Dragonmarks: Etrigani and Kaius | Keith Baker’s Blog

People say that Queen Etrigani hears ghosts. That when she’s near you, she hears the echoes of the people you’ve lost, the traces of the dead that cling to you. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s not. But I’ll tell you this. If you’re hiding something… she’ll know it. Whether it’s supernatural or not, our queen has a gift. We’re fortunate she seems devoted to our country and our king. 

The year was 991 YK, and Karrnath was shaken. Regent Morrana had condemned the Blood of Vol and disbanded the Seeker orders, but the army still relied on the Karrnathi undead. A dramatic offensive into the Mror Holds ended with massive losses and a humiliating retreat. The warlords demanded change, and they received it. The heirs of King Jaron had remained in isolation since his death, supposedly out of fear of Emerald Claw assassins. Now Jaron’s eldest son stepped out of the shadows and claimed the crown, taking the regnal name of Kaius. It wasn’t just his name that recalled the king who’d led Karrnath into the Last War; the new king bore an uncanny resemblance to his ancestor. Kaius III took full advantage of this, urging Karrns to recall their days of glory. He was more than just a familiar face. Kaius III was a brilliant strategist and a surprisingly skilled diplomat, with charisma that seemed almost supernatural. He seized the reins of power as if he’d held them for decades. Within the span of a year he’d united feuding warlords, revitalized Karrnath’s military, and brokered peace with the lords of the Mror Holds. When he took to the field, Kaius proved to be a capable warrior. And while the king preferred to solve his problems through diplomacy, when a warlord proved an implacable thorn in his side, they simply disappeared—and the other warlords nodded, respecting the ruthlessness of their new king. And somehow, in the midst of this diplomatic whirlwind, Kaius even found love. He didn’t strengthen his position by courting a scion of one of Karrnath’s ancient lines, nor did he pursue a diplomatic relationship with a noble of an opposing kingdom. Instead, Kaius pursued a stranger from a distant land—the Lady Etrigani. She was an elf of Aerenal, a noble of the Line of Melideth, an envoy at large observing the warring nations. Etrigani met Kaius at his coronation, and they were married in the same place, two years later to the day. 

Etrigani is an outsider in a nation proud of its history, an elf in a kingdom dominated by humans, a wizard in a realm that lives by the sword. Who is she? How did she win not just the heart of Kaius, but the support of his warlords and the common people? And why would an elf of Aerenal—child of a culture that despises Mabaran necromancy—embrace Karrnath and even spend much of her time in the infamous city of Atur?

WHO IS ETRIGANI?

Queen Etrigani is an elf from Aerenal. The skull tattooed across her face marks her as a noble of the Line of Melideth, the Aereni province notable for producing most of its envoys, merchants, and explorers. She is elegant and poised, a model of nobility and elven grace. But she’s neither arrogant nor cold. Etrigani is quick to smile and has a talent for putting others at ease. Even when she’s delivering a threat or an ultimatum—and over the course of a decade of dealing with the warlords of Karrnath, she’s done plenty of both—she speaks gently, showing remarkable empathy for everyone she deals with. 

Etrigani was barely a century old when she met Kaius III for the first time—a remarkable age for an elf to be both raised to the nobility and sent out into the world as an observer. Stories say that she’s an necromantic prodigy with an uncanny connection to Dolurrh. Supposedly Etrigani has an innate talent for hearing the traces of emotion and memory that people draw on when casting speak with dead. Where most necromancers can only speak with corpses, Etrigani hears these traces all around her, anywhere someone’s spirit left a mark on the world. If the DM decides these stories are true, this provides her with a few concrete benefits. She can cast speak with dead at will. She has expertise with Insight and advantage on all Insight checks that she makes. Beyond that, this gift manifests as a limited form of legend lore. Etrigani knows things about objects, people, and places she can see. This knowledge isn’t comprehensive; it’s based on the traces people have left on the subject of her observation, moments of high emotion and intensity. So she gets a sense of triumphs and tragedies, moments of loss and joy. Etrigani can’t shut down this ability. She can choose to remain silent about what she knows, but she can’t help but hear the ghosts moaning around you. However, this gift is a form of divination, and nondetection or any other effect that shields someone from divination will silence these ghosts.

Canonically, Etrigani is a skilled Aristocrat and a novice Wizard. In Fifth Edition, I’d blend these two ideas together and cast her as a non-musical bard, in the model of the 2014 College of Spirits. She is still young, and her direct spellcasting abilities are limited, but she is charismatic, persuasive, and empathetic—and she has a gift for practical necromancy, with a particular talent for speaking with the dead; I could also see her using silvery barbs, enhance ability, or borrowed knowledge to reflect her ties to unseen spirits. An important point is that her necromantic gifts are primarily tied to Dolurrh, not to Mabar. She has an affinity for ghosts, but she doesn’t animate the dead. 

Etrigani is canonically chaotic in alignment, and I see this as reflecting a refusal to embrace the weighty traditions of Aerenal. This ties to her role in Karrnath and the Blood of Vol. The Undying Court asserts that all Mabaran necromancy is destructive, slowly eating away at the lifeforce of Eberron. I see Etrigani as challenging this fundamental precept and seeking to learn more about the Seekers and their ways—studying how the Seekers use their rituals to contain the deadly energies of Mabar, and interacting with Mabaran undead who haven’t become monsters. I see her as wanting to limit the widespread use of Mabaran necromancy and the role of undead, but still being willing to explore and to learn. This takes the idea that her marriage was her choice and not a mandate from Aerenal. She is a minor noble, whose strange gift and resistance to tradition always made her something of an outsider; the Sibling Kings are watching Etrigani, but she’s not their servant. In this vision of Etrigani, she is with Kaius because she truly loves him, and because she wants to help him stabilize Karrnath and help his people. 

All of this is how I see Etrigani. However, just as King Kaius III may not be who he appears to be, this vision of Etrigani could also be a lie. Instead of being a young, rebellious outsider, Etrigani could be an experienced agent of the Deathguard, the Undying Court’s elite undead hunters. In this case, Etrigani is surely far more capable than her canon stats suggest. And if this is the case, her relationship with Kaius is more likely an arrangement of convenience than a love match. Kaius needs help dealing with Lady Illmarrow and the Order of the Emerald Claw; he made a bargain with the Deathguard, and Etrigani is here to do a job. In this vision of Etrigani, any apparent sympathy for the Seekers is feigned as she seeks to ferret out Emerald Claw agents. 

I’ve suggested two possibilities for Etrigani. But the path I’d choose would depend on the truth about her husband… King Kaius III. 

WHO IS KAIUS?

The original ECS presented this as canon fact. However, Rising From The Last War chose to step back, taking the approach that it was a possibility… but that it could in fact just be a pernicious rumor. Kaius III might simply have a remarkable resemblance to his ancestor! He could truly be a young idealist who seeks peace and to mend the wounds of his nation. 

Personally, I have always preferred an approach that blends both of these stories together—the idea that Kaius III is Kaius III pretending to be Kaius I pretending to be Kaius III. The idea here is that the story of Kaius I played out exactly as described above, and that he went into hiding to avoid becoming a tool of Lady Illmarrow… but he never found a way to break that control. But he saw Kaius III’s potential early on and guided his protege, molding him into an excellent king… and when young Kaius took the throne, his ancestor imprisoned himself in Dreadhold, placing him outside Illmarrow’s reach until a the new king could find a way to break the lich’s hold over him. Kaius III is intentionally playing up the similarities because he wants Illmarrow to think he’s Kaius I. He wants Illmarrow to be mystified by her inability to control him, to confuse her and throw her off her game. 

For me, the story of Kaius and Etrigani are entwined, and the truth about Kaius will determine the path I take with Etrigani. So looking at the different ideas…

Kaius III is Kaius I. If this is the case, then then the man who claims to be Kaius III is actually Kaius I — the last of the heirs who set the Last War in motion. This makes him a powerful individual carrying a terrible burden. He’s the man who drove his country into war, and instituted the harsh Code of Kaius. And he’s the man who made a bargain with Lady Illmarrow, and paid a terrible price for it. He slew his beloved wife. If you follow canon, he turned his granddaughter into a vampire, and either killed his great grandson or imprisoned him… all because he believes that he is the only one who can do what has to be done. While he seeks peace, Kaius I is canonically lawful evil; what we’ve always said about this is that it reflects his absolute view that his ends justify his means. Part of the point of Kaius I as Kaius III is that he’s trying to restore the world he helped break—but he’s been a monster for so long that it’s hard to change his ways. We’ve said before that it’s hard to maintain empathy as a vampire; Kaius I is a perfect example of that. On some level, he wants to be a good; but it’s hard for him to remember what that even feels like. Looking to the newspaper clipping, the point is that Kaius I IS a vampire, but there’s lots of ways for him to stage scenes that make this seem impossible.

If Kaius is Kaius I and a vampire, what is the story of Etrigani? Either of the two options I’ve presented can work. In the Deathguard story, Etrigani’s public tale is as much a lie as the king’s; I’d suggest that they met years ago, and that it was Etrigani who found a way to break Illmarrow’s hold over the king. In this case I’d say that Etrigani’s mission isn’t just to destroy Illmarrow; the Undying Court knows that this would just kick the can down the road. She is tasked with destroying the influence of the Order of the Emerald Claw, but also with doing all that she can to find Illmarrow’s phylactery. The hope is that this will be exposed in Illmarrow’s conflict with Kaius. Etrigani and Kaius are partners, not lovers; they are united by their desire to bring down Illmarrow. This Etrigani has no love for Mabaran undead; if she did manage to defeat Illmarrow, she might try to destroy Kaius before returning to Aerenal. 

However, it’s still possible to keep the empathetic Etrigani with the Kaius I. This Etrigani can hear the ghosts people carry with them. She met Kaius “III” at his coronation and immediate saw his pain; she could hear the ghost of his wife he carries with him. While her people teach that Mabaran undead are monsters, Etrigani sees the man he was, and is working to help him regain his humanity—to lay his ghosts to rest and find new love.

Kaius III is Kaius III. In this scenario, both Kaius and Etrigani are exactly what they appear to be. Kaius III is a young noble with big dreams for his nation, haunted by the shadow of his long-dead ancestor; if there IS a vampire Kaius I, they don’t know about him. Etrigani is also a young noble who wants to break away from the traditions of her ancestors and who has embraced her new homeland. She wants to learn more about the Seekers and their traditions—how they are using their rituals to contain the threat of Mabar, and the ways in which the use of undead serve the greater good. The point of this story is that these are two young and idealistic people who want challenge the traditions of their people and make the world a better place… but will the world allow it? Kaius truly wants peace, but the warlords of Karrnath are hungry for war. Etrigani sees beauty in Atur, but the Undying Court could be leaning on her and demanding that she serve their ends. Can they find a path to a better world? Or will they be forced into the molds their cultures wish for them?

Kaius III is Kaius III pretending to be Kaius I pretending to be Kaius III. Kaius I is the ruthless vampire who set the war in motion and now seeks redemption, but he can’t fight this battle alone. Kaius III is his chosen tool, trained and prepared to enact his will, saving his great grandfather and his nation. As described in the story, Kaius III is a brilliant leader. But he is fighting his ancestor’s war, and being driven to use his methods. Here again, we get that canonical lawful evil alignment—the idea that he’s been taught to be utterly ruthless in pursuit of his goals. But what does he want? If we take Etrigani as she stands, we have the idea that when she met Kaius at his coronations, she could feel the shadow of Kaius I hanging over him. She loves him, but she’s also trying to be a counter to K1’s darkness. And the point is that both Kaius and Etrigani won’t truly be free to chart their own course until they finish K1’s war—finding a way to free him from Illmarrow’s control and breaking the power of the Order of the Emerald Claw. Essentially, this takes the characters from the K3 is K3 story and commits them to this ruthless secret war. Etrigani wants them to win, but she also wants her husband to retain his humanity. A second question to consider on this path: Even if K3 is K3… is he still a vampire? The most convincing way for this masquerade to work would be if Kaius I turned his great grandson into a vampire. The idea is that Illmarrow’s control doesn’t pass down over generations; she can control Kaius I, but not his spawn. If Kaius III is a vampire of Kaius I’s bloodline, it would be the best way to convince Illmarrow he is Kaius I. But what does this mean for his future with Etrigani?

A fourth option is that Kaius I has taken the place of Kaius III and imprisoned him in Dreadhold, but that Etrigani loves Kaius III. She is working with Kaius I to defeat Illmarrow; once that task has been completed, he has promised to release the true Kaius III and return to the shadows. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? 

If your adventurers are going to clash with the Emerald Claw or Lady Illmarrow, Etrigani and Kaius could be valuable allies. Etrigani has more freedom of movement than the king, but she’d still have a difficult time running around fighting Emerald Claw agents; but she has resources and information, and she could be an excellent patron for a group of adventurers. Etrigani could guide her agents both in dealing with agents of the Emerald Claw and also in seeking to maintain peace in Karrnath—dealing with rivalries and vendettas among the warlords, or even opposing Royal Eyes of Aundair or Dark Lanterns of Breland. On the other hand, if Etrigani is an agent of the Deathguard seeking Illmarrow’s phylactery, she could be a more powerful patron suited to more experienced adventurers, guiding them on ever more dangerous investigations into possible sites for the phylactery. 

Regardless of this path, the DM can also explore the idea that Etrigani truly does want to learn more about the Seeker traditions—possibly, that she wants to try to soften the stance of the Deathguard and the Undying Court itself, to prove that when used wisely, Mabaran necromancy isn’t as dangerous as the Aereni believe. 

Of course, there’s another option that could throw a twist into any of these stories. Etrigani has an unusual gift that allows her to communicate with the dead in a way most people cannot. She has a rebellious streak and doesn’t hold to the traditions of the Undying Court. What if she has a deeper secret? What if she has deep and distant ties to the Line of Vol, so distant they were ignored by the Undying Court in its purge? What if Etrigani is the first living elf in millenia to develop the Mark of Death? This would certainly explain her enthusiasm for leaving Aerenal far behind. Surely, she wouldn’t possess Erandis’s Apex Dragonmark (among other reasons, because such a mark would be physically difficult to conceal). But a living bearer of the Mark of Death could be the key to Erandis’s quest to somehow unlock the power of her dead dragonmark. Even if you don’t go down this path, Etrigani’s supernatural abilities could be a gift of Dolurrh’s Queen of the Dead… somehow tying into the Queen’s plans for Lady Illmarrow.

WHAT ABOUT REGENT MORANNA?

Moranna continues to serve as regent of Karrnath, a post that has been transformed from a stewardship to an advisory position. She never ventures far from the court or from Kaius’s side, except when he sends her out in his name to handle crises near and far. Moranna, a large, strong woman, has a commanding manner and a no-nonsense approach that leaves most of her underlings shaking in her wake.

That’s what the Eberron Campaign Setting has to say about Regent Moranna, and that remains true no matter which of the above stories you choose. Five Nations adds a little more to this: If the PCs undertake missions for the crown, Regent Moranna eventually becomes their patron and main contact point. Other than Kaius himself, she’s the most feared presence in Korth. Everyone knows she has some necromantic power, and it’s an open secret that she uses magic to give herself a deathlike pallor and some undead qualities.It complicates things a little by making Moranna an Aristocrat/Wizard, while the ECS had her as an Aristocrat/Sorcerer. Following the spirit of the text I’m inclined to agree with making her a necromancer wizard; alternately, Sorcerer levels could be used to reflect innate abilities. Because those same stories that say that Kaius I was a vampire say that he turned his granddaughter Moranna into a vampire as well, using her as his catspaw to manage things until he was finally ready to return.

Moranna’s basic position remains intact regardless of what story you choose. Whether she’s the king’s granddaughter, aunt, or spawn, she’s a trusted advisor and troubleshooter for the king. She is ruthless—lawful evil in alignment—and thus is untroubled by Etrigani’s empathy. I’m offering Etrigani as an alternative patron for adventurers serving the crown, but Moranna remains a possible patron, especially if their missions will take them down dark paths.

But is she a vampire? If Kaius I is a vampire, than Moranna is likely his spawn regardless of whether or not he is posing as Kaius III. As I’ve suggested, the idea is that Illmarrow can’t control Kaius’s spawn. If Kaius I is posing as Kaius III, she is his loyal aide as she always has been. If Kaius III is posing as Kaius I posing as Kaius III, then Moranna is the spawn of his great grandfather; she remains in her role of advisor and seeks to guide him down the path Kaius I would wish for him to follow; in this case, there could be tension between Etrigani and Moranna, given that Moranna is utterly ruthless and Etrigani would encourage the king to cultivate compassion. On the one hand, if Kaius III isn’t a vampire and Moranna is, she could be his bodyguard; on the other, in the same scenario, she could be a frightening watchdog appointed by Kaius I to make sure his descendant doesn’t lose his nerve. If, on the other hand, you decide that the stories of vampires are completely false, than Moranna may be exactly what she appears to be—the king’s aunt, a necromancer with a goth vibe and a cruel temperament. Or, it could be that she is still a vampire—and, perhaps, still the spawn of Kaius I—even if Kaius I has been destroyed and Kaius III is a living man.

Ultimately, the pieces remain the same. Kaius III is a relatively young king seeking peace and willing to be ruthless in his pursuit of it. Etrigani is his queen, a foreigner adapting to this new land and trying to balance her empathy with the harsh ways of Karrnath. And Moranna is the old advisor who is prepared to be the king’s heavy hand when needed. Are any of them vampires? That’s up to the DM to decide.

Kaius and Moranna blame the Blood of Vol for Karrnath’s failures in the Last War. Assuming Etrigani’s sympathies for the Seekers are legitimate, what are her opinions on the matter?

This isn’t a simple question. Because the fact that Kaius has publicly blamed Karrnath’s failings on the Blood of Vol doesn’t me that KAIUS actually believed that. The key example of this comes from the original Eberron Campaign Setting, which calls out that (following the K3 is K1 story) Kaius has a harem of devoted followers of the Blood of Vol who provide him with blood. I’ve always seen Kaius as oppressing the Blood of Vol for two reasons. The first was to eliminate LADY ILLMARROW’S influence in Karrnath — dissolving the Order of the Emerald Claw and targeting Illmarrow’s agents throughout the Seekers. The second is because Kaius needed to do something to change the story and unite the warlords behind him. The Seekers are scapegoats; blaming Karrnath’s failings on the Seekers lets the warlords reclaim their pride, to assert that they COULD have won if they’d just relied on pure Karrnathi steel. But in MY campaign, Kaius himself has never been against the common Seeker — as shown by the loyalty of his “blood bank.” Kaius is RUTHLESS. He is willing to make hard sacrifices to achieve his ends. In my opinion his persecution of the Seekers is exactly that — a sacrifice he made to cripple Illmarrow’s power base and strengthen his own position. Etrigani’s frequent presence in Atur reflects Kaius’s desire to maintain a connection to the true Seekers — even while he continues to persecute the Emerald Claw and Illmarrow’s loyalists.

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