An excoriate is a dragonmarked member of a dragonmarked house who has violated the laws of the house. Originally, the punishment for violating the laws of the house resulted in the lethal flaying of the dragonmark from the culprit. However, in modern times, excoriates are cast out of their house, forced to give up anything they own, and shunned by their house and their family. [1]
History
For thousands of years, magical dragonmarks began manifesting on the bodies of the various inhabitants of Eberron. While the most powerful of these marks were from specific bloodlines (known as the dragonmarked houses), others were manifesting into lesser powerful marks. These marks became known as aberrant dragonmarks , most of which were the results of the intermingling of blood from two separate dragonmarked houses. Fifteen hundred years ago, the dragonmarked houses joined forces to begin the War of the Mark , wherein it sought out and purged all of the aberrant dragonmarks it could find.
In the wake of the war, the twelve dragonmarked houses created codified rules around their co-existence with each other. One result of these new rules was excoriation. Having seen the proliferation of aberrant dragonmarks, the twelve houses banned the mingling of dragonmarked bloodlines. Any marked member of a house found to have mixed blood with another house (whether a marked member or not) was "excoriated", which meant that their dragonmark was to be flayed from their skin and, should they survive, they would be banished from the house forever. On most occasions, excoriation was intentionally lethal, for the dragonmark could grow back with healing.
Over time, the lethality of excoriation diminished. In current times, an excoriate does not have their dragonmark skinned from their body. Instead, they face full dismissal from their house. They are forced to surrender any property they have identifying them as a member of the house (such as a signet ring ). They must give up any property or any rights that may have been allowed them as a member of the house. They are no longer allowed on any house property. They are no longer allowed to carry the name of their house (such as "d'Cannith"). They no longer fall under the protection of their house, and thus can be bound by the laws of the nations of Galifar . Their likeness is circulated to all house enclaves and holdings, and all members of the house must refuse excoriates any aid. Other houses will often also shun excoriates from houses not their own, though there are those that make exceptions. [1] [2] [3]
Nevertheless, excoriates are frequently allowed to continue to live their own lives, and to continue to use their dragonmarks. [1] Some even take new surnames. Others have been known to join the aberrant House Tarkanan . There are also times when an excoriate gives birth to a child that also manifests a dragonmark. This child is considered a foundling . Most foundlings are welcome to return to their dragonmarked house; however, exceptions are made of the children of especially infamous excoriates. Unfortunately, though, some excoriates are still castrated to prevent the continuing of bloodlines through an excoriate's blood. It is possible, though highly rare, for an excoriate to be re-accepted into their house. [1] [2] [3]

During the Shadow Schism , the head of House Phiarlan , Elvinor Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan , named the entire Thuranni bloodline excoriated after their treachery. Its members created a new dragonmarked house: House Thuranni . The rivalry between Phiarlan and Thuranni continues to this day, with any member of House Thuranni considered shunned by members of House Phiarlan. The other dragonmarked houses, however, have recognized the legitimacy of House Thuranni and do not shun this house of excoriates. [1] [4]
Notable Excoriates
- Aaren d'Cannith , creator of the warforged , was excoriated from House Cannith in 970 YK by his own father, Merrix d'Cannith the First , after Aaren protested on behalf of warforged rights. Aaren disappeared shortly afterward. [5]
- Failin d'Orien , once a House Orien courier, was excoriated for unknown reasons, but he currently makes a living in the Bloody Market of Rhukaan Draal in Darguun . [6]
- Gaven d'Lyrandar was excoriated from House Lyrandar for his involvement in the Shadow Schism between House Phiarlan and House Thuranni. he was captured and sentenced to Dreadhold prison, though he later escaped. [7]
- Jura d'Cannith was excoriated from House Cannith for marrying a darkwood dryad from Aerenal . After his wife's death, Jura had hopes of returning to House Cannith. [3]
- Koulton d'Lyrandar was excoriated from House Lyrandar after stealing an airship to become prince of the Wind Whisperers in the Lhazaar Principalities and also has a price on his head from his house. [4] [8]
- Lei d'Cannith , a female artificer and survivor of the Day of Mourning , was excoriated by Merrix d'Cannith in order to consolidate his base of power. Baron Merrix also excoriated Lei's parents Aleisa d'Cannith and Talin d'Cannith after their deaths as a symbolic gesture. [3]
- Mordain d'Phiarlan was excoriated after his illegal research into the aberrant magics of the daelkyr . He currently resides in Droaam , with no desire to return either to his dragonmarked house or to society altogether. [9]
- Tasker d'Sivis was excoriated from House Sivis yet continued to document his findings from all over Eberron. [10]
Appendix
Note
An excoriate of the Dragonmarked Houses should not be confused with an Excoriate, one of three ranks within the Flayed Hand , a monastic order that worships the Mockery . [2] [11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Keith Baker , Ari Marmell , Michelle Lyons and C.A. Suleiman (2006). Dragonmarked . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3933-8 .
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 James Wyatt , Keith Baker , Luke Johnson , Steven Brown (2006). Player's Guide to Eberron . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3912-5 .
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Keith Baker (2005). The City of Towers . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3584-7 .
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 James Wyatt and Keith Baker (2009). Eberron Campaign Guide . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-5099-4 .
- ↑ Keith Baker (2005/06/27). The Warforged, Part One . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/10/31. Retrieved on 2021/07/03.
- ↑ Keith Baker (2004). Shadows of the Last War . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-3276-7 .
- ↑ James Wyatt (2007). Storm Dragon . ( Wizards of the Coast ), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-4710-1 .
- ↑ Keith Baker (2005/05/16). The Lhazaar Principalities, Part Two . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2020/12/02.
- ↑ Keith Baker (2005/07/25). Masters of Magic . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/10/31. Retrieved on 2021/06/30.
- ↑ Keith Baker (January 2007). “ Dragonmarks : Sorcerers in Eberron ”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #351 ( Paizo Publishing ), p. ?.
- ↑ Keith Baker (2004/12/13). Monastic Orders . Dragonshards . Wizards of the Coast . Archived from the original on 2016/11/01. Retrieved on 2021/07/09.