Dragonshard

This article refers to an aspect of the Eberron D&D campaign setting. For the computer game, see Dragonshard (computer game).

In the Eberron campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, dragonshards are rock or crystal fragments originating from the three legendary dragons of Eberron's creation myth. The three sections of Eberron's world, Siberys, Eberron and Khyber, each produce a distinct form of dragonshard, with a unique appearance and distinct magic affinity. Dragonshards are among Eberron's most important resources. Their scarcity makes them valuable and a frequent goal of quests.

Overview

Dragonshards are hard, translucent rock or crystal fragments with swirling, pulsating veins of color suspended within them. The veins have the appearance of dragonmarks. Although dragonshards are translucent, their glowing veins give them a distinctive color and make them look almost alive.

Siberys dragonshards

Siberys shards fall from the Ring of Siberys that encircles Eberron. They are usually found in equatorial regions such as Xen'drik. They contain a pulsating swirl of golden veins. Siberys shards are the rarest type of dragonshard, and the type most closely associated with the dragonmarked houses. Because of their scarcity and importance to powerful groups, a new find of Siberys shards is often the focus of intrigue or theft. They are sometimes called sunstones or starmotes, or simply dragonshards, because of their association with the dragonmarked houses.

Khyber dragonshards

Khyber shards are found beneath the earth near layers of magma or sulfur vents, typically growing on volcanic cavern walls. They are found throughout Eberron but are particularly common in areas known for fiendish activity, such as the Demon Wastes. Khyber shards have a smoky appearance, with writhing midnight blue to oily black veins running through them. They are sometimes known as nightshards or demonstones.

Eberron dragonshards

Eberron shards are found buried in shallow soil in clusters encased in geodes. They are found only in Khorvaire and Aerenal. Eberron shards have a pinkish appearance and churn with crimson blood-red swirls. They are commonly known as bloodstones.

Dragonshard uses

Dragonshards can be crafted to power magic items, artifacts and constructs, or to augment dragonmark abilities. Dragonshard items vary in power depending on the purity of the dragonshard used. They are rarely large enough to craft into items of significant size; most often, small dragonshards are formed into jewelry. Larger dragonshards, up to the size of a fist, can be crafted into larger focus items.

Siberys shard items

Siberys shard items focus or enhance the power of dragonmarked characters, and can enhance psionic powers. Dragonmarked houses are of central importance to the economy and society of Khorvaire, so their artificers have both the means and the need to develop methods to enhance the power of dragonshards. The resulting proliferation of Siberys shard items range from devices focused on enhancing the power of a specific mark to generalized tools that work for anyone who bears a dragonmark. Kalashtar psions and the Inspired lords of Riedra have found a way to harness the power of Siberys shards by undergoing a painful process that embeds a shard in their body, providing enhanced mental or physical abilities.

Khyber shard items

Khyber shard items have an affinity for binding magic. They are common components of binding diagrams, soul trapping spells and similar magic associated with binding creatures.

Eberron shard items

Eberron shard items store magical energy or psionic power as spellbooks, spell-storing items or psionic power stones. Intelligent magical items often incorporate Eberron shards. Their magical affinity is very broad compared to the specific powers of Siberys and Khyber shards. Spellcasters can attune Eberron shards to a specific spell, enhancing the power of that spell when it's cast on the shard, and they can encode their spells in shards instead of scribing them.

References

• Baker, Keith; Slavicsek, Bill; Wyatt, James (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4