Dragonmark

Background
Three thousand centuries ago, strange drawings appeared on the skin of elves from the Kingdom of Aerenal. These drawings looked more like a birthmark than a tattoo. Those were the first dragonmarks. Those dragonmarks gave their bearers magical abilities that have been a source of power and conflict for centuries.

The elven bards known as phiarlans and the necromancers of the House of Vol were the first ones to bear those marks. However, the marks seemed to follow one of the two possible patterns. Those marks were later named the Mark of Shadow and the Mark of Death. As the House of Vol grew in power, the bearers of the Mark of Death started experimenting with the crossbreeding of elves and dragons. Those experiences were looked on as an abomination by both races. The decision was taken to destroy every single bearer of the Mark of Death, none of whom have been seen since that day.

Through the centuries, different marks appeared in other races and bloodlines. The Marks of Hospitality and Healing on the halflings of the Talenta Plains, the Mark of Scribing on the gnomes of Zilargo, the Marks of Making, Sentinel, Passage, and Handling on the humans of Galifar, the Mark of Warding on the dwarves of the Mror Holds, as well as the Marks of Storm and Detection on Half Elves and Mark of Finding on the humans and half-orcs of the Shadow Marches.

The twelve dragonmarked bloodlines then formed thirteen great houses. The power of their marks is the source of economic and political power across Khorvaire and into Xen’drik. Any member of these houses is vowed to no king. It is to these marks that we owe most of the technologies and the warforged.

The dragons of Argonnessen recognize dragonmarks as part of the Draconic Prophecy. They study these marks as they represent their appearance on the so-called “lesser races.”

How to unlock Dragonmarks
Originally, dragonmarks had to be unlocked separately on each server by completing the Hall of the Mark quest for Lockania in The Marketplace, northwest of the auctioneer. Currently, dragonmark feats are freely available to all player characters of appropriate races. Although it is no longer required, the Hall of the Mark quest is still available. This is a no encounter quest and can be done at any time, once ever per character; the quest rewards are 5 platinum pieces, and one free feat retraining with Fred in the House Jorasco enclave (this was originally intended for adding a dragonmark to an existing character, but can be used to train any feat for which the character is eligible).
 * Note: Even Drow and Warforged, who can not get dragonmarks, may want to complete this quest just to obtain the rewards. (50 gp and a free feat exchange token.)

Types of Dragonmarks
Dragonmarks are feats that come in three tiers of power: Least, Lesser, and Greater. Each race has its own dragonmarks, some have 1, some have more than 1. Neither Drow nor warforged can be dragonmarked. Metamagic Feats affect spell-like abilities associated with Dragonmarks' tiers.

Least Dragonmarks
Least Dragonmarks grant a +2 bonus to a skill associated to the power of the dragonmark. They also bestow the ability to use a spell-like ability three times per rest. The caster level of the dragonmark ability is equal to your character level and the DC is equal to 10+level of the spell+your Charisma modifier. Once a player has selected a Least Dragonmark, he cannot select any other one. A character can only be dragonmarked by one mark at a time.

Lesser Dragonmarks
Lesser Dragonmarks can be purchased once a dragonmarked character has reached 6th level. The selected mark must be the same as the Least Dragonmark. A Lesser Dragonmark bestows a second spell-like ability twice per rest and gives an extra use per rest of the Least Dragonmark's spell-like ability.

Greater Dragonmarks
Greater Dragonmarks can be purchased once a dragonmarked character has reached 9th level. The selected mark must be the same as the Lesser Dragonmark. A Greater Dragonmark bestows a third spell-like ability once per rest and gives an extra use per rest of the Least and Lesser Dragonmark's spell-like ability.

Drawing on the face
Dragonmarks are pattern on the skin, more like a birthmark than a tattoo. In order to let us see them, they are displayed by default on the face of your character. A player can remove it from his character's face by using the /showdragonmark off command and can display it by using /showdragonmark on.