City of Towers_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [146]
The Undying Court
Although the elves of Aerenal live far longer than humans, they were not content with this span, not willing to let their heroes slip away into Dolurrh and the mystery of death. In time, the elves found a way to preserve their ancestors beyond death, anchoring them to the world of the living through devotion and spiritual sacrifice. These deathless elves inhabit Shae Mordai, the vast necropolis in the center of the island of Aerenal, and from this city of the dead they continue to guide their nation. Unlike the vampires of the Blood of Vol, the elves of the Undying Court are not undead in the traditional sense. They are sustained by the devotion of their descendants and have no need of blood or life energy. Followers of the Undying Court despise the Blood of Vol and those undead creatures that prey on the living, seeing these as abominations and perversions of the ways of the Undying Court.
While the members of the Undying Court are not gods, they are ancient, wise, and powerful. Just as a paladin can draw on the pure essence of the Silver Flame to lend strength to his sword, the members of the Undying Court can lend their power to those priests who honor their memory.
The Druidic Sects
The druids worship Eberron itself, as the embodiment of the world and nature. While they share certain common features—reverence for the creatures of the wild and the natural order—there are a number of different sects, each with its own unique beliefs. The Gatekeepers seek to defend Eberron from unnatural forces, such as the Daelkyr and other fiends of Xoriat. The Wardens of the Wood fight to preserve the balance between nature and civilization, protecting each from the other. The Greensingers have a strong bond with the fey of Thelanis and are typically seen as tricksters. The Ashbound believe that arcane magic is a violation of nature and often use violence to stop its use. The Children of Winter embrace death as a natural part of the cycle of life. They believe in a coming apocalypse that will cleanse the world, and many actively seek to bring about this devastation.
The Path of Light
The kalashtar are a mysterious race—humans touched by spirits from another world, and are an enigma to the people of the Five Nations. They believe in a celestial force they call il-Yanna, “the Great Light.” The followers of the Light engage in meditation and strict physical discipline, preparing mind and body for battle against a force they call the Dreaming Dark. However, the nature of this conflict is difficult for outsiders to understand. While the kalashtar occasionally engage in physical combat with their foes, the true struggle is one based around philosophy and dreams-something that cannot be seen with the eye.
The Paths of Magic
Magic permeates Eberron. Its energy is all around us. The Seren Tablets say that it is the breath of Siberys, released when that great dragon was slain by Khyber in the battle that formed our world. Skeptics and scholars claim it is a natural force like the lightning and the wind. Regardless of its origin, its presence cannot be questioned. The force is there, and there are many ways it can be shaped and controlled.
The oldest road is that of faith, the adept and the cleric. Those who believe claim that the gods and their celestial servants work miracles on behalf of their chosen, allowing the priest to minister to the wounded, protect those in need, and smite the enemies of his faith. Skeptics say that the cleric works his miracles through will alone, the pure strength of his belief reshaping reality to meet his desires. Whatever the truth, it is a path that requires no knowledge of esoteric laws and formulae. All that is required is faith and will, but in such quantities that few men possess.
However, those who lack faith can make up for