in Morgrave Miscellany, you wrote…
some records reflect accounts of heirs within the true dragonmarked bloodlines manifesting aberrant dragonmarks, much to the dismay of the House… How likely is it that the child could hide the aberrant mark? Or do the trials include a strip search?
Doing research for character backstory, house Deneith if it matters. Perhaps someday I’d love to have a look at the different houses trials in a punlished product.
— Nathan Doyle (@dlcnate1) May 25, 2020
If they manifest it DURING the trial, how WOULD they hide it? The tests don’t just cause a mark to physically appear. They cause its POWER to manifest. So if you’ve got an aberrant mark that grants Fire Bolt and Burning Hands, it will BURN something when it manifests.Also, consider the Aberrant Dragonmark Flaws table in Rising. Those are just examples, but if a mark is a source of constant pain or causes dramatic mood swings, these will be especially strong when it first appears.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) May 25, 2020
But i mean specifically, if a Deneith manifest an aberrant mark during the trials of siberys, how likely are they to hide it from the people administrring the test?If they manifest it DURING the trial, how WOULD they hide it? The tests don't just cause a mark to physically appear. They cause its POWER to manifest. So if you've got an aberrant mark that grants Fire Bolt and Burning Hands, it will BURN something when it manifests.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) May 25, 2020
Also, consider the Aberrant Dragonmark Flaws table in Rising. Those are just examples, but if a mark is a source of constant pain or causes dramatic mood swings, these will be especially strong when it first appears.So the point is that it's not IMPOSSIBLE that an heir could manifest an aberrant mark during the trials and somehow manage to hide it, but it would be extremely unlikely.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) May 25, 2020
Neat, i asked because there’s not a whole lot written about the trials and what they entail. Especially with the old 3.5 stuff and the siberys mark itself (back then needing 11th level minimum to take) it’s not super clear. Thanks for your time. This had been very helpful. I guess the last question on the same thread, how old are humans of house deneith when they go through it usually, and what would the likely house do when they found the aberrant mark?
— Nathan Doyle (@dlcnate1) May 25, 2020
Heirs generally undergo the test of Siberys at adolescence — it’s a symbol of becoming an adult. Aberrant heirs are disinherited, both due to general superstition and because they can’t use house focus items (and their children can’t develop the true mark).
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) May 25, 2020
this reply has spurred another question.
What does it mean to be disinherited?
Could someone still work for the house after disinheritance? For deneith they likely have still been trained as a warrior? Would the house still try and put them to use but just never promote them?As a general rule a house will have nothing to do with a known aberrant; they say that aberrant dragonmarks are dangerous and that those who carry them are a threat to themselves and others. However, a parent or mentor could help an aberrant—keeping them close somehow.
— Keith Baker (@HellcowKeith) May 25, 2020
