Aberrent Dragonmark campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Aberrent Dragonmark campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Hideous Phidias
12-14-06, 12:53 AM I was asked to start a new Eberron campaign for the group in the new year. I was thinking of doing a quest campaign, the old You vs them. I thought about a Faith based campaign but after reading the Dragonmarked book I have settled on a Dragonmarks being the theme.

I was figuring on having the party made up of Dragonmarked characters. Sent out by the Twelve to track down aberrent dragonmark that have been gathering together to form a new aberrent army. I was also thinking of throwing in a few renagrade dragonmark NPC helping out the Aberrents. I want the campaign to range all over Khorvaire.

I was thinking that I could give the PCs the least Dragonmark feat for free, then the other as the PCs level as long as they meet the requirements. This way they donthave to burn feats for the story line. Most people I find dont like being force to take a feat. Call it background feats or whatever.

I have just started to plot for this campaign and in need of ideas for it. I need good places where the Aberrents would be building power, I know there is a "house" in Sharn but I need other places. I also need other allies for them, powerful groups or religions groups. I as need ideas for NPC for the Pcs to fight both renagrades Dragonmarks and Aberrents. I as so need items from the last War of mark that the Aberrent maybe looking for.
Neochronic
12-14-06, 01:10 AM I don't see a problem with giving them the least dragonmark free, but I would say they should have to actually take the feat for the more powerful ones.

There's no need for the characters to have more then a least mark, and this would allow the characters who actually want to focus on the mark to be more special then the ones who don't, mark-wise.
Hideous Phidias
12-14-06, 01:33 AM The reason I was thinking of giving all three was that there are a number of new dragonmark feats that will help to improve their marks and the use of them. If the charcters wanted to focus on the dragonmark powers they will be free to take thes feats instead. I want a chance for the PCs to have both combat and character building feats. I know this is a form of power gaming and will make the PCs more powerful then normao but I was planing todo the same to the NPCs they will be facing.
Hideous Phidias
12-14-06, 01:40 AM What about the idea of bring back Halas Tarkanan the fromal general of old durning the last War of Mark.

I was Think that maybe force unhappy with the out come of the last war and the role the Dragonmarked house played in it have found a way to bring him back and sstart to rebuild his army to reform the Khorvaire in the way they see fit.
McFrankPatrick
12-14-06, 02:59 AM Well, first thing to think is that characters don't have to take a DM feat to be a trusted member of their house. Plenty of people work for their houses without manifesting a dragonmark and can rise quite high in the house heirarchy. That being said, having a mark definitely enhances your status and if your players are being entrusted with something as important as fighting a resurgent House Tarkanan, marks for all makes sense. From a purely max/min standpoint the DM feats aren't that powerful for most characters, so I don't see any problem coaxing your characters into following your campaign arc by granting them the feats as they become available (especially if you have a few powergamers in your group).

Neochronic makes a good point though, from a story standpoint the characters need only a least mark to get into the story, by the time lesser and greater marks become available they should already be deep into the intrigue and hulabaloo you've planned for them. So I don't see the further feats as necessary, but then you know what your players will like better than I and if you think this will inspire them, by all means do it!

One thing I would consider however is breaking up the monolithic "aberrant army=evil" preconception that most marked characters will have going in to the campaign. In my mind, most aberrant marks are manifested by pretty normal characters who have as much a chance as anyone of being good, law abiding citizens before they manifest. Sure, a life on the run from houses after that point will give you a disproportionate number of rogues and scoundrels among aberrants, but you should get CG rebels and leaders yearning to establish safety for their aberrant kinsmen as well.

Your party might even get anonymous leads for a the first few sessions, culminating in a battle against an aberrant marked general building a network of Tarkanan cells throughout the five nations. They kill him, but all is not as it seems (this is Eberron after all). It turns out that the general they killed was a moderate voice in the Tarkanan movement, who advocated organizing and making safe houses for their people (shades of underground railroad) but was an outspoken critic against open conflict, fearing that too many innocents would be put at risk. The anonymous tips as to his whereabouts came via an opponent within House Tarkanan, who is now playing up his death at the hands of the DM houses to incite his comrades to arms. Now the PC's have a brewing conflict on their hands, and even (maybe even especially) good aligned aberants see that joining Tarkanan is necessary to ensure their safety . . .

but I think I'm dating myself now. Hope this is useful, otherwise this post is waaay too long ;).
Melvin the Mediocre
12-14-06, 03:54 PM I'd suggest offering "favored in house" feat for free over the least mark. That feat will still cement them in the game you are trying to kick off, but will allow more flavor and DM tools then a quick rules advantages for the players.

As for other places the aberrants are gathered, you might start the game off around The Twelve where the aberrants are pressing to join the college and work together. Of course they are only trying to get into the college so that they can spy on the legit houses. The PC's would have to pick sides in the debate and should have a chance to argue their case before the leaders of the college as well as the agents of the aberrants.

Once the aberrants' evil plots are unfolded, you will have tie ins to the renegades with true marks, and also have some of the PC's past haunting them in future games. If they sided with the aberrants, then some in the dragon marked house members may hold it against them, while certain aberrants will view them in higher regard. If they argued against the aberrants, then they might find themselves as targets of assassinations
while the Twelve hold them in high regard for their wisdom and fore sight.
ahiman
12-15-06, 12:47 AM I had a campain that I was going to start that was almost exactly like this. I was thinking that the aberrents would have spies and a small network in the five nations but they where starting (or had going) a large compound in Q'Barra that housed lots (from 200 to 2,000). This means that no matter how many spies and cells you distroy the base will always be there. Then you can tie this in with Rashaak(sp). Perhaps he is trying to start a house from his mad dreams or maybe he is trying to kill them all for being abominations but can only use his lizard men(not the best army).

As for the feats. Thats up to you, I wouldn't do it but if you want then that is grate.
Edymnion
12-15-06, 01:11 AM I had a campain that I was going to start that was almost exactly like this.Somebody already made a game almost exactly like this, I remember seeing it over on RPOL.
Need_A_Life
12-18-06, 02:52 PM I'm disappointed :weep:

I thought this was going to be a group of aberrant marked people... *kicks rock*

Anyway, either give them Favored in House or just make clear to the players that they're trusted within the house for one reason or the other (family is known to be faithful to the house, character has previously shown himself capable and willing to do the house's will etc.).

When all comes to all, giving feats for flavor reasons seems like mixing fluff and crunch a bit too much.
Hideous Phidias
12-18-06, 05:31 PM YOu know I had not really thought of playing it from that angle,
everyone getting an aberrant mark. I kind of like the idea. It opens up the players choses more and I only have to give out one feat.

I think I may just go this way, it could be fun. I my last Eberron campaign one of the party was a House member andthey got a lot of help because of feats like favorite in house. This way there will be none of that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hideous Phidias 12-14-06, 12:53 AM	I was asked to start a new Eberron campaign for the group in the new year. I was thinking of doing a quest campaign, the old You vs them. I thought about a Faith based campaign but after reading the Dragonmarked book I have settled on a Dragonmarks being the theme. I was figuring on having the party made up of Dragonmarked characters. Sent out by the Twelve to track down aberrent dragonmark that have been gathering together to form a new aberrent army. I was also thinking of throwing in a few renagrade dragonmark NPC helping out the Aberrents. I want the campaign to range all over Khorvaire. I was thinking that I could give the PCs the least Dragonmark feat for free, then the other as the PCs level as long as they meet the requirements. This way they donthave to burn feats for the story line. Most people I find dont like being force to take a feat. Call it background feats or whatever. I have just started to plot for this campaign and in need of ideas for it. I need good places where the Aberrents would be building power, I know there is a "house" in Sharn but I need other places. I also need other allies for them, powerful groups or religions groups. I as need ideas for NPC for the Pcs to fight both renagrades Dragonmarks and Aberrents. I as so need items from the last War of mark that the Aberrent maybe looking for.
Neochronic 12-14-06, 01:10 AM	I don't see a problem with giving them the least dragonmark free, but I would say they should have to actually take the feat for the more powerful ones. There's no need for the characters to have more then a least mark, and this would allow the characters who actually want to focus on the mark to be more special then the ones who don't, mark-wise.
Hideous Phidias 12-14-06, 01:33 AM	The reason I was thinking of giving all three was that there are a number of new dragonmark feats that will help to improve their marks and the use of them. If the charcters wanted to focus on the dragonmark powers they will be free to take thes feats instead. I want a chance for the PCs to have both combat and character building feats. I know this is a form of power gaming and will make the PCs more powerful then normao but I was planing todo the same to the NPCs they will be facing.
Hideous Phidias 12-14-06, 01:40 AM	What about the idea of bring back Halas Tarkanan the fromal general of old durning the last War of Mark. I was Think that maybe force unhappy with the out come of the last war and the role the Dragonmarked house played in it have found a way to bring him back and sstart to rebuild his army to reform the Khorvaire in the way they see fit.
McFrankPatrick 12-14-06, 02:59 AM	Well, first thing to think is that characters don't have to take a DM feat to be a trusted member of their house. Plenty of people work for their houses without manifesting a dragonmark and can rise quite high in the house heirarchy. That being said, having a mark definitely enhances your status and if your players are being entrusted with something as important as fighting a resurgent House Tarkanan, marks for all makes sense. From a purely max/min standpoint the DM feats aren't that powerful for most characters, so I don't see any problem coaxing your characters into following your campaign arc by granting them the feats as they become available (especially if you have a few powergamers in your group). Neochronic makes a good point though, from a story standpoint the characters need only a least mark to get into the story, by the time lesser and greater marks become available they should already be deep into the intrigue and hulabaloo you've planned for them. So I don't see the further feats as necessary, but then you know what your players will like better than I and if you think this will inspire them, by all means do it! One thing I would consider however is breaking up the monolithic "aberrant army=evil" preconception that most marked characters will have going in to the campaign. In my mind, most aberrant marks are manifested by pretty normal characters who have as much a chance as anyone of being good, law abiding citizens before they manifest. Sure, a life on the run from houses after that point will give you a disproportionate number of rogues and scoundrels among aberrants, but you should get CG rebels and leaders yearning to establish safety for their aberrant kinsmen as well. Your party might even get anonymous leads for a the first few sessions, culminating in a battle against an aberrant marked general building a network of Tarkanan cells throughout the five nations. They kill him, but all is not as it seems (this is Eberron after all). It turns out that the general they killed was a moderate voice in the Tarkanan movement, who advocated organizing and making safe houses for their people (shades of underground railroad) but was an outspoken critic against open conflict, fearing that too many innocents would be put at risk. The anonymous tips as to his whereabouts came via an opponent within House Tarkanan, who is now playing up his death at the hands of the DM houses to incite his comrades to arms. Now the PC's have a brewing conflict on their hands, and even (maybe even especially) good aligned aberants see that joining Tarkanan is necessary to ensure their safety . . . but I think I'm dating myself now. Hope this is useful, otherwise this post is waaay too long ;).
Melvin the Mediocre 12-14-06, 03:54 PM	I'd suggest offering "favored in house" feat for free over the least mark. That feat will still cement them in the game you are trying to kick off, but will allow more flavor and DM tools then a quick rules advantages for the players. As for other places the aberrants are gathered, you might start the game off around The Twelve where the aberrants are pressing to join the college and work together. Of course they are only trying to get into the college so that they can spy on the legit houses. The PC's would have to pick sides in the debate and should have a chance to argue their case before the leaders of the college as well as the agents of the aberrants. Once the aberrants' evil plots are unfolded, you will have tie ins to the renegades with true marks, and also have some of the PC's past haunting them in future games. If they sided with the aberrants, then some in the dragon marked house members may hold it against them, while certain aberrants will view them in higher regard. If they argued against the aberrants, then they might find themselves as targets of assassinations while the Twelve hold them in high regard for their wisdom and fore sight.
ahiman 12-15-06, 12:47 AM	I had a campain that I was going to start that was almost exactly like this. I was thinking that the aberrents would have spies and a small network in the five nations but they where starting (or had going) a large compound in Q'Barra that housed lots (from 200 to 2,000). This means that no matter how many spies and cells you distroy the base will always be there. Then you can tie this in with Rashaak(sp). Perhaps he is trying to start a house from his mad dreams or maybe he is trying to kill them all for being abominations but can only use his lizard men(not the best army). As for the feats. Thats up to you, I wouldn't do it but if you want then that is grate.
Edymnion 12-15-06, 01:11 AM	I had a campain that I was going to start that was almost exactly like this.Somebody already made a game almost exactly like this, I remember seeing it over on RPOL.
Need_A_Life 12-18-06, 02:52 PM	I'm disappointed :weep: I thought this was going to be a group of aberrant marked people... kicks rock Anyway, either give them Favored in House or just make clear to the players that they're trusted within the house for one reason or the other (family is known to be faithful to the house, character has previously shown himself capable and willing to do the house's will etc.). When all comes to all, giving feats for flavor reasons seems like mixing fluff and crunch a bit too much.
Hideous Phidias 12-18-06, 05:31 PM	YOu know I had not really thought of playing it from that angle, everyone getting an aberrant mark. I kind of like the idea. It opens up the players choses more and I only have to give out one feat. I think I may just go this way, it could be fun. I my last Eberron campaign one of the party was a House member andthey got a lot of help because of feats like favorite in house. This way there will be none of that.