eberron's core races

[AbeTheGnome]

what's eberron's take on the traditional core races? specifically elves, gnomes, and halflings?

 

[demiurge1138]

Elves come in three varieties. The mainstream elves in Khorvaire are mostly just people with pointy ears and really long lifespans. Many of them are tied to the Dragonmarked Houses. The Aerenal elves are eerie religious fanatics, worshipping their deathless ancestors and tattooing themselves with skull and bone motifs. The Valenar elves are rutheless, practicing a form of ancestor worship that encourages violent expansion - think Mongols.

Gnomes are terrifying SOBs. All gnomes are nice and polite, always quick with a story and a request to hear yours. That's because Zilargo, their homeland, is a police state run by the Trust, one of the largest information gathering agencies on the planet. Think less "David the Gnome" and more "Gnomes of Zurich" on this one.

The halfings of the Talenta Plains are a nomadic, shamanistic people who ride raptors and herd other dinosaurs. Through their relations with the outside world, the Dragonmarked houses of Ghallandra and Jorasco have become "civilised". As has organized crime. The Boromar Guild, top of the heap in Sharn, is run by the halflings, who are perfectly willing to call on legbreakers from "the old country" if they need to.

Demiurge out.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

how bout orcs? i've heard they have a less inherently-evil feel and more of a druidic/animistic culture. what is their relationship with other races? were they part of the Dhakaani Empire (do i have that right) along with hobgoblins and bugbears?

 

[Grymar]

No, orcs are not part of the old empire, they are mainly from the Shadow Marches and the Demon Wastes, also Droaam.

The orcs from the Shadow Marches were the first to learn the power of nature and were taught druidism by a renegade dragon (green or black, depending on the source). They rose in power as the Gatekeepers, an alliance of druids dedicated to fighting interplanar invasions (they did start to accept druids of other races). They did successfully close a portal between Eberron and Xoriat ending the Daeklyr War. After that, their purpose seemingly fulfilled, they fractured in to a number of different cults. Today the Gatekeepers number in a few hundred, a tiny fraction of their previous power. Led by an awakened Greatpine, they still battle against outsiders, but now on a much smaller scale.

The orcs of the Demon Wastes are the closest thing to the orcs of traditional D&D...worshiping the Lords of Dust and the imprisoned Rajas, they are the most savage and evil of the orcs. Yet even here there are exceptions...

Finally in Droaam you have a nation entirely of monsters. Led by the three ancient Night Hags known as the Daughters of Sora Kell, the nation incorporates minotaurs, ogres, orcs, medusa, gnolls, harpies...any monster race you want to have a place. A rough and dangerous place, it still isn't necessarily evil. Not officially recognized by the other nations in the treaty that ended the Last war, they strive for respect.

 

[shilsen]

No, orcs are not part of the old empire, they are mainly from the Shadow Marches and the Demon Wastes, also Droaam.

The orcs from the Shadow Marches were the first to learn the power of nature and were taught druidism by a renegade dragon (green or black, depending on the source). They rose in power as the Gatekeepers, an alliance of druids dedicated to fighting interplanar invasions (they did start to accept druids of other races). They did successfully close a portal between Eberron and Xoriat ending the Daeklyr War. After that, their purpose seemingly fulfilled, they fractured in to a number of different cults. Today the Gatekeepers number in a few hundred, a tiny fraction of their previous power. Led by an awakened Greatpine, they still battle against outsiders, but now on a much smaller scale.

One correction - the awakened greatpine Oalian leads the Wardens of the Wood, the largest sect of druids, not the Gatekeepers, who are a much smaller and more fragmented group. The orcs, as you say, are more commonly associated with the Gatekeepers.

The orcs of the Demon Wastes are the closest thing to the orcs of traditional D&D...worshiping the Lords of Dust and the imprisoned Rajas, they are the most savage and evil of the orcs. Yet even here there are exceptions.

Actually, that's incorrect. The worshippers of the Lords of Dust and imprisoned Rajahs are the Carrion Tribes, which are primarily "vicious human savages" (ECS pg. 159).

The orcs of the Demon Wastes are the members of the Ghaash'kala, broken into four related tribes, which live not in the Wastes proper but in the Labyrinth, a series of canyons leading into the Wastes. The Ghaash'kala are fierce but noble, and believe it is their sacred task to hold back the evil of the Wastes and prevent it from leaving. They are worshippers of Kalok Shash, the Binding Flame, which is related to the Silver Flame and quite likely it under a different name, and primarily good.

 

[Grymar]

Thanks for the corrections.

 

[AbeTheGnome]

wow! i just read about the gnomes of eberron on the dragonshards section of the WotC site. i like what they've done. that's the kind of flavor the gnomes deserve!

 

[shilsen]

Thanks for the corrections.

Glad to help. Eberron junkie here, as my story hour may indicate

wow! i just read about the gnomes of eberron on the dragonshards section of the WotC site. i like what they've done. that's the kind of flavor the gnomes deserve!

From your title, I would never have guessed you'd have that opinion.

The treatment of gnomes is one of the things I love most about Keith Baker's work. IMC, gnomes scare the PCs more than anything else. They're 11th lvl and very strong for the level, the most famous and powerful group of adventurers in Sharn, but gnomes still terrify them. At one point, a couple levels ago, I jokingly gave them the option of going to Zilargo or to an ancient Dhakaani city full of aberrations. They went to the city of aberrations

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Eberron: Gives Demihumans Their Balls Back.

 

[megamania]

wow! i just read about the gnomes of eberron on the dragonshards section of the WotC site. i like what they've done. that's the kind of flavor the gnomes deserve!

NEVER underestimate a Gnome in Eberron.