Tarkanan Marauder
Eberron: Forge of the Artificer p. 73
- Size
- Medium
- Type
- humanoid
- Alignment
- chaotic evil
- AC
- 16 (breastplate)
- Initiative
- +7
- Hit Points
- 247 (26d8+130)
- Speed
- walk 30 ft.
- Saving Throws
- Dex +7, Con +9, Wis +6
- Skills
- Deception +5, Perception +6, Stealth +7
- Passive Perception
- 16
- Languages
- Common, Thieves' Cant
- Challenge
- 11
Traits
Proficiency Bonus
+4
Size
Medium or Small
Gear
Breastplate, Shortsword
Evasion
If the marauder is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the marauder instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the save and only half as much damage if it fails. It can't use this trait if it has the Incapacitated condition.
Actions
Multiattack
The marauder makes three Aberrant Strike attacks.
Aberrant Strike
Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (3d6+3) Piercing damage, plus 21 (6d6) Force damage if the marauder had Advantage on the attack roll.
Spellcasting
The marauder casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Constitution as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 17):
- At Will: Message
- 1/day: Disintegrate
recharge
1/DAY
Tear through Space (Bonus Action)
The marauder teleports to a space it can see within 30 feet, appearing in a dazzling flash. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 17, each creature in a 5-foot Emanation originating from the marauder when it appears. Failure: The target has the Blinded condition until the end of the marauder's next turn.
Spells
Message [5.5e], Disintegrate [5.5e]
Other data
description
House Tarkanan
House Tarkanan is a criminal gang in Sharn, founded when Thora Tavin assembled the survivors of a suicide squad of Brelish spies who bore aberrant dragonmarks. She adopted the surname of Lord Halas Tarkanan, who used his aberrant dragonmark to wreak havoc in Sharn during the War of the Mark, and fashioned this group of thieves and assassins into a mockery of the dragonmarked houses. However, the gang lacks the recognition, power, and resources of the actual houses.
Goals of House Tarkanan.
House Tarkanan is a gang of thieves and assassins operating within the city of Sharn, but its name points to its founder's vision for building the gang into a larger movement. Most members have no higher aspirations than using their aberrant dragonmarks to profit from a criminal lifestyle. But the gang's leaders seek to amplify their dragonmarks' power to the worldshaking level of the aberrant champions of the War of the Mark, Halas Tarkanan and the Lady of the Plague. With such awesome power at their disposal, they plan to reawaken the ancient conflict over aberrant dragonmarks and topple the dragonmarked houses from their position of power.
Thora Tarkanan (still known about town under her original name, Thora Tavin), who founded the gang, recently stepped aside from its leadership, ceding power to a mysterious figure called the Son of Khyber. Little is known about him, but he bears the strongest aberrant mark seen in modern times along with the skills of a military commander. Some call him Halas Tarkanan born again, believing he is mustering an aberrant army to lead into battle against the dragonmarked houses. Thora remains the Son of Khyber's second-in-command and the public face of the gang.
A House Tarkanan Arc.
The conflict between adventurers and House Tarkanan might follow this broad outline.
- Levels 1–4. A patron asks the characters to get involved in a criminal investigation into a rash of murders in Sharn because all the victims have dragonmarks. Both the Sharn Watch and one or more private inquisitives already squabble over access to evidence and witnesses — the characters' attempt to get involved merely heightens the tension. The perpetrators turn out to be members of House Tarkanan, whom the characters must bring to justice.
- Levels 5–10. After the characters' success in dealing with the Tarkanan killers, the Watch comes to them for additional help. Petty thieves belonging to the gang have offered inside information into House Tarkanan's plans in exchange for leniency in their sentencing. These thieves don't share their leaders' delusions of grandeur or hatred of the dragonmarked houses. The information points to a gathering of aberrant heirs deep below Sharn.
- Levels 11–16. After the characters disrupt House Tarkanan's schemes in the depths of Sharn, the gang sends powerful assassins with fearsome aberrant dragonmarks after the party.
- Levels 17–20. The Son of Khyber leads a small army of aberrant-marked warriors and assassins to challenge the leadership of Sharn — and plots to conjure a Blob of Annihilation to level the city's skyscraping towers.
Aberrant Heirs.
House Tarkanan incorporates members with a wide variety of aberrant dragonmarks. Any Humanoid in the Monster Manual or another source could be a House Tarkanan agent with a mark that doesn't affect the creature's use in combat or that is re¬ected in the creature's existing abilities. For example, a Vampire Familiar might gain its unique abilities from an aberrant mark rather than from any connection to a vampire, and a Bandit Deceiver 's spellcasting could derive from such a mark. On the other hand, an ordinary Bandit or Tough might have an aberrant mark that allows the NPC to cast Disguise Self, Silent Image, or a similar spell with little impact on the NPC's combat abilities.
The two stat blocks presented here, along with the Tarkanan Assassin in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, illustrate members of House Tarkanan who wield the power of their aberrant marks in combat.
Tarkanan Marauder. This powerful assassin relies on teleportation to catch targets unaware and deal out rapid death.