Pervasive magic: Road to Dragonmarks and Manifest Zones

 Looking for a way to have Dragonmarks and Manifest Zones in your PF2 Eberron campaign? You may want to check out Pervasive Magic in Secrets of Magic (SoM) pg 218.

Of course you can find most of the rules there on AoN but might miss any fluff or additional info boxes that are important but the short version is Pervasive Magic rules represent a world where all aspects are infused with magic and everything is associated with the magical traditions including gaining innate spells including the player’s’ characters but also the wildlife.

This also brings in specific Background options and feats to increase this inherit magic that can be used instead of class feats and finally magical terrain (more on that later).

Now using these rules I think we can pretty quickly bring in the flavor of Dragonmarks into Eberron.

1. Make Eberron a Pervasive Magical world BUT only those with ties to the Dragonmark houses can take the feats to advance their magic effectively making those feats the Dragonmarks manifesting. I think this certainly fits a flavor/style of Eberron some people like to sell but I don’t find most mechanics/adventures actually provide. This leads to potentially very open spell list options though I personally limit each house to one tradition of magic and you might want to make specific limited lists if you like or not allow some of the feats to limit how high the marks can provide.

2. If using free archetype optional rules perhaps give those with ties to the Dragonmark houses the pervasive cantrip and access to the feats to increase their innate spells representing advancement of their marks.

3. Create/use a background that grants the ties to a Dragonmark house and the starting pervasive cantrip and also gives access to the feats to further thier innate spells.

4. Skip giving the base pervasive cantrip but allow access to the feats if they have appropriate background or written story element; just alter the first one to grant the two cantrips instead of additional.

Just some possibilities to help you get started with how to use the pervasive magic rules in your PF2 Eberron Campaign. Below I present a moral formal idea if I used this as a starting point though I am also working on a Dragonmark system based around ancestry feats but this might turn into my baseline for a Dragonmark Heir Archetype but before getting into that I want to get into Manifest Zones!

Also in the chapter about Pervasive Magic is Magical Terrain, guidelines on places charged with magical or magical influences. In short sounds just like manifest zones. While not extensive it should as a good starting point and guidelines to bringing Manifest Zones to your campaign!

Possible Dragonmark System

HOUSE SCION          Background 

| RARE |

Requirement Your ancestry is associated with a Dragonmark House

You manifest your least Dragonmark early or quickly during your Dragonmark Trial and are raised in the ways of your house. Choose a house associated with your ancestry and story with GM approval. You gain Pervasive Magic’s Tradition traits (SoM pg. 219) with the following changes; your tradition and associated ability score is based on your Dragonmark house. Additionally you gain your house’s skill and lore skill about your chosen house. Choose two ability boosts. One must be associated with your house’s ability scores and the other is a free boost.

See below for House Details.

——-

House Medani

Ancestry Half-Elf heritage

Tradition Arcane

House Skill Survival

Casting Ability Wisdom

Boost Wis or Con

_____

House Tharashk

Ancestry Half-orc heritage (optional Human with a orc/half orc ancestor)

Tradition Arcane

House Skill Survival

Casting Ability Wis

Boost Wis or Con

_____

House Vadalis

Ancestry Human (without a heritage that grants additional ancestry traits)

Tradition Primal

House Skill Nature

Casting Ability Wis

Boost Wis or Con

____

House Jorasco

Ancestry Halfing (without a heritage that grants additional ancestry traits)

Tradition Divine

House Skill Medicine

Casting Ability Wis

Boost Wis or Con

____

House Ghallanda

Ancestry Halfing (without a heritage that grants additional ancestry traits)

Tradition Occult

House Skill Diplomacy

Casting Ability Cha

Boost Cha or Con

____

House Cannith

Ancestry Human (without a heritage that grants additional ancestry traits)

Tradition Arcane

House Skill Crafting

Casting Ability Int

Boost Int or Str

____

And that just examples to get you started; might finish this list in a follow up post for that Background.

Then Cantrip Casting can become Least Dragonmark providing the same as the background but with more cantrips or expanding the cantrips if you already have the background. Of course Least Dragonmark have the limits as the Background as well for our selection of spells. Basic Spellcasting becomes Lesser and Expert Spellcasting becomes Greater. You can drop Master Spellcasting as an option or use it to represent more control or add a new stage of Dragonmark like Superior or make Greater be Great and Master Spellcasting is now Greater. Of course you are limited to your houses’ Spell Tradition for your spell selection.

I hope that helps and gives some ideas on how to bring Pathfinder 2e into your Eberron Campaign!

Dragonmarked House Backgrounds

While the default backgrounds contained in the Pathfinder 2nd Edition can cover many things in the world of Eberron, sometimes you want something a bit more specific. See pg 60 of PF2 Core for more on Backgrounds.

Dragonmarked Houses 

These are all Uncommon Backgrounds and should check with your GM before taking them. Information about Dragonmarked Houses can be found starting on pg 231 of the ECS 3.5. House backgrounds are to represent those that have grown up in the business of the House be it direct family, cousins or someone who has an apprenticeship within so there shouldn’t be any limits based on ancestry. All the following will have Lore in their appropriate House. While they of course can Recall Knowledge about their own House they should also be able to Recall Knowledge about other Houses but at an increased DC.

I also suggest, at GM’s Approval of course, to allow Dragonmarked Houses Lore to cover areas normally part of other skills IF appropriate for the House of course BUT once more at an increased DC or for more advanced things. Examples could be House Jorasco Lore to Administer First Aid or Treat Disease while House Vadalis Lore could Handle Animal on a horse or magebred animal.

Of course these backgrounds shouldn’t be required for a player to be part of a Dragonhouse as their plenty of fitting backgrounds; these are just expanded options to hand more flavor be it mechanical or just fluff.

House Cannith                                                                      Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Strength, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in the Crafting skill and Dragonmarked House Cannith Lore skill. You gain the Quick Repair skill feat.

House Deneith                                                                      Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Strength or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in the Intimidation skill and Dragonmarked House Deneith Lore skill. You gain the Intimidating Glare skill feat.

House Ghallanda                                                                 Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Constitution or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in the Diplomacy skill and Dragonmarked House Ghallanda Lore skill. You gain either the Group Impression skill feat or Additional Lore skill feat for a type of food or drink.

House Jorasco                                                                      Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Wisdom or Constitution, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in the Medicine skill and Dragonmarked House Jorasco Lore Skill.  You gain the Assurance (Medicine) skill feat.

House Kundarak                                                                   Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Strength or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in Society or Intimidate skill and in the Dragonmarked House Kundarak Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Professional Skill feat in Dragonmarked House Kundarak Lore or Intimidating Glare skill feat.

House Lyrandar                                                                    Background

Choose two ability boosts. One must be Wisdom or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost. 

You’re trained in Nature or Survival skill and the Dragonmarked House Lyrandar Lore Skill.You gain the Additional Lore skill feat in either Sailor or Farming.

House Medani                                                                       Background

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Wisdom or Dexterity, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in Stealth or Society and the Dragonmarked House Medani Lore Skill. You gain Streetwise skill feat or Terrain Stalker.

House Orien                                                                          Background

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Dexterity or Constitution and one is a free ability boost. 

You’re trained in Stealth or Survival skill and the Drangonmarked House Orien Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Smuggler or Terrain Expertise skill feats.

House Phiarlan/Thurranni                                                     Background

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Charisma or Dexterity, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in Performance skill and either the Drangonmarked House Phiarlan or Drangonmarked House Thurranni Lore skill. You gain the Fascinating Performance skill feat.

House Sivis                                                                             Background 

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Charisma or Intelligence, and one is a free ability boost. 

You’re trained the Society or Diplomacy skill and the Drangonmarked House Sivis Lore skill.You gain the Multilingual or Group Impression skill feat.

House Tharashk                                                                         Background 

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Wisdom or Intelligence , and one is a free ability boost. 

You’re trained in the Survival skill and the Drangonmarked House Thatashk Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Tracker skill feat. 

House Vadalis                                                                             Background 

Choose two Ability Boosts. One must be Wisdom or Constitution, and one is a free ability boost.

You’re trained in the Nature skill and the Drangonmarked House Vadalis Lore skill You gain the Train Animal skill feat.