(Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron)
Half-elves have spread across Khorvaire, from the Towering Woods of the Eldeen Reaches to the slums of Sharn. New half-elves are born in every generation as a result of pairings between humans, elves, and half-elves, and these newborns typically cling to the cultures of their parents. However, over the course of centuries, half-elves have developed their own communities and traditions; this sense of identity has been strengthened by the rise of House Lyrandar and House Medani.
When two half-elves conceive, the child is always a half-elf. Over the course of generations, families and communities of half-elves have developed their own cultural identity. Members of these families generally dislike the term “half-elf”; they call themselves Khoravar, an elven term meaning “children of Khorvaire”.
Horavar culture places a strong emphasis on generosity and hospitality toward other Khoravar. You aren't expected to put yourself in danger for a stranger, but where possible, half-elves do what they can to help other Khoravar and to share information. Khoravar communities have weekly unity dinners where local news and events are shared; an excellent source for local events and rumors or a place where communities might be able to recruit able bodied adventurers from their own communities to solve problems.
Khoravar speak both Common and Elven, and among themselves they have blended these two into a pidgin that makes perfect sense to anyone who speaks both languages, but someone who only speaks one of the two have difficulty understanding the full meaning of a given statement. This blending of language is in keeping with the idea of being the “bridge between", encouraging Khoravar to facilitate communication, understanding, and cooperation between members of different cultures and species, always seeking some form of balance. As such, Khoravar often become mediators, diplomats, translators, or bards. Others, meanwhile, are fascinated by their distant connection to the Fey, becoming Greensinger druids or warlocks seeking the blessings of the Archfey.
(Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
If you want a wall of muscle to get between you and a blade, go to House Deneith. If you want someone to anticipate the threat and make sure you aren’t even in the room with whoever’s holding that blade, that’s what we do.
—Baron Trelib d’Medani
The Mark of Detection is an inquisitive’s dream. It sharpens powers of observation and intuition, allowing the bearer to draw connections and interpret clues others might miss. By actively drawing on its powers, the bearer can detect poisons and study the energies of magic.
House Medani
Leader: Baron Trelib d’Medani
Headquarters: Tower of Inquisition (Wroat, Breland)
Represented by the basilisk’s eye, the Warning Guild of House Medani brokers the services of bodyguards and inquisitives. Medani advisors specialize in risk assessment and management, protecting clients from both physical and social threats. While Medani overlaps with the inquisitives of House Tharashk and the bodyguards of House Deneith, the Warning Guild specializes in subtle threats and complex mysteries. Baron Trelib manages the guild’s affairs from the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat, where the house also interrogates prisoners for King Boranel of Breland.
The members of House Medani are half-elves with deep roots in Breland. Medani has little interest in the power struggles that sometimes break out between the other dragonmarked houses. Many Medani heirs are more interested in helping their communities than in raw profit, and Medani heirs often work with local law enforcement or help those who can’t afford their services.
| Spell Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease |
| 2nd | Detect Thoughts, Find Traps |
| 3rd | Clairvoyance, Nondetection |
| 4th | Arcane Eye, Divination |
| 5th | Legend Lore |
(Eberron: Rising from the Last War)
Sovereigns and Firstborn, grant me the four blessings promised to our people: dominion over the air, dominion over the water, fortune for my family, and fortune for my future.
—From the Oath of Lyrandar
Wind and water welcome the half-elves who carry the Mark of Storm, and some learn to call on the power of the storm itself.
House Lyrandar
Leader: Esravash d’Lyrandar
Headquarters: Stormhome (Aundair)
House Lyrandar has long ruled the seas. Their kraken-marked galleons harness air and water elementals and are faster than any mundane vessel. Control of sea and river trade gave Lyrandar considerable power. Now they reach out to the skies. Merely a decade old, Lyrandar airships have undermined the lightning rail’s domination of overland travel.
House Lyrandar also controls the air in a literal way. The Raincallers’ Guild can use the Mark of Storms to control the weather for its clients.
For many of the house’s members, the house is more than a family or business—its private island enclave, Stormhome, is the closest thing they have to a homeland. Baron Esravash is ambitious and often steers the house to act in what he sees as the interests of all half-elves. Lyrandar heirs help the Valenar elves run their young kingdom, and some believe that Valenar could become a true homeland for the Khoravar.
| Spell Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | Feather Fall, Fog Cloud |
| 2nd | Gust of Wind, Levitate |
| 3rd | Sleet Storm, Wind Wall |
| 4th | Conjure Minor Elementals, Control Water |
| 5th | Conjure Elemental |