House Medani: New Post, Enclaves, and More! (Patreon)

I've just posted the full House Medani article, which is linked above. For those of you who prefer to read a piece at a time, here's the final pieces that were added!

MEDANI CUSTOMS

In popular stories, Medani characters are usually depicted as being exceptionally curious—inquisitive, you might say. A Medani is always yearning to try new things, to taste new foods and see what’s behind every door. While this is a stereotype, there is some truth to it. From childhood, Medani are encouraged to investigate and explore, because every new experience adds to the collective memory. You never know when the scent of a new type of Tal could be a vital clue in a murder investigation, so it can’t hurt to smell every cup. For some Medani this curiosity goes hand in hand with an outgoing personality; such people are happy to talk to strangers and always eager to make new friends. However, there’s just as many Medani who are quiet observers, preferring to watch from the edge of the room instead of being the life of the party. This doesn’t necessarily reflect an antisocial nature. Instead, it’s that there’s so much to see. Think of a dog with their head out a car window, flooded with scents and the stories attached to each one. For a Medani, watching a room full of people is like a delicious banquet; each person tells a silent story with their clothing, their body language, their movements, their interactions and it is delightful to drink it all in. This isn’t limited to people; a Medani can get lost in any complex environment, cataloguing details and noticing things that are out of place. Every room and every person is a story, and the quiet Medani enjoys each one. 

Word Games. From childhood on, Medani heirs are pushed to develop their skills of insight and deductive reasoning. They play a variety of games that hone these skills, and adult Medani may play such a game for fun. A few examples… 

Secrets. Each participant is given a secret. The participants converse until one of them believes they have deduced all of the others’ secrets, calling the end of the game. 

Questions. A faster game, this teaches participants to draw out information while revealing nothing. Players must engage in a natural conversation, compelling the other participants to continue to talk… but they lose points any time they make a concrete statement instead of parrying a question with a question, or if they break the flow of the conversation. 

Stories. The participants observe one or more individuals and deduce their stories. This could involve eavesdropping—listening to a conversation and piecing details together from what is overheard—or the players could be challenged with a silent individual or even an object. What can they deduce through observation? 

Once heirs manifest the Mark of Detection, games adapt to hone these skills. Scions constantly practice with detect magic and identify, and the game of Secrets shifts to incorporate Detect Thoughts. For many Medani, this becomes a habit throughout life; every conversation is a game. 

The Unity Meal. The exact nature of the Unity Meal varies from city to city and district to district. In some communities it’s always midweek, and always at one specific location—whether that’s the home of a particular Khoravar or a favorite tavern. In other communities, the honor of hosting passes with each meal, and the host chooses the day. But the principle remains the same. A Unity Meal is a feast to which all Khoravar are welcome, whether they are part of the community or just passing through. It is a time for people to share stories and news, to celebrate triumphs and mourn losses. While the time and location shifts, when passing through a Khoravar community a traveler can always simply ask Medani distal—”Where are we gathering?” This is a tradition that evolved among the Khoravar of Wroat and spread to Cyre, and Medani has carried the practice wherever it has gone; every major Medani enclave hosts Unity Meals for the surrounding community. While in the beginning the tradition was limited to Khoravar, it has long been accepted that a Khoravar can bring anyone who is important to them, whether family or found family—as long as the guests are willing to fully participate, sharing their stories and news.

While the Khoravar have been sharing meals for centuries, there’s been a recent development. In 983 YK, the Khoravar priest Jovial Denn called on the Sovereign Boldrei to bless his Unity Meal, urging the attendees to embrace their shared connection. Jovial’s blessing had a powerful effect, and he has shared the ritual with other Khoravar communities. While Jovi himself always blessed the wine, any sort of meal can channel this magic. However, there is a catch not mentioned in the spell description: to benefit from its effects, someone must embrace the spirit of the blessing—to truly wish to connect with their fellow diners. This is a relatively new ritual which to date is only known among a handful of Khoravar Vassals. In principle, any Vassal priest could learn and cast it, and there could be versions of this spell tied to other faiths; but at the moment, it’s tied to the Unity Meal. 

Apprenticeships. Even while they learn techniques of deduction and investigation, young heirs are encouraged to pursue some form of apprenticeship or advanced education outside the house, to build connections and broaden their skill base. In developing a Medani heir, consider your skills and proficiencies and decide if one or more are related to this period of study. Who was your mentor at this time? Have you remained in touch with your teacher or any of the people you met there? Baron Trelib studied at the Library of Korranberg for their apprenticeship, and it was there that they met Boranel ir’Wynarn, beginning a lifelong friendship.

Martial Training. Most Medani know what speciality they hope to pursue from an early age. Watchers or Augurs don’t dwell on combat training, but would-be Wardens and Wolves need to be ready for trouble, and Medani enclaves have a weapon master in residence to train the scions. Medani combat techniques focus on finesse and precision, emphasizing Dexterity over Strength. While not every heir has the capabilities of a player character, the Medani combat style is that of the Rogue—light armor, finesse weapons, and a devastating precision blow. The Medani Warden stat block shared below is an example of a capable Warden with the Least Mark of Detection. The Korth enclave provides more extensive combat training for scions, intended for those who wish to serve as scouts and in units like the Thousand Yard Stare. This training follows the model of the Ranger, still focusing on Finesse weapons and precision. 

MEDANI FAMILIES AND ENCLAVES

This section typically provides details on influential clans or families within a Dragonmarked House. However, when the Mark of Detection appeared among the Khoravar of Wroat, those who carried it joined together as a single united community. Heirs of the House Medani don’t use secondary surnames. Within an enclave, residents will often invoke the name of a parent—So when talking to fellow members of the Wroat enclave, Dalas d’Medani would identify herself as Dalas, Haela’s Daughter. While family doesn’t play a powerful role in shaping a Medani character, their enclave does. Medani has six major enclaves spread across Khorvaire. Heirs are typically born and raised within a single enclave, and the majority go on to train and work within that same enclave or the city that surrounds it. Especially given Medani’s custom of building ties with local communities, over centuries the enclaves have developed unique traditions and flavor—and even if the Medani celebrate their unity, most heirs feel a particular sense of loyalty to the enclave of their birth. When creating a Medani character, consider if you have ties to one of these major enclaves and how that has shaped your personality. The enclaves are generally referred to using the name of the Warning Guild office, and when heirs talk to one another, they’ll shorten the name to a single word; I’m Dalas, from the Tower. 

Wroat: The Tower of Inquisition, “The Tower”

While he was born a century after House Medani became part of the Twelve, Alasar d’Medani is considered by many to be the true founder of the House. In his last days he wrote The Manual of Inquisition, still considered to be the definitive guide to the arts of investigation and deduction. It is this book that established the use of the term Inquisitive for a professional investigator. It is also the origin of the name of the greatest stronghold of House Medani—the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat. Some might hear Inquisition and think of torture or persecution, but that’s not the way of the Medani. The Tower of Inquisition is the oldest school for Inquisitives in Khorvaire, and has produced the finest Watchers in the Warning Guild. The Tower stands within sight of Brokenblade Castle, and has long provided advisors and augurs to the leaders of Breland. The rest of the Medani enclave is spread out in the neighborhoods around the Tower. Notable locations include the Old Galley—a dining hall that’s been used for Unity meals since before the War of the Mark—and the shrine of the Voice of Aureon. Augurs and Prophets sell their services in the Tower of Inquisition, but the shrine is a place of devotion and contemplation, with a library holding the writings of generations of Medani Prophets.  

Wroat was the birthplace of House Medani, and the Wroat enclave is home to approximately 30% of the population of the House. Its scions take pride in the history and traditions of the House, and due to the presence of the Voice of Aureon, many in the enclave are devoted Vassals. The Wroatian Medani have an underlying belief that their Mark is an instrument of justice. They aren’t naive; they live in Breland and know corruption runs through many of its systems. But Wroatian Medani believe in the ideal of the law. They usually work along with local authorities, and in return are largely trusted by the Wroat Watch. The Basilisk’s Gaze is largely composed of Medani from Wroat, dedicated to bringing war criminals to justice.  

As a Medani raised in Wroat, you are likely proud of the history of your house and have a favorable opinion of the forces of the law. If you studied your trade in Wroat, you most likely focused on investigation or divination. You don’t have to be a Vassal, but many Wroatian Medani are devoted Vassals who feel a particular connection to Aureon.  

Fairhaven: Insight House, “Insight”  

Insight House sits on the edge of the Distant Exchange, a bustling market that deals solely in goods from beyond Aundair. It’s a humble, cozy outpost for a Dragonmarked House; it offers access to all of the services of the Warning Guild, but has a smaller staff than the other major enclaves. As with all Medani enclaves, its true footprint extends much farther than the Guild offices. To outsiders, Insight House doesn’t seem to have a clear function. While there are mentors who train the resident heirs in the basic arts of inquisition and defense, there’s no grand academy like those found in Wroat or Korth. This is because the most important work of the enclave is conducted in the unmarked buildings spread around the ward. Insight House is a center for research into forensic magic—finding ways for Medani scions to extend their supernatural senses ever farther. It was the seers of Insight House who honed the techniques allowing gifted heirs to use the Mark of Detection to produce the effects of Clairvoyance and Arcane Eye, and they continue to develop techniques and focus items that enhance these spells.

Fairhaven was home to two distinct Khoravar subcultures before the Medani arrived there. The settled Khoravar had strong ties to House Lyrandar. But Fairhaven is also home to a population of half-elves who identify not as Khoravar, but as River Elves. The River Elves dismiss the notion that their ancestors were tied to Aerenal, instead claiming to be descended from the fey of the woods and the River Aundair. All Khoravar are welcome at the Unity meals of House Medani, and over the course of centuries River Elves have joined the House and heirs (those who fail to develop the Mark of Detection) have left it to pursue a life on the water. This blending has added an artistic, sometimes whimsical aspect to the Fairhaven Medani. While any of the Medani enclaves could produce a character with the mechanical abilities of a Bard, it’s Fairhaven where you’ll actually find those who love music as well as deduction. With that said, the River Elves hold fast to their traditions and have no interest in being swallowed whole by Lyandar or Medani. In addition, thirty years ago the inquisitive Hesta d’Medani exposed a grand confidence scheme being carried out by a River Elf known as the King of the Docks; ever since then, there has been some distance between the two communities. 

As a Medani born in Fairhaven, you are likely more creative and artistic than your cousins. You may have a love of magic, beyond just its pure function; you love seeing the world in ways others can’t imagine. Try to find joy in your work, and savor the stories you uncover.  

Flamekeep: The Witness

When Medani established themselves in the city then known as the Sovereign’s Seat, they bought an old inn called The Witness. The Warning Guild office has expanded and grown since then, and little of the original building remains, but the old inn sign still hangs above the door, next to the seal of the Warning Guild. 

As with every enclave, the heirs of the house have built ties to the community, and young Medani can be found working in taverns, smithies, and schools. Given this, the faith of the Flame has a strong foothold among the heirs of the Witness. There’s no zealotry to this, and no pressure for every heir to embrace the faith. But some do serve a tour of duty as a templar or acolyte, and a few of the Church’s finest exorcists began as Medani heirs. The heirs of the Witness specialize in investigating and defending against supernatural threats, and are often called in on cases that involve haunting, possession, or curses. The Witness also has a strong program for producing Truthtellers. It is second only to Korth in the number of Wardens it trains. The Thousand Yard Stare is based in Arythawn Keep in Thrane, and most of the members of the Stare trained at the Witness. 

As a Medani born in Flamekeep, you are attuned to supernatural threats. You may or may not follow the faith of the Silver Flame, but throughout your life you’ve been encouraged to be empathetic and to help those in need. You may feel an impulse to investigate possible threats that endanger innocents, even if you’re not being paid for the job. 

Korth: The Old Shield, “The Shield”

In the wake of Galifar’s War of Unification, Korth underwent widespread reconstruction to repair the damage from Daskaran attacks. Medani laid claim to an abandoned garrison in what would eventually become the Commerce Ward, restoring it and improving its martial facilities. This is the Old Shield, the heart of the Medani enclave in Korth. The Shield is the largest facility for training Medani Wardens. Such training focuses on threat detection and risk management as well as martial skill; the best Wardens ensure that their charge is never at risk of physical harm. But if it comes to combat, a Warden needs to be able to end a battle quickly and decisively, and the mentors of the Old Shield train their charges to be swift and ruthless. Since the beginning of the Last War, the Shield has offered more extensive martial training for heirs who wish to serve as battlefield scouts; this follows the combat style of the Ranger. 

Medani heirs serve apprenticeships throughout the community. In Korth, scions of the Shield often serve a term as Deneith mercenaries, working as scouts or skirmishers. While some assume that Deneith and Medani are rivals, their skill sets are complementary and heirs often work together to provide a full spectrum of security. A Deneith Blademark provides direct physical protection, interposing themselves between the client and a threat; the Medani Warden provides tactical advice and watches from the shadows. Many of Medani’s private security agencies across Khorvaire include Medani and Deneith heirs, often drawing on connections established during their youth in Korth. 

As a Medani born in Korth, you are likely more pragmatic and ruthless than your cousins—and more prepared to see decisive violence as a potential solution to a problem. Korth Medani are often depicted as grim and stoic, and there’s some truth to that stereotype. You are always considering possible threats, always preparing for betrayal. Consider if you served with a mercenary unit during your apprenticeship; if so, what action did you see during the Last War?  

Sharn: Omen Hall, “Omen” 

The Medani of Sharn are the mirror image of their cousins in Wroat. Where Wroatian Medani are often devoted Vassals who believe in the blessing of Aureon and work with the forces of the law, the Medani of Sharn are mostly cynics who know it’s a coin toss whether a Watch officer is taking bribes from the Boromars. If the Wroatian Medani are largely lawful in their outlook, the Medani of Omen Hall are more chaotic—believing that it’s often necessary to bend the rules to get results. This attitude may be why Omen Hall produces the most effective Wolves of the Warning Guild. The job of a Medani Wolf isn’t to solve crimes, it’s to make problems go away. And the people of Sharn have many problems that need to be taken care of. Many Sharn-trained Medani are willing to work with any client, taking jobs a Wroatian might refuse; whether the client is a City Councilor or Saidan Boromar, all that matters is the color of their coin. However, there are still a few Medani idealists even in Sharn—Inquisitives who run their own agencies, working for the people who can’t get justice from the Watch. Much like the ruthless Wardens of the Shield, the pragmatism of Sharn Medani is a boon for the Warning Guild overall; while they might have been raised in the City of Towers, Sharn Wolves can be found working solving problems across Khorvaire. 

While Wroat is the heart of House Medani, the Sharn inquisitive is the Medani most often depicted in fiction or popular entertainment: the hardboiled investigator willing to take on any case, often at odds with the ineffective or corrupt agents of the law. Many heirs of the house enjoy that image and are happy to play up the role. Omen Hall is located on Central Plaza at the edge of the Dragon Towers district. The enclave spills out into Dava Gate, but there are a few Medani residences and boltholes scattered around the city, providing anchor points for heirs to pursue apprenticeships on any level. The Stone Eye is a tavern in Vallia Towers in Lower Central, licensed by Ghallanda but run by old Caslin “Cask” d’Medani; the Eye is renowned for its raucous Unity dinners.  

As a Medani born in Sharn, you’re likely to have a cynical outlook. You’ve grown up surrounded by crime and corruption. The question is whether you accept that as the way of the world, or whether you believe that you can make a difference. Do you believe in justice, or are you just here to do your job and do it well?

Trolanport: Medani Hall, “The Hall”

Medani Hall in Trolanport was the first major enclave that the House established beyond Breland, and it’s the busiest and most profitable outpost of the Warning Guild. The Trust rarely needs any assistance dealing with crime, but private citizens have countless reasons to hire Inquisitives. The Zil love intrigue, and Medani Watchers are tasked to dig up information on rivals and relatives, to investigate possible affairs… or to facilitate them! The Trust usually prevents physical violence, but Medani Wardens are valued for overall risk assessment and especially to watch out for poisoning. The Trust frowns on murder, but the Zil have an extensive etiquette of poisoning, and the Trust won’t intervene in what’s considered a justified duel—the results of which may be nonlethal, but certainly won’t be pleasant. And the Zil adore Augurs; wealthy gnomes may get daily Auguries just to see how the day is going to go. Beyond their work for Zil clients, one of the most important services Medani Hall provides is tourist guides. This is a subset of the Warden. These guides help clients navigate the city and to see its many sights, but their primary job is to keep clients from crossing any lines with the Trust. Whether the client is trying to establish a legitimate business, to pursue a shadier opportunity, or to survive a grand bachelor party, a Medani Guide will evaluate their options and highlight all of the risks involved. 

Among the enclaves, Medani Hall is considered the foremost facility for training counterspies. Over the course of the Last War, this speciality became increasingly important; even now, counterspies from the Hall are in high demand in Thronehold and other hotspots. While the Hall works hard to maintain a friendly relationship with the Trust—rumors say that during the Last War, the House often fed vital intelligence they’d gathered to the Trust so it could be shared with Breland while maintaining Medani’s neutrality—if you need to break the law in Zilargo, you’d do well to work with Medani. 

As a Medani born in Zil, you’ve likely picked up some of the flair of the city. Medani from the Hall often wear dramatic fashions and glamerweave clothing, leaning toward the stereotype of boundless curiosity. However, beneath any sort of eccentric demeanor, Trolan Medani are sharp and strong. In Zilargo, beauty often hides a blade. You may disarm the people around you with wit and charm, but you never lower your guard.     

FRIENDS AND FOES

As called out in its history, House Medani is one of the smallest and least ambitious Houses. As an institution, it’s made little effort to challenge rivals; notably, the House raised no objections to House Tharashk, even as the Mark of Finding created a host of rival Inquisitives. Where people often assume that Deneith and Medani are rivals, there’s actually good reason for someone who’s serious about security to employ both houses. So as a House, it has few enemies. However, on the ground those rivalries the House doesn’t care about can come into sharper focus. When Tharashk and Medani inquisitives have agencies in the same district, there’s always fierce competition. Some Deneith bodyguards work well with Medani Wardens, especially if they served together in Korth; but if Warden and Blademark are hired as individuals, there can be a tendency for each to try to outshine the other. Spies and assassins from the Houses of Shadow often clash with Medani Wardens and counterspies, and while most recognize one another as doing a job, there are many lingering personal feuds tied to spoiled schemes or murdered clients. Finally, the Medani have a complicated relationship with House Lyrandar. Both houses are champions of the Khoravar, but they formed at different times and in different regions and have very different outlooks on the world. Lyrandar is loud and ambitious, while Medani is quiet and content. Lyrandar feels the Medani don’t do enough to elevate the Khoravar; Medani would rather build bridges than walls. This can often lend itself to sharp words between scions on the streets. However, there’s also common ground between the two, and they have often stood together when key issues come up among the Twelve… even if such alliances are usually short-lived. 

Setting aside the House as a whole, any experienced Medani inquisitive will have made some friends and enemies along the way. Whose schemes have you foiled, and what clients might still be in your debt? One option is to discuss this with your DM early in a campaign, and to establish one or two past clients you could connect with or enemies who might return with a grudge. However, it’s often hard to build up that level of detail before a campaign has begun. It’s easier if you offer to give the DM leeway to establish this connections over the course of the campaign—so when you go into a grimy tavern in Callestan, the DM could say “You recognize the one-handed halfling in the corner—that’s Lefty Tulac, a Boromar enforcer. You’re the one who got him branded an outlaw, and he doesn’t look too happy to see you.” On the other hand, if you’re looking for an invitation to the Tain Gala, you could always ask the DM “I’ve done some work for wealthy clients in the past… did I ever do a job for one of the Sixty?” The DM always has the final say on such things, and you can’t DEMAND to have a wealthy client who can solve your current dilemma; but you can always ask if it feels like it fits the current arc of the story. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

In creating a character or NPC from House Medani, consider if you they into any of the following paths. 

Retired Legend. A few decades ago, you solved a number of cases that were all over the chronicles. But time marched on, and you settled in and enjoyed your retirement. Now something’s drawn you out of your comfortable armchair and back on the streets, but your legendary skills are rusty and the world’s not the place you remember. The idea here is that you may start as a low-level character to reflect your long retirement; you WERE higher level once, and as you gain experience, you’re simply restoring your skills to their previous level. 

Something to Prove. You have a parent or a sibling who’s a beloved star of the House, and you’re determined to step out of their shadow. You need a big case, something that will get your name in the chronicles. You’re proud of your skills and you like to show off your deductive prowess, but your arrogance can get you in trouble.  

Fugitive Foundling. You have the Mark of Detection, and sometimes you know things you never learned on your own. You sometimes feel like you’re part of something larger than yourself. The question is… why haven’t you joined the house? Are you from somewhere so remote that you don’t understand what the Dragonmarked Houses are, and you’re afraid of them? Or is it something darker—your parents were on the run from a mysterious villain within the house, and you believe it was this villain who finally had them killed. Until you unravel this mystery and expose the murderer, you have to keep your identity hidden from House Medani. 

Instrument of Justice. Aureon guides you. Sometimes directly, with an Augury or Divination—other times, just with a hunch. But you believe that you have a purpose—that you can see that justice is done. You might be driven to expose corruption within the forces of the law or to hunt war criminals, or you might just help people in need whenever you can. But you know that you’ve been given your gift for a reason.  

Crossed a Line. Sometimes one bad decision is all it takes to bring everything crashing down. You took a job you should have passed on. You made an enemy of a dangerous individual. They destroyed your previous life. Were you framed, or were all the threats physical? Did you at least manage to save your client, or do you have nothing left but regret? Whatever city this took place in, you’ve never gone back. Now you’re getting a fresh start with this group of adventurers. You’re seeking redemption for the mistakes you’ve made—and revenge on the villain who ruined your life.    

The Apprentice. You’ve only just developed the Mark of Detection, and you’re still carrying out your apprenticeship, trying to build connections and learn interesting things to add to the Medani memory. Have you chosen “adventurer” as your career—in which case, is one of the other characters serving as your mentor? Or is it a different career path that’s brought you together with this party? 

Rival Mastermind. You have an enemy—a brilliant heir of House Medani whose vile misdeeds you exposed. They were excoriated, and now they’re somewhere in the criminal underworld of the city you’re in—and they hold a grudge. They don’t want to kill you. They want to present you with a score of crimes, to know that they were responsible, and to prove that you can’t catch them—that they are smarter than you. Can you catch your rival? This sort of plot only works if the DM is on board and if it fits the arc of the campaign. If you’re doing a sandbox adventure in Sharn, a villainous rival can be a fun piece of the puzzle. If you’re exploring a megadungeon in Xen’drik, it may not make sense. 

Private Eye. You’re a House Agent of Medani. By default, your job is to wander the world and see things, making connections and adding to the Medani knowledge base. But at any time the House could reach out to you, charging you with a particular task or a mystery to solve.   

These are just a handful of ideas! The key things to consider when making a Medani heir are where you’re from and how you’re attached to the House. Are you licensed as an independent Inquisitive? Do you work directly for the House or Guild? Or have chosen to follow a different path in life? Do you want to start your own agency, to rise within the House, or do you have other aspirations? 

Some adventure ideas are presented in the History section. In general, House Medani isn’t pursuing grand ambitions as some of the other Houses are. But a Medani Inquisitive could always recruit adventurers to assist with their current case. They could be asked to assist the Thousand Yard Stare or the Basilisk’s Gaze. A Medani Prophet could approach an adventurer with a disturbing prediction or revelation. And, of course, the adventurers could find themselves trying to bring down a villain who’s protected by Medani Wardens—or they could be a problem a Medani Wolf needs to solve. 

That’s all for now. Thanks for your support!