House Lyrandar: Families and Characters (Patreon)

LYRANDAR FAMILIES

House Lyrandar is proud of its Khoravar heritage and its customs are more restrictive than those of other houses. All species are welcome in the house guilds, but only Khoravar can join the house itself. Over the centuries, five families have become the heart of the house. The descriptions below provide a few traits that describe a typical member of each family. However, it’s important to remember that this is typical; player characters don’t always fit the standard mold. This is especially true in the character examples given. The Deepwater family is KNOWN for its fighters, but a Deepwater adventurer could be a Bard or a Sorcerer. These suggestions are just that, helping to convey the flavor of each family.  

DEEPWATER

Historical Role: Coastal fisherfolk and sailors

Primary Areas of Influence: Windwright’s Guild (Sea)

Common Traits: Curious, Dreamers, Love of the Ocean

Deepwater was a fishing town on the northern coast of what’s now Aundair. As Lyrandar took shape, Deepwater became the focus of its saltwater ambitions. It was here the house built and launched its first (mundane) galleons. The town itself was abandoned with the rise of Stormhome, but the people of Deepwater united into one family, which has persisted as a major force in the house to this day. Deepwater heirs almost always go to sea. Some are content to spend their lives on bound vessels, serving the greater needs of the house, but most dream of owning their own ships. This is part of the common character of Deepwater. Like many Lyrandar, they are bold and dramatic. But Deepwaters are known as dreamers, always imagining what wonders might lie over the horizon and what grand adventures lie ahead of them. Another common trait of the Deepwater is a powerful love of the open water. It’s said that A Deepwater captain would rather face a storm on the water than spend a sunny day in Sharn. The Deepwater family has its deepest roots in Stormhome, but most of its heirs take to the sea as soon as they can and spend their lives there; which also means that Deepwaters can be found in the taverns of any sea port town.  

Deepwater Characters. Deepwaters are bold and strong. Of all their kin, they are the most likely to face pirates and other threats over deep water. As such, the iconic Deepwater character is a Fighter. There’s two common paths Deepwaters follow. One is to master the power of the Mark of Storm, striking enemies with steel and Shatter. This is the path of the Eldritch Knight. While an adventurer can learn any Wizard spell, most NPCs in this model will only wield Spells of the Mark or thematically related magic. However, Deepwaters also recognize the importance of leadership, and a Deepwater captain might follow the path of the Battle Master. Whatever their specialty, Deepwater Fighters are still swashbucklers that fight at sea; as such, they typically prioritize finesse over force and prefer light armor. 

Whatever your class, as a Deepwater character the most important question is why aren’t you at sea? Are you being punished? Has a mentor promised to help you get your own ship if you do a few jobs for them first? Are you pursuing revenge—hunting an enemy you’ve sworn to put in the ground before you return to water?

Notable Deepwaters. Alistair d’Lyrandar is a respected sea captain known for surviving multiple engagements with pirates in the Lhazaar Sea. While he loves the water, the Matriarch Esravash charged him to take to the air and serve as the captain of the Golden Dragon, the largest airship the house has produced. Originally conceived as an aerial battleship, the Golden Dragon has been repurposed as a luxurious cruise ship, “Stormhome in the Sky.” Alistair is a capable captain, but no one’s ever seen a ship like this before; can he handle the chaos that surely lies ahead?   

Talavash d’Lyrandar is a bold Eldritch Knight who battles foes with storm and steel. She’s not bound to a single ship; instead, she accompanies vessels carrying precious cargo or passing through especially dangerous waters. Her heroic deeds have earned her considerable coverage in the chronicles, and Phiarlan is producing a crystal show based on her exploits. Talavash could be an ally when adventurers are on a dangerous voyage—but she doesn’t want anyone stealing her spotlight. 

SOLON

Historical Role: Shipwrights, Masons

Primary Areas of Influence: Windwright’s Guild (Bounty), Raincaller’s Guild (Irrigation)

Common Traits: Stoic, Morose, Practical 

While dramas like to focus on Lyrandar’s captains, a captain is nothing without a ship. The Solon family are the unsung heroes of House Lyrandar, its master shipwrights and masons. While Solons can be found at every Lyrandar shipyard, the family has its roots in the Old Yard of Daskaran. In recent centuries Solon has worked with House Cannith to streamline production and to incorporate the arcane systems of elemental vessels, but Solon expertise is still a key element of Lyrandar vessels. However, not all Solons work on ships! The Solon family has also played a major role in the development of lock and canal systems, as well as the implementation of the irrigation systems developed by the Raincaller’s Guild. 

Some like to say that the Solons are “All thunder, no lightning.” Most tend to be somber and stoic, a change from the usual boisterous drama of the house. Solons place more value on physical strength than most Lyrandar families. There are old rumors that there’s dwarf blood in the Solon line, in part because the Solons often work closely with a wide range of species to perform construction and heavy labor. Some say that the Solon line has the weakest connection to the Dragonmark, and that far fewer Solon heirs develop the Mark of Storm. However, this may be tied to the fact that Solons rarely need to use the Mark to perform their jobs, and are less likely than other Lyrandar to display its power purely for dramatic effect. 

Solon Characters. The Solon family breaks with many common stereotypes of House Lyrandar. They value strength and durability over finesse and speed, and have little interest in swashbuckling theatrics. One interesting option for a Solon adventurer would be a Berserker Barbarian. When you enter your “Rage” you conjure up a wind that whirls around you for the duration of the Rage, deflecting damage and strengthening your attacks. The World Tree subclass could also be an option, flavoring its movement powers as pulling allies and enemies with gusts of wind.    

Notable Solons. The Solon family has no desire to seize the spotlight, and its heirs rarely draw attention. However, Solons can be found in every shipyard. Daleon d’Lyrandar is the Viceroy of the Old Yard. Known within the house as the Old Thunder, he’s determined not to let the newfound love of airships pull resources away from Lyrandar’s traditional designs. On the other end of the continent and philosophical spectrum, Groll Lyrandar is a Solon shipmaster at the yards in Pylas Maradal who loves working on cutting edge designs; they might work with adventurers when they need daredevils to ride along on a dangerous test run. 

STRONGWIND

Historical Role: Raincallers, Missionaries

Primary Areas of Influence: Raincaller’s Guild, Windwright’s Guild (Air); Sela’s Path

Common Traits: Ambitious, Grandiose, Spiritual 

Many say the Strongwind family are the most arrogant members of House Lyrandar; faced with such a statement, a Strongwind heir might say “With good reason.” The Strongwinds have always had a powerful connection to the Mark of Storm, with a high percentage of their heirs developing the Mark and unlocking its greater powers. The Strongwinds have always been the backbone of the Raincaller’s Guild, and their power has inspired their faith in the Firstborn and the Sovereigns. The Strongwind family has long produced the most devout members of Sela’s Path… though it has also produced most of the most infamous champions of the Hurricane Harvest. Strongwinds like to claim that their family was founded by the secret children of Lyran and Selavash, and that they truly have the strongest blood link to the Firstborn. 

Strongwinds are characterized by pride and ambition. Every Strongwind believes they are destined for great things, even if they have to fight to achieve them. Many Strongwinds are deeply spiritual, which can manifest in sincere faith in the Sovereigns, dangerous devotion to the Devourer, or even the belief that the heir has direct contact with the Firstborn. Strongwinds devoted to Arawai can be kind and wise, proud to share their blessings with farmers; but others in the family can be cruel in their pursuit of their dreams. While Strongwinds have traditionally had little interest in the water, the family has taken an interest in the development of the Elemental Airship. Many Strongwind heirs are eager to serve in the sky—and all, of course, are determined to be captains. 

Strongwind Characters. Strongwind heirs tend to be spellcasters. Storm Sorcerers, Tempest Clerics, and Fathomless Warlocks are all strong options if you’re using legacy content; otherwise you could use any subcless but reflavor some of their spells to be tied more closely to wind and water. If you’re playing a Strongwind Lyrandar, consider who you feel most connected to. Do you feel that the Sovereigns are with you, that Arawai blessed you with your dragonmark? Do you hear the whispers of the Firstborn in your dreams, urging you to lift your people to greatness? Or do you feel a connection to the Devourer… and if so, do you embrace it or do you fight against it? 

Notable Strongwinds. Calynden d’Lyrandar is the Viceroy of Stormreach. Known as “The Kraken,” he is a cunning negotiator with a powerful ability to manipulate the weather. Some say the Matriarch Esravash banished him to Stormreach because she feared his intrigues; others believe Esravash sent Calynden to scheme on her behalf. Whether he’s working first and foremost for the house or for his own agenda, Calynden is powerful, cunning, and dangerous. On the other side of things, Tula Lyrandar is a young Strongwind hier who has yet to develop her dragonmark; however, she is devoted to Arawai and to the Raincaller’s Guild, and is usually found traveling across Aundair helping with irrigation and performing services for Arawai.  

TIDING

Historical Role: Merchants and troubleshooters

Primary Areas of Influence: Windwright’s Guild (Bounty), Valenar Administration, Lyran’s Gift

Common Traits: Charming, Creative, Versatile

The Tidings may not be the best sailors or the most powerful Raincallers, but throughout the history of the house there are countless accounts of a Tiding who happens to be in the right place at the right time, who comes up with the perfect solution to a terrible problem. Tidings are the Jacks-of-all-Trades, found in every aspect of the House. While they rarely have the most powerful marks and aren’t often seen as ship captains, their versatility and ingenuity often results in them filling roles that require an unusual set of skills—engineer’s, ship’s doctors, carpenters, and more. Tidings have long served as the accountants and administrators of the Guilds. The Solons are the master shipbuilders, but it was the Tidings of Lyran’s Gift who developed the first elemental engine. Over the centuries people have come to say When all hope seems lost, cast your hope to the tide—a reference to the Tiding’s remarkable luck and creativity. 

Tidings are also known for their wit and charm. Where many Lyrandar prefer the sea to the land, and would rather be out with their crew than at a grand gala, Tidings excel at navigating social currents. While they are not as arrogant about their lineage as the Strongwind, the Tiding family is directly descended from Lyran; from the earliest days, the Tidings have helped to spread the message of the house and to ensure that its businesses are profitable. While the Tidings have long been based in the city of Sharn, over the course of the last century it’s the Tidings who have played the most significant role in the administration of Valenar. No Deepwater or Vala wants to be a steward for a Tarinadal’s estate, but that’s a role a Tiding can play with aplomb. 

Tiding Characters. There are two paths that particularly suit Tiding Lyrandar adventurers. The first is that of the Bard, which captures the charm and versatility common to the Tiding family while also allowing them to express their Dragonmark with their spellcasting. Subclass is a reflection of the character’s personal strength; Glamour for the diplomat, Lore for the sage of Lyran’s Gift, Valor for the would-be swashbuckler. The Tiding family is also the most likely place where you’ll find a Lyrandar Artificer. When it comes to broad expertise or vast resources, Lyran’s Gift is no match for the Arcane Congress or House Cannith; but the Tiding magewrights and artificers of the Gift have always excelled at stretching their resources and finding ways to do more with less. A Tiding Artificer is a great match for the ship’s engineer who’s somehow gonna get just a little more power out of that battered elemental core.   

Notable Tidings. Tidings may not have many captains at sea or in the air, but they hold many positions of power in the administration of the house. The most obvious of these is the Matriarch herself, Esravash d’Lyrandar. Esravash is one of the youngest leaders in the history of the house, but she has impressed her elders with a series of brilliant ideas and strategies, and the devotees of Sela’s Path (and perhaps, those of the Hurricane Harvest…) say that Lyran speaks through her. Esravash has played a key role in integrating House Lyrandar into the structure of Valenar, which is reflecting by the fact that her sister Shyralla d’Lyrandar is Viceroy of Lyrandar operations in Valenar—and according to some, romantically involved with the High King Vadallia. Another Tiding of note is the Viceroy of Sharn, Solia d’Lyrandar. She is older than Esravash, and has had decades to work her charms on celebrities and councilors alike. If necessary, there are many favors she can call in on behalf of her house. 

VALA

Historical Role: River Trade

Primary Areas of Influence: Windwright’s Guild (River)

Common Traits:  Impulsive, Passionate, Artistic

Selavash Vala was born on the banks of what is now called the Aundair River, and today her family ride the rivers across Khorvaire. While Vala can serve any role within the house—and a few have taken to the skies to serve on airships—most love life on the river. Airships and galleons are the most iconic symbols of House Lyrandar, but the river boats are a huge part of its business, carrying people and cargo between villages and towns. Most river captains run regular routes, and as a result Vala Lyrandar often know people all along their common route; given the nature of the Vala, this is likely to be a healthy mix of friends and enemies. 

The Vala are widely seen as the most tempestuous of the Lyrandar. They emulate the lightning—brilliant and swift, with emotions flaring and fading in a flash. Vala are passionate and feel things with great intensity. They are also broadly considered the most artistic of the Lyrandar. Vala crews often sing as they sail, and the oldest songs in their repertoire were supposedly written by Selavash herself; they were also the first Lyrandar to dance the Thaedira. Duels are especially common among the Vala, so much so that they are usually fought with wooden rods to the first strong touch—or fought with pure wind, with duelists pitting Gusts of Wind against one another. While this presents an image of chaos, the Vala feel love as strongly as anger. Vala crews have a strong bond and will put anything aside to ensure the safety of their ship and success of their journey. 

Vala Characters. The Vala Lyrandar are the Lyrandar swashbucklers so often depicted in crown-chiller serials. They love to engage in brawls, be it with brigands on the water or louts at a riverside tavern. Vala are taught to rely on speed and decisive action, combined with the offensive power of the Mark of Storm. The Arcane Trickster Rogue and College of Dance Bard are both strong paths for a Vala adventurer, blending speed and spellcasting to allow use of the Mark of Storm. College of Valor is an option for a Vala Bard, but one of the features of the College of Valor is the ability to use Medium armor and Shields, neither of which are typically used on a Lyrandar riverboat. By contrast, the College of Dance reflects the ultimate expression of the Thaedira, a dance that is itself a duel; watching two Vala masters perform the Thaedira is quite a sight to see. With that said, the Vala are also a strong option for a Lyrandar warlock; the impetuous nature of the Vala could easily lead a young heir to commit to a potentially foolish bargain. 

Notable Valas. While Valas love the river, they aren’t bound to it. Lazrea d’Lyrandar followed the call of adventure to Stormreach, where she serves the Viceroy Calynden as a general troubleshooter. Lazrea has fought an impressive number of duels during her tenure in the city, and always keeps an eye out for interesting new arrivals. Back in Khorvaire, Baro “The Bellower” d’Lyrandar is the captain of Sela’s Voice, a barge he runs from Thaliost to Fairhaven. Baro has a great love of Phiarlan opera, and the crew of Sela’s Voice are known for performing popular operas (with arcanically amplified voices) as they make their way down the river. This has become a minor tourist attraction, though some residents of Daskaran are circulating a petition to silence Lord Baro. 

CLAN SHIPS

The five families mentioned here are pillars of the house, but each one is tied to a host of smaller clans. Vala and Deepwater in particular have a strong tradition of ship clans. On both sea and river, there are a host of licensed independent ships that are crewed by an extended family. These ships have been maintained and passed down through generations. Needless to say, families grow and crewmembers may leave to launch their own ships—but a Lyrandar clan ship is always tied to its family, and crew members use the ship’s name as their surname. If you’re playing a Lyrandar born on a clan ship, the first question to answer is the name of your vessel. How large is it, and how large is your family? Are you River or Sea? Do you have any unique customs or traditions? Why did you leave—were you exiled? Was the ship destroyed? Are you hoping to prove yourself and to one day return and inherit command? Or was it just time to move on? Currently there are no Air clans, but you could be the first to found one! 

FINAL THOUGHTS

When weaving Lyrandar into a story, consider whether its ambition will play a role in the campaign. Lyrandar provides an important service, and it could be that in your campaign that’s all that it does—that it’s a useful source of reliable transportation. Lyrandar has been building its position in Valenar for decades, and it could be decades more before anything significant happens there. Or this could be a moment when things start to change. Perhaps House Lyrandar and House Orien are drawn into open war (... a conflict that could be encouraged by the Aurum, the Lords of Dust, or both!) Perhaps the Arcane Congress has a breakthrough in air travel, leading to a surge in air travel and sky piracy. Perhaps the Hurricane Harvest gains greater support and threatens the Five Nations with apocalyptic storms. Are any of these stories you want to explore, or do you want to keep the boats running smoothly? 

Here’s a few ideas for Lyrandar characters you could play or meet. 

The Bad Luck Charm. You joined the Windwright’s Guild as soon as you were able to… and every ship you’ve ever served on has ended up at the bottom of the sea. First it was a storm no Raincaller could banish. Then an uncharted demonglass reef. Then kuo-toa. Then… well, the list goes on, but the point is that you’re clearly bad luck. If you set foot on a boat, even odds it won’t reach its destination. So here you are on land, trying to get to the bottom of it. Did someone curse you? Does Olladra hate you? All you want is to go back to sea—but until you deal with your curse, you’re staying on the soil.  

The Revenant. You were a sailor on a ship—sky or sea, whichever suits your story—that was attacked by a villain. Perhaps it was pirates. Perhaps it was a Warlock with a legion of fiends. Perhaps it was Lady Illmarrow herself. You saw your captain and crew slaughtered, and you were left for dead as the ship went down. But somehow, you survived… and you won’t rest until you’ve taken revenge on the person who killed your Captain. It’s up to you and your DM how this could play out. It could be that you don’t KNOW exactly who sank your ship — you only caught glimpses, and you need to follow leads to learn who it is you seek. Or it could be that you know exactly who you’re after… but a 1st level sailor isn’t bringing down Lady Illmarrow. Revenge drives you, but ideally it ties into the story of the campaign. 

The Retired Captain. You’ve had adventurers these children can’t imagine. Pirates? Of course. Dragons? A few. Why, one time you moored your ship to an island that turned out to be a dragon turtle! The house gave you a nice little retirement ceremony after you completed one century at sea. Gold amulet with your name, nice little cottage at Stormhome, but they wanted you off the seas. But you? You still need adventure, wherever it may be! Here the idea is that you’re an old Khoravar who was, in your heyday, a bold adventurer. You’ve been retired for a decade, and age and time have left you a little rusty; that’s why you’re the same level as the rest of the adventurers. But you’ve done great deeds, and surely it will all come back to you. 

The Influencer. You’re a young Lyrandar heir, but your charm and your talent have already been noticed. You saved Brela ir’Wynarn from a pirate attack—at least, that’s how the chronicles reported the story. You humiliated Lord Ruken ir’Clarn in a duel. You’ve been given an invite to the next Tain Gala. This is your moment, no doubt. But what do you actually WANT? Are you truly the hero the papers proclaim you to be? Do you want to do good in the world… or do you just want to make sure the spotlight stays on you? 

The Kraken’s Child. They found you on a beach, half-drowned. A Khoravar with the Mark of Storm. But you have no memory of anything before that day, and you’ve never met anyone in House Lyrandar who recognizes you. But you have dreams—dreams of a figure deep within the water, whispering of a mission that could save your people. It’s these dreams that have led you to your current adventure, and it’s up to you and the DM to decide how they fit in with the campaign. Are your dreams a gift of the Firstborn? Are you being manipulated by an actual Kraken? By the Devourer? Or even the Dreaming Dark? Only time will tell. 

When creating adventurers or NPCs from House Lyrandar, consider whether they’re tied more to the air or the water. Are they drawn more to the path of the Raincaller, or would they rather be out on the open sea? Lyrandar are usually ambitious—so what is this character’s ambition? If they’re an adventurer, do they hope to one day buy their own ship? Or do they have even greater aspirations? Beyond this, most Lyrandar love drama and the flare of thunder and lightning. What does your character love, and how do they show that to the world?

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