====== Prophétie Draconique ====== {{:prophetie.jpg}} **The Prophétie Draconique** is a record of things to come that has been playing out since creation. The [[Dragons]] of [[Argonnessen]] observe and record everything from the position of the Lunes and stars, to the position of the [[Anneau de Siberys]] to physical manifestations of [[dracomarques]] in the world, all of which they study looking for portents and omens of things to come. The prophecy encompasses many many volumes and is said to be as complex and unfathomable as the [[Dragons]] themselves. A few among the scholarly study snippets of the massive work, but only the [[Dragons]] with their incredibly long lifespan, the [[Elfes]] of [[Aérénal]], and the immortal [[Rakshasa]] have the ability and patience to see the prophecy for what it truly is. Recently [[dracomarques]] have formed on the so-called lesser races. Although the [[Dragons]] are divided as to what this might mean, they are no less interested in studying the new bearers of the Prophétie Draconique. It is unknown what the Prophétie Draconique's nature is. Some argue it is a revelation of the end of the world, others of a new beginning. Whatever the means it is obvious that the prophecy points towards the transformation of the world as we know it. ---- **The Prophétie Draconique** \\ //By Keith Baker// //The scrying pool was a mirror of the sky, and the glittering Anneau de Siberys stretched across its surface. Tielanthraxa whispered and the image grew, moving closer and closer until she could see the individual stones that made up a particular section of the ring. The shards were silhouetted against the lunar sphere of Rhaan, and the image was unmistakable: Khyber's Claw, surrounded by the light of the crimson moon.// //The dragon hissed in frustration. For days, she had watched the signs appear in the heavens, cross-referencing the omens with the Codex of Alaraxus and the movement of smoke and water. This was the final piece in the puzzle. The Lord of Fire would rise again in the City of Illusions, and only three could return him to his prison: the child of storms, the shaper of steel, and the hand of Le Geolier. Tonight she would head to Khorvaire; tomorrow she would begin the search for her soldiers of destiny.// The most ancient legend is the tale of the three Premiers Dragons: Khyber, Eberron, and Siberys. Some say that Khyber slew Siberys, only to be bound by Eberron; the three dragons became the world (Eberron), the darkness within (Khyber), and the ring in the sky (Siberys). Most people are familiar with this legend; most religions Communly accept it, with other deities and powers rising in the age that followed. But few tales explain the reason behind the legend. Some scholars say that Khyber and Siberys learned of a secret tied to the fate of the universe itself, and that they fought to control this power. No Humain knows the truth of this legend. But the dragons of Argonnessen are far older than Humainity. They are the true children of Siberys, and they have devoted tens of thousands of years to studying the ancient mystery – the Prophétie Draconique. While the Prophecy illuminates the future, it rarely presents a single path. Take the example at the beginning of this article. After considering various signs, the sage Tielanthraxa concludes that "The Lord of Fire will rise again in the Les Désolations Démoniaques, and only three can return him to his prison." Only three people can defeat the demon described in this piece of the Prophecy. However, the Prophecy doesn't say whether they SHOULD defeat the demon – only that they can. Most dragon scholars collect this knowledge but do not act upon it; the elders believe that the purpose of the Draconique race is to chronicle the Prophecy. The younger dragons of the Chambre wish to shape the future, but they don't always agree on the path it should take. As a result, one faction within the Chambre may try to guide the three destined warriors in the defeat of the demon. Another may work to handicap the three; these wyrms have unearthed a different passage in the Prophecy that ties to the demon, and the dragons want the fiend to remain free until this prediction has come to pass. Neither faction cares about the demon, or for that matter the warriors; the main questions are who controls the future and whose interpretation will become fact. This allows the DM some latitude when using the Prophecy to drive a storyline. According to the Prophecy, the player characters are the only people who can defeat this rakshasa rajah. But this particular example doesn't say exactly how or when they will defeat it. This sets the wheels of adventure in motion – but leaves room for interpretation and failure. If the party fails in their first attempt, they'll simply have to try to come up with a new approach. Perhaps they can't beat it alone – but they can play a key role in uniting the Église de la Flamme d'Argent and the paladins of Dol Arrah against this Commun foe. The DM must decide how detailed the relevant section of the Prophecy is – which in turn determines how creative the party can be while still fulfilling the needs of destiny. **Pieces of the Prophecy** No character – or Dungeon Master – will ever find a complete text of the Prophétie Draconique. Through interaction with the Serens and dragons themselves, sages have learned that the dragons do have dragonshard texts recording pieces of the Prophecy, the most notable of which are the //Codex of Alaraxus// and the //Talash Siberys//. However, to a large degree, these are accounts of events that have already come to pass or incomplete fragments that are useless on their own. The keys to completing these fragments are written on the world. The Prophecy unfolds in the sky – in the movement of stars and shards. It reveals itself in the depths, when strangel markings are found on the walls of Chambres untouched by any living creature. And these are simply the most obvious signs. A dragon sage may draw inspiration from the whispering wind, the patterns of an avalanche, or the shifting sands of a desert. The level of complexity is almost unfathomable to the Humain mind, and even for a wise and cunning dragon it takes centuries to learn to read these signs. Over the past three thousand years, the Prophecy has found a new canvas: the inhabitants of Khorvaire. The Marques du Dragon resemble the designs that previously appeared only in bones of the world: on cavern walls and ocean reefs. Dragon sages have devoted millennia to determining the meaning of these manifestations. Some believe that each house has a role to play in the Prophecy, while others see each Marqué par le Dragon individual as representing a specific variable. A member of the Chambre who is attempting to enact a particular passage of the Prophecy may feel that a reference to "Storm" requires the involvement of all Maison Lyrandar, any member of Maison Lyrandar, or to a particular heir of the house, whom he has identified as the "Child of Storms." Player characters may encounter pieces of the Prophecy in a variety of forms. **Translated Text: **The party receives an intact (though undoubtedly cryptic) section of the Prophecy. A member of the Chambre may relate a specific passage to the party to justify her actions. A character could intercept a scroll being transported by a Seren courier – who might be killed by Aereni spies, agents of the Seigneurs Des Cendres, or even opposing members of the Chambre. In this situation, interpretation of the Prophecy could be critical to survival. **Landmarks:** Before the first Marques du Dragon ever appeared on living beings, they appeared on the land itself. A mark could be carved into a cavern wall, a coral pattern shaped as a mark could form on the ocean floor, or the path of a twisting river could form a mark. These marks appear only at certain times and become visible only under the light of a certain conjunction of Lunes; a mark might even appear in a lava flow that lasts for only a few hours. These landmarks are complex patterns that resemble the Marques du Dragon found on living creatures. Interpreting the general meaning of such a mark requires knowledge of Draconique and a successful DC 30 Knowledge (arcana) check. However, the deeper meaning can be understood only when it is placed in context with the geographic location of the mark, its relationship to the Lunes and the Anneau de Siberys, and the lore collected by the seers of Argonnessen over the course of eons. When an adventure involves a landmark, the goal is rarely to translate it. Instead, the challenge will be finding the mark, duplicating it or moving it, and quite possibly destroying it before it can fall into enemy hands. **Living Prophecy:** While any player character may have a role to play in the Prophecy, characters with Marques du Dragon are integrally tied to it. By simply moving around the world, a Marqué par le Dragon character is serving as a living parchment. Whenever he meets another Marqué par le Dragon character, that interaction may have oracular significance. As a result, the Chambre could stage elaborate scenarios just to get two Marqué par le Dragon characters in a particular location at the same time. This is especially relevant if the party has a recurring villain or rival with a Marque Du Dragon – perhaps an unknown destiny links hero and villain together. **False Prophecy:** The Seigneurs Des Cendres despise the dragons of Argonnessen, and they have had tens of thousands of years to scheme. A cunning fiend may create a false passage of the Prophecy. While an elder wyrm might see through the deception, a naïve younger member of the Chambre could be led astray, and a party of adventurers could be caught up in this treachery. **The Shapers** Many scholars have heard of the Prophétie Draconique, but many believe it of interest only to the dragons – that only the seers of Argonnessen can decipher its many twists and turns. In fact, a number of different groups are watching the Prophecy, and any of these could be the driving force behind an adventure. **The Chambre: **These dragons are the most active agents of prophecy. The members of the Chambre are determined to bring the events of the Prophecy to fruition – even if this takes eons to accomplish. However, different factions within the Chambre may support different interpretations of a given section – and a party of adventurers could be caught between these warring wyrms. Likewise, the Chambre has little regard for Humain life: Members of the Commun races are simply tools that the dragons are required to use. As a result, a Chambre patron may assist the party one day and send them into a death trap the next. The Chambre has emerged only recently. Few of its members are over 600 years old, and most are considerably younger. Bronze, silver, and gold dragons are the most Commun agents, since the alternate form power allows these dragons to move among Humains unseen, but other dragons can use //polymorph// to accomplish the same effect. The Chambre also operates through Seren agents or employs members of other races – so not every Chambre operative will turn out to be a dragon. **The Elder Wyrms of Argonnessen:** As a rule, the great wyrms of Argonnessen believe that dragons should record the outcome of the Prophecy. They willingly let the children of the Chambre push the future in one direction or another – but if they feel that any force is truly placing the outcome of the Prophecy in jeopardy, they act decisively and with terrible force. While the elders may act directly, they also make use of Seren agents and observers. **La Cour Éternelle:** The Éternel Elfes of La Cour Éternelle are among the only beings old enough and wise enough to decipher the Prophétie Draconique. What remains unclear is whether the Elfes wish to use the Prophecy for their own ends – or to destroy it to cripple the destiny of the dragons. This is thought to be the cause of the perennial conflicts between the dragons and Aérénal. **The Seigneurs Des Cendres:** These immortal fiends are the oldest beings on Khorvaire. The ancient dragons defeated the rakshasa rajahs, and the remaining Seigneurs Des Cendres enjoy nothing more than interfering with the descendants of their enemies. **Independents: **Vent-de-feu the sphinx (//Sharn: Cité des Tours, //page 72)and Sora Teraza (//Eberron Campaign Setting//, page 166) may reveal pieces of the Prophétie Draconique to party members, setting them on a particular path. Powerful wizards like Mordain le Tisseur de Chair (//Eberron Campaign Setting//, page 167) or Erandis de Vol(//Eberron Campaign Setting//, page 186) could uncover specific fragments of the Prophecy relating to their plans. In particular, Vol could be working with rogue elements of the Chambre in her quest to restore the Marque de la Mort. ====== USING THE PROPHECY ====== A strange pattern appears on the wall of a deep cavern—a spiraling series of lines, vaguely reminiscent of Draconique characters.\\ A child is born to two full_blooded members of Maison Bombardier, but even at birth she bears an aberrant Marque Du Dragon.\\ The moon Aryth eclipses Lharvion at the precise moment that the plane Thélanis becomes Limitrophe with Eberron.\\ When a dragon sage gathers all these facts, she nods. With a few words, she records her conclusions in the Fragment Bibliothécaire that lies before her. One more path to the future—one more piece of the Prophétie Draconique—has been revealed.\\ The Prophecy is a core element of the EBERRON campaign setting. Dragon and fiend battle over its outcome. It might call for a reluctant adventurer to take on the mantle of hero—or it might warn of dire consequences if adventurers slay a hated foe.\\ But what is the Prophétie Draconique? And what are effective ways to use it in a campaign? ===== Source and Purpose ===== None can question the power of the Prophétie Draconique. Its power as a tool of divination has been proven time and again. But philosophers and sages—Humain and dragon, celestial and fiend—have long debated the source of its power. How can the paths of the future be mapped out on stone and sky? Is this proof of divine intervention… or does such a concrete cosmic plan defy the existence of free_willed gods?\\ Tens of thousands of years of debate and divination have produced no clear answers. Here are a few of the popular theories; only the DM can decide if any of these are true.\\ • The Prophecy is a reflection of the ongoing struggle between Khyber and Eberron. The Progenitors shaped reality at the beginning of time, and the Prophecy reflects their divergent desires for their creation. This is the central belief of the dragon religion Thir.\\ • The Prophecy is the work of the dragon deity Chronepsis, master of fate. The core doctrine of Thir says that Chronepsis is the scribe of the Progenitors. However, certain dragons believe that Chronepsis alone chooses the path of the Prophecy.\\ • The Prophecy is the creation of Aureon, Sovereign of Law and Lore. This is the popular theory of followers of the Légion Souveraine. The doctrine of Thir acknowledges Aureon—Ourelonastrix—as the first prophet, but not as the creator of the Prophecy.\\ • The Prophecy is a divine force, not unlike the Flamme d'Argent. It draws its power from all living beings. It is shaped by their desires, and it channels their wants. This is how it can predict the future, because it influences people to act in accordance with its predictions.\\ • Each of the thirteen Outer Planes has an underlying consciousness. Eberron is where the planes converge, and the Prophecy is the result of the debate between these planar voices.\\ • The Prophecy is the ultimate source of magical energy. Magic has the power to reshape reality, and the Prophétie Draconique is the ultimate expression of this. Even those who agree on the nature of the Prophecy argue about its purpose. For much of the history of Argonnessen, the followers of Thir have held to the belief that the Prophecy is the record of creation, and that the purpose of the dragons is to watch and record until creation runs its course. This means they can prevent others from tampering with the course of destiny, but should not manipulate it themselves.\\ The dragons of [[the_Chambre|the Chambre]] counter that Ourelonastrix and Hezcalipa used their knowledge of the Prophecy to defeat the Maîtres Démoniaques in the Age of Démon. These dragons claim that the Prophecy is a tool, a gift to allow those wise enough to read it some control over the future. In their view, dragons should be on guard against other forces who seek to control this power. The Seigneurs Des Cendres have always sought to use the Prophecy as a weapon against their foes. The elves of La Cour Éternelle have unraveled many of its mysteries. Now, some among the lesser nondragons seek to use the Prophecy as a tool, if they can only master its secrets.\\ Ultimately, the Dungeon Master must decide if mortals are meant to tamper with the Prophecy. The consequences of this decision are explored below. ===== The Nature of The Prophecy ===== The Prophétie Draconique has existed since the dawn of time. Dragons and Démon have sought its power. But what is the Prophecy? What form does it take? How can people fight over its outcome? And how can an infallible prophecy work in a game that is, ultimately, defined by player choices?\\ The key is that the Prophétie Draconique is a living thing. It has never been fully recorded because it is constantly growing and evolving. The Prophecy is a map showing many paths that the future might take, and revealing dependencies. Consider the following:\\ If the King of Brelandeis assassinated on the day of the Gargouille’s first victory, there will be war in the west. If there is war between [[droaam|Droaam]] and [[Brelande|Brelande]], and if the last child of the storm faces the three daughters, the first hag will return.\\ This is the nature of the Prophecy. It is a web that is constantly unfolding, and the future is formed by threads from thousands of evolving events. This is how the Chambre and the Seigneurs Des Cendres use the Prophecy as a weapon. Find an outcome you desire, then trace back the path of events that will make it happen. If the Seigneurs Des Cendres want Sora Kell to return, they must see to it that Roi Boranel is slain on the same day that Carralag the Gargouille wins La Course des Huit Vents in Sharn. This will lead to war… and that paves the way for the next convergence they wish to control. Meanwhile, if the Chambre can prevent Carralag’s victory or Boranel’s death, it has staved off this fate … though it might have set another path in motion. This is the trick to dealing with the Seigneurs Des Cendres and the Chambre; both groups are often working toward long_term goals that can’t even be seen without the use of the Prophecy. The Chambre might help stop a massacre, or it might cause a massacre—in either case the dragons care nothing about the victims. They are concerned only with the chain of events that are set in motion, and it might take years, decades, or longer for matters to play out. ===== Form of the Prophecy ===== Typically, adventurers encounter the Prophecy in one of three ways.\\ **Signs and Portents:** A convergence of Lunes and planes. A symbol revealed by an earthquake. Three Héritier des Dragonss slain by fire. These are some of the ways in which the Prophecy is made manifest. But taken alone, none of these manifestations have meaning. It’s like glancing at tea leaves or seeing two crows on a dead oak tree—without proper training, the omen cannot be interpreted. And the Prophétie Draconique is far more complex than tea leaves or tarot cards. In the examples given above, all three of the events could be linked together. Moon, rune, and deaths are all pieces of the puzzle, and knowledge of past events might be just as crucial to success. Most creatures require decades to learn to interpret the simplest signs of the Prophecy,\\ and it takes centuries to truly understand it. Even among the long_lived dragons, few have the patience and intelligence required to become true prophets. As such, adventurers rarely find a piece of the Prophecy that they can interpret on their own; instead, they need to find someone who can help them understand its meaning.\\ In the past, the symbols that appeared on the earth were called Marques du Dragon. These days, they are usually called Prophecy marks. The design of these marks is quite similar to those found on flesh, but every mark is different; each line has meaning to one who knows how to read them. If a character who speaks Draconique makes a DC 30 Spellcraft check, she gains a hint about the meaning of a mark, to a maximum of five words. For example, she might recognize the concepts of “king,” “victory,” and “moving stone.” Although interesting, this hint rarely provides full meaning, and might actually be misleading.\\ A small Prophecy mark might be the size of a Humain fist. The largest marks are so big that they can be seen properly only from a great height. All marks radiate a strong aura of universal magic and occasionally shimmer with a blue_green radiance similar to the color of Marques du Dragon. Prophecy marks slowly repair themselves if damaged. It’s possible to remove a small mark whole, but if a mark is simply damaged, it eventually re_forms.\\ The true nature of Prophecy marks is as mysterious as the Prophecy itself. In Xen’drik, explorers have found Machine Occultes from the Âge des Géants that seem to use Prophecy marks as a source of power, and many forces in Khorvaire—notably [[house_bombardier|Maison Bombardier]], [[the_twelve|Les Douzes]], and the Élémentaire binders of Zilargo—are working to unlock this secret.\\ **Translations:** A Prophecy mark on a cavern wall won’t provide much insight into the Prophecy. The personal notes of a dragon scholar who has spent centuries collecting pieces of the Prophecy? That’s another matter. The challenge for Humains is that dragons typically use Fragment Bibliothécaires (ECS 265) to record knowledge. A [[Fragment Bibliothécaire|Fragment Bibliothécaire]] formed for a dragon is the size of a small boulder. Some dragons prefer to carve their thoughts in stone; many lairs have a Chambre of words, and adventurers could find insights about the Prophecy written there. Although few mortal nondragons have truly mastered the Prophétie Draconique, a number of sages have studied it, and collected the writings of dragon prophets. Adventurers might find useful translations in the journal of, say, a dead [[cataclysm_mage|cataclysm mage]] (EH 58).\\ The dragons of Argonnessen have created many records about the Prophecy. A translation could simply record events of the past—the shape the Prophecy finally took—but even this can be an important tool for interpreting future signs. Some records reveal possibilities—multiple paths that the future can take, depending on what events come to pass. Other dragon writings focus on a single chain of possibility—the path that the writers are working to achieve.\\ The precise form of these writings varies based on the author. A translation of the Prophecy could take the form of poetry, a formal treatise, or a few cryptic words. It has meaning to the author, but it might still puzzle the random reader.\\ **Prophets:** The simplest way to read meaning into the Prophecy is to know someone who can read its signs. The role of the dragon prophet has already been discussed, but other options exist. A Éternel elf or disguised rakshasa could offer insight into a path of the Prophecy. A scholar might piece together a translation—imperfect, but something to work with. Or a Marqué par le Dragon character could have a sudden and vivid prophetic dream. A gift of Chronepsis? Insight fl owing directly from the source of the Prophecy and through his Marque Du Dragon? Or part of a devious quori scheme? ===== The Prophecy As an Adventure Hook ===== Having considered the origin of the Prophecy and the forms it takes, a question remains. Why use it? What does it bring to an adventure?\\ **Destiny:** The Prophétie Draconique is one way to establish certain adventurers as people who have a special destiny. The fact that player characters possess action points already suggests that they are favored by fate; the Prophecy can take this a step farther, cementing the fact that they are the only ones who can accomplish certain tasks. This helps even low_level adventurers stand out in the world. They might not be ready to take on the [[tarrasque|tarrasque]] now, but they know that some day, they are destined to battle it.\\ **Control:** The Prophecy is a tool that holds mighty forces in check. Both the Seigneurs Des Cendres and the dragons of Argonnessen possess power that Nains that of most adventurers. But their knowledge of the Prophecy handicaps them in many ways. For example, the Prophecy could reveal that if the dragons defeat the Rêve Obscur, Tiamat will be released; but if the adventurers accomplish the same task, the Daughter of Tiamat will remain bound for another thousand years.\\ **Choice:** The Prophecy can be a tool to help the Dungeon Master choose the direction of a campaign. A prophet seeks out the adventurers and reveals that they are at a crossroads of fate. If they follow one path, war arises between Droaam and Breland. If they take the other path, they discover a Perdu kingdom in Xen’drik, and one among them dons a crown. So … do the players want a war campaign? Or an extended adventure in Xen’drik? The prophet doesn’t tell them how events will play out—who will wear a crown, or if they will all live or die—but she gives them the opportunity to pick a direction for future adventures.\\ **Battling Fate:** Another possible path for a campaign is to reveal a piece of the Prophecy that the adventurers want to prevent from coming to pass. A warrior is destined to kill the one he loves the most. A wizard will unlock the secret of the Mourning … and destroy the Cinq Nations. Is it possible to avoid this fate? Or will the adventurers’ attempts to change their destinies actually\\ be the cause of their undoing?\\ In working with prophecy, ambiguity is a powerful tool. An adventurer will wear a crown … but does this mean he will rule a kingdom, or could it be a cursed crown that will give an Mort_vivant spirit possession of his body? Likewise, a DM could rely on cryptic titles instead of being obvious from the start. The Prophecy might mention the “child of the crimson storm” … but it could take time to prove that this is in fact the Lyrandar heir in the party. ==== Prophetic Signs ==== Here are several ways the Prophétie Draconique could enter a campaign.\\ • An adventurer finds a Fragment Bibliothécaire journal that has rough details of his own past and future accomplishments, including finding the shard. Who wrote it? Will the PC try to follow the path it lays out, or create a new future?\\ • The party finds a dead man clutching a basalt disk, lying next to the corpse of a rakshasa. The stone holds a Prophecy mark, and agents of [[the_talons_of_tiamat|the Talons of Tiamat]], [[the_Chambre|the Chambre]], and [[the_undying_court|La Cour Éternelle]] are all searching for it.\\ • A dragon prophet presents an adventurer with a magic sword. It’s prophesied that the adventurer will fight a champion of darkness hidden somewhere in the city; she has one day to find and defeat him, or she will surely die.\\ • Adventurers encounter a wizard building an Machine Occulte over a large Prophecy mark. The mark has taken on the appearance of an aberrant Marque Du Dragon. Is this an innocent experiment, or the first step in a terrible plan?\\ • An attack by an overwhelming enemy force drives adventurers into a network of caves—a dragon’s lair that has been abandoned for thousands of years. Engravings on a cavern wall include the dragon’s notes on the Prophecy … including cryptic clues that could help the adventurers defeat the enemy hunting them.\\ • The vault of the Grand Library of Metrol is rumored to hold a copy of the Silaxerus Shard, one of the most complete records of the Prophecy in Humain hands. Agents of the Chambre want to destroy it. The Bibliothèque de Korranberg, Les Douzes, and Arcanix want to steal it. Prince Oargev wants it returned to Cyran hands. Whom will the adventurers help? And what if the Seigneurs Des Cendres have already stolen the shard and replaced it with a counterfeit designed to mislead? ===== Inception of the Dragon Prophets ===== Overtures were made to specific individuals the dragons had observed for some time. Some bore Marques du Dragon themselves, but most did not. The individuals in question were all of an arcane bent, much like dragons themselves, and they were tasked with being the eyes and ears of their Draconique masters, seeking signs of the Prophecy and occasionally acting on behalf of the dragons in causes in which the dragons were interested. In every case, these individuals acted to further the dragons’ understanding of the Prophecy. In the process, they gained some insight into its mysteries themselves and began to manifest strange new abilities reminiscent of the great dragon deities. These individuals collectively came to be known as dragon prophets (see page 63 for information on the dragon prophet prestige class).\\ The dragon prophets have learned much from their Draconique mentors (or masters, depending on the specific relationship involved), many dealing directly with a greater understanding of the Prophétie Draconique. These abilities focus on the insight of the complex Prophecy, as well as a greater understanding of the world at large. As a prophet gains more of a grasp on the Prophecy, she begins to see everything around her in a different light. Many find themselves able to predict the future, while others simply become more aware of their surroundings. ===== Fragments de Dragon and The Prophecy ===== The dragons of Argonnessen are convinced that Fragments de Dragon are essential to understanding the Prophecy. The dragons read the true meaning of the marks within the shards, and realize that some marks are only truly understood when combined with or exposed to other marks.\\ Eberron shards, in particular, seem responsible for the manifestation of Marques du Dragon on the Humains, elves, and other races of Khorvaire. Many sages believe that the Marques du Dragon were brought about due to long exposure, over many generations, to the Eberron Fragments de Dragon that lie just beneath the ground. Of course, those sages are unable to explain why no Marques du Dragon manifested among the orcs of the Confins d'Eldeen or the Gobelinoids of the great Empire de Dhakaan during the millennia that passed before Humain, elf, and Nain colonization.\\ Many dragons spend every night for centuries looking up at the Anneau de Siberys. The ring shifts subtly over time, as some of the Fragments de Dragon that comprise the ring fall to Eberron as Siberys showers. The dragons feel that signs and portents from the ring represent omens from the spirit of Siberys, guiding the dragons so that they can be prepared if the spawn of Khyber once again emerge to dominate the world.\\ Tales are told of great Khyber caverns, whose walls are covered in markings of all sorts, and yet those markings shift and fluctuate if a strongly attuned dragonshard is carried through the cavern. Some of the markings seem to shirk away from Eberron shards, yet they crowd toward a powerful Khyber shard. The effect is subtle, however, and only those possessing the great patience and attention of the dragons can truly appreciate these mark manifestations. Only the dragons and those versed in the Prophecy, such as dragon prophets, can gain any insight from the sigils deep within Khyber.\\ A few nondragons have been exposed to slivers of the Prophecy. Some deranged Dragon d'En_dessous cultists who worship Khyber, the progenitor wyrm, believe that Khyber Fragments de Dragon bind the ancient dragon within the depths of the world. These cultists strive to remove or destroy Khyber shards through magical rituals designed to break the binding forces. Still another cult faction believes that the Fragments de Dragon represent the physical form of the dragon itself. These cultists are convinced that if a large enough concentration of Khyber Fragments de Dragon were collected, Khyber could find the strength to rise again. These cultists have amassed secret caches consisting of tens or hundreds of Khyber shards.\\ Other, more scholarly types have suggested that the Marques du Dragon represent the dragon Eberron expressing its will through the Marqué par le Dragon races—races Eberron has chosen. What the races have been chosen for is unclear. Perhaps a cataclysmic showdown is inevitable, with the Marqué par le Dragon races battling the aberrations, fiends, and other forces of Khyber, as well as the dragons, the chosen of Siberys. This theory is but one of many regarding the relationship of Fragments de Dragon with the Prophecy. **Source:** Dragons of Eberron TH E D RAC ONIC PROPHE C Y There are patterns hidden in the world. Secrets lie in the conjunctions of the planes and Lunes, in strange symbols formed by the flowing lava of a volcanic erup­ tion or the fissures caused by an earthquake. Carved in the walls of ancient citadels and on primeval megaliths, knot patterns appear to have meaning that only the con­ templative mind can hope to comprehend. To those who can read them, these myriad events and signs form a map of possible futures, a map that can be used to shape the course of history. Scholars call this map the Prophétie Draconique, attrib­ uting it to the Premiers Dragons: Eberron, Siberys, and Khyber. The Prophecy is vast and complex, its signs scattered across the world. Few Humains or even elves have the time or resources to unravel its secrets. The foremost students of the Prophecy are ancient dragons, immortal fiends, and others who have devoted thou­ sands of years to this work. What makes the Prophecy especially complex is that it doesn't define a singular path for the future. Rather, the Prophecy is a map that shows many possible fu­ tures, along with the steps that must occur to make that future a reality. A fragment of the Prophecy might say, "If the Bear King is slain by a sorrowful assassin in L'Ombre of the Mourning, the Crown will fall from his nation." The "Bear King" could refer to Roi Boranel of Breland, since the bear is Breland's heraldic beast. The "Shadow of the Mourning" could mean that Boranel must be slain in the Les Terres des Lamentations, or it could mean that the assassination must occur on the anniversary of the Mourning. This passage doesn't say that Boranel will be assassinated or that the Brelon monarchy will fall; it suggests that if Boranel is assassinated under these con­ ditions, then the monarchy will surely fall. But it could also be fulfilled in different ways, if the terms of the Prophecy are interpreted differently. Other fragments of the Prophecy might cover what happens if Boranel is as­ sassinated under other circumstances, or what happens if he dies of natural causes. As an adventurer, you could be hired by a scholar trying to piece together a fragment of the Prophecy and clash with a secret society along the way. Or you could discover that your family plays a pivotal role in a fragment of the Prophecy. Will you embrace this or fight your potential destiny? Will you dedicate your life to interpreting the Prophecy or ignore it as just a bunch of mystical nonsense? And might the Prophecy hold the answer to the Mourning itself? TH E D RAC O N I C PROPHE C Y There are patterns hidden in the world. Secrets lie in the conjunctions of the planes and moons, in strange symbols formed by the flowing lava of a volcanic eruption or the fissures caused by an earthquake. Carved in the walls of ancient citadels and on primeval megaliths, knot patterns appear to have meaning that only the contemplative mind can hope to comprehend. To those who can read them, these myriad events and signs form a map of possible futures, a map that can be used to shape the course of history. Scholars call this map the Draconic Prophecy, attributing it to the Progenitor Dragons: Eberron, Siberys, and Khyber. The Prophecy is vast and complex, its signs scattered across the world. Few humans or even elves have the time or resources to unravel its secrets. The foremost students of the Prophecy are ancient dragons, immortal fiends, and others who have devoted thousands of years to this work. What makes the Prophecy especially complex is that it doesn't define a singular path for the future. Rather, the Prophecy is a map that shows many possible futures, along with the steps that must occur to make that future a reality. A fragment of the Prophecy might say, "If the Bear King is slain by a sorrowful assassin in the Shadow of the Mourning, the Crown will fall from his nation." The "Bear King" could refer to King Boranel of Breland, since the bear is Breland's heraldic beast. The "Shadow of the Mourning" could mean that Boranel must be slain in the Mournland, or it could mean that the assassination must occur on the anniversary of the Mourning. This passage doesn't say that Boranel will be assassinated or that the Brelon monarchy will fall; it suggests that if Boran el is assassinated under these conditions, then the monarchy will surely fall. But it could also be fulfilled in different ways, if the terms of the Prophecy are interpreted differently. Other fragments of the Prophecy might cover what happens if Boranel is assassinated under other circumstances, or what happens if he dies of natural causes. As an adventurer, you could be hired by a scholar trying to piece together a fragment of the Prophecy and clash with a secret society along the way. Or you could discover that your family plays a pivotal role in a fragment of the Prophecy. Will you embrace this or fight your potential destiny? Will you dedicate your life to interpreting the Prophecy or ignore it as just a bunch of mystical nonsense? And might the Prophecy hold the answer to the Mourning itself? {{tag>["supernaturelle"]}} {{tag>["Mythologie"]}} {{tag>[Age_des_Démon]}} {{tag>["les prophéties draconiques"]}}