Mark of Scribing

Communication is the foundation of civilization.

—Baron Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis

The Mark of Scribing deals with communication—both the written and spoken word. A gnome who bears the mark can feel words as though they are living creatures, struggling to make their meaning known. The mark provides a range of gifts. It translates languages, but it also allows its bearer to communicate with others at a distance.

House Sivis

Leader: Lysse Lyrriman d’Sivis

Headquarters: The Labyrinth (Korranberg, Zilargo)

Bearing the emblem of the cockatrice, the gnomes of House Sivis facilitate communication. This is seen most literally in speaking stones, magic items allowing a Sivis heir to send a short message to another speaking stone. House Sivis’s message stations employs these items as the backbone of their long-distance communication network. The house also trains and licenses scribes, notaries, interpreters, cartographers, barristers, heralds, bookbinders, and others who work with words. House Sivis has an especially close relationship with House Kundarak, as Kundarak letters of credit must be notarized with a Sivis arcane mark.

House Sivis takes great pains to maintain the trust of its clients and holds a position of absolute neutrality in all disputes, whether between houses or nations. Sivis gnomes are typically friendly, curious, and engaging, but that kindly exterior might conceal a scheming mind. Gnomes have a natural love of intrigue, and the different families within the house often engage in subtle schemes and feuds. Doyenne Lyssa Larriman, the leader of the house, takes pains to ensure that these intrigues never threaten the house or its reputation.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Gifted Scribe

When you make an Intelligence (History) check or an ability check using calligrapher's supplies, you can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the ability check.

Scribe’s Insight

You know the message cantrip. You can also cast comprehend languages once with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a short or long rest. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the magic mouth spell with this trait, and you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Spells of the Mark

If you have the Spellcasting or the Pact Magic class feature, the spells on the Mark of Scribing Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class.