Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pallis 03-28-05, 01:04 PM	Thought it'd be fun for the DMs out there to share their starting campaign scenes. If for no other reason that such scenes can be wantonly copied, altered and inserted into other people's campaigns... So, here goes... :evillaugh The fiery blast erupts some distance ahead, instantly immolating the scouting party and announcing that the battle for Weeping-Gate has begun. Overhead, lancing trails of arcane energies brighten the twilight sky. The westering sun bows low against the forces apparent. Another explosion, closer this time; close enough for you to feel the heat of the blast. Over the nearby ruins of the frontier town of Weeping-Gate, an airship rises from the jagged remnants of war-torn buildings. In the penumbra glow of the elemental fire keeping the vessel aloft you catch a glimpse of enemy forces moving with assured purpose over the battlefield beneath – armored Karrnathi skeletons heading in your direction… Call for a Knowledge (History) check, DC15. Success reveals the information detailed on p.292 Eberron campaign setting regarding Karrnathi skeletons and their use in the Last War. A blaze of blue fire blossoms from the nearby ridge, flinging bodies high into the air. The screams of the dead and dying ring out loud as a pall of black smoke is swept out towards you from the blast. For a moment you are lost and alone in the maelstrom before suddenly the blanketing smoke is cast away by the down-draught of the elemental powered airship looming overhead. An instant later and the first of the Karrnathi skeletons, clad in an ornate breastplate and clutching two wicked scimitars strides forward out of the ruination, its eyes – fixed upon you within a rotted visage - gleaming with malice. Roll for initiative… Conduct combat as per usual, though in this initial encounter the PCs cannot be killed, only knocked unconscious. Regardless of the outcome of the fight – each PC gets the opportunity to take down one skeleton – the adventure continues with the following read-aloud, which establishes a continuation to the adventure proper.. Time has passed since the events of that day in the ruins of Weeping-Gate. It is a time of uneasy peace for the civilised people of Khorvaire. With the signing of the Treaty of Thronehold, the one hundred year conflict known as the Last War has drawn to an uncertain close, yet even as the ink dries, secretive political manoeuvres are employed to destabilise relations between the Five Nations of Khorvaire. The shadows are stirring, four years after the mysterious destruction of the nation of Cyre, once the jewel in the kingdom of Galifar. Dreams of peace and freedom are slowly eroding under the weight of almost unbearable tensions. The threads within the veil of peace are failing, picked at by unseen fingers. It is a time for heroes, of whispered words, decisive actions and dark deeds brought to light. It is a time of adventure… Play track one of the Sharn CD and begin the adventure’s first act…
InfinityStar8 03-28-05, 02:02 PM	I started my first Eberron game out like this... House Sivis has sent a message to the leaders of all the dragonmarked houses asking them to come to Sharn for a secret metting. Sending only trusted but not too well known house members to sit in on it. Once all the people have arrived House Sivis tell everyone over a fine meal that they have been hearing through their message stations that the Mark of Death may of come back. And in accordance with the treaty after the War of the Mark all info about the Mark of Death will be shared with all other houses. The PCs then start to chat with each other (2 Dwarfs both from House Kundark [Fighter and Barb], 2 Elfs one from Phiarlan and the other from Thuranni [2 Rogues], and lastly 2 humans one from Deneith and the other Orien [Warlock and Warmage]) and from there adventure party to try and find more info about the Mark and what might be going on. I have NPC parties made up from the members of the other houses also looking for more info and to counter the PCs when I feel like it :schemes: I kept it that vauge so the PCs would have to find out about stuff on there own, more RP and adventure then hack and slash.
TranquilDarkness 03-28-05, 02:17 PM	The characters in my campaign start the game at a very early age - all of them have grown up together at a (very) remote location, knowing only those folks living with them. This group of 'parental figures' raise them to be friendly and courageous (good-aligned) and to utilize their ' heroic talents' - as predicted by some part of the Prophecy. When the group of youngsters learn they have a purpose to fulfill they become anxious and eager to learn more, and to set out exploring the world they have so far only heard and read about. When their leaving has been prepared, they are mystically transported to the middle of the Talenta plains - having no clue where they came from.
Endless_Helix 03-28-05, 03:05 PM	The PCs wake up to the smell of nearby smoke. They hastily don their armor and grab their packs. They run out into the Inn's main dining hall to see most of it in flames. Four dolgrims throw their last bottle of Alchemist's Fire to feed the fire. They block the only way out of the burning building. A few corpses are scattered arround the dolgrims, patrons who headed for the door. There is still a path out to the windows, but it looks about to be consumed, and you are halfway up a tower. Direction: Give them an intelligence check DC 15 to remember about the featherfall traps outside the windows. The Dolgrims have no money or wealth of any kind. Very bare bones. The burning room has the hazard of a 5% chance a burning rafter will fall on a PC or NPC. If this happens roll a dice to determine who is required to make a DC 18 reflex save or take 2d6 +1d4 fire It also requires everyone to take a fortitude save DC 10 +the number of rounds the combat has lasted. Any who fail take 1 fire +1d3 subdual. Feel free to increase or decrease as necessary for your party. This was designed for a first level party. Outside is a firefighter team with wands of create water and some members of the watch helping people out of the building.
KP91 03-28-05, 04:01 PM	Dolgaunts and Dolgrims have been attacking the Talenta Plains. Because they are easy to keep off the halflings don't mind until cultists start to gather and stregthen them. They hire the PC's to investigate. There is an Aboleth in Lake Cyre summoning these creatures. Cultist have been helping it, hoping to get a mind flayer and hopefully a daelkyr.
Grymar 03-28-05, 05:05 PM	You find yourself having taken a room at the Inn of the Broken Quay in Ardev. While you didn't plan to stay this long in Western Breland, the fierce thunderstorm outside has forced you off the road. Fortunately the Inn is dry, albiet not fancy, and the food is warm. Perhaps it is the weather, but the common room is quiet tonight. It is just yourselves and a few others taking shelter here. You see a huge half-orc man sitting at the bar, drinking heavily and quietly chuckling to himself, there is an elderly couple by the far fireplace, looking quietly into the coals as they work on their stew, and over near the door is a person heavily cloaked and shivering from the cold rain outside. As you enjoy your food, you being to notice that the half-orc has taken interest in your party...an unfriendly interest. He's eyeing you after nearly every swig, seeming to gauge your abilities. After a few minutes of this, he gets up, staggers to your table, and... The half-orc begins to taunt the strongest member of the party, trying to provoke a fight. He isn't evil, he just loves a good fight and is celebrating tonight with beer and a brawl. He will not draw a weapon unless his life is threatened, but he will be more than willing to take on the entire party by himself. As he nears unconsciousness from the beating he's receiving... The blow you strike on him is mighty and he staggers, then laughs deeply. He begins to advance back into the fray, fists raised, when he stops cold. An odd, confused expression comes over his face. He opens his mouth to say something, but only blood comes out as he falls forward to the floor, revealing a dagger buried to its hilt in his back. The elderly woman points at the party, screaming "MURDERERS!" and runs out into the rain, husband in tow. Within seconds you can hear the whistles of the town watch having been raised as they come to answer the alarm.
Earthbinder 03-28-05, 05:19 PM	Its Late, the sounds of the city filter down to your ears, the clash of metal on metal rings out in the distance off to you left a sewer vents steam into the cold Sharn night. The Last job didn’t go to well, someone had changed the location of the Magical alarms and all night you spent playing cops and robbers with guards round the Museum of Art, you don’t think you left anything at the scene of the crime, but when you got back to the skycoach it had been arcane locked by the watch. The nearby Towerway entrance is closed for “routine Maintenance”, you don’t want to risk crossing Central plateau at night (who would). So here you stand at a bust up Skycarriage stop waiting for the last carriage home, and to top it all off its raining. Its not long before the carriage turns up, Its basically you and the driver, as you drop your coins into the slot he waves toward the back of the carriage “take a seat, any seat” The carriage moves off on it regular route. At a stop near a towertop park a man gets on the carriage. He has wrapped several canvas scraps around him, like a coat. They look (and smell) like used trash bags. He drops some coins in the box and shuffles down the aisle to a seat; as he sits, he groans. the guy is a paladin of the silver flame just fleeing from a fiend in that tower park, from here on in wether they like it or not the PC's have become involved in his Quest.