Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Endless_Helix 01-05-07, 05:12 PM	I'm going to be running a dark pulp/action oriented Eberron campaign, revolving around the rise of the Daelkyr, starting in Sharn. The PC's through their various connections find out that there is a serial killer attacking bearers of the highest form of Dragonmark of each family's enclave in Sharn. It's a Cult of the Dragon Below who wishes to use the power in the "purest" dragonmarked blood to unlock a Daelkyr in the Graywall mountains. The Cult found out about this creature's prison from sombody shaped like one of the PC's. I'm trying to figure out which massive organisation, like the Lords of Dust, the Dreaming Dark, Vol, the Chamber, the Aurum etc. etc. would have given the information to the Cult. I was thinking the LoD, as a distraction for the Silver Flame while they step up their actions in the Shadow Marches and Aundair.
DanjaNinja 01-05-07, 06:49 PM	Several good cases could be made for any one of those organizations being the culprit. Could you be a little more specific in the type of help you're looking for?
Endless_Helix 01-05-07, 11:30 PM	Basically, I'm looking for a BBEO for my players to spend their career fighting against. I don't know the characters yet. We're going to be rolling up the characters next session, but I'm expecting 3-4 players. The specifics of what I was trying to figure out. -The Daelkyr in question was bound during the war with Dhakaan and the Gatekeepers, by an ancient and not very wise Druid names Gurgerarsh. His clan had been wiped out in the binding, and he needed for someone to keep the seals in tact. So he hid the location away, and made a trail of clues to follow. -Organization X, for their own reasons, got the location by currently undecided methods and decided to use the information for their own purposes, but were too busy to do it directly, or needed a front to make it work. No-one blinks when a crazy cultist kills someone, but when the Organization is question moves, there are forces to keep it in check. -So a Cult of the Dragon Below, led by a daelkyr half-blood warlock named Erak, was chosen to be the "hands" of the BBEO. The BBEO either shapshifted to represent the PC's or someone close to them or what have you, depending on the organization. Erak is fanatically devoted to raising the Daelkyr from their imprisonment and bestowing upon them the laurels of the world, feasting upon the carcasses of their enemies, and gainin the power of a true Daelhyr, so that he may be equal to those he now calls master. He leads a fairly traditional mystery cult, suggesting that the Dark Six and the Sovreign Host were once Daelkyr. -PC's, as of yet unnamed, friend, a scion of House Thurrashk, becomes a victim of the CotDB. Recently, the friend had found a rich vein of Byeshk (in the tunnel where the Daelkyr lord happened to be imprisoned). This is the second victim of the CotDB, the first was a halfing maiden from House Ghallanda. This continues until the PC's interrupt. -They find out about the mines from the Cult, who, mistakenly believes that the PC's are actually those who gave the cult the secrets to unleash a Daelkyr. Hijinx ensues as both sides race to the caves to perform their duties, etc. etc. They factions fight -Eventually I could pull a "who's fooling who?" sort of plot with the Undecided badguy being manipulated by the Daelkyr to get himself released. That's the basic premise. The three groups I've considered seriously are the LoD, The DD, and Vol. The Aurum would have too much to loose, as would any intelligence organization. The LoD believe that unleashing a Daelkyr could cause the Church of the Silver Flame to step into action and possibly gran them a powerful weapons. The DD could use the Daelkyr to strike at the Kalashtar, and eventually use the Daelkyyr as a weapon. Vol would use it to gain secrets about returnig back to her normal self.
DanjaNinja 01-06-07, 12:52 AM	Here's my take on this: thing is, no one really benefits from releasing a Daelkyr. Daelkyr are completelely unfathomable and uncontrollable, and they have nigh-godlike powers. Anybody attempting to release one either doesn't know the full ramifications of his actions or is arrogant enough to think they can control or forge an alliance with the Daelkyr. (Or perhaps they're being manipulated in turn by the Daelkyr, as you mentioned.) The Lords of Dust are one of the few organizations out there arguably more powerful than the Daelkyr, but like the Daelkyr most of their powers are sealed away. Releasing the Daelkyr would serve as a big distraction allowing the Lords' operatives to move more freely, but the Daelkyr is just as likely to interefere with the Lords as anyone else. So it's a risky gambit. On the other hand, perhaps a coalition of the Lords is gambling that the Daelkyr will weaken some of their brethren. The less competition the better. Even if one or more of the Lords manages to unseal themselves, there's still a Daelkyr running around wreaking havoc. They might try to take it out or reseal it, which would be a troublesome task. Remember, that very same act took the not inconsiderable combined might of the goblinoid empire, and it dealt them a mortal blow. It probably won't kill the Lords to deal with a single Daelkyr, but it will diminish them and leave them exposed. Now for the DD: The largescale chaos and destruction a Daelkyr would bring is antithetical to the quori's goals of establishing rigid control. Again, I could only really see this happening if the DD feels it can somehow take out or control the Daelkyr, but if they did their research (and they most assuredly did), they'd know that the Daelkyr's completely alien mind is immune to their favorite powers. They might release the Daelkyr in hopes that the destruction it brings helps them spread their influence farther and deeper in Khorvaire, but since they can't control it they'd have to incapacitate it, which as you know is problematic. Vol and her ilk have just as much to lose from releasing a Daelkyr as everyone else does, and she's arguably less able to deal with one than either the DD or the LoD. However, she just might be insane, megalomaniacal or downright desperate enough to try something. Of course, all of this assumes that each organization more or less knows the true nature of the Daelkyr and the full extent of their powers. If they're operating under faulty intelligence, it may very well end up that sometime down the road they become unlikely allies in an attempt to defeat the Daelkyr. Is that what you were looking for?
Endless_Helix 01-06-07, 08:56 AM	So the LoD benefit the most from the release of a Daelkyr because they are one of the few organizations on Khorvaire that could hope to contain/control it... Yep, that's precisely what I wanted. I just needed a second opinion. Thanks!
Thwyvylyn 01-08-07, 12:22 AM	The Daelkyr are the Lovecraftian Villains of the setting, you unleash one, the world may not end...but it will get a good thrashing before things resolve themselves. Here's a twist, a Mind Flayer cabal would likely have the most to gain. They want to get back home and unlike the Daelkyr they don't exist forever. So suppose they open up a rift and a Daelkyr happens to leak through. Just a thought.
DargonSwift 01-08-07, 03:48 AM	I don't think either of those groups really fit what you want. Well, the Lords of Dust could, considering they love destruction just for the sake of it. It isn't too farfetched to consider that region beyond the Daelkyr's prison also contains a node of Khyber dragonshards that serve to imprisson a powerful rajah. Perhaps freeing the daelkyr also frees the rajah (whom the LoD are confident can kill or control the freed daelkyr). A better fit would be the Chamber or a rogue Dragon prophet. The Chamber could set the events in motion (possibly posing as one of your other groups) in order to prompt the fulfillment of some aspect of the Prophesy. They could be wrong in their interpretation of the Prophesy, or they could be initiating the event knowing the PCs will prevail. Also, the Cult of the Dragon Below is not a unified or organized faction, so you could have two competing cults working toward the same or opposing aims. One cult member could attempt to thwart the plans of another simply to deny that person more power than what they hold themselves. Another group I like is the Undying Court. They also meddle in the Prophesy, but lack the dragon's mastery of it - and would be more prone to making a serious mistake in its interpretation. I wouldn't use the Dreaming Dark, the Lord of Blades, or the Blood of Vol at all, unless its as a scapegoat for some other group.
Endless_Helix 01-08-07, 06:11 PM	In all honesty, the Chamber strikes me as too logical to awaken a Daelkyr. The Dragons would be forced to take down the rogue Xoriatian, as it represents too much of a threat for entire world for them not to get involved. They stepped in during the last planar invasion, in part, I think, to prevent the whole Dal Quor debacle from happening again. They didn't move in heavy-handedly, because they've probably got the most raw power of any group on Eberron and can't act directly without Khorvaire turning into essentially what Xen'Drik is today. Most likely they sent agents to give the Dhakaani information, train the Gatekeepers, etc. etc. Actually, if they trained the Gatekeepers, Argonnessen probably had dealt with Aberrations before and had some techniques to handle them... Hmmm... I smell unresolved history here... Besides, as Dargonswift pointed out, who says the LoD or the DD or whoever the enemy is, wants the Daelkyr to actually be let loose? Using that line of reasoning, maybe they're counting on the CotSF, the Gatekeepers, and the CotSH to move in on the cult and nullify them with little difficulty, but they provide a couple of agents that help with the "clean-up" of the cult, who can now infiltrate both organizations. These agents could even be Rakshasa themselves, if they're caught by a Detect Shapeshifter spell, they could just say that they're changelings or something. And if the Daelkyr is let loose, the BBEG can pick up the pieces of Khorvaire without much effort once the Daelkyr is destroyed/entombed. It would also allow for the Rakshasa to test out techniques to let loose the Rajas... IE, it would be useful what effect dragon-marked blood has on draconic-based wards. If it's effective, then they now have a strategy to get around the dragons' and the coatl's bindings. This gives the factions in the LoD that support the rebirth of the Rajas a lot more power than the the factions that would rather see them left in Khyber. The Undying Court is a little too isolationist, in my mind, to bother much with Khorvaire and they don't have any real legitimate reason for wanting a Daelkyr on the loose that I can see. They lose trading partners as well as probably be the next target after Khorvaire. They also lack serious defenses against aberrations. Also, moving troops through the 5 Nations is going be hell if they're found. The ammount of Undying soldiers required to take down a Daelkyr would be noticed. And as Breland still sees Droaam as its territory, knowledge of this excursion would prove useful in any further negotiations with Aerenal. The idea behind all of this thread is to basically create high-level enemies for my next campaign, that come about because of the PC's first adventure. It gives them a serious reason to hate their enemies and provides a nice "full-circle" effect to their careers as well a unifying element in the plot. A "rogue" anything immediately divorces from the concept I'm working towords. I want to have an organization that can manipulate as well as be able to deploy some force on Khorvaire, which limits the options to the LoD, the DD (by proxy), the Chamber, Vol, the LoBster, the Spy Organizations, the D-marked houses, and the Trust. Of those, the DD, the LoD, Vol, the LoBster, and the Spy Organizations (under faulty info, obviously) could possibly have something to gain (as far as I can see anyway... I'm sure I've forgotten someone, but it's probably the D-marked houses. Cannith likes sticking its fingers in light sockets...)
DargonSwift 01-08-07, 10:33 PM	In all honesty, the Chamber strikes me as too logical to awaken a Daelkyr. The Undying Court is a little too isolationist, in my mind, to bother much with Khorvaire and they don't have any real legitimate reason for wanting a Daelkyr on the loose that I can see. They lose trading partners as well as probably be the next target after Khorvaire. They also lack serious defenses against aberrations. Also, moving troops through the 5 Nations is going be hell if they're found. The ammount of Undying soldiers required to take down a Daelkyr would be noticed. And as Breland still sees Droaam as its territory, knowledge of this excursion would prove useful in any further negotiations with Aerenal. I wasn't suggesting the Chamber or the Undying Court actually wanted the daelkyr set free. Only that by setting these events into motion would cause a favorable outcome of the prophesy. The UC are isolated, but the Prophesy isn't about Khorvaire, even if some aspect of it unfold's there. The elves have a very long view of history, and could be motivated to meddle in the affairs of Khorvaire if it were in there interests. Foiling some aspect of the Prophesy that would benefit the dragons would be motivation enough. I wasn't suggesting they would sent troops to Khorvaire either. One aspect of Eberron is that things are rarely what they seem. Enemies become friends, and friends become enemies. If you are looking for a larger than average scaled conflict, such as your suggested Reidran war, then a border conflict with Droaam is one posibility. It would be true to the setting if this war were set in motion by the LoD, DD, UC, or dragons. Initially it might seem the campaign is centered around a power hungry Droaam warlord, but as the PCs get involved they start to uncover the 'someone behind the curtain'. Perhaps they are mysteriously aided by Daask or other agents of the Hags, who want to ease tensions with Breland and get to the bottom of who's controlling the warlord. Their secret informant or patron could turn out to be a medusa. Perhaps the party are being manipulated by the UC and Chamber, alternately being helped and then attacked by either or both groups. Both groups try to use the Prophesy to their own ends. Neither are beyond starting a small war to insure a barmaid doesn't/does live to give birth to a warrior who'll change the coarse of the Prophesy. Any way, just some food for thought.
Kamikaze Chicken 01-09-07, 12:49 PM	there is a very sinister possibility here. A daelkyr is not bound in the mountains. Instead perhaps a rajah? or may haps an evil dragon driven mad by his knowledge of the draconic prophecy? or perhaps there is a second "flame" which has been corrupte dby its bound fiend? All the PCs get to know is that a cult of the dragon below believes a daelkyr is there, and they will try to stop it. If the real reason the lords of dust leaked this information was to distract the church of the silver flame, then the lords of dust probably dont think anything will come of it except the smoke screen for them. SOmetimes it is better to leave the "scary thing bound in the cave" unknown. Fear of the unknown is a very strong driving force for campaigns. If you so decide it is a dealkyr or what not, perhaps it should fall to the pcs to stall or prevent its freedom. if it is just an empty cave with some nasty vibes in it then let them avert the threat and persue the real danger in the lords of dust. Sounds like an ingenious idea for a campaign. Dont let the evils that be, or the necesity of knowing about them spoil your fun. Happy dming KAMIKAZE! :chicken:
Endless_Helix 01-10-07, 06:34 PM	there is a very sinister possibility here. A daelkyr is not bound in the mountains. Instead perhaps a rajah? or may haps an evil dragon driven mad by his knowledge of the draconic prophecy? or perhaps there is a second "flame" which has been corrupte dby its bound fiend? All the PCs get to know is that a cult of the dragon below believes a daelkyr is there, and they will try to stop it. If the real reason the lords of dust leaked this information was to distract the church of the silver flame, then the lords of dust probably dont think anything will come of it except the smoke screen for them. KAMIKAZE! :chicken: That's a good idea, I'd not thought of that. I suppose that I could really have just about anything bound in those seals. I've a while before it gets this far. It should be about 2-3 weeks before it gets to where I need to worry about this aspect of the plot. I'd love to hear some more ideas! Keep e'm coming!