House Orien is a humandragonmarked house throughout Khorvaire, with its major enclave located in Passage, Aundair, the house specialises in courier services and land based transport. Though House Cannith invented the lightning rail, House Orien are the ones who operate and manage it.
"I specialize in fast, effecient delivery. I don't want or need to be told what I'm carrying- the fact that you've paid is all I need to know". - Rikard d'Orien, Couriers Guild
House Orien possesses the Mark of Passage. This mark grants various magical benefits that allow its bearers to control travel and teleportation.
3.5 Edition: In the 3.5 edition Eberron Campaign Setting (page 65) the Mark of Passage can be taken as a feat. In its least form it grants the player character the ability to cast; expeditious retreat, mount, or dimension leap and a +2 bonus to stealth checks. In its lesser form it grants dimension door or phantom steed. In its greater form it grants the ability to cast overland flight or teleport.
4th Edition: In the 4th edition Eberron Player's Guide (page 91) the Mark of Passage can be taken as a feat. Possessing the mark grants the character a bonus to powers that allow you to shift. Additionally the character can master rituals in the travel category and the enhance vessel, find the path, passwall, phantom steed, steed summons and water walk rituals.
5th Edition: In the 5e campaign setting book, Eberron: Rising from the Last War, the Mark of Passage is a variant race for Humans that replaces some of their racial traits with a different ability score increase, increased movement, some innate spellcasting, bonuses to skill/vehicle checks, and an expanded spell list.
History
The Mark of Passage first appeared in Aundair around the year -1900. Most of the humans who developed the mark were experienced travelers and teamsters who soon formed a group when learning of their common bond. During these early years, the marked humans competed against each other however, they soon united when they realized what they could accomplish together. The newly established House Orien immediately began putting their efforts into the caravan business, delivering goods across Khorvaire. During these times the roads were quite dangerous so Orien set out to secure safe passage for their vehicles by exercising their diplomatic powers and pure magical ability. As the house prospered, Orien invested in the development of new roads and upgrading the old ones. In the days before the Sivis speaking stone network, House Orien ran a post system that was used across the Five Nations.
In 811 YK the first lightning rail was constructed by House Cannith and the elemental binders of Zilargo. This technology revolutionized transportation and so it was only a matter of time before Orien involved itself with the business. Orien began to manage the lighting rail and soon was in control of where the lightning rails spread as Orien commissioned for a group to be formed known as the Trailblazers, whose objective is to explore new routes for the rail to travel and lay the conductor stones for the rail to follow.
The Last War
The war adversely effected House Orien as bridges and rail tracks were often destroyed in order to slow down enemy advancements. To make matters worse, House Lyrandar began running the airship business toward the end of the war. House Orien's dominance over the field of transportation has never been so unsure, in an effort to regain control the house has begun to focus on its teleportation business though, teleportation remains expensive.
House Orien has a large stake in the transportation business and a dominance over the postal business. It separates these two businesses into two guilds, the couriers guild and the transportation guild. The couriers guild hires independent messengers and couriers to deliver letters and small parcels, whilst the transportation guild prepares goods for shipment, running the lightning rail and maintaining the trade roads. The transportation guild is the largest dragonmarked guild and has tens of thousands of employees. It is rare for one to hire a Orien caravan to travel to a location of their choice as the price is often too steep. It is far more common to find travelers paying a fee in order to accompany a caravan along its set route throughout a city or to a nearby settlement though, Orien often waves the fare for adventurers so long as they offer their services to protect the caravan. The house also runs a teleportation business though, due to its high fees it has yet to become a mainstream form of transportation.
Inventions
The Trade Roads
Joining House Orien
House Orien is a cosmopolitan organization and has by far the most diverse membership. Though it is a human dragonmarked house, many half-elves and half-orcs are members and even a few elves, doppelgangers and shifters have married into the line. House Orien encourages its heirs to have numerous children even accepting those born out of wedlock as fully-fledged scions to the house, a practice that is rare for a dragonmarked house. Though non-humans within the house have no dragonmark to pass onto their offspring, they and their children have a home and future within the house.House Orien prefers that its members focus on skills and talents useful in day to day labor, or ones that enhance the powers granted by their dragonmarks. To that end members of Orien often become artificers, bards, fighters, magewrights or wizards.
Key Locations
A human heir of House Orien with a dragonmark on her stomach.
A House Orien half-Orc Shaman scouts the way for an Orien caravan.
4th Edition
Orien Courier: Player's Handbook p.156
Orien Smuggler: Player's Handbook p.156
Caravan Scout: Player's handbook p.156
Stats
3.5 Edition
Rikard d'Orien: Dragonmarked p.63
Typical House Orien Courier: Eberron Campaign Setting p.236
4th Edition
Hand of Orien: Eberron Campaign Guide p.225
Notes
It is stated in the Eberron Campaign Guide that Eladrin have also married into House Orien. Eladrin are an playable race in 4th edition and would not appear the same way in a 3.5e game.
