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
A Dragonmarked character bares a Symbol brightly etched onto the skin generally manifesting at adolescence.
These Marks enhance the bearers ability to perform certain tasks
The Dragonmarked characters are only born from a single bloodline within Khorvaire.
These Bloodlines have formed houses within the Five Nations who claim political neutrality, but still wield exceptional power with the corporate monopolies their marks grant.
Heirs to the Houses who bear the Dragonmarks may add d’ to their title, and are band from holding land, titles or maintaining military forces.
Dragon Marked Characters outside of the Houses
Although relatively rare Dragonmarked Characters do exist outside of the Houses
These Characters are still held to the Korth Edicts and are banned from Titles, Land and Military forces. However, a character holding the Mark in Secret might still acquire these.
Those who choose to remain outside the house are called “Foundlings”
Unknown Bloodlines
Sometimes an offshoot to a House Bloodline is found through a Dragonmarks unexpected manifestation.
If the Marks House finds out about this person they will likely do their best to bring the bearer, and their family into the house.
Although a House will likely do everything they can legally (and maybe flirting with illegal actions) to bring a Marked Person into the house, they will not and cannot force them to do so.
The Lost Causes
Some find that life in the House is not suited to their personalities and choose to leave on peaceful terms with the House.
Much like a newly discovered bloodline a House will likely do everything they can legally (and maybe flirting with illegal actions) to keep a Marked Person into the house, they will not and cannot force them to do so.
The Lost are forbidden by law from using house IP or patterns, but some user their natural talent to create their own.
The Houses hate this, and will do their best to create their own better IP, or steal, cheat and otherwise end this perceived transgression.
Although not shunned and hunted like an Excoriate they are still looked down upon by Scions of the House.
Many will go out of their way to end the profitability of any Lost in the same line of business as the house by any means possible.
Excoriates
Sometimes the Houses find it necessary to cut off members of the bloodline.
Few Excoriates survive their excoriation. Most have committed an act which draws the death penalty from the nations, others seemingly meet untimely accidents shortly after, this is almost certainly a coincidence.
It is an open secret that the houses consider their IP sacrosanct, and any who attempt to leak them or exit the House with them will likely be silenced, though one way or another.
Very few Excoriates roam the land freely and un-hunted.