A hodgepodge of questions ... [Archive] - Wizards Community

A hodgepodge of questions ... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Salla
07-23-04, 07:49 AM that came up in the Eberron game last week. They probably should be split up and put in different places, but I figured this made more sense. Just one thread.

1. Are shifters affected in any way by wolfsbane?

2. There's a house ... Ith- something or Th- something that's made up predominantly of necromancers and assassins. Does it really have a public identity where you can walk up to a building in broad daylight and know it's the house in question, and its members walk around advertising who they are ("I'm (name) of House (evil guys).")

3. Wouldn't you think a gaunt elf being followed around by a skeletal minion would attract a *little* attention? 'Shades of Gray' alignment is one thing, but it's a frickin' undead. Not deathless, undead.

4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn?

5. Does Eberron have a Baator in their cosmology? For that matter, does Eberron even have demons?

Append each of these questions with 'or is my DM just crazy', please and thank you.
Sereno
07-23-04, 08:36 AM Originally posted by Salla
that came up in the Eberron game last week. They probably should be split up and put in different places, but I figured this made more sense. Just one thread.

1. Are shifters affected in any way by wolfsbane?

2. There's a house ... Ith- something or Th- something that's made up predominantly of necromancers and assassins. Does it really have a public identity where you can walk up to a building in broad daylight and know it's the house in question, and its members walk around advertising who they are ("I'm (name) of House (evil guys).")

3. Wouldn't you think a gaunt elf being followed around by a skeletal minion would attract a *little* attention? 'Shades of Gray' alignment is one thing, but it's a frickin' undead. Not deathless, undead.

4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn?

Append each of these questions with 'or is my DM just crazy', please and thank you.

I'll take my best shot at these:

1. No ... they're NOT lycanthropes.

2. Do you mean Thuranni (the "other" Mark of Shadow House)? If so, the have a legitimate front as entertainers and spies ... the assassination "services" are more clandestine. Yes, there would be buildings just for House Thuranni in cities and towns, just like there are CIA and MI6 offices in the US and other nations.

3. Depends on where you are. A deathless walking around Arenal (sp?) wouldn't be looked twice at (and possibly accorded great honor by passers-by). In Sharn, I would think, a deathless would have to be a little more cautious and would probably have to explain itself to people it meets. Of course, one paladin could vouch, "I know what he LOOKS like, but he's NOT evil!"

4. I highly doubt, even in Sharn, would something so grotesque be tolerated in the open. There's only so much open evil a society can withstand and condone. If the Mockery has such temples, they're well hidden. How would YOU feel if such a "church" opened it's doors just down the street from you ... Sharnites are probably no different.
Salla
07-23-04, 08:40 AM Originally posted by Sereno
I'll take my best shot at these:

1. No ... they're NOT lycanthropes.

2. Do you mean Thuranni (the "other" Mark of Shadow House)? If so, the have a legitimate front as entertainers and spies ... the assassination "services" are more clandestine. Yes, there would be buildings just for House Thuranni in cities and towns, just like there are CIA and MI6 offices in the US and other nations.

3. Depends on where you are. A deathless walking around Arenal (sp?) wouldn't be looked twice at (and possibly accorded great honor by passers-by). In Sharn, I would think, a deathless would have to be a little more cautious and would probably have to explain itself to people it meets. Of course, one paladin could vouch, "I know what he LOOKS like, but he's NOT evil!"

4. I highly doubt, even in Sharn, would something so grotesque be tolerated in the open. There's only so much open evil a society can withstand and condone. If the Mockery has such temples, they're well hidden. How would YOU feel if such a "church" opened it's doors just down the street from you ... Sharnites are probably no different.

And now, to answer the answers. ;)

1. That's what I thought ... fortunately, they slapped our Changeling who was impersonating our Shifter with it so it didn't become an issue.

2. I think that's it. I'm not sure if they were publically saying they were necromancers and assassins (I wasn't paying too much attention, I wasn't there) or not.

3. Yeah, but this was a good old-fashioned Neutral Evil Skeleton (he's using the Skeletal Familiar variant from Unearthed Arcana; basically, he gets a Skeleton instead of a regular familiar). It doesn't even *look* deathless, it looks un-dead.

4. Again, that's what I thought. But we just marched up to it and marched in ...

Yeah, my DM didn't really READ the book.
Vapor IX
07-23-04, 11:38 AM Originally posted by Salla
5. Does Eberron have a Baator in their cosmology? For that matter, does Eberron even have demons?

There is no Baator in Eberron cosmology. There is a diagram showing all of the planes in the Magic chapter, and a list of all of their traits and description and all of that.

I believe demons and devils and other such people would reside on Mabar, the plane of darkness and death and other such unhappiness.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-23-04, 02:02 PM House Thuranni has no dealings with necromancy. Some of the members may indulge in those dark arts, but House Thuranni certainly doesnt sell those services. The only secret services you are likely to gain from Thuranni is assassination, and I dont think its as easy as walking into a House Thuranni establishment and giving them a lot of gold...for all they know you could be an agent of the law.
The Mockery's monastries will be in secret locations, otherwise they will be raided by Flamers and clerics of the Sovereign Host. As said before, imagine the opposition if a such a church opened just down your road.
Likewise, travelling with a skeleton openly will attract attention. If you are an elf you might be able to claim it is deathless, but many probably dont care either way. Keep it hidden or there will be consequences.
As for the demons, many live in Khyber (the underdark), trapped at the end of the Age of Demons. Many make their home in the Demon Wastes, but the majority will be found in the other planes. Shavarath (sp?), the Eternal Battlefied, will most likely hold the most demons. Its a plane in which archons, demons and devils fight an eternal war.
demonpunk
07-23-04, 02:14 PM 1) Again, no.

2)This is explained more above, but yes the House is public. It just wouldn't advertise its more gruesome services that much.

3)If its just an undead familiar, maybe. Druids and good clerics would probably be horrified, but not necessarily attack you outright. The PC shouldn't look to make a good impression with something like that, though.

4)No, the Dark Six does not have public churches.

5)No Baator. Demons are either from Khyber or the "divine war" plane (can't remember the name). Many are also found in...(drumroll)...the Demon Wastes.
crazysamaritan
07-23-04, 02:19 PM Since they were common towards the end of the last war, people probably know about them fairly well (though I doubt they can tell the differance between dethless and undead) but are highly unlikely to appreciate their presence.

Heres how I think people would react:
Greyhawk - One or more local temple preists come out to combine their turning ability to destroy it.
Forgotten realms - the populace hide in their houses and pray to the gods for someone to stop them, the janator of Kord's temple comes out and destroys it as a free action (the clerics are busy wreasling)
Eberron - The city guard approches and hands you two citations for going around the city with an undead during daylight and in the commercial district.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-23-04, 03:02 PM Originally posted by crazysamaritan
Eberron - The city guard approches and hands you two citations for going around the city with an undead during daylight and in the commercial district.

That might be the case in Karrnath, but I can see a different attitude in Breland. They would probably approach with caution and ask for identification papers. When they find you are not an important diplomat from Karrnath, they will likely detain you and throw you in jail along with destroying the undead monstrosity.
"You Karrns have no respect! How dare you walk through Breland with such a creature! If I wasnt trying to keep the peace here I'd knock yer lights out!"
Or something along those lines...
crazysamaritan
07-23-04, 03:15 PM I'd say there wouldn't be any rules regarding undead in Karrnath. At least, no more unusual than living. People are more likely to shiver as they walk by, and continue with their errands.

Whereas I see Sharn as, "Did you see that elf walking around with the undead? It was so creepy, someone ought to do something about them. Isn't there a law against them in the malls?" "I know! they made everyone in my store run out, they were so nervous. I think I saw some flowers wilt as they walked by." Tsk Tsk Tsk.

meh, slightly different. Sounds like something the watch might say though.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-23-04, 03:53 PM Come to think of it, given the vast differences between all the areas of Sharn and all the different people that live there...I think we're both right ;)
There will be watch that hate undead and watch that are just unerved by them. Some will probably just hand out a fine, others will threaten the PCs.
As for Karrnath, I can imagine some unwritten rules, but maybe not laws as you say. It might be considered bad conduct to have your undead soldiers walking in daylight passed a school, but then again undead guards might be numerous in the nastier areas of town.
crazysamaritan
07-23-04, 04:05 PM Just thought of a new way to view "ghetto":

- My 'hood's so ghetto, there's an undead on every corner.
-oh, yeah? Well, my 'hood's so ghetto, the undead made new corners to stand on.
-dude, that's ghetto!

(Please note, I have never lived in the city, and the few people I have heard talking about living in the ghetto actually talked about it like this. Dispite having cell phones, pagers, and a genuine rolex :looloo: )
Draamal
07-23-04, 10:07 PM Originally posted by Salla
4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn?

I don't know, I'd think it would just be a step up from a realistic crucifix. :angel:
Saurenda
07-23-04, 11:49 PM Originally posted by Draamal
I don't know, I'd think it would just be a step up from a realistic crucifix. :angel:

Whap Wha wa wa waaa... And that ladies and gentlemen is how you leave a man hanging.

At any rate, Public can mean many things. I'm sure people don't go around claling thier religon the best thing to sliced bread and handing out token of disembodied figurines to people on the street saying things like "Whorship the Blood of Vol, we'll hook you up so our death rate does down", or "Join the Cult of the Dragon Below or we'll put you six feet under," or even the infamous "Be proud, be gay, be a Flamer." Worse Yet, "Be a member of the Emerald Claw we're the good guys...no really what are we Nazis?"

At some point, Eberron decided the Sovergien host was what the majority would follow. And now I hope we all see why.
Bluebrush
07-24-04, 06:36 AM Some of the Assassination/Death confusion may be due to the fact the elminated mark of Death was held by Elves.
ieattrollsforbreakfast
07-24-04, 09:15 AM Originally posted by Bluebrush
Some of the Assassination/Death confusion may be due to the fact the elminated mark of Death was held by Elves.

Possibly, or it could be from the fact that House Thuranni does have some deals with the Order of the Emerald Claw.
Salla
07-25-04, 03:27 AM Thanks, gang. I'm hoping I can get the book sometime soon so I can bone up on the history/geography/mythology/etc of the world. One benefit to playing a Warforged Cleric ... I only have 4 years of personal backstory to deal with. ;)

Now, the other big question ... should I actually *tell* the GM what he goofed up on, or just wait 'til the next time he tries to slap our Shifter (my wife's character) in the face with wolfsbane and look him dead in the eye and say, "And if she were a lycanthrope, that would mean something."?

Oh ... assuming nobody will get mad at me for hijacking my own thread ... we're in a place called 'Sharn'. From the aforementioned answers, I'm guessing it's kind of a lawless :censored:hole, a "wretched hive of scum and villainy" if you prefer. Can anybody give me more life-in-Sharn details? Please and thank you.:)
MarkB
07-25-04, 07:06 AM There's a fair amount of detail about Sharn, but as the largest metropolis inEberron, it's still just scratching the surface - which is why a dedicated Sharn sourcebook is in the works.

The short version is that Sharn is a vertical city. Built in a 'manifest zone' of a low-gravity plane, which applies some of that plane's properties to an area of Eberron, architects have taken advantage of these properties to overcome Sharn's limited area by building up huge, skyscraping towers, all interconnected by sweeping bridges and walkways, with a wide range of flying vehicles moving between them.

A result of this is that Sharn has different aspects at different levels. At the top, it's a sunlit, well-regulated, high-class place with a world-famous university. As you get lower down, things gradually become less glamorous - the mid-levels are a mass of commerce and marketplaces ("If it can be bought, it can be bought here."), and as you get lower, criminal elements become more prominent, and people are lower-class, until you get down into the Cogs, where most of the heavy industry takes place.

The city is built on ancient Goblin ruins, which are rumoured to be built upon still older ruins, and as you reach the very lowest levels, you get into areas where civilised humanoids rarely venture, and strange, viciosu creatures roam, and you can still come upon ancient ruins and relics.
Salla
07-25-04, 01:52 PM Originally posted by MarkB
There's a fair amount of detail about Sharn,

Yes, but the DM has apparently decided not to share any of this with us. He doesn't quite grasp that he's our *only* source of information about the world (since there are only two players with books in the 5-person group, counting him). He was just talking about two story buildings like it was a standard low-tech D&D town.

Geez. Gotta shake the Forgotten Realms outta this boy's head.
MarkB
07-25-04, 02:06 PM Originally posted by Salla
He was just talking about two story buildings like it was a standard low-tech D&D town. Oh, boy. The only place you'd find a two-storey building in Sharn is built onto the side or top of an existing tower. Hang on, I'll see if I can find that picture of Morgrave University in WotC's Art section...

Yes, here it is. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82143.jpg)
Salla
07-25-04, 02:35 PM Originally posted by MarkB
Yes, here it is. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82143.jpg)

:OMG!
GREAT SHRIEKING ELVIS IN GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT!!!!

No ... we never recieved *any* indication that Sharn was anywhere *NEAR* that tall.
bitnine
07-25-04, 03:20 PM People in Karrnath might be very cool with undead, actually. Remember that the Karrnathi undead were very valued during the war. They were soldiers that rose from the grave and continued fighting after their deaths for their nation. They helped to preserve their nation and kept the living from dying on the front lines. Given such prominent undead veterans that were a key to the nation's survival through the war, their image of undead might not be very negative at all.

Beyond this, there are a couple of mitigating factors for undead in Eberron. The first is that set alignments aren't nearly as firm. Even always evil creatures aren't quite the necessary scourges that they are in other settings. Additionally, there's the Eberron afterlife sort of takes some of the wind out of the "travesty" angle of the undead. Really, given what the dead have to look forward to, being a Karrnathi zombie suddenly is looking hell of a lot better.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Salla 07-23-04, 07:49 AM	that came up in the Eberron game last week. They probably should be split up and put in different places, but I figured this made more sense. Just one thread. 1. Are shifters affected in any way by wolfsbane? 2. There's a house ... Ith- something or Th- something that's made up predominantly of necromancers and assassins. Does it really have a public identity where you can walk up to a building in broad daylight and know it's the house in question, and its members walk around advertising who they are ("I'm (name) of House (evil guys).") 3. Wouldn't you think a gaunt elf being followed around by a skeletal minion would attract a little attention? 'Shades of Gray' alignment is one thing, but it's a frickin' undead. Not deathless, undead. 4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn? 5. Does Eberron have a Baator in their cosmology? For that matter, does Eberron even have demons? Append each of these questions with 'or is my DM just crazy', please and thank you.
Sereno 07-23-04, 08:36 AM	Originally posted by Salla that came up in the Eberron game last week. They probably should be split up and put in different places, but I figured this made more sense. Just one thread. 1. Are shifters affected in any way by wolfsbane? 2. There's a house ... Ith- something or Th- something that's made up predominantly of necromancers and assassins. Does it really have a public identity where you can walk up to a building in broad daylight and know it's the house in question, and its members walk around advertising who they are ("I'm (name) of House (evil guys).") 3. Wouldn't you think a gaunt elf being followed around by a skeletal minion would attract a little attention? 'Shades of Gray' alignment is one thing, but it's a frickin' undead. Not deathless, undead. 4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn? Append each of these questions with 'or is my DM just crazy', please and thank you. I'll take my best shot at these: 1. No ... they're NOT lycanthropes. 2. Do you mean Thuranni (the "other" Mark of Shadow House)? If so, the have a legitimate front as entertainers and spies ... the assassination "services" are more clandestine. Yes, there would be buildings just for House Thuranni in cities and towns, just like there are CIA and MI6 offices in the US and other nations. 3. Depends on where you are. A deathless walking around Arenal (sp?) wouldn't be looked twice at (and possibly accorded great honor by passers-by). In Sharn, I would think, a deathless would have to be a little more cautious and would probably have to explain itself to people it meets. Of course, one paladin could vouch, "I know what he LOOKS like, but he's NOT evil!" 4. I highly doubt, even in Sharn, would something so grotesque be tolerated in the open. There's only so much open evil a society can withstand and condone. If the Mockery has such temples, they're well hidden. How would YOU feel if such a "church" opened it's doors just down the street from you ... Sharnites are probably no different.
Salla 07-23-04, 08:40 AM	Originally posted by Sereno I'll take my best shot at these: 1. No ... they're NOT lycanthropes. 2. Do you mean Thuranni (the "other" Mark of Shadow House)? If so, the have a legitimate front as entertainers and spies ... the assassination "services" are more clandestine. Yes, there would be buildings just for House Thuranni in cities and towns, just like there are CIA and MI6 offices in the US and other nations. 3. Depends on where you are. A deathless walking around Arenal (sp?) wouldn't be looked twice at (and possibly accorded great honor by passers-by). In Sharn, I would think, a deathless would have to be a little more cautious and would probably have to explain itself to people it meets. Of course, one paladin could vouch, "I know what he LOOKS like, but he's NOT evil!" 4. I highly doubt, even in Sharn, would something so grotesque be tolerated in the open. There's only so much open evil a society can withstand and condone. If the Mockery has such temples, they're well hidden. How would YOU feel if such a "church" opened it's doors just down the street from you ... Sharnites are probably no different. And now, to answer the answers. ;) 1. That's what I thought ... fortunately, they slapped our Changeling who was impersonating our Shifter with it so it didn't become an issue. 2. I think that's it. I'm not sure if they were publically saying they were necromancers and assassins (I wasn't paying too much attention, I wasn't there) or not. 3. Yeah, but this was a good old-fashioned Neutral Evil Skeleton (he's using the Skeletal Familiar variant from Unearthed Arcana; basically, he gets a Skeleton instead of a regular familiar). It doesn't even look deathless, it looks un-dead. 4. Again, that's what I thought. But we just marched up to it and marched in ... Yeah, my DM didn't really READ the book.
Vapor IX 07-23-04, 11:38 AM	Originally posted by Salla 5. Does Eberron have a Baator in their cosmology? For that matter, does Eberron even have demons? There is no Baator in Eberron cosmology. There is a diagram showing all of the planes in the Magic chapter, and a list of all of their traits and description and all of that. I believe demons and devils and other such people would reside on Mabar, the plane of darkness and death and other such unhappiness.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-23-04, 02:02 PM	House Thuranni has no dealings with necromancy. Some of the members may indulge in those dark arts, but House Thuranni certainly doesnt sell those services. The only secret services you are likely to gain from Thuranni is assassination, and I dont think its as easy as walking into a House Thuranni establishment and giving them a lot of gold...for all they know you could be an agent of the law. The Mockery's monastries will be in secret locations, otherwise they will be raided by Flamers and clerics of the Sovereign Host. As said before, imagine the opposition if a such a church opened just down your road. Likewise, travelling with a skeleton openly will attract attention. If you are an elf you might be able to claim it is deathless, but many probably dont care either way. Keep it hidden or there will be consequences. As for the demons, many live in Khyber (the underdark), trapped at the end of the Age of Demons. Many make their home in the Demon Wastes, but the majority will be found in the other planes. Shavarath (sp?), the Eternal Battlefied, will most likely hold the most demons. Its a plane in which archons, demons and devils fight an eternal war.
demonpunk 07-23-04, 02:14 PM	1) Again, no. 2)This is explained more above, but yes the House is public. It just wouldn't advertise its more gruesome services that much. 3)If its just an undead familiar, maybe. Druids and good clerics would probably be horrified, but not necessarily attack you outright. The PC shouldn't look to make a good impression with something like that, though. 4)No, the Dark Six does not have public churches. 5)No Baator. Demons are either from Khyber or the "divine war" plane (can't remember the name). Many are also found in...(drumroll)...the Demon Wastes.
crazysamaritan 07-23-04, 02:19 PM	Since they were common towards the end of the last war, people probably know about them fairly well (though I doubt they can tell the differance between dethless and undead) but are highly unlikely to appreciate their presence. Heres how I think people would react: Greyhawk - One or more local temple preists come out to combine their turning ability to destroy it. Forgotten realms - the populace hide in their houses and pray to the gods for someone to stop them, the janator of Kord's temple comes out and destroys it as a free action (the clerics are busy wreasling) Eberron - The city guard approches and hands you two citations for going around the city with an undead during daylight and in the commercial district.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-23-04, 03:02 PM	Originally posted by crazysamaritan Eberron - The city guard approches and hands you two citations for going around the city with an undead during daylight and in the commercial district. That might be the case in Karrnath, but I can see a different attitude in Breland. They would probably approach with caution and ask for identification papers. When they find you are not an important diplomat from Karrnath, they will likely detain you and throw you in jail along with destroying the undead monstrosity. "You Karrns have no respect! How dare you walk through Breland with such a creature! If I wasnt trying to keep the peace here I'd knock yer lights out!" Or something along those lines...
crazysamaritan 07-23-04, 03:15 PM	I'd say there wouldn't be any rules regarding undead in Karrnath. At least, no more unusual than living. People are more likely to shiver as they walk by, and continue with their errands. Whereas I see Sharn as, "Did you see that elf walking around with the undead? It was so creepy, someone ought to do something about them. Isn't there a law against them in the malls?" "I know! they made everyone in my store run out, they were so nervous. I think I saw some flowers wilt as they walked by." Tsk Tsk Tsk. meh, slightly different. Sounds like something the watch might say though.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-23-04, 03:53 PM	Come to think of it, given the vast differences between all the areas of Sharn and all the different people that live there...I think we're both right ;) There will be watch that hate undead and watch that are just unerved by them. Some will probably just hand out a fine, others will threaten the PCs. As for Karrnath, I can imagine some unwritten rules, but maybe not laws as you say. It might be considered bad conduct to have your undead soldiers walking in daylight passed a school, but then again undead guards might be numerous in the nastier areas of town.
crazysamaritan 07-23-04, 04:05 PM	Just thought of a new way to view "ghetto": - My 'hood's so ghetto, there's an undead on every corner. -oh, yeah? Well, my 'hood's so ghetto, the undead made new corners to stand on. -dude, that's ghetto! (Please note, I have never lived in the city, and the few people I have heard talking about living in the ghetto actually talked about it like this. Dispite having cell phones, pagers, and a genuine rolex :looloo: )
Draamal 07-23-04, 10:07 PM	Originally posted by Salla 4. Does the Mockery really have public churches with cut-open-yet-still-functional bodies on display in the main chambers? In the middle of Sharn? I don't know, I'd think it would just be a step up from a realistic crucifix. :angel:
Saurenda 07-23-04, 11:49 PM	Originally posted by Draamal I don't know, I'd think it would just be a step up from a realistic crucifix. :angel: Whap Wha wa wa waaa... And that ladies and gentlemen is how you leave a man hanging. At any rate, Public can mean many things. I'm sure people don't go around claling thier religon the best thing to sliced bread and handing out token of disembodied figurines to people on the street saying things like "Whorship the Blood of Vol, we'll hook you up so our death rate does down", or "Join the Cult of the Dragon Below or we'll put you six feet under," or even the infamous "Be proud, be gay, be a Flamer." Worse Yet, "Be a member of the Emerald Claw we're the good guys...no really what are we Nazis?" At some point, Eberron decided the Sovergien host was what the majority would follow. And now I hope we all see why.
Bluebrush 07-24-04, 06:36 AM	Some of the Assassination/Death confusion may be due to the fact the elminated mark of Death was held by Elves.
ieattrollsforbreakfast 07-24-04, 09:15 AM	Originally posted by Bluebrush Some of the Assassination/Death confusion may be due to the fact the elminated mark of Death was held by Elves. Possibly, or it could be from the fact that House Thuranni does have some deals with the Order of the Emerald Claw.
Salla 07-25-04, 03:27 AM	Thanks, gang. I'm hoping I can get the book sometime soon so I can bone up on the history/geography/mythology/etc of the world. One benefit to playing a Warforged Cleric ... I only have 4 years of personal backstory to deal with. ;) Now, the other big question ... should I actually tell the GM what he goofed up on, or just wait 'til the next time he tries to slap our Shifter (my wife's character) in the face with wolfsbane and look him dead in the eye and say, "And if she were a lycanthrope, that would mean something."? Oh ... assuming nobody will get mad at me for hijacking my own thread ... we're in a place called 'Sharn'. From the aforementioned answers, I'm guessing it's kind of a lawless :censored:hole, a "wretched hive of scum and villainy" if you prefer. Can anybody give me more life-in-Sharn details? Please and thank you.:)
MarkB 07-25-04, 07:06 AM	There's a fair amount of detail about Sharn, but as the largest metropolis inEberron, it's still just scratching the surface - which is why a dedicated Sharn sourcebook is in the works. The short version is that Sharn is a vertical city. Built in a 'manifest zone' of a low-gravity plane, which applies some of that plane's properties to an area of Eberron, architects have taken advantage of these properties to overcome Sharn's limited area by building up huge, skyscraping towers, all interconnected by sweeping bridges and walkways, with a wide range of flying vehicles moving between them. A result of this is that Sharn has different aspects at different levels. At the top, it's a sunlit, well-regulated, high-class place with a world-famous university. As you get lower down, things gradually become less glamorous - the mid-levels are a mass of commerce and marketplaces ("If it can be bought, it can be bought here."), and as you get lower, criminal elements become more prominent, and people are lower-class, until you get down into the Cogs, where most of the heavy industry takes place. The city is built on ancient Goblin ruins, which are rumoured to be built upon still older ruins, and as you reach the very lowest levels, you get into areas where civilised humanoids rarely venture, and strange, viciosu creatures roam, and you can still come upon ancient ruins and relics.
Salla 07-25-04, 01:52 PM	Originally posted by MarkB There's a fair amount of detail about Sharn, Yes, but the DM has apparently decided not to share any of this with us. He doesn't quite grasp that he's our only source of information about the world (since there are only two players with books in the 5-person group, counting him). He was just talking about two story buildings like it was a standard low-tech D&D town. Geez. Gotta shake the Forgotten Realms outta this boy's head.
MarkB 07-25-04, 02:06 PM	Originally posted by Salla He was just talking about two story buildings like it was a standard low-tech D&D town. Oh, boy. The only place you'd find a two-storey building in Sharn is built onto the side or top of an existing tower. Hang on, I'll see if I can find that picture of Morgrave University in WotC's Art section... Yes, here it is. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82143.jpg)
Salla 07-25-04, 02:35 PM	Originally posted by MarkB Yes, here it is. (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82143.jpg) :OMG! GREAT SHRIEKING ELVIS IN GEOSYNCHRONOUS ORBIT!!!! No ... we never recieved any indication that Sharn was anywhere NEAR that tall.
bitnine 07-25-04, 03:20 PM	People in Karrnath might be very cool with undead, actually. Remember that the Karrnathi undead were very valued during the war. They were soldiers that rose from the grave and continued fighting after their deaths for their nation. They helped to preserve their nation and kept the living from dying on the front lines. Given such prominent undead veterans that were a key to the nation's survival through the war, their image of undead might not be very negative at all. Beyond this, there are a couple of mitigating factors for undead in Eberron. The first is that set alignments aren't nearly as firm. Even always evil creatures aren't quite the necessary scourges that they are in other settings. Additionally, there's the Eberron afterlife sort of takes some of the wind out of the "travesty" angle of the undead. Really, given what the dead have to look forward to, being a Karrnathi zombie suddenly is looking hell of a lot better.