druids”
  • Wardens of the Woods are well knows due to their link with the Eldeen Reaches

The Path of Light

• The Path of Light is only really known within Kalashtar communities

The Undying Court

• There is also a general consensus that the Elves of Aerenal (and Valenar) worship their ancestors

Mystical Forces

The Draconic Prophesy

• Most people have heard about the Prophesy, but no nothing about it aside from it being a prophesy
• If they do know something about it, its probably to do with the Caldyn Fragments, a small collection of pieces compiled by the Korranberg scholar Ohnal Caldyn.
• Most people do no know if its conditional nature, nor that it pertains to the release of the Overlords.

Dragons

• Everyone knows Dragons exist, and that they are powerful creatures
  • Nobody ever expects to meet a dragon
  • The idea of dragons secretly manipulating humanity is a conspiracy theory on par with our world’s idea that many world leaders are secretly reptilian aliens; there are certainly people who believe it, but sensible people don’t take it seriously. (For more information on this entirely preposterous theory that has absolutely no basis in reality you can look art Chapter 15 of CoE)
• Stories of dragons are plentiful and anyone from Thrane knows of the Bane of Thrane, the Dragon who killed Prince Thrane.
• Everyone knows that Argonnessen is a land of Dragon, but know nothing more that “here be dragons”
  • And that nobody who goes there ever comes back
  • A few might know that the Dragons occasionally attack Aerenal, and the Giants Xen’drik were destroyed in some kind of war with the dragons

Dragonmarks and Aberrant Dragonmarks

• Dragonmarks have been part of civilization for over a thousand years
• The Dragonmark houses provide major services and are part of every day life
• Everyone knows the names of Houses and the common 12 marks.
  • Nobody without a proficiency in History knows of the Mark of Death
• Common knowledge is that aberrant Dragonmarks are dangerous.
  • Such marks of often see as “Th touch of Khyber”
  • Without a proficiency in History, its also unlikely they know about the War of the Mark, aside from the fact that the Aberrants destroyed the original Sharn

Fey and Archfey

• Everyone knows that common fey exist, and are near manifest zones tied to Thelanis.
  • People tell fey stories, and also know that they have a basis in truth.
  • When they tell a story of the Forest Queen or the Lady in Shadow, they know they exist somewhere, even if they never expect to meet them in person
• Specific knowledge of the Fey might be more common in locations near to Thelanis manifest zones, or where there a traditions of making bargains with them.
  • Those from Aundair know more about the Fey than most other people of the Five Nations.
• Most people cant tell what a Fey is, so its not uncommon for Cultists making deals with other malevolent forces to think they are making a Fey deal.

Planes, Moons and Manifest Zones

• Everyone knows that names of the planes and their basic attributes
• They also know the names of the moons and that has a tie to a corresponding plane
  • There are those who believe in reading the moons to discover their fortune, much like astrology here.
• Everyone knows that the places have concrete effects on the world through Manifest Zones. and coterminous/remove phases.
  • Most know or can work out what these effects might be based on the plane a zone is linked to.

Supernatural Evil

• Everyone knows these exists and probably know a friend of a friend who has had direct contact with some form or another.
  • This is why even those who do not follow the Church of the Silver Flame respect its Templars.

Demon, Lords of Dust and Overlords

• Everyone know the Overlords were archfiends who dominated the world and the beginning of time, are now bound and would like to break free to destroy the world.
  • This has happened to Thrane mere centuries ago
• Most people know stories of the Overlords and know their titles. Knowing more would require a ability check.
• Very few people have heard of the Lords of Dust.
  • Most would know of troublesome shapeshifting demons and know they are a threat, but the idea of a massive fiendish conspiracy manipulating human civilization for thousands of years is as unbelievable as the idea of dragons doing the same thing.
  • If you had proof of someone who were actually a fiend or possessed by one, people would take it seriously.
• Most common fold wont differentiate between Devil Demon and Fiend. To them these are synonyms.
  • Nobody cares about your “party fact” that the “Demon Wastes” would be better named the “Fiend Wastes” even if it is more accurate, seriously George, stop reading those dusty books and get out more”

The Dreaming Dark and the Kalashtar

• Even Children know that when you dream you go to Dal Quor and “Demons give you bad dreams”.
  • Very few take the next step into believing that the demons are manipulating the world
  • People will listen to and believe individual and small scale threats
• The few people who have met and interacted with a Kalashtar would know they were oppressed, and driven from the continent known as Sarlona, nobody would ever link this to Dal Quor.
  • Its fairly common to know those from Sarlona, study mind magic but few know the difference between psionics and arcane or divine magic.

Khyber and Daelkyr

• Tied to the The Creation Myth everyone knows bad stuff comes from Khyber.
• No knowledge of demi planes is required to know that if you find a deep hold, there might be something bad at the bottom of it.
• Aberrations, fiends and Monstrosities are all lumped together and known to come from “The Dragon Below”
  • This is why most cults are just “Cults of the Dragon below”, even though a cult of Dyrrn the Corruptor has nothing in common with a cult of Sul Khatesh.
• If you have a proficiency in arcana or history you might have a general understanding of the difference between the Daelkyr and an Overlord, but most people dont even know the term Daelkyr, and are likely to mix them up with Overlords

General Information

Aerenal, the Undying Court

• Aerenal are an isolationist culture with little interest in sharing its traditions with others.
  • However they do trade with The Five Nations, and some immigration has taken place.
• Most people know that Aerenal is ruled by the Undying Court a group of ancient undead elves.
  • However they don’t know the difference between the Dealthless and other Undead.

TaIrnadal

• Most Citizens have never heard of the TaIrnadal
• They would assume that any TaIrnadal elf was from Valenar.
  • They know Valenar Elves are deadly warriors keen to fight, who worship their ancestors but they do know know details of Patrol Ancestors or Keepers of the Past.

The Aurum

• Nearly every has heard of The Aurum, its about as well know as Mensa is in our world.
• Aurum is generally seen as an exclusive fraternal order of extremely wealthy people.
  • Because it is exclusive and many of its members are minor local celebrities.
• There are plenty of conspiracy theories surrounding it and its aims, must more people think its a fancy members-only club.

Uncommon Ancestries

• Most people know that Lizard folk and Dragonborn come from Q’Barra, but don’t know that they are two different ancestries.
• Most people know Drow are from Xen’drik
• Tieflings are generally understood to be planetouched
• Aasimar and genasi are so fare that they wont be recognised by the general populous.
• Broadly the people of Khorvare are accepting of creatures from Ancestries they’ve never encountered.

The History of Xen’drik

• People know Xen’drik was once home to a civilisation of Giants, who most believe were destroyed in a war with Dragons.
• Many know that Elves were originally from Xen’drik and fled this destruction
• Without a history proficiency most people don’t know the name of any of the giant cultures, nor even that there was more than one.
• They certainly know nothing of Giants fighting Quori.
• The idea the arrogant Giants destroyed the 13th Moon is a common folktale, but the legend has many variants and few people consider it truth.

Goblins and the Empire of Dhakaan

• Everyone in The Five Nations knows that a Goblin Empire inhabited Khorvaire before humanity, but that it fell long ago
• Most people don’t know the name of this Empire, not what lead to its downfall
• People generally recognize Dhakaani ruins as goblin creations, and they know many of Khorvaire’s largest cities are built on goblin foundations.
  • A few fringe groups assert those ancient structures are clearly too sophisticated to be Goblin work and must’ve been built by some forgotten human civilization, but most people consider these stories as the ridiculous conspiracy theories they are—on par with the idea that shapeshifted dragons are secretly manipulating the world.
• Most Citizens ofThe Five Nations (and even some from Darguun don’t know the difference between the ancient Goblins and Modern ones.
  • If a modern Citizen met a Goblins from the original Dhakaani Empire (who for the sake of the argument we will pretend has been living in a secret underground civilisation for millennia, hiding and watching). They might think they are a bit strange, but assume they were just from Darguun

Shifters and Lycanthropes

• n the Five Nations, most people believe lycanthropes are cursed humanoids who become animals or hybrids, then prey on innocents, potentially spreading their curse (but are luckily vulnerable to silver).
• People know most lycanthropes were wiped out in the Silver Crusade (or Lycanthropic Purge), and for the most part, they believe this was a justified action against a serious threat.
• Shifters are often called “weretouched,” and most people believe shifters are distantly connected with lycanthropes.
  • Some even mistakenly believe shifters become aggressive when many moons are full.
• However, few believe that shifters can spread lycanthropy or that they’re sympathetic to lycanthropes.
  • Those negative stereotypes exist, especially in rural Aundair or places where people have never encountered shifters, but they’re uncommon.

Spies

• Most talk about spies would be around The Dark Lanterns or Royal Eyes of Aundair
  • These are known similarly to how we know of the CIA, MI5 or the KGB during the height of the Cold War.
• Most people have heard of the Trust and know its a secret police from Zilargo.
  • But know very little beyond that. nobody is overly concerned with Zil Spies
• House Phiarlan and House Thuranni, renowned for their entertainers are not generally viewed as spies.
  • The assertion that Phiarlan runs a spy network is like the idea that the Beatles worked for the MI6; not impossible, but also not a particularly credible theory.