Mark of Death

[ExemplarofAvg]

Those of you who are familiar with the Eberron Campaign setting are or should be aware of the Dragonmarks. In a Campaign I'm planning, with a plot loosely based on "Marked for Death" with the appearance of the Mark of Death, Now the main thing I have missing from this campaign and the only thing I'd need to craft myself, I need to figure out what in the world the "Mark of Death" would do for the Least, Lesser, Greater and Siberys. Thank you and have a nice day.

[Greenish]

These are pulled out of my derriere, are probably out of whack in terms of balance, and might be tad more powerful than other dragonmarks, but something like this might do:

Least: Cause Fear 1/day or Touch of Fatigue 2/day.
Lesser: Vampiric Touch 2/day or Animate Dead 1/day.
Greater: Enervation 1/day or Waves of Exhaustion 1/day.

[Edit]: Oh, forgot Siberys: Vail of Banshee 1/day or Create Greater Undead 1/day.

These are all core, following the pattern of other dragonmarks. Going outside core would give some neat options.

[Edit]: Oh, Death Dragon from Draconomicon could be excellent Greater (or maybe Siberys).

[Forged Fury]

I would suggest Deathwatch (Least), Death Knell (Least or Lesser) and Slay Living (Greater), although there's overlap with Aberrant Marks on the Slay Living, IIRC.

Edit: There's also a Death Knell like aura spell in Complete Mage, but I don't remember the name of it at the moment.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Any thoughts on where Finger of Death might lie in there?

EDIT:
After scouring through the PHB I came up with the rough list of what Spells I think might work, including the ideas mentioned earlier.
Death Knell
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/deathKnell.htm
Slay Living
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slayLiving.htm
Circle of Death
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/circleOfDeath.htm
Finger of Death
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fingerOfDeath.htm
Wail of the Banshee
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wailOfTheBanshee.htm
Power Word Kill
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/powerWordKill.htm
Implosion
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/implosion.htm

Other possibilites include
Destruction
Blasphemy
Symbol of Death
Symbol of Pain
Cloudkill
Phantasmal Killer
Weird

[Forged Fury]

Any thoughts on where Finger of Death might lie in there?
Probably Siberys, but 2/day. It's a pretty bad spell. Also, Circle of Death would be appropriate for a Greater.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Probably Siberys, but 2/day. It's a pretty bad spell. Also, Circle of Death would be appropriate for a Greater.

I wouldn't know I'm not familiar with the spell in and of itself. I'm awful with spell casters. Strangely enough good with Druids, but when I play a Druid the campaign never seems to go on very long.

[Sylivin]

Lesse, what did I use for my Death Mark campaign?

I think it was:
Least: Ray of Enfeeblement or Inflict light wounds - gain hp back for that amount
Lesser: Vampiric Touch or Bestow Curse (or was it inflict serious? eh)
Greater: Circle of Death or Slay Living

Circle of death isn't all that hugely useful for PCs, but it made a nice ability for evil npcs.

edit: I don't think we ever got to the highest end, but would probably end up power word: Kill and wail of the banshee.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Thanks everyone for the Help, I think the final result is going to be

Least
Death Knell 1/day

Lesser
Circle of Death 1/day

Greater
Slay Living 1/day

Siberys
Power Word Kill 1/day

And because all of these instant kill effects got me looking at stuff like the "Implosion Spell" my campaign world has a new item. A one time use item called "Beads of Immolation" basically a one use item that acts as an Implosion spell that cannot target more than one creature. Thank you all for your help, feel free to post any final thoughts or criticisms.

[classy one]

What economic niche would they occupy? All the Houses have their thing that they have a monopoly on, which is the real source of power of the Houses. Where would the profit be just killing people? Even the mark of shadow has an entertainment sector to rake on legit money.

If anything, the mark of death is shown to re animate the dead. Vol was raised into a lich via the power if the mark. This is the only canon power attributed to the mark so you should have raise dead or animate dead in there.

All least dragonmarks also provide a +2 bonus on a certain skill. Perhaps knowledge(religion) or (planes) since death and the afterlife are central parts of all religions.

[McSmack]

They have no house. The dragons and elves got together and wiped them all out centuries ago.

[classy one]

They have no house. The dragons and elves got together and wiped them all out centuries ago.

They had a House Vol which was elven. My point is when the house did exist it was an industry. The dragonmarks are more practical than what most people envision. IE most were utility spells rather than combat spells. When making a custom mark, you should think of how it would earn a profit, not how it performs in combat. Unless you have a family business in merc work (like House Denith) then you want more utility, like speak with dead.

[Forged Fury]

My point is when the house did exist it was an industry. The dragonmarks are more practical than what most people envision. IE most were utility spells rather than combat spells. When making a custom mark, you should think of how it would earn a profit, not how it performs in combat.
I'm pretty sure that the Dragonmarked Houses had not really developed as mercantile concerns at the time the House of Vol was wiped out (-1600YK). By the time the Mark of Death was wiped out, only 6 Marks (including Death) had appeared on Eberron. I don't think profitability considerations are important at all, particularly if the point isn't to bring back the House of Vol but rather the Mark of Death.

ETA: I also don't remember there being anything that stated the reason Erandis d'Vol became a lick was due to the Mark of Death. Even if there was, it certainly could have been because of an interaction between her dragonmark and the fact that she was a half-dragon.

[classy one]

The Houses had been established as economic powerhouses as early as the first war of the mark (against the aberrant marks). But you are right, there were only 6 true marks at the time.
Even if it wasn't, the powers grants by the dragonmarks are conductive towards mercantilism even before any infrastructure was is established. For example, the mark of making had all the same powers even before it was established as a house. They do not evolve or change, unlike aberrant dragonmarks.

Erandis was turned into a lich by her elven mother, not because of her Draconic blood.

[Forged Fury]

The Houses had been established as economic powerhouses as early as the first war of the mark (against the aberrant marks).The War of the Mark occurred 1100 years after the House of Vol was wiped out, I'm not so sure they were even considered economic powerhouses at the time even then. I seemed to remember (maybe in Dragonmarked) that they assumed the role as a result of persecuting the War of the Mark.

Even if it wasn't, the powers grants by the dragonmarks are conductive towards mercantilism even before any infrastructure was is established.That's true of the existing Dragonmark Houses. House Vol wouldn't necessarily have to follow that pattern. Even so, there's no reason House Vol couldn't be a house of assassins with some other activity providing cover, just look at Phiarlan and Thurrani, as Scrying has little to do with performance and design.

Erandis was turned into a lich by her elven mother, not because of her Draconic blood.Does it explicitly say how this was done? I don't remember the details. Can you provide a reference? I have nearly all of the books and would like to read a little bit about House Vol.

Edit: Poked around online a little bit and it looks like the d'Vol creation story isn't exactly confirmed. No telling why it happened or if it was a normal feature of the Mark of Death. I imagine if the standard Mark of Death power was to create liches, the elves would have wiped them out without the help of the dragons long before that.

[classy one]

The War of the Mark occurred 1100 years after the House of Vol was wiped out, I'm not so sure they were even considered economic powerhouses at the time even then. I seemed to remember (maybe in Dragonmarked) that they assumed the role as a result of persecuting the War of the Mark.
I maybe confusing the war of the mark, don't have Dragonmarked open in frong of me.


That's true of the existing Dragonmark Houses. House Vol wouldn't necessarily have to follow that pattern. Even so, there's no reason House Vol couldn't be a house of assassins with some other activity providing cover, just look at Phiarlan and Thurrani, as Scrying has little to do with performance and design.
House Vol could have been in the assassin trade, but they also need a legit front. Eradicating undead, raising undead armies, speak with dead to help solve murders etc. would be better for money. While there is nothing that says the Mark of Death was/could have been an economic powerhouse, nothing says it wasn't either. It is true that you can do whatever you want with a homebrew, but basing it around existing canon will make it feel more organic.



Does it explicitly say how this was done? I don't remember the details. Can you provide a reference? I have nearly all of the books and would like to read a little bit about House Vol.
I recall this bit in both ECS and Dragonmarked stating her mother used the power of the mark to raise Eradis into a lich. Again I can't be sure since I am typing from work.


Edit: Poked around online a little bit and it looks like the d'Vol creation story isn't exactly confirmed. No telling why it happened or if it was a normal feature of the Mark of Death. I imagine if the standard Mark of Death power was to create liches, the elves would have wiped them out without the help of the dragons long before that.
A dragonmark is not all powerful. In fact it is just a spell-like ability that is helpful. Anyone could be a decent artificer, but House Cannith artificers seem to excel simply for having the market cornored. Of course there are oddballs like House Lyrsader that have skyships that explictily need a dragonmark of storm to operate. My point is, the Mark itself might not even be needed to make you into a lich, it might just make it more likely to succeed when attempted.

[Forged Fury]

House Vol could have been in the assassin trade, but they also need a legit front. Eradicating undead, raising undead armies, speak with dead to help solve murders etc. would be better for money.The cover trade they're involved in really doesn't have to have anything to do with what their dragonmark capabilities are. Again, see House Thurrani and House Phiarlan. House Vol could have been the premiere basketweavers for all it matters. Not to say that those powers couldn't have been contained within the Mark of Death, I just think of effects that make people dead when I hear Mark of Death.


While there is nothing that says the Mark of Death was/could have been an economic powerhouse, nothing says it wasn't either. It is true that you can do whatever you want with a homebrew, but basing it around existing canon will make it feel more organic.I rather think I am basing it off of canon. The Undying Court (Deathless, Positive Energy undead haters) was established in Aerenal 22000 years before the Mark of Death first appeared. If the powers of the Mark of Death involved anything remotely related to raising undead armies, I'm pretty sure they would have wiped out House Vol long before that.

As far as House Vol being an economic powerhouse, consider that House Phiarlan didn't really leave Aerenal until after House Vol had been wiped out, so there was little opportunity for trade outside of Aerenal until after House Vol was wiped out, particularly since the decaying goblinoid empires in power at the time were none too friendly. Then considering the fact that the island nation was being ruled by a deathless caste that head been in power for 22000 years? I just don't see the dragonmark houses being economic powerhouses pre War of the Mark.

From my reading, the ability of the dragonmark houses to flourish into nation-spanning economic powerhouses was largely due to the founding of Galifar that united (almost) an entire continent and the subsequent war that shattered it. House Vol was wiped out well before that occurred.

...and I realize how off-track this topic has gotten. Sorry!

[Prime32]

There are plenty of death- and even undead-related abilities which could be considered acceptable in a deathless-dominated society. And on the rare occasion someone can acually create undead they keep him hidden or just forbid him from doing it.

Least: Detect Undead 1/day or Disrupt Undead 2/day
Lesser: Speak with Dead 1/day or False Life 2/day
Greater: Death Ward 2/day or Gentle Repose 1/day
Siberys: Create Greater Undead 1/day or Destruction 1/day


Heck, House Vol could have been charged with "keeping the undead problem under control". Or maybe there's been censorship and undeath was once considered an acceptable alternative to deathlessness, particularly since it was so much easier with a whole dragonmark dedicated to it. And if one of your ancestors rises as an undead on his own, destroying him won't let you turn him into a deathless so you might as well make the most of it.

[ExemplarofAvg]

...and I realize how off-track this topic has gotten. Sorry!

It's cool, that's what the mark of Death does, it inspires conspiracy and questioning about it's origins and powers, seeing as there is no record of what it did. Here's a rough sum up of what we know "The Mark of Death belonged to the House of Vol, known for Necromancy, a group of aerenal elves practiced with Negative energy which was banned in the country. (The Two main uses for Negative Energy, Killing things, and bringing things back after they've been killed, Circle of Life and what not) Now this was already irking some Elves and Dragons, but then Erandis Vol was born Half-Dragon/Half-Elf and her mark was different (in what way, we don't know) Now it says that the Mark of Death was related in some way to the raising of Undead, because the mother of Erandis used her Dragonmark to turn Erandis into a Lich (Pretty damn powerful if you ask me) Then the Mark of Death was extinct by 980 in the Galifar calendar, due to everyone being dead (Lich is still dead, and the Dragonmark was rendered inactive)"

Sources:
http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Mark_of_Death
Light Reading:
http://forum.rpg.net/archive/index.php/t-167876.html

I didn't want to post this originally because I know the people I play with happen across the boards more often than I do (Damn my Pixieness) but the plot of the campaign is along the theme of artificial dragonmarks. And that's a goal of a House Cannith offbranch, making artificial Dragonmarks and planting them on Warforged (A la, Iron Man 2, with the Drones all specializing in some form of the military.) Meanwhile they are trying to access some vault or files with help from the Mark of Shadows to find some form of clue as to what the Mark of Death did and how they could reproduce it. Meanwhile the PC's do some adventuring with this one Half-Elf who has a Dragonmark (But no one knows that because he keeps it bandaged over) And they happen upon someone looking for people to protect this vault because the last guards were killed... and that's when the Dragonmark starts acting up and the real campaign begins leading the PC's into the Mournland (where the House Cannith and Mark of Shadow guys have their base and factory) then some initial scouting then going to various nations and house for help (Some if not most turn them down) Then the PC's end up going in alone all dramatic style and just when the Mark of Death warforged appear and start killing the small number of people they have, the Houses bust in and save the day and the PC's.. so yeah....Heavy Stuff..

[Forged Fury]

Reading Faiths of Eberron, it points out that Erandis' mother was a powerful necromancer and used her powers over life and death to lich-quidate her daughter. May or may not have been the Mark of Death that facilitated it. Anyway, it's one of those mysteries like the Mournland.

[Acefear]

"The Mark of Death was a “true” dragonmark, as opposed to an aberrant dragonmark. There are two things that distinguish these. First, they can be passed to offspring. Second, the true dragonmarks are almost universally constructive as opposed to destructive. There are a few marks with powers that can be used in an aggressive fashion, but the point is that the pure marks are things like making, healing, hospitality – productive, positive things. Meanwhile, aberrant marks are either destructive or in some way disturbing (for examble, Brom’s regeneration in The Son of Khyber, which is a form of healing but essentially reincarnates instead of healing, which can have unpleasant results).
My point is that the Mark of Death should be about interacting with death and the undead, but I wouldn’t make it about KILLING, because that’s an aberrant path."

That is from the man him self. I know a little late to this thread but I was curious about this recently. After looking everywhere I found this.

[torrasque666]

"The Mark of Death was a “true” dragonmark, as opposed to an aberrant dragonmark. There are two things that distinguish these. First, they can be passed to offspring. Second, the true dragonmarks are almost universally constructive as opposed to destructive. There are a few marks with powers that can be used in an aggressive fashion, but the point is that the pure marks are things like making, healing, hospitality – productive, positive things. Meanwhile, aberrant marks are either destructive or in some way disturbing (for examble, Brom’s regeneration in The Son of Khyber, which is a form of healing but essentially reincarnates instead of healing, which can have unpleasant results).
My point is that the Mark of Death should be about interacting with death and the undead, but I wouldn’t make it about KILLING, because that’s an aberrant path."

That is from the man him self. I know a little late to this thread but I was curious about this recently. After looking everywhere I found this.
Boy y'all about 5 years late.

[Inevitability]

Boy y'all about 5 years late. You had to have read the rules to make an account and one of them was don't necro a thread.​

Another was not calling anyone out on their rule-violations.
Which I'm totally not doing right now.

[TheBrassDuke]

ETA: I also don't remember there being anything that stated the reason Erandis d'Vol became a lick was due to the Mark of Death. Even if there was, it certainly could have been because of an interaction between her dragonmark and the fact that she was a half-dragon.

It's in the 3.5 Eberron Campaign Setting or one of the supplements, where it says Erandis' mother used the Mark of Death to turn her daughter into a Lich.

As well, Keith Baker has said about his own campaign that it was actually her mother and father who transformed her, but it doesn't say whether or not they used the Mark.

He also suggests the Mark of Death doesn't have combat SLAs; rather, they are beneficial and industrious, such that had Vol's line survived and became an official House, they would most likely have become the Morticians and Undertakers of Eberron.

They [True Marks] weren't designed like Aberrant Marks, and were never meant to cause pain and death the likes of what some of you are suggesting.

Gentle Repose, possibly Death Knell, and some other similar necromancies would be more appropriate.

Keith Baker says this (http://bossythecow.com/hdwt/2012/04/dragonmark-418-the-mark-of-death/).


Edit: Whoops. This is pretty dead, huh? Yeah............sorry.